Chapter 22 - Eating Together (1/2)

Chapter 22: Eating Together

Yi Ran sat alone in the apartment’s glass terrace for a long time. She thought about the incident that happened in the afternoon and felt dispirited. She recalled that Shi Xiang had called Yao Juan away, and she couldn’t help but feel pained.

When he returned, Yao Juan had refused to tell her the specific content of their conversation. He merely smiled at her and resumed his usual expression. “What else can he do? He can’t fire me. He may criticize me and what not, but for the time being, there’s no way he could do it. Even if he did fire me, this is something that I must do.”

Yi Ran also understood. Even if they couldn’t really change anything, even if it was just muddy water that they both had to wade through, she and Yao Yuan were not relatives. She shouldn’t let others stand in front of her to protect her.

Moreover, she promised Gu Tai she would take care of this matter, and she should always keep her promise.

It was just that Yao Juan’s words were not unreasonable. Zou Qiyun could never empathize with them. In her entire life, she would probably never have the capability to understand their position and perspectives

“One must absolutely note injure a child’s heart”, “As a teacher, one must always be an upright model to the students.” In the eyes of such a woman, what was the worth of thoughts like these?

Yi Ran placed a pot of tea next to her and sat alone for a long time, feeling depressed.

She looked at the brown door that opened to Gu Tinchuan’s studio for a long time, remembering that night when he had told her not to enter it casually and not to move anything.

Usually, when he was absent, the door would be firmly locked. It was not to keep her out, but because he was afraid that thieves might get in. In short, everything must be prevented beforehand.

Yi Ran did not understand. Everyone naturally has their own territories. It was understandable that men like him might need their own independent space. But, if they were not a couple who had a flash marriage but was instead a pair of lovers, would he still be so demanding?

The moment this idea bubbled up, Yi Ran felt that this momentous thought would not result in anything good.

The night was eerily quiet, and the neighborhood was silent. Her heart calmed down slowly so that she could clearly see the current state of life.

In the past few months, she was married to such a great director. Since then, her ordinary life had became at once bizarre and wonderful. But, it was still lacking some vitality.

She knew that it was not good to never be content. Some people believed that having enough food and clothing and no worries was already a great blessing. Yi Ran also thought that it was not bad. But, when all was said and done, she nevertheless still felt a little shaken.

Without realizing it, Yi Ran found herself standing in front of his studio door. She gently brushed her hand across the edge of the door frame. The other side of the door was like a restricted area she could not set foot in, much like Gu Tingchuan’s inner world.

How to resolve this, and how to change? All these bits and pieces that were gradually connecting them together was not just a relationship but also love…

She turned and leaned her slightly hot back against the cold wood. Then, she slowly moved away with both hands crossed over her shoulders, feeling somewhat at a loss.

When Gu Tingchuan finished working for the day, he came out and saw Yi Ran sitting on a recliner, playing with her hair in a daze. She casually held her long hair in her hands, fingers untangling the knots. Her exhaustion was clear.

He was slightly surprised, then with a faint smile, he turned and went into the kitchen.

Not long after, Gu Tingchuan stood behind Yi Ran and whispered, “My work is almost finished. Let’s have a meal with the parents this weekend.”

Yi Ran rubbed her eyes and, when she turned back to look at him, she smiled as usual. She said, “En, okay. It’s a little late today. I’ll tell them tomorrow.

At least, he still took these matters to heart.

The layout of Gu Tingchuan’s apartment was bright and spacious. The scenery outside the window was even more charming. Looking out the window at this moment, one could still see the dazzling light and brilliance of the distant urban center. Tonight, the night scene was pretty good, and the dark sky was dotted with stars that glowed like diamonds.

He cast a quick glance at that distant place and turned to see that she was still absentminded. He paused and asked, “Did you eat dinner?”

Yi Ran did not tell the truth. “I ate a little while ago.”

Actually, she had no appetite today. She bought some takeaway and threw it away after a few bites.

Gu Tingchuan casually proposed, “It’s a little late but I’m a bit hungry. I’ll cook some dumplings and you can eat with me.”

Yi Ran was about to say that she was a bit tired and will rest. Unexpectedly, Gu Tingchuan’s smiling expression turned serious, making people unable to read his face. “Last time, I said that you’re to light. It’s important to eat a little more.”

Her heartbeat increased ten folds, and her body froze.

Gu Tingchuan’s voice was slightly deep, and his brows were faintly raised in an unexpectedly vivid expression. “The chief also left behind some chocolate toast and jam. Will you come and eat?”

Not long after, there was more movement and heat in the kitchen. The steam seemed to be curling up between the two of them. Yi Ran looked sideways at Gu Tingchuan, who was looking down and putting the dumpling into the bowl. His side profile was soft and bright under the light, turning Director Gu’s usual imposing manner into something entirely different and giving her a sense of stability in their home life. Her mood had unexpectedly improved a lot.

After tossing through the events of this day, she had a lot of bitter complaints. But, given their current feelings and relationships, she did not know how to speak naturally about these thoughts. .