Ambiguous

Time passed quickly, and it was evening. Wang Yan arrived at the restaurant where he had arranged to meet Gu Jia ahead of time. It wouldn't do to have the guest wait for the host.

Wang Yan told the server that there would be two men, one woman, and a child, and asked them to arrange seating accordingly. He believed that leaving such matters to professionals would ensure everything was handled perfectly.

After a short wait, Gu Jia and her family of three arrived.

Wang Yan was already seated in the private room. Seeing the trio enter, he stood up to greet them, saying, "Mr. Xu, we meet again. We'll have to have a good chat later."

"Of course, of course. Mr. Wang, please don't be so formal. My name is Xu Huanshan, just call me Huanshan."

Wang Yan laughed, "Haha, good, good. Then let's all be less formal. My name is Wang Yan, just call me by my name."

He then looked at Gu Jia, "Come, Gu Jia, Ziyan, please sit down."

Wang Yan signaled the waiter to bring some tea. He had already instructed them earlier to start serving dishes as soon as the trio entered.

Once everyone was seated, Wang Yan said, "I heard this restaurant is quite good, with a decent reputation."

"This is my first time here too, so I asked them to arrange everything. Please don't be too critical of me."

Xu Huanshan replied, "Mr. Wang, you're too kind. How could we criticize you? The dishes don't matter, the main thing is for us to get to know each other."

Gu Jia, while attending to the child, responded to him.

The dishes arrived at a reasonable pace. Before they had even finished their tea and casual chat, the food was served.

With food, there must be drink. A table full of Chinese cuisine absolutely calls for baijiu, otherwise, the meal feels incomplete.

Wang Yan poured two bottles of Wuliangye. He didn't use small shot glasses; they were too small and lacked flair. Instead, he used wine glasses. He poured drinks for Xu Huanshan and himself. He hadn't intended to pour for Gu Jia, as she had a child to look after. Unexpectedly, Gu Jia was also a person of the world and insisted on having a drink. Wang Yan politely persuaded her a little before giving up, pouring her a smaller glass.

"Come, I'll propose a toast. To our gathering today, and to getting acquainted."

Gu Jia and Xu Huanshan raised their glasses. The three clinked glasses and drank in one go.

"Eat, eat, try the dishes. See how they are."

Wang Yan enthusiastically urged them.

After eating for a while and engaging in some small talk, Wang Yan, after clinking glasses with Xu Huanshan again, asked, "I still don't know what you two do for a living?"

Xu Huanshan replied, "My family is in the fireworks business, handling all sorts of celebratory events. Gu Jia is a full-time housewife, taking care of Ziyan at home."

"Ah, I see. I'll see if any of my friends need fireworks or anything like that in the future and introduce them to you."

Hearing Wang Yan say this, the couple repeatedly thanked him, even if they didn't know if it would materialize.

Gu Jia, who was looking after the child eating, asked, "Wang Yan, I heard from the property management that you're in finance? What specifically?"

Gu Jia was quite perceptive. She had only casually mentioned that the property management said Wang Yan was in finance.

For a property like Junyue Mansion, management was very strict. If the property staff were too gossipy, and Wang Yan decided to make an example of them, none of those chatty individuals would escape consequences.

Wang Yan guessed that it was likely those individuals from back then who had let it slip, and she had later inquired further through Zhong Xiaoqin.

"Nothing else, just dabbling in stocks and such. If you have any questions in this area, you can come to me."

Wang Yan didn't say anything foolish like "if you have money, you can invest." Being too familiar too soon is always a major taboo, and saying such things would make him sound like a con artist, which wasn't good.

He had no intention of helping Gu Jia at this moment.

To Wang Yan, this story world was a real world. The people here were flesh and blood, with their own thoughts.

The conflict between Gu Jia and Xu Huanshan was partly due to Gu Jia's strong personality, and partly due to some events she experienced after moving into Junyue Mansion.

If he were to make things too smooth for Gu Jia, and they ended up living even more harmoniously, what would be left for Old Wang?

