Old Zhang only escorted Ji Ruan to the office building. A tall secretary was already waiting to escort him upstairs.
The secretary from Gu Xiuyi’s office looked just like a character out of a novel: beautiful and elegant. As soon as she saw Ji Ruan, she flashed a very eye-catching smile. "Hello, Mr. Ji. Nice to meet you. I’m Mr. Gu’s secretary. You can just call me Xiaoya."
Ji Ruan had just gotten out of the car and was squinting in the bright sunlight. He raised his hand to shade his forehead and smiled at Xiaoya. "Hello, but you don’t need to call me Mr. Ji. Just call me Ji Ruan."
After the secretary team had selected the marriage candidate for Gu Xiuyi, it had always been Song Ling handling the interactions. Xiaoya was seeing Ji Ruan in person for the first time and thought he looked much younger than in his photos. Calling him 'Mr.' did feel a bit out of place.
Xiaoya still responded with a bright smile and didn’t agree to Ji Ruan's request, saying, "We follow Special Assistant Song's lead in addressing you. 'Mr.' sounds more respectful."
Ji Ruan didn’t think much of it. "But now even Special Assistant Song calls me Xiao Ruan."
"What?" Xiaoya was taken aback. She distinctly remembered that just a few days ago, Song Ling had been very formal, addressing him as "Mr. Ji" over the phone. How had it suddenly become "Xiao Ruan"?
However, the form of address wasn’t that important. They could call the young master whatever he preferred.
Xiaoya then greeted Uncle Zhang and led Ji Ruan into the office.
Along the way, people were coming and going, many greeting Xiaoya, but their eyes were fixed on Ji Ruan.
There were whispers around them, but Ji Ruan couldn’t make out what was being said.
Gu Xiuyi had no intention of hiding the fact that he was getting married, but the details of the contract had not been widely shared. Most people only knew that their nearly 30-year-old single boss suddenly found a partner.
About a month ago, when the secretary team was secretly screening candidates, there had already been a buzz within the company.
"Is that the young master? So young. Is he even an adult?"
"How could he get married if he wasn’t an adult? Although our boss isn’t the most considerate during overtime, he wouldn’t do anything illegal!"
"But why the sudden rush to get married? Didn’t the boss once say that marriage is as ominous as visiting a grave, and that working was more auspicious?"
"Are you crazy? Gu Xiuyi would never say something like that!"
"He really did! He used to speak his mind when he was younger. It’s only after he took full control a few years ago that he became the silent, overbearing CEO!"
"Hahaha, stop messing with me. I joined the company later, don’t lie to me."
"Why would I lie? Every old employee has a bootleg version of the employee handbook with many of Mr. Gu’s classic quotes from his university days. I’ll send it to you on my cloud drive!"
So today, with Ji Ruan's personal appearance, no one could restrain their curiosity. Everyone wanted to know who this person was that had made their boss change his mind and jump eagerly into the marriage graveyard.
Xiaoya was originally worried that Ji Ruan, who had just turned 18, might not be able to handle this kind of situation, so she quickened her pace and led him to the special elevator.
However, Ji Ruan seemed completely oblivious to the discussions and gazes around him, or perhaps he noticed but didn’t care, not sparing them even a glance.
People like Xiaoya, who work in these tall and luxurious office buildings, have to straighten their backs every day to maintain their demeanor in this battlefield without gunfire.
But Ji Ruan, appearing in a T-shirt, shorts, and canvas shoes, walked leisurely and naturally, occasionally looking down at his phone to message friends, revealing a slight smile.
This kind of relaxation and inexplicable confidence was something no one present could ever possess. It really was like he was a pampered and innocent young master.
“Whose young master is he? Does anyone know him?”
“He’s definitely not from the group of rich young masters. He’s never appeared before.”
“Could it be a business marriage? The group has been getting closer to Lingzhou recently, right?”
“The chairman of Lingzhou only has one daughter.”
“Oh…”
As the elevator doors closed, the voices of the conversation were cut off, and Xiaoya quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
The number of people working on the top floor of the building was less than one-tenth of those on the first floor.The top floor was enveloped in a serious silence, and no one was shocked by Ji Ruan's arrival.
