Chapter 10: Girlfriend

“I only ever hit the people who deserve it.” Gu Yao flicked her hand dismissively, her expression darkening. “Didn’t I tell you before? I hate it when others make decisions without consulting me. Count for yourself—how many times have you crossed the line?”

She slid the car door shut, which was already locked tight as expected. Falling silent, she leaned back against the seat, her face growing even colder.

“So you’re just going to jump to conclusions about me without hearing any explanation?” Su Yu listened quietly until she finished speaking, then spoke calmly, his face unreadable.

“I’ll give you one minute,” Gu Yao said firmly, pressing her lips together.

“No need for a whole minute, just a few words,” Su Yu glanced out the window before turning back to her. “Your two bodyguards found out today that you have another group following you. Based on that, you’re under suspicion.”

“And?” Gu Yao raised an eyebrow.

“So I need to confirm our relationship publicly, to confuse their attention.”

Only then did Gu Yao’s tone soften slightly. “What about the bouquet of roses? Why choose something so tacky?”

“Don’t you like it? I was planning to give them to you later.” Su Yu smiled. “It’s to be more conspicuous. Even the sunglasses—usually, I’m not so flashy when I pursue someone.”

“I don’t like it. There’s no place for flowers at home either.” Gu Yao’s face twisted with disdain, though she was willing to let it go for now. Still, she felt a twinge of displeasure. “So couldn’t you have told me in advance? You had to catch me off guard like this.”

“All right, I’ll definitely do that next time.” Su Yu nodded and tossed his phone to her. Gu Yao caught it reflexively, then swiped the screen with a scowl. “The password.”

“431690.”

She entered it to unlock the phone, found the contacts, and added her own number. After a moment’s thought, she also added him on WeChat.

“What’s next?” She tossed the phone back to him, yawning lazily.

“Dinner. It usually goes like this.” Su Yu got out of the car and drove out of the parking lot.

The restaurant was Su Yu’s choice—a Michelin three-star Japanese place in the city center. The prices were shocking, but the ingredients and service were impeccable.

Gu Yao had heard of the place before. Even if you could afford it, most people had to book well in advance. But Su Yu just said a word, and they were smoothly ushered inside.

The seating inside was low Japanese tatami-style, separated by screens without doors, so passersby could catch glimpses of diners.

After they had taken a few bites, a voice came from a table behind them—a middle-aged man speaking with a fake, cheerful tone.

“Xiao Lie, you’re here too? What a coincidence.” Looking up, Gu Yao saw the man’s pudgy cheeks.

“Yes, having dinner with my girlfriend.” Su Yu didn’t stand, replying coldly while calmly picking up a piece of sushi.

“So you have a girlfriend now? Why haven’t you brought her to meet uncle?” The man didn’t leave, maintaining a patronizing elder’s demeanor.

Gu Yao, noticing Su Yu’s attitude, almost immediately guessed the man’s identity. Her expression grew colder than his, and she lowered her eyes without even blinking.

Seeing that neither of them responded, Su Xing Shui’s expression shifted slightly. Even with his thick skin, he was beginning to lose patience. “Xiao Lie, your girlfriend is a bit impolite, huh? Not even greeting her elders. I’ll talk to your mother about finding you a better one.”

He waved over a young woman in a short skirt, pulling her close to pinch her cheeks. “A woman should be obedient and sensible. Look how good mine is.”

“Oh, good for you,” Su Yu replied indifferently, calling the waiter to order more dishes. He turned to Gu Yao and said, “The cold buckwheat noodles here are good. Try some.”

They exchanged a few casual remarks about the food, sounding as natural as a couple who had been together for years.

Su Xing Shui watched from nearby, suspicion creeping in. Not wanting to embarrass himself further, he returned to his seat.

A while later, he stepped outside and was immediately approached. “So, Vice President, is that woman suspicious?”

The friendly smile vanished from his face, replaced by cold ruthlessness. “They seem to be genuinely dating, but that woman looks tough. Be cautious and proceed with the original plan.”

Meanwhile, after finishing her meal, Gu Yao was driven back home by Su Yu. Before getting out, she grabbed her stun baton from the back seat. The first thing she did upstairs was carefully read the instructions.

After washing up and reading for a while, she went to bed promptly at ten. Only then did she remember that Qin Manfeng had asked her to attend a dinner at the Nanshan villa the next day.

She sighed in frustration, gathered the things she needed, and finally felt at ease—nearly forgetting.

