PB - Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Before Qiao Qi could leave the parking garage, a car slowly pulled in through the entrance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man attentively helping Gu Jianchu out of the vehicle. She turned around to wait.
Gu Jianchu was slightly surprised for a moment upon seeing Qiao Qi, then smiled and walked over. Lin Zhi followed. Gu Jianchu made the introductions. “Mr. Lin, this is the friend I’m meeting tonight, President Qiao of Ruifeng. President Qiao, this is President Lin of America’s Witton Company.”
Lin Zhi, of course, knew of Ruifeng. He took the initiative to extend his hand. “President Qiao, hello. I’m Lin Zhi, a friend of Miss Gu’s.”
“Qiao Qi.”
Gu Jianchu added, “Mr. Lin, thank you for bringing me here tonight.”
Since Gu Jianchu genuinely had an appointment, Lin Zhi tactfully took his leave. Inside the private room, Gu Jianchu teased Qiao Qi with a half-smile. “You certainly know how to make things easy for yourself, booking a room right at my place.”
Qiao Qi was honest and frank. “Unlike you, I don’t know where the best food in the city is, so booking here was the safest option.”
Gu Jianchu looked at Qiao Qi with those beautiful eyes of hers, her lips parting slightly as she said languidly, “Perhaps I just wanted to have a meal with you. What we eat doesn’t really matter.”
Qiao Qi avoided her gaze, looking down to fiddle with her tableware. “You’re the owner. You should order.”
Gu Jianchu had expected this reaction from Qiao Qi. “You’re the host, so it wouldn’t be right for me to usurp your role. Besides, you know this is my place. What if I order something that isn’t to your taste? You’d just blame my restaurant for being subpar.”
Qiao Qi was helpless against her and could only order herself. Gu Jianchu simply propped her chin on her hand, watching her with a beaming smile. Being stared at like that, no matter how nonchalant Qiao Qi tried to appear, her face couldn’t help but burn. Noticing Qiao Qi’s growing and obvious discomfort, Gu Jianchu’s bright smile became all the more captivating.
But Qiao Qi was Qiao Qi, after all. She quickly returned to her usual self. “You said yesterday you had something to discuss with me. What was it about?”
Gu Jianchu set aside her playful mood, took out her tablet, swiped a couple of times, and handed it over. “Take a look at this first.”
While Qiao Qi was looking at the tablet, the food arrived. She returned the tablet to Gu Jianchu. “Acquiring a mature chromium ore company would be a good thing for the group. Moreover, chromium is a rare mineral in our country. You told me yesterday this was a personal matter, so it seems it’s not Rongfang that wants to acquire it. So, what do you want me to help you with?”
“You really are clever.” Gu Jianchu didn’t hold back her praise. She liked this kind of interaction, where a single hint was enough without needing lengthy explanations.
“America’s Witton Company is in the process of acquiring this company. I just want you to help me stop their acquisition plan. As for the reason, it’s not convenient for me to say right now.”
Qiao Qi nodded. “This South African company is a good one. Ruifeng could certainly try to acquire it. So, this is your one personal matter?”
“How many more things do you want to help me with? Are you trying to make me owe you several meals at once?”
“This matter isn’t so much helping you as it is Ruifeng gaining a huge advantage. It should be me who owes you another meal.”
“President Qiao, you’d better remember what you just said. But I have one condition: the next meal you owe me can’t be here. It makes your gratitude seem insincere.”
A smile touched the corners of Qiao Qi’s eyes. “Alright,” she replied.
Gu Jianchu found that eating with Qiao Qi was a pleasant experience. Lin Zhi had driven her here, so it was only natural that she got into Qiao Qi’s car for the ride back. When Qiao Qi drove, she would put on her glasses, her long hair draped over her shoulders, making her appear even more gentle.
Gu Jianchu asked, “How come I didn’t see you wearing glasses during dinner?”
“My prescription isn’t strong, so I don’t usually wear them. Only when I’m driving or in a meeting.”
