Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Conditions

No. This is not a proposal; this is, fundamentally, a business negotiation.

Gu Nuan’s cold lips curled up, "Mr. Xiao has probably said this to many women before."

"Oh, no." He shook his head, "You know, this kind of business can only be negotiated once in a lifetime. So I am certainly very meticulous and cautious about it."

"Mr. Xiao really knows how to joke. With your assets, Mr. Xiao, to speak modestly, negotiating such deals a hundred times in a lifetime would seem perfectly normal to others."

Wealthy people getting married and divorced is just like putting on a play, isn’t it? They have the capital and the energy to indulge in such matters willingly, unlike the ordinary folks who lack such means.

When Gu Nuan took another sip of water to moisten her throat, the man across her suddenly leaned forward as if his eagle-like eyes had spotted something new on her face.

Suddenly, a man’s face came close to hers. Gu Nuan indeed felt a small shock in her heart. She slightly tightened her grip on the glass in her hand, maintaining her composure while facing the face whose warmth could almost reach her.

The face before her was undeniably handsome by modern standards, but what was really startling were his eyes. They were like those she had seen in the animal kingdom, emitting a terrifying greenish glow, reminiscent of a wild beast, not one that bursts out attacking, but one that waits for the opportunity, focusing intently like it is about to pounce.

The feeling was terrifying, yes, like being bound by ropes, completely unable to move. The fear and tension filling her heart could drive a person mad.

"Mr. Xiao?"

"I had thought that someone as intelligent as Miss Gu would have learned by now. Yet, do you still confuse love with marriage?"

"What makes Mr. Xiao arrive at such a conclusion? How could love possibly be equated with marriage?"

"Then what differences do you see between the two?"

"Isn’t it often said that marriage is the graveyard of love?"

The man’s lips suddenly curled into a smile, as if a cunning crescent moon had slyly emerged from the clouds, savoring her words with a cunning twist.

"I thought Miss Gu, with your brilliant academic record in Finance, could explain this distinction more incisively. Surely, using more professional terms would better showcase that Miss Gu is indeed a financier?"

Gu Nuan collected herself, trying her best not to look into this man’s soul-snaring eyes, "Mr. Xiao means to say, love and marriage are completely different commodities."

"How can love be considered a commodity? Love is always magnificent, selfless, and not asking for anything in return—that is what love is, isn’t it? If it asks for something in return, that’s false love. Although everyone hopes for reciprocation while loving someone else, it is human nature to be selfish; hence, most people in this world do not experience true love."

Gu Nuan quietly, with his eyes close by, took another sip from her water glass.

What a terrifying woman, to be able to drink water at such a time.

Xiao Yebai narrowed his eyes at her seemingly plummeting gaze.

"I understand what Mr. Xiao means now," Gu Nuan said, "Marriage is a valuable investment, whereas love is worthless, not even considered a commodity."

"Do you disagree?"

"No. I agree."

She raised her eyes boldly to meet his beast-like gaze. If she had to describe these eyes with an animal, Gu Nuan would think they most resembled the most dreadful creature in the animal kingdom—a crocodile.

"Mr. Xiao, are you saying you want to invest in your own marriage?"

"I believe you too would want to invest in your own marriage. Unfortunately, the man you previously wanted to invest in didn’t think you were a worthy investment."

Marriage is like this. You invest in me, I invest in you.

Gu Nuan’s lips slightly curled up. This man, although every sentence he uttered was cold as if indifferent and merciless, spoke nothing but the truth. All that talk about love, merely beautiful illusions.

When a woman is interested in a man, if not for his car or his house, she at least looks for his potential or his lifelong loyalty.

Similarly, men look for the same in a woman, without exception.

As for why love isn’t an investment while marriage is—putting it more practically, using this man’s professional words, in a nutshell, love lacks legal constraints, meaning it’s unprotected by law. Marriage, on the other hand, is the only legally recognized relationship between a man and a woman and is protected by law.

An investor would never invest in something that isn’t protected by law—that would be utterly unreliable!

"Since some people think I am not worth investing in, why does Mr. Xiao—"

"Ah." His finger suddenly touched her lips.

Gu Nuan was startled, not expecting his finger, pale as though bloodless but slightly warm inside, now touching her lips. It felt as if it could ignite like a matchstick struck against a matchbox. She gently leaned back.

The man across didn’t seem to notice her subtle move and continued with a villainous, cunning crocodile smirk, "The value of something isn’t determined just because someone says so. He gave up on you just shows his lack of vision."

Gu Nuan’s lips twitched, "Meaning to say, Mr. Xiao has better vision than him."

"Of course!"

"Is this how Mr. Xiao flatters women?"

"Have I flattered you?"

This man—Gu Nuan drank another sip of water.

"Miss Gu, if you think our partnership has merit, you can head to the Civil Affairs Bureau anytime, anywhere, right now, immediately."

Such impatience? Gu Nuan felt a sudden urge to check if this man had a fever. She wasn’t like those love-struck fools who think that a relationship proposal from a tall, handsome, and rich man could send them floating into the clouds, forgetting that they were more akin to an ugly duckling, nowhere near matching a high-class prince.

This man surely had some motive.

"Partnerships require a contract, don’t they? What are your terms, Mr. Xiao?"

"My terms are simple. For marriage, registration is of course necessary, with a marriage certificate to be issued. During the marriage, the basic expectation for the couple is to present a united front, absolutely no betrayal."

Gu Nuan didn’t find his words excessive, so she did not voice any objection.

"As for the compensation for Miss Gu, don’t worry, it will definitely be generous. First of all, I will gift Miss Gu a large present, making that mother and son jump into the river, how about that?"

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