Long Time No See (GL) - Chapter 4

It was eleven at night, and the plane was delayed.

The arrival gate, once bustling, had grown quiet and empty.
Gu Weiran had waited a full two hours. She kept watching that exit — every time a group of passengers came out, she searched for Yun Shu’s figure.

This feeling of searching was just like when they used to travel together.

She would always look around curiously, wandering off to hidden corners. Every time she got lost, when she turned around, she would always see Yun Shu there.

For all the happiness they’d once had, there was just as much resentment later on.
The rift between her and Yun Shu had grown larger as their identities changed. In the end, even though they lived together, they barely spoke to each other.

Whatever Yun Shu said, she only responded with “Oh,” “Mm,” or “Okay.”
Sometimes Yun Shu tried to talk to her, but was always shut out.

Back then, she had the arrogance and rebelliousness of youth.
She always threw tantrums at Yun Shu, giving her the cold shoulder for years.
Yet Yun Shu never once showed unhappiness or anger.

Lately, it was strange — memories would be stirred up without warning, and even the thought of seeing Yun Shu again made her feelings complicated.

Fate was like a net, drawing her and Yun Shu tightly together, leaving no escape from each other.

Gu Weiran waited calmly, quietly attacked by mixed emotions — part joy, part sorrow — while thinking about how to start a conversation with Yun Shu.

And so, the time passed in slow waiting.

At eleven-thirty, she finally saw Yun Shu walking toward her from the depths of the crowd.
That same smiling face — she always seemed to be smiling.
Back then, Gu Weiran had rarely seen her sigh, complain, or grumble. Only on the day her mother had died in the accident did she see Yun Shu break down and cry in despair.

Her thoughts snapped back to the present.

Yun Shu was wearing a long shirt and trousers. Compared to the day of the meeting, there was something softer about her tonight.
Her tall, upright figure lent her a composed and dignified air — she stood out easily in the crowd.

Her eyes swept around briefly, and she saw Gu Weiran at once.

Today, Gu Weiran wore a T-shirt and denim skirt — neither too formal nor too casual.
Her brows were delicate, her skin fair; standing there, she had a graceful, quiet charm — and upon closer look, even a hint of coldness.

In the way she lowered and lifted her gaze, she looked so much like her mother — Lin Yun.

Whenever Yun Shu looked at her, she felt a strange illusion, as though an age had passed.
The little girl really had grown up.

“Weiran~” she called out in greeting.

Gu Weiran raised her hand stiffly, but couldn’t bring herself to smile.

“Waited long, didn’t you? I’m sorry, the weather in City A was bad — flight got delayed.” Yun Shu’s tone was full of apology, and she looked truly sincere.

“It’s fine. Where are you headed?”

So late at night — where could they even talk? Normally, after landing, one would head straight to the hotel to wash up and rest.
Was Yun Shu planning to use “catching up” as a cover for business talk?

“To grab a late-night snack. I’m hungry.”

“Didn’t they serve airplane food?”

“I saved my stomach for you — you’re the one who invited me to dinner, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you at least show a little sincerity, hmm?”
Yun Shu’s eyes were full of mirth, showing no trace of fatigue.

Well, dinner was as good a time as any to discuss business — no need to make things complicated.
Gu Weiran decided she had to steer the conversation toward the project tonight.

“What do you want to eat? My treat.”

Yun Shu propped her chin up thoughtfully, then glanced at Gu Weiran with a faint smile.
“The old place, maybe?”

At those three words — the old place — Gu Weiran lifted her head, meeting Yun Shu’s gaze.
Her deep eyes seemed to shine faintly, and Gu Weiran dared not meet them too long — afraid she might blush.

She looked away, voice wandering, “With your status now, isn’t eating street food kind of inappropriate?”

She knew the “old place” referred to the night market street behind Xuan’an No. 1 High School — all open-air stalls.

But Yun Shu’s status now was far from what it used to be.
Surely she’d be dining in five-star hotels or Michelin-level restaurants, not sitting at plastic tables by the roadside.

“There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Let’s go there.”
Yun Shu was still as open and easygoing as before. She could rise high or stoop low, never putting on airs — down-to-earth as always.

“Alright then.”

Gu Weiran couldn’t help wondering — why there, of all places?
That road was full of memories — too many beautiful ones she didn’t want to revisit.

