The Only Choice - 12

When Zhou Fanfan returned home after delivering the items, her grandmother, Zhao Dezhen, had also just arrived.

"You're back?"

"Yes."

Zhao Dezhen looked her up and down. "Why are you back so soon?"

Zhou Fanfan found the question odd. "Is there a problem?"

"Auntie Feng said you spent the whole afternoon baking a cake at home and took it out with you as soon as it was done. It was for Yuanbai, right?"

Zhou Fanfan hadn't intended to hide this from Zhao Dezhen; in fact, her grandmother would be thrilled she was getting closer to Guan Yuanbai.

Sure enough, upon confirmation, Zhao Dezhen beamed with joy. "So you've finally come around! And it's true, the things you make are delicious. It's good for Yuanbai to try them."

"Uh-huh…"

Zhao Dezhen added, "And since you often experiment with food at home anyway, you don't need to save any for me in the future. Just give it all to Yuanbai. Grandma won't mind."

Zhou Fanfan thought, Of course you wouldn't mind... But watching Zhao Dezhen's delighted smile, a sudden idea sparked in her mind.

Come to think of it, she had been wondering how to give gifts to Guan Zhiyi.

And now, a perfect method seemed to be right in front of her!

She decided to act on it immediately.

For the next three days, Zhou Fanfan basically followed a three-point routine.

School, home, Nanheng Group.

Her trips to Nanheng had one purpose: to deliver food to Guan Yuanbai. Sometimes it was cakes and pastries, other times it was well-balanced dinners.

She never disturbed Guan Yuanbai directly. She would simply leave the items at the front desk in the lobby and have his assistant, He Zhi, collect and pass them on to him.

On the third evening, around dinnertime, Guan Yuanbai called her.

This call was within Zhou Fanfan's expectations.

"Miss Zhou, I believe I've said this many times. Ours is a cooperative arrangement. You don't need to do these one-sided gestures for me." Guan Yuanbai's voice was calm.

Zhou Fanfan asked, "Is it... not tasty?"

Guan Yuanbai glanced down at the dinner container beside him and paused. "That's not the point."

Zhou Fanfan breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as it's not bad, that's fine. Mr. Guan, please eat it. Don't feel burdened, because I'm doing this for our... mutual benefit."

"What?"

Zhou Fanfan had her explanation ready: "It's like this. Last time, after I said I wanted to thank you and prepared those desserts, my grandmother saw. She was overjoyed that I was taking the initiative to be nice to you and feels even more reassured about 'us.' So I thought, since I often cook at home anyway, I might as well prepare a portion for you too. You know, to keep up the act for my grandmother."

Guan Yuanbai hesitated. "You often cook at home?"

Zhou Fanfan said, "I quite enjoy experimenting with food when I have time."

"Is that so."

Zhou Fanfan pressed on, "Yes, Mr. Guan, please just accept it. Consider it helping me out. My grandmother watches me like a hawk. One slip-up, and she accuses me of just going through the motions."

After this call, Zhou Fanfan felt relieved. She knew Guan Yuanbai understood her reasoning.

Because in the end, Guan Yuanbai didn't say much else, only replying with a simple, "I see."

After that, she became even more bold in her deliveries. A few times, she even included gifts, always in pairs, one of which was, of course, intended for Guan Zhiyi.

These gifts were her real objective.

The homemade food was just to get Guan Yuanbai accustomed to receiving things from her, allowing her to occasionally slip in the real targets.

She thought Guan Yuanbai wouldn't suspect anything. After all, her reason was solid. She wasn't being inexplicably attentive; she was just making their act more convincing!

However, perhaps because Zhou Fanfan started appearing at Nanheng too frequently, and each time brought something for Guan Yuanbai, rumors gradually began circulating within the company. Word had it that a young woman was pursuing their President Guan, and she was very sincere and... passionate.

Gossip about Guan Yuanbai naturally attracted a lot of interest, so the news soon spread beyond the company walls.

