The Heiress's Game

The business dinner was held in the banquet hall of a long-established hotel, and was jointly organized by several influential figures in Dahai City.

The attendees were either real estate tycoons or old money from the capital circle, with the occasional retired political figure mixed in.

Gu Zhenxing led Wang Manyun into the banquet hall.

Wang Manyun linked arms with Gu Zhenxing, wearing a dark green cheongsam with a plain silk shawl. Among the group of wealthy wives, she neither stole the limelight nor paled in comparison, striking the perfect balance.

Gu Zhenxing has always been at ease in these situations.

He chatted with a few old friends, talked about the recent market situation, and then sat down at the main table to clink glasses with an elderly gentleman with a full head of white hair across from him.

Waiters carrying trays moved among the diners, and amidst the clinking of glasses, he glanced at Wang Manyun, then, as if suddenly remembering something, lowered his voice and asked:

"How's Yun Jin doing lately? Any updates on those places you arranged for her?"

Wang Manyun put down her wine glass, gently dabbed her lips with a napkin, and replied with a smile:

"The Pei family is quite enthusiastic. Madam Pei has met Yun Jin several times and likes her very much. Every time they meet, she holds Yun Jin's hand and won't let go. She's also trying to get information from us."

"The Pei family—" Gu Zhenxing pondered for a moment.

"Pei Xinzhi's house?"

"Yes, his second son, Pei Yan. He's 28 this year, he's an investor, steady, reliable, and has a good reputation in the industry."

Gu Zhenxing nodded, his face showing little emotional fluctuation, but Wang Manyun knew him too well—his nod instead of immediately saying "let's think about it some more" meant that he had already passed the minimum acceptable level in his mind.

"The Pei family can't compare to us, but they're still considered a decent family in Dahai City. I've dealt with Pei Xinzhi a few times; he's reliable and sensible, so his son shouldn't be too bad off."

"That's what I think too." Wang Manyun picked up her wine glass and took a sip, her tone still gentle and soft.

"Yun Jin is twenty-six this year. After spending so many years abroad, I've been worried about her marriage ever since she came back."

"The Pei family is of equal social standing, and Pei Yan is also an ambitious young man. I think they are quite suitable. After all, a girl needs to find a home."

"Her marriage should indeed be on the agenda." Gu Zhenxing picked up his wine glass and swirled it.

"Twenty-six years old, not too old, but not too young either."

"Her mother passed away early, so please take good care of these things. This child grew up abroad and isn't close to me. Don't make her suffer in her marriage."

Wang Manyun smiled and said that was natural, Yun Jin was also her daughter, and she cared for her more than anyone else.

Gu Zhenxing nodded in satisfaction. Just then, someone came over to offer a toast, and he stood up, smiling and exchanging pleasantries, thus easily turning the subject aside.

Wang Manyun looked at his profile, picked up her wine glass, and covered the faint smile at the corner of her mouth.

Gu Mingyue married well, Gu Mingcheng married well, and now it's Gu Yunjin's turn. As her stepmother, she also needs to save face.

The Pei family isn't the best, but they're respectable, worry-free, and most importantly—safe.

-----

Julie's studio was filled with the faint smell of turpentine. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows to the north, the city's dazzling night view stretched out, with the lights on both sides of Victoria Harbour reflected on the water like a crumpled gold leaf painting.

Gu Zhenxing sat on the sofa, holding a cup of hand-drip coffee that Julie had just brewed, his posture relaxed.

Julie sat cross-legged on a high stool opposite him, her apron still stained with fresh paint, and she held a cup of coffee in her hand.

She spent the whole afternoon painting abstract expressionism, with large areas of gray-blue blocks piled up on the canvas, which inexplicably echoed the hues of the night sea outside the window.

She knew that Gu Zhenxing never came to her place to talk about history—at least not entirely; more often than not, he came to find a place to talk.

"You seem preoccupied today," Julie said, tilting her head to look at him.

Gu Zhenxing smiled, blew on the steam from his coffee, and did not deny it.

He asked her, "Julie, what do you think marriage is?"

Julie tilted her head and thought for a moment, "In your business terms, marriage is a merger. Marrying someone of equal social standing means equal valuation, and a marriage alliance is a strategic merger. As for free love—"

She blinked. "It's probably an angel round investment based on gut feeling. If you're lucky, you can go public; if you're unlucky, you go bankrupt."

Gu Zhenxing was amused by her, but after laughing for a while, he sighed.

"You're not very old, but you see things very clearly."

"I've had countless female confidantes in my life, and I've married three women. The first one was an arranged marriage by my family. She was a good woman, virtuous and dutiful, and she managed the household perfectly. Unfortunately, she was in poor health, and she passed away before Mingcheng and Mingyue grew up."

Julie didn't interrupt, but simply rested her chin on her knees and listened quietly.

"The second one is Su Wanning." When Gu Zhenxing said this name, his tone was noticeably different from before.

"She was the one I wanted to marry. Everyone was against it at the time. My mother was so angry that she almost cut ties with me. You've probably seen how awful those newspaper articles were. But I was young then, and I thought love could conquer all."

Julie listened quietly. Before she came to Gu Zhenxing's side, the mysterious person had given her all the information related to Gu Zhenxing, as well as Su Wanning's information.

She knew how this woman had been treated with contempt in the Gu family, and she also knew how she had died in the end.

But hearing Gu Zhenxing say it in person now felt completely different from reading the information – his tone contained regret, resentment, and guilt.

She wasn't sure if his guilt stemmed from a genuine feeling that he had done something wrong, or if he simply needed a place to put his guilt.

But that doesn't matter. She's not here to judge him; she's here to talk to him.

