PB - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Gu Jianchu had never paid much mind to Jin Zhilan and Qi Simiao’s excessive fondness for her place. Just like tonight, they were here as usual. But considering their attitude toward Qiao Qi, Gu Jianchu didn’t want them to know she had arrived. So, she instructed the clubhouse staff not to reveal her presence.

Qiao Qi was led by the hand toward North Courtyard by Gu Jianchu. Being perceptive, she naturally knew Gu Jianchu was hiding her presence for her sake and couldn’t help but feel a little surprised. The last time she came here with Su Jiayin, it was because of her that Su Jiayin, who always went to North Courtyard, had stayed with her in the public area. She never expected to become an honored guest of North Courtyard so soon.

Everyone who came here knew that North Courtyard was for Gu Jianchu’s private use. Aside from Su Jiayin, who had always had access, Qiao Qi was the second person she had ever brought here. To bring someone to North Courtyard so unhesitatingly—even Gu Jianchu herself hadn’t realized that she treated Qiao Qi differently.

Qiao Qi stepped through the stone gate leading to North Courtyard. Before her was a courtyard that had retained its traditional style, with untouched trees and a path of blue bricks. A rare curiosity sparked in her, and she began to look around on her own. The largest room was where Gu Jianchu spent most of her time; its modern interior showed almost no trace of its past. It was divided into several functional areas, such as a hot spring area and a lounge area. The smaller side room on the left served as a dining room, while the slightly larger one on the right was a small screening room.

Seeing Qiao Qi linger at the entrance of the screening room a little longer than the other two, Gu Jianchu led her inside. “At the time, I didn’t know what to use this room for. Yanyan suggested turning it into a screening room, but it’s rarely used.”

Qiao Qi flicked through the various movie discs with her fingertips. “You haven’t watched any of these?”

“Yanyan buys new ones and brings them over regularly.” Gu Jianchu took Qiao Qi’s hand away from the cabinet. “We can look through them after dinner. I’m hungry, let’s eat first.”

Dinner had been ordered in advance by Gu Jianchu. There was fish fillet congee, which Qiao Qi liked. Fearing the Longjing shrimp wouldn’t compare to last time’s, she had swapped it for stir-fried shrimp balls. The remaining two dishes were a modified Western-style black pepper beef dish and a plate of choy sum. For the most part, everything was arranged according to Qiao Qi’s preferences.

Suddenly, Qiao Qi’s eyes lit up, her gaze following the decanter in Gu Jianchu’s hand. Gu Jianchu keenly sensed the change in her mood, and a smile touched her lips. A true wino, she thought. She had specially selected an aged wine from her collection today and had someone open it to decant an hour ago, so it would be at its best now.

Qiao Qi took a small sip, her features relaxing. Gu Jianchu asked her, “How is it?”

“The wines you choose always suit my preferences perfectly.”

Gu Jianchu smiled softly, her tone doting. “If you like it, it’s all yours. No one’s going to stop you tonight.” Qiao Qi’s smile widened. Gu Jianchu added, “But you should still drink in moderation, or you’ll have a headache tomorrow.” Qiao Qi just smiled, clearly in high spirits, making it seem as if Gu Jianchu were talking to herself. Gu Jianchu could only toss out a question, “So, when do you plan on treating me to that meal you owe me?”

Qiao Qi began to think seriously. “The places you choose are always so thoughtful, and I don’t go to many restaurants. If you don’t mind, I could invite you to my home for a meal. It would seem more sincere.”

Gu Jianchu was intrigued. “You know how to cook?”

Qiao Qi began another round of serious contemplation. “I used to. I don’t think I’ve completely forgotten how in the past few years.”

Gu Jianchu laughed, knowing she was joking. “In that case, I’ll reluctantly give your cooking a try. I hope President Qiao won’t disappoint me too much then.”

“As long as you’re not too picky, you probably won’t be.”

