PB - Chapter 39
Chapter 39
By the time Qiao Qi drove away from the airport, the heavy rain had lightened. This was the first day of her vacation and also the day Jin Zhiyu returned to the country. The old master had called several times to remind her to come back. Outside of their competitive roles at the company, they were still family by blood. In Old Master Jin’s traditional view, a family sitting down to eat together symbolized the clan’s prosperity.
The moment she walked in the door, Jin Zhiyu, who was in the living room, called out to her, “Sister Qiqi, you’re back.”
She smiled faintly. “You must be tired from the flight.”
Her second uncle and his wife were somewhat surprised to see them greet each other so familiarly. Before Jin Zhiyu left, his relationship with Qiao Qi could have been described as being like fire and water. However, while Jin Zhiyu was abroad, he had reminded them several times over the phone not to target Qiao Qi. Had he learned a thing or two and become more tactful? Or had something happened during this time that they were unaware of?
Qiao Qi walked over to Old Master Jin and said, “I’d like to go upstairs and rest first.”
“Go on. We’ll call you down when it’s time to eat.”
Jin Zhiyu’s gaze followed Qiao Qi upstairs, though he continued to chat warmly with his eldest uncle’s family as if nothing had changed. Old Master Jin watched with a cool eye, surprised to find that Jin Zhiyu had indeed become more composed upon his return. Jin Zhiyu timed it perfectly, using the excuse of travel fatigue to go upstairs to rest as well. His parents followed him back to their room.
His mother asked cautiously, “Are you just putting on an act with that Qiao Qi, or has she won you over?”
“Mom, don’t talk nonsense. Sister Qiqi and I are on great terms. I only came back this time because she agreed to it.”
His father interjected, “What does she mean, she let you come back? You’ve been reluctant to return for over two years. Why would she call you back as soon as the group runs into trouble? Tell me exactly what’s going on.”
“She was the one who arranged for me to be away these past few years. She also arranged for me to manage venture capital and risk control when I returned to the group. She even chose my first project after I take office. Xu Yangpu will be coming over to help me then.”
His mother said, “Why would she be so good to you? You need to be careful not to fall into a trap and ruin your relationship with your big brother.”
“My relationship with him?” Jin Zhiyu gritted his teeth and gave a cold laugh. The sheer hatred in his voice startled his parents. “Jin Zhihuan probably still thinks I’m the same reckless fool who doesn’t know he was the one who set me up back then. Dad, did you ever wonder why you couldn’t reach Grandpa when I got into trouble? Or why you were repeatedly blocked from visiting me inside? Jin Zhihuan’s scheme against Sister Qiqi this time was just a repeat of his old tricks. He just miscalculated one thing—Sister Qiqi isn’t me.”
His father’s expression suddenly turned severe. “Make yourself clear.”
“My arrest back then was a setup. At first, I thought it was a small matter and I’d get out soon, but a week passed with no news from you, and I started to panic. After that, Sister Qiqi somehow managed to visit me inside. She only asked if I was involved with drugs. I said no, but at the time, I thought she was there to kick me while I was down, so I didn’t give her a pleasant look.
“But the very next day, Grandpa came back, and the truth of my case came to light. Later, I half-doubtfully asked Grandpa if Sister Qiqi had contacted him, and he said yes. I slowly made inquiries and found out that my eldest uncle’s family was behind it all. If Grandpa hadn’t returned in time, my case would have been heading toward a conviction.”
“Those bastards! I treated them like family, and they turned around and tried to destroy my son.” The second uncle was furious, cursing loudly in the room. His wife, fearing his blood pressure would spike, quickly tried to soothe him. Seeing his father’s face flush red, Jin Zhiyu also hurried to comfort him.
“Look, aren’t I better off now? Dad, Dad, calm down, don’t get angry. It’s a blessing in disguise; who knows who really won or lost in the end. Let me finish. Although I was released, the rumors had already spread. I didn’t know what to do, so I swallowed my pride and went to Sister Qiqi. She suggested I go abroad to study, to temper my personality and let the effects of the incident fade. We’ve kept in touch since then. Whenever I didn’t understand something or needed advice, she would patiently analyze it for me.”
