Chapter 790: Chapter 684

Let’s analyze this text:

### Step 1: Contextual Analysis

**Literary genre**: This appears to be a contemporary Chinese romance/drama web novel. The story involves relationships, family dynamics, and some intrigue.

**Language style**: The language is casual and conversational, with dialogue-heavy passages and internal thoughts. There are some Chinese idioms and expressions that will need natural English equivalents.

**Tone**: The tone is light and sometimes humorous, with elements of drama. There are moments of tension, surprise, and comic relief.

**Plot keywords**: romance, misunderstanding, confession, rivalry, family relationships, social gatherings

**Characters**:

- 小曼 (Xiao Man): Female protagonist, in a relationship with Gu Shaojun

- 顾少钧 (Gu Shaojun): Male, Xiao Man’s boyfriend/husband

- 庞小姬 (Pang Xiaoji): Female, friend of Xiao Man, has feelings for Gu Shaozhen

- 顾少铮 (Gu Shaozhen): Male, friend of Pang He, described as a playboy

- 顾少玲 (Gu Shaoling): Female, Gu Shaozhen’s sister

- 庞鹤 (Pang He): Male, Pang Xiaoji’s brother

- 曾蓉 (Zeng Rong): Female, antagonist, has been trying to get close to Gu Shaozhen

- 君冉 (Jun Ran): Mentioned as someone in conflict with Zeng Rong

### Step 2: Integrated Translation and Polishing

Now I’ll translate the text following all the specified rules:

The Chapter is about Pang Xiaoji (Little Ji) arranging to meet with Xiao Man to tell her a secret. The secret turns out to be that she wants to marry Gu Shaozhen (accidentally saying Gu Shaojun at first, causing momentary confusion). She explains how she developed feelings for him, particularly after seeing how he handled the situation with Zeng Rong, who had been inappropriately pursuing him despite his lack of interest. The Chapter ends with a confrontation between Pang Xiaoji and Zeng Rong, where Zeng Rong pushes Pang Xiaoji down some stairs.

Now I’ll provide the full translation, ensuring I follow all the specified rules:

After finishing her call, Xiao Man went over to explain the situation to Gu Shaojun, whose expression immediately soured. After a week apart, he’d been missing his wife, rushing back eager to hold her, kiss her, and have a good talk—only to have Pang Xiaoji whisk her away!

Xiao Man leaned against the car window and smiled, "Your family is waiting for you too, so head home first. We can see each other tonight. Little Ji said she’ll let me go by nine at the latest. Wait for my call, okay?"

Gu Shaojun’s furrowed brow relaxed as he reached out to stroke her face. "Then I’ll go home first. Tell me where you and Miss Pang are going. I’ll come wait for you there. Nine o’clock, I’ll pick you up right on time."

Xiao Man told him the location, and Gu Shaojun reminded her not to just focus on shopping and playing around, but to eat dinner first. Then he left.

Pang Xiaoji, who had been hiding behind a large tree by the road, only dared to emerge after his car was far away. She linked arms with Xiao Man as they walked and talked along the sidewalk. She had reserved a table at a nearby restaurant, so they didn’t need a car—it was just a short walk away.

Arriving at the newly renovated restaurant, they were led by a server to a luxurious private room on the second floor. Xiao Man clicked her tongue: "Miss Pang, you’re being too extravagant. This is making me feel awkward. We’re close friends, we could’ve just gone to the food street and eaten there. We could’ve tried different things too."

Pang Xiaoji shook her head with a sigh. "I’m not in the mood for food street right now. I chose this place for one reason only—it’s convenient for talking, no interruptions, good privacy."

Xiao Man was warming her teacup with hot tea when she heard this. She looked up: "What do you mean? Are you about to tell me some earth-shattering secret? The kind that gets people silenced forever? I’m telling you right now, I refuse!"

Pang Xiaoji burst out laughing, grabbing a melon seed from the dish on the table and tossing it at her. "How are you so funny? You have such an overactive imagination!"

"But do you really have a secret?"

"Of course I do. Who doesn’t have a secret or two? But it won’t harm anyone, and no one’s going to silence you. Don’t worry."

"Then just tell me."

"Let’s wait until the food arrives. We’ll talk after we’re full."

"We can eat and talk at the same time."

"No, you’ll choke."

Xiao Man: "..."

She couldn’t help but wonder: could this secret have something to do with her? Why else would Pang Xiaoji seek her out specifically, ignoring everyone else?

Pang Xiaoji was practical—she didn’t order a huge spread. Just four dishes and a soup for the two of them, plus one dessert for after the meal. It was just enough, with minimal leftovers.

After eating and drinking their fill, Xiao Man leaned back in her chair and looked at Pang Xiaoji: "Can you tell me now?"

Pang Xiaoji smiled amusedly: "That eager to see your lover?"

"Whether I’m eager or not, I have to leave at nine o’clock as agreed. And I’m not free tomorrow either. Who knows when you’ll next get the chance to tell me your secret?"

"Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. Listen carefully: I want to marry—Gu—Shao—jun!" Pang Xiaoji pronounced each word deliberately, then nodded to indicate that this statement was the result of deep consideration and was meant very seriously.

Xiao Man stared at her blankly, not believing her ears. "Say that again?"

Pang Xiaoji opened her mouth to inhale: "I..."

She suddenly widened her eyes, clenched her fists and covered her mouth, looking shocked: "What did I just say?"

Xiao Man rolled her eyes: "You said you want to marry Gu Shaojun! Did you come all the way here just to infuriate me?"

"No, no, no! That’s not it!"

Pang Xiaoji waved her hands frantically, her face changing from white to blue, then flushing bright red like a crimson cloth: "I-I meant to say: I want to marry Gu Shaozhen!"

Xiao Man was once again confused by her. After a moment, she came back to her senses: "It’s Gu Shaozhen, not Gu Shaojun, right?"

"Yes! I misspoke!" Pang Xiaoji explained rapidly, breathing heavily: "How could I dare to covet Brother Gu? He’s a hero, so sacred and inviolable, and he belongs to you. I haven’t gone crazy! I just... just want to marry that unfortunate Gu Shaozhen!"

Xiao Man stared at her speechlessly: "You nearly scared me to death. I really thought you were declaring war on me, trying to steal my man!"

Pang Xiaoji twisted her fingers and bit her lip: "I’m just nervous, okay? With that age gap, how could us younger ones dare to call him directly by name? We usually just call him Brother Gu, so... when I got flustered, I mixed them up!"

They stared at each other, then couldn’t help but start laughing, first silently, then out loud, holding their stomachs and laughing so hard they nearly fell off their chairs.

After they’d had their fill of laughter, Pang Xiaoji felt more relaxed and less nervous. They spoke as they normally would, and Xiao Man listened like she was hearing a story, finally understanding why this girl had suddenly developed the idea of marrying Gu Shaozhen.

Their story was simple and unremarkable, which had to do with the storyteller. Pang Xiaoji inevitably grew nervous again, telling the tale in a jumbled order with some repetition. Xiao Man had to help straighten out the narrative, focusing specifically on how Pang Xiaoji and Gu Shaozhen had gotten involved with each other.

Gu Shaozhen was a good friend of Pang He. Pang Xiaoji was to the Pang family what Gu Shaoling was to the Gu family—without any sisters, she had grown up following her brothers around. Pang He adored his sister the most; wherever he went, if Pang Xiaoji wanted to come along, he was happy to take her. Over the past two years, the business in the South had basically stabilized and was developing rapidly. It could be left to subordinates to manage, allowing Gu Shaozhen more time to stay in Beijing. Pang He and he spent a lot of time together, occasionally hosting cocktail parties or wild celebrations. Pang Xiaoji enjoyed these events and stuck close to her brother, naturally seeing Gu Shaozhen each time. They were already acquainted, but now became even more familiar. Pang Xiaoji could practically treat Gu Shaozhen like a brother.

Logically, this kind of relationship should have been safe, but due to certain factors, it was catalyzed and transformed.

For this, Zeng Rong was to blame.

Gu Shaozhen was a playboy who prided himself on his appreciation of beautiful women. He had once sympathized with Zeng Rong, and for a time had been very generous in accommodating her feelings and meeting her demands. He even allowed her to act as hostess at his friend gatherings. Only after Xiao Man warned him did Gu Shaozhen start avoiding Zeng Rong. Later, when he discovered that Jun Ran and Zeng Rong were secretly feuding and trying to drag his sister Gu Shaoling into their murky waters, he became angry. He stopped paying attention to Zeng Rong entirely and no longer allowed her to freely enter and exit his garden villa.

Others might have had different opinions on this matter, but Pang Xiaoji greatly approved. She couldn’t stand how Zeng Rong was always trying to interfere in other people’s marriages.

But Zeng Rong, feeling slighted by Gu Shaozhen’s coldness, became psychologically unbalanced. Whenever she had the chance, she would seek out Gu Shaozhen—either in tears or by physically clinging to him—acting the part of a lovelorn woman, as if Gu Shaozhen had abandoned her. Every time Pang Xiaoji witnessed this, she became furious and would directly intervene to resolve the Zeng Rong situation for Gu Shaozhen, thereby making an enemy of Zeng Rong.

Finally, at a celebrity gathering, Zeng Rong once again clung desperately to Gu Shaozhen. Pang Xiaoji was also present and mercilessly scolded Zeng Rong for her shamelessness. Zeng Rong was persuaded to leave at that moment, but afterward, she intercepted Pang Xiaoji at the stairway. The two were arguing quietly, so Pang Xiaoji wasn’t on her guard. When she was about to go downstairs, Zeng Rong stepped on the hem of her dress and gave her a hard push. Pang Xiaoji’s arms flailed as she began to fall, terrified: rolling down these stairs would leave her injured or at least badly scraped, and falling face-first might disfigure her!

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