They took a taxi to the city center, where Zhang Ling found a hotel for Qiao An and booked a presidential suite. After settling Qiao An into the master bedroom, he had the front desk send up ointment for her injuries and tended to her wrists.
The room was suffocatingly quiet. As Zhang Ling applied the medicine, he tried to make conversation: "Does Yan Shi know about you and Lin Xi?"
Qiao An leaned back against the sofa, looking languid. "She doesn't."
"Then why would she help you?" Zhang Ling asked, surprised. As an assistant, betraying her employer's itinerary was a massive risk.
Qiao An nearly choked with laughter. "She thinks I’ve fallen for Gu Jingxing at first sight—that I’m just a love-struck girl—so she’s helping me fulfill a wish."
Zhang Ling was speechless. With that level of intelligence, how did she even become Gu Jingxing’s assistant? She wouldn't be any brighter even if she were cured.
Once the bandage was secured, Zhang Ling took his luggage to the guest room. After a quick wash, Qiao An checked in with Uncle Jin, sent a message to Gu Jingxing, and then took her medicine and went to sleep.
***
Gu Jingxing had the driver take Lin Xi home first. At the main entrance, the driver went to retrieve her luggage from the trunk. Lin Xi hesitated for a moment before tugging on Gu Jingxing’s sleeve. "Jingxing."
"Hmm?"
"What did you say to Miss Qiao at the airport?" She studied his expression. "You didn't seem to like her at all."
Gu Jingxing acknowledged this, catching her fingers and giving them a gentle squeeze. "You know, I don't care for opportunists."
Lin Xi felt her breathing hitch. "Opportunists?"
The night breeze lifted Gu Jingxing’s hair, and his tone remained indifferent. "She approached me at the party, trying to use her status as a junior alumna to ask for a favor. I refused."
Lin Xi quickly caught on, frowning. "What kind of favor did she want?" Given the scale of the Gu family’s business, she worried Qiao An might be trying to lure Gu Jingxing into something illegal.
"I didn't ask," Gu Jingxing said, releasing her hand and smoothing out a strand of her hair ruffled by the wind. "I couldn't be bothered."
Lin Xi felt a sense of relief. At least she wasn't here to hunt for a man.
The driver brought the suitcase over and handed it to the housekeeper. Gu Jingxing watched her walk through the door before returning to the car. Once inside, he reached into his pocket. His fingers brushed against some sheer fabric; he hooked it and pulled it out.
It was a tiny piece of red lace trimmed with a few small pink bells. As it dangled in the air, trembling with the slight vibration of the car, it emitted a crisp, chiming sound.
Gu Jingxing closed his eyes and clenched the fabric tightly in his palm, as if he were sitting in a Raging Fire.
After a long time, he pulled out his phone and opened WeChat. He saw a little red dot above Qiao An’s profile picture. He tapped it open.
*“You shouldn't stick your nose into a beautiful girl’s business”:* “Brother, the color is fading. When are you going to refresh it?”
Attached was a photo of the inner thigh of a woman. On the fair, smooth skin were several hickey marks the size of a fingernail—his handiwork from that night when he had lost control.
“Don’t let me see you again,” Gu Jingxing replied, his eyes filled with a chilling intensity that seemed to pierce through the screen, “and stay away from Lin Xi.”
After sending the message, Gu Jingxing opened Qiao An’s profile. He blocked her, then deleted her.
When Qiao An woke up the next morning, those were the cold thirteen characters she saw. Rolling her eyes, she typed back rapidly: “But I love you, Brother. I gave you my first time; I only want you from now on.” She added three red lipstick emojis and tapped send.
…A red exclamation mark!
Qiao An took a deep breath and threw her phone to the foot of the bed. "You jerk!"
*Bang.*
Zhang Ling’s hand, which was in the middle of opening the door, paused. After a few seconds, he knocked twice. "Are you barking?"
Qiao An was startled, then turned bright red. "Dr. Zhang! I didn’t mean you, I—"
"I know," Zhang Ling said with a low laugh as he entered. "Are you awake?"
"Just woke up."
