Chapter 100: Going Home with Dad

The phone vibrated once.

Shen Yanhui: 【Are you finished?】

Gu Yan looked at the screen and did not reply.

After a few seconds, he sent another message: 【Waiting for you downstairs】

She gave a soft hum, but her fingers obediently typed: 【Ten minutes】

After sending it, she stood up, picked up the leather jacket from the back of the chair, and walked out.

The elevator went all the way down.

By the revolving door in the lobby, Shen Yanhui stood there with his suit jacket draped over his forearm and his shirt sleeves rolled up twice, clearly having just stepped away from work as well.

He heard footsteps and raised his eyes.

Gu Yan walked over, said nothing, and stuffed the box of tiramisu she had packed into his palm.

"Given by the sister-in-law." She paused. "It's too sweet, I don't like it."

Shen Yanhui looked down at the box of cake, then looked at her.

She turned her face away and walked outside.

He followed and took her hand.

The night wind in Monza carried the chill of early autumn. Gu Yan was led by him, walking half a step behind him to his side, when she suddenly stopped.

"I can't walk anymore."

She tilted her face to look at him, the small mole at the corner of her eye appearing and disappearing in the night.

Shen Yanhui looked at her, said nothing, and turned to crouch down in front of her.

Gu Yan curled the corners of her mouth and climbed onto his back.

He stood up, held her steadily, and continued walking forward.

She rested her chin on his shoulder, her nose brushing against the back of his neck, and smelled the crisp scent of cedar on him.

"Shen Yanhui."

"Hm."

"Have you ever carried anyone else on your back before?"

"No."

She was satisfied and tightened her arms a little. His back was broad and thick; it felt very safe to lean on.

After walking a few steps, Gu Yan couldn't help but call him again: "Shen Yanhui."

"Hm."

"Am I heavy?"

He gave a soft, low laugh.

She waited two seconds, reached out, and pinched his ear: "I'm asking you, hurry up and say it!"

"Not heavy." He finally spoke, his voice carrying a helpless smile, "Light as if you haven't eaten."

"That's for sure," she said righteously, "I gave that tiramisu to you tonight, didn't I."

Shen Yanhui didn't respond, just hoisted her arms up to adjust her, holding her more securely.

Streetlamps swept past them one by one, stretching the shadows of the two people out long.

"Shen Yanhui."

"Hm."

"Do you think there's any late-night food in Monza?"

His footsteps paused: "Hungry?"

"A little."

Shen Yanhui was silent for two seconds, then changed direction at the next intersection.

"Aren't we going back to the hotel?" Gu Yan looked up.

"Feeding you first."

She curved her eyes and swung her feet.

Deep in an alley was a very small pizza shop, glowing with warm yellow light.

Shen Yanhui carried her inside. The shop owner was a white-haired Italian old man who, upon seeing their posture, raised his eyebrows, smiled, and said something in Italian.

Gu Yan didn't understand.

Shen Yanhui replied without changing his expression and placed her in a seat by the window.

"What did he say?" Gu Yan asked.

"He said when he was young, he also carried his wife like this."

"Then what did you say back?"

Shen Yanhui lowered his eyes to look at her and took the menu handed over by the owner: "I said, I can't bear to let her walk by herself."

Gu Yan's ears burned, and she lowered her head to pretend to look at the menu.

Outside the window, cars returning late occasionally drove by, their tires rolling over the cobblestone road and emitting a low vibration.

In the end, she ordered a Margherita.

While waiting for the pizza, she folded the napkin on the table over and over, folding it into a crooked paper crane.

"For you." She pushed it over.

Shen Yanhui looked at the thing that could barely be recognized as the shape of a bird and tucked it into his inner suit pocket.

"I'll have it framed when we get back," he said.

"…Crazy."

By the time the pizza arrived, Gu Yan was already sleepy.

She forced herself to eat one bite, then a second, but her head began to bob downward.

Shen Yanhui set down the water glass in his hand, pulled her over, and let her lean against his shoulder.

"Not eating anymore?"

"... Mm." Her eyes were already closed, her voice slurred, "So sleepy..."