Zhou Fanfan had very superficial connections with the circle of wealthy young heirs in the capital, so she wasn't entirely sure how her ‘exploits’ were being portrayed.

When she occasionally caught wind of the rumors, she was completely unfazed.

It was public knowledge that she and Guan Yuanbai were blind dates. So, even if people said she was madly pursuing him during this period, so what? It didn't cost her anything.

As long as she and Guan Yuanbai himself knew she had no such intentions, that was all that mattered.

—

One day, Guan Yuanbai was in a meeting at Nanheng.

When he returned to his office, his assistant, He Zhi, had placed another light pink bag on his desk. By now, Guan Yuanbai didn't need He Zhi to say anything to know who it was from.

For many days in a row, sometimes it was small cakes, sometimes proper meals, sometimes handmade crafts or paintings... Ever since that day she mentioned wanting to deceive her grandmother, she had sent him many things.

Guan Yuanbai couldn't stop her, nor did he have a valid reason to.

However, deep down, he didn't believe her excuse.

While elders might worry, they wouldn't monitor your every move daily.

And why go to such lengths? Not only handmaking gifts and delivering them personally but also making double portions, even trying to please his family members?

Leaning back in his office chair, Guan Yuanbai thought lazily, She's got some tricks, but not many.

"Well now, what tasty treat is this?" Just then, the office door was pushed open. A flamboyant man dressed in a maroon suit walked in. He went straight for the light pink bag.

Guan Yuanbai frowned at him. "Give it here."

"I will, in a moment. Let me see what's inside first... Oh? There's a note too."

Guan Yuanbai stood up, his tone warning. "Song Li."

Song Li was one of his close friends since childhood. He was at Nanheng today on business and had just attended the same meeting.

Ignoring Guan Yuanbai's warning, Song Li read the small note aloud with great flair: "Mr. Guan, I made this cherry cake today. Wishing you a smooth workday and happiness—"

Whoosh! The note, along with the bag, was snatched away by Guan Yuanbai.

Song Li laughed heartily, plopping himself onto the desk. Teasing, he said, "Yuanbai, I heard a young lady is pursuing you. Is it this one?"

Guan Yuanbai shot him a glance. "Where did you hear that?"

"Is there anyone who doesn't know by now? I heard from Yan Chenghuai a while ago that your blind date was interested in you, but I didn't pay much attention. Who knew it was actually true? Wow, the girl sends you all sorts of things. It's the talk of the town now. She's being incredibly good to you."

Guan Yuanbai felt an uncharacteristic twinge of awkwardness but maintained a calm facade. "Get lost."

"Tsk, looking at you, it's clear you haven't accepted her advances. Ah, the young lady is truly devoted! You're so cold, yet she perseveres relentlessly. Clearly, she's head over heels in love with you!"

Guan Yuanbai glared at him. "...You're insane."

"Getting defensive, are we? Isn't that the case?" Song Li's eyes lit up. "Don't tell me you're actually touched? Is the iron tree about to bloom?"

"Stop talking nonsense." Despite his words, Guan Yuanbai recalled the time she had waited for him in his office until she fell asleep, so well-behaved, without a word of complaint.

Even though lately she had been spouting a bunch of weak excuses and never explicitly said she liked him, he felt her actions made it fairly obvious.

Guan Yuanbai wasn't unaccustomed to being pursued by women, but this was the first time he encountered someone so pure, so persistent, and seemingly asking for nothing in return.

"Got anything else? If not, you can leave. I have work to do." Guan Yuanbai started shooing him away.

Song Li wore a knowing smile. "Fine~ I'm going. Ah, judging by the situation, it seems someone isn't far from leaving the singles' club~"

"..."

After Song Li left, the office was quiet again.

Guan Yuanbai picked up the note and looked at it once more, Song Li's words echoing in his mind.

Head over heels in love?

...Exaggeration.

