novelraw Chapter 12
Chapter 12
When Lu Xiran entered the restaurant, Gu Yanshen served her rice, saying, "I had the hotel kitchen prepare this; try it and see if it suits your taste."
Lu Xiran was indeed hungry. When she took the spoon, her fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of his hand, and both of them paused slightly.
"Uncle," she looked up, "what's with that approval list...?"
"Your false identity and entry records are issues you must address when you reveal your true identity." Gu Yanshen put down his chopsticks and looked at her. "I originally planned to add you to my private jet's approval list, but during the coordination process, I discovered—" He unlocked his phone, pulled up a document, and handed it to her, "Your name was already on the approval list for our trip back to China from Singapore. Therefore, you are applying for entry under your real identity, making Chen Yue's identity issue easier to handle."
Lu Xiran froze, staring intently at her name clearly printed on the screen, then looked up at him in confusion.
"You don't know what happened either?" Gu Yanshen observed her reaction.
Lu Xiran shook her head, the mysterious text message suddenly flashing through her mind. She put down her spoon. "Uncle, can I... use my phone now?"
"Okay." Gu Yanshen stood up, took the phone from Lin Chen's luggage that he had retrieved from the villa, and handed it back to her.
After turning on her phone, Lu Xiran quickly opened the text message interface and pushed the phone in front of him. "It was this number that sent me a message asking me to return to China. Could it be... that this person added me to their contact list?"
Gu Yanshen looked at the brief message, his gaze darkening. "We were also in Switzerland during that time."
He paused, then didn't continue.
Moreover, the text message clearly directed Lu Xiran to find him.
Lu Xiran sensed something from his hesitant expression. "Could it be...?"
Gu Yanshen already had a guess in his mind, but he did not intend to say it at the moment.
He then changed the subject: "As for those reporters today—since you're going to make a public appearance, you have to do it in the most attention-grabbing way possible, letting everyone know you exist." His voice was steady. "What news could be more attention-grabbing than my wedding announcement? I was just waiting for all the formalities to be completed, but I never expected…"
He paused, his knuckles unconsciously tightening. "I never expected Lin Li to set up two venues, one a live broadcast to cover her tracks, and the other specifically for you. I never expected they would dare to set a trap and take you away."
"Thank you," Lu Xiran said softly, her voice trembling slightly with a barely perceptible sob. Her eyes welled up, and she quickly lowered her gaze—how could he be so considerate of her? "I…"
Before she finished speaking, she raised her eyes.
She met his deep gaze. The soft restaurant light fell into his eyes, reflecting a small, flustered girl. The memory of being kissed by him in the chaos suddenly surged up—his cool lips, his eyelashes so close, and his low, husky voice as he pressed his forehead against hers, "Breathe, you silly girl."
A surge of heat rushed to her cheeks, quickly spreading to her ears. Lu Xiran felt her face burning hot, her heart pounding so loudly it almost drowned out everything else. Panicked, she quickly lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, wishing she could hide herself away.
Gu Yanshen watched her ears turn bright red and her flustered expression, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly. He also looked away somewhat awkwardly and cleared his throat.
"And also," he paused, "the wedding."
"A wedding?!" Lu Xiran looked up abruptly, her eyes wide open.
"Otherwise what?" Gu Yanshen looked at her like this, and his heart softened inexplicably. "Do you think I would get married without a wedding?"
Lu Xiran was speechless for a moment, and her ears turned red.
"Grandma has called me three times already," a smile appeared in his eyes, "telling me that I absolutely cannot mistreat you. Seeing the news today made her even angrier, insisting that I have to have a proper wedding, 'to show those people that our Ranran is loved too.'"
Lu Xiran felt a warm glow in her heart. "Grandma...she's so good to me."
"So you need to seriously think about the wedding. Although I've already had Lin Chen contact a wedding planning company, but—" He paused, his gaze falling on her face, "our story of 'falling in love' needs a more complete version."
Lu Xiran understood; she had to "create" a love story.
"I think the version you told Grandma before was good, but the details could be enriched a bit more." Gu Yanshen softened his voice. "You can tell the person you're dealing with your preferences."
Lu Xiran clutched the hem of her dress, her heart pounding faster. He spoke so naturally, as if they were truly about to walk hand in hand into the wedding hall—and he was the one she secretly loved.
"Okay." Her voice was soft and sweet. "And you? Do you have any requests?"
"I'm fine with anything," Gu Yanshen replied casually, but added, "Whatever you like."
He glanced at his watch, then took out his phone and turned the screen towards her. "This is my WeChat. You can message me directly if you need anything," he paused, "but I might not be able to reply immediately if I'm busy. If it's urgent, just call me."
Lu Xiran quickly picked up her phone to scan the QR code. The notification sound of successful addition was particularly clear in the quiet restaurant. She almost held her breath as she clicked on the simple profile picture that only showed her name—sure enough, it was blank.
Her fingertip hovered over the screen for a moment, then she quietly long-pressed the chat box and selected "Pin to Top." After making this small gesture, as if hiding a secret, she quickly turned off the screen, her cheeks feeling slightly hot.
Gu Yanshen took in her subtle movements. Looking at the soft top of her hair as she lowered her head, and at her feigned composure yet a faint blush rising to her earlobes, a barely perceptible smile flickered in his eyes. He said nothing, simply rising to his feet. "I need to take care of some work."
Lu Xiran had just finished cleaning up the restaurant and returned to her room when she was bombarded with messages from Jin Qiqi.
As soon as Lu Xiran replied, a video call came through immediately.
"Lu, Xi, Ran!" Jin Qiqi's voice almost burst through the receiver, "'The Little Darling of Haicheng'! You're the headline on every app today!"
Lu Xiran clicked on the photo she received in the push notification, looking at herself being held protectively in Gu Yanshen's arms in the picture, and asked softly, "He didn't tell me beforehand... otherwise I would at least have put on makeup and chosen a suitable dress. Look at this photo, standing next to him, don't I look particularly... mismatched?"
"Lu Xiran! Is this how you say something?" Jin Qiqi exclaimed in exasperation. "Have you had few admirers since you were little? Even without makeup, you're enough to charm countless people!"
"That's because you love me too much..."
"Stop it! Tell me honestly—when did you get together with Gu Yanshen?! You didn't even tell me!!"
"Qiqi," Lu Xiran said, hugging her pillow, her voice lowered, "He only married me for Grandma's sake. And didn't you say... he doesn't like girls?"
"That could just be rumors spread by Su Wanqing's unrequited lovers! Who really knows anything about the Gu family? Besides—" Jin Qiqi drawled, her tone sly, "he kissed you in public today, and he kissed you so passionately..."
"Jin Qiqi!"
"Oh dear, you're getting shy! Lu Xiran," her best friend whispered, a hint of amusement in her voice, "whether he's real or not, you... why don't you just try it yourself and see?"