His husband really treated him so well!

For the first time, something like blank bewilderment appeared on the face of the man who commanded every negotiation.

The boy still had his fluffy head tipped up, looking docile as he waited to be fed. When the man did not move, he even widened his eyes and looked at him curiously.

Gu Shang: "..."

Only after a long moment did he let out a faint, breathy chuckle.

It seemed he really had underestimated his new wife. Who would have thought someone so delicate and pampered could endure so much? Just what had the Ji Family offered him to make a child they had never raised so obedient to them? Or was this... the bond of blood being thicker than water?

The man tucked away the traces of viciousness in his eyes and raised the cake again, bringing it to the boy's lips with a gentle, gentlemanly motion.

Ji Mingzhu gave him a bashful glance, then obediently leaned forward and took a bite. His teeth were even, leaving a neat, adorable crescent in the cake.

Anyone who could book out a place like this for a wedding banquet would naturally insist on the best of everything. The cake was silky and soft on his tongue, and the rich, fresh fragrance of strawberries burst through his mouth.

Ji Mingzhu's eyes lit up at once.

What an incredible flavor!

He had never tasted anything like this in the Great Ning Dynasty!

The cake's flavor was perfectly balanced, too, neither cloyingly sweet nor marred by any tart, gritty bits of strawberry.

A little pink cream clung to the boy's lips, especially eye-catching against their soft, moist surface. Gu Shang could not help stealing another couple of looks and was about to point it out. Just then, the boy suddenly leaned closer with sparkling eyes and asked eagerly, "What flavor is this? It's so good!"

Gu Shang froze. He nearly raised his hand on instinct to take a taste himself before answering the boy. Fortunately, he came to his senses halfway through. His expression tightened slightly, annoyed at his own foolish reaction.

He lifted the cake, with the gap Ji Mingzhu had bitten out facing him.

He sniffed it and answered, "Strawberry, I think."

Once he had spoken, the turmoil inside him settled a little.

Strawberry was such an ordinary flavor. How could he not recognize it?

Was he putting on an act for him?

Or was this a new strategy Ji Mingzhu had come up with in those brief moments with his head lowered-seducing him? Did he want to make him fall in love and obey his every word? Failing that, perhaps he wanted him to lower his guard and trust him, then seize the chance to steal the Gu Family's secrets.

No matter how many schemes and plots ran through his mind, the man's face retained its perpetually unbroken poker face.

Strawberry?

Ji Mingzhu had never heard the name of this fruit before and found it rather novel. This place really was so different from the Great Ning Dynasty. As he thought about it, he leaned forward and finished the cake in a few bites, his soft cheeks moving as he chewed.

Not far away, someone holding a glass of red wine spoke to Ji Mingzhu's parents with a look of surprise. "That's your eldest son? Wow, seeing really is believing. He certainly has an extraordinary bearing. Such a fine-looking young man."

"Hahaha, indeed. He seems to get along very well with that gentleman, too. You two certainly know how to raise a son. Now that I've met him, I can see he's nothing like the rumors."

Ji Yonglin gave a couple of dry laughs, his face alternating between red and pale.

He had achieved his purpose in attending this wedding banquet: attaching himself to the rich and powerful, striking up conversations with members of high society who held a place in the business world, and exchanging contact details.

That much, he had indeed accomplished.

But this honor had not been brought to him by Ji Zhian, the son he had always been so proud of. Instead, it had come from Ji Mingzhu, the useless son he could barely be bothered to look at... That realization felt like an invisible hand had slapped him hard across the face, leaving it burning.

Ever since Gu Shang had appeared and put the wedding ring on Ji Mingzhu's finger, people had begun approaching him to chat, some even taking the initiative to ask for his contact details. A few had also gone to Ji Mingzhu's mother to ask for advice on raising children, wanting to know how she had brought Ji Mingzhu up to be so poised and gracious.

How was she supposed to know?

She had never even raised Ji Mingzhu!

These people knew perfectly well that Ji Mingzhu had been hastily brought back into the family to spare Zhian this arranged marriage. He had only spent a few days with the Ji Family altogether. How could they possibly have taught him anything? Asking these questions was clearly a deliberate attempt to embarrass them!

And all of this was that Ji Mingzhu's doing.

Now that he was married, shouldn't he know his place and simply be a wealthy man's wife? What was he showing off here for?

He had even stolen Zhian's spotlight. None of the promising young men at the banquet had noticed their outstanding son; they were all paying attention to that flashy married man, Ji Mingzhu!

Cao Wanhua nearly ground her teeth to pieces.

If Ji Zhian couldn't make friends with these exceptional young men, how would their Ji Family climb any higher? Were they supposed to count on that ungrateful wretch, Ji Mingzhu?

Besides, even if seeing the Gu Family's wealth tempted Ji Mingzhu into changing his mind and cooperating with the Ji Family, how could someone with his low level of education possibly outwit the Gu Family?

Clearly, Ji Zhian thought the same way. His pitiful little face looked ready to dissolve into tears.

"Mom... my brother's made me look like a clown." Ji Zhian pouted.

His mother tenderly stroked the child she had raised for twenty-two years and soothed him. "It's all right. Don't be upset. Doesn't everything your brother owns belong to the Ji Family? And everything that belongs to the Ji Family is yours. Don't rush. Today is your brother's big day, and he's never attended a grand occasion in his life, so it's only natural that he acts a little petty. You've had an elite education. Don't stoop to arguing with some common nobody. Let him show off for this one day. Whatever you want, Mom will get it for you afterward, all right?"

Only after receiving his mother's promise did Ji Zhian nod, tears still clinging to his face.

He cast a venomous look at the boy smiling radiantly out in the hall, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Gu Shang patiently waited for Ji Mingzhu to finish eating, then even instinctively wiped the cream off the boy's lower lip with his thumb.

The man froze again.

Although Gu Shang was not exactly a clean freak, he was certainly particular about people and things. Perhaps that dab of pink cream had been too much of an eyesore, and it really had lingered on Ji Mingzhu's lips for too long. In the end, Gu Shang had been unable to resist wiping it away.

The boy's lips felt just as tender and smooth as he had imagined, even softer than the cupcake, with a slight coolness like freshly made cherry pudding.

Gu Shang used a handkerchief to wipe his hand, as though wiping away the lingering sensation along with it.

It was nothing more than a simple attempt at seduction. It meant nothing.

Given Gu Shang's standing, no matter how vicious his reputation was, there had always been people over the years who refused to give up trying to plant someone by his side. Compared with those who had been coached and trained, Ji Mingzhu's methods were positively green-an unripe strawberry.

Gu Shang could dispose of all those eager admirers without batting an eye. A boy whose game was this weak had even less chance of stirring him.

Without betraying a thing, Gu Shang took the boy's hand and headed toward the center of the hall. "The entrance ceremony is starting. Let's go."

He had a feeling married life would not be as dull as he had previously imagined.

Ji Mingzhu lifted his head and gave him a sweet smile. "Okay."

Aaaah, his husband really treated him so well!