TNSFC – Chapter 21

At 10:30 PM, after finishing her social engagements, Gu Shanxue was in her study at home, reading documents.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. Seeing it was an unsaved local number, Gu Shanxue answered, politely saying, “Hello.”

A strange female voice sounded from the other end: “Excuse me, is this Gu Shanxue?”

Gu Shanxue: “Yes, it is. May I ask who you are?”

“I’m a friend of Que Yining. She’s drunk right now and insisting on calling you, looking for you. Can you come pick her up?”

Qiao Yuchu was well-versed in the art of persuasion; she knew she had to exaggerate the situation a bit, otherwise, how could she get the person on the other end to come?

Looking at Que Yining, who was quietly leaning against her, she continued into the phone: “She’s squatting on the roadside right now, desperately looking for you. I can barely hold her back, and she refuses to go home. Could you please come over? Please.”

Gu Shanxue on the other end paused, seemingly unable to imagine Que Yining desperately looking for her.

When Qiao Yuchu sensed the other party didn’t seem strongly inclined to come, she shot a look of exasperation at the drunk Que Yining.

Girl, you’re not cutting it! How come every time you chase someone, there’s no progress? They won’t even come to pick you up!

Qiao Yuchu: “Sis, I’m begging you, please come quickly! Que Yining is crying, I really can’t handle her here!”

Que Yining, in her daze, felt the person next to her was too noisy and pushed her, “Shut up.“

Qiao Yuchu: “…”

You, who should be playing along with my act, are actually sabotaging it.

Gu Shanxue on the other end heard Que Yining’s voice and was now somewhat inclined to believe Qiao Yuchu’s words.

Gu Shanxue: “Where are you?”

Qiao Yuchu, sensing a chance, was overjoyed: “At Chun Chao, the place Gu Qianqian invited you to last time. You can use your GPS.”

Gu Shanxue: “Okay.”

Qiao Yuchu looked at the disconnected call, tucked Que Yining’s phone back into her clothes, and patted Que Yining’s shoulder.

Qiao Yuchu: “No need to thank me, just try to be a bit more successful next time.”

Que Yining brushed her hand away, her eyes hazy from drunkenness.

Gu Shanxue arrived quickly. When she got out of the car, she saw the two women standing at the entrance.

Even before getting close, she could smell the strong scent of alcohol emanating from Que Yining. Her beautiful, charming face was flushed, her eyes were unfocused, and she was leaning against the person beside her, looking like she had drunk quite a lot.

When Qiao Yuchu saw Gu Shanxue arrive, she helped Que Yining forward a couple of steps and handed the drunkard over to Gu Shanxue.

Qiao Yuchu: “I’ll leave her in your care then. I’m heading off now.”

Qiao Yuchu’s car was parked nearby, her driver already waiting.

Qiao Yuchu slipped away quickly. Before Gu Shanxue could ask anything, Qiao Yuchu had already gotten into her car and left.

Gu Shanxue looked at the person leaning softly against her and could only help her into the car.

The drunk Que Yining wasn’t troublesome; she just sat somewhat blankly in the passenger seat, staring into space, her thoughts unknown.

Gu Shanxue leaned over to fasten her seatbelt. Just as she was about to straighten up, her hand was grabbed.

Que Yining sniffed and murmured, “You smell so good.”

As if confirming her judgment, she kept sniffing at Gu Shanxue, her hot, flushed face brushing against Gu Shanxue’s cheek.

Gu Shanxue didn’t intend to converse with a drunkard. She pulled her hand away, fastened her own seatbelt, and started the car.

She had originally planned to take Que Yining to a hotel for the night, but she hadn’t expected Que Yining to show extreme resistance when she helped her out of the car and was about to get a room.

Que Yining stumbled, staggering towards the door, warily watching Gu Shanxue approach.

Que Yining’s mind was a chaotic mess, past and present lives blurring together. She couldn’t distinguish who was in front of her, but she was subconsciously sensitive to certain words.

How difficult was it for a beautiful woman to feign compliance while navigating treacherous social circles? Even with her distinguished status, there were always various lewd gazes, and some even wanted her to use her body as capital for exchange. But how could Que Yining let them have their way?

So she was exceptionally cautious. Even when accidentally drunk, she was extra vigilant about certain environments, words, and conversations, subconsciously wanting to escape.

Gu Shanxue was somewhat taken aback by her reaction. She shook her head at the front desk, indicating she no longer needed a room, and moved towards the entrance to approach Que Yining, worried she might wander into the street.

