After Moving in With the Aloof, Conservative Beauty - Chapter 5

Gu Lingyi completely ignored Jiang Yanqing’s polite gesture to step outside, which only fueled the patriarch’s fury.

“Regarding tonight’s matter, your Sexual Offense Management Division must give my grandson a proper explanation!”

Old Master Jiang slammed his cane heavily against the floor. Unable to handle Gu Lingyi, he turned his pressure onto the officers, his white beard trembling with rage.

“Get your division chief down here right now!”

The Sexual Offense Management Division…or Sexual Offenses Division for short…held equal authority within the police hierarchy alongside Criminal Investigation, Economic Crime, and Cyber Security. Over the past century, rapid technological leaps had completely restructured society around a new economic framework, and the Sexual Offenses Division was born out of this transformation, proving its authority through strict enforcement over time.

“Old Master Jiang certainly has nerve,” Gu Lingyi let out a light laugh, though the amusement never reached her eyes.

Her son leaned in and whispered a quick reminder. It was only then that the old man remembered: the Chief of the Capital’s Sexual Offenses Division was none other than Gu Lingyi’s sister-in-law.

If she actually showed up, his grandson would likely be cuffed and hauled straight to headquarters on the spot.

Just as the old man was about to order his bodyguards to forcibly remove his grandson, a squad of uniformed officers cut through the crowd and entered the private room. One officer, wearing white gloves, held up an evidence bag. When Jiang Guangsheng caught sight of the pink object inside, his face drained of color.

Though only slightly. He firmly believed his grandfather and eldest sister would protect him.

He hadn’t committed a major crime, so why arrest him? He’d simply walked into the wrong restroom by mistake and wanted a Chi Yin employee to handle a quick customer service issue. The little girl was the one who ran off first! His item had merely brushed against someone else by accident…and he hadn’t even complained about it getting dirty!

As for that wretched woman Gu Lingyi, he was just waiting for his family to clear his name. He planned to sue her for defamation, drag her reputation through the mud, and ruin her completely!

Lost in his delusion, Jiang Guangsheng didn’t even realize he was already being restrained by the Deputy Division Chief until a sharp clack echoed through the room. Handcuffed, he instantly thrusted and struggled.

However, officers from the Sexual Offenses Division were far too experienced with offenders like him.

“Jiang Guangsheng. Male. ID Number: … You are suspected of indecent assault against Ms. Xu. We recovered a substantial number of your fingerprints on Evidence No. 1. Furthermore, we scanned two sets of fresh footprints leading from the restroom entrance all the way into the private room. Set A belongs to a smaller shoe size, while Set B belongs to a larger one. Ms. Xu has already verified Set A as hers. Please cooperate while we verify Set B.”

Though phrased as a polite request, the officer showed no leniency. She grabbed Jiang Guangsheng by the ankle and pressed his shoe down firmly onto the impression paper.

It was an exact match for Set B.

“Based on our preliminary on-site investigation, Ms. Xu’s statement aligns with the physical evidence,” the Deputy Chief declared coolly. “In accordance with the Sexual Offenses Management Act, we are taking Mr. Jiang into custody for processing.”

Without sparing the offender another glance, she signaled her officers to drag him out.

Before leaving, she instructed two advance officers to wait until the crowd dispersed before taking Xu Ning back to the station for a formal statement. As she walked past Gu Lingyi, she shot her a subtle look that practically said: Good luck dealing with the rest.

Gu Lingyi: “?”

No matter how influential the Jiang family was, they didn’t dare challenge the capital’s law enforcement in public. Their faces turned pale with suppressed rage.

Before things could escalate further, Yan Ke, the Chi Yin staff, and two officers escorted Xu Ning behind a privacy screen, blocking her completely from public view.

Jiang Guangsheng, on the other hand, was pinned down right at the doorway for everyone to see in all his pathetic disgrace.

The swift, decisive action of the Deputy Chief had the situation resolved in minutes as the suspect was marched away.

As the officers passed through the crowd, spectators clapped and cheered. Someone even spat toward Jiang Guangsheng in disgust, venting the shared satisfaction of the room.

Jiang Guangsheng tried to thrash around, but the officers held him in a vise-like grip. His mouth gagged, he could only choke down his fury, fuming helplessly.

