The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 543: My daughter-in-law, I’ll take care of her

Mr. Tao’s expression did not improve despite Gu Yang’s statement. He remained stern, looking at Gu Yang. "Actually, I do not approve of my daughter marrying a soldier. Being a military wife is very tough, and she is my only daughter. I don’t ask for her to be wealthy, I just hope she can find someone who loves her and lead a peaceful life. But you, you do not meet my standard for a son-in-law."

He spoke candidly, and Gu Yang’s heart suddenly tightened. Even though he had prepared for such a response, being looked down upon because of his profession still left him inexplicably sad.

"But," Mr. Tao took a different turn, "my daughter likes you, and she has been silently waiting for you for many years. My wife and I have tried many times to persuade her to give you up, but she simply won’t listen to us. We are not those kinds of feudal parents. If my daughter wants to be with you, I won’t forcibly separate you two."

Gu Yang did not expect such a sudden turnaround. He froze in place, initially thinking Mr. Tao wanted them to break up. He discreetly wiped his hands on his trousers, trying to dry the sweat from his palms. "Uncle, I swear on my life, I will treat Ranran very well for the rest of my life."

Mr. Tao waved his hand. "No need for promises; I prefer to see actions. But young man, I do hope you’ll consider my daughter’s feelings more. I have no prejudice against your profession as soldiers, and I greatly admire what you do, but as a father, I still hope that you can spend more time with my daughter."

"Uncle, I understand." A trace of bitterness touched Gu Yang’s smile. He did understand Mr. Tao’s point, but honestly, transferring to a civilian job was not a possibility right now. He loved Tao Ran—besides his mother, Tao Ran was the woman he loved most. But he couldn’t leave the army for her.

"But, Uncle, I really cannot leave the army now. I have my own responsibilities that I bear." Once he donned his military uniform, he would not easily take it off.

Mr. Tao looked intently into Gu Yang’s eyes. He could see that this young man was honest; many would concoct a lie in this situation, get married, and then refuse to transfer if not willing. Yet, he chose to express his true thoughts at this moment, which Mr. Tao somewhat admired.

"You’re not afraid I’ll strongly oppose your marriage?"

Gu Yang nodded honestly, "I am afraid, but I won’t hide anything regarding this matter."

"You are indeed honest." Mr. Tao said, sounding slightly irritated but not truly angry.

In the kitchen, while helping Mrs. Tao with the vegetables, Ranran occasionally glanced toward the living room. Mrs. Tao chuckled, "Ranran, focus on picking the vegetables."

Ranran pouted, worriedly speaking, "Mom, Dad won’t say anything too harsh, will he?"

"If you let your dad see you like this, he might just say something," Mrs. Tao laughed, amused by her daughter’s obvious bias.

"Mom, I brought Gu Yang back this time just to show you both, so please don’t make it hard for him later," Ranran cajoled. She knew her parents were somewhat displeased with Gu Yang. There was nothing she could do about her father now, so she tried to work on her mother, who was more approachable than her father.

Mrs. Tao sighed, "Ranran, have you really thought this through?"

"Mom, I’ve decided long ago. I think Gu Yang is very good. Wasn’t it because he is a soldier that I fell for him?"

"You just like to ask for trouble. You have no idea how hard it is to be a military wife."

"How could I not know? I remember a cousin-in-law who is a military wife," Ranran said. They had many relatives, and she had numerous cousins. One not-so-close cousin was a soldier, though he was just an ordinary one, incomparable to Gu Yang.

She didn’t have much contact with that cousin-in-law, but ever since her parents considered making her break up with Gu Yang, they had often mentioned her cousin-in-law’s hardships, revolving around the theme of "Being a military wife is tough, getting married is like not being married at all." Even if she was initially unaware, now she was clear about it. Yet, understanding this, Ranran had not changed her mind; she was determined about Gu Yang.

Mrs. Tao, who knew her daughter very well, knew from her determined look that she had made up her mind. She sighed deeply, "You, you just make me and your dad worry."

