The Only Choice - 53

Guan Yuanbai and Zhou Fanfan waited in the cafe for a while, ordered two coffees, and bought some snacks for A-Chou and the others.

About ten minutes later, He Zhi pulled up with the car at the entrance.

After saying goodbye to A-Chou, Zhou Fanfan finally left the cafe with Guan Yuanbai.

The group immediately pulled out their phones to take pictures of the coffee and desserts, eager to show off on social media.

"I actually got coffee and cake paid for by Guan Yuanbai!!!! He's so nice!!!"

"He's so doting, damn, I'm jealous."

"My 'son' really knows how to be in a relationship!!"

…

In the car back to the hotel, Guan Yuanbai directly took off her high heels.

Now that they were alone, Zhou Fanfan didn't mind as much. She sat barefoot on the seat, legs curled up, holding a cup of iced coffee.

Guan Yuanbai sat beside her and called Qi Chengyan.

"How much longer? About half an hour? Okay. Call me when you're about to come out… No reason, just that there are some of Xiao Wu's fans waiting at the entrance…"

Zhou Fanfan, mid-sip, overheard this and turned her gaze towards him.

Guan Yuanbai continued, "Got it. We'll talk more back at the hotel. Just remember to let me know…"

After he hung up, Zhou Fanfan asked, "Were you calling Mr. Qi?"

Guan Yuanbai nodded. "They'll notify me before they come out. You can let your friend know. Before that, it's better to wait in the cafe with the air conditioning."

Zhou Fanfan blinked at him.

Guan Yuanbai asked, "What is it?"

"Thank you."

Guan Yuanbai was momentarily puzzled. "For what?"

"For caring about them. I didn't expect you to take this so seriously."

In truth, Guan Yuanbai never paid much attention to such things before. He'd seen many scenes of fans waiting tirelessly for their idols, but his heart remained unmoved. He didn't understand why they did it or what meaning it held.

But perhaps it was because he met Zhou Fanfan. Through her, he genuinely felt the sincerity of loving an idol. He came to understand that some people could truly like a "stranger" to that extent, seeing them as a source of strength and giving without expecting anything in return.

So, his heart was stirred.

He would think, if he didn't know Zhou Fanfan, if she were among those waiting, then she would probably want to know when the person she was waiting for would appear, and she would prefer to wait in a more comfortable environment.

"It's nothing, just a small gesture," Guan Yuanbai said.

Zhou Fanfan still felt happy. She shuffled closer to him on the seat, her feet still on the cushion, and smiled sweetly at him. "You're so good."

Guan Yuanbai felt his heart melt from her smile. He gently pinched her ankle. "Sit properly. Aren't you afraid of falling?"

Zhou Fanfan said, "He Zhi drives steadily, right, He Zhi?"

He Zhi glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Yes, but Miss Zhou, please still be careful."

"Okay."

Zhou Fanfan quietly shuffled back, properly put her feet down, and fastened her seatbelt.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Guan Yuanbai got out of the car and directly scooped her up into his arms.

"Ah! My shoes, my shoes!"

"Got them." Guan Yuanbai looked at He Zhi. "Wait here for a while."

"Yes, Mr. Guan."

Zhou Fanfan looped her arms around his neck, her legs swinging slightly. "I put on band-aids. I can walk myself."

"But it still hurts, doesn't it? We can take the elevator straight up from here. No one will see, so what are you worried about?"

Zhou Fanfan thought about it and decided he was right, so she didn't argue.

She looked at Guan Yuanbai's profile, her heart feeling warm. Honestly, she had been doted on by her grandmother since she was little. Many people had been good to her.

But she still felt Guan Yuanbai was exceptionally good. His care for her was something she had never experienced before.

It felt like he was holding her carefully, afraid she might fall or melt.

Sore feet from new shoes were such a common thing, but to him, it seemed as if her injury was terribly serious…

Back in the hotel room, Guan Yuanbai set her down on the sofa and had the hotel send up new band-aids.

Zhou Fanfan, tired from wearing heels for hours, didn't move much. She sat on the sofa messaging Xia Qing, a screenwriter she had connected with that day. They chatted about Scarlet Flames and hit it off. Her head was bowed, fingers flying across the screen as she typed.

