The Only Choice - 21

That evening, the two of them didn't eat at home, heading straight to a restaurant near the residential complex.

Zhou Fanfan was buzzing with excitement all through the meal, constantly checking her phone and scrolling through Guan Zhiyi's Moments. Even though Guan Zhiyi's Moments were set to only show posts from the last month, a mere two or three updates, Zhou Fanfan still browsed them with undiminished delight.

By the time they got back home, it was already half past seven. After a shower, Zhou Fanfan had just settled into bed when her WeChat chimed softly, indicating a successful friend addition.

She glanced at the notification. It was Guan Yuanbai, finally accepting her friend request.

He sure took his time, she thought. Back at his place, he'd mentioned it was inconvenient not having each other on WeChat, so she'd scanned his code right then. And he only just got around to approving it now?

Curious, Zhou Fanfan burrowed under the covers and tapped into his profile.

Guan Yuanbai's WeChat ID was as simple and perfunctory as it gets: just his initials, GYB. His profile picture was a shimmering expanse of sea. He only had a few posts, spaced far apart.

There was a repost from some investment public account, a 'like' on a movie review… His most recent post was about Guan Zhiyi and Qi Chengyan's wedding; he'd shared a photo with his congratulations.

While Zhou Fanfan had seen the wedding photos released to fans, this one was new to her. She couldn't resist zooming in to admire it.

Even now, the fact that her 'baby girl' was already married gave her a pang of heartache.

You home?

Her phone dinged. A message from Guan Yuanbai.

Replying to him here felt a little strange. [Yeah, I'm home.] 

[Okay. By the way, I'll be away on a business trip for the next few days.] 

Zhou Fanfan typed back: [Woo!] 

A minute later, his reply came: [You sound happy about that?] 

[No! Not at all!] she fired back.

[Then what does 'Woo!' mean?] 

[It just means 'okay'.] 

[Really.] 

[It's a Gen Z thing lately. Just being cute... Doesn't mean I'm happy about it 0.0] 

Guan Yuanbai sent back a "..."

Gen Z. Right.

Clearly territory he couldn't hope to understand.

He didn't reply after that. Zhou Fanfan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself: But I actually am pretty happy.

She put her phone down and was just about to sleep when her fan group chat suddenly lit up.

Someone was asking if anyone wanted to get together this weekend to watch Guan Zhiyi's movie.

After the premiere event, the film had gotten a full theatrical release. Zhou Fanfan had gone with Xu Xiaoqian on opening day. But as a die-hard fan, one viewing was never enough. Besides, she loved the feeling of sharing the joy with fellow fans.

She immediately messaged Xu Xiaoqian privately to see if she wanted to go. Unfortunately, Xu Xiaoqian had apparently patched things up with her boyfriend and was in the midst of a loved-up date. Sad but undeterred, Zhou Fanfan joined the group outing.

After some back-and-forth in the chat, they settled on a time.

A few days later, Saturday arrived.

Zhou Fanfan, full of anticipation, headed to the meeting spot at a cinema in a shopping mall. Over a dozen people showed up, mostly girls, with three male fans sprinkled in.

Zhou Fanfan had met most of them at previous events or fan support activities, so they were all pretty familiar. Once everyone was there, they headed into the cinema.

They'd deliberately booked the less desirable seats, mostly on the edges and in the corners. It was a Saturday, and since they'd all seen the film at least once, they tacitly reserved the better, central seats for the general audience.

The movie ran for two hours. Coming out afterward, everyone was buzzing. The film was well-received, with a good mix of laughs and tears, and was scoring high ratings online.

After the movie, the group headed to a pre-booked private room at a restaurant.

"Fanfan, by the way, are you still in touch with Guan Yuanbai? Have you spoken to him since?" The question came from A-Chou, sitting beside her. A-Chou had been a close witness to the Zhou Fanfan-Guan Yuanbai incident at the last premiere. She still remembered that heart-stopping scene and couldn't seem to let it go.

