Unexpected (GL) - Chapter 33

That afternoon, Xie Jing had the company’s legal advisor draft a contract. The next day, as soon as she received the contract, she boarded a plane to Jinghai without delay.

When she once again arrived at the bustling CBD of Jinghai City, it felt like a lifetime ago for her. After two years, she stepped into the building where the Fang Group was headquartered. The
receptionist seemed to be different from the one from before, but even though Xie Jing didn’t have an appointment this time, the woman still politely helped notify Qin Ning’s assistant.

Upon learning the visitor’s last name was Xie, the assistant immediately turned to ask the CEO if she should let the guest in.

While signing documents, Qin Ning slightly raised an eyebrow. “Xie?”

“Yes,” the assistant replied.

Something seemed to cross Qin Ning’s mind as her pen paused. “You go down and bring the guest up yourself.”

The assistant was surprised but nodded. “Yes, President Fang.”

“Wait.” Qin Ning suddenly stopped her.

“Cancel all my appointments for the afternoon,” she added.

“Yes, President Fang.”

After the assistant left, Qin Ning dropped her pen, rubbed her forehead with slender fingers, and gazed out of the office window.

Xie Jing had thought she would have to wait a long time like last time to see Qin Ning. She had already prepared herself to sit in the reception room and wait patiently. But before she could even
get there, a smartly dressed woman in a tailored suit approached her.

“Miss Xie?” Assistant Lin asked with a smile.

“Yes, that’s me,” Xie Jing replied with a nod.

Assistant Lin calmly looked her up and down for a couple of seconds. “Please come with me.”

“Okay…”

Lin led her to the executive elevator used by senior management and took her directly to the floor where the CEO’s office was located.

In the wide hallway, Xie Jing followed Lin’s steady pace until they reached the CEO’s office door. She hesitated for a few seconds before knocking. It had been so long; she needed a moment to gather
her courage.

After taking a few deep breaths, she finally raised her hand and knocked.

“Come in.”

Hearing the voice, Xie Jing lowered her eyes, gripped the cold door handle, and walked in.

As soon as she entered and looked up, her eyes unexpectedly met Qin Ning’s gaze before she could look away. Two years had passed, but Qin Ning looked the same—sharp features, cold as ice. Her eyes
seemed to hold something else too, though Xie Jing couldn’t tell what it was.

She walked in slowly. After the assistant quietly closed the door behind them and left, the office fell silent. Neither of them spoke, yet it felt like they had already gone through hundreds of
battles in that silence.

Xie Jing cleared her throat and broke the tension first. “President Fang, hello.”

“What do you want?” Qin Ning closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them again, she looked at Xie Jing as if she were a stranger—cold and distant.

Xie Jing tightened her grip on the stack of contracts in her arms and said hoarsely, “Yes…”

She reminded herself that Qin Ning’s attitude was understandable. After all, they were basically strangers now.

But even so, she couldn’t stop herself from feeling embarrassed. She was the one who had walked away, and now she was coming back to ask for help. Was this karma?

But for the company’s sake, she had no choice but to push forward.

“I have a tech project,” she began. “It’s developed in-house by the Xie Group. I wanted to ask you to take a look…”

As she spoke, she took a step forward and placed all the documents she’d brought on Qin Ning’s desk.

Qin Ning reached out with two slender fingers and pressed them on the stack, but didn’t flip through it. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Xie Jing.

Thinner. Sickly. Still the same innocent young lady from before.

A project worth millions—was her family really okay with putting it in her hands?

Qin Ning scoffed. “What is this supposed to mean?”

She had already wondered the moment Xie Jing walked in: how could she just show up again after two years like nothing had happened?

Those memories had trapped Qin Ning for the past two years. Every night, the last image of Xie Jing played over and over in her head. She had since built a tough shell around her heart—sharp and
impenetrable.

And now, Xie Jing came back—just for money.

Qin Ning found it laughable.

The office air was heavy.

Xie Jing finally spoke, her voice breaking the suffocating silence. “I’d like you to consider working with our company. What do you think?”

“I’m not interested.” Qin Ning sat in her chair, long fingers laced on the desk, her eyes sharp and cold.

She stared at Xie Jing, who had gone pale. Qin Ning had always known her as cheerful and strong—never like this.

Her gaze made Xie Jing’s eyes turn red. She held back the tears and tried to keep her voice steady.

“Qin Ning, please… can you help the Xie Group?”

“Now you want my help?” Qin Ning’s cold voice echoed. “When you left with Shen Xinghe, didn’t you think this day would come?”

