It was all true, after all.
Zhaoping was the first child of her generation in the Gu family—why couldn’t she be the heir?
The thought startled Fang Yining.
It was like she had overlooked something all this time.
Only after Gu Zhaoping pointed it out did she suddenly realize there was such a possibility.
Just imagining Zhaoping inheriting the Gu family, becoming a domineering CEO commanding respect—it was like a flash of golden light in front of her.
So glorious.
Why had she always assumed only Gu Zhaoye had that potential?
Her best friend wasn’t inferior in the slightest!
In CEO romance novels, there’s always an unconscious bias—even in real life.
These stories glorify status and class, embedding biases as “common sense.”
In such novels, the male lead is the powerful boss everyone envies, while the female lead is admired just because she wins his love.
Attending elite business parties?
Always male-dominated.
The CEO’s friends?
Always the same group of rich, arrogant heirs treating women like objects and joking crudely.
Their girlfriends are just accessories.
After reading a few of these, Gu Zhaoping only scoffed.
Characters in those stories rarely realize how boxed-in they are.
In their world, there’s no other possibility.
A powerful family’s eldest daughter is expected to be a side character—someone who clears the path for the main leads.
She shouldn’t have any talents, preferences, or goals of her own.
So whenever she did anything impressive, everyone—her family, even strangers—was shocked.
If Gu Zhaoye did those same things, it would be seen as natural and admirable—a sign of his education and charisma.
The role and space for wealthy women had been shrunk drastically.
But what people forgot was: she and Gu Zhaoye had the same upbringing, same education, same resources—she was even two years older.
She should be more capable.
Not that Gu Zhaoping cared what others thought.
As the eldest daughter of a prestigious family, she had her own responsibilities.
She would do what needed to be done.
Others’ opinions were irrelevant.
After a while, Gu Zhaoping thought Fang Yining was done talking.
But then Fang Yining suddenly said:
“Zhaoping… I suddenly wonder whether or not I will go through with this engagement… just doesn’t seem that important anymore.”
It was the first time Fang Yining had ever had that thought.
Ever since her engagement to Gu Zhaoye, she’d been putting up with his cold attitude.
Gu Zhaoye didn’t like her or the engagement.
He resented arranged marriages and went off chasing his so-called true love, getting entangled with Ruan Nian for years.
When Ruan Nian left, he found a stand-in.
Throughout it all, he never thought about, let alone cared about, his fiancée.
Yet Fang Yining felt that since their families had agreed on this marriage, she had a duty to fulfill it and live as Gu Zhaoye’s fiancée.
She even had to admit: her friendship with Gu Zhaoping started in part because she expected to marry into the Gu family.
Getting close to Zhaoping seemed practical.
But over time, their bond grew deeper than any marriage.
Now, after hearing Gu Zhaoping brush off her own engagement with Shen Yifeng like it was nothing, Fang Yining suddenly understood:
Right! She didn’t have to care!
If Gu Zhaoye could fool around, why couldn’t she?
Why had she been so nervous about visiting a male model club, feeling like she’d crossed a moral line?
Damn… she really had been too disciplined and proper before!
What was she mourning in that sad little love story?
If Gu Zhaoye could play, so could she!
Let’s go wild!
Gu Zhaoping had a whole list of male models—she could just borrow one and try a new guy every week for six months straight without repeats!
Wouldn’t that be way more exciting than Gu Zhaoye bouncing between Ruan Nian and her lookalike?
Gu Zhaoping paused, unsure what realization Fang Yining had just reached—but she supported it either way.
“That’s right. You’ve got it now,” she said.
“Don’t treat marriage like a big deal. Even if you end up married, it’s just a man in your house. If he’s suitable and supports your career, then fine—keep him. If not, get rid of him.”
She added calmly, “As long as you do the prenup and divide your assets clearly, and take control of your reproductive rights—never back down—then marriage is your battlefield too.”
Fang Yining was floored. It was like everything suddenly made sense.
Neither Gu Zhaoye nor Shen Yifeng would ever stay in an engagement that didn’t benefit them.
They only remained in these arrangements because the woman’s family background made them worth keeping.
Breaking things off recklessly would hurt business alliances.
