PB - Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Gu Jianchu agreed to all of Su Jiayin’s demands. She could tell that Miss Su’s playful antics were a front for a genuine fear of being alone; otherwise, she wouldn’t have used a personnel transfer to fly back to Beijing. The full glass wall of Qiao Qi’s house always let the sunlight stream in effortlessly, and the soft cadence of Qiao Qi’s voice filled the air as she chatted. Gu Jianchu loved mornings like this.
She heard Su Jiayin ask Qiao Qi, “Do you have any plans for your birthday this year? How about we find an island to visit?” She rested her chin in her hand, looking at Qiao Qi in anticipation of her plans.
“They’ve made arrangements over there,” Qiao Qi said emotionlessly.
Su Jiayin was surprised. “Grandpa Jin is actually throwing you a birthday banquet? This is the first time in all the years you’ve been back. What do you think?”
“It’s up to him.”
Gu Jianchu only half-understood what she was hearing. She hadn’t known Qiao Qi for very long, and all she knew was that Qiao Qi’s relationship with the Jin family was not harmonious. Qiao Qi disliked talking about it, so their conversations rarely touched upon her situation with the Jins.
Gu Jianchu asked, “So how did she spend her birthdays before?”
“If it was a weekend, she’d go back to her parents’ place. If not, she’d have dinner with me in the evening to celebrate,” Su Jiayin said. “And as you just heard, Grandpa Jin is throwing her a birthday banquet this year. You’ll definitely be on the guest list.”
Gu Jianchu nodded and changed the subject. “Have you picked a movie yet?”
“Let’s go.”
Gu Jianchu had assumed Su Jiayin would book a private screening, but to her surprise, she had booked tickets for a regular showing. Gu Jianchu seemed to have some impression of the film’s lead actress. Racking her brain, she vaguely recalled Qiao Qi mentioning her once, saying she was an actress she greatly admired named Qi Qing. As the memory grew clearer, she was fairly certain she hadn’t misremembered.
The film explored social and family relationships from the female protagonist’s perspective. The story was simple and the narrative flowed smoothly; it was lively and witty. Gu Jianchu thought it was quite good. The actress was especially beautiful; no wonder Qiao Qi liked her. She caught a glimpse of Qiao Qi out of the corner of her eye and saw how engrossed she was in the film. She squeezed Qiao Qi’s hand to get her attention. In response, Qiao Qi changed their grip, interlocking their fingers.
When the movie ended, the audience began to file out. There weren’t many people, so they reached the exit quickly. Just as they were about to leave, she heard someone behind them call out Qiao Qi’s name uncertainly. In the light from outside, Gu Jianchu recognized the woman in sunglasses.
It was a pleasant surprise. “I didn’t expect to run into you here, Miss Qi,” Qiao Qi said.
Qi Qing was equally surprised. “It really is you, Miss Qiao. I was worried I had the wrong person. It’s been a long time, Miss Qiao.”
“It has been a long time.” Seeing Qi Qing’s gaze shift to the people beside her, Qiao Qi made the introductions. “This is Su Jiayin, and this is Gu Jianchu.” She then turned back to them. “And this is the lead actress from the movie we just saw, Qi Qing.”
Qi Qing had heard of Gu Jianchu and had only ever seen her from a distance. This was the first time she had experienced Gu Jianchu’s beauty up close. She felt a sense of admiration but kept her expression calm. “Hello, Miss Gu, Miss Su.” After greeting the other two, she took her leave. “I won’t keep you any longer, Miss Qiao. Goodbye.”
“Take care, Miss Qi.”
After she left, Gu Jianchu said casually, “So you two know each other.”
It was a rare and pleasant interlude, and Qiao Qi was in a rather good mood. It was strange, in a way; she and Qi Qing weren’t in regular contact, but she considered her a friend. They occasionally exchanged gifts, though never in person. In short, there were similarities in their personalities, and they held a mutual appreciation for one another. “We met a long time ago,” she said.
Gu Jianchu wasn’t petty enough to be bothered by that. She turned to Su Jiayin. “What’s the plan for the rest of the day?” She was thinking that if nothing was decided, they could go to her clubhouse, which had everything they needed to spend an afternoon.
To her surprise, Su Jiayin had a plan. “Back to my place. We’re going to cook.” She turned to Qiao Qi. “I went to the supermarket yesterday and bought ingredients. They’re in the fridge. I was already planning to ask you over to cook today. My kitchen hasn’t been used in ages.”
