Qi Xi had always scoffed at couples' clingy behavior. But now that she was experiencing it firsthand, she felt ashamed of her past naiveté.
She truly didn't want to part.
On such a cold night, she and Gu Yan sat on a roadside bench in their apartment complex, saying goodbye for a full half hour.
It felt like they had endless things to talk about, endless kisses to exchange.
By the time Gu Yan watched her walk upstairs, Qi Xi felt dizzy and lightheaded, almost drunk.
Zhao Yiran, who returned home shortly after, thought the same. Sniffing the air around Qi Xi, she wrinkled her brow, puzzled. "Didn't you say you didn't drink? Why do you smell of alcohol? Even your breath smells of it."
Qi Xi hadn't had any alcohol, but…Gu Yan had!
She glanced nervously at Zhao Yiran, nodding randomly while quickly changing the subject. "What's that in your hand?"
"Food! Hot food! Just delivered! Are you hungry? Want some?"
Zhao Yiran's question made Qi Xi realize she was, in fact, a bit hungry. Perhaps being in love was calorie-intensive!
But as they opened the packaging and began to eat, a familiar taste sparked a memory. Wasn't this the same unbranded takeout Gu Yan had brought home when she was staying at his place?
Sure enough, upon closer inspection, the takeout containers Zhao Yiran brought also lacked any store name or brand information. Yet, the food was just as exquisite as she remembered.
Qi Xi didn't care about the price of the food, but she was curious. "Which small artisanal shop did you get this from? It doesn't seem to have any food safety permits or anything, but it tastes amazing. Is it some trendy online store? Give me the name. I'll order from there next time I don't feel like cooking!"
"Trendy online store? This is from a super exclusive, high-end private restaurant!" Zhao Yiran shook her head, enlightening Qi Xi. "Don't you ever go online? Don't you know this is Vbest, the private restaurant that's impossible to book unless you're a VIP? Not only is it hard to get a reservation, but it's also expensive. Don't underestimate these few dishes; they cost as much as our monthly salary."
Qi Xi stared at the "unbranded product" in disbelief. What she had assumed was a casual takeout meal purchased by Gu Yan turned out to be something extraordinary. The shock gave way to a sweet flutter in her chest.
Gu Yan had never mentioned anything about it. He had simply handed it to her as if it were an ordinary takeout meal. Seeing her enthusiastic enjoyment, he had continued to buy it for her every few days throughout her stay. Considering each meal cost nearly Zhao Yiran's entire monthly salary, she must have cost Gu Yan tens of thousands of yuan during her time at his place…
Qi Xi had always considered herself relatively frugal. She hadn't expected to experience such extravagant living, courtesy of Gu Yan, before even thinking about relying on him financially.
Her heart felt like a deer, galloping across a spring meadow. To hide her obvious shyness and nervousness, she quickly changed the subject again, turning to Zhao Yiran. "That expensive? How could you afford it? Weren't you saving for a down payment on a house? Even if you're celebrating the end of overtime, isn't spending a month's salary on a late-night snack a bit extravagant?"
Her casual question, however, made Zhao Yiran the one who became shy, nervous, and awkward.
She stammered, avoiding the question. "Well…I didn't buy it. Someone insisted on buying it for me to celebrate the end of my overtime…"
Qi Xi understood. She leaned closer to Zhao Yiran, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Is it that supercar-driving rich guy from the bar who charmed you so much you ditched me?"
"What supercar-driving rich guy! He has a name! It's Lin Junhe. While his family is quite wealthy, he doesn't rely on them. He's running his own startup. The money for this private restaurant meal came from his performance bonus for meeting his KPIs this month."
Qi Xi's curiosity was piqued. Resting her chin on her hand, she asked, "So, how are things progressing between you two?"
Zhao Yiran might not have answered under normal circumstances, but she had just seen Lin Junhe, had a few drinks, and her emotions were running high. Coupled with her close relationship with Qi Xi, despite her shyness, she decided to share her secret. "Actually…he's been pursuing me quite seriously, and he's not like those typical flamboyant rich kids. He's quite down-to-earth. He's good-looking, well-educated, and has a good personality. I can't discriminate against him just because he's rich, right? So, we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend a week ago. And now, of course, we've done…everything."
???
What did "everything" mean?
Zhao Yiran seemed to catch Qi Xi's confused look. She lightly tapped Qi Xi's head with a file from the table. "My dear genius, are you that naive? 'Everything' means that."
"That?"
"You know…the stuff they cut out or censor in novels and TV shows!" Zhao Yiran gave Qi Xi an exasperated look. "Honestly, aren't you silly? When a man and a woman are dating, isn't it about that? Do you think it's still like before, where dating is just cuddling under the covers and chatting? Look, while it shouldn't be casual, if the feelings are there, and you both like each other, it's natural to sleep together. It's normal for both parties to enjoy it."
Finally, Qi Xi understood. She wasn't particularly conservative and didn't believe in premarital abstinence. But as a dating novice, she was still a bit shocked.
"You've only been dating for a week. Isn't that a bit fast?"
Zhao Yiran shrugged it off, flipping her hair. "If a guy really, really likes you, once you become official, he won't be able to hold back. If he's always polite and never makes any moves, that's a problem. We've had so many cases in our family court of cheated wives filing for divorce. Their statements often say that during their premarital relationship, the guy never made any advances, and the woman mistook it for him being conservative, traditional, refined, and gentlemanly. Then, problems arise after marriage."