"Mom, what’s there to worry about? You only see that Gu Yang can’t come home often, but you don’t see how well he treats me. I feel that if I miss him, I won’t meet someone so genuine again in this lifetime. Mom, please speak well of Gu Yang in front of Dad."

Mrs. Tao pointed at Ranran’s head with her finger, annoyed, "Really stubborn, just like your dad."

Ranran smiled squintily, stopped picking vegetables, leaned on her mother’s shoulder, and acted coquettishly, "Then I’ll take that as your agreement. I just know my mom is the best mom in the world, and I love you most."

Mrs. Tao shook her shoulders, "Get up quickly, I’m cooking right now, be careful the oil splashes on you."

"I won’t, I just want to lean against you."

"How old are you to still act coquettishly?"

"Hehehe, no matter how old, I’m still your daughter. In your eyes, I’m a child, how can I not act coquettishly? I plan to act coquettishly in your arms for a lifetime."

Mrs. Tao glared at her annoyed, but the corners of her eyes and brows were smiling.

Ranran had convinced her mother, and smiled squintily as she continued to help her mother pick vegetables, feeling very good. Mrs. Tao laughed, realizing she couldn’t hold her daughter back anymore.

"Dad, Gu Yang, dinner’s ready." Ranran helped her mother bring out the dishes. Seeing this, Gu Yang quickly stood up, "Put it down, be careful of the heat, I’ll serve the dishes." Saying this, he walked straight into the kitchen, completely forgetting that this wasn’t his own home.

He behaved very naturally, without any pretense. After he went in, Ranran walked up to her father, eyes bragging, "Dad, he’s not bad, right?"

Mr. Tao glanced at her sternly and harrumphed, then sat down at the table. Looking at her father’s face, Ranran couldn’t help but be suspicious. Didn’t Gu Yang manage her dad? Normally he’s quite eloquent, so why did he falter upon seeing her dad?

Then she thought it might be because Gu Yang was still nervous, and her dad was not so easy to impress. No matter, she still had herself. Now she had her mom on her side; two against one, there’s no way they couldn’t win her dad over.

Dinner was quite harmonious. Mr. Tao didn’t deliberately pick on Gu Yang. Since Mrs. Tao had been convinced by her daughter, she naturally wouldn’t show a cold face to Gu Yang and kept inviting him to eat more, making Gu Yang pleasantly surprised.

After dinner, Ranran took the opportunity of wanting Gu Yang to accompany her on a walk to go downstairs, actually planning to gather information.

"How did your talk with my dad go? He didn’t give you a hard time, did he?" As soon as they left the door, Ranran asked impatiently.

Gu Yang scratched his head, "No trouble. I think it went okay." Although not entirely satisfied with his response, as Mr. Tao didn’t display any particularly adverse emotion, Gu Yang thought it was quite good.

"What do you mean ’okay’? Did you manage to win my dad over or not?" Ranran was somewhat anxious. If that didn’t work, she had other plans ready to go, always ready to bring out new strategies to get her parents to accept Gu Yang.

"I think Uncle might have agreed. Look, he didn’t say much during dinner." Gu Yang guessed.

Thinking it over, Ranran thought so too. Her dad’s demeanor had been quite mild at dinner, which instantly relieved half of her worries. Curious, Ranran asked Gu Yang, "What did my dad talk to you about?"

Gu Yang honestly relayed to Tao Ran the conversation he had had with Mr. Tao. Tao Ran was speechless as she looked at him, "You’re usually so clever, why didn’t you know to say some nice things to butter him up at such a crucial moment?" Her father did not even show any displeasure, which was nothing short of a miracle.

Gu Yang smirked, "Probably because he saw my sincerity and felt that I am a reliable person, and he can be at ease entrusting his daughter to me."

Tao Ran despised him, "Your skin is getting thicker."

Gu Yang chuckled, "I learned it from you." As soon as he finished speaking, Tao Ran rolled her eyes at him. Holding up her little fist, she threatened, "Gu Yang, I’m giving you a chance to rephrase that."

Gu Yang lowered his head and planted a kiss on her face, "I said my wife is the most beautiful, the most adorable."

