Chapter 47
Song Jinzhi had imagined Gu Sijiu might get angry, might storm off, but she never expected her to walk over and hold her. The Alpha's scent swirled around her, that crisp, refreshing fragrance slowly smoothing every restless corner of her heart. The arms wrapped around her were warm, giving Song Jinzhi a lifeline at the very moment she was falling apart. She didn't dare turn around, she didn't know what emotion to wear when facing Gu Sijiu. She was afraid of meeting the other woman's eyes, and even more afraid of revealing her own flushed cheeks.
But Gu Sijiu had already spotted her tell. The tips of Song Jinzhi's ears had gone a little red, and watching from behind, Gu Sijiu found that crimson ear utterly adorable. She very much wanted to open her mouth and take it between her lips, just like those days of her heat, when Song Jinzhi had asked her to kiss her. But Gu Sijiu knew what she should and shouldn't do right now. She cleared her throat softly, released Song Jinzhi, and leaned against the desk nearby.
"Alright, tell me. What's the problem?" Gu Sijiu glanced at Song Jinzhi, whose head was still lowered. She could feel the other's agitated pheromones settling and knew she had calmed down. "It's the company's bidding. Something went wrong," Song Jinzhi said quietly. She didn't think Gu Sijiu would understand business matters, but since the other woman had asked to see, Song Jinzhi handed her a few documents from the desk.
Gu Sijiu half closed her eyes, reached out, picked up the documents, and skimmed them. Not too bad: simpler than she'd expected. Compared to the backstabbing of the business world, this one clearly put more emphasis on technological development. Gu Sijiu was used to negotiating deals and dealing with people. She had worked at her uncle's company ever since graduating from university; her seven years of experience were far beyond what Song Jinzhi could match.
Quietly and intently, Gu Sijiu read through every document. During this time, Song Jinzhi watched her. She had assumed Gu Sijiu's so called help would be nothing more than a cursory glance at the papers. She had never imagined the other woman would study them so seriously. At that moment, Gu Sijiu carried an indescribable allure. Song Jinzhi knew this allure had nothing to do with pheromones, it was the person's own magnetism.
Gu Sijiu was wearing only a light yellow nightgown. The hem was originally above the knee, but as she leaned against the desk, it had ridden up quite a bit. Those slender, straight, pale legs were right before her eyes. Her long hair hung loose, her gaze intent. Gone was her usual teasing, she had become serious and dependable. Song Jinzhi stared, transfixed, until Gu Sijiu set down the documents and looked over. Only then did she remember to look away.
"Jinzhi, this is actually very easy to handle. Your mind is too tangled up, so you've made it complicated. The initial estimate was wrong from the start, you shouldn't have tried to fix it from there. That latest proposal you drafted, I have another approach." Gu Sijiu spread Song Jinzhi's documents open, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside her, explaining her detailed thoughts to Song Jinzhi.
Watching her type the new plan into the computer, making adjustments to the original proposal, Song Jinzhi's bewildered eyes gradually brightened. Seeing Gu Sijiu's solution, she felt as if her muddled brain had suddenly been unlocked. Indeed, she had overcomplicated things herself and thus overlooked a simple fix. Gu Sijiu's proposal not only plugged the gaps but also maximized the benefits.
Song Jinzhi grabbed Gu Sijiu's hand with a touch of excitement, completely oblivious to the way Gu Sijiu had just addressed her, and unaware of just how intimate her own gesture was right then. Feeling the softness of Song Jinzhi's chest press against her arm, Gu Sijiu pressed her lips together, inexplicably nostalgic for the days when her own chest had also been full and heavy. She forced herself to stay focused on the work, analyzing the current market conditions for Song Jinzhi and answering each of her questions one by one.
Gu Sijiu discovered that Song Jinzhi had a real gift. She didn't need things spelled out in great detail; she could grasp them easily, and very quickly, she could draw inferences and solve other problems. What began as a discussion of Song Corporation's project eventually became Gu Sijiu unilaterally teaching Song Jinzhi a few tricks of the trade. Song Jinzhi listened attentively, occasionally jotting down notes. Unknowingly, they talked until one in the morning, yet Song Jinzhi was still full of energy. Seeing her much happier and more relaxed, Gu Sijiu felt the evening hadn't been wasted.
