After My Nemesis Discovered My Cross-dressing - Chapter 23

An hour later, Qin Yue used one hand to ring the doorbell.

The door opened from the inside, revealing a beautiful but cold face. Gu Qian had just gotten out of bed; his hair was slightly messy from sleep, and his bathrobe was wrapped tightly around him. Beneath his snowy white neck, faint purple marks were partially visible. He glanced at the man standing at the door, lowered his eyelashes, and turned to walk back inside slowly.

Qin Yue stepped into the foyer, closed the door behind him, and inconspicuously scanned the surroundings. Gu Qian sat on the sofa with his arms crossed. He was about to speak, but the other man beat him to it.

“Eat something first,” Qin Yue said as he walked in.

Gu Qian looked at him. “I am not hungry.”

“You are not hungry, but I am.” Qin Yue stopped and placed the two bags he was carrying on the coffee table, taking a food container out of one.

Gu Qian found it difficult to understand. “You came all the way to my house just to eat dinner?”

“Not exactly.” Qin Yue smiled, though the smile did not reach his eyes. “If I do not eat my fill first, how will I have the strength to satisfy President Gu?”

Gu Qian opened his mouth, but the insults at the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down. Qin Yue opened the food containers one by one: fragrant chicken soup and steaming noodles and wontons, all easily digestible foods. Gu Qian had barely eaten a few bites at lunch. Smelling the aroma of the food now, he realized he was indeed a bit hungry, though he did not show it on his face.

Qin Yue looked up and asked, “Do you want noodles or wontons?”

Gu Qian lifted his chin slightly. “Wontons.”

It was a free dinner; he might as well eat it. Besides, if a certain someone decided to act like a beast later, it would be a long night. Qin Yue put the wontons into the chicken soup and pushed it toward him. “Eat.”

It was their first time eating together, and the atmosphere was far from harmonious. Gu Qian focused on his wontons, trying to ignore the gaze fixed on his face. He ate elegantly, mouth closed, chewing on both sides alternately. His cheeks puffed out slightly, looking indescribably cute in Qin Yue’s eyes.

After finishing a bowl of chicken soup wontons, Gu Qian put down his utensils. “I am full.”

Qin Yue dutifully cleaned up the food containers, threw them in the trash, and went to wash his hands. He returned to the sofa and asked, “Are you not going to invite me to see your bedroom?”

Gu Qian pursed his lips, stood up, and walked toward the bedroom. Qin Yue picked up the other bag from the coffee table and followed him in. Once inside, the first thing he saw was the floor to ceiling mirror. Qiqi must have faced this mirror when he obediently took those photos in dresses.

Gu Qian turned around. “If you want to do it, be quick.”

The reason he allowed Qin Yue into his home was twofold: first, his body was truly uncomfortable and he did not want to go out again; second, his home felt safer than a hotel. After all, hotels had too many eyes, and there was a chance they might run into someone they knew.

Qin Yue was instantly pulled back to reality, his dark eyes narrowing. “Is President Gu that impatient?”

Gu Qian’s tone was cold. “Finish quickly so that President Qin can go home early.”

“Quickly?” Qin Yue put down the items in his hand and walked toward him. “I thought that after last night, President Gu would have some understanding of my stamina.”

The man’s pace was unhurried, but he seemed like a predator closing in on its prey. Gu Qian subconsciously stepped back. Recalling the madness of the previous night, a certain part of his body seemed to ache even more. He was soon forced to the foot of the bed. When he sat down, his brows knit slightly.

Qin Yue knelt on the bed with one knee, reaching out to touch the soft side of Gu Qian’s neck. His well-defined fingers slid into the collar of the bathrobe, slowly probing inward. Gu Qian was startled by the temperature of his fingertips; his long dark eyelashes trembled, but he forced himself to stay still.

Qin Yue stared at his expression and felt his heart soften. He lowered his voice. “Do you really think of me as a beast?”

Gu Qian tilted his face up and asked in return, “Are you not?”

“Yes, I am a beast.” Qin Yue suddenly leaned in and bit his lip. “But even a beast occasionally finds his conscience.”

Gu Qian turned his face away. “If you are not going to do it, then leave.”

“I came all this way with good intentions to bring you medicine, and you are in such a hurry to drive me away?” Qin Yue said gloomily. “You little heartless thing.”

Gu Qian was slightly stunned. “What medicine?”

Qin Yue let go and took several tubes of ointment from the bag on the table. “Medicine prescribed by a doctor. It will feel better after you apply it.”

Gu Qian realized what was happening, but he had not expected the other man to consider such details. For a moment, his expression was complicated. Qin Yue carefully read the instructions and opened a tube. “I will apply the medicine for you.”

“No need,” Gu Qian refused. “I can do it myself.”

“Can you reach your back?” Qin Yue looked at him with a half smile. “Don’t worry. I am only applying medicine, nothing else.”