Tao Ran’s face turned red, and she nervously glanced around. Seeing that no one had noticed the scene, she breathed a sigh of relief. The neighbors here had been around for ten to twenty years; they were all uncles and aunts who had watched her grow up. It would have been quite embarrassing if they had seen this intimate moment.

She glared at Gu Yang, "Mind your image."

Gu Yang was unperturbed, "What’s there to fear? I’m in civilian clothes today, nobody knows I’m a soldier."

Tao Ran: ...Was that what she meant?

Not wanting to argue about this matter, Tao Ran took Gu Yang on a walk around her neighborhood to show him where she had grown up. However, since Gu Yang was still recovering from serious injuries and it was the dead of winter, they did not stay outside for long and soon returned.

When they got back, Mr. and Mrs. Tao were sitting in the living room watching TV. On seeing them return, Mrs. Tao smiled and greeted, "You’re back. I’ve prepared some fruits for after dinner. Come have some."

Gu Yang did not decline their kindness and sat down on the sofa. Tao Ran sat between Gu Yang and Mrs. Tao, making eyes at her mother and glancing toward her father, her eyes conveying one message— "Did you handle my dad yet?"

Mrs. Tao glanced back at her daughter and subtly nodded. Tao Ran was delighted—if her dad wasn’t there, she would have openly thrown herself into her mother’s arms for a hug of love.

That night, Gu Yang stayed at the Tao residence, not in the same room as Tao Ran but in a guest room that was more of a makeshift bed in the study. Being used to the barracks, Gu Yang did not find it uncomfortable and quickly fell asleep. He had been tense these past few days and had hardly got any sleep, especially the night before where he had suffered from insomnia. Having now gained the approval of his in-laws, he naturally slept better.

Tao Ran had not been home in a while. Since she finally managed to come home, she naturally wanted to spend quality time with her parents and also discuss the meeting between both sets of parents.

The Gu Family intended for Gu Yang, who had limited vacation days, to get engaged during this break and then marry in March next year.

Gu Yang expressed this to Mr. and Mrs. Tao, who quickly agreed being reasonable people. The date was set for the following weekend when Gu Yang’s parents would visit Tao Ran’s house.

Gu Yang called home and informed his parents of the plan. Fu Jingtong and Gu Bowen naturally had no objections. Fu Jingtong even specifically inquired about the preferences of Tao Ran’s parents, as they didn’t want to be impolite on their first visit.

The meeting went smoothly, and both families fixed the engagement for a week later in Beijing. As for the Tao relatives, the Gu Family took charge of arranging their transportation. Although the timeline was tight, there was still enough time to prepare since it was just an engagement and not a marriage.

At that time, Mr. and Mrs. Tao’s impression of the Gu Family was merely that of a well-off family, without any notions of them being wealthy elites. It wasn’t until the day of the engagement party, standing outside the grand garden house of the Gu Family, that they were utterly stunned and taken aback.

"Ranran, what kind of family is the Gu Family?" Mrs. Tao pulled Tao Ran aside and asked quietly.

Tao Ran also lowered her voice, "Gu Yang’s father owns a company, and they are quite well-off."

After Mr. and Mrs. Tao entered the venue and saw the decorations, they couldn’t help but be astonished; it wasn’t just good, it was only then that they realized they had never inquired about Gu Yang’s background. Being a soldier usually didn’t suggest wealth, and when the Gu Family visited the Tao Family, the cars they drove had been quite modest. It wasn’t about hiding their wealth; they simply didn’t want the Tao Family to think they were showing off.

The engagement party was held at a five-star hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Tao arrived early, so they rested at the Gu Family’s home first, planning to go to the hotel with them later. As for the Tao Family’s relatives, Gu Kai had made all the arrangements.

"Ranran, why didn’t you mention before that Gu Yang’s family was so wealthy?" Mrs. Tao, with a slight reproach, pulled Tao Ran aside, realizing that the Gu Family’s background was like the legendary elite families, while their own was just ordinary. Could they really match such a family?

Mr. and Mrs. Tao, who had no objections to this marriage initially, hesitated at this moment.

