As they stepped out of the courthouse, Gu Nianyi gazed at the sun ahead. Its rays pierced through the lingering gloom, finally parting the clouds.
“Dr. Lu, I want to post about this.”
Lu Jin’an squeezed her hand tighter. “Go ahead.”
He knew exactly what she had in mind and supported her decision without question.
Gu Nianyi hesitated. “Will Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Dad mind?”
In a prominent family like theirs, reputation mattered above all.
They were all in the same boat.
“They won’t,” Lu Jin’an said, standing before her with gentle eyes. “Gu Nianyi, do whatever you want. I know Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Dad feel the same way.”
Back home, Gu Nianyi headed to the study to record a video. She shared her story online without blurring her face or using a pseudonym.
She slipped into a beautiful dress, applied flawless makeup, and faced the camera calmly. She recounted her ordeal and read the court’s verdict aloud.
She explained that just because her injuries weren’t severe didn’t make it any less serious.
She said she had simply been lucky to escape.
She declared that she was going to dress up pretty no matter what.
The video exploded online, sparking widespread discussion. Gu Nianyi turned off her phone, unconcerned with what the netizens said.
Good or bad, everyone had their own opinions.
Ruan Zhixu learned through the video that Gu Nianyi had nearly been in real trouble. Her heart ached as she rushed over to Cypress View Pavilion in the driver’s car.
Once inside, she inspected Gu Nianyi closely and confirmed she was unharmed. “Lu Jin’an, I see your wings have grown strong. Keeping everything from me.”
She unleashed a torrent of scolding.
Gu Nianyi hurried to intervene. “Mom, I asked Dr. Lu not to tell you. It was nothing serious. I didn’t want to worry you for no reason.”
“For Yi Yi’s sake, I’ll let you off this time.”
Ruan Zhixu glanced at the young couple. They were protecting each other now—it seemed her son had finally wised up.
Still calling him Dr. Lu, though. The road ahead would be long.
Lu Jin’an took the reprimand in stride. “It’s late. Coming over like this is dangerous.”
Ruan Zhixu shot her son a disdainful look. “That’s because you’re unreliable.”
Their easy familial bond was what Gu Nianyi envied most—the kind where they could joke around and speak their minds.
Ruan Zhixu beamed at Gu Nianyi. “Daughters are the best. Yi Yi, come home for dinner this weekend. We’ll have fresh seafood flown in. Lu Jin’an, you’re optional.”
Gu Nianyi grinned brightly. “Sure thing, Mom.”
Ruan Zhixu sidled up to Lu Jin’an and whispered, “Son, Mom thinks you’re not good enough for Yi Yi anymore. You need to figure out how to win over my daughter.”
Before becoming Lu Jin’an’s mother, she was a woman first. She understood completely.
Speaking out about her ordeal already made Gu Nianyi braver than most.
Now demoted to non-biological status, Lu Jin’an faced his own mother’s ruthless disdain.
Lu Jin’an looked at the girl across from him. “Just don’t hold me back.”
Ruan Zhixu grabbed her bag. “As if. I’m off.”
“Yi Yi, Mom will visit again soon.”
The stark contrast in their attitudes was plain as day.
The day after the video dropped, Lin Yuezhou’s company sued him for embezzlement, contract fraud, and more.
As expected, he’d be staying behind bars for several more years.
The two pieces of news together ignited another round of heated debate.
“Justice may be late, but it never fails to arrive.”
“Justice shouldn’t be late. Here’s hoping it never is.”
“That scumbag’s finally locked up. He sexually harassed me back then too.”
“There were a few others like him, pimping each other out.”
“Miss, you’re so brave. Waaah, the world really can’t afford to lose girls like you.”
“That restaurant got shut down too—fined billions. Serves them right. Spit.”
“We can’t muddy the waters. He didn’t succeed in the end, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t try.”
“Those work dinners are disgusting. Straight up, leaders like that are the worst.”
“I’ll say it a million times: girls dress up to make themselves happy.”
The Lu Group’s official account reposted Gu Nianyi’s video with a “heart eyes.jpg.”
Reliable sources said Lu Jin’an had posted it himself.
Of course, some comments accused Gu Nianyi of hyping herself up for future endorsements.
They claimed she was leveraging the Lu family to bully others, twisting the truth, and warned Lu Jin’an not to be fooled—that she was just after his money.
