Chapter 332: Fu Yujun & Guan Han [29]

Guan Han followed her gaze and looked back, only to see the stairs leading from downstairs to the rooftop. A single lamp hung above the doorframe, illuminating an empty space devoid of any figures.

Guan Han frowned almost imperceptibly.

Fu Yujun said, "Still looking? Am I not better to look at?"

Guan Han looked at Fu Yujun, who was a few steps away, her hood shadowing her forehead and her black mask back in place. She looked even more ethereal under the dim moonlight on the rooftop. A hint of a smile surfaced in Guan Han's eyes. "I can't see clearly."

Fu Yujun dashed over in a single bound, pulled off her mask, and shoved her face right in front of Guan Han's. "Can you see clearly now? Can you?" she huffed, her cheeks puffed out.

Guan Han hadn't had time to react before, but now she took two steps back. "Don't get too close. I'm covered in sweat."

Fu Yujun reached out and touched her neck, and sure enough, it was slick with warm sweat.

She studied her own fingertips and palm in the moonlight.

Seeing her scrutinize the sweat she'd touched, Guan Han thought she was about to uphold the cleanliness-loving code of a female celebrity and, at the very least, take a step back. Who would have known that Fu Yujun would instead curve her lips into a faint smile and throw herself directly into her arms, sniffing her like a puppy.

"Your sweat smells good!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Guan Han held her steady to keep her from stumbling, thinking to herself, Have you lost your mind?

After the workout, Fu Yujun didn't let her wipe off her sweat right away. Instead, she led her down the stairs to a brightly lit area to take photos of her, screaming "Ahhh!" as she snapped away. "So sexy! Lower your head a bit, yes, that angle, hold it, perfect!"

Fu Yujun loved taking pictures of Guan Han. The number of photos she had taken of her during their time living together was more than all the photos Guan Han had taken in her entire life combined, including her graduation pictures from elementary school through university.

Guan Han had gone from being expressionless to masterfully controlling the angle of her smile—a soft smile, a faint smile, a close-lipped smile, a toothy grin, a hearty laugh—all with effortless ease.

"Darling, look here."

Carrying two bags of groceries, Guan Han opened the door to their home and was greeted by the woman's familiar, energetic voice.

She's almost thirty, yet she acts as childish as a three-year-old every day.

Standing on the doormat that wished for safe travels, Guan Han pressed her lips into an extremely faint smile.

Click—

"Don't post it on social media," she said, stating her one and only recurring demand to Fu Yujun. She had made other requests in the past, but they had all been rendered ineffective by Fu Yujun's silver tongue.

"I know. I wouldn't show it to others even if they wanted to see."

"No one wants to see a woman wearing..." Guan Han glanced down at the pink loungewear she had on. There was a small supermarket right at the entrance of their residential complex that could satisfy their daily needs, so Guan Han didn't bother dressing up for a quick trip downstairs. She continued, "...a woman wandering around the complex in her autumn and winter cotton pajamas."

Dressed as she was now, even Qin Yinong might not recognize Guan Han if they passed each other on the street.

Only in Fu Yujun's eyes was she a Helen of Troy, beautiful no matter what. If anyone, man or woman, gave Guan Han a second glance, Fu Yujun would assume they were interested in her and get jealous in a heartbeat. It was ironic, given that Fu Yujun herself was the one who drew more attention, with her hibiscus-flower face and autumn-water eyes, appealing to all ages and genders.

Once, when they went for a morning run at the crack of dawn, they ran into a guy who was also jogging. Even though Fu Yujun was all bundled up, he could still tell she was a beauty and ran up to hit on her, asking to add her on WeChat.

Fu Yujun, wearing her Bluetooth earbuds at the time, told him with a straight face, "I don't have my phone with me."

The guy shamelessly persisted, "Can I have your contact information then?"

Fu Yujun's displeased voice came from behind her mask, "No."

Only then did the guy awkwardly excuse himself and leave.

And the time before that...

Guan Han stopped her train of thought. No point in thinking about it. They're all paper tigers. Fu Yujun won't like them.

