Su Mianmian was stunned.
Then panicked, and finally stammered, "Can we take it slow? I... I'm not ready to move in with you right away." Her voice trailed off, and her head drooped lower and lower.
From Gu Yizhou's perspective, a faint blush spread across the girl's cheeks and earlobes, her thick, long eyelashes trembling slightly, like a butterfly about to take flight. "How long?" The man's voice was deep and mellow. Su Mianmian looked up and hummed, her clear eyes revealing a hint of confusion. Gu Yizhou slightly tugged at his collar, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "You said take it slow, but how long exactly?" Su Mianmian pursed her lips, and when she relaxed them, her already pink lips became even redder.
"At least until the end of this semester. I can't just suddenly move out of the dorm." Gu Yizhou understood. "Are you planning to secretly marry me?" Su Mianmian quickly explained, "No, I just don't want to cause unnecessary trouble. There are too many gossips at school." Gu Yizhou understood. "Then move out of the dorm after this semester ends. Until then, I hope you can come home to our place during holidays." Our…place? Su Mianmian was still a little unaccustomed to this word. She nodded, "Understood."
At noon, Gu Yizhou took Su Mianmian to a Western restaurant. The manager personally came to greet them and led them to a superb spot overlooking the river.
Watching the boats crisscrossing the river and listening to the romantic and beautiful piano music, Su Mianmian relaxed a little and felt less nervous.
When the food was served, Su Mianmian discovered that Gu Yizhou had actually booked a couple's set menu in advance. Expensive red wine and vibrant roses all demonstrated Gu Yizhou's thoughtfulness and taste. Gu Yizhou picked up his wine glass, his eyes shining. "Happy wedding, Mrs. Gu." Just hearing the words "Mrs. Gu" made Su Mianmian's cheeks burn. She couldn't understand how Gu Yizhou could switch their relationship so easily and naturally.
She gently clinked her wine glass against his. "Happy wedding." The crystal glasses clinked together, making a crisp "tinkling" sound, like a blow to Su Mianmian's heart, causing it to tremble almost imperceptibly.
"Regarding the wedding, my idea is to have it after you graduate from university. Do you have any objections?" Su Mianmian shook her head. "No, that arrangement is perfect."
Gu Yizhou's thin lips curved slightly as he pushed the sliced steak on the plate in front of Su Mianmian. "Eat more. The steak here is of excellent quality and tastes superb." Su Mianmian forked a piece and took a bite. It was indeed smooth, tender, and juicy, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily curved into a smile.
"You seem to have a particular talent for food." The yam cake they had last time was also exceptionally delicious. Gu Yizhou lowered his eyes slightly, slowly and methodically cutting Su Mianmian's steak. "There's no way around it, some people are more interested in food, so you have to cater to their tastes." Someone?
Su Mianmian's beautiful eyes flickered slightly. Could this person be her?
Thinking about it, it seemed unlikely. They had only met a few times, and each time there were elders present. In those situations, Su Mianmian always maintained a dignified and elegant lady-like demeanor, never revealing her foodie side.
Perhaps it was one of his close friends. Thinking this, Su Mianmian felt that her understanding of Gu Yizhou was too superficial; she only knew he was Jiangcheng's youngest and most promising entrepreneur.
Also, he was the head of the Gu Group, a wealthy and influential family with a century-old history. Lost in thought, her phone on the table suddenly lit up. Su Mianmian opened it and saw a message from Tang Yunzheng. "Su Mianmian, did you take the day off?"
Su Mianmian glanced at it, didn't reply, and was about to turn off the screen when Gu Yizhou reached out to her. "Give me your phone." Su Mianmian was slightly taken aback. Gu Yizhou explained, "We don't have each other's contact information yet." "Oh."
Su Mianmian quickly handed over her phone, and Gu Yizhou's long, slender fingers tapped lightly on it a few times. Then, Gu Yizhou's phone rang.
"This is my personal number. I've also saved the other one for you, in case you can't reach me sometimes." Su Mianmian nodded. Gu Yizhou lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes casting faint shadows on his eyelids through his glasses.
