Chapter 102 — Gu Beicheng, Whom I Cannot Aspire To

“Knock—”

The sound of knocking came again.

“Ranran, we need to head downstairs.”

Gu Beicheng cast a glance at the door, then turned his gaze, softened and gentle, toward the coldly elegant Mu Ran.

Gu Beicheng had never seen anyone with this “princess cut” hairstyle before.

But Mu Ran, standing before him now, truly dazzled him.

“Ranran, you look beautiful.”

Mu Ran picked up the handbag she’d tossed casually on the bedside, swaying her slender waist as she walked toward the man.

“Let’s go.”

She patted the man’s chest, a glint of slyness flashing in her eyes.

“Mhm, all right.”

Gu Beicheng couldn’t take his eyes off Mu Ran’s exquisitely cold and beautiful face.

“What is it?” Mu Ran looked up.

The man gazed motionlessly at her—was he about to lose control again?

“Beibei, I know I’m beautiful, but you need to restrain yourself.”

Her deadpan seriousness made Gu Beicheng laugh.

He leaned in, raised his hand, and placed his index finger on her delicate, upturned nose. “There’s a bit of hair.”

“Beibei, help me get rid of it, will you?”

Mu Ran closed her eyes, rose on tiptoe, craned her neck, and brought her face close to the man’s.

“Mwah—”

Mu Ran quickly covered her mouth, frowning at the culprit.

“I asked you to get rid of the hair, not to kiss me! I’m wearing a mirror-gloss lip glaze—now the look is ruined!”

Gu Beicheng gently stroked her back and patted her soothingly. “There, don’t be angry. I couldn’t help it.”

Mu Ran’s temper flared quickly and faded just as fast.

“Hurry up, let’s go.”

The man turned, opening the door.

Gu Beicheng’s deep eyes lingered on the woman’s retreating figure.

He knew she harbored many secrets.

She could predict things before they happened—could foresee which entertainment stars would rise and which would fall.

Even the things she did, the words she spoke, were unheard of in this year and age.

Not to mention her sudden change in personality and formidable abilities.

She didn’t just own SY Entertainment; there was another powerful family behind her.

Before he truly got to know Mu Ran, he’d investigated her.

But the woman in those reports—her character, her abilities, her style—was the complete opposite of how she was now.

She was powerful, so much so that he couldn’t ignore her.

But why had she chosen to be with him?

What did she want from him?

Perhaps... Mu Ran truly loved him.

“President Gu.”

It was Xue Xiaowan, Gu Beicheng’s secretary.

He snapped back to himself, catching the playful look in Mu Ran’s eyes as she leaned lazily against the doorframe.

“You head down first,” Gu Beicheng said, his voice unwavering. He stepped forward, pulling Mu Ran to his side with a possessive arm around her shoulders.

“President Gu, you two...” Xue Xiaowan stood her ground before them, biting her lip, her eyes darting toward the room.

“Who’d have thought President Gu’s secretary would turn out to be such a beautiful woman,” Mu Ran said with biting sarcasm.

The look of unwillingness and jealousy in this little secretary’s eyes was impossible to ignore.

Xue Xiaowan turned to Mu Ran, a trace of disdain flickering in her gaze. “Miss Mu, I’m younger than you.”

Mu Ran raised an eyebrow—so she was trying to use her age as a weapon.

She had no interest in dealing with Gu Beicheng’s messy admirers.

With slender fingers, Mu Ran toyed with a strand of hair behind her ear, a cold smile gracing her beautiful face. “So young? Beibei, perhaps she should be dismissed.”

“You! President Gu!” Xue Xiaowan was infuriated. She had served as Gu Beicheng’s secretary for a year or two—how could Mu Ran so casually suggest firing her?

Who did Mu Ran think she was!

Gu Beicheng’s face was cold as ice, not sparing Xue Xiaowan a glance. His eyes stayed fixed on Mu Ran.

He was admiring her.

To Gu Beicheng, Mu Ran was like a piece of unattainable art.

Especially since she’d changed her hairstyle, he felt she was now even more out of his league.

“You—go submit your resignation,” Gu Beicheng said with icy finality, brooking no argument.

Xue Xiaowan, however, showed not the slightest fear. “President Gu, you’re firing me just because Miss Mu said so?”

“Yes.” His reply was low and impatient.

He had only kept her as his secretary out of respect for her grandfather, who had been a comrade to his own.

Otherwise, he’d never have let a useless person idle in his company.

Now, if she was causing trouble in front of his Ranran—she was nothing but a troublemaker.

Gu Beicheng would never let Mu Ran suffer any injustice by his side.

Nor could he let her suspect he had anything to do with another woman.

So, Xue Xiaowan had to go!

“Miss Mu, you really are the reincarnation of Daji,” Xue Xiaowan sneered, the veins at her temple throbbing.

She had never imagined that the iron-fisted president of Chengxing Group would fire an employee so casually for a woman.

Mu Ran curled her lips, casting her a sidelong glance.

This Xue Xiaowan wasn’t even as formidable as Fu Jiaojiao.

“Thank you for the compliment. Let’s go, King Zhou.”

Mu Ran flashed a beguiling smile at the flushed, jealous Xue Xiaowan.

She brushed her hand over Gu Beicheng’s stomach, then slid it up, grabbing his tie and giving it a playful tug. “Come on, King Zhou.”