Qiao Qi nodded. The three of them returned to Su Jiayin’s detached villa. The layout was similar to Qiao Qi’s, but the decor was completely different and much cozier. Gu Jianchu glanced at the television and remembered the remote from last time, a smile playing on her lips. Qiao Qi saw it and smiled as well. Su Jiayin went to the fridge to pick out what they would make for lunch: pork ribs, Chinese broccoli, and shrimp. She also took out pig’s feet and yam for a soup.
Qiao Qi naturally took on the role of head chef. Of the three of them, she was by far the best cook. And she was indeed a good cook. Although it had been a while and her technique was a little rusty, the foundation was still there. Gu Jianchu stood beside her, washing and chopping vegetables. Miss Su, who had originally wanted to help, felt increasingly superfluous. It was infuriating how they could turn even cooking into an intimate world for two. She finally gave up and went back to the living room to watch TV on the sofa, enjoying the peace and quiet.
The three dishes and one soup looked delicious. It was Gu Jianchu’s first time eating a Chinese meal personally cooked by Qiao Qi, and her anticipation was even greater. Su Jiayin shot her a look, silently calling her pathetic. Gu Jianchu raised an eyebrow in return, calling her childish. Neither of them resembled their usual corporate selves; they were relaxed and happy.
Su Jiayin opened a bottle of wine for the meal, and Qiao Qi’s eyes lit up. But this was met with a chorus of nagging from the other two. First was Su Jiayin: “You can’t drink too much. Two glasses at most.”
Then came Gu Jianchu: “Don’t pour her too much. I’m worried she’ll get a headache.”
A smile brewed in Qiao Qi’s eyes as she watched them quietly. How long had it been since she’d spent a weekend like this? Usually, her weekends were filled with overtime. It seemed that besides work and zoning out, she had nothing else to do. Meeting the two people across from her was a stroke of luck. Her spirits soared, and this good mood lasted all the way until she returned home that evening.
She snuggled on the sofa with Gu Jianchu, holding Ping An. Her eyes, hazy from the wine, were filled with a drunken charm. Gu Jianchu couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her, but she also wanted to gaze a little longer at this rare, adorable side of her. But Qiao Qi was stirred by her stare. She unconsciously let go of Ping An, pulled Gu Jianchu closer, and kissed her. Miss Gu closed her eyes, savoring it all.
In the depths of their passion, Qiao Qi’s soft, lovely voice wrapped around Gu Jianchu’s ear like a silk thread. “Jianchu,” she said, “you’re so beautiful.” Gu Jianchu didn’t answer. She simply held Qiao Qi even tighter.
The next morning, Gu Jianchu woke to find Qiao Qi’s side of the bed empty. She hugged the covers and lay there drowsily for a while before getting up and going downstairs. Qiao Qi wasn’t downstairs either; she was probably in the second-floor study. She went to the kitchen and started making breakfast. Just as she finished, Qiao Qi came out of the study and down the stairs.
“Do you have anything on today?” Qiao Qi asked her.
“Why?”
“Sitian just contacted me. I told her to treat you to lunch as a thank you.”
Gu Jianchu instantly understood her meaning. “When did you find out?” she asked, surprised.
“A trust company appeared out of nowhere to invest in Yuanhang. I was a little worried, so I did some digging.” She tilted her head, a sly look in her eyes. “I didn’t expect to see the name He Ying on the company’s list of senior executives. Coincidentally, it’s the same name as one of President Gu’s assistants. Wouldn’t you say that’s quite a coincidence, President Gu?”
Gu Jianchu feigned contemplation. “It is quite a coincidence.” Then she smiled. “Truly, nothing escapes President Qiao’s eyes. Qi Sitian listens to you so well, and her goal in joining Yuanhang was to return to Guangming. Besides, Yuanhang has potential and is worth the investment. At the end of the day, I didn’t lose anything by helping her.”
When had Gu Jianchu ever made a losing deal? Qiao Qi smiled. “Sitian just called me. She said Yuanhang has completely broken free from Guangming’s suppression. She’s very happy, so she wanted to come see me for lunch. I suggested she thank you first.”
Gu Jianchu didn’t mind. Yuanhang being a worthy investment was one thing, but more importantly, Qiao Qi valued Qi Sitian. Her affection extended to those Qiao Qi cared for, so she naturally saw Qi Sitian in a different light now. “You can decide,” she said.