Xiaoya led Ji Ruan to Gu Xiuyi’s office, finally relaxing enough to roughly introduce the surrounding environment.
Seeing Xiaoya’s increasingly relaxed expression and the joy between her eyebrows, Ji Ruan couldn't help but feel affected by her continuous good mood and quietly listened to her talk.
Xiaoya noticed Ji Ruan smiling and stopped to ask, “What’s up?”
Ji Ruan shook his head and said honestly, “I just feel like something good must have happened to you recently.”
He had a magical kind of friendliness that made it hard for people to be wary of him.
“That’s true,” Xiaoya couldn’t contain her smile and secretly told him, “Our entire secretarial team is getting a bonus at the end of the month!”
“Really? Congratulations.” Ji Ruan said with a slightly delighted smile.
“Not really,” Xiaoya looked at Ji Ruan like he was a lucky star, “it’s all thanks to you.”
Ji Ruan was slightly taken aback, “What did I do?”
Xiaoya suddenly stopped talking, smiled discreetly, opened the door, and said to Ji Ruan, "It's nothing, come in quickly. The boss is still in a meeting, so you'll have to wait for him a bit."
She led Ji Ruan to the sofa and asked softly while bending over, "Would you like sweet milk or plain milk?"
Ji Ruan: "..."
Why do these young ladies all assume he likes to drink milk?
Ji Ruan pursed his lips and smiled slightly, "Could I have a glass of ice water?"
The weather was really hot!
·
After finishing the meeting, Gu Xiuyi returned to the office. The ice water on the table had been drunk, leaving only a few partially melted ice cubes. Water droplets on the glass slid down to form a small puddle on the metal tabletop.
Ji Ruan was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his hands pressed against the glass, intensely focused on something below.
"Ji Ruan?"
...
The kid didn’t respond.
Gu Xiuyi took a few steps forward and gently patted Ji Ruan on the shoulder. As expected, Ji Ruan was startled again, exclaiming softly and moving away, his shoulder hitting the glass wall.
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
He noticed that although Ji Ruan appeared more composed than most kids and wasn't particularly timid, he was easily startled by sudden occurrences.
Even if Gu Xiuyi didn't mean to, and the pat on the shoulder was very light, Ji Ruan would still react like a frightened rabbit.
Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi locked eyes for a few seconds. Ji Ruan then turned on his cochlear implant: "... I didn’t know you came in."
His cheeks were a bit red from the sun, and his eyelashes looked very long in the sunlight, trembling slightly.
Gu Xiuyi gazed at this pretty face and then gently brushed aside the hair near Ji Ruan's right ear, glancing at the small external device: "Why did you turn it off again? Didn't Li Suian say you should wear it more to get used to it?"
Ji Ruan replied evasively, "I'm used to it. I used to turn it off often too."
Gu Xiuyi said nothing, staring at him for a while, then suddenly asked, "Is it uncomfortable to wear?"
Not really.
Ji Ruan touched his ear and said, "It's just that it's much clearer than my old one. I'm not used to it."
Gu Xiuyi turned to the table, grabbed a clean cup, and filled it with water, saying flatly, "Then keep it on, so you won't be startled when I call you and you don't hear me."
Ji Ruan followed him, softly retorting, "Not always."
Gu Xiuyi lifted his eyelids and glanced at him, "Hmm."
"Oh, by the way," he pointed at Ji Ruan with the water cup and asked, "Do you have a white shirt?"
A white shirt?
Ji Ruan's wardrobe was filled entirely with T-shirts, as he couldn't afford any nice shirts.
Ji Ruan shook his head honestly. "No, why?"
Gu Xiuyi pursed his lips, put down his cup, and said, "Let's go. We need to buy a few shirts first."
Not only did they need to wear white shirts for the wedding photos, but if Ji Ruan showed up at the Civil Affairs Bureau dressed like he was, people passing by would definitely think Gu Xiuyi was some pervert kidnapping a child.