At the mention of Shen Xinghe, Xie Jing opened her mouth as if to explain, but quickly fell silent.

Qin Ning sneered. “So why didn’t you go to Shen Xinghe this time? Why come to me?”

“She…” Xie Jing started.

But Qin Ning cut her off. “You feel bad for her? Don’t want to spend her money? So you came to me, betting I’d still care enough as your ex to help you out?”

“It’s not… it’s not like that,” Xie Jing choked.

“Oh? Then what? Don’t tell me you suddenly remembered how nice I was and want to get back together?”

“I didn’t think that!”

Qin Ning narrowed her eyes. “Oh, right. You probably thought I’d say no, so you didn’t even dare hope.”

Xie Jing stayed quiet. She had nothing left to say.

Qin Ning paused, then continued coldly, “Who falls for the same trap twice? Even if you did want to get back together, I wouldn’t say yes.”

She gave a self-deprecating smile. “Miss Xie, I’m not the fool I used to be—following you around just because you said a few sweet words.”

“Why should I help you?”

Yes, why should she?

Xie Jing was asking for a huge amount of money. And she had once betrayed Qin Ning. At this point, the fact that Qin Ning didn’t mock her was already generous.

Her throat tightened painfully. She swallowed hard but still couldn’t speak.

After a long stare, she finally stepped back, turned around, and reached for the door.

Just as her fingers touched the cold handle, she heard the rapid clack of heels behind her.

“Can’t take it already? That’s all it took to break you?”

Qin Ning grabbed her wrist and leaned in close. “You came for money, right? You want me to help your company? Fine—if you agree to—”

“Qin Ning!” Xie Jing tried to pull her arm free but couldn’t. Her grip was too strong.

“Your company is about to go bankrupt,” Qin Ning said angrily. “How long are you going to keep clinging to that pathetic pride?”

Xie Jing pressed her lips together and said nothing.

“When you left me for Shen Xinghe and went abroad, do you remember what you said?”

She looked at Xie Jing’s pale, trembling lips. “After saying something like that, how dare you come find me again?”

“What am I to you? A backup you can call on whenever you want?”

That memory—too painful to recall—finally broke Xie Jing down. Still, she kept her head low, hiding her tears. “Stop… please, Qin Ning…”

“Oh? You don’t want to hear me talk?” Qin Ning said. “Then let’s do something else.”

With that, she yanked Xie Jing around to face her. She pressed her against the cold office door. Xie Jing’s head hit it hard, and her eyes welled up.

Qin Ning gripped her chin and kissed her hard.

How long had it been? Two years, maybe. Every day, Qin Ning had remembered her. Even if she had betrayed her, even if she had left.

Now, in this kiss, she couldn’t stop herself from falling again.

Xie Jing whimpered softly. Qin Ning held her neck—so thin, so fragile.

As she kissed her harder, she could feel her pulse racing beneath her palm. Xie Jing trembled, and her tears finally spilled.

Qin Ning tasted the bitterness in their kiss.

Xie Jing cried, the tears falling like rain into Qin Ning’s hand. The heat shocked her, and she let go.

Xie Jing wiped her face, turned, and fled.

But before she could take a step outside, a strong force yanked her back by the waist.

“You want my help?” Qin Ning said. “Fine. I’ve changed my mind. You’ll get every cent you need—in a month.”

She slammed the door shut.

Holding Xie Jing’s wrist tightly, she pulled her into the office’s private lounge.

In the next second, Xie Jing was thrown onto a soft bed.

Qin Ning followed.

Just like before, she was overbearing. No matter how Xie Jing struggled, it was useless.

Her white shirt was tossed aside. Glasses removed and placed on the bedside table.

They had made love many times in the past—but never like this, crying together.

Through her tears, Xie Jing looked at her. She tried to reach out to hold her.

But Qin Ning pressed her shoulders down into the bed.

Xie Jing was thinner than before. Her bones stuck out under her skin. The sharp edges dug into Qin Ning’s palm.

Her heart ached like a needle prick.

“Qin Ning… it hurts…” Xie Jing trembled, her breath broken. She dug her nails into her palm so hard it bled.

Qin Ning’s movements paused. She unconsciously eased her grip.

“Qin Ning…” Xie Jing touched the corner of her eye, where tears still lingered—cold, making her fingers tremble.

“How did we end up like this?” Qin Ning murmured.

“I’m sorry… it’s all my fault,” Xie Jing whispered.