Getting the marriage certificate was a physically demanding task. By the time they finished everything, it was already past mealtime.
Whenever Ji Ruan was hungry, he became mentally unfocused so he was weakly curled up in the back seat of the car. On the other hand, Gu Xiuyi didn't show any signs of change, sitting upright and proper as always.
The driver had already been sent back by Gu Xiuyi, so Song Ling was driving the car himself. After fastening his seatbelt, he glanced at the rearview mirror and asked, "Where should we go now, boss?"
Gu Xiuyi checked his watch and asked Ji Ruan, "What do you want to eat?"
What does he want to eat?
Ji Ruan couldn't answer immediately; he was so hungry that he wanted to eat everything.
Gu Xiuyi waited for two seconds and, as expected, got no response.
He had almost grown accustomed to Ji Ruan's way of following his mood. Without looking up, he reached out to brush Ji Ruan's hair behind his ear.
But this time, he didn't touch it.
Ji Ruan intercepted him midway.
Gu Xiuyi looked up; his wrist was being held by Ji Ruan with both hands. Ji Ruan's fingers were very beautiful. Even though Gu Xiuyi's skin tone was considered fair for most men, Ji Ruan's skin was still much fairer, as if he had never been exposed to the sun.
Ji Ruan pursed his lips, looking somewhat helpless, "I heard you this time, I just haven't decided yet."
"……"
Gu Xiuyi withdrew his hand and instinctively rubbed his wrist, "Then think about it a bit more."
The spot where Ji Ruan had touched his wrist was still cold, which startled Gu Xiuyi. It was the first time he had encountered someone with such a low body temperature.
... But, he hadn't had much physical contact with many people in the first place.
Maybe it was just because his own body temperature was high.
Ji Ruan leaned back in his seat, gazing out the window and thinking for a while. Suddenly, he glanced at his phone and said, "I want to eat fried chicken."
Gu Xiuyi was also looking at his phone. He replied in an indifferent tone, "Don't be ridiculous."
"How is that ridiculous?" Ji Ruan turned to face Gu Xiuyi, with both hands on the seat, "Can't I eat fried chicken?"
Only then did Gu Xiuyi look at Ji Ruan and realize that this kid seemed to be serious.
"Don't you find it cloying?" Gu Xiuyi asked.
"Nope," Ji Ruan slightly tilted his head, his big eyes fixed on Gu Xiuyi. "Hmm... maybe if I eat too much, but the last time I had it was in middle school. I can hardly remember the taste now."
He seemed to seriously consult with Gu Xiuyi, moving slightly, his soft hair brushing against the back of the chair. "Can't I indulge a little?"
Half of what he said was true, and half was false. When Ji Ruan last had fried chicken, according to the book, was unknown. But in reality, he had been unable to eat fried food due to prolonged illness. Now that he had a body that was relatively healthy, Ji Ruan got the sudden urge to try it.
Gu Xiuyi silently stared at Ji Ruan.
Not to mention middle school, he had lived this long without ever eating fried chicken and couldn't understand why today's kids loved such heavy, unappetizing fried foods.
But if Ji Ruan called eating fried chicken "indulging," then were a few cheap pieces of chicken really an indulgence?
Thinking about this, Gu Xiuyi couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Ji Ruan was someone who generally had no demands, but when he wanted something, he had to get it. He always said three parts of what he wanted when he actually meant seven, skillfully manipulating people.
Relaxing in his seat, he casually said, "Today is Thursday."
So what if it's Thursday? Gu Xiuyi, who loved working with no days off, not even public holidays, found no special meaning in it.
"So?"
"So, it's KFC's Crazy Thursday."
"......"
"And what is that?" Gu Xiuyi truly felt a generation gap.
Why go crazy on Thursday? If bored, why not work overtime?
Ji Ruan thought for a moment. "It's a promotion."
Gu Xiuyi turned away. "I don't eat promotional food."
