The Rich Man's Life Begins with a Comeback

Chapter 161 Bitter fruit is still fruit; even if it's not sweet, it quenches thirst (4k)

The spacious elevator was filled with a rich fragrance.

Gu Heng stood in front with one hand in his pocket, while Jiang Ruan stood behind him carrying shopping bags in both hands.

"Zhou Xun and I were high school classmates..."

"It was purely by chance that we met, and we chatted briefly."

Jiang Ruan gazed at Gu Heng's broad back in front of her. She bit her lip for a long time, but finally couldn't help but explain to him.

"Let's add each other on WeChat and keep in touch."

"Oh……"

"We should get together often when we go home for the Chinese New Year."

Beneath Gu Heng's seemingly calm tone, a torrent of emotions was surging within him.

"Didn't you just ask me to add you on WeChat?"

Jiang Ruan muttered to herself, offering a somewhat defiant rebuttal.

"You just add it because I tell you to?"

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow slightly.

"You're the boss, I'm the assistant."

"Of course, I'll do whatever the boss tells me to do."

Hearing the barely concealed sourness in Gu Heng's voice, Jiang Ruan felt a strange sense of joy and excitement, and her tone became lighter.

"Remember what you said."

"I hope you won't cry later."

Gu Heng glanced at Jiang Ruan through the reflective surface of the elevator's metal doors, and then stepped out of the elevator first as the doors slowly opened.

One after the other, the two quickly returned to the surprise suite.

"boom……"

Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke.

"Brother Hengwang, did you have fun with the internet celebrity girls last night?"

Suddenly, Jiang Ruan blinked and asked Gu Heng a question.

"Ok?"

"how do you know?"

Gu Heng was taken aback, not expecting that Jiang Ruan knew about this.

"The news is all over the place, I know it's not normal."

After drinking, Jiang Ruan's eyes would turn slightly red, which inexplicably added a touch of beauty and charm to her cool and aloof face.

"Then how do you know that Prince Heng is me?"

Gu Heng asked again.

"because……"

"I recognize your voice."

Feeling a bit tired from being pressed against by Gu Heng, Jiang Ruan stretched out her slender arm and draped it over Gu Heng's shoulder, her expression revealing a touch of languor.

A simple sentence, yet it stirred a ripple in Gu Heng's heart.

"Why don't you put me down first?"

"You must be exhausted after working all night last night."

"Stop bluffing and get some rest for the night."

Jiang Ruan seemed quite confident and fearless, as if she had Gu Heng completely under her thumb.

"It's true that I've been working hard all night, but who told you I was tired?"

A hint of amusement flickered in Gu Heng's eyes: "Do I look tired to you?"

Jiang Ruan's previously confident expression froze instantly, and even her beautiful eyes widened slightly.

"you……"

A hint of shyness and panic flashed in Jiang Ruan's eyes.

"Jiang Ruan, I saw you chatting with another man tonight, and I'm very unhappy."

Gu Heng stared directly at Jiang Ruan, a hint of wildness gradually spreading in his eyes: "So, you can only go to sleep when you've made me happy tonight."

"I've already explained it all. Zhou Xun and I just met by chance."

Despite being threatened by Gu Heng, Jiang Ruan felt a strange sweetness in her heart.

Because she knows very well that only those who care will be unhappy.

"He likes you."

Gu Heng said.

"So what?"

"Many boys liked me during high school."

Jiang Ruan's pale face grew increasingly red.

"Knowing he likes you, why are you still chatting with him?"

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow: "Shouldn't I punish you?"

Jiang Ruan pursed her pink lips: "Zhou Xun was the top scorer in our county's college entrance examination that year, and he was also the only graduate from our county to be admitted to Tsinghua University that year."

“His family was very poor. He is a typical example of a student from a small town who struggles his way up from the bottom. Now he has finally achieved success. It’s really not easy.”

At this point, Jiang Ruan hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Given your status and position, you didn't actually need to make fun of him in the end."

"Who said I was teasing him?"

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow and asked in return.

"That……"

"Then tell him in the end..."

"Let...let him tell the company about my relationship with him."