Was Yun Shu going there to reminisce? Or did she really just miss the food?

“Let’s go. We’ll take the Night 8 bus — there shouldn’t be many people at this hour.”

“The Night 8?” Gu Weiran was startled. “Why take the bus? I—”

“—It’s comfortable,” Yun Shu said, eyes crinkling with amusement.

“But—”

Before she could finish, Yun Shu was already walking toward the bus stop, rolling her suitcase behind her.
She looked back once with a smile — but her gaze fell past Gu Weiran, toward something behind her, before quickly returning.

Gu Weiran was sensitive; she felt that last look was odd, as if Yun Shu were watching for someone.
She glanced back too — but there were only a few people behind her. Two men had been standing there since the arrival gate, as if waiting for someone.

Nothing too suspicious, perhaps Yun Shu had just looked around absentmindedly.

She withdrew her gaze and called Yang Ou, telling him to take the car back from the airport.
What kind of “client boss” does this — she’d borrowed a car just to pick her up, and now they were taking the bus to eat street food.

The Night 8 was an airport express line that passed several key spots in Xuan’an, a half-hour ride to their stop.
It was nearly midnight — looked like they’d be spending the rest of the night like this.

Once aboard, Yun Shu set down her suitcase and took a window seat.
Gu Weiran didn’t sit next to her, instead choosing the opposite side, parallel to her.

Just as the bus was about to leave, those two men from the airport also got on.
Without a word, they went straight to the back row and sat down.

Yun Shu didn’t raise her head, but they caught Gu Weiran’s attention.

Coincidence?
Maybe she’d just seen too much bad news lately — her sense of caution was on high alert.
To be safe, she discreetly opened her front camera, pretending to check her screen, and snapped a photo that included the two men sitting behind.

If they really were following them, she’d know once they got off.

Yun Shu didn’t speak again — she just kept looking out the window.
Every time she came back in recent years, she chose the night flight, just so she could ride the Night 8 and see Xuan’an’s scenery again.

She didn’t want to lose her true self amid the fast pace and the backstabbing of the workplace.

Xuan’an was her purest inner refuge — full of irreplaceable simplicity and joy, as well as unshakable sorrow and regret.

Only here could she calm her mind — to think, to rest, to escape, even for a moment, from the suffocating corporate world.

The night breeze brushed her face. Yun Shu sat motionless, quietly gazing outside — her expression faintly melancholic.

Gu Weiran thought she must be imagining it — maybe Yun Shu was just tired, or simply lost in the view.

What could she possibly be sad about?
At such a young age, she was already an executive at the Mingde Group — successful, well-paid, admired.
Every year, countless people tried to curry her favor with gifts.
Her life was perfect, except for one thing — she didn’t have a boyfriend.

That reminded Gu Weiran of the bad rumors about Yun Shu.
They said she’d become a high-ranking executive because she was the chairman’s secret lover.
Was that why she never dated anyone?

She was thirty already — what was she even after?

Back then, she’d been like that with her father, and now, with that old man too…
Gu Weiran couldn’t understand, nor did she want to.

Just thinking about it made her feel disgusted.

Sometimes she wished those rumors weren’t true — that all of it had been a lie.
But no one ever told her otherwise, and Yun Shu never explained.

The more she thought, the more restless she became.

She stared at Yun Shu without realizing it, and when she finally came back to herself, Yun Shu was already looking at her.
Their eyes met for a few seconds — Gu Weiran felt awkward.

“Why are you looking at me?”

Yun Shu chuckled softly. “If you weren’t staring at me, how would you know I was looking at you?”

“I was looking outside.” Gu Weiran struggled to defend herself — though she too sat by a window, two seats and an aisle apart.

“Seems like your side doesn’t have as good a view. Want to switch and sit here?”
Yun Shu smiled, patting the empty seat beside her.

“No need, I don’t want to squeeze.” Gu Weiran’s first instinct was to refuse — she didn’t want to be that close.
But then she thought — maybe she should take the chance to talk about business.

Such a good opportunity, such a long ride — best not to waste it.

She gave herself a light slap on the cheek — fine, she’d swallow her pride for the company’s sake!

Swaying slightly with the motion of the bus, she walked over and sat down.

