PB - Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Qiao Qi hadn’t expected to run into Gu Jianchu at the university league competition venue, so she didn’t have time to control her surprised expression. Gu Jianchu’s beautiful eyes bloomed with a smile, taking in Qiao Qi’s reaction completely. This was a neighboring city, a three-hour drive from Beijing, so Qiao Qi’s astonishment was understandable.
“Long time no see, President Qiao.”
Two weeks had passed since their last dinner, and Gu Jianchu’s longing for Qiao Qi hadn’t ceased for a moment. Su Jiayin had even mocked her for it over the phone, but she accepted it without argument. She had fallen in love with Qiao Qi and wanted to possess her; they were two sides of the same coin. There was nothing to hide and no need to apologize for it.
Both presidents were accompanied by their staff, so Qiao Qi’s attitude was strictly businesslike. “President Gu, long time no see.”
Gu Jianchu extended an invitation. “Interested in chatting for a bit?”
Rongfang’s investment in scientific research had begun long before Ruifeng’s. Ruifeng had only made adjustments to adapt to the market, but it had yet to cultivate a mature internal team. Considering her company’s future, Qiao Qi accepted Gu Jianchu’s invitation. “Then I’ll have to trouble President Gu.”
It felt like they were back at the overseas exhibition a year and a half ago, with Gu Jianchu leading Qiao Qi around, explaining things to her. The competition was held in the school’s indoor stadium, which had been temporarily converted for the event. The exhibits were all student projects—not particularly polished, but brimming with creativity. The two women, with their outstanding presence, stood out conspicuously among the fresh-faced university students.
“See any projects that interest you?” Gu Jianchu asked.
“The student projects are all quite good.”
Gu Jianchu asked again, “Is that cat still around?”
“It is.”
Gu Jianchu chuckled lightly. “It seems you really do like it.”
Qiao Qi remained silent and continued walking. Gu Jianchu, at her side, asked another question. “Do you have to present an award today?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like to have dinner together tonight?”
Qiao Qi refused. “I have to rush back as soon as this is over.”
Gu Jianchu knew the chances of getting her to agree to a private meeting were slim, so she hadn’t held out much hope. But what happened next was unexpected, and even left her a little displeased.
“Xiao Qiao?” a deep, slightly tentative male voice called out to Qiao Qi.
Qiao Qi turned around. After a moment of surprise, a smile touched the corners of her eyes and brows. “Senior Brother Li.”
“It really is you. I saw your name on the schedule yesterday and thought it was just someone with the same name. I never imagined you were the Vice President of Ruifeng Group.”
The man before them was handsome and of a mature, steady age. He smiled, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at Qiao Qi held a deep affection. Gu Jianchu noticed it in a single glance. The aura around her instantly turned icy, a change so palpable that even Qiao Qi could feel it. Gu Jianchu extended a hand and spoke first. “Hello, I’m Gu Jianchu, a friend of Qiao Qi’s.”
Li Shuxian shook her hand. “Hello, Miss Gu. I’m Li Shuxian, also a friend of Qiao Qi’s.” Li Shuxian was certainly familiar with the name Gu Jianchu, but the other woman’s attitude seemed to discourage any further pleasantries. Not thinking much of it, he turned back to Qiao Qi.
“Xiao Wu and the others are here too. Want to get together tonight?” He then remembered her status and corrected himself. “You must be very busy. Never mind.”
As it happened, Li Shuxian and his team weren’t there to compete. They had a collaboration with the university and had come to observe the competition. He hadn’t expected to meet Qiao Qi here. Beyond the pleasant surprise, he was even more taken aback by the person Qiao Qi had become.
Before Qiao Qi could answer, the “Xiao Wu” Li Shuxian had mentioned walked over. She first stared at Qiao Qi in disbelief, then said in an uncertain tone, “Qiao Qi?” A smile graced Qiao Qi’s features, and without her needing to reply, Xiao Wu knew she hadn’t been mistaken. She was thrilled. “Wow, I almost didn’t recognize you in that outfit.”
Qiao Qi wasn’t deliberately dressed up, but she was far more sharp and distinguished than when she had worked with them seven years ago. Furthermore, the beautiful Gu Jianchu at her side complemented her perfectly, making her entire presence worlds apart from her past self. It was understandable that people who hadn’t seen her in years wouldn’t recognize her at first glance.
