Entering the Wang mansion, Guo Min's lips curved in a smile she didn't even realize she was wearing. Her mind kept drifting back to the quiet yet stirring moments with Zhu Zihan that evening, the sharpness of his gaze, the unexpected warmth of his kiss on her hair. She had never liked him before, not in the way others admired him, but she had to admit, Zihan knew exactly how to play his cards, always leaving her unsettled yet strangely drawn in.
"Okay, what's got you smiling like a fool?" Ruoxi's mischievous voice cut through her thoughts the moment she stepped inside. Her best friend leaned casually against the railing, arms folded, eyes glinting with curiosity. Then, with a dramatic tilt of her head, she teased, "…Is it perhaps… Brother Zihan?"
Guo Min stiffened, refusing to give Ruoxi the satisfaction of seeing her flustered. Pretending not to hear, she turned away with deliberate calmness. "Good evening, Auntie. Uncle," she greeted politely as she crossed the foyer, directing her attention to the elders seated in the living room.
"Oh, Guo Min, welcome home," Auntie Wang said warmly. With a small wave of her hand, she signaled the maids to prepare food for her.
But Guo Min was quick to stop them. "No, Aunt, don't worry. I've already had dinner," she interjected, catching the meaning behind the hand gesture before the servants could move.
"You've already eaten?" Ruoxi chirped again, trailing her like a shadow. "Now I really must hear what you were up to today."
"I wasn't up to anything," Guo Min shot back, her voice firm but her steps quick as she ascended the stairs. "You're the one making up ideas in your head."
Ruoxi laughed knowingly, but Guo Min didn't give her a chance to push further. She disappeared into the safety of her room, closing the door with a soft thud. Still, later that night, Ruoxi's persistence managed to pry the truth from her, piece by piece.
---
Three days later.
The Zhu Mansion glittered with splendor, alive with music and the hum of conversation. Everywhere screamed luxury, the marble floors, the towering chandeliers dripping with light, the gold-framed paintings, and the crowd itself, a sea of China's most elite.
Zihan ascended the podium with the ease of a man born to command. He adjusted the microphone, his presence instantly commanding silence. "Good evening," he began, his voice calm but edged with authority. "On your invitation cards, you were told this banquet was a gathering for bachelors and bachelorettes, get together for elites." He paused, letting the murmurs ripple through the room. His gaze swept the hall before he continued, "Well, that is not the case."
A ripple of confusion spread, but Zihan remained unbothered. "Still, I am glad you came. Tonight, you are here for another reason." He stepped down from the stage slowly, each movement deliberate, the microphone in hand. "Tonight, I want you all to meet the future young miss of the Zhu family."
The words hit like a thunderclap. Gasps and whispers spread across the hall. Guo Min, standing among the crowd with Ruoxi, froze.
"Are you for real?!" she hissed into Ruoxi's ear, her heart hammering. "Oh God, I'm not even ready yet!"
"Why are you yelling at me?" Ruoxi shot back, grinning despite the tension. "You should yell at him instead."
Before Guo Min could retort, Zihan's hand closed around hers with quiet finality. The sudden tug sent a ripple of shock through her, but she didn't resist. He led her toward the stage, the sea of whispers swelling into stunned silence as the ballroom's attention turned wholly on them.
Under the golden glow of chandeliers, Zihan's tall, commanding figure dwarfed the space around him. Guo Min felt the weight of countless gazes, but her world had narrowed to him, the man who had never once hesitated in his pursuit of her.
Then, as though the night wasn't already teetering on the edge of revelation, Zihan slipped a small, elegant box from his pocket. He flipped it open to reveal a breathtaking ring...an heirloom of the Zhu family.
The platinum band gleamed under the lights, crowned with a rare blue diamond deep as the ocean, encircled by flawless white stones. It wasn't just a ring of wealth, it was a symbol of legacy, worn by generations of Zhu matriarchs.
Guo Min's breath caught, her pulse racing.
And then Zihan did the unthinkable. He lowered himself to one knee before her.
"Guo Min," his voice was steady, rich, carrying through the vast ballroom like a decree. "I am not a man who believes in chance, nor do I waste time on uncertainty. From the moment I chose you, there was never another outcome. But even with all my power and wealth, I cannot force you against your will. So, here I am. Please… be my wife."
The words settled over her like a chain yet intoxicating. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She stared at the ring, at him, at the man every woman in that room envied yet feared, now kneeling before her.
And strangely, amidst the pressure, she felt a thrill, a creeping excitement that this moment belonged to her.
The silence stretched until she lifted her hand. Zihan slid the ring onto her finger, the cold platinum biting against her skin, fitting perfectly because of course, it was meant for her.
The ballroom erupted. Applause thundered, gasps rang, and whispers buzzed like wildfire. Some congratulated, some envied, others carried dark intentions behind their stares.
Guo Min descended the stage by his side, overwhelmed as people rushed forward to offer their congratulations.
She finally spotted her circle, Ruoxi cheering, Wu Lixi and Wu Xiang smiling, and Yufan standing back with a sad but resigned smile.
"Shocking to see you here, Lixi," Guo Min said, hugging her warmly. "It's been a while."
"I was at Wu Villa resting," Lixi replied with a grin. "Good to be back… and even better to see you've managed to trap Brother Zihan."
Laughter erupted among them, lightening the heavy air.