Chapter 313: Fu Yujun & Guan Han [10]

Under Guan Han's directions, Fu Yujun drove the car to the foot of her apartment building. Guan Han said it was fine to drop her off at the entrance of the residential area, but Fu Yujun insisted otherwise. Once Fu Yujun made up her mind, Guan Han had no chance of winning the argument.

Guan Han was a bit tired and couldn't be bothered to argue. After arriving, she thanked her and pushed the car door open to get out.

"I have something to tell you."

The car door opened a crack, letting in a gust of cold wind from outside. The long hair by Guan Han's ears was blown into curls, obstructing her vision. She squinted slightly, feeling uncomfortable, and turned her head to ask, "What is it?"

Fu Yujun sat in the driver's seat, her hands firmly gripping the steering wheel, and said, "I'm going home tonight."

"Are you going out to have fun later?"

"No."

It took Guan Han a moment to realize she meant going back to her hometown. Of course—it was the New Year, and after finishing her previous phase of work, it was time for her to visit her parents.

"How long will you be gone?"

"As long as you're willing to give me."

"You're the boss, so it's up to you." Guan Han thought for a moment and gave her bottom line. "A month at most." She had rehearsals for a play scheduled in March, followed by a theater tour, and possibly a drama festival in the second half of the year.

"Then a month it is." Fu Yujun said with a smile.

Guan Han froze for a moment, unsure why she had that reaction, before replying, "Mm."

She pushed the car door open.

Half her body was already out of the car, and the wind grew stronger. She smoothed the hair by her ear and heard Fu Yujun's voice from behind: "Guan Han."

Guan Han stood outside the car, the door wide open, and looked back inside. "Is there something else?"

Fu Yujun was used to her coldness, but for some reason, she couldn't bear it at that moment. Her slender fingers, tightly gripping the steering wheel, turned white from the force. She forced herself to smile as usual and said, "Are you happy that I won't be around to bother you?"

Guan Han frowned slightly and said, "It's my job. I don't think of it as bothersome or not."

It was the same answer as always, devoid of any personal emotion.

Some might call it professionalism; others might call it heartlessness. She might not have realized it herself, but to someone who cared about her, it sounded incredibly hurtful.

Fu Yujun pretended to be lighthearted and said, "I know you must be happy. I won't bother you anymore. See you next month."

"See you next month. Drive safely." Guan Han closed the car door.

Fu Yujun turned the car around at the foot of the building. Guan Han was still standing at the entrance, wrapped from head to toe in a long, straight-cut black down coat, her posture as straight and silent as a cold, unmoving tree.

Fu Yujun rolled down the car window and said, "Go inside. I'll wait until you're upstairs."

Guan Han stood in a silent standoff with her for a few seconds before, as usual, choosing to compromise.

Holding her laptop bag in one hand and the other hand in her pocket, she strode into the building with her long legs. Her back disappeared behind the glass door in a flash.

Fu Yujun turned on her signal light, steered the wheel, and drove away.

Guan Han stood in front of the elevator on the first floor and suddenly glanced back.

It was a blind spot—she couldn't see outside the building at all—but Guan Han still stared blankly in that direction.

'Are you happy that I won't be around to bother you?'

Guan Han stepped into the elevator and watched the doors slowly close in front of her. Fu Yujun's words echoed repeatedly in her ears. She tilted her head back slightly, feeling confused.

...It didn't seem like she was very happy.

"I'm back." Guan Han placed her laptop on the entryway cabinet, bent down to change into slippers, and then carried her laptop back to her room.

The elderly couple watching TV on the sofa exchanged a glance, and Guan's mother asked her, "Have you eaten?"

Guan Han replied, "Yes, I have."

Fu Yujun's cooking skills were quite good.

Guan Han paused and added, "By the way, I just ate not long ago, so don't make dinner for me."

Guan's mother said, "Come out after you put away your computer. Your father and I have something to ask you."

Guan Han: "???"

Five minutes later, Guan Han emerged and sat on the single sofa next to her parents.

Guan's father and mother first rambled on about a series of vague and confusing topics that Guan Han, with her straightforward way of thinking, couldn't quite grasp. Finally, perhaps feeling they had laid enough groundwork, they asked, "Is it true or false what they're saying online about you and that celebrity being involved in a sc@ndal?"