Qi Sitian had known about the relationship between Qiao Qi and Gu Jianchu before. But after the U.E. incident, she had firmly concluded that Gu Jianchu had played with her aunt’s feelings. Now, at Qiao Qi’s request, she was hosting a lunch for Gu Jianchu. While she waited, she shook her head with a troubled expression. Her gentle, elegant aunt had truly lost her mind.
Gu Jianchu discovered that the aunt and niece had a natural rapport when it came to hosting. The place Qi Sitian had chosen was also her clubhouse. Treating her to a meal while also making her money. Even Qiao Qi couldn’t help but chuckle when she saw the address Qi Sitian sent. There was a teasing look in Gu Jianchu’s eyes, which Qiao Qi pretended not to see.
The door to the private room opened, and Qi Sitian stood to welcome them. When she saw it was Gu Jianchu, she only offered a faint smile. But upon seeing Qiao Qi beside her, her previously formal smile immediately sweetened. She affectionately linked her arm with Qiao Qi’s, exceptionally warm. “Auntie.” Until she could see for herself that Gu Jianchu was truly devoted to Qiao Qi, she would remain hostile.
Gu Jianchu watched coolly. “Won’t you be seated, Director Qi?”
Qi Sitian composed herself. “President Gu, please.”
Qiao Qi sensed Qi Sitian’s slight wariness toward Gu Jianchu and spoke up. “Do you know why I asked you to treat Jianchu to lunch to thank her?”
Qi Sitian shook her head. “Please tell me, Auntie.”
“Most of the capital from your fourth round of financing came from a trust company. And that company belongs to Jianchu. So you need to thank her for helping Yuanhang out of its predicament.”
Qi Sitian was completely stunned, finding it hard to believe. For a moment, she felt too embarrassed to face her, but she sincerely raised her glass to offer thanks. “Thank you very much for your help, President Gu. Yuanhang will not disappoint you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. It was just a routine company investment.”
Who did Gu Jianchu ever show a pleasant face to, besides Qiao Qi? Moreover, Qi Sitian had been the one with the bad attitude first. She sat there, glass slightly raised, her presence overwhelming. Unsmiling, her formal tone made her seem even more imposing. How could Qi Sitian withstand such pressure? Unsure how to recover, she could only look to Qiao Qi for help.
Qiao Qi spoke, her voice soft and gentle. “Sitian, apologize to President Gu first.”
Qi Sitian did as she was told. “President Gu, please forgive my poor hospitality earlier. This glass is my apology.”
Gu Jianchu rested her chin in her hand, a half-smile on her face as she watched her. “Let’s hear you call me ‘Auntie’,” she said slowly.
Qi Sitian thought she had misheard. Only after waiting a long moment without Gu Jianchu repeating herself did she confirm she wasn’t hallucinating. Gu Jianchu was really trying to take advantage of her. “I won’t,” she said.
Gu Jianchu furrowed her brow and turned to Qiao Qi, looking quite regretful. “You haven’t taught her well.”
Qiao Qi patted her lightly. “Stop teasing.”
Seeing the intimate gesture between Qiao Qi and Gu Jianchu, Qi Sitian could no longer hold back her questions. She decided to throw caution to the wind to satisfy her curiosity. “Auntie,” she asked, “are you two back together?”
Gu Jianchu lifted her chin. She took Qiao Qi’s hand and raised it slightly. “Your aunt and I are currently dating.”
Qi Sitian immediately spoke up on Qiao Qi’s behalf. “Auntie, how could you forgive her so easily?”
What else was she supposed to do? Gu Jianchu thought. It seemed she was right not to have been polite to Qi Sitian. The girl was actually encouraging Qiao Qi to give her the cold shoulder. Her gaze turned chilly, and Qi Sitian immediately fell silent. It was Qiao Qi’s first time dealing with a conflict between her girlfriend and a family member, and she felt rather helpless. “Sitian,” she said, “this is between Jianchu and me. You don’t need to worry. Also, you shouldn’t be hostile toward Jianchu, understand?”
“I understand, Auntie.” Qi Sitian had always been obedient to her. She raised her glass again, and after much internal struggle, she opened her mouth but forgot how to form the word. “Gu… Aunt.” Her tone was off, but the meaning was understandable. “I was rash just now. I’m sorry,” she continued. Gu Jianchu raised an eyebrow, her expression softening slightly.
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