On the second month following her breakup with Gu Sui, Chu Shuang found that the once indifferent man had finally decided to win her back.
"Where are you?"
"Home."
"I looked for you, you're not at Minglan Court."
"Mmm, I moved."
Gu Sui was silent for a moment before he asked, "Are you still angry?"
Chu Shuang was petting her pet retriever when she hesitated at his words, "...Mr. Gu, we broke up, this isn't about me throwing a tantrum."
When his ex-girlfriend had showed up to flaunt her upper-hand position, messing up her work, Chu Shuang had sent a breakup message to him while he was on a business trip abroad.
What was his response at that time?
【We'll talk when I get back.】
Indeed, a very busy man.
" I already warned Qian Yun; she wouldn't dare to cause you trouble again," the man's voice was pleasing to the ears, reflecting his high position and a clear understanding how to make others listen. "She isn't even an ex, just a business partner from the past"
"She was the one who said that you two were about to get married, that your families have known each other for generations, a perfect match with the handsome man and the beautiful lady. I'm not going to stand in your way, Mr. Gu, when you're looking for the right woman. If I keep interfering, I might lose more than my job next time."
Through the phone, the flick of a lighter could be heard, probably him lighting a cigarette. His tone became more relaxed when he spoke next, "Where are you staying? We need to talk face-to-face."
Chu Shuang sighed, "No need to discuss anything further, let's part on good terms, Mr. Gu. I only want to live a simple and peaceful life. You have so many beautiful women after you, anyone of them would be better at taking care of you than I ever did."
Gu Sui narrowed his eyes, "Deliberately vexing me with your words?"
Chu Shuang replied, "You know I dislike disputes."
With a scoff, the man said, "Even if you don't tell me, I could find it out myself."
After hanging up, Chu Shuang lost herself in the roses in the vase.
She was well aware of Gu Sui's abilities, powerful and influential, he could pull the strings easily in Xiang City. If he wanted, there was nothing he couldn't accomplish.
What she didn't expect was that he would turn around and seek her out. For a man as aloof as him, women usually fawned over him willingly. The whole idea of him chasing girls was unheard of.
She shouldn't have entangled with a man like Gu Sui.
It was her momentary recklessness and curiosity, having never had a relationship before, that led her to having a fling with him.
Just yesterday, her grandfather called about her formal alliance with the Sheng family. At this juncture, Chu Shuang didn't want unnecessary troubles.
...
Although she assumed that Gu Sui, despite his power, would take at least a month to find her, the shock came when he appeared at the coffee shop she often visited after work, that's when she realized his real prowess.
Gu Sui was not short of women, but he wasn't easy either. He had extremely high standards and was very picky when choosing a girlfriend - or rather a female companion. His romantic emotions were very apathetic, he preferred independent women who weren't clingy.
So during her two months of dating Gu Sui, Chu Shuang didn't feel much difference. She assumed, naturally, that Gu Sui didn't have much affection for her, and thought the breakup would go smoothly. It wasn't until she was pursued by him that she realised - Gu Sui wouldn't tolerate a woman taking the upper hand. His prerogative was to initiate the breakup.
Today, it was raining outside, the air was humid, and the steam from the cup blurred her vision.
Gu Sui watched the woman opposite him, looking down at her coffee and not at him, he said bluntly, "Come home with me."
"I already have a great job here, I don't want to switch," she said.
"If you really want to stay here, that's fine," the man said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his coffee, "It'll just take a bit more time. I can make time to come over each Saturday. I suppose that makes us in a long-distance relationship."
Chushuang looked up, her thin lips moved several times before she finally spoke up, "Director Gu, I feel it's quite a waste of your time and energy to keep this up. It might be better for us to break up."
"Qiannyun, I've already warned you. Similar things won't happen again. My previous relationship ended two years ago; it was ended cleanly," he said.
"Do you like me?" Chushuang suddenly asked.
There was silence for two seconds before she resumed, "Actually, I don't feel like you like me that much. Our relationship started too hastily. You just needed a female companion and found me suitable, and I acted on impulse and mistook gratitude for love. Our relationship wouldn't last very long. We are too different in character and the way we handle things... I'm very grateful for your help during my internship, and I still appreciate it to this day. I'm sorry for bringing up the breakup first, but I've been pondering it for a long time. It's not that you're lacking, it's just that we're not quite right for each other. Director Gu, there are better women around you, don't waste your time on me."
Gu Sui looked at her for a moment, his deep black eyes unblinking. "No one is born suitable; it's not up to you to decide."
His slender fingertips tapped rhythmically on the table as he watched her rosy lips. Gu Sui laughed without laughing, "Listen to me, Chushuang."
His eyes curved up, a teasing tone in his voice that was far from gentle, emanating a subtle dominance.
She met his gaze for a few seconds before looking away, in a negotiating tone, "You could have any woman you want, I'm quite boring..."
"It seems you have made up your mind," said Gu Sui entirely undisturbed, his gaze on her a little deep, "We've been together for two months and I got nothing, so before we break up, shouldn't I exercise some boyfriend privileges?"