The late March weather was already showing signs of warming up. Qiao Qi and Gu Jianchu chatted idly. In the enclosed space of the car, their perfumes gradually mingled into a single scent. The city center at night was never quiet enough, much like the state of their hearts at that moment.
Qiao Qi’s fingers on the steering wheel were long and slender. Her skin was already fair, and in the dim light, it seemed to glow. Gu Jianchu remembered the warm, delicate touch of her hand at Shen Shoucheng’s birthday party when she had led her away. As if bewitched, she raised her own hand and gently traced the back of Qiao Qi’s with her fingertips.
Through her fingertips, she felt Qiao Qi stiffen. A smile curved her lips. Qiao Qi still said nothing—neither stopping her nor waiting for her to continue. Gu Jianchu knew that in Qiao Qi’s usual way of handling things, there was no protocol for the current situation, because Qiao Qi’s sense of distance had already made many people keep their distance.
“Qiao Qi.” Gu Jianchu’s fingertips had already slid to Qiao Qi’s wrist. “Have you ever been in a relationship?”
“I had a boyfriend once.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Six or seven years ago.”
Gu Jianchu said unhurriedly, “That’s a very long time.”
“My work keeps me very busy. I don’t have the extra time or energy.” Qiao Qi changed lanes, the movement of turning the steering wheel conveniently dodging Gu Jianchu’s fingers. Gu Jianchu didn’t pursue it.
After dropping off Gu Jianchu and returning to her own apartment, Qiao Qi went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of plain water. She took a couple of sips before setting it on the counter, lost in a daze. She naturally understood the implication behind Gu Jianchu’s words. Gu Jianchu’s touch had actually made her heart race, and Gu Jianchu’s smile made her feel an irrepressible joy. In short, the three words “Gu Jianchu” kept circling in her mind.
A black cat rubbed against her leg. Startled, she snapped back to reality and looked down. Ping An was back. Su Jiayin’s voice followed immediately after.
“What are you thinking about? You were in a daze for so long you didn’t even hear me open the door.” Su Jiayin had told Qiao Qi earlier in the day that she would be coming over tonight, so she hadn’t called again before letting herself in.
Qiao Qi didn’t answer, instead picking up Ping An. “What did the doctor say?” she asked.
“What else could he say? He’s gotten sick from being too fat. How could he not be fat when you leave out so much cat food and treats all day?”
Ping An hadn’t seen Qiao Qi in a long time, so he was being particularly affectionate right now. Normally, the relationship between Qiao Qi and Ping An was less like that of an owner and a pet and more accurately described as that of a landlord and a tenant. When Ping An got sick, it was Su Jiayin who had taken him to the vet and picked him up again. Qiao Qi had only received a text message informing her of it.
“The doctor said this cat is getting old and shouldn’t eat so much anymore. Obesity can easily lead to health problems.” Su Jiayin stroked Ping An’s head. The cat had been with Qiao Qi for seven years, but for the past two, she had been the one taking care of him more often. “By the way, what were you spacing out about just now?”
“Nothing. I don’t even know what I was thinking.” Qiao Qi dodged the question and carried the cat back to the living room. “Tomorrow, I’ll have Xiao Qiu look for a cat fitness club. I’ll send Ping An there, and that way someone will be looking after him.”
“You’re really something else.” Su Jiayin sat beside her, playing with the cat, and asked in a seemingly casual tone, “You had dinner with Jianchu tonight, right? What was the thing she said she needed to talk to you about the other day?”
“It was about a chromium ore company in South Africa called TIE.”
Su Jiayin resisted the urge to ask for more details. After playing with the cat for a while longer, she said, “I’m heading back. You should get some rest. Now that Ping An is back, you’ll have a cat to manage you if you stay up too late. And don’t forget to go to the hospital tomorrow.”