Gu Zhenxing continued, "As you saw, it was a case of free love. When you're in love, it's passionate and intense, but when you start living together, it's a complete mess."

She couldn't stay in the Gu family home, and I couldn't protect her. In the end—alas, it all ended tragically.

The studio was quiet for a few seconds, with only the occasional sound of a ship's horn coming from afar outside the window. Julie picked up her coffee cup, took a sip, and softly replied.

"So you chose a marriage alliance for the third time."

"Yes, he married Wang Manyun. She comes from a political and business family. She is respectable, considerate, and impeccable in her conduct."

Gu Zhenxing placed the coffee cup on the coffee table and leaned back on the sofa.

"Do you know what I think now? I think that the temporary happiness brought by free love in marriages in wealthy families is indeed real."

But that joy was too fleeting, like fireworks, exploding with a bang—beautiful as it was, but gone in the blink of an eye.

"Marriage is not a continuation of dating; it's about living life day after day. The biggest advantage of being well-matched in terms of social status is not money, but that the two people grew up in similar environments and have similar understandings of life, so they don't have to start from scratch to adjust to each other."

"So what truly sustains a marriage in a wealthy family is what may not look good but is very real—family background, interests, resources, and the bond between two families. These are the anchors of a marriage."

Julie thought for a moment and said something very clever.

"So you think fireworks are fireworks, and anchors are anchors, and the two things shouldn't be put in the same basket in the first place."

Gu Zhenxing was stunned for a moment, then looked up and laughed.

This was the first time he had truly laughed heartily that night, and the sound echoed in the studio for several seconds before dissipating.

"Your mouth," he said, pointing at Julie, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

"Everyone else speaks to me in roundabout ways, but you dare to translate directly."

Julie smiled, her eyes crinkling to reveal two rows of neat white teeth.

After laughing, Gu Zhenxing leaned back on the sofa and sighed, his tone gradually becoming somber.

"Yun Jin—to be honest, I feel guilty towards her."

He stared unfocused at the row of spotlights on the ceiling.

"She was very young when her mother passed away. I sent her abroad when she was fourteen, and she stayed for more than ten years."

As her father, I don't really know how she lived abroad, how much hardship she endured, or how many grievances she suffered.

For a long time after Su Wanning passed away, I told myself that I would not interfere in Yun Jin's marriage when she grew up.

She can marry whoever she likes; I won't interfere. Consider it—consider it compensation.

"But now my thoughts have changed. Why did I change my mind? Do you think I'm being biased and not treating her like Mingcheng and Mingyue?"

"No, I am her father. No matter how bad I am as a father, she is still my daughter."

"I do feel guilty towards her, but it is precisely because of this guilt that I cannot indulge her in this matter."

"Free love sounds nice, and of course she can find someone to love. But have you ever thought about what those men outside are after?"

"You know how much my name, Gu Zhenxing's daughter, is worth in Dahai City."

"When someone comes up to her and says they like her, can you tell if they like her as a person or if they like the fact that her surname is Gu? Can she even tell the difference herself?"

Julie didn't reply, she just looked at him quietly.

"I've been there myself. Back then, Wan Ning and I were deeply in love, and we thought that love was enough. But what happened? I still can't bear to think about how much she suffered in the Gu family."

She chose this path herself, and I thought I could protect her, but in reality, I couldn't. Of course, I'm no better myself; I cheated on her not long after.

"Men, I know them all too well."

"Sometimes I think now, if I hadn't let Wan Ning into this family back then, she might still be alive and well today."

"I don't want Yun Jin to follow in her mother's footsteps. Ming Cheng and Ming Yue's marriages were arranged, and they've both been doing well since."

Julie held the coffee cup in her hands. "So you think that an arranged marriage is actually protecting her?"

"The biggest advantage of marriage alliances is that they are well-matched in terms of social status."

Marrying someone of equal social standing doesn't mean one family is richer than the other; it means that two people who grew up in similar environments naturally have similar understandings of things and ways of living.

Moreover, the other party is a respectable family, and everyone knows each other well, so no one dares to easily humiliate the other.

Even if feelings fade after marriage, she can manage to get by through proper conduct and maintaining appearances, which will make her life much easier.

Julie tilted her head, revealing a perfectly timed expression of confusion: "Then—the Pei family that Wang Manyun arranged?"

"Man Yun," Gu Zhenxing's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"She has her own agenda, I'm not stupid. Mingxuan is still young, of course she doesn't want Yunjin to stay in the Gu family and compete with her son for anything."

But she is sensible and doesn't act recklessly.

I looked at the Pei family that she chose for Yun Jin. They weren't top-tier, but they were a reliable family.

I've dealt with Pei Xinzhi a few times. He's reliable and comes from a good family. His second son, Pei Yan, is also ambitious and has good character and abilities. With Yun Jin by his side, at least she doesn't have to worry that he's only after her because she shares the surname Gu.

In short, Wang Manyun put a lot of effort into this matter.

Gu Zhenxing picked up his coffee, took another sip, and chuckled, his laughter carrying a certainty that "this matter is settled."

"By the way, you don't know yet—Pei Xinzhi also contacted me a few days ago."

We, the two heads of the family, have discussed it and are both very satisfied.

The marriage alliance between the Gu and Pei families is basically a done deal.

Julie smiled and said, "Congratulations!"

Gu Zhenxing waved his hand, "Yun Jin is still young. She might resent me and think that I'm an overbearing father."

"But ten or twenty years from now, when she reaches my age and looks back, she will realize how much trouble her father shielded her from."

Julie picked up her coffee cup, her eyes crinkling into a smile:

"Then I wish them a long and happy marriage. You, as their father, can rest assured and wait to hold your grandson."