Chapter 30: Boiling a Frog in Slow Water
The moment He Peiru sent the message, she suddenly snapped back to reality.
Only then did she notice the time in the upper left corner, and in a daze, she completely ignored everything else, hurriedly retracting the two sentences she had just sent.
It was not yet seven o'clock, and He Peiru could only tell herself that it was still early and Gu Zhaoqian definitely hadn't gotten up yet. She put down her phone, trying to calm herself down and reassure herself that nothing had happened.
The notification sound for a new message suddenly rang out at that moment.
Gu Zhaoqian: [Too late, I've already seen it.]
This statement clearly filled her with despair.
It seems she needs to quickly decide between playing dumb or changing the subject.
He Peiru: [...I've already withdrawn it, so it doesn't count anymore.]
Gu Zhaoqian did not do as she wished.
Gu Zhaoqian: [As long as you want it, I'll do anything for you.]
The ambiguous answer immediately unsettled He Peiru. She dared not reply to anything further and put her phone back on the bedside table once more.
She went through the events in her mind, and now it seemed that she had been blessed by the god of fate.
She had only recently decided to take the plunge because of her feelings for him, but now that she knows the truth, she can weigh the situation against reality when she gets closer to Gu Zhaoqian.
It's a positive development in another sense.
She didn't intend to rush things, but she still didn't know how to face Gu Zhaoqian.
Unable to fall asleep, He Peiru decided not to stay in bed any longer. However, she had no appetite to go downstairs for breakfast, so she stayed in the room idly and picked up a book to read.
However, once the feeling of hunger arises, it is not so easy to ignore, so He Peiru had no choice but to get up and go downstairs.
It was Saturday, and she wasn't sure if Jiang Yici had gone out. As she walked downstairs, she vaguely heard voices, and for some reason, she felt something was wrong.
But I still gritted my teeth and continued on.
When she looked up, she saw Gu Zhaoqian sitting on the sofa, while Jiang Yici had just entered the study.
The moment He Peiru saw Gu Zhaoqian, she found that she did not feel the tension she had expected, and could even greet him calmly: "Brother Qian".
Her composure surprised Gu Zhaoqian. He didn't hide his reaction, and then smiled at her, saying, "Aru."
But she realized she couldn't bring herself to start a conversation with Gu Zhaoqian awkwardly, so she pursed her lips and walked toward the restaurant.
She could clearly feel a burning gaze on her from behind.
He Pei subconsciously tried to straighten her back as much as possible, attempting to cover up the panic in her heart, but she could not stop the chaotic thoughts from flashing through her mind.
Why does Gu Zhaoqian's attitude seem like he's slowly boiling a frog?
She quietly took a deep breath, trying to shake off these thoughts.
She believed she had thought things through. The reason she started dating Gu Zhaoqian in the back alley wasn't exactly something to be ashamed of; it could even be considered part of her growth experience.
However, in other people's eyes, these things combined are not easy at all.
As for the meaning of what Gu Zhaoqian said at the time, He Peiru knew that as long as she asked, he would definitely answer.
But she really didn't want her mind to be disturbed anymore.
The details of its significance, like the gift itself, will only be revealed to her rightfully at the right time or for the right reason.
He Peiru was certain that she had fallen for him, but that alone was not enough to justify her taking any further action.
She glanced at the living room out of the corner of her eye. Jiang Yici didn't seem to make much noise after coming out of the study, so she focused her attention on the breakfast in front of her.
Knowing that Jiang Yici had heard about it, she preferred to let things take their natural course.
After finishing breakfast, He Peiru didn't have the courage to stay downstairs for long and returned to her room as if she were running away.
If she had known that Gu Zhaoqian was at the Jiang family's house, she would have chosen to have Sophia bring breakfast upstairs. Fortunately, she managed to get by this morning.
If she weren't living the life she has now, she might have simply and decisively given up all hope.
Now, it seems as if I'm carrying a burden, caught in a dilemma.
Reality really loves to joke around with her.
She leaned limply against the sofa, letting out a long sigh, when her phone, which was lying beside her, rang with a notification of a new message.
Gu Zhaoqian: [I'm going back.]
The moment she saw it, He Peiru felt confused. Gu Zhaoqian was leaving, so why did he have to send her a message?
A different emotion followed.
Did Gu Zhaoqian feel it was necessary to tell her?
She bit her lip and gave a simple reply.
He Peiru: [Okay.]
