Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Using the key card to open the door, Gu Yanran smoothly pressed on the switch for the wall sconce in the corner. The pitch black room was suddenly brightly illuminated. Someone sitting on the smoke-gray, L-shaped couch in the middle of the living room instinctively raised their arms to block the blinding light. Gu Yanran finally noticed someone was in there! After careful inspection, she realized it was Ye Xuan. Slowly walking over, she asked, “Xuan, you’re here?”
Ye Xuan lowered his arm and looked up at Gu Yanran before hugging her waist and pressing his head on her stomach. He murmured, “You’re finally back. Yanran, why did you take so long to come home?”
“Xuan, I have business to take care of right now, so I’m very busy.” Gu Yanran smiled gently and rubbed the back of Ye Xuan’s head so lightly that he got goosebumps all over his body as her fingers stroked the back of his neck. It didn’t feel bad. It was actually a rare thrill. He couldn’t help embracing her tighter, and he even dragged her against his body. However, Gu Yanran didn’t let him pull her down as she said quietly, “Xuan, I don’t feel so good.”
Ye Xuan slowly let go and shifted aside on the couch. “Sit, don’t just stand there.”
Gu Yanran smoothly sat beside him and took out an invitation from her bag. “This is an invitation for the birthday party at the Prime Minister’s official residence this Saturday. Are you free?”
Ye Xuan read the invitation with raised brows. “Tan Guiren’s birthday? Yanran, why do you have to deal with even Tan Guiren’s birthday? What are you doing at the Prime Minister’s official residence?”
“I’m the Prime Minister’s personal assistant, so any matters related to the government and cabinet have nothing to do with me. But as for all the internal duties at the Prime Minister’s official residence, the Prime Minister’s schedule, and even his daughter, Tan Guiren, those are all my responsibilities.” Gu Yanran propped her head on her hand as she gently stroked Ye Xuan’s arm with her other hand. “Even though I have many subordinates, I can’t feel reassured, so I must check everything myself. It makes me even more tired.”
Ye Xuan studied Gu Yanran carefully and saw that she had dark bags under her eyes, and her face was devoid of color. She really did look like she was exhausted. “What’s up with you? What’s the point of having subordinates? If you have to do everything, then you will never finish all the work, even if you never eat or sleep,” Ye Xuan said as he shifted to Gu Yanran’s side to give her a massage.
Gu Yanran closed her eyes comfortably and quickly fell asleep. Ye Xuan saw that she was sleeping so deeply and couldn’t bear to disturb her, so he brought her upstairs. Gu Yanran slept right until the morning and screamed when she woke up and looked at her watch. “I’m late! I’m late!” She quickly removed her blankets and ran to the bathroom to hurriedly wash up before going to the Prime Minister’s official residence. She didn’t even say goodbye to Ye Xuan.
Ye Xuan looked at the breakfast he had just made with a helpless shake of his head. Sitting down to eat it alone, he turned on the computer and continued to track the several secondary accounts on Weibo from before. He also tried to track the origin of the call to the TV station that had toppled the head of a university law department. He looked at the computer programs running and closed his eyes to rest somewhat helplessly. The facilities here were too rudimentary. If this was in the United States, the supercomputer in his American office would’ve finished computing everything a million years ago. But it had been two weeks already, and it was still running… Ye Xuan sighed and decided to set an alarm before lying on the sofa to nap.
…
Friday night, Gu Nianzhi finished classes and wore her backpack as she rode her bike from the lecture hall to the dorm. As soon as she turned the corner to the dorm, a black Mercedes SUV rolled down its window, and Gu Yanran, wearing Prada Baroque sunglasses, poked her head out as she waved with a smile. “Nianzhi! Come over here!”
Gu Nianzhi was momentarily speechless. She held onto the bike’s handlebars with both hands and rested her weight on one leg on the ground. Glancing up at the car, she said calmly, “You need something?”
“Nianzhi, of course there’s something. It’s a good thing, too.” Gu Yanran continued to wave from inside the car.
Gu Nianzhi clearly noticed that Gu Yanran seemed unlike the person from the before. Whenever Gu Yanran looked at Gu Nianzhi in the past, regardless if she was appearing indifferent or friendly, she would always look cautious inside like she was deathly afraid of offending Gu Nianzhi but also couldn’t help provoking her. But now, her smile was very genuine and gracious, like she was strangely “not splitting hairs with someone less than her.”
