PB - Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Shenzhen, with its maritime climate, had pleasant temperatures and humid air. The occasional breeze was light and soft. In the morning, after having breakfast with Qiao Qi and her team at the hotel, Shen Shoucheng took them to the Shen family's private island. Gu Jianchu had an urgent matter to attend to at Hongyuan, Rongfang's Shenzhen subsidiary, so Shen Shoucheng arranged for Shen Shouxin to wait in the city and accompany Gu Jianchu over once she was finished.
Qiao Qi wore a narrow-shouldered, soft gauze long dress and a wide-brimmed woven sun hat. She strolled along the fine sand with Shen Shoucheng, chatting slowly. When the sea breeze blew gently, the curves hidden beneath the soft gauze of her dress became faintly visible. When Gu Jianchu arrived, she happened to see a gust of wind lift Qiao Qi's sun hat. As Qiao Qi raised a hand to hold it in place, the ends of her hair brushed against her delicate arm.
As if sensing something, Qiao Qi looked up and saw Gu Jianchu walking toward them from a distance. She was still in the outfit she had worn to the office that morning: a light-colored, V-neck blouse with ruffled sleeves. A silk scarf of a matching shade was tied in a beautiful, slanted knot at her collar, tastefully concealing the skin of her chest. Below her belt was a pair of A-line shorts. Her jacket was draped over her arm, and she carried her high heels in her hand.
She walked over and stopped in front of the two of them, her ponytail swinging gently. “President Shen’s island is so lovely it makes me want to buy one myself.”
“Are you finished with your work, President Gu?”
“Something came up at the company unexpectedly. I’m sorry to have kept Miss Shouxin waiting for so long.”
“You’re too kind, President Gu. You’ve come a long way, so you’re our guest. It’s only right that she do this.” As she spoke, Shen Shouxin also walked over. “We’re not here for business, so there’s no need to be so formal. May I call you Sister Jianchu, President Gu?”
“Of course you can.”
Shen Shouxin then turned to Qiao Qi. “Then I’ll follow my sister’s lead and call you Sister Qiqi, President Qiao.”
“Alright.”
Shen Shouxin was a lively person, and with her around, the conversation never lulled. Yao Qiu and Liu Yanyan brought back the items the two presidents needed and returned to the beach. Xu Yangpu and Zhao Bo, who had come along, were accompanied by Shen Liyan and had other arrangements on the island.
Shen Shouxin asked her sister to go swimming with her. Gu Jianchu didn’t feel like being active just yet, so she and Qiao Qi, who couldn’t swim, lay on beach chairs to sunbathe. Qiao Qi’s fair skin seemed to glow with a translucent light under the sun, a truly enviable sight.
“Jianchu, were you busy with a newly issued directive this morning?”
Qiao Qi’s voice was gentle, sweeping away the frustration Gu Jianchu felt from her work. “I also received a call from home this morning. They said the problem here was serious, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
Gu Jianchu joked, “Can I borrow Xu Yangpu?”
“Yangpu?” Qiao Qi thought for a moment. “It seems he doesn’t have anything important to do these next two days. If you need him, Jianchu, just have him go over.”
“You really are generous.” Gu Jianchu didn’t press the topic further. They fell silent for a moment, and then for some reason, she blurted out, “Let me teach you how to swim.”
Qiao Qi was about to refuse, but Shen Shoucheng had just returned and eagerly wanted to join the coaching team. Still, she remained unmoved. Gu Jianchu walked over, took her by the wrist, and pulled her up from the beach chair. “Don’t you think it’s a shame to come all this way and not go in the water?”
Shen Shouxin came over to join in the fun. “That’s right, Sister Qiqi. Swimming isn’t hard. Don’t be afraid.”
It had been a long time since Qiao Qi had experienced such warm insistence. While she was still trying to think of a polite way to refuse, Gu Jianchu had already pulled her away to change. Yao Qiu followed behind, uncharacteristically encouraging her as well. Qiao Qi felt a sense of powerlessness and resignation toward the whole situation.
Walking ahead, Gu Jianchu felt the wrist in her palm relax its tension. It seemed Qiao Qi had given up resisting. A smile unconsciously touched the corners of her eyes. The President Qiao behind her was even more adorable than she had imagined.
In all her life, Qiao Qi had never felt so flustered while learning something new. The sea was not a swimming pool; the waves made swimming much more difficult. Even if she were a natural talent, she would still have choked on a few mouthfuls of water, and she was just an ordinary person. After being hit by yet another wave, her expression darkened. Gu Jianchu suddenly sensed her displeasure, but before she could react, Qiao Qi was already wading through the water toward the shore.
