C37 Fans Meeting

After escorting Ye Tian to Jinghao Apartment, Kawase Yuki made his way back to the Whole Horn Building. The butler was poised by the door, having arrived promptly after the elevator chimed. Within a minute, the doors slid open, and he approached with deference, "Sir, welcome home."

Kawase Yuki gave a nod and passed over his coat, offhandedly requesting, "Bring me the red wine."

A nightly glass of red wine was one of Kawase Yuki's rituals. The butler acknowledged with a nod and set off to fetch it.

Moments later, by the expansive windows of the lounge, Kawase Yuki held a glass of wine, yet he refrained from sipping. He gently swirled the deep red liquid, gazing through it at the vibrant neon lights outside, then peering down at the bustling traffic below, a sardonic smile playing on his lips.

He hadn't turned around in the elevator, but he had seen Gu Qinian's somber face reflected clearly in the polished metal. How amusing... It appeared that Gu Qinian was more concerned about Ye Tian than he had anticipated.

...

Ye Tian, staying alone at Jinghao Apartment, had hoped a good night's sleep would set her right, but to her dismay, she felt even worse as the night progressed.

Pain jolted her awake, and she made her way to the bathroom, soon succumbing to a bout of vomiting. Having eaten little at the dinner party due to discomfort, there wasn't much to expel, and eventually, even bile made its way up, drawing involuntary tears.

"Damn it, what's wrong with my stomach? Why this sudden upset?" she wondered, rinsing her mouth and confronting her disheveled reflection in the mirror, muttering distractedly.

Could it be that the cuisine at Mingxiu was too rich for her modest stomach? No, that couldn't be it. She then recalled the cold milk she'd had for breakfast, likely the culprit behind her gastric distress.

As this realization dawned on her, she was overtaken by another wave of nausea, gripping the basin as she retched, feeling as though she was emptying her very soul. Eventually, she staggered from the bathroom, her steps unsteady as she braved the stomachache, rummaging through the living room and dining area for relief.

She wondered if Gu Qinian had slipped any medicine into the house.

After an unsuccessful search, she considered rummaging through Gu Qinian's room but then thought better of it, knowing he'd be fastidious and likely to make a fuss if he found out. So, she settled for drinking two cups of hot water and curled up under her blanket in her room.

In the dead of night, with no one home and the place being so remote, she couldn't find a taxi and was out of options.

However, lying down didn't bring any relief. The pain in her stomach intensified, and she began to break out in cold sweats.

Enduring the discomfort, she finally dozed off around five in the morning.

But her rest was short-lived; a phone call woke her before seven.

Barely able to open her eyes, Ye Tian listened to Linda's voice, heavy with yawns.

"Ye Tian, get up and get ready fast. I just got word that Ye Ziyan is holding a fan meetup and has decided to partner with us last minute. You're in charge of the shoot, happening on the fifth floor of Star City Mall. Move quickly, and don't be late!"

Linda hung up before Ye Tian could respond.

Stunned, Ye Tian forced her heavy eyelids open and glanced at the clock, cursing inwardly.

'That Ye Ziyan is up to her tricks again! What sudden collaboration? She's clearly out to get me!'

Fuming, she considered calling Lu Jingyue but then decided it would be an overreaction for such a trivial issue.

Moreover, with rumors of a romance between them circulating at the company, it was best to keep her distance from him for now.

Besides, Ye Ziyan's antics were undoubtedly sanctioned by Gu Qinian. No one she turned to could help her.

With this in mind, she let out a bitter laugh, though a wave of inexplicable bitterness rose within her.

"Drama queen!"

She muttered the words through clenched teeth, struggling out of her cocoon of blankets to start her day.

The stomach pain had subsided somewhat, but she still felt queasy and weak. She splashed cold water on her face, grimacing at her pallid reflection, and made a face of distaste.

She hastily applied a light layer of makeup, but it did little to conceal her pale complexion and the dark circles under her eyes. Realizing that further attempts to freshen up were futile, she hurried out the door.

At six in the morning, the winter sky was still pitch black, and there wasn't a car in sight.

Bundled up in her thick down jacket, Ye Tian trudged through the discomfort for fifteen minutes before she was finally able to hail a cab. Despite her efforts, she arrived at Star City Mall half an hour late.

She had braced herself for a confrontation with Ye Ziyan, expecting to be met with criticism for her tardiness. To her surprise, she didn't encounter Ye Ziyan or any member of her team—because she couldn't even get into the mall.

"Please, security guard, I'm part of the crew for the fan meeting. Could you let me in?" she pleaded, her voice muffled by the biting cold wind.

The security guard was unmoved. "Whether you are or aren't part of the crew, the mall isn't open yet. The fan meeting isn't until this afternoon. Even staff members aren't supposed to arrive until after the mall opens at ten. You're here too early; I can't let you in."

At the mention of ten o'clock, Ye Tian's eyes bulged in disbelief. "Not until ten?!"

Her raised voice startled the security guard, who blinked and nodded. "Yes, that's right…"

Ye Tian was fuming, but her anger was quickly overshadowed by a sharp pain in her stomach.

Biting back the discomfort, she prioritized her well-being over her frustration. "Look, it's freezing out here, and I live too far to justify another trip. Could you possibly let me wait inside for a bit?" she asked with a grimace.

The security guard, showing a bit of compassion, hesitated before allowing her to come into the security room to sit in a corner.

Once seated, Ye Tian breathed a sigh of relief, though the chill from the drafty room was still palpable. She glanced enviously at the guard's thick, military-green coat and then at her own down jacket, wrapping herself even tighter in hopes that the mall would open soon.

The pain in her stomach began to subside. Checking the time, she saw it wasn't even eight o'clock yet. Leaning against the wall, she started to nod off, succumbing to drowsiness.

In the CEO's office at the top floor of Gu's Group, Gu Qinian emerged from the lounge just as Han Cheng arrived with a cup of black coffee in hand. The rich aroma filled the spacious office. Gu Qinian took a sip and listened to Han Cheng begin his work report.

As Han Cheng touched on Ye Ziyan's upcoming fan meet, a nearly imperceptible furrow crossed Gu Qinian's brow. His gaze lifted subtly, his dark eyes shifting towards Han Cheng.

"When was this decided? How come I wasn't informed?"

Han Cheng was taken aback, his words coming out with an unusual stutter. "It—it was finalized early this morning, right after you had gone to rest. Miss Ye was eager to select someone, and considering Second Miss Ye had previously collaborated with her, I thought it best to... to accept the proposal."

He had also presumed that his CEO wouldn't object, which is why he took the liberty of making the decision.

Now, facing his CEO's unreadable expression, Han Cheng wasn't so sure.

Gu Qinian remained silent, setting down his coffee cup as a signal for Han Cheng to continue his report.

After Han Cheng concluded and turned to leave, Gu Qinian's voice, cool and authoritative, stopped him. "In the future, I want to be informed immediately about any collaborations with New World."

Han Cheng stiffened, quickly acknowledging the directive. Lately, he found it increasingly difficult to gauge his CEO's thoughts, but one thing was clear—he had made a mistake this time.