After finishing his statement, Lawyer Zhou respectfully placed the documents on the table and stepped back to stand side by side with Chen Yan.
Under the stunned gazes of Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong, Lin Zhihua spoke slowly, "I don't know what I can present to convince you both. Promises and vows are unreliable. Apart from all the wealth I possess, I don't know how else to express my determination to spend the rest of my life with Jiao Jiao."
Lin Zhihua was utterly serious, his eyes filled with resolve. Cheng Shuo looked into those eyes and found himself speechless.
Cheng Shuo didn't glance down at the contract documents. He kept his gaze fixed on Lin Zhihua, who met his piercing stare with unwavering firmness.
"I've waited so long. I'd already resigned myself to living this life alone—mechanically, numbly, repeating the same days over and over. But then I met Jiao Jiao, the other color in my life." A light shone in Lin Zhihua's eyes as he spoke, and a faint, tender smile touched his lips at the memory.
Cheng Shuo opened his mouth but took a long moment before saying, "Our opinion doesn't matter... It's up to Jiao Jiao to decide..."
Lin Zhihua smiled. "Uncle Cheng, your support—or at least not standing in my way—is enough. As for Jiao Jiao... I believe one day, she'll come to love me too."
Cheng Shuo: "..."
He said nothing more and never spared another glance at the documents, quickly ushering Li Sitong out of the room.
This had backfired!
They'd come here intending to stop Lin Zhihua, yet somehow, they'd nearly been persuaded by him instead!
As soon as they stepped outside, Cheng Shuo let out a heavy sigh.
Li Sitong had remained silent the entire time. Only after they got into the car did she suddenly speak. "I quite like Lin Zhihua. If Jiao Jiao ends up with him, I'd feel at ease."
Cheng Shuo turned to her. "Why?"
"He's right. Though he's older than Jiao Jiao, that comes with advantages. Compared to boys like Yi Tianyu at that age, he can better protect Jiao Jiao and keep her from getting hurt," Li Sitong said softly.
"How do you know he won't hurt Jiao Jiao himself?"
Li Sitong looked up, her gaze distant. "Many men are opportunistic, valuing wealth and face above all else. Yet here's a man who stands at the pinnacle of society, willing to humble himself before the parents of the girl he loves, willing to share his astronomical wealth with her. That level of determination and trust alone is enough for me."
Cheng Shuo fell silent, not starting the car, his eyes fixed blankly ahead.
After a moment, his tone softened slightly. "Still, it has to be Jiao Jiao's choice. Our thoughts on this are irrelevant."
Li Sitong's expression grew worried. "I'm so afraid she'll make the same mistake I did—rushing impulsively into the arms of a man who isn't right for her, only to taste bitterness and regret in the end..."
In her youth, hadn't she been the same? Her father had been wealthy and influential, and she'd been an ivory tower princess, a noble young lady. Yet she'd misjudged someone...
Fortunately, she'd now met the right person.
Li Sitong turned her head and met Cheng Shuo's concerned gaze.
She smiled, reaching out to intertwine her fingers with his.
All she wished was that her daughter wouldn't follow in her footsteps down the wrong path.
Cheng Shuo, Li Sitong, and Lin Zhihua had already met to discuss Xue Jiao's situation.
Yet Gu Xue Jiao, the other party involved, remained completely unaware of it all.
Ever since collaborating with Zheng Jiakun on a calculation, senior apprentice sister Xu Jing had been looking at Xue Jiao with an indescribably complex expression.Such a gaze wasn't unpleasant, but it did feel rather awkward.
After the other undergraduate seniors left, only she and Xu Jing remained in Room 305.
Xue Jiao was studying linear algebra while Xu Jing was... studying her.
The stare was so intense that it became impossible to ignore.
Xue Jiao put down her pen and looked up helplessly. "Senior, is there something you need?"
Their eyes met, and Xu Jing seemed momentarily startled before shaking her head—
"No, nothing. Our tasks are done for now. We'll wait for the project team's next assignment."
"Oh." Xue Jiao nodded and lowered her gaze, preparing to continue reading.
Linear algebra wasn't difficult. Yesterday, she'd encountered a mathematical model in a complex math problem and was now eager to finish linear algebra and probability theory so she could start learning about mathematical modeling.
Mathematical modeling...
Just thinking about it excited her.
But Xu Jing suddenly seemed in the mood for conversation. "Do you always read this fast? You finished advanced mathematics in just over a week?"
