Translator: _Min_
Zhou Ciâs eyes sparkled as he straightened up. âThank you, Miss Gu Dai.â
Gu Dai nodded, gracefully accepting Zhou Ciâs gratitude. âYouâve apologized, you can leave now.â
Zhou Ci paused, surprised at the abrupt dismissal.
After he regained his composure, he leaned closer to Gu Dai. âMiss Gu, weâve known each other for many years. Donât you think we can at least be considered friends? Wonât you invite me in?â
Gu Dai cast a sidelong glance at him. âWeâve known each other for a long time, true, but our relationship has never extended beyond that. I wouldnât say weâre friends.â
Zhou Ci felt as if heâd been stabbed. With a victimized look, he whispered, âFair enough, I was presumptuous. But itâs okay. Even if weâre not friends now, I believe weâll become friends in the future.â
Sighing softly, Gu Dai reconsidered her initial resistance to him, especially given his recent apology. âAlright, come in.â
Zhou Ci, who had been ready to leave, found himself pleasantly surprised. âThank you,â he said quickly, following her into the villa.
As they walked, Zhou Ci couldnât help but shower Gu Dai with compliments. âYou look even more beautiful than the last time 1 saw you. Those earrings suit you exceptionally well, and your outfit, down to the shoes, complements you perfectly.â
Zhou Ci wasnât lying; from the moment he stepped out of the car and laid eyes on Gu Dai, he was captivated. His heartbeat accelerated, each thump louder than the last.
Meng Zhi, overhearing Zhou Ciâs endless praises, looked at him and said, âYou have good taste, certainly better than your brother.â
It took Zhou Ci a moment to realize that the âbrotherâ Meng Zhi was referring to was Song Ling. He nodded vigorously, puffing out his chest. âOf course!â
Zhou Ci then sighed softly, âThe moment I laid eyes on Miss Gu, I knew she was someone of exceptional character, far superior to that woman named Jiang Yue. I even wanted to warn Song Ling a few times that Jiang Yue was bad news, but the man was so stubborn he never gave me the chance to speak.â
Gu Dai and Meng Zhi listened to Zhou Ciâs words, neither of them commenting. They simply looked at him, their gazes heavy with skepticism.
Zhou Ci sensed the skepticism in their eyes. A little embarrassed, he cleared his throat and pulled a small box from his pocket. Opening it, he presented it to Gu Dai, steering the conversation in a new direction. âI saw this necklace a couple of days ago while browsing a jewelry store. The moment I laid eyes on it, 1 thought it would suit you perfectly. 1 hope youâll accept it.â
Zhou Ci had roamed the world of romance for years and had come into contact with many women. He had developed a keen eye for jewelry.
Gu Dai glanced at the necklace and immediately recognized its suitability for her. She nodded approvingly. âYou have good taste.â n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Zhou Ci beamed, clearly delighted by her affirmation. âMay I put it on for you?â
Meng Zhi frowned, emitting a series of deliberate coughs to assert his presence. When Zhou Ci looked his way, Meng Zhi said coldly, âIâve bought many pieces of jewelry for Daidai. She doesnât need to wear yours right away.â
Although Zhou Ci seemed to be behaving well, Meng Zhi remembered his past as a playboy and couldnât help but view him unfavorably.
Meng Zhi might not have liked Zhou Ci, but he didnât want to interfere in Gu Daiâs personal affairs. Instead, he quietly warned her, âDaidai, be careful with this one. Heâs slick with words. Youâre a simple girl; donât fall into his trap.â
Gu Dai was both amused and touched. She could clearly sense that her brother had an idealized, perhaps overly protective view of her, as if she were a naive rabbit easily fooled.
To ease Meng Zhiâs concerns, she nodded earnestly, whispering, âDonât worry, I can judge character. I wonât be deceived by Zhou Ci..â