With the offender taken away and the hour growing late, the onlookers gradually cleared out. Gu Lingyi asked Yan Ke to accompany Xu Ning.

The young employee was fairly new to the company, and experiencing something this traumatic meant she needed an executive by her side to provide psychological support.

During the crisis, Xu Ning had followed the company handbook to a tee…escaping calmly, reporting the incident immediately, and confronting the perpetrator directly. She had protected herself exceptionally well.

Still, the harm had been done, and a talented young worker couldn’t be left to suffer long-term trauma. Chi Yin maintained a comprehensive counseling system, and every senior executive was fully certified with extensive experience in psychological support.

Gu Lingyi watched her colleagues board their vehicle. Seeing the steady stream of “arrived home safely” check-ins pop up in the main company group chat, she prepared to leave as well.

That was when Old Master Jiang stepped in front of her, flanked by his younger relatives.

While she was seeing off her staff, this entire unhinged family had been standing by, waiting for her. The moment the last employee’s car vanished down the street, the old man couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Not so fast, Niece Gu.”

“Old Master Jiang, it is late at night,” Gu Lingyi replied, her smile devoid of warmth as she stood her ground, looking coldly at the group. “For an old man like you to lead a crowd of middle-aged and young men to corner a young woman on a deserted street… does this fit your family’s definition of gentlemanly conduct?”

Despite her sharp tone, her stunning beauty and magnetic presence gave her an irresistible charm. The dozen or so men from the Jiang family…both middle-aged and young…couldn’t help but shoot covert, assessing glances her way.

Underneath their dignified facades, they were no different from Jiang Guangsheng.

“Fine… Fine…”

Old Master Jiang thudded his cane heavily against the pavement. He was furious, but his anxiety over his grandson forced him to lower his stance slightly.

Addressing the chairwoman of a company that sold intimate goods felt like a stain on his tongue!

“In that case, our family will send a representative to negotiate with you. I hope you can show some sincerity, Niece Gu.”

His “lowered stance” felt more like an act of condescension.

The Jiang family had arrived en masse tonight, including all eight daughters-in-law. Yet, as the old man looked around, none of them seemed worthy in his eyes. Reluctantly, he turned his gaze to his only granddaughter.

“Yanqing, go negotiate with Chairman Gu. Make sure you secure your fifth brother’s release. Do not disappoint me.”

His tone carried heavy authority. Without deigning to spare Gu Lingyi another filthy glance, he turned and walked away.

A man who bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Yanqing leaned in close, whispering a stern warning:

“If you handle this well, Sister, I’ll ask Grandfather to be lenient about you coming home late tonight. Otherwise…” He dragged out the last word, shifting a contemptuous glare toward Gu Lingyi. “Chairman Gu, the women of our Jiang family are women of virtue…pure and noble as jade bamboo. Please refrain from discussing your… soiled affairs with my sister. I would be immensely grateful.”

By “soiled affairs,” he specifically meant Chi Yin Group, homosexuality, and related topics.

Gu Lingyi…as the founder and chairwoman of Chi Yin, and an openly gay woman…was blatantly being targeted with his passive-aggressive insult.

“Yaoye truly thinks of everything,” one relative remarked. “He protects his sister like a true eldest grandson should.”

“Of course! As the child of the eldest brother and sister-in-law, the family’s eldest grandson needs to show that kind of manly responsibility.”

The doors of a dozen luxury vans slid shut, cutting off the chorus of self-righteous praise as the fleet drove off.

The lounge had closed for the night. After checking with Gu Lingyi and Jiang Yanqing, the owner gave a polite nod and locked the main entrance.

Only the massive, floating neon sign remained lit outside, casting a warm glow over the street.

Late at night, the commercial district was virtually deserted. The light screens on the skyscrapers flickered endlessly, displaying sleek, simple advertisements across the rooftops.

Unlike those generic text ads, Chi Yin didn’t need promotional slogans. Its massive, glowing logo rotated slowly and quietly above its headquarters in the sky.

On late nights, residents across a multi-mile radius could glance up and clearly spot that subtle logo hovering in the darkness. It never intruded, yet it was always there whenever you needed it.

Only the two of them were left on the vast, empty street, standing right beneath the bright beam of light.

A night breeze drifted past. As Gu Lingyi stepped forward, her hair trailed behind her. The dull click-clack of her expensive handcrafted leather heels echoed against the pavement…each step sounding as if it were landing directly on one’s heart.

