Chapter 25

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Jing Cheng did what he was told. The private room he booked had a table by the window with a couch on each side. The atmosphere was serene.

However, Lu Anran felt like she was sitting on pins and needles—she was extremely uncomfortable.

She didn’t expect Gu Liangchen to be so rude as to seat with her instead of seating beside his wife.

Not only that, but he also thoughtfully asked her what she was having, ignoring Zhu Lanyi.　　

They were seated closely that his cheek was almost touching hers.

Lu Anran thought Gu Liangchen must be crazy.

Her cheeks felt warm. She moved a little farther and warned him with her eyes. “I’m not picky, so President Gu can just order for me.”

But Gu Liangchen didn’t seem to see her warning gaze. As if no one else was there, he joked, “If you’re not a picky eater, there would be no picky eaters in this world.”

He looked at the waiter and ordered four dishes and a soup—all were her favorite.

He then instructed, “Don’t include coriander, carrots, or mushroom for side dishes. Add vinegar and less salt to the seasoning, and add light soy sauce instead of dark soy sauce.”

Lu Anran was silent.

She didn’t expect him to remember her preferences clearly.

She was both astonished and tormented.

She raised her head and looked at Zhu Lanyi. It was difficult to read her. She was trying to put up a front, suppressing how she really felt. Despite seeing her husband act so intimate with another woman, how Zhu Lanyi could be this calm? Surely, there was a storm brewing in her chest.

Lu Anran was the opposite. She took a sip of the tea and broke the ice. She spoke, “President Gu and Madam Gu, just say it if you have something to say. I would rather that you tell me now to ease my worries.”

Gu Liangchen snorted. “You are so impatient. You really haven’t changed at all.”

He then stretched out his hand to take the cup of tea she had just sipped from and drank from it. Then he met Zhu Lanyi’s gaze. “Lanyi, let’s talk about it.”

Lu Anran frowned. Her ears were red. She couldn’t believe that Gu Liangchen just did that. She couldn’t tell what game he was playing, but she found it rude of him to behave this way. He was as if trying to provoke Zhu Lanyi.

Zhu Lanyi was appalled, and she wore a stiff expression on her face. Then she slowly forced a smile and uttered every word with difficulty, “Actually, Liangchen and I were married only in paper.”

Lu Anran looked at Gu Liangcheng then at Zhu Lanyi. She was confused.

In her mind, there were two kinds of marriage, either for love or for profit.

What did she exactly mean by ‘married only in paper’?

Gu Liangchen stared at Zhu Lanyi coldly. “Go on.”

Zhu Lanyi bit her lower lip. Her face turned pale a little, and the smile on her face revealed the resentment she had been suppressing. Her next words were almost inaudible. “We were just husband and wife in name. Our marriage was a sham. In the two years that we’re married, he never touched me.”

After saying this, Zhu Lanyi felt that she couldn’t stay any longer. She said, “I’ll be going first,” then got up and hurriedly left the room.

Lu Anran was shocked. Had not touched her? Two years?

She kept asking herself if she heard it right.

It took her a few minutes to recover, then she turned to Gu Liangchen in disbelief. “What do her words mean?”

Gu Liangchen looked at her seriously. “Literally, Zhu Lanyi and I are only married for business and political gain, for our mutual benefits. We weren’t, you know, real husband and wife. It is just that during the contract period, the illusion of affection must be maintained in front of others.”

“…”

Lu Anran looked straight at him and repeated, “Mutual benefits?”