novelraw Chapter 38 There's No Place for You
Chapter 38 There's No Place for You
"Yan Shen." As soon as Ling Xue received Gu Yan Shen's WeChat message, she went to his private office in the hotel.
As soon as the door closed, Gu Yanshen turned around, his brows furrowed, his voice low and clearly displeased and wary: "What are you doing here?"
"Ranran asked me to be her bridesmaid." Ling Xue slightly raised her chin, her eyes deliberately innocent and gentle, as if stating a fact. "I've always felt bad about her being hurt, and I originally only wanted to sing a song at your wedding to express my blessings. But she mentioned that she needed a bridesmaid, and I... happened to be free, so I agreed." She paused, her gaze fixed on Gu Yanshen, a hint of stubbornness and grievance in her voice, "Yanshen, I must be at your wedding. Even if... I'm not the bride."
"Song Zhihe, you..." Gu Yanshen's jawline tightened, and a chill gathered in his eyes.
He knew her methods all too well; she appeared to be passively accepting, but in reality, she was maneuvering step by step.
"Just like back then," Ling Xue interrupted him at the right moment, her voice even softer, yet every word clear, striking at his most vulnerable spot where he couldn't harden his heart, "No matter how dangerous or impossible it is, I will definitely save you."
She knew all too well how to use that indelible "favor" to put herself in a position he couldn't refuse outright.
Gu Yanshen's words choked in his throat.
He can fight back without hesitation against the fierce attacks of his business rivals, but he can never be truly ruthless towards this "life-saving grace".
"If you ask me to leave now, won't she become suspicious?" Ling Xue took a step forward, softening her tone and adding just the right amount of "consideration." "Since she doesn't know anything, let her be a completely happy and regretless bride today. I promise I'll just quietly fulfill my role as a bridesmaid and won't disturb you at all."
She always does this, embedding irrefutable reasons within seemingly conciliatory words.
Just then, the office door was pushed open from the outside.
Aunt Yun pushed Bai Fang, who was sitting in a wheelchair, slowly in. The old lady's face was calm, but her eyes were sharp as a hawk, shooting straight at Ling Xue.
"No!" Bai Fang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, making it exceptionally clear in the quiet office. She didn't even glance at Gu Yanshen, her gaze fixed solely on Ling Xue, her eyes seemingly piercing through any pretense. "Since you chose to leave five years ago, you should be thorough and never come back. This wedding," she said, enunciating each word clearly, "has no place for you."
Her gaze swept over Ling Xue's pearl-white dress, which was almost identical to that of a bride, and her brows furrowed imperceptibly. This was hardly a blessing; it was clearly an attempt to steal the bride's place.
"Grandma, I..." Ling Xue subconsciously took a small step back. She could still manage to deal with Gu Yanshen, but in front of Bai Fang, her little thoughts seemed to have nowhere to hide.
Of all the members of the Gu family, only this old lady remained cold and indifferent to her from beginning to end.
"You don't need to explain to me, and I don't have time to listen." Bai Fang interrupted directly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. She turned to Gu Yanshen, her tone softening, but carrying a deeper warning, "Yanshen, today is a big day for you and Ranran. Don't waste your time on irrelevant people." She nodded slightly to Aunt Yun, "Have someone escort this young lady out."
Bai Fang's tone was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure. Ling Xue bit her lip, knowing that continuing the stalemate would be pointless, so she lowered her eyelashes, barely maintaining her composure, and said in a low voice, "...Then I won't disturb you any longer." She turned and left, her back still elegant, but her steps slightly hurried.
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 10 ...
Only after the door closed again did Bai Fang sigh and look at her grandson, whose expression was complicated: "Ranran is such a simple-minded child, how could we have let her be a bridesmaid?"
"I just found out too." Gu Yanshen rubbed his temples.
"The most important thing right now is to get the wedding done." Bai Fang patted the back of his hand, her tone loving yet clear-headed. "You must find a suitable opportunity later to explain this to Ranran properly. Otherwise, if she finds out from others in the future, it will hurt her even more."
"I understand, Grandma."
"Okay, I'll go check on how Ranran's preparations are going." Bai Fang gestured for Aunt Yun to push her away.
Ling Xue left the office but didn't go straight downstairs. She turned a corner in a quiet corridor, seemingly searching for something, and happened to "get lost" into a relatively spacious rest area. A reporter from a certain media outlet, who was already "waiting" there, immediately exclaimed in "excitement," "Ling Xue! It's Ling Xue!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to attract the attention of other invited media outlets nearby. In an instant, several media cameras turned to her.
"Ms. Ling! You look absolutely stunning today! Are you attending Mr. Gu's wedding as a guest?"
"Miss Ling, your dress... seems particularly formal. Is there some special arrangement?"
A sharp-eyed reporter immediately noticed the exquisite bridesmaid corsage in her hand, and the question instantly turned sharp: "Ms. Ling! Is that a bridesmaid corsage? What is your relationship with today's bride, Ms. Lu? How did you become her bridesmaid?"
Ling Xue subtly feigned a hint of "helplessness," as if she hadn't expected to be surrounded. She took a slight step back, seemingly wanting to explain, but her foot "accidentally" slipped, and she cried out softly as she fell to the side—
Almost simultaneously, Gu Yanshen, who had just finished dealing with his business and was passing by, instinctively reached out and supported her arm, steadying her.
"Snap! Snap, snap!"
Countless flashes went off at that moment, precisely capturing the scene—Gu Yanshen was holding Ling Xue's arm, Ling Xue turned slightly to the side, her hair slightly disheveled, and when she looked up at him, her eyes held a complex and unreadable expression. The brief contact between the two, from a certain angle, even revealed a hint of ambiguous "intimacy".
Within ten minutes, the breaking news, first published by the "online news outlet" where the reporter had just worked, along with the carefully chosen photo and sensational headline, instantly ignited the entire internet:
[A perfect match! At their wedding, the CEO of Gu's Group and international superstar Ling Xue were "unexpectedly" seen together, their eyes locked in a passionate gaze!]
The trending topics list exploded instantly.
#Gu Yanshen Ling Xue#
#WeddingBridesmaid#
#FictionIsRealLife#
The comment section was flooded with comments at an alarming rate:
[My God! That eye contact! That atmosphere! They're a perfect match!]
This is what a top-tier powerhouse and a top-tier superstar should look like! A powerful alliance!
[An international superstar versus a fallen heiress... Is this a suspenseful choice? Give me a second and I'll choose Ling Xue!]
[The bridesmaid and the groom... Help! I've already written a whole novel about body doubles in my head!]
[Meeting true love on your wedding day? What an old-fashioned angst novel opening!]
Am I the only one who thinks Ling Xue's bridesmaid dress is a little too beautiful?
[Adding to the comment above, it seems the bride is being overshadowed...]
So, will the wedding still go smoothly? Let's wait and see what happens next!