She had thought that the Que Yining she got to know during dinner tonight was a different side of her, distinct from the rumors. But she realized she might have been mistaken; the Que Yining now was even more unfamiliar.

Not the person from the rumors, nor the confident, beautiful woman she usually saw. It was like a cold, sharp blade revealed after stripping away a soft shell, perhaps even coated with venom.

Que Yining’s face was still flushed, her expression unclear. Her dark eyes held a fierce glint, as if Gu Shanxue would be torn apart if she got any closer.

Gu Shanxue had to stop at a safe distance, extending her hand towards her: “Miss Que, I’m Gu Shanxue. I mean you no harm. Can you come over here?”

She didn’t know what Que Yining had been through, only felt that this version of her was pitiful in a way that made one sad.

She would rather Que Yining always maintained that stunningly beautiful and alluring, yet dignified and inviolable appearance, seemingly always having the upper hand.

The name stirred Que Yining’s few remaining clear memories. She hesitated where she stood, irritably pressing her temples.

Gu Shanxue tentatively closed the distance bit by bit and took Que Yining’s hand.

A cool fragrance enveloped Que Yining. She seemed to sense that the person before her meant no harm and didn’t push her away.

Seeing she didn’t resist, Gu Shanxue breathed a sigh of relief and led her towards her car, planning to take Que Yining back to her own home.

She refastened Que Yining’s seatbelt and drove towards her home.

The car was well-heated, making Que Yining’s face flush even more.

After being helped into the car, Que Yining didn’t move again, staring blankly at a hanging ornament in the car.

It was a small, square sachet embroidered with the characters ‘Ping An’ (Peace).

Que Yining fiddled with it with her fingers. The light from outside the car made her eyes shine brightly, as if they held stars.

“Ping… An…”

Que Yining squinted, trying to make out the characters. After reading them, she looked at Gu Shanxue beside her.

Gu Shanxue didn’t react at first, until Que Yining tugged at her sleeve.

Gu Shanxue looked at Que Yining looking at her, somewhat puzzled.

The actions and thoughts of a drunk person are always unpredictable. Gu Shanxue kept an eye on the road while looking at Que Yining.

Que Yining repeated it again, then looked at Gu Shanxue.

Gu Shanxue was a bit exasperated but also amused: “Yes, Ping An. You read it correctly.”

Only then did Que Yining avert her gaze and start fiddling with something else.

Gu Shanxue brought her back to her home. Upon opening the door, she helped Que Yining to the sofa to rest.

Que Yining not only had a headache but also felt unwell. She grabbed Gu Shanxue’s hand, not letting her get up.

“I feel so awful… Why am I so uncomfortable…”

Gu Shanxue was lightly pressed against her. Looking at Que Yining’s aggrieved expression, she felt a little like laughing.

“Miss Que, how much did you drink to get like this?”

Que Yining tried to recall, then gestured with her fingers: “Just this much, a tiny little bit.”

Gu Shanxue: “That sounds like quite a lot of ‘bits.’ Can you let go of my hand first? I’ll go get you a glass of milk, okay?”

Que Yining seemed to understand and released her hand.

Gu Shanxue sighed in relief. As she started to get up, her waist was suddenly embraced.

Unexpectedly pulled down, Gu Shanxue couldn’t control her momentum and ended up pressing firmly onto Que Yining.

They were extremely close; Gu Shanxue could even clearly see Que Yining’s red lips, glistening with moisture as if licked due to dryness.

The excessive softness pressed beneath her made Gu Shanxue unseasonably recall the white, undulating curves she had once seen.

Gu Shanxue wanted to push herself up, but Que Yining clung to her like a large plush toy, not letting go, regardless of whether she felt crushed.

Gu Shanxue could only try to coax her softly again: “Miss Que, could you let go of me first, please?”

Que Yining looked into her eyes: “Why should I let go?”

She smiled: “Caught you. Now you’re mine.“

Domineering yet matter-of-fact, the look in her eyes made Gu Shanxue momentarily suspect that Que Yining was actually sober.

Trying to reason with a drunkard was impossible. Gu Shanxue had to try to pry Que Yining’s hands off herself.

But a drunkard’s strength could be surprisingly great. Gu Shanxue had to resort to a less ideal plan.

Cool fingertips brushed over thick clothing. Gu Shanxue wiggled her fingers and saw Que Yining flinch.

“Hahahaha, don’t tickle me, hahaha, it’s so itchy!”

