I Heard You Liked Me First - Chapter 19

Gu Nan had always been weak to soft and fluffy things, and the moment she gave in to those kittens, she agreed to be the guest presenter at the awards ceremony that Chi An had mentioned.

She got her fill of petting them, even the fierce tabby usually quick to scratch anyone, quietly curled up in Chi An’s arms and allowed Gu Nan to stroke it as much as she wanted.

After clocking out for the day, Gu Nan watched as Chi An carried the cats back to the assistant office. “I’ll just use the restroom and then head home. What about you?” she asked.

She hadn’t actually seen Chi An do much work lately; the so-called “all-capable assistant” everyone talked about didn’t seem to match the woman standing in front of her.

As expected, Chi An said, “Wait for me, I’m going too.”

Gu Nan widened her eyes. “Assistant Chi, we’re not grade-schoolers. Why do we have to go to the restroom together?”

How awkward. That was a private matter, after all.

Chi An looked genuinely puzzled. “Since when was going to the restroom together a privilege reserved for children? Besides, we’re leaving for the Gu house afterward. Isn’t it convenient to go together?”

When she put it like that, Gu Nan felt like she was the one overreacting.

She rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed. “Fine, just hurry up. Auntie said she’s making crispy pork for me tonight.”

Chi An made a thoughtful “Oh,” that sounded a little too knowing.

Gu Nan couldn’t help but feel suspicious there was something strange behind that tone. But she had no proof and didn’t bother to think too deeply about it.

Despite the weird incident of her missing undershirt, her overall impression of Chi An was still positive. Spending these days together, she could almost understand why her mother, despite everything had never hated Chi An, even worrying for her before she passed.

Chi An returned quickly, and the two of them headed to the restroom together. Neither expected to find several young assistants already there, chatting idly instead of working.

When they saw Chi An and Gu Nan walk in, none of them panicked. One of the girls even pouted playfully. “Sister Chi, we can’t leave early, so can we at least relax a little? We’ll give you the stalls if you want we’re just tired from working all day.”

Chi An sighed helplessly. “Don’t stay too long.”

Gu Nan thought to herself, So she’s strict after all even slacking off in the bathroom is off-limits.

Then she heard Chi An add, “There are still other assistants who haven’t taken a break take turns slacking off.”

Gu Nan: “…” Never mind. I take that back.

A moment later, Chi An led her away. “Let’s go downstairs instead.”

Gu Nan frowned. “Why does everyone hide in the restroom to slack off?”

A flash of cold mockery flickered through Chi An’s eyes. “Madam Gu may not come to the office, but she wants to know everything that happens here. She has access to every surveillance feed in the building.”

“She once caught an employee watching a movie during work hours and punished them so harshly that now everyone’s terrified. The only place without cameras is the restroom.”

Gu Nan grimaced. “That’s insane. What kind of control freak does that?”

Then she looked up at Chi An. “Does my office have cameras too?”

“I removed them,” Chi An replied.

Gu Nan blinked. “And she didn’t say anything?”

“She did,” Chi An said calmly. “I just didn’t listen.”

Gu Nan gave her a thumbs-up. “You’re amazing.”

Only Chi An, she thought, could dare to ignore Madam Gu’s unreasonable demands.

After all, Madam Gu could no longer manage the company herself her eldest son was dead, and the younger ones were useless. The business was practically running on Chi An’s shoulders.

As they spoke, they reached the downstairs restroom.

When Gu Nan went into a stall, she tried her best to ignore the faint sounds of movement coming from Chi An’s side. It was mortifying especially with that lingering suspicion about her stolen clothes it stirred up a mess of feelings she couldn’t quite name.

When they finished and were about to leave, two women came in, chatting as they entered the stalls beside them.

Can you believe Miss Gu can stand being around Assistant Chi? That woman was her dad’s mistress.

“Well, Chi’s got power now she basically runs the company. And Miss Gu holds shares too. Getting close to her father’s mistress just helps her stay in control. These rich people will do anything for money.”

“Yeah, they’ve got no shame.”

It was the first time Gu Nan had ever overheard anyone gossiping about her. Her bl00d froze. Her fingers trembled against the stall door handle.

Is that what they think of me?

She swallowed hard. It wasn’t like they were wrong. Chi An had been entangled with her father, betraying her mother. Yet here she was laughing with her, going to work together every day.

Gu Nan drew in a deep breath, opened the stall door, and stepped out. The two women paled instantly, faces drained of color when they saw her.

Gu Nan didn’t say a word. She washed her hands in silence, grabbed a paper towel, and walked out.

They had barely exhaled in relief when another stall door opened Chi An stepped out.

Her expression was icy, darker than still water under a frozen lake.

She washed her hands briskly, dried them, and followed Gu Nan out with quick, steady steps.

Gu Nan heard her approaching and glared at the slow-closing elevator doors. Rage flared inside her. Before they shut, she spun around and took the emergency stairs instead.

The stairwell was dim, lit by weak fluorescent bulbs that barely cut through the shadows.

As she entered, her eyes narrowed against the gloom. Behind her, footsteps quickened.

Then, before she could take another step, a hand caught her wrist and yanked hard.

Gu Nan stumbled backward, colliding into the warmth of Chi An’s body.

Chi An let out a low grunt but quickly steadied them both, pressing Gu Nan gently but firmly against the wall. One hand gripped her arm; the other braced her shoulder, caging her in.