Gu Xiuyi took Ji Ruan to a store he frequented.
As soon as they entered, they were led to a VIP lounge. Rows of clothes and pants were brought in front of them by the store staff. Besides white shirts, there were many casual styles. Ji Ruan only needed to sit on the small sofa, drink coffee, eat cake, and choose what he liked.
However, he didn't have strong preferences about what to wear and felt dizzy from the dazzling array of clothes. Gu Xiuyi silently picked out several sets for Ji Ruan from top to bottom.
In the end, Ji Ruan chose a shirt himself.
It was a very simple style, with only a black bamboo embroidered on the cuff. It looked understated and inconspicuous, but the stitches were dense and delicate, showcasing the craftsmanship of a very experienced Han embroidery master, likely a master artisan.
Ji Ruan's family had been engaged in Han embroidery for generations. Starting with his great-grandfather, they had been inheritors of this intangible cultural heritage. Ji Ruan had learned a lot from his grandfather, and if he hadn't died young, he would probably have inherited this craft.
Ji Ruan didn't realize he had been staring at the shirt for a long time.
"This is a piece by Master Cheng Yunxiu," the manager said softly beside Ji Ruan. "Our brand aims to promote classic traditional culture. All these embroideries were personally designed and hand-stitched by Master Cheng and her disciples. Each embroidery is unique, and Master Cheng hopes that the destined person can wear it."
Ji Ruan looked up at Gu Xiuyi.
He had very gentle eyes, like the spring water or the breeze blowing wind chimes.
They exchanged a brief glance, and then Gu Xiuyi looked at the manager expressionlessly and said, "Buy it."
As Song Ling followed the two with large and small bags, the store staff hid behind the manager, laughing quietly.
"Who would have thought that Mr. Gu would really get married, and to someone so young."
"Do these rich bachelors all prefer younger partners? Is it common in their circles for older men to marry younger wives?"
"I also want a boyfriend like this. He doesn't talk much but buys whatever you point at."
When Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi, both wearing white shirts, arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, it was just before lunchtime. Those who came to get their certificates in the morning had finished, and the afternoon crowd hadn't arrived yet, so they were the only couple there.
The staff were momentarily stunned when they saw the two.
Gu Xiuyi was quite a well-known figure in Beijing. Anyone who paid attention to the news would definitely know him.
From the moment Ji Ruan appeared at the company in the morning to being taken by Gu Xiuyi to buy clothes, everything had been photographed and posted online.
Some people reported that Gu Xiuyi was getting married to a young master from a wealthy family who had never shown his face, claiming it was a commercial marriage.
Others speculated that Gu Xiuyi, after living like a monk for so long, had decided to keep a young, handsome college student.
Some even believed they were truly in love.
In no time, many different opinions were circulating.
Until they appeared at the Civil Affairs Bureau. Regardless of the reason, it at least directly confirmed the marriage rumors, creating a huge sensation.
Ji Ruan was the first to break the silence. Standing next to Gu Xiuyi, he said with a gentle smile: "Good afternoon."
His voice was clear and soft.
The staff at the Civil Affairs Bureau took less than a second to regain their professionalism.
"Good afternoon. Are you two here to get a marriage certificate?" The speaker was a middle-aged woman of about forty, who seemed to be their team leader.
Gu Xiuyi nodded: "Yes, what procedures do we need to go through?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the staff standing in a row in the corner took a quiet breath, glancing at each other.
The team leader smiled appropriately and said, "Please follow me."
She led the two to a round table in the lounge area and called a colleague to bring over some forms, which she placed in front of them.
"Hello, sir. I am Xiao Zhang, the marriage registrar. It's a pleasure to serve you. These are two 'Marriage Registration Application Declarations.' Please fill them out separately and submit your household registration books and relevant documents for us to review."
Ji Ruan thanked her and took the declaration form, while Gu Xiuyi handed the documents to the team leader.
At this moment, Song Ling entered with Xiaoya, carrying several boxes of exquisitely packaged chocolates, which he handed to the team leader.