Others nitpicked her outfit and makeup, saying she didn’t look like a victim at all.
They pointed out she hadn’t even been hurt.
Gu Nianyi just laughed as she read them. Classic real-world biases and stereotypes.
What was a victim supposed to look like? Why should she cry and wail?
Lu Jin’an cared more than she did. He even created a few burner accounts to clap back right then and there.
Gu Nianyi went to take a shower. When she finished and he still hadn’t joined her, she wandered back to the study.
The sight of the man in the study made her smile suddenly.
Dr. Lu, always so composed, was hunched over his tablet, brows furrowed like an irate eagle.
His fingers flew across the screen; she half-expected a kid had invaded their home.
Gu Nianyi walked over and snatched the tablet. “Dr. Lu, you can’t argue with everyone. Don’t waste your breath.”
“I can.” He’d already driven several trolls to delete their accounts and flee.
Lu Jin’an stood, turned off the screen, and covered Gu Nianyi’s eyes. “Don’t look. They’re talking nonsense.”
Gu Nianyi turned to face him. “Dr. Lu, I knew there’d be comments like this before I posted. I was prepared.”
She was always so strong, an impenetrable fortress, impervious to blades or walls.
Lu Jin’an paused for a long moment before saying carefully, word by word, “The people who care about you will mind. They’ll ache for you.”
They’ll ache for you. Did that include him?
Gu Nianyi’s lashes lowered, her fingers twisting together in front of her. Her voice was soft. “Including you, Dr. Lu?”
The words hung in the air, stunning them both.
Silence stretched on, thick enough to hear a pin drop.
Gu Nianyi held her breath, waiting for his answer.
Lu Jin’an reached out and patted her head. “Including me. After all, we’re husband and wife.”
So it was just because they were married.
She had overthought it.
A sour tang seeped from her heart, spreading to every corner.
Gu Nianyi had returned to work normally. To protect her, the office hadn’t revealed she was the one who reported Cheng Fanglin.
Only a few leaders knew about the dinner incident; everyone else was in the dark.
Thanks to yesterday’s video, Shen Lingyun and the others finally learned what had happened to Gu Nianyi—and pieced together why Cheng Fanglin had been fired.
More precisely, why he’d been locked up, pedaling away at prison hard labor.
“Yi Yi Sis, something that big happens and you don’t tell us?”
Gu Nianyi smiled. “It wasn’t a big deal, so I didn’t.”
With the director gone, Shen Lingyun no longer whispered. “Word on the street is the new director arrives in a couple days. Hope it’s someone fair, who doesn’t mix work and personal stuff.”
Gu Nianyi had heard rumors too. The hiring and vetting process for the new director was rigorous, aimed at preventing repeats.
As lowly staff, they wouldn’t know who it was until the last minute.
Lu Jin’an had asked if she wanted to switch workplaces. She refused. She hadn’t done anything wrong; she shouldn’t be the one leaving.
If she ever left the Meteorological Bureau, it’d be for career growth, not to escape gossip.
Lately, Gu Nianyi’s main worry was Lu Jin’an’s upcoming birthday. He was born at the tail end of Scorpio.
The zodiac sign infamous for holding grudges.
No wonder he’d bitten her that morning—just over the 2,500 yuan transfer.
She had zero experience buying gifts for guys. Normally, she only got skincare or jewelry for Ming Yue.
Never for a man.
Lu Jin’an had made up for so many of her birthdays, filling the house with gifts. He still added new plushies now and then.
If being a husband had a scoring system, he’d get a solid 90.
The missing 10 points? No real feelings.
Gu Nianyi was stumped, and the only person she could ask was Ming Yue.
So she decisively invited her out to eat.
Of course, she looped in Lu Jin’an first. 【Dr. Lu, grabbing dinner with Ming Yue tonight. Guard the fort well.】
Lu Jin’an: 【No drinking.】
She pretended not to see it. It wasn’t like he’d come drag her home.
Ming Yue didn’t want to go out, so they settled on hot pot at her little apartment.
The rice cooker made a fine makeshift pot. Back when money was tight, that’s how they’d satisfy cravings.
It felt like ancient history now, even though it was just earlier that year.
Steam filled the tiny space with nowhere to escape. The two girls sat on the floor, faces flushed from the heat and food.
