CH 15

The following week, Guo Zhi was so busy that she did not have the time to think about those matters.

In her hands, she already had a project. The style and background were practically ready. The models were also decided. They were about to move to shooting stage. At the same time, Sheng Yuan’s project was also starting. For a whole week, Guo Zhi was meeting up with the people from Sheng Yuan, communicated every single detail, and dug deep into what the customer wanted to express. Up until Thursday, the plan was finally finalized. Guo Zhi let out a deep breath.

On Friday, she had a meeting in the company. She delegated certain jobs, and the tense preparing stage began. At the same time, the selection of models would start next week. She could already predict that the next week would also be very busy.

But Guo Zhi was the type of person to become more enthusiastic the more she worked. She felt that her whole body was full of energy.

At night, when everyone had already left work, Guo Zhi was in her office looking over the information of the potential models.

This project from Sheng Yuan came from one of their youth brands under them. The model that they needed had to be young. She flipped through the ones she had in hand, and none of them satisfied her.

Suddenly, she flipped the page and Alex came up.

It was still that trashy photo that did not highlight anything good. If Guo Zhi did not personally know Alex, she would have directly flipped to the next page.

Next time, I need to talk with Alex, she thought, that photo is trash. I must make him talk with his manager. How is it possible that he could use that kind of photo? What’s wrong with that manager? Sigh, a manager that uses that kind of photo as part of the model’s curriculum vitae… Never mind, I should just talk with Alex and see if he wants my help to change to another manager. Truly unreliable.

She and Alex had another layer of relationship. Even if it could at most only be called friends with benefits, since he was so young, she would unconsciously take care of him.

She put down the folder and opened her phone’s gallery. In the gallery, she made a new folder especially for Alex and called it ‘Little A’. Inside, it was filled with Alex’s photos.

Ever since they had a relationship, Alex had stopped uploading photos to his WeChat Moments wall and directly sent them to Guo Zhi. Everyday when he woke up, he would send a ‘Sister Guo, morning! *^_^*’, then send a photo of him recently woken up. It would frequently excite Guo Zhi until she was full of energy in the morning and bury herself into the hectic work.

Guo Zhi flipped through some of them and felt that Alex’s image fit the requirements of Sheng Yuan’s project.

Letting out a breath, she closed the gallery, and sent a message in a group that was full of managers: [Under Sheng Yuan, young brand, need young ones, cool, handsome. Auditions next week. For details, please see the email that I sent today.]

There were replies immediately: [Received], [Aware, old Guo] and the like.

Closely, Lin Bo directly called her: “I’ve seen it. I have two little boys on my side, both are new. Their images fit. I’ve sent you their photos, check them out. Let’s make an appointment for the audition?”

Guo Zhi used her shoulder to hold the cellphone, flipped open a booklet that she always had with her, and checked her daily agenda. She said while looking at it: “You’re very fast. Wait… I’m in the company on Tuesday, Wednesday… let’s do it on Wednesday.”

She set a specific time with Lin Bo, and he suddenly took a turn: “Do you have any plans for the night?”

Guo Zhi paused. She knew that if she said, ‘I don’t’, Lin Bo would definitely say ‘Then I’ll go to your place’. She did not have any plans for the night. She had been very busy these days and did not have time to arrange for any activities. However, strangely enough, she did not want to accept Lin Bo’s invitation.

“Never mind today, I need to work overtime. I’m tired.” She said.

The so-called friends with benefits, in fact, did not imply that they were restricted to just one partner. She and Lin Bo had never restricted each other.

Lin Bo did not have a way of verifying if she truly had to work overtime, but he heard the implied meaning, and understood her rejection.

“Okay, let’s get dinner sometime. We haven’t seen each other for a long time.” He said.

“Deal.” Guo Zhi said.

After hanging up and going to the pantry to get a cup of coffee, she thought that since she had nothing to do, it was better to work overtime to solve all the small matters so that she could be more relaxed next week.

After returning to her office, she looked at her phone by habit and there was a notification from WeChat. Opening it, it was Alex.

Alex: [Sister Guo, sister Guo! It’s weekend! Come out and play! o ( ≧▽≦ ) o]

Again playing, really young huh…

Guo Zhi felt that… she would not be able to keep up with their way of playing. Occasionally was okay, but she really was not able to do it every week.

When she was his age, she also liked to play like that. But now, even if she drank, she would go to calm bars. She already could not get used to rowdy places like MIX.

In the light of the unspoken rules of their society, the men who were of her age liked to go to those bars to get girls; the women who were of her age paired up with men that were slightly older; and the men that were even more mature did not frequent those places.

People in each age group had different speaking partners and social objects.

For example, Guo Zhi and her friends would still drink whenever they met. For people like boss Xu, big boss Jing of Qing Xia’s department, Mr. Qiu from the company… when these men who were slightly older gathered, they very rarely drank alcohol. When they were together, most of the times they would drink tea and were more inclined to walk on the path of nurturing their bodies properly. This was a gap and difference created by age.

