A lifetime of peace and care

43

LTPC Chapter 43: I've Liked You From the Beginning

Yi Ran lowered her head and rubbed her cheeks, which had flushed red due to the ambiguous atmosphere. With her mind finally settled, she turned her attention to the lake’s crystallized surface. In the distance, the large moon hung in the sky. This scene really complemented the appearance of the man next to her.

"The scenery here is really good. Do you come here often?" 

"When I used to live here, I would come out on the weekends to relax and organize my thoughts." Gu Tingchuan smiled gently, holding her shoulder with one hand. He murmured softly, "Here in the summer, you can take a boat ride on the lake. There are also oak trees and willow trees nearby and more types of beautiful flowers than you can imagine.”

Yi Ran’s breath was a puff of white mist in front of her. She leaned her head on his shoulder and looked up silently at the distant lights. After a while, she said, “I don't know if I'm disturbing your interest, but I'm really hungry…” 

After she quietly muttered this, she raised her eyes and smiled at him. “And you haven’t been eating well lately. Shall we go for a big meal?”

Gu Tingchuan’s face was amused, as if he had already guessed it. “I already told Xiao Zhao to book a restaurant. Let’s go.”

Once Yi Ran was inside the car, Gu Tingchuan simply instructed the driver to drive and did not specify the destination. She felt a bit puzzled and smiled at him. ”Director Gu, are you giving me another mystery?”

The man’s expression was calm and unhurried as he leaned against the backseat of the car. He lightly said, “In short, it will be a place you'll like.”

Yi Ran eagerly waited until they arrived at the luxurious hotel they were at last time. 

Gu Tingchuan had booked the hotel's high-level Chinese restaurant in advance. Neatly arranged on both sides of the elegant rectangular dining table were tableware and lamps that looked like unique works of art. Waiters shuttled silently between the tables and chairs while guests occasionally talked in polite murmurs. 

Director Gu sat before the white tablecloth, his eyes calm and clear. His temperament was incomparably outstanding. While looking at the menu, Yi Ran told him, “Eat a little warm food to nourish your stomach."

Gu Tingchuan nodded, made a pot of tea, and ordered a few snacks such as shrimp dumplings, crystal cakes, and other similar dishes, wanting to let her pad her belly first. 

Yi Ran silently buried her face behind the menu and snickered. My God, this feeling was really great. 

But, after thinking it over, she didn’t feel right. The man...hadn’t said “that” to her yet. 

Even if she could almost confirm Gu Tingchuan’s thoughts, but without the words, she would always feel that there was something missing. 

Gu Tingchuan inadvertently looked over and didn't know what the girl was doing. 

He had remembered what she said before very clearly. Since she had never stayed at this hotel before, he wanted to take her for a night. 

Yi Ran ate hot food and looked more lively. Once they got to their hotel room, she checked it out both inside and out. Then, she took off her shoes, slipped her feet into soft slippers prepared by the hotel staff, and fell back on the comfortable bed.