Chapter 63: People in Love Are Always Prone to Insecurity
When Qin Wan opened his eyes the next morning, Gu Xinglan hadn’t woken up yet.
At this moment, the man was right behind him, pressed tightly against him. A large hand was wrapped around his waist, holding him.
Qin Wan felt a bit strange.
Usually, Gu Xinglan would wake up very early.
Why was he waking up later than himself today?
He thought for a moment, his face turning red as he understood.
Last night, Gu Xinglan had over-exhausted himself!
For some reason, Gu Xinglan seemed to be even more excited than usual last night.
He had entangled him over and over again, and his actions had been very fierce throughout.
Every time, he only let him go when Qin Wan could no longer bear it and was on the brink of collapse.
He couldn’t figure out why Gu Xinglan was suddenly like this. Could he have secretly taken some sort of stimulant?
He suddenly remembered another detail.
Last night, the man hadn’t just called him “Laopo,” he had also said, “I love you!”
Qin Wan’s face turned even redder.
He felt as though even the tips of his ears were burning.
This was too eerie.
How could those three words be said so casually!
This guy Gu Xinglan, when the “lust-worm” got to his head, he dared to throw out any kind of words.
Qin Wan secretly curled his lip.
He looked down at the hand wrapped around his waist.
Although it was slender, elegant, and very beautiful, he still decided to move it away.
He gently pinched the man’s wrist and was just about to move it a tiny bit.
Suddenly, Gu Xinglan’s hand flipped over and gripped his small hand.
Qin Wan was startled.
Looking at this reaction speed, he only then realized that the person behind him had actually woken up long ago.
Qin Wan’s brow furrowed slightly.
To be so ghost-like even while sleeping—besides the “Male Ghost” Gu Xinglan, there was no one else.
Sure enough, Gu Xinglan’s slightly raspy and very pleasant voice came from behind his ear.
“Wan-bao, you’re awake?”
Qin Wan gave a small “Mhm” and whispered, “Good morning, Gege.”
“Are you tired?” Gu Xinglan leaned close to the base of his ear and asked in a very low voice.
Qin Wan immediately became alert.
Intuition told him this was a “life-or-death” trick question.
If he said he wasn’t tired, it was highly likely he’d be rewarded with a round of early morning “training.”
If he said he was tired, the man might use his lack of physical stamina as an excuse to start “training” him for exercise.
So, if he didn’t answer properly, the consequences would be severe.
Qin Wan blinked a few times, thought for a moment, and threw back a question: “Is Gege tired?”
Avoiding the question directly while turning the tables.
Gu Xinglan was thinking about other things and was caught off guard, accidentally falling into Qin Wan’s little trap.
He let out a muffled snort. “A bit tired.”
Last night, he had truly felt that he had lost control.
He didn’t know if it was because of Qin Wan’s proactive kiss or because he had heard that “Laogong,” but in any case, his usually excellent self-control had failed him.
The only tiny bit of reason remaining ensured he didn’t hurt Qin Wan.
Aside from that, he had been forceful, obsessively entangled, and unable to pull himself away.
As a result, he had woken up an hour later than usual this morning.
After waking up, he didn’t really want to get out of bed.
He rolled over and pulled Qin Wan into his arms from behind.
Feeling the warmth and softness in his embrace, a sense of total satisfaction and “life couldn’t be better” flooded his heart.
He thought that if the person in his arms could be held like this while awake and be willing and happy about it, that would truly be a peaceful and perfect life without regrets.
When he was moved last night, he had said those three words.
It definitely wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment whim.
Only by using the cover of being out of his mind with passion did he dare to say them regardless of anything.
It was the same principle as many people speaking the truth while drunk.
He didn’t know what kind of reaction Qin Wan would have upon hearing those words.
In fact, his shattered consciousness last night had left him no room to observe the boy’s reaction.
Therefore, his heart was a bit apprehensive right now.
He gently turned Qin Wan’s body around to face him.
He stared at the handsome little face.
“Was I a bit too much last night?” he asked, carefully observing the expression on the boy’s face.
Qin Wan’s face was flushed pink.
He bit his lip. “A little bit. But you were quite gentle, so… it’s okay.”
Gu Xinglan gave a light laugh. “So you aren’t very tired right now, are you?”
Qin Wan’s eyes shrank. “Gege, but I’m very hungry now! My stomach is growling; I want to get up and eat breakfast!”
Gu Xinglan pulled the person closer to himself.
He pressed his head against the boy’s chest and rubbed down a bit. “Oh? Let me listen and see if it’s growling.”
He pressed his ear against him and listened for a while.
He looked up and gazed at him with a beaming smile. “A-Wan, you’re lying again. It’s not growling at all.”
Qin Wan’s face was wrinkled with worry.
