Chapter 38: Actually, She Is Younger And Prettier Than Me, Which Is Pretty Good
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
When Gu Xizhi saw this girl in real life, she was more surprised than when she saw her photos on Lili's phone a few days ago. Today, she had her hair completely down. Although her 6-4-point* hairstyle looked a bit more mature than it did that day, her physical appearance still made her look very young. If Lili hadn't told her that she was only twenty years old, Gu Xizhi would have thought she hadn't grown up at all. Most importantly, although her temperament was really too pure, from certain angles, she and Gu Xizhi really looked similar to a certain extent.
*parted on a 6:4 ratio
Like the other girls present, she was dressed appropriately and elegantly. Her light green dress looked both pure and lively, and with her fair skin, she resembled a freshly picked green apple. Probably due to the cold outside, she shivered noticeably when she entered. The feeling that she was looking at herself made Gu Xizhi, without any hesitation, pour a cup of hot tea ready to hand it to her. But as soon as the tea was poured, Qu Xizhi had already handed her a cup of hot tea.
"It's very cold outside. Why didn't you wear a bit more when coming over?"
Bo Yiqing took the tea from Qu Xizhi, looking quite natural, "It's alright, I'm used to it."
Standing next to Gu Xizhi, Ivy could conveniently hear their conversation. She was quite surprised and inquisitive, saying, "Sister Xiao Qu, Miss Bo, have you known each other before?"
Qu Xizhi didn't immediately respond, and Bo Yiqing seemed to be thinking about how to reply. However, one of the female artists who had come with Bo Yiqing laughed and said, "Of course! Yiqing even canceled our meeting last night at 11 o'clock to meet Miss Qu. They must have a good relationship."
crash—
A full cup of hot tea suddenly spilled on the table due to the angle. Zhao Ling, who was sitting across from Gu Xizhi, looked at the table and then at Gu Xizhi, asking, "Why are you so clumsy? Did you get burned?"
Gu Xizhi quickly saved the cup that had spilled in her hand, looking somewhat embarrassed. "...It's fine, the cup was just a bit slippery."
Since he entered, Sun Tingyou, who had been discussing jade with the man next to him, now looked over and smiled, tapping the table with his index finger. He said to the waiter, "Replace all the tableware with wooden ones."
The waiter promptly followed the instructions and left. Gu Xizhi raised her eyes to look at Sun Tingyou, and he didn't avert his gaze either. Although it wasn't the first time she had seen this person, Gu Xizhi could clearly sense that his gaze towards her was different from what it used to be.
This man already had three sons, but he was still passionate about romance and tenderness. If it weren't for so many people around, Gu Xizhi would almost find it unbearable to breathe under his gaze.
At this moment, Bo Yiqing walked over to Gu Xizhi from Qu Xizhi's side and handed her a tissue. Gu Xizhi looked at her and saw her smiling as she said, "Wipe your hands."
Gu Xizhi took the tissue and said, "Thank you.
Bo Yiqing smiled once again. Perhaps because she was relatively new to the industry, her smile was as green as she was, and even a bit shy. "No need to be polite, Sister Xiao Jing. When I was in art school, I really liked the movies you acted in. I always thought you were incredibly, um, exceptionally beautiful."
Even though it's strange to hear someone use so many words to praise the beauty of someone who looks a lot like them, Gu Xizhi still felt flattered, so much so that she forgot about being addressed by her nickname. "Thank you, please have a seat first."
After Gu Xizhi's words, she moved to make room for Bo Yiqing to sit. However, before she could sit down, she heard Zhao Ling say, "Come, Yiqing, sit with us and Director Sun."
"Okay." Bo Yiqing replied to Zhao Ling with a smile and walked over on the spot.
The conversation between the two seemed perfectly normal, and the situation appeared to flow naturally, with no one in the room paying any attention to this detail. However, in hindsight, Zhao Ling's decision to seat Bo Yiqing next to Sun Tingyou was indeed quite unusual.
Gu Xizhi noticed this accidentally and always felt that something was wrong.
"Xiao Jing, don't just stand there. Come and sit next to Yiqing."
After being called by Zhao Ling, Gu Xizhi came back to her senses and nodded immediately, "Okay."
There were only three or four men at the table, but there were a lot of women. Bo Yiqing and Gu Xizhi sat on the left of Sun Tingyou, and Ivy sat on the right. Although the scene seemed calm, the women present probably didn't want to sit next to Sun Tingyou unless they had some agenda. Gu Xizhi still seemed to be worried.
This person has always been a womanizer and will make trouble for anyone he catches. While Gu Xizhi didn't know why he had recently focused his attention on her, her wariness against him had never waned.
Fortunately, there was Bo Yiqing between her and Sun Tingyou at today's dinner. Bo Yiqing was not only young and beautiful but also had a better drinking capacity than ordinary people. Several times when Sun Tingyou tried to get Gu Xizhi to drink, Bo Yiqing calmly deflected his attempts. Even the most obtuse person could probably figure out that Bo Yiqing's presence was entirely to help her. However, it still left Gu Xizhi puzzled that a complete stranger would go to such lengths for her sake.
