PB - Chapter 26
Chapter 26
When Qiao Qi returned to the Jin family mansion, Old Master Jin was waiting for her on the sofa. As she approached, she saw that her eldest uncle’s wife and Qi Simiao were also present. The seat next to Old Master Jin was, as always, reserved for her. She sat down, her back straight, and angled her body slightly toward her grandfather. Her gaze was lowered, avoiding the look he cast her way.
The others held their breath, waiting for Old Master Jin to speak. They, too, were burning with curiosity. But to their surprise, all he said was, “Let’s eat.” Of everyone there, her aunt was the most disappointed.
“I’m going to my room to change.”
Old Master Jin nodded and rose with his cane, heading toward the dining room. The others followed behind him, while Qiao Qi alone ascended the stairs to the second floor.
Dinner was nothing special, except that the presence of an extra person made it particularly noisy. Qiao Qi ate the food before her in silence, making almost no sound aside from necessary responses. Her aunt tried several times to ask about the flowers, but her husband stopped her each time. He knew very well that only the Old Master could inquire about Qiao Qi’s private affairs.
The sound of Qiao Qi setting down her bowl and chopsticks caught the Old Master’s attention. “Is that all you’re eating? Won’t you have some more?” he asked.
“No, thank you.”
“If you get hungry later, have the kitchen make you something.” The Old Master set down his own chopsticks as well. “Come with me to the study.” This time, Qiao Qi rose and followed behind him.
As soon as they entered the study, the Old Master asked, “Who is this person?”
Qiao Qi lowered her eyes and answered, “A woman.”
The Old Master, after all, had weathered many storms. Beyond his surprise, he was mostly calm. “And what is your attitude?”
Qiao Qi raised her eyes, her gaze serene. “I like her very much.”
For a long moment, the Old Master was silent. He had raised her by hand for so many years and understood his granddaughter all too well. Qiao Qi had always been proper and sensible. He had even exploited her soft heart on several occasions. So, even when she was dissatisfied, she never did anything rebellious or out of line. This was both her strength and her weakness.
Just now, she had looked him directly in the eye—a rare occurrence. Though her words were calm, her attitude was firm. He knew that if he interfered, this precious granddaughter of his would likely put on a grand show of unfilial defiance. In Old Master Jin’s mind, Qiao Qi and Ruifeng were already one and the same. This meant he could not and would not interfere, whether for the sake of Ruifeng’s future or out of genuine love for his granddaughter.
“Your future partner, no matter who they are, as long as they don’t have ulterior motives and aren’t trying to use you to satisfy their own desires, I won’t meddle. After all, every generation has its own fortune.”
“Understood. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to my room now.”
“Go back to your room and get some rest. Don’t work anymore.”
The sound of Qiao Qi emerging from the study was keenly caught by those waiting downstairs. Qi Simiao stared resentfully at the second floor, her gaze seemingly piercing through the walls to land on Qiao Qi. Seeing her reaction, Jin Zhilan had a sudden realization and understood everything. She quickly pulled her aside to gossip in a low voice.
“I’ve known Gu Jianchu for so many years, and when has she ever sent someone flowers? Not to mention being romantic, she’s still in America. I think you’re overthinking it. Besides, what’s so special about Qiao Qi that would make the ever-dashing Miss Gu fall for her and send flowers from a thousand miles away? You’re just grasping at straws. I think someone else sent the flowers.”
Qi Simiao shot back, “Believe it or not.”
Jin Zhilan quickly grabbed her before she could leave. “Fine, I believe you, okay? But you have to at least give me a reason.”
“A gut feeling, all right?” Qi Simiao suddenly thought of something, and a smile touched her eyes as she looked at Jin Zhilan. “Why don’t you go to Ruifeng and find out what projects she’s working on recently?”
“What are you planning? You can cause trouble for her, but you can’t mess with Ruifeng. Grandpa will kill me, and you won’t get away either.”
