Chapter 2: First Encounter

Tall kapok trees lined both sides of the clean, orderly street, their red blossoms blooming like brilliant, dazzling flames. This thoroughfare was known as King’s Road—a name that had endured unchanged since the old days. It was called King’s Road precisely because the royal palace had once stood here. Later, the Four Great Families overthrew the monarchy and established the Utopia, a nation founded on the ideal of popular will, and the palace was repurposed into the government headquarters.

The Utopian government had removed the stone lions that once symbolized royal power from both sides of the palace gates. The original, opulent entrance was demolished and replaced with iron gates, and the placard of the Utopian National Government was hung upon the existing masonry.

The current palace—no, the government building—appeared solemn yet not overly luxurious. The interior had been renovated to look more like the nation’s mouthpiece rather than a deity standing above the people. The staff’s demeanor was as gentle as a March breeze, ensuring that everyone who came to conduct business felt the government’s approachability.

There was no leader in the current government; it was effectively a system of self-governance by the people. The role of the government agencies was to manage energy, balance resources, and maintain social order.

Utopia had no winter; the weather was mild every month. Using available resources, the government had managed the environment exceptionally well, eliminating the pollution of over a millennium ago, let alone smog or dust. In Gu Xinyao’s view, aside from the lingering existence of social hierarchy, it was truly a place without flaws—a name that lived up to its title of "Utopia."

"By the way, here, both men and women have the opportunity to get pregnant. If a man becomes pregnant, he must stop working and return home to be a full-time husband. A man's body is much weaker after childbirth than before, making him unable to handle many jobs. Women, however, do not face such troubles; they are incredibly robust. Even after giving birth, they can go days without sleep and never feel tired even while doing heavy manual labor. That is likely the natural law of survival." The sturdy woman placed a bag of flour onto a metal shelf, turned around, and continued speaking to Gu Xinyao, who was wiping down a table.

Gu Xinyao paused, turning in surprise to look at the woman. Men could give birth too? Heavens, was this real?

Seeing Gu Xinyao’s stunned expression, the burly woman grinned, waved her hand, and said, "Little Gu, you’re new to our country, and having come from so far away, it’s natural to find everything novel. This isn't anything strange. Nowadays, humans go to space if they want, or to the moon if they please. With humanity developed to this extent, anything can happen."

Gu Xinyao twitched the corner of her mouth. Indeed, when humanity developed to a certain point, anything could happen. She herself had arrived in this future, alternate dimension, so she had long since accepted the fact.

Counting carefully, she had been in this era for over a month. At first, she hadn't been able to adapt at all. The woman before her was Qin Rou, the owner of the grocery store who had saved her. Qin Rou was bold and straightforward, making it easy to trust her. Looking at this sturdy woman, she was great in every way, though it was a pity about her name; aside from being gentle with her own husband, there wasn't a hint of softness about her. She had nice features, but her build was just too sturdy—she truly felt like the "tough girls" of her own era.

However, don't let Qin Rou’s rough exterior fool you; she was an honors graduate from a prestigious university. Had she not been content with her current life, she might have joined the government as a public servant.

"Hey! Little Gu, stop daydreaming. Come over here, there’s something good to see!" While Gu Xinyao was lost in thought, Qin Rou waved her large hand, beckoning her over.

Gu Xinyao looked up and saw Qin Rou standing by the grocery store’s glass door, peering outside. She had to admit, she wasn't a particularly curious person, but the past month here had taught her the true meaning of "curiosity killed the cat." Not only was Qin Rou extremely curious, but her husband, Ge Yue—the middle-aged man she had mistaken for a mother on her first day—also possessed a stubborn curiosity that rivaled a child's.

She set her rag on the table and walked leisurely to the glass door. Across from the store was the government building. In addition to occupying the old palace, they had built an office building that was sturdy and durable rather than luxurious—a three-story European-style structure that looked both aesthetic and unique. It was situated perfectly across from the store, so if one paid attention, one could see many high-profile figures almost every day.

