Chapter 7
Xu Qingtang froze for two seconds, then reached up to pull Gu Yizhi’s strap back onto her shoulder. She then placed her hands on Gu Yizhi’s shoulders and pushed her inside.
Bang—
The door closed from the inside.
“Are you crazy?” Xu Qingtang said in disbelief. “If someone had seen that just now, would you still have any shame?”
Gu Yizhi looked at her with interest, reached out to turn on the living room ceiling light, and said slowly, “This floor has two units per elevator.”
“Fewer people doesn’t mean…”
“I bought both of them.”
Xu Qingtang: …
Fine, you’re rich, you’re willful.
The second time in Gu Yizhi’s home, Xu Qingtang felt nothing but awkwardness. Just as she was thinking of an excuse to leave, Gu Yizhi took a bottle of red wine from the fridge. Her eyes, as bright as pearls, watched Xu Qingtang nonchalantly. “You’re not thinking of running away, are you?”
“How could I?” Xu Qingtang forced a smile. “It’s just that I’m not a good drinker. I’m afraid I’ll get drunk and tear your house down.”
Gu Yizhi poured the wine and handed a glass to her. “You go to bars even though you can’t hold your liquor?”
“Just hanging out with a friend,” Xu Qingtang said, then looked up as if remembering something. “Why were you there too?”
“Hanging out with a friend.”
Xu Qingtang felt that her answer was extremely perfunctory. She silently took a sip of red wine. Just as she was about to speak, her phone suddenly vibrated violently.
The screen displayed Lin Huaijia’s name.
Xu Qingtang frowned. After declining the call several times, she thought for a moment and still answered. Lin Huaijia’s voice on the other end was hoarse. “Qingtang…”
Xu Qingtang’s face was expressionless. “What is it?”
There was a rustling sound on Lin Huaijia’s end, and faintly, a woman’s low gasp could be heard. A moment later, Su Mengyu’s soft voice came through. “Huaijia, it hurts…”
Xu Qingtang’s brows knitted tightly.
Su Mengyu’s voice was also hoarse. It sounded like something had happened between the two of them, but Xu Qingtang’s frown wasn’t because of that. Her gaze lowered slightly. A pair of slender, fair hands were paused by her lips, gently wiping them with a tissue.
The owner of those hands quickly retreated to her original position.
Xu Qingtang’s eyes followed. Gu Yizhi casually tossed the tissue into the trash can, propped her face on the back of her hand, and quietly looked at Xu Qingtang, lightly pursing her moist, red lips.
Xu Qingtang couldn’t describe what she was feeling at that moment. All she knew was that Gu Yizhi, bathed in the light, had a powerful visual impact on her. Especially when their eyes met, and the other person nonchalantly straightened her dress, it was as blatant as… seduction.
She could no longer hear what Lin Huaijia was saying.
She hung up the phone, her gaze returning to the enchantress-like person.
She took another large gulp of wine.
“Are you always like this?”
Gu Yizhi looked over. “Like what?”
Xu Qingtang: “Just like that.”
Gu Yizhi: “You don’t like it?”
“Not exactly…” Xu Qingtang’s throat burned, and her face grew slightly warm. She studied Gu Yizhi’s features for a moment and said, “You’re not quite what I imagined.”
“Then what did you imagine I was like?”
In the past, Xu Qingtang had heard evaluations of Gu Yizhi from Lin Huaijia and others: cool, proper, and a person of good character. Xu Qingtang agreed with the good character part. As for whether she was cool or not, she’d leave that for later, but she hadn’t seen a hint of properness.
But Xu Qingtang was still capable of putting on a front. She put down her wine glass and said, “It’s all good. The you now is more… passionate.”
“Then which do you like?” Gu Yizhi got up and turned off the living room ceiling light, plunging the room into a dim, yellow glow. She walked slowly towards Xu Qingtang, her long hair swept back behind her neck. “Do you like proper or passionate?”
The slender, straight figure’s shadow slowly fell across the dining table. Scented candles had been lit at some point, and the tiny flames in the dim environment spread an ambiguous aura.
Xu Qingtang leaned back, putting some distance between herself and Gu Yizhi. She pursed her lips and said, “I like something special.”
Gu Yizhi rested her hands on the dining table, her eyes like a pool of warm spring water. “Hm?”
Xu Qingtang retreated a little more and gave a radiant smile. “Bondage, S&M.”
A normal person would be scared off by this, right?
After leaving Gu Yizhi’s place, Xu Qingtang called Tang Gui. After confirming that she had arrived home safely, she got into a taxi. While idly scrolling through WeChat, she came across a Moments post. It was a photo from Su Mengyu, showing several purple hickeys on a woman’s fair neck.
The post was from just a few minutes ago.
Xu Qingtang glanced at the dozen or so missed calls on her phone and suddenly felt the urge to vomit.
