I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Gu Yan calmly shifted his gaze from Shu Zi's petrified face back to the screen.

He didn't show any particular expression on his face, but simply raised his hand to indicate that he should wait a moment.

Then, he turned to the doorway and looked at Shu Zi, who was holding something, her cheeks turning red at a visible speed, her eyes wide open, and she looked like she wanted to disappear on the spot.

The corners of her lips curved almost imperceptibly, but she quickly returned to normal.

He mouthed to her silently: Wait a minute.

Shu Zi: "……………………"

All she wants now is to buy a standing-room-only ticket and escape this planet tonight.

Gu Yan looked back at the screen, then spoke into the microphone in his usual calm and composed English:

"Excuse me, it's a personal matter."

He paused, and under the watchful eyes of the people on the other side of the screen, who were holding their breath and listening intently, he said naturally:

"It's my fiancée. There's a small problem with her luggage, and she needs my help."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly transmitted across the ocean through a high-quality microphone.

"Fiancée?!"

The blond executive couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Although he immediately covered his mouth, the shock and excitement on his face were impossible to hide.

"My God! Mr. Gu, you're engaged?!"

"This is...wonderful news! Congratulations!"

"No wonder you've been scheduling so many meetings at this time lately..."

Low murmurs and congratulations came from the loudspeaker, and although the volume was lowered, they were exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Shu Zi was still frozen at the door, the sunscreen spray in her arms almost slipping off.

Her cheeks were burning hot enough to fry an egg, and her ears were ringing. All she could hear was Gu Yan's calm "fiancée" and the excited "congratulations" from the foreigners.

fiancée……

He said his fiancée!

And in front of so many people!!!

Shu Zi felt like she was suffocating. With all her might, she glared fiercely at Gu Yan, sending a deathly blast through her eyes:

Gu Yan! Shut up! Who is your fiancée?! I'm going to kill you!!!

Gu Yan ignored her murderous aura, and even when he met her humiliated and furious gaze, a faint smile flashed in his eyes.

He calmly continued speaking to the screen:

"Thank you all. That concludes today's meeting. Unresolved issues will continue tomorrow as planned."

After he finished speaking, he abruptly and decisively cut off the video connection without waiting for a response from the other side.

The screen went dark, leaving only the low hum of the computer running and Shu Zi's slightly rapid breathing in the room.

"Gu, Yan!"

Shu Zi finally found her voice, rushed in with her things in hand, and without thinking twice, threw the things on his bed, hands on her hips, and angrily questioned him:

"What nonsense are you spouting now! Who's your fiancée?!"

Gu Yan closed his laptop, leaned back in his chair, and leisurely watched the fluffy little cat.

"Isn't that right?"

He raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a hint of innocent questioning.

"Of course not!"

Shu Zi felt like she was about to jump up:

"We're still in the probationary period! You're not officially recognized! You haven't been formally appointed! You're just an applicant! Do you understand?! You're not allowed to impersonate my fiancé!"

"Yes," Gu Yan nodded readily, but the smile in his eyes was hard to hide:

"But in the situation just now, if I said it was a test taker or someone they were pursuing, they might be more surprised and ask more questions."

"Say it's the easiest way to end the meeting, and it'll free up space for your suitcase."

He paused, looked at her, and slowly added:

"Besides, I said 'my fiancée,' you can deny it for now."

Shu Zi: "...???"

She was stunned by his robber logic and couldn't find the words to refute it for a moment.

After struggling for a while, he finally managed to stammer out, "You...you're just being unreasonable! They clearly thought it was me!"

"They think they are," Gu Yan stood up, walked to her, leaned down slightly, looked her in the eye, and lowered his voice, his tone slightly coaxing:

"Why don't you just deny it? They're not going to come up to you and ask you anyway."

His breath approached, carrying the crisp scent of cedar, causing Shu Zi's heart to skip a beat and her confidence to weaken further.

Seeing that things were going well, Gu Yan stopped talking about it and turned to his neatly packed black suitcase, opening it.

He took out two of his own clothes, rearranged them to make room, and then looked back at the pile of things on the bed:

"What can't fit it all in? Art supplies?"

Shu Zi was still sulking, but seeing that he had already started helping, she could only walk over sullenly, hand him the canvas bag, and mutter under her breath:

"...art supplies, and that jacket, shoes, and this sunscreen...the suitcase is too small..."

Gu Yan took it and skillfully placed the art supplies bag into the empty space, then rolled up his thin jacket into a small roll and stuffed it into the side seam.

He glanced at the bottle of sunscreen spray, then turned and took a clear travel-size bottle from the side pocket of his suitcase:

"Just a little bit of this is enough; the whole bottle is too heavy."

As he spoke, he casually took the large bottle of sunscreen she had brought, pressed some into the decanter, tightened it, put the decanter into his suitcase, and handed the large bottle back to her.

The whole process was smooth and seamless.

Shu Zi stood beside him, watching him intently tidy up, his profile clearly defined under the lamplight.

He did these things without saying a word, but he considered every detail.

"alright."

Gu Yan closed the suitcase, zipped it up, and looked up at her. "Is there anything else?"

Shu Zi shook her head, then nodded: "Snacks..."

"Put it in my car," Gu Yan said, his gaze falling on her still-reddened earlobes. "I'll take it with me tomorrow."

"Oh," Shu Zi responded, and the room fell silent again.

"Hey," she cleared her throat, "don't your colleagues... think it's weird? So late at night..."

"No," Gu Yan said firmly. "They'll just think that I've finally become a little more human."

Shu Zi: "...?"

That sounds a bit strange.

"Go to sleep." Gu Yan looked at her, his voice softening. "We need to get up early tomorrow."

Shu Zi nodded, turned to leave, but then stopped.

With her back to him, she whispered quickly:

"...You're not allowed to talk nonsense again, or you'll lose points!"

After saying that, without waiting for his response, she opened the door and walked out quickly, closing the door behind her.

Gu Yan stood there, watching the door close again, a slow smile playing on his lips, his eyes full of laughter.

He muttered to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear it:

"It's only a matter of time."

It's just a little ahead of time, letting them know.