After seven years of being a "simp," she's reborn and no longer pursuing the aloof sc

Chapter 119

Seeing my anxious look, Gu Jinhuai's lips curled up slightly, and a deep meaning flashed in his dark eyes. He didn't say anything and followed me out of the hospital.

I originally thought Gu Jinhuai would just pick any restaurant nearby, but I didn't expect him to take me to the best hot pot restaurant in the center of Beijing.

Walking inside, there is a pool in the very center, with water flowing slowly down the artificial hill.

The emerald green pool is decorated with stones and ornaments of various colors, and contains all sorts of small fish.

I couldn't help but walk over and look through the glass at the little goldfish inside, a glint of light in my eyes.

"What flavor do you want?"

Gu Jinhuai's deep voice rang out.

I stared intently at the little goldfish inside, without turning around: "Tomato, please."

Gu Jinhuai noticed my gaze, which remained fixed on the pool. He raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile flashing in his eyes, and asked in a deep voice, "You like it very much?"

"Ah."

I gave a soft "hmm" and continued watching.

After a while, noticing the man's gaze falling on her, she turned around abruptly and met his eyes.

"Let's go."

I hid my embarrassment and followed him into the private room.

"What to eat?"

Gu Jinhuai handed me the tablet. I glanced at it, didn't refuse, and started ordering.

"Is there anything you want to eat?"

I pondered for a while, then, thinking of Gu Jinhuai, I suddenly looked up and asked.

"I'm not picky."

Gu Jinhuai was wiping the plates, his movements were exceptionally focused.

"Oh."

It's as if I'm being picky. I didn't think much of it and kept ordering until I was almost done before stopping.

That's all for now. We can order more later if needed.

The waiter went out to prepare, and soon all the food I ordered was brought out. The rich aroma of tomatoes wafted over, and I swallowed hard, looking rather impatient.

Gu Jinhuai looked at my expression and put the things in front of him into the pot.

"Done yet?"

Watching his slow and methodical movements, I felt they were too slow, so I simply stood up and put all the food from the plate into the pot.

If we don't hurry, I'm going to starve to death.

A few minutes later, the pot began to bubble and steam. Through the steam, Gu Jinhuai saw the joy on my face, and the smile on his lips deepened.

"Eat."

Gu Jinhuai's voice was deep and pleasant.

I picked up my chopsticks and started eating heartily.

It's piping hot, almost too hot to eat, perfect for cold weather.

Seeing my expression, a hint of surprise flashed across Gu Jinhuai's eyes, but he quickly smiled and said, "Eat slowly, be careful not to burn yourself."

My entire focus was on the hot pot, and despite the steam in between, I didn't notice the change in the man's expression.

That cold face seemed to soften a bit under the warmth of the steam, but those deep, beautiful eyes became somewhat blurry, giving them an air of mystery.

Halfway through the meal, I suddenly remembered something and went straight to the restroom. After coming out of the restroom, I went to the front desk, but just as I was about to pay the bill, I heard Fu Yiran's voice.

"Zhizhi."

The man's voice was gentle, as pleasant as a spring breeze.

I looked up and saw Fu Yiran dressed in a suit and tie, still wearing glasses on his nose, giving off a gentle and tender feeling.

He said a few words to the people around him, who glanced in my direction and then turned and left.

Fu Yiran lifted his foot and walked towards me, looking me up and down before asking, "You're here to eat with your friends?"

"Hmm, you've come to the capital?"

I didn't expect Fu Yiran to arrive so quickly. Only a few days have passed, and he's already in the capital. A look of surprise flashed across my eyes.

"Yeah, I just arrived. I came with my mentor to discuss a collaboration. You won't mind, will you?"

Fu Yiran winked at me, his voice deep and resonant.

"No, aren't you busy?"

I answered with a smile.

"You're having dinner with friends, is this time to pay the bill?"

Fu Yiran had a gentle expression. He glanced at the reception desk and finally fixed his gaze on me.

"Okay, I'll pay the bill."

After answering Fu Yiran's question, I turned my gaze to the receptionist.

The clerk smiled, her eyes crinkling, and said, "Miss, that gentleman has already paid."

A look of surprise flashed across my eyes; I probably hadn't noticed because I was so focused on the goldfish.

"it is good."

Upon hearing the word "sir," a strange emotion flashed across Fu Yiran's eyes, and his expression froze for a moment, but he quickly composed himself when he noticed my gaze.