Gu Qian met his gaze for a few seconds before reaching out to untie his bathrobe and slowly lying prone on the bed. Qin Yue sat by the bed and pulled the bathrobe down to the small of his back, just above his rounded hips. His fingers, coated with the cool ointment, gently applied it to the purple bruises on his back.

Gu Qian shivered from the cold. He shrugged his shoulders slightly, his beautiful shoulder blades arching like a butterfly about to take flight.

“Does it hurt?” Qin Yue felt a pang of pity and lightened his touch.

Gu Qian buried his face in the pillow and replied muffledly, “It is fine.”

After finishing the medicine on his waist, Qin Yue switched to another tube. Gu Qian waited a moment, thinking it was over. Just as he was about to get up, a hot, large hand slipped quietly under the bathrobe.

“Qin Yue!” He snapped his head around, his cheeks flushed from being pressed against the pillow. “Did you not say you would not do anything?”

“What am I doing?” Qin Yue’s expression was the definition of innocent. “I am just applying medicine for you.”

Gu Qian glared at him. “I can apply it there myself.”

Those amber eyes were misty, the corners of his eyes slightly upturned as if they were hooks. Qin Yue felt a rush of satisfaction being glared at, his face full of smiles. “Why be shy? This place ate last night”

“Shut up.” Gu Qian could not stand his vulgar talk. He flipped over and pulled his bathrobe together. “You can leave now.”

Qin Yue let out a tsk. “President Gu is burning bridges again.”

Gu Qian rolled his eyes. “The feeling is mutual. Is President Qin not also very good at that?”

Qin Yue raised an eyebrow. “Does President Gu mean to say we are a match made in heaven?”

Gu Qian had no words. He used to only know that Y was thick skinned, but he did not realize that the Qin Yue behind the screen was even thicker skinned than a city wall.

“Qiqi, I know you are still angry at me for lying to you.” Qin Yue’s expression became serious. “This matter is entirely my fault. I will not argue otherwise.”

Gu Qian snorted coldly. “What could President Qin possibly have done wrong?” He only had himself to blame for being so careless with a stranger online.

“As for last night” Qin Yue weighed his words. “I admit I have desire for you, but I do not want to treat it as a one night stand and just let it end there.”

Gu Qian’s brow furrowed. He thought to himself that this man truly felt that one night was not enough. Qin Yue was about to continue when Gu Qian interrupted him. “I understand what you mean. But we must have three rules of engagement.”

Qin Yue was stunned. “What three rules?”

“First, in public, we maintain our previous status. No one can know we have an improper relationship.” Gu Qian looked up at him, his speech slow and clear. “Second, you cannot come to me for sex whenever you want. It must be at a time when we are both available and it must be consensual.”

As he spoke, Qin Yue’s face became increasingly grim. A storm seemed to be brewing in his deep, dark eyes. Gu Qian did not avoid the other’s gaze and continued, “Third, for the duration of this relationship, both parties are forbidden from having emotional or physical entanglements with others. I have no other meaning; I just do not want to be caught in a relationship that is too complicated.”

To put it more bluntly, he would not be anyone’s third wheel, nor was he willing to share a body with others. He found it dirty and feared contracting a disease. Qin Yue stared at him with a livid face. After a long while, he laughed abruptly. “Fine. Very well.”

The next instant, he stood up and strode toward the door. With a bang, the bedroom door was slammed shut with enough force to shake the room. Gu Qian was somewhat baffled. They were discussing terms; why did he suddenly get so angry? Another bang followed as the front door was also slammed shut.

Gu Qian frowned again, wondering if any of the three conditions he proposed were too much. Was it the third one? Was Qin Yue unwilling to maintain a one on one relationship?

While he was still wondering, Qin Yue had already gotten into his car and stepped on the gas. The Maybach sped away with a roar. He knew he was in the wrong first, so no matter how the other person mocked him these past few days, he had shamelessly hovered around. But no matter how thick his skin was, he could not stand Gu Qian rejecting him repeatedly and treating him like a friend with benefits partner used only to vent desire. If he, Qin Yue, wanted a hookup partner, would he need to go to such lengths?

For the next two days, Gu Qian’s world became quiet. Since the night they reached a deadlock, Qin Yue had not contacted him again. It seemed the man truly was unwilling to accept the three rules. Gu Qian felt relieved. This way, as long as he minimized the chances of them meeting, ideally avoiding meetings altogether, this matter could be considered over.

Saturday afternoon, after finishing his work, Gu Qian prepared to meet Zheng Bowen. Meng Siyao was holding a document, about to knock, when the office door opened from the inside.

Gu Qian stopped. “Is something wrong?”

“You need to sign this document.” Meng Siyao asked curiously, “President Gu, are you going out?”

“Yes, I have an errand.” Gu Qian gestured. “Just leave the document on the desk.”

“Will do!” Meng Siyao replied.

Gu Qian walked out of the office, thought for a moment, and turned back. “I remember you were on the tennis team in university, right?”

