The Mighty Mage
Chapter 360: Boy Toy

Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Boy Toy

"Show your face Jin’er."

As Gu Jin pushed her veil away, the crowd collectively gasped.

Her face was stunning, with delicate features that seemed almost otherworldly.

But what stood out the most was her calm, steady gaze.

She didn’t look afraid or uncertain, even with every pair of eyes in the room staring at her.

Long Yifan’s breath hitched. She was breathtaking.

Mr. Gu smiled proudly, stepping beside her.

"This is my daughter, Gu Jin," he said, his voice full of emotion. "From this day forward, she will take her rightful place as part of the Gu family."

The crowd erupted into applause, but Gu Jin didn’t react much. She simply nodded, her face composed.

Once the introduction was completed, everyone started to surround Gu Jin.

Jasmine elbowed him again, harder this time. "Yifan, stop standing there like a statue! Go to her!" she hissed.

Long Yifan paused and shook his head,

"No. I don’t want to ruin her perfect moment."

"Huh?" Jasmine was stunned by her brother’s words.

"Brother, are you an idiot? This is the perfect moment! As long as you declare your sovereignty now, no one will come in between you both."

"But what about her?" Long Yifan asked calmly.

"What do you mean?" Jasmine was baffled.

"What about her? She doesn’t like me. If I go near her now, I will only disgust her. I don’t want her to be in a bad mood during her shining mood. Let her enjoy. At least for now." Long Yifan said calmly.

Jasmine stared at Long Yifan like he’d grown a second head.

"Brother, are you serious? This isn’t about ruining her moment! It’s about showing her that you care!" she said, her voice rising in frustration.

Long Yifan shook his head again, his expression firm.

"No, Jasmine. She’s been through so much already. Right now, this is her moment, not mine. I’ll talk to her later when things are calmer."

Jasmine crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.

"Fine, do whatever you want. But don’t blame me if someone else swoops in while you’re waiting around."

Long Yifan didn’t respond.

His eyes stayed on Gu Jin as she gracefully greeted the guests who surrounded her.

As the banquet continued, Long Yifan stayed on the sidelines, watching Gu Jin from afar. She was polite to everyone who came up to her, but her smile never reached her eyes.

"She’s tired," Jasmine whispered, nudging him again. "Go help her."

Long Yifan hesitated, but this time, he nodded.

He slowly made his way through the crowd, careful not to draw too much attention to himself. When he finally reached Gu Jin, she was speaking with an older couple who seemed to be congratulating her.

Long Yifan waited until they moved on before he stepped closer.

"Miss Gu," he said softly.

Gu Jin turned her head, her expression guarded. When she saw him, her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t say anything.

"I just..." Long Yifan hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I wanted to say congratulations. You deserve this moment."

Gu Jin blinked, clearly surprised. "Thank you," she said after a pause, her tone neutral.

Long Yifan smiled faintly. "I won’t take up your time. I just wanted you to know that... I’m happy for you."

Gu Jin studied him for a moment, her gaze unreadable. Then she gave a small nod.

She suddenly paused and asked,

"Do you feel regret?"

Long Yifan was expecting this question and smiled,

"I do."

Gu Jin blinked. From her perspective, Long Yifan was a arrogant person, who would never accept his mistake.

Gu Jin raised her eyebrows, surprised by his straightforward answer.

"You admit it?" she asked, her voice calm but curious.

Long Yifan nodded without hesitation.

"Yes. I regret everything. I regret how I treated you. I regret not seeing the truth sooner. I... I regret hurting you."

Gu Jin’s eyes searched his face, trying to figure out if he was being honest.

"Why now?" she asked.

"Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"

Long Yifan hesitated for a moment but then spoke with a steady voice.

"Because I know I was wrong. I should have listened to my heart...instead of blindly following what others had taught me. If only...I had, I would be with you."