Her question immediately drew the attention of those nearby.

There was no way Zhou Fanfan could talk about this matter here. Besides, saying she was in frequent contact with Guan Yuanbai and was constantly going in and out of his house would sound utterly ridiculous.

"Uh, we really just know each other. Actually... we're not even that close."

A-Chou sighed dramatically. "Ah, what a shame."

"No, no, it's not a shame... Oh, come on, let's not talk about this today. Aren't we here to celebrate Yiyi? How about a toast?" Zhou Fanfan deftly changed the subject.

"Sure, sure! Cheers everyone! We're not leaving until we're properly merry!"

"Come on, bottoms up!"

When you're with people who share your interests and passions, even if you aren't the closest of friends, the conversation never runs dry.

Zhou Fanfan rarely drank, but she was in high spirits today and joined in for a few drinks. Alcohol went straight to her face, and soon her cheeks were flushed bright red. Caught up in the excitement, she completely missed her phone ringing.

After dinner, everyone was still riding the high. Someone suggested going to a KTV.

Zhou Fanfan, feeling pleasantly fuzzy, was the first to raise her hand. "Yes! Let's go! I want to sing 'Zhaoyang'!"

"Zhaoyang" was a character ost from one of Guan Zhiyi's older TV dramas. Back when the show aired, Zhou Fanfan would burst into tears every time the song played.

"I want to sing it too! Let's go, let's go!"

"Alright! I'll book a room right now."

The whole crowd trooped off to the nearest KTV. With over ten people, they got a large room. The moment they entered, they queued up Guan Zhiyi's songs. As the first notes played, the room exploded with energy.

Sometimes, the joy of being a fan wasn't just about liking one person; it was also about the shared understanding and camaraderie. It was like suddenly finding a whole group of people in the world who got it. A single look, a gesture, and they knew exactly what you meant. That feeling was unparalleled.

While Zhou Fanfan was caught up in her revelry, Guan Yuanbai was standing in his small garden at home, frowning at her WeChat Moments.

He'd called her earlier, but she hadn't answered. Then, not long after, she posted this Moment.

It was a photo of a group crammed together for a picture. In the shot, he could make out several guys. More importantly, even in the dim lighting, he could tell her face was very red. She'd probably been drinking.

—

After belting out a song at the top of her lungs with A-Chou, Zhou Fanfan collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted.

The bass thumped through the private room. Everyone was laughing, drinking, or playing games. Her vision was starting to get a little blurry. Zhou Fanfan rubbed her eyes and decided she'd better not drink any more.

It would be a while before her next turn to sing. Too tired to join any games, she picked up her phone and finally noticed the missed call.

From Guan Yuanbai.

He hadn't called her since he left on his business trip. Thinking he must have something important to discuss, she stumbled to her feet and went out into the hallway to call him back.

"Hello?"

"Zhou Fanfan?"

"Mmm... yeah, it's me. You, you called me earlier."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm... I'm at KTV," she said. "Why are you calling? Oh no, you're not back already, are you?!"

Guan Yuanbai picked up on the slur in her voice. "Yes, I'm back. Have you been drinking?"

"...Hic... A little."

Guan Yuanbai's brow furrowed. "You can't hold your liquor. How much have you had? You're hiccupping."

Zhou Fanfan felt a little embarrassed. "Just a bit more than usual. Didn't plan to, but it's a special occasion, you know? Usually, we just chat online. It's rare to meet up like this. I was happy, so I..."

"Are those people all online friends?" Guan Yuanbai found this utterly unbelievable. Remembering how she acted when drunk, his voice deepened. "You're drinking with a bunch of guys you don't even know, internet strangers? Where's your sense of self-preservation?"

Zhou Fanfan was baffled. A bunch of strange men?

Well, in their whole big group, there were only... what, three guys?

She thought Guan Yuanbai's math was seriously off, but she didn't have the nerve to say so. She mumbled, "It's not like we started drinking right away. We watched a movie first, then had dinner, and then—"

"Come back. Now."

