The abandoned daughter of the Lu family turns around and marries a celibate tycoon.

Chapter 15 My Fiancée

"What...what should I do with all this?" Lu Xiran clutched the heavy jewelry box, her brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Gu Yanshen, who was driving beside her. Her voice was filled with helplessness. "Grandma gave me so much...I..."

"Just keep what Grandma gave you." Gu Yanshen looked straight ahead, his tone calm. "Which daughter-in-law of the Gu family wouldn't want a bigger share?"

"That's not what I meant," she lowered her head, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the surface of the velvet box. "This was given by Grandma to the granddaughter-in-law she truly accepted. She's been so good to me, if she knew that we were actually..." She paused, her voice even softer, "...a fake...I always felt I had let her down."

"squeak--"

The car suddenly came to a stop on the side of the road.

Lu Xiran was slightly taken aback by the sudden braking. "What's wrong?"

Gu Yanshen slowly turned his head, his gaze falling heavily on her face. "Are you feeling guilty?" he asked, his voice a few decibels lower than before.

"Yes," Lu Xiran looked up to meet his gaze, a hint of confusion in her eyes, "Aren't we... in a contract marriage?"

The words "contract marriage" were like a fine needle, gently piercing Gu Yanshen's heart. His deep eyes instantly darkened, and an unnamed anger mixed with some more complex emotions surged up. He clearly knew all along that this was just an agreement, but hearing her draw such a clear line still felt like something was clenching his chest, causing a strange, dull pain.

My second uncle's words echoed in my ears again.

Perhaps she was right. She needed him, but she needed the identity of Mrs. Gu and needed him as a means to escape her predicament.

Therefore, she would resist his kindness, fearing that she would owe him a favor; therefore, she would feel uneasy about her grandmother's affection, because in her heart, there was always a distance between them, and she never truly regarded herself as his future partner.

Gu Yanshen didn't say anything more. He restarted the car, turned his gaze back to the road ahead, and his jawline tightened slightly.

A heavy silence fell over the carriage.

Lu Xiran sensed the change in his mood, and her heart tightened. She knew she had said the wrong thing, but didn't know how to make amends. "Uncle," she said cautiously, "are you... angry?"

Gu Yanshen did not respond; the lines of his profile appeared somewhat cold and hard in the flowing light and shadow outside the window.

"...I'm sorry." Her voice trailed off, her mind a jumble of thoughts. The words of apology slipped out, but sounded weak and powerless.

"Besides 'I'm sorry' and 'thank you,' can you say anything else?" he finally asked, his tone devoid of emotion.

Lu Xiran paused, looking at his handsome profile, and almost subconsciously muttered, "...Uncle, you're so handsome."

Gu Yanshen's fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel, his eyelashes lowered, and after a few seconds, he sighed very softly, almost inaudibly.

Indeed, they'd only known each other for a short time. With a ten-year age gap, it was perfectly normal for her to be wary of him. He suppressed his inexplicable irritation, his tone returning to its usual calm, and steered the conversation towards the main topic:

"How are the preparations for tomorrow's auction going?"

Mentioning this, Lu Xiran perked up, temporarily setting aside her earlier anxiety: "Initially, I thought that as long as I thoroughly studied the pricing strategies of other companies, I would be fine. But now it seems that the competitors also know everyone's bottom line. Especially the Lu family, they know that I want to take back Yunyuji no matter what, so they will definitely try their best to raise the price. So tomorrow, either I have to pay a price far exceeding the market price, or... I can only give up."

"To think of this much shows progress," Gu Yanshen commented, his gaze still fixed ahead.

"Are you testing me?" Lu Xiran turned her head to look at him.

Gu Yanshen neither agreed nor disagreed.

Lu Xiran continued, her thoughts becoming clearer: "You mentioned last time that the suburban plot is the key. Yunyuji is right next to that plot. I suspect that Lu Hao's main purpose in this auction may not be money, but rather to lure me into the game—the company that acquired the shop is under the name of Lin Li's brother, Lin Xiangqian, which is suspicious in itself."

"You've found this far too." Gu Yanshen smoothly drove the car into the garage and parked it, then turned to look at her. "So, no matter what price you offer tomorrow, they most likely won't let go. What's your strategy?"

"Yes," Lu Xiran nodded, and after getting out of the car, she walked into the elevator with him. "I checked, Lin Xiangqian's company was only registered last week, so its bidding qualifications are questionable. Moreover, its registered capital is only 30 million." She raised her eyes, her gaze showing a more calm analysis. "Therefore, as long as I raise the bid to over 30 million, if they continue to bid, I can raise both questions about their qualifications and financial strength on the spot, demanding that the auction be stopped and a re-examination."

Gu Yanshen took the document and quickly glanced through it, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. But he immediately asked, "According to the current market valuation, the Yunyuji old store is worth at most 25 million. Are you sure you want to bid 30 million?"

"You just said that was the 'current' valuation," Lu Xiran said, her gaze clear and firm. "What if the news of the suburban subway line and resort project being implemented is announced? Also, only by acquiring Yunyuji can we gain a voice in the subsequent integration and development of suburban land plots, securing a say in the other industries left by my grandfather. These are the real values."

Are you confident about the funding?

"Yes," Lu Xiran nodded firmly, "That's enough."

Gu Yanshen looked at the light that shone in her eyes as she spoke eloquently; it was her own keenness and courage that were gradually taking shape.

He may have provided some clues and directions, but it was she herself who ultimately pieced these fragments together to form a complete strategy and mustered the courage to execute it.

He didn't say anything more, but simply placed the document back on the coffee table.

"Get some rest," he said, his voice softening. "There's another tough battle ahead tomorrow."

"Okay." Lu Xiran lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the hem of her clothes.

Gu Yanshen was about to turn around, but stopped when he saw her expression. "What's wrong?"

Lu Xiran looked up, her eyelashes fluttering, and cautiously asked him, "Are you... still angry?"

"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised that she would be so persistent about this.

"If I said or did something wrong that upset you... please tell me, okay?" Her voice was slightly flustered. "I know I owe you so much, I can never repay it all. But... but if I did anything wrong that made you uncomfortable, please tell me directly, and I'll change, okay?"

"I promised you I'd repay you properly once I got Lu's back. But... after tomorrow's auction, I probably won't have much cash left. It definitely... definitely won't be enough to repay you."

She pursed her lips, her cheeks flushing slightly, as if she were a little embarrassed, but she continued earnestly, "So maybe... I'll have to work harder for a while longer before I can..."

"I don't lack money." Gu Yanshen interrupted her, his voice low, his gaze fixed on her face with a deep, indescribable meaning.

"Huh?" Lu Xiran looked up in surprise, meeting his deep eyes. "Then... what are you lacking?"

Gu Yanshen gazed at her silently for a few seconds, a faint, soft light seeming to ripple in his eyes. He leaned slightly forward, closing the delicate distance between them.

"I need a wife."

He paused, his gaze locking onto her somewhat bewildered yet flushed face, and spoke slowly and deliberately, each word distinct:

"My fiancée."

After saying that, he straightened up without waiting for her reaction, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

"Good night."

He turned and walked towards his room, leaving Lu Xiran standing there alone, her heart pounding like a drum.