Chapter 15: The Engagement

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Fu Linyuan finally paused his movements and turned his head. Gu Lingyi met his dark, piercing gaze without flinching. She thought to herself: What’s this? Already having second thoughts? But then she noticed a faint golden ring creeping around the edge of his deep black pupils, fleeting like an illusion.

Then she heard Fu Linyuan’s voice, low and barely restrained: “You’re willing now?”

“Ahem!” Gu Lingyi feigned a delicate cough, covering her lips. “Considering how sincere you are... it’s not impossible.”

Yet, she was certain this man’s insistence on marrying her had ulterior motives; it couldn’t possibly be for her own sake!

Gu Lingyi glanced sideways at him for a long moment before boldly declaring, “If you have any schemes, just come at me! I’m not afraid of you!”

Fu Linyuan, exasperated, raised a hand to pinch her cheek before turning back to his work.

Feeling the lingering warmth on her cheek, Gu Lingyi shot him a sharp glare, her brow slightly arched. “When are we getting married?”

She could hardly wait to enjoy all those delights.

“Once the Gu family acknowledges you back,” Fu Linyuan replied calmly and composedly, showing no hint of his deep yearning.

Gu Lingyi pondered seriously for a while. “The Gu family? That’ll be centuries from now, I reckon. They show no intention of accepting me.”

The endless postponement of the family recognition banquet spoke volumes about their stance.

Fu Linyuan set aside the tablet and gently ruffled Gu Lingyi’s hair. “Don’t rush. Soon.”

—

As Fu Linyuan had said, the Gu family was indeed in turmoil over this matter.

At Tangqing Restaurant, in a luxurious private room, eight members from two families gathered around a round table.

Except for Gu Yanyue, the other three from the Gu family wore sullen expressions, all troubled over a marriage arrangement.

“We were already guessing the purpose of Lord Fu’s visit to Jiangcheng, but we didn’t expect...” Gu Huaimin shook his head while looking at his daughter, “It really is about the marriage.”

The Jiangcheng branch of the Gu family was a collateral line of the prestigious Gu clan from Hushi, which had a marriage contract with the Fu family ancestors dating back only three generations.

The agreement made by the elders of both families naturally had to be fulfilled, and Fu Linyuan’s generation happened to be the third.

The main Gu family had only male heirs in this generation, with no eligible brides.

They had thought this marriage would fall through, but unexpectedly, Fu Linyuan directly declared that the Gu family must provide a bride from the collateral branch, thus honoring the bond between the two families.

In truth, the Gu family had branches beyond Jiangcheng, scattered among other regions, yet the choice was firmly on Jiangcheng.

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Huo Qi had just learned of this marriage contract and had been considering last night whether to send Gu Lingyi to curry favor with Lord Fu. Now he was told the woman he loved was very likely Lord Fu’s fiancée.

How ironic.

Gu Yanyue, however, was not worried at all. She knew this world was like a book, and she and Huo Qi were its protagonists. No matter how the plot unfolded, she would end up with Huo Qi, the ultimate winner.

Gu Huaimin’s eyes were bloodshot. “Old Huo, I want Yanyue and Aqi to get engaged first, so we have a reason to refuse.”

Huo Zhenhai hesitated. “If we offend Lord Fu...”

As the wealthiest man in Jiangcheng, Huo Zhenhai was a local overlord, but when facing true titans of the elite circle, he was as fragile as an ant beneath their grasp.

“He’s not like old Master Fu who yielded power...”

Huo Zhenhai wore a serious expression. “Seizing power at such a young age, the methods behind it are beyond our comprehension.”

If they got on Fu Linyuan’s bad side because of this, the loss would outweigh any gain.

“If you ask me!” Huo Yu, idly sitting aside, couldn’t help but interject, “Yanyue might as well just marry him. With a husband like that, she can have anything she wants! What’s so bad about it?”

Huo Yu was twenty, a few months younger than Gu Yanyue, indulged at home and still immature in thought.

When his words fell, the expressions around the table varied, and Gu’s mother, Lu Wan, even reddened her eyes.

“Ayu!” Huo Qi shot his younger brother a sidelong glance, then cast an apologetic look toward the Gu family.

Gu Yunting frowned, his gaze flickering between his sister and Huo Qi. If only things were that simple.

Huo’s mother tugged Huo Yu’s arm, shaking her head, while across the table, Lu Wan closed her eyes, heart aching.

She sighed softly, “That’s the Fu family...”

A century-old aristocratic family that had already ascended to the pinnacle of Hushi’s elite circle a century ago, becoming an untouchable hereditary clan.

The intricate, unfathomable entanglements within made the prospect daunting. Besides, Fu Linyuan’s reputation preceded him—who would dare risk their safety?

“Isn’t that a great advantage?” Huo Yu still didn’t see what was so terrible.

“Don’t even mention what kind of family the Fu clan is...” Gu Huaimin’s face grew stern. “Just look at Lord Fu himself. How many people has he destroyed? No one can keep track. Rumor has it he has strange fetishes, and marrying him means facing unpredictable torment! I cannot watch Yanyue marry a demon!”

Advantage? If his daughter married there and lived, she’d be lucky; what advantage could there be?

“Old Huo!” Gu Huaimin seemed to make up his mind. “I know the risks are huge. If you’re unwilling, I understand. I will find a way to send Yanyue abroad.”

“No!”

“No!”

Two voices of refusal rose simultaneously.

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Huo Qi and Gu Yanyue exchanged a glance. Solemnly, he declared, “Uncle! I’m willing to get engaged to Yanyue!”

The Huo family’s interests were mostly domestic; if Gu Yanyue went abroad, their progress would stall.

Yet Gu Yanyue’s thoughts were worlds apart. She felt that once abroad, all the goodwill she had painstakingly built over the years, those halos, and her flawless image would be wasted effort.

Living abroad? Might as well dance for the blind!

“Uncle!” A gleam flashed in Huo Qi’s eyes. “I have a plan.”

All eyes turned to him at once. “What plan?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Huo Qi spoke: “Gu Lingyi is actually Uncle’s biological daughter.” His gaze was indifferent. “The one who should fulfill the marriage contract is not Yanyue, but Gu Lingyi.”

“This...” Huo Zhenhai looked at his eldest son, surprise flickering in his eyes before turning to displeasure. He disapproved, saying, “How can we let an innocent child...”

Before he could finish, the Gu family’s voices gradually brightened.

Lu Wan: “Yes... what Aqi says is right!”

Gu Huaimin: “I must be an old fool. How did I not think of this...”

Gu Yunting: “Aqi’s idea is good...”

Finally, Gu Yanyue’s eyes filled with emotion. “Brother Qi...”

“Then the family recognition banquet must be scheduled!” Gu Huaimin immediately ordered his son to arrange it. “Within these few days!”

Gu Yunting nodded seriously. “Alright, I’ll make the arrangements.”

They were all mad! The Gu family was truly mad!

Huo Zhenhai lost his appetite, exchanging a glance with his wife, both filled with inexplicable frustration. They could only maintain appearances and avoid dampening the Gu family’s enthusiasm.

One meal had settled the marriage contract.

Meanwhile, Gu Lingyi received timely notice of the family recognition banquet.

At that moment, she was at a hotel owned by Fu Linyuan—a building reputedly untouchable without assets in the tens of millions.

Its design featured double arcs, with an exterior wall largely composed of glass, occupying the prime location in this coastal city.