—

Over the weekend, Guan Yuanbai went with his father, Guan Xinghuai, to the Guan family estate for a meal with his grandparents.

Somehow, news about Zhou Fanfan had reached the elders. Before the meal was even over, his grandmother cornered him, scolding him.

How could he let the young lady make all the effort while he gave nothing in return? After all this time, he still hadn't given a clear answer about being together.

Guan Yuanbai was momentarily speechless. Explaining felt wrong, but not explaining felt wrong too.

"You! Stop putting on airs all the time; it infuriates me! Fanfan is such a lovely young lady, and her family background is clean. I think you two are very well-suited. Hurry up! If you like her, just agree to be with her. Don't make her chase after you like this; it's not good."

Regarding marriage, Guan Yuanbai found the constant pressure irritating, which was why he had initially agreed to Zhou Fanfan's pretense.

He had originally thought this arrangement was fine, as it could pacify his family.

But lately, he had grown increasingly uneasy about the situation. Today, after his grandmother's remarks, he felt even more that things were off.

"Grandma, please don't interfere in this matter for now. Let me handle it myself."

His father, Guan Xinghuai, said, "How are you handling it by yourself? If you could handle it, why aren't you married yet?"

Cui Mingzhu added, "Exactly! What are you still waiting for? Before, it was always 'this one won't do,' 'that one isn't suitable,' not a single one caught your eye. Now, we finally have a wonderful, perfectly suitable Fanfan, and you're acting like this."

Guan Yuanbai frowned. "What counts as suitable for me? Grandma, just because you approve of someone doesn't mean they're suitable for me. Shouldn't my own feelings matter?"

Guan Xinghuai said disapprovingly, "Yuanbai, watch your tone with your grandmother."

Guan Yuanbai took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "In short, I'll know myself what's suitable. You don't need to rush me."

Cui Mingzhu, however, wasn't angry. She put down her chopsticks and said, "Fine, you figure it out yourself. Then go and experience it for yourself properly. Here, a friend gave me a few tickets to a play yesterday. Take Fanfan to see it tomorrow evening."

Guan Yuanbai felt helpless. "I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. I won't have time."

"Will the meeting run until evening?"

"Possibly."

This time, Cui Mingzhu was genuinely annoyed. "It's just one meeting! Will the company collapse immediately without you? Is there no one else at Nanheng?!"

The corner of Guan Yuanbai's mouth twitched. "Grandma, since when do you disregard priorities like this?"

In Cui Mingzhu's eyes at that moment, her grandson's future marriage was the top priority. Work? Their Guan family wasn't short on money!

Cui Mingzhu refused to argue further and stated directly, "I know perfectly well what's important and what's not! If you don't want to be the death of me, you will obediently pick up Fanfan tomorrow evening!"

—

That day, Saturday.

Zhou Fanfan had asked the family housekeeper to prepare some specific ingredients for her. She wanted to try making a different kind of dessert for Guan Yuanbai.

After all, she had just managed to send a sketchbook to Guan Zhiyi through Guan Yuanbai a couple of days ago. The fact that her small wish could be fulfilled was all thanks to him! So she absolutely had to treat him well!

Unexpectedly, however, the ingredients were bought but never used.

Because that afternoon, Guan Yuanbai showed up directly at her doorstep, suggesting they go see a play together.

Although surprised, Zhou Fanfan quickly agreed. She could guess this was arranged by his family.

But unlike before, when even forced interactions felt somewhat peaceful, and she even thought he was quite gentle, today he seemed to be in a bad mood. He barely spoke a word the entire way there.

Zhou Fanfan didn't force conversation either, quietly playing the part of the gentle, well-bred young lady from a good family. When they reached the theater parking lot, they ran into a few acquaintances—not hers, but Guan Yuanbai's.

After greeting Guan Yuanbai, their eyes all fell on her.

Zhou Fanfan didn't care, nor did she have the mind to care, because as they approached the theater entrance, she saw which play they were there to see.

