The Only Choice - 61

After leaving the restaurant and parting ways with Tang Zhen and the others, Guan Yuanbai drove Zhou Fanfan directly to her university.

"You deliberately invited me to that lunch today, didn't you?" she asked, propping her chin in her hand as she looked at him.

He didn't deny it, simply smiling. "I was afraid you might still misunderstand. Having someone explain it to you face-to-face seemed best."

Zhou Fanfan said, "But you already explained it to me. I never said I didn't believe you."

"Just a precaution. I don't want you misunderstanding me."

"That's so much trouble…"

While her words feigned complaint, the look she turned towards the window was filled with pure delight.

She thought, this must be what a sense of security felt like.

Not necessarily something she had to ask for, but something he would always provide.

After reconciling, they became more inseparable than ever.

Zhao Dezhen's health gradually improved, setting Zhou Fanfan's mind at ease. She often went with Guan Yuanbai to have dinner with her grandmother.

Zhao Dezhen had stopped pressing them about marriage, but she was always delighted to see Guan Yuanbai, often engaging him in long conversations.

Time passed steadily, and summer vacation was nearing its end.

Zhou Fanfan hadn't slacked off during this period. She had assembled her production team and secured funding. Before the summer break completely ended, she began posting casting calls.

Today was the day for selecting the male lead.

Various agencies had submitted resumes. Zhou Fanfan had done the first round of screening online, not attending in person. For this second round, she intended to see the candidates herself.

When she arrived, the casting director and other staff were already there. Once everyone was seated, the actors auditioning entered one by one to perform a selected scene.

The first few actors were somewhat well-known, with good looks and decent acting skills, but Zhou Fanfan felt something was missing.

Lu Mingfan was the sixth to enter. Just like when she'd last seen him, his hair was still silver.

He was a newcomer; aside from Zhou Fanfan, no one else there knew him. But his appearance made an immediate impression, and the casting director's eyes lit up…

Lu Mingfan glanced at Zhou Fanfan before performing a fragment of the male lead's part as required.

His performance surprised Zhou Fanfan. Based on the clips she'd found online before, she had expected his acting to be somewhat stiff and inexperienced. But this time, he was surprisingly immersive. His skills had noticeably improved in a short period.

After all the auditions concluded, Zhou Fanfan stayed behind to discuss with the staff. Lu Mingfan was the dark horse of the day, with the right look and sufficient acting ability. The main drawback was his newness, he lacked a fanbase or the backing of a major agency. Another actor, also handsome and skilled, was a minor A-lister; choosing him felt like a safer bet…

They went back and forth without reaching a conclusion. Eventually, they decided to review the recordings again, think it over carefully, and make a final decision later.

Leaving the studio, Zhou Fanfan didn't head straight to her car but went to a nearby coffee shop. Coincidentally, Lu Mingfan was also there. He wore a mask, but his build and hair color made him instantly recognizable.

Zhou Fanfan walked over to him. Seeing her, Lu Mingfan quickly stood up from his chair. "Miss Zhou."

"You haven't left yet?" Zhou Fanfan said.

"Yeah… I was a bit nervous. Having a coffee to calm down," Lu Mingfan said. "Would you… like to sit? Let me buy you a coffee."

"Thank you, but I've already ordered," Zhou Fanfan said, taking the seat opposite him. "You were nervous? But I thought you acted really well earlier."

"I've been taking acting classes seriously recently," Lu Mingfan said, visibly pleased by her comment. "Miss Zhou, thank you so much for this opportunity. Really, thank you."

"Don't thank me. I just notified you about the audition. The final decision isn't mine alone; it depends on the team's consensus."

Lu Mingfan nodded. "I understand."

Zhou Fanfan added, "But when you walked in today, everyone's eyes lit up. The director was very satisfied with your look, especially the silver hair."

Lu Mingfan looked a little embarrassed. "That's because you suggested I dye it silver-grey before coming…"

A while back, when Scarlet Flame had just started casting, Lu Mingfan had received a message from Zhou Fanfan. She told him to read the novel carefully and suggested he dye his hair for the audition.

His hair had been a different color then, but based on her suggestion, he'd immediately gone back to the salon to re-dye it silver-grey.

"I only suggested it because I thought the silver hair suited the character particularly well," Zhou Fanfan said. "Mm… I hope we get to work together."

"Yeah!"

A few minutes later, the server brought Zhou Fanfan's coffee.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Guan Yuanbai, asking if she was finished. He was nearby and could pick her up.

Zhou Fanfan said she had driven herself. Guan Yuanbai replied that He Zhi was with him and could drive her car back.

She finally agreed and told him she was waiting in the coffee shop nearby.

After hanging up, Zhou Fanfan took a sip of her coffee. "You haven't taken on any other roles recently, have you?"

Lu Mingfan, who had been waiting quietly, answered promptly, "No… There was a web drama a while ago, but the script was… pretty ridiculous, so I didn't take it. Honestly, I don't get many offers. No strong agency backing, no connections. The auditions I get are mostly for very minor roles."

Zhou Fanfan understood completely, but she felt it was a waste of talent. Seeing his performance today confirmed her belief that he was a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.

"I believe things will get better for you in the future."

"Thank you."

They chatted a bit more about the plot of Scarlet Flame.

When Guan Yuanbai arrived, he saw Zhou Fanfan laughing and chatting animatedly with a man with silver hair.

