Love is a mistake that cannot be escaped

On the day of the banquet, I wore the dress that Gu Yichen had specially prepared for me. The light blue dress accentuated my fair skin, and the hem was adorned with tiny diamonds that sparkled beautifully under the lights.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress my anxiety, and took Gu Yichen's arm as we entered the banquet hall.

Inside the magnificent banquet hall, elegantly dressed women mingled, and glasses clinked in celebration.

The crystal chandelier emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.

Amidst the melodious music, guests chatted and laughed, creating a lively scene.

Du Yue, dressed in a red gown, stood gracefully in the center of the crowd, a polite smile on her face, like a kind and amiable elder.

But I know that beneath that smile lies scheming and ruthlessness.

"Yichen, you've arrived."

When Du Yue saw us, her smile widened, but when her gaze fell on me, it was like an ice pick, sending chills down my spine.

Just as I was about to greet them, a sweet, coquettish voice suddenly interrupted: "Brother Yichen, you're really not being fair! You came to the banquet without inviting me!"

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see Lin Jiaojiao walking gracefully towards them in a white evening gown, with exquisite makeup and a sweet smile on her face.

She affectionately took Gu Yichen's other arm, deliberately showing off to me.

I suppressed my displeasure and tried to pull my hand away without showing any emotion, but Gu Yichen held it tightly.

He gave Lin Jiaojiao a cold look, his tone carrying a hint of warning: "Why are you here? You're not welcome here."

Lin Jiaojiao's face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her smile, feigning grievance as she said, "Brother Yichen, how could you say that? I'm here to celebrate for you too. By the way, who is this..."

She pretended not to recognize me, turning her gaze to me with a hint of disdain in her eyes: "And this is..."

"My girlfriend, Fu Yan."

Before I could speak, Gu Yichen interrupted her directly, his tone firm and leaving no room for argument.

"Girlfriend?" Lin Jiaojiao covered her mouth in feigned surprise. "I heard that Brother Yichen's girlfriend comes from a prestigious family and received an excellent education from a young age?"

I know she's deliberately bringing up my background to embarrass me.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails almost dug into my flesh, trying hard to control myself and not lose my composure... I took a deep breath and was about to retort when I heard Gu Yichen say calmly, "Family background is nothing but external things. What I admire is Fu Yan's independence and talent."

As he spoke, he pulled me closer, gazing at me tenderly. "Besides," he said, "Fu Yan, who comes from a scholarly family, is a hundred times better than some people in terms of speech and demeanor."

His words, filled with undisguised protection and admiration, instantly eased my awkwardness.

I gave him a grateful look, and my unease subsided somewhat.

I smiled confidently and said to Lin Jiaojiao in a natural and generous manner, "Miss Lin is too kind. One's background does not represent everything. What matters is one's own efforts and pursuits. Although I do not have a distinguished family background, I believe that with my own efforts, I can still create my own value in life."

My words were neither humble nor arrogant; I neither deliberately avoided mentioning my background nor felt inferior because of it. On the contrary, they displayed a confident and independent demeanor. Some of the guests present nodded and cast admiring glances at me.

Lin Jiaojiao didn't expect me to react this way, and the smile on her face immediately faded.

She wanted to say something more, but Du Yue pulled her aside.

Du Yue scolded her in a low voice, then walked towards us with two glasses of red wine.

"Yichen, this must be Miss Fu Yan, right? She is indeed talented and beautiful, no wonder she has won your favor."

As Du Yue spoke, she handed me a glass of red wine, saying, "Here, try this red wine from my collection, I prepared it especially for you."

I took the glass and politely said thank you. The red wine in the glass was a deeper color than usual and had a faint aroma, but I felt the aroma was a bit strange, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"What, Miss Fu Yan, do you not like this wine?"

Seeing that I hadn't drunk any, Du Yue's tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

I was hesitating whether to drink or not when Gu Yichen suddenly reached out and took the glass from my hand, saying calmly, "She can't hold her liquor, so I'll drink this glass for her."

