Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Really? When was this?” Tan Guiren was inevitably distracted. She stared at Gu Yanran with her lucid eyes that were as pure as a lily.
Gu Yanran thought Tan Guiren was extremely cute when she was like this. She picked up a brush to pass through her hair as she said, “It should be since she came back from Germany… Oh, although I’m her sister, I can’t defend her when it comes to this incident.”
“…Why? You know why they broke up?” Tan Guiren asked uneasily as she clutched the gown to her chest and appeared very anxious.
Gu Tanran peered at Tan Guiren’s beautiful face in the mirror and smiled. “I don’t know the specifics, but I understand my sister very well. I also understand men very well, so I know the reason, roughly.”
“What is it?”
“They probably broke up since Nianzhi came back from Germany.” Gu Yanran paused then stopped brushing Tan Guiren’s hair. She moved close to her ear to whisper, “I’ll tell you, but you can’t repeat it to anyone else.”
“I definitely won’t say anything!” Tan Guiren grew even more nervous and stared at Gu Yanran in the mirror. She almost couldn’t breath. She had no idea why she was so nervous. Perhaps she instantly rejected being the reason behind someone else’s relationship falling apart…
Gu Yanran continued, “My sister, Nianzhi, was kidnapped in Germany and went missing for almost two weeks. After she was found, Huo Shao broke up with her…”
Tan Guiren instantly stood up, “What?! Is that true?! Huo Shao broke up with Gu Nianzhi because she was kidnapped in Germany? How could this be? How could this be?!”
Gu Yanran stiffened. She didn’t understand why Tan Guiren was reacting so strongly. She knew Tan Guiren had gone missing in the United States for some time and the Tans had used that incident for domestic publicity in order to make Tan Dongbang a household name. But she had always assumed that it was the Tans own ploy and that they were the ones to arrange for Tan Guiren’s disappearance. Also, the Tans forced Huo Shaoheng to go save Tan Guiren in New York and the incident was strictly confidential, so even many high ranking bureaucrats were not aware of this incident, let alone Gu Yanran.
So, she had no idea what Tan Gurien experienced while she went missing in the United States. In the moment, Gu Yanan witnessed Tan Guiren nearly getting hysterical, and although she was a bit confused, she still chose to comfort her. Grabbing Tan Guiren’s hand, she nodded and asked, “Why not? I can understand it… I can understand it very well… You think…” But she suddenly thought about how she shouldn’t be so “familiar” with Gu Nianzhi’s kidnapping and changed her tune. “Actually I’m just guessing blindly, sp maybe this wasn’t the reason. Maybe it was because of something else. For example, Huo Shao met someone more suitable so he broke up with someone less suitable…”
Tan Guiren finally sighed and blushed. Her eyes sparkled as she sat on the soft white chair in front of her vanity and murmured, “…Huo Shao met someone more suitable? Then he has another girlfriend now?”
“You have to ask yourself that…” Gu Yanran patted her cheek with a smile. “You forgot how Huo Shao personally picked you up with when you returned and cared for you so well at the airport. You still don’t understand?”
Tan Guiren laughed abashedly with a shake of her head, “Actually, Huo Shao doesn’t have much to do with me. Really, we are just regular friends.” From the beginning until now, Huo Shaoheng hadn’t exhibited any behavior or actions that surpassed that of a normal friend. Tan Guiren was very clear on this fact but secretly liked Huo Shaoheng.
Still, however much she liked him, she never confessed to Huo Shaoheng or bothered him because she knew he had a girlfriend. A good girl would never be a homewrecker. As much as Tan Guiren liked Huo Shaoheng, she would never take the initiative to break them up. So when Gu Yanran said that, Tan Guiren instinctively rejected the idea. “Actually, I’m really not that close to Huo Shao. He probably broke up with Gu Naiznhi because of issues between them. I don’t think it had anything to do with others.”
“I know, I know. Of course it was a problem between them. Although Gu Nianzhi is my younger sister, I’m not siding with her.” Gu Yanran stroked Tan Gurien’s head. “I really wish you were my sister… too bad it’s just a thought.”
