The Chronicle Of Seducing A Mature Woman (GL) - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Woman by the River

On the 10th floor of Classic International, in the Vice President’s office, Gu Ming rubbed her stiff neck with one hand while typing on her laptop with the other. It seemed like several times a year there were these unannounced “ambushes” from the higher-ups, and she was starting to feel a sudden sense of weariness. She leaned her weight on her desk, rubbed her face, and stood up to look out the window.

The silence of the floor was oppressive. She felt the need to walk. She was the only person left; her secretary had offered to stay, but seeing that she was unwell, Gu Ming had sent her home early. Outside the building was a small river—a rare find in Chengdu—with weeping willows lining the banks. Not far off was the famous Lan Kwai Fong district.

Gu Ming thought about how she had been called back to work right after finishing her wedding photo shoot today. She remembered Shi Lei’s mocking expression. When did it start turning into this? The long-suppressed emotions came crashing down on her. She pulled her shoulders in, and finally unable to hold it back, she began to cry.

Meanwhile, Zhong Xiao-ou stepped out of the elevator with her phone. Wei Hang was out of cigarettes, and Qian Lili had finished her coffee and wanted ice water, so Xiao-ou had gone down to a 24-hour convenience store. On her way back, she passed the river. It was late, the heat of the day had finally dissipated, and the riverbank was deserted. As she stood there catching the breeze with her plastic shopping bag, she heard a faint sobbing sound.

She followed the sound, pulling aside the willow branches, and saw a tall woman with her face buried in her hands. Xiao-ou asked kindly, “Miss, are you okay?”

Gu Ming froze, immediately stopped crying, and wiped her face before turning around.

When Xiao-ou saw that face, she turned to stone. It was the Vice President! Why is it the VP?! Her face was still stained with tears—she looked so vulnerable. Xiao-ou stood there, her breathing becoming shallow. This was beyond awkward.

Gu Ming was equally embarrassed. In the office, she never let her emotions show. In her position, she kept herself wound tight. If it hadn’t been for the build-up of negativity and the stress of the wedding shoot, she wouldn’t have been crying like a fool outside her office on a Friday night. To make matters worse, she had been caught by a subordinate. Frustrated, Gu Ming turned to leave.

Xiao-ou’s tongue felt tied, but after a few seconds of shock, she chased after her. “President Gu, I’m so sorry! I… I didn’t know it was you. I’m sorry!”

Gu Ming stopped. Xiao-ou’s interruption had snapped her out of her sadness. Since the embarrassing scene had already been witnessed, she regained her composure, waved a hand, and gave a small cough. “It’s fine.”

Xiao-ou didn’t dare say more. Gu Ming, having stabilized herself, looked at the bag in her hand. “The team must be hungry working this late. Thank you for your hard work.”

“The designer and editor ran out of cigarettes, so I came down to get some for them.”

“What was your name again?” Gu Ming asked. She felt a certain sense of affinity with this girl; after all, they had just run into each other at Jinli as well.

“Zhong Xiao-ou.” Xiao-ou’s heart hammered against her ribs. The VP was asking for her name!

Gu Ming leaned against a stone pillar, her watery eyes reflecting the leaves floating on the water. It was a rare moment of relaxation. She looked at the stiff, nervous girl beside her. “Are you afraid of me? I suppose you’ve heard the rumors at the company.”

With a personality like an ice mountain, who wouldn’t be? Xiao-ou thought. She had indeed heard plenty from Chi Wei. “No, not really,” she lied.

Gu Ming pursed her lips and turned to her. “Go back up. There’s still a lot to do tonight. You’ve worked hard.”

Xiao-ou waved goodbye and hurried off. Why was President Gu crying by the river? What happened to her? Still, the VP knew her name now. Xiao-ou felt a strange mix of emotions. She knew nothing could ever happen between them, yet being able to see her and exchange a few words made her entire being feel light. Am I a fool? she wondered. I’m 26, not 16. But is it a crime to have a crush? Crushes are the spices of a dull life.

…

The Lost Weekend

Xiao-ou relied on that “spice” to get through an all-nighter. It wasn’t until 8:00 AM the next morning that the work was finished. Her back wouldn’t even straighten. She had hit a wall around 4:00 or 5:00 AM where she could barely keep her eyes open, but by morning, the sleepiness had been replaced by a heavy, cement-like exhaustion.

