Dr. Chi’s Mission: Seduce Officer Su - Chapter 35.1

Chi Cheng Group was located in the CBD of Zhouhai Port City, and its office building stood as the most prominent structure in the entire commercial district.

The exorbitant rent placed it beyond the reach of most small and micro-enterprises. Almost all the companies housed within were leading enterprises in Zhouhai, making it a hub for elite white-collar professionals.

The Chi family had been in business since their grandfather’s generation. In the early days of comprehensive opening up in coastal cities, the elder Chi had the foresight to solidify their foundation during the boom of import and export trade.

By the time Chi Qinian took over the company, he pushed through opposition to pivot into real estate development. Collaborating with the Gu family on urban construction projects, he managed deals worth billions, successfully transitioning the company from a single trade enterprise to a diversified conglomerate.

Today, Chi Cheng Group’s operations span a wide range of industries and have become an indispensable major taxpayer for Zhouhai City.

An ordinary person might envy such a background, remarking that being born into the right family is a skill in itself. Yet, Chi Jue remained indifferent to her family’s prestige.

When colleagues teased her about “running around with a silver spoon to experience the hardships of life,” she felt both helpless and resentful. She had endured her share of struggles along the way, only to have her achievements overshadowed by her family’s reputation.

At times, she wished she hadn’t been born into the cold and demanding Chi family.

After leaving the hospital, Chi Jue didn’t head straight to Qici Mansion but went directly to Chi Cheng Group’s headquarters.

Unless absolutely necessary, she rarely set foot there. She had no interest in grand ambitions of conquering the world, nor did she enjoy the cutthroat atmosphere of the corporate environment.

Crossing the lobby, Chi Jue approached the front desk and stated her purpose: “Hello, I’m here to see Chi Chengxiu.”

The newly appointed receptionist didn’t recognize her. Since elevator access required a temporary access card, and the visitor had directly named the CEO, the receptionist eyed her skeptically. “I’m sorry, do you have an appointment?”

“No.”

“Please wait a moment. I’ll check if President Chi has any other business commitments.”

“Alright.” Chi Jue’s innate stubbornness made her reluctant to reach out to her brother proactively. Even on her family’s turf, she adhered to the procedures without overstepping.

“Miss, I’m sorry, but President Chi is in a meeting, and it’s unclear when it will end. Would you like to schedule an appointment for another time?”

This outcome was within Chi Jue’s expectations. She made no attempt to linger and was about to leave when a familiar voice called out from nearby.

“A-Jue?”

An Jiaqin, dressed in a sharply professional outfit that exuded an air of restraint, thought she might have mistaken the person. She stood still for a moment, studying Chi Jue before confirming her identity. Running into her here felt like winning the lottery, and her soft exclamation was filled with delight.

She hurried over, signaling to the receptionist to issue a temporary access card, then asked, “What a rare sight! What brings you here?”

As soon as she finished speaking, her gaze fixed on the bandage on Chi Jue’s forehead, and her smile stiffened slightly. “I saw the video of the medical dispute. Do you need a lawyer to handle it?”

Chi Jue’s response was lukewarm. Without revealing her reason for being there, she replied dismissively, “No need for a lawyer. I’ve already taken care of it.”

“You’re here to see Chengxiu, aren’t you? It’s the end of the year, and the company’s departments are holding their annual review meetings. They won’t wrap up anytime soon. Would you like to grab a coffee nearby?” An Jiaqin was adept at feigning warmth, her every gesture radiating brightness, and her invitation was perfectly timed.

“Thank you.” Chi Jue took the card handed over by the receptionist and glanced at her wristwatch. With plenty of time to spare, she didn’t decline the invitation. “Alright.”

The two walked into the café attached to the office building. It was past afternoon tea time, and the shop had only a scattering of customers.

“Hello, one hot latte without sugar and one decaf hot Americano, please.” An Jiaqin ordered swiftly, the decaf hot Americano had been Chi Jue’s old habit.

Chi Jue found a quiet corner and waited quietly.

As An Jiaqin approached and handed her the coffee, she said, “I wasn’t sure if your taste had changed.”

“Thank you, but I don’t really drink coffee much these days.” Chi Jue thanked her politely, holding the hot coffee only for its warmth.

Suddenly reunited in a café, the silence that settled between them felt far more comfortable than forced conversation.

An Jiaqin stirred her coffee with a straw, turning her head to watch the passersby outside the floor-to-ceiling window. She tried hard to think of something to say but found that speaking after such a long separation was actually quite difficult, like standing on opposite sides of a chasm, where roaring waves would drown out any call.

Chi Jue set down her cup, resting her hands loosely on her crossed knees. She followed An Jiaqin’s gaze outside, but there was nothing there, so she too drifted into a daze.

It turned out that no matter how intimate they once were, time could wash everything into a powerless pallor.

When she looked back, An Jiaqin was staring intently at the coffee on the table.

She had never been sure whether she had truly accepted the fact that Chi Jue would never love her again, but that untouched decaf hot Americano seemed to give her the answer.

She was like that cup of coffee, something that could be held in the hands, placed on the table, or even thrown into the trash, but would never be tasted again.

Chi Jue lifted her eyes to meet An Jiaqin’s gaze, offering a gentle smile. “Aren’t we going to talk? Just sitting here staring?”

For a moment, An Jiaqin wondered if there was a hint of reconciliation in that question, but she couldn’t bring herself to smile. She even felt like crying. With a wistful parting of her lips, she sighed and returned a faint smile. “Suddenly, I don’t know what to talk about.”