As they reached one-third of the way through the meal, Bo Yiqing had accompanied Sun Tingyou in drinking one and a half cups of alcohol. The continuous barrage of alcohol made Gu Xizhi anxious for her. Unable to help herself, she found a moment to ask quietly, "Yiqing, are you okay? Do you want me to pour you a glass of water?"
Bo Yiqing turned around. Although her cheeks were slightly red, her eyes showed no trace of drunkenness, "Sister Xiao Jing, I'm fine, thank you.
Even though she said so, Gu Xizhi was still prepared to pour her a cup of tea. However, before the tea could be served, Bo Yiqing said, "I'll go to the restroom, I'll be back in a moment."
Gu Xizhi nodded and placed the tea in front of Bo Yiqing's seat after she left. The men at the table were discussing film investments, and the women were listening with interest. Gu Xizhi picked up her chopsticks, ready to eat, but Qu Xizhi also stood up and said to Zhao Ling beside her, "I'm going to the restroom."
Zhao Ling nodded without any objections, and a fragrant aroma wafted through the air as Qu Xizhi left. Gu Xizhi was lost in thought, gazing at Qu Xizhi's departing figure. Zhao Ling tapped the table to bring her attention back and reminded her, "Someone wants to drink with you."
Gu Xizhi immediately came to her senses and offered tea instead of wine to express her gratitude to the man opposite.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
When Qu Xizhi returned to the table, she was accompanied by Bo Yiqing. One sharp-eyed female celebrity glanced at Bo Yiqing as she returned from the restroom and immediately made a playful comment, "Yiqing, you drank so much earlier, and your face didn't turn red. How did it become so flushed after going out for a while?"
If she didn't mention it, the people at the table wouldn't notice this either. Gu Xizhi only followed the crowd's gaze to Bo Yiqing and saw that her cheeks were indeed flushed. She then looked at the teasing female celebrity.
The female celebrity continued, "It's a good thing you went out with Miss Qu. Otherwise, I would have had to think of something else."
Bo Yiqing explained, "It might be because the alcohol has just started to take effect. This wine is quite special."
When she said this, everyone at the table brought the topic to the wine they drank today, except Gu Xizhi who glanced at Qu Xizhi.
Qu Xizhi was slightly puzzled by Gu Xizhi's gaze but didn't dwell on it. She took up her chopsticks to eat.
Not long after Gu Xizhi finished picking up the vegetables, she felt her phone vibrate. She picked it up and opened it, and a text message from Qu Xizhi was displayed on the screen:
It wasn't me that made her blush.
Gu Xizhi put away her phone and was not going to reply. After thinking about it, she couldn't help but type a few words quickly:
I don't care who you are with.
Qu Xizhi raised her head, glanced at her, and stopped talking.
Sun Tingyou, who always likes to get drunk in drinking venues, was enthusiastic about not leaving until he was drunk. Despite Bo Yiqing's assistance, someone like Sun Tingyou wasn't easily fooled.
After three rounds of drinks, and with Bo Yiqing intercepting several glasses, Sun Tingyou once again raised his glass to Gu Xizhi. "Xiao Gu, I, Sun Tingyou, am not treating you too badly. How about we go singing together after this drink?"
Gu Xizhi found herself in a difficult spot. While she couldn't express any evasive words, the reality was that she couldn't have a drop of alcohol, let alone go with him.
With Zhao Ling in the restroom and Bo Yiqing having consumed too much alcohol, Gu Xizhi felt stuck. She was about to reluctantly agree when she noticed Bo Yiqing subtly shifting her body, blocking Sun Tingyou slightly, and coquettishly saying, "Director Sun, you just said you wanted to hear me sing, and now you're looking for Sister Xiao Jing. Do you really like me?"
"I like you." Sun Tingyou, who was drunk, had already put his arms around Bo Yiqing's shoulders unscrupulously, "I like you both."
"You can only like one." Bo Yiqing pretended to push him away, pretending to be angry.
Sun Tingyou was overjoyed by the beauty's jealousy, but he never let go, "I like Yiqing, but I also really want to drink with Xiao Gu, what should I do?"
Bo Yiqing definitely contributed a lot to making Sun Tingyou say these words with a smile, but at this moment, Gu Xizhi didn't have the luxury to ponder why she had done so much for her. She was completely uncertain about how to handle this glass of wine.
Gu Xizhi picked up the wine he was using to make a show in front of him. The memory of vomiting and fainting lingered in her mind, but Gu Xizhi still raised her hand. She stood up with a smile and said, "Mr.Sun, you are joking. You've been so considerate to me, and I had already planned to toast you. However, I'm easily allergic to alcohol, so to be in a better condition to work for you, I'll drink a quarter of this glass. Is that okay with you?"
