Chapter 50 A Cruel Declaration Tears welled up rapidly in his eyes, and he swayed…
Occasionally, Qi Xueqing could glean bits and pieces of information about Gu Qingyan from interviews in financial magazines or cutting-edge reports in the technology section. She knew that his company had completed another round of financing, that he had led a technological breakthrough in a key bottleneck, and that his business empire in Mingchuan was becoming increasingly stable and his path increasingly broad. Those cold, printed words and clear photographs were once the only narrow slits through which she glimpsed his rapidly advancing life.
At this moment, Gu Qingyan was actually sitting just a few steps away. He looked more real and more substantial than any of the images in the reports. The curve of his jawline and the slight furrow between his brows were clearly visible.
However, this sense of realism only highlights a more despairing remoteness.
Compared to the boy in college who could pierce the air and attract attention with just his talent and sharpness, the man in front of me is more composed and reserved, and his aura is more powerful and cannot be ignored. However, behind the maturity honed by the years is a deeper, more unapproachable aloofness and loneliness.
At this moment, watching Gu Qingyan's profile as he waited quietly in the twilight, an absurd and humble wish uncontrollably swept through Qi Xueqing's heart. How wonderful it would be if this were truly just an ordinary reunion with an old friend, a date that might allow her to set aside the past and bring about different possibilities. The carefully chosen restaurant, the view outside the window, and her meticulously coordinated outfit all seemed to finally possess their intended romantic meaning.
But the next second, reality crashed down with its cold weight. Gu Qingyan's early arrival, and the unwavering tension around him, were not for Qi Xueqing! The deep-seated, almost bursting eagerness in his eyes, his focused and devoted waiting, were all for Lin Yuwei, the woman who could throw him into chaos many years ago, and who, many years later, could still easily make him break all his rules of calm and self-control.
She took a deep breath, extinguishing the inappropriate thoughts in her mind, and once again adopted the composure and calmness of the youngest editor-in-chief of Mingchuan Daily. She walked step by step towards the warm sunset and the cold figure under the sunset.
She walked slowly closer, her high heels making a soft sound on the ground, but he seemed completely absorbed in his own world and didn't notice her until she sat down opposite him, at which point Gu Qingyan seemed to be startled back to his senses.
He didn't exchange pleasantries, not even bothering with a polite "long time no see," and simply pushed the menu over, his movements revealing an undisguised impatience.
"I don't know if your tastes have changed." Gu Qingyan's voice maintained the bare minimum of politeness, but it was so cold that no emotion could be detected, as if she was just going through a necessary procedure. "You order first."
Qi Xueqing silently mocked herself in her heart. You don't even know what my tastes are, so what's the point of talking about "whether they've changed"? Her face remained calm, even with a polite smile, as she reached out and took the menu.
Almost the instant her fingertips touched the menu, Gu Qingyan couldn't wait to get to the only topic he cared about. He looked at her sharply, his voice carrying an undeniable urgency: "After you order, can you tell me about that matter?" All his patience and extremely limited attention were clearly reserved for that one purpose. Everything else, including the living, breathing woman sitting across from him, was just a blurry, insignificant background.
The faint hope in Qi Xueqing's heart, which she herself didn't want to delve into, cooled considerably under his businesslike, cold, and detached attitude. If emotions had a tangible form, they would surely have shattered into countless ice shards by now. However, she showed no sign of it on her face. Instead, she raised her eyes, a perfectly timed, slightly reproachful smile curving her lips, insisting on eating first, as if this were truly just a dinner between long-lost old friends: "President Gu, even capitalists can't exploit people like this! I rushed here all the way; you can't bear to let me talk about business on an empty stomach, can you? No matter how important the matter, we can discuss it after we eat."
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyan's jawline seemed to tighten for a moment, but he ultimately nodded, barely suppressing his eagerness, and his voice remained calm: "Okay. We'll talk after dinner."
The meal was like a silent torment for Gu Qingyan. He ate without tasting anything, his movements were hurried, and his eyes kept glancing at his watch or out the window. He was completely oblivious to the carefully prepared dishes in front of him, the elegant surroundings, and even her obviously meticulously made-up face. His entire mind was already firmly gripped by the unknown news about "her".
Seeing his absent-mindedness, the last vestige of unrealistic expectation in Qi Xueqing's heart was completely extinguished and cooled to ashes. A professional instinct mixed with bitterness, embarrassment, and coldness completely took over. She had no desire to continue this tasteless dinner and would no longer humiliate herself by delaying the time.
Qi Xueqing elegantly and resolutely put down her silver cutlery, the cutlery clinking crisply against the bone china plate. Then, she took out her phone, without any preamble, and without needing any preamble, directly opened the exquisitely designed but, in her eyes, incredibly glaring electronic invitation, turned the screen towards him, and steadily pushed it onto the tablecloth in front of him.
