Gu Tingye paused in his steps, his gaze burning as he stared at her: “What kind of improper intentions do you have toward me?”
Fang Mian shyly lowered her head, looking away: “It’s cold outside. Carry me inside first, and I’ll tell you slowly when I have time later.”
The main thing was that every time she mustered up courage, it required a lot of buildup.
She had just used up all her courage.
So she could only wait until next time.
A few minutes later.
The housekeeper, Auntie Tang, immediately came forward: “Sir, you’re back! Please come in! The kitchen specially prepared a midnight snack for you.”
The sudden voice startled Fang Mian.
She immediately buried her entire head in Gu Tingye’s chest.
Oh no, oh no, oh no.
She had forgotten that his home had housekeepers and servants.
It wasn’t the kind of private, intimate space or couple’s world she had imagined in her mind!
It was one thing to offer herself in front of Gu Tingye alone.
But how could she shamelessly offer herself without dignity in front of a whole household?!
Indeed, the ancients were wiser!
They taught girls from a young age to be reserved.
And she, in a moment of madness, had personally thrown away all her reserve…
Gu Tingye placed Fang Mian on the sofa.
Unexpectedly, she clung tightly to his clothes and refused to let go.
Fang Mian secretly opened her eyes a tiny slit: “President Gu, could you please take me home?”
Gu Tingye tilted his head: “Home? Are you messing with me?”
Fang Mian also felt she was acting crazy and ridiculous.
She immediately didn’t dare make another sound.
Gu Tingye stared at her dark head: “Auntie Tang, is the guest room ready?”
“Yes, sir. Everything has been prepared according to your instructions.”
“What about gauze and medicine?”
“Those have also been prepared as per your instructions. We will take care of her wounds daily.”
“Hmm. Take good care of Miss Fang these next few days.”
“Sir, please rest assured. We will serve her well!”
Gu Tingye lifted his chin, gesturing toward the stewed soup and pastries on the table: “Have your midnight snack first, then rest well. I still have some matters to attend to and need to go out for a while!”
“Okay.” Fang Mian held the soup bowl, silently warming her hands.
As soon as he returned, he left her behind and went off on his own.
What kind of situation was this?
Was it because she had been too enthusiastic that he had started to look down on her?
If she had known this would happen, she shouldn’t have been so proactive.
Just as Gu Tingye reached the door.
He suddenly turned back and kissed Fang Mian on the cheek: “I’ll come back to keep you company after I finish my business.”
Fang Mian’s heart instantly felt sweet.
This kiss did indeed make her feel much more at ease.
But it also made her too shy to lift her head in front of the housekeeper and servants.
In the past, she had always appeared before them as an assistant.
But now…
Gu Tingye had carried her in front of the secretary-general and Xiao Yu, and kissed her in front of the housekeeper and servants. Wasn’t this clearly exposing their ambiguous relationship?
How was she supposed to separate work from personal matters in the future?
Ugh!
Had she been too thoughtless about this?
Late at night, when all was quiet.
Fang Lu had already called Gu Ziqian over a dozen times.
But he had heartlessly refused to answer even one.
With no other choice, Fang Lu could only keep typing and sending WeChat messages.
“Ziqian, are you still angry with me?”
“Can we meet up? I have a lot I want to say to you.”
“Every moment you’ve been away these past few days, I’ve been thinking of you. Have you missed me?”
“I heard Fang Mian went on a business trip with Gu Tingye. Did you know about this?”
“Who knows how many days they’ll be alone together, just the two of them. Aren’t you worried at all?”
“You’re such a great catch. How could Fang Mian be so blind as to break up with you? If you were my boyfriend, I’d stick to you every day and never go anywhere else.”
“Ziqian, don’t ignore me!”
After waiting for a long while, Gu Ziqian’s WeChat interface still showed no response.
It seemed she had to pull out her trump card!
She selected a few photos she had taken in Liguo, choosing angles that suggested intimacy, and sent them over.
“Look, sometimes Fang Mian and your uncle actually make a pretty good match!”
Gu Ziqian finally responded.
“Are you stalking her? What the hell is wrong with you!”
Fang Lu raised her eyebrows and smiled.
Finally, a reply!
She didn’t care how harsh Gu Ziqian’s words were.
She was just thrilled that she had finally stirred his emotions.
Fang Lu: “I wasn’t stalking her. I just have a friend who happened to be on a business trip there too and ran into them. She took the photos and asked if it was my cousin.”
Gu Ziqian: “I’m warning you, don’t get any twisted ideas.”
Fang Lu: “Don’t always think the worst of me! With Gu Tingye watching over Fang Mian every day, what twisted ideas could I possibly have?”
Gu Ziqian: “Don’t bother trying to insinuate anything. There’s no way anything inappropriate could happen between Fang Mian and my uncle. They only have a normal superior-subordinate relationship.”
If there were any feelings between them, they would have surfaced two years ago. Why wait until now?
Fang Lu: “Want to make a bet? My friend said Gu Tingye returned to the country tonight. I bet Fang Mian definitely didn’t go home tonight!”
How boring!
And annoying!
Gu Ziqian couldn’t be bothered with her and simply blocked her, sending her to his blacklist.
Yet, he tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.
Early the next morning, Gu Ziqian arrived at Qianshui Bay.
He hesitated at the entrance of the residential complex, unsure whether to go in or not.
After pondering for a long time, he called the front desk of Tianyu: “I’m looking for Gu Tingye.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry, but without an appointment, we can’t disclose President Gu’s whereabouts.”
“Has he returned to the country?”
“I’m sorry, we can’t comment on that. Thank you!”
After the call was hung up, Gu Ziqian dialed directly into Tianyu’s secretarial department.
“I’m looking for my uncle.”
“Mr. Gu, the president is still in a meeting. May I ask what you need?”
“Then I’m looking for Fang Mian. Put Fang Mian on the phone.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Gu. Assistant Fang is still on leave and isn’t working today.”
She’s not working today?
If she’s not working, then she must be at home.
Gu Ziqian opened the trunk of his car and took out the prepared bouquet of flowers.
Then, he checked his appearance in the car’s rearview mirror.
Satisfied that he looked perfect today, he strode confidently into the complex.
The doorbell rang.
He Lan, thinking it was Fang Mian returning, rushed to the door with delight.
When she opened the door, she froze: “Ziqian? What are you doing here?”
Gu Ziqian smiled brightly: “Hello, Auntie. I’m here to see Fang Mian.”
He Lan: “She’s still on her business trip. She hasn’t returned!”
Gu Ziqian was stunned.
No reply?
But hasn’t Gu Tingye already returned?
Fang Mian isn’t at the company, and she isn’t at home either—where could she be?
Fang Lu’s words from last night suddenly echoed in his mind…
“Do you want to make a bet with me? My friend said Gu Tingye has already returned to the country tonight. I bet… Fang Mian definitely didn’t go home tonight!”
Gu Ziqian’s hand holding the flowers tightened more and more, his knuckles gradually turning white.
After bidding farewell to He Lan, he got into the car.
He uttered coldly to the driver, “To Canglong Mansion!”