Gu Zhaoping didn’t mind—it was pleasant to chat with a handsome young man.
It didn’t distract her from her real work, either.
She had already finished the speech for the most important forum event.
Valentin’s frequent visits had drawn attention.
One day, during a break between meetings, someone sent her an invitation to a nearby villa.
The invitation came from the La Roche family.
At first, Gu Zhaoping didn’t think much of it—probably just something fun Valentin wanted to show her.
Old Master Gu waved his hand and said she had worked hard enough—she should go relax.
So she agreed to go.
The villa was in the neighboring city, a bit of a drive, but located in an area with excellent natural scenery.
Many people from nearby cities vacationed there.
Winter had already begun.
Gu Zhaoping looked at the snow-capped mountains in the distance and felt a spark of interest.
“Is there a ski resort over there?”
She asked.
Her assistant, Xiao Zhao, checked.
“Yes, Boss. There’s a very famous ski resort nearby. But it’s a wild course, very dangerous—not like the man-made kind. Even professional athletes don’t usually train there, especially during the season. Too risky—lots of accidents have happened.”
“But because it’s so extreme and famous, thrill-seekers still come to challenge it,” he added.
Gu Zhaoping nodded.
It had been a while since she got some physical activity—she was intrigued.
Still, she wasn’t sure what the La Roche family wanted from her.
She’d find out after the visit.
***
The La Roche villa was built into the mountainside, a palace of white snow overlooking the city below.
The car pulled through the iron gates and, under the guidance of security, parked in a designated area.
A person dressed in formal wear came to politely invite Gu Zhaoping to step out of the car.
However, when Assistant Xiao Zhao and Mao Xinci were about to follow, he raised a hand to stop them and said,
“Miss Gu, please come with me alone.”
Everyone froze for a moment.
Gu Zhaoping looked at him and then said to Xiao Zhao and Mao Xinci,
“You two wait here.”
The big family’s rules were indeed plentiful, but Gu Zhaoping remained completely calm, showing no sense of being threatened.
She had some idea of what might be going on and even found the whole thing a bit amusing.
A man dressed like a butler guided her inside, leading her through a series of white-columned buildings until they reached a courtyard.
Sunlight filtered through the glass ceiling.
A man around 30 was standing there, his back turned to her, hands in his trouser pockets, gazing quietly at the snowy mountains in the distance.
“Hello,”
Gu Zhaoping said as she casually found a seat and sat down.
Judging by this man’s posture, he seemed determined to keep up his dramatic pose for a while, so she didn’t bother addressing him further.
As expected, the man stood there for a while, seemingly captivated by the distant view.
Only after some time did he turn around and notice Gu Zhaoping already seated, which seemed to surprise him.
Then he laughed—but the laugh sounded somewhat odd.
Gu Zhaoping looked up at him.
He bore some resemblance to Valentin.
Compared to Valentin’s youthful and handsome appearance, this man’s features were more deeply set, marked by time.
He was more muscular and carried a brooding, mature aura that gave him a heavy, oppressive presence.
He pulled out the chair across from Gu Zhaoping and sat down, still speaking politely, though the aristocratic arrogance within him was impossible to fully hide.
He picked up a cigar cutter and circled it around the cigar, then asked,
“Miss, do you mind?”
Normally, people would just let him do as he pleased.
Gu Zhaoping replied,
“I mind.”
His hand froze.
He looked surprised and glanced at Gu Zhaoping again before setting down both the cigar and the cutter.
He couldn’t help but chuckle again.
“Then, Miss Gu, if I’m not mistaken, you’re currently dating my younger brother Valentin?”
Gu Zhaoping leaned back in the chair, a shawl draped over her shoulders.
The weather was getting a bit chilly.
She didn’t answer immediately but turned her gaze toward the fireplace behind the man.
The man paused again, following her gaze.
Realizing what she meant, he picked up a remote control and pressed a button.
The fireplace behind him sparked to life, spreading warmth throughout the room.
Gu Zhaoping rested her arm on the chair’s back and said calmly,
“If you’re talking about dating, then yes.”
This was unexpected.
Theodore stared at her for a long time, finding himself momentarily at a loss for words.
Originally, he had thought this would be a simple conversation.
His younger brother seemed to have developed feelings for a wealthy heiress from another country.
He’d investigated her and found rumors about some unclear engagement arrangement.
To prevent his brother from losing his way and damaging the family’s reputation, Theodore, as the elder brother, decided to take time out to speak with this heiress.