Guan Han: "..."

She stood up directly, her face cold, and dragged Guan He—who had been eavesdropping by pressing her ear against the door of her room—out into the open.

Guan He might not necessarily lose in a real fight with her, but out of respect for seniority, she allowed herself to be hauled all the way to the living room, standing meekly with her head bowed.

"Was it you who fed Mom and Dad all that nonsense?"

Guan He nodded and whispered in her defense, "That's what everyone online is saying. I didn't say you two were actually dating—I just showed them the news."

Guan Han shot her a glare that clearly said, "Just you wait."

Guan's father tried to mediate, saying, "Xiaohe didn't mean any harm. Your mother and I only asked because we heard about it."

Guan Han didn't buy his excuse for a second. She left no room for amb!guity as she stated, "Next time, unless I personally tell you something, don't believe it. And don't bring me rumors you've heard from unreliable sources."

When she put on a stern face, the whole family was intimidated.

Guan's father, knowing he was in the wrong, replied meekly, "Alright."

Guan's mother added, "Your father and I are just concerned about your future. We didn't blindly believe those rumors."

Guan Han's expression softened slightly as she said, "I have no plans to get married." The mere thought of sharing an int!mate relationship with someone else, allowing them to intrude upon every aspect of her life, filled her with instinctive aversion.

She would be much happier and freer living alone for the rest of her life.

"You should focus on urging my younger sister instead. I'm tired and going to bed now. Don't call me for dinner."

Guan's father and mother looked embarrassed. After Guan Han went inside, they began blaming each other, each accusing the other of bringing up the topic. Guan He, hugging the wall, tried to slip away unnoticed, but the quarreling parents simultaneously turned their anger toward her: How could they take those messy online rumors seriously? And why did she even show them?

Guan He: "..."

It seemed she was destined to remain at the bottom of the family's hierarchy.

Meanwhile, Fu Yujun returned home, washed the lunchbox, grabbed the suitcase by the wall, and left the house.

Her flight was scheduled to take off at 8:30 p.m. She arrived at the airport with an hour to spare before boarding. Sitting in the waiting area, Fu Yujun fiddled with her phone. Her mother, He Wanqing, asked what dishes she wanted to eat and listed over a dozen options. Fu Yujun wanted to try them all, swallowing her saliva as she selected a few.

Her father, Fu Yulou, sent her a photo of a piece of calligraphy he had just finished—bold, ink-rich characters shaped like soaring dragons.

Fu Yujun replied with a [thumbs-up] emoji.

The group chat for Dorm 405 was quiet. With the Lunar New Year in full swing, Wen Shuxian was busy with work, while Tang Ruoyao and Cui Jiaran were occupied with their families. The last message in the chat was from noon that day.

Fu Yujun returned to the main chat interface, opened her conversation with Guan Han, and typed a few words: "Are you asleep?"

She deleted the message, character by character. Finally, she took a photo of the waiting area and posted it on her Moments, without restricting the privacy settings. As soon as it went up, it received a flood of likes and comments.

She had an excellent rapport with people. Everyone who had interacted with her held a favorable impression, including her high school classmates, with whom she still maintained relationships.

Comments asked where she was headed, when she would visit them, where she was now, whether they should gather during the New Year, and some even teased with playful remarks like "pat your head," among other things.

Fu Yujun replied uniformly: [At the Capital Airport, heading home for the New Year [cheers]]

At 11 p.m., Fu Yujun collected her luggage and exited the terminal. It was the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the airport was nearly empty. The tall, slender man and the elegant, beautiful woman standing at the exit were particularly eye-catching.

Both looked much younger than their actual ages. Fu Yujun broke into a smile, quickened her pace while pushing her suitcase, and embraced them.

"Dad, Mom."

Fu Yulou took the suitcase from her with a smile, while He Wanqing linked arms with her daughter, asking warmly about her well-being. The family of three chatted and laughed as they headed toward the parking lot.

Guan Han suddenly woke up. The room was pitch dark. She pressed her temples, heavy with sleep, and reached for her phone nearby. Squinting, she made out the time.

1:33 a.m.

Guan Han turned on the bedside lamp, sat up, put on her glasses, and opened WeChat.