She didn’t stop until her shadow completely engulfed Jiang Yanqing in the light.

An intoxicatingly familiar scent drifted into Gu Lingyi’s nose…neither too strong nor too subtle, it was the lingering base note of that specific perfume. It was almost faded, but Gu Lingyi caught it just in time.

“Board Member Jiang.”

She drawled the title slowly, as if tasting something subtle on her tongue. The corners of her eyes tilted up slightly, masking her mock beneath a calm exterior.

The street was wide open, and her soft murmur scattered into the wind.

She seemed to be simply uttering a greeting, offering no further explanation.

Jiang Yanqing remained motionless, neither advancing nor stepping back. Including her four-centimeter heels, she was still three centimeters shorter than Gu Lingyi’s bare height, forcing her to tilt her head up slightly to meet her gaze.

With the harsh light blocked out, Jiang Yanqing could finally see the woman in front of her clearly.

“Chairman Gu, regarding Jiang Guang—”

Gu Lingyi had zero interest in hearing any of that and cut her off directly.

“I woke up at 5:30 this morning and immediately started working from home. Then I rushed straight to the Regulatory Commission, rang the bell, and negotiated deals. I barely ate any lunch before Mrs. He summoned me to her estate, where I had to work non-stop while dodging an infected patient, ending up with a bruised back in the process.

“After returning to the company, I worked straight through until an hour ago when I finally got to eat my first proper meal. Then my employee was indecently assaulted by your cousin. I had to handle the situation, comfort my staff, and now I’m expected to deal with your atrocious family.

“Board Member Jiang, that is my complete itinerary from 5:30 this morning to 11:00 tonight. I am exhausted, and I have no desire to stand here negotiating how to bail out a cousin who intentionally assaulted my employee. Do I make myself clear?”

For someone who was usually relaxed and barely bothered to speak more than a few words, she had delivered the long tirade almost without taking a breath.

Yet, how could someone turn a refusal into a detailed itinerary report…while casually pulling a guilt trip over a minor bruise on her back?

Gu Lingyi sighed inwardly.

Jiang Yanqing remained unchanged from how she was in the private room…standing cold and distant, her light, ink-like eyes looking straight at her, far colder than the towering skyscrapers around them.

At least those massive buildings tried their best to project a friendly image, offering fake emotional value just to empty your wallet.

Jiang Yanqing, however, never let herself be disrupted by the world or anyone else’s rhythm. She didn’t offer anyone emotional value. She only cared about solving problems.

Her pale pink lips parted slightly.

“Understood.”

Meaning: Message received. Now we can move on to the next step of negotiations.

Gu Lingyi laughed instead of growing angry. She signaled her assistant to pull the car up, repeating the exact gesture Jiang Yanqing had used earlier tonight.

“Board Member Jiang, after you.”

Gu Lingyi had said she was tired, which meant continuing the conversation inside the car.

Jiang Yanqing gave a subtle nod. Escorted by Gu Lingyi, who held the door open, she stepped inside, taking the inner seat and fastening her seatbelt, leaving the outer seat for Gu Lingyi. Her elegant posture instantly elevated the atmosphere inside the vehicle.

“To the Jiang family estate in the suburbs,” Gu Lingyi instructed.

The assistant nodded, selecting an autonomous route on the digital console.

Jiang Yanqing’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. “Not the main estate.”

She provided a different address, which the assistant quickly updated.

Gu Lingyi was surprised. The Jiang family enforced strict, almost absurd rules…how could they let an unmarried daughter live on her own?

Still, she didn’t probe further.

“Chairman Gu, please get—”

Before Jiang Yanqing could finish the word “in,” a sharp click echoed. Outside the window, Gu Lingyi’s face remained cold as she slammed the car door shut from the outside.

The heavily tinted windows cut off Jiang Yanqing’s view.

Yet, in that split second before the door snapped shut, Gu Lingyi clearly caught the brief look of fluster…and utter shock…on that usually calm face.

Board Member Jiang was accustomed to operating above the rules. She likely never expected anyone would dare treat her like this.

One was the chairwoman of a listed company, the other her assistant…and yet, acting like illegal taxi operators, neither gave Jiang Yanqing a second to react.

Door closed, locked, and accelerated away…all in one smooth motion.

Support