Chapter 9. Pathological Desires and Cravings.

Jiang Chuyu didn't get a reply. Before Gu Zeming could speak, the driver stepped on the gas and ended everything.

Back in the dormitory, Yang Xiuling sent a message asking about the results of the battle.

Jiang Chuyu replied: [A complete defeat.]

Not only did they fail to get his contact information, but their relationship also seemed to have deteriorated.

Gu Zeming must now think she's a rich woman who likes to keep young gigolos.

It's a miscarriage of justice!!!

Jiang Chuyu sighed dejectedly and collapsed onto the bed.

Caiyan ate her jujube cake, glancing at her occasionally.

"Your best friend is so generous. To thank her for the jujube cake, I can tell you some news about Gu Zeming."

"Go ahead," Jiang Chuyu said, her eyelids fluttering as she remained lying down.

Caiyan wiped her hands clean and took a sip of water.

“I learned from Liang Shu that he has recently been doing online French translation work. If you want to help him find a job, you can start from this aspect.”

French?

Less commonly spoken languages?

Jiang Chuyu got up and turned on her computer.

Recently, many organizations have been recruiting translators and tutors at trade fairs. She helped Gu Zeming find several good employers, ranked them from highest to lowest salary, and compiled a whitelist.

Gu Zeming has excellent academic performance, so Jiang Chuyu is not worried at all that he will be unable to handle the job.

The question is whether he's willing to submit his resume.

Jiang Chuyu's eyebrows drooped, and she couldn't help but sigh.

"I wish I had a copy of Gu Zeming's resume."

"Don't worry unnecessarily." Lin Yun couldn't stand seeing her looking so gloomy all the time, and sincerely suggested, "Why don't you email him and ask him for it?"

“Oh yeah.” Jiang Chuyu muttered, her eyes crinkling into a smile. “Good idea.”

I opened my email and carefully chose my words: "Hi Gu Zeming, are you still looking for a job? I'm headhunter C. Below is a list of currently open positions. Besides these, there are a few other positions that haven't been posted yet. If you're interested, could you please send me your resume? Looking forward to your reply!"

Once you have finished editing, upload the attachment and click send.

Jiang Chuyu turned off the computer and breathed a sigh of relief.

*

The night was thick, and the streetlights cast dim yellow halos in the mist. A black Bugatti was parked by the roadside, its windows open, and the faint aroma of leather and cigars wafted from inside.

Gu Zeming looked at the man in the car through the window, his brows furrowing slightly.

After a moment of silence, Qin Jiyuan stubbed out his cigar, rubbed his temples, and said in a slightly tired voice, "Next month is your grandfather's 70th birthday, and he wants to see you."

Gu Zeming remained silent for a few seconds before letting out a cold laugh: "You've been following me from the restaurant until now, just to say this?"

Qin Jiyuan said in a deep voice, "If you don't mind, I can talk to you in front of that girl."

Gu Zeming: "Are you threatening me?"

Qin Jiyuan sighed, "Don't be so sensitive. I'm a respectable businessman, after all. I wouldn't resort to such underhanded tactics to threaten my own son."

Gu Zeming paused.

The thing he hated most in his life was hearing the word "son" from Qin Jiyuan's mouth.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "To reiterate, my surname is now Gu."

"If you want, you can also take the surname Qin."

"Just like you can marry two women in your lifetime?"

The driver, who had been dozing off, was startled by the words and his hand trembled, instantly losing all sleepiness.

Every time this father and son meet, they are arrogant and domineering, and they can't stop arguing until they've had a dozen or so rounds.

What's even more amazing is that they kept arguing about the same few questions, which he had almost memorized.

Qin Jiyuan was silent for a while, then compromised and said, "Your Aunt Tang and Xiao Yao have gone abroad for a trip. If you don't want to see them, I can let them stay a little longer. Your grandfather hasn't been feeling well lately, so go back and spend more time with him when you have time."

As he spoke, he lit another cigar. "I'm speaking to you nicely. Even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about that girl. By the way, I went to your old apartment before I came here. It was quite a sight."

The previous words weren't a threat; this is what's happening now.

Gu Zeming clenched his fist, then released it, and said sarcastically, "You're so disgusting, how could my mother have ever fallen for you?"

"..."

Qin Jiyuan took a few puffs of his cigar, his eyes narrowed slightly, and after a long while, he said with a faint smile, "Don't look at me like this now. When I was young, I was even more handsome than you."