Embarrassed, Tao Ran chuckled, "Well, you didn’t ask, did you?" She couldn’t very well say that she had hidden it so they would agree to the marriage.

"You, child, shouldn’t you have mentioned it without me having to ask? Tell me honestly, did you only find out about Gu Yang’s background recently, or did you know right from the beginning?"

Tao Ran confessed honestly, "I found out after dating Gu Yang for a while, about three months in."

Mrs. Tao pinched her daughter lightly, not very hard, "You knew so early and still didn’t tell us. You’re really bold."

Tao Ran pretended to yelp, "Mom, that really hurts."

"Stop pretending." Mrs. Tao frowned, knowing well how much force she had used—it really wasn’t painful.

Tao Ran clung to her mother, playfully pouting, "I was just scared you and Daddy would oppose it. If you had known, would you have agreed?"

Well, she really wouldn’t have agreed, Mrs. Tao thought secretly. Some might think that marrying into a wealthy family is prestigious, but their family was different—they just hoped their daughter would marry an ordinary person. But now the engagement was set, and relatives and friends had already gathered; they couldn’t just call off the wedding at this crucial time.

So, Mrs. Tao could only quietly admonish her daughter without making further comments.

At the hotel, upon seeing the people arriving from the Gu Family, Mr. and Mrs. Tao exchanged speechless looks. These visitors were clearly not ordinary; some were even frequently seen on TV, including celebrities.

Fu Hengyi, having stepped back from the front line in recent years, often appeared in various military shows. Mr. Tao recognized him immediately. And seeing how familiar Gu Yang was with him, upon inquiring, he was astonished to find that Gu Yang was Fu Hengyi’s cousin, which made him realize that the Gu Family’s power and status were likely higher than he had thought.

The Tao Family members felt somewhat uneasy, but fortunately, the Gu Family members were approachable, and they got along fairly well. Gradually, the Tao Family relaxed, and many started to admire Tao Ran for having found such a good family to marry into.

The engagement party went smoothly, and afterwards, as usual, Gu Kai arranged for the departure of the guests, while Mr. and Mrs. Tao were invited to stay longer.

Fu Jingtong had wanted to house Mr. and Mrs. Tao at her place, but they felt uncomfortable and declined. Thus, Fu Jingtong booked them a room at a nearby five-star hotel.

In the hotel, Mr. and Mrs. Tao sat opposite each other, contemplating, "Old Tao, do you think Ranran won’t suffer any hardships after marrying into the Gu Family, given their background?" Since Mrs. Tao had learned of Gu Yang’s family background, her heart had been unsettled, as she cherished her only daughter dearly.

Mr. Tao sighed, "Now that the engagement has happened, it’s too late to say these things, but from previous interactions, I can tell Gu Yang’s parents are good-natured and not difficult to get along with, she shouldn’t have to suffer." He was somewhat more optimistic than his wife. Most importantly, Ranran wasn’t one to suffer in silence, if Gu Yang’s parents were unkind to her, she would have broken up with him long ago.

Mrs. Tao knew this, but...

"This girl, once she falls in love, she keeps making concessions. Ranran loves Gu Yang so much, what if she suffers for his sake?"

"You’re just worrying unnecessarily, Gu Yang doesn’t seem like that kind of child."

"You see those news stories about girls marrying into wealthy families and then experiencing domestic violence, that’s what I’m concerned about. We only have one daughter, aren’t you worried?"

"I’m really not worried, and you should watch less of those meaningless news stories." Mr. Tao reassured his wife.

The doorbell rang; it was Ranran who had arrived, and Mrs. Tao went to open the door.

Ranran knew her parents must still have many doubts, and if these weren’t cleared, the two would probably have trouble sleeping.

Only Ranran had come, "Where’s Gu Yang?" Mr. Tao asked.

"I didn’t invite him. Now is our family time, just the three of us. His presence would just disrupt the harmony," Ranran replied cheerfully, her hand still adorned with the pair of rings she had bought.

Mrs. Tao looked at her disapprovingly, still not over her deliberately hiding Gu Yang’s family background, "And I haven’t even started on you yet. You’re getting bolder, even daring to deceive your parents."

