PB - Chapter 68
Chapter 68
She had just hung up with Mrs. Gu when Su Jiayin’s call came in insistently. Gu Jianchu, who had been about to put her phone away, paused when she saw the caller ID and answered it.
Su Jiayin’s voice was fraught with anxiety. “A Qi, how is Jianchu? Is she hurt?” She had been calling nonstop since she heard the news, but couldn’t get through to either of them. She wasn’t in Beijing at the moment, and her hands had been trembling as she dialed. Thankfully, her secretary had thought to call Yao Qiu, and only after that call did she feel a sense of relief.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. Just a minor injury.”
She paused, only then recognizing Gu Jianchu’s voice. “You get some rest. I’m on my way back. We’ll talk when I see you.”
“Okay.” Gu Jianchu glanced at the silent Qiao Qi. “Does A Qi want to talk?”
“Put her on.”
Qiao Qi took the phone. “Don’t worry, she’s fine.”
She asked, “Have they caught anyone?”
“Not yet.”
“Call me if anything happens. I’ll be in Beijing tonight.”
“Okay.”
Qiao Qi hung up but remained silent. Sensing something was wrong with her mood, Gu Jianchu stood up and hugged her, resting her chin on the top of Qiao Qi’s head. “Still angry?” she asked softly.
Qiao Qi answered, “Yes.”
Gu Jianchu’s kiss landed on her temple. “I’m so tired,” she said languidly. “Will you come lie down with me for a bit?”
Qiao Qi nodded and went upstairs with Gu Jianchu, lying down beside her. Gu Jianchu nestled in her arms, sinking into the soft mattress. Everything here was peaceful and warm. The scent coming from Qiao Qi had a hypnotic effect, and as her nerves gradually relaxed, she quickly fell asleep.
Qiao Qi’s gaze lowered, fixed on the sleeping Gu Jianchu. Her heart was filled with both anger and the tender relief of having her back. She had already checked Gu Jianchu’s injuries. The bruising on her wrists and ankles was severe. Although the fall hadn’t broken any bones in her waist and back, the large patches of purple were enough to make her breath catch. Her fingers trembled slightly as she traced a path from Gu Jianchu’s wrist, along the mottled colors on her body, down to her ankle.
A short while earlier, Gu Fanchu had told her over the phone that the police had found the car Gu Jianchu had been driving. While collecting evidence, they discovered the watch under the driver’s seat. According to the branch office’s security guard, Gu Jianchu had looked very pale after receiving the package. Gu Fanchu had sent a photo of the watch; it was one of the many birthday gifts Qiao Qi had received, one she had left at the Jin family’s main residence.
Gu Jianchu was right—she was very angry. She was angry that Gu Jianchu hadn’t protected herself better, and even angrier at her own soft-heartedness for indulging someone she shouldn’t have. She couldn’t bear to imagine if it weren’t for Gu Mingyi’s unusual behavior, would Gu Jianchu be struggling at the bottom of the lake right now? She took a deep breath, suppressing the terrifying thought, her gaze heavy.
Gu Jianchu had a dream. She dreamt she was being chased and then fell into the water. Her chest felt crushed by a heavy weight, and the sensation of suffocating came from all directions. She struggled with all her might, and the fear made her eyes fly open. Then, she plunged once more into the bottom of a silent lake—only this time, she fell into the deep pools of Qiao Qi’s eyes.
Qiao Qi raised a hand to smooth the anxiety from between her brows. Her voice was soft and low. “It’s okay now.”
“Do you know what I was thinking then?” She gave a faint smile. “I was thinking that I might never see you again.”
Qiao Qi’s fingertips slid from her brow to the corner of her lips. The pad of her finger gently kneaded the rosy flesh before she leaned in and kissed her. Gu Jianchu’s breath instantly grew hot as she eagerly sought Qiao Qi’s warmth. Qiao Qi’s kisses were teasing and gentle, falling one by one on Gu Jianchu’s bruises with heartache and care.
From the moment it happened until now, Gu Jianchu’s emotions had been suppressed. Qiao Qi, too, had been holding back. Coming together was a release after surviving the ordeal. Heavy breaths and racing heartbeats eased the deep-seated anxiety in their souls. Qiao Qi kissed away the tears that spilled from the corners of Gu Jianchu’s eyes. When their body temperatures and heart rates returned to normal, they were each filled with a sense of gratitude.
