Chapter 24 Suit Jacket

He Peiru turned her head to look at Gu Zhaoqian standing on the stage.

The moment Gu Zhaoqian stood firmly on the stage, flashes of light immediately went off from all directions.

He seemed to have gotten used to this scene.

He Peiru could clearly sense that he had put away the laziness he had when he was sitting in the audience. His clear and gentle voice, besides being deep, also had a magnetic quality, as if intentionally or unintentionally striking her heart.

He seemed nonchalant when he sat beside her, but his speech on stage surprised He Peiru. It was so fluent and unbelievable that it didn't sound as casual as he had said.

On the contrary, it seems more like they made a lot of preparations in private.

It is probably through years of accumulated experience that one develops the confidence to handle things with ease.

He Peiru gathered her thoughts and turned slightly to listen attentively to Gu Zhaoqian's speech.

"The funds raised at the dinner should be used to help those in need, rather than to encourage the greed of some ordinary citizens."

"For those receiving assistance, it is important to coordinate with the responsible social worker and conduct follow-up visits to update their status from time to time."

“The most resilient flowers can bloom from barren land, and the significance of raising funds is to pave a relatively smooth road for them.”

If Gu Zhaoqian really didn't take it seriously, he could simply appeal for donations on stage, and even if he didn't mention any other options, he could just step off the stage, and no one else would dare to object.

He Peiru was moved by Gu Zhaoqian's words and was curious about his actions, but she was also certain that she could not see through him.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been surprised by his appearance on stage.

After saying what he wanted to say, Gu Zhaoqian turned around and walked back to his original spot, seemingly oblivious to the thunderous applause around him.

He Peiru watched him sit down casually, as if he were an outsider. She turned her head slightly and said, "No wonder my uncle said he always asked you to help with his speeches. You really were..."

She paused, thinking for a moment about which word to use to describe it: "proficient and skilled."

Gu Zhaoqian looked at her, but didn't directly accept what was meant as a compliment. Instead, a subtle smile played on his lips as he replied, "Don't you realize how much older I am than you?"

“And,” he casually leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow at her, “you can too, you can learn it over time.”

The difference between He Peiru and Gu Zhaoqian was obvious to the naked eye, so she would definitely not choose to easily believe what he said. She just smiled and said, "I do hope so."

Before she could say much, the host on stage announced that they were about to move on to the next segment, and He Peiru immediately fell silent to prepare.

She was quickly guided onto the stage by the staff, just like Gu Zhaoqian had been, but she was certain that her movements were not as natural as Gu Zhaoqian's.

For a typical charity gala, the Chiang family's donation of six million is considered top-tier, which is why she was chosen to represent the Chiang family on stage.

The procedures on stage were almost complete. He Peiru never imagined that the giant check she had only ever seen in TV dramas would one day be in her hands.

When she faced the camera just like Gu Zhaoqian had done earlier, she realized that it wasn't easy to show a flawless smile.

Fortunately, she was very focused and quickly got through this part.

She casually glanced around the audience and noticed that Gu Zhaoqian was sitting in their original seats, turned to the side and looking in their direction.

For a moment, I had the illusion that he was always watching me.

After the group photo was taken, the host began reading the list of thank-yous, which meant that the dinner was finally coming to an end.

It ended faster than He Peiru had imagined, and it wasn't as complicated as she had worried.

Especially after tonight, Gu Zhaoqian's image in her mind has become more three-dimensional, as if she understands Gu Zhaoqian better than before.

Even though it was over, He Peiru still had to return to her seat to find Gu Zhaoqian. Inevitably, people came up to them and started talking, and out of politeness, she could only patiently respond to each one.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally managed to slip away from the crowd and leave the banquet hall.

The weather on Hong Kong Island is unforgiving, with the sweltering heat of the evening contrasting sharply with the biting wind that seeps through the gaps in the skyscrapers at this moment.

He Peiru couldn't help but shiver and muttered, "Phew, it's a bit cold tonight."

When preparing a dress, different weather conditions are usually taken into account, and a shawl or coat is always used as an accessory. However, He Peiru did not expect the weather to change so suddenly, and she left the shawl in the car.

The venue for this charity gala did not have an underground parking lot. He Peiru was not so thoughtful as to consider even these uncertainties. Fortunately, she could just stand there and wait for the driver to bring the car over.

She tried to comfort herself, but she couldn't help but tremble.

Just then, He Peiru suddenly felt a different weight on her shoulders, followed by being enveloped in a perfume scent.

She turned around in surprise and found that Gu Zhaoqian had taken off his suit jacket and gently draped it over her shoulder.

It's likely that the man saw everything she did.

However, the moment she met Gu Zhaoqian's gaze, he seemed to smile nonchalantly at her surprised expression and reminded her, "Just say you're cold, be careful not to catch a cold."

He added, as if explaining, "Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to explain it to Uncle Jiang."

Gu Zhaoqian's explanation made his actions seem justified, but He Peiru still couldn't help but feel her ears burning.

She didn't even need to look in a mirror to know that her ears were definitely covered in a blush.

She still found Gu Zhaoqian's actions sudden, but she simply pursed her lips, suppressed her excitement, and said, "...Thank you."