Xue Jiao nodded with a smile. "Much of it was material I'd already learned or been exposed to. For the rest, I'm just getting a preliminary understanding. Actual application will come with practice."
The more she learned, the more she realized how little she knew. Right now, Xue Jiao was like a sponge, desperate to absorb everything at once.
Xu Jing's expression grew even more complicated. This junior of hers... truly seemed to love mathematics.
And not only did she have this passion, but she also possessed more talent than ordinary people.
Compared to those with talent, she had four parts more passion and five parts more diligence.
It was... enviable.
"You and Zheng Jiakun... are both amazing," Xu Jing sighed.
"Not at all. Senior Zheng is already busy working in the graduate office every day. I still have a long way to go..." Xue Jiao said helplessly.
Zheng Jiakun was indeed impressive. In just a few days here, Xue Jiao had already heard about his legendary status.
Xu Jing's voice was full of admiration. "Zheng Jiakun's talent is truly remarkable. He was admitted through recommendation, but do you know what his original major was?"
"What was it?" Xue Jiao blinked in surprise.
Xu Jing's voice grew distant. "He was recommended for physics. After admission, he joined Professor Jin's physics research group. But after two months of experiments, he suddenly declared something famous..."
Her voice carried laughter toward the end, clearly recalling something amusing.
Unable to resist, Xue Jiao set down her pen. "What did he say?"
"Zheng Jiakun said he suddenly realized physics was fundamentally mathematics—and that he hadn't even mastered math properly yet. So he decided to go study mathematics instead..."
"Ah?" Xue Jiao was stunned.
"Then he went back to take the college entrance exam again, got into the math department, and returned. Professor Jin was so angry he chased him all the way to our office to beat him up." Xu Jing was clearly enjoying the story.
Xue Jiao remained dumbfounded. "That's allowed???
Xu Jing nodded, her voice tinged with envy again. "Professor Jin only hit him because he couldn't bear to lose him. He's truly exceptional—he excelled in physics, and when people said he'd regret leaving, he proved just as brilliant in mathematics."
"That's... incredible." Xue Jiao needed a long moment to process this before sighing in admiration.
And incredible it was. To be that willful in life required extraordinary ability to back it up.
"Zheng Jiakun's seat is right next to yours," Xu Jing suddenly said.
Xue Jiao froze, glancing at the empty desk beside her before looking back in confusion."But he spends most of his time in the graduate student office, which is extremely busy these days. Recently, he's been having meals brought back by others. The current project involves assisting another group with data and modeling—they're in a real hurry and waiting on it," Xu Jing explained.
Xue Jiao nodded, suddenly understanding.
No wonder the graduate student office door was often closed, hardly ever open. Teacher Tan went in every day too—it must be bustling with activity inside.
"Can we help with anything?" Xue Jiao asked.
Xu Jing shook her head with a meaningful expression. "What could we possibly help with? At most, we can handle the most basic calculations. Apart from Zheng Jiakun, none of the undergraduates can contribute much. Otherwise, I'd love to help, but we're just not needed."
She then added enviously, "You're quite talented. By your junior or senior year, you might be able to assist."
Xue Jiao smiled modestly and said, "I hope I can be of help someday."
Many conclusions are drawn through practice, and knowledge is better mastered in application.
Moreover, after completing projects in the math group, participants could use the data and results to explore ideas and write papers—a significant advantage for academic research.
"Keep at it," Xu Jing encouraged. "We're not Zheng Jiakun, so we just have to work harder ourselves."
She felt somewhat balanced now—it wasn't just her who couldn't help. Even Gu Xue Jiao, with her talent, first prize in the math competition, and Teacher Tan's special invitation to the project group, was in the same boat.
Xu Jing truly felt at ease now.
Xue Jiao nodded and returned to her book.
She had always known that she stood higher than many, in a position others envied.
But there's always someone better, skies beyond skies.
In this world, there were people like Lin Zhihua—exceptionally versatile; Yang Zhan, the "Prince of Science" who shone in high school with specially approved chemistry and physics labs; Zheng Jiakun, whose capability backed his willfulness; a graduate student at Tsinghua who had already won multiple awards, including invention prizes and over a dozen patents; and countless other remarkable individuals at Tsinghua...
With so many outstanding people, envy was pointless.
Reaching a new height meant looking up at the "geniuses" above. Focusing only on them would lead to a fall.
Cheng Mingjiao was a cautionary tale, one Xue Jiao kept in mind.
She wasn't the best now, but she might achieve something remarkable in the future.