He had to wait until Xu Huanshan met Lin Youyou before he could make a move.

His main task now was to subtly curry favor and establish himself in Gu Jia's heart.

Therefore, Wang Yan held nothing back during the meal. He was witty and engaging, livening up the atmosphere and dispelling any awkwardness of a first meeting.

Xu Huanshan's drinking capacity couldn't compare to Wang Yan's. After half a jin (about 250ml), he was clearly feeling the effects. Under Wang Yan's deliberate guidance, Xu Huanshan was soon arm-in-arm with him, calling each other brothers.

At the same time, he didn't neglect his main target, giving Gu Jia plenty of attention.

He also showed great affection towards Xu Ziyan, treating him as an equal. Children often have a low sense of presence, so they particularly crave attention and recognition.

Children are very sensitive, and Xu Ziyan also felt Wang Yan's difference. The man called him "Uncle Wang" with such warmth.

To approach a mother who dotes on her child, starting with her child is definitely the most effective method. Wang Yan was sure that Xu Ziyan would be talking about him incessantly once they got home.

Gu Jia clearly noticed Xu Ziyan's happiness. If nothing else, he was usually so difficult to feed, but now he was eating two bowls of rice.

Watching the two men arm-in-arm, talking nonsense, Gu Jia clearly felt the huge gap between Xu Huanshan and Wang Yan.

In her life, she had never met anyone like Wang Yan.

Although his appearance was ordinary, he had a pair of expressive eyes. His back was always straight, his words were always like a spring breeze, and sometimes his casual remarks were thought-provoking. A brief glance might reveal a crouching tiger, but upon closer inspection, everything seemed normal, giving him a mysterious aura.

In contrast, Xu Huanshan was a mess.

He could never control his emotions, and sometimes, in Gu Jia's eyes, he acted like a child. He was stubborn and obstinate. His view of the world was naive, he lacked understanding of people, and he was socially inept.

Being with Xu Huanshan mostly involved her compromising.

"If only Huanshan were like Wang Yan."

She unconsciously combined the two into her ideal Xu Huanshan.

Lost in thought, she froze.

Xu Ziyan was stuffing his face with food. After a long silence from Gu Jia, he nudged her. "Mom, what's wrong? Why aren't you talking?"

Xu Ziyan's action snapped Gu Jia out of her daze. She saw Xu Huanshan and Wang Yan looking at her in unison.

Under Wang Yan's gaze, Gu Jia remembered her earlier thoughts and felt her face flush. Thankfully, she'd had a bit to drink, so no one could tell.

"It's nothing, I just zoned out for a moment," she explained, glancing at Wang Yan before returning to coaxing their child.

Looking at the delicious food their child was devouring, she was reminded of sweet memories with Xu Huanshan.

"No matter what he's like, he's the love of my life. I love him just the way he is."

Gu Jia steeled herself, giving herself a pep talk.

At the same time, she couldn't help but develop a very good impression of this humorous, eloquent, dignified, and incredibly intelligent man. Her favorability towards him soared.

Wang Yan noticed the way Gu Jia looked at him after she spoke and understood. As the saying goes, you don't know the value of something until you compare it. The result was obvious. Was he, Old Wang, someone who could be compared to just anyone?

The meal stretched on for several hours. Wang Yan and Xu Huanshan were already quite drunk.

Wang Yan wasn't entirely fine, but he was still conscious. He pretended to be completely wasted. Most people would be done for after two jin of alcohol, so Gu Jia didn't suspect he was faking.

Xu Huanshan, on the other hand, was genuinely out of it. Wang Yan had plied him with a jin and a half, far exceeding his usual seven or eight liang, rendering him unconscious. Wang Yan had drunk more, around two jin. Pushing drinks was essentially a suicide mission.

The two men, leaning on each other, mumbled nonsensical things as they stumbled out.

This left Gu Jia in a difficult position, having to take care of the child as well as Xu Huanshan and Wang Yan.

