A Man Who Was Two-Faced in Public and Private

In River City, the Gu Family members did not usually all attend ordinary banquets, but the Sheng Family was their prospective marriage alliance and immensely powerful. They had to show them this much respect.

The moment Shen Qingling saw the Gu Family, he understood that the descriptions in the Original Work had not been exaggerated.

There was not a single unattractive person in the Gu Family. The moment they appeared, they drew everyone's attention.

Gu Chenwang had the classic looks of a CEO, with sharp, imposing brows and eyes.

Madam Gu, Wen Sulan, was a classical beauty, elegant and poised.

Shen Qingling's looks combined the finest traits of both Gu Chenwang and Wen Sulan.

There was no need to mention Gu Yutang. She was a major star, and the moment she appeared, her dazzling charm stunned the entire room.

Gu Yijin was slightly less striking than the others. He was not the type to astonish people at first glance; his features were gentle and refined, carrying a hint of youthful spirit. The most beautiful part of his face was his eyes.

More captivating than his looks was his temperament. With a smile at the corners of his lips and gentle eyes, he made people feel as though they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Shen Qingling narrowed his eyes. In the Original Work, Gu Yijin had used that very face to deceive everyone, making them believe he was innocent and harmless, gentle and kind—a pitiful, blameless victim.

Gu Yijin had once enjoyed an excellent reputation among River City's upper class. The young socialites and heiresses in particular practically regarded him as the ideal marriage prospect.

Unfortunately, he was not as clean as he appeared.

Ruan Mingyi gave a cold snort. "Hypocrite."

Shen Qingling asked in surprise, "Who are you talking about?"

Ruan Mingyi raised a brow. "The one on the far left. See him? That's Sheng Xia's fiancé, a sanctimonious hypocrite."

Shen Qingling deliberately said, "A hypocrite? Why do you think that? He doesn't seem like what you described."

"You can know a person's face but not their heart. In front of Sheng Xia and all those young ladies, he presents himself as a devoted, faithful man who keeps himself clean. But one of my... friends told me he saw Gu Yijin fooling around with other women at a club. He plays around a lot behind the scenes. He's no good man."

"Then aren't you afraid I'm also a man who acts one way in public and another in private?"

Ruan Mingyi could tell he was joking, and she immediately became improper again.

"That's fine. You can be two-faced with other people, but with me, you have to be thirteen hours and fourteen condoms."

"There you go again."

A woman in a black evening gown stood before the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor of the villa.

The gown exposed two pronounced shoulder blades, like folded obsidian blades.

Her arms were wrapped in black lace, and the snake-fang-shaped emerald at her collar gleamed with chilling intensity.

Her beauty was fiercely aggressive. Her brow peaks had been drawn into sharp arcs, and the naturally upturned corners of her eyes should have been alluring, yet they were frozen within eyes as cold as a deep pool.

The window reflected lips pressed into a straight line. Shifting light outside traced her profile, the line from her nose bridge to her jaw seeming to have been carved by a blade. Two South Sea white pearls on her earlobes swayed gently as she flipped through the reports.

When the director reported a key figure, she suddenly raised her eyes. Her obsidian-like pupils contracted, carrying a dangerous aura.

The tip of Sheng Mo's pen hovered three millimeters above the paper in her right hand.

"Redo the third-quarter proposal."

"Yes, President Sheng."

The board members often said she was like a poisoned blade.

The man's gaze passed over the small mole near her brows and eyes—that was the only soft curve on her entire body.

When the woman lowered her eyes, a tiny red mole could be seen at the corner of her eye, faintly visible and strangely alluring.

But the moment one met those indifferent eyes, every amorous thought vanished at once.

This woman was not someone he could fantasize about at will.

"Why are you still standing here?"

"Sorry, President Sheng. I'll go right away."

After the man left, he brushed past the butler at the door.

"President Sheng, the Gu Family has arrived."

"Invite President Gu upstairs."

Gu Yijin had no idea what Gu Chenwang discussed with Sheng Mo upstairs.

But he had already learned from Sheng Xia that the Gu Family planned to replace him.

Did they think he was unworthy of Sheng Xia, who came from the Sheng Family?

And Shen Qingling was worthy?

He refused to believe that Sheng Mo, who had always looked down on him, would approve of Shen Qingling.

"Xiaxia, since you already know, let's keep our distance as your sister wants. Otherwise, if your sister sees us, it will be difficult for me to explain things to Father when I get home."

Sheng Xia vowed to him, "Ajin, don't worry. I won't agree to replace you. I'll only marry you in this lifetime. Other than you, I won't marry anyone."

This foolish woman before him was wholeheartedly devoted to him, but what use was that?

The Sheng Family was not hers to command. Even if he truly married Sheng Xia, what then? Sheng Mo only acknowledged the Gu Family's sole heir, and that person was not him.

Gu Yijin showed a bitter smile. "Xiaxia, I know how you feel, but I don't want to hold you back. I'm no longer the Gu Yijin who could protect you. I won't be able to inherit the Gu Family in the future. How could you be happy if you married me?"

"Would I be happy if I married that useless trash from an orphanage instead? I don't believe he could be better than you."

"Xiaxia, don't say that. As long as you can be happy, become the mistress of the Gu Family, and live a good life without worrying about food or clothing, I'm willing to do anything. Even if it means... losing you, that would be all right."

Gu Yijin looked so deeply devoted and unable to restrain himself, as though he were thinking of Sheng Xia with all his heart. It instantly moved this simple-minded heiress.

With red-rimmed eyes, Sheng Xia sobbed, "No. The Sheng Family has everything. I don't need you to give me anything, and I don't want to be Madam Gu. As long as we can be together forever, that's enough. Ajin, don't worry. I'll definitely find a way to convince my sister."

Then her gaze hardened, and she snorted coldly. "As for that newcomer... Hah, I don't think much of him at all. In my heart, Ajin is the best. No one can compare to you."

"Fine. For Xiaxia, I'm willing to make one more effort and try to fight for the right to marry into the alliance."

Sheng Xia tightly embraced Gu Yijin and said emotionally, "Ajin, you're so good."

Gu Yijin's gaze deepened. I hope that after you meet Shen Qingling, you'll still be able to say that.

Meanwhile, Wen Sulan had been chatting with several other ladies when a young man accidentally bumped into her.

A gentle young voice reached her ears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Are you all right, ma'am?"

Wen Sulan looked up and smiled. "I'm fi—"

The instant she saw the young man clearly, her voice cut off. Her smile froze at the corner of her lips, and she could not conceal the shock in her eyes.

"You..."

"What is it?"

Shen Qingling looked at her innocently, his eyes carrying faint confusion.

Gu Yijin knew how to pretend. Did that mean he could not?

The only person in the Gu Family he could truly win over was Wen Sulan. At the very least, she was the only one in the Original Work who had genuinely cared for her son.

"Qingling... I..."

"You know me?"