"Did Zhizhi make other friends in Beijing? Was she having dinner with her classmates?"

Hearing Fu Yiran's words, a hint of embarrassment flashed in my eyes. Gu Jinhuai had always disliked him.

I laughed it off and explained, "Yes, with friends."

A moment of silence fell, and an awkward expression crossed my face.

Just then, a cold gaze fell on us. I subconsciously looked up and saw Gu Jinhuai walking towards us casually.

When he saw Fu Yiran standing next to me, his brows furrowed and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

"It took Xiaozhi so long to go to the toilet. It turns out she ran into a classmate."

As Gu Jinhuai spoke, he walked to my side, stopped, and slowly looked at Fu Yiran.

I could feel Gu Jinhuai's piercing gaze, and I could also feel the temperature around me drop.

"Yes, what a coincidence. Beijing is such a big city, to meet in a hot pot restaurant is fate."

Fu Yiran still had a smile on his face, and finally his gaze fell on me.

"It's a coincidence."

I responded with a smile, but as soon as I finished speaking, I was met with a death stare from Gu Jinhuai.

My smile froze for a moment for no apparent reason, and a sudden panic gripped my heart. I began to explain, "Um, is Senior Fu here to have dinner with his advisor?"

"Yes, I plan to develop my career in Beijing in the future. If we can stay in the same city, we can help each other out."

As soon as Fu Yiran finished speaking, Gu Jinhuai suddenly reached out and put his arm around my waist, asserting his ownership. His tone was displeased: "It's quite a coincidence that we're in the same city. If you need any help in the future, feel free to contact me anytime. As Zhizhi's friend, I will never let you suffer any injustice."

Gu Jinhuai's words were insulting. What did he mean by being wronged? He was a grown man; what kind of grievances could he possibly suffer, especially since he was so outstanding.

I only dared to mutter these words to myself. If I were to say them aloud, Gu Jinhuai would have other tricks up his sleeve.

I looked at Fu Yiran, who remained expressionless with a gentle smile on his face, and a hint of apology crossed my own.

"Don't worry about that, I'll definitely contact Zhizhi if I need anything."

Fu Yiran met Gu Jinhuai's gaze without flinching, her face still bearing a refined smile.

I suddenly heard a fist clenched tightly, the sound of bones straining too much. Looking down, I saw Gu Jinhuai's hand clenched into a fist, his jawline cold and hard.

My heart skipped a beat. Afraid that Gu Jinhuai would act impulsively and beat someone up on the spot, I immediately reached out and grabbed his wrist to stop him from acting rashly.

I don't care about Gu Jinhuai, but Fu Yiran is my classmate, and I can't let him get beaten up because of me.

Gu Jinhuai has a notorious reputation. In high school, he would beat people up at the slightest disagreement. In my eyes, he's the kind of person who would never waste words if he could beat someone up.

Gu Jinhuai's gaze fell on me, then slowly moved, finally landing on his wrist. He smiled slightly, loosened his grip, and took my hand in his own, interlocking our fingers.

I stared in astonishment at those hands, instinctively wanting to resist, but the man gripped them even tighter.

Gu Jinhuai gave me a cool glance, and my heart clenched. I didn't dare to move and lowered my head to let him hold my hand.

Fu Yizhou and Jiang Wanyi watched our actions, a trace of heartache flashing in their eyes.

"It was just a handshake, and Zhizhi got shy."

Gu Jinhuai gently pressed the back of my hand with his slender fingertips, then leaned close to my ear and spoke softly.

To others, it appears even more ambiguous and doting.

The man's voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of allure.

What I said embarrassed Fu Yiran and further highlighted our current relationship.

"Zhizhi is too shy, you must have laughed at me."

Gu Jinhuai's smile deepened. If I looked up, I would see Gu Jinhuai's smug gaze. If he had a tail, it would be wagging in the air.

Finally, Fu Yiran smiled and turned his gaze to me.

"Zhizhi, I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now."

Hearing Fu Yiran's words, I suddenly looked up, stared at him blankly, and softly replied, "Okay."

As I watched Fu Yiran's departing figure, I felt a growing sense of loneliness and desolation.

"Still looking! Is he prettier than me?"

Gu Jinhuai cupped my face in his hands, forcing me to turn around and meet his eyes.

At that moment, my face was being held in his hands, and the man leaned down slightly, getting very close to me.