A clear sign of a woman truly falling in love is when she starts to feel insecure, caring whether her partner's eyes are only on her. Fu Yujun placed her DSLR camera on the coffee table and picked up a book to read.

Guan Han stared at the back of her head. One second, two seconds, three, five—she watched her without blinking.

Fu Yujun turned around and smiled at her. "What's wrong?"

A smile also danced on Guan Han's brow. "Do you want the potatoes sliced or shredded?"

Fu Yujun said, "Shredded. I want to eat stir-fried potato shreds with green peppers. Call me when you're done, and I'll cook."

Guan Han said, "Okay."

Guan Han's cooking skills weren't great, but her knife work was excellent. While she couldn't carve flowers out of tofu, she could easily carve a flower from a radish or potato. She shredded the potatoes, rinsed them in water, and set them aside. Fu Yujun placed a bookmark between the pages of her book and walked over.

Guan Han tied an apron for her.

They stood face to face, about the same height. Guan Han's hands went around the woman's back, deftly tying the straps into a knot. When she lifted her lowered gaze, she found Fu Yujun watching her intently.

They both closed their eyes at the same time and shared a kiss in tacit understanding.

Fu Yujun poured a layer of oil into the wok and heated it up. With a spatula in one hand, she said in the local dialect, "Just you wait and see."

With that, she tossed in the ingredients and began to stir-fry them quickly. Steam rose from the wok with a sizzling and crackling sound. Regardless of how it would taste, she certainly had the flair of a master chef.

Guan Han shook her head with a smile. While Fu Yujun was cooking, she carved a rose out of a carrot.

When Chef Fu finished cooking and was about to plate the dish, a slender, fair hand appeared before her, holding a lifelike rose.

Fu Yujun almost dropped the plate. She set it down on the counter, wiped her hands on her apron, and instead of taking the flower, asked in surprised confirmation, "Is this for me?"

Guan Han said, "Mhm."

Fu Yujun accepted the flower solemnly, her lips curving. "I love it."

Guan Han tilted her head, seemingly pondering something.

Given that Guan Han's cooking was not quite presentable, when the two of them were at home, Guan Han was in charge of prep work while Fu Yujun handled the cooking. This rational division of labor simultaneously improved both of their quality of life.

Sometimes Fu Yujun would teach Guan Han how to cook, guiding her hand and watching her every step of the way, which did indeed greatly improve the taste. But such moments were few, or more accurately, they rarely had peaceful time to eat at home.

Fu Yujun was always flying all over the country for work. Guan Han would accompany her most of the time, but occasionally she would stay in the capital or travel to other cities on business to negotiate resources for Fu Yujun. First, they had to be able to come home together, and second, they had to have the energy to cook. Guan Han was fine, her stamina was formidable, but Fu Yujun couldn't keep up. Not only was her stamina lower, but her workload was also heavier than Guan Han's. She would often come home and just collapse on the sofa. On those days, Guan Han would make a simple fried rice or some noodles to fill their stomachs.

Such slow, leisurely moments—one stir-frying, the other prepping—were rare. The air itself tasted of honey.

After the meal, Fu Yujun walked around the dining table in the living room to aid her digestion. She had accidentally eaten too much. As she walked, she patted her stomach and smiled at Guan Han. "Don't I look pregnant like this?"

Guan Han seemed a bit distracted. It took her two seconds to respond with an objective, "No, you don't." Her abdomen was flat, without the slightest hint of a belly.

Fu Yujun was sharp. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Guan Han said, "You."

Fu Yujun covered her face shyly. "Oh, you~"

Guan Han was speechless. There she goes, adding drama for herself again.

After a few seconds of acting, Fu Yujun returned to normal. "What are you thinking about me for? Aren't I right here in front of you?"

Guan Han didn't want to tell the truth, but she wasn't used to lying either. She drew out a long "Umm..." sound, then pursed her lips and said, "Just thinking."

Fu Yujun immediately feigned being shot through the heart, exclaiming, "Ah, I'm dead. Are all straight girls like this? No wonder all the lesbians fall for straight girls."

