Jiang Chenyu stood frozen in the middle of the conference room, his father's command still echoing in his ear. The other board members exchanged cautious glances, sensing the rising tension from their usually composed CEO. His father's demand for an apology, combined with Gu Nuannuan's relentless antics, was testing his last nerve.
He gritted his teeth, staring at the phone, the flicker of anger in his eyes betraying the calm demeanor he had tried so hard to maintain all day. Gu Nuannuan was turning out to be far more troublesome than he anticipated. Her playful attitude grated on his serious nature, and her incessant need to tease him—calling him "uncle" no less—felt like a direct challenge to his authority. Yet, his father, completely oblivious to the situation, had taken her side, asking him, Jiang Chenyu, to apologize.
"President Jiang, is everything alright?" one of his senior advisors asked cautiously, noting the expression on his face.
Jiang Chenyu forced himself to calm down, lowering the phone to the table. "The meeting will resume in five minutes. Please excuse me," he said in a controlled voice, before walking out of the room.
---
Back at the Jiang family's old house, Gu Nuannuan sat on the couch, fidgeting nervously. She hadn't meant to upset Jiang Chenyu's father, but she genuinely didn't think her playful teasing would cause such a stir. She had been trying to get Jiang Chenyu to come home, and maybe irritate him a little in the process, but it seemed she had unintentionally stirred up a hornet's nest.
"Dad, I'm really sorry if I caused any trouble," she said to Jiang Lao, feeling a little guilty.
Jiang Lao smiled warmly at her, his earlier anger already forgotten. "Nuannuan, you did nothing wrong. My son just needs to learn some manners when dealing with his wife. I'll make sure he understands that."
Gu Nuannuan felt a pang of unease. She hadn't expected Jiang Lao to be so kind to her. Her original plan of maintaining a safe distance from her new in-laws was becoming increasingly difficult. It seemed the more she interacted with them, the more they liked her, especially Jiang Lao. This wasn't part of her plan.
Before she could say anything else, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway drew their attention. Jiang Chenyu had arrived.
---
Jiang Chenyu walked through the front door with measured steps, his face an unreadable mask of composure. But underneath, he was still seething. His father's demand for an apology had forced him to cut the meeting short and come back to the family home, and he wasn't happy about it.
As he entered the living room, his eyes locked onto Gu Nuannuan, who sat innocently on the couch, her large eyes looking up at him. His father stood nearby, arms crossed, his expression stern.
"Chenyu," Jiang Lao began in a calm but authoritative voice. "You owe your wife an apology for your rude behavior."
Jiang Chenyu's gaze flickered to his father, then back to Gu Nuannuan, who was watching the interaction with mild amusement. She raised an eyebrow as if daring him to refuse. Her earlier teasing echoed in his mind, and he struggled to keep his temper in check.
"Nuannuan," he began, his tone clipped. "I apologize for my earlier behavior."
Gu Nuannuan blinked, surprised by the sudden formality in his voice. She had expected him to argue or refuse outright, but here he was, apologizing in front of his father. For a moment, she wasn't sure how to respond.
Jiang Lao, satisfied with his son's apology, nodded approvingly. "Good. Now that's settled, I'd like to speak to Chenyu privately."
Gu Nuannuan quickly excused herself, leaving father and son alone in the room.
---
Once she was out of earshot, Jiang Lao turned to his son, his expression growing serious. "You know why I asked you to come back."
Jiang Chenyu sighed internally. He had a good idea of what his father was about to say.
"This marriage is important for the future of both families," Jiang Lao continued. "I don't care what differences you have with your wife, but you will treat her with respect. You will uphold the dignity of this family. Do you understand?"
Jiang Chenyu nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. His father's constant pressure to maintain appearances, to act as the perfect son and husband, grated on him. But more than that, the Gu family's recent behavior had him on edge. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on, something they weren't revealing.
After a long pause, Jiang Chenyu spoke. "Do you trust the Gu family?"
Jiang Lao looked at him, surprised by the sudden question. "Why wouldn't I? They've been trustworthy partners for years."
"But what if they're planning something? Something that we're not aware of?"
Jiang Lao frowned. "What are you suggesting?"
Jiang Chenyu hesitated for a moment before continuing. "The Gu family returned all of their recent orders. They haven't contacted us about the raw materials. It's as if they've pulled back from the projects altogether, but without explanation. Doesn't that seem strange to you?"
Jiang Lao's expression darkened as he considered his son's words. "That is... unusual."
"I don't think this marriage is as simple as you believe," Jiang Chenyu said, his voice low. "There's more at play here, and I need to figure out what it is."
Jiang Lao nodded slowly, realizing the weight of his son's concerns. "I see. Be careful, Chenyu. Don't let your guard down."
Jiang Chenyu nodded, knowing full well that the Gu family wasn't the only complication in his life now. He had a troublesome wife, an overbearing father, and a brewing storm that threatened to unravel everything he had built.
As he left the room, his mind was already working through the possibilities. Whatever the Gu family was planning, he would uncover it. And as for Gu Nuannuan, she wasn't going to get away with her little games for long.
The battle had only just begun.