Guan Yuanbai didn't stop her. He simply placed her calves on his lap, peeled off the old band-aids, and checked the raw spots. They had been applied hastily earlier just to prevent further rubbing, with no time to properly tend to the wounds.

"Change to new band-aids after your shower, understand?" Guan Yuanbai said.

Zhou Fanfan glanced up briefly.

He was wearing black dress pants today, and she had on a long gown. Now, her gown was pulled up to her knees, and her legs rested casually on his lap. The contrast of black and white looked particularly intimate.

"Understood," Zhou Fanfan replied softly. She bent her knees slightly, so her feet now rested on his thighs.

The legs encased in the suit pants felt firm and resilient.

Zhou Fanfan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she thought about pulling back, but Guan Yuanbai held her ankle.

"What's wrong…" She looked up at him.

Guan Yuanbai asked, "Finished chatting?"

"Mmm… Almost. I think it's better to discuss the rest with Xia Qing in person later."

"Alright. Are you hungry? You didn't eat much tonight."

Zhou Fanfan: "Not hungry, just tired."

"It has been quite tiring."

Zhou Fanfan tried to ignore the warmth of his palm, but his hand remained, its presence undeniable.

She glanced again at her ankle and said, "You should get some rest soon. By the way, which room are you in?"

"Haven't booked one yet."

"Ah?"

"I came on short notice. I thought I could just book a room at your hotel, but it turns out because it's close to the venue, it's fully booked today." Guan Yuanbai said, "I'll have He Zhi book another hotel later."

He had been with her all day. If she felt tired, he must be exhausted from all the back and forth too.

"Another hotel? That means leaving again. Seems like a hassle…"

Guan Yuanbai chuckled softly and leaned in slightly. "Then should I sleep here?"

Zhou Fanfan was stunned.

Seeing her dazed expression, Guan Yuanbai knew she must be feeling shy. Of course, he was just teasing her.

But to his surprise, she said, "...That could work…"

Now it was Guan Yuanbai's turn to be taken aback. After a moment, he said quietly, "You mean I can stay tonight?"

His voice was calm but held a strangely enticing quality.

Zhou Fanfan suddenly realized what she had said and quickly added, "This… this room is big! The bed is big too. We could each take a side… I just meant sleeping! Of course! You can still leave if you want. I'm sure He Zhi can find you a hotel room!"

Ah… what was she saying…

Zhou Fanfan's eyes instantly filled with conflict.

Guan Yuanbai saw it clearly and chuckled softly. "Then I'll tell He Zhi to find his own place to rest, and I won't go. Anyway, your bed is big enough to accommodate me… for sleeping."

"…"

Words spoken were like water spilled; they couldn't be taken back.

But thinking about it carefully, there was no need to take them back. They were a couple… so sleeping together shouldn't be a big deal, right?

However, in all their time together, while kisses happened frequently, they had never shared a bed before. So, nervousness was inevitable.

After putting her phone down, Zhou Fanfan went to shower and remove her makeup first.

After her shower, she dawdled in the bathroom for a good while before walking out, pretending nothing was happening, feigning nonchalance.

"I'm done. You can use the bathroom now."

Guan Yuanbai nodded. "Mn."

Zhou Fanfan stole several glances at his retreating back, feeling unsettled by the impending "shared sleep." She was too embarrassed to get into bed first and just sat on the sofa playing on her phone until Guan Yuanbai finished his shower and came out.

"Why aren't you resting?" Guan Yuanbai asked, drying his hair.

Zhou Fanfan: "Ah… I still have some things to handle."

A slight eyebrow raise from Guan Yuanbai. "Are you scared?"

"Me? Scared of what?!" Zhou Fanfan immediately protested. "I'm just chatting with a director!"

Guan Yuanbai smiled, put the towel aside, lifted the covers, and got into bed himself. "Alright. So when will our Producer Zhou finish her chat?"

Zhou Fanfan looked down. "Almost done."

"Mn, I'll wait for you then."

"…"

Tch, she was the one who asked him to stay! Why panic! Why panic about sharing a bed with her boyfriend!

Zhou Fanfan gritted her teeth, turned off her phone directly, walked over, and said, "Scoot over."