Que Yining instantly lost her grip, bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

Que Yining’s waist was an absolute no-go zone; her ticklish spot was right there. She laughed uncontrollably, rolling around on the sofa.

Gu Shanxue, now free, offered an insincere apology and went to heat milk for Que Yining in the microwave.

As Gu Shanxue put the milk in the microwave and turned around, her heart tightened at what she saw Que Yining doing.

Her kitchen was open-plan, with a view of the living room, which connected to a small balcony. The balcony door was open, the railing had no protective screen, and Que Yining was leaning over it, half her body extended outwards.

This was the thirty-fourth floor. If an accident happened, there was no possibility of rescue.

Gu Shanxue quickly walked over and grabbed Que Yining’s hand.

Que Yining looked at her, her face showing confusion, as if she didn’t understand why Gu Shanxue was holding her.

Gu Shanxue: “Miss Que, let’s go inside. It’s too dangerous out here.”

Que Yining waved her other hand in the air, shaking her head. “It’s so comfortable here. There’s wind. I can fly.”

Gu Shanxue grabbed her other hand and slowly pulled her away from the dangerous edge. “It’s easy to fall.”

Que Yining: “Fall? Will I die?”

Gu Shanxue: “Yes.”

Que Yining ‘pfft’ed with laughter, her subtle smile becoming more flamboyant.

“Then I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid of dying.”

She hummed a tune, smiling with satisfaction and joy. “I’m not afraid.”

But she quickly became distressed again, pulling her hand free from Gu Shanxue’s grasp and slapping her own arm.

“But it hurts so much… so hot and painful…”

It was like an unquenchable fire, burning repeatedly in her soul and memories.

Gu Shanxue watched her quietly, watching the tears welling in her eyes, watching her inexpressibly deep sorrow.

She raised her hand and wiped away her tears, then took her hand again.

Gu Shanxue: “The milk should be ready. Come with me.”

She wasn’t curious about what Que Yining had experienced, nor did she want to pry. She only hoped that whatever Que Yining found hard to let go of in her heart was now in the past.

Que Yining wasn’t wearing shoes, walking on the floor in her socks. She followed Gu Shanxue, her body somewhat weak, half-leaning on Gu Shanxue.

Gu Shanxue helped her steady, placed the heated milk in cold water to cool it down so it wouldn’t scald Que Yining, stirred it with a spoon, and brought it to her.

Que Yining obediently drank it, sat quietly on the sofa for a while, then suddenly started singing a fragmented, incomplete song with a beautiful melody.

Gu Shanxue planned to let her rest in the guest room. As she helped Que Yining up and onto the bed, she was pulled down onto the bed with her.

The world spun, and Gu Shanxue was somewhat dazed.

Que Yining’s long hair cascaded around her, bringing a fine, ticklish sensation as it brushed against her cheek.

Que Yining’s body was soft, warm, and fragrant. When her nose brushed against Gu Shanxue’s face, Gu Shanxue was still stunned.

She hadn’t turned on the lights; the room was dim, with only a sliver of light generously cast by the bright moon outside the window.

But that faint light wasn’t enough to illuminate much. Gu Shanxue could only make out the silhouette of Que Yining’s face in the darkness, and her eyes, which held a thin sheen of moisture.

Gu Shanxue was momentarily transfixed.

So, desire didn’t need explicit words or suggestive actions. It manifested through sound, appearance, and form, just as it was now, revealed in Que Yining’s eyes.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat hazy and intoxicating. This situation was not what Gu Shanxue had expected.

“You really do smell so good.”

The words whispered in her ear were somewhat indistinct, the breath disappearing from beside Gu Shanxue’s face into her neck.

She seemed to be searching for the source of the fragrance on her. When warmth landed on her neck, Gu Shanxue finally realized something was amiss and wanted to pull away from this atmosphere.

The slightly warm touch on her neck made Gu Shanxue’s body suddenly stiffen. A tingling numbness crawled up her spine to the back of her head. The overly unfamiliar sensation made her subconsciously push Que Yining away.

Que Yining smiled and whispered, “Sweet.“

Gu Shanxue pressed her lips together and wiped the dampness from that patch of skin, feeling somewhat uncomfortable as she got off the bed.

Gu Shanxue: “Miss Que, you should rest now.”

Que Yining lay prone on the bed, looking at her. “But I don’t want to rest.“

She muttered that it was hot, took off her outer jacket, and fanned herself by pulling at her collar.

Gu Shanxue: “Good night.”

