CH 28

“Sigh, let’s stop talking about this…” Her co-worker changed topics and started asking about her. “How have you been lately? Has there been any progress with the blind dates?”

Guo Zhi was suffocated. She knew what would happen next when her co-worker asked things related to that. Unsurprisingly…

“I’m telling you, my husband has a co-worker who recently came back from abroad and is planning to develop himself here. His character is not bad, and he immediately bought a house after returning, about 200 square meters, in the outskirts of the west Third Ring. It’s even an apartment that is part of the school district! His appearance is also okay, about 175cm tall, and looks normal…”

Guo Zhi grinded her teeth.

With the current price of apartments in the capital, being able to buy a 200 square meter apartment located in the school district on the westside of the Third Ring meant that his financial situation was very good. A height of 175cm was good too, and he was normal…

“What’s the problem with him?” Guo Zhi asked sharply.

The co-worker pauses and said: “It’s just… he’s 37 this year and is divorced… has a daughter who lives with his ex-wife abroad… I’m telling you, that kid will probably barely come here, and you won’t easily see her…”

You talk as if I want to immediately become that person’s stepmother!

I’m just a twenty something old girl, why was I even paired with an old, divorced man who is close to his forties and even has a baggage? At the beginning of this year, this co-worker still wanted to introduce me to a 31-years-old white-collar employee working in a foreign company. At that time, it was before my twenty-eighth birthday and could still be considered 27-years old.

Does that mean that after passing my birthday, my price on the market has already fallen to this extent?

Guo Zhi grinded her teeth, and then grinded them again. She lost control of herself and prepared to open her mouth to say some unpleasant words.

“Morning.” At that moment, Gu Qing Xia came into the pantry and opportunely saved student Guo Zhi’s co-worker relationship.

“Deputy chief Gu, morning.” Guo Zhi’s co-worker did not have a personal friendship with Gu Qing Xia, but she knew that Guo Zhi and Gu Qing Xia were very close, so she greeted her and then left first.

“Your vibe today is very good, did you return to home this weekend?” Gu Qing Xia did a double take on Guo Zhi and asked.

How is everybody able to see that I’m in a very good state right now? Guo Zhi cursed internally. Just by thinking about how she had confidently told Gu Qing Xia that she would not sleep with Alex again made her face blush in embarrassment.

Not only had she gone back on her words, but she had also fallen to Alex’s temptation and allowed him to live in her apartment. If Qing Xia knows about this, she will scold me like a dog. Guo Zhi forcefully pressed down her feelings of guilt and glossed over her words with some general talk, intentionally praising her mom’s old duck soup.

Gu Qing Xia did not perceive her little trick and looked at her enviously. Her home was in Jiang city, and she could not be like Guo Zhi who could return home on weekends with just a bag.

Guo Zhi previously had invited Gu Qing Xia to pass the weekend at her home. All her family liked her. Her mother especially appreciated her capability. Her forever virgin little brother had also stared at her stupidly, making her feel ashamed.

“When will auntie and uncle return?” She hurriedly changed topics.

Gu Qing Xia’s parents taught in universities. The best benefit of that work was that it had winter and summer vacation. Gu Qing Xia was so busy that she could not make free time for herself, so she had gotten them a trip to Europe, and they had already been traveling for half a month.

“Wednesday evening.” When her parents were mentioned, the eyes of cold beauty would fill up with gentleness and smiles.

This friend of Guo Zhi was a very filial daughter. That was also the main reason why Guo Zhi’s mom liked her so much.

“It’s almost time,” Gu Qing Xia looked at her watch, “let’s go up.”

The mornings of Monday were for regular meetings. Guo Zhi held a cup of coffee, bumpily went to her office table, got her laptop, and energetically went up for the meeting.

To many people, Monday was the most painful day of the week. Guo Zhi never thought like that. Every Monday, she was energetic, like a bloody warrior who could go to the battlefield at any time.

The workplace was her battlefield.

She could run into it with full force at any moment.

The tense morning went by like a fight, and it was soon time for lunch.

“Let’s go to eat.” Guo Zhi knocked on Gu Qing Xia’s office door and enviously examined that small room. So great, getting one’s own office when reaching the level of a deputy chief. Even though she was currently an experienced editor, she only had a station for herself.

But no matter, she felt confident and believed that one day, she would be able to have an office that was bigger and brighter than this one. Someday, when people saw her, they would have to respectfully call her with the label ‘Deputy Guo’.

With that goal, Guo Zhi was ready for anything at any moment.

“It smells good…” She suddenly smelled a good aroma and noticed the rose in the flower vase that was placed on Gu Qing Xia’s table. “This rose is so big! Ay, was it gifted by Deputy Li from above?”

She constantly had to run between the photo studio and the client’s places, and the amount of time she spent in her office was little. But despite that, she had already heard about the gossip. The president from the investment company from the forty-ninth floor that was three floors above their company was pursuing Gu Qing Xia.

Guo Zhi did not take it seriously because the number of men that pursued Gu Qing Xia were many.

But since they had free time during lunch, she still gossiped: “The one this time, how is he?”

“Son of a high government official, has backing, and his net worth… I think it surpasses one hundred million.” Gu Qing Xia said calmy.

Guo Zhi immediately felt suffocated.

“You…” She simply did not know what to say, “You really… You really are like the men that I meet on blind dates… talking about these things immediately upon meeting… what I really meant to ask was how is he as a person?”

“Oh…” Big beauty Gu finally understood and thought a bit before saying, “Nothing special, very bad-tempered. A big old man who drives around in an ice blue sports car, I feel like it’s too feminine.”

“What type of car?” Guo Zhi asked.

