The Only Choice - 26

The music was still pounding. In the booth, the two men faced each other, a faint spark of tension crackling between them.

Seeing the guy in the black T-shirt on the verge of anger, and fearing he might cause a scene if he was drunk enough, Zhou Fanfan quickly interjected before things escalated. "If he doesn't want me to drink, then I won't."

As she spoke, she deliberately adopted a slightly coquettish expression and said, "Sorry, my boyfriend doesn't like it when I drink too much."

Guan Yuanbai was standing close and heard her clearly.

Even though he knew she was just using him as a convenient excuse, the word ‘boyfriend’ struck a chord, leaving him momentarily stunned.

Upon hearing this, the guy in the black T-shirt realized he was wasting his time.

So it wasn't just a friend; it was her boyfriend.

He threw his hands up in a 'whatever' gesture and let it go.

As the disgruntled guy returned to his seat, Zhou Fanfan breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to ask Guan Yuanbai again why he was here when a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention.

Something was wrong. Xu Xiaoqian was gone.

She immediately scanned the area, but couldn't see her anywhere.

A wave of panic hit Zhou Fanfan. She leaned over to ask the girl who had been sitting closest to Xu Xiaoqian moments before. "Excuse me, where did the girl who was sitting here go? The one in the white dress."

The girl thought for a second. "Oh! She just left!"

Zhou Fanfan: "Went where?"

The girl shouted over the music, "To the dance floor!"

The dance floor of this club wasn't huge, but it was currently a hot, chaotic mess, a sea of dark, moving bodies where it was impossible to pick out anyone.

Xu Xiaoqian had already been very drunk. Zhou Fanfan was worried she might fall or get harassed by someone in that crowd. Forgetting Guan Yuanbai for a moment, she hurried toward the dance floor.

Guan Yuanbai called after her, "Zhou Fanfan—"

"I have to find her!"

After rushing over, Zhou Fanfan first scanned the edges of the dance floor. Not spotting Xu Xiaoqian, she began pushing her way into the thick of it.

Squeezing in, she quickly realized she had overestimated her height. She was wearing flat shoes today, and amidst a crowd of tall men and women in heels, her line of sight was completely blocked.

Zhou Fanfan stood on her tiptoes, straining for a view, but still couldn't find Xu Xiaoqian. Just as she relaxed her stance for a breather, someone dancing wildly nearby bumped into her.

She staggered backward, but the place was so packed that a pair of hands immediately steadied her by the waist.

Thinking it was a stranger, Zhou Fanfan turned to say "thank you," only to find Guan Yuanbai had followed her in. It was him holding her.

He said something as she turned.

It was too loud, the music deafening. "What?!" Zhou Fanfan yelled.

Guan Yuanbai's lips pressed together slightly. He bent down.

He leaned close, his mouth near her ear.

In that instant, Zhou Fanfan easily felt his breath ghost across her cheek. The warmth against her ear seemed to pluck a hidden nerve, sending a tingling numbness spreading from behind her earlobe.

She instinctively flinched back. The next second, his low voice, tangled with the music's beat, wrapped around her. "Who are you looking for? Come out. Do you want to get trampled?"

Zhou Fanfan turned her head to look at him. His gaze met hers, deep and intense, reflecting the shifting blue and red lights from above. It was unreadable, yet utterly focused.

She instinctively took a step back but nearly got jostled away by the crowd.

Luckily, Guan Yuanbai was quick. His arm around her waist pulled her firmly back against him.

Zhou Fanfan, thrown off balance by the motion, stumbled forward, her nose almost brushing against his collar. His fingertips rested on the small of her back, the heat searing even through her clothes, making her throat tighten unconsciously.

"I... I need to find Xiaoqian," Zhou Fanfan managed to say after a moment, putting a little distance between them.

Guan Yuanbai asked, "The friend Song Li mentioned on the phone, the one you came with, it's her?"

"Yes. She's drunk and ran off to dance. I have to find her."

"How are you going to find anyone in this crowd?" Guan Yuanbai used his other arm to create a protective buffer around her, preventing another wild bump from the dancers. "You go out. I'll call Song Li."

How could anyone hear a phone call in here?

Anxiety surged in Zhou Fanfan again. "I'll keep looking! You go ahead!"

"Zhou Fanfan!"

"I can't just leave her here! She's really drunk!" A wave of guilt washed over her. "It's my fault. I wasn't watching her closely enough."

She gave him a little push. "You try calling Song Li, see if he's with Xiaoqian. I'll keep looking for her here."

"Then I'll look. You go out."

"You wouldn't recognize her. Xiaoqian went all out with her makeup today. She looks different from when you last saw her."

"..."

Xu Xiaoqian had indeed gone heavy-handed with her makeup back in the dorm, declaring she was going to party wildly tonight and be a 'glamorous minx.' Her face was painted thick.

"It's better if I look. You go make the call," Zhou Fanfan insisted.

Guan Yuanbai didn't move.

"What are you doing? Go on!" she urged loudly.

