C12 An Unexpected Gift

"No, it's nothing," Su Kexin stammered, her nerves getting the best of her as she quickly hid the box behind her back. "It's the same pattern as yours. Uh... I've got a terrible stomachache, I need to use the restroom." With that, she practically bolted to the bathroom.

Once seated in the stall, Su Kexin cautiously reopened the elegant gift box. Inside, instead of a designer scarf like the ones Xiaomei and the others had, lay a string of keys.

She picked up the keys, still reeling from the surprise, when her phone buzzed in her purse. The message was from a contact labeled "50,000 yuan debtor."

"50,000 yuan debtor" was the nickname she'd given Gu Chi's number before. Who would have imagined that in just one day, her debtor would become her husband?

Swiping open her phone, Su Kexin found an address sent by Gu Chi—a villa in the most affluent area of S City.

An address and keys.

It dawned on Su Kexin that Gu Chi truly intended for her to move in with him.

Naturally, Gu Chi was right to think so. They were legitimately married now, and it was only fitting that they live together.

Su Kexin tossed the keys into her bag, and after a moment's hesitation, she changed the contact name from "50,000 yuan debtor" to "Husband."

"Husband," not "hubby"—both terms signified marital status, but the former carried a certain distance with it, much like their relationship.

Emerging from the restroom, Su Kexin rejoined Xiaomei and the rest back at the magazine office.

For this interview, they had brought a photographer and managed to snap a few shots of Gu Chi. However, without his permission, they wouldn't dare publish them.

So, the editor-in-chief decided to test the waters and inquire if Gu Chi would allow his photos to be printed.

The editor-in-chief was merely chancing his arm. The Chairman of the Chiyao Group was renowned for his enigmatic presence, and the fact that he had agreed to an interview was a pleasant shock in itself. The photos were another matter entirely—one they scarcely allowed themselves to hope for.

To everyone's astonishment, Gu Chi readily agreed to their request, sending the entire magazine office into a frenzy.

"Wow! We've got the Chairman of the Chiyao Group's photos! Looks like our magazine is going to hit the jackpot this time!"

"Enough chit-chat, Zhang, hurry up and show us those photos of the Chairman. Is he as drop-dead gorgeous as Xiaomei claimed?"

Previously, without Gu Chi's approval, Su Kexin and her colleagues hadn't dared to circulate the photos within the magazine. Now that they finally had the green light, they eagerly crowded around Zhang, the photographer.

Zhang booted up his computer, and Gu Chi's images filled the screen.

Instantly, the women in the office were abuzz once again.

"Wow! He's incredibly handsome! Xiaomei, you didn't do justice to CEO Gu's looks – you barely captured a fraction of his charm!"

"Absolutely, with those looks, he outshines all the fresh-faced and seasoned celebs in showbiz!"

"Hey, but what's up with the chair Director Gu's sitting in? It looks like... a wheelchair?"

At last, someone took notice of the wheelchair beneath Gu Chi, and a hush fell over the crowd.

"Yep," Xiaomei blurted out nonchalantly, "Director Gu uses a wheelchair. But what of it? With his stunning looks and wealth, he's a prince charming on wheels!"

The women around voiced their agreement, while a few of the men, feeling a bit resentful, snidely remarked, "Big deal if he's rich and handsome. Aren't you aware that eighty percent of men in wheelchairs are... incapacitated in certain respects?"

"Exactly. Didn't you mention he's a newlywed? Looks like his bride might end up living like a widow."

Su Kexin, who had been quietly sipping water and staying out of the conversation, suddenly choked on her drink upon hearing this, coughing uncontrollably.