The Only Choice - 29

Although it was winter, Zhou Fanfan had still ordered a grape fruit tea, extra ice.

She hadn't felt particularly cold before, but the moment Guan Yuanbai called her name, her heart clenched like she'd been doused in ice water, the milk tea nearly slipping from her grasp.

She gasped, staring dumbly at the car window.

Guan Yuanbai asked, "I thought you were going to the gala. What are you doing standing out here?"

Zhou Fanfan tightened her grip on the cup. "They haven't started letting people in yet..."

His eyebrow quirked slightly. He turned to Qi Chengyan beside him. "Is that right?"

Qi Chengyan nodded. "General admission hasn't opened yet."

Guan Yuanbai made a sound of acknowledgment and looked back at her. "Don't you find it cold, standing out here in the middle of winter? Do you want to get in the car?"

From the corner of her eye, Zhou Fanfan could feel dozens of eyes fixed on her.

A nervous sweat prickled down her back. She'd seen the elaborate stories and fervent 'shipping' after the last fan meeting incident on Weibo, and had even posted a clarification.

Now, right in front of everyone, Guan Yuanbai was giving them a sequel!

She could already imagine her Weibo notifications exploding later.

"No, no, no! I'm fine here! My friends are all with me," she said hurriedly.

Guan Yuanbai didn't press further, though his frown deepened as he glanced at the iced drink in her hand. She really doesn't feel the cold.

Seeing he showed no sign of leaving, Zhou Fanfan's anxiety grew. She was terrified he'd say something else that would be impossible to explain away in front of this crowd.

"Uh... there are cars behind you. You shouldn't block the road," she finally managed, the words feeling weak.

Guan Yuanbai looked momentarily surprised, then amused. "The road is plenty wide. Who exactly am I blocking?"

Me! Zhou Fanfan screamed internally. You're blocking my escape route! Just stop complicating things!

"Right... of course. Haha. Well, I'd better get going. You... carry on." She took a step, ready to flee.

"Wait."

Zhou Fanfan had no choice but to turn back. "...Yes?"

"Wait for me after it's over."

"..."

Zhou Fanfan pressed her lips together, silent.

Guan Yuanbai didn't seem to expect an answer. "Never mind. I'll call you later."

With that, he gave a brief nod to the people around Zhou Fanfan—Liu Liu, Qi Qi, and Xiaoqian, all of whom he'd met before. The three of them, startled, waved back awkwardly.

The car window rolled up, and the vehicle slid smoothly into the underground parking entrance.

The street, however, had fallen into a stunned silence.

Zhou Fanfan forced herself to appear calm. She turned to Xu Xiaoqian and the others. "They'll probably start letting people in soon. Should we head to the entrance?"

Xu Xiaoqian snapped out of it. "Right, right. Liu Liu, Qi Qi, let's go."

"Oh!"

After a few steps, Zhou Fanfan remembered A-Chou. She turned back. "We'll head over first."

As someone who'd witnessed Guan Yuanbai picking up Zhou Fanfan once before, A-Chou was far less shocked than the others. She nodded with a knowing smile. "Okay, I'll catch up later."

"Mm."

Zhou Fanfan and her group departed under the collective, intense gaze of the crowd.

Once she was gone, the fans outside the milk tea shop erupted into excited whispers.

"That was Guan Yuanbai!"

"Oh my god, he's even more handsome in person..."

"Who was that girl? Guan Yuanbai knows her!"

"Looked like 'Stepmom-Chan'... Wait, remember that rumor a while back? People said she was with Guan Yuanbai!"

"But she denied it herself, didn't she?"

"Maybe she was just trying to keep a low profile. She is one of Zhiyi's biggest fans."

"Whoa,this feels surreal. A fan dating her idol's brother?"

"I used to think those shippers were delusional, but now... it feels kinda legit!"

"Ugh, I'm so jealous."

The chatter grew more and more animated. The two girls who had accused Zhou Fanfan of publicity stunts the previous night were now utterly silenced.

One asked A-Chou awkwardly, "A-Chou... are Zhou Fanfan and Guan Yuanbai really together?"

A-Chou smiled faintly. "Who knows? But they're clearly not strangers."

"Ah... I thought she was just using him for clout and followers. Guess not."