“Ferrari.”

“Wow!” Guo Zhi sighed appreciatingly and said covetingly: “I’m telling you, if you happen to get together with him, remember to take the car out so that we may enjoy the wind with it!”

Gu Qing Xia laughed under her teasing and said: “I’ll eat with him on Wednesday.”

“Oh? Does that mean… there is a possibility?” Guo Zhi finally became truly interested in that President Li.

Gu Qing Xia was already full, put down her chopsticks, and silently poured two cups of tea for them before saying: “Guo Zhi, I still don’t have plans on marrying.”

Guo Zhi’s cheeks that were moving because she was eating stopped, and then she let out a ‘mm’ sound through her nose.

‘Marriage’ was not a happy topic for her and Gu Qing Xia. That was because both were of the same age, 28-years-old this year, and approaching the line of thirties.

She swallowed the food on her mouth and drank tea to clear her throat. She put down her cup and asked: “Then you and that… what was his second name again?”

“Li, Li Sheng.”

“Oh, with that… Li Sheng, President Li, what’s your intention?” she asked.

“He’s a playboy. He will not be serious and will not want to marry.” Gu Qing Xia said indifferently, “Just perfect for me. I want to find a man to be long-term and stable so that I may give my mother a peace of mind.”

“But auntie… never urges you though.” Guo Zhi said enviously.

People could not be compared, and moms could not be compared too.

Guo Zhi even dreamed of having Gu Qing Xia’s mother possessing her mom. They were both 28-years-old unmarried daughters, but Gu Qing Xia’s mother never urged her. Compared to herself who was urged every month by her mother, Guo Zhi felt like she had chosen to be reborn in the wrong womb. It was truly sad.

She wanted to be reborn again to get into Gu Qing Xia’s mom’s womb!

“It’s the same in reality.” Gu Qing Xia lowered her eyes, “She does not hurry me, but it’s because she holds herself back. In her heart, she is as worried as auntie. I prefer having her hurrying me like auntie. If she could voice out her concerns and not hold herself back, it would be better…”

Guo Zhi also let out a long breath.

“Why do parents all believe that we must marry?” She sighed. “Being by ourselves, are we not living well?”

Earning money and buying a car and an apartment by ourselves. Using our own money to eat and play. Buying beautiful bags and shoes for ourselves. Feeding ourselves and not having to depend on others, is it not good?

But this messed up society does not think like that!

When your age passes 25 and you still don’t have a boyfriend, other people’s gazes on you will carry urging. When you pass 26 and are still single, your family will start to worry. If you pass 27 and still do not have the hope of marrying, even your mom will not be willing to face the ‘care’ from the aunties, and you become a loser. When you pass 28… heh… I have a divorced man and a widow, which one do you want me to introduce to you?

Guo Zhi really believed that society was very unfair on women.

She once met a client, a big sis that was forty something years old with a very successful career. She bought a very big apartment, had many cars, and was dressed in famous brands. She used her own money and lived coolly. She felt that she was truly incredible!

But, when the project was done and they invited the client to come and hang out, but she left early because she feared that they would not be able to enjoy themselves in her presence, her subordinates started to talk about her…

“Sister Zhang is really pitiful, unmarried at that age.”

“Right, with no partner either. Just thinking about returning to home alone makes me feel bad.”

“She also doesn’t have a child. Earning so much money, who will she give it to in the future?”

At that time, Guo Zhi was immediately angered and almost said something. Thankfully, Gu Qing Xia’s reaction was fast, and her heels inconspicuously stepped on her feet twice and prevented her anger from erupting.

“This world… it would be great if it was reversed!” When they returned to the company and went together to the pantry to get water, Guo Zhi sighed. “Women work, earn money to feed the family, and then men stay at home to raise the kids and do household chores, that would be so great!”

“When you wake up from your dreams, remember to update your schedule and send it to me.” Gu Qing Xia said mercilessly.

“Tsk!” Guo Zhi rolled her eyes and suddenly thought about something, “Ay, right, I’m being serious, okay? If you happen to get together with President Li, remember to get the Ferrari to let me drive it, okay?”

Guo Zhi singingly said: “Ferrari! One of my life goals! Someday I’ll be able to afford that type of car!”

“Okay!” Gu Qing Xia smiled until her eyes became moons. She liked Guo Zhi’s lively eyes when talking about her goals. She also liked her friend’s everlasting energetic vibe.

“Marriage, giving birth to kids, forming a family… they can all go away!” She said, “We do not live just to marry men.”

“Well said!” Guo Zhi praised.

The two women with the same ideals lightly clinked their cups of coffee in the pantry.

Guo Zhi’s phone sounded with a ‘ding’.

She took it out to look. It was a message from Alex.

[Sister Guo, will you come back in the evening for dinner? Braised pork trotters, yo! *^_^*]

Yo.

Yo.

He even ‘yoed’!

Group announcement:

Hey, this project has been dropped after much deliberation.

When we started this project, we thought that people would like it as much as we did back when we read it for the first time, but after one month, it’s become obvious that it’s not so.

It’s a bit sad and disheartening, after all, the preparation for the release of TQG started in May of this year, and lots of time was invested to provide good releases. However, the stats don’t lie, and, we’ve taken the final decision of dropping this project and maybe working on another one that may bring more joy to the readers.

Nevertheless, we thank the readers that have stuck with this series until now. Know that we hesitated about dropping TQG because we didn’t want to disappoint you, however, it simply took too much time and energy to keep up with a constant release schedule for a series that was not well received by the public. Once again, thank you to those that have kept us company during these two months since the first release of TQG.

Sincerely,

Cheering Radish