Reunions with old acquaintances were often like this. Perhaps during countless sleepless nights in the past, they had both had so much to say, but time waits for no one, and those words could only be buried in their hearts, digested into tears and insomnia.

Chi Jue picked up a piece of tissue paper, remembering a time long, long ago when they were still high school students.

One day, while on a date drinking bubble tea, An Jiaqin had folded a white rose out of a tissue and given it to her.

Now, she quietly fiddled with it between her fingers.

An Jiaqin took a sip of her coffee. For some reason, it took great effort to swallow, and it felt painfully scratchy going down.

Chi Jue’s attention remained entirely on the paper, but what she brought up was Su Qiao: “I really like her. It’s a kind of liking that comes without reason, no long-standing foundation, no comparisons based on material desires. I can’t pinpoint what’s special about her, but from the first glance, I knew she was the right one.”

“Talking about a new love with an old flame, don’t you think that’s cruel?” An Jiaqin shook her head helplessly, the smile on her lips only there to maintain her dignity.

“We should have started our new lives long ago, shouldn’t we?” Chi Jue handed the paper rose she had made to An Jiaqin, as if returning all the beauty of those bygone years.

“Why won’t you give me a chance?” An Jiaqin picked up the paper rose, its stark white hue stinging her eyes until a faint glimmer of moisture gathered in their depths. “Just like the future we once dreamed of, now we can make it all come true. You said you wanted to fill the garden with roses, you said you wanted to raise a cat and a dog, you said we’d drive dozens of kilometers into the deep mountains just to watch a sunrise. All those dreams are within our reach now, and we’d even have our parents’ blessings.”

“From the moment you brought up breaking up, the ‘us’ in those dreams was no longer you and me. It could be me and Su Qiao, or me and someone else. I can’t just stand here foolishly waiting for a result that will never come. Don’t you think that’s cruel to me?”

Chi Jue knew how to strike where it hurt most. She wouldn’t tell An Jiaqin how she had endured the days after their breakup, but she would retaliate in kind, only then would it feel even.

“But we have an engagement.” An Jiaqin played her final card, but to Chi Jue, it held no power to intimidate.

“That was Chi Qinian’s one-sided agreement. Do you think I would ever consent?” Chi Jue’s tone remained calm, so calm it seemed incapable of stirring up storms. “From the very beginning, I never asked you the reason for the breakup, because I knew a wavering heart isn’t worth saving. I didn’t want to cheapen my own feelings. If love is gone, it’s gone, you can’t force it.”

“I admit, I’ll never meet another woman as good as you. That’s why I regret it, why I want to try and win you back. I also know that no matter what I do or say, we can’t go back to the way things were.”

“You clearly understand all of this, yet you still refuse to let go. But you can comfort yourself with this: I gave you the best years of my life. If you couldn’t cherish them, then you’ll have to bear the consequences of that neglect, won’t you?” Chi Jue checked the time again; it was about time to find Chi Chengxiu, so she prepared to stand and leave. “I’ll be returning to the Chi residence tonight. If you want to come, we can lay everything out in front of our parents.”

“What is so good about her that makes you willingly stand against the whole world?” An Jiaqin couldn’t accept it, she was far too unwilling.

“She’s good because she’s stubborn. Once she sets her mind on something, she won’t give up until she hits a wall. That’s a quality I could never find in you.” Chi Jue understood Su Qiao perhaps even better than Su Qiao understood herself. Probably from the moment she saw Su Qiao charging toward a blazing fire with a fire extinguisher, that uniqueness had already taken root in her heart.

“Time is so long, how can you be so sure?”

“If you don’t believe me, let’s make a bet. I bet Su Qiao would risk her life for me, but you wouldn’t.” Chi Jue confidently placed her hands on the table, her eyes shining with absolute trust. “Don’t disturb my life anymore. Consider this my final act of goodwill toward you.”

…

After work, Su Qiao went home first.

Her grandmother had just brought out a hot stir-fry from the kitchen and, catching Su Qiao trying to sneak into her bedroom like a guilty dog, immediately called her out.

“What are you skulking around for?”

“Me? I’m not!” Su Qiao retracted her stealthy steps and hurried over to take the plate from her grandmother, sniffing it. “Mm, smells amazing~”

“Hurry up and wash your hands for dinner. I have something to ask you.” Her grandmother urged sternly, though in truth, she was already eager to pry into the results of the previous night.

How could Su Qiao not guess what the old lady was thinking? After washing her hands and sitting down at the dining table, she picked up a piece of cured meat and stuffed it into her mouth. “So good!”

The old lady slapped her on the head, scolding, “Are you some kind of savage who doesn’t know how to use chopsticks?”

“Ouch…” Su Qiao rubbed her head and complained, “You never hit me this hard when I used to sneak food before! You almost knocked my brains out!”

Her grandmother served a bowl of rice and placed it in front of her, asking curiously, “So, you and that Xiao Chi… is there something going on between you?”

Why was the whole world so concerned about her love life!?

Su Qiao forced a dry laugh. “What do you mean, ‘something’? We’re just good friends. Don’t go making wild guesses.”

To be honest, she hadn’t even figured out her relationship with Chi Jue herself.

If you called them a couple, he always introduced her to others as just a good friend. But if you said they weren’t a couple, well, yesterday they had kissed, hugged, and gotten up to all sorts of playful antics.

“Tch, you useless dog!” Her grandmother, hearing this, got so angry she snatched away the only meat dish on the table. “Which friend brings a tablet computer as a gift the first time they visit? Which friend fusses over me, asking if I’m warm enough or if I’m feeling well? Anyone with eyes can see that Xiao Chi has feelings for you. Can’t you be a little more perceptive?!”