The Heiress's Game

When Gu Yunjin learned of the arranged marriage through Julie,

Her first reaction wasn't anger or resentment, but rather a sense of "I knew it."

Before returning to China, she had rehearsed this scenario in her mind several times, and the ending was almost the same each time—she was the daughter of the Gu family, and when the daughters of the Gu family reached marriageable age, they would be arranged to marry someone of equal social standing.

Gu Mingyue was like that, and it wouldn't be any different for Gu Yunjin.

She was just unsure who the person would be, and when and how Gu Zhenxing would notify her.

The answer is now revealed—the Pei family, Pei Yan, and the timing is likely within the next few months.

It happened a little earlier than she expected, but it was no big deal.

Gu Yunjin mentally labeled Pei Yan as an "acceptable option." Not liking him, not disliking him, but "acceptable."

She doesn't object to arranged marriages.

No, not only did she not object, she even felt that this was the most reasonable way out for her.

Marry an ordinary person? Are you kidding me?

She quickly listed the pros and cons in her mind and knew it was a dead end—what could an ordinary man with no money or power gain by marrying her?

He couldn't handle the resources the Gu family had, nor could he manage their social interactions. A single glance from Gu Zhenxing was enough to send chills down his spine.

And then what? Then he'll discover that his wife is a hundred times richer and a hundred times smarter than him.

She never needed to rely on him in any situation. His only label in this family was "Gu Yunjin's husband"—he had no presence, no voice, and even when having a meal with his father-in-law, she had to help him fend off drinking.

He couldn't live like this for more than a few years; either he would be crushed and become a silent, autistic patient.

Either he starts seeking to compensate for his ego outside the marriage by having an affair with a woman who idolizes him, causing a huge mess.

Why bother? She didn't want to have to deal with a marital crisis later.

Arranged marriages are different. The partners in an arranged marriage are from similar social classes, have grown up in this circle, know the rules, and have a sense of propriety. They won't have their self-esteem collapse just because their wife is better than them, nor will they be heartbroken by a single word from their father-in-law.

The two of them sat down for a meal and talked about investment and the market, saving all the costs of backward compatibility.

As for love—she never believed in that thing.

She has seen too many people who talk about love all the time, only to reveal their true colors when faced with personal gain.

Aren't her parents the best example? Gu Zhenxing was head over heels in love with Su Wanning back then, and all the newspapers in Dahai City were writing "The young master of the Gu family betrays his family for love," and what happened?

Su Wanning stayed in the Gu family for several years, where she was thoroughly torn apart by Mrs. Bei. Gu Zhenxing not only couldn't protect her, but also cheated on her, ultimately leading to a miserable end.

If her mother had married someone of equal social standing back then, she wouldn't have had to suffer all that mistreatment.

Su Wanning has her own money and her own career.

But she cherished Gu Zhenxing as a person and that love, so she endured Mrs. Bei's disdain and difficulties for so many years, only to end up with nothing.

Gu Yunjin witnessed all of this firsthand, and from the age of fourteen, she stopped believing in love altogether.

All those vows of eternal love, roses and rings, and tearful promises at weddings—each and every one of them will eventually turn into the mundane realities of daily life, conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, and the existential question of "whose side are you really on?"

She had no interest in wasting her life on something that had no cost-effectiveness.

So the marriage alliance is fine; her marriage doesn't need love.

Everyone has their own career, and they present a respectable image of a loving couple in public. When they return home, they are busy with their own lives and do not interfere with each other. During holidays, they go back to their old house for a meal and put on a show of harmonious marriage in front of their elders.

She felt perfectly capable of living this kind of life, and probably even more so than most people who marry for "love".

Her phone vibrated. She looked down and saw a message from Wang Manyun, saying that the Pei family had arranged to have dinner together over the weekend, with both sets of elders present, and asking for her opinion.

Gu Yunjin stared at the words "both sets of elders" on the screen and suddenly realized something: she knew too little about Pei Yan.

It's not that I don't understand at all.

Before her first blind date, all she knew about Pei Yan was that he was 28 years old, had a good reputation, no negative news, and was handsome—something she had personally verified.

But this information is far less significant than the identity of "marriage partner".

She had previously treated him as just another blind date that Wang Manyun had pushed her to meet, someone she could "just go through the motions" with, so the superficial information was enough.

But things are different now. Now Gu Zhenxing has personally made the decision, and Pei Xinzhi has also nodded in agreement. Both sets of parents have put the marriage on the agenda—this matter has gone from being something to be "just dealt with" to something that "needs to be taken seriously."

She is open to arranged marriages, but only if the prospective partner satisfies her.

No one can force her to marry someone she's not satisfied with—not Gu Zhenxing, and certainly not Wang Manyun.

Satisfaction and "no faults" are two different things.

It's too easy to be "flawless"—there are plenty of people in the industry who can do it—no prostitution, no gambling, no drug use, good education, respectable family background, they look presentable when they stand there, but if you peel back the layers, they're all empty inside.

That's not what she wants.

What she wanted was someone who could truly have an equal dialogue with her in an arranged marriage, not a spoiled brat who needed her to teach him step by step, and certainly not a hypocrite who appeared respectable on the surface but harbored deep flaws underneath.

Marriage is meant to improve one's life, secure resources, and reduce unnecessary troubles—not to compromise or suffer mistreatment.

She had witnessed firsthand the mistreatment her mother had suffered, and she would never repeat the same mistakes.

Therefore, she needs a real investigation report.

It's not the basic background check used for blind dates; it's deeper and more comprehensive—from Pei Yan's financial situation to his social network, from his past investment performance to his personal relationships, no potential problems can be overlooked.

She picked up her phone and sent a message to Lu Xiao: "Redo the detailed background check on Pei Yan."

We need to investigate in depth, not only his personal investment history and financial situation, but also his interpersonal relationships, social circles, and potential private life problems—find out everything that can be found.

In particular, investigate whether he has a steady partner or a close romantic relationship.

After sending the message, she switched to encrypted communication software and left a message for Zhou Ji:

"Could you please check the equity structure and legal risks of all the companies associated with Pei Yan's name on Yunwhale's website?"

Furthermore, does he have any assets overseas? Any legal records? Is there anything that could potentially become a future threat? Keep a low profile and don't let the Pei family find out.

After doing all that, she put down her phone and leaned back in her chair.

She doesn't oppose arranged marriages, but she never makes unprepared compromises.

Pei Yan had better pass her review; otherwise, the dinner party this weekend would be her last performance.