Everyone knows that having a stepmother means having a stepfather. Shang Shu unfortunately got that role.
Her stepmother and stepsister constantly gossiped in her ear, and finally, when she w...
Chapter 58 is too inappropriate for children.
After discussing it, Shang Shu and Lin Lang decided to meet at a French restaurant on the top floor of a building in the city center at 7 p.m.
Compared to Shang Shu, who had been away from Macau for many years and then threw herself into work upon her return, Lin Lang was far more knowledgeable about the food, drinks, and entertainment in Macau. Since Lin Lang frequented this restaurant, and Shang Shu had taken a look at the menu beforehand to make sure it suited Gu Sui's taste, they made the reservation.
It wasn't until she followed Gu Sui into the restaurant and heard Gu Sui being respectfully addressed as "Second Miss" by everyone that Shang Shu realized that the restaurant and the entire building beneath her feet were also owned by the Gu family.
The two arrived earlier than the other two and went to the private room first.
"Why didn't you tell me beforehand..." Shang Shu whispered reproachfully after the waiter who had led the way left.
"What?" Gu Sui sat down and rolled up his trouser legs.
Shang Shu puffed out her cheeks: "Then... never mind..."
She suddenly felt that asking again would make her seem pretentious.
Gu Sui tilted her head. Shang Shu was wearing a champagne-colored silk shirt today, with a matching ankle-length fishtail skirt. She was elegant without being cumbersome, and so beautiful that Gu Sui wanted to keep her hidden away. The young lady said that although it was just a gathering with acquaintances, the matter was extremely important and could not be taken lightly.
Seeing the girl's chubby cheeks and the bow tie at her collar rising and falling slightly with her breathing, Gu Sui couldn't help but gently pinch her chin: "Why are you still afraid of being the boss's wife?"
"Who...who's going to be the boss's wife..." Shang Shu's face flushed red instantly, and her ears started to burn. When she said the last few words, her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible.
Gu Sui chuckled and led the person to the large floor-to-ceiling window to see the night view. The restaurant was on the forty-something floor, with a wide view. Looking down, they could almost see the entire city of Macau, surrounded by lights. The whole city looked like a shimmering galaxy, and they felt as if they were standing on the top of a golden crown studded with jewels.
Shang Shu's heels were higher than Gu Sui's today, which made up for the 2cm difference that had been bothering her. She slowly came up behind him, reached out and wrapped her arms around Gu Sui's waist, resting her chin on his neck. Originally, she only planned to enjoy the night view, but remembering what had just happened, she decided to get her revenge.
Gu Sui felt a ticklish sensation from the feather-like breath on her ear. She wanted to turn around but was firmly held in someone's arms. She felt the hand on her waist slowly slide down, with no intention of stopping. Facing the night view, her body began to feel weak, and a small mound rose on her smooth neck.
"Why are you so sensitive, Dr. Gu?" Shang Shu looked down at the man's neck and deliberately snorted.
Gu Sui felt a tightness in her lower abdomen, pressed down on the restless slender hand, and refused to admit it: "It itches."
"You're just saying that." Shang Shu heard the panting breaths that were about to escape his lips, gave him a light peck on the side of his neck, and stopped making a fuss.
He was afraid that Gu Sui wouldn't be able to handle it, and he was also afraid that he himself wouldn't be able to endure it.
The two of them quietly embraced and watched the night view for a while until they were interrupted by Lin Lang's voice.
"Hey, could you two please be a little more mindful?" Lin Lang said, arms crossed at the doorway, glancing at Gu Xiangyi beside him. "This is too inappropriate for children."
When it was Gu Xiangyi's turn to complain, she frowned and glared at Lin Lang: "Who is the child?"
Shang Shu then released Gu Sui and returned to her seat with a smile.
Gu Xiangyi smiled and called out "Auntie" and "Sister Shang Shu," while Lin Lang simply gave Gu Sui a brief greeting with her eyes.
