Before dinner time was about to end, the theme was finally revealed.

The elderly man with white hair sitting in the main seat spoke to Zhao Ning, "Zhao Ning, after this meal today, you can consider yourself half a member of the Gu family. We Gu family members do not like impractical things. Keep it simple for your wedding with Xiangnan, as long as the intention is clear. Xiangnan has already agreed, do you have any objections?"

Chao Ning didn't even look at Gu Xiangnan and replied, "I have no objections."

The woman seated to the right of the old man sneered and said, "Chao Ning, our Gu family has not treated you unfairly. Since Grandpa asked you, just speak up if you have any opinions. No need to pretend to be polite."

"Just listen to Grandpa." Chao Ning smiled gently.

The smile on the woman's face stiffened.

The young man with tea-coloured hair glanced at Chao Ning and then lowered his gaze, lost in thoughts unbeknownst to others.

Gu Xiangnan, on the other hand, sensitively caught the tea-haired youth's anomaly. He grasped the hand of the tea-haired youth and gently rubbed his thumb in the tiger's mouth area, saying, "Don't be angry."

The youth with tea-coloured hair smiled lightly, shook his head ever so slightly, and had a face full of innocence.

Chao Ning glanced at the tea-haired boy again and was unexpectedly struck by his smile, even though the boy wasn't smiling at him at all. He averted his gaze, thinking to himself, "Who wouldn't love someone so endearing? I like him a lot too."

Achoo.

Forget it, just appreciate it then. He has no interest in being a thorn in Gu Xiangnan's eyes.

Probably knowing that Chaoning doesn't have strong opinions, the hosts symbolically asked for Chaoning's opinion and briefly discussed the arrangements for the wedding. Although everything would be kept simple, there still needed to be some preparation time. Two weeks later, there was a good day suitable for a wedding. To ensure the smooth running of the wedding, they also hoped Chaoning could stay with the Gu family.

"This might not be feasible," Chao Ning countered for the first time, taking in the expressions of everyone before he continued, "I have experimental assignments at school that occasionally require me to stay up late, so there's a chance I won't be able to come back every night."

The woman furrowed her brows upon hearing the words, causing her already thin lips to almost form a straight line, giving her a somewhat sharp appearance. "Cooperating well in this wedding is your top priority now," she stated coldly.

Zhao Ning nodded, "Does my grandfather's suggestion still count for the opinions I can put forward earlier?"

The woman remained silent, looking towards the patriarch of the Gu family.

Mr Gu glanced at Chaoning, his sharp gaze piercing into him like a knife. However, Chaoning remained completely unfazed. He averted his eyes and said, "Fine."

Chao Ning smiled and said, "I hope Grandfather will allow me to continue working on my experimental project during this period. I promise it won't delay the wedding. My experiment is nearing its completion."

The woman wanted to say something, but Mr Gu, the elderly man, agreed first, saying, "Okay."

The woman had no choice but to give up.

"Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you... mom."

The woman stiffened.

Gu Xiangnan glanced discontentedly at Chao Ning and said, "We're not married yet."

Chao Ning smiled again and said, "You'll have to call me sooner or later."

Gu Xiangnan frowned tightly.

The young man with tea-coloured hair remained calm and indifferent, showing no signs of emotion.

After the meal, Gu Xiangnan stopped Chao Ning and said, "Wait a moment, I have something to tell you."

Chao Ning glanced back at Gu Xiangnan and then turned around, following him to the backyard.

It is now early winter, and it gets very cold outside after nightfall. As soon as Chao Ning stepped out, he was instantly chilled. He tightly wrapped his clothes around his body, hoping to preserve what little warmth there was. The room had the heating on, so he didn't wear too many layers. He never expected Gu Xiangnan to enjoy discussing matters in the cold wind, was it because it helped clear his mind?

"Master Gu, what do you want to tell me?" Chao Ning felt that she was freezing to the point where her teeth were chattering.

Gu Xiangnan listened to Chao Ning's trembling voice and furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you feeling cold? Aren't you an Alpha?"

Chao Ning shook slightly and replied, "I am an Alpha but not an AI. The cold perception device is functioning normally."

Gu Xiangnan: "..."

Note: To provide a more accurate translation, I would require additional context regarding the characters and the situation in which this dialogue occurs.

Zhao Ning: "So, what does Young Master Gu want to tell me?"

"I will not like you," Gu Xiangnan said, "nor will I marry you."

"Oh." Zhao Ning nodded, "What are we going to do about the wedding two weeks from now? Is Mr Gu planning on a live runaway groom scenario?"

Gu Xiangnan: "... No. I need you to sign an agreement with me. When the Gu family gets back on track, we can have a peaceful divorce. At that time, you will receive what you deserve, without any reduction. But before that happens, we need to cooperate in front of others, and at all other times, we have no connection."

"Oh. So, they still have to get married?" Chao Ning rubbed his chin. "It's just fake."

Gu Xiangnan: "......Yes."

"Alright," Zhao Ning agreed decisively, "Whether you like me or not is not important, whether you marry me or not is also not important. I have only one requirement: you and your family cannot deprive me of the opportunity to pursue further studies and conduct experiments."

Gu Xiangnan didn't expect that Chao Ning would agree so quickly. Amidst the surprise, there was also an inexplicable feeling of loss, although he wasn't aware of it.

"Alright, I can guarantee this."