Guan Yuanbai deliberately didn't move. "You sleep on that side. I'm used to sleeping on this side."

"What kind of habit is that…"

Even as she said this, she still took off her shoes and got on the bed, intending to step over Guan Yuanbai. But as soon as she swung one leg over, the duvet suddenly billowed up like a giant trap snapping shut!

"Ah!"

She was completely enveloped by the duvet and pressed down onto the bed!

"Oh, the prey is caught." Guan Yuanbai looked down at her, amusement deepening in his eyes.

Zhou Fanfan was wrapped up, only her head sticking out. The weight on her made her heart pound. Seeing Guan Yuanbai's teasing look, she refused to admit defeat and deliberately put on a stern face. "But have you heard that the best hunters often appear as prey?"

"Is that so? So you're the hunter?"

"Exactly! You're my prey!"

"Mn…" Guan Yuanbai mused. "So, I'm the prey. Then, Hunter, why are you trembling?"

Zhou Fanfan glared at him. She wasn't trembling, okay?

But her glare didn't seem the least bit intimidating to him. Her long, curled lashes fluttered slightly, her eyes misty, making it look more like she was pouting.

The amusement in Guan Yuanbai's eyes faded slightly. His gaze dropped to her lips, and after a moment, he leaned down and kissed her.

The lights in the room seemed to glow with a hint of ambiguity. Even separated by a layer of duvet, with their breaths mingling, it felt as if they were embracing.

The taste on their lips and tongues was the same—lemon and mint, fresh and cool.

But when their tongues met, it was scalding hot.

Originally, he had just meant to tease her. He hadn't really planned on doing anything.

But once their tongues tangled, licking and exploring, the kiss meant to be brief and light intensified. He couldn't help but delve deeper, more forcefully exploring every corner of her mouth…

The duvet pressed down more and more firmly. Zhou Fanfan trembled amidst the slight suffocation.

"Aren't you coming under the covers?" she murmured softly.

Guan Yuanbai's whole body tensed. This layer of duvet was practically his last shred of rationality. Remove it, and nothing would hold him back.

"Are you sure I should come inside now?"

His voice was so deep, rattling her already shaky composure.

Zhou Fanfan realized what he meant. Her ears burned, but she didn't say no.

They were a couple in the thick of new love. If things progressed naturally when emotions ran high, it made sense…

And she wasn't averse to the idea. She felt that if things flowed naturally, it was fine.

"If you don't come in, where will you sleep tonight?"

Whoosh!

The next second, the duvet was thrown aside. Zhou Fanfan felt the world spin. She was turned over in his arms, and when she opened her eyes again, she was nestled inside the covers, held tightly against his chest.

It was only then that Zhou Fanfan realized the heat and slight suffocation from being tangled in the duvet were nothing compared to this. The heat of his embrace now was startling.

But the real, tangible embrace was also incredibly heart-stirring.

They couldn't resist continuing to kiss, entwined together in the confined, narrow space beneath the covers.

Later, Zhou Fanfan genuinely wanted him to continue.

But things turned out to be far less straightforward than imagined…

After struggling for what felt like a long time, both were covered in a light sweat.

"Does it hurt?"

Zhou Fanfan's eyes were red-rimmed. "It hurts…"

Guan Yuanbai took a deep breath. Seeing her tearful expression, he couldn't bring himself to go on.

He lay down on his side next to her, staring at the ceiling, his temple throbbing.

Intense desire crashed through his mind and body. He restrained himself again and again before saying, "It's okay. Let's not force it for now."

Zhou Fanfan buried herself under the covers, her eyes pitiful as she stared at him. She wanted to say they should continue, but the memory of that tearing sensation made her hesitant, and she couldn't bring herself to be so generous.

Guan Yuanbai said helplessly, "Don't look at me like that, or else…"

"Are you… uncomfortable?"

Guan Yuanbai's heart softened. "I'm… fine."

Zhou Fanfan: "Then… lie back down and sleep. I'll… prepare better next time. I'll do some research…"

Guan Yuanbai let out a soft laugh. "How will you research?"

"…"

Guan Yuanbai leaned over and kissed her. "Let me be the one to do the research."

— —

Author's Note:

First attempt:Failed.

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