Chapter 178 - 161: A Bitter Fruit Is Still Fruit, Not Sweet But Quenches Thirst

Chapter 178: Chapter 161: A Bitter Fruit Is Still Fruit, Not Sweet But Quenches Thirst

The spacious elevator was filled with a rich fragrance.

Gu Heng stood at the front, one hand in his pocket. Jiang Ruan stood behind him, holding shopping bags in both hands.

"Zhou Xun and I were high school classmates..."

"We really just bumped into each other and exchanged a few words."

Jiang Ruan stared at Gu Heng’s broad back. She bit her lip for a long moment before finally giving in and offering an explanation.

"Exchanged WhatsApp numbers so you can ’keep in touch.’"

"Oh..."

"Promised to get together when you go home for the holidays."

Though Gu Heng’s tone seemed placid, turbulent emotions churned beneath the surface.

"Weren’t you the one who just told me to add him on WhatsApp?"

Jiang Ruan muttered defiantly under her breath.

"I tell you to add him, so you just do it?"

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow.

"You’re the boss, I’m the assistant."

"Naturally, I do whatever my boss tells me to."

Hearing the undisguised jealousy in Gu Heng’s voice, Jiang Ruan felt a strange sense of delight. Even her tone grew cheerier.

"Remember what you just said."

"I hope you won’t be crying later."

Gu Heng shot a glance at Jiang Ruan’s reflection in the polished metal doors. As they slid open, he stepped out first.

One after the other, the two returned to the premium suite.

SLAM...

Their eyes met. Neither spoke.

"Brother Hangwang, did you have fun with the internet-famous girls last night?"

Suddenly, Jiang Ruan blinked and shot the question back at Gu Heng.

"Hm?"

"How did you know?"

Gu Heng was stunned for a moment, not expecting Jiang Ruan to know about this.

"It’s all over the news. Of course I know."

Whenever Jiang Ruan drank, the corners of her eyes would flush red, lending her cool features a surprising touch of glamour and charm.

"Then how did you know that Prince Heng was me?"

Gu Heng countered.

"Because..."

"I’m familiar with your voice."

Pinned like this by Gu Heng was getting tiring, so Jiang Ruan draped her slender arms over his shoulders, her expression revealing a hint of laziness.

The simple words sent faint ripples through Gu Heng’s heart.

"Aren’t you going to let me down?"

"You were up all night. You must be exhausted."

"Don’t just put on a brave face. You should get a good night’s rest."

Jiang Ruan looked rather confident, as if she had Gu Heng all figured out.

"I was up all night, that’s true, but who told you I’m tired?"

A hint of playfulness flashed in Gu Heng’s eyes. "Do I look tired to you?"

The confident expression on Jiang Ruan’s face instantly froze. Her beautiful eyes widened.

"You..."

A hint of shyness and panic flashed through Jiang Ruan’s eyes.

"Jiang Ruan, I saw you talking to another man tonight, and I’m not happy."

Gu Heng stared directly at Jiang Ruan, a hint of wildness spreading in his eyes. "So, you can go to sleep tonight when you’ve made me happy again."

"I already explained. Zhou Xun and I just bumped into each other."

Even though she was being threatened by Gu Heng, Jiang Ruan felt a strange sweetness in her heart.

Because she knew that he wouldn’t be this unhappy if he didn’t care.

"He likes you,"

Gu Heng said.

"So what?"

"Plenty of boys liked me in high school."

Jiang Ruan’s cool, pale face grew redder and redder.

"You knew he likes you, and you still talked to him?"

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn’t I punish you?"

Jiang Ruan pressed her pink lips together. "Zhou Xun was the top student from our county in the college entrance exams the year we graduated. He was also the only one from our county who got into Tsinghua University that year."

"His family was very poor. He’s a classic example of a ’small-town grinder’—someone who fought his way up from the very bottom. It really hasn’t been easy for him to finally get a taste of success."

At this, Jiang Ruan hesitated slightly, then said in a low voice, "With your status, you really didn’t have to mess with him in the end."

"Who said I was messing with him?"

Gu Heng countered with a raised eyebrow.

"Then..."

"Then why did you tell him at the end..."

"To... to mention his relationship with me to that company."

