"If she could go on vacation abroad with me and our child, these rumors online would disappear. Yang Sijie would also understand whose woman she truly is and wouldn't dare to harbor any more fantasies about her."
"You call them rumors?"
Qin Tianyi stated with certainty, "Yes."
Xiao Anjing felt that Qin Tianyi was acting very strangely today, no longer as listless as before.
He didn't know what else to say. Seeing him cheer up and actively find ways to solve their current predicament was already a relief.
After Xiao Anjing left his office, he thought about calling Gu Susu, but he held back.
If he called her now, he wouldn't be able to resist questioning her. The photos online had impacted him too greatly.
But the tenderness of the previous night was still fresh in his mind, and he believed her.
They had finally opened up to each other and confirmed their feelings. She wouldn't lie, nor did she have any reason to lie to him.
The news exposed online today was likely intentional.
And who else could be behind it but Yang Sijie? He was creating public pressure to force Susu into becoming his real girlfriend.
Qin Tianyi clenched his fists, thinking Yang Sijie was the real madman, resorting to any means to achieve his goals.
...
In the afternoon, Gu Susu was unable to focus on her work in the office, her mind preoccupied with how to speak to Yang Sijie tonight and return the ring necklace to him.
She had rehearsed it many times in her mind but still couldn't find a way to resolve the situation without hurting him.
However, the thought of Qin Tianyi misunderstanding her again made her determined to clarify things with Yang Sijie, no matter what.
As it neared the end of the workday, just as she was about to call Yang Sijie again, her phone buzzed briefly. It was a message from Qin Tianyi.
"Still meeting at the usual place tonight."
Gu Susu immediately understood that the usual place was his apartment.
But she had dinner plans with Yang Sijie tonight, and he wouldn't let her go if he knew.
She couldn't just leave Yang Sijie without explanation and be with Qin Tianyi, so she had to tell a small lie, replying, "I have to work overtime tonight. You go ahead and wait for me."
Qin Tianyi sent another message, "You're really working hard. Then I'll wait for you to support me."
Looking at the message, Gu Susu couldn't help but blush and smile.
"No problem."
"Then I'll wait for you. I'll work harder tonight too."
Gu Susu's face began to burn upon seeing this. She felt he was becoming increasingly inappropriate and didn't reply.
Just as she was about to put her phone down, Yang Sijie called her proactively. She took a deep breath and answered.
"Susu, did you call me?" Yang Sijie explained, "I was in a meeting all afternoon and didn't bring my phone into the conference room."
"It wasn't anything important."
"That's good. Are you off work? Where do you want to have dinner tonight?" Yang Sijie asked, visibly relieved, his tone light.
Gu Susu had lost interest in dinner. She just wanted to clarify things with him quickly and then go to Qin Tianyi.
"Anywhere is fine."
"Okay, I'll head downstairs to your company to wait for you..."
"No need. Tell me where your car is parked, and I'll come directly to you," Gu Susu quickly said.
She didn't want her colleagues to see anything and misunderstand her relationship with Yang Sijie again.
"Okay." Yang Sijie told her his parking location.
After the call, she picked up her bag and went directly to his parked car, getting inside.
As soon as Yang Sijie saw her, he smiled and said, "Then let's go eat Jiangnan cuisine. I heard there's a newly opened Jiangnan restaurant with a nice ambiance and good food."
Gu Susu didn't object, but her heart felt restless, filled with too many questions. She wondered where to start explaining their relationship.
They didn't speak much on the way, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the Jiangnan restaurant he mentioned.
Yang Sijie had already booked a private room. Gu Susu sat in the room, her head lowered, feeling a bit nervous, contemplating how to begin.
Yang Sijie ordered a few small dishes and asked the waiter to brew a pot of Tieguanyin. He then asked her, "If you're still hungry, have some tea first."
Gu Susu nodded and said, "Okay. Brother Sijie... did you see the news online today? Someone was following us. These gossip reporters are too much; it's a complete invasion of privacy."
"I know about that," Yang Sijie said dismissively. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Without spending money or worrying, people are helping us record the beautiful moments of our relationship..."
"Brother Sijie, I'm sorry."
Yang Sijie poured her a cup of tea and asked, "What are you sorry for?"
Gu Susu closed her eyes and opened them again. Mustering her courage, she took out the necklace from her bag and returned it to him. "I've thought it through, Brother Sijie. I still can't be your girlfriend, and I can't accept your gift either."
Yang Sijie's hand, holding the teapot, froze mid-air. "You want to go back on your word?"
Gu Susu dared not look at him and nodded. "When I agreed, I wasn't sure of my own feelings..."
Yang Sijie stopped her from continuing and quickly asked, "Are you unhappy because of all that messy news online? If you don't like it, I'll immediately find someone to block the news and hold the websites and reporters who wrote it accountable!"
"It has nothing to do with the news online; it's my own reasons." Gu Susu pushed the necklace towards him. "I've figured it out and thought it through. You've always been my little hero who protected me. I often thought of you and missed you during the years we were apart. I've long considered you family in my heart. Every time I saw Ai Yifeng dote on Ai Yiwei, I would think of you, feeling that if you were here, you would also love and care for me like an older brother."
Yang Sijie closed his eyes in pain, his emotions complex, but he quickly suppressed his displeasure and asked, "So, are you telling me today that you won't be my girlfriend anymore?"
"I can't be your girlfriend because I love someone else. It wouldn't be fair to you."
"Who do you love? Qin Tianyi, or some other man?"
Gu Susu bit her lip and said, "Qin Tianyi."
"Then why did you divorce him? If you love each other, you wouldn't have divorced!" Yang Sijie tried to persuade her. "Kang Xi told me you weren't happy when you were with him. Don't think you like him just because he's bothering you again. He's looking for you with a purpose, only wanting you to make me let go of Aoxiang."
Hearing him say this, Gu Susu also wanted to confirm some things and asked, "You were the one behind the scenes helping Ai Shi Group with the counter-acquisition. You knew they transferred all their assets to my name. This way, Qin Tianyi's leverage over Ai Shunan would be useless. What benefit would you gain from Qin Tianyi's failed acquisition? Why did you do this?"
Yang Sijie looked at her with deep affection and said, "Of course, it's for you."
"For me?"