There's no point in arguing when you can't see eye to eye. Gu Zeming didn't have time to pay attention to his dry humor and turned to leave.

Qin Jiyuan rolled up the car window, flicked his cigarette butt, and instructed the driver to return to the Qin residence.

*

Undergraduate dormitories at University A close their doors and turn off the lights promptly at midnight every night.

As Gu Zeming entered the apartment building in the city, he received a message from Liang Shu.

Hey bro, are you going back to the dorm tonight?

He glanced at it and gave a brief reply.

【No. 】

Put your phone away and press a number.

The elevator continued to rise until it reached the top floor.

Gu Zeming stood at the door for a few seconds, then took out his keys and opened the door.

The usually empty and quiet living room now has an uninvited guest.

He looked at the busy figure and asked in a cold voice, "Who let you in?"

The cleaning lady was startled when she heard the voice and stammered, "It's Mr. Qin... Mr. Qin asked me to come and help the young master clean."

Gu Zeming pressed his temples, looking pained, and said to her, "You can go back now. You don't need to clean the rest."

He looked extremely unwell, and the cleaning lady quickly packed up her tools and prepared to leave.

Gu Zeming glanced at the closed door of the study and called out to her.

"You've been in my study?"

The cleaning lady said nervously, "No, Mr. Qin went in and took a look, and told me not to touch anything inside, so I didn't dare to go in."

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for your hard work."

"It's nothing, you're too kind!"

The cleaning lady said this and left the room.

Once the footsteps had completely faded away, Gu Zeming opened the study door, and a scent mixed with oil paint, mint, and ebony wafted out.

He paused for a moment, stepped into the room, and locked the door behind him with a smooth, practiced motion.

The study is no longer a study.

The four walls were covered with paintings.

Each one is Jiang Chuyu.

Smiling, sleeping, emotional—the brushstrokes are so delicate they're almost sickly, capturing even the slightest detail in the curve of her eyelashes and the corners of her mouth.

I took a vinyl record from the wallpaper, brushed the dust off the edges with my fingertips, placed it on the turntable, and gently turned it. A hissing noise spread out, followed by the flowing sound of the piano.

Gu Zeming walked to the easel, his white shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the prominent blue veins on his arms. He picked up a paintbrush with his right hand and continued his unfinished painting.

Night gradually swallowed the moonlight, and slowly, the girl's beautiful appearance became clear.

Her long, curly black hair, fine and soft like silk, flowed freely as she followed closely behind him, ignoring his indifference. A faint fragrance emanated from her, like the damp scent of orange blossoms after rain, enveloping him.

In fact, this wasn't the first time she had followed him.

If he walked a little faster, she would lightly bite her moist, red lips, which were like jelly, and show a bewildered expression before continuing to chase after him...

She wore a misty blue halter-neck dress, the ribbon at her waist tied into a delicate bow that swayed gently with each step. Thin white stockings encased her slender calves, edged with lace. Black Mary Jane shoes trod lightly on the rough asphalt, each step feeling like stepping on his desire.

Gu Zeming supported himself on the easel with one hand, his eyes focused intently on the canvas, his tongue occasionally licking his dry lips, his fingers gradually contracting, and he panted self-torture.

He wanted to kiss her, to kiss her all over her body.

He knew it was morbid, but he couldn't hold back any longer.

The study was stuffy and humid, the windows sealed shut with heavy chenille curtains, the air thick with the murky smells of paint, ebony, and sweat. All the perverse, unspeakable desires were released in that moment.

"Not enough...not enough..."

He was panting heavily when he threw down his paintbrush and, with his paint-splattered fingers, fiercely touched the pair of moist almond-shaped eyes on the canvas.

I wanted to make her cry.

Make sure she remembers what he looks like.

He wanted to bump into her until she trembled in his arms.

She is bad.

She kisses other people.

She's a liar.

He couldn't let the slightest hint that Jiang Chuyu liked him. Otherwise, she would cower like a turtle, ignoring him completely, and then move on to love someone else.

The record was playing the climax, and an image of her kissing someone else flashed through my mind.

His breathing became rapid, and his left hand suddenly tightened, pressing his paint-stained hand against the girl's lips.

The rough linen fabric rubbed against his burning palms, and the oil paint mixed with his sweat, drawing out sticky strands at the corners of the portrait's mouth.

As the moon sank in the west, in the dark and oppressive night, he repeatedly dirtied the painting.