Guan Han had been puzzled by this for a long time. "I'm with you now. Am I still considered a straight girl?"

Fu Yujun laughed heartily. "You don't get it. Straight is a vibe. Some people look super gay, like Tang Ruoyao, and me. But you, you look straight. Like, steel-pipe straight. The kind that would rather break than bend."

Guan Han was speechless. What kind of weird metaphor is that?

She really didn't get it. What were lesbians thinking these days?

But she didn't need to.

Even though Guan Han had chosen to be with Fu Yujun, she didn't think of herself as gay, as in only being attracted to women. She had no interest in other men, women, or non-binary people. Only when the qualifier "Fu Yujun" was placed before the word "human" did her bl0od heat up and her heart burn.

Straight is fine, as long as it's what Fu Yujun likes.

After she finished digesting, Fu Yujun went back to the bedroom for a nap, wearing, of course, Guan Han's pajamas.

Guan Han didn't have the habit of taking afternoon naps. Before Fu Yujun closed her eyes, Guan Han was at the desk working on her laptop. As November rolled in, the capital began to cool down. Guan Han would wear an extra layer at home. Today, she had on a blue cardigan. Her shoulders were slim but not frail, and her perpetually straight back outlined the beautiful, powerful lines of her shoulder blades.

Fu Yujun gazed at her back, nuzzled Guan Han's pillow, and closed her eyes in contentment, drifting off to sleep.

A string of gibberish appeared in the document on Guan Han's screen. Only after she sensed the watchful gaze from behind her disappear did she delete the characters line by line, let out a silent breath, and gently close her laptop.

When undisturbed, Fu Yujun's naps lasted about an hour.

Guan Han took an outfit for going out from the closet and went to the living room to change. She glanced at her watch, estimating the travel time, and quietly closed the front door behind her.

The nearest flower shop was two kilometers from Si'an Apartments. Guan Han took the elevator from the B1 floor and sprinted the whole way. To save time, she had specifically changed into sneakers. As for whether formal wear paired with sneakers looked incongruous, she had no time to worry about it.

Guan Han returned home within forty minutes. The bedroom door was tightly shut, just as it was when she left. Guan Han breathed a sigh of relief, rested a hand on the edge of the dining table, and poured herself a glass of cold water.

Suddenly, a woman's voice called out from inside, "Guan Han?"

It was followed by the sound of footsteps.

Guan Han froze.

Fu Yujun had woken up groggily in the middle of her nap. Not seeing the figure at the desk, her tired eyes flew wide open. Just then, she heard the sound of the front door closing.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, shuffled in her slippers, and mumbled as she walked toward the door.

"Guan Han?" Her hand closed around the metal doorknob.

Guan Han braced herself, taking a deep breath.

Fu Yujun pulled the door open, and her vision was filled with fiery red roses. She couldn't see anything but red.

Fu Yujun froze.

The roses moved aside, revealing Guan Han's serious yet undeniably stiff face.

Guan Han held the roses out to her with both hands, fighting the urge to look down. She looked into Fu Yujun's eyes and said in a low, earnest voice, "For you."

Fu Yujun's eyes instantly turned red. Tears began to fall silently, pattering down her cheeks.

Guan Han was speechless.

She fumbled for tissues to wipe away the tears, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed, impossible to stop.

"Why... why are you..."

Fu Yujun threw herself into her arms, cutting off her flustered, incoherent words. Guan Han held her with one arm, the other still holding the flowers. It was a huge bouquet that the young lady at the flower shop had spent a long time wrapping. Guan Han had kept rushing her, much to the girl's exasperation. It wasn't heavy, but it was easy for the flowers to fall out when held with one hand.

Guan Han soothed Fu Yujun, taking two steps back to place the bouquet on the dining table. She glanced over to confirm it was safely in the center.

One bouquet, two thousand yuan.

Fu Yujun didn't cry for long. She lifted her tear-streaked face from Guan Han's shoulder and asked, "Did you go out just to buy me flowers?"

"Mhm." Guan Han carefully watched her expression.

"Why?"

"You like them."

"Because of the carrot?"

"Mhm."