Sun Tingyou looked drunk, but he disagreed, "How can I, Sun Tingyou, take advantage of a woman? That's fine, I'll finish the drink and you'll drink half.
A quarter of it was just what Gu Xizhi said, and it was absolutely impossible to drink that much. Now that she heard Sun Tingyou say this, Gu Xizhi's heart twisted into a knot, but her face was calm and composed, "Since Director Sun says so, I'll follow your lead."
Sun Tingyou raised an eyebrow, smiling as he lifted his glass. Gu Xizhi smiled back and raised her glass as well. The scent of the liquor felt particularly uncomfortable as it neared her nostrils. The glass was at her lips, and she had mentally prepared herself for another bout of suffering as she was about to take a sip. However, before the liquid could reach her tongue, the glass was suddenly taken from her.
Qu Xizhi picked up Gu Xizhi's wine glass and smiled at Sun Tingyou, "Xiao Jing promised to discuss a drama with me tomorrow. To prevent her from ignoring me and not to disturb Uncle Sun's mood, I'll toast you with this glass, and I'll finish it all."
She tilted the glass slightly and downed the entire contents in one go. Not only Sun Tingyou but everyone at the table couldn't help but praise her.
"Xiao Qu is a good drinker."
"Miss Qu is really straightforward."
"Hurry, Miss Qu has finished her drink; Director Sun, you should too."
There were endless voices of support, and Sun Tingyou slightly raised the corner of his mouth and drank the wine in his hand.
There was even applause on the table at this moment. Zhao Ling, who had just returned from the bathroom, could tell what had happened but didn't express any surprise as she sat down beside Gu Xizhi.
Gu Xizhi's gaze remained on Qu Xizhi's empty glass. Sensing Zhao Ling's return, she quietly asked, "Can Qu Xizhi handle her alcohol well?"
Zhao Ling smiled, picked up the chopsticks, and ate the food, "Better than you."
Gu Xizhi, "..."
Perhaps due to Qu Xizhi's intervention, Sun Tingyou didn't trouble Gu Xizhi any further.
As this social gathering neared its end, most of the people at the table were already heavily intoxicated. Sun Tingyou himself was incoherent from the alcohol, and Bo Yiqing, despite being able to hold her liquor, couldn't withstand the continuous drinking. Her cheeks were flushed, and her gaze was unfocused. On the other hand, Qu Xizhi's expression remained unchanged throughout, giving no hint of whether she was affected by the alcohol or not.
After the banquet, almost everyone present except Gu Xizhi went on to the next entertainment activity, she had prepared a well-thought-out excuse to leave this potentially dangerous situation.
Probably because Sun Tingyou was really happy to be coaxed by Bo Yiqing, when Gu Xizhi was about to leave, Sun Tingyou just left a pretentious comment and let her go.
Before leaving, Gu Xizhi took the elevator to the parking garage. At this moment, Qu Xizhi walked over from the crowd and said, "Be careful while driving back, I can't leave with Sun Tingyou for now."
Gu Xizhi looked at her and said nonchalantly, "It's up to you. Bo Yiqing is there anyway, so you two can keep each other company."
Qu Xizhi said, "...she and I have nothing.
"You don't need to explain this to me." Gu Xizhi looked even more unconcerned, "Actually, she is younger and prettier than me, which is pretty good. If it were me, I would also like to chat with her like this at eleven o'clock in the evening."
Qu Xizhi was left speechless, feeling strange about Gu Xizhi's tone.
The night sparkled with stars, and the city was illuminated by neon lights.
There are fewer and fewer people on the streets. LED screens everywhere in the city center are playing advertisements. The shops on both sides of the street are playing lyrical or dynamic music. Despite the late hour, the city remained vibrant and bustling.
When passing a traffic light, Gu Xizhi stopped the car and waited. When she raised her head, the huge LED screen on the towering building played an advertisement endorsed by a celebrity. The girl in the advertisement was youthful and energetic, as beautiful as a peach blossom in April.
She didn't know why Bo Yiqing came to help her, nor was she sure if Bo Yiqing would face any difficulties after leaving the event with Sun Tingyou.
This sudden thought made Gu Xizhi a little worried. At this moment, a series of rapid ringtones rang. Gu Xizhi looked at the incoming call, frowned for a while, and then answered belatedly, "Director Sun, do you need something from me?"
On the other end of the phone, Sun Tingyou sounded very awake, more awake than at any time tonight. "Xiao Gu, how about watching a movie with me?"
Gu Xizhi didn't know what was going on, but after finally escaping, she boldly tried to refuse, "Director Sun, it's so late today and I've already gone home. Can you see if you can..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Sun Ting You interrupted, "Don't rush to refuse. I forgot to tell you, the main characters in this movie are Qu Xizhi and Bo Yiqing. If you're willing to miss it, then I'll be the only one watching."
In the first few seconds, Gu Xizhi didn't understand the meaning of his words at all, but thinking back to today's events, Gu Xizhi seemed to be suddenly enlightened by something, and immediately said, "Where are you?"