His nose was high and straight, his lips neither too thin nor too thick, a healthy pale pink. His chin was clean-shaven, with well-defined features, giving him a solemn and aloof air.
Su Mianmian continued to observe. Gu Yizhou had finished and was about to hand her the phone when it rang again. Gu Yizhou noticed it unintentionally, his narrow eyes narrowing slightly. "Someone sent you a message."
Su Mianmian took it and frowned. Tang Yunzheng: "Alan is having a concert in Jiangcheng next week. I booked two tickets; we'll go together." "Still like him?" Gu Yizhou suddenly asked.
Su Mianmian was startled, knowing he must have seen the message, and reflexively denied it. "Who likes him!" Gu Yizhou hummed slowly. "I'm not him; my reaction time isn't that long."
Su Mianmian was even more embarrassed. Thinking of how she cried in his car on her birthday, and then watching the surveillance footage of Lin Jiaojiao questioning her together, with Gu Yizhou's intelligence, it would be hard for him not to know… Su Mianmian lowered her eyes slightly, "It's all in the past. I don't like him anymore."
Gu Yizhou nodded, handing Su Mianmian a strawberry ice cream. "Good girl. I hope Mrs. Gu will always remember that she's married." Good girl? Su Mianmian was so shocked she almost bit her tongue. She looked at the strawberry ice cream in front of her again.
So, this is… a reward? After the meal, Gu Yizhou accompanied Su Mianmian back to the Su family home. As soon as Gu Yizhou entered, Su's father called him into the study. Su Mianmian was pulled back to her room by her mother. "You got the marriage certificate? Let Mom see it."
Su Mianmian pursed her lips. "He took it. He said he'd keep it for me." Su's mother's eyes widened. "Just like your father! Back then, he took my marriage certificate as soon as we got it, saying he was afraid I'd argue with him and want a divorce someday."
Su Mianmian was somewhat taken aback. "He probably didn't think that far ahead as Dad. He was just worried I'd take it to school and lose it." Su's mother thought about it and agreed. After all, the two were barely familiar with each other, with no emotional foundation whatsoever; he shouldn't have such a strong possessive streak.
Thinking of this, Su's mother felt a pang of sadness. "Let's not talk about anything else. Now that you and Yizhou are married, you're legally husband and wife. Discuss things together, and if you encounter anything you don't understand, or if you're bullied, come home and tell Mom anytime."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. "Your sister, I don't know where she is. I haven't been able to contact her for so long. If she knew you married so young for her sake, she'd be mortified."
"Mom, don't tell my sister that. Anyway, she's going to get married. Gu Yizhou is a good person, from a good family, a good match. Don't let anyone feel sorry for me." Su's mother sighed. "It's just that he's eight years older than you."
Su Mianmian chuckled. "Eight years? So what? Older people can take care of others. My happy days are yet to come."
Su's mother knew Su Mianmian was always considerate. The matter was settled, and that was all she could do. She gave Su Mianmian some advice on how to get along as a couple before reluctantly seeing her downstairs. At that moment, Gu Yizhou had finished talking with Su's father and was sitting on the sofa enjoying tea.
Seeing her come downstairs with Su's mother, he put down his teacup, stood up, and smoothed the creases in his trousers. "Yizhou, I'm entrusting our Mianbao to you. She's still young and doesn't understand many things. Please take good care of her from now on."
Gu Yizhou bowed slightly, his posture polite and humble. "Mom, I understand. You and Dad can rest assured with Mianmian in my care." Dad, Mom? Su Mianmian thought, "He's changed his address so quickly? He adapts to his new role so fast."
...Because she had arranged to study at the library with Song Zhi that evening, Su Mianmian declined Gu Yizhou's offer to take her out for dinner. She had him drive her back to school directly. When they reached the milk tea shop not far from the school gate, Su Mianmian asked Gu Yizhou to stop the car.
Just as she was about to get out, Gu Yizhou called her back. "Don't forget the flowers." Su Mianmian then remembered the bouquet of flowers she had forgotten in the car all day. She smiled apologetically and took them from Gu Yizhou. "I'll be going now, goodbye brother-in-law."
Just as she finished speaking, her arm was suddenly grabbed.