“What could I possibly do? I don’t even know what she does at Ruifeng every day. I’m just asking you to find out. Besides, doesn’t your uncle want to find an opportunity to kick her out of Ruifeng?”
Jin Zhilan was tempted but still said, “If you want to find out, go ask your dad.” Qi Simiao said nothing, just smiled at her. Jin Zhilan looked away, putting an end to the topic.
The next day, Gu Jianchu’s private jet landed at 6:38 PM, after Rongfang’s business hours, so the driver took her straight home. She had been in the United States for about a month, and her internal clock was a mess. After a bath, she lay in bed but felt wide awake. She got up again, wrapped herself in a silk robe, and went to the study.
Once she was immersed in work, what little sleepiness she had vanished. Two hours later, she felt even more alert. Logic told her she had to rest; a full day of meetings awaited her tomorrow. As for a solution to her sleeplessness, she thought perhaps she could try a different place.
Qiao Qi was half-reclining in bed, reading the proposal for the U.E. collaboration submitted by Zhao Xiangqian and Yu Yao, when the doorbell rang, its sound muffled by the door. At this hour, the only person who would come looking for her was Su Jiayin, but Su Jiayin had the code to her place. She got up and pressed the intercom button. “Who is it?”
“I knew you’d still be awake.”
Qiao Qi was stunned for a moment before she was certain the voice coming from the intercom was Gu Jianchu’s. It was slightly distorted, but she could still clearly make out the smile within it. She pressed the button to open the main gate while saying, “Why are you here so late?”
“I missed you.”
As Gu Jianchu’s words landed, Qiao Qi heard the sound of a car driving. A moment later, the sound of an engine cutting off drifted up from downstairs. She walked to her front door and, timing it just right, opened it. Gu Jianchu’s beautiful face burst into her vision so unexpectedly, bringing with it a wave of palpitations.
Time seemed to stand still. Only Ping An, hearing the noise, watched warily from a corner. The conversation Gu Jianchu had expected didn’t happen. She just wanted to kiss the astonished woman before her, to possess her, even to own her. Just like that night on the terrace, she thought it and she did it. Her movements were swift, but Qiao Qi was already prepared to receive her.
Gu Jianchu pressed Qiao Qi against the door. Whether it was the gentle biting of soft lips or the impulse brought by a tongue tracing over teeth, their breaths intertwined with growing heat. Qiao Qi was wearing a robe, and Gu Jianchu casually pulled open the loosely tied belt. Her palm quickly touched smooth skin, a sensation so good it made her want more.
Qiao Qi trembled but didn’t stop her. Gu Jianchu’s fingertips loved to caress her waist—slender and smooth. She stroked it slowly, as if savoring it. Only when she needed fresh oxygen did she reluctantly release Qiao Qi’s lips, her mouth then sliding down the curve of her neck. With every exhaled breath, a fine layer of goosebumps rose on Qiao Qi’s skin, continuing all the way to her chest.
Qiao Qi was being far too permissive. Gu Jianchu’s lips paused, but her hand remained on Qiao Qi’s waist, reluctant to leave the delicate skin beneath her palm. She looked up and saw her own reflection in Qiao Qi’s watery pupils. This gentle, water-like gaze engulfed her like a tidal wave. She raised her other hand to caress Qiao Qi’s flushed cheek.
“How can you still be so calm?”
Calm? Qiao Qi asked herself. If she weren’t desperately holding herself up, she would have already collapsed. She was an adult; her body’s reaction was instinctual, nothing to be ashamed of. With a rare urgency, she said, “How could I possibly be calm?” After speaking, she felt a little embarrassed. “It’s just a matter of habit.”
Gu Jianchu liked her honesty and loved her current shyness even more. She moved closer, her lips almost touching Qiao Qi’s as she said, “I’ve already showered. Shall we go to the bedroom?”
Qiao Qi leaned close to her ear, her voice light and tinged with a smile. “I smelled it right away.” What she didn’t tell her was that the scent of her body wash during their kiss had only accelerated her dizziness.
