Chapter 154: One Kiss and I'll Let Go

Luo Xing raised what she held in her hand, "Is it invalid now?"

Gu Shiyan acted like a child, refusing to concede, "No, that one doesn't count. You were leaving this afternoon, and I was in such a rush to stuff it into your bag that you found it immediately. Only the previous one counts."

Gu Shiyan knew full well that Luo Xing would never see the previous one again. "You’ll never find that one for the rest of your life."

A fleeting thought crossed Luo Xing’s mind; she felt she was on the verge of grasping something, but it slipped away. "Fine, I can't be bothered to look anyway. How boring."

Gu Shiyan took Luo Xing along to attend the interview.

Gu Shiyan was dressed in a formal suit, while Luo Xing wore casual attire. Fortunately, she was tall and happened to be wearing dark colors, so she didn't look too out of place beside him.

"Regarding the marriage alliance between the Wen and Gu families back then, were your feelings for Miss Wen genuine, or were you merely complying with family arrangements?"

The media brought a mountain of professional equipment, and their questions went straight for the jugular.

When the reporter raised the microphone to ask Luo Xing, Gu Shiyan intercepted it.

"I was rebellious when I was young. I suppose my family knew that even if they told me, I wouldn't pay any attention. By the time I found out I was engaged, the entire school already knew."

The reporter couldn't help but smile; the fact that the person involved was the last to know made the Gu elders seem quite humorous.

"Then, after the Wen family fell into trouble, the Gu family did not distance themselves; instead, they helped the Wen family quite a bit. Is the reason because you still have feelings for your former fiancée?"

"As you said, it was the Gu family that didn't draw a line, not me. Everyone knows whether or not I have feelings for her. If you really want to know why we helped the Wen family, it was largely because our two families have been friends for generations."

"At the very least, perhaps you should ask my father, Gu Liang. Maybe he can give you a real answer, since he was the one who agreed to this marriage on my behalf in the first place."

Gu Liang, far away in North City, had no idea that his son had already dug a pit for him—he was just a shovel away from being buried.

"Then, may I ask Miss Luo... or rather, Mrs. Gu, a question?"

Gu Shiyan and Luo Xing sat side by side, his hand never leaving hers. He pressed his thumb against her skin, "Miss Luo, Mrs. Gu—she is both."

The implication was clear: there was no need to dwell on such deliberate titles.

The reporter realized that this woman was truly different from others who had married into wealthy families. In previous interviews with elite couples, the men were invariably obsessed with their wives taking their surnames, and those wives would give you a cold look if you didn't address them by their husbands' names.

"Very well, Miss Luo."

"Go ahead, just don't be too sharp." Luo Xing smiled. Throughout the interview, she had realized that this reporter wasn't one of those looking to stir up trouble. The only difficult questions were those read straight from a script, as required by the company.

The questions on the script kept trying to steer the conversation toward a comparison between Luo Xing and Wen Nuan.

However, the questions directed at her personally focused more on the romantic history between Luo Xing and Gu Shiyan.

"A small question," the reporter pressed the recorder button and rested her pen on the paper. "Do you mind that your husband's marriage to you might have been complicated by other factors?"

Luo Xing’s eyes flickered, understanding the subtext. "I have always believed that marriage is merely a ritual. People who love each other don't necessarily have to marry, and those who are married don't necessarily love each other. Therefore, I don't care much about the 'purity' of the marriage itself."

As long as his heart was in it, even if there were other elements mixed in, Luo Xing could be understanding. No one is perfect, and nothing in life perfectly aligns with one's expectations.

Luo Xing had always sought stability rather than perfection.

"It is clear that you have a very strong core, Miss Luo. Now, for the final question for both of you."

When addressed as a pair, Luo Xing and Gu Shiyan both tightened their grip on each other's hands. After a moment, they shared a smile.

"How do you balance the relationship when the two of you stand at different heights?"

This was a substantial question, essentially addressing their current situation.

Luo Xing was a graduate student at a top university in Country A—which sounded decent—but compared to Gu Shiyan, who at such a young age held the largest share of Kesheng and was the manager of this year's top project, 'Harbor,' it was hardly comparable.

Gu Shiyan and Luo Xing exchanged a look. Luo Xing squeezed his hand and spoke before he could: "Inequality in status easily leaves one party in a vulnerable position, inevitably leading to emotional imbalance or dependency. This is unavoidable. In my own family, my father earned more and my mother earned less; both worked very hard. Occasionally, I would hear people say my father contributed more, but to my brother and me, they were always on an equal footing."

"I don't feel inferior just because he stands higher. I do my best in my work, and he does his best in his. We have our own careers and hobbies. I believe that is what equality means."

The reporter's gaze shifted noticeably from how it had been at the start. She had expected this interview to be like the others.

It was usually just capitalists arranging for their wives to accompany them in a performance of affection to save their own reputations.

She had asked many couples such questions, and the general response was for the wives to lean against their husbands' shoulders with sweet smiles, saying that the man handles the outside world while the woman handles the home, that the capable should do more, and that since their husbands were tired from work, they would do their best to ensure they were comfortable when they came home.

Among them were many wives who controlled millions in assets; even if they felt disdain in their hearts, they still put on a show to appease the men beside them.

Luo Xing was different. She didn't seem to care if her words would anger anyone, nor did she feel that saying such things would make Gu Shiyan lose face.

She remained calm and composed, as if even if others were angry, it couldn't cause her the slightest harm. She stood firm in her own convictions.

The reporter looked at Gu Shiyan, asking for his thoughts.

Gu Shiyan, much like the husbands the reporter usually saw, smiled sweetly, looking as though he agreed with everything his wife said: "She is right."

What a man without a mind of his own, she thought.

"Thank you both for your cooperation. Per Mr. Gu's request, we will rush to get this piece out by tonight."

Gu Shiyan stood up, holding Luo Xing's hand, and nodded to the reporter, "Thank you for your hard work."

The two left with their fingers interlaced. The interview had taken place in a reception room at Kesheng, one floor below Gu Shiyan's office.

Luo Xing stopped in front of the elevator and didn't move further. "Let go, I'm not going up."

Gu Shiyan didn't let go; instead, he hugged her. "It's so fast. I feel like I've only been with you for a second."

"Baby, come to my side soon."

"Probably not until spring. My professor is leading a few master's students on a patent project, so you'll have to wait in line."

"I'll wait, no matter how long it takes." Gu Shiyan hugged her, his palm stroking her soft hair. "One kiss, then I'll let go."