C22 This Was the Sweetness of Expressing Love in front of Others?

If she could just meet with her mentor, she might finally discover the identities of her birth parents!

Gu Tingshen's eyebrows arched as he saw the spark of hope in Huo Niannian's eyes. "You caused quite a scene at the Old Mansion last night, and now you expect me to make introductions for you?"

Huo Niannian fixed Gu Tingshen with an indignant stare, incredulous that he would go back on his word.

A self-satisfied grin spread across Gu Tingshen's face as he observed Huo Niannian's knitted brows.

Reclining on the couch, he casually undid his tie. "Are you really going to claim you didn't cause any trouble?"

Huo Niannian was speechless.

She dared not.

Had those people not provoked her, would she have fought back? She wasn't one to be bullied.

Thinking this, Huo Niannian wrinkled her nose. "Okay, so I caused trouble. What do I need to do for you to fulfill my request?"

Gu Tingshen raised an eyebrow.

He leaned in toward Huo Niannian, his voice low and resonant, like the soothing sound of a cello. "Just agree to one thing, and I'll take you."

Here we go again.

Huo Niannian looked at Gu Tingshen with a mix of anger and exasperation.

"What if I agree and you back out on me?"

"If you think I'll go back on my word, then don't agree at all," Gu Tingshen shot back, pretending to be upset. He lazily took off his jacket and started to head upstairs.

Huo Niannian's heart sank. "Fine, tell me. What is it?"

"You'll bring lunch to me at the office every day for a month. Do that, and I'll introduce you to my mentor."

"Bring lunch?" Huo Niannian exclaimed, taken aback.

"Why?"

She silently ridiculed him. He had such a large company; didn't he have a butler for that sort of thing?

Gu Tingshen offered a faint smile. "Because you need something from me. Is that reason enough?"

Huo Niannian took a deep breath, her fists clenched. Fine, Gu Tingshen, you play hardball!

"It is," Huo Niannian replied through gritted teeth, managing a slight smile.

The next day, Huo Niannian, carrying a food box and dressed to the nines, made her entrance into Gu Tingshen's Executive Office. She wore a striking red French polka-dot dress that caught everyone's attention.

Gu Tingshen closed his folder and looked up, clearly stunned by her beauty.

His wife was naturally attractive, but she often downplayed her looks with T-shirts and jeans. Today, however, her outfit was a refreshing and pleasing change.

His gaze momentarily dropped to her shoes, and his brow furrowed.

"I thought you said you weren't comfortable in high heels?"

Huo Niannian was taken aback for a moment before she responded, "I did it all for you!"

She placed the food box on the table and continued, "I guessed as much last night. You wanted me to deliver your lunch in front of everyone to announce that you're off the market, to keep those other women at bay. Naturally, I had to look my best. I couldn't let you down."

Despite her occasional scatterbrained moments, Huo Niannian was clear on one thing: Gu Tingshen had married her to avoid the harassment of other women.

From the moment she walked from the underground parking lot to the President's private elevator and into Gu Tingshen's office, she felt the dagger-like stares of the female employees.

She inwardly rejoiced that she hadn't just thrown on a pair of jeans; the scorn and condescension from those women would have been too much, and it would have embarrassed Gu Tingshen.

They were still husband and wife, and she refused to let anyone look down on him.

​