Chapter 37: Gu Jinzhou, the Most Scheming and Ruthless Childhood Sweetheart in History

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Just moments ago, Gu Jinzhou had taken off his watch and pink hair tie. While frying sweet and sour pork ribs, his luxurious, pristine white shirt had gathered several grease stains. A serene young girl sat in his arms, nibbling on the ribs, grease and bits of meat scattered over her clothes. Gu Jinzhou’s handsome, refined face furrowed briefly, then relaxed, seemingly resigned to the fact that his suit had been ruined.

Su Ruanruan’s clean, fair face held a small rib full of color, aroma, and flavor between her lips.

“I don’t hold you because you have a cold expression and don’t want me to, but when I do, I can’t eat properly because the grease stains your expensive suit, and then you complain,” he said.

Back at Silver Lake Manor, in a familiar environment, she felt bolder—no longer timid and tearful like she was at the Emperor’s Palace. In other words, she was fierce at home.

Gu Jinzhou wiped the grease from her lips with a wet wipe, his cold eyes narrowing slightly. “I don’t mind.”

After finishing the plate of ribs, Gu Jinzhou stroked her glossy black hair and spoke calmly, his voice steady: “Is your heart still fond of Li Shaojue?”

“No! I don’t like Li Shaojue. I never have,” Su Ruanruan quickly denied, seizing the chance to confess and appease him. “I only like Jinzhou brother—last life, this life, and even the next!”

Hearing this, Gu Jinzhou felt a bit relieved. His sensuous lips curled slightly as he kissed her hair.

“I’m not so possessive as to forbid you from wearing a red dress and dancing in public, but don’t dance in front of Li Shaojue. Didn’t you see his eyes? He wants to kill you.”

Su Ruanruan nodded in deep agreement. “Su Lan’er and Li Shaojue are born enemies of mine—they definitely want to kill me.”

Gu Jinzhou: “…”

Well, it’s better she doesn’t understand.

Li Shaojue was a man of deep schemes, but clearly not one who could divide his focus.

If Su Lan’er could keep him in check, that was her skill. If one day Su Lan’er failed, then she would have to face the consequences herself.

—

That night, Gu Jinzhou dreamt of a scorching summer, a dream of the past.

Su Ruanruan had been admitted to Hong Kong Dance Academy. The day before school started, Gu Jinzhou returned to the country to accompany her through the enrollment process.

He had only five days off, earned through daily consumption of four or five cups of coffee and sleeping only three or four hours.

Many knew he was back, and invitations to dinners and banquets poured in.

The next evening, Gu Jinzhou came home reeking of alcohol. Habitually, he entered Su Ruanruan’s bedroom, intending to give her a goodnight kiss.

Ruanruan pinched her nose, whining delicately, complaining about his smell, refusing to let him kiss her forehead no matter what.

Fine.

He took a shower.

The smell of alcohol on his body disappeared, but the taste in his mouth wouldn’t go away despite brushing his teeth. He chewed through half a bottle of gum before finally planting a kiss on the delicate girl’s forehead.

“Who else dares to treat me with such disdain besides you?”

Su Ruanruan thought to herself, it’s not disdain, it’s avoiding suspicion.

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She asked softly, “Jinzhou brother, do you have a girlfriend?”

Gu Jinzhou’s eyes were gentle and refined, not yet as dark and brooding as they would later become. His thin lips lifted in a faint smirk as he replied lightly, “Ruanruan should be asking why I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Su Ruanruan closed her eyes, too shy to say another word.

Gu Jinzhou chuckled softly—what a coward.

On the third day, Gu Jinzhou went out for his usual social engagements. Su Ruanruan was invited by Mu Xin’er to visit an art exhibition by a female artist from the United States.

Each painting was highly abstract, but once the themes were understood, they became easier to grasp.

Mu Xin’er said, “These paintings are so artistic—who would associate them with female pregnancy? At most, they look like cells.”

Su Ruanruan sipped her bubble tea. “Since you see them as cells, surely someone else could make the connection.”

Mu Xin’er replied, “Well, I won’t get pregnant. I can’t imagine any man worth going through pregnancy and childbirth for.”

Su Ruanruan teased, “What about Rong Xiu?”

Mu Xin’er giggled, “Rong Xiu treats me well, but compared to how Gu Jinzhou treats you, he falls short.”

Mentioning Gu Jinzhou deflated Su Ruanruan’s mood somewhat.

“I have a friend who was confessed to by a very powerful man, but she doesn’t want to be his girlfriend. What do you think she should do?”

