Irresistibly Drawn (Love After Marriage) - Chapter 1 - The Marriage Contract

The early spring rain seeped into the earth, cool and refreshing, as the branches absorbed the moisture and sprouted fresh green buds. Mist hovered over the cobblestones as hurried footsteps echoed through the alley. Her white sneakers, now stained with diluted mud, made the pristine white of the shoe tops stand out even more.

In the narrow lanes of the old residential area, Jiang Qingyu rounded a corner, unable to stop in time, her clothes brushing against a car. It was one of those expensive cars, but fortunately, it left no mark. Jiang Qingyu wasn’t particularly interested in cars, only finding it odd that such a vehicle would appear in a small place like this.

“Sorry-”

She lifted her head and met a pair of deep, narrow eyes. The owner of those eyes was tall, his broad black coat open, releasing a faint scent. He held an umbrella with one hand, the ethereal mist enveloping his well-defined features. He glanced at Jiang Qingyu, his gaze flickering with an unreadable emotion.

The girl stood in the rain, her white dress and skin as pale as snow, the cold rain and breeze making her appear even more fragile. Her hair was covered in a fine mist, her eyes moist from the damp air, eyelashes adorned with countless droplets, her gaze dreamy and hazy.

Compared to the photo, she had lost her baby fat, her cheeks much slimmer than before, but those wet eyes still sparkled with light. Her lips pressed tightly together, nervous from having touched his car, she looked at him anxiously.

Like a small animal encountering a stranger, unsure whether the person was friend or foe, unable to flee immediately, she could only stare, trying to hold her ground, unaware that her thoughts were already exposed.

The man didn’t look at the car door she had touched.

“It’s alright, be careful.”

After thanking him, Jiang Qingyu left, her white dress fading into the mist like a jasmine at the corner of the wall. The assistant poked his head out of the car, having clearly seen the girl too, and asked Gu Yunyi, “Mr. Gu, shouldn’t we follow Miss Jiang directly?”

Gu Yunyi’s thoughts drifted with the girl’s retreating figure, only hearing the assistant’s words after a long pause.

“No need, don’t scare her. Let’s go find Teacher Jiang.”

-Three days ago, Jing City.

In the northern early spring, the wind was still as sharp as winter. The man walked briskly, his long scarf fluttering in the wind.

“Uncle.”

Gu Zhengming nodded at Gu Yunyi, gesturing with his teacup towards the back garden. The man’s gaze passed over the rockery and the stationary waterwheel, the white-haired elder in the glass house also saw him, his spirited eyes watching as Gu Yunyi walked through the corridor into the tea room.

“Grandfather.”

“Yunyi, sit.”

Gu Jiang, well past seventy, was always straightforward with the younger generation. He opened a drawer and took out a red cloth, inside were two golden locks, a dragon and a phoenix, forming a pair. They seemed to have endured many years, the patterns faded, exuding a sense of history.

“What is this?”

Gu Jiang, occasionally playful in his old age, liked to share small trinkets with his grandchildren.

“This is yours.”

“For you and your wife.”

“My wife?”

Where did he have a wife?

Old Master Gu gestured for him to sit.

“Do you remember Grandpa Jiang from Nan City? His granddaughter is twenty-one this year, she had a minor car accident earlier this year, and I’m planning to bring her to Jing City for further treatment.”

“When her mother was pregnant with her, I arranged a marriage with Grandpa Jiang. You’re not young anymore, bring her back and cultivate some feelings, it’s time to consider giving me a great-grandchild.”

Old Master Gu, having lived a life of military service, still had his words carry weight at his age. Yet he wasn’t stubborn, seeing Gu Yunyi’s gradually furrowing brows, he softened his tone.

“Yunyi, be honest with your grandfather, do you have someone you like now?”

The man pursed his lips, answering without hesitation.

“No.”

Gu Yunyi, twenty-seven, was at the age where his career was just stabilizing. He had taken over the business right after graduation, never spending time on such trivial matters.

“That’s good. If you do, I won’t force you, but since you don’t, try getting to know Qingyu. If you don’t feel that way about her, treat her like a sister, at least you won’t hurt her feelings.”

Gu Jiang wrapped the pair of golden locks again, placing them in Gu Yunyi’s hand.

“In a few days, go to Nan City and bring her here. Jiang Hua’s health isn’t great, she’ll stay in Jing City from now on.”

“If you both feel it’s right, have the wedding this summer.”

Along with the golden locks was a photo of a teenage girl, standing gracefully in front of a sycamore tree.

Gu Yunyi’s gaze shifted, accepting the photo and golden locks under the elder’s expectant eyes.

“Alright.” His lips curved slightly, “I’ll finish my current work and go.”

The assistant hit the brakes, and the man suddenly closed his eyes, his eyes slightly sore from being open too long.

In front of him was an old door with peeling paint, the yard small, lined with a flowerbed growing flowers of various colors. As he walked further in, he saw a pair of shoes stained with mud, familiar from just a while ago.

Jiang Hua emerged from the house at the sound of the brakes, a woman in her fifties who looked well-maintained, appearing only in her early thirties at first glance. Seeing Gu Yunyi, she paused, seemingly trying to match the tall man before her with the child in her memory.

“Are you Yunyi?”

“Time really flies, I have to look up to see you now.”

Even if the years had left marks on her face, they couldn’t hold onto her heart. People of a certain age liked to sigh when reminiscing, and Jiang Hua was no exception.

“Aunt Jiang.”

The assistant didn’t follow him inside, leaving two cups of tea before Gu Yunyi, the faint bitterness blending with the rain, a sip of warmth dispelling the chill.

“Qingyu.”

Jiang Hua called out her daughter’s name, the curtain of the small room lifting, revealing a fair arm in Gu Yunyi’s view, his grip on the cup tightening slightly.

“Mom, who’s here?”

Jiang Qingyu had changed out of the damp dress, now wearing a sky-blue top, seemingly compensating for the gloomy weather. Her gaze flicked to the table, visibly surprised.

How could it be him?