Seeing that Lin Lang was wearing an emerald green sleeveless dress with a blazer over it, she remembered the dating tips that Lin Lang had once boasted to her.
The original quote was: "You can dress as sexy as you want inside, and then wear an outer layer over it. This is called playing hard to get, which is much more irresistible than showing your skin. Do you understand?"
Shang Shu couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile. So this was a date. It was a shame that the person had sent the message so seriously, making her think it was some kind of symphony academic seminar.
Glancing at Gu Xiangyi again, whose formality was no less impressive, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "Dressed up for the occasion, that's quite an honor."
Gu Sui glanced up indifferently and recalled the emerald that Gu Xiangyi had once handled by chance.
Lin Lang rolled his eyes at the two of them: "Likewise."
The sommelier brought out the pre-dinner drinks at just the right time. Shang Shu looked at the champagne that was about to be placed on the table and asked someone to replace it with sparkling water for Gu Sui.
"I have a cold." Gu Sui glanced at the champagne left in front of Shang Shu and frowned slightly.
"Just a little bit, I'm just happy today," Shang Shu said softly, feigning affection.
Lin Lang watched the two people opposite him being so affectionate and couldn't help but get goosebumps. He wondered who it was that had been so dramatic about dying just a few days ago.
"On such a joyous occasion, aren't you going to have a drink?" she began to openly tease Gu Sui.
Shang Shu gave Gu Sui a meaningful look, then pursed her lips and answered for her, "She's driving."
Lin Lang remained noncommittal. She left herself a glass of champagne, turned to look at Gu Xiangyi, and said, "Your aunt probably doesn't have time to take care of you. You can have some sparkling water too."
Gu Xiangyi tucked her lips into her sleeve and said awkwardly, "No, I want champagne too."
Seeing that Gu Sui did not object, Lin Lang did not say anything more and let Gu Xiangyi go.
Because of Gu Sui and Gu Xiangyi's status, the head waiter personally and attentively introduced the dishes throughout the meal. When people chatted, he slowed down the pace of serving the dishes. Appetizers were paired with white wine, main courses with red wine, and desserts with sweet wine. He was meticulous and thoughtful in smelling and tasting the wines.
Shang Shu deliberately restrained herself from asking Gu Sui about his appetite, afraid that he would feel uncomfortable, but her eyes kept involuntarily drifting towards him.
"Miss, why don't you just hang your eyes on people? Do you have to be so dramatic?" The three were slightly drunk, and Lin Lang became bolder in her speech.
She just didn't realize that Gu Xiangyi, who was standing next to her, also had a crush on her.
However, Shang Shu and Gu Sui noticed, and they exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word.
Gu Xiangyi chuckled at her sister's bold statement. She really liked Lin Lang's straightforwardness, so she cleared her throat and asked Shang Shu, "Sister Shang Shu, what do you like about my aunt?"
Gu Sui clicked his tongue lightly, expressing his dissatisfaction with the issue.
Shang Shu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she glanced at Gu Sui with a somewhat dreamy look in her eyes, replying with a smile, "All of them."
Upon hearing this, the two people opposite them exclaimed in unison, "Eh!" in a gentle tone, as if saying, "I can't stand it!"
Gu Sui turned his head and smiled as he looked at the girl's slightly tipsy appearance. His gaze unconsciously shifted downwards, looking at her full, pink lips, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
"You two better keep this in mind, I can't take this 'life or death' act anymore." Lin Lang swirled her wine glass and took another sip, using the alcohol as an excuse to expose Shang Shu's shortcomings. She turned to Gu Sui, "You have no idea, she—"
"Lin Lang!" Shang Shu quickly stopped him.
Lin Lang raised an eyebrow and took another sip: "In short, I love you to death, and... you absolutely cannot let her down."
Gu Xiangyi silently moved the wine bottle next to Lin Lang a little further away.
"Yes." Gu Sui responded earnestly, then turned to Shang Shu, "I won't."
Shang Shu smiled, holding her face in her hands. She found it a little funny that Gu Sui, as the only sober person and the eldest at the table, was making a serious promise to the three slightly drunk people.
