"You're here, which means it's already settled," she said.
Though she said it, Sheng Qingchi still found it incredible to hear her admit it.
Even after a decade or two, he still remembered the legendary events surrounding this person, each one baffling him.
"Yes, I should have guessed earlier."
He hadn't paid much attention to outside affairs for a long time. He had actually heard some rumors about Qin Yuerong before. When he knew that person, he knew that the other party had feelings for Gu Jin. But at that time, Gu Jin was about to give birth, and Gu Jin treasured Chong Yan more than his own eyes. There was no chance for him.
He heard that he had set his sights on a female celebrity, and Sheng Qingchi thought he had finally come to his senses and decided to let go of the past.
As it turned out, he had overthought it.
He hadn't let go; he had discovered she was back.
"But... is Chong Yan still him?"
Gu Jin smiled at him, a smile filled with a hint of pride. "What do you think?"
Sheng Qingchi felt as if he could hear Qin Yuerong's heart shattering into a million pieces a hundred miles away.
This made him think of himself. Such an outstanding and mysterious person. He hadn't been unaffected back then, but he had a clear view. He knew Gu Jin only had Chong Yan in her heart. The education and influences he received since childhood also prevented him from convincing himself to steal someone else's partner.
Looking back now, stopping in time was a wise decision. Although he hadn't liked anyone in all these years and had been devoted to research, he remained a lone individual.
However, a lonely individual with no attachments was better than a lonely individual who constantly pined for someone else but couldn't have them.
"Congratulations," he said sincerely. "Back then, you two... why?"
He didn't believe the rumors outside about who had terminal illness or who followed the other in death.
Gu Jin replied casually, "There was something I had to leave for."
Sheng Qingchi nodded in understanding.
"So, will you live here forever?"
"If nothing unexpected happens, yes."
He didn't know what "unexpected" meant to her, nor did he know if this person who had disappeared for twenty years and reappeared before him in a youthful guise possessed other abilities.
For example, living forever.
He suppressed his wandering thoughts, organized his mind, and asked a question that had been bothering him for a long time: "Where is that child from back then?"
After he asked this question, he saw the other person's expression freeze for a moment.
But it was only for a fleeting moment.
He quickly added, "Miss Rong brought her to us then and told us you had died. After we handled your funeral, when we went to find her again, we couldn't find her no matter what. The child was also gone. Is she... is she doing well now?"
That child was incredibly adorable. Plus, he had believed these two were truly dead at the time, and he had never given up searching over the years.
But he couldn't find her anywhere, no matter how hard he looked.
She, along with that woman, had vanished as if into thin air.
"She is doing well."
This answer was perfunctory, but Sheng Qingchi didn't want to ask more.
"That's good then."
Gu Jin's phone on the table rang. She picked it up, glanced at it, smiled, and hung up first.
"Is there anything else? If not, I need to go back."
Sheng Qingchi felt like he hadn't even warmed his seat, and he felt a little wronged.
After all, they were old friends reuniting, couldn't they talk a little longer?
What could make this person's expression change so drastically?
"Does Chong Yan still have memories of the past?"
"No."
She said, "I don't want him to suspect anything, so this should be our last meeting."
"So cruel," he said with a bitter smile. "We were friends once, and I have no ulterior motives towards you. He shouldn't consider me a rival."
"That's hard to say." Gu Jin thought about his personality. The person who was usually gentle and well-behaved had actually attacked Liu Long for her that day.
Clearly, his docile nature was largely an act.
She didn't want to see him throwing a baseless tantrum.
"He's quite petty. It's not easy to appease him if he's offended."
Listening to her words, which seemed to carry a hint of complaint but were filled with pampering and affection, Sheng Qingchi felt completely satisfied.
He was stuffed with dog food.
He stood up. "Alright, I'll be going back then. Thank you for today. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this."
"Mm."
As Sheng Qingchi was walking out, a figure rushed forward and almost bumped him back. He leaned against the doorframe and looked. He didn't recognize the face, yet he knew it was him at a glance.
"A Jin?"
Gu Jin stood up and looked over, slightly surprised. "Why are you here?"
"I called you from downstairs, and you didn't pick up, so I wanted to come up and see."
He walked up to Gu Jin and looked at Sheng Qingchi, asking, "Who is this?"
"Hello," Sheng Qingchi said, a benevolent smile on his scholarly face. He extended his hand to him. "Mr. Chong Yan, my name is Sheng Qingchi."
Chong Yan shook his hand but remained confused.
"Alright, you should go now."
Gu Jin's words were a clear dismissal.
Sheng Qingchi felt hurt, but his presence was indeed redundant. Causing trouble for others and making himself uncomfortable, he bid farewell.
After he left, the two returned to the office together.
"Was that person earlier your friend?"
"I knew him before. Not really a friend."
Not a friend of this body.
"Why didn't you answer my call just now? And you hung up."
Gu Jin smiled. "If you hadn't come up, I would have come down soon. There was no need."
"Uh-huh, why was there no need? You suddenly hung up my call. I was worried something happened to you, so I ran all the way here. I'm exhausted."
Gu Jin poured him a glass of water and sat down beside him. "I'm in my own office, what could happen?"
"Cheating."
Chong Yan's tone was sour, which Gu Jin found very amusing.
"We're not married yet. If I found someone else, it would be at most infidelity, not cheating."
Chong Yan: "...You really want to!"
"What do I want? Didn't you say it yourself?"
Chong Yan looked at her indignantly, only to see a mischievous expression on her face.
His inner dissatisfaction intensified and took on a different flavor.
"You're teasing me again."
Gu Jin leaned back on the sofa. She was wearing a black slip dress today, with a beige blazer over it. The neckline of the slip dress was quite low. When she tilted her head slightly, her slender neck, delicate collarbone, and the expanse of fair skin below were very striking.
Chong Yan looked at the graceful lines, feeling a stirring desire.
Gu Jin noticed his gaze and showed no shyness. Instead, she winked at him.
Chong Yan's face turned bright red.
Gu Jin teased, "The lounge next door has been renovated. You personally picked the bed, do you want to try it out?"
Chong Yan's Adam's apple bobbed. His rational mind told him he should refuse, but at this moment, not going would make him less than a man, even less than human.
A person couldn't resist.
Gu Jin stood up and extended her hand to him.
Chong Yan took her hand and, as he stood up, pulled her into his embrace, carried her horizontally into the lounge.
The bed in the lounge was of his choosing, so it naturally suited him perfectly.