A-Chou's smile vanished. "Clout? What for? Do you think she needs the money from a Weibo account?"

The two girls looked down, embarrassed.

A-Chou shook her head in disbelief. "That account is a labor of love. And she's loaded. That petty cash means nothing to her."

---

The Starry Night Gala seating was arranged thus: the front rows held celebrities, Tencent executives, and major investors. Behind them were the VIP audience sections and media personnel. The general admission seats were at the very back.

The VIP audience seats flanked the media section, offering a clear view of the stage and, more importantly, were separated from the front-row celebrities by only a low barrier.

Zhou Fanfan and her friends had splurged on VIP seats for the best view of Guan Zhiyi. They found their spots and settled in.

Normally, Zhou Fanfan would be double-checking her camera gear right now, but today her mind was elsewhere.

She wasn't the only one. Xu Xiaoqian and the others were equally buzzing. After the scene outside, it was impossible not to be excited, they'd been at the very center of the gossip vortex!

Still, they knew Zhou Fanfan and Guan Yuanbai were back to playing the 'arranged match' for their families, so while thrilling, his appearance felt somewhat justified. It wasn't strange for him to stop and say hello if he saw her.

After sitting for a while, Zhou Fanfan couldn't take it anymore. Her friends might not be speculating, but plenty of others certainly were.

She excused herself to Xu Xiaoqian and slipped away to a quiet hallway to call Guan Yuanbai.

He answered promptly. "What is it?"

Zhou Fanfan kept her voice low. "Mr. Guan! Can I ask why you felt the need to stop and talk to me just now?"

Guan Yuanbai paused. "I saw you."

"That's it?! And... you didn't notice the crowd around me?"

Guan Yuanbai:"You mean your friends?"

"No! Other people! Lots of them, scattered around the milk tea shop!" she insisted. "They all saw you talking to me. They're going to get the wrong idea again."

"What wrong idea?"

"That we have some special relationship!That we're a couple or something!"

Guan Yuanbai let out a soft "oh." "Aren't we?"

Zhou Fanfan's words caught in her throat. She heard him continue, calm as ever, "Didn't you announce we were together just the other day?"

"..."

Fine. She had said that. But this was different, wasn't it?

Zhou Fanfan felt a wave of confusion. After a moment, she ventured, "But... is it really okay for Zhiyi's fans to know about this?"

Guan Yuanbai countered, "Why wouldn't it be? Neither of us are public figures. Do we owe my sister's fans an explanation?"

Put that way... it did make a certain amount of sense.

She was just a fan account, only posting content about her idol. She'd never shared her private life on that platform, except for that one clarification about Guan Yuanbai.

Zhou Fanfan grew more perplexed, her voice softening. "But I already denied it on Weibo last time."

"That was then, this is now. Relationships evolve. You weren't lying then." He paused, amusement coloring his tone. "Besides, Zhou Fanfan, is being linked with me really that terrible?"

She was taken aback. "No... that's not what I meant."

"Good. Then let it be. Whether we're together or not is none of their business."

Zhou Fanfan pondered this. It was her private life. She didn't really owe strangers an explanation.

Seeming to sense her acquiescence, Guan Yuanbai changed the subject. "Are you inside the venue now?"

Zhou Fanfan: "Yes... but I came out to the hallway to call you."

"I see. There's still time before it starts, right?"

Zhou Fanfan checked the time, wondering why he asked. "Yes, a little while."

"Then do you want to come over here?" he suggested casually.

She was confused. "Come where?"

"Backstage. I'm here."

"No, thank you."

Her refusal was immediate. Even if his logic was sound, being seen with him backstage felt like inviting more trouble.

"Really? Xiao Wu was asking if you'd come. She said she'd like to see you."

Zhou Fanfan froze. In the span of a single heartbeat, she reversed her decision.

"Really? Then I'm coming!"

Silence greeted her from the other end. It lasted so long she thought the call had dropped. "Hello? Are you still there?"

"Zhou Fanfan," his voice came through, laced with dry amusement, "your priorities are painfully obvious."

A few minutes later, a staff member with a pass found Zhou Fanfan and escorted her seamlessly backstage, stopping before a door marked 'Guan Zhiyi.'