Ever since Gu Nianzhi knew that Gu Yanran had secretly stabbed her in the back when she was in the most dire situation and that Gu Xianwen wasn’t even her biological father, she didn’t want to humor Gu Yanran at all anymore. “Miss Gu, spit it out if you have something to say. I still have to study tonight.” Gu Nianzhi didn’t move to dismount from the bike and still balanced herself on one leg. The last remnant of the sunset spilled out from the narrow space between two buildings and happened to shine on Gu Nianzhi’s right leg that was balanced against the ground. She wore tight fitting jeans, and her slim leg appeared like an exquisite work of art under the golden sunlight.
Gu Yanran’s eyes couldn’t help landing on Gu Nianzhi’s leg and looked quietly for a while. Gu Nianzhi got impatient and lifted her leg up as she readied herself to ride off.
Gu Yanran finally called out, “Wait!” As she spoke, she opened the door to get out. As soon as Gu Yanran stepped out, several black-clad bodyguards wearing sunglasses surrounded her as they vigilantly monitored all the students walking past the dorm building. Gu Nianzhi began to smirk and put her leg down again as she waited for Gu Yanran to walk over.
Gu Yanran stood before her and said with a light chuckle, “Nianzhi, you sure are haughty.”
“Haha, calling the younger sister haughty when you want to speak with her. Miss Gu, who is the real haughty one here?” Gu Nianzhi flicked her bike bell indifferently. “Please speak quickly if you have something to say. If I leave any later, the cafeteria will run out of food.”
“You didn’t have dinner yet? Here, I’ll take you to dinner,” Gu Yanran invited excitedly and was about to grab her hand.
Gu Nianzhi raised her hand to avoid Gu Yanran’s. Coughing lightly, she said, “Gu Yanran, what is wrong with you? I’m really busy and still need to go study tonight.”
“Going to study at night is considered being very busy?! Nianzhi, you’re becoming more and more humorous.” Gu Yanran nearly covered her smirk with her hands. “Don’t be naughty. I need to tell you something.”
“Then say it. I’m all ears.” Gu Nianzhi turned to glance at her. “Miss Gu, it’s getting late.”
“Ok then, I’ll make this short,” Gu Yanran said as she looked down to take an invitation out from her bag. “Tomorrow is Tan Guiren’s birthday. This is an invitation to her birthday party at the Prime Minister’s official residence tomorrow. Nianzhi, I worked really hard to get you an invitation. You have to come.”
“I’m not going. I’m busy.” Gu Nianzhi declined right away and didn’t even look at the invitation in Gu Yanran’s hand.
“You’re such a capricious child,” Gu Yanran chided her. “What is it? You’re angry at me? Angry that I told people you’re not Father’s biological daughter? Why does it actually matter? Even though you’re adopted, Father spoils you more than me. You should be happy about that.”
Gu Nianzhi only wanted to look up and sigh at the sky, but Gu Yanran was always pretending to be an understanding older sister in front of people, and Gu Nianzhi had indeed been capricious when she refused to go to Gu Yanran’s car earlier. If she continued to argue with Gu Yanran, other people would probably think she was being arrogant, so Gu Nianzhi pursed her lips and acted patient. “It’s really fine. I’m actually very busy because I wasted some time in Germany a while ago. I need to make up for classes now.”
“You think Sister doesn’t know? But tomorrow is Saturday, and you don’t have classes. So come and check it out. Say happy birthday to Miss Tan.” Gu Yanran prodded her arm gently. “Sister is laying the way for you. You just broke up with Huo Shao, so how will you earn more money in the future if you don’t get to know more people in high society right now? You’re a lawyer, so it’s good for you to know some big clients, right?”
Gu Nianzhi was dumbfounded.
Gu Yanran saw that Gu Nianzhi was being quiet, so she thought she was listening to what she was saying. Relaxing herself, she continued, “Ok, stop being stubborn with Sister. I’m very busy right now as Prime Minister Tan’s personal assistant. I’m the only one in charge of his official residence and his work schedule. That includes his daughter, Tan Gurien, too. I have no choice about spending less time with you. Don’t blame Sister…”
Gu Nianzhi shot her a strange look. “You? Prime Minister Tan’s personal assistant?” She was actually being serious…
“Right.” Gu Yanran showed her badge from the Prime Minister’s official residence to Gu Nianzhi. “See, this is my ID. Come to the Prime Minister’s official residence tomorrow, and I’ll show you around. It’s actually a very normal house. It’s nowhere as grand as our mansion in Barbados.”
