Part 2
Gu Youchen added, “We’ll probably book a private tour for the two of us and hire a photographer to do a travel shoot for us.” They both felt that traditional wedding photos were a bit dull; a travelogue-style shoot would be better. They wouldn’t necessarily wear wedding attire or pose for the camera, but rather create a record of real, spontaneous moments—precious memories to look back on when they were old.
Hearing this, Tan Xizhou suddenly piped up, “I can take photos too!”
Tan Haize tapped him on the head. “You are going back to school and studying hard!”
Everyone laughed. A little embarrassed, Tan Xizhou huffed, “Whatever. Brother-in-law said I’m talented!”
The atmosphere at the dinner table was warm. Ning Ruojun showed no aversion to her ex-husband’s son from his second marriage. In her eyes, her relationship with Tan Haize was over. His subsequent marriage and children had nothing to do with her and didn’t stir any emotion. The only competition she cared about was for their respective places in Ning Qingqing’s heart.
After dinner, the group went for a stroll around the villa grounds. Ning Qingqing excused herself to use the restroom. When she came out, she saw Gu Heng talking to Gu Youchen and decided to wait for them nearby.
Just then, she heard voices. It was her own parents.
“It’s clear that Youchen and his entire family dote on Qingqing,” Ning Ruojun was saying. “I can finally rest easy. It’s a good thing we decided to stay the night to observe them a little more closely.”
“Yes, that was my thinking as well,” Tan Haize agreed. “I feel I’ve let Qingqing down in the past. I was planning to come and inspect the Shen family, but before I even had the chance…”
Ning Ruojun sighed. “I also came too late. Qingqing sometimes suffers in silence. She broke up with Shen Zhiqian so suddenly, and while she never said a bad word about him, I met his father the other day. He seems very calculating, and it was obvious he had no idea Qingqing was our daughter.”
“That’s very likely,” Tan Haize concurred. “That child is just too good to people. That’s why we must make this wedding a grand affair. We can’t let anyone bully our daughter ever again!”
Ning Ruojun shot him a glare. “Heh, and where were you before? At least I knew to move my company here. What did you do? I heard that Si Luoqing from the Si family was rumored to be involved with Shen Zhiqian. Even though he immediately denied it and probably doesn’t even like her, you still signed that manipulative, innocent-acting girl to your company!”
Tan Haize was taken aback. “How was I supposed to know about that? I have a controlling stake in three entertainment companies. Am I supposed to investigate the family history of every single artist we sign?”
Ning Ruojun scoffed. “Can’t you ever grasp the main point? I’m obviously telling you to shelve Si Luoqing. Don’t you get it?”
“Of course I get it,” Tan Haize sneered. “I know the ins and outs of the entertainment industry better than you do! Just look at you, acting like an iron lady!”
Ning Qingqing couldn’t believe it. Just when she was feeling relieved that her parents were finally getting along, it turned out to be an illusion. It only took a few sentences for them to start bickering like schoolchildren. Two people who were normally such commanding figures turned into squabbling kids whenever they were around each other.
She pretended to have just been passing by and let out a soft cough.
The two combatants instantly ceased their squabbling.
On the other side of the path, Gu Youchen finished his conversation with Gu Heng about a potential collaboration with Ningchuang Ventures and walked over. The group continued their leisurely stroll, enjoying the evening breeze before heading back inside.
Though Ning Ruojun and Tan Haize were incompatible, they had one thing in common: excellent sleep schedules. Barring necessary social engagements or late flights, they were both in bed by ten. Tan Xizhou was also required to be in bed before ten, so Ning Qingqing soon found that it was time for her to return to her room as well.
Li Lan gave her a new nightgown. Once inside the room, Ning Qingqing grabbed it and headed straight for the bathroom.
Gu Youchen had just finished a video conference. Before he could even say hello to Ning Qingqing, he saw her dash into the bathroom, leaving him with only a view of her back. He chuckled to himself. A moment later, however, when his eyes fell on the large bed, he felt every cell in his body spring to life.
His mouth felt dry. He went to get a glass of water and gulped it down.
The sound of running water trickled from the bathroom. Gu Youchen roughly knew how long Ning Qingqing’s showers usually took, but tonight seemed to be taking an exceptionally long time. He felt a bit stuffy and had already unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt, but it didn’t seem to be enough. He undid a third.
