The Chronicle Of Seducing A Mature Woman (GL) - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Gu Ming’s eyes were misty and blurred with alcohol. This encounter, which Zhong Xiao-ou had spent the night secretly hoping for, now left her feeling utterly helpless. Her curiosity about Gu Ming deepened, yet she didn’t dare ask a single question. Seeing that Gu Ming refused to say where she lived and showed no intention of heading home, Xiao-ou was at a loss. She wanted to make her comfortable, but there wasn’t exactly a place to lie down in the middle of the street.

“President Gu, can I take you home?” Xiao-ou asked cautiously.

Gu Ming seemed to sober up slightly and waved her hand. “No need. Thank you. You should go home, I’m fine.”

Xiao-ou felt a sharp pang of regret for not owning a car; in a situation like this, she could have driven the VP straight home. Not wanting to just abandon her there, Xiao-ou stepped into the street, hailed a taxi, tucked Gu Ming into the back seat, and climbed in after her.

“Drank too much, huh? Just don’t puke in my car, I just washed it today,” the driver grumbled, eyeing Gu Ming.

From the back seat, Gu Ming replied weakly, “I’m already finished vomiting.”

“Where to?”

Xiao-ou looked at Gu Ming, but she remained silent. Left with no choice, Xiao-ou said, “Just head toward the Third Ring Road. Drive slowly, she’s not feeling well.”

The driver glanced at the two women in the rearview mirror. Having driven for years, he’d seen his share of strange situations. As long as there was money to be made, he’d drive them to Beijing if they asked.

Once the car started moving, Gu Ming stopped talking. She leaned her head on her hand and stared out the window. Xiao-ou desperately wanted to help massage her temples—she knew how bad alcohol headaches could be—but she didn’t dare. They weren’t even friends; they were nowhere near that level of intimacy. Chi Wei was right, Xiao-ou thought, I’m so timid I’ll never actually land a girl. She sat rigidly beside Gu Ming, listening to the crackle of the driver’s radio.

They spent over an hour circling the Third Ring Road, passing overpass after overpass. Perhaps Gu Ming realized that every act of defiance eventually has an end. She wished there was a train that would just keep going and going, never reaching a destination. Finally, she spoke. “Alright, driver, stop circling. Let’s go back. Zhong Xiao-ou, where do you live? We’ll drop you first.”

“No, no! We should get you back first, President Gu. You’ve been drinking, you need to be home.”

…

The Cost of a “Date”

By the time they finished the loop, Gu Ming was much more sober. As they neared her destination, she thanked Xiao-ou with an embarrassed tone. “Thank you for today. I’m truly sorry for wasting so much of your time. Is your place far from here?”

“Not too far. It’s fine. Make sure to drink some sobering tea when you get inside.”

After dropping Gu Ming off, the taxi drove another twenty minutes to reach Xiao-ou’s rented apartment. It had been an exhausting night—partly because being around the VP was nerve-wracking, and partly because she had to maintain a facade of total calm.

When the car stopped, Xiao-ou looked at the meter and felt herself spiraling. Had she misread the decimal point? No—they had literally circled the entire city. She silently pulled several “red bills” (100 RMB notes) from her wallet, her heart bleeding with every cent. Dating really is expensive, she thought, though this wasn’t even a date. Spending two hours with the VP had cost her a fortune, but thinking of Gu Ming, she decided it was worth it.

…

Misfortune Comes in Threes

That weekend was a wash. Between the overtime and the late-night taxi ride, Xiao-ou didn’t go to Mount Qingcheng with Wang Ling. On Sunday, she slept until she woke up naturally and began cleaning her apartment. By 3:00 PM, she was lounging on the sofa, scrolling through WeChat. Wang Ling had messaged her asking if she was up or if she’d eaten lunch. Xiao-ou stared at the screen, unsure of how to respond.

The summer afternoon was sweltering, and her air conditioner had finally decided to go on strike. Drenched in sweat from cleaning, she pulled out a floor fan to blast herself with air. She ignored Wang Ling for a moment to call her landlord.