A flicker of anger, mixed with clear frustration, showed in Guan Yuanbai's eyes. He stared at her for a long moment, then finally sighed. "Shortstuff."

"What?"

Without another word, Guan Yuanbai bent down, hooked his arms under her, and lifted her straight up.

Zhou Fanfan gasped, her body swaying slightly at the sudden height. She quickly grabbed onto his shoulders to steady herself.

"You... you..."

Now looking down from her elevated position, she stared in shock at the man who had just hoisted her up.

He, however, looked completely calm. "Well? Start looking."

It took Zhou Fanfan a few seconds to process this. She glanced around and realized she now towered over everyone nearby.

A wave of relief and excitement hit her, momentarily making her forget the awkwardness of her position. She immediately began scanning the crowd for Xu Xiaoqian.

The height advantage was immense. After a quick sweep, she spotted Xu Xiaoqian. The large butterfly clip in her hair was particularly visible from above.

"Found her, found her! To the right!" Zhou Fanfan patted Guan Yuanbai's shoulder.

Guan Yuanbai's voice was strained. "Do you expect me to walk over like this?"

She couldn't hear him properly. She leaned down. "Mr. Guan! Xiaoqian's on the right! I see her!"

Guan Yuanbai tilted his head back. "I heard. I'm asking if you want me to walk over like this."

One looking down, the other looking up—their usual perspectives were suddenly reversed.

Zhou Fanfan had never seen Guan Yuanbai from this angle before. She had to admit, it was a bit... arresting. So much so that she froze for a couple of seconds before stammering, "C-can you?"

"Hold on tight."

"Okay!"

Guan Yuanbai was holding her by her thighs. At this height, with her bracing herself on his shoulders and keeping some distance, it was manageable while he stood still.

But once he started walking, she clearly felt unsteady, her body leaning closer toward his head.

The moment her soft form brushed near his face, Guan Yuanbai's steps faltered. His grip tightened instantly.

He immediately turned his face away.

Zhou Fanfan kept her eyes locked on Xu Xiaoqian's position. Seeing they were almost there, she patted Guan Yuanbai urgently.

"Put me down!"

Guan Yuanbai released his hold. Zhou Fanfan jumped down from him and immediately pushed her way through the crowd in the direction she'd indicated.

Damn it! Who is that?! Why is he holding my Xiaoqian's waist while dancing?! Who?!

When Zhou Fanfan finally got close, she grabbed the arm of the man whose back was to her. "Get off her!"

The man's grip loosened from the surprise. Without his support, Xu Xiaoqian stumbled forward.

Zhou Fanfan caught her just in time.

Xu Xiaoqian squinted, her vision blurry, and grinned upon recognizing her friend. "Fanfan! Fanfan, I found a hottie! Way better looking than Yang Cheng!"

"What hottie?!" Zhou Fanfan snapped, turning angrily to see who had taken advantage of her friend.

Her eyes met Song Li's.

Zhou Fanfan was speechless for a beat. "Why is it you?"

Song Li spread his hands innocently. "Uh, it's been me the whole time? She said she wanted to dance, so I brought her over."

Annoyance flared in Zhou Fanfan. I never should have let Xiaoqian go to Song Li's booth!

She ignored Song Li and began half-carrying, half-dragging Xu Xiaoqian out of the crowd.

"Hey, wait for me!"

As Song Li moved to follow, a hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him. He turned. "Yuanbai?"

Song Li grinned. "Knew you'd show up!"

About ten minutes later, the four of them stood outside the club.

Xu Xiaoqian was completely wasted, giggling and insisting they go back inside to keep dancing. Zhou Fanfan held her firmly in place and fixed a stern, unamused glare on Song Li.

Song Li squirmed under her gaze. "Fanfan, why are you looking at me like that?"

"What were you doing in there? Taking advantage of Xiaoqian?"

"Me? I would never!"

Zhou Fanfan's eyes widened. "But I saw it! You had your arm around her waist, and you were pressed so close, you were practically about to kiss her!"

"Kiss... No, I wasn't going to kiss her! I don't take advantage of drunk people, okay? She was the one who... Ah, forget it." Song Li sighed dramatically. "And about the waist thing? She couldn't stand steadily. I was just holding her up! Really, I swear!"

Zhou Fanfan: "..."

Song Li's expression then shifted back to his usual playful smirk. "Besides, is putting an arm around someone's waist really 'taking advantage'?"

Zhou Fanfan opened her mouth, a firm 'Yes!' on the tip of her tongue. But the next second, the memory of her own situation with Guan Yuanbai in the club flashed vividly in her mind.

At the time, she'd been too focused on finding Xu Xiaoqian to care, but now, thinking back, a wave of shyness washed over her.

Holding waists... Guan Yuanbai did that too, just now.

But he definitely wasn't taking advantage.

Her eyes inadvertently met Guan Yuanbai's. Clearly, he was remembering the same scene. He gave a light cough, steering the conversation away from Song Li's remark. "Alright, that's enough. Don't mess around in the future."

