Chapter 57
Originally, because of the information about Biying Liunian, everyone in the player group was already gossiping wildly, but they weren’t sure what had happened. Since it involved two well-known players, no one wanted to speculate openly just yet.
When Lin Xiaoran’s message came through, it instantly blew up the group chat.
[Whoa! What’s going on? Are Qiduqiu and Wuhuanxingyi in a relationship?]
[Is Biying Liunian trying to steal someone?]
[The world changes too fast! Yesterday, Biying Liunian was streaming with Qiduqiu, and her fans were congratulating her on getting a boyfriend in the live chat. She even shyly thanked them. I thought the two of them were a thing.]
[Same! How did it go from that to these two guys being together overnight?]
[Honestly, I don’t want to be rude, but you guys must be blind! I saw the spark between those two at the last in-person event. Didn’t you see their performance on stage? The way they exchanged looks, full of affection? At the end, Qiduqiu even whispered something in Wuhuanxingyi’s ear.]
[Exactly! I have no idea what you guys were seeing, insisting Qiduqiu and Biying Liunian were together. How is that possible? Look at the photos Biying Liunian posted on her social media — in none of them is Qiduqiu even looking at the camera! They were all candid shots. Is taking secret photos of a guy now enough to say you’re dating him? In that case, I hereby declare I’m married to my idol!]
[LMAO! Finally, someone sees it the way I do. Yesterday, when I saw the guys gossiping, I was so embarrassed I wanted to dig a hole and crawl in. What on earth were they thinking? My guess is that this whole thing was just Biying Liunian trying to show off, to satisfy her own vanity, because, let’s face it, Qiduqiu is super hot. But from the looks of it, there’s nothing to brag about now. He probably went with his boyfriend to turn her down.]
[Such a shame, though. It looks like she hasn’t given up yet. Isn’t she challenging the main partner right in the group chat?]
[Honestly, that’s a bit classless!]
[Totally. I can’t stand people who butt in under the guise of pursuing true love.]
[And she’s a public figure. Doesn’t she worry about ruining her reputation doing stuff like this?]
[She’s probably got money at home, so maybe she thinks she can smooth it all over, which is why she’s being so bold.]
[Sigh, having money really is great.]
…
The group chat was buzzing with heated discussion, but the three main people involved remained silent.
Lin Xiaoran had no idea what Biying Liunian was doing, but Gu Yang, ever since seeing the message Lin Xiaoran sent, had been sitting beside him with the goofiest grin plastered on his face.
Lin Xiaoran couldn’t be bothered with him and kept eating his food.
The food at this place was really good and suited Lin Xiaoran’s taste perfectly.
Meanwhile, Gu Yang was so preoccupied with grinning that he barely ate anything, leaving most of it for Lin Xiaoran to finish off by himself.
After eating, Lin Xiaoran grabbed a napkin, wiped his mouth, and glanced over at Gu Yang, who was still grinning like an idiot!
Lin Xiaoran rolled his eyes but then suddenly couldn’t help but lower his head and chuckle softly. He then grabbed Gu Yang and said, “Let’s go!”
Gu Yang, still basking in the joy of Lin Xiaoran’s assertive declaration of ownership, had “mine” echoing happily in his mind.
Obediently, he let Lin Xiaoran pull him out of the trendy restaurant.
The autumn streets were covered with a thick layer of fallen plane tree leaves, and the two walked hand in hand, wandering aimlessly.
As they passed a park at the corner of the street, they noticed a few stray cats gathered, eating food left by passersby. Lin Xiaoran walked over and squatted down to watch them.
Gu Yang followed, smiling as he asked, “Are you coming home with me tonight? Didn’t you say you wanted to see Bai Tang?”
Lin Xiaoran did indeed miss Bai Tang, especially after seeing these cats. After thinking for a moment, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Lin Lan: Mom, I’m going to Gu Yang’s place tonight.
Lin Lan quickly replied: Sure, I have to work late tonight and don’t know when I’ll be finished.
After getting Lin Lan’s approval, Lin Xiaoran turned back and waved his phone at Gu Yang. “Alright.”