Her flat stomach, long limbs, and sea-soaked hair all glistened under the sun. Gu Jianchu followed her, leaving the two Shen sisters, who were slow to realize what had happened, to continue soaking in the sea.
In the rest area, Qiao Qi apologized for her earlier behavior. “I’m sorry. My performance was very poor.”
“It’s fine. We can try a pool next time. The sea really isn’t suitable for beginners.”
After a shower, Qiao Qi was back to her usual self. Seeing her return, Shen Shoucheng hurried to greet her, standing silently like a child who had done something wrong. A smile touched Qiao Qi’s lips. “I’m not angry. I’m just not well-suited for swimming.”
Gu Jianchu had returned earlier and was drinking champagne while chatting with Shen Shouxin. Seeing this, Qiao Qi walked over. “Jianchu, I just ran into Yangpu. He’ll go see you tonight.”
Gu Jianchu was a little surprised. She raised her glass. “Then thank you in advance, President Qiao.”
After dinner, the group left the island. The Shen sisters saw them to the hotel but didn’t linger. In the elevator, Xu Yangpu asked Gu Jianchu when would be a good time to meet. Gu Jianchu set the time for eight o’clock that evening.
The elevator reached the suite floor, and Gu Jianchu got off with Qiao Qi. Just as Qiao Qi was about to enter her room, Gu Jianchu suddenly said, “Qiao Qi, would you like to come to my room for a drink tonight?”
Qiao Qi understood her meaning. Given Xu Yangpu’s position at Ruifeng, he was privy to too many trade secrets. Although they trusted each other and knew Rongfang wouldn’t betray that trust, Gu Jianchu had extended the invitation to be transparent.
“Alright, I’ll be over in a bit.”
The Shenzhen nights could be a bit chilly when the wind blew. Qiao Qi, wrapped in a knit shawl, sat with Gu Jianchu on the terrace sofa. Gu Jianchu had been very considerate; she didn’t meet with Xu Yangpu directly. Instead, she had her subordinate, Zhao Bo, discuss solutions with him. Yao Qiu had also come over and was chatting with Liu Yanyan.
The terrace lights were dimmed. Gu Jianchu leaned against the arm of the sofa and said, “It seems Jiayin doesn’t really let you drink.”
“She’s worried about my stomach and that I get headaches easily if I drink too much.”
“Jiayin really cares about you.” Gu Jianchu refilled Qiao Qi’s glass. “How would you like me to repay this favor?”
Qiao Qi turned, her gaze sincere. “In recent years, Ruifeng has increased its investment in venture capital, but our losses have outweighed our gains. I’ve heard you have a great deal of expertise in venture capital, Jianchu, so I was hoping to ask for your advice.”
“Ruifeng is no worse than Rongfang when it comes to information gathering and trend analysis. Ruifeng’s focus has always been on traditional projects, so naturally, investment in emerging industries has been lower. Moreover, the traditional projects are still going strong, which has the effect of suppressing the emerging departments. For large groups like Ruifeng or Rongfang, changing course is not something that can be done overnight.”
In the distance, the moonlight was shattered into countless shimmering fragments by the rippling sea. With the woman’s calm, pleasant voice in her ear, Qiao Qi felt a little drunk. Perhaps it was because she had spent the whole day out and used more energy than usual, or perhaps being away from Beijing allowed her body and mind to relax. In short, she felt her consciousness growing heavier and hazier.
This time, Gu Jianchu failed to notice anything amiss. Her voice continued, “So, Ruifeng’s problem with venture capital is the lack of a professional advisory team. There’s no secret to investing. The most crucial factor is your understanding of the industry and your ability to forecast its prospects.” After saying this, she paused, waiting for a response, but the other woman seemed a little too quiet.
Qiao Qi’s arm was propped on the sofa’s armrest, her hand supporting her forehead. The light was dim, but it was still possible to see that her eyes were closed. She looked like she had fallen asleep. For a moment, Gu Jianchu didn’t know how to react. Yao Qiu had been keeping an eye on the terrace out of the corner of her eye. She had noticed something was off with Qiao Qi earlier, and seeing Gu Jianchu’s reaction, she quickly walked over. She, too, was a bit surprised by the sight.
