Chapter 65 Part 2

Don’t cry. You can’t cry. Everyone’s waiting.

This past week, she didn’t know how she’d gotten through it. She’d thought Gu Ningzi had completely forgotten her, but no.

She remembered her—just not that she’d once loved her.

…Gu Ningzi, what exactly did you go through that made you forget only the part about loving me? Was it so painful to hold on that you selectively forgot? Is that it?

Reality hurt Chi Nuan more than she’d imagined. After they parted, before forgetting her, Gu Ningzi must have had a very hard time—extremely hard.

Chi Nuan covered her mouth and hurried into the restroom.

In her twenty-odd years of life, she’d hated fate more than once. But if this was the price for reuniting with Gu Ningzi, she’d accept it gratefully.

Compared to the pain of forever losing Brother, Gu Ningzi’s return—even without those memories—was already fate’s greatest, most precious gift to her.

…

By the time Chi Nuan composed herself and came out of the restroom, Gu Ningzi had already left at some point.

Chi Nuan stood there blankly for a moment before walking back.

“She’s President Gu now, with the ‘President’ title—time is precious, we get it. She’s a big deal now; even this short meet-up probably nets her tons of profit,” Zhou Damao said admiringly.

Xu Dan noticed Chi Nuan’s lashes were still wet and asked what was wrong. Chi Nuan said, “I threw up.”

Xu Dan looked at her sympathetically.

Chi Nuan grabbed her bag. “I’m heading out too. Still need to pick up Little Wutong.”

Du Min stood. “You okay? Zhou Damao’s been drinking; otherwise, he could drive you.”

Chi Nuan said, “Too much barbecue and beer made me overfull and puke. I’m fine. You guys keep going—Zhao Jingjing’s back after so long. …Zhao Jingjing, I’m off.”

Zhao Jingjing held Chi Nuan’s hand and rubbed her forehead against the back of it repeatedly. “Nuannuan, see you next time.”

Chi Nuan said, “Yeah, let’s meet up again.”

She lifted the door curtain and stepped out of the tavern.

Late November, and it was already very cold outside. A gust of wind blew, and the warm vapor around Chi Nuan dissipated instantly. She wrapped her scarf tighter and raised her hand to hail a cab when she spotted Gu Ningzi on the street side.

Gu Ningzi was on the phone. Chi Nuan stared at her back until she finished the call, then mustered her courage and walked over. “Gu Ningzi.”

Gu Ningzi turned.

Chi Nuan told herself to act natural, to smile. “…I wanted to say, we’ve all missed you these years.”

Gu Ningzi listened, her gaze settling on Chi Nuan’s face. Chi Nuan’s eyes were blacker and brighter than obsidian, her eye corners and nose tip red beneath light makeup.

A car pulled up to the curb. He Zhen got out and held the door. “BOSS. …Miss Chi?”

He Zhen suddenly realized. “Miss Chi, you and BOSS are classmates?”

He Zhen: “No wonder you froze up when you saw BOSS that day.”

Chi Nuan didn’t know how to respond to the last part and just nodded. “Yes.”

Gu Ningzi opened the car door and got into the back seat.

Seeing her get in, He Zhen had no reason to linger chatting with Chi Nuan. She smiled at Chi Nuan, got back into the driver’s seat, and was about to drive off when she noticed the back door wasn’t closed.

She glanced in the rearview mirror at BOSS, wondering if she’d simply forgotten, didn’t want to close it herself, or if there was more to it, like…

He Zhen looked out the window. Chi Nuan was still standing on the street.

He Zhen got out again. “Miss Chi, I almost forgot. We were supposed to meet tomorrow, but since we’ve run into each other tonight, why don’t you get in and talk work with BOSS?”

Gu Ningzi turned her head expressionlessly to the other side.

Chi Nuan was already reluctant to part from Gu Ningzi. She got in as suggested. He Zhen asked her destination.

Chi Nuan first thanked Gu Ningzi, then gave Little Wutong’s school address.

He Zhen: “What a coincidence—totally on the way. BOSS lives in the He Nan Shan area now.”

He Nan Shan was beyond the town where Chi Nuan lived, Yuncheng’s priciest villa district with the best environment.

No wonder she’d spotted her car on the town street last time. These past six months, they’d been so close.

As she drove, He Zhen explained to Chi Nuan, “The Corporation is expanding into the China market, so BOSS might stay here long-term. …To be honest, Miss Chi, BOSS has interviewed a few special assistants before, but none clicked.”

Chi Nuan listened attentively, her gaze fixed on Gu Ningzi. Lacking confidence, she said, “You’ve seen my resume. I don’t have any relevant work experience in this field yet…”

“No such experience needed,” He Zhen said. “This is BOSS’s personal life assistant role, unrelated to the Corporation. Just handle BOSS’s daily needs—clothing, food, housing, transport. Oh, right, Miss Chi, how’s your cooking?”

Chi Nuan quickly realized this might be her only chance to get close to Gu Ningzi again. She hurriedly said, “Pretty good.”

He Zhen: “Driver’s license?”

Chi Nuan: “Yes.”

After Brother Chi Qingchuan passed, Chi Nuan had feared traffic for a while. To overcome it, she’d specially learned to drive.

He Zhen smiled. “And the most important: BOSS’s work involves frequent travel. If needed, the personal special assistant must follow unconditionally.”

“…” Chi Nuan’s lips trembled, and she didn’t answer for a long time.

He Zhen raised a brow. “Any issues?”

Chi Nuan took so long that even the usually unresponsive Gu Ningzi turned to look at her.

“…I have a child to care for,” Chi Nuan finally said.

He Zhen: “That little boy from before? He doesn’t look old enough to be yours. No other family to help?”

Chi Nuan: “No, there isn’t.”

From Chi Nuan’s expression, He Zhen could guess it involved death or something similar. She glanced at Gu Ningzi, unsure if they should continue. In her view, someone with heavy family ties might not suit the job. —Honestly, it was a shame; Chi Nuan’s classmate status probably gave her points with BOSS.

Streetlights filtered through the window onto Gu Ningzi’s profile. The car continued toward its destination, and no one pursued the topic.

At the school entrance, it was time for Chi Nuan to get out. No matter how reluctant, she clung to her remaining reason and said politely to Gu Ningzi, “Goodbye, Gu Ningzi.”

Gu Ningzi: “Mm.”

Chi Nuan opened the door, then turned back just before stepping out. “Gu Ningzi, can I have your current number?”

Gu Ningzi said nothing, just pulled out her phone and tapped away with her head down.

Seconds later, Chi Nuan’s phone rang, an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen. Gu Ningzi glanced at her wordlessly and hung up.

…She saved my number beforehand, Chi Nuan thought bitterly.

The car merged into the night and drove away.

Chi Nuan dazedly went to the nursery class to pick up Little Wutong. He yawned. “Teacher wants us to write out words from dictation. I wrote the pinyin first, then spelled them myself from that. Mom, you think that’s good?”

Chi Nuan was still thinking of Gu Ningzi and glanced toward where the car had vanished.

Red taillights glowed in the night. A car came back along the inner street and stopped in front of Chi Nuan.

He Zhen’s voice: “Miss Chi, get in. We’ll take you and the child home.”