Chapter 138: You Look Especially Handsome Today

The wedding ended, and the guests gradually dispersed.

Gu Yan and Shen Yanhui were also preparing to head back; the path to the parking lot passed by a massive lawn, which had been trimmed neatly by the workers.

She felt a bit restless, wanting to step on it.

"Shen Yanhui, can I step on it?" She pointed at the lawn, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness.

"Want to step on it?"

She nodded, her eyes bright.

"It looks so soft, it must be very comfortable."

He curved the corners of his mouth.

"Go ahead."

Gu Yan's eyes lit up; she immediately bent down to take off both shoes, tossed them to the side, and stepped onto the grass barefoot.

"Wow—"

She let out a soft cry and looked down at her feet.

The grass was soft, carrying the lingering warmth of the afternoon sun, along with a slight, damp moisture. A faint itch traveled from the soles of her feet, and she couldn't help but curve the corners of her mouth.

She turned around, walked backward for two steps, and spun in a circle.

Her skirt hem lifted with her movements, tracing arcs. Strands of hair danced in the wind, and a few stuck to her lips, but she didn't bother to fix them.

She held that bouquet of flowers, spinning round and round in the sunset, laughing like a child.

Shen Yanhui followed behind her.

He bent down to pick up the two crooked high heels, carried them in his hand, and straightened up to look at his young lady.

He suddenly remembered what she looked like the first time he saw her.

In the rain in Paris, she was just like this—so bright, so beautiful.

He curved the corners of his mouth and followed behind her at a leisurely pace.

Gu Yan had spun enough; she stopped and turned around to look at him.

She stood in the sunset, holding the flowers, barefoot, her eyes and brows curved into smiles: "Shen Yanhui."

"Hmm."

She tilted her head to look at him: "Do you know that you are especially handsome today?"

He didn't speak, just walked toward her.

She stood in place waiting for him.

He walked up to her and placed the shoes on the ground: "Put them on."

She looked down, then looked back up, blinking at him: "Don't want to."

He looked at her.

She smiled slyly: "Carry me."

He was silent for a second, bent down, and scooped her up horizontally.

Gu Yan gasped, subconsciously wrapping her arms around his neck.

She laughed out loud, a giggling sound, like a cat that had stolen a fish: "Shen Yanhui, you really are carrying me?"

"Hmm."

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, laughing even more happily.

He carried her, stepping through the sunset, and walked toward the parking lot. Behind them, the pair of high heels lay lonely on the ground. He paused his steps and looked back.

Gu Yan followed his gaze and blinked: "Oh, I forgot."

"Someone will collect them." He curved the corners of his mouth.

She said "Oh," and contentedly continued to nestle in his arms.

——

After the wedding, Gu Yan was free again.

Sleeping until she woke up naturally every day, meeting Lin Wei for coffee in the afternoon, and waiting for Shen Yanhui to come home for dinner in the evening—life was very comfortable.

It was just that a certain someone had become increasingly excessive at night, often coaxing her into doing things she had never thought of before.

Her phone rang; it was Xu Yuan.

"Miss, I have to tell you something about that glass artist." Xu Yuan's voice came from the other end of the line, sounding somewhat serious.

Gu Yan: "What's wrong?"

"His assistant said he discovered a new mineral vein over in Mali and plans to stay for at least another three months."

Gu Yan was stunned for a moment: "Three months?"

"Yes." Xu Yuan paused, "The assistant said if we are in a hurry, we can fly over to talk to him. But the conditions there aren't very good, so you'd need to be mentally prepared."

Gu Yan didn't speak.

She was calculating the time.

Shen Yanhui's birthday was at the end of December. She wanted to finish the gift before then to give him a surprise.

Now, until his birthday, there was...

"Miss?" Xu Yuan's voice pulled her back.

"I know," Gu Yan said, "I'll consider it."

Hanging up the phone, Gu Yan paused for a while. She was, of course, inclined to fly over in person, but she had to think of a reason to deceive Shen Yanhui beforehand.

She wanted to give him a surprise.

But he was so shrewd; what reason could she use?

Gu Yan thought for a long time but couldn't come up with anything, so she simply stopped thinking about it for now. She was going to see an exhibition with Lin Wei in a while and needed to change her clothes to go out.

The exhibition hall is in the east of the city, hosting a joint exhibition for up-and-coming artists. When Gu Yan arrived, Lin Wei was already waiting at the entrance, holding two cups of coffee.

"Five minutes late." Lin Wei handed her a coffee, "Tell me, how are you going to compensate me?"

Gu Yan took the coffee and replied righteously, "Does five minutes even count as late?"

"Fine, you're beautiful, so you're always right." Lin Wei rolled her eyes.

The two walked into the exhibition hall. There weren't many people today, and the gallery was quiet, with only the occasional sound of whispering.

Gu Yan and Lin Wei walked side by side, looking at the paintings one by one.

"The line work here is quite interesting." Gu Yan stopped in front of a painting, tilting her head to look at it.

Lin Wei leaned in, "It's far worse than yours."

Gu Yan laughed, "Can you be a bit more objective?"

"I am being very objective." Lin Wei replied righteously, "In my heart, you are simply the best."

Gu Yan was amused by her and linked her arm to continue walking forward.

"By the way, I heard from Xu Yuan. Have you decided what to do about that glass artist?"

Gu Yan sighed, "I haven't decided. Three months is too long. By the time he comes back to talk, the flowers will have already withered."

"Then why don't you just fly over there?"

"I'd love to fly, but what am I supposed to tell Shen Yanhui?"

Lin Wei looked at her with disdain, "What's so hard about that? I'll think of something for you."

She started coming up with terrible ideas, "Just say you're going to Africa to film for TikTok."

Gu Yan: "..."

Lin Wei got more and more excited as she spoke, "Really! Lots of influencers are going to Africa to film videos now. Look at what's-his-name, he went to Africa and gained a million followers when he got back! Just say you're going to find inspiration and become an influencer while you're at it!"

Gu Yan looked at her with a blank expression.

"I, Gu Yan, need to become an influencer?"

Lin Wei choked on her words.

"Then... then just say you're going to save endangered animals! Lions, zebras, it's so compassionate!"

Gu Yan was silent for two seconds, "Lin Wei, there are no lions in Mali."

Lin Wei blinked, "Then what is there?"

"Desert."

"Desert works too!" Lin Wei's eyes lit up, "Just say you're going to the desert to look at the stars, then send Shen Yanhui a photo of the starry sky and say, 'I'm in Africa and I miss you so much,' he'll definitely be moved to tears!"

"Lin Wei."

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

The two wandered around for a while longer until Lin Wei was called away by a phone call from her younger brother, a sports student, so Gu Yan also drove off, preparing to head home.

The sky had turned completely dark, and the streetlights were lighting up one by one.

The car turned into a quiet street, and just as she was about to accelerate to pass through, she caught a glimpse of two figures on the side of the road out of the corner of her eye.

The one under the streetlight looked exceptionally familiar; it was Fang Qinru.

She was being cornered against a wall by a man. The man was grabbing her wrist and saying something. Fang Qinru shrank back, dodging the hand he reached out.

Gu Yan slammed on the brakes.