Presidential Suite:
Gu Nian sat on the sofa, gracefully fastening the buttons of her shirt at the chest, her fair skin as enticing as beautiful jade.
The room was still filled with a faint fragrance, swirling with a rush of hormones that seemed seductive and inviting.
Gu Nian raised her eyes to look at the man on the bed, who was gradually waking up after the effects of the drug, her lips curling into a seductive and charming smile, while the depths of her beautiful eyes held ambiguous intentions.
"Mr. Fu, it's been a while, hmm, last night, we made love, and, more than once."
"Gu Nian?"
The man's cold voice was distant, almost utterly unemotional. Gu Nian felt a shiver down her spine as the man's piercing eyes fixed on her.
Gu Nian struggled to control her emotions, determined not to surrender to Fu Jingshen.
With a tantalizing curve on her lips, Gu Nian spoke teasingly, "I didn't expect Mr. Fu to still remember my name... I'm flattered."
Gu Nian smiled radiantly, but her eyes did not reflect the joy.
"I always thought that melodramatic plots happened only in romance novels; I never expected it to happen to us. Last night... we had a one-night stand, Mr. Fu."
As Gu Nian spoke these playful words, her palms were sweating.
She chose to sit on the sofa, rather than stand up, because of the invisible pressure emanating from the man.
"Gu Nian, I never thought you'd stoop to actively throwing yourself at someone for money after three years."
Gu Nian: "..."
Gu Nian's complexion paled, her lips quivered slightly as she refocused on the man.
"Since Mr. Fu is being so direct, let's get to the point. You slept with me, so can I make a request now?"
Gu Nian said directly, well aware that Fu Jingshen's eyes were sharp as blades, capable of wounding her severely and leaving her no escape. Yet, she couldn't dodge now.
"Gu Nian!"
Hearing the man's chilling words, Gu Nian continued, "Hmm... I'll only make a small request. If you refuse, Mr. Fu, then I'll call the police right now and claim you raped me. After that... I'll get an examination at the hospital. I don't care about my reputation, but, Mr. Fu, your lifetime of honor will be destroyed by me in an instant."
At Gu Nian's words, Fu Jingshen clenched his hand, his veins bulging in anger, his dark eyes radiating an intimidating chill.
"What do you want?"
"A check to start with. I just got back to the country and my funds are tight. I don't need much, ten million will do."
Having said that, Gu Nian stretched out her slender and pale hand.
Fu Jingshen narrowed his eyes, his gaze finally resting on Gu Nian's alluring face, his eyes growing even deeper.
Three years had passed, and the woman had transformed into someone even more seductive, charming, and exquisite; every frown and smile designed to lead men astray, a far cry from the innocent woman of three years ago.
Even now, the act of reaching out for a check was damnably tempting.
"Alright, as you wish."
Fu Jingshen quickly stood up, then picked up a shirt and put it on.
Gu Nian watched the man dress with elegant movements. Then, perfectly groomed, he stood before her, his very presence exuding a captivating nobility that was irresistible.
Gu Nian pursed her lips to suppress the bitterness within and watched as Fu Jingshen swiftly pulled out a check, signing his name with a bold and forceful hand.
"Gu Nian, you know what to do afterwards. You have no right to bear my child."
Hearing this, Gu Nian's face turned a paler shade as she clenched her hands, then her lips curled into a brilliantly radiant smile.
"Of course, I understand. You're very generous, Mr. Fu. Thank you."
Gu Nian stood up to take the check Fu Jingshen handed to her and coquettishly kissed it.
Then, Gu Nian saw the man looking at her with utter disgust in his eyes before he strode out the door as if he couldn't bear to stay with her a moment longer.
Accompanied by a loud slam of the door.
With a faint curve on her lips, Gu Nian thought, well, Gu Nian, you've won.
...
After Fu Jingshen left, Gu Nian collapsed onto the sofa, in a daze for a long time. She bit her lip and slowly pulled out her phone to call Gu Wei.
"Hello, Dad, how is Brother's surgery going?"
"Niannian, with the aftereffects of the car accident, amputation is necessary. Sigh, after the Gu family's crisis, we haven't heard from your sister An'an, and even now her whereabouts are unknown. Your mom just found out about your brother's amputation and was so heartbroken that she's also lying in a hospital bed on oxygen now."
Gu Nian's face turned deathly white.
Yes, she was supposed to be studying abroad in her senior year, but was urgently recalled a week ago by a phone call from Gu Wei.
The Gu family business had been sabotaged, leading to project losses and a shortage in the cash flow, putting the company at great risk.
Her older brother, Gu Cheng, had been depressed and got into a serious car accident after drinking. He'd been lying in the ICU for a week.
As for her second sister, Gu An'an, her whereabouts were unknown.
In short, what was once a happy family was now crumbling apart.
...
"Niannian, did you go see Jingshen last night? Did you get the money?"
Gu Wei's troubled voice came through the phone. Gu Nian knew that Gu Wei was proud, and he would never ask her to see Fu Jingshen unless there was no other choice.
