Chapter 28: What Good Is It, No Matter How Wonderful She Is?

Fu Jincheng had been retired for many years. In the eyes of others, he was a kindly, gentle man; after so many years spent navigating officialdom, how could he ever lose his composure so easily?

But at this moment, the look he gave Gu Shenshen was filled with astonishment.

"Please try it, the soup is very fresh," Gu Shenshen said with a gentle smile, ladling a bowl of soup and placing it in front of Fu Jincheng.

The two men with the surname Zhou at the table both frowned in unison, and the atmosphere grew tense.

With anyone else, Gu Shenshen’s abrupt and disrespectful behavior today would surely have been met with a cold face—why should Fu Jincheng drink her soup?

"Gu Shenshen, you’re out of line!" Zhou Ci finally snapped at her in a cold voice.

Fu Jincheng raised his hand to halt Zhou Ci, then turned his gaze to Gu Shenshen, asking, "Your surname is Gu?"

Only now did he glance at the five dishes and one soup on the table: Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, Twice-cooked Pork, a fragrant bowl dish, Chicken Giblets with Pickled Peppers, Silken Tofu Chicken, and Matsutake Beef Soup.

Except for the Silken Tofu Chicken, which was a state banquet dish, the others were all very homestyle and not the sort of refined Jiangnan cuisine one would expect in Shangcheng.

Gu Shenshen replied with a quiet smile and then took a seat beside Zhou Ci.

Fu Jincheng took a sip of the soup. Though he didn’t show it openly, a hint of delight still flashed across his face, caught by those present.

Zhou Yili, whose gaze was usually warm and restrained, now looked at her with a probing curiosity.

She was strikingly beautiful, her figure and features nearly flawless, and those delicate, fair hands hardly suggested someone skilled in the kitchen.

"Come, eat while the dishes are still warm. They won’t taste as good if they cool," Fu Jincheng said, smiling as he invited everyone to eat.

It was clear to all that Fu Jincheng enjoyed this meal the most.

He never directly revealed Gu Shenshen’s identity, which left the others at the table itching with curiosity.

After the meal, the conversation flowed pleasantly for about an hour, and then Fu Jincheng’s other two friends arrived.

The evening’s entertainment was simple—an old-fashioned card game favored by the elderly.

With one seat short, Gu Shenshen volunteered to join in.

After seeing how deftly she handled the game and interacted with the elders, Zhou Yili quietly withdrew from the card room.

He found Zhou Ci waiting outside the door, and shot him a meaningful smile. "When you were young, you relied on your mother. Now you rely on your ex-girlfriend. You really are lucky—never wanting for someone to support you."

Zhou Ci returned his mocking smile, "Why are you leaving so soon? You haven’t even said what you came to say."

Zhou Yili could see the hint of satisfaction Zhou Ci tried to hide. Who would have thought that the stunningly beautiful woman at his side was also so accomplished? It had truly caught him off guard.

"This round, you win. Congratulations."

He finally understood why Zhou Ci had gone to such lengths to bring a woman back. Gu Shenshen was far more than just a lucky charm.

With a sneer that didn’t reach his eyes, Zhou Ci said, "Take care, brother."

Zhou Yili took a few steps, then stopped and looked back. "But what’s the use, no matter how good she is? In the end, you still have to marry Pei Wan."

Zhou Yili’s smile was both refined and roguish. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and through the lenses his gaze was filled with disdain.

Zhou Ci’s expression slowly stiffened and then turned cold and indifferent.

Gu Shenshen played cards with the elders until eleven o’clock, and Zhou Ci waited for her the entire time.

Later, the elders sought Zhou Ci out for a private chat, and it was clear they’d greatly enjoyed themselves.

When it was time to leave, Fu Jincheng even personally saw them to the door.

"Xiao Gu, if you’re not busy tomorrow evening, come play again."

Gu Shenshen smiled and nodded, "Of course, I’ll come earlier tomorrow."

Once in the car, she finally raised her hand to knead her aching shoulder. "The health resort project is practically a sure thing now. Mr. Zhou, I’ve done what you asked."

If this project could be successfully established in Shangcheng, she truly would be the chief contributor.

Listening to her slightly provocative tone, Zhou Ci’s voice dropped coldly, "You’ve already sold yourself to me. Isn’t this exactly what you should be doing?"