"Pfft—" Ji Ruan was amused by the natural pickiness of this domineering president. "Oh, it's just an event, an event."
An event, just a business tactic for profit.
Gu Xiuyi glanced at Ji Ruan's dimples from his laughter, thinking only these fun-loving youngsters would enjoy such things.
After Ji Ruan had laughed enough, he started staring at Gu Xiuyi again. Without a reaction from Gu Xiuyi, he just kept staring.
Gu Xiuyi could hardly bear it.
How could his big eyes stay open so long without getting sore?
He averted his gaze and rubbed his brow vigorously. "Fine, fine—Song Ling, find a nearby one."
Fifteen minutes later, Gu Xiuyi sat expressionlessly in a booth on the second floor of a KFC in the shopping district.
Wearing a full suit from his company meeting, he stood out sharply from the store's ambiance, drawing many curious glances.
But Gu Xiuyi's dictionary didn't include the words "regret." Since he had agreed to accompany Ji Ruan for fried chicken, he would stay with him throughout. Others' gazes didn't matter.
Lunch hour had passed, and the store had fewer customers than at peak times, mostly energetic students, some working on summer homework, others on dates.
Having gotten his voucher, Ji Ruan changed back into his T-shirt and shorts. He sat opposite Gu Xiuyi and used his phone to scan the code and order, perfectly blending into the store's atmosphere.
Gu Xiuyi stood out like a sore thumb.
There was no "regret” in his dictionary but...
Gu Xiuyi took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, and tried to calm down by reading financial news.
Ji Ruan picked a set meal, about to place the order, when he suddenly remembered he had already spent a huge 21 yuan on beef noodles for Han Xiaolin today.
Engrossed in the allure of financial news, Gu Xiuyi couldn't ignore the intense gaze from across the table.
He looked up, meeting Ji Ruan's soft, water-like eyes, the long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
Gu Xiuyi: "?"
Ji Ruan, in a tone as casual as chatting with a friend, said, "I seem to remember you said you would treat me to a meal?"
Gu Xiuyi: "......"
He hadn't said that.
Could it be that Ji Ruan has practiced some ancient, long-lost technique of not blinking? As long as Gu Xiuyi didn't look away, he could keep staring at him.
Staring until he softened his heart.
Gu Xiuyi sighed and handed over his phone.
Ji Ruan immediately smiled, showing his dimples, and took it with both hands: "Thanks for the treat."
He quickly scanned the code and added the desired set meal to the shopping cart, then asked Gu Xiuyi: "What do you want to eat?"
Gu Xiuyi watched Ji Ruan's slender fingers quickly tapping on his phone, the skin of his fingertips glowing white under the screen's light.
He had no interest in fast food and casually said: "Just coffee."
Ji Ruan looked up: "Just that?"
"Mm."
As it turned out, the coffee from the fast food place didn't suit President Gu's taste, it was too sweet.
He symbolically took a couple of sips and then set it aside, resting his chin in his hand as he watched Ji Ruan eat.
Ji Ruan eating a drumstick was somewhat different from his usual dining manners. Though his posture remained proper and his eating manner graceful, his cheeks puffed up more, and he wiped his mouth more vigorously, pressing his lips until they turned red.
Gu Xiuyi stared at those reddened lips for a long time before blurting out: "Why do you always press your lips like that?"
"What?" Ji Ruan didn't hear clearly, looking puzzled.
Gu Xiuyi coughed into his hand and looked away: "Nothing, just eat."
It was summer vacation, and the restaurant was full of student couples. Gu Xiuyi glanced around absentmindedly, seemingly reminded of something, and tapped the table.
Ji Ruan looked up.
Gu Xiuyi: "Finish eating and come with me to a place."
·
In the scorching heat, the shopping center in the business district had the air conditioning set very low. As soon as Ji Ruan entered, he started coughing again.
Gu Xiuyi led Ji Ruan forward while listening to his weak coughing, finally couldn't help but patting his back: "What's wrong with your throat?"
