PB - Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Jin Zhihuan had been staying at the main residence for the past few days. Old Master Jin treated him just as he always had, asking questions when he should and having him for a couple of drinks as usual. The Old Master’s thoughts had always been inscrutable, and Jin Zhihuan didn’t dare to guess, yet he couldn’t help but try.
At breakfast, his eldest aunt intentionally brought up the matter of Jin Zhilan running into Gu Jianchu and Lin Zhi the previous night. She put on a show, saying, “I hear Jianchu and that Mr. Lin are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman. A woman has to get married when she reaches a certain age. I heard that Mr. Lin’s family is very powerful in the US. They’re truly a well-matched pair.”
The Old Master asked, “Does Zhilan have someone in mind?”
“No, Dad, Zhilan is still young, there’s no rush. I just think it’s about time for Qiao Qi to be thinking about marriage. She’s so busy at the company all day, she has no time. The family should be arranging this for her.”
The Old Master didn’t stop eating or even raise his eyes. “Our family doesn’t need to rely on the marriages of its girls to sustain itself.”
The eldest aunt tried to hastily explain herself but was stopped by her husband’s hand. She only managed to say, “Dad, that’s not what I meant.”
The Old Master continued eating. “A Qi has her own parents. You just worry about Zhilan. If Zhilan takes a liking to someone, then you can come and tell me.”
The eldest aunt lowered her head, looking somewhat wronged. “I understand, Dad.”
Jin Zhihuan remained silent, his expression unreadable. His mother was just a tool to probe the Old Master’s thoughts. This kind of tactless rashness was something no one in the family besides his mother was capable of. Having such a mother was a mixed blessing for him; he worried her lack of perception would cause the Old Master to give him the cold shoulder.
When he arrived at the company, Qiao Qi’s car was already in its designated parking spot. On the thirty-fourth floor, Qiao Qi, who was usually completely focused on her work, found her mind wandering several times today. Her efficiency was also much slower than usual. Yao Qiu, thinking she wasn’t feeling well, was very concerned.
“President Qiao, is your headache acting up again?”
Qiao Qi was also aware of her unusual state. “No, don’t worry.” She paused, hesitating. Yao Qiu knew she had further instructions and waited for about five minutes before she finally said, “Go compile a report on the American company, Witton. Also,” she paused again, as if compromising with herself, “investigate Witton’s Lin Zhi.”
“Understood, President Qiao. I’ll get right on it.”
Su Jiayin had mentioned many things to her last night. She talked about the gift Gu Mingyi gave Gu Jianchu and about the family power struggle within Rongfang. These were things she wouldn’t have paid attention to before, but last night, she had listened to every word Su Jiayin said and committed it to memory. That was why Gu Jianchu had called her request to obstruct the acquisition a “private matter”—a private matter concerning their Gu family’s internal strife.
At that moment, Gu Jianchu was in her office, pinching the bridge of her nose. The rumors about her engagement were intensifying at Rongfang. She didn’t really care, but at the regular meeting today, her uncle’s constant references to it in front of the senior executives were grating. And then there was Gu Mingyi’s smugness; he was actually dreaming of extending his reach into Zhao Bo’s operations department. His impatient expression was truly disgusting to her.
Liu Yanyan knocked and brought more unpleasant news. Lin Zhi was downstairs in Gu Mingyi’s office. He would likely come up later, and she feared Gu Mingyi would tag along this time. She would have to endure the unpleasantness and deal with them again.
Gu Mingyi teased Lin Zhi, “Why are you here with me instead of going upstairs?”
“Your dear sister never allows interruptions when she’s working. I’ve tried a few times and been turned away at the door each time. I can only come wander around your place.” Gu Jianchu’s hot-and-cold distance made him feel both love and hate. An outstanding woman, with a family background comparable to his own—it all intensified his desire to possess her.
“That’s no way to pursue a girl. Women always say one thing and mean another. If she didn’t like you, would she go on dates and have dinner with you? Come on, I’ll take you up.” Gu Mingyi was naturally pushing for this marriage. For one, it would drive Gu Jianchu out of Rongfang. For another, a woman had to marry eventually, and it was better if she married someone beneficial to him.
