substitute marriage favor

Chapter 14: She Blushes Easily

ETU Club

Gu Shenyan led Ye Qinru into the VIP room of the ETU Club. As soon as they stepped inside, two men on the sofa stood up immediately, greeting her in unison, "Hello, Sister-in-law!"

“Uh, hello. You can just call me Qinru,” she replied, feeling a bit awkward. It was clear these men were older than her.

“We've all grown up together since childhood. I'm the oldest, so it's only right they call you Sister-in-law,” Gu Shenyan said, his arm casually slipping around her waist. “Let's sit over there.”

“Alright.” Ye Qinru seemed to have grown accustomed to Gu Shenyan’s touch; she no longer felt as tense and stiff as she once did.

“Sister-in-law, you’re so beautiful. No wonder the boss has been hiding you from us,” joked Qiao Shaohan, handing her a glass of wine. “Let me offer you a toast first!”

“I don’t drink,” Ye Qinru said, looking at the glass uneasily. Gu Shenyan took the glass from her and replaced it with a glass of juice. “Ignore him, juice is fine for you.”

“Anything for Sister-in-law.” Qiao Shaohan grinned, clinking his glass with hers before downing his drink in one go.

Lu Tianqi chimed in, “I’ll toast Sister-in-law too!”

“Thank you!” Ye Qinru took a sip of her second glass of juice.

She could feel Qiao Shaohan and Lu Tianqi’s eyes on her, perhaps wondering how she ended up marrying into the Gu family. Truth be told, if it hadn’t been for the arranged marriage, she wouldn’t have had the chance.

It was evident from their demeanor that Qiao Shaohan and Lu Tianqi came from wealthy backgrounds, otherwise how could they have been childhood friends with Gu Shenyan? Why had Gu Shenyan brought her here today?

“What are you thinking about?” Gu Shenyan whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her earlobe, making her instinctively pull back. “Nothing,” she replied.

“Big brother and Sister-in-law are whispering sweet nothings,” Qiao Shaohan teased, mimicking their posture with Lu Tianqi, causing Ye Qinru to blush. “We weren’t saying anything,” she insisted.

“She’s shy, stop teasing her,” Gu Shenyan came to her rescue, making the two men laugh and disperse.

As the waitstaff began bringing out dishes, Ye Qinru marveled at the spread. “So much food for just a few of us? How can we possibly finish it all?”

“It’s our first time meeting you, Sister-in-law, we had to make it special,” Qiao Shaohan said, pointing to Lu Tianqi. “This club belongs to him. It’s his resources we’re wasting.”

Such extravagance! Ye Qinru thought to herself. They must never have experienced hardship, unlike many people who struggle to get a meal. Perhaps one day, they’ll understand the consequences of such wastefulness.

“What do you like to eat? I’ll get it for you,” Gu Shenyan offered, holding his chopsticks.

“It’s alright, I can do it myself,” she replied, glancing at the other two men.

“Just pretend they’re not here,” Gu Shenyan said, making Ye Qinru laugh despite herself. How could she ignore two such prominent figures?

Qiao Shaohan protested, “Big brother, ever since you got married, we’re nothing but air to you? I’m heartbroken!”

“Oh, cut the drama,” Gu Shenyan said, flicking a peanut at him.

Watching their easy camaraderie, Ye Qinru realized this was the kind of bond that came from growing up together.

“You two should teach him how to woo a woman better,” she blurted out, surprising Qiao Shaohan and Lu Tianqi.

“Sister-in-law, are you complaining about big brother? Is he not attentive enough?” Qiao Shaohan asked.

“Do you two not know he prefers men—” Ye Qinru’s words were cut off as Gu Shenyan covered her mouth. He whispered in her ear, “Honey, do you have to reveal my secrets in front of them?”

Realizing her mistake, Ye Qinru blushed. “Sorry, but don’t they know about the rumors?”

“Rumors are just that,” Gu Shenyan said cryptically, but Ye Qinru wasn’t focused on his reply.

Given their close bond, Qiao Shaohan and Lu Tianqi likely didn’t believe the rumors about Gu Shenyan. It seemed he hadn’t told them the truth, probably due to his pride.

“Big brother, you’re whispering again,” Qiao Shaohan teased, “Sister-in-law, you mentioned big brother likes men?”

“Oh, she’s just concerned about having a boy,” Gu Shenyan smoothly interjected. “I do prefer boys, considering we need an heir for the family.”

“Of course, given our status, we all need a son to carry on the family business. Sister-in-law, you should have several children, one of them will surely be a boy,” Lu Tianqi added.

Ye Qinru’s face turned even redder. How had the conversation turned to her?

“Alright, let’s eat,” Gu Shenyan said, placing a peeled shrimp in her bowl. “These are fresh, just caught today.”

“Thank you,” she said, focusing on her food, missing the silent exchange of glances between the three men.

By the end of the meal, Ye Qinru had gotten to know Qiao Shaohan and Lu Tianqi better. It was clear they were part of an exclusive, wealthy circle that outsiders could only dream of joining. Yet here she was, brought into their midst by Gu Shenyan.

When they returned to the Gu residence, it was already nine o’clock. The matriarch had retired for the night, and only Lu Yulin was watching TV in the living room. She smiled at Ye Qinru’s return, “Qinru, come sit with me.”

“Yes, Mom?” Ye Qinru asked, taking a seat beside her.

“Qinru, I’ve been feeling a bit off these days—chest tightness and trouble sleeping. Since you’re a doctor, could you take a look?”

Lu Yulin rubbed her chest, looking genuinely unwell.

“If you trust me, I can try acupuncture,” Ye Qinru offered. “I learned it from my grandmother.”

“Of course, I trust you,” Lu Yulin said eagerly. “I’ve been avoiding sleep aids. If you can help me sleep better, I’d love to try it.”

“I’ll get my needles.” Ye Qinru fetched her acupuncture kit and selected four short needles. “I’ll target your Shenmen, Baihui, Anmian, and Neiguan points. These should help improve your sleep.”

“Alright,” Lu Yulin agreed, allowing Ye Qinru to administer the treatment.

“I should sleep well tonight,” Lu Yulin said after the needles were in place.

“Mom, if your insomnia persists, you should see a doctor for a thorough checkup,” Ye Qinru advised as she carefully manipulated the needles, chatting with Lu Yulin to ease her tension.