The oversized suit jacket was enough to block the constant wind, and He Peiru finally felt less cold than before during the remaining waiting time.

However, the lingering scent of perfume never dissipated.

She couldn't identify the smell, only that it was faint and pleasant.

You can only smell it when you get really close.

He Peiru felt that she was somewhat disappointing.

The suit jacket alone was enough to set her off, and the overwhelming embarrassment made her dare not look up at Gu Zhaoqian again.

Fortunately, after leaving the banquet hall, the surrounding guests, as if by unspoken agreement, did not come forward to disturb them. He Peiru simply pretended that no one would see her and Gu Zhaoqian's actions.

Although the area outside the banquet hall was full of people waiting to leave, the order was good, and the driver brought the car to them in no time.

Despite the presence of a driver in the car, as soon as the door opened, she realized she would find it difficult to control her breathing in the cramped space.

After a brief hesitation, He Peiru just wanted to get on the bus as soon as possible, so that she could rightfully sit in the innermost seat, the one furthest away from Gu Zhaoqian.

She was about to get into the car when she sensed some movement behind her.

Turning her head, she saw Gu Zhaoqian bending down to help her lift up her flared skirt.

He seemed worried she might trip, and reminded her, "Be careful when you get on the bus."

Even though she was only touching the fabric of the dress, He Peiru felt the warmth of Gu Zhaoqian's palm spread throughout her entire body.

The somewhat absurd idea made her increasingly flustered. She hurriedly lifted her skirt and finally sat down to calm herself down.

She couldn't wait for the driver to start the car, and even more so, she hoped he could floor the accelerator so she could get back to the Chiang family ancestral home as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, there were many cars on the road tonight. Perhaps Gu Zhaoqian had specifically instructed the drivers to prioritize a smooth ride when navigating mountain roads, and they were driving slower than usual.

He Peiru remained silent throughout the journey, with no intention of speaking first.

She looked up to see the scenery outside, and noticed from the reflection in the car window that Gu Zhaoqian seemed to be resting with his eyes closed.

This is better; there's no need to remain in an awkward atmosphere. He Peiru immediately relaxed.

Little did she know that the moment she turned her gaze away...

Gu Zhaoqian opened his eyes again.

About ten minutes later, the car finally drove into the Jiang family ancestral home. Before anyone else could come forward, He Peiru rushed to open the car door.

Regardless of whether she looked like she was fleeing in panic, he still turned around and said, "Brother Qian, thank you for bringing me back."

Without waiting for Gu Zhaoqian's reply, she immediately went inside.

Seeing her slightly hurried steps, Sophia quickly stepped forward and asked, "Miss, what's wrong?"

He Peiru bit her lip and answered vaguely, "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired."

“You…” Sophia’s gaze fell on her, and she asked uncertainly, “Is the suit jacket you’re wearing Mr. Gu’s?”

She suddenly stopped walking towards the room. She had only been thinking about getting out of the car as quickly as possible and had forgotten that she was still wearing Gu Zhaoqian's coat.

He Peiru turned around, and the headlights of the car that had been parked outside not long ago had disappeared.

She couldn't possibly make Gu Zhaoqian turn back.

She stood there, unsure of what to do: "Let me think..."

He had no choice but to take out his phone and send a message to Gu Zhaoqian.

He Peiru: [Brother Qian, I forgot to return your jacket when I got out of the car. Do you want me to have someone bring it to you now?]

Gu Zhaoqian: [It's alright, I'll take it when I go to the Jiang family.]

He replied quickly, making He Peiru increasingly unsure whether he had noticed her when she got out of the car.

He Peiru: [Should I have the cleaning lady take it to be cleaned?]

Gu Zhaoqian: [Okay, but there's no need to go to such lengths.]

He Peiru took off her suit jacket and handed it to Sophia, who was standing to the side, saying, "Take it to the dry cleaners."

She had just taken a small step outside when she added, "Please take it back to my room after you've washed it."

"OK."

Sophia then turned and walked towards the laundry room.

The indoor temperature was just right, but she was still surrounded by tension and couldn't help feeling a little hot.

She gripped her phone and replied to Gu Zhaoqian again.

He Peiru: [Yes, we need to. We can't just let you take it back like that.]

After confirming that there were no typos in the reply, she slowed her pace and walked towards the room, clearly realizing that she had once again been influenced by Gu Zhaoqian.

She knew that there was no such thing as a heartbeat without a reason, and her completely different feelings for him were entirely composed of different aspects.

She leaned against the door of the room and took a deep breath. Now she had finally made a decision in her heart.

Rather than constantly wavering, she might as well accept Fang Xiaoxin's suggestion completely. She simply couldn't convince herself that Gu Zhaoqian's actions were based on the Jiang family.

He Peiru's gaze involuntarily fell on the bedside table, where the gift that Gu Zhaoqian had given her separately on the night of her birthday party was still safely placed.

She became curious about what was inside and wanted to open it now, but felt it wasn't the right time yet.

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Author's note: February 29th, which comes only once every four years!

I've been quite busy these past two weeks, so I'll probably only be able to update every two to three days. TvT