When Gu Mingyi and Lin Zhi arrived on the vice president’s floor, Liu Yanyan only made a token effort to stop them. But Lin Zhi’s trip was in vain once again. Gu Jianchu had anticipated that Gu Mingyi would try to show off in front of Lin Zhi, so she had gone to a branch office early and wasn’t in her office at all. The empty office left the two men with varying degrees of embarrassment and anger.
That evening, Gu Jianchu received a call from Gu Fanchu in the United States. “I’ve emailed you the information on Witton. Is there anything else you need me to do?”
Gu Jianchu was checking her email. “I’ll find some time to go to the US. Wait for me there.” After hanging up with Gu Fanchu, Gu Jianchu finished her work for the day before returning to her bedroom to rest.
When nothing special was happening, the days passed peacefully. For three or four days, it was as if Qiao Qi and Gu Jianchu had lost contact; neither reached out to the other. Ruifeng was still in the discussion phase regarding the acquisition of the South African chromium mining company. Qiao Qi had returned to her usual calm state, until Gu Jianchu suddenly paid a visit to Ruifeng.
After receiving Gu Jianchu’s call, a look of dazed confusion appeared on Qiao Qi’s face in her office. She shifted her gaze from her documents and stared at the office door, waiting quietly.
Early April was a pleasant time of year, neither too cold nor too hot. Gu Jianchu wore an amaranth-colored long-sleeved dress, with a matching silk ribbon tied in a bow at her waist. Her long hair fell smoothly down her back. She walked in with a radiant smile, her earrings swaying gently with her movements. To Qiao Qi’s eyes, Gu Jianchu’s vibrant beauty was even more dazzling than the sunlight streaming through the thirty-fourth-floor window.
“Is something wrong?” Gu Jianchu sat down across the desk. Qiao Qi once again showed a puzzled expression. “Is it about the progress of the TIE chromium mine acquisition? The board of directors has to discuss it first, but the outcome won’t be unexpected. You don’t need to worry.”
Gu Jianchu showed no intention of speaking. She simply propped her chin on her hand and studied Qiao Qi. The glasses she habitually wore for work, the light makeup, but with a bright lipstick that made her look very refined, the simple ruffled blouse—Gu Jianchu guessed she was wearing trousers to match. And Qiao Qi’s clearly confused yet patiently waiting expression—it all made her feel as cheerful as the sunshine outside.
“Do you have plans for the weekend?”
“Where are we going?” Without needing Gu Jianchu to elaborate, Qiao Qi guessed the purpose of her personal visit.
Gu Jianchu’s eyebrows arched slightly. She liked Qiao Qi’s directness. “I’ll pick you up at eight tonight. It’s for the whole weekend, so you’ll need to pack a small bag.” Qiao Qi seemed to hesitate, so she added, “Since you’ve agreed, President Qiao, you can’t go back on your word. Besides, you need to rest on the weekend.”
Qiao Qi sighed in resignation. “Just pick me up at my house tonight.” Her compliance pleased Gu Jianchu.
At seven-thirty, Gu Jianchu’s car pulled up outside Qiao Qi’s house. Su Jiayin opened the door for her, holding the cat and voicing her displeasure. “Why is it that when you two go out to have fun, I get stuck taking care of Ping An? Maybe Ping An wants to go too.”
Gu Jianchu learned on this visit that Qiao Qi had a cat named Ping An. “Where’s Qiao Qi?”
“Upstairs on the phone. Where are you taking her? I asked, but she doesn’t know either.” Su Jiayin stroked the cat and looked at Gu Jianchu. “She’s going with you without even knowing where.”
The sound of a door opening drew their attention. Qiao Qi came down from upstairs. She stroked Ping An in front of Su Jiayin, then turned to Gu Jianchu and said, “You’re here.”
Gu Jianchu took Qiao Qi to the airport. Yao Qiu and Liu Yanyan were there as well. Upon seeing her, Yao Qiu explained first, “Secretary Liu sent me the itinerary. She said President Gu wanted to keep it a secret, so I didn’t tell you.”
“It’s fine.” She then asked Gu Jianchu, “Business?”
“I’ll tell you on the plane.”
This private jet of Gu Jianchu’s was better equipped than the last one and more suitable for long-haul flights. After the plane took off, Qiao Qi learned that their destination was the United States, on the other side of the ocean.
