Chapter 7 That Woman
There was a knock on the glass door, and a tall, dark figure stood outside.
"Please come in." Qin Qiao looked towards the doorway.
The person who pushed open the door was exactly what she had been thinking about.
Qin Qiao immediately stood up and went out to greet him: "Teacher Gu." Her voice rose slightly at the end, revealing a hint of excitement.
Two years have passed since I last saw him, and this refined and dignified man remains unchanged. Come to think of it, he is now forty-six years old, yet time has only left faint marks on the corners of his eyes.
But don't be fooled by Mr. Gu's gentle appearance. He can make people cry even without using swear words when he scolds them. She was scolded by him a lot back then.
"Director Qin, you still haven't gotten rid of your habit of giggling all the time?"
Gu Xu glanced at her with a smile and walked familiarly toward the reception area. Qin Qiao did not go over immediately but went to the door, opened the glass door, and asked her assistant at the workstation to make two cups of Da Hong Pao tea.
"Please call me Qin Qiao, not Director," Qin Qiao said, sitting on the sofa opposite. "By the way, are you on annual leave?"
Many years ago, before she went to work abroad, Gu Xu had already been transferred to CCTV in Beijing, where she worked as an anchor for two years before moving behind the scenes and now serving as the chief producer. The higher the position, the greater the responsibility, and there is basically no personal time.
However, in the fourth year that Qin Qiao worked abroad, Gu Xu was on a business trip and the two had a small get-together in the UK. They ate together, chatted about some interesting things from the past, and Gu Xu would still give her some advice as if she were his former intern. His speaking style was sharp, but the advice he gave was always thought-provoking.
"Half a month, give myself a break," Gu Xu said. A slight smile played on his thin lips as he asked, "What are your plans for coming back this time?" His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the leather surface, as if it were an unconscious action.
The glass door opened, and the assistant walked towards them carrying two cups of hot tea on a tray. He stopped in front of the coffee table, bent down, picked up the tea, placed one cup in front of Gu Xu, and the other cup next to Qin Qiao.
After the assistant left, Qin Qiao replied, "For now, it's tentatively planned to stay in the country."
The two chatted about career planning, with Gu Xu occasionally offering humorous comments, which Qin Qiao would then pick up on. They had a pleasant conversation, and before they knew it, it was getting dark outside.
Gu Xu picked up his teacup, took a small sip of tea, and put the cup down: "Have you ever thought about developing your career in Beijing? There happens to be a position at the station that would suit you."
Qin Qiao shook his head and smiled faintly: "The National Radio and Television Administration has always been a beacon for media professionals, but after traveling all over the world these years, I have come to realize that the weight of ideals cannot be measured by altitude alone... Moreover, at my age, I am afraid I can no longer climb the steps of the National Radio and Television Administration building. It would be better to leave the opportunity to more energetic young people."
"At your age..." Gu Xu couldn't help but chuckle, "You dare to say you can't climb stairs at thirty-six? I climb forty-six stairs every day." He nodded repeatedly, "Okay, I respect your decision."
Qin Qiao turned to look out the window. Her office was on the twelfth floor. From there, she couldn't see the rain curtains that the car wipers couldn't clear on the street; she couldn't see the pedestrians holding umbrellas that were blown inside out by the wind; she couldn't see the landscape trees swaying left and right in the wind. She could only see the raindrops hitting the window like bullets and the misty rain. The windows were well soundproofed, so she couldn't hear any outside noises at all. After staying in one place for a long time, she had forgotten what the real world was like.
Seeing that she was lost in thought, Gu Xu coughed twice as if to say, "I'm leaving now. I met some old friends from the provincial TV station today, and we had a very pleasant chat." As he spoke, he stood up.
Qin Qiao stood up and said worriedly, "It's raining so hard outside, please sit for a while longer."
"I'll take Lao Lu's car back." Gu Xu picked up his coat from the sofa.
The "Old Lu" that Gu Xu mentioned was the station director. The station director was usually driven around by a driver, so Qin Qiao felt a little more at ease and saw him to the door.