No trace of their usual poise.
A few cans of beer sat on the coffee table.
Ming Yue speared some meat. “This is the best.”
Their dreams had always been simple: a place to call home, a couple of good friends. Partner or no partner, it didn’t matter.
Gu Nianyi took a swig of icy beer. “How’s it going with Xie Yunting? Last time, he didn’t even deny the wife joke.”
Ming Yue’s eyes flickered. “Fine. Same as always.”
Gu Nianyi fished out some duck intestines. “Where’s the ring? Has he proposed? He hasn’t, right? If he had, he’d have asked me what kind you like.”
“Not necessarily marriage, right? So, spill—what brings you here?” Ming Yue feigned nonchalance as she steered the conversation elsewhere.
“I missed you.”
“Save it.”
Gu Nianyi set down her chopsticks and cut to the chase. “Have you ever given Xie Yunting a birthday gift?”
She had scoured the internet for ideas on presents for one’s husband, but nothing had clicked. They all seemed so ordinary, utterly lacking in appeal.
“I have.”
Ming Yue hesitated, her eyes darting away. “But it’s not suitable for you.”
The mention of birthday gifts immediately brought to mind the second year she had spent with Xie Yunting, when she had wrapped herself up as the present and given herself to him.
The dress that served as her gift had ended up in tatters.
Back then, she had dreamed of forever.
Gu Nianyi nibbled on her chopstick. “You mean yourself.”
Ming Yue flashed a sly grin. “But Baby, you could wrap yourself up as a gift. Slip into a low-cut camisole—total knockout.”
Seeing the flush of embarrassment on Gu Nianyi’s face, Ming Yue exclaimed in surprise, “Don’t tell me you two are still sleeping separately.”
Gu Nianyi’s eyes widened as she stared at her. Had she guessed so easily?
Ming Yue slapped her thigh. “Does your Dr. Lu have some hidden condition? Is he… not up to it?”
“No, I think it’s that he doesn’t like me.”
Realizing she had misspoke, Gu Nianyi shook her head. “No, that’s not right. He doesn’t dislike me, but there’s no romance there either. He just treats me like a wife, nothing more.”
Ming Yue clinked glasses with her. “You’re talking in circles. How do you know he doesn’t like you? Did you ask him?”
Gu Nianyi lowered her head. “No, but…”
She gave a brief account of the night she had been drugged. “So, you get it. He said he wouldn’t take advantage.”
Ming Yue clicked her tongue in admiration. “Can’t read him. Hard to say.”
Gu Nianyi hadn’t forgotten the real reason for her visit. She sprawled across the sofa. “Let’s talk gifts instead.”
Ming Yue glanced at the watch Xie Yunting had left on the side table. “Just get him something small, or make something handmade. They don’t need another watch anyway, and you can’t afford one.”
It was getting late, and Gu Nianyi was half-drunk. Worried about her safety on the way home, Ming Yue insisted she stay over.
They headed to the bedroom to change into a fresh set of bedding.
Only here could Gu Nianyi shed all her burdens and act like a child, lying still as she watched Ming Yue bustle about.
Before drifting off, Gu Nianyi murmured to herself, “I think I might like him a little.”
She would feel joy or sorrow from a single word of his.
She worried about him, thought of him constantly.
She felt unworthy of him.
Under one roof, a legally wed adult man and woman—mutual affection was only natural.
Ming Yue wasn’t surprised. She stroked her hair. “Liking him is fine. Just don’t fall too deep. It’s hard to pull back.”
She was the living proof.
Gu Nianyi hugged her stuffed toy and mumbled in reply, “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
They hadn’t settled on a gift, but the wine had flowed freely.
By a stroke of chance, Gu Nianyi figured out what to give. She made sure to keep it from Lu Jin’an, preserving a touch of mystery.
On his birthday, Aunt Liu said, “Dr. Lu, Mrs. Lu spent the whole afternoon cooking and baking a cake. I’ll be off now.”
Gu Nianyi turned around. “Aunt Liu, it was supposed to be a secret.”
Aunt Liu just chuckled and hurried out the door, leaving plenty of space for the young couple.
Now alone in the house, the atmosphere carried a hint of awkwardness. This was Gu Nianyi’s first time celebrating a birthday for anyone besides Ming Yue.