Jiang Ruan said haltingly, "I’m just an ordinary girl, how... how could I have that much influence? Isn’t that just messing with him?"

"Do you know who President Zhao of Tianyuan Design Institute is?"

Gu Heng didn’t answer, but asked her a question in return.

"Who?"

Jiang Ruan shook her head.

"Zhao Yongtao."

"You met him yesterday."

"That older guy with the receding hairline."

Gu Heng prompted.

"Huh?"

"So it was him?"

"He’s really the boss of a company that’s about to go public?"

Jiang Ruan was stunned. She never would have imagined that the fawning, slightly sycophantic man by Gu Heng’s side yesterday had such an impressive identity.

To her, he didn’t seem at all like the CEO of a company on the verge of going public.

"That’s him."

Gu Heng nodded. "What do you think will happen after your old classmate calls Zhao Yongtao and explains your relationship? You think Zhao Yongtao won’t ask for details?"

"As the saying goes, ’even the prime minister’s doorkeeper is a seventh-rank official.’ You’re my assistant, and more importantly, my woman. Just to give your old classmate a chance to meet, there’s no way Zhao Yongtao wouldn’t grant that favor."

A blush spread even to her snow-white neck. "If you knew he likes me, why would you still help him?"

"In this world, only hard work should not be let down."

"Just like you said, a small-town grinder fighting his way up from the bottom... it’s not easy. Since it’s just a small effort for me, I should help if I can."

Gu Heng said, "Besides, don’t you think the most effective way to repel a rival is to make him recognize the insurmountable gap between us, so he’ll give up on his own?"

"I..."

Jiang Ruan stammered, "I just thought a certain something you said before made some sense!"

"Which thing?"

Gu Heng raised his eyebrows.

"A bitter fruit is still a fruit!"

"Even if it’s not sweet, it quenches thirst!"

Jiang Ruan answered in a small voice, lacking confidence.

"Fine, fine, fine!"

"A bitter fruit, is it?"

"Then I’ll let you know just how bitter this fruit can be!"

Gu Heng was so exasperated he had to laugh.

’As if he could forget who was begging him just the night before last.’

’Damn it!’

’Zhou Yanzu!’

’Full assault!’

’Attack relentlessly!’

"You..."

Jiang Ruan’s beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief.

Looking at Jiang Ruan’s stunned expression, Gu Heng couldn’t help the corners of his lips twitching upwards.

It seemed they had only been apart for one night, but in that single night, Gu Heng was already completely different from before.

BZZZ...

Suddenly, the phone in Jiang Ruan’s pocket began to vibrate.

Hearing the sound, they both looked at the phone screen. The incoming call was from Zhou Xun on WhatsApp.

"Oh?"

"Your old classmate is calling."

"Answer the phone."

Gu Heng demanded.

"No..."

Jiang Ruan guessed what Gu Heng wanted to do. A pleading look flashed in her shimmering, moist eyes as she shook her head repeatedly, refusing.

"Hurry up!"

Jiang Ruan had no choice but to obey, answering the WhatsApp call from Zhou Xun.

"Jiang Ruan, is it a good time to talk?"

Zhou Xun’s excited voice came from the phone.

"It is."

"Go ahead."

Jiang Ruan responded to Zhou Xun in a low voice.

"Old classmate, I really didn’t expect you to have so much pull."

"I just called President Zhao of Tianyuan Design Institute. I mentioned your name, and I can’t believe he actually agreed to meet me. His whole attitude changed instantly..."

Zhou Xun was so happy, the feeling was just like that poem:

"Where mountains and rivers seemed to block the path, a village appears amidst shady willows and bright flowers."

Zhou Xun was chattering on and on, but Jiang Ruan didn’t hear a single word.

She bit her lip, looking at the still-unmoved Gu Heng, and finally couldn’t take it anymore.

"Beg me~"

The corner of Gu Heng’s lip curled as he whispered in Jiang Ruan’s ear.

"I’m begging you~"

As they say, the first time is awkward, the second time is easy. After begging Gu Heng once, the second time came naturally.

Gu Heng smiled with satisfaction.

"Jiang Ruan, are you listening?"

After chattering on for a while and getting no response, Zhou Xun asked, a little confused.