On the screen, Lin Yuwei nestled beside Zhou Xubai, her smile radiant and happy, against a backdrop of a beautiful engagement announcement.
"Lin Yuwei is getting engaged to Zhou Xubai." Her voice was calm, even carrying a hint of cold clarity.
Qi Xueqing's words fell heavily, like the gavel of a judge.
In an instant, time seemed to freeze at that moment. The air stagnated, and all the subtle sounds around us—such as the light clinking of silver forks against cups and saucers, the faint whispers in the distance, and even the sounds of cars flowing past the window—abruptly faded away, replaced by a vacuum-like stillness.
Qi Xueqing could almost see with her naked eye that the cold, hard light surrounding Gu Qingyan suddenly dimmed and shattered. He was as if he had been thrown into an ice cellar, completely frozen in place. His blood seemed to stop flowing. His pupils contracted sharply, reflecting the smiling faces of the perfect couple on the screen. A huge, unbelievable shock and a heart-wrenching pain surged and tore wildly in his eyes, almost bursting out of his body.
This man, who was always known for his introverted and restrained nature, suddenly had his eyes redden rapidly, and tears welled up in his eyes, teetering on the verge of falling, stubbornly refusing to come down, which only made the brokenness of his forced composure even more shocking.
Qi Xueqing calmly, even with a hint of barely perceptible cruelty, silently savored his rare and utter breakdown. Just as his emotions were about to overflow, she, like the most shrewd businesswoman, presented her terms clearly and calmly at his most vulnerable moment: "I can find a way to get you to their engagement party." She paused, her sharp gaze observing every trace of pain and struggle on his face, and continued, "In exchange, you need to formally introduce me to Mr. Li of Yangyi Group, and ensure I get him an exclusive interview."
Gu Qingyan was completely unable to process what she said next. His hearing, his vision, all his senses seemed to freeze and shrink completely, finally locked on the cold, radiant phone screen. He stared at Lin Yuwei's smiling face on the screen with an almost ferocious, desperate intensity, as if trying to snatch her away from that strange, obstructive man and embed her into his very bones. His straight shoulders slumped slightly, as if bearing an invisible, immense pressure, as if the whole world was collapsing and shattering before his eyes, turning into a desolate wasteland.
After a long time, long enough that the background music in the restaurant had changed, long enough that the air had become stagnant and thick, he finally managed to squeeze out a dry, hoarse, almost broken voice from deep in his throat, as if he had used all his strength: "I'm sorry, I... need to think about it."
After saying that, he couldn't stay a second longer. He almost staggered to his feet, slamming his head against the table with a thud, and rushed out of the restaurant in a panic, almost fleeing, leaving behind a disheveled figure and almost untouched dishes on the table.
Late at night, when Lu Ming finally found Gu Qingyan in the darkest corner of the bar, there were several empty bottles scattered on the table in front of him. The strong smell of alcohol almost overwhelmed him. Lu Ming had never seen his friend so distraught and dejected, as if all his energy had been drained away.
"What happened?" Lu Ming rushed forward and supported his swaying shoulder.
Gu Qingyan raised her head, her eyes unfocused and broken, her voice hoarse and almost torn: "She's getting married..." Every word was filled with despair.
Lu Ming instantly understood. He picked up the phone that Gu Qingyan had gripped so tightly it was almost deformed. The screen displayed the striking engagement invitation. He glanced at it carefully, then pressed down hard on his friend's trembling shoulder, his tone resolute and filled with unwavering encouragement:
"Look carefully, Lao Gu! It's an engagement! Just an engagement! Not a fucking wedding! Do you hear me?!"
Lu Ming stared intently into Gu Qingyan's empty eyes, trying to infuse them with strength and conviction: "If you're a man, fight to the end! It's just an engagement, the sky isn't falling! Even if it really comes to marriage, it's not like there's absolutely no chance of turning things around! As long as you don't want to give up, as long as you still have her in your heart, there's always hope! Do you hear me?!"
These words, like a cluster of blazing flames, suddenly pierced the depths of Gu Qingyan's lifeless, cold eyes. His empty pupils contracted violently, as if scorched by the sudden light and heat. Then, a kind of almost obsessive, reckless, and determined light, catalyzed by alcohol and despair, burst forth again in his eyes like wildfire.
He suddenly grabbed the phone from the table, roughly swiped the screen, found Qi Xueqing's number, and pressed the call button hard.
The call was answered almost immediately. Gu Qingyan's hoarse voice, carrying a do-or-die determination, pierced through the hazy noise and clamor of the bar: "Deal!"
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Author's Note: The National Day holiday is almost here! What are everyone's travel plans? We'll continue daily updates during the holiday, because I have a huge stockpile of chapters! [Sunglasses] Feel free to jump in!
I'm driving to Hunan tomorrow for a trip. Are there any lovely ladies in Hunan here? Could you share some fun things to do? [fireworks][fireworks][fireworks]
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