Chapter 29
While washing her hands, Li Yi pulled Qi Baizi aside and asked, “Does President Gu know it was my car that day?”
It took Qi Baizi a moment to remember which incident she was talking about. Squeezing out some hand soap, she said, “I don’t think so. I didn’t tell her.”
Li Yi gave her a thumbs-up. “You’re the best. Otherwise, I’d really be afraid she was going to… you know.” As she spoke, Li Yi made a beheading gesture.
Qi Baizi remained silent.
Gu Yuetong wasn’t a petty person at all. It wouldn’t have mattered even if she knew. She wouldn’t care about such minor things, nor would she pursue the matter with an unlucky subordinate who had lent her car to someone else who then got into an accident.
However, her image in the eyes of outsiders was already deeply ingrained: a taciturn, decisive she-devil. It wasn’t that Qi Baizi didn’t try to explain, but that others wouldn’t believe her even if she did.
It was better to let people interact with her personally to get to know her other side.
During the meal, Gu Yuetong sat at the head of the table, with the guests Li Yi and Qi Baizi in the first row. Auntie Qin sat next to Qi Baizi.
Before Gu Yuetong could speak, Auntie Qin took the lead, raising her glass of red wine. She repeated the same words of thanks she had given to Qi Baizi to Li Yi, then drained her glass in one go.
Li Yi’s glass was filled with a pale yellow, low-alcohol champagne. Qi Baizi sniffed her own glass and detected a whiff of alcohol. It seemed to be the same as Li Yi’s, also champagne.
She figured Gu Yuetong hadn’t told Auntie Qin in advance that she couldn’t drink, so Auntie Qin didn’t know.
But the alcohol content was low, and the amount was small… maybe it would be fine?
When Auntie Qin toasted her, she hesitated for a moment, then decided to drink it all in one go, just like Auntie Qin and the others.
Just as her lips touched the rim of the glass, Gu Yuetong suddenly coughed.
Qi Baizi turned her head at the sound and saw Gu Yuetong’s narrowed eyes and tightly closed lips… Hmm, she didn’t want her to drink?
But Auntie Qin had already finished her drink. With four people at the table, Qi Baizi was in a stalemate. She couldn’t possibly embarrass Auntie Qin.
Just a small sip—it should be fine, right?
Qi Baizi raised her glass. Suddenly, she heard a slapping sound.
She paused, and along with Auntie Qin and Li Yi, looked towards the source of the sound. It turned out Gu Yuetong had slammed the table.
Her right hand was pressed against the tabletop, and she had already stood up, her gaze dark and fixed on Qi Baizi, without saying a word.
Qi Baizi quickly put down her glass, wanting to ask her what was wrong.
But the next second, Gu Yuetong strode out of the house on her own.
Qi Baizi called out to her twice, but she didn’t turn back. Seeing this, Auntie Qin was about to chase after her, but Qi Baizi stopped her. “I’ll go.” Then she trotted after Gu Yuetong.
They had walked several dozen meters from the main gate of the old fortress when Qi Baizi finally couldn’t take it anymore and blocked Gu Yuetong’s path.
But Gu Yuetong just looked up at her, then turned sideways and started walking in a new direction.
Qi Baizi had no choice but to block her again. This time, she reached out and grabbed Gu Yuetong’s wrist.
It was a rather presumptuous act… Qi Baizi felt her temperature rise and her heart race, but she forced herself to remain calm, met Gu Yuetong’s eyes, and asked, “Did I do something wrong?”
Her voice was not loud, her tone subdued.
Gu Yuetong instantly became even angrier. Did Qi Baizi have no temper?
Could she compromise herself in any situation?
Even with an alcohol allergy, she had to save face and force herself to drink. Even after being publicly rebuffed, she had to be good-natured and come over to coax someone!
Couldn’t she fight back?
If it was for work…
“I won’t fire you. You can go back now,” Gu Yuetong said through gritted teeth, then tensed her forearm, trying to shake off the hand holding her.
