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

The last five words, spoken softly, landed heavily on Gu Yan's heart.

He nodded solemnly without any hesitation: "No, I didn't understand before, but I won't anymore."

Shu Wangjin then finally smiled with genuine relief and patted his shoulder: "Alright, have some tea."

Just then, Shu Zi came out carrying a thick, thread-bound book: "Grandpa, is this the one? Oh dear, it's so heavy!"

The topic was naturally moved on, as if the brief conversation between men had never happened.

……

In the evening, Shuzi was called to the kitchen by Uncle Chen to "instruct" on the evening's dishes (actually, he just wanted to sneak a bite of the freshly cooked desserts).

Gu Yan played two games of chess with Shu Wangjin, winning one and losing one, and the old man was very pleased.

Dinner was arranged at a restaurant facing the mountain view. There were not many dishes, only four dishes and a soup, but each one was exquisite.

Clear broth bird's nest, braised sea cucumber with scallions, crab meat lion's head meatballs, stir-fried pea shoots, and a bowl of ham and bamboo shoot soup—these all look like home-style dishes, but you only realize how much effort went into them once you taste them.

Shu Wangjin opened a bottle of his treasured Shaoxing wine, which was warmed to just the right temperature. He wanted to pour a glass for Gu Yan, but then he remembered that they had driven there themselves, so he could only drink it himself.

"Come on, Xiao Yan, have some tea instead of wine and drink a little with Grandpa. Nuonuo can skip it, she gets tipsy when she drinks," the old man said with a smile.

Shu Zi protested, "No way! I can hold my liquor perfectly!"

Gu Yan naturally pushed the glass of juice in front of her toward her hand and raised his glass to Shu Wangjin: "Grandpa, I'd like to toast you."

The meal was warm and pleasant.

Shu Wangjin stopped talking about any serious topics and instead started recounting many funny and embarrassing stories from Shu Zi's childhood, including how she insisted on doing Gu Yan's makeup when she was five years old and ended up looking like a cat with a painted face, and how she and Gu Yan were chased by a dog for half an alley when they stole loquats from their neighbor's house when they were seven...

Shu Zi blushed and kept calling for a stop. Gu Yan stood by, smiling but saying nothing. Occasionally, when Shu Zi was getting angry from being "exposed," he would quietly put a piece of her favorite dish on her plate.

After dinner, the three of them sat on the terrace for a while longer. The mountain breeze grew cool, and night fell, with the city lights in the distance looking like scattered diamonds.

Seeing that it was getting late, Shu Wangjin, though reluctant, said, "Alright, it's getting late, you should head back. Be careful driving, especially on the way down the mountain."

Gu Yan stood up: "Grandpa, don't worry, you should get some rest too."

Shu Zi hugged her grandfather and whispered to him to take care of his health and not to stay up late reading.

Shu Wangjin patted her on the back and said to Gu Yan, "Come over often when you have time, keep me company, and play chess with me."

"must."

Uncle Chen drove them to the parking lot and watched the car's taillights disappear at the end of the winding mountain road before turning back to his house.

Shu Wangjin was still standing on the terrace, gazing at the faintly visible mountain path in the darkness. After a long while, he sighed softly.

"Sir, let's go back inside. It's chilly at night." Uncle Chen brought over a coat.

Shu Wangjin took it, but didn't put it on immediately. Gazing into the distance, he murmured, "Old Chen, that kid from the Gu family..."

Uncle Chen smiled and said, "Young Master Gu is a reliable person, and he is truly sincere towards the young lady."

"It's really good," Shu Wangjin said, withdrawing his gaze. There was relief in his eyes, but also a complex mix of emotions. "I was just afraid that silly girl wouldn't realize it yet and would miss out on this opportunity."

……

On the way back, Shuzi leaned against the car window, feeling a little drowsy.

Gu Yan smoothly drove the car into the underground parking garage of her apartment building and parked it.

"We're here," he said softly.

Shu Zi rubbed her eyes and unbuckled her seatbelt: "Okay, I'm getting in now. Drive carefully."

"I'll take you to the door." Gu Yan also got out of the car.

Shu Zi didn't object, and the two walked towards the elevator together.

The elevator went up, and the small space was quiet. Reaching her front door, Shu Zi took out her keys and casually asked, "Would you like to come in for a glass of water?"

"it is good."

Shu Zi pushed open the door, pressed the switch, and the living room light turned on with a "click".

At first glance, everything seemed the same as when she left.

But the moment Shuzi stepped into the entrance hall, her footsteps suddenly froze on the ground!

The drowsiness on her face froze instantly, and a cold, chilling intuition, like a venomous snake, shot up her spine and onto her scalp!

wrong!

The living room looks...too tidy.

The order was eerily neat.

The coat she tossed onto the sofa when she left is now neatly draped over the back of the armchair.

On the coffee table was the half-empty mineral water bottle she had drunk from last night, the cap screwed on tightly, placed neatly in the center of the coaster.

In the air, besides her usual scented perfume, there was also a very faint, unfamiliar, masculine scent mixed in with sweat.

Her heart clenched suddenly, and her eyes darted rapidly inside.

On the TV cabinet, the photo frame of her with Gu Yan when she was a child and her grandfather had been moved; the photo that was originally facing outwards was now facing inwards.

In the corner of the sofa, there was an extra, cheap anime badge that didn't belong to her.

"Gu Yan..."

Shu Zi's voice changed, trembling uncontrollably. She took a step back, her back hitting Gu Yan's chest, her icy fingers gripping his arm tightly.

Gu Yan tensed up the moment she paused, instantly shielding her behind him. His sharp gaze swept across the entire space, his face suddenly turning cold under the light, and he exuded a terrifyingly low pressure.

"Don't be afraid, stay here and don't move."

He pushed Shuzi to a relatively safe corner inside the door, while he himself moved quietly, his muscles tense, and silently and quickly checked the living room and kitchen in a standard search posture.

Then, he turned toward the bedroom, his eyes cold.

Shu Zi leaned against the cold wall, trembling uncontrollably, her teeth chattering, and her palms covered in cold sweat.

She heard Gu Yan's suppressed, furious growl come from the bedroom: "Come out!"

After a brief silence, there was a dull thud as something heavy hit the wall, followed by a man's panicked scream, tinged with a distorted sob:

"Don't hit me! I love her! I just love her too much! I see her every day! I know all her habits!"

A few minutes later, Gu Yan grabbed the arm of a young man wearing a black hoodie, jeans, greasy hair, and black-rimmed glasses by the back of his hand and roughly dragged him out of the bedroom.

The man appeared to be in his early twenties, pale-faced, with a chaotic yet fanatical gaze. He struggled and twisted desperately, being subdued by Gu Yan, trying to look in Shu Zi's direction, spewing nauseating words:

"Shuzi! Zizi, look at me! I'm your 'only protector'!"

"I send you private messages on Weibo every day! I've bought you so many gifts! I knew you lived here, I've been watching you for a long time... I finally got in today!"

"I tidied up your room, look how clean it is! I even used your cup to drink water... Does that mean we're together now?"

"Shuzi! I'm the one who loves you the most!"

Shu Zi felt a violent churning in her stomach. The intense nausea and extreme fear made her vision go black, her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

It's a sasaeng fan! A man! He broke into her house! Touched her things! Used her cup! And even in her bedroom…!