Zhou Fanfan was taken aback. "Huh?"

"Where are you? I'll send someone to pick you up."

"We're not done here yet. I can't leave now."

Guan Yuanbai took a deep breath. "You need to leave. Right now."

"Why?"

He paused, then said, "Because... I need to eat."

"..."

"......"

Zhou Fanfan stared blankly for a moment, her eyes widening. "You don't mean... you want me to come cook for you now?"

Guan Yuanbai didn't care what she thought at this point. There was no reasoning with a drunk. He said slowly, "Didn't you say I could ask you to make good on that dinner anytime? Well, I'm asking now."

"Can I take a rain check today...?"

"Request denied. Send me the address."

A short while later, Zhou Fanfan returned to the private room. It was a scene of chaotic, joyful noise, everyone lost in their own world.

"Where'd you run off to? I didn't see you for a bit," A-Chou asked her.

Zhou Fanfan slumped onto the sofa. "Went out to make a call."

"Oh... Have you had a bit too much to drink?"

Zhou Fanfan felt dizzy. She nodded. "A little."

"You can head out early if you need to," A-Chou said loudly near her ear. "I'll walk you down and get you a driver."

Zhou Fanfan sighed and declined, saying someone was coming to pick her up. Only then did A-Chou seem reassured and went back to her own fun.

Zhou Fanfan looked at her phone and pouted in displeasure.

Who does he think he is! I've been drinking, and he's still insisting I cook for him? And if I don't go, it's suddenly a matter of integrity?!

She sat there fuming for a while. About half an hour later, a WeChat message came through.

It was from Guan Yuanbai, telling her to come out of the private room now.

Reluctantly, Zhou Fanfan got up, grabbed her bag, and signaled to the group that she was heading off.

"Fanfan, is your ride here?" A-Chou asked.

Zhou Fanfan nodded. "Yeah, probably in the lobby. I'm heading out."

"Okay! See you next time."

"Next time."

Zhou Fanfan turned and left the room. Seeing her sway slightly as she walked, A-Chou sat for a moment, then grew concerned she might not even make it to the lobby and would just collapse in the hallway. She decided to follow her out.

Zhou Fanfan had indeed overestimated her current abilities. She wobbled down the hallway, took a wrong turn, and ended up at the restrooms.

"Why is it the bathroom...? Where's the exit?" she grumbled in frustration, frowning as she headed in another direction.

Just as she rounded a corner, she bumped straight into someone.

"Ah!"

"Fanfan—" A-Chou's voice called from behind her.

But Zhou Fanfan didn't fall. The person she'd collided with grabbed her arm to steady her. Heart still pounding, she looked up at the person holding her. "Why is it you...?"

Guan Yuanbai had been waiting in the lobby. When she didn't appear and her phone was unreachable, he'd come in to look for her. He found her surprisingly quickly.

"Walking with your eyes closed?" Guan Yuanbai frowned.

"No..." she mumbled.

"Then what took you so long?"

She looked embarrassed. "I got lost just now."

Guan Yuanbai was speechless. "Incredible." He looked down at her slightly red forehead. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Zhou Fanfan touched her forehead, still feeling woozy. "It hurts."

"I told you before, you shouldn't drink this much."

"But I—"

"Fan... Fanfan, you two—" Their conversation was interrupted.

Zhou Fanfan turned her head and realized A-Chou was still there. She rubbed her eyes with effort, looking from A-Chou to Guan Yuanbai, suddenly at a loss for words.

Guan Yuanbai followed her gaze to the blue-haired A-Chou. "Your friend?"

"Yeah..." Zhou Fanfan said to A-Chou, "Um, I can explain..."

"No, no! No need! I'll pretend I didn't see anything, don't worry." A-Chou instantly felt like she'd stumbled upon a secret.

Seeing the ‘I get it’ look on A-Chou's face, Zhou Fanfan felt a pang of frustration. "It's not what you're thinking."