“Then I really must thank her properly,” his mother said, still shaken. “You never told us about something so huge. I haven’t been nice to her at all these past few years. How can I face her now?”
“I was afraid you’d overreact if you knew. It wasn’t the right time.” Seeing his father’s color return to normal, Jin Zhiyu smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, Mom. Sister Qiqi won’t hold it against you. I’ve learned over these years that she judges the situation, not the person. She’s actually very easy to talk to.”
“Really?” His mother was skeptical. “Every time I see her, she has such a cold expression. She never smiles at anyone, and when she comes home, she just goes to her room and doesn’t come down for meals. How is that easy to talk to?”
“What does she have to smile at you about? Do you know how much work it takes to run a massive enterprise like Ruifeng? When she goes to her room, she’s working. Haven’t you heard the old master always telling her to get more rest?” The second uncle’s sudden change of tune was quite telling. He then asked, “Is everything arranged at the group?”
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve been studying investment all these years abroad. Besides, Yangpu will be there to help me. I’m confident I can do a good job.”
“You’ve really grown up. Good, very good. Our family really needs to thank Qiao Qi. You’ve finally become ambitious and promising. You should learn more from Qiao Qi in the future. Her abilities truly deserve the old master’s favor.”
When Qiao Qi returned to her room, she had intended to rest but couldn’t fall asleep. The rain outside had stopped. The lounge chair on the terrace was a bit damp, so she laid a bath towel over it and lay down to read.
Behind the Jin family’s mansion was a large lawn. In the early years, they had kept horses, but when no one rode them anymore, it was converted into a small golf course. The view was open and expansive, which was why she liked to sit here and read.
The scent of damp earth filled the air, soothing her. Qiao Qi turned a few pages before stopping. She had to admit her nonchalance was just a front. What saddened her was Gu Jianchu’s role in this affair. She had thought there was at least some sincerity between them, but it seemed only she had been sincere.
But she liked her and understood her difficulties. Once she put herself in the other’s shoes, her affection made it impossible to even stay angry. Yet the feeling of sadness was real and palpable. She felt frustrated and wronged. The more she struggled to resolve this inner conflict, the more helpless she felt when it came to Gu Jianchu.
Su Jiayin’s call came at just the right moment. “What’s going on with you? Where are you? You haven’t been back in two days.”
“Zhiyu is back, so I came home.”
“What made him decide to come back? What are your plans now? Why did you suddenly request a year-long vacation? This isn’t such a big deal that you can’t handle it.”
“It’s not that. I just wanted a break.” Knowing Su Jiayin was worried, she began to explain. “According to the plan I made when I was twenty, by this age, I should have traveled to most of the places in the world I wanted to see. After coming back, maybe I’d get married and have children, or maybe I’d pursue further studies. In any case, I never imagined I’d become the president of a corporation.”
Her life had been abruptly severed from its past overnight. The stark contrast between her past and present made her memories feel incredibly unreal. “I want to take a break to fulfill my old wishes and, while I’m at it, rethink my future. It’s time to stop and reflect on what these past few years have meant to me.”
“I almost forgot your last job was all about shaping minds,” Su Jiayin said with a laugh in her voice, but she didn’t mention Gu Jianchu’s name once. “Have you decided where you’re going? Remember to bring me back a gift.”
“I will. I also want to visit my old mentors and friends. They tried to contact me before, but I was too busy and missed them several times.” After saying this, Qiao Qi hesitated. After a moment of silence, she finally said, “You don’t have to feel awkward about me and Gu Jianchu. These things are bound to happen in business competition.”
Su Jiayin was also a little angry. “Now you’re defending her? Aren’t you sad? Don’t you want to strangle that heartless woman? What are you going to do about her?”
“There’s nothing to be done. We never made any promises to each other. If she doesn’t cherish me, there’s nothing I can do. Forget it. It’s best if we just don’t see each other anymore.”
Su Jiayin knew her personality—she was soft-hearted and hadn’t let go of Gu Jianchu yet. She changed the subject. “Have you been taking too many painkillers lately? You can’t go on like this.”
