Especially Fond of You

Chapter 9(A, Gu Lin’s Perspective)

Gu Lin realized he had underestimated his resolve to reform.

He really wanted to ask Fan Sizhe, when your girlfriend is so innocent, cute, and a bit sexy, how do you manage to remain a gentleman and not lose control?

If your girlfriend hesitated to even poke you and withdrew her hand shyly when she wanted to hold yours, wouldn't you want to tease her and make her even more embarrassed?

Gu Lin truly hadn't expected his girlfriend to be this adorable.

She couldn't drink much but insisted on ordering a pitcher of beer, sipping it like a cat, taking tiny sips and barely finishing half a glass.

She said she wanted hotpot but couldn't handle spicy food, puffing after every bite, her lips turning red, looking so... kissable.

Of course, it was just a thought. To avoid more intimate fantasies, he pretended to be texting, otherwise, he couldn't very well tell Wang Miao, "Your lips look like sausages right now," could he?

If Wang Miao got angry, he might have said, "Can I take a bite? They look delicious."

Calm down, calm down.

Gu Lin suppressed his smile, trying to look like a good mentor answering interns' questions until Wang Miao's unhappy glare made him put his phone away.

When she pouted, her lips looked even more like little sausages.

Despite not liking sci-fi movies, she insisted on accommodating him, saying she enjoyed mecha films, but ended up falling asleep halfway through.

Gu Lin noticed Wang Miao's head nodding off in the theater and thought she must be a glutton for punishment. Yet, knowing she was enduring it for his sake, he felt touched.

He moved closer to her, supporting her neck so she could lean on him. She slept soundly, adjusting to a comfortable position on his shoulder, as if he were a chair back.

She slept through the entire movie, leaving Gu Lin's shoulder numb by the time the credits rolled. Her quality of sleep was remarkable.

Gu Lin imagined a scenario where he worked night shifts and she slept soundly at home without fear. It was a comforting thought.

When Wang Miao woke up, her face still bore sleep marks, but she firmly insisted she liked mecha movies. Gu Lin couldn't help but smile and took her hand.

Worried she might be shy, he avoided looking at her directly, giving her time to adjust to their physical contact. He hadn't expected her to be so delighted, her voice bubbling with excitement, accidentally startling a nearby child awake.

Gu Lin hadn't met someone so easily satisfied before. When you get a positive response from someone, it does lift your spirits. So he indulged her with a cup of orange juice, wanting to fulfill more of her wishes, "Everything you want, I'll give you."

Watching Wang Miao hobble along, Gu Lin suggested they rest in a teahouse instead of wandering around.

He poured her tea, and she added juice, reminding him of her putting kumquats in her tea before.

Curious, Gu Lin held his cup out to her, "Let me try some."

Wang Miao smiled sheepishly, pouring a generous amount of orange juice into his tea.

Gu Lin took a sip. It tasted awful.

"Too much," Wang Miao laughed awkwardly, "I usually just use a bit for flavor."

Gu Lin brewed a fresh pot of tea, skillfully handling the utensils. The rising steam and fragrant tea offered a moment of tranquility, making him feel like a wise sage in a period drama.

Just then, he noticed two women about twenty steps away, dressed brightly and chatting animatedly. Most notably, the one on the left was his ex-girlfriend.

Lost in thought, he spilled hot water on his hand, nearly dropping the teapot.

"Are you okay?" Wang Miao grabbed a cloth to take the teapot from him, "Your hand is red. Should we get some burn ointment?"

Her concern warmed Gu Lin's heart. He quickly reassured her, "It's fine, just a little hot water. No blisters, no problem."

His ex-girlfriend had already spotted him and was approaching their table.

Gu Lin felt a pang of anxiety. Most of his breakups were amicable, but this one was different. He met this flight attendant while trying to get over Shen Lingxin. Their relationship ended in a fight, with her claiming she found someone better.

She later tried to reconcile, saying the other guy was a lie to make him jealous. Gu Lin didn't care enough to verify it. Their time together was filled with frequent arguments, and he saw no point in rekindling it.

The flight attendant, however, didn't take the breakup well and had said some harsh words, making things awkward.

Seeing her now, Gu Lin braced for a possible confrontation. She and her friend sat diagonally behind them, and she kept glancing their way.

Wang Miao, more perceptive than he expected, noticed the looks and turned to him, "Do you know them? They're looking at you."

