Chapter 43: Love is Mutual

"I'm just joking with you!"

"But Liuli, he said he likes you."

"You believe whatever he says?"

"Why wouldn't I believe it? He was so serious when he said it!"

"He does like me!"

Liuli smiled, and Zihan was stunned.

"Really?"

"Of course it's true. Don't you like me?"

Liuli teased.

"That's not the kind of liking I'm talking about!"

"Then what kind of liking?"

"You're playing dumb! It's the kind of liking Cousin has for you!!"

"Stop, don't mention him."

"Okay, I won't mention him."

Zihan thought about how they were still showing off their love to her last night, and yet today they were like this. Truly, those who show off their love die quickly.

She couldn't help but laugh.

Liuli looked at her coldly, not understanding what she was laughing at.

"Liuli, I'm sorry, I'll just laugh for a moment."

"Do you still want to hear about Cheng Li?"

Liuli asked in return.

"Yes!"

Zihan immediately stopped laughing.

"Cheng Li is actually a very sensitive person. You confessed to him so quickly, he feels very insecure."

Zihan only wanted to hear Liuli talk about him.

"You were too fast."

"Was I?"

"Of course."

"Then didn't you and Cousin move fast too, getting married so casually."

"That's different!"

Why did she start mentioning him again?

"If you mention him again, I won't talk."

"I won't mention him, I won't!"

Zihan shook her head hurriedly.

"Matters of the heart should be taken slowly. You need to give him time to feel your sincerity."

How could Liuli teach others so well, but be a complete mess herself?

"That makes sense."

"Of course! Don't look at who I am!"

Liuli said proudly, and Zihan rolled her eyes at her.

"If he didn't have any feelings for you, why would he go to the bar to see you just now? Isn't that worrying about you?"

"He went to the bar to see me just now?"

"Yes, didn't you see him?"

Cheng Li saw that Bai Xu was taking care of her, so he left. By the time she woke up, he had long since gone.

"No, you aren't lying to me, are you?"

"You can ask Bai Xu. Besides, why would I lie to you?"

"That's true."

Zihan knew Cheng Li had gone to see her; she couldn't even describe how happy she was!

"But in front of you, he doesn't see me."

Zihan was pulled back into her thoughts by the scene of Cheng Li shielding Liuli from the rain.

"How many years have I known him? Lao Zihan, you're a bit ambitious, aren't you? You want to replace me already?"

Liuli said, starting to tickle her.

"Don't, don't, no, I didn't think that!"

Zihan begged for mercy.

"Then what were you thinking? You were thinking exactly that, weren't you?!"

"Then I'll just pester him. If one year doesn't work, then two years; if two years doesn't work, then three! I don't believe I can't move him!"

"That's quite a lot of determination!"

"Of course, I, Lao Zihan, am a person of my word!"

"Then I'll just wait and see?"

"Just watch! I will make him fall in love with me!"

"Okay, I'll wait for your good news."

Waking up in the morning, Gu Die didn't see her shadow. Did she get up so early?

He washed up and went downstairs, but didn't see her either.

"Lín āyí, where is Liuli?"

"Young Mistress? I haven't seen her come down."

"Where is Zihan?"

"I haven't seen her come down either."

Gu Die went upstairs to look for Liuli.

He panicked a little. Did she leave?

But Lín āyí said she hadn't seen her come down.

"Cousin, you're up so early!"

Zihan said when she saw Gu Die coming out.

Liuli really slept soundly last night; she hadn't woken up yet.

"Have you seen Liuli?"

"No!"

Zihan wanted to tease Gu Die.

Gu Die believed her when she said she hadn't seen Liuli and called Liuli's phone.

But the ringtone came from his room; she hadn't taken her phone with her last night at all.

He went downstairs and sent people to look for her.

Seeing this, Zihan realized he had taken her joke seriously.

"Cousin, Liuli is in my room!"

Zihan shouted to him downstairs. If she had been a second later, he would have gone out to look for Liuli.

"I was just joking."

Gu Die ignored her and rushed into her room.

Seeing Liuli sleeping on the bed, his heart finally settled.

He really thought she was angry and had left.

He only now realized that what he feared most wasn't that she didn't love him, but that she would leave him.

He sat by the bed watching her. Zihan thought, he was scared like this by just that?

Zihan watched him accompanying her and felt a bit guilty.

She quietly closed the door, giving them space.

He gently stroked her black hair, saw her curved eyebrows, and couldn't help but kiss them.

He wanted so much to just watch her like this, just watching her would be enough.

She turned over and hugged his arm.

He kissed her forehead again, reluctant to let go.

Liuli felt someone taking advantage of her, and when she woke up, she found Gu Die kissing her lips.

She pushed him away.

"Why did you sleep here?"

He asked, his tone full of confusion and helplessness.

"I couldn't sleep yesterday, so I came over to chat with Zihan, and ended up falling asleep while chatting."

Seeing him like this, she felt quite heartbroken.

"Tell me next time, okay?"