For now, she needed to work hard, step by step, steadily climbing upward.
With a faint smile, Xue Jiao lowered her head, eyes bright, and resumed her studies.
Just as she thought the entire day would pass in study, at 2 p.m., the door of Room 307 opened, and a senior rushed in—
"Is anyone here?"
Xu Jing quickly stood up and stepped forward. "Senior Niu, what's wrong? Do you need help?"
"Is Gu Xue Jiao here?" Senior Niu sounded urgent.
Both Xue Jiao and Xu Jing froze momentarily.
"I'm here," Xue Jiao raised her hand.
"Are you free now? Zheng Jiakun said your computational skills are strong—could you come and help?" Though hurried, Senior Niu's tone remained polite.Xue Jiao quickly stood up, sensing Senior Niu's urgency. "Of course."
"Let's go, let's go."
Senior Niu led the way, with Xue Jiao following behind, carrying her notebook and laptop.
Xu Jing stood frozen in place, stunned.
What had she just heard?
Projects in the graduate office were usually reserved for third and fourth-year students!
And yet, Xue Jiao was already being taken there now!
As Xu Jing stood there questioning her life choices, Xue Jiao hurried after Senior Niu toward the office.
This was Xue Jiao's first time entering the graduate office. Its layout was different from the others.
Most offices had individual desks scattered throughout the space.
But Room 307 wasn't like that.
Here, the single desks were arranged around the perimeter, while the center was dominated by a massive conference table where everyone gathered.
The table, occupying nearly a third of the office, was now cluttered with all sorts of things—large brackets, two computers, scattered papers, oversized rulers and compasses, and the noisy chatter of senior students.
"Hand me that ruler!"
"Guazi, haven't you finished calculating yet? I need it!"
"Hold on, hold on—stop distracting me!"
"Old Bai, is the simulation done yet?"
"Still a long way off—it needs another half hour!"
"Old Bai, just give up. That parameter's wrong."
"Then give me the right one!"
"Wait for Zheng Jiakun to finish calculating!"
"That could take forever. Should we just sit around twiddling our thumbs while the model runs?"
"Running the model first to check for issues isn't a bad idea."
...
The room buzzed with overlapping voices—some talking, others shouting.
Senior Niu led Xue Jiao inside, but no one even noticed.
Looking at the chaotic scene, Xue Jiao couldn't help but smile faintly.
She liked it here.
"Gu Xue Jiao is here," Senior Niu announced.
Instantly, the office fell silent as the seniors all looked up.
Then they froze.
"Old Bai," who was working on numerical simulations, blinked and hastily smoothed his messy hair.
He... hadn't combed it in two days.
Two other male students sheepishly adjusted their clothes. Senior Niu laughed. "What, cat got your tongues now that there's a pretty girl here? No more work to do?"
"Uh... Junior... have a seat..."
One of the seniors hastily pulled over a chair—only to find it buried under a pile of books and papers.
The senior: "..."
Embarrassed, he pushed it back. "Junior... maybe just stand for now..."
Xue Jiao smiled warmly. "Hello, seniors. Is there anything I can help with?"
From the far end of the room, Zheng Jiakun raised his hand. "Over here!"
Xue Jiao hurried over, clutching her notebook and pen.
Zheng Jiakun cleared off a chair for her. "Sit. Have you studied linear algebra? Do you know mathematical modeling?"
"I've studied linear algebra, and I've touched on mathematical modeling, but I'm not proficient yet," Xue Jiao answered honestly.
Zheng Jiakun nodded and pulled out another stack of densely packed data. "Right now, we need to determine parameters. The existing data is usable, but it needs filtering. Manual work is faster than machines here. I'll explain how to filter and define the ranges, then we'll collaborate on the calculations."
"Got it." Xue Jiao didn't waste words, simply agreeing.
At the front of the room, the seniors who had been silently watching exchanged bewildered glances.When Zheng Jiakun started explaining the calculations to Xue Jiao, one senior nudged another beside him—
"Hey, do you think the junior has a thing for the junior sister? Otherwise, why would he bring in someone who knows nothing and needs teaching on the spot?"
"Could be... But Zheng Jiakun is usually so serious. Who knew he had such tricks up his sleeve?"
"She's such a pretty girl! Of course, he'd want to make the first move!"
"Makes sense..."
Another senior sister rolled her eyes. "No way. Zheng Jiakun knows we're waiting for his parameters. How could he have time to flirt at a time like this?"
"Then why do you think he did it?"
