I Heard You Liked Me First - Chapter 29.1

When Chi An heard Gu Nan’s words, she almost laughed. In Gu Nan’s eyes, even the rise or fall of the Gu family couldn’t compare to the importance of one cat.

Still, she knew this wasn’t the place to act so casually, so she held it in.

She nodded, then looked around at the others. “Any other questions?”

The three major shareholders, afraid of any sudden turn of events, hurriedly replied, “No, none at all. Assistant Chi, please go handle your business.”

Chi An nodded. Su Mingfang and Gu Hongkang didn’t even get a glance from her or Gu Nan.

They could only watch, helpless and resentful, as the two women walked out together.

Once everyone had left, Gu Hongkang slammed his notebook shut blank, not a single word written in it. “What the hell is this supposed to mean? How arrogant can they be? Who’s the real president of this company, me or her?”

Su Mingfang’s tone was cold. “Then perhaps you should start acting like a president.”

“You may not be as capable as your older brother, fine, I can accept that. But do you really plan to never show up at the company, just wasting your days playing around? You’re almost fifty.

 Are you still going to ignore your career just to enjoy yourself?”

To make Gu Hongkang give up his indulgent lifestyle was practically impossible.

He fell silent, his silence speaking for itself.

Su Mingfang was so angry her chest tightened, her breath uneven.

Gu Hongkang hurried to placate her. “Mom, don’t get mad. Chi An’s a woman, right? Just give me some time  once I get her under my thumb, she’ll be on my side.”

“After all,” he said smugly, “every woman needs a man to depend on in her life.”

Once upon a time, Su Mingfang would have fully agreed with that. But now, she hesitated.

Her daughter, Gu Hongyun, had she been loyal to the man she loved? Not even close. And it wasn’t just the man who was unreliable; Su Mingfang knew her own son wasn’t either.

Even she herself… how much had she ever really relied on her husband back when he was alive? Hardly at all.

When her husband died, the only thought that filled her head was: Finally. He’s dead. The Gu family is mine now.

So would a woman like Chi An really need a man? And even if she did, could that man ever be her useless son?

Su Mingfang’s gaze darkened. “Getting Chi An isn’t enough. You’d better make sure she gives you a son. Once she bears a child for our family, her loyalty will be secured.”

If Chi An had a son of the Gu bloodline, wouldn’t everything money, power, family eventually belong to the Gu family again?

Gu Hongkang clearly liked the idea.

After all, he’d been coveting Chi An’s beauty for a long time.

But neither Chi An nor Gu Nan had any idea what kind of scheme was brewing between mother and son.

At that moment, the two of them were crouched by the roadside near the Gu family villa complex. Chi An’s car was parked nearby, and between them sat a plump British Shorthair cat, a can of fragrant cat food, and a bag of freeze-dried treats.

Gu Nan pointed toward the shrubs. “When I came out to find you earlier, I saw her run past here.”

Chi An opened the bag of freeze-dried treats and placed some on the ground. “Then let’s wait. If she’s around, this’ll definitely lure her back.”

“This is the ultimate temptation. If she doesn’t show up, she’s probably wandered off too far.”

Gu Nan didn’t respond, just stared quietly at the bushes.

A light smack landed on her head. “What’s wrong? Don’t worry. I promise she’ll come back.”

Gu Nan murmured, “I know. I’m just… not in the best mood. It’s fine.”

Chi An thought for a moment. “Once we find her, the school incident should be almost settled. I’ll drive you home after that. You’re not spending the New Year with the Gu family, are you?”

Gu Nan hadn’t thought that far ahead. She turned her head to look at her.

Chi An added, “Do you think your mom would mind if I went home with you? Maybe I could spend the New Year with you both.”

Gu Nan was a little surprised. “You get holidays?”

“Of course,” Chi An said. “It’s a national holiday why wouldn’t I?”

“I always thought you were too busy,” Gu Nan said softly. “You’re basically the only one who can run the company properly.”

“At first, yeah,” Chi An admitted. “But once the team stabilized and salaries and benefits were raised, turnover dropped. Everyone works well together now, so efficiency’s gotten better every year.”

Gu Nan smiled faintly. “So you’re not stingy with your staff.”

Chi An shrugged. “It’s not my company. I don’t get much of the profit anyway.”

Then she glanced sideways at her. “Actually, wait. You’re the major shareholder now. Is this your way of telling me to cut the employee budget?”

Gu Nan laughed. “That’s not what I meant at all.”

“I’m not short on money. Whether Gu Corp makes more or less doesn’t matter to me.”

The winter wind blew softly across the quiet street.

The two of them waited there for nearly two hours, unmoving.

When there was still no sign of the cat, the British Shorthair got restless. So they finally packed up and returned it.

On the drive back, Gu Nan suddenly mused, “You think maybe Xiao Ju doesn’t like foreign cats?”

