The Only Choice - 6

The food street was bustling with people. The faces of all the students were lit with carefree, youthful smiles.

Shops crammed both sides of the street. None were very large, but they were noisy and lively, each one crowded with patrons.

The fact that so many people ventured out for food on such a cold winter night was a testament to just how good the offerings here were.

Zhou Fanfan walked a few steps ahead, leading Guan Yuanbai towards her favorite shop. In her opinion, their fried crispy pork was better than anything produced by a five-star hotel kitchen.

But before they reached it, a sudden warmth enveloped her neck. Zhou Fanfan discovered her pink-and-white scarf had been draped back over her shoulders.

She whirled around to see Guan Yuanbai holding the hand warmers out to her. He stood there watching her, his lowered eyelashes catching the warm glow from the surrounding shops, making them appear exceptionally clear.

"These were for you to use. Why… are you giving them back?" she asked, not taking them, her voice laced with concern.

Seeing her hesitation, Guan Yuanbai simply tucked the hand warmers into the pockets of her coat. "Keep them for yourself. I'm not cold."

He started walking forward again. Zhou Fanfan hurried to catch up, staying beside him. "But you're not wearing much!"

For someone like Guan Yuanbai, winter attire was typically minimal. Indoor heating was everywhere, and travel was always by private car. It was rare for him to walk outside on a cold winter day.

"Mr. Guan," Zhou Fanfan grew anxious. Mustering her courage, she tugged lightly on the corner of his jacket, but released it just as quickly. "You should really use them. It wouldn't be good if you caught a cold."

Guan Yuanbai glanced at her. She was wearing a white wool coat today. While she looked a bit like a soft, round rice ball, the coat itself didn't seem particularly thick.

"Aren't you cold?" Guan Yuanbai asked.

"I'm fine. It's more important that you don't get cold."

She said it with such utter conviction, and her expression showed not a hint of insincerity.

Guan Yuanbai looked at her wordlessly for a moment, his feelings complex.

"Mr. Guan?"

Guan Yuanbai snapped out of it, his refusal more pointed this time. "I said it's unnecessary."

"Oh…"

Zhou Fanfan didn't dare press further. But still worried he might catch a chill, she abandoned a leisurely pace and practically jogged the rest of the way to the fried meat shop.

While waiting for the order, she ushered Guan Yuanbai inside.

The shop was small, with only two tables. Though simple, it was much warmer than outside.

"Wait for me here. I'm going to buy a few other things."

Guan Yuanbai opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, Zhou Fanfan had already dashed off again. A gust of cold air swept in with the flapping door curtain, lingering briefly before being swallowed by the warmth inside.

Guan Yuanbai frowned slightly, dismissing the thought of calling her back, and settled in to wait.

There were chairs in the shop, but since a few other customers were already seated at the tables, he remained standing. He didn't really feel like sitting down anyway.

If he was being honest, he still found it somewhat unbelievable that he had somehow ended up here.

Students came and went around him, creating a chaotic, noisy atmosphere.

And Guan Yuanbai, standing there, was extremely conspicuous, whether because of his business-casual attire or his overly striking looks and stature.

The seated students kept sneaking glances at him. Before long, a young girl approached, gathering her courage to ask for his contact information.

"Hey, can I get your WeChat?"

Guan Yuanbai, bored from waiting, lowered his gaze at the sound of the voice. Seeing a young student asking for his WeChat, he felt a wave of exasperation.

What is this situation?

Guan Yuanbai was silent for a long moment, trying to formulate a quick but not hurtful rejection, when a soft figure squeezed between him and the girl, abruptly blocking his view.

"Ah, sorry, sorry. That wouldn't be convenient."

His field of vision was filled with Zhou Fanfan's dark black hair. A clip adorned the side, its pearl gleaming, round and glossy, looking both delicate and playful.

Guan Yuanbai took a step back, secretly relieved.

The female student immediately understood. "Oh, you have a girlfriend. Sorry, my bad!"

Zhou Fanfan neither confirmed nor denied it, simply offering the girl an apologetic smile.

Once the girl left, Zhou Fanfan turned to Guan Yuanbai. "Sorry about that. Did you wait long?"

With students still staring, Guan Yuanbai said, "Can we leave now?"

"Yes, let me just grab the crispy pork."

They left the shop and returned to the car.

Zhou Fanfan unloaded all the snacks she had just bought onto the center console.

"These are all super delicious. You should try them."

Guan Yuanbai wasn't really hungry, but when someone had gone to the trouble of buying food specifically for him, common courtesy dictated he at least try some.

So he picked up a fork and tried a piece of the fried pork she'd bought.

Upon the first bite, he paused slightly in surprise, then chewed slowly, carefully discerning the taste.

It was… unexpectedly good.

"How is it? Pretty good, right?" Zhou Fanfan looked at him expectantly.

Guan Yuanbai nodded. "Yes."

