TGSS - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Pleasant Cooperation

When Liang Zhouyi came out with damp hair, wearing pajamas that carried a familiar scent, she was still a little dazed. How had things come to this? How had she somehow agreed to stay? Perhaps it was because Chu He, standing with her back to the snowy view, had looked so genuinely eager for her to stay.

"Why didn't you blow it dry? The hair dryer is right inside." Chu He was draped in a robe and shuffling in slippers as she snatched the clothes from her hands. "I'll put them in the washing machine, wash and dry them and you can wear them tomorrow. Don't catch cold, go blow your hair."

Liang Zhouyi watched the pale curve of her neck and collarbones faintly visible beneath the V-neck robe, and her thoughts stalled for a moment. By the time she came back to herself, Chu He had already pushed her into the bathroom to dry her hair.

"It's fine, how could I catch cold so easily?" Liang Zhouyi said helplessly. Chu He had the indoor heating turned up high and the whole room was warm and cozy, and besides, Liang Zhouyi was not so frail as that. But even as she said it, Liang Zhouyi obediently picked up the hair dryer, only that at the thought that Chu He would soon be lying in the same bed with her, her palms faintly sweated.

Unaware of what Liang Zhouyi was thinking, Chu He lay on the bed without any reserve. Her silk pajamas were loose, her fair, slender legs clamped around the quilt and completely exposed to the air. Chu He rubbed against the bedding and sighed, "Home is still the most comfortable."

Hmm? Chu He suddenly sensed a burning gaze on her back. She turned sharply and met Liang Zhouyi's amber eyes, and in that gaze there was a dark intensity she could not quite read.

Chu He rolled over and smiled beguilingly, "Come sleep quickly, I've warmed the bed for you."

Liang Zhouyi walked to the bedside without a word, pulled the quilt that Chu He was pressing under her legs free, shook it out, and wrapped Chu He up tightly, leaving only her fluffy head exposed.

"What are you doing?" Chu He wriggled and looked at Liang Zhouyi in confusion.

"Don't fidget, go to sleep." Liang Zhouyi went around to the other side of the bed, switched off the bedside lamp, her voice a little hoarse. "Behave yourself, do you want that injury to heal or not?"

Chu He was startled by the sternness in her tone and, wrapped in the quilt, said no more. For a time the huge room held only the sound of their long, even breathing.

With her hands folded over her abdomen, Chu He lay flat and stared at the ceiling. She knew Liang Zhouyi was probably still awake, and though she was wrapped like a silkworm cocoon she still tried hard to inch toward Liang Zhouyi. But Liang Zhouyi completely ignored her, without even a hitch in her breathing.

After putting on a one-woman show and tossing about for a while, Chu He grew tired. She had not slept soundly during the days she lay in the hospital, and now back in a familiar environment, with Liang Zhouyi, the most familiar person, lying beside her, sleepiness washed over her like a tide and she quickly fell into a deep, sweet sleep.

Sensing the movement beside her gradually fade and hearing Chu He's breathing grow steady, Liang Zhouyi could not help smiling faintly in the dark. Contrary to the resistance and awkwardness she had expected, Liang Zhouyi seemed to have accepted this person's intrusion into her life without any resistance, even though she had known Chu He for only a short time and could not say why.

Her thoughts in turmoil, Liang Zhouyi frowned and only fell asleep after a long time, only to feel in her dream that she was being chased by a red hot furnace, so hot that she woke up drenched in sweat.

Liang Zhouyi moved her arm and her palm touched the edge of the bed, discovering she was already lying at the very edge. By rights the 1.8 meter bed was wide enough for her and Chu He to lie on opposite sides under their own quilts, but instead a warm body was pressed against her.

A smooth arm pressed against her chest, a leg rested on her waist, and the skin at her side was pressed flush against Chu He's silk pajamas. Heat came through the thin fabric, and there was an itch at her neck. Chu He's soft breath brushed her skin and made Liang Zhouyi feel a tingling that shot from the base of her ear through her whole body. Her throat bobbed, she turned her head slightly, reluctant and not daring to push Chu He hard, and only inched her own body little by little from the edge of the bed down to the floor.

Liang Zhouyi stood on the floor with messy hair and bare feet, her temples seeming to throb twice. She picked up the quilt that Chu He had kicked to the foot of the bed, draped it over herself and lay down on the other side, closing her eyes tightly and trying hard to fall asleep again. But the quilt still held the lingering scent of Chu He. From the clothes she was wearing to the quilt covering her, everything around her seemed saturated with Chu He's presence.

Thinking of Chu He with a kind of resigned abandon, Liang Zhouyi did not know how long it was before she fell asleep again. She was woken the next time by a shrill alarm. Liang Zhouyi reached out to silence it and instinctively felt for the space beside her. The sheets were ice cold. She sat bolt upright to find the space beside her empty.

"Awake?" A lazy voice came from the doorway. Chu He's face, always lovely, looked even more radiantly beautiful today.

Liang Zhouyi ran a hand through her hair, dark circles faint under her eyes, and looked closely at Chu He. She was wearing a creamy white wool coat and a black short skirt, and those legs seemed to take up most of Liang Zhouyi's field of vision.

She asked suspiciously, "Where are you going dressed like that?"

Even for normal work, Chu He rarely dressed so flamboyantly. Only when Liang Zhouyi turned on the light did she realize Chu He had put on full makeup, and even the gold-rimmed glasses she wore every day had been taken off. Chu He's eyes held a smile, and a vivid charm flowed from her phoenix eyes.