Fu Yujun reached up and touched the sweat on her forehead. "I just said it casually. Why would you run out in the middle of the day to buy flowers? Are flowers more important than you? Aren't you hot? You're sweating so much."

Guan Han caught her hand and brought it to her lips for a kiss. "I'm fine." She deadpanned, "You cried and scared all my sweat back in."

"Who told you to give me flowers without a word?" Fu Yujun's cheeks flushed slightly. "I wasn't prepared."

"But if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

Fu Yujun glanced at the vibrant red roses on the table. Taking advantage of the situation, she huffed, "I don't care!"

"Okay." Guan Han held her with one arm, smiling good-naturedly. "You don't care."

"Why did you give me flowers?"

Guan Han, who could only throw straight pitches, was quiet for a few seconds before saying, "I like you."

Fu Yujun once again looked like she was about to faint from the impact, excitedly demanding, "Say it again."

"..." Guan Han paused for a longer time before repeating, "I like you."

Fu Yujun snuggled into her arms, cooing clingily, "Do you like me more, or do you like money more?"

Is this the legendary trick question? Guan Han fell into a strange silence. Suddenly, inspiration struck. She said slyly, "I like money more. I only want you."

Fu Yujun caressed her face, her laughter sweet and clear. "You've learned to be bad, Little Guan Han."

Guan Han was no longer the Guan Han who was teased into speechlessness. She could now volley back a retort or two. "You're a good teacher." she smiled.

Fu Yujun sighed, holding Guan Han's face and examining it. "You're straight and gay now, and you know how to sweet-talk your girlfriend. How many people are you going to charm in the future?" she said worriedly.

Guan Han was speechless.

What on earth does 'straight and gay' even mean? Am I a sewer pipe?

Today is another day of Fu Yujun being exceptionally crazy.

Fu Yujun delightedly accepted the flowers and had Guan Han take pictures of her. As a former all-purpose assistant, Guan Han knew a little bit of everything. Taking photos was a piece of cake for her, and her skills were even better than Fu Yujun's—after all, she had taken street style photos for Qin Yinong.

In the photo, Fu Yujun was leaning on the table, the sunlight from the window illuminating half her face. Her skin was translucent and delicate, her eyelashes dark and curled, her eyes closed in a light sleep. Beside her, the large bouquet of roses was a brilliant, fiery red, making her face shine like jade.

When Guan Han wasn't looking, Fu Yujun first posted it on her WeChat Moments, then on Weibo.

Fu Yujun V: [Happy weekend [Image]]

Marry Me Young Master Fu: [Ahhhhhh hubby!!! I'm here, hubby! Mwah!]

CEO Fu's Little Whip: [Finally, my queen is active! Fu Yujun, what an absolute goddess!]

Fu Fu Gets It Right: [Happy weekend, wifey! Glad the roses I sent arrived [Heart]]

protocolo: [Is something going on with my queen? [Confused]]

While fans avoided the topic, pretending nothing was happening, casual netizens keenly sniffed out the scent of spring in the air.

[Is Fu Yujun dating someone?]

Shortly after, [Fu Yujun Posts Roses, Suspected of Revealing Relationship] shot to the top of the trending list.

Guan Han was speechless.

If I don't watch her for one day, she starts kicking at the closet door. Is she afraid the door is too sturdy or something?

"Fu Yujun." Guan Han slammed her hand on the coffee table. As a semi-mother figure, Guan Han saying her full name was also quite terrifying.

Fu Yujun trotted over and stood at attention with her head bowed. "Present."

Guan Han handed her the phone displaying the trending topics page. "Explain."

Fu Yujun glanced at it and said in a small voice, "I was happy, so I posted it. If you think it's inappropriate, I'll delete it." She bit her lip, looking more aggrieved than if she had actually said she was wronged, and took out her own phone to delete the post.

Guan Han's face turned cold. "Are you going to act for me again?"

She's a seasoned veteran of the industry, yet she's playing the innocent little bunny in front of me. Deleting it would just create another trending topic. Does she think she has too much money to burn?

Fu Yujun put her phone away.