Xiao Wu had always been talkative. She issued the same invitation. “Are you free tonight? Everyone’s getting together for dinner. By the way, where are you working now?”
“Xiao Wu,” Li Shuxian interjected to enlighten her, “Qiao Qi is now the Vice President of Ruifeng.”
Xiao Wu’s jaw nearly dropped. She gaped for a long moment, then scrutinized Qiao Qi from head to toe as if sizing up a rare treasure. She really was different. Her clothes, her elegant jewelry, and the assistant standing behind her—it was all the very picture of a president. “The Vice President of Ruifeng? No way. I have to tell the others right now.” Before leaving, she didn’t forget to add, “You have to come to dinner tonight, no running off. No wonder we could never find you back then.”
Having just refused Gu Jianchu’s invitation only to receive another put Qiao Qi in an awkward position. Li Shuxian, unaware of the circumstances, was hopeful. But Gu Jianchu understood her. “Will you have dinner with me next time?” she asked.
When Gu Jianchu spoke to her, her tone was gentle, unlike the coldness from before. Qiao Qi sighed and answered, “Okay.” Instantly, color returned to Gu Jianchu’s face, bright as the morning sun, and Qiao Qi’s heart gave an inexplicable flutter.
Two hours later, Liu Yanyan reported the information she had found to Gu Jianchu. “Li Shuxian, thirty-five years old, President Qiao’s senior from graduate school. He took very good care of her during their school years. Qiao Qi also worked on projects with him before returning to Ruifeng. He currently has an independent studio, and his employees are mostly former schoolmates. Six months ago, President Qiao attended a class reunion during her vacation, but Mr. Li’s team had a project abroad, so none of them were present.”
“Where are they having dinner tonight?” Gu Jianchu asked.
Liu Yanyan answered promptly. “I asked Yao Qiu. It’s at the Haitian Yijing Grand Hotel.”
Qiao Qi’s dinner that evening was with old acquaintances—schoolmates or former colleagues. They all marveled at her transformation into the Vice President of Ruifeng. To ordinary people, a company like Ruifeng was an unattainable peak, yet now, that unattainable Vice President was sitting right beside them. For some reason, everyone felt a surge of motivation.
“It’s only been a few years, but you’ve changed so much. Should I still call you Xiao Qiao like before, or should I respectfully address you as President Qiao?” After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew lively, and her old classmates began to open up.
Li Shuxian came to her rescue. “Call her Xiao Qiao. It’s more familiar.” He then turned to her. “So you went to Ruifeng when you left back then. I’m happy for you, making it to Vice President.”
“Yeah, Xiao Qiao, why did you change your contact information after you left? We couldn’t find you for a while, and everyone was pretty worried.”
Qiao Qi naturally couldn’t explain the real reason. She only said, “I was acting in a hurry and didn’t consider those things. I’m very sorry.”
Li Shuxian once again smoothed things over for her. “Even if we lost contact, we still ended up meeting again. That’s great. It means we’re fated to be friends.”
Qiao Qi knew Li Shuxian had always looked out for her in the past. Feeling that same care after so many years warmed her heart. Although these friends complained about her disappearance, the old camaraderie was still there now that they were reunited. She was still the same Xiao Qiao, the old friend who quietly listened to them chat about everything under the sun.
“Xiao Qiao,” Li Shuxian called to her. “Have a little?”
Qiao Qi glanced at the red wine in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Su Jiayin had forbidden her from drinking, and she had been complying. But surely, an occasional indulgence wouldn’t hurt. Just as Li Shuxian handed her the poured glass, someone else came over to toast her. It was a private gathering, so Yao Qiu couldn’t intervene, leaving Qiao Qi to handle it herself. Fortunately, after one round, Li Shuxian began to run interference for her, but even so, she drank a considerable amount.
The boisterous gathering lasted until eleven o’clock. When Li Shuxian went to pay the bill, he discovered that Yao Qiu had already settled it. The group of friends half-jokingly thanked President Qiao. Qiao Qi, tipsy and in a good mood, laughed along with them as they walked out of the hotel.
The weather in the two adjacent cities sometimes influenced each other. Only when they stepped outside did they realize a light rain had started to fall. Gu Jianchu appeared before Qiao Qi at just the right moment, holding an umbrella. In the distance, Yao Qiu, who was hastily getting out of the car with her own umbrella, froze for a second.