She knew this play. It starred Tang Nuo, the professional rival of her beloved Yiyi.

Tang Nuo and Guan Zhiyi were considered similar types of actors, often competing for roles. Tang Nuo's team frequently bought subtle promotional articles to disparage Guan Zhiyi, so their fanbases held a mutual dislike, often clashing fiercely online.

A slight crack appeared in Zhou Fanfan's expression. Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, she followed Guan Yuanbai to their VIP seats.

"Why... are we seeing this one?" she couldn't help but ask before it started.

Guan Yuanbai leaned back in his seat, his demeanor somewhat cold. "Grandma gave me the tickets. I didn't know what it was."

"This one isn't good."

Guan Yuanbai glanced at her. "How do you know?"

Zhou Fanfan thought, None of your business! I just know!

And even if it were good, she didn't want to be in the audience!! If Qi Qi and the others found out, they'd definitely revoke her fan membership!

"I... read reviews online."

Preoccupied with his own thoughts, Guan Yuanbai said offhandedly, "It's fine. Let's just watch it casually."

Zhou Fanfan felt extremely reluctant inside. "...Okay."

Because she disliked it, Zhou Fanfan couldn't focus on the play at all. She kept checking her phone frequently.

Guan Yuanbai was the same. He was only there under duress, and besides, he genuinely had a meeting scheduled for the afternoon. He was constantly exchanging messages with his assistant on his phone.

During the intermission, Guan Yuanbai lightly tapped his finger twice on the armrest of her seat. Zhou Fanfan looked at him sideways and saw him gesture towards the theater door.

Zhou Fanfan's eyes lit up slightly. "Leaving?"

Although busy, Guan Yuanbai had noticed early on that she had no interest in the play. "Let's go."

"Okay!"

After leaving the theater, Zhou Fanfan and Guan Yuanbai headed towards the parking lot.

They walked side by side. She wasn't wearing heels today, so the top of her head reached about his chin. With a slight turn of her head, she could see his profile—expressionless, yet handsome and clear-cut.

There was a bit of a distance from the theater to the parking lot, requiring them to walk through a long corridor. A row of lights was embedded in the corridor ceiling, casting a misty white glow from above that made his skin appear even more translucent and his features sharper.

Even after seeing him many times, Zhou Fanfan was still struck by Guan Yuanbai's looks and once again marveled at the power of genetics.

As they neared the parking lot, Guan Yuanbai suddenly stopped walking.

Throughout the journey, he had been aware of her gaze frequently landing on him. Now, turning to look at her, he also saw the unmistakable sparkle in her eyes.

Zhou Fanfan asked, "You seem pretty busy today, right?"

Guan Yuanbai said, "Let's stop pretending."

They spoke simultaneously. Zhou Fanfan was taken aback, not processing it immediately, and let out a confused "Huh?"

Guan Yuanbai frowned and said, "I mean, this act of deceiving our elders that we're still getting to know each other. Let's stop it."

"Why..."

"Continuing the deception will be hard to manage. They'll only want to interfere more, like forcing us to come see this play tonight. But I genuinely had important matters today."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fanfan first felt understanding. But then she remembered that if they ended this arrangement, she would lose her excuse to give him things in the future.

Sure enough, the next moment, she heard Guan Yuanbai say, "Also, please stop sending me any more things. Regardless of what your true intentions might be, I don't wish for this to continue. You should also think carefully about whether it's good for a young woman to chase after someone like this."

Zhou Fanfan's mind felt sluggish. Hearing his words, she didn't deeply consider what he meant by ‘good for her’.

She only thought: He doesn't want me to send him things anymore. He dislikes it.

Zhou Fanfan pressed her lips together and whispered, "My... my actions have been bothering you, haven't they?"

Guan Yuanbai's heart stirred faintly. For a split second, he almost wanted to shake his head.

But the next moment, reason crushed the impulse. He looked at her and said coldly, "Yes."

---

← Previous | Table of Contents | Next →

0