She wondered if Dr. Lu would like it.
With so much on her mind, Gu Nianyi fidgeted endlessly—glancing up at the man across from her one moment, then down at the gift box by her hand the next.
After clearing the table, the two lingered in the dining room, digging into the cake.
From childhood on, Lu Jin’an had despised sweets. Even on birthdays, he never made exceptions.
But today, confronted with the Blue Heart Cake Gu Nianyi had made, he broke his lifelong habit and took a bite.
It wasn’t too sweet, laced with a rich blueberry flavor.
In that instant, the room’s lights went out.
Gu Nianyi stuck a few candles into the cake, their soft yellow glow illuminating the space.
It brought a gentle warmth.
“Dr. Lu, make a wish.”
Clusters of candlelight reflected in the girl’s eyes, her curved lips sneaking into his vision.
Lu Jin’an, who believed in neither Buddha nor gods, made the first birthday wish of his life.
“Gu Nianyi, may you be happy every day, free from worry.”
He gave his birthday wish to her.
His birthday wish was all about her.
“Dr. Lu, your birthday gift.”
Gu Nianyi’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s hum, barely audible without straining to hear. “Happy birthday.”
Steel ing herself, she handed it over.
Lu Jin’an unwrapped the box, revealing a small “heart” brooch. “What’s this?”
Gu Nianyi twisted the cuff of her sleeve, her heart pounding with anxiety. “A brooch. If you don’t like it, you can give it back.”
The sales clerk had said they offered seven-day no-questions-asked returns.
It was a luxury brand’s brooch shaped like body parts—hearts, ribcages, brains—and the heart one had caught her eye at first glance.
Priced at 9,999 yuan, it had cost her more than a month’s wages.
The saleswoman’s eyes had widened, asking repeatedly if she was sure.
There was no malice; it was simply the first one sold since being stocked.
No one usually bought such things. They weren’t even pretty enough to qualify as decorative waste.
Lu Jin’an arched a brow slightly. “If it’s a gift for me, then it’s mine.”
His gaze fell on the Blue Heart Cake on the table, and the corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously. “Thank you.”
Gu Nianyi seized on his slip. She beamed. “Dr. Lu, you said thank you too.”
The man slowly bent down, his refined features drawing close to Gu Nianyi’s face. She instinctively stepped back, her waist bumping against the dining table.
Lu Jin’an reached out, half-enfolding her in his arms, his thin lips curving faintly. “How do you want to punish me?”
Gu Nianyi had nowhere to retreat, his palm settled firmly on her waist.
He was deliberately stealing her breath.
Under his direct gaze, she grew even more ill at ease.
“Eat the whole cake.”
She slipped away from his side, patting her chest to calm her racing heart.
At that moment, a message popped up from Ming Yue: 【Baby, I thought about it, and something still feels off. Time for a test.】
On second thought, if he didn’t dislike her, he wouldn’t act like this.
Could it be a sham marriage? Those cases were everywhere these days.
Gu Nianyi glanced at Lu Jin’an, who was engrossed in examining the brooch. She held her phone far away, typing furtively like a thief: 【How do I test?】
Sweat beaded in her palms, her heart thumping along.
Ming Yue fired off three messages in quick succession, flooding the screen: 【Forget like or dislike for a sec. A knockout beauty like you sleeping beside him for so long, and he stays completely unmoved? That’s not normal.】
【Start with food. Cook up leeks, oysters, okra, that sort of thing, then check the results in the morning.】
【Don’t make the whole table like that—too obvious.】
Gu Nianyi: “…”
She wasn’t an idiot; she wouldn’t broadcast her little scheme.
【Okay, I’ll figure out how to tell Aunt Liu.】
Gu Nianyi, ever the eager student, devised a strategy: take it slow, step by step.
Day one would start with Leek Scrambled Eggs—a perfectly ordinary home-cooked dish. No one would suspect a thing.
Gu Nianyi used the serving chopsticks to pile a heap of leeks into Lu Jin’an’s bowl. “Dr. Lu, eat more. You’ve gotten so thin from all the overtime.”
Lu Jin’an set down his chopsticks, his dark eyes inscrutable as he stared at the woman before him.
He searched her face for clues.
What was she up to?
Did she know what leeks meant for a man?