Ranran swore, "Mom, I’ve been wronged. I had no intention of deceiving you, I just didn’t tell you."

"You still have the face to say that. When I asked you what Gu Yang’s family did, what did you tell me?"

Ranran’s gaze flickered, "But I didn’t say anything wrong. Gu Yang’s family runs a business." It just happened to be a big business.

"Alright, what’s the use of talking about this now? Ranran, Dad is asking you, are Gu Yang’s parents good to you?" Mr. Tao asked seriously.

Ranran nodded, "Dad, I won’t hide this from you, Gu Yang’s parents are very nice to me, especially his mom. She takes great care of me whenever I have even a slight fever or headache. Not to mention things like my menstrual cramps, which she remembers so clearly, unlike even my own mom. I’ve never seen such a caring mother-in-law."

Mrs. Tao looked at her daughter skeptically, worried she was yet again trying to pacify them, "Really?"

"Mom, I absolutely wouldn’t lie to you about this. I get along very well with Gu Yang’s mother, we often go shopping and have tea together, just like friends, we really hit it off."

"Listening to you, your mom and I feel relieved. Once you marry Gu Yang, I will try to keep our relatives in check, so they don’t cause you any trouble." Not that Mr. Tao had any malice in his speculation, but things needed to be stated clearly.

"Your mother and I just wish for you to live well. If our relatives do cause trouble, help if you can, but if you can’t, then don’t intervene at all. Even though the Gu Family might really like you, they’re still your in-laws, and there are boundaries you must maintain."

Tao Ran was perplexed; she had not expected her parents to think so far ahead, but she knew they meant well, so she nodded in agreement, "Okay, I understand. Don’t worry, Gu Yang and I will be fine."

Ever since Mr. Tao learned today that Gu Yang was Fu Hengyi’s cousin, he knew Gu Yang’s future in the military would definitely be promising. He figured asking him to leave the military was no longer a possibility, so he dropped the idea.

"Regarding you and Gu Yang, I heard that families can accompany the troops now. Does Gu Yang have that right?" Mr. Tao was not very familiar with military matters but had heard about families accompanying the troops.

"Gu Yang can’t do that right now, and I don’t want to be a full-time housewife so soon," Tao Ran said. She had never thought of being a housewife. Although her salary was nothing compared to the Gu Family’s wealth, it was still her own earned money, and she felt fully justified using it.

"Alright, since you have your plans, I won’t ask more. Ever since you were young, you’ve always been independent, and there’s no use in me saying anything. Your mother and I won’t stay in Beijing any longer; we’ll come back for the wedding next time. You can buy us tickets for tomorrow."

Tao Ran and Gu Yang’s wedding was scheduled for next April.

"Dad, you and Mom don’t have to work right now, why not stay a few more days? Gu Yang was planning to take you around Beijing tomorrow." Since she had to work and couldn’t take leave, Gu Yang took on the responsibility.

"Let’s pass this time and do it next time. Next time we come, we will definitely have a good time. Also, tell Gu Yang to just drop us off at the airport tomorrow. He finally has some time off, he should rest at home."

Due to Mr. Tao’s insistence, Gu Yang and Tao Ran took Mr. and Mrs. Tao to the airport early the next morning.

"Uncle, Auntie, I’ll come back home with Ranran next time," Gu Yang said.

Mr. Tao waved his hand, "Alright, just be careful on your way back."

Gu Yang waited until the plane took off before he drove back. He had to drop Tao Ran off at work first, "I’ll pick you up after work." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Tao Ran smiled broadly, "Okay." Because there wasn’t much time, she didn’t say much to Gu Yang and just nodded before opening the door and getting out of the car. Gu Yang watched her run towards her office in high heels and always worried she would fall.

Once she entered the company building, he drove home. However, halfway there, he suddenly realized Tao Ran had left her handbag, with her phone inside, in his car. Worried she might need her phone during the day, Gu Yang turned around to deliver it to her. But he hadn’t driven for two minutes when he received a call from Fu Hengyi asking him to come over. Gu Yang glanced at the time and decided he could only deliver the handbag at noon and have lunch with her then.

