Chapter 49
The matter of her resignation was left undecided. Qi Baizi left the art studio with a final “this isn’t what I want.”
Gu Yuetong had strongly opposed her suggestion, but Qi Baizi seemed to have digested all her emotions in an instant, returning to the shy, introverted, and straightforward assistant she had been before.
Gu Yuetong tossed her brush aside and leaned on the easel. She asked herself honestly if she was satisfied with Qi Baizi’s current state. She was. She wasn’t used to the Qi Baizi who would throw a tantrum at any moment.
But she hoped even more that Qi Baizi could maintain a romantic relationship with her in this state, or at least stay by her side—at least until she had figured out her own true feelings.
Not long after Qi Baizi left, her phone buzzed. She took it out and saw that the specially followed account “Little Baizi” had posted a new Weibo: If you can’t grasp it, it’s better to let go.
As if possessed, Gu Yuetong commented below: If you let go, you lose it completely.
A few dozen seconds later, “Little Baizi” replied to “New User momo123”: Perhaps this is what she wants.
A flash of anxiety crossed Gu Yuetong’s mind, and she replied: Perhaps not?
Qi Baizi didn’t reply again.
Just then, Auntie Qin knocked on the door and came in with a cup of tea.
Gu Yuetong was listless. She dodged Auntie Qin’s questions, but after Auntie Qin said the words “mutual understanding,” she suddenly had an emotional outburst and knocked over the easel.
Auntie Qin was startled and quickly put down the tea to comfort her. “Calm down. There’s nothing that can’t be solved.”
But Gu Yuetong fell silent.
She looked at the scattered papers and the broken leg of the easel, her eyes welling up. She looked up at Auntie Qin and asked, “Am I exactly like Gu Hezhu right now?”
Auntie Qin hesitated, wanting to say something comforting, but no words came out. Instead, she bent down to right the easel and pick up the papers.
Gu Yuetong closed her eyes. “Go get some rest.”
Auntie Qin replied, “Yes.”
The door closed. Gu Yuetong stared at the floor and slowly sat down where Qi Baizi had been sitting.
In her peripheral vision, she saw that Auntie Qin had pieced the broken wooden leg of the easel back together. It looked as good as new, but it was actually teetering on the verge of collapse.
Gu Yuetong let out a sudden, self-deprecating laugh, her mind replaying words Gu Hezhu had once said: “Everything you have, I gave you. Without me, you are nothing.” At the time, Gu Yuetong had retorted that she would rather be nothing.
And she had meant it. Compared to Gu Hezhu’s control, she would rather live her own life, be a painter or a designer, live a simple life far from conflict.
But ideals always lost to reality.
After meeting Qi Baizi, Gu Yuetong truly realized the importance of money for the first time. In the past, her power struggles with Gu Hezhu were either to vent her anger or to make her position as president more comfortable. But over the past month, especially after several crises, Gu Yuetong had come to appreciate the benefits of money more and more.
And at Gu Corporation, money and power were inseparable.
To establish a firm foothold and gain real power, it was necessary to overthrow the old unspoken rules and create the system she wanted.
But this kind of thinking had closed off her heart.
She gradually began to see Gu Hezhu’s shadow in herself—her harsh treatment of others, her strong desire for control, her suppression of emotions, all the traits she had once despised.
Even with those close to her, she couldn’t open up.
Perhaps she had accidentally touched the button for the electric curtains, as the art studio suddenly plunged into darkness. Gu Yuetong leaned back in her chair, feeling utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.
***
The heavy atmosphere in the Old Fortress lasted until evening.
Li Yi got the gist of the situation from Auntie Qin. When she learned that their relationship had become even more strained, she didn’t react much. Auntie Qin teased her, “Aren’t you afraid the fire will flare up?”
“It’s already flared up, so there’s nothing we can do. If Xiao Bai really wants to leave, no one can stop her.” Although Li Yi said this, it wasn’t what she really thought. For some reason, she felt that all of this was temporary. Perhaps Gu Yuetong and Qi Baizi hadn’t worked things out yet, or maybe they had more problems they couldn’t solve—from a friend’s perspective.
Although Li Yi had little work experience, her month at Gu Corporation hadn’t been for nothing. To dare to argue with a superior, and for the superior to tolerate it so much, could only mean one thing—this subordinate was very important to the superior.
Thinking back to how Qi Baizi had initially complained about how difficult Gu Yuetong was to get along with, to how Qi Baizi later started defending her, and how their relationship became exceptionally good, until their current cold war, Li Yi was convinced that their relationship had long surpassed that of an ordinary boss and subordinate. So, they would make up sooner or later.
In terms of being Gu Yuetong’s assistant, Qi Baizi was a senior. There was still a lot she needed to learn from her. She naturally hoped that Qi Baizi could continue to work here for a long time. After all, Gu Yuetong was notoriously difficult to serve, and Li Yi had seen the difference in how Gu Yuetong treated Qi Baizi compared to her.
She hadn’t officially started working yet, so if any problems arose, Qi Baizi could still help shield her. If Qi Baizi ran off, Li Yi had no confidence that she could win the favor of this President Gu. She was afraid that the moment Qi Baizi resigned, she would be thrown out right after.
“I’m going upstairs to check on Xiao Bai.” With this in mind, Li Yi picked up the apple she had just peeled and cut into pieces, sticking a toothpick in it. “As for President Gu, please comfort her as well, Auntie Qin.”
Auntie Qin smiled. “She doesn’t need it.”
Li Yi smiled back and turned to go upstairs.
When she knocked on Qi Baizi’s door, Li Yi found that Qi Baizi didn’t seem to be shrouded in the gloom of their cold war.
A dictionary lay by the bed, the covers were neatly folded, and the curtains were open. Qi Baizi even had a smile on her face. “Why the sudden flattery? Did you cut this apple?”
