The Heiress's Game

The two families officially met at Fook Lam Moon in Wan Chai, Ocean City.

This long-established Cantonese restaurant is one of Gu Zhenxing's private haunts. It doesn't accept walk-in customers and only caters to acquaintances. Its privacy ranks among the top three in Dahai City.

Wang Manyun personally came three days in advance to finalize the menu with the head chef. From cold dishes to seasonal seafood to desserts, every dish was carefully considered. Even the teaware for the tea after the meal was changed to Qing Dynasty blue and white porcelain from the Gu family's private collection.

But what troubled her most wasn't the food, but Gu Yunjin.

From the day she received confirmation of the itinerary from the Bai family, Wang Manyun entered a state of readiness.

She had three haute couture gowns flown in from Paris and five pairs of new high heels brought in from Milan.

She then called her personal stylist, whom she had used for over ten years, to her home to try out makeup, hairstyles, and jewelry for Gu Yunjin, a process that took three whole days.

I took photos of every outfit and compared them repeatedly with a magnifying glass—aren't the earrings too flashy?

Will the skirt be too formal and seem deliberate? Will the lipstick color be too bright and disliked by elders? Strive to ensure that there is no flaw in any detail.

She had a clear understanding of the situation: if this marriage went through, the Gu family would rise to prominence, and her son Yunxuan would also benefit from it in the future.

If she messes things up because of some minor detail, she will not only let down Gu Zhenxing, but also herself.

That evening, Gu Zhenxing and Wang Manyun took Gu Yunjin to the private room first.

Gu Yunjin wore a smoky purple modified cheongsam dress, her long hair was half-up, and she wore only two round pearls behind her ears. On her wrist was a jade bracelet of excellent quality.

That was personally selected by Gu Zhenxing from the safe. The overall style was simple and elegant, with just the right balance. It was neither too extravagant nor too dignified.

The Bai family arrived on time.

Walking at the front was Bai Lingfeng. Today, the old man was wearing a dark blue Chinese-style jacket and leaning on a huanghuali cane. His hair was white but he was in good spirits. His gaze fell on Gu Yunjin and he nodded slightly.

He was followed by Bai Jingchuan and Zhuo Shengnan. The former couple maintained just the right social distance and did not make any eye contact with each other throughout, but their outward appearance of civility was impeccable.

Next up is Bai Junze, who is wearing a dark gray single-breasted suit today.

Bai Tianyi was the last to enter.

He was wearing a proper suit today, which was unusual for him. His hair wasn't the usual messy bird's nest that he usually had after playing games and being dragged out of the house. He had applied hair wax and styled it in a side part.

But his eyes betrayed his true nature—as soon as the door to the private room opened, his gaze began searching for someone, and the moment he found Gu Yunjin, his eyes lit up at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He froze for a moment, then strode forward, unable to suppress the astonishment in his voice.

"Gu Yunjin? You look absolutely stunning today! I've never seen you so beautiful before! This is too much! How is my brother supposed to handle this?"

He spoke loudly, and the entire private room could hear him clearly.

Wang Manyun paused slightly as she held the teacup, glancing at Gu Yunjin. Gu Zhenxing, however, remained expressionless, merely raising an eyebrow.

Bai Tianyi was completely unaware of the information he had revealed, and was still looking at Gu Yunjin's dress, making "tsk tsk tsk" sounds of admiration.

"Tianyi, you talk too much." Bai Junze's voice came from behind.

Gu Yunjin didn't seem embarrassed at all.

She smiled at Bai Tianyi, "Thank you, you look very handsome today too."

"Of course!" Bai Tianyi replied matter-of-factly, then Bai Junze gently patted the back of his head, which calmed him down.

The two families took their seats in order.

Bai Junze and Gu Yunjin were seated opposite each other, face to face, so they could see each other at a glance.

Bai Tianyi sat next to Bai Junze, directly opposite Gu Yunjin; the position seemed tailor-made for him.

The opening was the routine mutual flattery segment.

Gu Zhen raised his glass first, saying that Mr. Bai was highly respected and that the Bai family's strategic layout in the field of new energy was insightful and a role model for younger generations.

Bai Lingfeng, holding his wine glass, replied with a smile, "The Gu family has been deeply rooted in the real estate industry for thirty years. Mr. Gu is a good family man, and all his children are outstanding."

Wang Manyun took over the conversation, praising Bai Junze for being young and promising. Zhuo Shengnan naturally followed suit, saying that Miss Gu was exceptionally talented.

These words, spoken by the elders of both families, were polite yet tactful, with just the right amount of mutual flattery.

However, the two main characters behaved in a surprisingly consistent manner—Gu Yunjin and Bai Junze greeted each other and exchanged a few polite greetings such as "Hello," "Was the journey tiring?" and "I'm fine," but then neither of them took the initiative to start a conversation.

Bai Junze sat quietly with a teacup in his hand, occasionally answering questions from his elders with concise and to-the-point remarks.

Gu Yunjin also had a well-behaved and docile appearance. She listened attentively when the elders spoke, nodded from time to time, smiled when she should smile, and raised her glass when she should raise her glass. Her demeanor was impeccable.

The two sat opposite each other, neither deliberately making eye contact nor deliberately avoiding it.

