Especially Fond of You

Chapter 28(B, Wang Miao’s Perspective)Episode

Although the bracelet from Gu's mother was precious, Wang Miao still felt a little disappointed.

This was far from what she had expected.

Especially since Gu Lin annoyingly saw through the anticipation in her eyes and kept teasing her, asking if she thought he was proposing.

Are all straight men this clueless? If you already know, why do you have to say it out loud? Haven't you heard the saying about leaving some room for future interactions?

How can someone so grown-up still be so childish?

Sometimes she would comfort herself, thinking that at twenty-seven, she should just focus on living a steady life and stop dreaming about unrealistic things. Romance can't be eaten as a meal, after all.

Since they had chosen to date with the intention of marriage, whether there was a proposal or not was just a minor detail.

Many people get married right after meeting through a matchmaker. At least they were having a relationship, and Gu Lin even wanted to have an engagement ceremony. It was already very formal.

Wang Miao was good at self-consolation. After a few rounds of comforting herself, she felt at ease.

She watched Gu Lin's clumsy act of pretending his arm hurt and his feigned fatigue to make her stay the night, finding his childishness quite endearing.

She actually wanted to stay. The mere idea of "spending the night" could lead her to many blush-worthy fantasies.

However, she didn't expect that her mother, Niang Ma, would be so astute. She had just begun to come up with an excuse when her mother revealed the truth, "Wang Xiwen said you watched a play with Gu Lin this afternoon!"

Wang Xiwen! Usually, I treat you so well, and at critical moments you always let me down!

Wang Miao gritted her teeth, thinking about how she would deal with her niece later, but seeing the fleeting look of frustration on Gu Lin's face, she felt a bit smug.

Let him be frustrated. If things are too easy, they won't be appreciated. Dragging it out like this might be better.

Actually, Wang Miao was also conflicted about becoming intimate with Gu Lin. On one hand, she often found him very attractive, which made her hormones surge. On the other hand, she worried about his experience.

If he was all appearance and no substance, it would affect her happiness for the rest of her life, so she had to be cautious.

That's why she thought Gu Lin's suggestion of a trial marriage was quite good. Whether they were compatible in that regard was also important for a stable marriage.

She wasn't too worried about herself. It had been a long time since she had a boyfriend, and she felt that as long as she held back a little, she wouldn't be found out.

Gu Lin insisted on taking a taxi to send her home and then taking one back himself. Wang Miao found it amusing. He could have just rested at home, and she could have taken a taxi back herself. Why go through all this trouble?

When she got home, her mother was sitting in the center of the sofa with her arms crossed, looking at her coldly. She glanced Wang Miao up and down before snorting, "So you decided to come back, huh?"

"You told me to come back, how could I not?" Wang Miao replied.

Niang Ma reprimanded her, "How many times have I told you? Keep your distance when dating. Don't let him take advantage of you. And now you want to spend the night there? Have you lost your mind?"

To avoid further scolding, Wang Miao quickly took out the bracelet Gu's mother had given her. "This is a gift from Gu Lin's mom. Well, I haven't met her yet, but it's from her. She said she wants to discuss our engagement with you and Dad soon. Take a look at this bracelet. Is it that high-quality jade?"

Niang Ma took the bracelet, put on her reading glasses, and examined it carefully under the light. "It's not some high-quality jade, but it's good. The price wouldn't be cheap."

Seeing that her mother's attention was completely on the bracelet, Wang Miao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Niang Ma put down the bracelet and took off her glasses, rubbing her eyes. "Why bother with an engagement? Both you and Xiao Gu are not young. Just get married."

"An engagement is just an opportunity for both families to discuss the marriage. Otherwise, you wouldn't even know what my future mother-in-law looks like before you send me off. Aren't you afraid I'll be bullied?"

"That's true. We need to talk." Niang Ma's eyes were bright, clearly thinking about something important.

Wang Miao teased her mother, "You don't want him to take advantage, but you also want him to marry such a troublesome daughter. Where are you going to find such a good deal?"

Niang Ma firmly poked Wang Miao's head. "Nonsense. My daughter is a treasure. Marrying her is his blessing."

Having been nagged about marriage by her mother for the past few years, Wang Miao often felt like she was seen as a depreciating vegetable. Hearing her mother's words made her feel a bit emotional, realizing that her mother still loved her.

After talking with her mother and mentioning that Gu Lin would come over to discuss the engagement soon, Wang Miao changed clothes and went to find Wang Xiwen to settle accounts. Her niece had caused her a lot of trouble that day.

When she entered the room, Wang Xiwen was already in bed, pretending to sleep.

Only a small night lamp was on, casting a soft light. It was usually left on so she could see if she got up at night.

Wang Miao had come in with a fierce momentum, but seeing Wang Xiwen asleep made her move quietly. She walked to the bed, tucked her in, and adjusted the air conditioner to a natural wind sleep mode.

She then stood by the bed, watching Wang Xiwen sleep, marveling at how the once tiny child had grown to be almost as tall as she was.

After about ten minutes, Wang Xiwen, eyes still closed, mumbled, "Aunt, why don't you just hit me? Watching me like this is a bit creepy."

Wang Miao chuckled, surprised that Wang Xiwen had been pretending to sleep.

