Unraveled

Oppression

The cart was gradually being filled, and Gu Quan, not very strong, found it hard to push. Later, a male colleague came over and took over the cart. Watching this, Liao Pingping asked,

"Gu Quan, do you have a boyfriend?"

Gu Quan shook her head. "Where would I find the time to meet men? All the good ones are already taken, and the leftovers wouldn't look twice at someone like me, nearly thirty."

Liao Pingping said, "That's true, but you're so outstanding, you'll definitely find someone good. Hey, do you prefer older or younger guys?"

Naturally, Gu Quan said younger.

"Me? I actually prefer little fresh meats. I'm not interested in older men."

She said this partly to clear herself from suspicion of being Wu's mistress, and added,

"But young girls—college students or recent graduates—lots of them like older men. They say it's about maturity and a sense of security. I don't get it."

Liao Pingping nodded thoughtfully. "Actually, older men have money and careers already, and they're shrewd."

"Not long ago, I heard a girl in the company say, if you're going to date, date a mature man. They've got money, a career, and time too—unlike young guys who are so busy building careers that they've no time for love," Gu Quan said casually, then quickly switched topics. "Xiao Zhao, this braised beef looks good. Do you guys want some for drinking later?"

"Sure." Xiao Zhao stepped forward, asked the server to cut two jin, and grabbed a roast duck as well.

Gu Quan sighed lightly. She usually wouldn't talk so much over an entire two-day weekend, but today she had said it all to Liao Pingping, sounding like a gossiping housewife, her throat parched. By the time they got back to the villa, it was almost five. From outside, she could already see quite a few people there. Two guys shouted for help carrying in the food. Gu Quan tugged Liao Pingping inside, laughing,

"There's KTV upstairs, let's go sing for a while. We can come down later to eat."

But Liao Pingping seemed preoccupied. Passing through the first-floor game area, she saw Wu with several young girls, leaning over a foosball table, playing excitedly. His thinning hair looked even messier, revealing greasy bald patches. Disgust welled up in her heart; she turned away and followed Gu Quan upstairs.

At home, he would complain that playing puzzles with his own child was a waste of time, but with young girls he could play games happily for hours.

In the KTV room, most were women. The lights were off except for flashing disco lights. Someone was singing a love song, loudly and off-key.

Gu Quan, still carrying a bag of Zhou Hei Ya snacks, set it on the table with a smile. "Just bought this, everyone dig in."

Her gaze swept the room—only to suddenly spot, in the corner sofa, Yuan Ye.

He sat there with one leg crossed over the other, his sharply defined face illuminated by the shifting lights. His narrow eyes were half-closed, like a cat waking from a daylong nap, alert yet intrigued, exuding a lazy allure.

Without betraying emotion, Gu Quan turned and sat at the farthest sofa, cracking open a can of RIO to drink.

The door opened again. In came Molly, dressed in a pink sweater dress, cute and warm-looking. She ran over to sit beside Yuan Ye and handed him a milk tea.

"They said we're splitting an order for milk tea, so I ordered one for you."

Liao Pingping, chatting with other girls while lining up songs to scream into the mic, paid no attention. The lights were dim, so when Gu Quan discreetly observed the pair across from her, no one noticed. Staring at that pearl milk tea, she suddenly wanted one too. She should have checked the group chat earlier and joined the order.

She sipped her yogurt-flavored RIO, its faint alcohol and sweet-sour tang filling her mouth. She wasn't cold after coming back indoors, but drinking it in winter sent shivers through her. After two sips she set it aside.

Just then, the door opened again. A tall, thin guy with glasses walked in—Gong Sheng. Holding a milk tea, he bent down to hand it to her.

"Quan-jie, I got this for you when we split the order earlier."

Gu Quan accepted without hesitation. "Thanks. I'll transfer you the money."

At work, she often indulged in afternoon teas, addicted to the strong flavors of milk tea and coffee. So when Gong Sheng saw the group chat order, he thought of her right away. Since she hadn't replied, he just brought her one.

He smiled and walked off.

She quickly sent him the money on her phone. Right after, a message popped up on her alt account. Of course, it was Yuan Ye.

"I thought I was your only little brother. Didn't expect you to cast such a wide net, Miss Jiejie."

