The two people were standing beside Wen Shu, talking to her.
Qin Siyang frowned. Wen Shu couldn't possibly know anyone in Zone 7.
Judging from the surprised and wary look in her eyes, Qin Siyang confirmed that those two people had nothing to do with her.
'Could it be… trouble I brought to her again?'
Qin Siyang quickly walked forward, wanting to help Wen Shu smooth things over.
But after only two steps, he immediately recognized the two of them.
It was Zhao Sifang's fiancée, Gu Yunxuan, and the utterly average-looking Gu Yunpeng.
To be honest, Qin Siyang didn't really want to be seen too close with a decorative "vase" like Gu Yunpeng.
But...
When he saw Gu Yunpeng standing next to Wen Shu, Qin Siyang instantly felt a jolt of instinctive alarm, like a wildebeest on the African plains sensing a predator at the watering hole.
Not good. This "vase" was about to stir up trouble.
Qin Siyang ran his hand through his hair, lifted his chin, straightened his back, and strode forward in what he thought was an impressively confident manner.
Gu Yunpeng noticed that Qin Siyang's gait looked oddly stiff and uncoordinated. Unsure what he was doing, he chose his words very carefully and asked, "Qin Siyang, why are you goose-stepping over here?"
Qin Siyang narrowed his eyes at Gu Yunpeng.
This guy, this guy with nothing but looks to his name, actually criticized him the moment they met.
Before he could respond, Gu Yunxuan frowned and said, "Brother, that's not right. Who goose-steps like that? He's even moving the same arm and leg! I think he might be showing early signs of a stroke. Qin Siyang, you're so young, how can you be having a stroke already? Is someone always making you angry?"
Qin Siyang stared wide-eyed at Gu Yunxuan, utterly speechless.
'Good grief, truly like brother, like sister!'
'The two of them are tag-teaming him now?'
If he did ever have a stroke, it'd definitely be from being irritated to death by these two.
Qin Siyang was just about to defend himself when he saw Wen Shu stifle a laugh.
Then she quickly composed herself, giving him an apologetic glance, "Sorry, I couldn't hold it in. You all know each other?"
"Mm. Yeah, we do."
Qin Siyang forced a smile, his tone deliberately indifferent.
After that laugh from Wen Shu, he suddenly didn't feel like saying anything more.
But he was still puzzled, what were Gu Yunpeng and Gu Yunxuan doing talking to Wen Shu?
He was just about to ask when he realized he was standing right in front of Gu Yunpeng, less than half a meter away.
It was the first time Qin Siyang had observed Gu Yunpeng up close.
Gu Yunpeng slightly raised his head, meeting Qin Siyang's eyes directly. In those deep eyes shimmered faint specks of light, like starlight glinting on the surface of a still lake.
The lines of his profile were sharp yet gentle, his well-defined jaw extending smoothly to his neck, the interplay of light and shadow adding a subtle allure.
A few slightly curled strands of hair hung loosely over his forehead, softening his otherwise cool and severe aura.
He was like a tranquil, profound painting, carrying both the sharpness of reality and the tenderness of poetry. Every movement, every expression, even his quiet breathing seemed to sketch a silent poem.
Gu Yunpeng's very presence seemed to carry its own halo. In the bustling lobby, many people unconsciously slowed their steps to look at him; some even turned back for a second glance after passing by.
Qin Siyang wanted to say something but found no words. Only four words drifted through his mind, 'Even I admire him.'
But, a true man mustn't be defeated by a handsome, elegant, charming face.
What mattered most was inner strength.
Qin Siyang quickly adjusted his mindset.
A man must play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
Since he was clearly losing by a small margin in appearance, he couldn't afford to give Gu Yunpeng any chance to win elsewhere!
If this man weren't Gu Yunpeng, if he weren't Gu Yunxuan's brother, Gu Weirong's son, and Zhao Sifang's brother-in-law, Qin Siyang might have chosen a far simpler and more direct method to erase their differences.
Unfortunately, that method couldn't be used here.
So he snorted softly, took two steps sideways, moved away from Gu Yunpeng, and circled to stand beside Wen Shu's grandmother.
Standing next to Grandma would make him seem more approachable and well-behaved.
Just as he was about to speak, Wen Shu let out a small pfft laugh again.
Then she bit her lip lightly and nodded to him apologetically once more, "Sorry, I couldn't help it again."
All the momentum Qin Siyang had just gathered instantly crumbled with that smile of hers.
He felt a little depressed inside.
Didn't Wen Shu like him? Then why did she always ruin his image at crucial moments like this?
Finally, he asked the question that had been interrupted several times already.
"Wen Shu, do you know them?"
Wen Shu shook her head, "No. They came into the lobby, saw me, and immediately came over to ask my name. Then you arrived."
Qin Siyang nodded, then glanced sideways at Gu Yunpeng, "Gu Yunpeng, do you know Wen Shu?"
Gu Yunpeng didn't seem to care that Qin Siyang was now calling him by name instead of "brother-in-law." He just shook his head slightly, "I don't, but Xuanxuan does."
Qin Siyang turned to look at Gu Yunxuan.
Gu Yunxuan beamed, "That's right! I'm her book fan! The books she wrote, mmmph!"
Before she could finish, Gu Yunpeng stepped forward and covered her mouth.
Then he shot Qin Siyang a meaningful look, 'You know what I mean.'
'Book fan?'
Qin Siyang immediately remembered, those previous exchanges, A Hundred Ways to Commit a Crime Without Being Discovered by a Sequencer and A Hundred Ways for Ordinary People to Kill a Sequencer.
Gu Yunpeng must have realized that this was a crowded place and that they hadn't activated any conversation-shielding tool. It'd be too easy for someone to overhear them.
If the book titles were spoken out loud here, who knew how much trouble that could cause.
At the very least, when Wen Shu wrote those books, she definitely hadn't told her kindly-looking grandmother about them.
Qin Siyang gave Gu Yunpeng a small nod.
This brother-in-law, though not exactly likable, at least had his head screwed on straight.
As for Zhao's fiancée… it was like she'd skipped every grade straight from kindergarten to university. Well, whatever, she wasn't his fiancée, so no need to comment further.
When Qin Siyang glanced down at Wen Shu, he noticed she looked utterly stunned.
The usually calm and composed girl now had a faint tremor of light in her eyes.
Qin Siyang had suspected before that those two books were written by Wen Shu herself.
Seeing her reaction now, the way her delicate lips parted slightly, her surprise at being "unmasked" laid bare,.it was basically confirmed.
Qin Siyang turned the ring on his finger and said, "I've enabled conversation shielding. We can talk freely now."
Gu Yunpeng released his hand from covering Gu Yunxuan's mouth.
Gu Yunxuan, realizing her earlier words were a bit too revealing, grew a little flustered. She fidgeted with her fingers, her big eyes darting nervously around before she fell silent.
Qin Siyang asked, "Gu Yunxuan, how did you find out she's the author? Last time we talked, you said you didn't know who it was."