Chapter 39: Sending You

The two of them sat a bit closer than before she had left, but their behavior showed no intimacy.

Gu Shuang’s gaze toward her was indifferent, but that was her usual expression. Even if she looked at her with disdain, Ye Qingying wouldn’t find it strange. She didn’t bother wondering what the other woman was thinking or how she might have offended her.

That alone was fine, but when her gaze shifted to Gu Liuguang, she instinctively sensed something was off.

Gu Liuguang’s face was flushed, and she leaned against the sofa as if she still hadn’t fully recovered. That alluring blush resembled a flower bud heavy with raindrops, on the verge of blooming. The rosy hue was as beautiful as pearl light under a rainy night.

Her watery eyes turned toward her, brimming with affection like those of a lovesick lover.

These two must have done something while she was out. Ye Qingying’s eyes swept back and forth between them like a searchlight.

Gu Shuang frowned, picked up her wine glass for a sip, and her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Gu Liuguang for a moment. Then she said bluntly to Ye Qingying, “What are you looking at? You finished your call—go home. I’m tired.”

Ye Qingying’s amiable smile twitched, turning into a forced grin as she looked at her. “You two got together?”

Gu Shuang ignored her.

Across from her, Gu Liuguang seemed a little dazed. She lowered her eyes as if lost in thought, apparently not hearing Ye Qingying’s words.

Ye Qingying called Gu Liuguang’s name again. Only when Gu Liuguang lifted her head and looked at her with bewildered eyes did Ye Qingying smile and ask, “What did you and your favorite ‘Sister Gu Shuang’ just do? Why do you look like…”

She had been thoroughly ravished.

If not for Gu Liuguang’s hair being barely mussed, Ye Qingying might have really thought Gu Shuang had done something to her.

Gu Liuguang snapped back to attention. Her cheeks were still flushed, but her expression had calmed considerably. She no longer looked as soft and adorable as before. Upon hearing Ye Qingying’s words, she shot to her feet. Realizing it, she said, “Nothing. We just chatted.”

She subconsciously started to sit back down, but her peripheral vision caught Gu Shuang beside her. She paused, then pulled out her phone and extended it toward Ye Qingying. Her expression and tone softened. “Sister Ye, let’s add each other on WeChat. You said earlier you’d introduce me to Lin Shixia…”

She had stealthily changed “meet” to “get to know.”

She pulled up the QR code, added Ye Qingying as a friend, then casually withdrew her phone and approved the request.

When she looked up again, she couldn’t help glancing at Gu Shuang before quickly looking away. She flashed a sweet smile only at Ye Qingying. “Sister, I’ll head out first then.”

As soon as she spoke, Gu Shuang beside her called out to her. “Can I add you on WeChat?”

Gu Liuguang’s expression shifted slightly. Seeing she didn’t agree right away, Gu Shuang added, “I’ll be going to see Xiao Xia later. If you’re free, you can come with me.” She paused. “I’m usually busy anyway—I won’t message you all the time.”

Now there were at least two people who could take her to see Lin Shixia. She didn’t absolutely need to add Gu Shuang, but with the offer put that way, refusing would make things awkward.

In the end, Gu Liuguang smiled graciously and showed her QR code to Gu Shuang as well. She quickly approved the friend request and said she needed to head home.

After chugging two cups of juice, Gu Liuguang was completely sober from the alcohol. She walked in big strides, as if someone were chasing her.

The two beside her, who had been drinking, quickened their pace to match. The three of them hurried along like they were late for something.

Ye Qingying was still talking, but she was panting a bit from the fast pace. “If you’re not in a rush, I can drive you.”

Gu Shuang remained unruffled. She and Ye Qingying flanked Gu Liuguang, one on each side, occasionally stepping ahead to shield her from people who might bump into her.

Hearing what Ye Qingying said, Gu Shuang glanced at her impassively without a word, only humming in agreement.

“No need. I came with friends. I still have to wait for them outside.” Gu Liuguang said.

In reality, Xiao Yao and the others usually stayed until four or five. Gu Liuguang just planned to message them on WeChat. But no matter how fast or slow she walked, these two kept her firmly sandwiched in the middle.

Gu Liuguang politely refused all the way. Ye Qingying kept persuading her. Thinking that once they got outside, the two would realize her friends weren’t there—and that would look bad—Gu Liuguang finally relented. “Alright then. I’ll just message them on WeChat and head home first by myself.”

Just as they neared the door, that’s what Gu Liuguang said. Then she spotted Black Tail.

Black Tail stood at the entrance, talking to another girl. Upon seeing Gu Liuguang, she said something to the other girl, who glanced at Gu Liuguang, nodded, and left.

Gu Liuguang glanced over. She wasn’t close to Black Tail and hadn’t spoken much all evening. She nodded and prepared to leave.

Black Tail approached her proactively, her voice moderate, emotion unreadable. “Heading out?”

