After I Let Go, She Regretted It Deeply

Chapter 30: Now, Everything Belongs to You:

Chen Jianxing let out a cold laugh, then placed the ring on the table and said, “There’s no need for discussion. This is a family heirloom of the Chen family, reserved exclusively for the rightful daughter-in-law of our household. My father specifically asked me to bring it today as an engagement token, using Nianchu’s birthday as the perfect occasion.”

“This…” Gu Yunfei hesitated, but since Chen Jianxing had already put it that way, it was difficult for him to outright refuse.

The surrounding guests all turned their attention to the ring, murmuring among themselves.

“The Gu and Chen families are well-matched in status. If they truly form an alliance, it would be a powerful partnership.”

“But… Miss Gu doesn’t seem very happy about it.”

“It doesn’t matter. Young Master Chen has already declared his intentions so publicly. Unless they want to offend the Chen family, they have no choice but to agree.”

“By the way, who’s that man next to Miss Gu? He looks unfamiliar.”

…

Gu Nianchu saw that her uncle was wavering, and her eyes instantly turned red. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes. Not wanting to be seen as weak, she quickly looked up and discreetly wiped them away.

Seeing this, a wave of sorrow and frustration surged in my chest.

Gu Yunfei was truly being foolish. The Gu family wasn’t some minor household—how could they casually agree to such a marriage? Doing so was practically handing leverage to the Chen family.

“Take your ring back. Marriage isn’t child’s play, and it certainly can’t be decided just because you talk about it. In that case, I also feel that Miss Gu and I are quite compatible, and I would also like to propose a marriage alliance with the Gu family.”

Gu Nianchu looked up at me in shock, her tear-streaked eyes wide like a little rabbit’s.

I gave her a reassuring smile before turning to Gu Yunfei and saying, “Uncle Gu, today is Nianchu’s birthday. Shouldn’t we focus on celebrating instead of discussing such matters?”

“Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right. Today is her birthday—we should let her be happy.”

“You’re joking, right? You want to propose marriage too? What kind of status do you have to even think about that? Do you think this is some child’s game? Since when do you have a say in affairs between our two families?”

Chen Jianxing was already boiling with rage. If it weren’t for the many guests present, he probably would have lunged at me by now.

Seeing his teeth clenched in fury, I simply raised an eyebrow and said, “I’m certainly more qualified than you for such a marriage. But unlike you, I have the decency not to use underhanded tactics to put Nianchu on the spot and make her uncomfortable.”

“Hah! Don’t act all righteous. You’re just a toad lusting after a swan, aren’t you?”

“I’ll tell you this—you better recognize your own status. Just because you gave one halfway-decent gift doesn’t mean I’ll start treating you with respect. Whatever you can afford, I can get in an instant.”

With that, Chen Jianxing lifted the ring smugly and said, “See this ring? It’s worth over a billion. It’s priceless. It’s meant for the Chen family’s daughter-in-law. What do you have to offer in comparison? Hm?”

“Oh my god, a billion? The Chen family is that generous?”

“No kidding. Looks like the Gu family will definitely choose the Chen family now. That kind of wealth is undeniable.”

“If I were Miss Gu, I’d have accepted it in a heartbeat. How many families in Beicheng can match the Chen family’s strength?”

Hearing the murmurs of the crowd, Chen Jianxing smirked, then pushed the ring toward Gu Nianchu.

“This?” I scoffed, my expression full of disdain. “I still have a gift for Nianchu that I haven’t given her yet. Why don’t we let everyone take a look?”

I completely ignored the ring, reaching into my pocket and taking out an elegant, gold-sealed envelope.

“What’s this? A love letter?” Chen Jianxing sneered, pointing at the envelope mockingly.

“Brother, are you serious? You’re embarrassing yourself. Who do you think you’re fooling?”

I didn’t bother responding to Chen Jianxing. Instead, I calmly opened the envelope and took out a gilded card, handing it to Gu Nianchu.

She hesitated for a moment, taking it with a confused expression, flipping it over a few times without understanding its significance.

“This is the exclusive hosting rights for the largest jewelry exhibition in Country M. Didn’t you dream of organizing your own jewelry exhibition since you were a child? This card grants you full authority—not only can you showcase your own designs, but I’ve also purchased every single piece that has ever been displayed in the past exhibitions. They’re all yours now. Whether you want to keep them as a collection or redesign them into new pieces, it’s completely up to you.”

The entire hall fell into stunned silence for a moment. Then, gasps of shock filled the room.

“Did I hear that right? All the jewelry?”

“I know about that exhibition. It’s only held once every five years, and every piece displayed there is a rare collector’s item. Buying all of them… just how much money would that take?”

“Is this real? Who is this man? How is he this powerful?”

“This must be worth countless billions. That one-billion-dollar ring suddenly doesn’t seem like much anymore.”

…

I chuckled. Honestly, to me, this wasn’t a big deal. The Shadow Organization’s monthly revenue alone was enough to cover the cost—I didn’t even have to dip into the Song family’s assets.

Compared to that, Chen Jianxing’s little display of wealth was laughable.

Gu Nianchu suddenly jumped to her feet, clutching the card tightly. She grabbed my arm excitedly and asked, “Is this real? Brother Shiyue? I’m not dreaming, am I? I can really hold my own jewelry exhibition now? All those classic pieces belong to me?”

“This is too precious… I—I can’t accept it.”

“Silly girl, why wouldn’t you? It was always meant for you.”

Seeing her overwhelmed joy, I couldn’t help but feel happy too. As long as she was smiling, all the effort I put into this gift was worth it.

Meanwhile, Chen Jianxing stood frozen in place, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Who… Who the hell are you? That’s impossible! You must be lying to Nianchu!”

“Look at you—you’re dressed like a nobody. How could you possibly have that much money? Buying out an entire jewelry exhibition? Stop bluffing.”

“You’re like a cornered rat, making up whatever lies you can.”

Cheng Xinghe, seeing Chen Jianxing faltering, stepped up to support him, insisting that my gift was fake and impossible.

Just as the crowd began to waver, Gu Yunfei suddenly stood up and addressed me respectfully.

“Young Master Song, this is truly too generous. I must personally visit you with Nianchu to express our gratitude properly.”

“Young Master… Song?” Chen Jianxing repeated in disbelief.

“The only Young Master Song in Beicheng… Could he be from the Song family—the wealthiest family in the city?” Cheng Xinghe muttered, his face alternating between pale and red.

Gu Yunfei, now fully aware of my true identity, no longer dared to openly discuss an engagement with Chen Jianxing.

I nodded slightly. “There’s no need to be so formal, Uncle Gu. I wasn’t in Beicheng for a long time. Consider this a way to make up for all the lost years.”

“Yes, yes! Nianchu is lucky to have met you. The Gu family is lucky as well.”

I smiled without responding, gesturing for Gu Nianchu to sit back down before returning to my seat.

Meanwhile, Chen Jianxing remained in place, looking as if he had just been hit by a truck.

Cheng Xinghe pulled him back to his seat, whispering, “Young Master Chen… you really messed with the wrong person this time. I can’t help you with this one.”