GBP Chapter 275 The Date Ends
Chapter 275 The Date Ends
Finally, Zhou Yanchuan chuckled very softly, a laugh tinged with a helpless amusement at being outmaneuvered. He put down his chopsticks, leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them, and instead of looking away, gazed even deeper into her eyes.
"What if I said yes?" His voice was even lower than before, magnetic and deep, like a husky note slowly flowing from a late-night radio station. "Then would you let me flirt with you?"
Now, it was Xiao Jiu's turn to have her eyelashes flutter slightly. She seemed not to have expected him to admit it so directly and then ask her a question in return. The husky voice beside her ear was like a feather gently brushing against it, and a very faint blush slowly crept up her earlobe.
But she didn't back down. Instead, she met his gaze and, mimicking his earlier gesture, leaned forward slightly, instantly shortening the distance between them to the point where they could clearly feel each other's breath.
She blinked, her voice as soft as a whisper:
"That depends on... your skills, Brother Yanchuan."
Those words were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, the ripples spreading out silently yet violently striking Zhou Yanchuan's chest.
He looked at her face, so close to his own; the blush that had finally crept up her cheeks made her seem less bold, and even more alluring. The air was filled with the aroma of food and an invisible, crackling tension.
Zhou Yanchuan's eyes deepened, like gazing into a bottomless night sea. Instead of retreating, he moved even closer, his nose almost touching hers. He could clearly count each of her trembling eyelashes and smell the sweet fruit tea scent on her lips.
"Skill?" He repeated the word, his voice so hoarse it was almost a whisper, carrying a dangerous allure. "Like... this?"
His gaze slowly descended, settling on her slightly parted, glistening lips. His intentions were obvious, yet his movements were agonizingly slow, as if giving her ample time to push him away, or perhaps savoring the gradual erratic breathing that followed.
Xiao Jiu was enveloped by his suddenly assertive aura. Her fingertips went slightly numb, but she felt as if she were nailed to the spot, unable to move. She could even feel his warm breath gently brushing against her lips, bringing a slight shiver. She could hear the pounding of his heart in his chest. He wasn't as calm as she had imagined.
Xiao Jiu, feeling a mischievous urge, moved closer to his lips, just before they were about to meet—
"Excuse me, may I bring you a fruit platter?"
The waiter's polite voice was like a sudden splash of cold water, instantly breaking the thick, suffocating atmosphere.
Zhou Yanchuan jerked back, his back hitting the soft back of the booth seat. Xiao Jiu stopped moving and naturally leaned back into her seat.
A deep sense of regret and frustration at being interrupted flashed across Zhou Yanchuan's eyes, but he almost instantly regained his composure, leaning back in his seat naturally, though the knuckles of his hand resting on the edge of the table turned slightly white.
The waiter seemed unaware of anything amiss, skillfully placing down the elegant fruit platter, politely asking if any other service was needed, before leaving.
The table fell silent, save for the sound of their still-breathing breaths and the soft clinking of ice cubes in the fruit platter.
The ambiguity hadn't yet dissipated when awkwardness and a more exciting undercurrent quietly began to emerge.
Zhou Yanchuan picked up the ice water beside him and took a sip. His Adam's apple bobbed, and when he looked up again, his gaze had calmed down, but a faint, unextinguished fire still burned deep within.
"Brother Yanchuan, why are you hiding?" Xiao Jiu teased him, and Zhou Yanchuan knew that he had been teased by this little girl again.
"What a bad girl." Zhou Yanchuan chuckled. He didn't blame Xiao Jiu for teasing him earlier; he liked her being like that with him.
Lunch drew to a close in a subtle yet tense sweetness. The fruit platter seemed like an abrupt pause, temporarily halting the almost out-of-control melody, but the lingering notes remained, and every exchange of glances seemed to carry an unfinished spark.
Zhou Yanchuan waved to signal that he wanted to pay the bill. The manager came over personally and respectfully handed over the bill, which Zhou Yanchuan signed without even looking at it.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, the afternoon sun was blazing, casting shimmering golden light through the glass curtain wall. Zhou Yanchuan naturally walked on the outside, shielding Xiao Jiu from some of the sunlight and the flow of people. The two walked side by side, their shadows stretching long on the smooth ground, sometimes intersecting, sometimes separating.
"Ugh, I'm so full..." Xiao Jiu muttered softly, subconsciously rubbing her stomach with a slightly annoyed expression. "It's all your fault for putting so much food on my plate."
Zhou Yanchuan turned his head to look at her. Sunlight danced on the top of her hair, turning even the fine downy hairs golden. His gaze lingered on her slightly pouting lips for a moment before quickly moving away.
"I'll definitely be more careful next time." He readily agreed, but there was little remorse in his tone.
The car was parked nearby. Zhou Yanchuan opened the passenger door, and as Xiao Jiu bent down to get in, a strand of her hair accidentally brushed against his wrist, causing a slightly itchy sensation. He closed the door and walked back to the driver's seat.
The faint sweet scent she brought from lunch still lingered in the car, subtly blending with the original cedar fragrance. Zhou Yanchuan didn't start the car immediately; he simply gripped the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
Xiao Jiu fastened her seatbelt and sat quietly. Neither of them spoke. A sense of unease hung in the air, as if the date had ended but wasn't quite over, carrying a subtle anticipation of not knowing where to go next.
"This afternoon..." Zhou Yanchuan broke the silence first, his voice sounding particularly deep in the enclosed carriage, "What are the plans?"
Xiao Jiu turned to look at him, blinked, and said, "Let's go back to school? I have a major class this afternoon."
"Hmm," Zhou Yanchuan responded, his tone unreadable. He started the car, the engine emitting a steady, low hum.
The car merged into the traffic and drove smoothly towards the university town. The afternoon traffic was a bit congested, with cars moving intermittently. A languid old English song played on the radio, a woman's husky voice singing of love.
At a long red light, Zhou Yanchuan casually rested his hand on the gear shift. Xiao Jiu's gaze fell on his well-defined knuckles, and recalling the feeling of holding that hand with hers, she felt a stirring of desire; she liked that feeling.
Suddenly, the hand moved, turned, and gently covered the back of her hand that was resting on her lap.
His palms were warm and dry, with an undeniable strength, completely enveloping her slightly cool fingers.
Her fingertips curled slightly in his palm, like a tentative butterfly.
Zhou Yanchuan stared straight ahead, seemingly focused on the road conditions, only his Adam's apple bobbing very slightly. His thumb, almost imperceptibly and very slowly, gently caressed the most delicate skin on the back of her hand.