I Heard You Liked Me First - Chapter 24

Gu Nan hurried downstairs. At the staircase landing, she ran into the housekeeper, who had rushed out of her room in alarm after hearing Gu Nan’s shout.

The aunt asked, “What’s wrong? Why were you yelling like that?”

Gu Nan said curtly, “It’s nothing. I’ll take care of it. Go back to bed.”

The aunt watched her leave, uneasy, but didn’t follow. She stopped in the living room instead, waiting for Gu Nan to return.

Gu Nan went straight to the back door. The moment she stepped outside, a cold gust swept past her, but it couldn’t cool the fire blazing inside her.

She stopped in front of Chi An, pointed to the clothes in her hand, and demanded, “What’s the meaning of this? Why are you taking my clothes? And my dirty ones at that?”

Chi An hesitated.

That brief pause only fueled Gu Nan’s anger. “What, can’t come up with a good excuse?”

Chi An replied quietly, “I’ll tell you in a few days.”

Gu Nan took a step forward, snatched the clothes out of Chi An’s hands, then stepped back, disappointment flickering across her face. “Forget it. You don’t need to tell me anymore.”

She turned around and walked off, her chest tightening until it hurt.

Her brows furrowed instinctively, and the tension in her face and neck made her muscles ache.

When she returned to the living room, the aunt was still sitting on the sofa, worry written all over her face.

Gu Nan sat beside her, let out a long, heavy sigh, and rasped, “Chi An keeps stealing my clothes. The one you said went missing last time she took that too.”

The aunt frowned. “Why would she steal your clothes? She doesn’t seem to be doing badly herself.”

Having worked for Gu Nan’s grandmother for years, the aunt had developed an eye for fine fabrics and brands.

“And besides, she’s well paid. The other servants say Xiao Chi has probably saved quite a lot already.”

Hadn’t Gu Nan thought about that before?

She had. And she still couldn’t make sense of it. She had even tried to sound Chi An out in the car once, but Chi An never explained and Gu Nan hadn’t pressed further.

She knew some things weren’t easy to talk about, and their relationship wasn’t close enough for her to demand the truth.

But what upset her was that Chi An came back again. Why would she come just to take her clothes?

Gu Nan leaned her head on the aunt’s shoulder and murmured softly, “I don’t understand. I actually think she’s a good person. She told me before that she and my dad were never involved, that she never betrayed my mom. She said she stayed in the Gu household only to protect the assets my mom was tricked out of.”

The aunt was stunned to hear this, exclaiming, “Oh heavens, how many people have misunderstood her all these years?”

Gu Nan sighed deeply. “Do you think I’m misunderstanding her now too just like everyone who thought she was my father’s lover?”

The aunt said gently, “Xiao Chi’s a good person. I’ve seen a lot of people in my years, and though she seems cold, I know she doesn’t have a bad heart. Especially toward you. She’s sincere, I can tell.”

“Then why would she steal my clothes?” Gu Nan’s tone softened, but her confusion deepened.

“Maybe she needs some time,” the aunt said. “Perhaps she can’t tell you right now. When she’s ready, listen to her then.”

Gu Nan thought to herself, Fine. Until she explains, I shouldn’t see her at all. If she really does have some strange obsession, and I still act close to her, wouldn’t that just be encouraging her?

But even with that resolve, she still felt awful.

Her mind spiraled toward the worst possibilities. Yet no matter how dark her suspicions grew, she knew that if Chi An’s reason turned out to be something she could accept if there was a genuine hardship behind it she’d forgive her. She’d even help her change whatever “bad habit” had driven her to it.

Because of thoughts like that, Gu Nan half-jokingly saw herself as a saint.

But Chi An didn’t know any of this. Her hesitation earlier her silence had only left Gu Nan even more disappointed and restless.

And the only way Gu Nan knew how to express that disappointment was by turning away whenever she saw Chi An.

She knew full well that doing so only made it harder for Chi An to explain herself, but she couldn’t suppress that stubborn frustration.

Then Christmas Eve arrived. Su Wan invited them to spend the night together.

Gu Nan asked, “Is Chi An going to be there?”

Su Wan chuckled. “Why? You two are practically joined at the hip. Every time I see you, she’s with you. Why the sudden question don’t want to spend Christmas Eve together?”

Gu Nan thought, Joined at the hip? Hardly.

Still, she made her stance clear. “We’ve had a bit of a falling out. I’d rather not see her right now. If she’s going, I won’t.”

