Chapter 25: Cocktail Party Part 2

Zhou Hui stood under the streetlight, a chill running down her spine. She remembered the incident at Hang City airport on the twentieth and asked, “Does it have to do with the Hang City airport?”

The summer night was warm; Gu Yining felt a bit hot, an inexplicable heat surging. She could barely control her emotions.

She suppressed the heat in her chest with all her might. “No.”

Zhou Hui didn’t believe her. “I heard something strange happened that day. The news about it has been deleted from the internet these past days—very mysterious.”

“Since the authorities won’t allow it to be discussed, why do you keep asking?” Gu Yining countered. “Teacher Zhou, your old friend is back. Aren’t you happy?”

“I’m scared. The two of you are so evasive, and she looks like she’s been cut off from the world. Gu Yining, what are you playing at?” Zhou Hui felt her brain was insufficient. “That face of Ji Huaqing’s—I’m afraid to get close.”

“Is that so? Teacher Zhou, slow walk, no send-off.” Gu Yining smiled as she faced her, her cold-white skin vivid in the night light.

The perfectly beautiful woman before her made Zhou Hui envious. Zhou Hui flashed her a smile at the other, lips red and bright, then turned to go. “I’ve seen ghosts. Don’t forget my robot.”

“Okay.”

Gu Yining called loudly after her, then turned with light steps. She returned to the entryway, where Ji Huaqing stood before the fish tank.

The fish in the tank swam freely, wagging their tails, full of life.

Gu Yining approached. She saw that Ji Huaqing’s eyes held only the fish—swimming happily, vibrantly alive.

They stood together for a long while, neither speaking. Gu Yining studied the other’s back, her gaze roaming from top to bottom, bold and domineering, drinking in every move she made.

Gu Yining thought: her Teacher Ji was back—the living, breathing Teacher Ji, not a memory on a screen.

“Dinner.”

Auntie Wang came out of the kitchen, calling to both, her gaze kind. “Hurry and wash your hands.”

Gu Yining answered with a smile: “Let me help. You rest later; I’ll do the dishes myself.”

“No need. It’s early, and I can’t sleep anyway.” Auntie Wang smiled at the pair—especially warmly at Ji Huaqing.

The meal was simple, light for summer. Gu Yining ladled a bowl of soup and set it before Ji Huaqing. “Teacher Ji, eat.”

Auntie Wang heard the form of address, glanced back, and smiled again. “So she’s a teacher.”

Probably Ningning’s teacher.

Ji Huaqing thanked her softly and drank a bowl of soup. Seizing the chance, she asked, “Where is Ji Huaming? In Jing City?”

“You want to visit him?” Gu Yining stirred her soup with her head down, a hint of a smile at the corner of her eye. “Not now. Stay a few days, get familiar with the place. I’ll buy you some teaching aids so you can ease back into teaching. How about it?”

“Alright. I’ll listen to you.” Ji Huaqing agreed.

Gu Yining sipped the soup; its delicious warmth slid down her throat, tickling.

She said, “There’s a swimming pool on the roof. If you want to go, there’s a swimsuit in the room—the one I put on the bed last time. The water is warm. It’s nice. After a while, I’ll find you a place. Don’t refuse—I do this willingly. You taught me so much. If you hadn’t pulled me back then, I’d be drifting today.”

Back then, when her father was dead and her mother gone, on every nightmare-ridden night, she’d known Ji Huaqing was right next door.

She wasn’t alone. She had Ji Huaqing.

Ji Huaqing—three characters that mattered more to her than her own life.

No one understood her feelings. It wasn’t love at first sight; it had grown over time. She had felt admiration, and affection.

But she never expected that one wild impulse would make Ji Huaqing disappear.

Ji Huaqing had given her a world of color, and she had thrown Ji Huaqing into a vortex.

Her world had turned gray again.

“Gu Yining, you don’t owe anyone. You said your mother made a mistake and paid for it—but you’re paying for it too. Forgive yourself.” Ji Huaqing looked up, her gaze like a torch. “You can understand that principle for your mother, so why can’t you apply it to yourself?”

“I like you. I want to spend my life with you. It’s different. My mother doesn’t owe the Gu family.” Gu Yining countered.

Ji Huaqing smiled slightly. “I went home that day not because of you—I went home because I wanted to see my mother. You were too young then. Liking and depending are different. What point would there be in hiding from you? You weren’t the first person to pursue me. I’m not afraid of you.”

“Is that so?” Gu Yining didn’t believe her. She sipped her soup.

Suddenly, her phone rang. She got up, glanced at it, and said, “I have something. I’m going out.”

“At this hour?” Ji Huaqing was surprised. Again, she was going out so late?

Gu Yining said, “They’re drunk—a few executives, all women. I’m going to check on them. It’s not safe at night.”

“I’ll come with you.” Ji Huaqing stood, a little nervous, her face reddening.

Gu Yining raised her hand, caught the blush, and teased: “Teacher Ji, you’re getting shyer and shyer.”

“Stop teasing me. If you’re going, go.” Ji Huaqing covered her face, her gaze drifting.

“I’ll call the driver.” Gu Yining nodded.

This wasn’t Gu Yining’s first time going out at midnight, but it was the first time she’d had someone by her side. Ji Huaqing sat beside her, and she felt oddly at peace.