Ignoring the flood of generic New Year's greetings, she scrolled down to Fu Yujun's profile picture—no unread messages. Guan Han raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, and tapped in. Still nothing.

The last message was from New Year's Eve.

She casually clicked into Fu Yujun's Moments and saw a post from 7:30 p.m. After a long string of friends' comments, she spotted Fu Yujun's uniform reply.

Could something have happened?

Guan Han: [Are you home?]

She got up to shower, placed her phone in a waterproof pouch, and brought it into the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Guan Han received a reply: [Yes]

Her anxious heart instantly calmed, but then an inexplicable surge of irritation rose. With her wet thumb, she typed rapidly through the waterproof pouch on the virtual keyboard: Why didn't you let me know you got home safely? 

Her rationality stopped her just in time. She rinsed off for a moment, then rephrased: [Remember to let me know you're safe next time]

[Got it]

Unsure how to respond, Guan Han paused before typing: [Rest early, good night]

Fu Yujun: [[Image]]

Guan Han opened it—it was a photo of feet peeking out from under the blanket. The tops of the feet were snow-white, the toes pink and smooth. Judging by the angle, Fu Yujun must have been lying in bed, taking the shot from above—quirky and adorable.

The corners of Guan Han's eyes curved upward.

...How childish.

Fu Yujun: [[Sleeping zzzz]]

Guan Han glanced down at her own feet standing on the tiles and stared blankly for a few seconds before suppressing the absurd thought.

Did she want to show Fu Yujun her own feet too? Was she crazy? Or was childishness really contagious?

As part of her nightly routine, she searched for Fu Yujun's latest updates to check on the gossip situation—all was calm. Guan Han locked her phone, placed it on the nightstand, and closed her eyes again.

The day after Fu Yujun left the capital, Guan Han spent the morning and afternoon visiting relatives with her parents. In the evening, she watched TV with them, occasionally checking her phone. Fu Yujun was unusually quiet—not a single message. It was so quiet it almost didn't feel like her.

A new post appeared in the Moments feed—a large family gathering, with Fu Yujun posing alongside her cousins. She stood in the center, smiling brightly.

Guan Han liked the post.

On the third day after Fu Yujun left the capital, Guan Han continued visiting relatives and spending time with her family. Meanwhile, Fu Yujun was out having fun with a group of friends, enjoying herself.

Guan Han liked the post.

On the fourth day after Fu Yujun's departure, Guan Han carried on as usual. Fu Yujun, on the other hand, went out to eat delicious food with a few close friends. The post featured photos of elegantly plated dishes and int!mate snapshots with her companions. Still, no private messages arrived.

Guan Han... closed her Moments feed.

On the fifth day after Fu Yujun left the capital, "For_Love_lf" updated again. The currently serialized story, set in an ancient times and titled Marriage by the Embroidered Ball, was already the author's third work. The latest chapter, Chapter 2, depicted Tang Ruoyao, disguised as a man, accidentally catching the embroidered ball and marrying Qin Yinong. That very night, Qin Yinong saw through the disguise, but Tang Ruoyao remained unaware, painstakingly hiding her true identity while being relentlessly teased by her new "wife." Fans in the comments were going wild, passionately declaring their love for the author.

Guan Han should have joined in the excitement, but today, she just couldn't muster the enthusiasm.

She left a comment: [Landed a paw print,] a common online phrase.

On the sixth day after Fu Yujun left the capital, work resumed. Guan Han returned to the company, feeling like a fish back in water, finally able to breathe freely amid invisible constraints.

But... since Fu Yujun was on break, the entire team was slacking off, and Guan Han's workload had significantly decreased. All she could do was plan Fu Yujun's future schedule. Bored out of her mind, she even considered becoming Qin Yinong's assistant again.

Guan He eyed her warily: "What? Trying to steal my job?"

Guan Han: "..."

Qin Yinong, seated behind her desk and tapping a document with her pen, asked, "You want to take on another artist?"

Guan Han replied, "Yes." Throughout the entire company, agents who managed only one artist were few and far between. As a newcomer, she shouldn't be an exception. Half a year had passed, and she felt fully capable of handling another artist alongside Fu Yujun, thereby creating more value for the company.