Early the next morning, she ate a quick breakfast and took the subway to the hospital to retrieve her car. After two days riding in Su Yu’s car, her own vehicle had been left in the parking lot, untouched.

Her two bodyguards had been replaced, but their surveillance skills remained sharp. They followed her out of the city, the black cars keeping a careful distance behind. Since it didn’t restrict her movements, Gu Yao ignored it.

Nanshan villa was a summer retreat the Gu family often visited to escape the heat. Nestled at the foot of the mountain, it boasted beautiful scenery and was much cooler than the city. Her mother, Qin Manfeng, adored the place.

Gu Yao drove for two hours and arrived just before noon. In the garden, her uncles were setting up a barbecue grill, arranging chicken wings and similar items. They mismanaged the heat, sending up a plume of black smoke.

Gu Yao greeted them but quickly retreated indoors, coughing from the smoke. In the living room on the first floor, a piano stood in the center. Gu Shisheng sat at the bench, expressionless as he played.

Seeing someone enter, he grimaced, flipping the sheet music noisily but not daring to stop.

On the sofa, Qin Manfeng chatted with her aunt, pride evident in her tone. “Shisheng has improved a lot lately. He’s grown up and works hard. In another year, I’ll send him abroad to a music academy. I’ve checked all the domestic schools, but none satisfy me…”

Gu Yao approached calmly. “Mom, auntie, I’m here.”

“Ah, Yao Yao, it’s been over half a year. Why have you been so busy?” Her aunt warmly pulled her to sit, chattering nonstop.

“I’ll go check if the barbecue is ready,” Qin Manfeng stood, flawless and youthful in a lotus-pink qipao that accentuated her slender figure, looking no older than thirty.

Gu Yao glanced after her mother thoughtfully. Once she was out of sight, Gu Yao called out, “Enough, Gu Shisheng, stop playing.”

Relieved, Gu Shisheng slumped onto the sofa, took a swig of cola, and asked, “Sister, when did you get here?”

“Just now.” Gu Yao glanced at her brother and nudged his leg with her foot. “Go get me some food.”

The midday barbecue was mediocre without a professional chef. Everyone was clumsy in the kitchen with no talent for cooking. Fortunately, there was enough food brought along to fill them up.

After the meal, Gu Shisheng and her uncles’ children went fishing at the river below the mountain. Her aunt and mother stayed inside chatting. Gu Yao, bored and restless, wandered until she reached the second-floor terrace, intending to rest on a lounge chair.

But someone was already there—her father, Gu Zhiyan, sitting and reading a book.

“Yao Yao, come sit,” he smiled, patting the chair beside him.

She sat down, and they chatted casually.

“I remember when you were little, your mother loved you the most. When she found out she was having a daughter, she cried tears of joy and held you all night without letting go. She caught a cold while breastfeeding but refused medicine for fear it would harm you. It turned into pneumonia,” he said with a sigh, looking at her and gently patting her hand.

“Go soften up to your mother. After all these years, mothers and daughters should be closest. Why make it so hard between you two?”

“Dad, it’s not that I don’t want to soften,” Gu Yao lowered her head and sighed deeply. “The problem lies with mom. She hasn’t changed in years. If anything, her controlling nature has grown stronger. Look at Shisheng now—doesn’t he seem like a carbon copy of my old self? I watch helplessly as this happens, unable to stop it.”

Her voice dropped, and she shook her head. Rising, she left the terrace, her mood heavy. It wasn’t until after six in the evening that she greeted her mother and said she had to work the next day, then drove away from the villa.

The highway was relatively clear, so she drove a bit faster. Approaching the city, she suddenly noticed the brakes weren’t responding—no matter how hard she pressed, the car wouldn’t slow.

A flicker of panic surged within her, but she quickly became sharper than ever, more alert than at any other time.

Drawing on all her knowledge, she downshifted carefully, lightly pulled the handbrake, and kept the steering steady. When she saw the wall ahead, she turned the wheel and collided at an angle.

The car scraped along the wall, sparks flying. The friction gradually reduced her speed.

A sharp noise filled her ears. Gu Yao pressed her lips tight, gripping the wheel with all her might. For a moment, she felt she might die. Fortunately, after the impact, silence returned. The airbags deployed, hitting her face and causing slight dizziness, but her body was unharmed.

Outside, dusk had fallen. They were on a main road entering the city, faint lights glowing from distant buildings.

“I’m fine.” Gu Yao shrugged off the hands trying to help her, her gaze cold and terrifying.