I'm Rich - 71
The moment Guan Zhiyi got off the plane and connected to the internet, a flood of WeChat messages came pouring in.
When she opened them, she found that quite a few friends from the entertainment industry had sent her messages about the pregnancy news circulating online. At first, she thought everyone's shock was rather amusing. Then she noticed that Qi Chengyan was among them.
Guan Zhiyi froze. She could understand everyone else, but why was Qi Chengyan joining in on the fun too?
Did he really think she would keep something like a pregnancy from him?
This news story had turned into one colossal misunderstanding...
Guan Zhiyi opened her call history and was just about to call Qi Chengyan back when his call came through first.
"Hello?"
"There's a car waiting outside for you. Get straight into mine when you come out," Qi Chengyan said.
"You're here to pick me up? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Qi Chengyan paused. "You..."
"Yes?"
"That time you went to the hospital, it was because of your stomach, right?"
Guan Zhiyi nearly burst out laughing. She rarely ever heard Qi Chengyan speak in that tone. He was usually the sort of person who had everything figured out. Seeing him like this made her want to tease him a little.
"Well... what if it wasn't?"
Qi Chengyan immediately grew tense. "The news is true? But you never told me."
Guan Zhiyi suppressed the smile tugging at her lips. "I was saving it as a surprise for you."
There was silence on the other end for two seconds. Just as Guan Zhiyi began to wonder whether she had genuinely shocked him, another person's voice suddenly exploded through the receiver.
"Guan Zhiyi!"
"..."
Her smile stiffened.
That voice?
No way...
On the other end, Guan Yuanbai had already snatched the phone away. "Guan Zhiyi, you really are something else. Get over here right now. Run!"
Guan Zhiyi swallowed. "Wait, Ge, why are you there too? I, I was joking. I was just teasing him..."
"Don't give me any of that nonsense. Hurry up!" After saying that, he seemed to remember something and quickly changed his mind. "You, wait. Don't run. Just walk over. Get here now."
Guan Zhiyi: "..."
Did he really think she was pregnant?!
When Guan Zhiyi and Liu Yun hurried outside with the others, they spotted Qi Chengyan's car.
The moment Guan Yuanbai saw her approaching, he opened the door. "Get in."
Guan Zhiyi's gaze shifted between the two men. Guan Yuanbai's expression was solemn, and Qi Chengyan's was even more serious. Although, beneath Qi Chengyan's seriousness, there was a subtle hint of anticipation.
Guan Zhiyi studied them for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Since when did you two get so gullible? Why would you believe a story like that?"
Guan Yuanbai: "What exactly are you implying?"
"Hahahaha, you two are unbelievable."
Qi Chengyan frowned. "So it isn't true?"
"Of course not."
"Then what you just..."
"Your voice sounded so serious that I wanted to tease you a little. Who would've thought my brother would be there too?"
Guan Yuanbai wore a stony expression. "You'd better not be lying."
"I'm not." Guan Zhiyi pointed at Liu Yun beside her. "If you don't believe me, ask my agent. She was at the hospital that day too. My stomach really was bothering me. As for that photo... the down jacket belonged to a staff member. It was a little too big for me."
Seeing this, Liu Yun chimed in as well. "That's exactly what happened. It's fake news. You two can relax."
Guan Zhiyi climbed into the car. "Exactly. If something like that had really happened, would I seriously keep it from my family?"
Seeing that Guan Zhiyi showed no sign of joking, Guan Yuanbai finally let out a breath of relief. Then, putting on an authoritative expression, he said, "If either of you two dares to come home with a baby before you're married, I'll kick you out on the spot."
The sheer elder-brotherly authority in Guan Yuanbai's tone made Qi Chengyan, sitting in the driver's seat, raise an eyebrow.
When Guan Yuanbai noticed Qi Chengyan looking at him, he gave a cold snort. "What are you looking at? Face reality. I'm your brother now."
"..."
What a farce.
Guan Zhiyi posted a clarification on Weibo, finally managing to put everyone's gossiping minds at ease.
Over the next several days, she stayed home to rest and nurse her poor, beleaguered stomach. Qi Chengyan, meanwhile, called her almost religiously three times a day, always right on schedule, as though he were afraid she might neglect herself.
One day, she grew so bored of staying home that she found a baking video and decided to try making something. She rarely made desserts, and after spending several hours at it, she finally managed to produce a few small cakes.