Tao Ran had taken two days off for the engagement, and among her colleagues in the office, she had only invited Xiao Zhou. When she arrived, Xiao Zhou teased her, "You’re back at work so soon? I thought you’d take a few more days off."

Tao Ran chuckled, "It’s just an engagement, not a wedding."

"But seriously, your fiance is really handsome," Xiao Zhou remembered Gu Yang she met yesterday; he indeed was a handsome man. Hmm, and definitely wealthy—the Beijing Gu Family, they were related to the Fu Family after all.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Ranran, you really play your cards close to the chest. A boyfriend who’s tall, rich, and handsome. No wonder you kept him hidden," Xiao Zhou joked.

Tao Ran rolled her eyes, "Get back to work, I’ll treat you to lunch at noon."

"Sure, I’m going for a big meal," Xiao Zhou was not shy to take up Ranran’s offer.

Lu Minghua, who had overheard their conversation, felt a bitter twinge in his heart. He glanced inadvertently at her hand and naturally noticed the ring. He pursed his lips, thinking if her fiance was so rich, why settle for such a ring? In his view, it wasn’t impressive at all. He surmised that her boyfriend probably didn’t love her as much as she claimed, most likely just buffering face.

"Hey, I heard Tao Ran got engaged to her rich second-generation boyfriend," a male colleague said to Lu Minghua in the restroom.

Lu Minghua looked confused, "Who did you hear that from?" However, a glint flashed in his eyes; he hadn’t expected the news he shared in the morning to have spread already.

"The people in the company are all talking about it, but I heard her rich boyfriend doesn’t really love her. He can’t even bear to buy her a diamond ring; the one she’s wearing is just a plain band."

"Don’t talk nonsense," Lu Minghua replied. "If Tao Ran chose that man, then he must love her. A ring is just a material thing; it doesn’t represent anything."

The man glanced at Lu Minghua, "You wouldn’t still have feelings for Tao Ran, would you? She humiliated you in public, and yet you’re still speaking up for her. Is a woman as flirtatious and vain as her worth it?" He seemed disappointed.

Lu Minghua’s expression darkened, and he spoke somberly, "That’s because Tao Ran has misconceptions about me. I believe she is not that kind of person."

"Yeah, right. There were also rumors before about her being kept by a wealthy businessman; who knows if those are true. There is no smoke without fire. Also, I heard that your manager often calls Tao Ran to his office; they might also..."

"Bang." The bathroom stall door was violently pushed open. Gu Yang walked out with a grim face. He had come to bring Tao Ran her bag and had decided to use the restroom on the spot; unexpectedly, he stumbled upon this dramatic scene.

He stepped toward the man who had been speaking, his expression growing darker and his aura colder. He grabbed the man’s collar, "Did you just say the woman is your company’s Tao Ran from the technical department?"

The man swallowed nervously, "Yes... yes." Who is this imposing man?

Lu Minghua was the first to recover and asked frowning, "Sir, whoever you are, what do you intend to do by treating my colleague this way?"

"Being two grown men, yet you gossip behind a woman’s back; are you even men?" What was most important was that they were gossiping about HIS woman. Gu Yang couldn’t help feeling distressed; from their words, it seemed these rumors had been around for a while, but Tao Ran had never mentioned them to him. Why didn’t she talk to him about it instead of silently bearing it all?

His eyes narrowed slightly. Heaven help anyone if he found out who was tormenting his fiancée; he would make sure they regretted it.

"Who started these rumors?" Gu Yang asked coldly, completely ignoring Lu Minghua next to him.

The man, whom Gu Yang had lifted by the front of his shirt, started struggling at first, shocked, but in Gu Yang’s grip he was like a chick, even tighter as he resisted, "Speak."

"I... I don’t know; these rumors are all over the company. I just heard it from others. If Tao Ran dared to do it, so what if people talk?"

Gu Yang put Tao Ran’s bag on the washbasin, swung his fist, and smashed it into the man’s face. Lu Minghua came over to intervene but ended up catching a few punches himself.

