Gloves - Chapter 17

The quiet basement echoed with the crisp sound of high heels.

“Chujie, have you ever considered pursuing a career in the entertainment industry?” The new head of Mingyu Entertainment Company hoped that this highly talented girl would come and develop her talents in their company.

“Rather than entertainment, I hope that it (playing the piano) remains purely an art form.” An Chujie believed that the entertainment industry was a big melting pot, and she didn’t want to immerse herself in it and be stained by its colors.

“Piano is art in itself,” the person spoke as their hand lightly rested on An Chujie’s waist. An Chujie immediately felt uncomfortable, even though the person was a woman, there was something off about the situation.

“I can express certain emotions through it, and as long as there are people who understand me, that’s enough,” An Chujie said, enduring the discomfort.

“Oh, so that’s how you feel,” their hand roamed on An Chujie’s back before finally embracing her waist.

“Director Qi, please stop this!” The cars in the basement were tightly packed together, making it hard to breathe.

“What’s wrong?” The woman seemed unaware of what An Chujie was referring to.

“I’m not very comfortable with your hand,” An Chujie said, trying to free herself from their arm.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Director Qi released her grip and then shifted to holding An Chujie’s shoulder, continuing, “Actually, once you become famous, more people will come to listen to you, and more people will understand you. Our company used to be involved in entertainment for television. If you join my company, I will make sure the team supports you wholeheartedly. And when you shine the brightest, you can look down on all those who once underestimated you.” Director Qi could sense that An Chujie was someone with a story, both from her feet and from listening to her play.

Instead of opening the car door, the woman sat on the hood, taking out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. Her neat short hair and high-neck black sweater concealed her pointed chin. Her long legs casually sprawled on the ground, giving her a somewhat rebellious and uninhibited appearance. An Chujie inexplicably thought of a girl who had a similar vibe, Tu Yi’s good friend—Yang Yiluo.

“You’re in a big conglomerate like RLM, and if you want to stand out, you probably have a long way to go. Instead of that, why not fly into my little nest? We can all come together and build you up, like a constellation surrounded by stars. How about it?” Director Qi’s lips parted, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke as she tilted her head, waiting for the girl’s response.

“Director Qi, I’ve only been signed with RLM for about half a year. I don’t want to breach my contract and switch companies randomly. Besides, I can learn a lot from the experienced seniors here,” An Chujie’s gaze was firm, and Mr. Li treated her no worse than the seniors.

Director Qi furrowed her brow, wondering why this girl wouldn’t listen no matter what.

“Let me put it this way, if you come to our company, we will cover at least half of the penalty fee for breaching your contract, and we will focus on developing you. Can you consider it?”

“No, I can’t.”

To reject so quickly, how interesting. Director Qi sneered.

“It’s not just about the penalty fee, and even if it were, I can’t come up with the other half right away,” An Chujie didn’t hesitate to refuse. She regretted agreeing to let Director Qi give her a ride home.

“Oh? Are you in need of money?” Director Qi suddenly lit up, like she had discovered a new continent. She put out her cigarette and walked towards An Chujie, who took a step back but was once again held by the waist.

“That makes things even easier. How about becoming my woman? I’ll take care of you,” Director Qi whispered in her ear. Who wouldn’t be tempted by such a fresh offer?

An Chujie pushed her away forcefully. She was crossing the line. In that moment, even Director Qi’s perfume seemed overpowering.

“Director Qi, please don’t act like this. I can’t go to your company. Sorry, but I’m going back,” An Chujie just wanted to escape from this strange atmosphere of the parking lot. She pushed Director Qi away and hurriedly ran towards the exit. Director Qi watched An Chujie’s limping figure, her heart filled with curiosity and excitement.

Finally seeing the wide street and bright streetlights, An Chujie breathed a sigh of relief. In less than two minutes, a car pulled up in front of her.

The person inside the car called out, “I’ll take you home.”

“Thank you, but you don’t have to trouble yourself,” An Chujie continued walking forward. The car persistently followed her. An Chujie decided to head towards a secluded alley, not knowing how long she had been walking. Finally, she managed to shake off the car, but she had also lost her way.

The winter night sky was gloomy, with even the moonlight obscured. The faint streetlights flickered twice and went out. An eerie chill ran down An Chujie’s spine. Whenever she faced trouble, she could only think of Shang Zhuoxi. She reluctantly dialed her number, hoping that Shang Zhuoxi would be available to pick her up. It was the weekend, so she should have some free time, right?

“What’s up?” Shang Zhuoxi didn’t expect An Chujie to call her so late, and her cold tone made An Chujie lose her confidence.

“Zhuoxi… I… Are you free?” An Chujie mustered up the courage to ask, but she had little assurance that Shang Zhuoxi would be willing to come for her.

