The Only Choice - 48

The hallway light was soft and warm, and Guan Yuanbai stood within it, holding a small bag.

"What's this?" Zhou Fanfan asked, a little flustered.

Guan Yuanbai said, "There's a specialty dessert shop in the resort, imported from abroad. You didn't get a chance to try it today."

Zhou Fanfan was surprised. "When did you go buy this?"

"I asked them to set some aside this afternoon and just went to pick it up." Guan Yuanbai explained, "I originally thought to give it to you tomorrow, but then I thought it wouldn't taste as good if it sat overnight."

A little thrill of sweetness bubbled up in Zhou Fanfan's heart. "You should have said so earlier. What if I'd already been asleep?"

Guan Yuanbai smiled slightly. "Then I'd just buy another one tomorrow."

"Oh…"

Guan Yuanbai stepped forward and handed her the bag.

Zhou Fanfan took it, murmuring a "thank you."

They stood facing each other, suddenly at a loss for words. Zhou Fanfan felt a flutter of anticipation, though she wasn't sure what for. After glancing at him a couple of times, she said, "Should I… eat this inside?"

Guan Yuanbai: "Alright."

Zhou Fanfan nodded, wondering if she should invite him to join her. But it was so late, and she was in her pajamas… inviting him in felt like it might be strange.

Yet, she really wanted to eat it with him.

Conflicting emotions collided rapidly in her mind. Zhou Fanfan pressed her lips together and retreated behind the door.

"Well… goodnight then."

"Mn."

He had agreed, but as she reached to close the door and looked up, Guan Yuanbai didn't seem like he was about to leave.

His gaze was deep and silent, carrying a strange… intensity?

Zhou Fanfan's heart skipped a beat, her throat went dry, and the words suddenly spilled out: "D-do you want to come in and—"

Before she could even finish the sentence, Guan Yuanbai's hand was on the door.

He pushed it gently, and Zhou Fanfan was nudged back a few steps.

He was inside. The door clicked shut behind him.

Zhou Fanfan clutched the bag tightly, her breath catching in her throat under his quiet stare.

Zhou Fanfan: "I…"

Guan Yuanbai: "Can I kiss you?"

He cut her off abruptly.

Zhou Fanfan froze for a second, then her face flushed a deep crimson.

It was all so sudden, yet felt utterly inevitable.

She suddenly understood the intensity in his gaze from moments before. He had come with an agenda.

Guan Yuanbai moved closer, standing right in front of her. "If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes?"

Zhou Fanfan looked up at him, unsure how to respond, but managed a soft sound.

"…Okay…"

He lowered his head and kissed her.

In that moment, Zhou Fanfan's mind went completely blank. It wasn't until he deepened the kiss that her eyelashes fluttered, and she tried to look at him.

But they were too close. At this distance, she couldn't really see him clearly, only feeling their breaths mingling, tangling together…

The dessert bag fell onto the thick carpet with a soft thud.

Zhou Fanfan tried desperately to hold onto some composure, but her frantic breathing was beyond her control.

Guan Yuanbai wasn't faring much better. This kiss was making up for the one they'd almost shared earlier, but the moment their lips met, he knew it wasn't nearly enough.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and, losing control, parted her lips, seeking to claim her very breath.

Zhou Fanfan yielded completely. She didn't resist him in the slightest…

The moment their tongues met, they both shuddered. The sensation was utterly foreign, yet incredibly sweet. In her dazed state, Zhou Fanfan reached up and wrapped her arms around him.

That action acted like a catalyst for Guan Yuanbai. His arms tightened around her, pressing her flush against him.

The thin fabric of her pajamas did little to separate them. The exchange of body heat and the press of their forms against each other was almost unbearably intense.

Zhou Fanfan was held firmly, kissed senseless. She felt like her whole being was floating away, turning into a wisp of steam that could simply dissipate into the air.

Slowly, the kiss grew more frantic, their lips and teeth occasionally bumping together.

Zhou Fanfan's lip was accidentally nipped. A sharp pain made her whimper softly.

Guan Yuanbai stopped instantly. He pulled back slightly, looking down at her. "Did I bite you?"

Zhou Fanfan: "Mm…"

Whether from the pain or something else, her eyes were glistening, soft and sweet.

The look in Guan Yuanbai's eyes grew even darker, but he didn't dare continue.

He loosened his hold a little but kept his hands on her shoulders, not letting her move away completely.

Zhou Fanfan raised a hand to cover her lips, though her eyes unconsciously tried to glance downwards…

"Let me see." The next moment, Guan Yuanbai hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her face up.

He looked for a moment, his voice husky. "It's okay, not broken."

Zhou Fanfan let out a soft "oh" and took a small step back.

"…Are you still going to eat?" she asked into the silence.

