novelraw Chapter 17 Bow
Chapter 17 Bow
Lu Xiran steadied herself with Gu Yanshen's help, her fingertips still warm from his arm through her shirt.
"……Thanks."
Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, and her cheeks were already flushed. But Gu Yanshen's hand on her waist showed no sign of letting go.
She stood on the 25-centimeter-high fitting platform, wearing 15-centimeter-high stilettos, and for the first time, she was able to look at him from such an almost overhead angle.
She could clearly feel his breathing gradually becoming heavier, his warm breath brushing against her bare shoulders, neck, and cheeks. The air became thin and viscous, and Lu Xiran was so nervous that she almost held her breath, but there was nowhere to retreat, as he held her tightly in his arms.
Gu Yanshen's nose gently brushed against the sensitive skin on her neck, sending a subtle yet deeply tingling sensation through her. Lu Xiran couldn't help but tremble slightly, instinctively uttering, "...Uncle."
This soft call gently pierced a barrier that was about to spiral out of control.
Gu Yanshen paused, as if suddenly waking up. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, forcibly suppressing some of the turbulent emotions within them. He slowly released his grip on her waist, his voice lower and hoarse than usual: "...How can I help you?"
He paused, his gaze falling on the row of delicate bows behind her, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
"...Take it off?"
The way he said that word in that voice inexplicably imbued it with a burning ambiguity.
Lu Xiran's ears burned. She lowered her eyes and said in a voice as soft as melting honey, "The back... just untie the hidden clasp on the bow."
Gu Yanshen did as she was told and went around to her back. The moment his gaze shifted away, Lu Xiran quietly took off her unsettling high heels. Standing barefoot on the stage, she was only slightly shorter than him.
He did not act immediately.
Lu Xiran could clearly see him standing behind her in the mirror in front of her. His gaze, calm and focused, fell on her through the mirror, as if he were depicting some rare treasure.
Their gazes met silently in the mirror, neither of them looking away first.
In that instant, time seemed to stretch out infinitely and stand still.
In the cramped fitting room, it was so quiet that you could hear each other's heartbeats clearly, one after another, intersecting and gradually matching.
Gu Yanshen finally raised his hand, his fingertips gently brushing aside the soft veil draped over her back, revealing a section of her fair and delicate nape. His fingers were a little cool, and when they touched her warm skin, Lu Xiran trembled slightly involuntarily, hurriedly lowering her eyelashes, not daring to look at him in the mirror anymore.
His fingertips landed on the first hidden clasp of the bow at the back of her neck. With a soft "click," the clasp was undone. The hem of her dress loosened slightly.
Next was the second one, located below the shoulder blade. As the restraints were released, the smooth satin fabric slid down slightly, clinging to the curves and outlining an increasingly clear and exquisite silhouette in the mirror. It was slender enough to fit in one hand, yet full and curvaceous. Gu Yanshen's Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly, and his breathing deepened.
The last button rested above the tailbone. When it was undone, the entire dress lost all support from top to bottom.
Lu Xiran gasped softly, instinctively crossing her arms over her chest and curling up slightly. "...Thank you," her voice tinged with panic and embarrassment, "The rest...I can handle it myself."
Gu Yanshen looked at her helpless and shy expression in the mirror, her large expanse of snow-white back and slender waist revealed even more with her movements. He took a deep breath, forcibly averting his gaze, and said in a low, husky voice, "...Okay."
He turned to leave, but stopped in front of the curtain. One last time, he looked at her deeply through the mirror.
Lu Xiran happened to be secretly looking at him in the mirror. The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away like a startled fawn, leaving only a flushed profile and trembling eyelashes.
Gu Yanshen curled his fingers slightly, but ultimately said nothing more. He raised his hand, lifted the velvet curtain, and stepped out.
He temporarily left behind that alluring tranquility and her faint, sweet fragrance.
Gu Yanshen's gaze swept over the dress on the rack. He subconsciously wanted to pick it up, but his fingertips stopped just before touching it—remembering her blushing face behind the curtain, and his own still unsettled emotions, he ultimately withdrew his hand and gestured to the shop assistant next to him to help deliver it.
Next, Lu Xiran tried on a bright red lace dress. Because of her beautiful back and fair skin, the sales assistant specially chose a backless style. When the curtain was pulled back again, she stood in front of the mirror and could clearly see Gu Yanshen sitting on the sofa not far away. His posture seemed relaxed, but his gaze was heavily fixed on her, his eyes as deep as unyielding ink, filled with a surging focus and an indescribable heat that almost made her heart race.
Jin Qiqi was unusually quiet this time, only holding up her phone and carefully finding the right angle to take pictures. Occasionally, she would glance at Gu Yanshen, then at her friend, with a knowing smile on her lips.
"Yan Shen," Lu Xiran said softly, her ears burning from his gaze, "If you have something to do... go ahead and take care of it. I might need to test things for quite a while..."
"I'm fine." Gu Yanshen's reply was brief, showing no intention of leaving, his gaze still lingering on her.
Lu Xiran had no choice but to continue trying on the dresses. He would quietly look at each one, his expression focused.
Finally, when Lu Xiran changed back into her own clothes and came out, she learned that Gu Yanshen had bought all the dresses she had just tried on.
Seeing this, Jin Qiqi wisely made an excuse and slipped away first.
"Uncle," Lu Xiran walked to his side and said in a slightly flustered voice, "Actually... all you need is one main wedding dress and one toast dress."
"But you look good in everything." He looked down at her, his voice low.
"But……"
"There will always be banquets to attend in the future," he paused, his gaze seemingly drifting away for a moment before returning to her face, "that mermaid wedding dress..."
Lu Xiran's breath caught in her throat as the image of his burning breath, his icy fingers, and their intertwined gazes in the mirror flashed back into her mind.
"I want to see you," he leaned slightly forward, his voice low and soft, like a feather brushing against the heart, "wearing this only for me to see."
With a "boom," Lu Xiran felt all the blood rush to her face. She hurriedly turned around, turning her burning cheeks to the other side, trying to hide herself.
What does he mean?
Is she overthinking it?
Just then, my phone vibrated; it was a message from Jin Qiqi:
Sister! The way he looks at you, his love is practically overflowing!
[Lu Xiaoran, get ready to welcome your No.1! Ahhh!]
Lu Xiran frantically turned off the screen, her heart pounding.
"Who?" Gu Yanshen's voice came from beside him.
"No, no one!" She hurriedly shook her head and stuffed her phone into her bag.
"You seem to blush very easily," he said, gazing at her flushed ears, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Huh?" Lu Xiran subconsciously pressed the back of her hand to her cheek, and it was indeed shockingly hot. She wanted to control herself, but in front of him, her body always acted on its own.
Once the car entered the underground parking garage, the elevator went up all the way.
In the narrow space, there were only the two of them, and the air was so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.