Chapter 18
Gu Sijiu woke in the middle of the night to find herself lying on the stairs and dragged herself back to her room. She had no idea why she'd fallen asleep there, especially when the house had plenty of soft sofas and beds, she'd somehow picked the stairs, hard and cold. Her neck ached, her head throbbed with the sting of alcohol, and the worst was her legs, cramped from curling up on the steps. A large patch of purple green bruise spread across her knees, clearly from hitting the stairs earlier.
Gu Sijiu touched her knee and hissed in pain. Muddled, she shuffled into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, showered, scrubbed herself pink and clean, then changed into pajamas and lay down. Exhausted as she was, she still struggled to keep her mind clear, thinking back to what happened after she got home. She had some memory of that time, she remembered seeing Song Jinzhi and saying something to her afterward.
But her memory blanked out from there, like a film cut short. She couldn't recall anything that followed, why Song Jinzhi hadn't helped her to her room, why she'd ended up lying on the stairs. None of it. She pondered for a while, her eyelids drooping relentlessly, and fell asleep again.
When Song Jinzhi came downstairs past ten and didn't see Gu Sijiu, she knew the person had probably woken in the night and gone back to her room on her own. Song Jinzhi hadn't slept entirely easy the night before, she'd so carelessly left someone on the stairs, after all. She wasn't completely unconcerned about Gu Sijiu's safety, and it was, in the end, a bit unkind.
But the thought of how that person, when drunk in the past, had always gotten handsy with her made her pull back the urge to go check. Gu Sijiu was an Alpha with a much sturdier constitution than hers, spending a night outside wouldn't cause any real trouble. That's what Song Jinzhi told herself.
Sitting in her chair, Song Jinzhi lowered her head to read the news and ate a late breakfast. Then she felt utterly idle, the kind of empty leisure that had stretched on for over a month now. Being an Omega rendered Song Jinzhi helpless in too many ways, and the inconveniences were countless.
Song Jinzhi had excelled since childhood, whether in grades or social conduct, and was always favored by her elders. At school she consistently earned top marks, a habit that lasted through university and even into her work at Song Corporation. The years after graduation, unlike most Omegas who found a suitable Alpha or Beta, married, and had children, Song Jinzhi relied on her parents' doting love and joined Song Corporation instead.
Song Jinzhi knew well that at the time, the relatives had all objected, saying an Omega shouldn't be doing such things, in plain terms, they meant she ought to go get married, not work. Every time she heard those words, Song Jinzhi sneered inside. They had always praised her as outstanding, yet they constantly used her Omega status to suppress her.
Song Jinzhi was defiant and unwilling to yield. It wasn't because she resented being an Omega, on the contrary, she never felt any dissatisfaction about that. She liked children and had imagined what it would be like to carry a cute baby in her belly. She didn't expect Omegas to have the exact same rights as Alphas, but at the very least... she wanted a fair chance to compete, to prove she was no less capable than an Alpha. It was just a shame that this kind of life lasted only until her engagement to Gu Sijiu, and then it ended.
Song Jinzhi knew Gu Sijiu didn't like her working. Like most Alphas, Gu Sijiu wanted to completely conquer her and lock her away at home. Thinking about this troubled Song Jinzhi. If it were before, she could have coaxed her parents into arranging a position for her again in the company. Now, even her parents agreed she should spend more time at home with Gu Sijiu, and they'd even sold the apartment she had bought earlier, all to foster their relationship and keep her from moving out again.
Thinking about it, Song Jinzhi felt a bitter weight she couldn't voice. The reason she'd stayed downstairs so long today was to talk with Gu Sijiu. She wanted to work, at least not to fritter away every day at home. With Gu Sijiu's consent, her parents would support her. Unfortunately, Gu Sijiu's approval was the hardest hurdle.