Her main focus was Xu Huanshan, while she entrusted Wang Yan to the staff.

Since they all lived in Junyue Mansion, Gu Jia couldn't let Wang Yan go home alone. She hired a designated driver to take the two drunk men to the back seat, while she took Xu Ziyan in the front passenger seat back to Junyue Mansion.

The property management staff, seeing Gu Jia with two drunk men and a child, thoughtfully sent two people to help support Wang Yan and Xu Huanshan.

Gu Jia first took Xu Huanshan and the child home, leaving them with the nanny. Then, she accompanied the property staff to the 18th floor with Wang Yan, as she still felt uneasy about him. If anything happened to Wang Yan, they would surely be held responsible, and that wouldn't be good. Moreover, she had a very favorable impression of this new friend.

Arriving on the 18th floor with the property staff, she found herself stumped by the smart lock on the door. Although smart locks had keyholes, who carried keys when they had a smart lock?

She asked the property staff if there was any solution.

The staff stated they had no solution and could only wait for Wang Yan to wake up or call a locksmith.

Gu Jia had no other options. She asked the staff to leave and then, supporting Wang Yan, asked him for the password.

Old Wang was sly. Seeing that it was just the two of them and he was still drunk, he seized the opportunity. Smacking his lips, he slumped down, staggering back against the wall and sliding down.

Gu Jia couldn't just watch Wang Yan collapse onto the floor, so she went over and struggled to support him.

With something to lean on, Wang Yan slung an arm around Gu Jia's shoulder, half-leaning against the wall, stopping his slide.

Feeling the warmth of Wang Yan's hand on her shoulder, the weight pressing down on her, and the muscles against her body, Gu Jia's delicate frame trembled, her body stiffening.

After composing herself, she patted Wang Yan. "Wang Yan, wake up, we're home."

"Wake up, Wang Yan, we're home. Open the door."

Wang Yan groggily lifted his head, looking at Gu Jia, then at the door. He released Gu Jia, straightened up unsteadily, and walked to the door, attempting to enter the password on the Gate of Opening.

He fumbled with the keypad for a long time, either pressing the wrong buttons or hitting areas outside the password input zone.

Gu Jia watched him, anxious and worried.

She stepped forward, supporting Wang Yan, and coaxed, "Wang Yan, tell me the password, and I'll open it for you."

Hearing this, Wang Yan turned his head, his gaze unfocused, and looked at Gu Jia. "Who are you?"

Before Gu Jia could answer, he steadied himself, rubbed his eyes, and then, with a dawning realization, mumbled incoherently, "Oh, Gu Jia."

He paused, then said, "Since you're here, help me with my front door. It keeps hiding from me, not letting me in." He swayed as he spoke.

Gu Jia was torn between laughter and tears at Wang Yan's childlike words. Helplessly, she asked again, "What's the password? Tell me, and I'll open it."

Wang Yan recited a string of numbers.

Gu Jia helped Wang Yan to the side so he wouldn't block the Gate of Opening.

After entering the password on the Gate of Opening, she looked at Wang Yan again. He was leaning against the wall, head hanging down.

Shaking her head in exasperation, Gu Jia put one of Wang Yan's arms over her shoulder and, with great effort, supported him as she walked into the house.

It seemed that the second time around was easier. Initially, she had held his arm. After Wang Yan's little stunt, she naturally draped his arm over her shoulder.

Entering the house, Gu Jia was stunned by what she saw.

After all, who would be so crazy as to leave only two rooms and smash everything else except the kitchen? The over 200-square-meter space was completely open and exceptionally spacious.

Coupled with the understated, unique, yet harmonious decoration, the calligraphy and paintings on the walls, the decorative partitions, and the indoor landscaping, it had a powerful impact.

Gu Jia was amazed.

She had never seen or imagined such a decorating style. It gave her a deeper understanding of Wang Yan.

The bedrooms were easy to find; there were only two rooms, one a study and the other a bedroom.

