The next morning, Xia Xingchen was woken up by the vibration of her phone.
She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Gu Yanzhi's sleeping face. He was lying beside her, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow under his eyes, his handsome features softened by sleep.
Three days of marriage, and she still wasn't used to waking up next to him.
She carefully got out of bed, tiptoed to the bathroom, and picked up her phone.
Countless messages popped up, all from her colleagues and friends.
"Xia! Are you married? The photo of you and Mr. Gu is everywhere!""Oh my god! You're actually Mrs. Gu? Why didn't you tell us?""Mr. Gu is so handsome! And he's so gentle to you! I'm so envious!"
Xia Xingchen's heart skipped a beat. She quickly opened the photo.
It was the scene of her and Gu Yanzhi walking out of the studio hand in hand yesterday. The angle was tricky, clearly taken secretly.
In the photo, Gu Yanzhi was holding her hand tightly, his eyes full of doting, and she was blushing slightly, looking down at the ground.
The photo had already spread all over the upper-class social circle, and the comments were explosive.
"Who is this woman? She actually married Gu Yanzhi?""Is she from a wealthy family? I've never heard of her before.""Gu Yanzhi, the cold CEO, actually has such a gentle side? It's unbelievable!"
Xia Xingchen's face turned pale. She never thought that their private moment would be photographed and spread.
Just then, Gu Yanzhi woke up. He saw Xia Xingchen standing by the bed, her face pale, and immediately sat up.
"What's wrong?"
Xia Xingchen handed him the phone. "Someone took a photo of us yesterday and spread it everywhere."
Gu Yanzhi took the phone, glanced at the photo, and his face instantly turned cold.
The tenderness in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a terrifying chill.
"Lin Hao." He picked up his phone and called his assistant directly. His voice was cold enough to freeze the air. "Find out who took this photo and who spread it. I want all the people involved to pay the price."
Lin Hao on the other end of the phone was shocked. He had already seen the photo, and knew that the CEO was furious. "Yes, Mr. Gu! I'll do it right away!"
Gu Yanzhi hung up the phone, got out of bed, and walked to Xia Xingchen. He held her in his arms, his voice softening.
"Don't be afraid. I'll take care of everything. No one can hurt you."
Xia Xingchen leaned against his chest, feeling his warm embrace, and her panic gradually calmed down.
"But... what about my studio? Will this affect my work?"
Gu Yanzhi stroked her hair. "No. This will only make everyone know that you are my wife. No one will dare to bully you in the future."
He raised his hand and lifted her chin, his eyes firm. "From today on, you are Mrs. Gu, the only woman I, Gu Yanzhi, recognize. No one can question your identity, and no one can hinder your career."
Xia Xingchen looked at his determined eyes, and her heart was filled with warmth.
She knew that with Gu Yanzhi by her side, she had nothing to fear.
Half an hour later, Lin Hao called back.
"Mr. Gu, we found out. It was a reporter from a gossip magazine who took the photo. He was bribed by Miss Su Wanqing from the Su Family. She wanted to use this photo to ruin Miss Xia's reputation and force you to marry her."
Gu Yanzhi's face turned colder. "Su Wanqing?"
He had long been annoyed by this woman who kept pestering him. Now she dared to hurt Xia Xingchen, which completely touched his bottom line.
"Block all cooperation projects with the Su Family. Let the Su Group go bankrupt within three days. And that reporter, make sure he can never work in the media industry again."
Lin Hao was shocked. "Yes, Mr. Gu!"
Gu Yanzhi hung up the phone, turned to look at Xia Xingchen, and smiled faintly. "It's done. No one will dare to trouble you again."
Xia Xingchen looked at him, her eyes full of admiration.
She knew that Gu Yanzhi was ruthless in the business world, but he only showed his tenderness to her.
Just then, Xia Xingchen's phone rang again. It was her studio's boss.
"Xia! The Gu Group's design department called! They want to cooperate with our studio and let you be the chief designer for their new project! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Xia Xingchen was stunned. She looked at Gu Yanzhi, who was smiling at her.
She understood. This was Gu Yanzhi's way of supporting her career. He didn't pave the way for her with shortcuts, but gave her the biggest stage to shine.
"Thank you, Mr. Gu."
Gu Yanzhi walked over, held her hand, and kissed her forehead.
"You're welcome, my wife. This is just the beginning. I'll wait for you to stand at the top, hand in hand with me."
Outside the window, the sun was shining brightly, and the future was bright.
Their story was moving forward at a rapid pace, and more challenges and sweetness were waiting for them.