A Lifetime of Peace and Care - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Marry Me

By the end of the month, summer vacation officially began. There was no chance to see the cute Gu Tai all day long, and it was even more impossible to see the cool Uncle Gu.

On the one hand, many of her friends were unexpectedly getting married and, on the other hand, her cousin’s wedding finally arrived. The wedding was held at the famous He Mansion. The He Mansion had a detached Western-style house with ample lawn for wedding ceremonies and a nearby luxury hotel with a banquet room.

Although it was the bride’s second marriage, this time she found a good man from a respectable family. The appearance was also good and, thus, the family was extremely happy.

When she opened the door to the dressing room, she heard her cousin say, “Where’s my invisible bra? Can you all help me find it? I need it for the banquet dress.”

The bride and Yi Ran had a deep friendship so, when she arrived, the bride paid attention and suddenly asked, “Xiao Ran, this morning, didn’t I give you my bra?”

Yi Ran was slightly dumbfounded that the cousin seemed to be blaming her and said, “I saw you hand it to the wedding assistant.” Then, seeing the bride’s helpless look, she mentally sighed and forced herself to say, “I will ask. It may be placed in the place where the ceremony was held.”

“Then can you go soon? It’s almost time for the banquet; otherwise, it’ll be too late!”

Being yelled at by the other person made Yi Ran’s mood turn sour, but it wouldn’t do to argue back back at this moment. As a result, she had no choice but to nod and turn back.

From the hotel where they will have the banquet to the small house normally took about ten minutes when walking. Of course, it will be quicker if she ran. Despite wearing a blue dress with a shoulder-less top, she ran all the way without caring about her image. By the time she got there, she was sweating and panting. But, she was able to find the bride’s underwear and should be able to bring it back in time.

However, the more anxious she was, the more flustered she became. She was about to step on the first staircase outside the hotel when she accidentally ended up spraining her ankle instead. In the moment when her body fell forward, her bag flew out and landed some distance from her. Her whole body was in pain, making her unable to speak for a moment. All of sudden, her right foot felt as if it was being stabbed by needles.

She fell awkwardly and while she lay stunned on the floor, she naturally caught the attention of passersby.

Sometimes, it really was impossible to know the machinations of fate.

If you have never met him, even if you both were looking at the same scenery, feeling the same rain and wind, going through the everyday motions of life, you will not be able to see him.

But, when you really have met him, the city you lived in became very small, such that you could hear his voice everywhere, and you could see his shadows.

Yi Ran was a little disoriented when she fell, and her mind was a little messy. She waited for a few seconds but, before she could move, she saw a pair of gleaming shoes. She looked up at the owner of the shoes, and her eyes widened.

The other person was obviously as surprised as she was, but immediately gave her a smile as usual.

“…Gu, Director Gu?! What a surprise to also see you here!”

“Mmm, I’m here for a wedding,” Gu Tingchuan said as he helped her up. Meanwhile, assistant Xiao Zhao took up the bag.

This morning, he had joined the male god He Yang’s wedding in Bali and had just flew back. Without rest, he then had to rush to the wedding of his eldest friend.

Yi Ran noticed that he was not dressed as grandly as when he had participated in the White Birch Award ceremony, but he still wore a dark suit in a proper manner. It was a wardrobe necessary for the many events with other celebrities in attendance.

At this time, Gu Tinghuan was still standing tall. No matter when or where, he was always so handsome, exuding an air of restraint and calm. She thought that this aspect of him was incredibly fascinating.

He looked down at her and said, “How about I first look at where the pain is.”

He found that the ankle of her right foot was already swollen, indicating that the bone was probably injured. There were also bruises on both of her arms, but these were not very important.

Subconsciously, his gaze fell on her dress and he noticed that, in the fall, her top had slid down somewhat, revealing the top half of her full breasts. The sight of her ample curves were alluring but not obscene.

Yi Ran noticed that his gaze seemed different, and she hastily leaned a little to the side to adjust her clothes. Gu Tingchuan still noticed her movements, but he did not care too much about it and merely stood by her side so she could lean on him.

He had always had a sense of propriety. Later, Yi Ran would tell him, “You are indeed this kind of man, at once gentle and indifferent.”

Gu Tingchuan, the great director of Jiaye, patiently supported her at this moment, and his tone was low and serious as he said, “You have to go to the hospital to get an x-ray. Can you move now? First, let’s find a place for you to sit down for a while.”

Yi Ran also wanted to find a place to sit down. The throbbing pain in her foot was making her lightheaded and weak, such that she was almost leaning half of her body against him. She could even feel the radiating warmth of his body temperature. As she took in a deep breath, her eyes landed on the bag in Xiao Zhao’s hand and she immediately said, “No, I need to give the bride something. She’s waiting for me.”

Gu Tingchuan responded, his voice still very calm, “Tell Xiao Zhao what floor and he will deliver it first.”

Before Yi Ran could react, she was already being personally supported by Gu Tingchuan up the stairs. They went to the lobby on the first floor and found a remote sofa to sit down. This series of events was turning into another scare after her fall.

His hand was firmly holding her wrist, and his height was higher than hers. Tonight, she was also wearing less clothes. Every time she moved, her body would brush against his arm and chest, giving the misconception that they were embracing. When the skin touched, the sensation was electrifying, making the temperature between them gradually grow hotter.

