Boundary - Chapter 28

Since her grandfather’s minor stroke, Gu Yetong had developed a keen interest in healthcare facilities for the elderly.

Although she had previously worked on projects like private medical centers, those designs mostly catered to healthier adult or pediatric patients.

Last week, she had visited a rehabilitation center for the elderly in China. While the design and facilities were impressive, its high-end positioning meant low occupancy rates, making it difficult for the facilities to be fully utilized.

Japan, being the first country in Asia to address aging issues, was her next stop. On a friend’s recommendation, she planned to visit three renowned rehabilitation centers in the area. Today’s visit had been incredibly insightful, not just in terms of architecture and design. The shared community living model and the integrated medical and rehabilitation systems made her realize that good architecture alone couldn’t solve all problems. Elderly individuals with special needs required more holistic and affordable services.

On the train back, she casually ate an onigiri. By the time she returned to her hotel, she was ready to take a shower and rest early, but Jin Nanting’s video call came through.

“Why are you calling?”

The man on the screen raised an eyebrow slightly. “Still busy?”

“No…” Gu Yetong sat at the hotel desk, the neon lights of Shinjuku flickering behind her. “It’s just… we’ve never video-called before.”

During his previous business trips, she had never called or video-called him, rarely even sending messages.

The fact that Jin Nanting had initiated their first video call left Gu Yetong both touched and a little guilty.

“I just wanted to check if everything’s okay,” the man on the other end seemed a bit awkward, as if unsure what to say while they were apart.

He wasn’t the type to express concern easily, but his initiative to call spoke volumes.

“Are you still at the office?” Gu Yetong smiled, noticing the black leather chair behind him—the same one that had witnessed their most intimate moments. She wondered how many times today he had reminisced about last night’s details.

Just like she had.

And on his desk was still the landscape sketch she had drawn in high school.

“Why did you steal my painting?”

On the way back last night, she had asked the man driving.

The dim light made it hard to see the change in his expression, but his voice made her think he might be blushing. “It’s one of the few shared memories we have.”

“Come on, we barely spoke in high school,” Gu Yetong rolled her eyes.

“True, it’s a shame…”

A shame?

For the time they had missed? But if their fates had intertwined earlier, they might not have become the people they were now—willing to truly open their hearts to each other, right?

“Yeah, I have a meeting at eight tonight with the Middle East team to discuss financing.”

Gu Group’s operations had always been stable. Although she dealt with debt mortgages and bank loans, she was far less experienced in financial investments compared to Jin Nanting.

“Jin Nanting,” Gu Yetong propped her chin on her hand. “Could you recommend some financing channels for me?”

The man frowned. “Is Gu Group having cash flow issues?”

“I have a new project, unrelated to Gu Group’s existing business…” She briefly explained her idea of investing in elderly healthcare.

Jin Nanting was silent for a moment, then countered with a question. “Should I answer as your husband or as a business partner?”

Gu Yetong thought for a moment. “I’d like to hear both.”

“Elderly care is a good investment direction. I could invest a portion…”

“No!” Gu Yetong raised her hand, cutting him off.

“I’m not a man without principles. I’d still need to see your business plan,” Jin Nanting continued to explain.

“I just don’t want us to argue over work.” They were already involved in business together through their main ventures. She didn’t want to drag him into her new project. “What about as a business partner?”

“I think your current idea is too idealistic and doesn’t consider return on investment,” the man pointed out bluntly. “You need to decide whether this is a charitable endeavor or a commercial investment.”

Gu Yetong wasn’t discouraged or angry. Instead, she carefully considered where her abilities and experience might be lacking.

As a designer, every project she handled had a clear budget and cost. It was easy for her to plan and utilize resources to create designs that would attract clients. But if she wanted to secure investment now, she needed to research how much funding was required and how to achieve profitability.

There were so many areas she had yet to explore.

“Can you teach me how to create a business plan?”

“Of course,” the man agreed without hesitation. “But… I’ll need something in return.”

A businessman’s demand was inevitable.

“Are you asking as a husband or as a business partner?” Gu Yetong teased, using his own question against him.

“I’d like to hear both answers,” he countered with the same strategy.

“Facing a business partner, during negotiations, I usually button my shirt up to here,” Gu Yetong pulled the slightly open collar of her shirt together. “But if it’s for my husband…”

She slowly released her hand, sliding a finger into her collar, undoing the second button one by one, revealing her proud cleav*ge. She leaned back lazily, satisfied as the man seemed to lean forward, as if pulled by an invisible string.
She curled her lips into a smile and let her fingers trail down her cleav*ge, revealing more of her snow-white bre*sts still marked with faint traces of kisses.

Under the man’s scorching gaze, her sensitive ni*ples stiffened reflexively. Through layers of skin, fat, and ribs, her fingers seemed to still feel the intense pounding of her heart.

Was his skin burning too? Was his breathing just as heavy? And that part of him that always drove her to the brink of ecstasy—was it already swollen and hard, tormenting him now?

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yetong began to play with the third button of her blouse. Just as it was about to come undone, she suddenly stopped. “Jin Nanting, don’t you have a meeting to attend?”

Watching his disappointed and frustrated expression as he closed his eyes, the faint smile on her lips turned into a soft, bell-like laughter.

“Tongtong,” the man opened his eyes amidst her laughter. “I want to hear your laughter with my own ears… right by my side.”