Gu Shanxue almost fled the room. If she stayed any longer, she didn’t know how the drunk Que Yining would torment her.

Of course, before leaving, Gu Shanxue locked the window.

Gu Shanxue certainly didn’t want Que Yining to fall out of the guest room window.

Gu Shanxue went to the bathroom and washed her hands.

When she looked up at the mirror, she realized that at some point, a blush had appeared on her face.

Lightly touching her neck, the sensation seemed to linger. An electric current shot through her cerebral cortex in an instant, bringing a brief, strange feeling.

Gu Shanxue frowned and wiped that area of skin with a towel.

In the guest room, Que Yining thoughtfully touched her lips.

She had originally wanted to be bolder and kiss a more ‘important’ place, but she hesitated, wondering if it was appropriate. If she startled the other party and caused instant aversion, the loss would outweigh the gain. So, she chose another spot.

Although women don’t have prominent Adam’s apples like men, it wasn’t a bad spot either.

She let out a light breath and pressed her temples.

The aftereffects of the alcohol were stronger than she had expected, and this body’s tolerance for alcohol wasn’t as good as her previous one. So, just now, she had genuinely been drunk, not even knowing how Gu Shanxue had brought her back.

She had suddenly sobered up a bit from the moment Gu Shanxue wiped her tears. Actually, Que Yining hadn’t wanted those tears to fall, but they just did.

Gu Shanxue’s wiping motion was very gentle. Because she had regained some clarity, she could see Gu Shanxue’s expression more clearly.

There was no probing or amusement in it, not even surprise at discovering a different side of her. It was just very calm, but that calmness wasn’t indifference; it was like the silent moon, hanging gently in the sky.

Que Yining realized she was developing more and more designs on Gu Shanxue.

It wasn’t the initial interest driven by appearance and temperament, but a deeper desire to connect with something, to obtain something more.

Que Yining endured her headache and the smell of alcohol, pulling the covers over herself. Taking a shower now would definitely make Gu Shanxue suspicious, so it was better to wait until morning.

Tonight was not part of Que Yining’s plan. Although she had ‘done’ something, Que Yining wasn’t quite satisfied. The strong smell of alcohol was too much of a mood killer. A little bit was fine, even exuding a wine fragrance, but too much, and the smell wasn’t pleasant.

The hands of the clock moved bit by bit. After Gu Shanxue finished her work, she went to the guest room to take a look.

Que Yining was curled up in the blanket, asleep. Gu Shanxue quietly closed the door and returned to her bedroom.

Early the next morning, Gu Shanxue woke up due to her biological clock before her alarm went off. She turned off the alarm and prepared to get up and wash.

Just as she stepped out of her room, she noticed the bathroom door was closed. As she remembered she had a guest last night, the bathroom door was pulled open.

Que Yining’s long hair was half-dry and draped down her back. She was wrapped in a bath towel, revealing slender long legs and arms. Her front was a stretch of jade-like white, pushing the towel out and revealing beautiful lines.

In winter, a single bath towel couldn’t ward off the cold, so she was shivering a little when she came out.

Que Yining had an apologetic smile on her face: “Good morning. I woke up early, so I didn’t want to disturb you. I took the liberty of using your bathroom.”

Gu Shanxue: “It’s alright. There are spare clean towels and toothbrushes in the cabinet. Did you see them?”

Que Yining nodded, looking at Gu Shanxue’s face.

Gu Shanxue was barefaced now, but her looks weren’t much different from when she wore makeup, though the tiredness on her face was more apparent.

Que Yining shivered involuntarily, her voice even trembling slightly: “Miss Gu, may I borrow a set of clothes? My own clothes are really not wearable anymore. I’ll wash them clean and return them to you after wearing them.”

Gu Shanxue nodded: “Of course.”

Que Yining: “If it’s convenient, the ones underneath too…”

Her words trailed off. Gu Shanxue subconsciously glanced down, knowing Que Yining was naked under the towel, then involuntarily averted her gaze.

Gu Shanxue: “Of course, I have new ones. Please wait a moment.”

Gu Shanxue returned to her bedroom and brought out a set of clothes.

Que Yining went back to the guest room with the clothes and came out a short while later.

She adjusted her collar, her face once again wearing the smile Gu Shanxue was familiar with: “I troubled you last night. Thank you for taking me in.”

Gu Shanxue looked into her eyes: “Do you remember what happened last night?”

Que Yining was taken aback for a moment, then said tentatively, “I didn’t do anything impolite last night, did I?”

