Gu Qichen poured Qin He another cup of hot tea and placed it in her palm, letting her cup it.
Then he sat down opposite her.
Qin He's heart felt complex. In the memories of those two years, Gu Qichen had never been so considerate and attentive.
Was the man before her or the one in the past the real him?
"What is it? Tell me," Gu Qichen's words interrupted Qin He's thoughts. She inwardly berated herself, what was she thinking?
Why did she easily lose her composure whenever she saw this man!
"I'm here today for serious business, and also to beg for forgiveness."
Qin He looked up solemnly, her clear eyes filled with determination. "I want to withdraw from the competition."
Gu Qichen remained silent.
Qin He pursed her lips. "I know this will have a bad impact on you and the brand. I can accept any consequences, but I will definitely withdraw from the competition."
Qin He explained softly, "If I cause any losses, I can bear them too."
After she finished, Gu Qichen finally asked, "Is it because of Di Shishi?"
Qin He looked at Gu Qichen in surprise, then nodded. "Yes, Shishi was taken away by the police and hasn't been released. Qian Zimo hasn't found out why the police are holding her. I have to go help."
Gu Qichen's gaze was distant. "Perhaps I can help you."
"No need," Qin He smiled. "I know I can't hide it from you. You should have noticed during this time that there is indeed a relationship between Di Shishi, Qian Zimo, and me. But this relationship isn't convenient for you to know. I can only tell you that the three of us have been friends for many years. Shishi is like family to me, and I can't just watch her get into trouble and do nothing."
Business was important, but it always came after family and friends.
Gu Qichen nodded, not surprised. "I have no objection to you withdrawing from the competition. You don't need to worry about any losses. External opinions won't affect me. It's just…"
"Just what?" Qin He asked.
"I have a question." Gu Qichen stared intently at Qin He. "Is Qian Zimo really your type?"
He already knew the answer wasn't yes, but he couldn't help but ask. If Qin He said no, he would feel at ease.
Qin He hadn't expected Gu Qichen to ask that. She was silent for a few seconds, pursed her lips, and said in a low voice, "You should know very well what type of person I like."
In this life, the only man she had ever loved was Gu Qichen.
The atmosphere became ambiguous. Qin He felt that his gaze was very aggressive.
"The losses caused to Gu Corporation this time are due to my personal reasons, and I can bear them together. Gu Qichen, I'm very sorry."
"You don't need to apologize. This incident won't cause any losses to Gu Corporation. It's just a competition. I believe you will prove yourself with your abilities in the future, it will just take a little longer," Gu Qichen said in a low voice.
"Since you've decided to withdraw, I'll have Yu Jing notify them now. You wait here for me, and I'll take you to Jiang City tonight."
Qin He was surprised. "You're not staying here anymore?"
"Since you're not here, what reason do I have to stay?"
Qin He's heart skipped a beat. Gu Qichen had already stood up and was calling Yu Jing.
She sat on the sofa and picked up her phone to inform Qian Zimo about her decision to withdraw.
"I'll be there tonight. Arrange a hotel for me near the Qian family's residence."
Qin He prepared to go back to her room to pack her luggage. After Gu Qichen finished his call, he accompanied her back.
They walked in silence, but a subtle affection was brewing between them.
Gu Qichen looked down at Qin He beside him. When she said, "You should know very well what type of person I like," his first reaction was joy, but it was followed by a wave of regret.
He had missed the best opportunity. Therefore, now, even if it meant death, he would not let go.
Halfway down the path, Qin He received a call from Qian Zimo.
"Qin He, don't withdraw. Continue to participate. Di Shishi's situation has been clarified."
Qin He quickly asked, "What exactly happened?"
"The police didn't detain Shishi because they found something. They just matched her fingerprints and found her family." Qian Zimo's voice was full of helplessness. "Shishi ran away from home. She's the only daughter of Minister Dai from the capital. Once her fingerprints matched, the Dai family issued a gag order and came to Jiang City to take Shishi away."
"Minister Dai?" Qin He was startled. She remembered Di Shishi casually mentioning "just a Fang family" when confronting Fang Ruonan that day. No wonder she had said that. As a member of the Dai family, she indeed had the confidence.
Qin He's worried heart finally settled, and she chuckled. "So her name isn't really Di Shishi?"
"Yes, her surname is Dai, and her name is Dai Shishi," Qian Zimo gritted his teeth. "We'll settle the score with her when she gets out."
Gu Qichen had been listening beside Qin He. After Qin He hung up the phone.
"So you don't need to withdraw now?"
"Mhmm." Qin He was in a much better mood. She valued this competition very much, and she wouldn't have withdrawn if she hadn't been worried about Di Shishi. With her mood improved, Qin He's tone became lighter. "Don't worry, Mr. Gu, I'll definitely bring back a championship trophy for you this time."
They walked a bit further, and Qin He stopped.
"Alright, you should go back quickly. There are surveillance cameras from here on."
Gu Qichen glanced at the camera by the streetlight not far away, his brows furrowing slightly. So bothersome!
Qin He returned to the villa and stopped at her room door. She heard a faint sound coming from inside. Qin He pushed the door open and quietly entered.
A woman was standing by her TV cabinet, looking through her Wan Fang Lun, which was disguised as a laptop.
"What are you doing here?" Qin He asked coldly, reaching out and pulling off the cloth covering the camera.
The woman was startled. "Miss... Miss Qin."
"I recognize you. You're Fang Ruonan's assistant, aren't you?" Qin He's gaze was cold as she snatched the Wan Fang Lun from the woman's hand. She casually flipped through it. There were no signs of damage to the laptop, so this woman wasn't here for the Wan Fang Lun. She must have been sent by Fang Ruonan.
The woman tried to escape, but Qin He pointed to the camera. "Our conversation just now has been recorded and broadcast live. Is it too late for you to leave now?"
The woman's face turned pale. Qin He directly picked up her phone and contacted the director team and the organizing committee.
Late at night, at ten o'clock, all the contestants were gathered in Villa Number Four. Qin He explained the entire story. The organizing committee members looked sternly at Fang Ruonan and her assistant.
"What exactly is going on? If you cannot explain clearly, you will be permanently disqualified from the competition."