Yet... it also brings a sense of peace.
"I'm going to the restroom." Lin Lang stood up unsteadily, her high heels wobbling and stomping a few times on the floor.
Gu Xiangyi couldn't help but stand up and help her up. She hadn't drunk much, and it seemed she had been waiting for this moment.
"I think I'll go with her," Gu Xiangyi said softly to the two people at the table, her eyes lowered.
After the two left their seats, Shang Shu leaned unabashedly on Gu Sui's shoulder.
"Ugh." Shang Shu said lazily. She was telling the truth; mixing drinks like this did make it easier to get drunk than usual, but she mainly wanted to act cute with someone.
Gu Sui straightened his crossed legs, stretched out his arm to adjust him into a comfortable position, and looked down at Shang Shu's fluttering eyelashes: "Are you feeling unwell? Do you want to go back?"
Shang Shu hummed a few times, without moving her head, indicating her denial.
"Who said we'd only drink a little?" Gu Sui said helplessly, taking Shang Shu's hand and rubbing it in his palm.
Shang Shu sniffed and said coquettishly, "Then why didn't you stop me?"
"I stopped you, and you pinched me." Gu Sui chuckled.
Shang Shu didn't say anything, closed her eyes for a few seconds, but then seemed to think of something and slowly opened her eyes and said, "You can take Xiangyi back later, and you can go see Sister Gu Qi."
After all, the biggest "hero" was Gu Qi. Both of them had treated Lin Lang to dinner, so it wouldn't be right for them not to acknowledge their own sister and instead have an outsider take their niece home. That would seem rather inconsiderate.
Gu Sui understood Shang Shu's meaning, but was still a little worried about the young girl: "But—"
"I'll wait for you at home, okay?" Shang Shu struggled to sit up and met Gu Sui's eyes.
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Gu Sui's heart warmed again when he heard the word "home".
The restroom in the private room was right next door. Gu Xiangyi helped Lin Lang, and although it was only a short distance, they walked very slowly.
"I can walk." Lin Lang shook her head, trying to clear her mind. As she walked, she pondered, how come she remembered not drinking that much?
Gu Xiangyi didn't answer, but continued to support the person with her arm. "I can walk," she said. "I'll show you how to walk in a straight line." She knew all too well that drunk people liked to say that.
Upon reaching the door, Lin Lang saw that the person still wouldn't let go, and instead became embarrassed: "You want to come in with me?"
“Otherwise, what if you fall?” Gu Xiangyi used “you” instead of the “sister” she usually said.
"Then I won't go." Lin Lang leaned against the wall next to her, squinting at people, intending to give up. She was indeed a carefree person, but not so carefree as to go to the toilet in front of others.
Gu Xiangyi blushed a little and put her hands on her hips: "Then... don't lock the door, so I can come in and save you if anything happens."
Lin Lang chuckled, finding it amusing: "Then don't get any funny ideas and try to take advantage of me."
"You... what do you take me for?" Gu Xiangyi was both ashamed and angry, and took a few steps back as if to prove her innocence.
"Alright, then I'll trouble you to keep watch at the door for me." Lin Lang smoothed her hair and turned inside with a charming air.
Gu Xiangyi stood straight at the door like a little guard, even though she knew that no one would come.
After using the restroom, Lin Lang washed her hands and face. She looked in the mirror, tidied her messy hair, and felt much more refreshed.
So when she opened the door, she saw the little guard standing straight at the entrance.
Lin Lang chuckled: "Don't want to play the piano anymore, so you're joining the army instead?"
"Let's go." Gu Xiangyi was used to Lin Lang's teasing. Seeing that the person came out unharmed, she naturally took his arm again, but only gently, instead of supporting him forcefully as before.
Lin Lang regained some of her composure and even felt a little shy about her actions. Despite her usual talkative nature, she couldn't utter a single word at this moment.
Back at their seats, the four of them sat for a while longer before dispersing as previously agreed.