Valentin was a simple man.
Though they were half-brothers and not very close, Theodore felt a sense of responsibility to look out for him.
They were, after all, part of the same family.
But upon meeting Gu Zhaoping, he realized the matter was far from simple.
She didn’t seem like a spoiled, willful heiress at all.
The warning and interrogation Theodore had prepared suddenly felt inappropriate.
Instead, something else flickered in his eyes—interest.
“Then, Miss Gu, may I ask how you and Valentin met?” he asked.
“At the forum a few days ago. I gave a speech, and Valentin asked me a question. Why?”
Gu Zhaoping’s tone was calm, and her gaze was steady—like she had already seen through his intentions.
Yet she didn’t rush to expose him, instead choosing to play a slow game, as if exchanging cryptic moves on a chessboard.
Theodore found this kind of sparring intriguing.
This heiress was so cold—her demeanor so detached, it didn’t seem like she was capable of showing affection.
“Oh, so Miss Gu even gave a speech at the forum. May I ask what it was about?”
They exchanged a few more lines.
Theodore grew even more intrigued.
Finally, he lowered his head with a small smile and got to the point: “Miss Gu, I must confess. This invitation was not from Valentin—it was my idea.”
His eye color was slightly darker than Valentin’s.
“I wanted to confirm whether you truly have no existing marital ties. I heard your engagement has not been officially annulled.”
“As someone who represents the Laroche family publicly, Valentin’s romantic relationships must be handled with extreme care.”
Gu Zhaoping replied calmly,
“As someone who represents the Gu family, my relationships must be handled with the same care. So, can you tell me why this benefits me?”
Theodore was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
He didn’t pursue the topic further and instead raised his cup toward her, saying,
“This is a famous tea from your country.”
He no longer wanted to talk about Valentin—or at least not in that direction.
Just a few exchanges were enough for him to understand what kind of person Gu Zhaoping was.
More than concern for his brother, what lingered in Theodore’s mind now was a strange, growing sense of challenge.
“Miss Gu, are you the current heir of your family?”
“And what about you? Are you the current heir of the Laroche family?”
Theodore nodded.
“I am.”
Gu Zhaoping nodded in return.
“I’m about to be.”
“Have you ever considered using marriage alliances with other families to secure your power?”
Theodore asked as he raised his teacup.
He thought perhaps this motive made more sense than simple romance.
“Have you?”
This woman was truly difficult and quick-witted—every question he posed, she threw back at him without hesitation, leaving him no room to probe further.
He had to be the one to give answers first before she would be willing to reveal even a bit of information.
But this was far too interesting, far too thrilling.
Theodore said calmly,
“If that were a possibility, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
Gu Zhaoping smiled and raised her cup to him.
“Likewise.”
Theodore began to contemplate.
In any power struggle within a family, the involvement of the Laroche family—should they choose to extend a hand—would carry decisive and pivotal influence.
In terms of wealth, while the Gu family was considered a prominent one, there was still a considerable gap between them and the Laroche family.
Theodore thought deeply.
But for now, he only asked,
“As far as I know, the publicly acknowledged heir of the Gu family is someone named Gu Zhaoye. He’s your younger brother?”
“If that’s the case, how do you plan to seize power from the family? I’m genuinely curious—can you actually succeed?”
Gu Zhaoping only slightly turned her gaze toward him.
Once again, she didn’t respond directly.
Instead, she said,
“You want to make a wager with me?”
Theodore froze.
What kind of answer was that?
He hadn’t mentioned anything about a wager.
Why did it feel like this Miss Gu…seemed almost eager?
As if she were seizing every opportunity to bet—as if she were so confident in her success that she was using this moment to pre-negotiate her future spoils.
Theodore thought it over, then said,
“Perhaps I need to understand you better, Miss Gu.”
“I’ll be attending the rest of the forum,”
Gu Zhaoping replied.
Theodore still couldn’t quite figure out how things had turned out this way.
They had spoken for quite a while, and not once had the conversation returned to Valentin.
Originally, this was supposed to be a discussion about Valentin’s romantic entanglements, but it had instead turned into a wager between the two of them.
So, did that mean he would now have to make time to attend that summit—and watch her speech live?
Theodore shook his head and sighed.
“No need to rush. That’s a matter for a few days from now.”
He glanced toward the distant snow-covered mountains and suddenly made a suggestion.
“By the way, Miss Gu—are you interested in skiing?”