They were the main characters in this blind date, but they were all just being arranged; all they had to do was cooperate with the process.

Bai Tianyi, however, completely failed to grasp the subtle atmosphere between the two protagonists.

He was like a golden retriever that had finally waited for its owner to come home, chatting enthusiastically with Gu Yunjin across the table.

"Gu Yunjin, let me tell you, there are so many fun places in Yunjing. You absolutely must go to the hutongs in Nanluoguxiang. There are a few private restaurants hidden in the courtyards, and non-locals can't find the entrance at all."

If you like the outdoors, there's a reservoir in Miyun. If you drive there in the fall, the leaves on both sides turn completely red, which is even more beautiful than the sea view in Dahaicheng.

Oh, by the way, winter is even more fun! There are several ski resorts. Do you like skiing?

Gu Yunjin was amused by his rapid-fire introduction, tilted her head and thought for a moment: "I haven't really tried skiing much."

"That's perfect!" Bai Tianyi slammed his hand on the table, his eyes shining brightly.

"When you come to Yunjing in winter, I'll take you to Nanshan Ski Resort and I promise I'll teach you. My older brother is also a very good skier, so let him accompany you—no, let him be your personal instructor."

My older brother is amazing; he's won awards in amateur skiing competitions. He knows everything I don't know how to do.

My brother and I will form a coaching team, and I guarantee you'll skate better than anyone else.

He spoke with such confidence that he completely included Bai Junze in his future plans.

Bai Junze held his teacup and took a sip with a blank expression.

Bai Lingfeng coughed softly beside him, but Bai Tianyi did not react.

Bai Lingfeng coughed again, this time with a little more force.

Bai Tianyi turned his head and looked at his grandfather with an innocent expression:

"Grandpa, what's wrong? Is your throat sore? Would you like the waiter to get you some hot water?"

The table fell silent for a moment.

Zhuo Shengnan was the first to lose her temper, lowering her head to hide the smile on her lips with her wine glass.

Wang Manyun laughed along, covering her mouth with a napkin.

Gu Zhenxing leaned back in his chair, a rare smile of amusement on his face.

Even Bai Junze raised his hand to rub his temples, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Bai Lingfeng held his teacup, looked at his dim-witted grandson, and remained silent for a second.

"I'm fine, I just wanted to say—Tianyi, you've been talking a lot today."

Bai Tianyi hadn't reacted yet. He looked around blankly and, noticing everyone laughing, belatedly scratched his head.

"Oh—am I too noisy? I'm not talking anymore, you guys talk."

Then he shut up and remained quiet for about three seconds, before finally leaning closer to Gu Yunjin and whispering something.

"I'll compile a guide to the best places to eat and have fun in Yunjing and send it to you on WeChat so you can do your homework in advance."

Bai Lingfeng sighed, picked up his teacup, and gave up completely.

The atmosphere thus relaxed in a subtle, pleasant, and somewhat comical rhythm.

This wasn't the first time either family had discussed marriage, and everyone knew the proper procedures for a marriage between wealthy families. But so far, the meal hadn't been awkward, there hadn't been any silences, and there hadn't been any back-and-forth tug-of-war over interests. Instead, it felt like a gathering of friends with blessings from elders.

Although Gu Yunjin and Bai Junze didn't exchange many words, the two of them sitting there, one calm and composed, the other gentle and graceful, did indeed look like a well-matched couple.

As the dinner was drawing to a close, Bai Lingfeng put down his chopsticks, glanced at Gu Yunjin across from him, then at his grandson, and slowly said:

"Both children are doing well. We'll see how things go from here on out."

Although the words were spoken casually, in this context, when they came from Bai Lingfeng's mouth, it was like striking the final hammer.

Zhuo Shengnan picked up her wine glass and smiled at Wang Manyun. Wang Manyun also raised her glass in return. The two mistresses' eyes met for a moment above the rim of their glasses, and they both understood the meaning in each other's eyes—the matter was settled.

As the two families walked out of Fulimen, the night wind of Haicheng, carrying the dampness of the harbor, rushed towards them.

The elders exchanged greetings and said goodbye at the door, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Gu Yunjin and Bai Junze followed behind their parents, nodding politely again in farewell, their demeanor as indifferent as ever.

Bai Tianyi walked next to his older brother, took out his phone, quickly typed a message on the screen, and sent it.

A few meters away, Gu Yunjin's handbag trembled. She glanced down at her phone screen, a slight smile curving her lips.

On the screen was a WeChat message from Bai Tianyi: Sister-in-law, I've started compiling the travel guide for Yunjing! Skiing is a must in winter. My older brother will be the instructor, and I'll handle the logistics. I'll make sure everything is arranged perfectly for you!

In Bai Junze's car, Bai Tianyi was slumped in the back seat, humming a song out of tune, exuding a sense of satisfaction that "my life finally has hope."

Bai Junze, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back at him.

"Are you getting a little too excited today?"

"No," Bai Tianyi answered without hesitation, "This is my normal level of excitement. After you marry Gu Yunjin, I can be this excited every day."

"Brother, let me tell you, I'm going to celebrate tonight by finally beating that game I couldn't finish last time, just to express my joy."

He talked on and on, without needing any response from Bai Junze, and clearly explained the entire logical chain of events and subsequent plans.