Take care.
*
This Sunday, with some rare free time, Qin Qiao took the children to the playground near their home.
Sister Lan and Yang Shuhua accompanied them to ride the carousel, while Qin Qiao sat under a parasol, head bowed, replying to messages in the work group.
By the end of May, the temperature was approaching 30 degrees Celsius. She felt hot and damp, so she put down her phone, took off the hair tie from her wrist, gathered her loose hair with one hand, and skillfully wrapped it twice with the other hand to tie it into a loose ponytail that hung down her back.
My neck felt instantly cool.
"Mother!"
Xi Xi ran over and took her finger, insisting on playing with her.
As long as the child is happy, Qin Qiao accompanied Xi Xi on the little airplane. There were water guns on it, and water jets sprayed into the fountain pool in the middle. The cheers of the children around them rose and fell. After all, she was getting old. After one round, she felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet, so she took a break and held onto the railing.
After a few more activities, Qin Qiao refused to participate no matter what. No matter how much the three children pleaded, she felt she was better suited to sitting under a parasol, scrolling through her phone – activities for the elderly.
Speaking of which, I haven't touched any gym equipment since returning to China. A while ago, I passed by the Wanhua Shopping Mall and saw an advertisement for a gym on the big screen. I was thinking of getting a membership the next day, but I got busy and forgot about it. It's been almost two months now.
She stared at her phone, mechanically swiping the screen, thinking about all sorts of random things, like what to eat tonight, getting a gym membership tomorrow... as if that would make time pass faster.
"Godfather."
A small, thin boy wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt and dark blue shorts walked past her: "I want to play on the airplane in front!"
A faint scent of men's cologne wafted in the sweltering wind—a very familiar aroma. Just then, a white light caught my eye.
Qin Qiao's pupils narrowed slightly as she recognized it as a white cane. Her gaze moved upwards, and then upwards again, until Chen Jiashu's smiling face flashed past her eyes.
She wasn't very surprised; it seemed like it was expected. The sunlight on his face, however, was a little too bright for her eyes.
Chen Jiashu was pulled forward by the boy. To his right was a tall, thin woman with beautiful features and a pure temperament. She was indeed a very young woman, just as Chu Yutong had said.
The phone slipped from her hand and landed on the round table. Qin Qiao picked it up calmly, as if suddenly remembering something, and after a long while, she gave a slightly mocking smile.
For a long time afterward, Qin Qiao's life returned to its usual uneventful routine: going to work, coming home, and going to the gym on weekends.
It was Sunday again, and Qin Qiao drove to Mission Hills Golf Course at the agreed time.
She went into the locker room to change into a golf outfit, then went to the VIP equipment area to retrieve the set of clubs she had stored there. After that, she rode a golf cart around the lush green perimeter of the golf course for about fifteen minutes before stopping at the back door of the spectator pavilion.
The two station directors, editor-in-chief Lao Sheng, and deputy editor Qiu Ting arrived even earlier than her. The five of them went through a small door and rode in the same car to the teeing table.
The sky was a clear, deep blue, spotless and without a trace of impurity. The endless green below connected with the rolling green hills in the distance, and drones hovered in the air.
Huang Tai swung his club with ease, the little white ball drew a white arc on the green field, and went into the hole—a very beautiful opening shot.
They were playing a recreational game, one person per hole. Soon it was Qin Qiao's turn. She raised the brim of her hat, squinted to measure the distance, and the caddie handed her the number three club. She turned her waist, swung the club, and the white ball rolled about five meters and stopped at the hole.
The two station directors laughed heartily behind them. Qin Qiao's gentle smile carried a hint of helplessness. She walked over, took another shot, and the ball finally went into the hole.
A loud, booming laugh erupted from seat number five on the south side of the stadium, startling a flock of white birds perched on the steel roof, which then took flight.
Nearly 70-year-old Zhong Dong stood with one hand on his hip and the other holding a tablet computer, which displayed footage of the team competition transmitted by a drone.