Zhou Fanfan's heart hammered against her ribs. Even after meeting her a few times, being this close to her idol still sent her pulse racing.

The staff member knocked and opened the door for her.

It was a spacious dressing room. In front was the makeup area, where Guan Zhiyi sat with her stylist. Further back, a partition screened off a lounge area with a sofa and coffee table.

"Sister-in-law! You're here! Come in, come in." Guan Zhiyi spotted her in the mirror and greeted her with a warm smile.

Zhou Fanfan's face flushed crimson at the address 'sister-in-law.' "Ah? I, I..."

"You made good time."

Guan Yuanbai emerged from the lounge area.

Zhou Fanfan felt a wave of relief. Facing Guan Zhiyi alone, especially with staff around, made her too nervous to speak. Having Guan Yuanbai there was oddly comforting.

Zhou Fanfan: "It wasn't far."

Guan Yuanbai gestured. "Come sit for a bit. Have you eaten?"

"I had a snack."

She moved towards him but couldn't stop her eyes from drifting back to Guan Zhiyi.

Guan Zhiyi said, "Why don't you guys sit out here? I can't hear a word you're saying in there."

"If you can't hear, then don't. Focus on getting ready." Guan Yuanbai's tone held a familiar, slightly stern edge he often used with his younger sister.

Guan Zhiyi was used to it—her brother's overprotectiveness was a constant.

But Zhou Fanfan didn't know this dynamic. Hearing him use that tone with her precious idol, she immediately frowned. Almost instinctively, she blurted out, "Why are you being so harsh with her...?"

A sudden silence fell over the room.

Even the staff stopped and looked over. Guan Zhiyi and Guan Yuanbai both stared at her, stunned.

Guan Zhiyi recovered first. Her eyes lit up with glee and triumph as she turned to her brother. "Yeah! Why are you being so harsh?"

Having someone, especially someone who could actually stand up to Guan Yuanbai, on her side felt incredibly satisfying.

Guan Yuanbai: "...Harsh?"

Guan Zhiyi looked pleadingly at Zhou Fanfan. "Sister-in-law, you have to talk to him. He's always bullying me."

Guan Yuanbai: "?"

Feeling duty-bound, Zhou Fanfan nodded emphatically and fixed Guan Yuanbai with a serious look. "You can't bully her. Being her older brother doesn't give you the right."

Guan Zhiyi chimed in, "Exactly!"

Guan Yuanbai shot his sister a warning glare.

But Zhou Fanfan, now in full protective-fan mode, pressed on, "Well? Do you understand?"

Guan Yuanbai turned his gaze back to Zhou Fanfan. She was frowning slightly, her expression utterly sincere.

Looking at her face, his initial surprise melted away, replaced by a flicker of amusement. "Are you two ganging up on me now?"

Guan Zhiyi laughed. "You bet! That's what happens when I have a sister-in-law who can keep you in line!"

"'Keep me in line,'" Guan Yuanbai repeated slowly, the words dripping with implication. Under his teasing, half-smiling gaze, Zhou Fanfan finally processed what she'd said.

Her face burned. "I, I didn't mean it like that..."

Seeing her flustered state, he decided to let it go. "Fine, not like that... Then come have a bite to eat. We can also discuss the next visit to your place."

"Okay..."

In the lounge, Qi Chengyan was also there, working on his laptop.

He nodded a greeting, which she returned.

He's working but still came with his wife. He treats her well.

Zhou Fanfan regarded him with slightly more approval, thinking the tears she'd shed over their marriage news weren't entirely wasted.

Once they were seated, Guan Yuanbai poured her juice and pushed some snacks towards her. He asked if her father had any particular hobbies or preferences.

After all, he was her father, and a future visit required appropriately respectful gifts.

Zhou Fanfan wanted to say it wasn't necessary to be so formal, since it was all pretend, but with others present, she held her tongue. Instead, she thought hard. But after a moment, she realized she genuinely didn't know what her dad liked.

Their relationship was distant; she barely knew him.

Seeing her struggle, Guan Yuanbai didn't push. "Shall I just figure something out?"

"That... works."

"Let me know once you've set a date. I'll prepare accordingly."

"Alright."

Once her hair and makeup were finished, Guan Zhiyi hurried in, holding a small gift bag.