Yao Qiu and Gu Jianchu exchanged glances. She practically mouthed the question, “How many glasses?”
Surprisingly, Gu Jianchu understood. She held up four fingers. Yao Qiu nodded and apologized profusely and with great sincerity. Gu Jianchu shook her head, indicating it was fine.
Yao Qiu walked back inside to Xu Yangpu’s side. “President Qiao has fallen asleep. Carry her back gently. It’s rare for her to sleep this early, so whatever you do, don’t wake her up.”
Xu Yangpu’s expression was also one of surprise. He followed Yao Qiu to the terrace, first apologizing softly to Gu Jianchu before carefully lifting Qiao Qi and carrying her back to her own room.
Only after the three of them had left the suite did Gu Jianchu shift her position. When Qiao Qi had fallen asleep just now, she hadn’t dared to move, afraid that the slightest sound would wake her. Thinking of how meticulously Yao Qiu and Xu Yangpu cared for Qiao Qi, she found it both amusing and a bit exaggerated. She set down her wine glass and walked back inside. The curiosity on Liu Yanyan’s face hadn’t had time to fade and was caught by her.
“She really is a woman who sleeps soundly,” she muttered, as if to herself. Zhao Bo looked at her, asking with his eyes what to do next. She said, “Go to Xu Yangpu’s room and continue the discussion with him. I’m going to bed.”
“Alright.” Zhao Bo packed up his things. As he was waiting for the elevator outside, Xu Yangpu happened to come out of another room. He told him the plan, and the two of them got into the elevator together.
Qiao Qi woke up at six-thirty in the morning with a dull ache in her temples. She took a minute to piece together what had happened last night, her expression sheepish. She walked out of the bedroom. Yao Qiu, who was in the living room, saw her and was about to move, but Qiao Qi stopped her with a raised hand. She went to the wine cabinet herself, poured two glasses of milk, and handed one to Yao Qiu.
“President Qiao, do you have a headache?”
“A little.”
“Do you need some medicine?”
“Not for now.” Qiao Qi sat on the sofa, thinking about last night. “Did I fall asleep on the sofa last night?”
“Yes. Yangpu and I saw that you were asleep, and since it’s so rare for you to sleep early, we took the liberty of carrying you back without waking you.”
It was a scene Qiao Qi couldn’t even imagine, but her expression remained as calm as ever. “Thank you both for your trouble last night.”
Yao Qiu took the opportunity to advise her, “President Qiao, you seem to have been in a very good mood these past few days in Shenzhen. I think you should give yourself more breaks. Don’t always push yourself so hard. The work will never be finished.”
A smile touched Qiao Qi’s lips. “I know. Are there any new arrangements from Shoucheng?”
“Today, the younger Miss Shen will take us on a tour of the city. Tomorrow is reserved for us to prepare. The elder President Shen has scheduled a meeting with us at Changfa for the morning of the day after tomorrow.”
“Okay, got it.” Qiao Qi thought for a moment, then asked, “Did they say when Rongfang’s meeting is scheduled?”
“The day after that. That’s according to the younger Miss Shen. She said that after meeting with both companies, the elder President Shen will convene a high-level meeting to discuss the matter immediately.”
At eight o’clock, Xu Yangpu knocked on the door to say that the younger Miss Shen had breakfast ready downstairs. Qiao Qi went back to her room to change. When she came out, she ran into Gu Jianchu waiting for the elevator.
Seeing her, Gu Jianchu said with a smile in her voice, “Did you sleep well?”
Qiao Qi was her usual self. “I’m so sorry about last night.”
“It’s fine.” Gu Jianchu stood beside Qiao Qi, waiting for the elevator. “I picked out a few books for you before bed last night. I’ll have someone send them over when I get back.”
“Thank you for the trouble.”
The elevator arrived. Neither of them spoke on the way down. Just as the doors were about to open again, Qiao Qi said, “Jianchu, are you free tonight? I’d like to talk to you about a cooperation between us.”
“Cooperation?” Before this, Ruifeng and Rongfang had never truly cooperated in any meaningful way. The suggestion immediately piqued Gu Jianchu’s interest. “Alright. I’ll bring a bottle of wine to your room then. That way, if you get sleepy, it’ll be much more convenient.”
The elevator doors opened, and Gu Jianchu walked out. She didn’t see the fleeting look of embarrassment on Qiao Qi’s face behind her. Qiao Qi thought to herself that she would probably be teased by Gu Jianchu about this for a long time.
Comments
Post a Comment