"Then what should we do?"

Guan Han had already contacted her colleagues in PR and told them not to worry about it, just to monitor public opinion. Posting a bouquet of flowers wasn't the same as posting a girlfriend, let alone a marriage certificate. It wasn't that serious. Fu Yujun's comment in the Xinglan magazine interview about "notifying everyone when there's good news" had already caused a wave of speculation.

The serious part was her nonchalant attitude!

Guan Han tapped her knuckles on the table. "Reflect on it yourself. Where did you go wrong?"

Perhaps Guan Han's indulgence and doting recently had made Fu Yujun get ahead of herself. Perhaps the feelings she had accumulated for years had erupted, making it impossible for her to remain calm. Or perhaps she had sensed the undercurrents beneath the calm surface. Fu Yujun curved her lips, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She lifted her head and said calmly, "I don't know. Can you tell me?"

Before Guan Han could speak, she had already blocked her with another sentence. "I just want to tell everyone that I'm in a relationship. I didn't expose that it's you. Is that not allowed either?"

Guan Han was speechless.

Her attitude immediately softened. She went to hug Fu Yujun, coaxing her gently, "Don't cry."

Fu Yujun said with red-rimmed eyes, "I'm not crying."

She's been so overly emotional lately, crying at the drop of a hat. Is she made of faucets? Even then, the water should flow from the bottom, not the top. Why is she so pathetic? Fu Yujun slapped her own thigh in frustration.

She missed. Guan Han's hand blocked it with a loud smack.

The back of Guan Han's hand was bright red.

"Does it hurt?" Fu Yujun's attention immediately shifted.

Guan Han shook her hand. "It's nothing." Her tone was light. "With your kitten-scratch strength."

Fu Yujun looked at Guan Han, and Guan Han looked back at Fu Yujun. Their lips moved.

"I'm sorry." they said in unison.

Fu Yujun spoke first, her attitude apologetic. "I shouldn't have posted on Weibo without your permission. It got on the trending list again, and it costs money. I'm a spendthrift. Your turn."

Guan Han chose her words carefully. "I shouldn't have reacted so strongly. I didn't consider your feelings. Also, we didn't take down the trending topic this time, so it didn't cost any money."

Fu Yujun said, "Then I still shouldn't have posted on Weibo without permission."

"No, that's not it." Guan Han held her hand. "About coming out... just give me some time, okay?"

"What are your concerns?"

Guan Han's lips tightened slightly.

Fu Yujun immediately said, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I respect all your decisions."

Guan Han's expression relaxed slightly.

Fu Yujun offered her an out, smiling. "We haven't even met each other's parents yet. Look at Tang-Tang and the others, they only went public after they got married. We're not in a hurry. At least we can be together openly, unlike those two. Before they went public, they were so sneaky. Hey, you know about it, right? The year we graduated, you came to our school. They had been together for three years but pretended not to know each other. Tsk, tsk."

"And also, President Qin has a nemesis named Li Yichuan. Li Yichuan tried to pressure President Qin by going after Tang-Tang. Those two had to hold back for months, unable to even see each other, terrified of being caught. Isn't that tragic? Hahahaha."

Guan Han was quite moved by her first sentence, but the more she listened, the more her brows furrowed, and her face grew long.

It was rare to see such an expression on Guan Han's face, so Fu Yujun was quite surprised when she saw it. "What's wrong with you?" she asked with a smile.

Guan Han stared at her grimly. "Have you stopped being a fan?"

Fu Yujun asked, "Stopped being a fan of what?"

Seeing the increasingly gloomy look in Guan Han's eyes, a flash of white light went through Fu Yujun's mind, followed by a jolt in her heart. She finally remembered the persona she had once established—a Qin-Tang CP fan.

Little Guan Han said, "They endured humiliation for love, overcame all obstacles, went through a thousand hardships. Their love is real, and you're laughing? You're gloating, laughing so happily?"

Fu Yujun swallowed. "I..."

