novelraw Chapter 201 I recognized you at first glance
Chapter 201 I recognized you at first glance
Xue Jingyan, along with a doctor, gave Lu Xiran a comprehensive examination.
Gu Yanshen's gaze never left her for a moment. It wasn't that he didn't trust Xue Jingyan, but he was afraid she would be in pain, afraid she would be nervous, afraid she would even frown. He stood there, hands in his pockets, seemingly casual, but Lu Xiran saw his clenched fists, his knuckles white, the veins bulging. It was as if if he looked at her for even a moment less, she would lose a single hair.
It was almost six o'clock when the inspection was finished.
Gu Yanshen had already arranged for a meal to be prepared. Dishes were laid out one by one, all of which were her favorites—light, not greasy, and good for pregnant women. Xue Jingyan was invited to stay and eat with them, and he didn't stand on ceremony, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
"Yan Shen, the postpartum care center will open next month." Xue Jingyan picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks. "Xi Ran can go there for checkups later. After all, she's a bit further along in her pregnancy, and I can't easily bring the equipment with me."
Gu Yanshen didn't answer immediately. He turned his head and looked at Lu Xiran, his gaze conveying a clear meaning—he'd listen to her. Lu Xiran felt a little embarrassed by his gaze, lowered her head, and the tips of her ears turned red.
"No need for that."
"No need?" Xue Jingyan rolled his eyes. "Your boss, Mr. Gu, almost built a maternity hospital just for you, because you didn't want to go to our Kangning International."
Lu Xiran paused for a moment, then looked up at Gu Yanshen. He looked serious and didn't deny it. Xue Jingyan's words seemed to be true.
"If you hadn't said there wasn't enough time," Gu Yanshen said calmly, "it wouldn't have been a bad idea either."
"Yes, yes, yes. Our CEO Gu is very wealthy." Xue Jingyan shook his head with a smile, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness and a touch of teasing. "However, the postpartum care center is by the lake, with a beautiful view. All the doctors are from Corning International, so you can rest assured. Moreover, it doesn't feel like a hospital at all, guaranteeing the mother's physical and mental comfort."
Gu Yanshen pondered for a moment. "I'll go take a look with you tomorrow."
"Is this some kind of leadership inspection?" Xue Jingyan expressed his displeasure at his questioning, raising his eyebrows high. But then he thought, given Gu Yanshen's personality, if it were a place Lu Xiran wanted to go, he might just generously provide the postpartum care center with a lot of top-of-the-line equipment. Anyway, it's still cheaper than building a maternity hospital, right? His attitude immediately softened, and his tone even carried a hint of ingratiation.
"However, boss, if you have any complaints, feel free to make any changes."
Gu Yanshen then nodded.
Xue Jingyan had just put down his chopsticks when Gu Yanshen spoke up. "Do you have something else to say?" His tone was indifferent, but the implication of him asking him to leave was all too clear. Xue Jingyan glanced at him, then at Lu Xiran, and tactfully stood up.
"Okay, okay, I'm leaving. I won't bother you anymore." He slipped away quickly, and the sound of the door closing carried a sense of "I understand."
Lu Xiran sat on the sofa, watching Gu Yanshen tidy up everything. She was cherished like a lost treasure, held carefully by him, neither letting go nor holding on tightly.
After Gu Yanshen finished washing up, he walked to the bedside in his pajamas, lifted the covers and lay down. She reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. He paused for a moment, then turned to look at her.
"You've been busy all day." Her voice was soft, with a hint of heartache.
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
"Ranran, I hope I can keep being busy like this forever." His voice was very low, as if he were talking about something he had kept in his heart for a long time.
Lu Xiran looked at him. He leaned against the headboard, the light falling on his profile, casting shadows from his brow bone into his eye sockets, making his eyes appear even deeper and more profound. She suddenly remembered what they had said in the car earlier that day.
"You said today that you've never blamed me, what do you mean?" Her voice was soft. "You don't stop loving me? You don't feel burdened? You don't want to push me away? You don't like Song Zhihe? You didn't leave me because of her?"
She asked a lot of questions in one breath, as if she wanted to ask everything she hadn't dared to ask in the past three years.
Gu Yanshen loosened his grip slightly, lowered his head, and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her lips were pursed, and her fingers were gripping the hem of his clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white. He reached out and gently pried open her fingers, one by one, before taking her hand in his palm.
"Ranran, I love you. That has never changed since the moment I met you." His eyes were only for her; there was no hesitation, no evasion, only a burning honesty that left no room for escape. "I'm the senior you've been writing to. The airport wasn't our first meeting."
Lu Xiran was stunned.
"I already know you're my senior. But..." She searched her memory, thinking over and over, but she couldn't remember. "I did see you for the first time at the airport. You're so handsome, if I had seen you before, I would definitely remember you."
When she finished speaking, her tone was so serious that it didn't sound like she was praising him, but rather like she was stating a fact. Looking at her, Gu Yanshen's lips unconsciously curved into a smile.
She liked him largely because he was handsome and had a great physique. Even when she was angry or sad, she would always unconsciously compliment him. It seems that good looks do have some use. No wonder that for the past three years, no matter how busy he was, he never forgot to work out. Partly for his health, and partly—so that when he saw her again, he could still "seduce" her.
He couldn't help but laugh.
"Perhaps you didn't see me. But I saw you when I went to my alma mater."
"What?!" Lu Xiran pouted as she looked at him, her eyes filled with disbelief and anticipation.
"Yes." Gu Yanshen reached out and gently touched her head, his fingers running through her hair, his palm resting on the top of her head. "Your letters helped me through the most difficult days in the Gu family after I returned to China. I read each and every one of those emails many times. When I was about to give up, you gave me the hope to live."
His voice was very soft, as if he were telling a story from a very long time ago.
"So I want to see you. I want to see what the person who wrote the email looks like. I want to see if her smile is as warm as her words." He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I saw you by the lake in the library during an event at my alma mater. You were sitting on a bench, wearing a white sweater and a dark gray long skirt, with a thick architectural atlas spread out on your lap. Sunlight fell on your profile, and you were looking down at the book, very focused, occasionally jotting something down on a piece of paper."
He looked at her, his eyes filled with a sweet tenderness.
"I recognized you immediately."
Lu Xiran's eyes reddened.
"Lu Xiran, without your knowledge, I have already fallen in love with you."