substitute marriage favor

Chapter 2: Have We Met Before?

Arriving at the Gu residence, Ye Qinru discovered there was no wedding ceremony to speak of. But she didn't mind.

"Madam, this is Mr. Yan's intention. Let's just get the marriage certificate; we can skip the wedding. Please give me your ID, and I'll take care of the marriage certificate."

The butler stood respectfully, waiting for her. Ye Qinru quickly handed him her ID from her bag. "Thank you."

"You can wait in the new room, Madam. Mr. Yan will come over as soon as he's done."

The butler gestured for the servants to escort Ye Qinru to the new room. She took a deep breath and relaxed, sitting on the sofa to wait.

It was quite amusing, getting married today and the groom was still busy with work. How little he cared about his new bride.

Actually, just getting the certificate without a wedding was evidence enough of his indifference.

As she waited, Ye Qinru started to feel drowsy. Slowly, her body slumped onto the sofa, and she fell asleep.

The door to the new room creaked open, and Gu Shenyuan walked in step by step, approaching Ye Qinru. When he saw her face clearly, he exclaimed in surprise, "It's her?"

His assistant, You Zhiyuan, had already found out information about Ye Qinru. He hadn't gone to confront her yet, but here she was, presenting herself?

Feeling someone in front of her, Ye Qinru opened her eyes in a daze and saw Gu Shenyuan. Immediately, she snapped out of her drowsiness and stood up, embarrassed. "Sorry, I was too tired."

She knew that the person who appeared in the room at this time must be her husband. She felt very nervous.

"The person I want to marry isn't you."

Gu Shenyuan's tone was firm, making Ye Qinru even more anxious. "I'm indeed from the Ye family."

"Are you Ye Xinyu?"

Gu Shenyuan asked knowingly.

Ye Qinru bit her lip and admitted, "Yes, I'm a stand-in. My name is Ye Qinru."

Thinking about being manipulated, Gu Shenyuan's face turned dark. He was about to question Ye Qinru when suddenly there was a commotion at the door. "Madam, you can't peek in here."

Madam He's voice came quietly, "Don't make a fuss, I'll just take a look."

Gu Shenyuan reached out and pulled Ye Qinru onto the bed, pressing her down. She was startled, and instinctively pushed against his chest, stiffening. "What are you doing?"

He didn't respond, just reached out and pinched her waist hard. She screamed involuntarily, "Ah... don't use so much force... it hurts..."

Her waist was still swollen from before, and now it hurt even more from Gu Shenyuan's pinch.

Hearing the noise in the room, Madam He was ecstatic, clasping her hands together. "Great, my grandson's body is normal. I'll wait to hold my grandson. Let's go, let's not disturb them being affectionate."

Ye Qinru heard Madam He's muttering and realized Gu Shenyuan's intentions too late, her face flushing red. She pushed him away with force, scolding, "Pervert!"

Gu Shenyuan stood by the bed, his slender fingers holding Ye Qinru's delicate chin. Her small face, with its rosy cheeks and shining almond eyes, had a tiny mole beneath one eye, adding a touch of charm.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, assessing her with a hint of amusement. "You're pretending to be someone else, I can call the police and catch you."

Ye Qinru reluctantly looked up at him. Knowing Ye Guoqiang's threat, she bit her lip and lowered her posture, pleading, "I had no choice. Please don't call the police. I can cooperate with you."

"Cooperate?"

Gu Shenyuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Tell me more."

"You have..."

Ye Qinru glanced down at Gu Shenyuan's waist, "a hidden illness. I can help you hide it, even accompany you in acting. After all, we're husband and wife, I understand."

He looked so robust, yet unable? Was he impotent? What a pity.

"..."

Gu Shenyuan was speechless. When did he develop such an illness? And a wife?

He knew he had already been intimate with Ye Qinru, but she seemed completely unfamiliar with him. Did she not know it was him that night, or was she just good at acting?

The information You Zhiyuan found showed that Ye Qinru appeared in the hotel to help her boyfriend's company through a crisis.

But was she active or passive in that situation when she was unconscious?

Considering it was her first time, his expression softened slightly.

Speaking of hidden illnesses, he did have one, but it wasn't what Ye Qinru thought.

"It seems you know quite a bit."

Gu Shenyuan looked at Ye Qinru sarcastically, and she awkwardly replied, "You're considering it? I can help you hide it, and you don't have to mind that I'm a stand-in. Anyway, we're both from the Ye family, so you won't lose anything."

"What do you want from me?"

Gu Shenyuan crossed his arms, calm and composed.

"Gu's investment in the Ye company."

Ye Qinru laid out her terms straightforwardly. "After my mother had a serious car accident, she has been recuperating in the hospital. Without Gu's investment, her treatment will be interrupted. I can't afford to take that risk. If you drive me away and replace me with Ye Xinyu, she might not help you. It will cause a big mess, which won't be good for you."

Gu Shenyuan only agreed to marry into the Ye family to please his grandmother. Actually, it didn't matter who he married; he nodded. "Deal."

"Great."

Ye Qinru breathed a sigh of relief when Gu Shenyuan agreed. She extended her hand towards him, "Let's have a pleasant cooperation."

Gu Shenyuan looked at her with a smirk, ignoring her outstretched hand. "Are you sure you haven't seen me before?"

Ye Qinru withdrew her hand awkwardly, tilting her head in thought. She honestly couldn't recall, so she weakly asked, "Have we met before?"

Gu Shenyuan's lips curled up in an intriguing manner.

It seemed Ye Qinru genuinely didn't know who the man from that night was, which sparked a playful curiosity in him, like a cat teasing a mouse.

Should he play along with her and make this drama more interesting? It seemed this stand-in wife would make his life less dull.

"Um... when will you invest in the Ye company?"

Ye Qinru changed the subject, as it was crucial for her.

"Why the rush?"

Gu Shenyuan leaned in closer to Ye Qinru, causing her to instinctively recoil nervously. "What are you doing?"

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No... why would I be?"

Ye Qinru innocently looked at Gu Shenyuan. Truth be told, knowing about his hidden ailment actually eased her nerves.

The incident that night left her with a psychological barrier against male intimacy. Whenever a man approached her, she felt stiff all over.

"Men hate being told they're incapable."

Gu Shenyuan gritted his teeth. What did she mean by saying he couldn't perform? He certainly did quite a bit that night.

"Sorry, I won't say it again."

Ye Qinru quickly apologized, realizing this man probably had some insecurities.

Gu Shenyuan glanced at Ye Qinru lightly and then headed into the bathroom.

Ye Qinru let out a sigh of relief, quickly retrieving a set of pajamas from her luggage and entering the other bathroom to freshen up. Changing out of her wedding gown and into comfortable pajamas felt much better.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she drifted into deep thought. Yesterday, she lost her virginity, and today she became a new bride. The events of these past two days were more thrilling than a rollercoaster ride, leaving her feeling disoriented.

"What are you thinking about?"

Gu Shenyuan's voice suddenly echoed, startling Ye Qinru, who turned her gaze towards him.