Little Guan Han cut her off. "I was President Qin's assistant when she was dealing with Li Yichuan. I was right by her side. Do you know how hard it was for her? She not only had to deal with Li Yichuan, but also work hard filming and investing to support everyone in the company, and help those abused women and children. On what grounds do you summarize her with the word 'tragic'?"

Fu Yujun explained frantically, "That's not what I meant. I was just joking."

Guan Xiao Han was indignant. "Enough! Don't say any more! You don't know anything! You have no heart!"

Fu Yujun was speechless.

Fu Yujun had originally planned to apologize nicely, but she was stunned by the barrage of accusations. After the shock, a fire ignited in her heart.

So what's happening now? Just because I made a joke, she's not only accusing me but also yelling at me? I have no heart? I've given my entire heart to her, and just because I said one thing about her CP that wasn't even really a bad thing, it's all worthless?

Fu Yujun laughed in anger. "Then go cuddle your paper characters. Don't you dare cuddle me tonight!"

Xiaohan: "Did you stop being a fan?"

Fu Yujun replied loudly: "Yes, I stopped being a fan!" Not only had she stopped being a fan—she had never been one in the first place. Who in their right mind would ship their own roommate?!

Xiaohan: "Fine, I'll never share fanfiction with you again!"

Fu Yujun sneered: "Who cares? I can just..." write it myself. "Ahem, ahem..." Fu Yujun quickly coughed a few times, swallowing the words that were about to slip out.

That was close.

Almost gave herself away.

Little Guan Han: "You said it!"

Guan Han strode back to her bedroom and slammed the door.

Fu Yujun: "..."

She pointed at the door, then at herself, opened her mouth, and punched the sofa hard.

She never would have imagined that her first real argument with Guan Han would be over shipping—and not just any ship, but her roommate and their boss's ship.

Fu Yujun opened her private chat with Tang Ruoyao, tapped her screen rapidly, and sent a series of knife and bomb emojis.

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

At the same time, Qin Yinong's phone vibrated. She opened it to see the same message Tang Ruoyao had received.

Qin Yinong: "...Did she lose her mind?"

Tang Ruoyao rubbed her chin: "Maybe?"

A slight smile tugged at Qin Yinong's lips as she typed: Employee, do you realize what you're sending to your boss and your boss's wife?

[System message: Fu Yujun has recalled a message]

Two identical system messages appeared again.

Tang Ruoyao rested her chin on Qin Yinong's shoulder. Just from these recalled messages, she could picture Fu Yujun's frustrated expression. "Isn't this a bit too much? She's definitely even more annoyed now."

Even though neither of them knew what they had done to provoke her.

"Probably," Qin Yinong turned her head and met Tang Ruoyao's gaze, grinning. "But what does that have to do with us?"

Tang Ruoyao chuckled softly: "You're right."

Qin Yinong looked at her, her smile fading slightly. "She called you in the middle of the night last time because of a nightmare."

Tang Ruoyao sighed helplessly: "That was six months ago."

Qin Yinong focused on the key point: "Did she call you or not?"

Tang Ruoyao: "Yes, but it wasn't because—"

Qin Yinong cut her off: "What if I called Guan Han because of a nightmare?"

Tang Ruoyao gritted her teeth: "I'd kill her!"

"Feisty," Qin Yinong said. "Too bad you can't beat her."

"Then I'll kill Lao Fu."

"So we're on the same page. Fu Yujun deserves it—who told her to call you?" Qin Yinong raised her hand, and Tang Ruoyao high-fived her.

"Right, she deserves it."

Consensus reached.

......

"Achoo—"

Fu Yujun let out a loud sneeze.

She rubbed her nose, wondering who was thinking about her.

Having sat alone in the living room for half an hour, Fu Yujun found an excuse for herself—it must be Guan Han thinking about her in the room. Fu Yujun gathered her thoughts and straightened up.

Just then, she heard the sound of a door opening. Fu Yujun glanced over and saw Guan Han striding toward her, phone in hand.

Fu Yujun's instincts screamed of an even greater crisis than before. She stepped back, her heel hitting the edge of the sofa.

Guan Han stopped in front of her, her dark eyes unfathomable, and said coldly: "For_Love_lf—is that you?"

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