The man's back was to him, so he couldn't see his face. His first thought was, why did she seem so drawn to these unconventional hair colors?

Who was this guy? Someone trying to hit on her? Or a staff member?

His questions were answered when the silver-haired man turned around. He remembered him. Lu Mingfan.

Zhou Fanfan spotted Guan Yuanbai as he approached and waved. "Over here."

Lu Mingfan turned. He didn't know Guan Yuanbai, but judging by his demeanor and attire, he seemed to be someone important, like Zhou Fanfan.

He quickly stood up.

Zhou Fanfan abandoned her coffee and walked over to Guan Yuanbai. "This is Lu Mingfan, the one whose photo I showed you before, auditioning for the male lead. Mingfan, this is… my boyfriend, Guan Yuanbai."

Lu Mingfan paused for a second, then extended his hand. "Hello, Mr. Guan."

Guan Yuanbai glanced at him, gave a noncommittal "Hmm," and shook his hand briefly.

"Ready to go?" Guan Yuanbai asked her.

"We can go now," Zhou Fanfan said, then turned to Lu Mingfan. "Are you leaving too?"

"Yes, I should head out."

"Where are you going? Do you need a lift?"

Lu Mingfan shook his head. "No, no, I'll just take a taxi."

"Okay, take care then. Keep your mask on."

"It's fine, I'm not famous. No one would recognize me even without a mask."

"But you're handsome. Without a mask, people might easily ask for your WeChat. Weren't you wearing one just now for that reason?"

Lu Mingfan smiled shyly. "Alright… I'll keep it on."

"Okay, we're off then. Bye."

"Bye."

After leaving the coffee shop, Zhou Fanfan linked her arm with Guan Yuanbai's as they walked.

"Where did you park the car?"

"When did you get so familiar with him?" Guan Yuanbai asked instead of answering.

Zhou Fanfan: "Huh? You mean Lu Mingfan?"

Guan Yuanbai's eyebrow twitched, his tone laced with a sour note. "Weren't you just calling him 'Mingfan'?"

Zhou Fanfan paused, then quickly said, "Hey, are you jealous? I'm not that familiar with him. He was here for the audition, I came down for coffee and ran into him, so we chatted for a bit."

"Oh? And you were so concerned about him wearing a mask, even complimented his looks." Guan Yuanbai reached out and pinched her cheek. "Zhou Fanfan, is it appropriate for you to pull these stunts right in front of your boyfriend?"

"How is this pulling stunts! I was just stating facts! Ah… let go."

Guan Yuanbai snorted and released her cheek. "Don't casually compliment other men on their looks."

Zhou Fanfan narrowed her eyes, leaning in to peer at him. "Last time, I only promised 'not to casually say I particularly like someone.' I never said I wouldn't compliment someone's looks."

"Zhou. Fan. Fan."

Zhou Fanfan was just asking for it, only backing down when she saw she had genuinely annoyed him.

Noting the faintly dangerous glint in his eyes, she obediently leaned against his shoulder, nuzzling him. "Okay, okay, I was joking. Stop pinching me, you'll make my face swell. I was just saying it offhandedly, it didn't mean anything…"

"Which of your words mean something, and which don't?"

Zhou Fanfan looked up at him. "You are the most handsome man in my heart. That one, I absolutely mean."

"Hmph."

---

They drove back to Xinghe Bay. After parking the car in the garage, Zhou Fanfan remembered that his fridge was probably bare and asked if he wanted to go to the supermarket to stock up.

Guan Yuanbai said dismissively, "Why bother? We can just order grocery delivery."

"We've got nothing else to do. A trip to the supermarket could be nice," Zhou Fanfan said, tilting her head as she observed his lack of enthusiasm. "Mr. Guan, are you still stewing?"

Guan Yuanbai shot her a sidelong glance. "Stewing over what? You're overthinking it."

"Turns out you're quite the vinegar bottle~" Zhou Fanfan ignored his denial and poked his cheek. "But… you're kind of cute when you're jealous."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than he grabbed her hand. With a gentle tug, he pulled her completely towards him.

Zhou Fanfan almost tumbled onto his lap. "What are you doing? I said I was joking! Fine, I won't casually compliment other guys anymore! How about that? So, are we going to the supermarket or not?"

Guan Yuanbai found her utterly disarming. He laughed softly. "If you're bored, we don't have to go to the supermarket."

Zhou Fanfan's eyes lit up. "Then what should we do?"

Guan Yuanbai looked down at her, leaned in, and kissed her lips. "How about something fun? If you still feel bored afterwards, we can go to the supermarket then."

Zhou Fanfan blushed under his meaningful gaze.

But when he kissed her again, she couldn't resist.

She found herself increasingly drawn to the feeling of intimacy with him. At first, she had been too preoccupied with the pain to notice, but as she gradually adapted and even became addicted, she grew especially captivated by his sweat-sheened body and his husky, magnetic voice.

Not that she would ever tell him that.

"Let's go inside…"

As the kissing deepened, she ended up sitting on his lap.

But he seemed to ignore her suggestion, continuing to kiss her lips relentlessly.

She leaned back under the onslaught, her back pressing against the steering wheel. The garage light overhead was bright against her closed eyelids. She turned her face away and whispered, "Aren't we going inside?"

A faint smile touched his lips. "We are going in. Right here.”

---

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