Lanxiang Garden—
Inside the private room, Rong Yi extended her slender, jade-like fingers and elegantly brewed a pot of black tea with practiced grace, creating an exceptionally pleasing sight.
She placed the black tea in front of Gu Ye and said, “Mr. Gu, please try it and see if you like it.”
Gu Ye took a small sip and savored it. “Not bad. The tea is quite fragrant too.”
Admiring the man’s god-like appearance, Rong Yi curled the corners of her lips and remarked, “Coming from Mr. Gu, such words must mean it’s truly excellent.”
Gu Ye chuckled lightly but didn’t take the bait. Instead, he asked, “Judging by your tea-brewing technique, did you study it formally?”
Rong Yi shook her head, lowering her gaze. “No, I never studied it. My grandfather loved drinking tea, so I picked it up from being around him.”
Gu Ye glanced up at her. “Missing home?”
Rong Yi giggled coquettishly. “Please excuse my sentimentality, Mr. Gu. It has indeed been a long time since I’ve been home.”
“Only natural.”
At that moment, a server entered, interrupting their conversation.
“Hello, sorry to disturb. Your dishes are ready.”
The server placed each dish on the table before leaving.
Using serving chopsticks, Rong Yi picked up a portion of stir-fried pork with peppers and placed it in the small white porcelain bowl in front of Gu Ye.
“Mr. Gu, try it quickly.”
Under Rong Yi’s expectant gaze, Gu Ye took a bite and said in a husky voice, “Mmm, it’s delicious. It seems Miss Rong wasn’t exaggerating.”
Rong Yi pouted her red lips, with a hint of playful coquetry. “What’s that supposed to mean? So Mr. Gu never believed me?”
Gu Ye remained unfazed, his tone lazy. “Of course not. I just wanted to affirm Miss Rong’s ability to appreciate fine cuisine.”
Rong Yi’s beautiful fox-like eyes curved, a smile spreading across her lips. “Mr. Gu, can we consider ourselves friends now?”
Hearing this, Gu Ye raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes filled with confusion as he looked at her.
“You don’t have to keep calling me ‘Miss Rong’ anymore, right?”
Gu Ye lowered his gaze, a smile tugging at his lips. “Then what should I call you?”
That’s exactly what I wanted you to say.
Rong Yi’s red lips lifted, a sly glint flashing in her eyes like a fox.
“Call me Rong Yi or… Yi Yi. That’s what all my friends call me.”
Unfortunately, Gu Ye wasn’t buying it.
“Rong Yi.”
When Gu Ye uttered the name, there was a lingering tenderness between his lips and teeth, captivating and intimate.
Rong Yi’s face flushed slightly. His voice was low, rich, and magnetic, the tail end tinged with a hint of laughter, like a feather gently brushing against her heart.
Gu Ye said, “It’s a very lovely name.”
“Thank you…”
Rong Yi’s face was flushed red. At this moment, she seemed as if she had been flirted with, her voice no longer as alluring and bright as before.
Instead, it carried a touch more softness.
Gu Ye looked at the woman’s rosy cheeks and chuckled inwardly.
So easily flustered, yet still trying to tease a man.
Gu Ye said, “Let’s eat. If we keep talking, we’ll have to ask the server to reheat the dishes.”
After that, Rong Yi buried herself in her meal, unable to utter a word for a long while.
After settling the bill in the private room, Rong Yi finally looked up and said to Gu Ye, “Shall we go…”
Gu Ye nodded and took the lead, stepping out of the private room.
The private room was on the second floor, so they still needed to go downstairs and turn left to exit.
While descending the stairs, Rong Yi was lost in thought. In a moment of carelessness, she missed a step.
“Ah!”
The woman’s cry of pain made Gu Ye stop immediately.
He turned around and took two or three quick steps to Rong Yi, crouching down beside her and asking softly, “Did you twist your ankle?”
Tears welled up in Rong Yi’s eyes as she nodded pitifully, her voice choked with sobs. “Mhm, it hurts so much~”
It really hurts! So unlucky, wuwu~
Gu Ye lowered his gaze to look at the woman’s rapidly swelling ankle and immediately picked Rong Yi up in a princess carry.