"I didn't mean to sell you out. Grandma asked how I got home, and I said Uncle Gu sent me. If you had told me earlier you wanted to stay at his place, I would have covered for you! I'm already feeling guilty for ruining your good time. Please don't hit me," Wang Xiwen pleaded.

"Get lost. When have I ever hit you?" Wang Miao retorted, leaving the room. "Sleep well."

It seemed like the work had piled up after the holiday, as Gu Lin suddenly became very busy again. Wang Miao tried not to bother him, calling only at noon and in the evening, but often couldn't reach him.

The planned visit to her parents to "propose" was also postponed.

Wang Miao packed a small suitcase and set off on her business trip. She wondered if the company was on the verge of bankruptcy since they booked her a second-class high-speed rail ticket instead of a flight.

After nearly six hours on the train, her legs felt weak when she got off. To make matters worse, it had rained, and the colleague who was supposed to pick her up said their car had a flat tire, so she had to take a taxi to the hotel.

When everything seems to go wrong at once, it doesn't matter which is worse.

Wang Miao stood in line for a taxi at the station exit. A child behind her seemed to enjoy stomping in puddles, splashing dirty water on her legs. She was annoyed.

First, she glared at the little boy, who responded by making faces at her. Then she glared at his mother, who was too absorbed in her phone to notice her anger.

Following the principle of avoiding trouble when away from home, she kept silent, thinking she would never want to have children, those little demons. Even Gu Er was more well-behaved than children!

Finally, she got a taxi and reached the hotel. After checking in, she inspected the room from the doorway to ensure there was no one hiding before closing the door.

A hot shower washed away the muddy spots on her legs. She changed into her pajamas and lay on the bed to check her messages.

Gu Lin had called, so she quickly returned his call, telling him she had safely arrived at the hotel and was about to rest before heading downstairs for dinner.

Gu Lin, who had just realized she was on a solo trip, grumbled a lot, mainly about how she shouldn't accept solo business trips in the future.

Wang Miao thought he was being unreasonable. She was an adult, not a child, and she had enough experience. As long as she was careful, there wouldn't be so many accidents.

But Gu Lin wouldn't listen, repeatedly insisting she should never accept solo trips again.

He kept saying, "I think you're very soft" and "You're just a little girl," making Wang Miao wonder if she was really that fragile.

Even her mother took her solo trips for granted, but in Gu Lin's eyes, it seemed like a huge risk. Wang Miao wasn't a strong career woman with big ambitions. She started to feel moved by his concern.

All the grievances she had ignored throughout the day surged back. If someone was willing to bear the burden for her, she wouldn't want to be so self-reliant either.

She promised Gu Lin she wouldn't accept solo trips anymore. After making this promise, she laughed when Gu Lin, like a child, said he would buy her a pot of pigeon eggs to eat.

After a sweet conversation, Gu Lin got busy again.

Wang Miao wasn't busy. She felt full from his care and concern, not even

hungry anymore.

Leaning against the bed, she watched a TV show and was about to fall asleep when she suddenly heard someone pounding on the door and shouting, "You stinky woman, open the door!"

Startled, Wang Miao didn't ask who it was, knowing it wasn't for her.

She got up, checked the door lock and chain, and clutched her chest, listening to the man shout outside. It sounded like a drunk.

The pounding lasted for five minutes before stopping. Wang Miao heard a door open, and someone seemed to call the man inside.

Feeling a bit shaken, Wang Miao tried to call Gu Lin for comfort, but his phone was unreachable again.

This man! Just when I thought he gave me a sense of security, he disappears!

But she couldn't blame him. He had told her during their first date that if they were to be together, she would have to accept a boyfriend who was often unreachable.

She hadn't taken it seriously then, thinking she could handle it. But now that she was in love and wanted to be with him all the time, she realized it was hard not to mind.

Feeling like a pitiful little thing, Wang Miao wrapped herself in the blanket and went to sleep. When she woke up to see a dozen messages from Gu Lin, her mood brightened again.

She threw herself into her work, visiting seven schools in nearby towns. By the end of the trip, her throat was sore and hoarse, and she had consumed five or six packs of throat lozenges.

Maybe because she thought it was her last solo trip, she felt a bit wistful when leaving the hotel room. But this feeling only lasted a few minutes before being replaced by the joy of returning home to see her boyfriend.

However, she didn't expect Gu Lin to still be so busy. She counted that he hadn't had a day off in six days, including one overnight shift. Could he really handle such intense work without collapsing?

Wang Miao texted Gu Lin, asking when he could come to her house since she was back. She suspected he might be too tired for a date.

Shortly after she sent the message, Gu Lin called back, sounding lazy. "Are you home?"

"Yes, where are you? At the hospital?"

"Yes, about to have a minor surgery."

Wang Miao was surprised. "You can call during surgery?"

"Ah, no, I mean I need a minor surgery."

This man is so annoying. Why can't he just say things clearly? Wang Miao was alarmed. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Or sick?"

Gu Lin mumbled a bit. "It's a minor issue... rectal varices."

Wang Miao didn't understand the medical term, only knowing to worry. "What's that? What's wrong?"

"Um..." Gu Lin cleared his throat. "It's hemorrhoids."