Gu Lin felt a headache coming on, whispering to Wang Miao, "You don't like tea, right? Let's go somewhere else. Want some dessert?"

Wang Miao shook her head, "Do you know them? That girl seems interested in you. Good thing you don't date your patients."

Gu Lin forced a laugh, feeling like someone was throwing pebbles at him.

Since Wang Miao had noticed the unfriendly looks, Gu Lin felt he should make her comfortable. He picked up her orange juice, "I don't like being stared at. Let's go."

"That girl is coming over," Wang Miao said, glancing behind him, "Why don't you greet her before we leave?"

Gu Lin felt like a computer shutting down, summoning his energy to face his ex, "Lulu."

She smiled, "What a coincidence, running into you here."

"Yeah, quite a coincidence."

"Out shopping with your girlfriend?" Her eyes shifted to Wang Miao.

"Yes, she didn't want tea, so we were about to leave." Gu Lin's tone was distant, making it clear he didn't want to continue the conversation.

But Lulu feigned ignorance, throwing a jab at Wang Miao, "You've gotten better at pleasing your girlfriend. You were always too busy working when I wanted to go out."

Gu Lin's heart sank. He should have known she wouldn't be considerate.

He looked at Wang Miao, wanting to leave quickly to spare her any awkwardness.

Wang Miao looked back at him, and before he could speak, she grabbed her purse, ready to leave with him.

"Oh, leaving so soon?" Lulu blocked their path.

Gu Lin, keeping his cool, was about to speak when Wang Miao said, "So you found someone else?"

Both Gu Lin and Lulu turned to Wang Miao, who calmly repeated, "He wasn't good at pleasing you, so you found someone else. Isn't it even now?"

Lulu seemed taken aback, giving Gu Lin the chance to pull Wang Miao away, not even saying goodbye to his ex.

He wasn't thinking about Lulu; he was worried about explaining things to Wang Miao.

They walked in silence, eventually sitting on a bench outside a clothing store. Wang Miao still held his hand, seemingly not angry, "She was your ex?"

"You... guessed it."

"She's really bitter. Didn't she marry someone else?"

Ah, she thought Lulu was Shen Lingxin.

Gu Lin realized the confusion but decided not to clarify. "Yes, I didn't treat her well back then."

Wang Miao leaned forward, looking up at him, "Are you feeling... remorseful? Guilty? Regretful?"

"No," Gu Lin looked at her, "I feel bad for putting you in that awkward situation. Are you... mad?"

Wang Miao let go of his hand, "A bit, when you called her Lulu."

"Her name is Zhang Lulu," Gu Lin explained.

"Then call her Zhang Lulu, why skip her surname?" Wang Miao said seriously.

"Okay, no skipping," Gu Lin agreed, looking at her, unsure of her feelings. She seemed unbothered yet understanding.

Wang Miao smiled, "You think I'd be mad about your past relationships? You told me before, and having experience is good. You've improved, being considerate and worried about me. That's progress."

How could she be so understanding and kind?

Gu Lin felt ashamed, thinking he had deceived a pure, good-hearted woman. Should he have Fan Sizhe expose his true nature and scold him in front of Wang Miao?

She would probably run away then.

He squeezed her hand, his mind in turmoil.

Wang Miao squeezed back, "I envy you and your ex. My mom has controlled me since I was thirteen, preventing early romance and choosing a local university to keep an eye on me. Even during my two years studying abroad, she video-called daily to monitor me. But after I returned, she started pushing me to marry, comparing me to my peers."

She sighed, "You never got to experience meeting my ex and feeling jealous."

Gu Lin felt even more remorseful. How did this little angel end up with him for her first relationship...

He seriously considered where to take her next time to avoid running into any exes.

"Hey," Wang Miao called, "What are you thinking about? Still your ex?"

Her pouty face snapped him back to reality.

Talking too much about exes wasn't good, "Is your foot hurting?"

Wang Miao's eyes sparkled, "Aren't you a doctor? Can't you tell?"

Gu Lin checked her foot, "You shouldn't walk too much. My place isn't far. Want to rest there?"

Home was safest.

They could chat comfortably.

But she seemed... reluctant?

He was about to suggest somewhere else when Wang Miao nodded, "Okay, let's go to your place.

My foot really hurts."

"Alright." Gu Lin smiled warmly, trying to look as trustworthy as possible.