Mu Xin’er immediately saw through her thoughts, smiling meaningfully. “People say ‘power towering like a sky’ to describe Prince Gu. You’re his sister—even if not by blood, he cherishes you like his own eye. Who dares lay a hand on you? If anyone tried, Prince Gu would skin him alive in no time!”

Su Ruanruan thought: That’s exactly the Prince Gu you’re talking about.

She might like Gu Jinzhou a bit, but preferred to see him as a brother.

She had subtly asked around and researched online, already planning how to advise Gu Jinzhou.

But that evening, Gu Jinzhou didn’t come home.

The next morning.

Su Ruanruan wore a pink cheongsam with a modest slit, revealing a section of her smooth, white calf.

She saw a tall, elegant man watering lily of the valley flowers.

With no one else around, it was the perfect moment to speak honestly.

“Jinzhou brother,” her clear, melodious voice rose, mingling with the soft fragrance of white buds, making one wish to linger forever in this beautiful moment.

Gu Jinzhou set down the watering can and looked at her with unwavering gaze, his voice warm. “Why aren’t you sleeping in today?”

Su Ruanruan said, “There’s something I want to make clear with you.”

Gu Jinzhou replied, “Alright, but I’m about to leave soon. I have two hours off at noon. You can wait for me in the Emperor’s Palace, room 1909.”

Su Ruanruan obediently nodded.

So she stayed in room 1909 the entire afternoon and evening.

Gu Jinzhou was probably the most cunning and ruthless childhood brother in history. If he could do it over, he might have coaxed Ruanruan to accept him slowly. But at that time, with power firmly in hand and youthful arrogance, he could not accept that “Ruanruan did not accept him.” So he hardened his heart and took her completely.

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Su Ruanruan felt like she was dying—her mind and body couldn’t endure Gu Jinzhou. At first, she begged him not to, crying with tears streaming down like falling pear blossoms. She didn’t know how long had passed before her tears dried up. The most devastating thing was that she even began to feel a little something. Sensing Ruanruan’s body cooperating, Gu Jinzhou went wild, overwhelmed by the exquisite pleasure of fulfillment. He got too excited but didn’t forget to wear a condom.

On the fifth day.

Su Ruanruan’s eyelids were swollen and pink, her soft, fair chin marked with kisses, her lips cracked and peeling. She wore a mask and went straight to the university dormitory. She didn’t want to see Gu Jinzhou.

The Gu family was temporarily out of reach.

It was convenient to stay in the dormitory—there was a place to shower and do laundry, and over a dozen cafeterias nearby.

Su Ruanruan was browsing the campus forum, trying to pick a cafeteria for dinner or just going to the nearest one.

At that moment, Mu Xin’er called, wanting to eat at Qingxiang Pavilion since Rong Xiu had stood her up and no one was accompanying her.

Su Ruanruan hung up and headed to the seldom-used northwest gate. She didn’t know why Xin’er chose this meeting spot, but her mind was too muddled to think clearly.

“Ruanruan.”

She saw Mu Xin’er—and nearby, Gu Jinzhou.

Wasn’t he supposed to be on a flight back to the United States by now?

Thinking this, she raised her hand and slapped Gu Jinzhou across the face.

Gu Jinzhou’s refined, gentle brows lifted in a smile as he held her hand, asking if it hurt, then bent down to kiss her.

Mu Xin’er covered her mouth tightly.

Oh my god!

Ruanruan slapping Prince Gu was like a brutal trampling of his pride and dignity. How could a man so powerful endure it?

Yet Prince Gu not only endured, but worried about her hand hurting!

Because they were a bit apart, Mu Xin’er couldn’t hear what they were saying. From their gestures, she guessed that Prince Gu must have done something unforgivable to anger Ruanruan, causing the gentle lamb to flare up.

What could it have been?

Mu Xin’er scratched her head but dared not get closer to listen.

After some tugging, Ruanruan slapped Gu Jinzhou again before he reluctantly got into the car.

“You must come to the U.S. with me during National Day,” he demanded.

Su Ruanruan rolled her eyes and sneered twice.

She touched the mask on her face and belatedly realized she couldn’t eat with Mu Xin’er. In the end, she carried the food box Gu Jinzhou had brought back to her dormitory.

What she didn’t know was that Gu Jinzhou hadn’t gone far. Not far from the girls’ dorm, he spent the entire night smoking, fearing that if it was her first time, something might be wrong with her body and he wouldn’t be there. Gu Jinzhou would never allow that to happen.