Gu Xinyao had no interest in those high-profile figures. She truly didn't understand why Qin Rou was so fascinated by them, standing by the glass door to watch for a while almost every day.

She looked across the street, feeling bored. Below the government building was an open public space. Ordinary citizens rarely lingered there; it was usually where high-ranking officials and nobles parked their private transport. Only on holidays would citizens stroll there, walk their dogs, and soak in the cultural atmosphere.

Today was Wednesday, not a holiday. It was normal for people to park their private vehicles there; what was so interesting about that? She muttered in her heart but didn't say it to Qin Rou. After all, she was living under someone else's roof; she couldn't be too difficult.

"Hey, hey, Little Gu, where are you looking? I told you to look over there, there—do you see it?" Qin Rou was anxious at Gu Xinyao’s lack of interest. She spent every day in the shop and never went out, yet she never felt bored. It was rare for her to find something good to look at, and she couldn't understand why Gu Xinyao wouldn't share the excitement.

She firmly turned Gu Xinyao’s face in another direction. It wasn't the area below the government building, but a side alley between the main office building and the government agency building. It sat at an angle to the grocery store, and ordinary people wouldn't notice any movement there.

Gu Xinyao sighed inwardly. The couple were indeed kind people, but this curiosity was truly hard to bear.

She helplessly followed Qin Rou’s pointing finger, but at just one glance, her calm heart was stirred into ripples—ripples that surged like ocean waves, growing ever larger.

Beside the alley, a black luxury van had pulled up. A young woman stepped out first, looking to be about thirty years old, with exquisite features and excellent grooming. Gu Xinyao had already learned of the peculiarities here: not only could men give birth, but one couldn't judge anyone’s age by appearance. Take Qin Rou, for example; she looked thirty-four or thirty-five but claimed to be forty-eight. The average life expectancy here was around 150 years, and according to Qin Rou, the longest-lived person had reached nearly 300. What a staggering number! She thought that if people in her own era had paid attention to health and the environment, perhaps living to 300 wouldn't have been a problem.

Returning to the scene, what caught her eye was the young man who followed the woman out of the car. He looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six—an estimate, of course; only the person himself could confirm his true age.

It was this man who caused her heart to skip several beats, some of which even missed their rhythm entirely.

"Look at that, look at that. Beautiful, isn't he? He’s the famous 'Iceberg Beauty.' Walking beside him is Duanmu Feng, the executive of the government’s policy-making department." Qin Rou tapped her finger against the glass, as if she could pin the young man down just by pointing at him.

Gu Xinyao kept her eyes fixed on the man. He was striking: neat short hair, slender brows, long, narrow eyes, a straight nose, and slightly red lips. Although the man’s lips were tightly pursed and his face was set in a stiff, expressionless mask, she felt that his narrow eyes held infinite tenderness. Perhaps it was because no one had ever unlocked that tenderness that he used coldness as a shield.

He was wearing a well-tailored black suit. Such formal attire on him created an unapproachable aura. If he were to change into casual wear of the same color, he would surely look even more handsome and warm. His tall, slender frame was a natural clothes hanger. Such a man was in no way inferior to a model in either appearance or temperament; in fact, he was even more outstanding than current male stars. No wonder Qin Rou had insisted she come to look.

Perhaps it was their intense gaze that made the people over there aware of them. After the man known as the "Iceberg Beauty" had walked a few steps with Duanmu Feng, he suddenly turned his head and glanced toward the grocery store.

Gu Xinyao subconsciously ducked to the side, while Qin Rou looked on without a care. Seeing the man glance over, she even waved her hand in greeting.

To her surprise, the beauty didn't ignore them; he gave a faint, unexpected nod in response.

This small gesture left Gu Xinyao feeling stunned. In the month she had been here, she had never seen this man, nor had he ever come to the grocery store to buy anything. Who was he?