He felt that escaping a round of morning “tossing” might be impossible today.
But unexpectedly, Gu Xinglan laughed, kissed the top of his head, and pulled him up.
“Get up. It is time for breakfast.”
Only then did Qin Wan let out a deep, long breath.
After breakfast, Gu Xinglan took Qin Wan to Li Ye’s restaurant.
Qin Wan’s first impression of Li Ye was very good.
He felt that Li Ye was completely different from that flashy, annoying Young Master Fu; he was a polite and well-mannered person.
Li Ye and Qin Wan discussed the working hours.
“The chefs here start work at ten in the morning and finish at ten at night.”
“However, the intensity is quite high. Since you’re just starting to learn, how about ten in the morning to eight at night?”
Qin Wan immediately nodded in agreement.
But Gu Xinglan shook his head.
“Let’s just do half-days in the morning. Don’t let him get too tired.”
Qin Wan wanted to push for it.
But Li Ye laughed. “That makes sense. Qin Wan, then let’s do ten in the morning to two in the afternoon. It’s settled.”
Qin Wan couldn’t say anything more.
Li Ye instructed the lobby manager to take Qin Wan for a tour of the restaurant, while he stayed in the private room to talk to Gu Xinglan.
He knew Gu Xinglan definitely had more to say.
Sure enough, Gu Xinglan spoke.
“A-Ye, among the chefs in your kitchen, are there any who are particularly good-looking?”
Li Ye rubbed his chin. “What is your standard for ‘good-looking’?”
Gu Xinglan thought for a moment. “Anyone who is a bit uglier than you, but not much uglier, counts.”
Li Ye shook his head and laughed.
He felt that Gu Xinglan had suddenly become very childish.
This was completely unlike a question that a high-and-mighty, wolf-like superior would ask.
But it wasn’t strange.
People in love are always prone to insecurity.
Li Ye gave a very firm negative answer: “No.”
Gu Xinglan still wasn’t at ease. “Then, what about the waiters?”
Li Ye’s charming almond-shaped eyes curved even further, and the smile on his face became even more brilliant.
“A-Lan, I promise I’ll keep an eye on Qin Wan for you.”
“I’ll follow him with a little notebook every day. If he so much as looks at anyone else, I’ll immediately record it and report it to you, okay?”
Gu Xinglan gave a light snort and brushed his brow with a long finger. “There’s no need for that.”
The next morning, Qin Wan started work at the Jinghongyan Restaurant.
Li Ye guided him personally and also instructed his head chef to teach him patiently.
Qin Wan’s natural talent for cooking was already extremely high, and he was a diligent and eager student.
Add to that the guidance of two top-tier chefs and a group of other senior chefs helping out, his starting point was already a finish line that others couldn’t reach in a lifetime.
So, in just half a month, his culinary skills progressed by leaps and bounds.
Every afternoon during this half-month, Qin Wan would go to the hospital after work to take care of Auntie Rong.
In the evening, he would return to the villa to have dinner with Gu Xinglan.
He would even personally cook the dishes he had learned during the day for Gu Xinglan to taste.
Seeing Qin Wan happy, Gu Xinglan’s mood had also been very good these days.
In bed at night, although he was still overbearing, he had started to consider Qin Wan’s feelings, allowing him to also derive pleasure from the act.
“A-Wan, does it feel good?” Gu Xinglan looked at the person beneath him and asked softly.
Qin Wan was panting heavily, his forehead and neck covered in beads of sweat.
His small face was completely red, and his body was still trembling slightly.
He was like a rose currently undergoing a baptism of wind and rain.
Although he had a shattered and scattered feeling of being ravaged, he was so beautiful it was even more breathtaking.
“Mhm,” he let out a soft hum.
That simple, single syllable seemed like a massive affirmation for Gu Xinglan.
The man’s elegant phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a smile blossomed on his lips.
“Baby, call me Laogong,” he said softly.
Qin Wan’s face turned even redder. He bit his lower lip tightly and tilted his head slightly to one side.
“You don’t want to call me, Baby?” Gu Xinglan’s voice was extremely alluring, carrying a hint of danger.
He reached out, gently pinched the boy’s beautiful chin, and pulled it straight.
He stared into the dark, clear eyes clouded with mist. “Then Laogong won’t be ‘tender toward the jade’ anymore, okay?”
Qin Wan’s heart panicked. “Don’t…”
He looked up slightly at the handsome and bewitching man before him.
“Laogong…” he called out softly.
Gu Xinglan laughed. “Good boy—love you…”
Following his words, he kissed the boy’s lips heavily…
Translator’s Note: “Tender toward the jade” (憐香惜玉 – lián xiāng xī yù) is an idiom meaning to be gentle and protective toward a beautiful woman (or in this case, a beautiful lover). Gu Xinglan is definitely falling hard!
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