She walked towards the balcony without thinking. Gu Zhaoqian's sports car was about to drive out of the Jiang family's house, and she watched the taillights disappear little by little.
A feeling of emptiness filled her chest at that moment, and faced with the ambiguous relationship with the man, she found it even harder to explain her feelings.
He Peiru stared blankly at the waves crashing on the beach, and at the same time, she began to envy Fang Xiaoxin.
If her living environment before she was recognized by the Jiang family was even slightly different, perhaps she wouldn't have worried so much.
She didn't want to make such meaningless assumptions anymore, especially since life is full of uncertainties.
He Peiru felt she should try to reduce the frequency with which she thought of Gu Zhaoqian.
The timing of her busy period was perfect; the direction of her graduation thesis needed to be refined and confirmed, which was not difficult given the knowledge she had acquired over the past three years.
However, the processing methods after data integration were enough to give her a major headache.
When choosing her major, He Peiru considered long-term future benefits and selected the major she was most interested in, which helped her avoid becoming too exhausted when facing difficulties.
The thought of being able to travel freely after graduation gave her a sudden burst of motivation.
With Jiang Yici's permission, He Peiru took her computer to the study to write her thesis, as if this would allow her to concentrate instead of being distracted by other things.
Sohpia brought in some snacks during afternoon tea, which gave her a chance to catch her breath and check her phone messages.
She suddenly remembered that Fang Xiaoxin was also graduating this year, and wondered if she was also struggling with her thesis.
He Peiru: [Xin Xin, what did you major in at university?]
Fang Xiaoxin: [I studied jewelry design, what's wrong with that?]
He Peiru: [Nothing, I just wanted to ask if you need to write a graduation thesis.]
Fang Xiaoxin: [No need, we require the design of a jewelry collection.]
Fang Xiaoxin: [What's wrong? Are you worried about your thesis?]
He Peiru felt dizzy and her eyes swelled up whenever she saw text, so she simply called Fang Xiaoxin and chatted with her, hoping it would cheer her up.
She put the phone on speakerphone and asked Fang Xiaoxin on the other end, "Is your major very interesting?"
“It’s alright,” Fang Xiaoxin replied. “What I like more is the process of collecting gems, and it sounds good to my family when they talk about it.”
He Peiru smiled and said, "If you're going to pick out gems next time, could you please invite me along?"
She had long heard about the professional choices of people in the industry. Although her major was not uncommon, most of them were sent abroad at a young age, making her a minority.
"Of course!" Fang Xiaoxin agreed without hesitation. "I'm actually a little curious, what's it like to study business?"
She summarized it simply: "It's alright, but sometimes it can be quite boring."
But when He Peiru glanced at the numbers on the screen, she couldn't help but feel sleepy.
-
Gu Zhaoqian arrived at the Jiang family's residence with practiced ease. He said to the Filipino maid who opened the door, "I'm here to get a document for Uncle Jiang."
After saying that, he walked straight towards the study.
Hearing the commotion, Sophia reminded him, "Young Master Gu, Miss is writing her thesis in the study."
Gu Zhaoqian nodded: "Understood."
He now has a perfectly legitimate reason to go into the study, so He Peiru has no reason not to see him.
Gu Zhaoqian knocked lightly on the door, but heard no response from inside.
He tentatively pressed the doorknob and found He Peiru slumped over the desk, seemingly asleep.
He tiptoed into the study, but as he approached the desk, he faintly heard voices.
"Forget it, let's not talk about anything related to our studies."
"It's been three or four days, hasn't it? What's the situation between you and that person now?"
Gu Zhaoqian paused in his steps.
After processing what he heard, he quickly realized that the person on the other end of the phone was Fang Xiaoxin, and their relationship seemed to be even better than he had known.
And it was deduced that the person being referred to seemed to be him.
Before He Peiru could answer, Fang Xiaoxin continued, "I really want to know who that person you've wanted to see again for so many years is."
She muttered, "Can't you really tell me?"
Who is the person He Peiru has wanted to see again for many years?
It sounds like it could only be him.
Gu Zhaoqian really wanted to hear more, but in the current situation, it was probably not the case that the more he knew, the better.
He didn't know how to interrupt Fang Xiaoxin without seeming abrupt, so he just coughed.
Fang Xiaoxin immediately recognized that it wasn't He Peiru's voice and asked in surprise, "Who is it? Where's Aru?"