"This is for you." She handed it to Zhou Fanfan.

Zhou Fanfan stared in surprise. "For me?"

"Yes. I thought since you were here today, and it's our first time meeting properly like this, I should get you a little gift."

Zhou Fanfan: "But I didn't get you anything."

"You've given me more than enough," Guan Zhiyi said warmly. "Brother passed everything along. Thank you, Sister-in-law."

Zhou Fanfan's face flushed even deeper. Those were gifts from her fan days!!!

"Please, don't mention it..."

Guan Zhiyi smiled. "I'll let you two talk. I need to change now."

"Oh! Of course, go ahead!"

Guan Zhiyi whisked away with her team. Zhou Fanfan looked down at the elegant bag, feeling overwhelmed.

Guan Yuanbai said gently, "Just accept it. You've given her plenty over the years. Think of it as a thank you."

Zhou Fanfan mumbled, "I never expected anything in return..."

"Then consider it a welcome gift for the new sister-in-law."

He emphasized 'sister-in-law' again, making her cheeks burn. But with Qi Chengyan nearby, she couldn't protest.

Later, she peeked inside. It was a watch, a delicate piece with a small face and a hint of pink, exquisitely crafted.

Realizing its likely cost, she shot a panicked look at Guan Yuanbai. He lifted his wrist slightly. "It's a pair."

She then noticed the watch he wore shared subtle design elements with hers.

"This is too much. I... I can't accept this."

After all, she wasn't really going to be his sister-in-law!

Guan Yuanbai's tone was firm. "A gift given is given. Unless you'd like her to return all the things you've sent her over the years?"

"Of course not!"

"Then keep it."

The gala was about to begin. Overjoyed but mindful of the time, Zhou Fanfan prepared to leave.

Outside, she ran into Guan Zhiyi, now in her performance outfit. Zhou Fanfan thanked her profusely.

Guan Zhiyi waved it off. "Sister-in-law, would you like to sit in the guest section up front? You can sit with Brother." She glanced at Guan Yuanbai for confirmation.

He nodded slightly, awaiting Zhou Fanfan's decision.

Zhou Fanfan shook her head vigorously. "No, no! My friends are waiting. I'd rather watch with them. I like our seats."

"Alright then." Guan Zhiyi didn't insist. "How many friends are with you?"

"Four of us came together. They're all huge fans of yours. They adore you."

Guan Zhiyi beamed. "Thank you. Well, if you have time after the show, bring them back here. We can all take a picture together."

If Guan Zhiyi hadn't offered, Zhou Fanfan would never have dared ask. She stared for a second, then pure delight took over.

"Really? We could?"

"Of course! I'll message you later."

"Okay!"

Guan Yuanbai walked her out. The route from the dressing rooms to the audience entrance was a maze of bustling corridors.

With the gala imminent, staff rushed everywhere, a river of purposeful motion.

Zhou Fanfan navigated the chaos, a radiant smile plastered on her face.

Guan Yuanbai watched her from the corner of his eye, a faint smile touching his own lips. "So happy?"

"Of course!!"

She turned to him, eyes sparkling. "A group photo! I wouldn't have dreamed of asking! Xiaoqian and the others will be over the moon! They always joked about getting autographs and pictures, but never thought it would actually happen! This is incredible—!"

She grew more and more animated, her excitement infectious.

Guan Yuanbai remembered the frustration he'd once felt over her fanatical devotion to his sister. But now, seeing her unbridled joy, he felt no annoyance. Instead... he felt a quiet contentment, as if her happiness was his own.

Zhou Fanfan was still chattering excitedly when a staff member, head down and rushing, barreled around a corner straight towards her. Guan Yuanbai's reflexes were lightning-fast. His arm shot out, wrapping around her back and pulling her firmly against him.

"Look out!"

The staff member brushed past with a hurried apology, disappearing down the hall.

Zhou Fanfan collided with his chest, her words cutting off. She looked up.

He looked down.

The warmth of his body was startlingly real. Guan Yuanbai gazed into her eyes, his own breath catching. The frantic beat of his heart seemed to fill the space between them, a deafening rhythm against his ribs. Once. Twice.

And faintly, he caught it again, that scent from her scarf.

A whisper of sweetness, like sugar and fresh milk.

---

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