"We even had a case where the man had premature…issues, and the woman filed for divorce. They never…tested things out before marriage, and only after getting married did she discover the problem. Now, they're in a huge mess, completely incompatible."
Zhao Yiran took a sip of water. "It's modern times, and men and women are equal. Some men…aren't necessarily…capable. A short period of cohabitation before marriage is really necessary. It's to see if your personalities are compatible, if you can live together harmoniously, and if you're sexually compatible. That's a significant part of married life."
Qi Xi's eyes widened in realization. "Is that so…"
"Yes!" Zhao Yiran frowned. "But why are you asking these questions? Are you seeing someone?"
Qi Xi felt a little nervous. "Yes, I am. It's new."
"When are you bringing him around to meet us?"
"N-next time."
Qi Xi was apprehensive, but thankfully Zhao Yiran didn't press her on who her boyfriend was. Instead, she stroked her chin with a knowing look. "So, this boyfriend of yours…hasn't made any moves yet?"
Feeling shy and wanting to avoid the topic, Qi Xi looked away and resumed eating. "We just started dating, so it's normal. He's quite shy. It's his first relationship too."
"Oh, please! Haven't you heard the saying, 'A teenage boy's mind is dirtier than a toilet'? The more innocent they appear on the surface, the more mischievous they are inside! What era are we living in? Do you still believe in pure boys? Eighty percent of the 'pure boys' out there are fake, just yellow boys in disguise!"
"..."
Qi Xi pictured Gu Yan. It was hard to imagine him as a "yellow boy" in disguise.
She tried to defend him. "I think…"
Zhao Yiran interrupted her. "Don't 'think.' You need to be careful. If your boyfriend hasn't made any further advances beyond hugs and kisses, there's definitely something wrong!"
Shortly after, Lin Junhe called, and Zhao Yiran happily retreated to her room to chat.
Zhao Yiran's words, though unintentional, lingered in Qi Xi's mind.
Since they started dating, apart from kissing, Gu Yan hadn't crossed any lines. There hadn't even been any hints of intention or moments of lost control.
Was this normal?
Qi Xi wondered.
Was she not attractive enough?
Or…could Gu Yan really be…incapable…?
Lost in these thoughts, Qi Xi drifted off to sleep, waking up the next day with dark circles under her eyes.
Although they had only been apart for one night, she missed Gu Yan terribly. She longed to see him, to be with him, to share every moment with him.
But work was work.
Once immersed in her assigned tasks, Qi Xi wasn't so lovestruck that Gu Yan was all she could think about. She quickly focused, efficiently completing the work Gu Xuehan had given her.
Perhaps fate intervened to prevent Gu Yan's charms from distracting her further. Before lunch, Gu Xuehan called Qi Xi into her office and assigned her an urgent, last-minute business trip to a neighboring city.
"It's about Yuanchen, one of our consulting clients. They have a labor dispute. Their HR department is facing significant resistance in dismissing an employee, and they need us to send a lawyer over to assist with the mediation. You've been the point of contact for Yuanchen, and you're quite familiar with their HR director, Old Dong. I have something that came up this afternoon, so I'd like you to go in my place."
Gu Xuehan took a sip of tea and smiled at Qi Xi. "I've reviewed the emails and materials from their HR department. It's not a particularly complicated dispute. It's about a female employee who hasn't been with the company for a full year. She's been absent without leave multiple times and is being dismissed for serious misconduct. But young people these days can be difficult. Negotiating her severance package has been challenging, and things have gotten a bit messy. The company is preparing to go public, so they want a smooth transition."
Gu Xuehan added, "Old Dong is a seasoned professional. Sending you there is mainly to provide support. You two can play good cop/bad cop. Pay her what she's legally entitled to, and since she's a woman, offer some emotional support, coax her nicely, and get her to leave amicably. Yuanchen is preparing for their IPO and doesn't want any lawsuits at this time."
Qi Xi had handled similar situations several times before, alongside Gu Xuehan. During dismissals, employees were often wary and resistant towards the company's HR department. A lawyer, as a neutral third party, could ease the tension and make the employee more receptive to negotiations, allowing for a mutually agreeable solution.
Yuanchen was, in fact, the first client Qi Xi had been assigned to. She and Old Dong, the HR director, were indeed quite familiar.
As a trainee lawyer, Qi Xi had made numerous rookie mistakes early in her career. Not only were there instances where her legal advice had flaws, but more often, her lack of awareness of Yuanchen's internal structure and political dynamics almost led to major problems with her email correspondences. It was Old Dong who, on multiple occasions, had kindly and privately warned her about the significance of the order in which recipients were listed in emails, and which individuals should or shouldn't be included. Thanks to his guidance, Qi Xi had avoided disastrously offending Yuanchen's mid-level and senior management with a simple email.
Since then, regarding Yuanchen's compliance issues and termination disputes, Old Dong, with his extensive experience as an HR director, had offered Qi Xi valuable advice that extended beyond legal matters. Sometimes, when Qi Xi was unsure about handling other labor disputes, she would privately consult Old Dong, and he always shared his knowledge generously, never looking down on her for being a junior lawyer.
During holidays, Qi Xi would occasionally make small handmade gifts and always remember to send one to Old Dong.
Although Gu Xuehan was her official boss, Qi Xi had learned a great deal from these supportive partners.
In the workplace, as long as one maintained a humble attitude and a willingness to learn, anyone could become a valuable mentor and friend.
Qi Xi was happy to go on this business trip to Yuanchen and assist Old Dong in resolving the labor dispute.