"Gu Sijiu, thank you." Song Jinzhi tidied the newly finished proposal and looked at Gu Sijiu, who was rubbing her neck beside her, speaking softly. She was genuinely grateful that Gu Sijiu had helped her. Without this person, she would probably still be stuck in that dead end, unable to find her way out. Thinking this, Song Jinzhi looked up at Gu Sijiu yawning, this person really was different from before. She was like a changed person, so good that Song Jinzhi couldn't help sinking into her.
"What's there to thank? It's not like I helped you out of the goodness of my heart. I'm the type who can't stand seeing someone act foolish right next to me. Helping you is helping myself. Besides, I made so much food tonight, and it would've been a waste if no one ate it with me." Though Gu Sijiu was secretly very pleased by Song Jinzhi's gratitude, she couldn't help but tease her a little. Song Jinzhi knew she was doing it on purpose and didn't take offense.
"Even if you say that, I still want to thank you. But... why do you understand business matters?" Song Jinzhi finally recalled her question. She didn't know much about Gu Sijiu, but she at least knew Gu Sijiu had never gone to work at a company; so how could she be so familiar with business? Gu Sijiu had anticipated this question and had long prepared an explanation in her mind.
"The Gu family has its own company. What's so strange about that?" Gu Sijiu raised an eyebrow, looking rather pleased with herself. Hearing this, Song Jinzhi believed her. After all, the Gu family did own several companies, and Gu Sijiu was Gu Nancheng's only daughter; it wasn't odd for her to have studied such things.
"Gu Sijiu, you helped me solve this problem today, and I'm very grateful. Without you, I might really have given up. I know that Omegas are considered inferior to Alphas in many ways. I don't want to accept that fate, but everyone around me, including my own father, keeps pushing me to be an ordinary Omega. I don't want that. I really don't."
Song Jinzhi rarely confided these inner thoughts to anyone. Tonight she had been too fragile, and it was Gu Sijiu who had soothed the scars on her heart, giving Song Jinzhi the desire to speak. What disappointed her most was her father's lack of faith in her: he didn't believe she could be a good CEO, much less that she could manage the company well. As Song Jinzhi was sinking into these despondent thoughts, a hand reached out to stroke her hair, tidying the loose strands that had fallen down.
"Song Jinzhi, you are amazing. In my eyes, there's no difference between you and me. Your natural talent is better than most people's, even better than mine. Don't let other people's actions and opinions dictate what you think. Do whatever you want to do, and use your ability to shut them up." Gu Sijiu rarely spoke so earnestly. Her eyes rested on Song Jinzhi's face, and those words warmed Song Jinzhi to the core. She wanted to cry, but not from sadness, rather, Gu Sijiu's words were so heartwarming they made her want to weep.
"Gu Sijiu, I..." Song Jinzhi started to speak, wanting to say something more, but Gu Sijiu suddenly pressed her shoulders, gently pushing her back against the chair.
"Alright, everything's settled. If you want to thank me, you can take me shopping later. What you need to do now is get a good rest and a good night's sleep, then go to the company tomorrow and resolve this."
Gu Sijiu glanced at Song Jinzhi's dark circles and made the suggestion seriously. Song Jinzhi nodded blankly, and only then did Gu Sijiu rise, reassured. She turned and headed for the door. Just as she was about to leave, she saw Song Jinzhi staring dazedly at the computer, so she stuck her head back in.
"Wooden Face, do you even know? Your dark circles right now look like a giant panda that just got punched twice in the face, all black and swollen. You haven't been resting properly these past few days, and you've aged a whole lot. If you come out on the street with me later, I'm afraid people will mistake you for a mother of two." Gu Sijiu said it with a mischievous, teasing tone. Hearing this, Song Jinzhi's lingering gratitude vanished. She rose with a stony expression, gently pushed Gu Sijiu out the door, and went back to her room to shower and sleep.
Standing in the bathroom, Song Jinzhi glanced at her dark circles and rubbed them, a little vexed. They were pretty bad, sure, but Gu Sijiu didn't have to exaggerate that much...
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