She supported Wang Yan to the bedroom, intending to lay him down on the bed.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wang Yan pulled Gu Jia down. "Ah!" Gu Jia landed on top of him.

Lying on Wang Yan's chest, she heard his strong heartbeat, felt the sharp angles of his muscles, and saw his face up close. Her body inexplicably went soft.

After lying there for a while and recovering, she pushed off Wang Yan's firm chest and stood up.

She went to the kitchen, got a glass of water, and brought it to Wang Yan to drink. Then, she painstakingly adjusted his position, made sure he was lying comfortably, and covered him with a blanket.

She didn't undress Wang Yan. As someone else's wife, doing so was clearly inappropriate. Besides, her heart belonged to her husband and son; she couldn't do anything to betray them.

Gu Jia wandered around Wang Yan's house, taking in the decor and layout. She was genuinely curious.

After looking around, she returned to the bedroom and watched the sleeping Wang Yan by the bedside for a while, lost in thought.

Snapping out of her daze and confirming Wang Yan was fine, Gu Jia turned and left.

She had to go back to take care of her husband and son.

Hearing the door close, Wang Yan opened his eyes and sat up.

He walked to the balcony, lit a cigarette, and looked at the night view outside, reflecting on the evening's events.

To be honest, he was quite impressed with his acting. He played the drunkard convincingly.

This was mainly due to his experience. Before he had the system, his body wasn't as resilient as it is now. Every time he got drunk, he was like a helpless calf. He knew that state intimately. He had a perfect grasp of what a drunkard was like. It was all tears and bitter life experiences.

Through the recent intimacy, he wasn't sure about anything else, but his body was definitely fine. Wang Yan could clearly feel Gu Jia trembling when she lay on his chest, and a hint of excitement?

Wang Yan was sure Gu Jia wouldn't sleep well tonight. Did older women not have desires?

This incident had certainly established Wang Yan in Gu Jia's mind. From now on, he just needed to show his face around her more often.

Xu Huanshan was completely fooled by Wang Yan's act, even calling him brother as if nothing had happened. He had no idea that Wang Yan's goal from the very beginning was clear: to be "Old Wang," to like young married women, and to seduce his wife.

It was just that Wang Yan still had some principles and feared affecting future developments. If Wang Yan had seized the opportunity and gone for it then, it would have happened, and Gu Jia would have only put up a token struggle.

After finishing the cigarette, Wang Yan stopped thinking about useless things. He drank some water and went back to bed to sleep.

Meanwhile, Gu Jia returned home.

Xu Ziyan was already asleep. Children get tired easily. If he hadn't been relatively sensible and didn't want to trouble Gu Jia, he would have fallen asleep at the restaurant.

Xu Huanshan was being looked after by the nanny. He had just vomited and was now acting out in his drunken stupor, rambling incessantly.

Telling the nanny to go to sleep, Gu Jia took off Xu Huanshan's clothes and wiped his body with a wet towel, hoping to help him sober up a bit.

After a bit of fuss, she settled Xu Huanshan into bed and turned off the lights.

Just as Wang Yan had predicted.

Listening to the snoring beside her, Gu Jia was too restless to sleep, thinking about the evening's events. She tossed and turned, unable to calm her restless heart.

Gu Jia decided to stop thinking about romantic matters and started to ponder over Wang Yan.

People are afraid of overthinking. The more she thought, the more she unconsciously compared him to Xu Huanshan.

The result was predictable: the more she compared them, the more she felt Xu Huanshan was a failure, inferior in every way.

Women tend to overthink. Gu Jia felt that Xu Huanshan had flaws everywhere. Small annoyances that were usually overlooked began to magnify, past arguments resurfaced, and the more she thought, the more inadequate Xu Huanshan seemed.

Fortunately, Gu Jia was a strong woman who could tolerate Xu Huanshan's shortcomings.

Gu Jia got up and took a cold shower to suppress the turmoil in her heart. Rationally, she stopped thinking about useless things, and after tossing and turning for a long time, she finally fell asleep.

And this, was marriage.