He cherished his youngest daughter more than his sons.
"Hmm, I got ten million. I'll send it to the hospital right away."
"Alright, alright, alright... with ten million, your brother's surgery costs are covered, but this company is a bottomless pit, Niannian, marrying Fu Jingshen is the only permanent solution."
Fu Jingshen, the most esteemed man in K City, always standing at the apex of the pyramid.
Born into an aristocratic family, the Fu Family is a long line of military and political service, a prominent clan in K City.
The man's influence in the business world, both domestic and in Asia, is astonishing, his reach is vast, and, in short... there's nothing he can't have.
Except... Gu Nian from three years ago.
"Dad..."
"Niannian, weren't you and Jingshen madly in love three years ago? He loved you so much; if you wanted the stars, he'd pluck them for you, if you wanted the moon, he'd fetch it. Now... coming back from abroad, if you're willing to marry him, he will definitely be willing to marry you."
"It's just..."
Gu Nian bit her lip, Gu Wei was unaware, but when she had decisively left back then, Fu Jingshen had said he would never deal with her again.
He would never want to be involved with her for the rest of his life.
He... was always proud.
"Cough cough..."
Violent coughing sounds came from Gu Wei on the phone, and Gu Nian quickly asked, "Dad, what's wrong with you?"
"These days I've been worn out because of the company's troubles, plus your brother and your sister's issues... Now your mother has fallen ill too, and I'm afraid I won't hold out either. If that happens, there would be only you left in the Gu Family."
Tears began to swirl in Gu Nian's eyes upon hearing her father's words.
"Dad, I will make Fu Jingshen marry me."
"The Gu Family's cash flow has broken, and now it's a bottomless pit, Niannian, besides Fu Jingshen, no one can help us..."
Gu Nian pressed her lips together, and after a long while, she replied hoarsely, "Mhm, I understand."
"By the way, Niannian, you still haven't told dad, why exactly did you suddenly break up with Jingshen three years ago and then go abroad for your studies? You two had even booked your engagement banquet..."
There were even rumors that Gu Nian had abandoned Fu Jingshen for another man.
Out of respect for Gu Nian's own decisions, Gu Wei had not inquired about it over the past three years.
Clearly, Gu Nian and Fu Jingshen grew up as childhood sweethearts, closely connected, and were seen as a match made in heaven.
Hearing Gu Wei's words, Gu Nian bit her lip corner again, a shadow flashed in her beautiful eyes, growing increasingly barren.
"Dad... let's not bring up the past anymore, in any case, I... will definitely marry Fu Jingshen."
"Good, dad believes in you."
...
After resting in the presidential suite for a while, Gu Nian left for the hospital. By the time she arrived, Gu Cheng's surgery was already complete.
His left leg was amputated below the knee!
Gu Nian dared not imagine how Gu Cheng, a man of such pride, would react upon waking up to find himself maimed.
Gu Wei seemed to age ten years overnight. Gu Nian felt heartache looking at him, comforted Gu Wei, then rushed to the ward to take care of her mother, who was on oxygen.
...
A week later:
It turned out that ten million was merely a drop in the bucket for the Gu Family. After covering Gu Cheng's surgical expenses, the remainder was all poured into plugging the financial holes of the Gu Family.
But it was far from enough...
Gu Wei could only place his last hope on Gu Nian.
Otherwise, the Gu Family was at risk of collapsing at any moment, on top of being saddled with a huge amount of debt.
After some thought, Gu Nian sought out Fu Jingshen once again.
...
Fu Family:
When Gu Nian drove to Fu Jingshen's apartment, he hadn't returned yet.
After becoming an adult, Fu Jingshen had moved out of the Fu Family residence to live on his own. This apartment was located on a piece of land he and she had jointly chosen three years before.
Back then, Gu Nian and Fu Jingshen had many happy memories here.
At that time, they did not want to live in a large villa, feeling that an apartment, although small, was complete in every detail and cozy enough.
Gu Nian squinted her beautiful eyes, looking at the fingerprint lock at the apartment's entrance, and subconsciously extended the ring finger of her left hand.
The fingerprint lock of this apartment was set to both her and Fu Jingshen's left ring fingers.
"Beep beep beep... Fingerprint mismatch, please try again."
Gu Nian: "..."
Gu Nian never nurtured any hope, he had indeed said he wanted to cut off all ties with her.
Gu Nian quietly leaned against the wall, waiting for Fu Jingshen to return. Having taken care of her mother and Gu Cheng in the hospital for a long time, she was a bit drowsy, and against the wall, she unwittingly fell asleep.
When Fu Jingshen returned to the apartment, he saw Gu Nian's petite figure curled up in a corner.
As it was deep autumn, the temperature was especially chilly. Gu Nian was dressed lightly; at this moment, leaning on the cold wall, she made Fu Jingshen's expression turn icy, and his voice became frigid.
"Gu Nian, what are you doing here?"