Chapter 15
Gu Junxing felt that this scene seemed familiar somehow... As soon as he entered the house, he heard people speaking ill of him. Considering how often he came home, these people must have been gossiping about him quite a bit.
Originally, everyone was chatting happily and lively, but as soon as Gu Junxing came home, they all fell silent. The air was filled with awkwardness. Although no one said it out loud, Gu Junxing felt as if he were some kind of killjoy.
Finally, Nanny Zhang broke the silence and asked, "Boss, I'm stewing some chicken soup. Would you like me to make you a bowl of noodles?"
Gu Junxing shook his head. "No need, I'm not hungry." Then he looked at his son and said, "Don't play games tonight. Go to bed early." After that, he went straight upstairs.
As soon as Gu Junxing reached the top of the stairs and turned the corner, he heard the commotion resume downstairs.
"Nanny Zhang, I want chicken soup noodles!"
"Me too!"
"Alright, alright, a bowl for everyone."
"Go change your clothes before eating. If you get oil on them, you'll have to wear your school uniform on Friday!"
...
How nice, the family seemed much more harmonious without him around.
This just goes to show that some money is best earned by professionals.
On Friday afternoon, just as Nian Suian woke up from her nap, the stylist and makeup artist arrived.
Nian Suian didn't pay much attention to how they worked their magic. She just sat in front of the mirror while they fussed over her, and when they were done, the face in the mirror left her stunned for half a minute.
She had thought the makeup she did for the parent-teacher conference was good enough, but compared to today's look, Nian Suian realized her own skills were nothing to brag about.
She felt that now, even a young Leonardo DiCaprio might not be quite good enough for her.
"Madam, you look absolutely stunning," the stylist complimented while fixing Nian Suian's hair.
"Oh, stop it. It's all thanks to your incredible skills. It's like divine craftsmanship," Nian Suian gave a thumbs up.
Makeup is a time-consuming process, especially for such an exquisite look. By the time Nian Suian had finished her makeup, hair, and changed into her outfit, Gu Zhijing, who had returned from school, had already played six rounds of his online game.
Gu Zhijing was on a voice call with his friends while playing when he saw Nian Suian coming downstairs in her full attire. He couldn't help but blurt out, "Holy..."
Gu Junxing stared at Nian Suian for a moment, noticing the genuine confusion and curiosity in her eyes. He then glanced at his son, who hadn't said anything but whose big eyes reflected the same questions.
Gu Junxing paused before answering, "Looking at a laptop in the car makes me carsick." They might look elegant and beautiful on the outside, but once they open their mouths... Never mind, it's probably best if she doesn't speak at all later, Gu Junxing thought to himself.
"When we get out of the car, you stand in the middle and link arms with me and Zhijing," Gu Junxing instructed Nian Suian.
"Why? Shouldn't you be in the middle? You're the boss, you should take the center position."
"If Dad stands in the middle, people might think he brought a son and a daughter," Gu Zhijing chimed in. For some reason, this struck him as hilarious, and he kept laughing for a while after saying it.
Gu Junxing was so annoyed he wanted to smack his child, but realizing they were almost at the venue, he managed to restrain himself. He truly regretted not having more children when he was younger.
"You stand in the middle. It looks more balanced that way."
"Oh, I see."
Tonight's banquet wasn't just for businesspeople, but for celebrities from various fields as well, so there were quite a few reporters at the entrance.
The three of them attracted the media's attention as soon as they got out of the car. Nian Suian was nearly blinded by the camera flashes. She guessed it was probably because their "family of three" appeared to have a complex relationship from the outside.
"Who are these three?"
"That's the boss of Junxing Enterprise, Mr. Gu, with his wife and child."
"Oh, it's him. His wife looks quite young though, even with such a grown-up son. She looks like a young girl herself."
"What are you talking about? Mr. Gu just got married this year. Of course his wife is young."
"Oh, I see. So she's the stepmother. Pretty attractive, I must say."
If Nian Suian had heard this compliment, she would have been delighted. Unfortunately, at the moment, she couldn't find any word other than "embarrassed" to describe her current state of mind.
Though it was called a banquet, it was actually just a large social gathering. Gu Junxing wouldn't let her wander off with Gu Zhijing, so the two of them had to stay with him, forced to engage in small talk with others.
Nian Suian was thinking of ways to slip away when she heard Gu Zhijing excitedly call out, "Uncle Fang!"
Nian Suian noticed that as soon as Gu Zhijing's voice rang out, Gu Junxing, who was talking to a business partner beside her, paused for a moment.
A thought flashed through Nian Suian's mind: Oh boy, the legendary arch-enemies are about to meet. This should be interesting.