The furthest they had gone was only as far as a hug. Gu Sui had always been disciplined and polite, even avoiding kissing, considering it was her first relationship and she had just gone through some hard times.
"Of course, not just kissing."
Feeling his burning gaze, Chushuang couldn’t stay seated. She hastily pulled out her chair and left, "A forced melon is not sweet."
Watching her fleeing figure, Gu Sui didn’t pursue her. He just sat there, the corner of his mouth arching in satisfaction.
Leaving the coffee shop, Chu Shuang briskly walked to the base of the apartment building, where someone was selling pancakes and crisp fritters at a stand. The pleasant aroma made her realize that she hadn't eaten dinner yet.
Inhaling the tantalizing smells, she ordered two servings on a whim. As she waited for her pancakes, the kindly woman running the stall couldn't help but chuckle, "You know, the way you're furrowing your brows reminds me of my daughter."
Chu Shuang looked at the gentle-eyed lady, "I'm just dealing with a bit of a problem."
"No worries," the lady retorted, packing the crispy pancakes and fritters with a grin, "You're young and beautiful; there's nothing you can't overcome. Eat these piping hot goodies; you'll feel like a new person in the morning!"
Chu Shuang broke into a smile, a small part of her depression enveloping her because of Gu Sui was finally chased away by the lady and the tasty snacks.
She went to work as normal the next day, deliberately taking a different route to avoid running into Gu Sui at the café. Even though she knew Gu Sui would find myriad ways to approach her, she chose the detour again.
Her joy was short-lived when, on the third day, her manager clumsily brought her into his office and stammered about the company no longer requiring her services amidst roundabout language.
Chu Shuang only felt it was absurd but had an inkling that this was something Gu Sui would do.
Cleaning up her things and going back to her residence, only one thought was buzzing in her head.
She had to leave Xiang City, the sooner, the better!
However, the question was where she would go. Going home was not an option because she couldn’t guarantee if Gu Sui wouldn’t follow her there. Nervously, she opened her cell phone and clicked on Weibo. She found several new private messages; one of them was quite prominent and was sent by the editor of a comic website.
Chu Shuang loved drawing and had been managing her account since her university days. She often drew small comics - cute, short ones most of the time, but sometimes she would serialize romance stories when inspiration struck. With three years of accumulation, Chu Shuang had gained almost half a million followers, and a minor celebrity status, assuming the more familiar title of "Madam."
The editor who contacted her was from "Kite Comics," the largest comic website in the country. Their contract conditions were notoriously strict, but they also nurtured many successful comics.
Becoming a writer and illustrator for Kite Comics was a goal that Chu Shuang had always clung to. Having submitted several drafts and being rejected each time, the sudden approach from the editor came as a surprise – a bit of happy news that enveloped her too quickly, yet she wisely grasped the opportunity.
The imperial capital, with its high skies and distant emperor, was the perfect place to hide from Gu Sui.
*
Imperial capital.
On her first day after completing the procedures for joining the headquarters, Chu Shuang returned to her hotel.
The most pressing matter at hand was to find a house, it wasn't feasible to stay in a hotel every day.
After scoping out potential housing sites online for a few days, she finally went to look at them in person over the weekend. Only then did she realize how difficult it was to find a place in the imperial capital.
Many listings were like selling dog meat under the banner of a sheep; some rooms were less than ten square meters for a rent of three thousand per month, others were old and had low safety factors. The worst of them all was one place — when she opened the door, she saw tiny rodents running around playing.
The next weekend, she visited another batch of places. This time, she finally found a suitable one - a two-bedroom apartment with good ventilation and light, although the rent was a bit high. However, the landlord promised to find a roommate for her as soon as possible to help lighten her financial load.
Having a roommate wasn’t a bad idea; after all, they would have their separate bedrooms with clear boundaries.
Nevertheless, Chu Shuang, who had never experienced hardship, soon realized the dangers of society after starting her working life.
Over the weekend, the landlord brought a man with a large beard to look at the room. The man was in his forties, had a swollen face, and his gaze was very straightforward. The moment he saw her, he looked at her like a famished wolf seeing a warm piece of mutton.
Of course, the man was very satisfied with the house. He decided on the spot to move in, saying that he would settle his affairs and move in the next day.
Only later did Chu Shuang learn that there were many unscrupulous landlords out there. For the sake of money, they would attract female tenants first, and then use this as a selling point to attract male tenants.
That evening, she could no longer bear it and went to tell the landlord that she only wanted a female roommate. The landlord dismissed her concerns by saying how it's not easy to find a house, and that it was common for men and women to live together these days.
Chu Shuang even proposed paying a higher monthly rent to avoid having a roommate, but the landlord said he had already taken a deposit from the man and couldn’t go back on his word. In the end, they couldn't reach an agreement. So, in a fit of anger, she moved out of the "wolf's den."
The person who had been feeling frustrated for more than half a month chose a good day to go drinking at the bar.
"Hey there, darling. Are you alone?"
Chu Shuang didn't even look up.
"Heh, why don't you answer?"
Upon seeing the woman in front of her with raised eyebrows, Chu Shuang looked slightly surprised, "Is it you?"