Jiang Ruan said haltingly, "I'm just an ordinary girl, how...how could I have such a big reputation? Aren't you just making fun of him?"

Do you know who General Manager Zhao of Tianyuan Design Studio is?

Gu Heng did not answer Jiang Ruan, but instead asked her a question in return.

"Who?"

Jiang Ruan shook her head.

"Zhao Yongtao".

"You saw him yesterday."

"That guy with the M-shaped hairline who's a bit bald."

Gu Heng prompted Jiang Ruan.

"what?"

"So it's him?"

"He's actually the CEO of a company that's about to go public?"

Jiang Ruan was stunned. She never expected that the man who had been fawning over Gu Heng yesterday would have such an amazing identity.

In her view, the other party was completely unrelated to the CEO of the company that was about to go public.

"it's him."

Gu Heng nodded: "Do you think Zhao Yongtao will ask more questions after your old classmate calls to explain your relationship?"

"As the saying goes, even a seventh-rank official can't get past the prime minister's gate. You are my assistant, and more importantly, my woman. It's just to give your old classmate a chance to meet. Zhao Yongtao can't possibly refuse to do so."

Jiang Ruan's once snow-white neck was now covered in rouge: "Then you knew he liked me, why did you still help him?"

"In this world, the only thing that should not be let down is hard work."

"Just like you said, it's really not easy for the test-takers in small towns to fight their way up from the bottom. Since it's just a small favor, we should help if we can."

Gu Heng said, "Besides, don't you think the most effective way to defeat a rival in love is to make him realize the insurmountable gap between you and choose to give up on his own?"

"I……"

Jiang Ruan stammered, "I just think there's some truth to something you said before!"

"Which sentence?"

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow.

"Bitter fruit is still fruit!"

"It's not sweet, but it quenches your thirst!"

Jiang Ruan answered softly, somewhat unsure of herself.

"Good good!"

"Bitter fruit, isn't it?"

"Then I'll show you just how bitter the bitter fruit really is!"

Gu Heng was so angry at Jiang Ruan that he laughed.

I really don't know who begged him the night before last. Damn it!

Zhou Yanzu!
Attack relentlessly!

A fierce and relentless attack!

"you……"

Jiang Ruan's beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief.

Gu Heng looked at Jiang Ruan's dumbfounded expression and couldn't help but curl up his lips slightly.

Although the two had only been apart for one night, Gu Heng had become completely different overnight.

"Buzz..."

Suddenly, Jiang Ruan's phone, which was in her pocket, vibrated.

Upon hearing the sound, the two looked at their phone screens at the same time and saw that the caller was Zhou Xun's WeChat call.

"Yo?"

"Your old classmate called."

"Answer the phone."

Gu Heng made a request to Jiang Ruan.

"don't want……"

Jiang Ruan guessed what Gu Heng wanted to do. A pleading look flashed in her watery eyes as she shook her head and refused.

"hurry up!"

Jiang Ruan had no choice but to obediently answer Zhou Xun's WeChat call.

"Jiang Ruan, is it convenient for us to talk?"

Zhou Xun's somewhat excited voice came through the phone.

"convenient."

"You say it."

Jiang Ruan responded to Zhou Xun in a low voice.

"Old classmate, I never expected you to have such a big influence."

"I just called Mr. Zhao from Tianyuan Design Studio and mentioned your name to him. I didn't expect him to actually agree to meet with me, and his attitude changed instantly..."

Zhou Xun was overjoyed; the feeling was just like that poem.

Mountain darkly, vista.

Zhou Xun was talking non-stop, but Jiang Ruan didn't hear a single word he said.

She bit her lip, looking at Gu Heng who remained unmoved, and finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Beg me~"

Gu Heng raised the corners of his lips slightly and whispered in Jiang Ruan's ear.

Please~

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. After Jiang Ruan begged Gu Heng once, it was only natural that she would do it a second time.

Gu Heng smiled with satisfaction.

"Jiang Ruan, are you listening?"

Zhou Xun talked on and on for a long time, but seeing that Jiang Ruan did not respond, he asked with some doubt.