"I knew it." Her eyes lit up with the excitement of a successful recommendation. But remembering who she was with, she kept her voice low and restrained. "Even though these places are tucked away in little corners and aren't expensive, the food is genuinely delicious. It's just as good as many high-end restaurants. Oh, and Mr. Guan, you should try this cake too. It's also excellent."

Intrigued by the quality of the food, Guan Yuanbai picked up a different, smaller fork and obediently took a bite of the cake.

He savored it carefully. It was sweet but not cloying, with a rich fruity aroma. The cake sponge, combined with the cream, melted smoothly on his tongue.

She wasn't joking when she said it could rival high-end restaurants.

High-end restaurants excelled in ingredients; these shops excelled in technique.

Guan Yuanbai frowned, beginning to critically assess whether the exorbitantly priced pastry chef at the Nanjue Hotel was truly worth it.

As Guan Yuanbai ate quietly, Zhou Fanfan didn't disturb him. She watched him take bite after bite until he had finished the entire slice of cake.

So, he has a sweet tooth, she thought to herself.

"Let me drive you home," Guan Yuanbai said finally.

Her car was still back at Nanjue, so she didn't refuse. She gave him her home address and thanked him.

—

Dropping off Zhou Fanfan took about half an hour. By the time Guan Yuanbai returned to his home at Xinghe Bay, it was already 11 p.m.

As he got out of the car, he noticed the gift box on the back seat. He retrieved it and, once inside, placed it casually on the coffee table.

He woke up the next day preoccupied with company matters and forgot about the small item.

He only remembered the gift box two days later when the housekeeper asked if she should move it to his study. That's when it clicked.

He didn't let the housekeeper handle it. Instead, after finishing work and returning home, he opened the square box himself.

Inside, the first thing he saw was a postcard with a neatly handwritten message.

[Mr. Guan, I painted this myself. I hope you like it. I've also included one for your sister. Wishing you both happiness every day and success in all your endeavors.]

Beneath the postcard were two framed portraits, colored with pencil.

The top one was of him. The one below was of Guan Zhiyi.

Guan Yuanbai first picked up the frame with his sister's portrait. Zhou Fanfan had depicted Guan Zhiyi on stage. Guan Yuanbai recognized the outfit; it was from last year's New Year's Eve gala, during his sister's singing and dancing performance.

To be fair, Zhou Fanfan's skill was impressive. The lines, the expressions, the details… everything was captured accurately. The Guan Zhiyi in the painting was about ninety-eight percent similar to the real one.

But he knew this one wasn't the main event, so he set it aside casually and picked up the one of himself.

In the painting, he was sitting behind a desk, looking up, a trace of impatience in his expression. Zhou Fanfan had likely copied it from some photo, but he couldn't quite remember when that particular photo was taken.

Most likely, his grandmother had snapped it to show potential matches during the matchmaking process.

While this portrait wasn't as strikingly similar as the one of Guan Zhiyi, it was still about ninety percent accurate. It was clear that the colors and lines were complex, requiring a long time and a great deal of patience to complete.

A slight smile touched Guan Yuanbai's lips, but it faded quickly as a thought occurred to him.

The effort was commendable, but perhaps too commendable.

He didn't have feelings for her, so he had even less use for these unnecessary gestures. She'd even prepared one for his sister…

If there was a next time, he absolutely would not accept.

Ding ding—

Just then, his phone on the table vibrated twice. Guan Yuanbai set down the frame and picked up his phone.

It was a message from Guan Zhiyi, still on her honeymoon. She had sent a photo from her travels, likely taken by someone else. In the picture, she and her husband, Qi Chengyan, were forming a heart shape with their hands towards the camera.

[Brother, this place is so much fun! You should bring your future wife here next time!]

Guan Yuanbai looked at the photo, or more accurately, at Qi Chengyan's pose, and felt a profound sense of speechlessness.

Qi Chengyan was his childhood friend; he knew his character inside and out. Yet here he was, coaxed by his sister into making such a childish gesture.

It's an eyesore.

Guan Yuanbai picked up his phone and sent a voice message: "Just enjoy your trip. What 'future wife'?"

Guan Zhiyi replied: "So, how are things with that girl from before?"

Guan Yuanbai: "Nothing's happening."

"Knew you were lying about her liking you." Guan Zhiyi sighed audibly in her message. "Brother, can you stop fooling me? It's okay if no one likes you. I'm not like Grandma and the others. Even if you end up alone forever, I wouldn't pressure you."

"…………"

Guan Yuanbai was practically angered into a laugh.

He pressed the voice button, replying slowly, each word dripping with suppressed annoyance: "Even if I do end up alone forever, it won't be because no one likes me."

"Uh-huh."

Guan Zhiyi's one-second voice message felt like a challenge.

The corner of Guan Yuanbai's mouth twitched. He casually took a photo of the paintings and sent it to her.

A few seconds later, Guan Zhiyi's surprised voice came through: "Wow, you commissioned a painting of me? It's really well done!"

Guan Yuanbai smirked coldly. When he spoke again, his voice carried a distinct note of boastfulness. "A girl gave me these paintings. Oh, and she just happened to paint one for you as well."

---

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