novelraw Chapter 161 Scouting
Chapter 161 Scouting
Gu Yanshen came over and placed several pillows under her head. One behind her lower back, one under her shoulders and neck, and another specifically placed on the side she usually leaned against. Lu Xiran was about to say that she was uncomfortable, but each pillow was placed precisely where she needed it most.
He remembered even her habitual postures perfectly. She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word—he had her completely under his thumb.
She fell asleep shortly afterward.
Gu Yanshen didn't go to sleep immediately. He gently loosened the tie on her wrist and put her arm back under the covers. Then he turned off the light and lay down beside her.
In the darkness, he listened to her breathing. So light, so even, like a contented kitten. He missed her terribly, desperately.
He thought of her every single second. He wondered if she was in pain, if she was crying, if she hated him. Now she was right beside him, her breath warm, her body soft, as if she had never left. By the moonlight, he greedily traced her face.
So beautiful, so quiet, it made him want to hide away, to hide somewhere where no one could see him.
Enjoy it alone.
The next day, when Lu Xiran woke up, she found herself nestled in Gu Yanshen's arms. Her tie was undone, and she didn't know when she had wrapped her arms around his, so tightly. She paused for a moment, then quietly looked up at him—his eyes were closed, his breathing steady, as if he was still asleep.
She couldn't resist moving a little closer. But just as she was about to touch his chin, memories of that night suddenly flooded back. The pain, the fear, the loss of control that made her tremble all over. Her body instinctively shrank back.
Thankfully, she's on her period right now. No matter how much he tries to resist, he won't do anything to her.
She was certain of this.
Gu Yanshen sensed her movement and opened his eyes.
"Ranran." His voice was hoarse from just waking up. "Don't be stubborn, okay?"
Lu Xiran released his hand, turned over, and refused to look at him.
"Not going to say anything?"
He hugged her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. The embrace was very light, as if he were testing her limits.
"What will it take for you to say yes?"
Lu Xiran's eyes suddenly stung. She turned around abruptly and looked at him.
"Gu Yanshen, what are you doing?" Her voice trembled. "You've forced me to leave time and time again, and what were you doing last night?"
He was silent.
Then he released his grip, threw back the covers, got out of bed, and dressed. His movements were swift, almost as if he were fleeing. "Then we'll talk about it after you agree."
"I won't agree." Lu Xiran grabbed a pillow and threw it, but the pillow was so soft that it didn't even leave the bed and landed at his feet. He bent down to pick it up, put it back on the bed, and then turned and walked towards the door.
"I'll go heat up the milk."
"I won't drink it."
He paused for a moment.
"Okay, then I won't eat it either."
Lu Xiran glared at his retreating figure, her chest aching with anger. Gu Yanshen couldn't go hungry; she had originally planned to use a self-inflicted injury as a ploy, but he had turned the tables on her. This man was going too far.
A few minutes later, he returned with a glass of warm milk. The temperature was just right, the kind she preferred.
"Will you drink it yourself, or should I feed it to you?"
Lu Xiran turned her head away, ignoring him.
He glanced at her, picked up his glass, took a sip, and then leaned closer to her. His scent wafted over her, carrying the sweet aroma of milk and that familiar cedar fragrance. Lu Xiran's face flushed instantly, and she turned away to the side.
He didn't chase after them, but simply straightened up and swallowed the milk.
"That's why I said you drink it yourself. Still not listening?"
Lu Xiran bit her lip and raised her hand.
"Loosen up. Otherwise, how am I supposed to drink?"
Gu Yanshen sighed as he looked at her angry and aggrieved expression.
"Ranran, don't be stubborn, okay?"
The voice was very soft, as soft as if it were being used to soothe a tantrum-throwing child. Tears welled up in Lu Xiran's eyes, but she desperately held them back and nodded.
He loosened his tie.
"I'm going to work now." He stood up, didn't look back, and just left.
The room was empty except for the still-warm glass of milk and the few comfortable pillows on the bed.
Lu Xiran returned to Lin Chen's house and turned on her computer to continue her project. But she couldn't concentrate; she kept thinking about him uncontrollably.
She threw her pen on the table in frustration. Just a few days ago she hated him to death, but yesterday, the moment she saw him, all her pain and hurt vanished. What kind of magic did he possess? How could he make her fall for him again and again, like a spineless person?
Why was he afraid she would investigate? But she had already agreed. Lu Xiran shook her head. Since she had decided to give up, she shouldn't dwell on the past.
My phone vibrated.
Xin Mubai: [What's going on with you? If you don't reply to my WeChat message, I'm going to find Lin Chen directly.]
She quickly replied: "It's nothing. I was too tired after finishing things last night, so I went straight to sleep."
Instant reply: [6 PM, where should I pick you up?]
Where to go?
[Let's have dinner and a late-night snack. You promised last night.]
Lu Xiran looked at the line of text and shook her head helplessly.
【it is good. 】
At six o'clock in the afternoon, Xin Mubai arrived downstairs on time.
He was driving a low-key dark blue sports car, leaning against the door, dressed in a suit and tie, his hair meticulously combed—he looked like someone who had stepped right off a magazine cover. Lu Xiran looked down at herself—a sweater, jeans, and a casually thrown jacket. It all looked completely mismatched.
Xin Mubai saw her, walked around her, and opened the car door for her.
On the back seat was a large bouquet of pink roses.
It was huge. A very large bunch. So big that it almost took up the entire seat.
Lu Xiran was stunned, looking at the flowers, then at him.
Xin Mubai opened the back door and stuffed the large bouquet of flowers into her hand.
Xin Mubai got into the driver's seat, started the car, and his expression was a little subtle, as if he was both proud and guilty.
"It's so tacky, isn't it?"
Lu Xiran couldn't help but laugh. It was indeed tacky. The kind of tacky stuff you only see in idol dramas, the kind that practically screams "I like you" on a banner.
"I..." She opened her mouth as if to say something.
"But it suits you very well." He interrupted her, his tone matter-of-fact, the smile on his lips barely concealed.
Lu Xiran got into the car carrying the bouquet of flowers. The flowers were so big that she was completely buried in the back, with only half of her face showing. Xin Mubai glanced at it and laughed.
"What are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing," he said, looking away and starting the car. "I just feel like this car is too small. Next time I'll get a pickup truck."
Xin Mubai took her to a riverside restaurant. He deliberately avoided choosing any brands under the Gu Group. It was a private restaurant, located in a detached building by the river. Warm yellow lights shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling onto the river and creating a gentle, tranquil scene.
"This place is pretty good, isn't it?" he said as he parked the car. "I checked it out three times."
Lu Xiran was taken aback: "Scouting the location?"
"Yeah." He turned off the engine and turned to look at her. "The first time I came to try the food, the second time to check out the location, and the third time... the owner thought I was here to propose, and he was so nervous that he held the menu upside down."
Lu Xiran was amused by his serious tone: "And then?"
"Then I said it wasn't a marriage proposal, but a booking for a friend. The shop owner breathed a sigh of relief and gave me a 20% discount."