"Ranran, hurry, something happened; your fiancé is beating up colleagues in the company." Xiao Zhou ran into the office, pulled Tao Ran up, and said.

Startled, Tao Ran followed Xiao Zhou to the men’s restroom entrance, where a crowd had already gathered. Gu Yang stood with his foot on Lu Minghua’s chest, looking down at him with icy eyes, his usually gentle face dark and ominous.

He had already learned from another man that Lu Minghua liked Tao Ran and had even confessed publicly but was rejected; moreover, Tao Ran had splashed a glass of water on him publicly. Gu Yang immediately realized that these rumors were mostly spread by Lu Minghua; otherwise, knowing Tao Ran’s character, she would never do such a thing. Without a word, Gu Yang fiercely beat him up.

Did that man have his permission to insult his woman, and just because his confession of love was rejected, he slanders her? Such a man lacks all grace—hardly fits to be called a man. Who else was he supposed to hit but him?

Gu Yang was trained, whereas Lu Minghua was a weak scholar, naturally no match for Gu Yang. He got beaten until his face was bruised and swollen, and that was Gu Yang holding back. Otherwise, Lu Minghua would’ve ended up in far worse shape.

Gu Yang was also vicious in his own way, targeting the painful spots while making sure not to leave any visible marks on the body. It would be hard to prove anything even with an examination. The only real damage was to the face—he was beaten so severely, even his own parents wouldn’t recognize him.

"Gu Yang, what are you doing?" Tao Ran, seeing what was happening, cried out anxiously.

When Gu Yang saw Tao Ran, he stopped and pulled her into his arms, "I’m telling you, Tao Ran is my wife. If I ever hear anyone scheming against her again, I’ll strike each time I hear about it."

Saying this, he walked away with Tao Ran in full view of everyone, not caring about their stares. Xiao Zhou first glanced at Lu Minghua, who looked like a beaten-up pork head, then at the retreating figure of Gu Yang—stars in his eyes, so handsome.

Lu Minghua whimpered and, seeing Gu Yang leaving, yelled at his retreating back, "I’m calling the police, I’ll sue you."

Gu Yang turned, his eyes cold as he looked at him with a mocking smirk, "I’m waiting." Perfect, he also wanted to have a chat with the police about the slander against his wife.

After Gu Yang left, he immediately called Gu Kai to explain what had happened and assured him that the lawyers from the Gu Group would handle the rest, ensuring that Gu Yang wouldn’t be implicated. As for the person who slandered his wife, he wouldn’t have an easy time ahead.

"Gu Yang, you were too impulsive just now. What if they report you to the military..." Tao Ran was worried. If the military leadership learned of this, Gu Yang’s future could be...

Gu Yang was nonchalant, "Such scum, I’d feel wrong not to hit him. You’re my wife, protecting you is my duty. Someone dares to maliciously slander you, getting beaten up is getting off light, and I guarantee he won’t dare to report me to the military." Hmph, thinking of reporting him? He should think about how he’s going to leave Beijing intact.

"And I haven’t even started on you yet. How could you not tell me about something this big happening, just letting those bastards slander you like that?" Gu Yang said with a dark face, he stumbled upon the situation today by chance, who knows how long she would have continued to suffer.

"It’s just a few rumors; I’m not losing a piece of flesh over it, why bother about those things. But you, you can’t be so impulsive in the future."

Gu Yang pinched her face, "Humph, be smarter from now on. You have a strong backing, learn to use it, you know?"

Tao Ran couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, "That’s called bullying using your power."

"What’s wrong with that? For scum like that, I will bully them, hmph, dare to bully my wife, I won’t let him live."

He embraced Tao Ran tightly, "My wife, I can’t even bear to bully you." He looked at her, his face and heart full of tenderness.

Tao Ran met his gaze, suddenly at a loss for words, the tip of her nose tingling. This was the man she chose. She hugged Gu Yang, "Gu Yang, I love you."

Gu Yang smiled, "Silly girl, I love you too." He would spend his life cherishing and protecting the woman in front of him, ensuring she never faces a shred of grievance, making her life joyous and carefree.

I love you, my silly girl.