“What are you doing here again?” The voice, tinged with an annoyance that wasn’t truly angry, wrapped around Gu Jianchu’s heart like an unbreakable thread. She could hear the alcohol in Qiao Qi’s tone, and only alcohol could grant this brief amnesty for the past.
Gu Jianchu was breathtakingly beautiful, especially in the lamplight of the rainy night. Her exquisite, sculpted features, half-hidden and half-visible, were utterly captivating. Aside from Li Shuxian, whose attention remained fixed on Qiao Qi, everyone else was lost in the beauty before them.
“I came to pick you up.”
The drunken Qiao Qi gave a self-deprecating smile. “I’m truly indebted to President Gu for taking such trouble.”
By this time, Yao Qiu had also approached. With a single glance, she turned to Li Shuxian. “How much did she drink?”
Seeing her anxious expression, Li Shuxian guessed that Qiao Qi probably wasn’t supposed to drink. He replied with some apology, “A little more than a standard glass. I’m very sorry, I didn’t know Xiao Qiao couldn’t drink now.”
Yao Qiu mentally estimated the amount. “I’m sorry, Mr. Li, but President Qiao has had too much to drink. I’ll take her back now.” She was about to step forward to support Qiao Qi, but the woman was already being pulled into Gu Jianchu’s embrace. All Yao Qiu could do was hold the umbrella over them as she escorted them to the car.
After helping Qiao Qi into the back seat, Gu Jianchu got in as well. Qiao Qi had drunk quite a bit that night, and standing in the cool, fine rain had made her head throb from the combination of alcohol-induced heat and the chilly wind. The moment Gu Jianchu saw her brow furrow, she knew a headache was setting in. She wrapped her arms around Qiao Qi, touching her forehead to check for a fever.
Yao Qiu got into the driver’s seat but didn’t start the car. Gu Jianchu said, “You drive. Yanyan will follow behind. She’s not feeling well.”
Resigned, Yao Qiu had no choice but to start the car. As the vehicle moved smoothly onto the road, Gu Jianchu gently massaged Qiao Qi’s temples. Her touch was just right, providing temporary relief from the headache. “Is your head hurting badly?” she asked. Qiao Qi’s voice was so low that Gu Jianchu had to lean closer. A soft syllable escaped Qiao Qi’s lips, but the warm breath brushed against Gu Jianchu’s ear, and her own breathing instantly grew heavy.
Yao Qiu had more or less guessed the entanglement between the two presidents in the back. She kept her eyes on the road, driving with focus. A casual glance up revealed Gu Jianchu gazing at President Qiao with extraordinary intensity, while President Qiao seemed to be sleeping peacefully. She averted her gaze to the rearview mirror, where Liu Yanyan and Xu Yangpu’s cars were following behind.
Qiao Qi’s cool, crisp scent, mingled with the aroma of wine, wafted around Gu Jianchu’s nose. Her self-control was useless when it came to her feelings for Qiao Qi. Her hand slowly moved to Qiao Qi’s waist, where the fabric concealed the soft, delicate skin she yearned for. Qiao Qi, half-awake, sensed it and pressed her hands against Gu Jianchu’s chest in a gesture of refusal.
Gu Jianchu took the opportunity to grasp one of her hands. “Don’t move,” she said softly. “You’ll feel unwell again.”
Qiao Qi’s headache and dizziness were from the alcohol and the cold, not from a loss of consciousness. Trapped in Gu Jianchu’s arms, she was too weak to struggle and could only feign sleep, hoping to be left alone. But the other woman only grew bolder. “Don’t you move,” she whispered.
Gu Jianchu knew she wasn’t really asleep, just using it as an excuse to avoid her intimacy. She leaned in and teased her by her ear, “As long as you don’t move, I promise I won’t either.” She deliberately let her breath ghost over Qiao Qi’s skin. As she’d hoped, she saw a blush spread across the pale skin. Unable to resist, she leaned closer and lightly kissed that patch of red.
Qiao Qi’s body went rigid, and she tried to sit up. Gu Jianchu pressed her down, holding her securely in her arms. Qiao Qi’s aura turned cold. “Let go.”
Gu Jianchu heard the anger in her voice and softened her tone. “I’ll stop teasing. Get some rest.”
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