Qiao An still had a faint flush of sleep on her face. Her loose, soft pajamas were wrinkled, and her long hair fell casually over her shoulders and against her cheeks. With the lingering warmth of sleep, she looked as alluring as a sugar-glazed cherry topped with snow. The scent of her body lotion, heated by her skin throughout the night, was now emitting a sweet, lingering fragrance that made the very air feel heavy.
Zhang Ling gave a light cough and looked away, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He looked at her heavily bandaged wrist. "Are you feeling better?"
"Much better," Qiao An said, moving it slightly; there was only a dull ache. "When can I take this off? I have an interview this afternoon."
"The bandage was just to keep you from smearing the ointment everywhere while you slept. You can take it off whenever you want." Zhang Ling unwrapped it. "An interview? At which company?"
Qiao An offered a sweet smile, her peach-blossom eyes brimming with charm. "A good one, of course."
Zhang Ling smiled back. "Then I wish you success."
***
As soon as Qiao An stepped into the Gu Group, she ran into Xie Jibai, who was heading downstairs to get coffee. He was wearing a simple shirt and dress pants with a form-fitting black waistcoat that highlighted his slim waist, giving him an look that was both ascetic and sexy—exuding the same sharp, cold efficiency as Gu Jingxing.
Qiao An raised an eyebrow. So, this was Gu Jingxing’s brother-in-arms, the legendary "first secretary" who stood on equal footing with the CEO? She had seen him in Yan Shi’s photo album.
They brushed past each other. Qiao An went to the front desk to ask for the interview location and then took the elevator to the third floor.
The interview went smoothly. After finalizing her salary, Qiao An received her employment contract for the Business Department. She took the elevator back down and snapped a photo of the contract to send to Yan Shi.
*“You shouldn't stick your nose into a beautiful girl’s business”:* “How about that? Piece of cake.”
*“Inch by Inch”:* “??? You’re kidding, right? You dare to work at that dog-shit company? Girl, the 996 life is hell! Run!”
Qiao An couldn't help but laugh, pressing the voice note button. “Who said I’m here for the work? I’m clearly here for the position of the CEO’s wife. A woman needs to stand high to see far.”
Yan Shi replied quickly: “Well… I suppose I can’t compete with you there.”
The elevator grew quiet as it reached the lobby and came to a stop. Qiao An, distracted by her chat, boldly critiqued her best friend’s crush. “Don’t you like that Xie Jibai guy? I just saw him. He’s broad-shouldered, slim-waisted, and he’s got quite the package! Put in some effort, babe; nights of passion are within your reach!”
Just as she finished speaking, the elevator doors slid open. Qiao An looked up, ready to step out, only to find Xie Jibai—the man with "quite the package"—standing at the door with his coffee, his face utterly expressionless.
Qiao An: …
She had no idea if he had heard her.
There is nothing more terrifying than a sudden silence. Qiao An stood frozen.
Her phone buzzed; Yan Shi had replied. Qiao An was gripping her phone so tightly that the vibration forced her finger against the screen, accidentally triggering the new voice note.
The stupid phone automatically switched from the earpiece to speakerphone. Yan Shi’s voice echoed through the elevator: “It’s probably just average. It looks big, but who knows if it actually works? You know, a lot of guys stuff things down there just to show off. Just a wild, irresponsible guess, but I bet he stuffed three pairs of socks in there!”
Qiao An’s heart broke for her for about eight hundred seconds. This crush was truly a dead end. Girl, it’s over.
Xie Jibai tilted his head slightly. "Miss, the elevator is here."
"Ah… oh, sorry, sorry." Qiao An scrambled out of the elevator and ran, not daring to look back.
She didn’t recover from the social death until she reached the main entrance. She tucked the contract into her bag and walked over to the taxi stand. A vacant cab approached in the distance, and Qiao An raised her hand, but before the taxi could reach her, a black Cayenne pulled up right in front of her.
Qiao An looked down. The window rolled down to reveal Gu Jingxing’s face.
"…President Gu." The unexpected encounter left Qiao An stunned for a few seconds.
"I told you, don't appear before me again."
Qiao An looked at him innocently. "You’re the one who parked in front of me."
The implication was clear: You’re the one who came to me.
Gu Jingxing frowned, his eyes turbulent. "What are you doing at the Gu Group?"
After he spoke, he took a moment to look her up and down.