Chi An blinked. “What?”

Gu Nan explained, dead serious. “Think about it. Xiao Ju’s a Chinese cat born and raised. Maybe she just can’t communicate with a foreign cat. Maybe she’s not into them.”

Chi An laughed. “That’s… one way to put it.”

“I’ll see if I can borrow an orange tomcat instead,” she said.

Gu Nan nodded earnestly. “Make sure he’s handsome.”

Chi An smiled. “Got it.”

After they got home and had dinner, Chi An received another work call and left again.

She had been especially busy lately, partly because of the school incident, and partly because the Gu family wanted to establish a real estate branch, which she had been tasked to oversee.

Watching her run around handling business and still taking the time to help find her cat, Gu Nan sighed to Auntie one evening as they prepared dinner together.

“Auntie, Chi An calculated it today, apparently, I’m going to earn quite a bit in dividends this year.”

Auntie smiled. “That’s good, dear. It’s all your mother’s legacy to you.” She handed Gu Nan a piece of crispy fried pork.

Gu Nan asked with a grin, “Then should I do something nice to thank her?”

“Of course you should,” Auntie said. “Look at you you don’t have to lift a finger, and Chi An’s out there making money for you. She probably doesn’t even earn as much as you do.”

Gu Nan nodded. “You’re right. I’ve got twenty percent of the shares, after all.”

“You’ve no idea how profitable those schools under Gu Corp are,” Auntie said. “The shareholders and administrators worry about enrollment numbers, but honestly, I just wish fewer people would send their kids to a school like that.”

Then Gu Nan mentioned her plan to become a teacher.

Auntie’s eyes lit up. “Your grandfather would be so proud! Someone to carry on his legacy at last.”

Gu Nan’s grandfather had been a well-respected professor, with many students who later became her own valuable connections.

Talking about him brought up another topic going home for the New Year.

To Auntie, that was a big deal. “Oh my, if you’re really going home, I’ll have to leave early too. I was planning to prepare New Year’s goods here at the Gu house.”

“But if I go, who’ll look after you?”

Gu Nan blurted, “Chi An can! I’ll just eat with her.”

Auntie gave her a pointed look. “You rely on that Chi girl for everything. She’s busy too, you know.”

Gu Nan grinned. “She doesn’t cook for herself either. I’ll just tag along  when she eats takeout, I’ll pay for an extra serving. Problem solved.”

“And once Xiao Ju’s back, I can take her to the company to meet those three kittens they have. She’ll have playmates.”

Auntie thought about it, then nodded. “That works too.”

Chi An really was someone you could trust.

So the plan was set. Auntie had Gu Nan help her book a flight and even called Chi An personally.

“Nan Nan can be a bit temperamental sometimes,” she told her. “If she does something wrong, just tell her straight. She might not take it well in the moment, but she’ll reflect on it later.”

“And if she ever bullies you, call me  I’ll scold her for you.”

Chi An laughed softly. “Don’t worry, Auntie. I’ll take good care of her.”

To be honest, that was something she was more than happy to promise.

Auntie was a woman of action  she flew out the very next day.

After seeing her off, Gu Nan drove straight to find Chi An.

But when she called, Chi An said, “I’m at the school. Something came up. Go home first or wait at the company  I’ll pick you up once I’m done.”

Gu Nan said, “I’ll come too.”

When she arrived, she realized what the commotion was about. Song Jiaxuan’s father had come to demand compensation.

The school had already prepared funds for that, but the final amount needed to be determined based on the police’s closing report.

Still, Song’s father demanded two million yuan upfront.

“My daughter won awards for her paintings! She would’ve been a famous artist one day! And that painter, what was her name, Gu something, her paintings sell for millions! My daughter would’ve been worth just as much. Two million is a bargain!”

The head of academic affairs forced a polite smile. Sir, all compensation follows national standards. Even in court, you wouldn’t get a figure that high.

But the man refused to listen, shouting louder and louder until his voice echoed through the entire building.

When class ended, crowds of students gathered in the corridor, listening and whispering about the scene.

And that was when Gu Nan appeared   wearing a long, sky-blue down coat that reached her calves, her half-lidded eyes and expression steeped in quiet disdain.

Heads turned instantly.

The art department was already full of attractive students, but Gu Nan’s presence made them all seem dull by comparison.

Her outfit was simply a gray ribbed turtleneck beneath the coat, yet she somehow made it look effortlessly elegant and cold.

Without looking at anyone, she walked straight up to the noisy office, kicked the door open, and fixed her gaze on the heavyset man who was still shouting.

She said to the head of affairs, Even if the school does pay compensation, it shouldn’t go to this man.

The man slammed his fist on the desk. “And who the hell are you to say that?”

Gu Nan didn’t bother answering. She nodded to the administrator and turned to leave.

Behind her, the man barked, Who does this woman think she is? What right does she have to interfere.