"Grandpa, I promise you that within the next year, I will definitely bring your granddaughter-in-law back. Okay?" Lowering his tall figure, Gu Jingchen leaned closer to Gu Yushan, watching the elderly man's slightly unhappy pout. His always-handsome face exuded a gentle warmth, and his long, bright eyes were filled with deep affection as he spoke to his grandfather.
"Then... you must not lie to me." Upon hearing this, Gu Yushan's beard tilted upward, and he nearly broke into a broad grin.
"Grandpa, I have never lied to you." His voice was warm and mellow, yet carried resolute certainty.
"Alright. Pinky swear." At this moment, the elderly man seemed more like a child as he extended his small finger.
"Okay, pinky swear." Gu Jingchen nodded, his voice filled with affectionate indulgence. His smile was bright, tinged with gentle warmth, as he extended his slender finger.
After chatting with his grandfather and parents for a while, Gu Jingchen eventually took long strides back to his room on the second floor.
His room was decorated in a minimalist style, radiating an intense coolness. Gu Jingchen entered his study, his upright and towering figure settling into the seat at the desk. His long fingers gently opened the bottom drawer, pulling out a photo album.
Flipping through the album, his strikingly attractive eyes lingered on the photos. His impossibly handsome face occasionally broke into faint smiles, imbuing the room with a rich air of warmth due to his gentle expression.
The album, though somewhat weathered, documented every moment of a young woman's growth—a chronicle of her life. His fingers softly brushed over the most cherished photos of her, which were all breathtakingly beautiful yet never showed her full face. Each snapshot was carefully captured by him during the girl's childhood moments, recording every stage of her journey. In the pictures, she was adorably radiant as a child, and as she grew, her smiles became stunningly captivating, with a beauty capable of enchanting all.
"You silly girl, do you even know? If you are happy and content now, I'm willing to wait for you. I hope you experience the joys of a carefree youth, then later let me show you the most blissful, passionate love. Finally, I'll marry you and make you my most beautiful bride. But now, everything has changed—I have to marry you to feel at ease. Leave everything to me; I will handle it all. You just need to enjoy your happiness."
Gu Jingchen's voice was soft and rich, filled with deep murmurs of affection. His jet-black eyes burned with an intense gaze, fixed on one particular photo of the young woman.
The next day in Yun City, on its busiest street, City Government Road, inside a KTV venue.
"Tingting, do we really have to dress like this?" Shang Xixia stood hesitantly, her stunningly beautiful face scrunched up in conflict, staring at her outfit—a piece barely larger than a bikini, paired with white high boots. It was incredibly bold and youthful, leaving Shang Xixia, unused to such attire, feeling very uneasy.
"Yeah, Tingting, we're only here to apply for waitstaff jobs." Zhou Xingyan, similarly dressed in skimpy clothing, softly questioned Yu Tingting, her words remarkably candid.
"There's no choice," Yu Tingting responded, somewhat embarrassed. She curled her lips slightly and explained to Shang Xixia and Zhou Xingyan, "My cousin said all KTV employees dress like this. Honestly, I had my reservations too, but she mentioned that if we work here, tips and wages combined could add up to 300 yuan a day. That's quite a sum, especially considering your circumstances. After thinking it over, I decided to agree."
"Thank you, Tingting, Xingyan." Shang Xixia's fair, delicate face showed a trace of guilt. If it weren't for her, Tingting and Xingyan wouldn't be here, accompanying her.
"No need to thank us. We're here with you!" Wanting to lighten the mood, Yu Tingting quickly patted her chest, pretending to put on an air of confidence.
"Mm-hmm." The young girl nodded firmly, her smile tinged with deep gratitude.
"Tingting, Xingyan, Xixia, head over to the premier private room. There's a group of VIP clients in there today. Serve them properly and don't forget to promote this wine—it has the highest commission." Yu Tingting's cousin, Yu Zishan, was quite efficient and helpful. She pointed toward the bottles and gestured toward the three young women.
"Alright." Yu Tingting nodded, taking Xixia and Xingyan with her. Each one grabbed a bottle and headed toward the premier private room.
"Well, well, isn't this Shang Xixia, Miss Shang herself? Look at you now, reduced to this state—wearing such cheap waitress outfits. How the mighty have fallen! Back at Yun City University, every guy's eyes were glued to you. Now, look at you—fallen like a phoenix that can't even compare to a chicken!"
Just as the trio was about to head upstairs, they ran directly into Li Chengjing. Beside her stood Qu Yanyan. Although Qu Yanyan didn't say anything, her meaning was clear enough—the mocking smirk at the corner of her mouth said it all.
Li Chengjing and Qu Yanyan were dressed in the height of fashion. Particularly Li Chengjing, whose gaze toward the three young women was filled with nothing but disdain, blatantly exuding a sense of superiority and contempt.
"Nowadays, all those shameless mistresses climbing their way up really have admirers and sycophants, huh? Li Chengjing, what's so great about you? Isn't your mom just a shameless mistress who seduced Xixia's dad? And then you, this so-called 'lady' who is barely connected to Xixia's father, finally managed to gain some status, didn't you? I just don't understand—what is there for you to brag about? Anyway, it doesn't matter—whether you're good or bad, rich or poor, the boys at Yun City University, even the guys all over Yun City, don't care for you. They don't even want to give you a glance. So, tell me, what's the point?"
If Shang Xixia was discreet and composed, Yu Tingting was certainly not the type to stay quiet. Her fiery personality immediately erupted upon hearing Li Chengjing's words. Fuelled by anger, her fair face turned bright red as she stepped forward confidently.
In Yu Tingting's heart, no one was allowed to bully her best friend. No one!
With that thought, Yu Tingting feigned nonchalance, shooting a sharp gaze at Li Chengjing and speaking in a tone that was deliberately indifferent but loaded with bite.