Su Wan cleared her throat. “Alright, alright. I’ll hang out with you two instead. Bring Gu Yue along.”

Even though Gu Nan wasn’t exactly in the mood, she couldn’t help rolling her eyes at that.

Gu Yue was delighted to join them for Christmas Eve, but she was puzzled by Chi An’s absence.

So Gu Nan told her everything that had happened that night.

Gu Yue’s eyes widened in shock. “She really stole them? I thought that was just your suspicion! Maybe one of the maids took them instead she doesn’t seem like that kind of person.”

Gu Nan nodded. “Exactly. It shocked me too. I was terrified when I caught her, and honestly, I still feel awful about it.”

Gu Yue frowned. “She didn’t explain why?”

Gu Nan shook her head. “That’s the problem. She didn’t say a word, and that’s what hurts the most.”

Gu Yue sighed, clearly sympathetic. “Why wouldn’t she just explain? If she did, everything could be cleared up, and we could all hang out again.”

Gu Nan snorted. Chi An really is an idiot. Infuriating.

This time, without Chi An there to drive, Gu Nan got behind the wheel herself.

It had been a while since she’d driven, and Gu Yue, sitting in the passenger seat, felt almost nostalgic.

Gu Nan shook her head. “No, we can’t be so gloomy. It’s Christmas Eve! Let’s cheer up. I wonder where Su Wan’s taking us tonight.”

Gu Yue smiled. “I’ve never really celebrated Christmas Eve before. Usually, I just stay home or go to small gatherings with my mom.”

Then, brightening, she added, “But with someone as gentle as Mrs. Xiao, I’m sure she’s picked something calm and elegant. Somewhere quiet and cozy.”

Twenty minutes later, standing in front of a noisy bar, Gu Yue felt her earlier words slap her in the face.

She glanced at Gu Nan, silently accusing her this must’ve been your choice.

But Gu Nan, as if reading her mind, sighed and said, “Not bad. Another new bar. Looks like Mrs. Xiao’s been scouting which ones are the most fun lately.”

Gu Yue blinked. “Wait Mrs. Xiao picked this place?”

Gu Nan slung an arm around her shoulders. “Come on. Don’t ask too many questions. Just enjoy.”

Inside, the atmosphere was lively. But the booth Su Wan had chosen was tucked away a perfect balance of buzz and quiet, where they could talk and relax without being swallowed by the noise.

Gu Yue looked around and thought, As expected of Mrs. Xiao. Even in a bar, she finds the spot that suits her best.

Su Wan had picked the place carefully. While most bars were filled with pounding music and dancing crowds on Christmas Eve, this one also offered games and little events perfect for someone like her, who wanted to keep up appearances while still having fun.

Before long, the games started, and the three of them joined in, laughing and collecting small gifts from the staff.

Su Wan was poised yet warm throughout graceful without being distant, her elegance shining even under the neon lights.

By eleven o’clock, the crowd began thinning out, and Gu Yue asked curiously, “Why’s everyone leaving?”

Normally, people in bars partied until three or four in the morning.

Su Wan explained, “There’s a countdown and a drone show at the plaza nearby when the clock hits midnight. Everyone’s heading there.”

Gu Yue, who had never seen a drone show before, immediately perked up.

Just then, Su Wan tilted her head toward a corner, gesturing with her chin.

“Take a look over there,” she said, her eyes glinting. “Doesn’t that person sitting there look like Chi An?”

**********

Both of them followed Su Wan’s gaze. Under the dazzling lights of the bar, it was hard to make out the woman’s face but the moment Gu Nan saw her silhouette, she knew.

It was Chi An.

She’d followed them here.

Gu Nan’s face darkened instantly.

Su Wan, curious as ever, asked, “What’s going on between you two? You look like kids having a spat. What could possibly make you need to cold war like this? You don’t even seem like you actually dislike each other.”

Gu Nan was too irritated to speak, so Gu Yue ended up explaining everything.

But Su Wan’s perspective was completely different from theirs—and what she said next left them both speechless.

“Isn’t it possible she has a crush on you? Maybe she’s too scared to confess, so she steals your clothes, hugs them to sleep at night, and falls asleep breathing in your scent?”

Gu Yue: “???”

Gu Nan: “!!!”

“What are you saying? Do you realize how creepy that sounds?”

Her voice even cracked as she said it, showing just how rattled she was.