"...No idea."
"See? You don’t know either! Haha!"
"Stop chatting and get back to work!"
...
They couldn’t figure out why, assuming Zheng Jiakun had suddenly become enlightened and was trying to flirt.
But half an hour later—
"What’s the value of w?"
"4.27."
"k is 716."
"Got it." Xue Jiao’s lips moved silently before she said, "Hmm... w, 9.33."
"Okay." Zheng Jiakun paused briefly, then said, "k is 657."
...
The two went back and forth, responding swiftly, scribbling numbers on paper, crossing some out, and keeping others.
The senior brothers: "..."
The senior sisters: "..."
"Gu Xue Jiao is keeping up with Zheng Jiakun’s calculations??"
"Damn, I thought only Zheng Jiakun could do this. The parameters would’ve taken forever, but now we might get them soon?"
"I thought the junior sister... was just a noob..."
"She’s a freaking grandmaster!"
As Lin Zhihua had said, looks could be both a blessing and a curse.
Xue Jiao was too pretty. When Zheng Jiakun brought her in, their first thought was that he was trying to flirt!
Not that this junior sister might actually be brilliant.
"Incredible..."
"Figures... whether it’s junior brothers or junior sisters... anyone with 'junior' in their title is no joke..."
"No kidding. Otherwise, how could they join Teacher Tan’s project team so early?"
"True."
—
Working with Zheng Jiakun again, the difficulty had increased significantly. By the time Xue Jiao finished calculating, it was exactly six o’clock.
Her temples throbbed, her mind pushed to its limits.
It could even be said she had overexerted her brain.
Zheng Jiakun clearly wasn’t feeling great either, frowning as he massaged his temples.
Senior Bai and Senior Niu came over, one massaging Zheng Jiakun’s shoulders, the other Xue Jiao’s.
"Good work, good work. Go rest early and get some proper sleep," Senior Niu said with a smile, pressing Xue Jiao’s temples gently.
Xue Jiao squirmed slightly, embarrassed.
Senior Niu chuckled. Though her looks were plain, her smile was warm. "You need this. In the math department, we often overwork our brains. Without a massage, you might not even get up tomorrow morning—your head would be splitting."
"Junior sister, sit still and let me do this. You and Zheng Jiakun worked all afternoon, crunching numbers that would’ve taken us two or three days. You deserve top-notch service—I’ve honed my skills!" With that, she took their data and ran the model on Senior Bai’s computer.
After a while, Senior Niu stopped. "Alright, junior sister, go rest now.""Thank you, senior sister, and all the senior brothers." Xue Jiao smiled. Her head was indeed feeling a bit uncomfortable as she gathered her notebook and pen and left room 307.
When closing the door, she glanced back at the busy figures inside, a faint smile on her lips.
She needed to learn more. Calculation had always been her strength, and she could maintain that, but she couldn’t rely on it alone.
She had to acquire more knowledge to achieve greater results.
Xue Jiao shut the door and returned to room 305, then left under Xu Jing’s complicated gaze.
She walked slowly, her head still bothering her, but when she was just outside the school gates, her steps faltered.
A boy stood not far away—a familiar one.
Yi Tianyu.
She hadn’t thought much about him lately, and now, seeing him again, her emotions were tangled.
But the heartache that had once made her want to cry… seemed to have faded.
Was it just a fleeting crush of youth, never truly deep to begin with?
A bitter feeling rose in Xue Jiao’s chest.
Yi Tianyu had lost some weight. He wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, hands in his pockets, walking toward her slowly.
His eyes were still stubborn, brimming with youthful vigor and pride.
"Bookworm, I came to see you."
His voice was the same as before, but there was something more layered in it now.
Xue Jiao buried all her emotions and smiled. "Tianyu, long time no see."
Long time no see…
Was this how all those once-sprouting feelings ended—just a light, casual "long time no see"?
Yi Tianyu tugged at the corner of his lips and stepped closer. "So, uh… I enrolled at Fudan University. I thought about it, and you were right—you were looking out for me. I shouldn’t have been so stubborn."
Xue Jiao’s fingers tightened slightly. She took a quiet breath and smiled. "I’m glad you figured it out."
Yi Tianyu shifted his weight, hesitating, his face flushing slightly. "Also… I’m sorry about that day. I left you alone there."
Then, his voice turned urgent. "I went back to find you! But you were already gone!"
Xue Jiao nodded, watching him.
She didn’t mention how much it had hurt that day, nor how hard she had cried.