Qin Yinong neither agreed nor disagreed: "Does Fu Yujun approve?"

Guan Han paused, then said, "I haven't asked her yet."

Qin Yinong replied meaningfully, "Then discuss it with her first. The two of you are partners, after all."

In the chat window that had lain silent for a week, someone finally broke the stalemate.

Guan Han: [I'm thinking of taking on another artist. Do you agree?]

Fu Yujun replied instantly, firing off a barrage of messages: [Don't even think about it! How could you be like this? Fickle, unfaithful, wanting multiple wives and concubines?—am I not enough for you?]

Sitting on her apartment bed, hugging a unicorn plushie, Guan Han unconsciously let a slight smile touch her lips: [I'm just applying to take on more work. Do you have to be like this?]

[Yes, it is, it is, it is! Let me tell you, it's either me or her! You can't have both!]

The familiar tone, the familiar flair—under Miss Fu's vehement opposition, Guan Han dropped the idea without any hesitation. Perhaps even she hadn't realized that, from the very beginning, she hadn't taken the notion seriously. It was merely an excuse.

Guan Han's mood brightened: [Shared link: Marriage by the Embroidered Ball, Chapter 2] Have you read this? It's the new story by "For_Love_lf]

The actual "For_Love_lf" author: "..."

Fu Yujun felt a headache coming on just glancing at the link. She covered the message with her hand and replied: [I've read it. Do you like this trope?]

[I like it, even more than the second one.]

Fu Yujun narrowed her eyes.

A couple of days ago, Guan Han had left a comment saying, "Landed a paw print." Fu Yujun had thought she didn't like historical fiction and was just leaving a polite remark, so she had even considered cutting the outline. But since that wasn't the case, she decided to write a bit more.

Fu Yujun refreshed the Lofter backend and saw a new comment.

QinTangIsReal: [Sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet, I'm dead!]

Fu Yujun couldn't help but smile, her eyes curving.

She had held back for a whole week, saving up so many things to say, and now she couldn't hold it in any longer. She poured everything out like beans from a bamboo tube. Typing was too slow, so she switched to voice messages. She said her mom had been cooking delicious food for her every day at home—dishes like braised pork, West Lake vinegar fish, three-set duck, Liangxi crispy eel, sweet lotus root with osmanthus, and braised chicken feet—and that she had gained five pounds on the scale. Then she whined, "Will you dislike me if I get fat?"

Guan Han said, "No."

Only after replying did she feel something was a bit off.

She added, "Just lose it before your next public appearance."

Fu Yujun pouted and then told her that at the last family gathering, an uncle had asked her to perform a scene from a drama she had acted in, and she almost died of embarrassment. Guan Han laughed and said, "When I was little, relatives often asked me to perform martial arts."

"What about now?" Fu Yujun asked curiously.

"They don't dare anymore. They usually don't call on me."

"Is that why you always keep a straight face—so you don't have to perform martial arts?" Fu Yujun joked.

Guan Han said, "No, I've been like this since I was little."

"Why?"

"I don't know. There are photos of me from when I was young, and I always had a grumpy face. My mom said looking at me made her feel like someone owed our family a lot of money, and she'd even go searching for the IOU."

"Hahahaha." Fu Yujun laughed for a while and then asked, "So, are you this cold to your friends too?"

"I don't have friends."

"I'm sorry." Fu Yujun's upbringing made her apologize immediately.

Guan Han felt a bit reluctant to continue the conversation. It seemed like everyone thought not having friends was such a pitiful thing. She didn't feel she deserved sympathy—she was perfectly happy and content on her own. She just preferred being alone. With her current income, if she kept working with Fu Yujun for another year, she could even save up enough for a down payment on a new house.

"I'm sorry," Fu Yujun said again, but then added, "That was an apology for the previous 'sorry'—I offended you."

Guan Han made a noncommittal sound, unsure how to respond.

"You have your own way of living, and I shouldn't judge. By the way, what's it like living alone? I'd like to try it too."

Guan Han lowered her head, holding the unicorn's two front hooves and pressing them together, saying, "It's... nothing special. You can decorate the entire place according to your own preferences, cook just for one person, cook if you feel like it, order takeout if you don't. On rest days, no one invites you out to play here or there—you can go wherever you want by yourself: the movies, the swimming pool, the library, art exhibitions. And it's not like I have no social life. I have plenty of colleagues at work, and there are group activities, work discussions, and business dinners. Overall, all my personal space is entirely my own."

