After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

"bride price."

These two words, uttered lightly from Gu Zheng's lips, exploded in Ye Zhen's ears like two depth charges.

She slowly put down the enamel cup, stood up, and walked step by step to Gu Zheng's hospital bedside.

She didn't look at him, her gaze falling on the note on the bedside table that read "betrothal gifts," and she suddenly chuckled softly.

"Commander Gu," she finally raised her eyes, looking directly into those unfathomable eyes, and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "Are you trying to bribe me?"

This wasn't a proposal; it was a hunt. He pinpointed her weakness and then used what she found most irresistible as bait to force her to submit.

Gu Zheng leaned against the headboard, watching the fleeting anger in her eyes, his smile deepened. He liked this prickly side of her; it was much more interesting than her earlier calm.

"You can think of it as an invitation to collaborate," he corrected slowly. "I've finally met someone I like, and you also need a platform to realize your ambitions. Dr. Ye, we each get what we need; it's fair."

fair.

Ye Zhen pondered these two words in her heart. Yes, fairness. At least he was honest and straightforward, never bothering to use hypocrisy to cover things up.

Dealing with this kind of person is always easier than dealing with those hypocrites who are all smiles and no bite.

Her tense nerves relaxed. She reached out, picked up the note, turned and walked to the desk, picked up Gu Zheng's pen, and wrote two words on the back of the paper.

Then she walked back, placed the note face up on his lap, and gently put it there.

"receive."

The neat handwriting is powerful and penetrating.

There was no haggling, no girlish coyness. She accepted the deal as readily as signing a surgical consent form.

After doing all this, she turned and left, her back straight as a javelin.

"I will keep my promise." The ward door was gently closed.

Gu Zheng picked up the note from his lap, flipped it over, and looked at the two words. He finally couldn't help but chuckle softly. The vibration in his chest aggravated his wound, bringing a dull pain, but he didn't care.

Interesting, I'm liking this girl more and more.

Three days later, a jeep with military license plates drove out of the northern part of the city and headed towards Beijing.

In the back row, Ye Zhen and Gu Zheng each occupied one side, with enough space between them for another person to sit. The carriage was quiet, with only the soft rustling of tires over the road.

Ye Zhen held a thick English original copy of "Gres' Anatomy" and read it with complete concentration, occasionally stretching out her finger to write and draw in the blank spaces of the pages, as if everything around her was irrelevant.

Gu Zheng neither read the book nor looked at the scenery.

He was looking at her.

She wore a simple white shirt and blue polyester pants today, her hair neatly tied in a ponytail. Sunlight streamed through the car window, casting a small shadow on her face with her long eyelashes, making her look as focused as an ethereal scholar.

There was absolutely no sign that they were going to meet the patriarch of a wealthy family.

"Dr. Ye," Gu Zheng finally spoke, breaking the silence, "aren't you nervous at all about coming to my house for the first time?"

Ye Zhen didn't even look up: "It's just a scene, what's there to be nervous about? I'm just thinking about how to play the role of 'Gu family's granddaughter-in-law' well later."

Her tone was as indifferent as if she were discussing tomorrow's weather.

Gu Zheng was amused by her. He shifted his body, moving closer to her. A crisp scent of soap mixed with his unique aroma instantly filled Ye Zhen's nostrils.

"Well..." He lowered his voice, almost whispering in her ear, his warm breath tickling her earlobe, "Do you need me, the leading man, to help you go over your lines? For example, how should a married couple speak?"

His voice had a playful huskiness, like a feather, gently tugging at one's nerves.

Ye Zhen stopped turning the pages of the book.

With a "snap," she closed the thick anatomy book.

She turned her head and met a pair of deep eyes so close to hers. Those eyes, which always carried a hint of roguishness, were now staring intently at her, reflecting her small, calm image.

"Okay." She nodded, her expression serious, and then suddenly stretched out two fingers and placed them on his wrist to check his pulse.

Gu Zheng's smile froze instantly.

He felt the slight coolness of her fingertips, like a snowflake falling on his burning skin.

Ye Zhen quietly sensed for a few seconds, then raised her eyes, her clear gaze like the most precise probe, as if trying to see through his internal organs.

"First scene." She spoke slowly, a faint smile playing on her lips, carrying a hint of knowing understanding. "Could the male lead explain why your heart rate exceeded ninety beats per minute while at rest? Commander Gu, are you nervous?"

Gu Zheng tried to pull his hand away, but she held it firmly, making him unable to move. He had tried to tease her, but she had instead outmaneuvered him with her professional knowledge. This woman always had a way of embarrassing him.

A few hours later, the car entered the capital city, passed through several tree-lined avenues, and finally stopped in front of a detached two-story building.

The building has blue bricks and gray tiles, and two armed sentries stand at the entrance with sharp eyes like eagles.

An elderly butler, dressed in a Zhongshan suit with gray hair but a straight back, was already waiting at the door. He was Uncle Fu, whom Ye Zhen recognized. As soon as Gu Zheng got out of the car, he immediately came forward to greet him: "Young Master, you're back."

His gaze lingered on Ye Zhen for only a second before he politely looked away and bowed slightly: "Miss Ye, the old master and madam are waiting in the living room. Please come in."

Ye Zhen nodded, politely greeted Uncle Fu, and followed Gu Zheng into the legendary Gu family mansion.

Upon entering, an invisible pressure immediately hits you.

In the spacious living room, the rosewood furniture gleamed with a deep sheen. At the head of the table sat an elderly man in military uniform, with stars on his shoulders, his gaze sharp and piercing—it was none other than Old Master Gu. Beside him sat an elderly woman with a gentle demeanor but equally astute eyes.

On the sofas on both sides, there were several middle-aged couples and a few young people sitting, and a dozen pairs of eyes, like searchlights, were fixed on her.

There was scrutiny, concern, appreciation, contempt, curiosity, and even undisguised hostility.

One particular gaze, in particular, came from a stylishly dressed young girl to the side, a look that seemed to want to poke holes in her.

This was indeed a trap.

Ye Zhen took a deep breath, but put on a polite and distant smile, standing humbly and confidently beside Gu Zheng, accepting everyone's scrutiny.

She wasn't a sparrow trying to climb the social ladder, nor was she an ugly duckling coming to claim kinship.

She is simply a technology partner who will soon be engaging in in-depth cooperation with the main company.