Song Jinzhi remained downstairs until noon. Sometimes her mind went blank; more often she was rehearsing in her head, piecing together how to broach the subject with Gu Sijiu. The servant had prepared lunch and still that person hadn't come down. This made Song Jinzhi anxious, she felt that business ought to be discussed in the morning, she didn't want to bring it up with Gu Sijiu at night. After a moment's thought, she picked up Gu Sijiu's lunch tray and walked to her bedroom door.
"Gu Sijiu, are you awake?" Song Jinzhi knocked on the door, this was the first time she'd taken the initiative to knock. No sound came from the room. Song Jinzhi rapped again with a little more force, and this time someone finally answered. Hearing Gu Sijiu lazily say "Come in," Song Jinzhi assumed the person was still half asleep. But once she entered, she found Gu Sijiu leaning on a sofa in a nightgown, doing a face mask.
It wasn't strange that this person liked skincare. What was utterly unexpected, though, was the sleepwear she had on. Gu Sijiu's skin was very fair, so she looked good in any color. At some point she'd bought a goose yellow nightgown printed with a hamster munching a walnut. The design was pretty; the cartoon pattern didn't seem childish. The hem had mesh tulle accents, and the neckline featured a hexagonal tie up that subtly revealed the pale expanse of chest and collarbones. The dress itself was lovely, but on Gu Sijiu, Song Jinzhi could only describe it as bizarre, even eerie. She had seen Gu Sijiu's pajamas before, the woman was rigidly conservative about colors, and her sleepwear was mostly men's plaid shirts and pants. But now... this style, somehow both sexy and a little cute, genuinely shocked Song Jinzhi. And Song Jinzhi hated rodents more than anything, not even an adorable hamster could change that.
"What is it?" Gu Sijiu had been curious why Song Jinzhi would actually come to find her voluntarily. Seeing the lunch tray in her hands, Gu Sijiu told her to set it on the table, though she remained puzzled. She was certain Song Jinzhi would never approach her of her own accord; delivering lunch was definitely a sign of some agenda. The woman stood there staring at her for a long time without speaking, which only made Gu Sijiu more baffled.
"Nothing, really. I just wanted to discuss something with you. If you're free, I hope you can spare a moment to talk."
"About what?"
"I want to go back to work at Song Corporation. I've rested at home long enough; I think I should find something to do instead of just staying here all the time, and besides..."
"Oh, that. If you want to go, just go."
Gu Sijiu listened to Song Jinzhi and gave her a look that said, What are you making a fuss about? She felt a bit perplexed, why was Song Jinzhi telling her she wanted to go to work? She'd previously wondered how someone who seemed so much the career woman ended up cooped at home with her every day. Only now did she realize the other party had simply been on leave.
Song Jinzhi had prepared a whole speech, never imagining the matter would be settled so effortlessly. She stood there, stunned, studying Gu Sijiu for a long moment, watching her single mindedly tend to her skincare. Gu Sijiu carefully patted her cheeks, humming a tune in a good mood. Song Jinzhi's gaze held a trace of suspicion, but in the end she said nothing and turned to leave.
After stepping out of the room, Song Jinzhi made two calls. The first was to her parents, explaining her intention to return to work and informing them that she had obtained Gu Sijiu's consent. The second call was to her secretary.
"CEO Song."
"Jennifer, when will the investigation I asked you to do be finished?"
"CEO Song, we've already sent the sample you provided for testing. Results should be ready very soon."
"Right. Notify me the moment they come out. Also, I'll be resuming my duties tomorrow. Please tidy up my office."
Having settled those matters, Song Jinzhi walked alone to a corner of the garden and sat down. She wanted a cigarette, but after bringing it to her lips, she stopped. Because she saw Gu Sijiu coming out of the house, a glass of red wine in hand, settling onto the lawn and sipping leisurely. The sunlight fell on her faintly smiling profile, and she looked extraordinarily beautiful. After drinking, she lay lazily on the grass. Song Jinzhi erased the flash of admiration from her eyes, her gaze darkening.
Gu Sijiu, what are you playing at?
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