He lowered his head to look at her.

The warm yellow light fell upon that sleepy face, her eyelashes drooping to cast a small shadow beneath her eyelids. The box of barely touched pizza was still steaming, and the night outside the window had completely settled in.

He picked the young girl up on his back again; she sleepily wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face into the crook of his shoulder, and nuzzled against him.

"Are we going home?" Her voice was as soft as melted butter.

"Mm."

——

On Sunday's main race, Xu Zhouye brought back a championship trophy.

It was Gu Yan's first time watching an awards ceremony; she was sprayed with champagne at the edge of the podium, and Shen Yanhui pulled her into his arms, covering her head with his suit jacket.

She poked half her head out from his embrace, her hair tips damp and clinging to her cheeks, her smile radiant.

So much so that by the time the plane landed in Jingcheng, she was still savoring the experience.

"When Xu Zhouye made that last corner overtake, I almost didn't dare to look!" Gu Yan walked out, arm-in-arm with Shen Yanhui, her eyes sparkling. "In the end, he actually made it past—0.087 seconds. The engineer said the gap was only this tiny bit."

She gestured the distance of a fingernail.

Shen Yanhui said softly, "Mm."

The tone sounded indifferent, but it wasn't hard to hear the doting within it.

"And that champagne, do they always spray it for that long every time?"

"Mm."

Gu Yan suddenly remembered something: "Is your suit ruined? Can it be saved if we send it to the cleaners?"

"It can be saved." He pressed her hand, "Don't worry about it."

Only then was Gu Yan reassured, and she began chattering away about the unfinished stories from the paddock.

Shen Yanhui listened quietly, occasionally responding with a single word, his gaze remaining fixed on her face.

By the coffee shop at the exit corner, Gu Fanglin was standing there.

Gu Yan's voice came to an abrupt halt.

She blinked, confirming for three seconds: "... Dad?"

Gu Fanglin was wearing a dark gray stand-collar jacket, his hands behind his back; his gaze moved slowly from his daughter's face to the hand she had linked with Shen Yanhui's, then slowly back to her face.

"So you know how to come back."

The tone was very resentful.

Gu Yan immediately let go of his arm, shuffled over in a few steps, and looked up with a smile: "Why did you come in person? I thought you had a meeting this afternoon—"

"I pushed the meeting." Gu Fanglin lowered his eyes to look at her, "If I didn't come, my daughter might be changing her surname to Shen."

Gu Yan: "... Dad!"

She dragged out her voice to act spoiled, and Gu Fanglin couldn't help but pat her head, though his gaze drifted past her shoulder to land on Shen Yanhui, who was a few steps away.

The two men's gazes met in the air.

Shen Yanhui stepped forward half a pace and nodded slightly: "Uncle Gu."

Gu Fanglin didn't respond, just watched him.

It was quiet for two seconds.

"Have Mr. Shen's affairs been handled?"

Shen Yanhui nodded composedly: "They have been handled, thank you for your concern, Uncle."

Gu Fanglin's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Gu Yan was caught in the middle, her scalp tingling; just as she was about to cut in, Gu Fanglin had already withdrawn his gaze and looked down at her: "You've lost weight."

"No, I haven't..." Gu Yan whispered.

"Haven't been eating properly?"

"I have." She looked away guiltily and added, "I eat a lot every day."

Gu Fanglin didn't call her bluff.

He looked at Shen Yanhui again: "When did you arrive?"

"Just landed." Shen Yanhui paused, "I had planned to visit you tomorrow, Uncle."

Gu Fanglin gave a faint "Mm."

Then, he suddenly spoke, his tone impossible to tell if it was serious or teasing: "You won't have something come up at the last minute again this time, will you?"

Gu Yan couldn't help but snicker; her dad really held a grudge.

She turned to look at Shen Yanhui, wanting to see a hint of embarrassment on his face from being put on the spot.

Yet, he remained composed, his tone even more calm: "I will not."

Gu Fanglin let out a "Hmph," impossible to tell if he was satisfied or even more dissatisfied.

"Let's go, Yan Yan, come home with Dad."