His words tasted sour. Frowning, she glanced across. The flickering lights obscured his expression, only showing his bowed head, his fringe a bit long now and covering his brows. One hand held his phone, while beside him Molly spoke, ignored.

Gu Quan wasn't in the mood for flirting in such a setting. She didn't reply.

Irritated, Yuan Ye scrolled his phone roughly, then looked up. He saw her slip her phone into her coat pocket and seriously drink her milk tea.

His eyelids twitched. Picking up his phone again, he deliberately fired off a string of messages.

The colleague singing just finished, leaving the room quiet. Gu Quan's phone, not on silent, chimed again and again—"ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong"—over a dozen times. Even Liao Pingping, cutting the next song, looked over and joked,

"Gu Quan, is a client looking for you?"

Gu Quan shook her head. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she was about to check, but nosy housewife instincts kicked in for Liao Pingping, who leaned over saying,

"…or is it some guy chasing you?"

Sharp-eyed, Gu Quan saw it was from Yuan Ye. Quickly tucking the phone away, she said,

"Family group chat. You keep singing, I'll step out and call home."

That stopped Liao Pingping's curiosity. She sat back down, soon singing with the others.

Yuan Ye caught that flicker of panic on Gu Quan's face and felt satisfied. Leaning back on the sofa, he waited for her reply.

Beside him, Molly spoke softly,

"That Gu Quan who just left—you remember? The first time you came to pick me up at work, we ate together at the same table."

Yuan Ye nodded. Of course he remembered—he'd been at her place just last week. Hard to forget.

Molly pouted, a little aggrieved.

"Last time I told you someone at work was targeting me? It's her."

Seizing the chance to confide, she leaned closer, looking in others' eyes like a girl cuddled against her boyfriend, whispering sweetly.

"She's always telling project leads and managers that the commercials I shoot don't work, recommending other actresses instead. My bookings are shrinking. I'm about ready to quit.

I wouldn't have thought she was against me otherwise. I never offended her. But so many times at the company or on set, when I greeted her, she just ignored me—blatantly ignored, you know? Ugh, these career women with years in the game… always tripping up younger girls…"

Her voice grew weak, hands fiddling with his sleeve like a fragile little thing.

Yuan Ye listened. With the arm she clutched, he reached for his milk tea, smoothly shaking her off. His low voice was calm:

"Maybe you're the one doing poorly. Why would she single you out among so many actresses?"

It was a blunt thing to say. Molly, not knowing he'd said it on purpose, only chalked it up to him being a straight man, unable to think in terms of "older women bullying younger girls." So she played weak.

"I've thought about it so many times… Maybe it's because when I first joined, I ran into her buying birth control pills…"

Her phone lit twice—WeChat messages—but Yuan Ye's attention was fixed on that phrase.

He'd only heard rumors of Gu Quan being involved with the director, but hadn't known about the pills.

Tilting his head, his jawline sharp and severe, his narrow eyes glinted with curiosity.

"Maybe you saw wrong?"

After being cold-shouldered by him all night, Molly brightened as he finally talked normally with her. She smiled,

"No, we live in the same community. I bumped into her at the pharmacy. Couldn't have been mistaken."

Yuan Ye nodded, then picked up his phone and rose.

"I'm going to the restroom."

—

As soon as Gu Quan stepped out of the room, she checked his flood of messages. Each one a single word:

"You—look—so—good—tonight—I—want—to—walk—you—home."

Her face darkened. In the restroom mirror, her lips shaped one word: "Pervert."

But then she reconsidered. Their whole acquaintance was founded on raw desire. She couldn't expect it to change just because they'd gotten a little closer. Nor should she scorn him for it—for if she did, she'd have to scorn herself too.

Calming down, she found it no big deal. She replied:

"I'm sleeping at the villa tonight. There are rooms. Don't get any ideas."

"Behave yourself with so many people here. Don't cause me trouble, okay?" she added.

Because the way he'd drawn out his message, deliberately annoying, and though he disliked Molly, he'd still come along as her 'family guest'—obviously seeking thrills. Better to warn him.

Still, her instincts told her Yuan Ye wouldn't listen. He'd come with a purpose. He was planning something.