Looking at the dazed Liang Zhouyi, Chu He lifted the bag in her hand to signal her to come eat breakfast. The dazzling gemstone ring on her middle finger almost blinded Liang Zhouyi.

"You're going to the company today?" Liang Zhouyi sat on the sofa and asked, looking at Chu He opposite her, who was exquisite down to every strand of hair.

"Yes." Chu He crossed her legs, leaned back, her coat falling open. She glanced at Liang Zhouyi indifferently. "What kind of look is that?"

"It's nothing. It's just... I thought you had some event today?" Liang Zhouyi still felt Chu He's sudden elaborate dress must have a reason. She had known her for so long and had never seen her dress up so lavishly just to go to work.

Chu He gave a cool smile, "Chen Xinluo sent me a message early this morning saying a new colleague is joining, and asked if I could end my leave early and come back to the company."

Liang Zhouyi's brow twitched. She seemed to already know who it was.

"Why aren't you asking further?" Chu He gave her a light glance, her tone not exactly pleased.

Liang Zhouyi looked at Chu He, at a loss for words.

Chu He gave a cold snort. When she received that message this morning she had instantly woken up completely. Originally Wen Xiaoying's start date was set for this Wednesday, but she was coming two days early, saying the overseas shoot had already wrapped.

It was not that Chu He cared so much about Wen Xiaoying as a person; she was simply very curious about this old acquaintance who had some emotional entanglement with Liang Zhouyi. As for why she had gone to such lengths to dress up, she herself could not figure it out, but Chu He had never been one to get stuck on a problem. Since she felt like doing it, she did it.

Liang Zhouyi took a taxi to the company together with Chu He. On the way Chu He showed great enthusiasm about meeting Wen Xiaoying, which left Liang Zhouyi quite speechless. No matter what had been between her and Wen Xiaoying in the past, she had no intention of having any more to do with that person, so seeing Chu He act like this really gave her a faint headache.

"Good morning, President Chu." The front desk girl was stunned for an instant by Chu He's appearance today, then greeted her warmly and handed them two cups of coffee with a smile. "This is from Xiaoying, everyone in the company got one."

"Oh? Is that so?" Chu He took the coffee, turned the paper cup around in her fingers. "Then I really must thank her."

Chu He's short white boots tapped against the floor, her bright face wearing a half smile as she carried the coffee inside. Wen Xiaoying really knew how to handle people. Before she had even arrived, she had already scored points with all the colleagues.

"You don't drink coffee, you drink tea." Halfway there Chu He stopped, looked at Liang Zhouyi, and without explanation pulled the coffee from her hand, then carried both cups and strode to the office, looking so energetic that you could not tell at all that she was still injured.

Wen Xiaoying did not arrive at the company until the afternoon. After Zheng Xinyan brought her to the meeting room, she came to call Chu He.

Chu He smiled, her tone a little reproachful, "Then let's hurry, we shouldn't keep her waiting. And you, you should have notified me earlier."

With that she hugged her laptop and headed for the meeting room, casting a faint glance at Liang Zhouyi as she passed her workstation.

When she saw Wen Xiaoying in person, Chu He's grip on her laptop loosened slightly. To be fair, Wen Xiaoying, in a camel coat with light makeup, was really beautiful, and it was an inoffensive kind of beauty. When Wen Xiaoying saw Chu He she hurriedly stood up, looking a little shy like a young girl.

"Hello, President Chu." Wen Xiaoying lowered her head slightly, her eyes curving as she smiled, very approachable.

Chu He immediately returned a polite smile and pulled out her chair, "Sit, we'll be colleagues from now on, why be so formal."

"I've only heard that President Chu is capable at work. It wasn't until I met you today that I realized how beautiful you are." Wen Xiaoying's eyes were bright, her tone full of sincere praise.

"Thank you. You are very beautiful too." Chu He's long eyes narrowed slightly, her smile a little distant.

"Xiaoying, from now on Chu He's team will take over your account operations and IP development, you two can talk first." Although Zheng Xinyan felt the atmosphere was a bit subtle, after a moment's hesitation she still decided to leave the space to the two of them.

With a click as the door closed, Chu He looked at Wen Xiaoying again. Her gaze slid over Wen Xiaoying's face, and after a moment she withdrew it, projected her laptop onto the screen, and began to explain the plan in a businesslike manner.

After finishing the discussion with Chu He, a satisfied look crossed Wen Xiaoying's eyes. She smiled, "President Chu is very professional, I believe we will get along very happily with the team in the future."

Chu He curled her lips, her smile not reaching her eyes. She turned the PPT to the last page, folded her hands and said, "This is the team roster, Xiaoying, you can take a look first. If you have any ideas for changes, I will adjust it."

Wen Xiaoying followed her words and looked at the list, and a familiar name jumped straight into her eyes. Her pretty face instantly lost color, and only after a few seconds did she steady her emotions and press her lips together. "President Chu can arrange this, you are the professionals, of course I trust you. If we need to make changes after we start working together, we can adjust then."

"Alright." Chu He stood up and closed her laptop, looking down at Wen Xiaoying. After a moment she braced her hands on the table and leaned close to her in a tone that could be called gentle, "Thank you for the coffee today, Xiaoying. Pleasant cooperation!"

Get instant access to all chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next