Song Li protested, "I really wasn't messing around! If I had ill intentions, I wouldn't have called you to come get them, now would I?"

It clicked for Zhou Fanfan. So that was why Guan Yuanbai had shown up tonight. Song Li had called him.

"I'll carry her. Where are you headed?" Song Li offered.

Zhou Fanfan: "I can manage."

Song Li chuckled. "Why the sudden suspicion, little lady? Come on, let me. You're not strong enough to carry her all the way."

Xu Xiaoqian was too drunk to stand, let alone walk, and Zhou Fanfan knew she couldn't possibly carry her friend far.

Once Song Li had hoisted Xu Xiaoqian onto his back, there wasn't much else she could say.

"Are the dorms locked by now?" Song Li asked.

Zhou Fanfan mumbled, "Yeah... locked."

Song Li: "What's the plan, then? Take her to your place?"

"Let's go to Nanjue," Guan Yuanbai suggested.

Both Zhou Fanfan and Song Li looked at him. He explained, "Taking someone this drunk back home wouldn't go over well with your grandmother."

Zhou Fanfan thought it over and saw his point. Explaining everything to her grandmother would be a hassle.

Guan Yuanbai added, "Is a hotel okay? It's your call."

Zhou Fanfan nodded. "A hotel is fine."

Guan Yuanbai hadn't been drinking, so the other three got into his car, and they drove to the Nanjue Hotel.

On the way, Guan Yuanbai called ahead, and a room was prepared for them. Upon arrival, Song Li again took charge of carrying Xu Xiaoqian up to the room.

With that done, it was inappropriate for the two men to stay any longer, so they left.

After Guan Yuanbai and Song Li were gone, Zhou Fanfan turned her attention to caring for Xu Xiaoqian.

At first, Xu Xiaoqian was relatively quiet, barely reacting as Zhou Fanfan removed her makeup and wiped her face. But just as Zhou Fanfan was finishing up, Xu Xiaoqian suddenly sat up and vomited all over her.

Zhou Fanfan froze in horror. "XU XIAOQIAN!!!"

Xu Xiaoqian let out a weak groan, fell back onto the bed, and was out cold.

"..."

Thankfully, none of it got on the bed. Gagging, Zhou Fanfan stiffly lifted the soiled part of her sweater and hurried into the bathroom.

The sweater was a lost cause. Fighting back tears of frustration, she took it off, took a quick shower, and changed into the hotel bathrobe.

By the time she came out, Xu Xiaoqian had completely passed out.

Zhou Fanfan finally relaxed. She picked up her phone and saw a WeChat message from Guan Yuanbai sent about ten minutes earlier.

[Call me if there are any problems.]

Zhou Fanfan curled up on the sofa and replied. [Okay. Are you still at the hotel?]

Guan Yuanbai: [Had something to take care of. Heading back soon.]

Zhou Fanfan: [Oh]

Guan Yuanbai: [Is your friend okay?]

Zhou Fanfan: [She's fine. She just threw up all over me. My clothes reek.]

Guan Yuanbai didn't reply after that. Assuming he was busy, Zhou Fanfan didn't think much of it and decided to rest her eyes on the sofa for a bit.

It was very late, but she found she wasn't sleepy at all. The moment she closed her eyes, she inexplicably recalled the events at the club—Guan Yuanbai's breath so close, the warmth of his fingers when he'd held her.

Zhou Fanfan frowned and opened her eyes, her cheeks feeling warm.

So this... this is what they mean by being affected by a man's charms, huh?

Ding—

Her phone chimed again, pulling her from her thoughts. She unlocked it.

Guan Yuanbai: [Come to the door.]

Zhou Fanfan scrambled off the sofa and shuffled over in her slippers to open the door.

Guan Yuanbai stood outside, holding a shopping bag.

Perhaps because she'd just been thinking about his... effect on her, seeing him in person now made her heart pound erratically. Her face felt even hotter.

"Mr. Guan? What is it?"

The person who opened the door was wearing a bathrobe, clearly too large for her, hanging loosely. Her hair looked freshly washed, damp and slightly tangled where it rested on her shoulders, the ends still glistening with a few water droplets.

It was a somewhat disheveled look, but paired with her clean, makeup-free face tinged with a faint blush, it held a peculiar allure.

Guan Yuanbai's gaze lingered for a brief moment before he quickly averted his eyes. He handed her the bag. "Spare clothes the hotel keeps for guests. You can change into these tomorrow."

Zhou Fanfan was taken aback, then immensely grateful. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It was on my way. I was heading downstairs anyway."

"Are you going home now?"

"Mn. If anything else comes up, just call the front desk."

"Okay, I will."

Guan Yuanbai said, "Go on inside, then."

"Okay!"

Zhou Fanfan took the bag and started to retreat, preparing to close the door.

"Zhou Fanfan."

"What?" She stopped, her hand on the door, and looked at the man who had suddenly called her name again.

Guan Yuanbai glanced down at her, his expression calm. "Remember to dry your hair properly before you sleep.”

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