chapter 75
In the corridor, Xi Nai was pressed flat against the door.
The soundproofing in the private room was too good—he couldn’t hear a thing inside, and it made him itch with frustration.
Could they have started fighting?
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice someone approaching.
“Ah Zhao, isn’t that spider over there Xi Nai?” Gu Che nudged the person beside him with his elbow, uncertain.
Gu Zhao was momentarily stunned. Following Gu Che’s gaze, he saw a sneaky figure crouched against the door of a private room.
At first glance, the sight really did look a bit like Spider-Man.
Gu Zhao’s facial muscles twitched.
What the hell is he doing?
The dignified president of Xi Corporation—caught eavesdropping at the door.
Xi Nai crouched lower, his peach-blossom eyes narrowed, trying to catch a bit of sound through the crack.
Suddenly, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
“Ah Nai, since when do you like doing things like eavesdropping at doors?”
Xi Nai jumped, spinning around sharply.
Three teasing gazes landed on him. A trace of embarrassment flashed across his face at being caught red-handed.
He cleared his throat. “You three seem to be sticking together today. What brings you here?”
Gu Che glanced at him, his mouth sharp as ever. “Came to see how the great President Xi of Xi Corporation eavesdrops on people.”
“……”
Xi Nai’s handsome face darkened, and he ground his molars in silence.
After a moment, his peripheral vision caught the private room door beside him. A subtle smile tugged at his lips.
“It’s important we find Ah Ning,” Gu Ying reminded calmly.
Gu Zhao nodded, looking at Xi Nai. “Ah Nai, we’ll talk later. We’ve got something to do first.”
Xi Nai crossed his arms and gave a half-smile. “So you three brothers are looking for your little sister. You could’ve said so earlier.”
The three exchanged looks. Gu Zhao grabbed Xi Nai’s arm, asking urgently, “You’ve seen my Ning’er?”
Xi Nai’s lips curved into a lazy, teasing smile. “Yeah, we were just having dinner together.”
At that, the Gu brothers’ expressions froze.
Gu Zhao blinked, staring at him in disbelief. “You and my Ning’er were having dinner together?”
If he remembered correctly, the two didn’t even know each other.
Xi Nai tilted his chin. “Why? You don’t believe me?”
Gu Che snorted. “Of course not. My little sister wouldn’t give you the time of day.”
Xi Nai shot him a glare, itching to shove a rag into his mouth.
Gu Zhao pressed on, “You said you were having dinner together. Then why are you alone? Where’s my Ning’er?”
Xi Nai pointed toward the private room. “Inside.”
His expression was serious—he didn’t look like he was joking.
Gu Zhao frowned, stepping forward to knock, but before his fingers touched the door, Xi Nai grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
All three Gu brothers looked at him. Gu Che frowned impatiently. “Xi Nai, what kind of game are you playing?”
Xi Nai released his hand and said meaningfully, “I just didn’t want to scare you guys. Figured I’d give you a little mental prep first.”
He paused, lowering his voice deliberately, drawing out the suspense.
“Inside there… besides your sister, there’s someone else.”
Gu Che stared at him, suspicion in his eyes—and a bad feeling creeping up. “A woman?”
That was the real question.
The other two thought the same thing—whether there was someone else wasn’t the issue; the issue was whether it was a man or a woman.
Xi Nai rubbed his chin, smiling with malicious glee.
Confirmed.
All three were textbook sister-obsessed. This was going to be fun.
He let out two words, slow and deliberate—
“A man.”
No sooner had he spoken than a gust of wind whooshed past his face.
Xi Nai smirked soundlessly. Turning around, he saw the three Gu brothers had already stormed into the room.
“Little one—!”
The anxious call died mid-sentence.
The room was deathly silent.
The Gu brothers froze, staring wide-eyed at the two people inside—their hands held together.
Their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
Gu Zhao’s face changed dramatically, almost biting his tongue. “Jun Cheng, you—”
He was so shocked his mind went blank, the words stuck in his throat.
Inside, Gu Qingning froze too, momentarily forgetting she was still bandaging Fu Juncheng’s hand.
The next second, Gu Che stormed forward, grabbed his sister, and looked her over carefully from head to toe.
In just a minute, countless dramatic scenes ran through his mind.
That bastard Fu Juncheng must’ve made a move on his sister. He and Xi Nai, that playboy, must’ve lured her here just to take advantage of her!
“Little one, did he grab your hand and not let go? Did he try to take advantage of you?”
Gu Qingning was speechless. “……”
What kind of nonsense were they spouting now?
Gu Zhao stepped closer, looking utterly frustrated. “Jun Cheng, even a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass by its own burrow. Ning’er is my sister! And she’s still so young—how could you…”
Even usually silent Gu Ying couldn’t hold back anymore. His hawk-like black eyes locked on Fu Juncheng as he said coldly, “Mr. Fu, my Ning is still young. Please stay away from her.”
The three brothers took turns scolding.
Fu Juncheng stood up calmly, unfazed.
He looked at Gu Qingning with smiling eyes, his voice low and magnetic.
“Ning Ning, they’re saying I took advantage of you. Did I?”
Ning Ning?
Who gave him permission to call her that so intimately?
Gu Che immediately stepped in front of Gu Qingning protectively, as if to shield her from view.
“Fu Juncheng, she’s my sister. I’m warning you—stay away from her.”
That wolf in sheep’s clothing was not to be trusted.
Gu Qingning tried to explain, “Second Brother, you’ve got it wrong.”
“Wrong? We just saw it—you were holding hands.” Gu Che’s expression darkened with clear irritation.
Good thing they’d arrived when they did—who knew what might’ve happened otherwise.
“Little one, he’s a big bad wolf. Stay away from him, or you’ll end up helping him count the money after he sells you off.”
Gu Qingning blinked. Big bad wolf?
Even being called that to his face, Fu Juncheng didn’t get angry.
Meeting the girl’s amused gaze, he smiled lazily and drawled,
“Ning Ning is so adorable—how could Brother Juncheng ever bear to sell you?”
“Isn’t that right, Ning Ning?”
It was an open and blatant provocation.
The Gu brothers’ expressions changed instantly—especially Gu Che’s, whose face flushed red with fury as his fists cracked audibly.
If Gu Qingning hadn’t been holding him back, he’d have already swung a punch.
“Second Brother, it’s really a misunderstanding. His hand got cut by glass, and I was just bandaging it.”
She lifted Fu Juncheng’s hand to show them the small cut on his palm.
The wound had been treated and wasn’t bleeding anymore.
Gu Che’s handsome features twisted up, and he scoffed, “It’s just a scratch, not a broken arm.”
Clearly, that big bad wolf had done it on purpose—just an excuse to get close to his sister.
Fu Juncheng glanced down at the small hand still holding his wrist, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.
Gu Che quickly pulled Gu Qingning back, shooting Fu Juncheng a disdainful look. “She’s done with the medicine. Let go already.”
So much for the ‘ascetic prince of the capital’ who supposedly didn’t like women—all lies.