Once she finished, she took a picture and sent it to Qi Chengyan.
[My masterpiece. What do you think?]
Qi Chengyan replied almost immediately.
[Looks pretty good. Save one for me.]
Guan Zhiyi: [You won't be home until tonight... It'll go stale by then.]
Qi Chengyan: [What a shame.]
Guan Zhiyi thought for a moment before typing:
[Are you going to be busy today? How about I bring them to your office?]
The cakes were only part of the reason. What she really wanted was to see him.
Guan Zhiyi: [I won't disturb you. I'll drop them off and leave right away!]
Qi Chengyan: [You think I'd be bothered by you? Tell me when you get here. I'll come down to get you.]
Guan Zhiyi: [Okay!]
After hanging up, Guan Zhiyi eagerly packed the little cakes into a box, got into her car, and drove straight to his company.
Come to think of it, she hadn't visited Qi Group since she had grown up. For one thing, she was genuinely busy most of the time. For another, her profession meant that wherever she went, people tended to gather around and stare.
Today, though, she had simply felt like it. She'd suddenly wanted to see him, and that was why she'd come.
Once she arrived at the company, Guan Zhiyi parked her car, put on a hat, and kept a low profile as she made her way into the lobby. People streamed in and out, everyone moving with hurried purpose. At first, nobody paid much attention to her.
Guan Zhiyi settled into a seat in the reception area along the side of the lobby and called Qi Chengyan. Afterward, she lowered her head and played on her phone while waiting for him.
"Miss, is there anything I can help you with?" At that moment, an employee from the front desk approached, handing her a cup of warm water.
Guan Zhiyi looked up and accepted it. "Thank you. I'm waiting for someone."
The female employee had simply followed the usual procedure. Whenever a visitor arrived, she would offer them a glass of water and ask whether they had an appointment. Who could have guessed that the woman wearing a hat was Guan Zhiyi?
As an employee of the company, she naturally knew that the boss's girlfriend was this famous actress. But she'd never actually met her in person.
"Miss Guan!"
When Guan Zhiyi realized she'd been recognized, she gave her a friendly smile.
The employee was visibly thrilled. "Um, you're here to see President Qi, right?"
Guan Zhiyi nodded.
"Then, then I'll help you get in touch with President Qi's assistant."
"No, no, there's no need."
"Huh? Is something wrong?"
Guan Zhiyi pointed behind her. "He's here."
The employee turned around and finally noticed that her own boss was walking toward them. She froze for a moment before hurriedly stepping aside.
Good grief, what an idiot she'd been. Why had she even offered to call his assistant? The man himself had come down to pick her up.
The moment the company's top executive appeared in the lobby, the people passing by naturally began to look over. And when they spotted the person sitting in the little corner, every one of them was stunned.
Wasn't that the famous actress Guan Zhiyi?
"Have you eaten?" Qi Chengyan asked as he came to a stop beside Guan Zhiyi.
She stood up. "I have. What about you?"
"Me too." Qi Chengyan smiled. "I've just been waiting for your little desserts."
As he spoke, he took the small box from her hands and led her toward the elevators, holding her hand. "Did these take a long time to make?"
"Of course they did. I failed twice before this. It took forever to finally make something that looked good and tasted good." Guan Zhiyi glanced at him. "You don't usually eat much dessert, but you really have to try this one."
Qi Chengyan let out a soft laugh. "I will. I'll eat every last bite."
...
The two of them stepped into the elevator under the discreet glances of everyone around them. Once their figures disappeared behind the elevator doors, the onlookers began whispering.
"They're so sweet together."
"Guan Zhiyi is gorgeous!"
"Do you think we could ask her for an autograph later?"
"If you've got the nerve, go ask President Qi."
"I don't dare..."
"Hahahahahaha!"
Back in the office, Guan Zhiyi took the little cakes out of the box.
"Ta-da-da-da! Caramel pineapple upside-down cake! Give it a try."
Qi Chengyan took the small fork she offered and had a bite. "Mm. Tastes good."
"See?" Guan Zhiyi said. "Then eat up. Once you're finished, I'll head out."
Qi Chengyan pulled her closer to his side. "You're really leaving?"
"Aren't you busy?"
"No matter how busy I am, I still want you to stay with me for a while."