"It's fine, I'm not thinking anything," A-Chou said, then nodded to Guan Yuanbai. "You two should get going. Be careful."

"..."

Guan Yuanbai gave a slight nod to A-Chou and led Zhou Fanfan away by the sleeve of her arm.

"I thought you said you were sending someone. Why are you here yourself?" Zhou Fanfan asked, trailing a step behind him as he guided her.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes! If they see you, they'll get the wrong idea! They're all Zhiyi's fans! It was hard enough to explain last time, and now A-Chou saw us..."

Guan Yuanbai shot a sharp glance back at her.

He'd come to pick her up out of concern, precisely because she was meeting internet strangers and drinking herself into a stupor. A young girl like her should know better than to get into such messy situations. And here she was, having the nerve to be angry at him for showing up.

His own anger flared. He regretted the slight softness he'd felt towards her back at his place.

After putting her in the passenger seat, he drove off towards her home, his face cold.

Zhou Fanfan watched the navigation for a moment, then realized it was the wrong direction. "Aren't we going to your place?" she mumbled.

"I'm taking you home."

"Huh?" Zhou Fanfan immediately objected. "I can't go back now. I smell too much like alcohol... Grandma will scold me."

"So you do know you'd get in trouble for this," Guan Yuanbai said curtly.

"...Anyway, let's just go to your place first. Didn't you say you needed to eat? I'll cook for you."

Guan Yuanbai glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Zhou Fanfan shrank back in her seat, her eyes wide and round, looking at him pitifully. "You said so yourself."

"..."

Guan Yuanbai felt his irritation melt away under her gaze.

"Fine. Sit properly."

"Are we going to your place to cook?"

He sighed. "Yes, yes, we're going to cook."

Reassured, Zhou Fanfan settled back properly. She didn't say another word for the rest of the journey, mainly because she felt too dizzy. Combined with the motion of the car, she was starting to feel quite unwell.

By the time Guan Yuanbai pulled into his driveway and opened the car door for her, she was completely listless.

"Get out."

"Okay..."

Today, Guan Yuanbai was driving the tall G-Wagon. Zhou Fanfan hopped down and stumbled, saved from falling only by Guan Yuanbai swiftly grabbing the back of her collar.

"Mph... choking me..."

Drunkard.

Guan Yuanbai didn't let go, simply steering her towards the house by her collar.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" A man's amused voice suddenly came from above and behind them.

Guan Yuanbai looked up. Qi Chengyan was leaning on the balcony of the house next door, looking down at them.

"Is she drunk? Yuanbai, getting a young lady drunk and bringing her home... that doesn't seem like your style." Qi Chengyan's tone was meaningful. "Isn't this a bit... beastly?"

Guan Yuanbai's expression was stony. "You're imagining things."

"Seeing is believing."

Zhou Fanfan, uncomfortable from being tugged by the collar, stood on her tiptoes and also tried to turn her head to explain.

But just then, a voice, one etched into the very core of her being, drifted down from above.

"Who's drunk? What's beastly?"

Hearing Guan Zhiyi's voice triggered an almost reflexive response in Zhou Fanfan. She immediately wanted to hide her current undignified state. She couldn't let her precious idol see her like this!

And so, she acted on that impulse.

Guan Yuanbai was saying, "I told you two—"

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the drunkard beside him yanked him, catching him completely off guard, and threw herself against his chest.

A vaguely familiar, sweet scent washed over him. Hair that wasn't his own pressed against his neck, some strands even slipping inside his collar. It was ticklish. A little numb.

Guan Yuanbai froze on the spot. Stiffly, he looked down to find Zhou Fanfan curled tightly against his front. She wasn't looking at him; her face was completely buried in his chest.

The heat from her flushed cheek seemed to seep through the fabric of his shirt, branding his skin. It felt bizarre. And unsettling.

Perhaps sensing his stillness, Zhou Fanfan secretly glanced up at him.

Their eyes met. In a low voice, he heard her say, "Guan Yuanbai, let's get inside. Quick."

---

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