The soft light in the dining room made the red wine in the glass look rich and deep. After eating a small bowl of fish fillet congee, Qiao Qi couldn’t eat anymore. Her small appetite made even Gu Jianchu frown, and she took the wine glass from her hand.

Qiao Qi’s confused expression held a hint of grievance, a look brought on by the wine. “You promised you wouldn’t stop me tonight.”

Gu Jianchu placed some beef and shrimp balls in a bowl and handed it to her. “I’ll give it back after you finish this.”

Qiao Qi relented. She took the food from Gu Jianchu and explained, “I’ve always had a poor appetite, so it’s nothing. Jiayin also tells me to eat small, frequent meals.”

“I know you’ve never eaten much, but you’ve had far too little today. Even if you bring up Jiayin, she would agree with what I’m doing.” Gu Jianchu raised her eyebrows, gesturing toward the food in the bowl. Helpless, Qiao Qi complied.

After dinner, Qiao Qi was still thinking about the screening room. Gu Jianchu also remembered her earlier promise and led her there. Qiao Qi browsed the shelves for a movie she liked, most of which were still sealed. Gu Jianchu took the opportunity to sit on the sofa and reply to emails. Qiao Qi pulled out a disc, looked at it, and then slid it back.

Although Gu Jianchu was working, she kept her attention on Qiao Qi, taking in her every move. “Can’t find one you like?”

Qiao Qi took out another one and examined it closely. “I’m trying to guess what type you like.”

A brilliant smile spread across Gu Jianchu’s beautiful face. After finishing her reply to the email she was reading, she stood up, walked over, and wrapped her arms around Qiao Qi from behind, placing a light kiss by her ear. “I don’t have any particular preference for movies,” she said. “Just pick one you want to watch.”

Qiao Qi held up the disc in her hand and asked, “How about this one?”

Qiao Qi’s gentle tone crept into Gu Jianchu’s ears, and her entire heart was enveloped in Qiao Qi’s tenderness. Qiao Qi thought she didn’t like it and was about to put it back, but Gu Jianchu stopped her. Gu Jianchu pressed the hand holding the disc against the shelf and turned Qiao Qi around to face her. Before she could react, Gu Jianchu’s kiss silenced the question that was about to leave her lips.

Qiao Qi actually quite enjoyed kissing Gu Jianchu. She closed her eyes, savoring the enchanting feeling between them. Gu Jianchu loved the way she closed her eyes and focused on the sensation, and she unconsciously deepened the kiss until every vein in their bodies was screaming for more. Gu Jianchu finally released her, then placed another kiss on Qiao Qi’s still-closed eyelids.

When Qiao Qi opened her eyes again, her watery gaze was perfectly clear. The complete immersion during the kiss and the swift return to normalcy both belonged to this woman. A smile touched Gu Jianchu’s lips. She took the disc from Qiao Qi’s hand and put it into the rarely used player. Qiao Qi had already taken a seat on the sofa, and Gu Jianchu went over and sat down next to her.

Twenty minutes into the movie, Qiao Qi was nestled in the crook of her shoulder, fast asleep. In her memory, Qiao Qi had always been a good sleeper, but now it seemed she was an exceptionally good sleeper. She took off Qiao Qi’s glasses and set them aside, then adjusted her position to hold her in her arms and continued watching the movie alone. Her gaze would occasionally fall on Qiao Qi’s sleeping face, and a feeling she had never experienced before washed over her.

It was a co-produced romance film, about a transnational love affair between an Eastern woman and a Western man. It depicted conflicts in perspective, their struggles and integration, as the two of them moved forward through persistence and compromise. A simple love story that concealed the kinds of choices everyone faces. Halfway through, Gu Jianchu thought Qiao Qi had made a pretty good choice.

Qiao Qi was a poor sleeper, someone who had long suffered from a lack of sufficient rest. If she felt drowsy in the office, she would seize the opportunity to nap for a bit. Her workload had been unusually heavy recently, and all the time she had previously set aside for rest was now occupied. Despite all this, the term “good sleeper” had never applied to her; she still relied on sleeping pills to get through the night.