Guan Yuanbai knew she meant the pastries he'd brought. "Mn, I'll eat."

"Let's have it at the coffee table, then."

"Okay."

Zhou Fanfan slipped out of his embrace, carefully avoiding his gaze as she picked up the bag from the floor and walked to the coffee table.

With her back to him, she took the desserts out of the bag and slowly began unwrapping the box.

Guan Yuanbai didn't join her immediately. Zhou Fanfan didn't hurry him either, her face still flushed as she arranged the pastries neatly. She picked up a small fork and silently took a few bites.

It wasn't until she had finished one of the small desserts that she heard footsteps behind her.

Guan Yuanbai came over and sat on the sofa, picking up the other fork she had set out.

"Is it good?" he asked.

Zhou Fanfan nodded. "…It's delicious."

"What flavor was the one you just had?"

"Blueberry… and a bit of almond, I think."

Guan Yuanbai: "Mn. The blueberry flavor is their signature."

"No wonder it tastes so unique. It's not purely blueberry; I can't really describe it." Zhou Fanfan finally glanced up at him. "I'll buy one for Xiaoqian tomorrow. She loves blueberry."

A faint smile touched Guan Yuanbai's lips. "Song Li already bought some for her."

"Really?" Zhou Fanfan murmured. "I guess he has his thoughtful moments."

"Want to try this one?" Guan Yuanbai gestured to the pink-and-white petit four he had just taken a bite of.

"Sure."

Zhou Fanfan took a bite. It was lychee flavor, not too sweet, smooth and delicate.

She liked this one too, but after one bite, she didn't have any more.

Guan Yuanbai: "No more?"

Zhou Fanfan set down her fork. "I already finished one. I shouldn't eat more so late, I'll gain weight."

"Once in a while is fine. Besides, gaining a little weight is okay. You don't have much on you anyway."

"How do you know I don't have much on me? I have quite a—" Zhou Fanfan's words caught in her throat. Under Guan Yuanbai's intense gaze, she decided to stop.

It wasn't like they hadn't held each other before, and they always held on tight… He probably did have a pretty good idea how much meat was on her bones.

They ate the tiny desserts late into the night, and it took them a long time to finish the small portions.

After Guan Yuanbai left, the emotions Zhou Fanfan had been holding back finally erupted. She climbed onto the bed, burrowing and squirming under the covers, almost tearing the sheets with her restless energy!

Just thinking about what happened made her head spin and her whole body feel feverish.

She had actually kissed Guan Yuanbai??!

And it was a French kiss!!!

Was that something you were supposed to do right after getting together?!

That night, Zhou Fanfan, predictably, did not sleep well. The next day, she was woken by her phone ringing.

"Fanfan, are you still sleeping? Get up for breakfast."

It was Xu Xiaoqian on the line.

Zhou Fanfan: "What time is it…"

"Ten o'clock."

"Ah?" Zhou Fanfan made a groggy sound. "Wait for me, I'll get up right away."

"Okay, waiting for you in the restaurant."

"Mn."

Zhou Fanfan dawdled in her room for a long time. When she finally left, she saw a WeChat message from Guan Yuanbai sent earlier, asking if she was awake, which she had missed.

As she headed down the stairs, she quickly replied: [I'm up. Going to the restaurant for some breakfast now.]

[Okay. I'm here.]

Reading his reply, her steps lightened. She felt nervous, mixed with a subtle sense of anticipation.

When she entered the restaurant, she found several people already eating.

Guan Zhiyi was there too, sitting next to Qi Chengyan. Seeing Zhou Fanfan come in, she waved a greeting.

"Hi, sister-in-law~"

Zhou Fanfan was stunned. Then she saw Xu Xiaoqian frantically making eyes at her, excitement barely concealed.

"Ah… h-hello."

"Sister-in-law, come over and have breakfast. Brother already got everything set up for you."

Zhou Fanfan looked towards Guan Yuanbai, who was sitting across from Guan Zhiyi. He was watching her and said, "Come here."

The look in his eyes now was different from last night's.

Right now, they were calm and gentle. But last night… they had been dark, dangerous, and full of wanting.

They were completely different versions of Guan Yuanbai, and the contrast made her heart pound even harder.

Zhou Fanfan sat down beside him and quietly picked up her chopsticks.

The breakfast spread today was entirely Chinese style. Guan Yuanbai asked, "There's congee over there. Do you want some?"

Zhou Fanfan: "I… I'll have a little."

"Mn."

Guan Yuanbai got up, served her a bowl, and pushed a few of the side dishes she liked towards her.

Guan Zhiyi watched the whole scene from across the table, her smile practically overflowing.