Gu Jin paused and stared at Long Yifan before saying coldly,

"Don’t you dare sweet talk me? Do you think I don’t know that the person you like is Gu Aihan? Or is that...you are after the Gu Family?"

Long Yifan wasn’t feeling hurt.

The Gu Family? It was nothing for him.

The Long Family? It was nothing too.

Even on the international level, hardly any family can ever catch his attention. He would never marry someone just to gain power.

In fact, he doesn’t need to.

But hearing Gu Jin’s words, an idea appeared in his head.

The best way to attract Gu Jin’s attention, reduce her resentment and slowly enter her life.

With a pitiful expression, he lowered his head and said,

Long Yifan sighed and lowered his head, his voice soft and full of sadness.

"You know my awkward position in the Long family. They don’t even consider me as their son anymore. I’m nothing to them."

Gu Jin frowned slightly, unsure if she should believe him. She had always seen Long Yifan as someone proud and unshakable, but now he looked... vulnerable.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked coldly, not letting her guard down.

Long Yifan glanced up, his eyes looking hurt but honest.

"Because I want you to keep me as your boy toy and don’t break off the engagement. It’s alright if you don’t proceed with the engagement but it will be great if you can keep it."

Gu Jin’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she thought she had misheard him.

"Boy toy?" she repeated, her tone sharp and incredulous. "Are you joking, Long Yifan?"

Long Yifan shook his head, looking completely serious.

"No, I’m not joking," he said softly. "I know I’ve lost the right to ask for anything. But if you keep the engagement—even if it’s just in name—it’ll keep me from being completely thrown away by the Long family. I... I don’t have anywhere else to go."

Gu Jin stared at him, her emotions a mixture of disbelief and confusion. She wasn’t sure if he was truly this desperate or if this was some strange trick.

"You expect me to help you after everything you’ve done?" she asked, her voice cold. "You think I owe you anything?"

"No, you don’t owe me anything," Long Yifan replied quickly, his voice steady despite her icy tone. "I’m asking because I have no one else to turn to. I know I don’t deserve your help, but... I’m willing to do anything to make it up to you. Anything."

Gu Jin’s lips curled into a faint, sarcastic smile.

"Anything?" she repeated. "Even if I ask you to leave me alone forever?"

Long Yifan froze for a moment, the question catching him off guard. He looked down, his shoulders tense.

"If that’s what you want," he said after a long pause, his voice barely above a whisper. "Anyways I am just an untalented weak mage, with no wealth."

Gu Jin didn’t believe his words, "No wealth? Do you think I will believe that?"

She had lived in the grand mansion owned by Long Yifan, he also had an army of servants, how could Long Yifan be poor?

As if sensing her question Long Yifan hurriedly explained,

"You may not believe it but all of them have not been paid for the past 3 years. I am a armament master. I sell my creations to earn money and give them resources instead of money..."

"So, you’re telling me your grand mansion and all those servants... they’re just pretending everything is fine?"

Long Yifan nodded, his face serious.

"Yes. They’re loyal, but it’s not because of money. I’ve been struggling to keep things afloat. Every piece of equipment, every weapon I craft—it’s all for survival."

Gu Jin crossed her arms, still not fully convinced.

"Survival? You’re Long Yifan. The heir of the Long Family, surely the Long Family won’t mistreat you, right?"

Long Yifan sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Because none of it is real, Miss Gu. The power, the fame—it’s all built on shaky foundations. The Long family cut ties with me years ago. They only left me the house because they thought I’d fail and come crawling back to them. But I refused."

Gu Jin stared at him, her sharp gaze searching for any sign of a lie.

"And why are you telling me all of this now?" she asked bluntly.

"Because," Long Yifan said softly, looking directly into her eyes, " I am ready to sacrifice my body to you. As long as you agree, I agree to be your mistress behind the covers and an assistant in front of everyone else."

Gu Jin: ...!

To say Gu Jin was not tempted would be a lie. This was a chance to inflict humiliation on Long Yifan...how can she leave it?