Chapter 55
For the next few days, Li Yi intentionally kept her distance from the two lovebirds in the house, avoiding being alone with them as if to steer clear of suspicion. The only exception was when Gu Yuetong called her in for a private talk.
It wasn’t much, really. Besides assigning work, she just explained what had happened that day, including the photos in the camera and the box of things.
After listening, Li Yi hesitated for a long time before asking Gu Yuetong, “Does Little Bai know?”
Gu Yuetong shook her head. “Knowing would only create unnecessary friction. My ex and I have made a clean break. At least half of the things brought back from the guesthouse were mine, including the camera, so I was just taking back what belonged to me.”
“…But I don’t think it’s right to hide it from Little Bai.”
“You can also choose to return the money to me and then tell Qi Baizi.” Gu Yuetong’s voice suddenly rose. Li Yi fell silent for a moment, then shook her head.
It seemed Gu Yuetong intended to hide it to the very end.
But Qi Baizi wasn’t stupid. If she wanted to know, she would naturally ask. Li Yi had already sought advice from Auntie Qin on how to get along with these two, and Auntie Qin had given her four words: “Mind your own business.”
Since Qi Baizi wasn’t asking, she might as well pretend she didn’t know.
But there was one thing she didn’t quite understand. “President Gu, why did you tell me all this?”
“Because compared to an unstable relationship like a lover, I trust the bonds of mutual interest more.” Gu Yuetong smiled, exuding the imperial aura her former colleagues at Gu Corporation used to describe. “I’m telling you this so you don’t have any misunderstandings. At work, I treat you and Little Bai the same. It’s just different in private.”
Li Yi walked away dejectedly. Gu Yuetong had made herself very clear: “Keep your distance, be professional, and stay out of my private affairs.”
In the following days, Li Yi began to take on official duties, occasionally running to the courthouse with Duan Ying or showing her face on the floor of the general manager’s office at the group headquarters.
Qi Baizi’s injury was recovering well, and the discomfort she felt after waking up had almost completely disappeared. She would also go out with Li Yi to see Duan Ying, but she was discussing a private matter with Duan Ying, concerning her case against Han Zhiyu.
From Duan Ying, Qi Baizi learned that Han Zhiyu had seemingly vanished recently. The police were also looking for her, but after asking several of Han Zhiyu’s colleagues at the group, none of them knew where she had gone.
Duan Ying told Qi Baizi that it was still possible to sue her, just more troublesome. They could file the lawsuit first on their end.
Qi Baizi naturally agreed to sue and provided a clue: “Jingshan Hospital.”
“Her father is at Jingshan Hospital?”
“Yes.”
Qi Baizi told Duan Ying about her father’s previous involvement in selling prohibited items, and how Han Zhiyu was suspected of hiding them but was somehow gotten out by Gu Hezhu.
“I’ve talked to your President Gu about this. Gu Hezhu has a lot of power. Her private doctor issued a medical certificate for Han Zhiyu. It’s hard to say if it’s real or fake, but the police have deemed it authentic.” Lawyer Duan paused, then took out another document from her bag and pushed it in front of the two. “By the way, this is the information submitted when Chen Hao was released on bail. Take it back to Gu Yuetong.”
“Chen Hao?” Qi Baizi and Li Yi exchanged a glance, took the document, and opened it. They saw an unfamiliar name written in the guarantor section.
“I’ve looked into this person. He’s a construction foreman in North Jingzhou, not particularly famous. But he was a classmate of Huo Bu’s. His family fell on hard times later, and he learned a trade. The renovation of the Huobu Group building was contracted to his people.”
“Are you saying the person who bailed out Chen Hao was Huo Bu?”
Duan Ying shrugged. “Take it back to Gu Yuetong and let her have a look first. She still has a week of vacation left, don’t let it go to waste.”
After returning, Qi Baizi and Li Yi handed the documents to Gu Yuetong, who reacted as if she had expected it.
“Also, I just got news from Sister Zhou Qin. The chairman announced that two of the real estate projects assigned to you have been suddenly suspended.”
Gu Yuetong was taken aback. “Why?”
“The people who withdrew are unwilling to disclose the unpublished data, nor are they willing to communicate with the new project team. And the start date for construction at the site can’t be set. The workers couldn’t wait and have all left.” The more Li Yi spoke, the more her head ached, feeling that something big was about to happen. “All in all, they’re deliberately making trouble for you, this bunch of traitors.”
Gu Yuetong sneered. “I was wondering why it’s been so quiet these past two days.”
“So what do we do?”
“We do nothing.” Gu Yuetong tapped her finger on her iPad, telling the two not to worry.
“Life has to go on.” Putting down her iPad, she picked up Milk Ball as it walked by and nuzzled it.
Milk Ball was the name Qi Baizi had given the kitten she adopted. Everyone thought it suited him, so that’s what they called him.
The little Milk Ball let out a couple of soft meows and collapsed into Gu Yuetong’s arms. Seeing this, Qi Baizi’s mood relaxed a little. She turned to comfort Li Yi, “It’s okay, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Although she said that, Li Yi still felt uneasy. Qi Baizi gave her a look, and the two exchanged glances before finding an excuse to go outside the Old Fortress for some fresh air.
“How’s your aunt?” Li Yi asked.
That morning, Qi Baizi had made a trip to the hospital, buying some things for her aunt Wu Yanfang and her cousin Qi Wu, not forgetting to bring a carton of cigarettes for Qi Hai.
Qi Hai hadn’t forgotten that Qi Baizi had learned to smoke. He pulled out a pack from the carton and stuffed it into her hand. “Smoke less, smoke less.”