“There’s just been too much on my mind. It’ll be better in a few days. Don’t worry.”
A knock came at the door, accompanied by Jin Zhiyu’s voice. “Sister Qiqi, Grandpa wants me to call you down for dinner.”
“Talk to you later.”
At the dinner table, Jin Zhihuan noticed that his second aunt, who was usually polite to him, was quite cold today. Even his second uncle was dismissive. Jin Zhiyu, however, was as warm as ever. Every time Jin Zhilan looked at Qiao Qi, her eyes were filled with smugness and mockery, while Qiao Qi ate with her usual composure.
That night, the second aunt personally brewed a nourishing soup and quietly brought it to Qiao Qi. Qiao Qi was surprised when she opened the door, but then she understood the reason. She invited her second aunt into the room.
“I had to come and thank you for what you did for Zhiyu.”
“You’re too kind, Auntie.”
“I know you’ve never been in the best of health, so I made you this soup. Drink it before bed; it’s very nourishing.” It was the first time the second aunt had spent time alone with Qiao Qi, and after a few words, she still felt a bit awkward. “Zhiyu used to be mischievous, but he’s not a bad kid. Thanks to you, he’s been able to improve. Also, please don’t take it to heart that I wasn’t very polite to you before.”
“You’re being too serious, Auntie. Zhiyu is very smart. You don’t have to worry.”
Mothers love to hear others praise their children, especially coming from the usually taciturn Qiao Qi. A smile appeared on her face. “Drink the soup while it’s hot. I won’t disturb your rest any longer.”
Qiao Qi walked her to the door and said, “Good night, Auntie.”
When the second aunt returned to her room, she said to her husband, “I must have been possessed to listen to my sister-in-law’s provocations. I just came from Qiao Qi’s room. We only spoke for a few minutes, but she’s so gentle and courteous in how she handles things and treats people. She even praised Zhiyu for being smart and walked me to the door herself.”
“This afternoon, you were saying she’s dismissive of everyone.”
The second aunt gave her husband a playful shove. “Was it just me? You were the same. But I think Qiao Qi is just quiet, which makes her seem unapproachable. She’s actually a very nice person.”
“At first, I thought the old master valued her for her outstanding abilities. Now I see it must also be because of her character and personality. Zhiyu wasn’t on the right path before, and I only got close to their family because I thought Ruifeng would eventually belong to Zhihuan.”
“Tell me about it,” his wife said.
Late that night, it started to rain again. Unable to sleep, Qiao Qi sat by the window, lost in thought. She missed her mother. Just as her second aunt had come to thank her because of Jin Zhiyu, her own mother would have comforted her when she was sad.
As soon as Su Jiayin reached the parking garage, she saw Gu Jianchu’s car. She walked over and knocked on the window. Gu Jianchu lowered it, a tablet still in her hand as she dealt with work. She said, “Get in.”
Su Jiayin rolled her eyes and got into the passenger seat. She didn’t need to ask to know why Gu Jianchu was looking for her, but she feigned ignorance anyway. “What’s with the sudden kindness, looking for me?”
“Where did she go?”
The question needed no clarification; they both knew who she meant. “How would I know? She’s an adult. It’s not like she reports her whereabouts to me.”
“Jiayin, don’t mess around.”
“Didn’t you see Ruifeng’s announcement? Their Vice President Qiao is taking a one-year vacation. She really went on vacation. The last time we spoke on the phone, she told me she wanted to visit her old teachers and classmates.”
Gu Jianchu fell silent. She had suddenly realized that Qiao Qi was gone. For days, she couldn’t find any trace of her in the city. A sense of panic began to set in, a panic she tried to suppress.
The car was quiet for a long time before Su Jiayin spoke. “She said she wants to think about her future, to build a transition between her past self and her present self. I think you could use this time to think about your future, too. And while you’re at it, think about why you’re so anxious now that you can’t find her, when you used to be able to let go of relationships so easily.” She added, “Gu Jianchu, do you remember? I told you that you’d be the one to lose out this time.” After a pause, she urged, “Now, take me home.”
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