“All right.”

Almost instinctively, Gu Beicheng nodded, pulling Mu Ran into his arms as he strode away.

“Vixen! You just wait!”

In the middle of the third-floor corridor, Xue Xiaowan glared furiously at their retreating figures, stamping her foot in frustration.

Back then, she had begged her grandfather to get her into Chengxing as Gu Beicheng’s secretary, hoping proximity would help her win his heart.

But Gu Beicheng was utterly uninteresting—he showed no interest in any woman!

And though she was his secretary, he never let her do anything.

At first, she thought he was being considerate, but over time, she realized he simply thought she was incompetent.

Still, after a year or two at Chengxing, she’d naturally picked up some dirt on Gu Beicheng.

If he wanted to fire her, fine—no one would have it easy!

Watching the pair disappear at the end of the corridor, Xue Xiaowan let out a sinister smile, exuding the aura of a woman scorned, turned venomous.

She took out her phone and made a call. “Hello, leak that matter online.”

After hanging up, she dialed Zhou Muyang.

“Zhou Muyang, it’s me. I need you to take care of someone.”

On the other end, Zhou Muyang lifted a wine glass, silently raising his brows in greeting to Mu Ran and Gu Beicheng, who had just come downstairs, before replying coldly, “Xue Xiaowan, I have no obligation to help you.”

“Zhou Muyang! I was the one who introduced you to her in the first place!”

Zhou Muyang sneered, “Who do you want dealt with?”

“Mu Ran!”

“Sorry, I can’t help. The head of SY isn’t someone you can just ‘deal with.’ And by the way, she and I broke up ages ago—tell her not to bother me anymore.”

“What? Mu Ran is the owner of SY?!”

Zhou Muyang hung up, sneering. To think that woman was Gu Beicheng’s secretary and didn’t even know who owned SY—how ridiculous.

———

First floor of the cruise ship hall.

“Is that Mu Ran?”

“She looks completely different, even her hairstyle has changed!”

“What kind of haircut is that? It’s gorgeous!”

“So avant-garde!”

“Could I pull it off?”

“You’d better not—Mu Ran could look good with any style with a face like that!”

“Who’s the man beside her?”

“No idea, but I saw him earlier with the Movie Emperor Mu. He must be someone important!”

In a corner, An Lan, chatting and drinking with the three Mu brothers, spotted Mu Ran and Gu Beicheng entering the hall and was instantly excited.

“Xiao Ran, oh my god, your hair!”

An Lan had never seen such a hairstyle before and circled Mu Ran, full of curiosity.

“Your hairstyle is so trendy!”

Mu Ran raised her brows, a hint of pride curling her lips. “Do you like it?”

An Lan nodded like a pecking chick, her eyes shining with envy. “It’s beautiful, and it makes you even more recognizable!”

She reached up to touch her own short hair, wondering if she should grow it out.

Short hair was so limiting for styling.

She wore it every day like a tomboy—no one liked her anymore…

“Xiao Ran, do you think I’d look better if I grew my hair out? Ever since I broke up with the second Qin brother and cut it short, my luck with men has tanked!”

The men lounging languidly on the sofa exchanged amused glances and shook their heads in unison.

Was her lack of suitors really because of the short hair?

No, it was because An Lan was so noisy and lacked any feminine charm.

“Lan, I advise you to keep your current style. How could a comedy queen find love? The reason you have no suitors is entirely because of your comedic persona,” Mu Lang, the third Mu brother, said with a sly look, trying to sound sincere.

“Hey! When is Lanlan ever funny? I object to that,” Shen Mubai shot Mu Lang a look, then turned to comfort An Lan, “Lanlan, listen to me—your current look is great: the image of a decisive, powerful woman.”

“Shut up, all of you! I was asking Xiao Ran, what do you know? Not one of you is loyal! Mu eldest brother, you’re in the army, surrounded by strong, single men—yet you’ve never introduced me to anyone!”

“Stop laughing! And you, Mu second brother! You’re a movie star! Don’t you have any good-looking single actor friends? Why haven’t you set me up?”

“Shen Mubai! You’re the worst! Every time you get tangled up with women, I’m the one who cleans up your messes! Ungrateful!”

“Mu Lang! You’re the most annoying! Last time I asked you to introduce me to someone, you set me up with a psychiatrist! At our very first date, he had me take a mental health quiz!”

“I’m not angry—do you all take me for a fool?”

The men were stunned, wine glasses in hand, unsure whether to drink or set them down.

An Lan turned away, eyes brimming with tears, and looked at Gu Beicheng, whose lips were curved in a gentle, springlike smile.

“Brother Gu! You’re my last hope! You’re surrounded by eligible bachelors—help me out, you’ve got love and career both, and I’ve already given you my dearest Xiao Ran. Have pity on me!”

Gu Beicheng’s lips twitched. “Is it spring already?”

“Other than those few—there’s one more, but I don’t know if you…”

He jerked his chin at the four men on the sofa, signaling for An Lan to take a look.

An Lan shot a look of disgust at them and turned away decisively. “Anyone else?”

Gu Beicheng smiled. “Gu Xiao.”

An Lan: “…”

The four men on the sofa burst into laughter.

An Lan and Gu Xiao?

What a strange match!

“No way!”