Since they had already broken up, Xu Qingtang didn’t care who Lin Huaijia was sleeping with, but the act of calling an ex to listen in was utterly disgusting!
***
Lin City Peking Opera Theater.
Xu Qingtang had just changed into her regular clothes and came out of the dressing room to bump into her senior apprentice-sister. “Qingtang, the troupe leader was just looking for you.”
“Coming.”
Xu Qingtang knocked on the office door. After getting permission, she pushed the door open and saw the troupe leader fiddling with a plant on his desk. “Troupe Leader, you were looking for me?”
The troupe leader hummed in agreement, sat back in his chair, and got straight to the point. “Qingtang, I remember you don’t have a boyfriend yet, right?”
Matchmaking wasn’t a rare occurrence in their theater. Many people had thought of introducing someone to Xu Qingtang, but she had turned them all down with various excuses.
Xu Qingtang said, “Not yet.”
“I have a nephew, about your age, not a bad person. He saw your performance last time and has a very good impression of you. Since you don’t have anything to do this afternoon, why don’t you two young people go out for a meal?”
Just as Xu Qingtang was about to politely decline, the troupe leader took a call. He then got up to leave, saying, “Don’t rush to answer. I’ll send you his photo on WeChat later. You can think about it.”
After leaving the office, Xu Qingtang didn’t give the matter much thought. She picked up her bag, ready to go home, but bumped into her senior apprentice-sister at the backstage entrance. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. The moment she saw Xu Qingtang, she thrust the flowers into her arms. “Here, for you.”
Xu Qingtang was slightly taken aback. “Who?”
Her senior apprentice-sister said, “She said her surname is Gu.”
Xu Qingtang knew quite a few people with the surname Gu, but she had a gut feeling that it must be Gu Yizhi.
Sure enough, Xu Qingtang saw Gu Yizhi’s car at the theater entrance. Holding the bouquet, she felt stuck, not knowing whether to advance or retreat. After a moment’s thought, she still walked forward and asked, “Did you send the flowers?”
“Yes. Your theater has a rule against entering the backstage area, so I asked your colleague to pass them on.”
Xu Qingtang: “…Thank you.”
Gu Yizhi: “You’re welcome. I should be the one thanking you.”
Xu Qingtang was a bit lost. “Huh?”
“For taking me home last night.”
Xu Qingtang mimicked her tone. “…You’re welcome.”
“Shall we have a meal together?” Gu Yizhi rested her hand on the window, her gaze fixed on Xu Qingtang. “Give me a chance to thank you.”
Isn’t this ‘thank you’ a bit late?
Xu Qingtang’s expression didn’t change. She smiled and said, “Unfortunately, I already have plans.”
Gu Yizhi: “Hm?”
Xu Qingtang deliberately exaggerated. “A blind date arranged by our troupe leader. It would be rude not to go.”
Hearing this, Gu Yizhi didn’t say anything more. She nodded and said, “Yes, it would be rude not to go. Then you should go.”
Usually, when a lesbian hears that someone is going on a blind date, they run as fast as they can. Even if my special kinks don’t scare her off, this should work, right? Xu Qingtang thought.
Even though she said that, Xu Qingtang still declined the troupe leader’s offer on WeChat and then asked Tang Gui to meet her at a coffee shop.
Tang Gui was shocked the moment she arrived.
“Why do you look so pale? Are you not feeling well?”
She had been radiant when they met last night, but today she had two dark circles under her eyes, so haggard that even makeup couldn’t hide it.
Tang Gui lowered her eyes. “I drank and didn’t sleep well.”
Xu Qingtang nodded thoughtfully. After the waiter brought the coffee, Tang Gui listlessly stirred her coffee and said, “Qingtang, back when you went to find Gu… Lin Huaijia’s white moonlight, did you ever think about what you would do if you succeeded?”
Xu Qingtang shook her head. “No.”
At that time, she was simply consumed by anger, and her actions were not thought through. If she had been sober, Xu Qingtang would never have dared to knock on that door.
She looked at her friend’s face. “Why the sudden question?”
“No reason, just wanted to ask,” Tang Gui took a small sip. “Then if it really happened, what would you do?”
“What else could I do?” Xu Qingtang said. “I don’t like her, and she doesn’t like me. We’d just consider it a one-time thing where we both got what we wanted. No one owes anyone anything.”
Tang Gui looked bewildered. “Is that so…”
Xu Qingtang asked, “Guigui, did something happen to you?”
“It’s nothing.”
Xu Qingtang had a faint guess that Tang Gui’s strange behavior was related to the woman from last night. “Did someone bully you yesterday?”
Tang Gui was silent for a few seconds. “No.” Then she put on a smile. “Alright, don’t overthink it. Who could bully me? I’m just tired from work lately. The new boss is nice, but the clients are still as idiotic as ever…”
“Eh? Where did you get these flowers?”