The sudden closeness made Gu Nan’s temper flare. “Let me go!” she snapped.

Chi An’s voice was calm, almost cold. “At least give me a chance to explain.”

Gu Nan let out a sharp laugh. “Explain what? That you weren’t my father’s lover? That you two were just… coworkers?”

“Yes,” Chi An said simply. “We were just coworkers.”

Gu Nan froze, her heart pounding violently. Her emotions tangled and knotted like paint smeared across a canvas.

She stared at Chi An in disbelief. “What did you just say? Are you really saying that with a straight face, Chi An? Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

Chi An met her gaze steadily. “It’s the truth. There was never anything between your father and me outside of work.”

Gu Nan’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Really? Even though everyone’s been saying otherwise for ten years? You just let the rumors spread all this time?”

Chi An nodded. “Yes. I did.”

Her hand pressed harder against Gu Nan’s shoulder. “Your father and I had an agreement. I would help him grow the company, and in return, he would shield me from the men who harbored… other intentions toward me.”

This was something your mother knew about too. In fact, she was the one who suggested it. She wanted to protect me.

Gu Nan felt the ground tilt beneath her feet. “That’s impossible. My mom would never protect someone that way she couldn’t… she wasn’t that kind of person.”

She couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

Just then, the light in the stairwell flickered out, plunging them into darkness. In the silence, only the sound of their breathing filled the air. Their faces were barely visible in the dim afterglow.

Then Gu Nan heard it the faint tremor in Chi An’s voice. For the first time, she heard something fragile in her tone, something she’d never imagined this woman capable of.

“She said she couldn’t even protect herself, let alone me. But she didn’t want to watch others covet me, so she did what she could.”

“Then why didn’t you just leave?” Gu Nan asked quietly. “Why stay in the Gu household at all?”

Chi An’s answer came without hesitation. “Because I had to stay with your mother. I couldn’t leave her alone there. I couldn’t leave either of you in that house that eats people alive.”

“No one understands the Gu family like I do,” she went on, her voice low and steady. “They see only profit. For the sake of gain, they’ll do anything no matter how heartless. But as long as I could bring them profit, I had a voice. And with that voice, I could protect your mother.”

“I never cared who looked at me or who tried to force me into their bed,” she said, a bitter smile in her voice. “If not for your mother, I would’ve been sold off by my own parents before I even turned eighteen traded to buy my brother a bride price. I’d have spent years trapped in some man’s bed, being used and broken.”

“But your mother cared. She cared about me. And because she cared, I had to start caring about myself too.”

Chi An took a deep breath. “What’s reputation, anyway? I’ve survived this long I don’t care what they say. I only care about the people I care for.”

Gu Nan’s eyes reddened. She didn’t even realize when tears started sliding down her cheeks.

She had always believed that those years of suffering had belonged only to her and her mother.

Her hand, trembling, caught hold of Chi An’s coat. She opened her mouth several times, but the words wouldn’t come.

Chi An was the first to regain her composure.

In the faint light, she noticed the glimmer of tears on Gu Nan’s face. She lifted her hand, gently wiping them away, her voice soft with something Gu Nan had never heard from her before. “I’m sorry. I thought your mother had told you.”

Gu Nan’s throat burned. “If I’d known, do you think I would’ve mocked you before?”

Chi An smiled faintly. “You’re still young. It’s normal to have a temper.”

Gu Nan stared. “I’m twenty-two! The only kid around here is Gu Yue!”

Chi An let go of her but didn’t step back, feeling Gu Nan still clutching at her coat. “You’re right,” she said softly. “Gu Yue’s the child.”

Gu Nan had the vague feeling she was being humored again.

She lowered her head, frustrated, realizing just how childish she’d been compared to the woman before her.

To hide her embarrassment, she changed the subject. “Since you already helped my mom leave, why didn’t you go too?”

Chi An’s tone was calm, but there was an edge of frost beneath it. “Because everything the Gu family has now came from your mother. I have to guard it to make sure that one day, I can return it all to her.”

“What surprised me,” she continued, “was that after your father learned of her death, he finally woke up. He wanted to repay what he owed her.”

“He didn’t plan to return everything, of course, but we reached a sort of agreement. That’s why I kept working with him.”

“The twenty percent of company shares you hold was what he believed should belong to you and your mother. Originally, he wanted to separate those assets for you, while leaving the Gu Corporation to the rest of the family. But he never finished it… before he passed away.”

Gu Nan finally understood. “And you you want to take the entire Gu family instead?”

Chi An nodded. “Yes.”

That was why she had stayed.

Gu Nan’s chest ached with emotion a strange mix of gratitude and sorrow.

Maybe the sadness wasn’t just for her mother, but for the kind of life Chi An had been forced to live.

“You don’t have to carry all that pressure anymore,” Gu Nan said softly. “You’ve already repaid my mother. You could walk away now live your own life, start your own family.”

“I can deal with the Gu family myself. I don’t even need their money. As long as I can make their world fall apart, I’ll be satisfied.”

Chi An flicked her lightly on the forehead. “And what about the people working under the Gu Corporation? Should they all suffer for your revenge?”

Then she smiled, the corners of her mouth curving faintly. “Besides, who says the life I have now isn’t the one I want?”

“Gu Nan,” she said quietly, her voice as soft as the darkness around them, don’t worry about me. I’m happy now.