However, Qi Baizi seemed to have anticipated her move. The moment she tried to pull away, she tightened her grip.
Gu Yuetong was pulled slightly and had to look up to meet Qi Baizi’s gaze again.
She saw Qi Baizi’s eyes wide open, staring at her with unwavering determination, desperate for an answer.
“Why are you angry?” Qi Baizi asked.
Gu Yuetong turned her face away, silent.
In the dining room of the old fortress not far away, the two remaining people were pressed against the window, looking out through the clear glass. Qi Baizi and Gu Yuetong were in a standoff, one holding the other’s hand.
Auntie Qin couldn’t help but jest, “Young people are so interesting.”
Li Yi, on the other hand, couldn’t help but shiver. “Why do I feel like there’s something off about them?”
Auntie Qin hissed and looked at Li Yi with interest. “For someone so young, you have a sharp eye.”
Li Yi frowned and nodded. “I think they’re about to fight.”
Auntie Qin’s gossipy expression froze for a moment. Realizing Li Yi had misunderstood, she simply pulled her aside to sit down and began to explain her theories.
Outside, Qi Baizi was still ‘questioning’ Gu Yuetong. She seemed to be suppressing something, but her calm expression concealed everything. Her emotions shifted in the silence.
Gu Yuetong deliberately tried to provoke her, tilting her head up slightly with a sidelong glance. “Do you know what you’re doing?”
“I didn’t drink,” Qi Baizi said. “I’m talking back to my boss.”
Her tone was steady and firm, not at all like her usual meekness.
“You can fire me after this, but I want you to tell me now, why are you angry.”
“I said I won’t fire you.”
“That’s for the best. But I still want to know why you’re angry.” Qi Baizi rarely dropped the honorifics, and her grip tightened as she spoke.
Gu Yuetong felt her hot palm and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in her heart.
This posture they were in seemed a bit ambiguous…
After calming her breathing, Gu Yuetong said to Qi Baizi, “Let go of me, and I’ll tell you.”
But instead of letting go, Qi Baizi moved her hand up a few centimeters, gripping Gu Yuetong’s forearm firmly.
The distance between them grew even smaller. Qi Baizi looked down at her, the hair at her temples obscuring part of her lower face. Gu Yuetong hesitated for a moment, then suddenly understood her previous behavior of constantly trying to figure her out, almost fawning over her. It was because she couldn’t see through her.
It was because she couldn’t see through her that she felt insecure, that she groveled, that she was so cautious.
Like Gu Yuetong at this moment, she had the thought of apologizing to Qi Baizi, and she acted on it.
Qi Baizi was stunned for a second, but only a second. She came back to her senses, her tone the same as before. “I don’t need an apology. I want to know why you’re angry.”
Seeing her persistence, Gu Yuetong had no choice but to lie. “I’m tired and wanted to get some fresh air.”
But Qi Baizi didn’t fall for it. Since things had come to this, she was determined to get a clear answer. Besides, Gu Yuetong had been giving her the cold shoulder all week, deliberately distancing herself or finding fault. She had been enduring it for a long time.
At first, she thought Gu Yuetong had heard Auntie Qin’s nonsense and was deliberately avoiding suspicion for fear of her misunderstanding. But gradually, she realized that wasn’t the case.
Especially just now, when Auntie Qin had been intentionally or unintentionally teasing them. Li Yi might not have understood, but as the subject of the joke, it was impossible for Gu Yuetong not to. Yet Gu Yuetong hadn’t refuted it, nor had she shown any other signs of disgust, until at the dinner table, she suddenly erupted and walked out.
Qi Baizi connected this sudden burst of anger with the unpleasantness of the past week. She believed Gu Yuetong must have a reason, but was just unwilling to tell her.
They still had to continue interacting. It wouldn’t do to have these inexplicable tantrums all the time. If the previous consideration and understanding were all fake, then she could only blame herself for misjudging her.