Yun Shu’s lips curved into a subtle smile — quiet, restrained.
She was just like before, and yet somehow different.

She smiled, but there was always a faint, misty distance — perhaps from years apart, or perhaps from the guardedness she carried now.

In that world of power struggles, how much sincerity could she have left?

There were few people on the bus.
It felt almost like they were alone — no one else existed in their eyes.

So quiet — how was she supposed to start?

Gu Weiran rehearsed several opening lines in her head, unsure which to pick.

“Do you always have to be so cautious when talking to me now?” Yun Shu spoke first, seeing her hesitation. Her voice carried that familiar hint of laughter.

That tender sharpness — the kind that made people love and hate her at once.

“You’re the client — I wouldn’t dare speak carelessly.” Gu Weiran really was careful.
This was about the company’s future; she couldn’t risk offending Yun Shu.

After all, years ago she hadn’t treated her well — what if Yun Shu bore a grudge?

“So, to you, I’m nothing but a client now?”
Yun Shu’s words made Gu Weiran’s chest tighten with complicated emotion.

If she hadn’t brought it up, it would’ve been fine — but now, the air turned heavy.

“You hate me so much, yet you still came to pick me up. I suppose it’s only for the sake of those two projects.”
When business was mentioned, Yun Shu’s aura shifted — her tone cutting sharper, her mood switching extremes so easily that Gu Weiran tensed up.

“You want…”
Gu Weiran wanted to ask how much “commission” she expected — but Yun Shu suddenly reached out and clasped her hand.

Her palm was cool.
Back then, it had always been warm — what had changed?

The long-lost closeness left Gu Weiran a little dazed.

She looked into Yun Shu’s deep eyes and thought she understood the hint — that such talk wasn’t appropriate in public, especially with those two suspicious men sitting behind.

If they were being watched or recorded, it could spell trouble for Yun Shu.

“You mean… you want the standard technical bid?”

Gu Weiran adapted quickly.

Yun Shu’s lips curved faintly.
“It depends mainly on the proposal — the strategy and the marketing. If you want to win the project, show real skill and professionalism. We’ll be participating in the bid evaluation. It’s an open and fair process. Don’t overthink it.”

Hearing that, Gu Weiran finally relaxed. “Good. Don’t worry — our company takes the Mingde project very seriously.”

Yun Shu’s smile deepened.
She understood perfectly what Yun Shu was implying — still quick on the uptake, just like before.

“To want something and to have it — there are two words in between: to do it.”
“Opportunity is one thing. Whether you can hold onto it is another. Some people take shortcuts and play tricks, not realizing that sometimes, cleverness backfires.”

Was she talking about herself? Those words sounded odd…

Why stop her from bringing up kickbacks?
Was it because of the setting — or those men behind them?

Either way, she had to respond.

“Fengqi won’t let you down.” Gu Weiran’s tone carried a mature steadiness that didn’t match her age.

Yun Shu rested her chin on her hand, her eyes soft but alluring.
“I don’t care how your company performs. I only care about your performance.”

Vixen.

Gu Weiran cursed silently.
Who knew if Yun Shu did it intentionally or not — but she was always like this, always teasing without even trying.

She turned away, sulking, refusing to talk further.

This was already the longest conversation they’d had in years.
Her silence made the bus quiet again — until Yun Shu’s phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID, waited a moment, then picked up.

“She sent people to follow you.”
The voice on the other end was a deep, middle-aged man’s.

“I know.” Yun Shu replied evenly.

“Things are sensitive right now. Be careful not to give them anything to use against you. They’re just waiting to catch you slipping.”

Yun Shu sneered softly.
“If others don’t cross me, I won’t cross them. But if they do… I won’t let them off easily.”

“You’re back in Xuan’an again?”

“Mm.”

“I don’t understand — who is it there that you still can’t let go of?”

“None of your business.”

Author’s Note:

Update schedule is unfixed! I have no drafts saved up — if work gets busy, updates may be delayed, but I’ll try my best not to!

Yun Mama doesn’t care about gossip or being misunderstood.
She’s warm, healing, tolerant, generous, and kind.

As for Gu the tsundere — what kind of blessing did she earn in a past life to have Yun Mama?!
(I want a rich woman like Yun Mama too!)