“I heard you had a fight with the Martial Emperor, so I came to see you.” Li Yi placed the fruit plate on the bedside table and pushed it forward. “Are you thinking of resigning?”
Qi Baizi paused, then picked up a piece of apple with a toothpick and put it in her mouth.
“I’ve had the thought.”
“You’ve had the thought…” Li Yi drew out the “oh.” “So you haven’t acted on it yet?”
“It’s hard to say.” Qi Baizi lowered her eyes, a bitter smile in her heart.
Perhaps Gu Yuetong was only pretending to want her to stay, when in reality she couldn’t wait for her to leave. As for resigning but not breaking up, that was just her own wishful thinking. Gu Yuetong was probably thinking that resigning meant breaking up. Why would the president of a large corporation fall for a penniless recent graduate like her?
Li Yi could see that Qi Baizi was still reluctant to leave, so she didn’t press the issue and simply changed the subject. “How’s your family? Was the surgery successful?”
“It was successful, but we’ll have to see how the recovery goes. She’s still in the ICU.”
“Then don’t think about it. Just take care of yourself first,” Li Yi said with a smile. “We’re going camping tomorrow. How about I help you pack?”
With that, she stood up and looked around Qi Baizi’s room, but she didn’t see a suitcase or anything of the sort. Feeling hesitant, Li Yi sat back down.
“I’m not going camping tomorrow,” Qi Baizi said, seeing Li Yi’s confusion. “My injury hasn’t healed yet, and I’ll just be a burden if I go. Besides, President Gu and I are in the middle of a cold war. It would really kill the mood.”
“You can’t think like that!” Li Yi became anxious when she heard this. She had been planning to play matchmaker during the camping trip and help them end their cold war.
Qi Baizi didn’t speak.
Li Yi stood up with a stern face. “Then no one’s going. I’ll call the B&B owner right now and cancel. You resign, I’ll resign, let’s all just go our separate ways.”
She took out her phone as if to call the B&B. Seeing this, Qi Baizi quickly stood up and stopped her. “Don’t be like this.”
“Like what?” Li Yi said unwillingly. “Do you think I want this job? Did I give up a proper professional job to come here for some excitement? If it weren’t for you, I would never have become an assistant!”
Qi Baizi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “As if you stayed for me.”
“Why not?” Li Yi rolled her eyes. “You have no idea how much you make people worry!”
Qi Baizi thought she had misheard and pointed at herself hesitantly. “Me?”
“It was the same in college. You’d go to your part-time jobs and often come back to the dorm late at night. Zheng Xiaoxiao and I were on edge, worried something would happen to you.”
“Huh?”
Qi Baizi was incredulous. Li Yi’s eyes flashed with a hint of pride. “You didn’t know, did you? We knew what you were doing all along. Although we didn’t understand why you were working so hard, and we didn’t like your attitude towards us, but…”
“But we were all secretly looking out for you,” Li Yi said with a sigh. “Especially Zheng Xiaoxiao. There were several times you didn’t have time to do group assignments, and she was the one who suggested adding your name.”
“Did you really think you were just lucky not to fail your classes?”
Qi Baizi fell silent. Li Yi continued, “You don’t usually say much, and when you do express an opinion, it’s mind-boggling. But we all knew you were just too tired to pay attention to us.”
Qi Baizi lowered her head, not knowing what to say. This was the first time she had heard any of this, the first time she knew that someone had always been looking out for her. Her carefully constructed facade of strength had been seen through long ago.
“I did have selfish reasons for becoming President Gu’s assistant. She pays well, and I don’t have to deal with complicated office relationships. But I chose this major back then because I liked it, not because I hoped to be someone’s tea-serving assistant after graduation… I was very conflicted at first, until I discussed it with Zheng Xiaoxiao. She gave me two reasons that I couldn’t refuse…”
“The first was that I was under a lot of stress working at Gu Corporation, and I could use a change of environment to recuperate. The second was that she was worried you would be implicated because her mother was suing Gu Corporation, so she wanted me to come and support you.”
“Anyway, I’ve already left Gu Corporation. Now that you’re resigning, there’s no reason for me to stay here either.”
“So, if you’re leaving, let’s leave together.”
After saying all this, Li Yi unlocked her phone again, found the B&B’s number, and prepared to dial.
Qi Baizi thought for a moment, then suddenly snatched the phone away.
Li Yi put on a surprised expression. “What are you doing?”
“I’ll go camping tomorrow. As for resigning… I’ll reconsider.” Qi Baizi pursed her lips, turned off the phone screen, and handed it back to Li Yi. “Thank you for telling me all this.”
The sky outside had completely darkened. After getting the signal from Li Yi that things had calmed down, Auntie Qin started cooking dinner. Because the two had been absent for lunch, she and Li Yi had just made do with a simple meal and were now starving.
The two rooms upstairs were still quiet. Qi Baizi was taken care of, but Li Yi had no idea what was going on with Gu Yuetong. She asked Auntie Qin repeatedly, until Auntie Qin finally got annoyed and pushed her towards the stairs. “Go up and see for yourself.”
Li Yi coughed, mustered her courage, and went upstairs to Gu Yuetong’s art studio.
She knocked cautiously. “President Gu, do you need more tea?”
There was no answer, but the next second, she heard voices coming from the direction of Qi Baizi’s bedroom. She tiptoed closer and heard only Gu Yuetong’s voice: “I’m sure I like you. So, please don’t leave me.”
Li Yi: ?
She rubbed her ears, thinking she had misheard. She wanted to press her ear against the door to listen again, but it fell silent inside. There were no more voices.
Li Yi sensed trouble and turned to slip away, but the sound of a door opening came from behind her.