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

Gu Yan chuckled as he looked at her expression of utter shame and indignation.

Of course, he wouldn't tell her that the news came from He Yuzhuo.

He turned and walked into the living room, picked up his suit jacket draped over the back of the sofa, and said in a natural tone:

"I'm going to the company to take care of some things this morning. Remember to try on the dress in the dressing room. Someone will come to your house to do your hair and makeup at 4 pm. The He family dinner is at 7 pm."

After explaining his itinerary, he walked to the entrance, changed his shoes, and then turned around to look at Shu Zi, who followed him out with a resolute expression.

"Nuonuo".

"...What?" Shu Zi replied sullenly, sounding annoyed.

Gu Yan looked at her, his tone slow and leisurely, with a hint of amusement: "I'll wait for you to give me a question."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and left, his figure disappearing behind the slowly closing door.

Only when the door was completely closed, making a soft "click" sound, did Shu Zi feel as if all her strength had been drained away. She leaned weakly against the door frame and raised her hand to cover her burning face.

This is insane... This is truly insane...

How did she... how did she get herself into this mess?

What kind of questions are these?! Her mind is a complete mess right now!

Shu Zi leaned against the door for a while before the heat on her face subsided slightly.

She walked to the edge of the central island, picked up a blueberry and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour taste melted on her tongue, which also cleared her chaotic thoughts a little.

Probation period... KPIs... Question setting...

She chewed on blueberries while mentally encouraging herself.

Set a question if you want! What are you afraid of! You're Shuzi! What's so difficult about this!

Her gaze inadvertently fell towards the dressing room. That's right, the dress. She had been thinking about Gu Yan all night, and then she caused that scene this morning. How could she possibly remember anything about a dress?

She walked over slowly, opened the door to the walk-in closet, and there hung the huge white dust bag in the most conspicuous place.

She hesitated for a moment, but still took it off.

The moment the zipper was unzipped, a soft champagne light poured out, and the silk satin fabric shimmered with a delicate sheen under the lights of the dressing room.

Shuzi took out the dress and compared it to herself in the mirror.

The cut is simple and elegant, without any superfluous decorations, yet it exudes a sense of sophistication.

It's a style she'll like.

The size... she estimated it by sight, and it should fit perfectly.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside me again.

He even knows this.

She changed into the dress, and sure enough, the size was perfect, fitting her figure perfectly.

The strapless design elegantly outlines the lines of her shoulders, neck, and collarbone, while the waistline is perfectly cinched and the skirt flows smoothly. The champagne color makes her already fair skin almost glow.

Shu Zi stood in front of the dressing mirror, staring blankly at her reflection.

The dress was beautiful, fit perfectly, even... too perfectly. It fit her so well that she clearly realized how well Gu Yan understood her, a understanding that had permeated every single detail.

This feeling... is a bit strange, a bit unsettling, and a bit... joyful.

She turned around gently, her skirt swaying in a soft arc.

Just then, my phone rang.

It's Fang Ran.

Shu Zi answered immediately, and before the other party could speak, her voice boomed out:

"Fang Ran! If you don't call me back soon, I'll think you've disappeared! You really let me down at this crucial moment!"

"What's the rush, my dear examiner?"

On the other end of the phone, Fang Ran's voice carried a languid quality, drawn out at the end, with a subtle hoarseness that stood out against the quiet background.

"Last night... well, I had an in-depth academic exchange with a certain unreasonable 'examinee'. We discussed the boundary between the fairness of the assessment and the personal safety of the examiners in great depth, so I took a nap this morning."

Shu Zi: "......"

She held her phone, speechless for a moment.

Even though it was over the phone, Fang Ran's tone and word choice... instantly conjured up a thousand words of content that wouldn't pass censorship in her mind.

Sister, didn't you promise to help me devise a battle plan? You actually went and put it into practice first?! An academic exchange, no less?!

"slowly,"

Shu Zi took a deep breath, trying to steer the conversation back on track, "That's not the point! The point is, Gu Yan agreed! He agreed to my trial period!"

"Wow! He actually agreed?"

On the other end of the phone, Fang Ran's voice rose slightly, "He didn't try to negotiate? He didn't take the opportunity to bring up any unfair terms?"

Shu Zi plopped down on the carpet, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the tassels of her skirt. "...No."

"Oh my, my dear Shu Xiaozhi," Fang Ran laughed so hard she could barely breathe.

"Gu Yan is amazing! His reaction speed and his counter-attack stance are perfect! He turned the tables on you completely! Hahahaha!"

"You're still laughing! Is that the point?"

Shu Zi was furious and embarrassed. "He asked me what the scoring criteria were! How would I know!"

"You just threw the words 'probationary period' at me last night, but what are the details? We're meeting again tonight, what am I supposed to do?"

"Stay calm, stay calm."

Fang Ran tried hard to suppress her laughter, "There's still half a day left, isn't there? That's enough time for our examiner, Shu, to create an earth-shattering, tear-jerking version 1.0 of Gu Yan's promotion assessment KPIs!"

"Stop talking nonsense! Get to the point!" Shu Zi urged.

Fang Ran cleared her throat, her tone becoming more serious, "Listen, there are only three key points."

"First, you have the strongest feelings. What he says or does is not important. What matters is whether you feel happy or uncomfortable after listening to or seeing it."

"Add points if you're happy, deduct points if you're upset, regardless of logic."

"Secondly, observe whether he's become aware that you've gone from childhood sweetheart to pursuer. Has his attitude changed? Is he still treating you well as if it were his due, or has he started to be more mindful of boundaries, respect your choices, and even... be a little cautiously trying to please you?"

Fang Ran paused, then chuckled, "For example, a dress that's perfect in size, color, and style?"

Shu Zi's face flushed, and she glanced at her glasses.

"Third, taking responsibility when things happen."

Fang Ran's tone became more serious, "A man's greatest charm lies in his ability to solve problems."

"If you ever run into trouble, don't listen to his sweet words. Just see what he does. Can he protect you and resolve the issue immediately, instead of just watching and making things worse? That's the most important thing."

As Shu Zi listened, the panic in her heart gradually subsided.

"In short," Fang Ran concluded, "he wants to pursue you, you're not begging him, so don't be afraid, show your confidence as Miss Shu! OK?"

"OK!" Shu Zi's lips curved into a confident smile. "I understand!"

"That's more like it!" Fang Ran nodded in satisfaction on the other end of the phone.

"Alright, I'm hanging up now. I need to get up and prepare for battle."

Fang Ran's tone brightened again, "See you tonight, my examiner Shu! Love you~"