Inside the bathroom, Ning Qingqing had already washed herself twice over with meticulous care. Realizing she shouldn’t be hogging the bathroom, she turned off the water and began her skincare routine. After she was done, she double-checked her nightgown and then opened the door.
By the bookshelf, a man was reading, his figure cool and ascetic. Ning Qingqing saw Gu Youchen’s elegant hand take a foreign-language book from the top shelf. She was too far away to see the title. But one thing was clear: Gu Youchen was a true gentleman. Even though they had to share a bed tonight, he wasn’t thinking about any of that. He was reading a foreign-language book!
Ning Qingqing felt herself relax, annoyed at the wild scenarios she had concocted in the shower that had left her feeling flustered and awkward. Look at the calm man before her. He wasn’t thinking about anything at all!
Hearing her footsteps, Gu Youchen turned around. He noticed her hair was still damp and put down his book, walking directly towards her.
She felt the touch of his skin on her wrist and her eyes widened.
But in the next second, Gu Youchen simply led her back to the bathroom, found a hairdryer in one of the cabinets, and plugged it in. “Qingqing, did you not find the hairdryer? Your hair is long. I’ll dry it for you before you sleep.”
Ning Qingqing’s mind went blank. She had misunderstood him again. He really wasn’t trying to lead her into the bathroom for an intimate bath.
The warm air blew as the man stood behind her, his fingers gently threading through her hair. The light was bright, but the mirror in front of them was fogged up, dimly reflecting their silhouettes. Yet this very blurriness seemed to cast a soft-focus filter over the scene, making it feel both cozy and a little ambiguous.
But having already misunderstood him twice, Ning Qingqing didn’t let her thoughts run wild this time. They had only been together for ten days. Gu Youchen wasn’t that kind of person. They would surely take things slow. It would probably be at least half a year, right?
The warm air gradually dried her hair. Gu Youchen then picked up a comb, intending to brush it for her.
“Youchen, I can do it myself,” Ning Qingqing said quickly, taking it from him. “You’ve probably never combed hair this long before, have you? There’s a technique to it.”
To her surprise, Gu Youchen seemed genuinely interested. “Oh? Show me the technique.”
So, she demonstrated for him. “You start by combing the ends and gradually work your way up. That way, it doesn’t get tangled.”
Gu Youchen watched, then took the comb from her hand and followed her instructions. The girl’s hair was like silk, slipping smoothly through his fingers, carrying the faint scent of osmanthus. His mind began to wander.
Ning Qingqing, however, was completely oblivious. In her mind, the man beside her was the epitome of a restrained, ascetic gentleman.
After he finished combing, Gu Youchen’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Qingqing, you get some rest first. I’m going to take a shower.”
“Okay,” Ning Qingqing nodded. She walked out and hesitated for a moment before going to the far right side of the large bed. Luckily, the weather was warm enough to sleep with the windows open, so they didn’t need air conditioning or have to share a blanket.
Ning Qingqing turned off the main light, leaving a small nightlight on, and closed her eyes.
But sleep was impossible. The sound of the man getting ready in the bathroom trickled in.
Finally, all the sounds stopped. The bathroom door opened, and the fresh scent of his body wash wafted into the room.
Ning Qingqing lay on her side, her back slightly tense.
A few seconds later, the mattress on the other side dipped. Ning Qingqing found she was hyper-aware of Gu Youchen’s every movement.
He turned off the nightlight and lay down. He was on the left, she was on the right. The bed was huge, yet the space suddenly felt confining. Ning Qingqing deliberately quieted her breathing, afraid the slightest sound would disturb the man beside her. But the more tense she became, the more uncomfortable she felt.
And just then, her throat began to itch.
Ning Qingqing tried to hold it in, holding her breath until her face flushed red, but finally, she couldn’t stop herself from coughing.
Once a cough starts, it’s not so easy to stop. She let out several helpless coughs until the itch in her throat subsided.
Just as she let out a slow breath, she felt the man beside her reach over and take her hand in his.
In the darkness, he said, “Qingqing, come here. I’ll hold you, then you won’t be cold enough to cough.”
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