Lying in Qiao Qi’s arms, Gu Jianchu reached for the curtain switch on the headboard. With the lights off, the moonlight streamed in clearly. She rolled over, propping herself up above Qiao Qi to look at her. Qiao Qi’s eyes were clear and calm, filled entirely with her reflection. Gu Jianchu cupped her face and leaned in to kiss those eyes.
In the midst of their tender moment, Qiao Qi’s phone rang. After the first time, it rang again, persistently. Gu Jianchu reached for the phone, about to hang up, but stopped when she caught the caller ID out of the corner of her eye. She handed it to Qiao Qi. Qiao Qi’s confusion cleared when she saw who was calling. She leaned against the headboard and answered, while Gu Jianchu propped her head on her arm and watched.
“Mr. Gu?”
“Sorry to bother you, Miss Qiao,” Gu Fanchu said. “Could you put Jianchu on the phone?”
Gu Jianchu took the phone. “What is it?”
Hearing it was Gu Jianchu, Gu Fanchu’s voice brightened. “What do you think it is? Mom’s been worried sick since she hasn’t seen you since the incident. She’s called me dozens of times asking where you are and telling me to bring you home.”
Aside from one call with Mrs. Gu in the afternoon, Gu Jianchu had been wrapped up with Qiao Qi the entire time. She hadn’t known that her mother had rushed to her apartment only to find it empty, and she realized she had indeed neglected her mother’s feelings.
She asked, “Where are you?”
“Outside Miss Qiao’s house.” Gu Fanchu tried to coax her. “I didn’t even tell Mom you were here. Hurry up and get ready to come back with me.”
Gu Jianchu raised an eyebrow. “How did you get her address?”
Gu Fanchu chuckled. The fact that Gu Jianchu still had the presence of mind to be wary of him meant the kidnapping hadn’t affected her too badly. He confessed honestly, “I called and asked Jiayin. Come on, you’ve been with her for hours. It’s time to go home and put Mom’s mind at ease.”
Qiao Qi had guessed the reason for Gu Fanchu’s call. Gu Jianchu saw the tenderness in her eyes, leaned over to kiss her, and then said to Gu Fanchu, “Come on in.”
After hanging up, Qiao Qi glanced at the time—a little after eight. She quickly tidied up and went downstairs to open the gate for Gu Fanchu, who drove his car in. Gu Jianchu got up, took a quick shower, changed her clothes, and then came out of the bedroom. Downstairs, Gu Fanchu was waiting on the sofa with Qiao Qi, who was holding Ping An. When she opened the door, both of them looked over at her.
Once she was seated on the sofa, Gu Fanchu said, “Based on traffic surveillance, the police have preliminarily identified the suspects. But it was a premeditated crime, and their escape route was carefully planned, so it might take some time to catch them. The police want you to give a statement once you’ve settled down. Oh, and I’ve sent the injured bodyguard to a private hospital to recover. Dad personally picked out your new security detail.”
Gu Jianchu said, “The watch and the video imitating A Qi prove that the person who hired them is someone close to me.” She could count the people with a motive on one hand. Right now, those few were probably all trying to figure out how to get away with it.
Speaking of the watch, Gu Fanchu remembered and asked Qiao Qi, “That watch belongs to you, Miss Qiao, right?” Qiao Qi nodded. He continued, “It’s currently with the police as evidence. I’ll return it to you, Miss Qiao, once the case is closed.”
Qiao Qi said coldly, “Please do me a favor and throw it away, Mr. Gu.”
The watch was expensive, but Qiao Qi discarded it without a second thought. Gu Jianchu’s heart warmed, and she looked at her with a smile. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
Mrs. Gu called again, urging them. Gu Fanchu tossed the phone directly to Gu Jianchu. He stood up to leave. “Miss Qiao, I’ll take Jianchu home now. We’ll be in touch.”
Gu Jianchu walked to the door with her brother while listening on the phone. Before leaving, she didn’t forget to give Qiao Qi a kiss. On the phone, Mrs. Gu was urging her to hurry back and reminding Gu Fanchu to be careful on the road and take good care of his sister. Her anxious heart didn’t relax until the two of them walked through the front door. Mrs. Gu hugged Gu Jianchu, her heart aching at the sight of the injuries on her face. Her eyes welled up, and she started to cry again.
