Chapter 37: First Marriage, Then Love: A Side of Scumbag Crushing 15 part 1
Was the phrase Gu Youchen used—”captured my heart”—what she thought it meant? Ning Qingqing’s mind was buzzing.
A cool, gentle sensation spread from her cheek throughout her entire body. He had moved so quickly to kiss her that she hadn’t even had time to close her eyes, so her pupils still reflected the image of the two of them in the mirror.
She saw her own flushed cheeks. She saw Gu Youchen’s long lashes lowered, his lips still lingering on her skin. His profile was sharp and handsome, yet a suspicious hint of red was creeping up from the base of his ear.
Was he… embarrassed too?
At this thought, Ning Qingqing couldn’t help but let the corners of her lips curve upward. The girl in the mirror smiled back, which made her feel as if she’d been caught red-handed, and she quickly schooled her expression.
Only then did she belatedly realize how fast her heart was beating. Unsure how to react, she could only continue to stare, mesmerized, at their reflections. The wedding dress and the suit, a perfect match, made her marriage feel tangible and real.
She was truly married to Gu Youchen. They were a newlywed couple, soon to hold their wedding.
A quiet sense of anticipation began to bloom within her.
The man beside her finally straightened up. The blush on his ears was now even more obvious, impossible to ignore. Gu Youchen clearly realized it too. He seemed slightly annoyed with himself, but not flustered.
Heaven only knew how long he had waited for this moment.
So many times in the past—when passing by bridal shops, when his own cousin got married—he had imagined what Ning Qingqing would look like in a wedding dress.
But he was abroad, and the news he always heard was that her relationship with Shen Zhiqian was strong, that they were deeply in love, and that there had never been a third party between them. And so, the obsession in his heart had become a hopeless fantasy.
But just now, he couldn’t hold back any longer. He had put on the suit and come upstairs.
By chance, Ning Qingqing had just stepped out of the fitting room. She hadn’t noticed him, her eyes scanning the lounge area, looking for her mother and mother-in-law. Gu Youchen had wanted to laugh. Who looks for their mother after putting on a wedding dress? Shouldn’t she be looking for her husband?
He walked up behind her and helped arrange her train. In that instant, he saw them in the mirror.
After ten years, he could finally stand openly beside the girl he loved.
He was in a suit, and she was in a wedding dress.
The joy and delight that filled his heart were a secret he could share with no one.
Just then, Ning Ruojun and Li Lan walked over. Seeing the perfect pair, their eyes lit up with joy. “Qingqing and Youchen are such a perfect match! If it weren’t for all the wedding preparations, I’d want you to hold the ceremony right here and now!”
She stepped closer to admire Ning Qingqing’s dress. “This style truly accentuates Qingqing’s figure. Shall we talk to the designer and tentatively decide on a mermaid silhouette?”
Gu Youchen nodded. “Yes, Qingqing looks absolutely beautiful in it. I love it too.”
Ning Qingqing couldn’t help but feel her cheeks grow warm again, though she tried her best to appear calm.
A thought occurred to Li Lan. “Youchen,” she asked, “have you ordered the wedding rings?”
Gu Youchen nodded. “Yes, I sent over the design last week. They said it would take about a month to make.”
“Good.” Li Lan turned to Ning Ruojun and lowered her voice. “Oh, Ruojun, you have no idea how much my son likes Qingqing. Back in school, he was always going to Qingtang Town, but he could never seem to run into her and would come home all dejected. Now, his wish has finally come true.”
Ning Ruojun had heard from Gu Youchen that he’d liked her daughter for a long time, but it hadn’t felt quite real until now. Hearing this confirmation, she felt even more at ease. Her daughter’s personality wasn’t like hers. Perhaps because she had grown up with her grandmother in Qingtang Town, away from her parents, she was soft-hearted and kind, despite being decisive in her work. She was the type to be easily taken advantage of.
After spending half a day with the Gu family, she could see that they genuinely cherished Ning Qingqing. Once she moved her company to Dicheng, her daughter would have a strong support system, and she would have even less to worry about.
