Past, Present, and Unspoken Words"

Recalling Si Yueyun's assessment of her, it was something like this: "You're a good girl, but sometimes, you're too quiet." To put it mildly, she came from a prominent family. To put it bluntly, it left people a little perplexed.

Gu Antong forced a bitter smile. That was just how she was. Could she really change?

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open, and Si Zhenxuan, wrapped in a bath towel, emerged. He grabbed a bottle of soda water from the fridge and looked at Gu Antong, who stood by the window with a perplexed expression. "Are you nervous?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Gu Antong quickly turned around and placed her hands on the windowsill, her face flushing. She truly was nervous and had no idea how to act.

"Don't stand there all the time. You might catch a cold. Come inside," Si Zhenxuan suggested. "If you can't sleep, I'll rest first. Wake me at four."

Gu Antong nodded anxiously. "I'll go check if the ironed clothes are ready, you go ahead and sleep."

With that, she practically rushed out of the room in a fluster. Si Zhenxuan arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything, lying down instead.

Aware of what was on his mind, Si Zhenxuan couldn't let it go and continued working through the night to get ahead. He'd had a mere two hours of sleep on the plane, and he was feeling rather uneasy.

Gu Antong hesitated about going upstairs. She retrieved her clothes, laid them out on the living room table, and secretly lingered by the door, watching as Si Zhenxuan seemed to be awake.

He was sitting on the bed, his notebook on the bedside table next to him.

"What are you doing out there?" Si Zhenxuan noticed Gu Antong's cautious behavior.

Gu An Tong hesitated and, after entering the room, whispered, "You seemed busy, so I thought I'd give you some space in the living room for a while."

"Not busy," Si Zhenxuan replied while responding to an email, signaling that she could come in.

"You don't have to be so formal," he added, pinching his eyebrow, appearing somewhat resigned.

Gu An Tong sat down at the edge of the bed, her soft hair falling over her shoulder. "You mentioned that you hoped in private, we could give each other some space and not interfere with each other," she said, reciting the terms from their initial agreement.

Si Zhenxuan was momentarily stunned. He pressed his lips into a thin line, then finally said, "Take off your shoes and sit on the bed. I'm not that scary; I won't harm you."

Gu Antong complied, taking off her shoes and joining Si Zhenxuan on the bed. He handed her his notebook and began explaining, "Do you know about the Xie family in Chengdu?"

Xie family? Gu Antong had been to Chengdu and knew they were the most influential family there.

"The reception tonight is hosted by the Xie family. Take a look at the schedule," Si Zhenxuan said, handing her the notebook. He didn't provide any additional guidance, assuming that she, coming from a prominent family herself, was more knowledgeable about public etiquette than anyone else.

Gu An Tong glanced at the invitation letter and briefly brushed against Si Zhenxuan's hand while taking it. His hands were attractive, slender and well-defined, with perhaps a hint of a smoking habit. His fingers were raised ever so slightly, creating an intriguing image.

Deep in their discussion, Gu An Tong was entranced by this captivating image. Her face involuntarily turned red.

"What's on your mind?" Si Zhenxuan noticed her unusual behavior and whispered, his voice filled with curiosity.

Gu An Tong gathered her courage and replied, "You have a great physique. Do you have a workout routine?"

Her voice trailed off, becoming almost inaudible, and she blushed with embarrassment.

"What?" Si Zhenxuan cleared his throat and replied, "I go to the gym."

Gu An Tong nodded, but the man's presence continued to overwhelm her. Si Zhenxuan leaned in closer and added, "I'm quite interested in this sort of thing. I think it's best to maintain some distance."

Gu An Tong stiffened, and Si Zhenxuan got up. "Alright, let's get ready for the reception."

The Xie family in Chengdu held significant power and was considered the city's foremost elite.

The reception took place in the opulent Mountain Club. The massive hall could accommodate hundreds of people, with the parking lot filled with luxury cars. Attendees from Chengdu were dressed to impress, and those with significant influence gathered at this event.

The man in charge of the reception, likely Xie San, the most capable and youngest of the Xie family, was tall and graceful, with alluring eyes and a hint of charm in the corners of his eyes.

