I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Fang Zhizi stood there blankly for a full half minute, and then she let out a sharp, piercing scream—a scream that was extremely, extremely, extremely excited.

She screamed silently and frantically in her mind: Wasn't that just for the sake of the show?!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

She clenched her fists, stomped her feet, and her face was full of barely suppressed excitement.

When you're gossiping about your own idol, and it's such a huge sweet moment, who can resist?!

On the other side, Shu Zi walked quickly to the parking area in front of Yinlu and immediately spotted Gu Yan's low-key black sedan.

She crept over, glanced left and right to make sure no one was around or paparazzi, then quickly opened the car door, jumped in, let out a long sigh, and slumped into the seat, looking utterly exhausted.

"It's finally over. Socializing was more tiring than shooting a magazine cover all day. My mouth is sore from smiling."

Gu Yan turned to look at her, handed her a bottle of warm honey water, and said in a deep, gentle voice, "You've worked hard. Did the dinner go well?"

"Of course! Who am I! I'm Shu Zi!"

Shu Zi took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a big gulp. Her eyes sparkled with pride, and her little tail practically wagged its tail.

"The director was quite satisfied with me after I took on the role! My part in the new film is basically secured!"

Then, as if she had thought of something, she sat up straight and looked at Gu Yan, "By the way, don't just take me home, take me somewhere else."

"Where to?" Gu Yan raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing a hint of indulgence.

"Misty Island." Shu Zi blurted out, her face instantly contorting at the mention of it, her little brows furrowing.

"Fang Ran is over there, I have to go grab her and get to the bottom of this arranged marriage! She kept such a huge secret from me, that's really unfair!"

Looking at her flustered yet curious expression, Gu Yan smiled faintly. Without asking any questions, he directly instructed the driver in the front seat, "Go to Wuyu Wine Cellar."

"Yes, Mr. Gu."

The car started smoothly and slowly drove away from the parking area in front of Yinlu, disappearing into the night. The light and shadow of the streetlights swept across the car window, casting a halo of light on the two people.

Shu Zi didn't stay still for more than a few seconds before suddenly moving closer to Gu Yan, leaning forward so much that her arm almost touched his shoulder.

She was completely unaware of how close they were at that moment. Her nose was only a few centimeters away from his collar, and she could clearly smell the crisp cedar scent on him, mixed with a little other fragrance, a faint scent that was unique to Gu Yan.

She tilted her head slightly, her almond-shaped eyes staring at him with long, curled eyelashes casting a soft shadow beneath them.

Her tone was earnest, even a little domineering: "You! Do you know about their affair? You're not allowed to hide it from me!"

As she spoke, her warm breath gently brushed against Gu Yan's neck, a tingling sensation spreading throughout his body.

His fingers, hanging at his sides, curled almost imperceptibly, and a faint ripple quietly spread across his originally calm eyes.

Gu Yan subconsciously held his breath, his gaze involuntarily falling on her face so close to his. From her clear eyes, it swept across her slightly flushed cheeks, finally stopping at her lightly pursed pink lips, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

The air inside the carriage instantly became thick and sticky, and even the evening breeze blowing in from outside the window carried a hint of ambiguous temperature.

Shu Zi was completely oblivious to the subtle atmosphere, her mind preoccupied with gossip about Fang Ran's marriage. She stared intently at Gu Yan, waiting for his answer, looking like she wouldn't give up until he was honest.

Gu hesitated for a moment before turning his gaze away, deliberately turning his head to avoid her direct gaze, a faint blush creeping onto the tips of his ears.

His voice was a few decibels lower than before, with a barely perceptible hoarseness: "I know a little."

"a little?"

Shu Zi instantly bristled, reaching out to gently poke his arm, completely unaware of how alluring her actions had been.

She angrily pressed on, "Isn't He Yuzhuo your brother? You must have known all along! You didn't tell me, and you even helped me keep it a secret!"

"You didn't ask." Gu Yan said in a low voice, his tone calm but full of helplessness and indulgence.

"I just found out!"

Shu Zi leaned back in her seat, holding her honey water and muttering to herself about Fang Ran's lack of loyalty. She didn't even notice that the person next to her was already experiencing a surge of emotions because of her unintentional approach.

Gu Yan glanced at her angry profile, his eyes overflowing with tenderness, and a faint, gentle smile lingered on his lips.

The car came to a smooth stop at the entrance of Wuyu Wine Cellar. The waiter at the door recognized Gu Yan's car and immediately stepped forward respectfully to open the car door.

Shu Zi was the first to push open the car door and get out. She turned around and waved to Gu Yan, her steps already prepared to step into the wine cellar.

"I'm going to find Fang Ran and the others. Don't worry about me, just go about your business! I'll call you when I'm done!"

Seeing her hurried appearance, Gu Yan reached out and gently smoothed her wind-blown hair, his movements natural and affectionate.

He instructed in a low voice, "Yes, send a message if anything happens."

"Okay, okay!" Shu Zi replied casually, already heading into the wine cellar, her mind set on settling scores with Fang Ran.

Gu Yan watched her retreating figure with a smile in his eyes, then turned and walked towards the other private room on the top floor.

Shu Zi pushed open the door and immediately saw the booth by the window. Fang Ran was curled up on the sofa playing on her phone, while Qiao Yue sat to the side, looking hesitant to speak.

"Fang Ran!"

Shu Zi strode over, plopped down opposite Fang Ran, crossed her arms, and struck a confrontational pose.

As soon as Qiao Yue saw her, she immediately rushed over as if she had found a comrade-in-arms. The two looked at each other and instantly formed a united front, staring at Fang Ran with their eyes full of urging her to hurry up and finish.

Fang Ran looked up at the two men in front of her, who were acting like they were interrogating a criminal, and couldn't help but laugh. She put down her phone and shrugged.

"Alright, alright, stop staring at me like that, I'll confess, okay?"

"Speak quickly!"

Shu Zi spoke first, her tone full of resentment:

"You, Fang Ran, you kept such a big thing as an arranged marriage a secret from me and Qiao Qiao! We used to talk to you about everything in the group chat, and you kept it so well hidden!"

Qiao Yueke nodded in agreement, her little face full of anger:

"Yeah, Ranran, you went too far! We're best friends, and you only just told us now? Zizi and I were terrified!"

"When you mentioned it in the group chat, we thought your dad was forcing you to marry one of those greasy old men, but it turns out it's Brother Yu Zhuo!"

Seeing their angry and worried expressions, Fang Ran felt a warmth in her heart, but also found it amusing: "What are you thinking? No matter what, my dad would never push me into a fire pit."

"That's not necessarily true!"

Shu Zi interrupted her, "After all, what happened a while ago... never mind, let's not talk about that. Tell me what exactly happened!"

Qiao Yueke slammed her hand on the table in agreement: "Right! What happened?!"