C7 A Smart Wife

The press conference was scheduled for two in the afternoon at the Imperial Group's conference room.

Huo Niannian had been exceptionally compliant since savoring the exquisite meal provided by Gu Tingshen. A makeup artist had given her a light, flattering makeup, and a stylist had chosen a chic cocktail dress for her.

She stood in front of the mirror, contemplating the elegant reflection staring back. A blend of delight and melancholy filled her heart, but the predominant feeling was one of unfamiliarity.

"Is that really me?" Huo Niannian mused.

"Do I have to maintain this demure persona indefinitely?" she questioned internally, uncomfortably adjusting the tight straps of her dress.

As Gu Tingshen walked into the dressing room, their eyes met in the mirror's reflection. He observed the composed, fair-skinned young woman, his gaze deepening.

Huo Niannian, feeling a bit awkward, touched her neck and inquired, "Do I look strange? I almost never wear dresses..."

After a brief pause, Gu Tingshen replied coolly, "You look rather plain."

In reality, Huo Niannian possessed a refined beauty, with delicate features and a lean, well-proportioned figure. Yet, her most captivating feature was her detached gaze, which seemed to dismiss the world's grandeur as trivial, beneath her consideration.

Her innate elegance outshone that of many aristocratic women, a stark contrast to her otherwise humble demeanor.

He recalled the white jade pendant. If it was indeed hers, her background was certainly extraordinary. This realization caused Gu Tingshen's brow to crease.

"I'm not used to wearing high heels. Could you help me later? These heels are excessively tall, and they're pinching," Huo Niannian complained, wobbling towards Gu Tingshen as if on stilts.

Casting a brief glance at her shoes, he said indifferently, "If you avoid spraining your ankle today, I'll treat you to another meal at that restaurant tomorrow."

Huo Niannian's foot pain seemed to vanish in an instant as she patted her chest and declared, "Absolutely no problem!"

Hand in hand, Gu Tingshen and Huo Niannian entered the conference room where reporters had already gathered, cameras at the ready.

The flashbulbs popped and shutters clicked, causing Huo Niannian to tense up. Gu Tingshen squeezed her hand and offered her a rare, gentle smile.

Her heart skipped a beat. He really was quite charming when he smiled—no wonder so many women were drawn to him.

Her momentary distraction eased her nerves. She whispered to him, "You look like such a nice guy when you smile. You should do it more often."

Gu Tingshen gave her a look. His smile stayed in place, but his eyes held a steely edge.

Huo Niannian was instantly intimidated and stopped her teasing.

Then, Gu Tingshen made their marriage public and demanded that all media retract any intimate photos of him and his wife, threatening legal action for infringement of portrait rights.

Throughout the event, Huo Niannian's job was to simply smile and nod. It was a bit dull, but the attention was novel and somewhat thrilling—she felt like she had become a celebrity overnight.

The Q&A session started.

A female reporter asked, "Since you and Mr. Gu are engaged, why do you still spend nights in hotels?"

Gu Tingshen's brow creased, ready to step in, but Huo Niannian shyly lowered her head, peeked at him, and said with a blush, "Occasionally changing the environment feels quite refreshing."

Laughter, tinged with innuendo, filled the room.

Gu Tingshen's wife, demure yet forthright, was quite likable.

A slight smile curled the corners of Gu Tingshen's mouth. He was satisfied with her answer.

Another reporter asked a pointed question, "Did you get married just to calm the media storm? Why keep it a secret until now?"

Gu Tingshen responded, "My girlfriend values her privacy. I don't want excessive public attention on my private life, so we've kept it quiet. The recent video, captured by someone with an agenda, unfairly brought Niannian under scrutiny. We decided to get married and go public to set things straight. If not for this incident, Niannian and I would have had our wedding later this year."

After addressing the media, Gu Tingshen turned to Huo Niannian with a soft smile.

A nervous sweat broke out on Huo Niannian's back. She knew she was the one with the hidden motives he referred to. But since he didn't mention the secret camera she had brought, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Miss Huo's presence is quite remarkable; she's clearly a scholar of the highest caliber. Could you tell us which university you attended, Miss Huo?" a male reporter asked.

Miss Huo's face paled, and she instinctively clenched her fingers tighter.