Fu Yujun thought to herself that she had taken the right approach—Guan Han had just spoken the longest paragraph she had ever said to her.

"Sounds pretty carefree."

"I see your Moments, and you're out having fun with friends every day. Aren't you happy?"

"You looked at my Moments?" Fu Yujun, as always, was adept at seizing the key point.

"...I accidentally scrolled past it." Guan Han, who checked Fu Yujun's moments three times a day, said exactly that. She was only checking to see if the other was stirring up trouble on social media—definitely not because she wanted to see what Fu Yujun was up to.

"Scrolled past it every single time?"

Guan Han fell silent.

Fu Yujun knew when to stop pushing her luck and said, "I'm happy, of course, but sometimes it gets exhausting. What can I do, though? I'm just too popular. I have to spread the love evenly—can't play favorites."

Guan Han added another word to her impression of Fu Yujun: narcissistic.

Tsundere, dramatic, childish, narcissistic.

Hidden word: adorable.

Fu Yujun chattered away for half the evening until He Wanqing came by with a late-night snack, knocking on the door. Fu Yujun told Guan Han to hold on and went to answer it. Just as she reached the door, she saw that Guan Han had hung up.

Guan Han: [It's getting late. Time to sleep.]

Fu Yujun: "..."

Fu Yujun opened the door. He Wanqing stood there holding a bowl of sweet soup, momentarily taken aback by her daughter's displeased expression.

She had just heard laughter from outside the door—how had the mood shifted so quickly?

Noticing the phone still in Fu Yujun's hand and her pursed lips, He Wanqing asked gently, "Did I interrupt your chat with a friend?"

Fu Yujun took the small tray and replied, "No, she's the one who ran off." She must be a rabbit. She runs faster than anything at the slightest disturbance.

As Fu Yujun ladled the soup, He Wanqing opened her mouth several times, only to swallow her words, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the slightly ajar door.

Fu Yujun called out, "Dad, come on in."

Fu Yulou walked in coughing, glancing around as he entered. "Nice decor in this room, huh."

Fu Yujun couldn't be bothered to comment on his clumsy acting. Once he and He Wanqing stood together, she said, "You guessed right. There is something going on."

Fu Yulou chuckled awkwardly and quickly shot his wife a meaningful look.

He Wanqing stepped on his foot and asked, "Boy or girl?"

"A girl."

Fu Yujun had come out right after her college entrance exams, back when she was still with her first girlfriend. Her parents weren't exactly progressive, but they weren't old-fashioned either. Fu Yujun, always meticulous, had prepared a ten-page essay for the occasion. After three days of consideration, Fu Yulou and He Wanqing decided to accept it. She had planned to introduce her girlfriend to them, but the girl ended up hiding her plans to study abroad from Fu Yujun, and they broke up.

He Wanqing said, "Don't mind me asking, but are you sure this one is different from the last? What if—"

Fu Yujun waved a hand. "It won't happen. Besides, I haven't even won her over yet."

Fu Yulou frowned. "Whose child has such poor taste?"

Catching his wife's sharp look, he awkwardly shut his mouth. He Wanqing asked, "Who is it? Do we know her?" Could it be one of the friends she'd been meeting lately?

Fu Yujun grinned. "You know her—she's my agent."

He Wanqing's gaze sharpened. "The one you've been linked to in rumors? She's quite good-looking, fair-skinned, with a small face and tall stature."

Fu Yujun tsked. "Since when are you cultured types so gossipy?"

He Wanqing smiled.

Fu Yulou was smiling too.

Their grins made Fu Yujun's ears burn. She downed the soup in one go and ushered her parents out by their shoulders. "I'm not talking to you two anymore. I'm going to sleep."

Just before the door closed, He Wanqing added, "This time, you have to bring her home to meet us, okay?"

"Got it." Fu Yujun shut the door, leaning back against it, her face flushed bright red.

Mr. and Mrs. Fu walked toward the master bedroom when He Wanqing suddenly let out a soft gasp and said, "Honey, have you noticed something?"