"The Iceberg Beauty is Duanmu Feng’s secretary. He’s very young, you know, and a Ph.D. candidate in law with excellent grades. He is also the eldest son of Dugu Muqing, the head of the Dugu family, one of the Four Great Families. His name is Dugu Yi, and he’s only thirty-five." Perhaps sensing Gu Xinyao’s excessive interest, Qin Rou kindly shared the basic information about Dugu Yi.

Gu Xinyao watched his figure slowly disappear into the office building. It took a long time for her to look away. Hearing Qin Rou’s words, she wasn't surprised that she knew so much. As the grocery store owner, she often went out to deliver goods, and her biggest partners were government agencies and major noble families. Whenever those nobles held banquets, dances, or other recreational activities, they would always have Qin Rou provide the wine and food.

"So, is he married?" Gu Xinyao licked her lips. She didn't know why she felt a bit nervous asking this question.

Qin Rou looked at her with a complex expression, as if wanting to convey something.

"It’s alright, you can say it. I can handle it," Gu Xinyao said, assuming she was about to say Dugu Yi was already married. After all, thirty-five—in her own era, he would have been surrounded by children long ago.

Even though in this space-time, thirty-something was roughly equivalent to being in one's twenties back home, he was still an adult. It was normal for him to be married with children. She wouldn't be a homewrecker; she just subconsciously wanted to know if he was taken.

Seeing her forced smile, Qin Rou felt a bit more at ease. She shrugged and said, "Dugu Yi isn't married. However, if he were to marry, it would only be to another noble. His status is very prestigious, after all. Besides, I've heard that Dugu Yi doesn't intend to marry, and his mother doesn't seem to push him either. Also—and I’ve only heard this—there’s talk that he and Duanmu Feng are quite close. People say he’s Duanmu Feng’s lover. You’d be better off not setting your heart on him." Qin Rou finished with a mysterious, solemn warning.

Upon hearing this, the tension in Gu Xinyao’s heart eased by half, but the mention of a noble marriage and his alleged intimacy with the other man made her racing heart sink back into place. She couldn't help but laugh at herself. Yes, how could such an outstanding man ever choose an ordinary woman? The people around him were talented and beautiful—they were his true matches. She was a fool to have harbored romantic illusions about such a man.

"Don't take it too much to heart. I know plenty of great young men. When I have time, I’ll introduce you to a few. I guarantee you’ll be married by next year and holding a chubby baby daughter the year after. The guys I know are all handsome and healthy. Whether you give birth or they do, you’ll have healthy, cute children." Seeing the shadow fall over Gu Xinyao’s face, Qin Rou patted her shoulder firmly, offering her assurance. Had she known Gu Xinyao would take a fancy to Dugu Yi, she wouldn't have called her over. Sigh, beauties were best viewed from a distance; keeping one close might just lead to trouble.

Gu Xinyao looked at Qin Rou and managed a forced smile. She understood; status and social standing weren't things one could simply cast aside. The ancient saying about "matching social status" existed for a reason.

"Sister Qin, you promised to introduce me to a good man; you’d better not lie to me." She joked, playfully tapping Qin Rou’s chest.

Seeing that she seemed truly fine, Qin Rou’s worries began to fade. She laughed and agreed, "I keep my word, I promise I won't lie to you!"

***

Having been in Utopia for over a month, Gu Xinyao had never had the chance to step inside the government building. Firstly, she had no interest in admiring the work environment of high officials, and secondly, ever since she saw Dugu Yi, she couldn't stop thinking about him. To keep her fantasies from growing, she simply stayed in Qin Rou’s shop, helping out, and let Qin Rou handle all deliveries to the government.

Don't think she was being a diva; compared to watching the shop, Qin Rou much preferred going out to deliver goods. In her words, life required movement; otherwise, not only would one’s aesthetic sense grow tired, but one’s heart would gradually age.

However, nothing is absolute. One day, Ge Yue wasn't feeling well, and Qin Rou had a cart of fresh cauliflower to deliver to the government’s logistics department. Not wanting to delay things, Gu Xinyao, under Qin Rou’s pleading gaze, had no choice but to take on the vegetable delivery.