With no other plans for the afternoon, the two mothers took Ning Qingqing clothes shopping. Ning Qingqing was beautiful, with a graceful figure and aura, so she looked good in almost anything. By the end, both the chauffeur and Gu Youchen were laden with shopping bags.
They all drove to the Gu family home, where the chef had already started preparing dinner.
In the living room, Gu Heng and Tan Haize had found a rare rival in each other over the Go board and were so engrossed they had forgotten all about food and rest. In another part of the house, Tan Xizhou had been given permission to use Li Lan’s art studio and was painting with intense focus.
Li Lan walked in and, seeing the boy’s earnest expression, went over to offer some guidance. “This color would be better if you adjusted it. Less sky blue, more peacock blue…” She took the palette and began mixing the colors herself.
Color mixing seemed simple, but it required a great deal of experience. Tan Xizhou found that with Li Lan’s guidance, the shadows he painted were noticeably more realistic.
His eyes shone. “Thank you, Teacher Li! I’ve learned something new again!”
Seeing his genuine passion for art, Li Lan said, “Tomorrow is Friday. I have an exhibition opening in the afternoon. If you’re interested, you could go take a look.”
“I’m definitely interested!” Tan Xizhou exclaimed, before his face fell. “But my dad said he’s taking me back home tomorrow…”
Hearing this, Li Lan couldn’t help but smile. “Let me talk to him for you.” In Tan Xizhou, she saw a reflection of her own son in his younger years.
What Ning Qingqing didn’t expect was that Li Lan would simply invite everyone to stay the night at the Gu villa. They had several guest rooms, and the staff just needed to change the linens. And for some reason, her parents, who normally disliked imposing on others, both readily agreed.
And so, Li Lan said to her and Gu Youchen, “Youchen, you and Qingqing will stay here tonight as well. If you need anything for work tomorrow, you can have the driver pick it up from your apartment later.”
Gu Youchen turned to Ning Qingqing. “Qingqing, let’s stay at the main house tonight.”
Ning Qingqing could only nod in agreement. With her parents and brother staying over, it would be inappropriate for her and Gu Youchen to leave.
At first, she was only worried about feeling a bit constrained living with her in-laws. But when Li Lan led her to a room, the reality of the situation dawned on her.
“Qingqing, see if you’re missing anything,” Li Lan said with a smile. “The room has its own bathroom, and this one has a bathtub. I usually use osmanthus and neroli essential oils, so those are the only two we have at the moment. If you don’t like them…”
Ning Qingqing pictured herself taking a bath while Gu Youchen was just outside in the bedroom, and she felt as if she’d been thrown into a steamer.
“Mom, I happen to like osmanthus oil too,” she said quickly.
“Good,” Li Lan smiled. “Well, if you need anything else, just let me know.”
Ning Qingqing nodded.
After Li Lan left, Ning Qingqing stared at the king-sized bed, her heart already beginning to flutter with anxiety. This was originally Gu Youchen’s room. The space where a sofa used to be was now filled with a bookshelf, displaying numerous books and trophies from his school days.
There was definitely no second bed.
It was still several hours until bedtime. Ning Qingqing decided to play the ostrich and worry about it when the time came.
Dinner was a lavish affair, filled with pleasant conversation. Gu Heng and Tan Haize had been so absorbed in their game and business talk that they hadn’t participated in the wedding planning. Now, Tan Haize asked, “Qingqing, have you and Youchen decided on a wedding venue? In the country or abroad?”
Ning Qingqing had discussed this with Gu Youchen on the way home. “We’re planning to hold it here in Dicheng to make it convenient for everyone,” she said. “But we’re planning to take a vacation after the wedding and travel a bit.”
Tan Haize nodded. “Traveling is a great idea. You’re cooped up at work all day; it’s good to get out and relax!”
Recommended Reads
![Enemies on a Narrow Road [Esports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/enemies-on-a-narrow-road-214x300.jpg)
