After My Nemesis Discovered My Cross-dressing - Chapter 15

Their eyes met, and Gu Qian’s fingers tightened on the doorknob. “Does President Qin need something?”

Seeing his heavily guarded stance, Qin Yue asked despite already knowing the answer, “President Gu, are you not going to invite me into the room for a seat?”

Gu Qian’s body did not budge an inch. “It is not quite convenient.”

Qin Yue said with a faint smile, “What is inconvenient? Is there someone else in the room?”

Gu Qian replied coldly, “If there is nothing else, please go back, President Qin.” After speaking, he took a step back, preparing to close the door.

“Wait.” Qin Yue raised his hand to grab the doorframe while extending a foot to block the door panel. “I came to return something to you.”

Gu Qian’s movements paused. “What thing?”

“Your earphone.” Qin Yue pulled his other hand out of his pants pocket. Lying in his broad palm was a small Bluetooth earphone case.

Gu Qian frowned slightly. “Why is my earphone with you?”

“Do not misunderstand; I am no thief,” Qin Yue explained with a laugh. “I picked it up on the plane. I forgot to return it to you during the day.”

Gu Qian: “…”

They had run into each other twice at the hotel after getting off the plane. He had not remembered to return it either time, yet he had to wait until the middle of the night?

Qin Yue held out the earphone case. “You are welcome.”

Gu Qian let go of the doorknob and opened the door a bit wider to take his earphone case. His cool fingertips inadvertently brushed against the warm palm. Qin Yue narrowed his eyes slightly and restrained himself from moving.

“Thank you,” Gu Qian thanked him with lowered eyelashes, asking politely, “Does President Qin have anything else?”

Qin Yue did not make a sound, his gaze lazily falling on Gu Qian’s chest. The white bathrobe was tied very tightly, but the loose neckline still revealed a patch of snow white skin and a faint glimpse of black fabric. It made one want to forcefully tear open the bothersome bathrobe to see exactly what was being worn underneath.

The bathrobe ended exactly below the knees, unable to hide two straight, slender calves. Qin Yue desperately wanted to know just how short the camisole dress hidden inside actually was.

Receiving no response, Gu Qian lifted his eyes. “President Qin?”

Qin Yue withdrew his gaze with perfect composure. “President Gu, are you truly not going to invite me in for a seat?”

“It is late. I am going to sleep,” Gu Qian refused again. “You should also rest early, President Qin.”

“Alright then,” Qin Yue’s tone was rather regretful. “Goodnight, President Gu.”

Gu Qian did not return the goodnight and decisively closed the door in his face. A “click” followed; it was the sound of the lock turning.

Qin Yue stood in place and looked down at his palm. A soft sensation seemed to still linger there. After a moment, he slowly curled his fingers, turned, and left the corridor. It was not time yet. It was not yet the moment to tear away the layer of clothing Gu Qian wore on the outside.

Inside the room, Gu Qian took off the dress hidden under the bathrobe and stuffed it back into the hidden compartment of his suitcase. A vibration came from his phone; a new message had arrived.

Y: “Qiqi, are you asleep?”

77: “No, I just had something to deal with.”

Y: “Busy with work even at this hour?”

Gu Qian reclined against the headboard and typed a reply: “Someone just knocked on the door. I did not have time to change out of the dress, so I threw on a bathrobe before opening it.”

Y: “That thrilling?”

77: “Thrilling my foot.”

Y: “You were not discovered by the other person, were you?”

77: “No.”

Unless Qin Yue had X-ray vision, it was impossible for him to discover that a dress was being worn underneath.

Y: “That is good then.”

The two chatted for a while, and before they knew it, it was nearly eleven o’clock.

77: “I am getting ready for bed. You should also rest early.”

Y: “Goodnight and sweet dreams, Qiqi.”

77: “Goodnight and sweet dreams.”

Early the next morning, Gu Qian took his team to the Science and Technology Innovation Center. Shengtai had previously sent people to inspect the tech startup they intended to invest in. Since President Gu was visiting in person this time, the owner also took the lead personally, demonstrating the company’s latest research and development results to him.

In the afternoon, the two teams held a long meeting, primarily negotiating and clashing over core terms.

“Our valuation of your company is eight hundred million. Shengtai will inject two hundred million for a 25% stake,” Manager Sun said, flipping through the reports in his hand. “President Chen, do you find this proportion reasonable?”

President Chen looked at Director Li beside him. Director Li understood the cue. “This month, our competitor’s Series B valuation reached one billion, and our number of patents is no less than theirs. President Gu, do you think Shengtai’s valuation of us is a bit low?”

Manager Sun immediately replied, “We at Shengtai have also looked into the competitor Director Li mentioned. To my knowledge, their technical research and development progress is faster than yours, especially in achieving a breakthrough in AI medical imaging technology.”

President Chen’s expression immediately soured, and his tone became stiff. “If that is the case, why did Shengtai not seek a partnership with them instead of coming to me?”

Manager Sun wanted to say more but swallowed his words when he heard President Gu tap the table beside him.

Gu Qian spoke calmly, “President Chen, there are five startups developing artificial intelligence in this innovation center. The reason Shengtai chose you is naturally because you have irreplaceable advantages.”

President Chen’s face instantly brightened. “Thank you for your high regard, President Gu.”