“You can be my sister!” Tan Guiren’s eyes gleamed, “How about we swear into sisterhood! You can be my chosen sister and I’ll be yours!”
“Oh? Haha… ” Gu Yanran giggled and covered her mouth. She was about to cry from laughter. “Oh, Little Darling. You’re such a charm. What day and age is it, swearing into sisterhood… Little Darling, are you living in the 1800s?”
Tan Guiren’s face flushed even redder from Gu Yanan’s laughter. She decided to sprawl on the vanity to cover her face. Gu Yanan saw that Tan Guiren was getting too embarrassed from the teasing and finally stopped laughing, “Fine, I’ll stop teasing you. Little Darling, your birthday happens to be this weekend. Do you want your birthday party to be on Friday or Saturday? Sunday is fine too.” Tan Guiren’s birthday was actually on Saturday, so she obviously chose her actual birth date. “…If it’s not a hassle, let’s do Saturday. Everyone is already off so they wouldn’t need to request any extra days.” Tan Guiren thought about it and looked up at Gu Yaran. “Is that OK?”
“Of course it’s OK. Little Darling is our little princess. You can have anything you want.” Gu Yanran was very satisfied with Tan Guiren’s attitude of dependence. “Give your guest list to me and I’ll arrange everything. I’ll make sure to host a grand party for you on Saturday.”
…
Soon after, the invitations for the Prime Minister’s daughter’s 25th birthday party were sent out. This was a birthday party for the Prime Minister’s only daughter, so the Imperial Capital’s bureaucrats and elites were very respectful and all promised to attend. Very soon, the government officials who didn’t receive an invitation were ashamed and wanted nothing more but to purchase them at a high price from the black market. But this was a party at the Prime Minister’s official residence, so how could the invitations get on the black market? They would never pass the background check alone.
Gu Yanran was in charge of sending out invitations for the birthday party, so there were many people trying to flatter her in hopes she would be gracious enough to give out just one more innovation. For Gu Yanran, it was a simple favor, but for the bureaucrats who did not get an invitation, it was no less than a life saving drug. Although Gu Yanran was in charge of the internal resources within the Prime Minister’s official residence, she was especially amiable and never lost composure or acted arrogantly. Also, she was very wealthy and was a rich heiress herself, so everyone’s perception of her gradually improved.
With the buzz around Tan Guiren’s birthday party, Gu Yanran had discreetly gotten famous herself and successfully accessed the upper echelon of Imperial Capital society. Everyone knew that the Prime Minister’s personal assistant, Miss Gu, came from a good background, was beautiful, and capable, but put on no airs. She was very easy to talk to and also greatly improved Prime Minister Tan’s image, too. Tan Dongbang’s polls had been dragged down because if Cai Sonyin’s case and were now slowly climbing up again. On Friday afternoon, Tan Dongbang looked at the latest data from the polls sent by his subordinates. He gushed to Gu Yanran. “This is all thanks to Yanran, otherwise this situation wouldn’t have been so easily turned around.”
“The Prime Minister is being too kind. I’m only doing what I should be doing, and I’m totally willing.” Gu Yanran smiled humbly and warmly. She didn’t have Cai Songyin’s forcefulness, yet possessed her level of ability. Tan Dongbang was more than pleased with Gu Yanran so he took her wherever he went. All his outfits, arrangements, and scheduling — including the internal affairs of the Prime Minister’s official residence as well as his daughter Tan Guiren — were all taken care of by Gu Yanran. Gu Yanran felt conflicted as she thought about how much she used to hate her mother for sending her to England for school when she was younger. Never did she expect that the professional knowledge she learned in England would finally come in handy.
…
On Thursday night, Gu Yanran had already returned to her own apartment on the Third Ring Road to pack. She hadn’t returned there for a long time now. Downstairs was where Huo Shaoheng had hidden Gu Nianzhi like a mistress, but she hadn’t come back there since returning from Germany. This was also one of the reasons why Gu Yanran believed Gu Nianzhi’s words. If they hadn’t fought, then why would Huo Shaoheng hold off sleeping with Gu Nianzhi for so long? The apartment below hers was the ironclad evidence of him being her sugar daddy…