“I’ve quit,” Qi Baizi declined, then shot her aunt a look, signaling her to rest and recover. With Qi Wu around, she didn’t have to play the role of a daughter.
“She’s doing okay. The next time we see each other will probably be when she’s discharged from the hospital.”
Qi Baizi saw that Li Yi didn’t look well and tried to comfort her. “Don’t think about what just happened. President Gu knows what she’s doing.”
Seeing that her attempt to hide it had failed, Li Yi became a little anxious. “But…”
“Let her have some quiet time.”
“I know President Gu is under a lot of pressure too, but avoiding it isn’t the solution.”
“Then do you have a better idea?”
Li Yi was stunned for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m not the boss.”
“Then what are you so anxious about?” Qi Baizi smiled. “If the sky falls, the boss will be there to hold it up.”
“Hiss…” Li Yi looked at Qi Baizi. “How have you become like a different person?”
“Have I?”
“Of course you have.” Li Yi clicked her tongue in amazement. “Before, whenever something was wrong with President Gu, you were like an ant on a hot pan. Now you’re even calmer than I am!”
Qi Baizi smiled without saying a word, unscrewing her water bottle and taking a sip.
That night, Qi Baizi and Gu Yuetong were lying in bed. Gu Yuetong was tossing and turning, unable to sleep peacefully. Qi Baizi quietly lowered the air conditioner’s temperature.
“Are you hot?”
“No, I’m afraid you’re hot,” Qi Baizi said, turning to look at her.
After their relationship was made public to Li Yi, the two could now openly sleep in the same bed.
Occasionally, when Gu Yuetong was troubled and couldn’t sleep, Qi Baizi would deliberately make some noise to distract her.
“I thought the temperature just now was perfect.”
“I know.”
Qi Baizi had a rather roguish air about her. She scooted closer to Gu Yuetong and extended an arm. “If I don’t do this, how else will you be able to hold me?”
“…”
The next day, after waking up refreshed, Gu Yuetong looked at the still-sleeping Qi Baizi and couldn’t help but marvel. Did this person have some kind of magic? Holding her arm while sleeping really did make her sleep more soundly.
Gu Yuetong was going out to meet someone and didn’t let Qi Baizi or Li Yi follow. Qi Baizi stood by the second-floor window, looking down. Li Yi knocked and came in, and seeing her back, she couldn’t help but tease, “You’re like a wife-watching rock.”
Qi Baizi turned around and smiled.
Li Yi said, “If you’re so worried, why don’t you go with her?”
“The Martial Emperor has given a decree. Do you dare to disobey?”
Li Yi was amused and burst out laughing.
After laughing, Li Yi suddenly took out a French dictionary, the same one as Qi Baizi’s. “Old driver, give a newbie a ride?”
Qi Baizi paused and asked tentatively, “What do you mean?”
“Yesterday, President Gu threw a contract at me, said it was faxed over from a foreign materials supplier.” Li Yi’s face was full of sorrow. “It’s all in French.”
“…” Qi Baizi smiled brightly.
On her way back to East Mountain Manor after her meeting, Gu Yuetong received a call from Qi Baizi.
Qi Baizi relayed Li Yi’s predicament to her. Gu Yuetong smiled so wide her lips couldn’t contain it. “I’m helping you two improve.”
“But Li Yi seems to lack a bit of talent when it comes to languages.” Qi Baizi looked at Li Yi sitting beside her, repeatedly trying to pronounce words with a pained expression, and sighed helplessly. “By the way, Auntie Qin said we’re eating out tonight. Where are you?”
“Two intersections away,” Gu Yuetong said. “You guys get ready to come out.”
Looking at the sky in the distance, it seemed like it was going to rain again. The weather forecast predicted hail for tonight. She wanted to give a few more reminders, but her phone suddenly vibrated with an incoming call. She picked it up and saw it was Huo Bu.
Gu Yuetong narrowed her eyes, hung up on Qi Baizi, and pressed the answer button. “President Huo.”
Huo Bu laughed a few times on the other end of the line. When he had laughed enough, he replied, “Aren’t you on vacation? Why are you still so busy? Who were you on the phone with?”
Gu Yuetong feigned aloofness. “Is there something?”
“Yes, of course there is.” Huo Bu coughed to clear his throat. “But it’s a private matter.”
“What private matter?” Gu Yuetong was getting impatient. “We shouldn’t have any private matters to discuss, President Huo.”
“Well… I know you don’t want this either, but everyone outside is saying we’re going to get married. Do you know about this?”
“Who’s spreading that?” Gu Yuetong laughed in anger. Besides Huo Bu, who would come up with such a malicious rumor.
“We only see each other once a year, and it’s in a public setting. Which blind dog out there mistook someone else for me?”
“Young President Gu, don’t be angry. I was just making a joke.”
A breathy voice came through the receiver, the words spoken in a cloying manner that disgusted Gu Yuetong so much she couldn’t continue driving and pulled over to the side of the road.
“I’ll ask you one more time, do you have any actual business to discuss?”
“Then I’ll just say it.” Huo Bu suddenly let out a sinister laugh. “President Gu, is your ex-girlfriend sick in the head or something? She came to me to borrow money.”
“What?” Gu Yuetong thought she had misheard. She adjusted her earpiece and asked, “Who did you say?”
“Wang Lin, your ex-girlfriend.”
“…Why did she go to you to borrow money?”
“How should I know? Anyway, she’s right here. What, you don’t believe me? Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
The next second, a voice came through the microphone: “A-Yue, help me…”
Gu Yuetong’s chest tightened—it was indeed Wang Lin’s voice.