Upon entering, Si Zhenxuan whispered to Gu Antong, "I'll go say hello to Xie San. You can stay here for a while."

Gu An Tong nodded, finding solace by herself by the wall, sipping on a cocktail with a blend of orange and blue.

She wasn't particularly fond of such lively gatherings. From a distance, she watched Si Zhenxuan and Xie Junyao, both exuding an undeniable charm.

Si Zhenxuan came to Chengdu to discuss a business partnership with the Xie family. When Gu Antong realized that he hadn't returned to her after a short wait, she walked out to the balcony.

In the distance, the moon was like a gentle, cool reflection on the night's curtain, casting a soft glow.

Gu Antong let out a small sigh, and then she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Antong? What are you doing in Chengdu?"

She turned around, puzzled. "Is that you, brother Lu?"

Lu Qiyan, who had been absent since her wedding, was here unexpectedly. Though he seemed to have lost some weight, his handsome appearance remained. He was dressed in white, appearing as elegant as jade.

Seeing someone familiar in an unfamiliar place surprised Gu Antong. She asked, "Brother Lu, what brings you here?"

"Chengdu is a place where many people want to connect with the Xie family. So, it's not unusual for me to be here," Lu Qiyan replied, slightly bitter. However, he soon noticed something and said, "Wait, your shoes are loose. Let me fix them for you."

Before Gu Antong could object, Lu Qiyan knelt down and secured the loose lavender ribbon on her shoes.

As she watched him, the evening wind carried the melancholic notes of a cello. Her eyes welled up with tears.

"All done." Lu Qiyan tied the ribbon neatly and stood up, noticing Gu Antong's strange expression. "Antong, you look thinner. Are you doing alright?"

Gu Antong hesitated, then replied with a smile, "Zhenxuan and I are here to discuss business first, and then we'll go on our honeymoon."

"Ah," Lu Qiyan said with a sneer, gesturing towards the hall. "I don't think he has you in mind as his bride."

Gu Antong awkwardly opened her mouth but finally said, "Brother Lu, I'm Zhenxuan's wife now, and I hope you can respect my choice. Some things are in the past, and there's no need to dwell on them."

She didn't want Lu Qiyan to say the words that were left unsaid. Her family had already told her about it, but as long as Lu Qiyan didn't bring it up, she wanted to leave it in the past. Some things were better left unspoken, as addressing them would only make things more awkward.

Gu Antong didn't want to lose a good friend like Lu Qiyan, and she didn't want him to waste time on her. If Lu Qiyan had attended her wedding like Jiang Nuan, things might have been different.

There's no remedy for the past. This is reality.

Gu Antong finished her drink and put on a faint smile. "Brother Lu, I'll go back to be with Zhenxuan now."

As Gu Antong walked away, her graceful figure, cloaked in purple, seemed slightly unsteady, perhaps due to the effects of alcohol.

Lu Qiyan glanced at the empty glass on the balcony table. The clear glass seemed to reflect a dream-like image of Gu Antong's back.

"Husband, who is this lady?" Si Zhenxuan and Meng Mei were in the middle of a conversation when a hand gripped Si Zhenxuan's arm. Gu Antong, with a flushed face, appeared in his field of vision.

Meng Mei was briefly surprised, her delicate face reflecting a mix of emotions. "Zhenxuan, are you married?"

When Gu Antong stood up, she leaned heavily on Si Zhenxuan's arm, barely keeping her balance. Was she drunk?

Si Zhenxuan frowned. "We've recently married."

Meng Mei, a sophisticated socialite, quickly regained her composure. She extended her hand to Gu Antong and said, "Hello, I'm Meng Mei, a good friend of Zhenxuan's. You can call me Meng Mei."

Gu Antong hiccupped and replied, "Hello, I'm Gu Antong."

She felt a little dizzy, unexpectedly finding the cocktail stronger than she had anticipated. There was a hint of bitterness in her heart.

Meng Mei looked at Si Zhenxuan and asked, "Zhenxuan, is Miss Gu drunk?"

Gu Antong, feeling somewhat intoxicated, whispered, "I've heard that Miss Meng had an affair with my husband. Is that true?"