But Fang Yining had stayed because of… responsibility.
Gu Zhaoping never seemed to worry about getting the short end of the stick in a marriage alliance.
Or rather, that issue didn’t even exist in her eyes.
Shen Yifeng, to her, was merely a decoration — as long as he was pretty enough, he’d be put on display.
If he became a bother, she’d just take him down.
Simple as that.
On the other end, Fang Yining was silent for a moment.
Gu Zhaoping thought she was deep in thought, but after that brief pause, Fang Yining suddenly spoke.
Her voice this time was cautious, even tinged with a hint of admiration:
“By the way, Zhaoping, can I touch your muscles next time? You looked so cool when you were fighting!”
Gu Zhaoping: “…”
Was it necessary for the topic to change so drastically?
She paused for two seconds, then hung up the phone.
The car was already quiet, so the sound carried clearly.
In the front seat, Xiao Zhao was trying hard not to laugh.
Though his expression remained serious, the shaking of his shoulders gave him away.
Miss Fang had voiced what she herself was thinking.
After seeing the boss hit someone, her first thought really had been: I want to snuggle up to her muscles.
In this car, only Mao Xinci, who was silently driving, gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.
In her determined eyes, it was clear she was deep in thought.
***
“Teacher Ruan, you’re here!”
The production crew warmly greeted Ruan Nian.
Although the accidental livestream had made things awkward between them before, they’d all been in the entertainment industry long enough to get over it quickly.
They greeted her enthusiastically.
Ruan Nian wasn’t feeling too enthusiastic today.
Too much had happened recently, and she just couldn’t bring herself to be cheery.
She forced a smile.
Seeing her expression, the crew members who had wanted to ask whether Gu Zhaoye was still coming didn’t dare bring it up.
The previously planned CP (couple pairing) between Ruan Nian and Gu Zhaoye had completely fallen through, drawing public skepticism.
The crew could only worry silently.
But if the crew didn’t ask, someone else would.
As soon as the Li siblings, Li Xunwen and Li Xunxi, arrived, they asked, “Ruan Nian, is President Gu not coming today? Won’t that leave our team with one fewer person than the other?”
Li Xunxi said it matter-of-factly.
She hated losing to others, especially when it came to team assignments.
She was confident in her and her brother’s abilities, but being short one person meant more tasks for them.
Sure, Gu Zhaoping’s team was short one member too, but they subconsciously only cared about balancing out the team that had four members — Gu Zhaoping’s team didn’t concern them.
Ruan Nian didn’t seem particularly capable either, which made Li Xunxi a little speechless.
Ruan Nian’s mouth twitched slightly.
Finally, she had a chance to use the excuse she had prepared:
“Old Master Gu’s health has been poor lately. He’s been staying in a nursing home, and since Gu Zhaoye is so filial — and also the eldest grandson of the Gu family — it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to appear on an entertainment show right now.”
The Li siblings exchanged a glance.
They had heard some whispers about this.
Since Ruan Nian knew about it, it seemed her relationship with Gu Zhaoye was still pretty good.
They half-believed it and didn’t press further.
“Well, if the old master isn’t well, we shouldn’t force Gu Zhaoye to come…”
Right as those words were spoken, Gu Zhaoping appeared.
Everyone paused for a second, their expressions freezing briefly before turning to look at her.
Lately, the hottest topic online has been none other than Gu Zhaoping.
Even those who previously had a decent reputation were getting far less attention than her.
Seeing her now gave them all a slightly odd feeling.
Li Xunwen was annoyed the moment he saw her.
Recalling what Ruan Nian had just said, he sneered:
“Gu Zhaoping, your brother is with the old master, yet here you are, blatantly filming an entertainment show. Don’t you care about the old man’s health at all? Or does he not care much about you?”
Gu Zhaoping walked in without glancing sideways.
But when she heard that, she stopped and turned to look at them.
Li Xunwen felt a jolt in his chest under her gaze, unsettled by the sheer force of her presence.
“Gu Zhaoye is with the old master?”
Gu Zhaoping pulled down her sunglasses, her calm eyes narrowing slightly.
“How come I didn’t know that?”