Gu Jianchu took her hand and led her upstairs. Qiao Qi’s fair body was visible even in the dark bedroom. Though just a hazy silhouette in the gloom, it was outlined by fingertips, like a captivating contour drawn with white lines on black paper. And Gu Jianchu was carefully admiring her own artwork. Qiao Qi always managed to surprise her.
At first, Qiao Qi could suppress her voice, expressing her reaction only through ragged breaths. But when Gu Jianchu’s lips slid from her lower abdomen to her inner thigh, her tightly pressed lips finally parted, letting out the first sound of the night—faint, yet seductive.
Gu Jianchu completely lost herself. She quickened her movements. Qiao Qi’s hands gripped the soft pillow behind her head tightly. When the feeling intensified, she instinctively turned her face, trying to muffle her irrepressible sounds with the pillow. But it was all in vain. Both Gu Jianchu’s palm and her lips and tongue were as searing as a blazing fire. She could only drown in the waves, with no escape.
Even the sounds Qiao Qi made now were soft. Gu Jianchu adored this melodic succession of sounds, as if they came from the deepest part of Qiao Qi’s soul—light, yet rich.
The most primal desires are also the most terrifying. Their entanglement was like a sailboat on a stormy night, completely lost in the surging waves. Even after the calm of late night arrived, ripples still lingered.
The long night was split, half for lovemaking and half for catching up on sleep. The silent darkness embraced the stars and moonlight, while in Qiao Qi’s arms lay a deeply sleeping Gu Jianchu—a woman who had originally intended to come here to fix her jet lag and ended up achieving her goal. In fact, her unexpected arrival was also greatly beneficial for Qiao Qi. After all, Gu Jianchu was an effective sleep aid.
In the morning, Gu Jianchu was woken by a purring sound. She subconsciously thought it was Qiao Qi, but as her mind gradually cleared, she realized the sound was rougher than a woman’s voice. She moved her hand and touched something warm and furry. It startled her so much she almost screamed, propping herself up to see the foreign object that had invaded.
Qiao Qi, lying on her side, spoke in a sleepy, husky voice, “Just pet him.”
Gu Jianchu’s incredulous eyes moved from Ping An to Qiao Qi, then back again. “Was he in the room last night?”
Ping An waited for a moment, but when Gu Jianchu didn’t move, he jumped over to Qiao Qi, still purring nonstop. Qiao Qi, with her eyes closed, expertly started stroking his head. “He was scratching at the door in the middle of the night, so I let him in. Did he scare you just now?”
Gu Jianchu checked the time. It was just past six. They had only slept for four or five hours. She lay back down, hugging Qiao Qi from behind and nuzzling the skin on the back of her neck. “No. Does he always disturb your sleep like this?”
“Usually at this time, I’m already sitting downstairs having breakfast with him.”
The implication was obvious. Gu Jianchu was amused by her half-complaining, half-sighing tone. The hot breath she exhaled seeped back into Qiao Qi’s pores. She felt Qiao Qi’s slight tremble, so she continued with a smile, her soft lips teasingly lighting fires all over her back.
“Ping An is still here.”
“Put him out.”
“I want to sleep.”
Gu Jianchu actually stopped, even falling silent. Qiao Qi sensed something and turned over, holding Ping An. Her slightly anxious expression delighted Gu Jianchu.
On a weekend morning, this beautiful woman lay beside you, her eyes weary, yet a playful smile from teasing you hidden at the corners of her lips. Beneath the covers, your bodies were bare and intimate. Qiao Qi found herself sinking deeper, to the point where the life that was forcibly changed six years ago seemed less hateful.
She lifted Ping An’s paw and said, “Ping An, scratch her.”
Gu Jianchu’s smile was like today’s sunrise. She took Ping An from Qiao Qi’s arms, then settled into his spot in a comfortable position. Qiao Qi kissed her forehead, and they went back to sleep together.
Comments
Post a Comment