"I’m listening..."

Jiang Ruan’s faint, thread-like voice came out.

"Jiang Ruan, please help me thank your boss."

Although Zhou Xun noticed something was off with Jiang Ruan’s voice, he didn’t think much of it and just said sincerely, "I really am very grateful to him. If there’s anything I can help with in the future, please tell him not to hesitate. I’ll definitely do my best."

"Okay."

"I’ll pass that on for you."

Jiang Ruan glanced at Gu Heng in front of her and quickly replied.

"Thanks again!"

"Then I won’t disturb your rest!"

"I’ll treat you to a meal when I have time!"

Zhou Xun said politely.

After this, he had sobered up. He understood the gap between them and had erased those unrealistic thoughts.

Jiang Ruan, he feared, already stood at a level he could only look up to.

"Okay."

"Talk later."

After saying that, Jiang Ruan quickly hung up the phone.

"What?"

"You’re going to meet again?"

Gu Heng suddenly stopped.

"Never again~"

...

「The next morning.」

Jiang Ruan dragged her body, which felt like it was about to fall apart, out of the bedroom. She looked at Gu Heng, who was sitting in an armchair, bathed in the morning light and reading a book, and felt he was some kind of monster.

He had clearly spent the whole night before last with those internet celebrities, yet last night he still had the energy to go at it with her until almost dawn, and even seemed to have strength to spare.

’Has it even been four hours since we finished?’

’Doesn’t he feel tired or sleepy at all?’

Jiang Ruan looked at Gu Heng’s vigorous side profile; it seemed there really wasn’t a trace of fatigue or drowsiness on his face.

’Huh?’

’Why does it feel like Gu Heng has gotten even more handsome?’

His skin was as smooth as newly polished jade, with no trace of roughness. It was firm and supple, his pores so fine they were almost invisible. His face looked fresh and clean, exuding a kind of gentle, lustrous quality.

Jiang Ruan studied him closely, momentarily lost in a daze.

"You’re awake?"

Gu Heng sensed the movement and tore his focused gaze from the pages of his book. Seeing the slightly entranced look in Jiang Ruan’s eyes, the corner of his lip curled up imperceptibly.

[Challenge Mission: Conquer]

[Bound Target: Jiang Ruan]

[Current Progress: 80.06%]

[Progress Rewards: 20% (Claimed), 40% (Claimed), 60% (Claimed), 80% (Claimed), 100% (Pending)]

After two months, Gu Heng had finally pushed Jiang Ruan’s affection level to 80% last night, and this morning he had successfully claimed the stage reward from Father Tongzi.

Like the previous three stage rewards, it was a special item from the "Male God" series. This time, the reward was called the "Male God Face Mask."

After using it, Gu Heng’s skin condition was greatly improved.

Many common skin problems for men, like blackheads, large pores, acne scars, dullness, and pimples, were all perfectly corrected. Furthermore, it would keep Gu Heng’s skin in a constantly refreshed state—not oily, not dry, and not flaky.

For both men and women, skin condition is a major factor affecting their looks.

Now that Gu Heng’s skin had been so drastically improved, the effect on his overall attractiveness was naturally extremely significant.

"I got up to use the bathroom."

"I saw you weren’t there, so I came out to look."

Thinking of last night’s madness, Jiang Ruan’s pretty face flushed slightly.

"I’m rested. I’m going to Deloitte China later to discuss some things."

Gu Heng asked Jiang Ruan, "Do you want to rest at the hotel, or come with me to Deloitte China?"

"I..."

"I think I’ll rest at the hotel."

Jiang Ruan’s legs were still trembling slightly, and drowsiness washed over her like a tide. Although she really wanted to accompany Gu Heng to Deloitte China, her body simply wouldn’t allow it.

"Then get some good rest at the hotel."

Gu Heng said to Jiang Ruan, "We might be talking for a long time today. I’ll call you when I’m done."

"Okay~"

Jiang Ruan agreed.

"Go back to sleep."

"I’m going to read for a little longer."

Gu Heng gestured toward the bedroom.

"Mhm."

Jiang Ruan was indeed exhausted. She turned and went back into the bedroom to rest, while Gu Heng returned his gaze to the pages of his book, his focus quickly sharpening once again...