"I am Gu Zhaoqian." Having successfully reminded him, he replied, "Aru is asleep."
Fang Xiaoxin quickly went through the words in her mind. Although she was sure she hadn't said anything she shouldn't have, she still couldn't help but stammer, "I thought Aru was just busy. Well, I'll hang up now."
"Wait a moment." Gu Zhaoqian wasn't sure if He Peiru had been woken up by them, so he turned his head to look at her profile to make a judgment. He then picked up his phone, turned off the speakerphone, and asked in the same tone as Fang Xiaoxin, "Did Aru tell you about that person?"
He then walked toward the balcony.
Fang Xiaoxin replied, "Is there something wrong?"
Although she would gossip about things in the entertainment industry, she usually kept her mouth shut, even when facing Gu Zhaoqian.
Gu Zhaoqian didn't try to get any more information, but instead tentatively asked, "You just said that she's wanted to see that person again for many years?"
Since it seemed that they were talking about the same thing, Fang Xiaoxin, both out of trust in Gu Zhaoqian and with some apprehension, asked in return, "How much do you know about the person Aru was talking about?"
“If I’m not mistaken, you probably know more than I do,” he replied casually. “I just want to know how much that person means to Aru.”
He added, "Just think of it as me being concerned about her."
Fang Xiaoxin found it a bit strange, but she couldn't help but be persuaded by his words. Besides, the current situation didn't allow her to think too much, so she could only grit her teeth and say, "I can tell you, but don't let Aru and her uncle know."
Gu Zhaoqian chuckled and said, "Then please don't let Aru know that I asked you about this."
“It’s the person I was talking about earlier, the one who’s looking for Aru… the person she’s looking for.” She muttered. “I think her attitude is pretty complicated, but I don’t know much else.”
Gu Zhaoqian replied in a deep voice, "I see..."
Feeling that an opportunity for gossip was right in front of her, Fang Xiaoxin mustered up her courage and asked, "Mr. Gu, do you know who Aru was talking about? Can you tell me?"
“I know.” He deliberately lowered his voice, but it still sounded firm and resolute, amplifying the subtle emotions in Fang Xiaoxin’s heart. “But I can’t tell you.”
He didn't reveal the truth to Fang Xiaoxin until the call ended.
Gu Zhaoqian walked back into the study and saw that He Peiru's lying position had not changed. He breathed a sigh of relief and gently put the phone back in its place.
There was always a light blanket on the sofa in the study. He picked it up and covered He Peiru with it before starting to look for the document that Jiang Yici had given him on the table.
After finding her, he didn't stay long, but before leaving the study and closing the door, he couldn't help but turn around and look at He Peiru one last time.
-
It took He Peiru a while to figure out what was going on after she woke up.
She habitually picked up her phone and checked it; not too long had passed since she called Fang Xiaoxin.
The sudden sleep swept away her fatigue, and when she looked up and saw the afterglow of the setting sun outside the balcony, she suddenly felt a sense of unreality.
She slowly sat up straight, and the thin blanket covering her slipped off onto the chair.
He Peiru looked at Sophia in confusion. Sophia had never done anything like this before, and the study wasn't particularly cold. There was absolutely no need for Sophia to do this.
Just then, she heard a knock on the door: "Miss, are you awake?"
He Peiru cleared her throat and replied, "She's awake."
Sophia then pushed open the door and came in, saying, "Dinner will probably be another half hour. Would you like some appetizers first, Miss?"
She shook her head, which allowed her to ask directly, "Did you cover me with the blanket?"
“No,” Sophia replied, “It might be Young Master Gu.”
Before Sophia could continue, upon hearing this form of address, she asked somewhat anxiously, "When did he enter the study? How come I didn't know?"
Sophia told her the whole story in detail: "Mr. Jiang asked Mr. Gu to come back and help him find a document in the study. You were probably asleep when he entered the study, and Mr. Gu was afraid of waking you up, so he moved very quietly."
He Peiru couldn't help but confirm with her again: "Are you sure no one else has been in the study?"
This time, Sophia answered with absolute certainty, "No."
"Okay, I understand." She knew that her grandparents weren't home today, so it was almost impossible for it to be anyone other than Gu Zhaoqian. "You can go out now, I'll come out of the study around the same time."
He Peiru watched Sophia walk out, and only after the study door was closed from the outside did she pick up the thin blanket and lean back in her chair, exhausted.
Why did it have to be Gu Zhaoqian again?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com