"What is it?"

"Our daughter seems especially shy."

"That's just how it is when you're in love. She's a young girl with spring in her heart."

"Why didn't she have this before when she was with that person? She was even more youthful back then."

"..."

The couple stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Yes, why was that?

......

A long phone call that lasted all evening, combined with her parents' teasing, resulted in Fu Yujun tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. She was a fully developed woman, and the more she thought about it, the more her heart burned with warmth.

Secret, fervent waves surged in the darkness.

Fu Yujun opened her eyes and let out a long sigh. A faint sheen of sweat dampened her fair neck.

She reached sideways for the drawer handle, only to remember that there were no pink-packaged items at home. Curling her long legs, she settled for clutching the blanket, her flat stomach tightening...

She relaxed her muscles, her body drenched in a fine sweat beneath the covers.

She got up to take a shower, washing away the stickiness, and drifted into a dreamland feeling refreshed and clean.

Fu Yujun didn't take the full month off. After staying at home for half a month, she returned to Beijing ahead of schedule. Previously, saying she'd take a month off had been partly out of spite—annoyed that Guan Han didn't seem to care about her. But now, she couldn't sit still any longer. She was eager to see her, to hold her, to feel her warmth.

If possible, she even wanted to kiss her.

She returned to Beijing secretly, without telling anyone in advance. After dropping her luggage at home, she went straight to the company, wearing a mask and a baseball cap, revealing only her long, dark hair cascading down her back.

Guan Han heard a knock on the door and simply said, "Come in."

Fu Yujun entered with her head lowered.

Guan Han didn't look up, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a pair of feet approaching her silently and stealthily. She suddenly lifted her gaze, her eyes sharp as they swept over. Fu Yujun abandoned her attempt at a surprise attack and rushed directly behind the desk, pulling Guan Han out of her chair. She wrapped her arms tightly around Guan Han's waist, greedily inhaling the scent of pine on the woman.

Guan Han's pen dropped onto the desk.

She raised both hands, allowing Fu Yujun to nuzzle affectionately against her face and neck. A strange feeling lingered in her heart, making her forget to break free.

Fu Yujun was the boldest, most fearless person Guan Han had ever met.

Since childhood, Guan Han had always maintained an unapproachable demeanor, which only became more pronounced as she grew older. Let alone hugging her, few people even dared to make physical contact with her. There was a female artist under her management who, after signing the contract, once tried to link arms with her. Guan Han stared coldly at her hand until she withdrew it. After that, aside from work events, the artist never initiated physical contact again.

Only Fu Yujun was different. She acted as if Guan Han's refusals meant nothing, constantly testing the boundaries of her patience but always managing to dispel her irritation before it truly escalated—both infuriating and endearing. Once, then again, she slowly pushed back Guan Han's defenses, further and further.

Until today, she became the first person who could hold her without restraint.

Human emotions are mutual, and so is dependence. Fu Yujun depended on her, while Guan Han depended on that dependence.

The woman's body was fragrant and soft, nestled in her arms like a fluffy little animal—like the unicorn she held while sleeping at night.

No, she was even softer and sweeter than the unicorn, with a hint of milky fragrance.

If only she could turn into a plush toy for Guan Han to hold while sleeping.

Guan Han's hands slowly fell, gently embracing the woman's soft body. One hand circled her slender waist, while the other rested on her back, warmth seeping through the fabric.

Fu Yujun's breathing grew heavier, her arms tightening their embrace.

Guan Han's long eyelashes fluttered slowly as she felt the breath against the back of her ear grow increasingly hot, causing her own ear to uncontrollably burn with warmth.

She didn't understand what sensitivity meant—she only felt discomfort, followed by a flustered breathlessness that made her want to turn away. Yet, the bl0od flowing through her body seemed to freeze in that moment; the only thing she was aware of was the frantic beating of her heart.

She finally managed to shift slightly, but the movement was so minimal it was meaningless, offering no relief.

Fu Yujun's gaze was no longer clear. She was like a fish stranded on a dry beach for too long, finally touching the moisture she craved.

Parting her thin, moist red lips, Fu Yujun breathed deeply like a dying fish and slowly moved to envelop the small, pearly-white earlobe...

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