Coincidentally, it was a Friday. Qin Rou usually delivered the vegetables before two o'clock to be ready for Monday, but today, due to the unexpected circumstances, they were running late despite their best efforts.

When Gu Xinyao pushed the cart to the logistics department entrance, she found the door locked. Looking through the transparent glass, the interior was quiet and empty; the logistics staff must have already left.

She looked at the cart of cauliflower, feeling troubled. The logistics department had a contract with Qin Rou’s store to deliver vegetables at this time every week for the following Monday. If they weren't delivered today, the government staff might only have rice to eat on Monday. She didn't care what they ate, but Qin Rou might lose money.

After thinking it over, she decided to go to the front entrance to see if she could find someone on duty to open the door and accept the delivery.

"Hey! Who are you? Don't you know work is over? You can't just wander around the office building!" Just as Gu Xinyao was turning the cart, a somewhat aged voice came from a doorway a few offices down. The tone carried a deliberate sense of superiority.

Gu Xinyao set the cart down and turned slightly to see a man of about fifty leaning half his body out of an office, looking at her with an extremely impatient expression.

She quickly pushed the cart toward the office where the man stood.

"Sir, I’m here to deliver vegetables. I’m a bit late, and the logistics staff have already left. Could you please help me receive them?" she asked, her attitude sincere.

The older man squinted his small eyes and looked her up and down. Perhaps because Gu Xinyao was dressed too simply, a look of disdain flashed across his face. He snorted, "Can't you see I’m busy? You should have come earlier if you were delivering vegetables. Government business has its own schedule."

With that, he retreated back into the office.

Gu Xinyao didn't consider herself a delicate lady, nor was she unable to handle a bit of sarcasm, but hadn't the government always touted slogans of being close to and loving the people? How could this staff member speak to someone providing them a service in such a tone? Wasn't she, too, one of the people?

She hadn't expected that no matter the era, there would always be those who relied on their position to bully others. She curled her lip. Fine, she wouldn't take this abuse. At worst, she would cover the loss for Qin Rou herself.

She pushed the cart to head back the way she came, ignoring the sound of several people talking inside the office the man had emerged from.

"Please wait!"

Footsteps sounded behind her, followed by a clear, pleasant male voice. It was a beautiful voice, though it lacked much inflection, as if the speaker felt no great emotional fluctuation.

Gu Xinyao stopped, turned around, and upon seeing who had called her, her heart skipped several beats.

Perhaps the other person realized she had stopped with no intention of returning, so he walked over, followed by the older man from before.

At this moment, the older man’s face was pale, and his arrogance had vanished.

"I am very sorry. Our staff member’s attitude was poor just now. I have already sent someone to open the logistics door. You may move the vegetables in. If you need anything else, you can let me know."

Gu Xinyao looked at the man standing before her. She couldn't believe she had the opportunity to stand face-to-face with him. Up close, he was even more perfect than she had imagined.

Since arriving here, she hadn't attended any formal occasions and wore casual shoes for comfort. Even so, she was 1.75 meters tall—a height considered tall in her own era. Here, however, it was only average. The man was about half a head taller than her. They stood at a distance that was neither too close nor too far; she didn't need to look up at him, and he didn't need to bow his head to see her clearly. The height difference was just right.

"You, Dugu..." Gu Xinyao looked at his face, so excited she nearly shouted his name.

"I am Dugu Yi, confidential secretary for the Policy and Public Sentiment Department. If you have anything you need government assistance with, you can tell me." Dugu Yi’s expression was calm—neither overly enthusiastic nor cold. It was the attitude of someone handling official business.

Gu Xinyao came to her senses, remembering the gap between them. She nodded and said, "No, I don't need any help. Thank you!"

After saying this, she turned and pushed the cart toward the logistics department. Her heart felt hot and cold, and she felt as if something had changed under his business-like demeanor. But when she tried to think about it, she couldn't figure out exactly what had caused the shift.