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

Netizens flocked to the comments section, which instantly ignited the discussion.

Wow, this is solid proof, right? They went straight into the Shu Group building; they can't just say they were there for a visit, can they?

So Shu Zi really is the eldest daughter of the Shu family? I didn't believe Fang Yutong before, but it turns out it's true?

[So, kids from wealthy families come to the entertainment industry to experience life, and then go back to inherit the family business after they've had their fun?]

[It turns out Fang Yutong offended a powerful capitalist; no wonder she faded into obscurity so quickly.]

Now that you put it that way, everything seems to make sense...

What's the sour look on the other end of the stairs? They climbed their way up step by step on their own merits, and they never used their status to put others down.

【雾蓉眠】: Exactly, let's put away the conspiracy theories. Stop dragging everything into the background. Fang Yutong brought this on herself. There's solid evidence, yet she still tried to drag others down with her, and ended up getting herself into trouble. Hehe~

[But why didn't she go public with it before? What's the point of hiding it?]

【Xin-Ya】: People have the freedom not to disclose their wealth, right? It's not an obligation. What, would you tell the whole company how much money your family has on your first day of work?

[Qingyun, a senior sister who likes camphor trees]: The studio said there will be a live stream at 8 pm tonight, so just watch it then and you'll see. Don't guess.

[Surrounded by emotion and reason]: Looking forward to Zizi's live stream tonight!! No matter who she is, I love her!!!

[Zizi flies bravely, if something happens she'll take the blame herself... no, if something happens she'll be backed up by the Shu family (doge)]

【Lightly Touch the Kitten】: To be fair, even if she is the eldest daughter of the Shu family, her performance on the show is indeed very endearing. She has a good personality, doesn't cause trouble, and always provides laughs. Who wouldn't like her!

So let's be rational and wait for the live broadcast.

[Waiting for live stream +1]

[Waiting for live stream +10086]

At the same time, the hashtag #ShuziShushiGroup# quickly rose to the top of the trending searches, followed by a bright red "hot" sign.

At that moment, Shu Zi was driving on the elevated highway, with cheerful music playing in the car. She hummed along, completely unaware that she had stirred up a storm online.

My phone vibrated; it was Lan Manwen calling.

Shu Zi pressed the Bluetooth answer button in the car, her tone light and cheerful: "Sister Wen~ You missed me~"

Lan Manwen's voice came from the other end of the phone: "You were photographed going to the Shu Group."

Shu Zi paused for a second, then raised her voice:

"What?! I was photographed dressed so casually today? Did they use beauty filters? Did they add any filters? Did they choose the right angle?"

She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, "No way, I was still in the car, and they already sent it out? How could they be so fast!"

Lan Manwen: "..."

She calmly answered her first question: "You're beautiful, you've got a V-shaped face now."

Shu Zi: "??? They photoshopped my perfectly good oval face into a cone shape? Which studio did this? I'll remember them!"

Lan Manwen didn't respond to her comment, and changed her tone:

"Let's get down to business. Since we've been filmed, we're not going to suppress it anymore. Public opinion is in a good direction. By the way, how's your preparation for tonight's live stream going?"

Shu Zi was full of confidence and immediately said, "Just start by opening, then go on and on about the framework, and finally finish perfectly."

Lan Manwen: "..."

In other words, this person was not prepared at all, nor did they intend to prepare.

Lan Manwen took a deep breath and spoke in a serious tone:

"Remember, it's 8 o'clock sharp. Don't be late, don't say the wrong thing, don't argue with people, don't eat snacks, and don't wear pajamas on camera."

Shu Zi patted her chest and assured her, "Sister Wen, you can rest assured that I can handle things well."

Lan Manwen snorted coldly: "I only made this call because I was worried. I'm hanging up now. You drive carefully."

The call ended, but the car music continued playing. Shu Zi turned on her turn signal, turned off the elevated road, and drove back to Yunqi Park Hyatt.

She parked her car in the underground garage, took the elevator upstairs, and opened the door to her home. The living room was quiet; Gu Yan hadn't returned yet.

She changed into slippers, tossed her keys into the tray in the entryway, walked into the living room, flopped onto the sofa, and stared blankly at the ceiling for a while.

It was still early, so she got up and went to the third-floor studio, where she quietly painted for a while.

Several hours later, Shu Zi finished the last stroke, examined her work with satisfaction for a while, then put down her paintbrush, went back to her room to take a shower, and changed her clothes.

She picked up her phone, glanced at the time, thought for a moment, walked out of her bedroom, leaned against the railing of the second-floor corridor, and made a call to Gu Yan.

The call was quickly connected, and a deep, gentle voice came from the other end: "Nuonuo."

"Mr. Gu, are you off work yet?"

Shu Zi's tone carried a hint of coquetry, with a slight rise in her voice at the end.

Gu Yan chuckled softly, his voice languid: "Baby, turn around."

Shu Zi was taken aback, turned around, leaned slightly forward, and looked down at the first floor over the railing.

Gu Yan stood there, one hand casually draped over his suit jacket, the other holding his phone to his ear, looking up at her on the second floor, his eyes full of smiles.

Shu Zi held her phone, looked down to meet his gaze, and unconsciously smiled.

She hung up the phone, turned around and walked quickly down the stairs. When she reached the last step, Gu Yan was already waiting at the top of the stairs, opening his arms to her.

Shu Zi naturally snuggled into his arms, nuzzled her face against his chest, and then looked up at him, asking, "When did you get back?"

"Just arrived."

He looked down at her, his other hand sliding up her waist to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing?"

"draw."

Are you hungry?

Shu Zi nodded. "A little."

Gu Yan took her hand: "Let's go eat."

Shu Zi grabbed his fingers with her other hand and pulled him toward the kitchen:

"Then let's go, I'll do you the honor of having dinner with you."

At the dining table, Shuzi reported her results while picking up food:

"I gave Comrade Lao Shu a serious lecture today. He didn't dare to say a word back after I scolded him and has deeply realized his mistake."

Gu Yan smiled and looked at her: "That amazing?"

"Of course!"

Shu Zi extended her left hand, bending one finger for each statement she made:

"I first pointed out his wrong decision two years ago with righteous indignation, then denounced his despicable act of colluding with his whole family to keep it from me, then expressed my understanding of his good intentions, and finally announced the punishment decision against him."

"What punishment?"

"Let him continue to deeply reflect on his actions after two months of cold war."

After listening, Gu Yan was silent for two seconds, then lowered his head and chuckled, "Please thank my father-in-law for me."

Shu Zi waved her hand:

"You're welcome. Anyway, he's been blocked by the whole family. My mom and grandpa don't talk to him anymore."

She paused, then added:

"So you can rest assured now. In this family, my mom is the eldest, and I'm the second eldest, but my mom listens to me, so I'm the one who calls the shots. You'll be fine."

Thinking of something, Shu Zi added, "Oh right, I have to do a live stream later."

Gu Yan looked at her.

Shu Zi explained, "My identity has been exposed, so I'll go up and clarify things later to stop them from making wild guesses."

"Do you need me to come with you?"

Shu Zi blinked: "You're coming with me? President Gu is personally appearing on camera to support me?"

Gu Yan chuckled softly: "Is that not allowed?"

Shu Zi thought about it seriously for two seconds, then shook her head:

"Forget it, once you appear on camera, netizens' focus will shift to 'Is the Gu family's heir and the Shu family's eldest daughter a business marriage?'"

"I don't want to turn my livestream into a gossip session about a wealthy family, with the chat filled with 'I approve of this marriage,' how can I speak seriously then?"

Gu Yan chuckled helplessly, "Okay."