All she wanted was to go home, shower, close the curtains, and sleep forever. She completely forgot her date with Wang Ling. She dragged her stiff body home, showered, blacked out the room, and turned off her phone. She slept so deeply she lost track of time, while Wang Ling’s calls went unanswered all morning.

“Xiao-ou’s phone is off. I can’t reach her. Is she turning it off because she doesn’t want to go with me?” Wang Ling’s call woke Chi Wei up.

“Doubt it. It’s the weekend, maybe she’s just sleeping in,” Chi Wei yawned, still groggy.

“We were supposed to meet at 7:00 AM. It’s 11:00 now! I’ve called ten times. Check if she’s blocked me? We were talking fine last night.”

Chi Wei tried calling from her bed—still off. By the afternoon, Chi Wei and Wang Ling had both lost their patience and showed up at Xiao-ou’s apartment.

Chi Wei pounded on the door. “Zhong Xiao-ou! Are you home?”

Xiao-ou woke up in a daze. “Damn, you really were just sleeping? How long have you been out, you pig?” Chi Wei said, relieved to see Xiao-ou alive, even if she had messy hair and swollen eyes.

“Oh… it’s you guys?” Xiao-ou squinted, only recognizing Chi Wei at first. “What time is it?”

“You’ve almost slept for 24 hours! Your phone was off; I thought you’d been kidnapped.” Chi Wei playfully smacked her, and as Xiao-ou dodged, she bumped into Wang Ling. She woke up instantly.

“Wait… why are you here too? Give me a minute, just a minute!” She scurried into her bedroom, changed, and spent thirty minutes in the shower.

In the living room, Wang Ling asked Chi Wei, “Does she always sleep this much?” Her eyes were full of affection.

“No, she’s not usually this lazy. And hey—wipe that hungry wolf look off your face. You look like you want to eat her alive.”

“I think I’m already obsessed with her,” Wang Ling admitted.

“She’s just… alright,” Chi Wei said, hiding her true thoughts. “She’s simple, no hidden agendas. If you really like her, treat her right. If you hurt her, I’ll take your life.”

“Being that fierce means you haven’t moved on,” Wang Ling teased, knowing their college history.

“Ignorant! Relationships are broad,” Chi Wei retorted. “I moved on long ago. Do I look like someone who hangs themselves from one tree? Besides, we wouldn’t have been friends this long if I still felt that way. Friendship is the only thing that’s eternal.”

Xiao-ou finally emerged, groomed and ready. “I worked an all-nighter. I didn’t leave the office until 8:00 AM. I’ve been sleeping ever since.”

“What? An all-nighter?” Chi Wei asked. “I saw you leave on time yesterday.”

“It was sudden. Everyone was called back at 9:00 PM. I’m so sorry, Wang Ling. I’m too tired to go to Mount Qingcheng today.”

“It’s fine. We’ll go next time.” Wang Ling patted Xiao-ou’s leg. Xiao-ou felt a tickle and shifted slightly.

“That Fatty Wen is getting more sadistic,” Chi Wei grumbled. “You must be starving. Let’s go find food. You’re treating us, since we spent all morning looking for you.”

…

Two Kinds of Heartbeats

In the car, Xiao-ou still felt heavy, as if she were sinking. All-nighters were truly draining. She thought of the poor Vice President—she had to meet the boss for business today. She wondered how late the VP had stayed up. To reach that position, she must be a real ‘iron woman,’ Xiao-ou thought, feeling exhausted just imagining it.

As she drifted in thought, she felt a gentle pressure on her temples. Someone was rubbing them in slow, clockwise circles. It felt wonderful.

“Your job is way too hard,” Wang Ling said softly as she massaged her head.

Xiao-ou felt a warmth in her heart. Wang Ling was a great catch—gentle, considerate, and beautiful. But deep down, something felt missing. Wang Ling was perfect, and Xiao-ou liked her, but there was no racing pulse. Yet, every time she encountered the Vice President, her heart throbbed like she was a fool.

Am I actually in love with the VP? Xiao-ou wondered, staring out the window at the flowing traffic.