“As long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay.” Once her emotions stabilized, her mind turned to scolding. She lightly patted her daughter, saying angrily, “You didn’t even think to come home first to put your father and me at ease. All you do is run off somewhere else. If your brother hadn’t gone to get you, I bet you wouldn’t have remembered to come home tonight.” She poked her daughter’s forehead with her index finger. “What was the point of raising you all these years? Just to raise you for someone else’s family.”
Gu Jianchu felt guilty and whined coquettishly, “Mom, gently, that hurts.”
The moment she heard her cry out in pain, Mrs. Gu became anxious all over again. “Didn’t the doctor say you were fine? Is there an injury they missed? Fanchu, take Jianchu back to the hospital right now.”
“It’s nothing, Mom. I’ll be fine after a night’s rest.” The marks on Gu Jianchu’s face were obvious, and she had no plans to go to Rongfang the next day anyway. She said sweetly, “I’ll stay home and rest tomorrow to keep you company.”
“Even if you wanted to go to work, I wouldn’t let you. You’re going to stay right here at home and rest. The company will be just fine without you.” She pulled her daughter into another hug, her eyes red.
After Gu Jianchu left, Qiao Qi felt an emptiness inside as she held Ping An. She sat there in a daze until ten o’clock, when Su Jiayin’s call came. She answered, “You can come over. I’m home.”
When Su Jiayin let herself in, she saw Qiao Qi on the sofa, staring into space while holding the cat. She walked over and asked, “Jianchu went home?”
“Gu Fanchu came to pick her up. I was too anxious and didn’t think things through.”
“I heard you managed to get control of Gu Mingyi and Gu Yong to make an exchange, which is how Jianchu escaped. Although we can be sure those two are the masterminds, it’ll be hard to convict them without concrete evidence. Besides, their target wasn’t just Jianchu—it was you, too.” Su Jiayin had gotten a general sense of the situation on her way over. “A Qi, this is a huge conspiracy, and someone close to you is involved.”
“I know.”
“I bet Grandpa Jin has already picked out bodyguards for you. My dad also called and told me to be extra careful in Beijing. I’m afraid Jianchu’s incident has served as a wake-up call for the whole city.”
“The Gu family didn’t suppress the news?”
“They blocked the media, but they can’t stop the gossip. From the looks of it, the Gu family doesn’t seem to mind people knowing about this.”
Qiao Qi nodded. “That’s good.”
Su Jiayin chatted with her for a while. Then Qi Sitian, who had just gotten the news, rushed over in a panic. Seeing that Qiao Qi was unharmed, a wave of anger shot to her head. She sat fuming on the sofa without a word. Su Jiayin glanced at the time and took her along when she left. Before going, they both reminded Qiao Qi to be extra careful these days.
After they left, Qiao Qi didn’t feel sleepy. Her gaze fell on the new flotation tank, and on a whim, she decided to use it. The enclosed space gave her a moment of relaxation. By the time she got out, it was late at night. She slept fitfully until a little after six in the morning. As she opened the curtains, it finally felt like the harrowing yesterday was truly over.
At nine in the morning, Gu Jianchu called to tell her she would be staying at her parents’ house for the next few days, as Mrs. Gu had ordered her to stay home. Qiao Qi said, “That’s fine. I need to go back there myself.”
Gu Jianchu knew what she was going back to do. “Will Grandpa Jin agree to you making a move against a Jin family member?” she asked. “Especially when that person is Jin Zhihuan.”
Qiao Qi said, “Whether he agrees or not, I will do what I think is right.”
Gu Jianchu had never seen Qiao Qi angry since she’d known her. This was the first time, and she was the cause. Qiao Qi’s temperament had always been gentle and mild. She was actually quite curious to see Qiao Qi’s tougher side, but she still voiced her concern. “Don’t clash head-on with Grandpa Jin. If the old man decides to protect his own, you should know when to back down.”
There was a hint of a smile in Qiao Qi’s voice. “You just get some rest. I’ll come see you later.” Gu Jianchu knew this was her way of avoiding further discussion, so she let it go.
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