"On this joyous day, Mr. Gu is giving everyone some wedding candies. We wish everyone happiness and blessings. Please don't mind."
The marriage registration office was never short of wedding candies from newlyweds. Generally, the registrars would accept them, not wanting to dampen the newlyweds' spirits on their happy day.
The team leader didn't stand on ceremony this time either, accepting the chocolates with a smile. "In that case, we'll graciously accept. Take your time filling out the forms. I'll go check on the document review."
She took the chocolates into the office and placed them in front of her colleagues. "Wedding candies from the newlyweds. Let's all share some later."
"These look quite high-end."
A colleague opened one box and checked online. After a few seconds, they took a sharp breath: "Italian handmade, costing two to three thousand per box. And they gave out seven or eight boxes? This is the first time I've received wedding candies worth over ten thousand yuan."
The team leader, reviewing the documents, slowly turned her head at these words. After a moment of eye contact, everyone tacitly divided one box.
There was no one else in the lounge area. Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi sat quietly side by side, filling out the forms.
Ji Ruan's handwriting, like him, was delicate and refined. Gu Xiuyi's handwriting was undoubtedly excellent, with strong and vigorous strokes, exuding grandeur.
"Ahem..." The air conditioning here was much colder than Ji Ruan was used to. His respiratory tract was sensitive, and his throat became hoarse after not drinking water for a while. He coughed softly, covering his mouth.
Gu Xiuyi's pen paused, but he didn't look up. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Ji Ruan focused on filling out the form, reading each line carefully.
In the otherwise quiet waiting area, Ji Ruan's coughing could be heard from time to time.
"Clatter—"
Gu Xiuyi put down his pen, got up to fetch a glass of water from the water dispenser, and placed it beside Ji Ruan. "Drink some if you're uncomfortable."
Ji Ruan had a habit of ignoring many things when he was very focused. It wasn't until Gu Xiuyi spoke out of the blue that he realized he had been coughing for a long time.
Having someone to help with fetching tea and water was certainly better than doing it himself. Ji Ruan picked up the paper cup and smiled, dimples appearing on his cheeks. "Thank you, Mr. Gu."
Gu Xiuyi looked at Ji Ruan's dimples, unimpressed. "What are you smiling at? Hurry up and finish writing."
Ji Ruan: "..."
After finishing the statement, the team leader checked the documents and found no issues, then took them to the photo room.
Before the photo session, Xiaoya insisted on putting some lipstick on Ji Ruan, saying his face lacked color and that a bit of lipstick would look better in the photos. Wedding photos should be beautiful.
Ji Ruan sat there, slightly opening his mouth and letting Xiaoya fuss over him, while Gu Xiuyi stood by, drinking water and watching.
Even Ji Ruan's lips were attractive, with just the right thickness and a small lip pearl on the upper lip. Whenever Ji Ruan wiped his mouth, he would lightly dab that spot with a tissue.
After applying the lipstick, it looked like the cherries Ji Ruan loved to eat.
However, in Gu Xiuyi's somewhat straightforward aesthetic, he felt Ji Ruan's lips looked better with their natural light pink color, without anything on them.
The team leader was waiting nearby, and a colleague whispered, "Why is Mr. Gu just watching and not saying anything, even after drinking almost a whole cup of water?"
The team leader glared at him and put a finger to his lips. "Shh!"
In the photo room, there was a wooden oath platform decorated with flowers and printed with the national emblem, with a bright red background cloth behind it.
It wasn't until they stood in front of the oath platform that Ji Ruan finally felt the reality of getting married. He suddenly felt a bit nervous and found it hard to believe.
The person next to him was a man he had no emotional foundation with, and yet, because of a contract, they stood on the solemn oath platform, receiving everyone's blessings.
Ji Ruan's palms were slightly sweaty.
The photographer was still adjusting the camera at that moment. Most couples were a bit nervous when getting their marriage certificates, so the staff habitually made jokes to ease the tension. However, Gu Xiuyi rarely showed any expression and only occasionally responded out of politeness, while Ji Ruan was so nervous that his facial muscles were stiff.