After saying that, he downed the glass of red wine in one gulp.

I looked at him in surprise, a warm feeling welling up inside me.

Du Yue's expression was rather unpleasant. She forced a smile and said, "Yi Chen is so considerate. Miss Fu Yan is truly blessed."

I noticed that Gu Yichen frowned slightly after drinking the wine, but quickly relaxed.

He handed the empty wine glass to the waiter next to him, then put his arm around my shoulder and led me through the crowd, where we chatted with some elders and friends.

Just then, a soft, sweet voice rang in my ear: "Pretty sister, are you here to see your father?"

I looked down and saw a little boy in a suit looking up at me curiously.

He has big, watery eyes, fair skin, and delicate features, making him look as cute as a porcelain doll.

"Who are you?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I am Gu Yichen, and Gu Yichen is my older brother," the little boy replied in a childish voice.

Then I remembered that Gu Yichen had a younger brother who had been recuperating abroad due to poor health and had only recently returned.

"Yichen is so cute." I smiled and patted his head.

"Thank you, beautiful lady."

Gu Yichen smiled sweetly, revealing two adorable dimples.

"Then do you know who I am?" I teased him on purpose.

Gu Yichen tilted his head and thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I don't know."

“I’m your brother’s girlfriend, you should call me…”

Before I could finish speaking, Gu Yichen interrupted me: "Fu Yan, stop fooling around."

As he spoke, he picked up Gu Yichen and said to me, "Yichen just got back and isn't used to many things yet. I'll take him to rest for a bit."

I nodded and watched them leave.

Watching Gu Yichen and Gu Yichen's intimate figures from behind, a strange sense of loss suddenly welled up in my heart.

I stood alone in the corner, watching Gu Yichen's back, my heart filled with mixed feelings.

His gentleness and thoughtfulness captivated me, but I always felt that he was far away from me, like he was on a cloud, and I was just an admirer.

"Fu Yan, what are you doing standing here in a daze?"

Lu Mingxuan came over at some point and handed me a glass of juice.

I took the juice and smiled at him: "It's nothing, I just feel a bit stuffy because there are so many people."

Lu Mingxuan followed my gaze to Gu Yichen and sighed softly, "He's always been like that since he was little, not good with words, but actually very soft-hearted."

I looked at him with some surprise: "You know him very well?"

Lu Mingxuan shook his head with a wry smile: "He and I grew up together, but he has changed a lot over the years, and I can't see through him anymore."

At this moment, Du Yue's voice suddenly rang out, attracting everyone's attention.

She stood in the center of the banquet hall, a polite smile on her face, but she couldn't hide the smugness in her eyes.

"Today, in addition to thanking everyone for attending the banquet, I have an important announcement to make."

She glanced around, her gaze finally settling on me, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "Yichen's father and I have decided to hold our wedding in a month!"

I was stunned; my mind went completely blank.

What? A wedding? Du Yue is going to marry Gu Yichen's father? Then... what about Gu Yichen?

The surrounding area immediately erupted in a cacophony of voices and discussions.

I mechanically turned my head, trying to find Gu Yichen, but I only saw him standing in the crowd, his face gloomy and devoid of any emotion.

"Yichen, come here." Du Yue beckoned to him.

Gu Yichen walked over silently and stood beside Du Yue, like an emotionless statue.

"I know that Yichen may not be able to accept me yet, but I believe that time will prove everything."

As Du Yue spoke, she affectionately took Gu Yichen's arm, her face full of victor's pride, "I will definitely become a good wife and a good mother."

My heart felt like it had been ripped open, and the pain spread throughout my body.

Mother, good mother? Does she deserve that title? What right does she have to say such things?

Just then, Gu Yichen suddenly turned his head, locked his gaze on me, and parted his thin lips to utter a sentence that shocked me: "No, you are wrong."