There was no point in saying those things now.
"And also… I came from Shanghai today. It’s not far, really doesn’t take long! So… so…" Yi Tianyu’s face grew even redder.
"Hmm?"
"So… do I have a chance to pursue you? I know you don’t like me yet, but I’ll work hard—hard enough to make you like me!" He clenched his fists, his voice firm.
Xue Jiao looked at him, really looked at him.
Then, she shook her head. "Yi Tianyu, we’re not suited for each other. Don’t like me anymore."
"Why not? Where don’t we match? Shanghai and Beijing are close! After I graduate, I’ll go wherever you are!" His voice was urgent. "I’ll visit you every week—how are we not suited?"
Xue Jiao lowered her head, speaking softly. "Your father’s company is in C City. If you go back to inherit it one day, and my dad has moved to Beijing—I want to stay here too. I’ll do my master’s, maybe even a Ph.D., and stay here long-term… Right now, it’s Shanghai and Beijing. Later, it’ll be Beijing and C City. The distance… will always be there."She was determined to study here for many, many years. The foundation of Dafa Real Estate was in City C, with all its assets rooted there. Even Pengcheng had suffered significant losses by moving to the capital. If Dafa Real Estate were to relocate, it would be a devastating blow.
Xue Jiao pressed on relentlessly: "You once said your dream was basketball, that you would pursue it in the future. By then, who knows how much farther apart we’d be?"
Yi Tianyu was stunned. He had never considered the issue of distance in the future.
To him, Xue Jiao and he were still the same desk mates, sitting side by side as before.
At this age, immature boys and mature girls rarely end up together.
He was full of passion, but he had never planned or arranged for the future.
He believed they could be together forever, yet he hadn’t thought about the conditions required for that forever.
Reality shatters dreams, as well as the illusions of the past.
Xue Jiao looked up at him and said earnestly, “Yi Tianyu, I’m also very busy and don’t have time for a relationship. Please don’t like me anymore—we’re really not suited for each other.”
She had always known they weren’t compatible. What she wanted and what he wanted were entirely different.
Just like how he thought that by applying to Fudan instead of stubbornly insisting on a university near Tsinghua, then standing before her to announce his decision, she would be happy.
He could take a train from Shanghai to Beijing and tell her the distance wasn’t that far—they could be together forever.
But it wasn’t like that. Two people who love each other and are compatible grow together, supporting one another.
It should bring happiness, not become a burden.
Yi Tianyu would never understand why Xue Jiao had been so angry—even immediately realizing they were fundamentally incompatible—when she learned he had planned to apply to a university near Tsinghua.
Because in that moment, he had placed a heavy burden on her, like shackles.
He couldn’t comprehend her. The young man only had overwhelming affection, bitter and helpless.
“Then give me a chance to pursue you!” Yi Tianyu persisted, his voice urgent, his eyes gradually reddening.
Xue Jiao looked at him. “We’re still young. Liking someone isn’t the same as love—it’s not something soul-deep. Yi Tianyu, I hope you’ll always be well. The ocean is vast for fish to leap, the sky is high for birds to soar. Don’t just follow me, only knowing how to chase after me. You have your own life—you should pursue your own dreams.”
He could chase after her for a while, willfully declaring he’d follow her anywhere.
But she feared that willfulness. The young Yi Tianyu could only see her now, but what about later?
Xue Jiao couldn’t gamble on how long his determination would last. She’d rather he walked his own path instead of making impulsive decisions before even stepping forward.
Yi Tianyu couldn’t understand. All he knew was that Xue Jiao was rejecting him.
“Do you really not like me at all?” His voice trembled.
Xue Jiao nodded. “Yes.”
Those budding feelings that had just sprouted before being nipped—Xue Jiao thought it best to let them fade.
Rather than letting him know, it was better he never found out.
If she had never given him hope, perhaps he would move on faster.
Those past sprouts of emotion, the little confusions of youth—let them remain as her own memories.
The pain of youth, though bitter, would soon pass.
Yi Tianyu’s face paled, something falling from his eyes. He immediately turned away so Xue Jiao wouldn’t see.
“Got it, got it. You’re really heartless, bookworm!”
His voice choked. “I’m going back. Maybe we’ll see each other again someday.”
He said he was leaving, but his feet didn’t move.
“Goodbye,” Xue Jiao whispered, biting her lower lip.
Seeing that Xue Jiao wasn’t stopping him, Yi Tianyu took a step forward, leaving in anger and sorrow.