Gu Liuguang hummed in affirmation. With Ye Qingying and Gu Shuang beside her, the two were so striking that plenty of people stared as they walked by. Attempts to chat them up were nothing new, but too many people had splashed drinks on them.

Quite a few had splashed drinks on her too, dirtying her skirt hem. If Gu Shuang hadn’t pulled Ye Qingying ahead to block most of it, Gu Liuguang would have suffered more than just her skirt.

When someone asked if she was really Ye Qingying, she could smile and say, “Yeah, a lot of people say I look just like her—do I?” That dispelled the idea of spotting a celebrity at the bar, so they weren’t hounded too much.

Gu Liuguang didn’t understand why Black Tail was talking to her. In the end, she nodded helplessly and made an excuse. “I have work tomorrow, so I’ll head out first. You all have fun.”

Seeing Black Tail about to say more, Gu Liuguang quickly slipped out of the bar. The two following her were even more aloof and swift—others could barely glimpse their profiles.

Once outside, Gu Liuguang turned to Ye Qingying and feigned difficulty. “Do you two live in the same area? If you need to go separate ways, I can just take a cab myself.”

Ye Qingying smiled warmly. “President Gu has things to do tomorrow. We shouldn’t trouble her too much. It’ll be better if I drive you.”

Gu Liuguang was about to agree when Gu Shuang, whom she had deliberately turned her back to, spoke faintly from behind her. Gu Liuguang turned to look at Gu Shuang, who glanced at her then at Ye Qingying.

“You just drank—you can’t drive,” she said to Gu Liuguang. “I already messaged. The driver’s pulling up soon. It’ll be more convenient if I take you.”

Before Gu Liuguang could respond, she turned to Ye Qingying. “Dropping at three places is too much hassle. Do you want to call a designated driver, or just cab it home?”

Ye Qingying chuckled. “I can just ride with you.”

Gu Shuang said, “That’s inconvenient. We can’t make the driver work overtime forever. Better to be considerate.”

After the two finished, Gu Liuguang decided on the car without hesitation and got in with Gu Shuang.

Her mind was still a bit muddled, so she didn’t notice the driver addressing Gu Shuang as “President Lin” after they got in.

In the car, Gu Liuguang felt a little uneasy. She worried they might chat and ask questions she couldn’t answer—or bring up what happened at the bar.

Because of that, she sat as far from Gu Shuang as possible. She even rolled down the window, rested her hand on it, and turned her face outward.

The hot gusts blasted her face, tousling her unbound hair. Strands kept whipping across her face. Gu Liuguang felt embarrassed again and struggled to tame the flying locks.

Feeling awkward, her face burned, and she felt heat radiating through her whole body.

Suddenly, Gu Shuang beside her spoke up. “Better roll the window up. It’s too hot outside—that wind will make you uncomfortable.”

Gu Liuguang awkwardly rolled the window back up.

The bar wasn’t far from her place. She managed to hold out for the twenty-minute drive to her neighborhood. Gu Liuguang hurriedly opened the door.

Once her legs were back on solid ground, she finally relaxed. Leaning in to speak to Gu Shuang, her tone was much lighter. “I’m home.”

“Good night, Sister.”

Gu Shuang showed no sign of getting out. Feeling much more at ease, Gu Liuguang waved goodbye. The other woman simply nodded and didn’t linger.

Gu Liuguang watched the car vanish from sight. Then her whole body slumped, as if her soul had been drained.

Turning her head, she saw Su Tian leaning against her motorbike, watching her.

Gu Liuguang: …

She was really exhausted. She resolved that if Su Tian said anything, she’d snap at her in feigned anger and hurry off.

She waited tensely, but Su Tian just straightened up. Without asking a thing, she gestured with the two packed juices in her hand.

“I was going to pick you up after work, but there was traffic. By the time I got there, your company people said you’d left early…”

“I asked the security guard uncle. He said you hadn’t come back yet, so I just waited here,” Su Tian said, looking like a pitiful little puppy as she cautiously watched Gu Liuguang’s expression. “I thought you might not come back today.”

Gu Liuguang, who had been bracing for it, fell silent. She looked at the juices in Su Tian’s hand and deflated a bit. “It’s already really late.”

Su Tian seemed to know her concern and quickly said, “I just… got you a drink on the way. I have friends waiting to hang out tonight—I won’t go to your place.”

Su Tian added, “I’m heading out right now. Want to drink it?”

Gu Liuguang glanced at Su Tian, then at the drinks in her hand, covered in condensation—they’d clearly been waiting a long time. She said, “I’m not thirsty.”

She’d had plenty of alcohol and two juices already; now she just felt bloated.

As she walked toward the neighborhood entrance, Su Tian didn’t follow, just stood by her bike with her gaze trailing eagerly after her.

Gu Liuguang was almost at the gate when she thought better of it and decided to tell Su Tian clearly about her plan to move to B City.