But that clearly wasn’t the case. Gu Yuetong wasn’t the she-devil she appeared to be in the eyes of outsiders. She was respectful, polite, confident, powerful, and gentle towards others. These were all things Qi Baizi could feel.
There must be a reason.
Gu Yuetong couldn’t win against her and softened. “Let’s go back and eat first. Don’t let Auntie Qin and the others wait, okay?”
Qi Baizi confirmed with her, “You’ll tell me after we eat.”
Gu Yuetong took a deep breath, nodded, and didn’t forget to remind her, “Change your drink when you get back. Be careful of your allergy.”
The two returned to the dining table.
For some reason, Qi Baizi noticed that the way Li Yi was looking at them was a bit strange.
She shot Li Yi a curious glance, but Li Yi held back a smile and shook her head nonchalantly, dismissing her curiosity.
The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Li Yi offered to help clear the dishes, but Qi Baizi stopped her, telling her to accompany Gu Yuetong to the living room for a short rest. From the perspective of thanking a guest, this was the right thing to do.
Li Yi obediently did as she was told, and Qi Baizi went to clean up in the kitchen with Auntie Qin.
Facing Gu Yuetong, Li Yi was particularly nervous, but after accepting the tea Gu Yuetong personally handed her, her tension eased.
In private, Gu Yuetong really was like a big sister—gentle, elegant, and not at all stiff.
“I heard from Qi Baizi that you’re an intern in the A1 Team?”
Li Yi nodded. “I can become a full-time employee after one more week.”
“That’s great news.” Gu Yuetong smiled. “Is the A1 Team busy right now?”
“Not busy—and also busy,” Li Yi said truthfully. “There are a lot of miscellaneous tasks that have to be done, but there are almost no projects that can be established.”
Gu Yuetong asked, “What do you mean by ‘have to be done’?”
Li Yi paused. It seemed like Gu Yuetong was asking a question she already knew the answer to. If a department was idle, how could the leader report back? Of course, they had to create some miscellaneous tasks to make the PowerPoint presentation look good during reports.
Why would an intern know this? Because Li Yi was the one who made the PowerPoint presentations.
She explained tactfully, “It’s all necessary work. Although it’s rather fragmented, it’s to prepare for new projects that may come at any time.”
“I see.” Gu Yuetong took a sip of tea, her long legs crossed. “Then your team is quite ambitious.”
Li Yi noticed that she was only sitting on the front half of the sofa. This posture was very poised, but also very tiring.
Was she always like this?
Having had almost no contact with Gu Yuetong, Li Yi was a little apprehensive, not knowing what Gu Yuetong was trying to express. The atmosphere grew cold.
Qi Baizi, who came out of the kitchen after drying her hands, saw this scene and instantly understood Gu Yuetong’s thoughts.
She was testing Li Yi.
When Gu Yuetong was occasionally unsure, she would behave like this: her gaze would wander, seemingly lost in thought, but actually thinking; her body would lean forward, indicating that she didn’t fully trust the person in front of her yet.
Although they hadn’t been together for long, people came into Gu Yuetong’s office every day, either to report on work progress or to ask her for a decision. Gu Yuetong’s behavior was different with each person.
Seeing Qi Baizi come out, Gu Yuetong’s body leaned back slightly, and the teacup in her hand also seemed more natural.
Qi Baizi was a little moved. It seemed she was different to Gu Yuetong after all. She became even more convinced that Gu Yuetong had something to say to her, but was just holding it back, unable to say it.
Gu Yuetong’s eyes were bright. She smiled and had Qi Baizi sit opposite her. “Do you remember what I said to you before dinner?”
Qi Baizi paused. Ah, she was going to say it now? There were still other people present. Didn’t Li Yi need to be excused?
“You’ve forgotten, haven’t you?” Gu Yuetong was very satisfied with Qi Baizi’s reaction. This was the effect she wanted. Then she turned to look at the equally bewildered and restless Li Yi next to her and said with a smile, “Little Bai and I have discussed it, and we want to transfer you to work by my side. Little Bai is very much in favor of it, but we don’t know what you think yet.”