His voice was deep and firm, “To the hospital.”
…
Orthopedics department at the hospital.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
Rong Yi cried out pitifully, “Doctor, could you be a little gentler…”
The doctor withdrew the small wooden hammer in his hand, adjusted his glasses, and said expressionlessly, “It’s currently suspected to be soft tissue damage. Let’s take an X-ray to see if the bone is injured.”
“Young Master, the X-ray room is next door. What about Miss Rong…”
Hearing this, Rong Yi looked at Gu Ye, her voice sticky and pitifully pleading, “Carry me~”
“Ahem.”
A suspicious flush flashed across Gu Ye’s face. He cleared his throat with a fist pressed to his lips.
Such an unrestrained little minx…
Zhou Yue hesitated, “This…”
What if his young master disagreed and suddenly threw a tantrum? Zhou Yue couldn’t help but break into a sweat for Rong Yi.
The next second, he saw Gu Ye stand up, scoop Rong Yi into his arms, and walk out the door.
Rong Yi secretly gave herself a mental “Yes!”
It seems Gu Ye is still quite susceptible to acting cute.
Wuwu~ Poor my foot~
After the X-ray, fortunately, the bone wasn’t injured. She just needed to rest at home for a month. However, she shouldn’t wear high heels during the recovery period.
After hearing the doctor’s words, Rong Yi didn’t know whether to be happy or worried. She had wanted to rest lately, but she didn’t want to be an invalid.
Gu Ye instructed Zhou Yue to get some medicine to promote blood circulation and reduce swelling for Rong Yi.
He himself carried Rong Yi back to the car first.
“Sorry, President Gu, for causing you trouble…” Rong Yi wrapped her arms around Gu Ye’s neck, leaning her head against his chest, her voice filled with apology.
Gu Ye carried Rong Yi out of the elevator. Hearing her words, he didn’t stop walking.
“Only saying you’re causing trouble now, don’t you think it’s a bit late?”
Gu Ye’s words made Rong Yi feel even more guilty and aggrieved. It wasn’t like she did it on purpose…
Lowering his gaze and seeing the woman in his arms looking utterly wronged, his voice softened, “Just teasing you. It’s no trouble.”
Rong Yi looked up and didn’t miss the teasing glint in the man’s eyes.
She raised her hand into a small fist and lightly thumped Gu Ye’s chest, “You’re so mean~”
He made her feel genuinely aggrieved just now.
Gu Ye curled the corner of his mouth in a rather pleased manner, “Be careful. If you bump it again, no one will carry you to the hospital.”
Rong Yi snorted lightly, “There are plenty willing…”
Hearing the woman’s words, Gu Ye wasn’t angry. He quickened his pace and soon reached the car, placing Rong Yi in the back seat.
The man’s intention to leave was obvious. Rong Yi panicked and grabbed the front of his shirt, “Where are you going?”
Gu Ye looked down at Rong Yi’s small hand clutching his shirt and said hoarsely, “To smoke.”
“Oh…”
Rong Yi let go, obediently letting him settle her inside the back seat of the car.
Gu Ye said in a low voice, “Be good and don’t move around. If your foot gets injured a second time, you can forget about walking the runway.”
Although the words contained an element of threat and exaggeration, the rough truth was there.
Rong Yi knew how important her feet were to her. They were her livelihood, so she would definitely be more careful than anyone.
“Got it.”
Gu Ye reached out and closed the car door for her. He himself leaned lazily against the side of the car and lit a cigarette.
Rong Yi wanted to see what he looked like, but this side of the window was completely blocked by Gu Ye, so Rong Yi couldn’t see anything.
Tsk, what a shame. I really wanted to see Gu Ye smoking—he must look incredibly charming.
But now there’s no chance, so Rong Yi just started playing on her phone.
Gu Ye glanced sideways, listening to the sound of the match-three game from the car, while idly smoking his cigarette…