"Listening..."

Jiang Ruan's delicate voice drifted out.

"Jiang Ruan, could you please thank your boss for me?"

Although Zhou Xun noticed that Jiang Ruan's voice sounded a little off, he didn't think much of it and simply said sincerely, "I am really grateful to him. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask him to do his best."

"Ok."

"I will pass on your message."

Jiang Ruan glanced at Gu Heng in front of her and quickly replied.

"Thanks again!"

"Then I won't disturb your rest!"

"I'll treat you to dinner sometime!"

Zhou Xun said politely.

This incident brought him to his senses, made him realize the gap between the two sides, and erased his unrealistic ideas.

Jiang Ruan has probably already reached a level that he can hardly look up to.

"Ok."

"Let's get in touch again."

After saying that, Jiang Ruan quickly hung up the phone.

"how?"

"Will you see me again in the future?"

Gu Heng suddenly stopped.

Goodbye forever~

……

The next day, early in the morning.

Jiang Ruan dragged her aching body out of the bedroom. She looked at Gu Heng sitting on a single sofa chair, reading a book in the morning light, and felt that Gu Heng was like a monster.

He had just spent the whole night with those female internet celebrities the day before yesterday, but last night he was still able to keep going with her until almost dawn, and he even seemed to have energy left.

From the end of last day until now, has it been four hours?

Does he not feel tired or sleepy at all?
Looking at Gu Heng's radiant profile, Jiang Ruan couldn't see a trace of fatigue or drowsiness on his face.

Eh?
Why does Gu Heng seem even more handsome now?

Her skin was as smooth as freshly polished jade, with no roughness whatsoever. It was firm and elastic, with pores so fine they were almost invisible. Her face looked clean and refreshing, exuding a gentle and warm texture.

Jiang Ruan examined it carefully, becoming somewhat mesmerized for a moment.

"woke up?"

Gu Heng noticed the commotion and shifted his focused gaze from the book. He looked at Jiang Ruan's slightly infatuated eyes, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

[Challenge Mission: Conquer]

[Bound to: Jiang Ruan]

[Current progress: 80.06%]

【进度奖励：20%（已领取）、40%（已领取）、60%（已领取）、80%（已领取）、100%（待领取）】

Two months later, Gu Heng finally managed to raise Jiang Ruan's favorability to 80% last night, and successfully received the stage reward from his father, the system master, this morning.

The rewards are the same as the previous three stages, all belonging to the "Male God" series of special item rewards. This stage's reward is called "Male God Mask".

After use, it can greatly improve Gu Heng's skin condition.

Many common skin problems for men, such as blackheads, large pores, acne scars, dullness, and pimples, have been perfectly improved. Furthermore, Gu Heng's skin can always remain refreshed, without being oily, dry, or flaky.

For both men and women, skin condition is a crucial factor affecting appearance.

Now, Gu Heng's skin has been greatly improved, which naturally has a very significant effect on improving Gu Heng's overall appearance.

"Get up and go to the toilet."

"I saw you weren't there, so I came out to check."

Thinking of the madness of last night, Jiang Ruan's pretty face blushed slightly.

"I'm all rested. I'm going to Deloitte China to discuss some business later."

Gu Heng asked Jiang Ruan, "Do you want to rest at the hotel, or would you like to come with me to Deloitte China?"

"I……"

"I'll rest at the hotel."

Jiang Ruan's legs were still trembling slightly, and drowsiness kept washing over her like a tide. Although she really wanted to go to Deloitte China with Gu Heng, she simply didn't have the energy.

"Then you should rest well at the hotel."

Gu Heng said to Jiang Ruan, "We might talk for a long time today. I'll call you when we're done."

"Good~"

Jiang Ruan responded.

"Go back to sleep."

"I'll read for a while longer."

Gu Heng gestured to Jiang Ruan.

"Uh-huh."

Jiang Ruan was indeed extremely sleepy, so she turned around and went back to her bedroom to rest, while Gu Heng turned his gaze back to the pages of his book, his attention quickly refocusing...

(End of this chapter)