Su Wan’s outrageous words had sent her heart racing wildly, pounding against her ribs as if it wanted to leap out and dance on the table. Heat flushed from her chest to her face in an instant.

What kind of scandalous nonsense is this, Mrs. Xiao? Don’t you care about your image at all? You say something like that, and your whole persona collapses, you know?

Even though she was silently cursing Su Wan, Gu Nan knew perfectly well the woman had said it just to throw her and Gu Yue completely off balance.

Gu Yue glanced nervously toward Chi An, then back at Gu Nan. “That can’t be true… right?”

Gu Nan immediately blurted, “Of course it’s not true!”

Su Wan, however, mused calmly, “Actually, it might be.”

By then, the two girls were completely lost in the whirlwind of her reasoning.

Gu Nan dropped her head onto the table, stomping her foot in frustration.

All the irritation, disappointment, and confusion she’d felt earlier had now turned into something else embarrassment, hot and suffocating.

For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to strangle Su Wan. What kind of person even comes up with this? How am I supposed to live after hearing that?!

Su Wan, though, continued analyzing with deadly seriousness. “Think about it. Chi An’s in her early thirties beautiful, mature, composed, charming, and rich. Do you really think a woman like her can’t get whatever she wants? Why would she need to steal clothes?”

“Even if she did have some kind of kleptomania, why only steal your clothes? She’s lived with the Gu family for over ten years. Gu Yue, has she ever taken yours? Or have you heard of anyone else losing clothes before?”

Gu Yue shook her head hard.

Su Wan spread her hands. “Exactly. She steals no one else’s just yours. And after a while, she even returns them. Why return them, hm? Because the scent’s faded?”

“She’s the kind of woman who could easily find someone to date. But falling for you? That’s not easy. Even putting aside who you are, your identity alone would make her hesitate. You’re her savior’s daughter.”

“And she’s a woman. If she pursued you, not only would people look at you both differently for the rest of your lives, but you’d never have children. That would mean cutting off the bloodline of the person who once saved her.”

Gu Nan and Gu Yue froze.

Neither of them could find words for the mess of emotions churning inside.

Meanwhile, Su Wan glanced at her watch, serene as ever. “Alright, the countdown’s about to start. Let’s head to the plaza and watch the drone show.”

Gu Nan stood up like an empty shell and followed them numbly.

There was no joy left in her for any countdown.

What she didn’t notice was the faint, triumphant curve of Su Wan’s lips as she led the way.

Young girls… so easy to fluster. You’ve teased me enough before looks like my counterattack finally landed. Victory’s mine this time.

Their shocked faces had been priceless utterly delightful.

At the plaza, the countdown soon began. Though it wasn’t New Year’s Eve, the crowd was buzzing with excitement, voices uniting as they waited for the drones to rise into the sky.

Gu Nan, however, felt utterly detached.

As she looked up at the sky glowing with city lights, even the shifting clouds seemed to blur into Chi An’s silhouette.

If Su Wan’s outrageous theory turned out to be true if Chi An really liked her what then? She couldn’t possibly accept that.

Had Chi An never thought about her own future?

Her mother’s marriage had left a deep, unhealable scar in her life.

She didn’t believe in marriage, in men, or in love.

When she left the Gu household, she’d made that decision to live as someone who would never marry.

And she had never once considered loving another woman.

If she couldn’t accept Chi An, then she couldn’t keep pretending to be her friend either. That would be cruel heartless, even.

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.

She didn’t want to stay for the drone show anymore; she wanted to go home and bury herself under her blankets.

Just then, she sensed a familiar presence beside her a subtle shift in the air, the feeling of someone she knew too well drawing near.

She turned her head, eyes widening in shock.

Chi An was standing right next to her.

How had she gotten there without her noticing?

Chi An’s gaze never left her face. The reflection of the drone lights danced in her eyes, turning them into something bright and vivid, so unlike her usual calm restraint.

“Are you still mad at me?” she asked softly. “If I explain now, will you listen?”

Su Wan’s teasing words replayed over and over in Gu Nan’s mind.

For a moment, it almost felt like Chi An really was about to confess to her right here, on Christmas Eve.

Panic surged up her chest. She took a step back, instinctively wanting to run.

But before she could turn away, Chi An caught her wrist—firmly, without giving her a chance to refuse.

“Even if I don’t explain,” she said quietly, “I still have a gift for you.”