Zhou Fanfan, naturally aware of Guan Zhiyi's gaze on her and Guan Yuanbai, murmured her thanks and lowered her head to eat a few hurried mouthfuls.

As she ate, her idle left hand was suddenly taken by the person next to her.

Zhou Fanfan jolted, turning sharply to look at Guan Yuanbai. He had clearly finished eating. He held her hand with his right one, not doing anything else, just watching her eat.

With so many people around, and her precious ‘daughter’ right in front of her, Zhou Fanfan's heart clenched. "Wh-what are you doing…"

Guan Yuanbai completely ignored everyone else. "Just keep eating. I'll take you out to explore after you're done."

Feeling embarrassed but unable to pull her hand back, Zhou Fanfan could only hide their joined hands under the table, forcing herself to sound calm. "Where are we going?"

"There's a long shopping street within the resort grounds. We can go for a walk."

His hand held hers firmly, his thumb gently stroking her skin.

Her heart raced violently, feeling like they were doing something sneaky in front of everyone.

"I know that place! I want to go too!" Guan Zhiyi chimed in.

Guan Yuanbai glanced at her. "Then keep your mask on. And stay away from us. Don't draw attention."

Guan Zhiyi grinned. "I know, I know. I definitely won't interrupt my big brother's date."

"It's fine, we can go together! It's no trouble!" Zhou Fanfan blurted out instinctively, immediately jumping to Guan Zhiyi's defense.

But the moment the words left her mouth, the hand under the table was squeezed.

Guan Yuanbai said, "Do you want to go shopping with me, or with her?"

Zhou Fanfan: "…"

Qi Chengyan chuckled. "Isn't the answer obvious? Do you really need to ask?"

Guan Yuanbai shot a look at the couple across the table, chose to ignore them, and said to Zhou Fanfan, "Tell me."

Zhou Fanfan: "Tell you what…"

"Who do you want to go with?"

He was really putting her on the spot. The others eating nearby chuckled softly, while Guan Yuanbai looked utterly serious.

Zhou Fanfan didn't dare give any other answer now. She said softly, "…With you."

A hint of triumph flashed in Guan Yuanbai's eyes. He hummed in acknowledgment and said, "Okay. Then, as you wish, it'll be just the two of us. We won't go with them."

Everyone else: "…"

This guy is insane!

—

After breakfast, the three couples set off for the shopping street together, though they split up to browse separately.

And from the moment they got out of the car, Guan Yuanbai and Zhou Fanfan held hands.

At first, she felt a little self-conscious, but the street was so interesting that she soon forgot about their interlocked fingers.

Halfway through, they came across a very unique trinket shop. Zhou Fanfan was intrigued and pulled Guan Yuanbai inside.

The shop sold an eclectic and special assortment of items—decor, clocks, jewelry… The shopkeeper came over to explain that everything was sourced from around the world, and each piece was unique.

Zhou Fanfan's interest was piqued. After browsing for a while, she suddenly stopped in front of a display of brooches. She picked up a particularly cute lamb brooch and showed it to Guan Yuanbai. "Isn't it adorable?"

Guan Yuanbai: "Mn."

"Then I'll give it to you." Zhou Fanfan said. "You're an Aries. This little lamb suits you perfectly."

Guan Yuanbai was taken aback. "How do you know I'm an Aries?"

"Isn't your door passcode 410000? April 10th, right?"

Guan Yuanbai: "You're pretty clever."

"You're just too lazy, setting such a simple code."

As she spoke, Zhou Fanfan took the brooch directly to the counter to pay, then handed it to Guan Yuanbai.

Guan Yuanbai was still processing it. He looked at the brooch in his palm for a long moment.

"Let's go. Put it in the bag for now. Let's check out the next shop."

"Wait."

"What's wrong?"

"I'll wear it for now."

"Huh?"

Guan Yuanbai took the little lamb out of its transparent packaging and pinned it to the lapel of his overcoat.

The black coat instantly looked much softer and warmer with the addition of the little lamb.

Zhou Fanfan suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. She just thought the item was cute and, remembering Guan Yuanbai was an Aries, bought it for him on a whim.

But she knew it didn't really match his usual style. She hadn't expected him to wear it; she just thought it would be fun.

"Um, you don't actually have to wear it…"

But Guan Yuanbai seemed to really like it. He checked his reflection in a mirror. "Isn't this a brooch? Why wouldn't I wear it? I'll keep it on. It's nice."

Zhou Fanfan hesitated. "But—"

"Take a photo for me." Suddenly, Guan Yuanbai handed her his phone.

Zhou Fanfan was stunned again. "Why do you want a photo?"

Guan Yuanbai said, "This is the first thing you've given me since we got together. I'm going to post it on my Moments."

---

Author's Note:

The Moments fanatic is about to make his debut—

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