Tang Gui finally noticed the flowers Xu Qingtang had placed aside.
Xu Qingtang pursed her lips. “From an audience member.”
Tang Gui put on an exaggerated expression. “As expected of the great Master Xu. Forgive my disrespect. Which little maiden has been captivated by you this time?”
Little maiden?
Those two words didn’t fit Gu Yizhi at all.
It wasn’t that she was old, but her mature and charming aura was simply not compatible with a “little maiden.” The more Xu Qingtang listened, the more she wanted to laugh. She propped up her hand and said, “Can’t be helped. I do have some beauty on me.”
Tang Gui: …
***
The next day, Xu Qingtang had just finished rehearsing The Drunken Concubine with her colleagues. After removing her makeup, she was fanning herself with a folding fan backstage when a few colleagues from the logistics department came in carrying several large boxes. In their idle chat, they learned that the boxes contained costumes. Her senior apprentice-sister picked up a helmet to look at it, staring at the pearl tassels in a daze. “How long has it been since I’ve seen something so exquisite? AL still has this kind of craftsmanship?”
AL was the design studio the theater collaborated with. Most of the so-called costumes were designed by them.
“What are you talking about? This is a real treasure.”
During their chat, everyone learned that these were items from a famous Peking Opera master of the Qing Dynasty. They had appeared at an auction a few years ago and were all bought by the same buyer for astronomical prices.
Her senior apprentice-sister was so scared she immediately put the item down. “Goodness, I almost had to pay for that for the next eighteen lifetimes.”
Xu Qingtang’s gaze lingered on the large boxes. She found it a bit strange. “They’re all loaned to our theater?”
The colleague smiled. “Almost. They’re all gifted to us.”
Xu Qingtang was shocked. “Gifted?”
“Yes.”
Before she could fully digest this shock, the troupe leader walked into the backstage area and waved at Xu Qingtang. After she walked up to him, he asked, “Qingtang, are you sure you don’t want to meet him? My nephew is very sincere about you. You’ve seen the photo, he’s not bad-looking.”
Xu Qingtang nodded. “He’s quite good, but I don’t have any thoughts of that kind right now.”
The troupe leader sighed helplessly. “Well, if you’re not willing, there’s nothing I can do. By the way, Qingtang, are you free tonight?”
Xu Qingtang was slightly taken aback. “What is it?”
“Someone has gifted some things to our theater. You’ve probably heard about it, right?” The troupe leader smiled and said, “If you’re free tonight, could you help me entertain her?”
“Troupe Leader, tonight I…”
“Don’t worry, she’s a young lady, and she’s alone. You can decide the location, and the expenses will be reimbursed,” the troupe leader said. “She also just returned to Lin City not long ago and doesn’t know many people. The main thing is that I also have something to do tonight and can’t get away. If you’re not willing, then forget it.”
Since he had put it that way, Xu Qingtang had no choice but to agree. “Should I go pick her up or?”
The troupe leader glanced at the time. “She should be arriving at the theater entrance soon. You can go and wait.”
As Xu Qingtang walked to the theater entrance, she pondered where to take the person for dinner. After all, she was the theater’s benefactor, so she couldn’t just be perfunctory.
But she never expected to see Gu Yizhi’s car again.
Xu Qingtang had originally wanted to pretend she didn’t see it, but Gu Yizhi rolled down the window and smiled at her from a distance. Xu Qingtang had no choice but to take a few steps forward. “Are you looking for me?”
“The car is unlocked,” Gu Yizhi said. “Get in.”
Xu Qingtang said, “I have something to do.”
Gu Yizhi smiled faintly. “Rejecting me again?”
Xu Qingtang crossed her arms. “Not everyone is free.”
Gu Yizhi said, “Alright.”
Xu Qingtang thought she would leave after saying that, just like last time. But she had no idea how long she stood foolishly at the entrance, and for how long that car remained parked there. It was so strange that it gave Xu Qingtang a delusion.
Could it be that the damn benefactor is Gu Yizhi?
Thinking this, Xu Qingtang sent a message to the troupe leader on WeChat: [Troupe Leader, how much longer until the person arrives?]
Troupe Leader: [She should be there by now.]
Xu Qingtang’s face turned ashen. Clinging to a sliver of hope, she asked the troupe leader for the person’s name and license plate number. After looking at the message, she took a deep breath and walked towards Gu Yizhi’s car.
She knocked on the car window.
Gu Yizhi opened the window, her smile as gentle as ever. “What is it?”
“My attitude just now wasn’t very good. Is your car door still locked? If not, may I come in for a bit?”
Xu Qingtang felt as awkward now as she had been assertive just a moment ago.
Gu Yizhi still had that gentle, water-like smile, but it inexplicably held the calm before a storm. “No, I’m allergic to busy people.”
With that, the Bentley sped away, leaving a cloud of dust.
Xu Qingtang: …
