Chapter 9 : Are You Eavesdropping on Me?

• "Alright, it's getting late. Yan Zheng and Xiao Huan, you two should go back first. We'll have dinner at Gu's house another day. Your Aunt Jiang Xin and I will be waiting for you," Gu Jianfeng said, preparing to see off Qin Yan Zheng and Gu Nian.
• Qin Yan Zheng's hand was still on the doorknob. He glanced arrogantly at Gu Nian, his thin lips curling slightly, before walking out.
• Seeing Qin Yan Zheng leave, Gu Jianfeng followed suit.
• "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and catch up!" Gu Jianfeng's tone towards Gu Nian had never been good, and Gu Nian had gotten used to it. She pursed her lips and followed along.
• After leaving Gu's house, Gu Nian and Qin Yan Zheng got into the car for the journey back.
• Feeling stuffy in the car, Gu Nian opened the windows on her side.
• The cool evening breeze blew in through the windows, scattering the woman's loose hair on her shoulders. The bangs on Gu Nian's forehead also swayed gently.
• Just as Qin Yan Zheng turned his gaze away, he saw this scene.
• Gu Huan quietly leaned against the window, her hair dancing in the wind. The warm glow of the streetlights fell on Gu Nian, creating an atmosphere of tenderness.
• Gu Huan had a good complexion, and under the light, even the faint blue veins on her nose were clearly visible.
• For a moment, Qin Yan Zheng's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
• But soon, he snapped out of it.
• What was he thinking? How could he find Gu Huan so captivating?
• He clearly despised Gu Huan, so why did he find her momentarily pleasing to the eye?
• Moreover, considering what he had overheard at the entrance of Gu Jianfeng's study earlier, how was Gu Huan related to the Salt City Inn?
• It seemed that he needed to investigate some things...
• ...
• Gu Nian stayed at the Qin family's house to recuperate for two days. Before her foot had fully healed, she went back to school.
• Gu Nian was a recent graduate majoring in design. Due to her forced marriage, she had missed several days of classes.
• On this day, Gu Nian returned home from school with a lot of documents to handle.
• Qin's elderly lady had specially arranged a study for Gu Nian. Gu Nian was originally sitting in the study, sketching, but she suddenly felt thirsty and went downstairs to get some water.
• "What have you all been eating? The company has such a big loophole, and you're only telling me now?" a sharp female voice rang out.
• Following the source of the voice, Gu Nian looked towards a luxurious-looking woman standing by a French window.
• Gu Nian stopped in her tracks and pondered for a few seconds.
• She recognized this woman. She was Qin Yan Zheng's sister!
• On the day of the wedding, Qin Yan Zheng didn't attend, and everyone in the Qin family, including his sister, mocked her.
• Gu Nian realized that someone was behind her and turned her head to see Gu Nian. Her gaze immediately turned hostile.
• "What are you doing here? Eavesdropping on my conversation?!" Qin Ke's tone was aggressive, almost shouting at Gu Nian.
• Gu Nian's fingers intertwined in front of her, and she was about to explain when Qin Yan Zheng walked in.
• Qin Yan Zheng had just finished work and walked into the house to see Gu Huan standing on the stairs and Qin Ke by the window.
• The two seemed to be arguing.
• "Heh, so it's a woman from a small family. My dear brother, you better take good care of this wife of yours. Don't embarrass us when you bring her to social events in the future!" Qin Ke put away her phone and sarcastically remarked before leaving.
• Only Gu Nian and Qin Yan Zheng were left at the staircase.
• Gu Nian's fingers twisted in front of her abdomen.
• Qin Yan Zheng first gave Gu Huan a cold glance, his deep and calm eyes shimmering with a barely noticeable coldness.
• Gu Huan had been relatively well-behaved these past few days, except for the incident at Gu's house when Qin Yan Zheng sent his men to investigate the Salt City Inn. The results were unexpectedly shocking!
• Gu Huan had indeed been to that inn!
• But even so, Qin Yan Zheng didn't directly ask Gu Huan about it.
• Who was the woman that night, and what was Gu Huan's purpose in going to that inn...
• "I heard that you had thought about running away before marrying me."
• Just as Gu Nian thought she could breathe a sigh of relief, Qin Yan Zheng's sudden words gripped her heart.
• Gu Nian looked up and met Qin Yan Zheng's chilling gaze.
• She pursed her lips, her eyes trembling, and her shoulders shook slightly. All these small movements did not escape Qin Yan Zheng's eyes.
• "N-no, I didn't," Gu Nian answered, stuttering slightly.
• Heh, she didn't?
• If that was the case, why was Gu Huan so nervous? She hadn't even said anything yet, but Gu Huan's reaction was quite intriguing.
• "Marrying into the Qin family is the dream of every woman in Kyoto. Why would I think about running away?" Gu Nian felt uncomfortable with the insincerity in her words.
• Qin Yan Zheng coldly glanced at Gu Huan and didn't ask any further before leaving.
• After Qin Yan Zheng left, the oppressive feeling that only he possessed also dissipated, and Gu Nian finally breathed a sigh of relief. But she didn't let her guard down. Qin Yan Zheng suddenly asking her like that meant that he had noticed something...
• Qin Ke was already married and had come back today specifically for dinner. Of course, she also asked the Qin family for money at the dinner table.
• After all, the Qin family's financial resources were vast, and a few million was nothing to Qin Yan Zheng!
• Gu Nian then remembered that Gu Jianfeng had also asked her to ask Qin Yan Zheng for money, but she had forgotten about it in the past few days.
• Because Qin Ke asked for money, the atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly turned cold.
• "We'll talk about this matter in a few days. Solve your own company's problems yourself!" Qin's elderly lady directly shut down Qin Ke's request with a single sentence.