Qiao Qi held Ping An and smiled gently. Although she and Ping An didn’t see each other much during the day, if she stayed up too late, Ping An would always appear in her study, jump onto her desk, and fall asleep on her laptop. If she moved him, he would just come back, as if it were his way of urging her to go to bed.
After Su Jiayin left, Qiao Qi sat on the sofa in a daze, holding Ping An and stroking him intermittently. If she got lost in thought and her hand stopped moving, Ping An would nuzzle her to continue.
“You… how did you get to be as annoying as Gu Jianchu?”
Under Ping An’s supervision, Qiao Qi only worked until one-thirty before she was forced to return to her bedroom. Ping An followed her, jumped onto the bed, and curled into a black shadow. Sometimes, Qiao Qi felt it was nice to have a living creature with her; it made everything around her feel more real.
The next morning, Qiao Qi had Yao Qiu compile a report on TIE’s basic situation. Xu Yangpu happened to be in her office as well and casually looked up its recent stock price on his tablet.
He handed the tablet to Qiao Qi. “President Qiao, there’s a competitor.”
The stock price was in the red, its rate of decline accelerating. “America’s Witton Company. Keep an eye on the stock price for the next while.”
“President Qiao.” Yao Qiu pulled her back from her work. “You haven’t forgotten your appointment with Doctor Su at her hospital this afternoon, have you? Doctor Su just called to have me remind you again. She also said you have to treat her to dinner tonight.”
The hospital visit she was supposed to make after returning from Shenzhen had been delayed until now. Qiao Qi was afraid that if she didn’t go, Su Jiayin would come to Ruifeng to drag her there personally. “Postpone this afternoon’s meeting until tomorrow.”
“It’s already been taken care of. Your work for today was only scheduled until 2 p.m.”
The whole day proceeded in an orderly fashion. Doctor Su was present for Qiao Qi’s entire examination at the hospital. Although she had seen the physical exam reports from Qiao Qi’s private doctor, as a doctor herself, she felt more at ease examining her in person. After reviewing the data for the routine tests on the computer, she concluded that Qiao Qi was generally healthy, aside from the minor issue of being slightly anemic.
“So, where are you planning to take me for dinner tonight?”
“Haven’t you already picked a place?”
Su Jiayin was all smiles. “Go get the car. I’ll take you somewhere good.”
And Su Jiayin really had picked a good place—one that brought everyone who was meant to meet together in a single evening. First, upon entering, they ran into Gu Jianchu and Lin Zhi, who was holding a bouquet of flowers. Su Jiayin glanced at the flowers, then at Lin Zhi, a mischievous smile on her face. No wonder Gu Jianchu wouldn’t tell her what grand gift Gu Mingyi had sent her. So, it was a man.
Gu Jianchu’s expression was normal as she made the introductions. Lin Zhi had met Qiao Qi the day before, so he was very proactive in greeting her today. Qiao Qi shook his hand briefly before leaving with Su Jiayin.
Gu Jianchu was a perceptive person. She caught the way Qiao Qi’s gaze lingered on the flowers. Her mood, which had been sullen because of her date with Lin Zhi, instantly became a little brighter, and a smile touched her lips. Lin Zhi, suspecting nothing, assumed Gu Jianchu’s smile was a sign of her good feelings toward him and became even more attentive.
Coincidentally, as they were leaving, they also ran into Jin Zhilan and Qi Simiao. Ever since Qi Simiao had told her that Gu Jianchu had a new target, Jin Zhilan had been very curious. Today, she had specifically come with Qi Simiao to corner her. Unfortunately for her, in this narrow encounter, they also cornered Qiao Qi, whom they disliked.
Now that Jin Zhilan had caught them, there was no way she would let them go. Jin Zhilan insisted on hosting a gathering, deliberately ignoring Gu Jianchu’s repeated refusals. Seeing the commotion over there, Su Jiayin pulled Qiao Qi away. As they walked, she didn’t forget to comment to Qiao Qi, “Jianchu must be fuming inside.” As usual, Qiao Qi didn’t reply.
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