Ji Ruan clutched his throat, frowning, his voice hoarse: "The air conditioning is too cold, and the fried chicken... was a bit salty..."
Gu Xiuyi thought of the row of small bones Ji Ruan had gnawed clean and the large cup of iced cola, and sneered: "Serves you right."
All those irritating foods, who wouldn't feel uncomfortable?
Ji Ruan: "..."
Gu Xiuyi took Ji Ruan into a luxury jewelry store, Ji Ruan blinked: "?"
Gu Xiuyi said matter-of-factly: "To buy wedding rings."
"Oh..." Ji Ruan frowned and leaned against the wall: "But I'm so tired, I don't want to move."
Whether it was from running around all day or concentrating too hard on the drumstick earlier, Ji Ruan was now very tired and sleepy, and the air conditioning here made his throat feel even worse.
Gu Xiuyi looked at Ji Ruan's pale lips, his expression unchanged: "You don't need to move, just sit and choose."
Though Gu Xiuyi was supposedly helping Ji Ruan buy a wedding ring, in reality, Gu Xiuyi was the one making the choices, and he was extremely picky and hard to please.
Ji Ruan casually pointed out a few styles, but none of them satisfied Gu Xiuyi.
Even the new designs that the manager highly recommended failed to spark Gu Xiuyi's interest, and he finally requested a custom-made ring.
Ji Ruan was half-leaning on the sofa, holding a glass of water. From his angle, he could see Gu Xiuyi's profile, displaying a very serious and focused expression.
This expression, however, did not seem to match their nominally empty marriage. Ji Ruan suddenly felt a subtle discomfort.
Taking advantage of the manager's absence to fetch the designer, Ji Ruan gently tugged on Gu Xiuyi's sleeve. Gu Xiuyi turned around, naturally leaning in slightly, "What is it?"
Ji Ruan bit his lip and whispered into his ear, "We're not really getting married, is it necessary to be this serious?"
Gu Xiuyi looked at him for a moment, not explaining the marriage but simply saying:
"This is something we will be wearing on our hands for the next three years. Do you want something you don't like?"
Ji Ruan was momentarily stunned.
Gu Xiuyi's eyes were very deep. Even when calm, like a deep pond, they exhibited a unique intensity when viewed up close.
Ji Ruan seemed to suddenly understand why the original Ji Ruan liked Gu Xiuyi so much.
When someone you already have a crush on looks at you with such eyes, it's hard not to foolishly wonder if they care a little about you too.
Fortunately, he was not the Ji Ruan from the book.
Ji Ruan let go of Gu Xiuyi's sleeve and smiled, "I understand."
The designer created several sketches according to Gu Xiuyi's requirements. Ji Ruan, drowsy from waiting on the sofa, was pulled up by Gu Xiuyi to give his opinion, his vision blurry.
"These are just the basic designs," Gu Xiuyi explained. "You pick a few, and they will refine the more detailed designs."
The designer also looked at Ji Ruan with eager eyes.
But facing a row of sketches, Ji Ruan was at a loss. He never realized his aesthetic sense was so straight that he could hardly distinguish the differences between these styles.
After a brief hesitation, Ji Ruan decisively gave up.
He suddenly leaned against Gu Xiuyi, resting his chin on his shoulder, and smiled charmingly at the designer, his voice soft:
"He will decide."
No man can resist the feeling of being in charge in front of others.
Almost immediately after Ji Ruan spoke, Gu Xiuyi's body subtly stiffened, then his posture straightened even more, and an internal sense of satisfaction emanated from his otherwise expressionless face.
The designer immediately beamed with admiration, "You two are really in love!"
_________________
The author has something to say:
Ruan Ruan’s three slacking tricks – "I didn't hear that", "I don't want to move", "He decides."
Ruan Ruan: He's pleased.
President Gu: I'm not. Do I look pleased?
T/N: I'm moving from my old house so got a bit busy with all the packing. Sorry for the abscence~
Thanks for the update!! 🤭🤭🤭
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