“Since both of our parties are sincerely cooperating, why do we not each take a step back?” Gu Qian smiled slightly. “Shengtai can inject two hundred million based on a valuation of one billion, taking only a 20% stake. However, Shengtai also requires a seat on the Board of Directors and veto power.”

As the words fell, President Chen and Director Li looked at each other but did not speak. The meeting room fell into a brief silence. Gu Qian waited for about a minute before adding, “Of course, Shengtai will only participate in strategic decision making and will not interfere with your team’s core technical research and development.”

Director Li’s expression relaxed. “If that is the case, we can certainly talk further.”

After preliminarily deciding on the investment plan, the lawyers from both sides still needed to refine the terms before the subsequent signing and cooperation could proceed. Following the meeting, President Chen hosted a dinner for both teams.

After several rounds of drinks, a slurring President Chen pulled Gu Qian aside and said, “President Gu, I had long heard that you were a jade faced Asura in the business world who eats people without spitting out the bones. Seeing you today, that is not the case at all!”

Gu Qian smiled faintly. “Rumors always carry a bit of exaggeration.”

President Chen poured himself another glass. “President Gu, I must toast you with this glass!”

Gu Qian clinked glasses with him. “A pleasure doing business with you, President Chen.”

After dinner, Gu Qian led his group back to the hotel. Meng Siyao had held it in all evening and finally found an opportunity to speak in the car. “Brother Qian, are business negotiations really this simple?”

Gu Qian propped his head on his hand and replied with closed eyes, “What do you think?”

Meng Siyao could not help but blurt everything out. “This afternoon, I thought you all would be having a war of words back and forth. I really did not expect you to agree to their conditions so easily.”

Gu Qian glanced sideways at him. “Did you think this was a vegetable market, haggling over prices?”

Meng Siyao looked confused. “What do you mean?”

Assistant Liang explained thoughtfully, “Shengtai’s initial valuation for them was one billion. President Gu’s goal has always been a 20% stake along with veto power on the Board.”

Meng Siyao’s eyes widened. “It can be done like that?”

“President Chen has a doctorate. When one reads too many books, it is inevitable to have some arrogance,” Gu Qian closed his eyes again. “You are not wrong. Negotiating with such people is the easiest.”

Meng Siyao was quiet for a good while before muttering, “The city’s schemes are too deep; I want to go back to the countryside.”

“What could you even do in the countryside?” Gu Qian’s thin lips moved. “Even pigs would starve to death under your care.”

“Brother Qian! You cannot insult people like that!” Meng Siyao protested, slapping his thigh. “I am not as bad as you say!”

But no matter what he said, Gu Qian ignored him.

After returning to the hotel, Gu Qian went to the bathroom to take a shower first, washing away the smell of alcohol. After stepping out, he wrapped himself in a bathrobe and sat on the sofa by the floor to ceiling window to sober up.

Today’s negotiation went more smoothly than he had imagined. This also proved one thing: Qin Yue was not here to snatch this project. So, for the moment, it could be treated as a coincidence. But the question remained: which company had President Qin set his sights on this time?

While Gu Qian was searching his mind for other tech startups, the phone on the coffee table vibrated. He slowly reached out his arm to pick up the phone and entered his secondary WeChat account.

Y: “Are you back at the hotel?”

77: “I am back.”

Y: “I have something to do tonight and might be very late. You should rest first.”

Gu Qian glanced at the time and typed a question: “Still out at an engagement this late?”

Y: “Exactly. My life is quite bitter.”

Y: “Does Qiqi want to comfort me a bit?”

77: “How do you want me to comfort you?”

Y: “If I could see Qiqi wearing yesterday’s pretty dress, life would not be so bitter.”

Gu Qian let out a “Tsk” and cursed softly, “Dog man.”

But after cursing, he could not help but look toward the suitcase in the corner. Under the influence of alcohol, his brain released signals different from usual. It was just a slightly shorter dress; it was no big deal. Y had shown him his abs and…

As if possessed, Gu Qian stood up and walked over, changing into yesterday’s dress once again. A few minutes later, Qin Yue heard his phone “ding.” He picked up the phone on the table and entered WeChat.

77: “Do not open this image while you are outside.”

Before he had time to process what that sentence meant, a picture popped up in the dialogue box. Qin Yue’s pupils constricted. In the next second, he flipped the phone face down on the table with lightning speed.

The person beside him noticed his movement and said in a surprised tone, “Oh? After drinking until now, President Qin’s face has finally turned red!”

Qin Yue’s breathing was slightly unsteady. He laughed. “Yes, I drank too much tonight.”

While the others cheered, he picked up his phone and stood up. “Excuse me, I am going to the restroom.”

Qin Yue strode to the restroom and clicked on the full image from the WeChat dialogue box. In the photo, the person was wearing a black camisole dress, sitting casually on the sofa, taking a mirror photo with one hand propped behind. Below the exquisite collarbones was skin white enough to glow. The chest rose in a beautiful arc, narrowing down into a slender, firm waist that felt as if it could be firmly grasped with one hand.

This dress was indeed very short. The flared hem could only barely cover the full, perky buttocks. The long, well proportioned legs were pressed together and crossed, the white and smooth thighs appearing plump from the pressure. He was barefoot, and even the pale pink tips of his toes carried a strong sense of seduction.

Qin Yue’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His dark eyes grew even deeper and more unfathomable.

Y: “Qiqi, do you know what I want to do right now?”