Although, today, his shirt was meticulously button, it could not hide the strong and beautiful lines of his physique.

Yi Ran shifted her gaze away and saw that, although the lights in the hall were bright, the place where they sat was slightly darker. The moonlight came in through the skylight, reflecting the dim glow of lights and the dust particles.

At this moment, the brilliance of the moonlight paled in comparison to the intensity of Gu Tinchuan’s gaze. In her eyes, his good figure was so simple and elegant that it can even give people the illusion of gentleness and caring.

Yi Ran’s heart was hot, and she turned her head nervously to study the wedding decorations everywhere. The place was decorated in a welcoming pink tone. The dreamy decor was very beautiful, but it also made her feel tired.

This feeling she had long been familiar with. It was the inexplicable repression of work, and the desire to have a marriage. People will never be satisfied with the present, always wanting what they can’t have. Even her cousin, who had failed a marriage, can find a beloved. This made her suddenly want to latch on more to the idea of marriage, especially in light of her cousin’s grand wedding and her constant need to flaunt her beautiful relationship everywhere.

The throbbing sensation on her ankle seemed to become more and more painful, and she blinked her eyes. Her eyes were a little moist, but, of course, she was an adult and she forcibly held back her tears.

“Does it hurt?” Gu Tingchuan saw that her expression looked pained. He looked down at her swollen ankle and said, “You need to have an x-ray done to see if there is any injury to the bone.”

Yi Ran nodded. “I know, thank you. Director Gu, it seems like we were brought together by fate. At that time, I also especially went to see you on the red carpet, just like your fans.”

Gu Tingchuan heard these two words, and he couldn’t help but recall the girl who had also said these same words to him. Only, he had not known her well then, and didn’t know that she had already become his fan.

He remembered the fireworks reflecting on the surface of the water and the scene of the happy bride and groom. As he was remembering, he slowly looked at Yi Ran. “You don’t have anyone you like?”

Yi Ran shook her head, suddenly feeling awkward. “I haven’t met anyone that I really liked. It is also a pity. Even up until now, I have not had any strong emotions toward anyone.”

Gu Tingchuan leisurely took off his coat and draped it over his arm. His voice was light and gentle when he said, “Why? Do you not have friends around you?”

“Contrary to what one might expect, they all have a significant other.” Yi Ran suddenly brightened and her finger brushed against his coat as she said, “Do you know, I have a friend who dreamed at night that she liked a boy who she was not familiar with at all. After waking up, she started to crazily pursue him and now she is married with children.”

Gu Tingchuan’s face seemed to overflow with laughter. “That’s very interesting.”

“Yes, the advent of love always come in various forms, but unfortunately, I don’t know when it will be my turn.” Yi Ran shifted her body and felt that, aside from the sprain on her ankle, her arms and other feet were fine.

Gu Tingchuan did not seem to be anxious to go, simply sitting on the side of the chair, patiently looking at the moonlight in the distance. It was difficult to know what he was thinking.

Yi Ran continued, “I have two married sisters and even my last single friend just got married. I sometimes wonder if I will never find that person.”

One cannot simply spend a lifetime waiting for it.

After saying this sentence, she realized that it sounded like she was complaining. She didn’t know how to explain and felt awkward. It seemed that she was subconsciously talking to him as if he was a friend.

“Director Gu, have Gu Tai finished his homework?”

Seeing that she had changed the subject, Gu Tingchuan also responded with great coordination. When he spoke, his voice was clear and relaxed, “When I go back in the morning, I will check. But, he has a tutor so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“What about his parents?”

Gu Tingchuan looked up at her and said plainly. “They are divorcing.”

Yi Ran felt her heart pinched and she felt pained for Gu Tai. She had already made some guesses. After all, the parents marital problems will always have an impact on the child.

She was considering whether she should continue on with this topic when the man suddenly smiled a little. His body leaned forward slightly, looking both lazy and sexy at the same time. This posture was completely different from what she usually saw. He said casually, “So you see, there is a lot of trouble with the reality of marriage.”

She shrugged, agreeing somewhat but not caring. “Mmm, I know. But, I still really wanted to get married.”

After saying this, she felt a little embarrassed. Rather than deal with this troublesome matter, she made as if to get up, and the big director next to her immediately helped her. She said, “Everyone is almost gone. I should go.”

Gu Tingchuan very gracefully proposed, “You’re still not good. I will help you up.”

This time, she refused resolutely. “If you let others see you, then it will not only be troublesome for you but be a hindrance as well. It is better to send me to the elevator. Anyway, my family is just upstairs.”

Gu Tingchuan did not insist, but merely just helped her up. When they arrived at the elevator, she let go of his arm and took a few steps towards the door. After a moment of silence, she suddenly thought of something and her eyes grew bright.

“Teacher Yi Ran.”

She heard his voice and, after blinking rapidly, turned her body to see him through the haze of light. The picture in front of her was a little blurry but bright. His eyes seemed to contain some meaning that she was unable to make sense of.

Their eyes met through the revelation of fate, and Gu Tingchuan felt that this was like a sign.

He spoke very naturally, but each word seemed to have been carefully considered. “It is better to marry me.”