"Chairman Wan, did your team not eat breakfast this morning?" Chairman Zhong laughed exaggeratedly again. Chairman Wan smiled and shook his head, put down the tablet, picked up the binoculars on the table, walked to the highest point, raised them to his eyes, and searched for their team.
After teasing Chairman Wan, Chairman Zhong turned to Chen Jiashu, who was looking down at his tablet: "Chairman Chen, what's this? Did you bring an office worker team to play golf today? If you lose by three strokes, back in our day, you'd be forced to drink a penalty shot on the spot."
Chen Jiashu looked up to meet his gaze and said calmly, "Old Zhong is right, but golf is an 18-hole sport, not a three-hole game to decide the winner."
Qin Zhendong, who was sitting one seat away from Chen Jiashu, chuckled and said, "Old Zhong, don't be in such a hurry to collect your winnings. Chairman Chen's team is best at turning the tide against all odds. Last time in the South China bidding, didn't they also reverse the situation in the last half hour?"
The four chairmen sitting here are all older than Chen Jiashu and are all leaders in the business world. Back when this young man was out there promoting his products, they didn't even give him a second glance. Who would have thought that in just a few years, Chen Jiashu would not only be on equal footing with them but also become their close friend despite the age difference?
The business world is like a battlefield; in the end, it's all a game of exchanging interests. But it must be admitted that Chen Jiashu does have exceptional qualities and is a capable junior. Unfortunately, his eyesight is poor, and whether he can survive three consecutive board votes for re-election is uncertain.
On the other hand, whether one can hold onto this position ultimately depends on how much real money one can bring to shareholders. Even after Masu of the M-country Os Group ran into trouble, he still remained in power for so many years, didn't he?
Looking at this boy who was about the same age as his son, Qin Zhendong felt both admiration and a sense of awe.
Chen Jiashu put down his tablet, pinched the bridge of his nose, and Tian Jiayue leaned close to his left ear and said, "I heard that Zhong Dong's team has professional players who are cheating."
Chen Jiashu nodded and said, "I'll go to the restroom first."
He took the white cane from his side, opened it, and tapped it on the ground. The eyes of the four directors immediately focused on him.
With his poor eyesight, his sense of touch has become much sharper. He remembered clearly every time they looked at him and every glance they cast.
Chen Jiashu bowed slightly: "Excuse me for a moment, I just got back in time for the devilish round on the 18th hole."
Assistant Zhang led Chen Jiashu to the lounge. Chen Jiashu sat on the sofa, took out his phone from his coat pocket, swiped to find Zhu Ao's number, and dialed it.
"Didn't you say last time that Xiao Jiang from our company's business department is a level 2 golf athlete? Let him come over now."
Zhu Ao, who was overseas, joked, "It's just a small project, calm down, calm down."
"We must win this bid." Chen Jiashu tapped the sofa armrest with his slender fingers. "Contact them immediately."
After the call ended, Chen Jiashu waited quietly. Less than half a minute later, Zhu Ao called back: "Xiao Jiang has been sent to Wushi on a business trip."
Wushi is over a thousand kilometers away. What an unfortunate coincidence! Chen Jiashu asked again, "Doesn't Qiao Shu have any other suitable candidates?"
“You’ve taken all the general managers with you,” Zhu Ao said, also looking troubled. “Wait for me, I’ll find some outside help.”
Chen Jiashu felt someone standing beside him. His left eye was blind, but he seemed to see a pale blue figure and a faint, cool fragrance slowly drifting over.
The scent was a blend of jasmine and other unnamed floral fragrances, a gentle and neutral aroma that he had only ever smelled on Qin Qiao.
The woman's light blue golf uniform accentuated her slender and graceful figure. Her delicate, red lips, faintly visible beneath the brim of her hat, and her long, swan-like neck, combined to create a striking image even in his blurry vision.
"Qiao Qiao".
He almost sprang to his feet, as if his body recognized her before his mind could process it.
A note from the author:
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