From another direction, Lin Zhihua, who had rushed over drenched in sweat, let out a sigh of relief.He had learned about Yi Tianyu coming to see Xue Jiao an hour ago. At that moment, his face had turned pale with fright.
No matter how strategically brilliant Lin Zhihua was, no matter how clearly he could analyze situations, when it came to Xue Jiao, he lost his composure.
He feared Xue Jiao might develop feelings for Yi Tianyu again, feared she might choose Yi Tianyu.
Feared that his beloved, his salvation, would end up with someone else.
Lin Zhihua rushed over in a hurry, but his car got stuck in traffic on the road ahead. He got out directly and ran off under Chen Yan's astonished gaze.
This was the first time Lin Zhihua, dressed in a proper suit, had behaved so undignifiedly by running over.
The last time he had been this frantic was when Xue Jiao had called him in tears.
He took a deep breath, his furrowed brow relaxing as he approached Xue Jiao.
"Jiao Jiao..."
Xue Jiao was still staring blankly in the direction Yi Tianyu had left.
Lin Zhihua's heart ached. He opened his mouth: "Don't look anymore... you..."
Xue Jiao suddenly said, "You were right, Lin Zhihua. Maybe I don't really understand love yet, and maybe I didn't truly like him that much."
Lin Zhihua froze.
"When he left, I felt a bit sad, but I didn't have the slightest urge to call him back. I was too clearly aware that we weren't suited for each other. In fact, knowing we weren't compatible seemed to make whatever affection I had fade away..." Xue Jiao frowned slightly, puzzled.
Lin Zhihua didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The budding feelings Xue Jiao had for Yi Tianyu had already faded.
But... she still didn't understand love.
Xue Jiao withdrew her gaze and smiled with relief: "What's past is past. No need to add unnecessary troubles. His focus should be on himself, on his future. I hope he does well from now on, that he can chase his dreams and achieve them, making his youth worthwhile."
She had wronged him and hoped heaven would be kind to this boy.
Xue Jiao smiled, her expression one of release.
Lin Zhihua watched her expression, and the corners of his mouth gradually lifted.
But then Xue Jiao suddenly changed the subject, puzzled: "By the way, why are you here?"
Noticing his sweat-drenched forehead and disheveled clothes, she was shocked: "You're..."
"I..." Lin Zhihua slowly opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words, unsure how to explain.
At that moment, a black car pulled up in front of them. Both were startled and turned to look.
The door opened, and an elderly man with white hair, leaning on a cane, slowly stepped out.
His presence was imposing. A middle-aged man beside him tried to offer support but was pushed away.
"Lin Zhihua," the old man said slowly, tapping his cane on the ground.
This was Master Lin.
Lin Zhihua raised an eyebrow, his expression turning cold: "Did Father let you out?"
Master Lin flew into a rage: "Lin Zhihua! I am your grandfather! How dare you speak to me like that!"
Lin Zhihua sneered, not bothering to respond. He was waiting for Chen Yan and the others to arrive and take this man away.
Master Lin raised a hand and pointed at Gu Xue Jiao: "This girl is too young, not even an adult yet. Since you're back to normal, meet the young ladies I've arranged for you. They're all from respectable families."
Lin Zhihua's face darkened.Master Lin continued, "I've said before, as long as you marry and have children properly, all my assets will be yours, including the remaining five percent shares of the Lin Corporation. This girl is too young, just a little brat, her family background isn't good either, and she's not even Pengcheng's biological child."
Lin Zhihua's eyes darkened like ink. Upon hearing the last sentence, he couldn't control himself and was about to speak.
Someone beside him tugged at his sleeve. Lin Zhihua paused and looked at Xue Jiao.
Xue Jiao stopped him from speaking and instead stepped forward herself. "Are you Master Lin?"
Master Lin looked at Xue Jiao with sharp, disdainful eyes.
He thought Xue Jiao was trying to curry favor with him—impossible! No matter what she said, he would never agree to Lin Zhihua marrying some little brat!
Xue Jiao nodded and said, "Then it seems you are. Hello, I'm Gu Xue Jiao. Do you think I'm the person Lin Zhihua wants to marry?"
"Hmph!" Master Lin snorted coldly. "I will never agree!"
Xue Jiao smiled. She stood in front of Lin Zhihua, shielding him as if protecting him from behind.
She looked straight at Master Lin, her lips curled in provocation. "But why do we need your agreement? What right or standing do you have to agree?"
OpenNovel