How could she possibly resist that? Grinning, she leaned against him. "All right, then."
So after he finished eating, she stayed in his office to keep him company. She remained there until his assistant came in later to inform him that it was time for a meeting.
"The meeting will probably last over an hour. Should I have someone escort you downstairs?" Qi Chengyan asked.
Guan Zhiyi was sitting in his office chair, looking utterly relaxed. "I'll leave on my own later. Go to your meeting. Don't worry about me."
"Then be careful. If anything happens, call someone..."
"Oh, I know, I know, President Qi. Chengyan-gege, my car's parked in your company's lot. Nobody's going to kidnap me."
At the doorway, the assistant pressed his lips together to keep from laughing.
Qi Chengyan shot her a sidelong glance. "Then message me when you get home."
"Yes, sir!"
**
This meeting took place once a month and usually lasted a little over an hour. This time, however, a problem had cropped up in the marketing department, and the meeting dragged on for two hours.
By the time it finally ended, it was already six in the evening.
Qi Chengyan had spent much of the meeting reprimanding his subordinates, and when he emerged, the irritation was plainly visible in his expression.
His assistant followed cautiously at his side. Once they reached the office, he pushed the door open for him. "President Qi, should we still have the advertising department follow the marketing department's plan?"
Qi Chengyan frowned and tugged lightly at his tie.
Seeing that his boss was in a foul mood, the assistant quickly changed course. "Then I'll have the advertising department hold off for now..."
Before he could finish, Qi Chengyan suddenly raised a hand, signaling him to stop.
"Get out."
The assistant froze for a moment, then realized there was someone else in the office. And not just anyone. It was her.
He immediately felt a wave of relief.
With the boss this furious, she was probably the only person who could calm him down.
He didn't linger. With the utmost care, he closed the door behind him.
Dusk had settled over the city. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the setting sun stretched endlessly across the sky, its dusky golden light pouring through the glass and bathing the entire office in a dreamlike glow.
Qi Chengyan walked farther inside and stopped beside the desk, looking at the person before him.
She hadn't left.
She was sitting in the office chair he usually occupied, leaning slightly to one side, fast asleep.
The light was hazy around her. Quiet and peaceful, she seemed to have melted into the sunset itself.
"Xiao Wu," he called softly.
The sleeping girl slowly stirred awake.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him, the dazed confusion of someone freshly roused from sleep still lingering in her gaze. "Gege? Are you finished?"
"Why didn't you leave?" He bent down, and just as his assistant had anticipated, all the sharpness in his features melted away.
Guan Zhiyi naturally reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting out a soft laugh. "I was waiting for you to take me home."
Qi Chengyan paused.
For some reason, he suddenly remembered so many moments from their younger years.
Back then, she would always wait at the school gate for someone to come pick her up. Whenever she saw him, she'd flash him a sweet smile and say, "I'm waiting for you to take me home."
He probably never could have imagined that the little girl who had always called him Gege would one day become someone he could never bear to let go of.
"What's wrong?" Guan Zhiyi asked.
Qi Chengyan lifted her out of the chair. An inexplicable impulse stirred inside him, a desperate desire to hold on to her forever, no matter what it took.
"Xiao Wu."
"Mm?"
"Do you want to marry Gege?" he asked suddenly.
Guan Zhiyi went still. She stared at him, stunned. "Why are you suddenly saying that... Are you proposing to me?"
Qi Chengyan didn't know why those words had suddenly come out of his mouth either. Perhaps it was the dreamlike moment beneath the setting sun. Perhaps it was because he'd remembered the past, all those empty years they'd spent apart.
He let out a quiet sigh and spoke in a low voice.
"Because I want to take you home. Home to a place that belongs to just the two of us."
The sun sank lower, its radiance gradually fading until it disappeared.
The entire city seemed to be slipping into darkness. Everything had grown strangely quiet.
She didn't answer right away. She simply looked at him.
Qi Chengyan pressed his lips together, a faint unease stirring in his chest.
Perhaps... she hadn't thought that far ahead.
He pursed his lips slightly. He was just about to say, "It's okay. We can talk about it later," when she suddenly smiled at him, her features bright and delicate, her expression soft.
"Okay."
The words reached him.
Like a burst of light breaking free from the darkness, they illuminated his entire world in an instant.
And in that moment, he knew he could hold on to that light forever.
(The End)
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