Almost the instant their hands clasped together, the lights in the theater went out.
Normally, there would have been a long segment of advertisements, but the person who booked the entire theater today was truly wealthy and influential. The cinema staff cut the ads and went straight into the main feature.
Eerie sound effects began to play, echoing prominently throughout the hall.
It had to be said—watching a horror movie in a theater, amplified by those sound effects, doubled the sense of dread.
Yin Lan quickly sat down, glancing around to confirm that even after the movie started, they were still the only two people there. Resigned, she turned her attention to the screen.
So tense was she that she barely noticed her hand was being held by Zhou Guchuan.
The movie opened with two people exploring a dark house. It was a mansion, but everything was pitch black, creating an atmosphere of tension.
Yin Lan remarked, “Why aren’t they turning on the lights at night? Can’t they afford the electricity bill? If they just turned on the lights, there wouldn’t be so many ghosts.”
No sooner had she spoken than a jump-scare effect flashed on screen.
It startled her so much that she jerked her hand out of Zhou Guchuan’s grip and covered her eyes.
A woman in a red dress, with disheveled hair and a ghostly face, appeared.
Clearly frightened, Yin Lan trembled as she asked Zhou Guchuan beside her, torn between wanting to watch and being too scared.
“Is that female ghost gone yet?”
Zhou Guchuan had intended to take her hand again, but seeing how genuinely terrified she was, he abandoned the idea.
Instead, he began explaining the plot to her.
“The female ghost is gone. Now those two have entered the basement. There’s a dead cat inside.”
With her eyes covered, Yin Lan could only vaguely make out a few shadows. Almost as soon as Zhou Guchuan finished speaking, the piercing cry of a cat echoed through the entire theater.
“Ah!”
Yin Lan screamed before realizing the man beside her remained completely calm.
“Zhou Guchuan, aren’t you scared?”
“No, these ghosts are all fake.”
“You really are brave.”
After saying this, Yin Lan turned her attention back to the movie, unaware that Zhou Guchuan’s gaze had grown profound at that moment.
No, in truth, he was also quite timid—he was afraid that there would be no connection between him and her.
In other matters, he could strategize and maneuver with ease, but when it came to her, Zhou Guchuan felt somewhat helpless.
Zhou Guchuan had never liked anyone before, and he had even witnessed the instability of marriage through his parents’ relationship.
But since meeting Yin Lan, that feeling vanished instantly. He wanted a future with her.
He didn’t know what kind of person Yin Lan liked, because according to his investigation, her romantic history was a complete blank.
If he had precise information, he might have been more confident—whatever type Yin Lan liked, he would become that person.
Liking someone meant both hoping to be with them and not wanting to cause them distress.
Wanting to respect everything about her, yet hoping she belonged only to him—this complex emotion was far more complicated than handling contracts worth hundreds of millions.
Yin Lan had no idea that Zhou Guchuan beside her had been thinking so much during the movie. Her mind was entirely focused on the film.
She only dared to lower her hands and watch relaxedly during the daytime scenes. As soon as night fell, she would immediately cover her eyes again.
By the end of the movie, Yin Lan felt utterly exhausted, even breaking into a slight sweat.
Zhou Guchuan had explained a few scenes earlier but eventually fell silent, his gaze almost glued to Yin Lan.
Seeing her sweating from watching the movie and not having any tissues on him, he casually used his finger to wipe the sweat off the tip of her nose.
Coincidentally, at that moment, the movie transitioned to a daytime scene. The soft lighting fell on Zhou Guchuan’s face, making him appear exceptionally gentle.
Yin Lan had always liked gentle men—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been deceived by Xie Zhiqiu’s facade in her past life.
At this moment, Zhou Guchuan’s sudden closeness made her heart pound wildly. She could no longer hear the sound effects of the movie in her ears, her vision filled entirely with Zhou Guchuan’s eyes and brows.
So, when someone’s heart is moved, the whole world goes silent.
“Um… thank you.”
Snapping back to reality, Yin Lan quickly shifted her gaze to hide her embarrassment.
She kept reminding herself in her heart: Wake up! Haven’t you suffered enough in your past life? Are you going to fall into a man’s trap again? You’re just partnering with him to get through life, not to love him for a lifetime. The one who falls in love first is the loser.
Yin Lan knew very well that when she wasn’t in love, she was a career-driven woman, but once she fell in love, she became love-struck.
In this life, she absolutely couldn’t let love interfere with her career.
After coming to this realization, Yin Lan gradually calmed down and refocused her attention on the movie.
After the movie ended, Yin Lan thought they would each go their separate ways, but unexpectedly, in the car, Zhou Guchuan proactively asked if she wanted to go on a trip together.
The man’s reason was quite convincing: he said the company was giving everyone a four-day break for a long weekend, after which they would dive into a busy work period. He asked if Yin Lan wanted to spend those four days traveling with him.
What a coincidence! She had just notified her department about a five-day break, and Zhou Guchuan’s side was giving four days. Could this be fate?
Actually, Zhou Guchuan had looked into Yin Lan’s recent situation as soon as she sent him that message.
No, to be precise, he was well aware of Yin Lan’s daily life.
The reason he said four days instead of five was that Zhou Guchuan wanted her to rest on the last day before returning to work. He was afraid she would get too tired if they played for five days straight.
“I don’t know if you have time? Girlfriend.” Zhou Guchuan asked sincerely, his tone humble.
Yin Lan placed her fingers on the steering wheel, driving while pondering—should she go or not?
They say traveling is the best way to test someone’s character. This could be a good opportunity to see what kind of person he really was.
What if everything he’d shown so far was just an act? That was entirely possible.
“Where do you want to go?”
“How about an island? Do you like that?”
Asking this, Zhou Guchuan felt a bit nervous, afraid she might refuse.
On an island, he could wear swim trunks. He had been working out, and his figure was decent—he wondered if she would like it.
Not knowing what type of man Yin Lan preferred, Zhou Guchuan could only try little by little. Maybe by sheer luck, he’d stumble upon something she liked.
“Anywhere is fine. I’m mainly going to accompany you.”
“I’ve already booked two tickets for tomorrow.”
“What? Did you buy the tickets in advance? What if I didn’t agree to go?”
“If you don’t go, the tickets will just have to be refunded.”
The man’s attitude was clear: he only wanted to go to the island with her.
“Oh, right, I just remembered something. Why aren’t you using the card I gave you? Did you buy these two tickets with your own money? Is your salary enough?”
Yin Lan had a reason for asking these questions. According to the information her assistant had gathered, ever since Zhou Guchuan started university, his nouveau riche father had never given him another cent. All his money came from his own hard work and part-time jobs.
Just as she finished asking, the car pulled up at the Zhou family’s gate. Zhou Guchuan was already home.
As they got out of the car, Yin Lan reminded him, “You still haven’t answered me.”
Zhou Guchuan didn’t speak. Instead, he opened his arms toward her, making his request.
“Miss Yin Lan, if you give me a hug, I’ll answer you.”
Yin Lan: ??
Yin Lan didn’t understand. Was this such a difficult question to answer? Why did he need a hug?
Thinking it over carefully, she realized she was asking about his financial situation—perhaps that could hurt a man’s pride. Maybe he needed a hug for some emotional preparation?