“Not very busy.” Shang Zhuoxi had just finished showering and was idle, but she didn’t want An Chujie to think she had a lot of free time.

“Can you come out and pick me up? I don’t know where I am,” An Chujie held one arm with the other, looking around cautiously, afraid of seeing something terrifying.

“Turn on your GPS and stay there. Don’t wander around,” Shang Zhuoxi’s tone was so indifferent, as if she were giving a mundane medical report.

An Chujie followed her instructions, squatting down on the ground, hugging herself tightly, and quietly waiting for Shang Zhuoxi.

………….

The narrow space couldn’t accommodate Shang Zhuoxi’s massive car, so she had to get out and walk inside herself. She kept walking, getting further and further off track. After turning countless corners, she finally spotted the person under the tree. The person had their back turned towards her. Shang Zhuoxi walked over, but suddenly changed her mind. She stepped back, placing her hands in her coat pockets, standing still. She wasn’t planning to satisfy her so easily.

Time ticked away, and the air grew colder. The streetlights started flickering again. An Chujie lifted her head, then lowered it. She wondered if Shang Zhuoxi wouldn’t come, just like she was stood up at a daytime concert. Or perhaps Shang Zhuoxi had been busy all along? Rarely, a small car passed by, but she didn’t dare to hitch a ride easily. Reluctantly, An Chujie took out her phone and found Yi Heng’s number. Just as she was about to dial, her field of vision was covered by a shadow. She immediately stood up and looked back. Despite the dim light that made it hard to see facial features, An Chujie knew it was Shang Zhuoxi by their height and clothing style. In an instant, An Chujie’s nose tingled, and she rushed forward, embracing that person tightly. She clung to them like a lifeline, feeling a mix of fear, grievance, and joy flooding her heart. Tears streamed down her face. It felt like going back in time, 8 years ago, when 14-year-old little Chujie got lost and encountered Shang Zhuoxi, the person who brought her brightness and a sense of safety in her life.

“Even in such a remote place, you managed to find me,” Shang Zhuoxi said, seemingly helpless against her.

Hearing Shang Zhuoxi’s voice, An Chujie cried even harder.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” she sobbed while speaking.

Shang Zhuoxi allowed An Chujie to bury herself in her embrace. Her crying had finally touched the softness in Shang Zhuoxi’s heart.

Shang Zhuoxi held An Chujie’s hand and led her through a series of twists and turns, eventually returning to the car.

…………

The CD automatically played the song “I’m In Here.” The lazy yet melancholic female vocals effortlessly seeped into your ears, your mind, and spread into your heart in the quiet darkness.

Shang Zhuoxi was like a thorny bush burning with raging flames. On one hand, she protected An Chujie, who often jumped into pits, keeping outsiders at bay. On the other hand, she also hurt the person in the pit, unable to escape herself.

Just as Shang Zhuoxi had dropped An Chujie off at home, her phone started ringing.

“Where exactly? What unit? How many people approximately?” Shang Zhuoxi’s expression suddenly became serious.

“Send four cars over first! Make sure they send someone down to receive the ambulance, or they won’t be able to find the location easily. Why are they all huddled together? Move out!” Shang Zhuoxi couldn’t believe that the person on the other end of the phone was still discussing matters at this critical moment. It infuriated her that these medical students and young nurses rarely took the initiative to solve problems themselves and always asked first.

After hanging up the phone, Shang Zhuoxi helplessly caressed An Chujie’s face. She wanted to stay with her, but emergencies were uncontrollable. She had to rush to the scene of the explosion to save lives.

From Shang Zhuoxi’s phone conversation, An Chujie could gather a general understanding. Besides feeling heartbroken and not wanting to cause trouble, what else could she do?

“You should go quickly. Drive safely,” An Chujie said, understanding the situation.

————————————————————————————————————————

Shang Zhuoxi smelled the pungent odor from a distance and quickly put on a mask as she rushed over.

A tall building lay broken and scattered, with bricks strewn about in various places. Small fires flickered here and there, and cries for help filled the air. The medical staff were in a frenzy, scrambling around, and even fighting over tourniquets…

Shang Zhuoxi couldn’t help but feel anxious as she surveyed the scene.

“First, attend to those who are silent! You, take them to the back row for hemostasis and bandaging. And you over there, does it really take so many people to perform CPR? Come with me…”

Under Shang Zhuoxi’s guidance, the rescue progress sped up significantly.

This was Xu Yuer’s first time working at a rescue site. She followed closely behind Shang Zhuoxi, her gaze rarely leaving her. Watching Shang Zhuoxi work diligently yet methodically, watching her desperately save every life, Xu Yuer’s admiration soared. She turned this feeling into the driving force for her work, earnestly learning from Shang Zhuoxi’s approach, until all the injured were safely transferred.