But today, perhaps it was Gu Jianchu’s surround sound system that made the movie’s score more pleasant, or perhaps it was the few extra glasses of wine she’d had, or maybe it was just that the sofa here was too comfortable. In any case, for Qiao Qi to fall asleep was a surprise even to herself.

It wasn’t until the faint sound of a conversation reached her ears that Qiao Qi finally showed signs of waking. A few minutes later, she subconsciously sat up, the blanket covering her slipping off. Gu Jianchu was by the window on the phone and saw her wake up in the reflection on the glass. After a few hurried words, she hung up and walked over, a teasing smile on her face.

“You’re awake?”

Qiao Qi flushed, looking down at her watch. It was almost 11 o’clock, enough time for two movies to have finished. She had slept so soundly that even she found it amusing. “You’re quite the sleep aid.”

The phrase sounded familiar to Gu Jianchu. She sat down on the sofa, reached out to smooth Qiao Qi’s slightly messy hair, and smiled. “In that case, is President Qiao planning to hire me as a full-time sleep aide?”

A smile touched the corners of Qiao Qi’s eyes. “And how would President Gu’s compensation be calculated?”

Gu Jianchu raised an eyebrow. “That would depend on President Qiao’s sincerity.”

Qiao Qi took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, her peripheral vision catching the long-darkened screen. “How was the movie?”

“Not bad.”

“I thought it was good when I first saw it a few years ago, too. And the lead actress is very beautiful. I admire her. I’ve seen all of the few films she’s been in.”

Gu Jianchu squeezed their clasped hands in return and pretended to put on a stern face. “Praising another woman’s beauty in front of me? I’d like to see the name of this actress who has so captivated our President Qiao.”

Qiao Qi’s smile deepened. Indeed, who could praise another woman after witnessing the beauty of the one before her? Gu Jianchu’s beauty reminded her of a photograph of the aurora she had once seen in a gallery—it made everyone who saw it let out an instinctive gasp from the bottom of their hearts. It had nothing to do with desire; it was humanity’s most primal shock at the sight of beauty.

Before Gu Jianchu could grab the movie case, she told her, “Her name is Qi Qing.”

Gu Jianchu’s playful game was just right; she wouldn’t waste time on unimportant people. Her previous action had just been a whim. She glanced at her watch and said, “It’s getting late. I’ll take you home to rest. Have you had any headaches recently?” Seeing her shake her head, she added, “Aren’t you leaving for South Africa the day after tomorrow? You should get more rest these next two days.”

Qiao Qi smiled faintly and replied, “Okay.”

When Gu Jianchu had someone drive them out, they happened to be seen by Qi Simiao, who had been carousing until midnight. Jin Zhilan came out a moment later and missed the scene, asking with a baffled expression why Qi Simiao was suddenly so angry. Qi Simiao’s good mood had vanished in an instant. Right now, her jealousy was like a black hole, capable of swallowing everything she despised. But she didn’t say a word in response to Jin Zhilan’s question.

Back home, Qiao Qi didn’t go to bed to rest as Gu Jianchu had suggested. The three hours she’d slept in the screening room were enough to banish all her drowsiness. Besides, she was in a good mood and had no intention of resting. Ping An waited outside the bathroom for her to finish her shower, and when she finally emerged, he trotted back to his own spot, as aloof as if he hadn’t been there at all.

Qiao Qi walked over and picked him up. He didn’t struggle, just listened lazily as she spoke to him. “I’m going on a business trip in a couple of days, so I’ll have to send you to Jiayin’s place again.” Ping An meowed in response. She smiled and put him back down. Ping An found a comfortable position and went to sleep. She returned to her study, opened her laptop, and started on the work she was supposed to handle during the day.

Gu Jianchu went back to her parents’ place tonight, so she didn’t continue working. She just lay in bed reading for a while until she felt sleepy and drifted off. For her, the day was over.

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