The Only Choice - 7

The winter in the capital this year was exceptionally cold. Today, there was even a hint of snow in the air. Zhou Fanfan moved two pots of crabapple trees from the courtyard indoors. After finishing the task, she walked back towards the living room, her breath forming little white puffs in the air.

"Fanfan, why are you coming in from outside dressed so lightly? Aren't you cold?" The housekeeper, Auntie Feng, seeing her thinly dressed, quickly draped a blanket over her shoulders.

Zhou Fanfan wrapped herself in the blanket and curled up on the sofa. "I thought it might snow, so I moved those two crabapple plants inside."

"Oh dear, you should have just told me! Old Chen will be here later; I could have asked him to move them. How could you go out and do it yourself in this cold?"

Old Chen was the family driver who also helped look after the plants in the courtyard.

Zhou Fanfan took a sip of the hot water Auntie Feng handed her and quickly warmed up. "I just happened to see them and moved them on a whim. Mom planted them last year; I can't let them freeze to death."

"They won't freeze. I've heard crabapple trees are hardier than most plants against the cold."

"Really? Mom didn't tell me that."

"Then why not ask her? But regardless, you can't just run outside like that in the middle of winter. Don't do it again, okay? Remember that."

Zhou Fanfan smiled at the housekeeper. "Alright, alright, I got it."

Auntie Feng left, still muttering reminders. Zhou Fanfan put down her cup, picked up her phone, and sent a picture of the crabapple blossoms she had taken outside to her mom.

[Look, the ones you planted last time are in full bloom again.]

There was no immediate reply. Probably busy and not looking at her phone.

Zhou Fanfan didn't mind. She turned on the living room TV and found a movie to watch.

As the movie neared its end, her phone chimed. Her mom had replied: [They're so beautiful.]

A slight smile touched Zhou Fanfan's lips: [Yeah, I saw them outside looking cold earlier, so I ran out and moved them all inside.]

[You moved them yourself? It must be very cold there now. Be careful not to catch a cold. Those flowers are cold-resistant; they don't need to be brought indoors.]

Zhou Fanfan: [Auntie Feng said the same thing.]

[Then you should listen, okay?]

Zhou Fanfan: [I know, I know. You're still talking to me like I'm a little kid.]

[Haha, I'm always scolding Xiao Heng like this. Accidentally said the same to you.]

Zhou Fanfan's lips pressed together briefly, but she quickly returned to normal: [Haven't seen you post his photos on Moments lately. What does he look like now?]

[We've been at the beach these past few days. He's gotten so tanned! (Image)]

Zhou Fanfan looked at the photo her mom sent. It was a ten-year-old biracial boy with blond curly hair, sitting on a beach lounger with a displeased expression, one hand reaching towards the camera, likely objecting to having his picture taken.

She remembered him being fair and tender before. Comparing now, he was indeed much darker.

He must be having a lot of fun at the beach.

Zhou Fanfan didn't reply further. She put down her phone and finished watching the end of the movie.

Ding ding—

WeChat chimed again. Zhou Fanfan initially thought it was her mom sending something else, but upon opening it, she found it was their fangirl group chat discussing where to meet for a meal around Guan Zhiyi's upcoming birthday.

The other two members of the group lived in other provinces, scattered far and wide. They only met up for matters related to Guan Zhiyi.

Like movie premieres, certain galas, red carpet events...

Her birthday was also an important occasion. Last year for her birthday, the four of them had gone to Jiangcheng together because Guan Zhiyi happened to be filming there at the time.

But going wasn't about actually seeing their idol, they couldn't see her while she was filming anyway. It was more of a ritual. The four would gather, have a good time for a couple of days, and eat a lot of great food.

After some discussion, the group decided that this year for Guan Zhiyi's birthday, they would come to the capital. Zhou Fanfan was, of course, very welcoming and sent a string of happy emoji stickers.

[I wonder if Yiyi will be back by then. If she is, she'll definitely be in the capital! Then I'll at least be breathing the same air as my darling!] said Qiqi in the group.

Zhou Fanfan: [Probably not. Honeymoons tend to be quite long.]

Qiqi: [Ugh! So sad! When will I get to see my darling daughter?!]

Hearing this, Zhou Fanfan felt a little melancholic too. Simultaneously, her hope for Guan Zhiyi to finish her honeymoon and return early grew stronger. Maybe then she could get a chance to see her.

Zhou Fanfan rolled over onto her stomach on the sofa, drifting into a daydream about what she would say to her precious Yiyi to express her admiration if she ever met her.

But the more she thought about it, the less suitable any words seemed. Expressing her fandom in her current capacity might come across as bothersome... It would be better to just pretend to be an ordinary passerby.

Still, whether she could even meet her was uncertain... Given her current relationship with Guan Yuanbai, she didn't know if their charade could last until his sister returned from her honeymoon. Or even if she did return, whether Zhou Fanfan would have any valid reason to see her.

After all... she and Guan Yuanbai were just acting.

—

The next day, Zhou Fanfan had classes. She didn't eat at home, opting to have lunch with Xu Xiaoqian at the university before heading to the classroom.

Xu Xiaoqian, knowing she had given the paintings a few days prior, eagerly asked if they had been in contact since.