“Hello? Mr. Landlord? The AC is broken. Can you send someone to fix it? … What? You’re not fixing it? You’re taking the house back? But we signed a one-year lease! This is a breach of contract… It’s not about the money! … I—” Xiao-ou hung up, fuming.

The landlord was taking the apartment back to live in it himself. She’d only been there six months. It was affordable and comfortable, even if the commute to her new job was a bit long. Now he just said he’d compensate her and told her to move. Is everything just about money to these people?

“That disgusting landlord broke the lease!” Xiao-ou complained to Chi Wei over the phone. “So what?” “I have to move! Finding a place is a nightmare, and moving is even worse.” “It’s just a house. You can find another one easily. Or just move in with Wang Ling—she has her own place. You guys seem to be doing great anyway.” “No… that’s not a good idea,” Xiao-ou resisted. “Why not? Moving too fast? Living together doesn’t mean you have to do anything. Besides, what century is this? By the way, Xiao-ou, have you actually ever slept with a woman?” “STOP! STOP! STOP!” Xiao-ou shouted. “I can’t talk to a pervert like you. I need to find a place. This is so annoying.”

She hung up, glaring at Chi Wei’s profile picture. That woman always poked where it hurt. They’d known each other for years, and Xiao-ou had never even had a proper girlfriend, let alone… slept with anyone. She’d never even had a one-night stand. Once, Chi Wei had set something up, and Xiao-ou, being a normal woman with a healthy curiosity, had agreed. But the moment they got to the hotel room and the woman started taking off Xiao-ou’s clothes, she had actually screamed. She fled the scene and never tried it again.

…

The Department Dinner

Xiao-ou spent the next week in a haze—working by day and hunting for apartments during her breaks. She didn’t have much time to think about the VP. Gu Ming had appeared on the 8th floor a few times, looking like the quintessential “Iron Lady” professional. The woman who had cried and vomited seemed like a character from a dream.

“Tonight! Everyone attends!” Qian Lili announced over the department floor. “President Gu is making good on her promise to treat us after last week’s overtime. No one is allowed to skip!”

Usually, Manager Wen should have been the one paying, but he had no shame in letting Gu Ming foot the bill. Over a dozen people gathered around a large table at an upscale restaurant.

“The food here is pricey. President Gu is a real one,” Qian Lili whispered to Xiao-ou. “Should we order the most expensive stuff, or should we go easy on her?” Wei Hang asked while pulling out a chair for Manager Wen. “Hard! We have to go hard! If she’s sincere enough to invite us, we have to be sincere enough to eat!”

The chatter was lively until Gu Ming arrived. The room went silent. She smiled. “Last week was tough on everyone. Please, eat your fill today.”

No one spoke. In a professional setting, the VP’s aura was simply too powerful.

“Is it because I’m here that everyone is so stiff?” Gu Ming joked, starting to stand. “How about this: you all eat, I’ll leave my card here and head out.”

Qian Lili quickly pulled her back. “President Gu, don’t say that! Everyone, why so serious? We were all buzzing before she got here. Let’s have some wine and loosen up!”

The atmosphere began to thaw. Xiao-ou began pouring drinks for her colleagues. Naturally, she started with Gu Ming. Gu Ming had ordered Wuliangye (a strong Chinese liquor). Xiao-ou stood up and walked to her side. She remembered how miserable Gu Ming had been the previous week after drinking. She’s going to do it again? Xiao-ou held the bottle, hesitating. She didn’t want to overstep her bounds, but then she saw Gu Ming take a deep breath. Xiao-ou reached out and took the glass from in front of the VP.

“President Gu, let me pour you some plain water instead,” Xiao-ou said. She reached for the pitcher on the side and filled the glass with water.

Gu Ming paused for a moment, then thanked Xiao-ou in a soft, gentle voice.

Every eye at the table turned toward them.