Gu Yang couldn’t hide his joy. He reached out and pulled Lin Xiaoran up. “How about we go on a date now? Let’s start with a movie.”
Lin Xiaoran was indifferent about it, but he didn’t dislike watching movies, so he nodded in agreement.
When they arrived at the cinema, they found that no new films of note were showing. Instead, there was a classic movie event, with a different old classic film being shown each day. Today’s screening was a French film from the 19XXs called First Love.
“How about this one?” Gu Yang asked.
It seemed to be one of those films about teenage love, a genre Lin Xiaoran would normally never choose to watch. However, Gu Yang looked interested, so Lin Xiaoran agreed.
They bought tickets and went inside, only to find that there were very few people in the audience.
Even though it was a Saturday afternoon, the movie was apparently too old to attract much attention.
The two found their seats, and the movie began. Gu Yang had also bought popcorn, saying that no couple’s movie experience was complete without it.
Unfortunately, Lin Xiaoran didn’t like sweet things, so Gu Yang held onto the popcorn himself. After just a few bites, he found it too sweet and put it aside, grabbing his water to take a couple of sips. When he turned his head, he saw Lin Xiaoran’s beautiful profile.
In the dim theater, the flickering light from the screen illuminated Lin Xiaoran’s face, making his eyes look especially clear and bright. His thick lashes blinked occasionally, and his expression seemed surprisingly focused.
Gu Yang had worried earlier that Lin Xiaoran might fall asleep within five minutes, considering this wasn’t the kind of movie he usually enjoyed.
Sensing his gaze, Lin Xiaoran turned his head. His bright eyes blinked in confusion, not understanding why Gu Yang was staring at him instead of watching the movie.
Gu Yang didn’t feel guilty about getting caught. He smiled, reached over to hold Lin Xiaoran’s hand, intertwining their fingers, and leaned in to whisper, “Don’t look at me, watch the movie.”
Lin Xiaoran rolled his eyes at him but didn’t pull his hand away, allowing Gu Yang to hold it.
The movie didn’t hold much appeal for Lin Xiaoran, but once he decided to watch something, he could always focus on it.
When one of the movie’s songs started playing, though, his eyes noticeably brightened—it was a song Gu Yang had sung at karaoke before.
That night, Lin Xiaoran had accidentally had too much to drink, making his mind foggy. But he still clearly remembered Gu Yang’s singing—his voice was gentle and moving, and it made him seem especially affectionate.
As he watched the main characters on the big screen embracing to the sound of the music, Lin Xiaoran’s lips curled up slightly. He thought Gu Yang had probably chosen this movie just so he could hear the song again.
He turned to look at Gu Yang, who happened to be looking at him at that moment because of the song. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a smile, ready to continue watching the movie. But then Gu Yang’s gaze suddenly shifted to the two people sitting behind Lin Xiaoran, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He quickly averted his gaze, looking uncomfortable.
Lin Xiaoran found his reaction strange and instinctively turned to look, only for Gu Yang to swiftly pull him into a hug, whispering in his ear, “Don’t look. They’d be embarrassed if you saw.”
Lin Xiaoran clearly didn’t understand, blinking his clear eyes in confusion. He couldn’t figure out what embarrassing thing someone could be doing in a movie theater.
Gu Yang chuckled softly and whispered, “They’re kissing, very passionately.”
Lin Xiaoran: “…”
He was clearly caught off guard by this answer, not expecting anyone to be doing that kind of thing in a place like this.
What he didn’t realize was how his puzzled and surprised expression was even more captivating to Gu Yang, who couldn’t help but tease, “Want to try it?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xiaoran shot him a sharp look and elbowed him away, turning back to watch the movie without saying another word.
Gu Yang smiled and rubbed his nose. He had known Lin Xiaoran would react this way. Not that he had any intention of actually doing it—if he had, Lin Xiaoran would probably punch him.
By the time the movie ended, it was past five.
Autumn nights began early, and the city’s lights had already started to come on. Without the sun, the air had turned cooler.