Que Yining thought Gu Shanxue was referring to her licking her neck last night. She acted very convincingly, perfectly portraying confusion and nervousness about not knowing what she had done.

Gu Shanxue: “Apart from you wanting to jump off my balcony, there was indeed nothing else.”

This time, Que Yining’s shock was genuine. She pointed at herself in surprise: “Me? Really?”

Que Yining had no idea she had a habit of wanting to jump off buildings when drunk; she had clearly never thought of suicide.

Although she had indeed committed suicide once, if she hadn’t died in that fire, she would have faced retaliation from the descendants and friends of those people, and would have had to wait to serve a long prison sentence. It was better for her to die in the fire and find peace.

Gu Shanxue was sure she didn’t remember last night’s events. Perhaps Que Yining also didn’t remember her wanting to take her to a hotel.

Gu Shanxue’s thoughts churned, but she showed no sign of it on her face, merely nodding at Que Yining to indicate she wasn’t lying.

Que Yining was a bit annoyed: “Looks like I really can’t drink too much next time.”

Gu Shanxue: “Drinking is bad for your health. You should drink less. I have to go to work, so I won’t keep you, Miss Que.”

Que Yining nodded and didn’t bother Gu Shanxue further. She put her dirty clothes in a bag, picked up her own bag from the sofa, and left Gu Shanxue’s home.

After Gu Shanxue finished washing up, she went into the guest room through the open door to take a look. The guest room bed was neatly made, and a bra was lying on it.

Gu Shanxue instantly understood. At the time, she had just grabbed it, forgetting the size wouldn’t fit, so Que Yining couldn’t wear it.

Fortunately, winter clothes were thick enough. When Que Yining came out, it was well-concealed, and Gu Shanxue hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

Que Yining stood downstairs from Gu Shanxue’s apartment and called Zhang Shiyu.

Zhang Shiyu arrived quickly. She wore black-rimmed glasses, was barefaced, and had very noticeable dark circles under her eyes. When she saw Que Yining, she greeted her somewhat awkwardly.

Que Yining: “Slept very late last night?”

Zhang Shiyu: “I was looking at some materials and accidentally stayed up late.”

Que Yining: “Health comes first. It’s not time for me to make you work overtime yet.”

Que Yining: “Have you decided to work for me?”

Zhang Shiyu nodded without hesitation: “Yes.”

Que Yining: “Alright, then let’s go to my place first to sign the probationary contract.”

Que Yining gave her home address and tapped open her phone’s photo album.

Seeing the few photos taken last night, the corners of Que Yining’s lips curled up slightly.

Que Yining: “Have you tried to find out about me?”

Zhang Shiyu: “Yes.”

Que Yining: “Tell me what you’ve learned.”

Zhang Shiyu glanced at her, seemingly considering how to begin.

Que Yining: “No need to hesitate. It’s not like I don’t know what you know. Just say what you’ve heard and what you think. I won’t get angry.”

Zhang Shiyu: “What I know is…”

Zhang Shiyu recounted everything she had learned in a short time. Most of it was superficial, concerning Que Yining’s reputation in their circle. She had learned more about the Que family’s structure and the company’s background.

Zhang Shiyu: “There’s one more thing I learned first: they say you were infatuated with the young master of Xincheng Group, even got into a big fight with a love rival over him, and did some other humiliating and mocking things. However, there are recent rumors that you plan to give up on this unrequited love…”

Zhang Shiyu said this part practically forcing herself. She hadn’t expected that her first task upon taking the job would be to recount her boss’s dark history.

That was practically a woman madly in love, endlessly pestering and clinging. Zhang Shiyu couldn’t reconcile that image with her boss at all.

Que Yining: “Let me clarify, that’s not a rumor, it’s true. I don’t want to hear my name and his name being discussed together anymore. I even hope he gets married immediately.”

As long as the other person isn’t Gu Shanxue, anyone will do. That way, a fated love rival will be gone.

Que Yining tapped on the pictures and posted them to her Moments, a retort to what Wang Ruiyuan had posted yesterday.

【Can’t compare to Young Master Wang being a bottom for love [heart emoji]】

There were three accompanying pictures, photos of Wang Ruiyuan from various angles.

The three people Que Yining had found were all shirtless when the photos were taken. With their hands draped over Wang Ruiyuan, combined with Wang Ruiyuan’s flushed face from drinking, it looked incredibly real.

Soon, rumors that Wang Ruiyuan was a “bottom for love” and had a 4P with three muscular men spread like wildfire.