She reached out and took Ji Huaqing’s hand. The other didn’t refuse, letting her cling.

Some emotions shifted quietly, settling into her chest.

At the hotel, the other party hadn’t left—a woman in her thirties, from the Shi family, the richest family in Jing City. She was speaking with Gu Yining’s subordinate. When Gu Yining entered, Shi Xu spotted her and curved her lips: “President Gu, a rare guest.”

“You’ve gotten all my subordinates drunk, so what else can I do?” Gu Yining wore a practiced, proper smile. Turning, she instructed Ji Huaqing, “There’s a hotel next door. Book rooms and get them settled. Don’t let them go home—it’s not safe at this hour.”

Ji Huaqing nodded, supporting a girl near the door out first. Her profile fell into Shi Xu’s field of vision.

A flicker of admiration passed through Shi Xu’s eyes. Gu Yining chose a seat and sat down. “Where is President Shi dissatisfied?”

The Shi family was in real estate, and in the past two years had opened several shopping malls. But physical retail had been battered by e-commerce, forcing them to shift to lower-tier markets, their standing shaky. Even so, the Shi family’s status was not to be underestimated—not something Gu Yining could compare to.

There was a wide gulf between an old, established house and a new company.

Shi Xu was the power-holder of the Shi family. She had several older brothers, and she was the youngest—yet she held the family’s power firmly in hand.

The two sat down again. Shi Xu surveyed her: “New assistant?”

“No. A friend.” Gu Yining said frankly. “Pretty?”

Shi Xu nodded.

“Chasing her.” Gu Yining raised an eyebrow. The crystal lamp above set off her presence; her features, backlit, were exquisite, shadowed by a thin film of darkness.

A trace of surprise passed through Shi Xu’s eyes, but she quickly recovered. “She is lovely. If President Gu says she’s chasing someone, that person will surely be happy. Since you’re here, let’s talk about the partnership.”

“The contract—let me at least look at it.” Gu Yining got up to find it, locating a forgotten contract on the table.

Shi Xu wore a long A-line dress clinging to her curves, a string of haute couture jewels at her long neck—an ascetic allure. She was like a white rose with dew at dawn; seemingly cold, yet blooming with dripping beauty.

Gu Yining read the contract and smiled slightly. Shi Xu was puzzled: “You didn’t know about this?”

“I knew. I set it up myself. I just went on a business trip. What didn’t satisfy you?” Gu Yining asked in return, smiling, her red lips curving into a thin, cool smile.

Shi Xu sized up the woman across from her, sipped her wine, and said, “President Gu is here, yet won’t drink anything?”

“However much you want, I’ll drink with you. Just say what you’re thinking—I have no time tomorrow.” Gu Yining gave an apologetic tone. “I have to go chase my girlfriend.”

“What, not yet caught? Pretty and rich, and still no success?” Shi Xu was surprised; her gaze was light. “If you can’t catch her, look at me.”

Gu Yining laughed, her brows cold: “Don’t joke. Your net worth—mine’s just playing around. I’m just selling appliances.”

“Is that so? I don’t think so. President Gu is too modest.” Shi Xu didn’t believe it.

Gu Yining smiled: “I have an illness—you should know, I have a mad streak. That’s my bottom line.” Gu Yining set the contract before her, picked up the wine in front of her, and downed it in one. “So think it over. Me—you understand. It’s not our first meeting, not our first cooperation. Whatever I can give up, I’ll give up. What do you think?”

“Besides, a little business like this—how did it warrant your personal appearance?”

Shi Xu sighed: “I wanted to see you. I heard you’d gone missing, so I came looking. I thought you were pining over your ex—how did you find a new girlfriend? Has the sun started rising in the west?”

Gu Yining smiled. “Sign, please.”

Shi Xu, seeing that the person was here—a wild lunatic, but with an ultimate allure. Her mind was the ultimate allure. Shi Xu envied Gu Yining’s mind.

Gu Yining followed the trends, got into tech, started an influencer agency. Her mind was steady.

Shi Xu signed the contract generously.

Gu Yining took the contract and rose to leave. Shi Xu raised her glass: “What’s the rush? It’s rare to see you. Let’s drink till we drop.”

Looking at the glass in her hand, Gu Yining let out a low laugh, took it, and downed it in one. “Sorry. She’s waiting for me.”

Shi Xu said, “Have fun. If you ever think of me after playing around, come back.”

Gu Yining smiled faintly. Her words were like a lure; any ordinary person would be hooked. But Gu Yining was different.

Gu Yining was a heartless lunatic.

She handed the contract to her subordinate, telling her, “Don’t go home. Book a room and rest. Go home tomorrow. It’s not safe at night.”

“Yes, President Gu.”

Gu Yining sat in the lobby, waiting for someone to pick her up.

Shi Xu came out and saw her at a glance. “I’ll drive you back?”

“No need. I have a golden opportunity to chase my girlfriend. You’d better get going.” Gu Yining deliberately revealed a knowing, unfathomable smile, even shushing her.

The light fell on her. Her eyes were icy, but her smile was beautiful.

When Ji Huaqing arrived, she saw her smiling at the other woman. As she walked slowly over, the smile vanished.

Shi Xu left decisively, giving Ji Huaqing one long, deep look before she went.