C12 Huo Niannian Was Not Someone to be Trifled With!

Breakfast was spread out on the table.

Huo Niannian's eyes fixed on the perfectly fried sunny-side-up egg, and she was suddenly overwhelmed by emotion. Her nose tingled, her eyes brimmed with tears, and she felt an unexpected urge to cry.

Ever since the grandmother who had adopted her passed away, no one had made breakfast for Huo Niannian. Who would have thought that this seemingly unserious, somewhat cold man could be so considerate?

With heartfelt thanks to Gu Tingshen, she finally ate her "breakfast" in the late afternoon.

But the prospect of meeting Gu Tingshen's grandfather and parents was daunting. Handling Gu Tingshen alone was tricky enough, let alone figuring out what his family was like.

And his insistence that she dress nicely only compounded her troubles.

She rifled through her suitcase, which held nothing but jeans, T-shirts, and sweatshirts—all budget finds from street vendors.

After checking her bank balance on her phone, she sighed with regret for tearing up the check.

In the end, Huo Niannian bit the bullet and set out to buy a new outfit. She quickly tied her hair into a ponytail and left.

She went on a spending spree, shelling out a thousand yuan for an elegant little black dress, a pair of mid-heeled leather shoes, and a clutch.

While paying, she cringed at the cost but silently vowed to get Gu Tingshen to reimburse her.

Once home, she cleaned up, brushed her teeth, and changed into her new clothes, patiently awaiting Gu Tingshen.

Huo Niannian was clear-headed. She knew that meeting Gu Tingshen's expectations was essential to learning more about the jade pendant's original owner.

At six o'clock sharp, Gu Tingshen arrived at the villa.

He eyed the neatly dressed Huo Niannian and raised an eyebrow. "New dress?"

He then spotted the corner of a price tag tucked into her collar.

Frowning, Gu Tingshen reached out to pull out the tag, ready to tear it off. Huo Niannian quickly stopped him, "Don't! Are you going to reimburse me? If not, I'll return the dress tomorrow."

Gu Tingshen yanked off the tag and nonchalantly handed her a bank card, his voice laced with irritation:

"You're now Young Madam Gu. There's no need to lower yourself with such menial tasks."

Huo Niannian paused, her fingers wrapped around the bank card, and offered him a radiant smile. "Thanks, but this is the way I grew up. I've never considered it beneath me."

Gu Tingshen could tell she was uneasy, yet he didn't want to broach the subjects of poverty and privilege at that moment.

His voice was measured as he said, "Soon, you'll meet my grandpa, my dad, my stepmom, and her daughter, Gu Yufei. She's not related to me by blood; she's just my sister in title."

Huo Niannian cast a subtle glance his way, picking up on the tension in his tone when he spoke of his stepmother, hinting at a fraught family relationship. She was tempted to inquire about his birth mother but felt it would be prying and swallowed the question.

"Understood," she acknowledged.

Then, something else seemed to strike Gu Tingshen, and he continued, "If my worthless cousin hadn't met his end in a drunken stupor at the KTV, you'd be meeting him as well. But keep your distance from him; he's trouble."

Her lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Perhaps you should remind him not to provoke me."

Gu Tingshen glanced at her and sighed, a gesture of surrender. "Let's just keep things smooth, shall we? We'll go home after we eat."

"OK!" Huo Niannian's eyes danced with a hint of defiance as she boldly offered, "If your stepmom and cousin are bullying you, just say the word. I can take care of them. It's something I excel at."

Gu Tingshen gave her a cool, sidelong look. When had he ever needed a young lady to defend him?

"I prefer not to cause a scene, and I'd rather you didn't add to the chaos."

Huo Niannian sulked, nodding with feigned indifference. But internally, she was primed and ready for whatever conflict might arise.