Fortunately, the two of them were indeed very good-looking, so even their stiffness was pleasing to the eye.
When the photographer finished adjusting the camera, he called them to look at the lens.
Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi stood shoulder to shoulder, their arms pressed tightly together, clearly feeling each other's body heat. As the shutter clicked, Ji Ruan forced a smile, looking a bit like he was putting on a show.
Even the photographer couldn't help but chuckle at this sight. He comforted him, "Xiao Ji, relax a bit. Don't be nervous; you'll look even prettier if you smile."
Ji Ruan nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to start the photo shoot again. However, after several attempts, he still couldn’t get into the right mood. The two of them in front of the camera looked more like they were there for a divorce rather than a wedding photo.
The staff on the side couldn't help but whisper, "What's with President Gu? Why isn't he comforting him at all..."
"Exactly, the kid looks so nervous..."
After several failed attempts, Ji Ruan also felt a bit discouraged. He rubbed his face hard, trying to relax his facial muscles.
His wrist was grabbed, and Gu Xiuyi’s voice sounded in his ear, "Are you very scared?"
But Ji Ruan turned his head away, unwilling to admit his nervousness.
He had very fair skin, and soft-looking short black hair. When he lowered his head, his long, thick eyelashes cast a fine shadow on his under-eye area. He was stunningly beautiful.
Gu Xiuyi reached out, his ten fingers pressing against Ji Ruan's cheeks, and said in a low voice, "Purse your lips a bit and show your dimples."
Ji Ruan suddenly looked up, cheeks slightly puffed, staring at Gu Xiuyi.
He was already so nervous, and this person still forced him to show his dimples!
How mean!
Gu Xiuyi looked at Ji Ruan. In the boy’s bright, large eyes was his own reflection, filled with a lot of indignation. He knew he wasn’t good at comforting people.
But he really didn't know how to comfort others.
Gu Xiuyi hesitated for a while, finally sighing in a compromise:
"Your dimples are really beautiful, can you smile?"
Looking at President Gu's expression, Ji Ruan could sense that this was probably the most tenderness he could show.
He took a deep breath and slowly pursed his lips as Gu Xiuyi instructed.
As Ji Ruan followed the action, Gu Xiuyi's fingertips gently sank into a small dimple. The sensation was quite marvelous, something he had never experienced in his entire life.
Gu Xiuyi’s lips involuntarily curved into a slight smile. He then gently touched Ji Ruan's chin, turning the boy’s face to face the camera.
The photographer understood the cue, and with a click, the moment was captured.
After taking the photo, the officiant handed them the oath, beginning the swearing-in process.
It was a dark red, very weighty hardcover booklet, with the marriage vows inside.
The officiant said, "I am very pleased to issue your marriage certificate on this sacred day. Please answer my question solemnly: Are you voluntarily getting married?"
The two looked at the vows and answered in unison, their voices intertwining, "Yes."
"In our country, marriage is based on freedom. Both partners should be loyal to each other and respect one another; family members should respect the elderly and care for the young, help each other, and jointly maintain an equal, harmonious, and civilized marriage and family relationship. Can you do this?"
"We can."
"Please face the solemn national emblem and recite the 'Marriage Vows' together."
Gu Xiuyi opened the heavy wooden cover and handed it to the middle. Ji Ruan glanced at him, paused for two seconds, and then followed his rhythm to read aloud together:
"We voluntarily become partners, whether in good times or bad times, rich or poor, in sickness or health, young or old, we will stand together through thick and thin, support each other, cherish and love each other for a lifetime!"
Ji Ruan’s voice was soft and gentle, while Gu Xiuyi's was low and steady. Under the solemn vows, to everyone except themselves, they looked like a genuinely loving couple.
Applause of blessings echoed in the room.
The officiant handed them the marriage certificate.
"Congratulations to both of you, happy wedding!"
--------------------
Buy Me a Drink
The author has something to say:
The love story of the noblewoman from a wealthy family and the mute domineering president officially begins with two marriage certificates.
——ps: The mute domineering president (once had a voice · might have a voice again in the future · version)