"Okay."

His tone softened, and she couldn't resist, agreeing immediately.

"I'll get up first."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

He touched her head.

Liuli didn't know what was wrong; when she saw him looking miserable, she felt miserable too.

After washing up, she went out and saw him really waiting for her outside the door.

"Liuli, come down and eat!"

Zihan shouted from downstairs.

She had been hungry for a long time, but was waiting for Liuli and Gu Die to come down.

"Coming."

Gu Die reached out from behind her and took her hand.

She let go immediately. The first time they held hands, she was the one who initiated it, and he let go of her hand as soon as he got out of the elevator. She wanted him to experience that feeling too.

He was unhappy about being shaken off and went to hold her hand again.

This time she didn't shake him off, letting him hold it.

Zihan was speechless. These two were ignoring each other yesterday, and today they were holding hands just to go down the stairs?

They really got along fast and got cold fast.

"So hungry."

Liuli said and started eating. She had no appetite last night, and her stomach had been empty all night.

"Eat quickly!"

Zihan said.

"Mm."

Liuli nodded.

Liuli was eating slower and slower now; she didn't know if it was because of the influence of these young masters and misses.

She always felt her table manners were like a country bumpkin.

"What, no appetite?"

Gu Die asked, seeing her chewing slowly.

"No."

She shook her head.

"In a bad mood?"

"No? Why ask that?"

"Then why are you eating so slowly?"

Zihan asked first.

"I... you guys eat your own food, why are you watching me!"

Zihan and Gu Die stared at her, and she felt too embarrassed to eat.

After Liuli said that, Zihan and Gu Die lowered their heads and started eating in large mouthfuls.

As if they were afraid Liuli would finish eating in a moment.

By the time Gu Die and Zihan both finished eating, Liuli was still eating slowly.

Zihan looked at Gu Die, her eyes full of confusion.

Why was she eating so slowly today?

They wanted to eat quickly so as not to keep Liuli waiting, adapting to Liuli's pace.

And Liuli was also adapting to their pace.

Love is mutual.

"Liuli, what are you doing today?"

"Me? I don't know, I'll go find a part-time job."

"You're already the Young Mistress of the Gu Family, and you still want to work part-time? Others will laugh at you."

"There's nothing else to do anyway, let them laugh if they want."

"People who don't know might think Cousin isn't treating you well."

"When has he ever treated me well?"

Liuli glanced at Gu Die and said to Zihan.

"Cousin, tell her if you treat her well or not!"

"If she says it's good, then it's good. If she says it's not, I'll treat her even better until she's satisfied."

Zihan really couldn't stand these two; she was fed another mouthful of dog food.

Liuli couldn't stand him talking like that either, so she pulled Zihan to the walk-in closet.

Gu Die wondered if he had said something wrong again? No, he hadn't?!

"Liuli, my cousin really loves you deeply! He said he wants to treat you well until you're satisfied!"

Zihan teased.

"Don't say it. When he's cold, he's truly cold, and when he says sweet nothings, it's sickeningly sweet. It seems he often says that to other women."

"That was in the past! Now that you're here, see if he dares? Besides, I've never heard him say such brain-dead things to any woman before!"

"Really? He does feel a bit brain-dead."

Liuli noted the second half of her sentence.

"Do you want me to tell Cousin that you called him brain-dead! Let him deal with you properly!"

Zihan raised her eyebrows, her smile looking a bit lewd.

Liuli's face turned red in a flash.

"If anyone is to be dealt with, it's you! You were the one who said it first!"

Liuli retorted.

Zihan thought about it, and it really was her who said it first.

"Then I won't tell on him! And you aren't allowed to either!"

"Depends on my mood!"

"Liuli!"

The two of them were playing around like two little children.

After changing clothes and coming out, Gu Die was still sitting on the sofa waiting for them.

He saw that Zihan and Liuli were wearing the same clothes.

"Cousin, how is it? Does it look good?"

Zihan deliberately showed off that she was wearing the same clothes as Liuli.

Whatever Liuli picked, Zihan would pick the same; she insisted on wearing the same as her.

Gu Die frowned. Did he buy too many clothes? He hadn't even worn couple outfits with her yet. This reminded him that next time he should buy some couple outfits to keep at home.

"Do you want me to make you take it off?"

Gu Die said coldly.

"Liuli is still here! See if you dare!"

She never dared to talk to him like this before. Was it because she had someone backing her up?!

Gu Die's eyebrows furrowed even deeper. Zihan now dared to talk to him without any respect.

"I don't care."

Liuli said.

"You really don't care?"

Zihan asked. Saying this made him lose face in front of Gu Die, okay? She thought she would back her up!

"How can I care about this?"

"Liuli! You don't love me anymore!"

Zihan hugged Liuli's arm and shook it, throwing a tantrum.

"Between him and me, who are you siding with?!"

"Alright, alright! Can't I side with you? Haven't I always been siding with you!"

Zihan knew this trick worked on Liuli. ===== CHAPTER 44 =====