Zhou Fanfan sighed, indicating that Guan Yuanbai hadn't messaged her. He was probably too busy and had forgotten all about her.

But who would have thought that this notion would be overturned just before class ended.

Her phone screen suddenly lit up with an incoming call from Guan Yuanbai.

The lecture hall was crowded today, and Zhou Fanfan was sitting in the very back, not worried about the professor seeing. She hunched over her desk and answered in a low voice, "Hello?"

Hearing her voice, Guan Yuanbai paused. "Did I wake you?"

A flutter of excitement ran through her. "No, no! I wasn't sleeping. I'm in class."

Guan Yuanbai: "Alright. I'll call back later."

"You can go ahead. It's fine, really."

Guan Yuanbai seemed to let out a soft sigh, then quickly added, "Just pay attention to your class first."

Beep beep beep—

He hung up.

Zhou Fanfan stared blankly for a second, then looked at her phone. He hung up so fast... And that last sentence sounded oddly stern.

Perhaps because he had called her out, Zhou Fanfan actually avoided touching her phone for the rest of the class and focused on the lecture.

Once class was finally over, she picked up her phone and called Guan Yuanbai back. "Mr. Guan, sorry about that. What did you need earlier?"

Guan Yuanbai said, "I was just going to ask if you would be at home tonight."

"Tonight... I will be. I was planning to go home after class."

Guan Yuanbai explained, "It's like this. My family asked about you and me today. I told them we'd be having dinner together tonight."

Zhou Fanfan understood instantly. She was familiar with this drill! Last time, when her grandmother was pressuring them to make progress, she had also claimed she had a dinner date with Guan Yuanbai.

"So you're hoping I won't be at home, to create the impression that I'm out with you."

Guan Yuanbai confirmed, "Yes. But it depends on your plans. If you don't feel like going out with friends tonight and just want to stay home, that's fine too. I can just tell them we rescheduled."

"No need to reschedule. Let's do it tonight. You helped me last time; of course, I'll help you this time."

"Okay, thank you."

"Where should I meet you later?"

Guan Yuanbai was momentarily caught off guard. "What?"

Zhou Fanfan elaborated, "Should I go to your company, or to the Nanjue Hotel?"

Guan Yuanbai was silent for a moment, the words he initially intended to say dying in his throat. "...I'll come pick you up later."

Zhou Fanfan: "Okay! Sorry for the trouble."

Zhou Fanfan gave him the university address, so after making plans with Guan Yuanbai, she didn't drive home.

When Xu Xiaoqian found out she was spending the evening with Guan Yuanbai, she insisted on fixing up her makeup.

Zhou Fanfan grabbed her friend's wrist. "Xiaoqian, I've been thinking... since I can't become the sister-in-law anyway, what's the point of putting on makeup and changing clothes?"

"But you can't just give up! What if you run into someone from his family? If you don't look the part of the dignified young lady from a good family, what if they decide they don't want you associating with Guan Yuanbai anymore? If you don't have to keep up the pretense, you'll have no connection to him at all, let alone any chance to see our darling daughter or give her gifts."

"Yikes... You have a point."

Last time they met, they ran into his second brother, who he said loved reporting back to their grandmother. She couldn't let people around him go back and say that Zhou Fanfan was utterly plain and unremarkable!

Thinking this, Zhou Fanfan compliantly sat down and let Xu Xiaoqian work on her face.

However, after changing clothes and finishing her makeup, there was still some time before the meeting. Remembering how much Guan Yuanbai had liked the dessert last time, Zhou Fanfan hurried to the food street to buy him another slice of that cake he enjoyed.

"Where are you? I don't see you." Guan Yuanbai's voice came through the phone.

Zhou Fanfan quickened her pace. "Wait for me, I'll be at the main gate right away!"

"Okay. No need to rush."

Guan Yuanbai turned off the engine and waited in the car.

To be honest, he hadn't originally planned to have dinner with Zhou Fanfan today. His initial intention when calling was simply to suggest she make plans with friends to be out for the evening.

That way, they could fabricate the story of being together for dinner.

But during the call, her first question was about where to find him.

At that moment, he found it hard to say, "Just go have fun with someone else." After all, he was the one asking for a favor this time. Treating her to a meal seemed like the least he could do.

So, he came.

Soon, he spotted a familiar figure approaching in the distance.

She wore a brown overcoat, her long hair slightly wavy. She looked a bit slender and fragile in the winter chill. Noticing she was carrying something, Guan Yuanbai got out of the car and walked towards her.

"Mr. Guan." She saw him and smiled, a clear and bright expression.

Guan Yuanbai's gaze lingered on her face for a second before dropping to what she held. "Let me take that for you."

"No, it's okay. I've got it."

"Give it to me."

Guan Yuanbai took it directly. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Zhou Fanfan said, "Well... alright. They're for you anyway."

Guan Yuanbai was taken aback. "For me? What is it?"

"It's cake. The same one we bought on the food street last time. I noticed you really liked it, so I went to get you another slice."

So, the reason she was late getting to the gate was because she went to buy him cake?

His feelings were getting complicated again.

Zhou Fanfan blinked her bright eyes. "So... shall we go now?"

Guan Yuanbai snapped out of his thoughts and gave her another glance. "Yes, let's go."

---

Author's Note:

Pamper him, pamper him, pamper him!

---

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