“Brother Qian, you actually remember that?” Meng Siyao’s eyes lit up. He replied excitedly, “That’s right! I was a starter for the school tennis team. I was only slightly worse than you.”

Gu Qian nodded slightly. “Fine. Then come with me.” Although the ointment Qin Yue brought was effective and his body had mostly recovered over the last two days, high intensity exercise like tennis might still be a bit difficult.

Meng Siyao looked excited. “Where are we going?”

“AP Private Tennis Club,” Gu Qian replied simply. “It is a good chance to introduce you to President Zheng of Tengfei Group.”

At 3:00 PM, Gu Qian led Meng Siyao into the tennis club.

“Qian! I am over here!” Zheng Bowen waved from a distance as soon as he saw him. Gu Qian walked over and smiled. “Brother Zheng, long time no see.”

Zheng Bowen stood up, threw an arm around his shoulder, and teased, “You are a busy man. It is not easy to see you.”

“You joke, Brother Zheng.” Gu Qian shifted his body subtly to free his shoulder. “Brother Zheng, I brought a youngster with me today.”

“A youngster?” Zheng Bowen finally noticed the bright, handsome boy following behind. “And this is?”

“Hello, President Zheng. My name is Meng Siyao.” Meng Siyao introduced himself confidently.

“Meng Siyao?” Zheng Bowen asked thoughtfully, “Is Chairman Meng your”

“Brother Zheng, he is still in the learning phase.” Gu Qian changed the subject. “I brought him here today because I want you to give him some pointers.”

“That is no problem at all!” Zheng Bowen agreed readily. “If nothing else, I can certainly teach a youngster a few things about tennis.”

The group changed clothes and met at the indoor court. As the weather grew hotter, they had moved from outdoor to indoor courts. Gu Qian sat in the rest area, drinking water while watching the match. On the way there, he had instructed Meng Siyao to play according to the situation. He should not let Zheng Bowen lose too badly, but he should not let him win too easily either.

Meng Siyao held back his strength at first, but as he played, his excitement grew and he threw Gu Qian’s words to the wind. In the end, he pulled ahead and beat Zheng Bowen.

“Oh yeah!” In his excitement, Meng Siyao threw his racket and ran toward Gu Qian, dripping with sweat. “Brother Qian, I won!”

Seeing him so excited, Gu Qian did not dampen his spirits. He unscrewed a bottle of water and handed it to him, praising casually, “Not bad. You have not gone soft.” Meng Siyao’s tail was practically wagging. “Of course! I am not completely useless!”

Gu Qian opened another bottle of water and walked to Zheng Bowen, who was still bent over panting. “Brother Zheng, have some water.”

“Thanks.” Zheng Bowen straightened up and gulped down more than half the bottle.

“The kid is inexperienced; he only knows how to charge ahead,” Gu Qian said. “Please do not mind him, Brother Zheng.”

“Not at all!” Zheng Bowen waved his hand repeatedly. “Aside from the last time I played with you, I have not played this vigorously in a long time. There is no shame in losing to a youngster in his twenties.”

Gu Qian smiled. “One’s character is seen on the court. You have a great temperament, Brother Zheng.”

“Alright, stop flattering me.” Zheng Bowen laughed until the fine lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Come on, let’s rest for a bit. Tonight I will take you to try some new dishes.”

As they walked back, Meng Siyao’s excitement faded and he began to feel guilty, his eyes darting toward Gu Qian. Gu Qian noticed but ignored him on purpose. Zheng Bowen entered the locker room first. Meng Siyao caught the opportunity and whispered, “Brother Qian, are you angry?”

Gu Qian glanced at him. “Why would I be angry?”

“Well” Meng Siyao said hesitantly, “I did not listen to you just now and beat President Zheng.”

“At least you know. Fortunately, President Zheng did not take it to heart,” Gu Qian replied. “But just because he does not mind does not mean others will not. The court is like the business world. Did you really think I brought you here just to practice your tennis skills?”

“Oh” Meng Siyao said, seemingly understanding. “I think I get it now.”

Gu Qian said no more. “Go in, wash up, and change your clothes.”

Meng Siyao smelled the sweat on himself. “Alright, I will go shower then.”

Gu Qian had not exercised today, so he sat on the sofa outside waiting for them. After a while, a message suddenly popped up on his phone. Gu Qian’s heart skipped a beat. It took several seconds before he tapped into WeChat.

Qin Yue: [Locker Room 216.]

Gu Qian turned his head, searched with his gaze, and fixed on a locker room door not far away. He remembered the first time he encountered Qin Yue here. Looking back, the man must have suspected him even then, which was why he barged into the locker room just to confirm his identity.

Just then, another message popped up.

Qin Yue: [Does President Gu want me to come out and get you personally?]

Gu Qian put away his phone and walked toward Locker Room 216. He pushed the door open. As soon as he stepped inside, a tall figure circled him from behind. Qin Yue locked him firmly against his chest with both arms, buried his face in the crook of Gu Qian’s neck, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly.

“What a coincidence, President Gu.”