Gu Yang held Lin Xiaoran’s hand, tucking it into the pocket of his trench coat. He turned and asked, “Are you cold?”
Lin Xiaoran, wearing a thick turtleneck sweater to cover the marks on his neck, shook his head. His lips were a rosy red against the cold. “Shall we go to your place to see Bai Tang?”
Gu Yang chuckled. “How can that be? A date isn’t complete with just a movie—there’s got to be a candlelight dinner too!”
Candlelight dinner?
Lin Xiaoran rolled his eyes, clearly not interested in the slightest.
“Alright, I know you’re not into it, but we still have to eat dinner. There’s a kaiseki restaurant by East Lake with really fresh ingredients. Let’s give it a try.” Gu Yang waved down a taxi and pulled Lin Xiaoran inside.
The restaurant by East Lake was directly across from the Gu family villa, with sparse buildings around and a beautiful environment. The service inside was top-notch, and most importantly, the food was excellent—fresh and delicious.
Lin Xiaoran hadn’t been particularly hungry, having eaten too much at a trendy café that afternoon, but once they started eating, his appetite grew.
However, the downside of kaiseki cuisine was that it took quite a bit of time. By the time they finished dinner, a few hours had passed.
Instead of taking a taxi, the two walked along the East Lake shore to digest their food. After strolling for about half an hour, they finally reached the Gu family villa, where they could see Gu Yang’s grandmother standing at the door, looking out.
Lin Xiaoran quickly withdrew his hand from Gu Yang’s pocket. Gu Yang blinked in surprise as his grandmother, smiling broadly, approached them.
“Ranran, you finally came! Now that you’ve moved back home, you don’t visit Grandma anymore?”
Gu Yang’s grandmother adored Lin Xiaoran, and ever since Gu Yang had called to say he’d be bringing Lin Xiaoran over that evening, she had been eagerly waiting.
Lin Xiaoran felt a bit embarrassed and obediently kept her company, chatting with her.
Gu Xiuyuan wasn’t home, but the other family members greeted Lin Xiaoran warmly—not in a guest-like way, but more as if he had simply been away for a while and had now returned, which made Lin Xiaoran feel warm inside.
Moreover, his room was still intact, just as it had been when he had lived there before.
Of course, the happiest one was Bai Tang, the cat. As soon as Bai Tang saw Lin Xiaoran, the cat ignored everyone else and snuggled into his arms, acting spoiled, as if trying to make up for all the lost time. Even when it was time to sleep, Bai Tang refused to return to its own bed and insisted on staying with Lin Xiaoran.
After taking a shower, Gu Yang came into the room and saw that Lin Xiaoran and the cat were still snuggled up on the bed, playing.
Leaning against the door, Gu Yang smiled as he watched them. For some reason, his mind drifted back to when Lin Xiaoran had first moved in. Back then, Gu Yang would often come home to find Lin Xiaoran in his room, playing with Bai Tang. It made him feel oddly bitter, as if his “son” had been stolen—by a bookworm no less, someone he had really looked down on at the time.
But now, watching the freshly showered Lin Xiaoran, with his damp, soft hair, cradling the cat in his arms with that affectionate smile in his eyes, Gu Yang couldn’t help but feel a surge of fondness.
Clearly, Lin Xiaoran missed Bai Tang a lot too, and he was doting on the little furball, stroking and cuddling it, before finally saying with a laugh, “You’re sleeping here tonight.”
The little furball seemed to understand and immediately let out a cheerful meow.
One person and one cat were clearly enjoying themselves, but Gu Yang was feeling jealous again—this time not because his “son” was being stolen, but because his “wife” was being stolen.
After a moment of contemplation, Gu Yang walked into the room, casually closed the door behind him, and threw himself onto the bed. “Then I’m sleeping here too.”
Lin Xiaoran: “…”
He gave Gu Yang a sidelong glance and threw out two words without hesitation, “Get lost.”
But Gu Yang had no intention of leaving. In fact, he leaned in closer and, with a pitiful expression, half-jokingly complained, “Why is it that Bai Tang can sleep with you, but your boyfriend can’t? That’s not fair!”