Wang Mansion
By the time Ruoxi got home, the house was quiet.
Lights dimmed, no footsteps, no voices.
Perfect.
She slipped inside carefully, closing the door behind her with practiced ease. The last thing she needed was her parents catching her and starting a midnight lecture about "a lady shouldn't be out this late."
After taking her shoes off, she moved through the hallway like a thief in her own home, finally reaching her room.
A quick shower and then bed, but sleep refused to come. Ruoxi stared at the ceiling, turning slightly, then again.
"Ugh…"
She sat up abruptly. "I'll go to MinMin." She slipped into her slippers and padded quietly toward Guo Min's room. The door creaked just slightly as she pushed it open.
Guo Min was already asleep. Ruoxi smiled faintly and didn't hesitate, she slipped under the covers and immediately wrapped her arms around her.
"Mm… so soft," she mumbled, burying her face into Guo Min's shoulder. "And you smell nice…"
A small yawn escaped her. "Brother Zihan is so stupid for not appreciating this…" Her voice faded, and within minutes she was asleep.
Next Morning, Wang Mansion
Sunlight streamed softly through the curtains.
Guo Min stirred, she felt something heavy which made her brows knit slightly before her eyes snapped open. "Ruoxi?!"
She sat up abruptly. "Huh… mm…" Ruoxi groaned, still half asleep, her grip loosening but not completely letting go.
Guo Min stared at her, stunned. "When did you start hugging me to sleep?, what do you want mom to think if she saw us like that". Guo Min raised a brow, her hands on her clothes like she was about to be assaulted by her younger sister.
Ruoxi pouted, barely opening her eyes. "Seriously, MinMin… aren't you being unfair?" she mumbled. "It's just me cuddling you. I couldn't sleep, so I came to my sister. What's so bad about that?"
Guo Min held her gaze for a second longer, then sighed. Clearly, there was no winning this argument.
She got out of bed instead.
"If it was Brother Zihan, you wouldn't react like this…" Ruoxi muttered under her breath, turning over.
Guo Min paused mid step. "Hm? Did you say something?"
Ruoxi immediately shut her eyes tighter. "No. Nothing."
Guo Min had just stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped securely around her body, water still dripping lightly from her hair, when... "AHHHHH...MinMin!!"
The scream from downstairs was so loud it practically shook the walls. Guo Min flinched. "What in the..."
Before she could even process it, the door burst open and Ruoxi came rushing in at full speed.
"MinMin, oh God..."
She grabbed her arm and started dragging her out. "Wait. wait!" Guo Min resisted immediately, nearly losing her balance. "Let me wear something first!"
Ruoxi froze mid pull. "…Oh. Okay."
She dropped onto the bed, bouncing her leg impatiently while Guo Min sighed and moved to her wardrobe.
"How does someone have this much energy this early in the morning…" Guo Min muttered under her breath as she quickly got dressed.
Ruoxi didn't even respond, she was too busy stressing and the moment Guo Min slipped into her home slippers. "Let's go!"
Ruoxi grabbed her again and dragged her downstairs.
"Ruoxi, slow down!"
"Just look!". They stopped in front of the TV.
Ruoxi pointed dramatically at the screen. "Why the hell am I in a photo with that ass?!"
Guo Min followed her finger, on to the screen, a headline.
A photo of Ruoxi and Xiang of last night's argument, though it looked entirely different from what had happened in reality.
From the angle, it looked like they were inches away from kissing, his face leaned in, her body tilted back in the chair.
The kind of picture that needed no explanation to spark rumors.
Guo Min blinked once.
Then "…Why are you asking me?" she said calmly. "You two look like you were about to kiss."
That did it. "Kissing?!" Ruoxi snapped, turning to her in disbelief.
"Yes," Guo Min continued, unfazed, tilting her head slightly as she studied the screen. "If I didn't know you, I'd assume that too."
Ruoxi's jaw dropped. "I was about to ATTACK him!" she burst out. "Do you know what he said to me?!"
Guo Min raised a brow. "Clearly not something nice."
Ruoxi paced angrily now, running a hand through her hair. "This is insane! Who took that picture? And why does it look like that?!" She pointed at the screen again, fuming.
"Alright, alright," Guo Min held up a hand, barely suppressing her amusement. "Relax."
Ruoxi's chest rose and fell rapidly. "How can I relax?!" she snapped. "Mom is going to see this. Dad is going to see this. The entire world is going to see this and why did that reporter write it like a love story?!"
She turned back to the TV, glaring at the screen as if she could burn it down with her eyes. "…I'm going to kill him."
Guo Min remained calm, arms crossed as she read the headline aloud, her tone deliberately neutral. "Miss Wang might be the next young madam of the Wu family… a rising power couple in China."
Ruoxi's expression twisted in pure disgust. "Power couple? With him? They've clearly lost their minds."
She was about to continue when footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Both sisters froze... Their parents.
Without hesitation, Ruoxi lunged for the remote and turned the TV off before spinning around and rushing upstairs.
"I'll be heading back to the Zhu Villa this morning, Mom, Dad," Guo Min said calmly, as if nothing had happened.
Yun Ai's face lit up immediately. "Really?"
Wang Mingze smiled, clearly pleased. "That's good. Very good."
Guo Min only gave a small nod before turning and heading upstairs.
Not long after, she came back down, this time dressed neatly, a suitcase rolling quietly behind her.
But she stopped midway. Zihan was already there.
Seated in the living room, one leg crossed over the other, a cup of tea resting between his fingers as he spoke calmly with Wang Mingze and Yun Ai.
"…Zihan?" she called, raising a brow as she walked closer. "What are you doing here?"
He looked up at her, and just for a second something softened in his eyes. Then it disappeared behind composure. "I'm here to pick up Mrs. Zhu," he said.
There was a hint of humor in his tone, but the intention behind it was unmistakably serious.
Guo Min stared at him for a brief moment. Then she smiled faintly. "Oh?" she replied lightly. "Why, thank you, President Zhu."
Zihan stood up immediately, already reaching for her suitcase before she could protest. "I'll take that."
She didn't stop him this time.
Behind them, Yun Ai clasped her hands together happily. "Look at you two," she spoke. "No more fights like this okay."
Wang Mingze chuckled under his breath. "finally."
At the entrance, Guo Min turned back briefly, she stepped forward and hugged her adopted parents one after the other.
Then Ruoxi appeared halfway down the stairs, arms folded, still clearly annoyed, but watching. Guo Min walked up to her and pulled her into a quick hug.
"Maybe I'll get a marriage invitation soon" she murmured softly.
Ruoxi scoffed. "Are you for real right now."
Guo Min smiled faintly before pulling away.
Outside, the morning air was crisp. Zihan had already placed her suitcase in the trunk. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her and Guo Min got in.
He closed the door gently, walked around, and slid into the driver's seat.
The engine came to life, and the car rolled smoothly out of the Wang estate.
Silence settled between them. "Have you had breakfast?" Zihan asked, breaking it first.
"No," Guo Min replied, her attention was already on her phone as she responded to a message from Xiao Mei.
"Mm." That was all.
Guo Min almost glanced at him, a faint crease forming between her brows, but she stopped herself and continued typing.
By the time they arrived at the Zhu Villa, the morning had fully settled in. Zihan parked in the garage.
A servant immediately stepped forward to take Guo Min's luggage upstairs, while Secretary Lin stood waiting in the living room, tablet in hand.
Zihan turned slightly to Guo Min. "Wait for me. Three minutes."