“There’s a global tech exhibition in New York tomorrow. Many domestic tech companies will be participating.” Gu Jianchu handed her a glass of milk. “Aren’t you interested in venture capital? I’m taking you for some on-site teaching this time. Jiayin told me to make you drink your milk and get some rest.”
“I’ve been reading the notebook you gave me recently. It’s been really helpful.” Qiao Qi was very serious. “Thank you again for taking me to the exhibition.”
Gu Jianchu seemed a little displeased. “We haven’t seen each other for just a few days and you’re already being so distant. I was going anyway and thought you might be interested. I was actually worried you’d think I was wasting two days of your time.”
Qiao Qi’s smile was warm, her tone even softer than usual. “Don’t be angry.”
The noise of the plane nearly drowned out Qiao Qi’s soft, placating voice, but Gu Jianchu still heard the simple sentence. She smiled. “Jiayin said your headaches have been acting up again and told me to take good care of you. The milk is getting cold.” Seeing Qiao Qi comply, her heart softened, and her words came out with a rare gentleness. “It’s not very comfortable to sleep on a plane. Let me know if you need anything. You should get some rest.”
The plane’s rest cabin was like a bedroom. Qiao Qi indeed couldn’t fall into a peaceful sleep. Her sleep quality was already poor, and she was extremely particular about the comfort of her environment. After tossing and turning in bed until midnight, what little drowsiness she had was completely gone. She casually picked up a book, which happened to be the notebook Gu Jianchu had given her. She was taken aback for a moment before opening it to pass the long night.
Because she had gone to bed so late, Gu Jianchu, who had originally planned to have breakfast with her, heard from Yao Qiu, who had just come out of Qiao Qi’s cabin, “She probably went to bed too late. President Qiao is still resting.”
Gu Jianchu nodded and began to eat alone. Yao Qiu and Liu Yanyan sat on the other side. She ate a few bites but didn’t have much of an appetite and stopped. Her wine glass, however, remained in her hand. When Qiao Qi emerged from the cabin, looking a little embarrassed, Gu Jianchu sat quietly with her while she ate.
“You’re eating too little. Jiayin specifically told me to make sure you eat more.”
A smile suddenly touched Qiao Qi’s brow. “Since yesterday, it’s been ‘Jiayin said this’ and ‘Jiayin said that.’ In that short time at my house last night, just how much did Jiayin tell you that you’re still not done talking about it?”
Gu Jianchu was rarely at a loss for words, and it was rare to see her look like she didn’t know what to say. She was stunned for a moment before her smile returned. “In that short time last night, she gave me a thousand instructions to take good care of you, as if she was afraid I would mistreat you.” Qiao Qi looked beautiful when she smiled. She asked, “Do you need to rest a little more?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“After we land, I have some things to take care of first. Yanyan will take you to the hotel. I’ll meet you in the restaurant at eight tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.”
Qiao Qi’s fingers unconsciously stroked her tablet. It contained the results of the background check on Lin Zhi that she had asked Yao Qiu to do. For some reason, she had never opened it. Last night, while flipping through the notebook, she had zoned out for a while, which made her understand the purpose of Gu Jianchu’s trip to the US. As for why she had brought her along, it was probably really for the exhibition, just as she had said.
The plane landed at six in the evening local time. Two cars were waiting by the tarmac. Gu Jianchu said goodbye to Qiao Qi and got into one of them, leaving the airport first. Liu Yanyan took Qiao Qi to the hotel as instructed.
Gu Fanchu was in the car that came to pick up Gu Jianchu. He looked out the window and only saw a vague silhouette of Qiao Qi’s profile. He waited until Gu Jianchu had fastened her seatbelt before speaking. “George is playing tennis at the club in the suburbs. Should we go now?”
George Louis. The person Gu Jianchu had specifically come to the US to see. He was a major shareholder in Witton Company, with a stake comparable to the Lin family’s, yet he had always been excluded from the company’s management by them. Gu Fanchu had previous dealings with him, which facilitated their potential cooperation.
“Let’s go now.” In truth, she didn’t need to answer. Gu Fanchu’s car was already heading toward the club.
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