Gu Xiu raised his glass, “Brother, here’s to you. Women are like clothes, but brothers are like limbs. Bottoms up!” With that, he tilted his head back and drank the entire glass in one gulp. Mo Huai’s slender fingers followed suit, raising his wine glass and downing it in one go.
As the liquid spread across Mo Huai’s mouth, the aroma of the wine stimulated his taste buds. The scent reminded him of the woman from that night.
With this thought, Mo Huai silently cursed to himself. He was determined to find that woman. How dare she sneak in while he was asleep? She shouldn’t think she could escape his grasp. No matter where she hid, even if it was at the ends of the earth, he would find her.
“How is the progress on the West City project?” Mo Huai asked, pulling his thoughts back to business.
Gu Xiu responded confidently, “You still don’t trust my work? I’ve already secured it.” He proudly raised an eyebrow at Mo Huai, as if to say, "You can trust me a hundred and twenty percent." Mo Huai nodded in satisfaction, acknowledging Gu Xiu's response.
A sharp, familiar female voice rang out from outside the door, catching Gu Xiu’s attention.
Sure enough, it was Gu Chuoyi, striding in with high heels and carrying large bags in both hands.
“This is exhausting,” Gu Chuoyi complained as she grabbed a Sprite from the table and gulped it down in one go. Only after finishing did her expression relax, and she looked more composed.
Gu Xiu gazed at his sister with a mix of helplessness and affection in his eyes.
“I told you to let the driver take you. There was no need to carry so much yourself. Why tire yourself out like this?” Gu Xiu’s tone was calm, but it was full of concern.
Gu Xiu and Mo Huai were both born in 1995, making them the same age. Gu Chuoyi was 23. When the Gu family was blessed with a daughter, they were overjoyed and threw a grand banquet to celebrate. The elders doted on her excessively, which led to Gu Chuoyi’s current inability to endure hardships. However, with the Gu family’s vast wealth and Gu Xiu's successful establishment of Gu Family Hospital, Gu Chuoyi could enjoy a luxurious life without ever needing to work.
“Hey, Mo Huai, what’s with you? You haven’t said a word since I walked in. Are you upset with me?” Gu Chuoyi finally noticed the stoic man beside her and turned her head to curiously scrutinize him. He seemed deep in thought.
Mo Huai’s brow twitched slightly, and his tone was devoid of warmth. “I’m thinking about work.”
Gu Chuoyi didn’t believe Mo Huai’s nonsense. With his intelligence and capabilities, was there really a problem he couldn’t solve? She remembered how the Mo family’s company had been on the brink of bankruptcy. Mo Huai had abruptly returned from his studies in Europe, abandoning his education to save the company. In just a few months, he had turned the nearly bankrupt company around and even expanded it several times over.
“Oh? Is that so?” Gu Chuoyi replied, raising an eyebrow and glancing at Gu Xiu, hoping he could offer some insight. Gu Xiu shrugged and covered his mouth, whispering, “He’s thinking about a woman.”
Gu Chuoyi’s eyes widened, and she curiously glanced at Mo Huai again. Hmm, that seemed about right. People in love often acted this way. Could it be that President Mo had fallen in love? No way, she thought sarcastically.
“Who is she? Is there really a woman in Nanjing that you can’t have? Women who like you are lined up all the way to France. When did you suddenly wake up to this? Is she pretty? What’s her name? When did you meet her? You’re pretty good at keeping secrets—I didn’t even know.” Gu Chuoyi’s face was full of curiosity as she looked at Mo Huai, who had been aloof for 28 years, wondering if this unattainable man was finally going to be conquered.
Mo Huai sat there like an emperor, his aura instantly turning cold. Sensing his change, Gu Chuoyi wisely stopped her questions, though she was still upset about her best friend's recent troubles. She needed to vent her anger, but Mo Huai wasn’t in the mood to listen to her ramblings.
Unfortunately, Gu Xiu couldn’t escape her wrath and was subjected to a barrage of complaints. Gu Xiu, though pretending to listen, was lost in his own thoughts. The Gu family was a prestigious one, and Gu Chuoyi, as the legitimate daughter, was raised as a true socialite. Yet here she was, spouting curses and calling herself "Old Lady" with every other sentence. If their parents knew that their usually obedient and gentle daughter was so different behind closed doors, would they be disappointed? Gu Xiu also worried about how she would fare in marriage. Would she be mistreated by her future in-laws? But then again, Gu Chuoyi had never been the type to be bullied. The thought made Gu Xiu chuckle.
“Brother, are you even listening to me?” Gu Chuoyi called out, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“Yes, I’m listening,” Gu Xiu replied with a smile, pretending he hadn’t been distracted, his eyes full of sincerity as if to say, "Trust me, I’m really listening."
“Then tell me, what did I just say?” Gu Chuoyi pouted in mock anger, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.
“Uh…” Gu Xiu stammered, unable to come up with an answer. His expression turned awkward as the atmosphere grew tense.
Gu Chuoyi stared at him, daring him to try and make something up.
“I think your friend is really pitiful,” Gu Xiu said slowly, carefully choosing his words.
“And?” Gu Chuoyi wasn’t letting him off the hook so easily.
A few minutes passed, and Gu Xiu still couldn’t come up with anything else to say. It seemed his good sister was really about to get angry.
Looks like his wallet was about to take a hit again!
Just as Gu Chuoyi was about to lash out at Gu Xiu, Mo Huai’s voice interrupted her.
“Blaming others for your own weakness is pointless.”
Mo Huai’s deep, magnetic voice echoed, carrying a charm that was hard to describe.
Gu Chuoyi froze for a moment before realizing that Mo Huai was criticizing her friend. He had no idea what her friend had been through, so who was he to call her weak? Even if Mo Huai wanted to badmouth her friend, Gu Chuoyi wouldn’t allow it. If she had been born into such a family, she couldn’t guarantee she would have remained as optimistic as her friend. Her friend was the kindest and most positive person she knew. Back in school, when Gu Chuoyi was harassed by boys, it was her friend who stood up for her and drove them away. For over twenty years, her friend had received no care from her family. Every penny she earned was taken by her adoptive mother, and her cruel sister’s actions—ranging from slander to verbal abuse and other malicious schemes—were enough to suffocate anyone.
“But—” Gu Chuoyi began to explain, but Mo Huai cut her off before she could finish.
“I’m not interested,” Mo Huai interrupted lazily, his tone indifferent. “I’m leaving.”
With that, Mo Huai stood up and walked out of the semi-private room.
Watching Mo Huai's departing figure, Gu Chuoyi frowned and turned to complain to Gu Xiu. “What’s with Mo Huai today? Why did he say that about my friend? Hmph.”
“Alright, don’t be upset. He’s in a bad mood today. Be the bigger person and don’t take it to heart,” Gu Xiu said, comforting her until her anger gradually subsided.
“I’m not angry. Anger makes you ugly, and I don’t want to turn into an ugly person.”
“That’s my good sister,” Gu Xiu replied, gently patting her on the head with a smile.
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