Angry?
Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t angry at Li Lam. He was angry at himself for momentarily confusing Li Lam for Chu Da.
‘I understand you need to work,’ Li Lam said. ‘We’ll see each other another time.’
Gu Jiao Wu was looking at Qiao Tan Yuan, and didn’t answer Li Lam. Li Lam accepted she failed again, and left before she made him angrier.
On the way out, Li Lam saw Qiao Tan Yuan at a close distance for the first time. She was shocked how beautiful and regal Qiao Tan Yuan was. One look, and she knew Qiao Tan Yuan was from a rich family. The way Qiao Tan Yuan looked at Gu Jiao Wu was as if there was bad blood between Qiao Tan Yuan and Gu Jiao Wu. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Qiao Tan Yuan’s animosity, and wisely left Gu Jiao Wu’s office.
At first Qiao Tan Yuan stood frozen to see Gu Jiao Wu hug Chu Da in his office. She remembered seeing Gu Jiao Wu hug Chu Da at the reserve park and in Chu Da’s home years ago. Then she berated herself for being surprised. It shouldn’t be a surprise the person Gu Jiao Wu would always love was Chu Da. Why would Gu Jiao Wu choose to be with her when Chu Da was back? She suppressed the discomfort in her heart, and acted calm in front of Gu Jiao Wu.
Qiao Tan Yuan could curse Gu Jiao Wu from head to toes, and it wouldn’t be enough to truly calm herself. Gu Jiao Wu toyed with her, and sabotaged Qiao’s company to give Xiao Bao to Chu Da.
‘Gu Jiao Wu!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu took one step, and he was standing in front of Qiao Tan Yuan.
‘What’s wrong?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Gu Jiao Wu sensed Qiao Tan Yuan wanted his blood.
Was Gu Jiao Wu playing dumb? Qiao Tan Yuan’s stomach exploded with anger, and she slapped his cheek.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, you’re a despicable AH!’ Qiao Tan Yuan cursed.
Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t prepared for Qiao Tan Yuan’s slap, but he held her hands to stop her slapping him again.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, what are you doing?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Gu Jiao Wu wondered if Qiao Tan Yuan came to his office to slap him.
‘You should be asking yourself, what you’re doing,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Can you be any more despicable? Let go of me!’
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, why are you acting crazy?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘That’s right, I’m crazy,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan was angry Gu Jiao Wu would harm his ex-wife because of another woman.
‘What right do you have to threaten banks not to give Qiao’s company a loan?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu finally understood the real reason Qiao Tan Yuan came to see him at his office. He was disappointed, let go of her hands and looked at her coldly.
‘I don’t understand why you’re acting crazy,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan scoffed at Gu Jiao Wu acting dumb.
‘Today Zhang Hang cancelled Qiao’s company loan he approved yesterday,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘He said he was pressured by someone at Gu’s company. If that someone isn’t you then who else can it be?’
‘Gu’s company?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘Qiao Tan Yuan, do you think if I wanted to sabotage Qiao’s company, I would leave such an obvious trail?’
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to admit Gu Jiao Wu was right.
Gu Jiao Wu pointed at his slapped cheek.
‘Do you think hitting someone will solve your problem?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘If it’s true then I should praise you.’
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t keep count how many times Qiao Tan Yuan slapped him. What’s important was she was a woman. If she was a man, she would have been dead the first time she slapped him.
‘You… it really wasn’t you?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t know what to believe.
‘I’m sorry I disappointed you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Did you slap me the moment you walked in here because you thought I sabotaged Qiao’s company?’
Qiao Tan Yuan was embarra.s.sed. Apart from Gu Jiao Wu, she couldn’t think of who else would want to sabotage Qiao’s company.
‘Who else could it be but you?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘Why must it be me?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘What motive do I have?’
‘You… because you wanted me to come see you and beg for help,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Then you’ll blackmail me to get custody of Xiao Bao.’
‘Your logic isn’t bad,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘If it was really me, what do you plan to do?’
‘I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction by begging you for help,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I’m confident I can help Qiao’s company past this crisis. As for you, don’t dream of using this opportunity to get custody of Xiao Bao.’
‘Qiao Tan Yuan…’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan’s chest was heaving from anger, she looked beautiful in the blue dress and memories of them together in his car turned him on.
‘I’m curious, how will you help Qiao’s company while in your angry state?’ Gu Jiao Wu said asked.
‘It’s none of your business,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan doubted Gu Jiao Wu was the culprit. Even in her angry state, she knew with his IQ, he wouldn’t leave an obvious trail for her trace back to him. Five hundred thousand dollars… where was she going to go find five hundred thousand dollars?
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, how much do you need?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan looked at Gu Jiao Wu suspiciously. But she couldn’t see signs he was lying about not knowing how much she needed. Then she remembered him hugging Chu Da before. She took a step back away from him, turned around and walked to the door.
Gu Jiao Wu pulled Qiao Tan Yuan into his arms, and he hugged her tightly so she couldn’t leave.
‘I can help you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I don’t need your help,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan would rather beg anyone else than begging Gu Jiao Wu, because she wanted to protect Xiao Bao.
The Qiao Tan Yuan in Gu Jiao Wu’s arms was her favorite flower, a rose. She was beautiful and p.r.i.c.kly. He remembered Quan Zheng Hao holding her waist in the morning, and he didn’t know why it made his heart uncomfortable.
‘If you don’t need my help then do you plan to ask him for help?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan was unsure what Gu Jiao Wu meant.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, do you know what you’re saying?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan thought Gu Jiao Wu sounded jealous, but she knew it was impossible for him to be jealous because of her. She reasoned he was dissatisfied she didn’t ask him for help.
‘I said I can help you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t know why he was unhappy Qiao Tan Yuan wanted to turn to another man for help. She knew he would help her, but she refused his help. Did she think he wouldn’t help Qiao’s company in a crisis?
‘I said I don’t need your help,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Don’t think you can make me beg you, and use this opportunity to blackmail me. I won’t fall for you trick.’
Qiao Tan Yuan’s accusations made Gu Jiao Wu’s heart more uncomfortable.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, if I wanted to take our daughter away from you, why would I need to blackmail you?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
End of Chapter Sixty-Two