Another example would be the messages that Alex sent her everyday. None of them had any real content. It was only Alex asking about her and sending photos of his muscles to tease her. She normally replied with emojis. It was not because she was cold, but because she truly did not know what to talk to him about. The age gap limited the number of topics that the two of them could talk about.

Compared to the bosses, she was still young. Compared to Alex… sigh, I’m old…

Guo Zhi melancholically let out a breath and replied to Alex: [Can’t, I’m still working overtime.]

Very quickly, Alex replied: [Thanks for your hard work! (￣口￣)!!]

Guo Zhi: “…” none of the messages did not include an emoji.

Working until it was close to nine at night and solving all the small problems, Guo Zhi picked her things and left with her bag.

In the elevator, she looked at her phone. Alex sent her a message ten minutes before: [Sister Guo, are you done with overtime?]

Since she was done with work, Guo Zhi also relaxed, so as she looked at that message, her heart moved, and she replied: [Just finished, returning home right now.]

On the parking lot, she sat in her car and looked again.

Alex had already replied: [Sister Guo! Sister Guo! Can I go to you? Please? o(≧▽≦)o]

That ‘please’ together with the cheerful emoji… brought back Guo Zhi’s memories of last weekend. Guo Zhi felt hot.

She waited for a moment, but in the end still could not resist and replied: [Okay.]

She also asked: [Where are you? I’ll give you a ride?]

Alex replied: [No need, I’m close to your house. I’ll arrive in a moment.]

Guo Zhi: “…”

He really doesn’t forget to use emojis in every message! But… it’s very cute… Guo Zhi’s face was smiling, and she put away her phone.

Guo Zhi’s apartment was on the border of Second Ring.

Second Ring: the capital of China has six metro lines that are called ring roads because of their circular shape. Ring roads with a smaller number are located at the center, and as the number gets bigger, the rings become bigger and include the ones of smaller number.

Speaking of it, it was all thanks to Gu Qing Xia back then. Gu Qing Xia wanted to buy a house in the capital at that moment and dragged Guo Zhi to look at them together. She even egged on her to buy one too. Guo Zhi originally did not have that intention but was convinced by her. She used all her savings. Her parents wanted to help with some money, but she pridefully rejected, paid the down payment by herself, took on a loan, and bought this apartment.

Her apartment was not as big as the one bought by Gu Qing Xia, but it was on the west across the Second Ring and had a good scenery because of a big garden. She did not listen to Gu Qing Xia’s recommendation of buying a big house in the Fourth Ring with her; she bought this smaller one with a good scenery.

Not even after a year, house prices in the capital soared through the roof, enough to shock people. If at that time she had not decisively bought this apartment, at present time, she would not even be able to buy one in the capital even with her current income.

Every time that she thought about it, she felt lucky.

At this time on Friday nights, the east of Second and Third Ring would be filled with traffic. Alex unexpectedly arrived at her house before her.

Guo Zhi picked Alex’s call and moved from the basement to the first floor with the elevator, and then opened the door to the building for him. Alex flashed in, with a strong smell of smoke on his body.

“This smell… where did it come from?” Guo Zhi frowned and used her hand as a fan.

“13.” Alex explained, “I was hanging out with my friends.” It really was not far away. No wonder he arrived earlier than me.

Even though every message in WeChat was accompanied by an emoji and seemed as if he was very lively and enthusiastic, 3D Alex was still a big boy who did not talk a lot and whose personality was quiet. Guo Zhi could clearly feel the difference between 2D Alex and 3D Alex.

“In a moment, take off your clothes and put them in the washing machine. Wash them before using them tomorrow. The smell of smoke is very strong.” Guo Zhi complained about the smell of smoke but took the initiative to hold Alex’s hand.

Alex’s eyes started to fill up with a smile, and he also held Guo Zhi’s hand.

Guo Zhi entered her house and casually turned on the lights in the living room. She threw her keys in the entrance, and said while taking out her phone: “These days, I’ve been working overtime so it’s a bit messy, don’t…”

When she lifted her head, her voice stopped abruptly.

“What’s wrong? Sister Guo?” Alex’s T-shirt was still on his arms and was not taken off completely as he watched her.

Firm chest, narrow waist…

Guo Zhi bit her lips and laughed: “Your actions are so fast…”

Alex laughed, threw down his shirt, and hugged her: “Wasn’t it you who complained about the smell of smoke?”

He turned in a circle as he carried her, pressed her on the door, and then lowered his head to look for her lips. The moist and hot lips and entangling tongue lit up a fire inside Guo Zhi’s body.

She remembered that the last time, it was her who pressed him on the door to kiss… this kid… is very fast at learning…

Her tongue entangled with his, and they sucked each other. Her hand unashamedly started to touch around… bad kid! Sending me a photo each morning to tease me! I’ll touch until I’m satisfied!

When Ales sucked her on the neck until her breathing was unstable, she finally held on and pushed him: “Go shower, your hair is full of the smell of smoke!”

“Sister Guo…” Alex was panting. He squeezed her waist and said beside her ear: “Let’s shower together…”

Shower together.

Shower together.

Shower together. This bad rascal, he really knows how to choose three-worded phrases to make my legs feel soft!