The Gentle, Sickly Beauty Is Won Over By The Loyal Big Shot - Chapter 11

“The feeling? Hmm… I think President Gu is a very good person,” Qi Ran thought for a moment and said seriously. “And very cute, really, exceptionally cute. A butter popcorn flavored President Gu.”

Gu Han’s smile was doting. “Little Qi Ran, this is the first time anyone has ever described me that way.”

“Really?” Qi Ran followed up with interest. “Then how do others usually describe President Gu?”

“They say I’m rather cold,” Gu Han recalled. “And what else… insensitive. They think I’m hard to approach. Actually, that view suits me just fine. I don’t like interacting with messy, complicated people, and I don’t need just anyone to be able to call me a friend.”

“But President Gu is very good…” Qi Ran’s instinctive professional habit always led him to unconsciously second-guess himself, doubting whether every word he said was appropriate or good enough. He had been perfectly happy, but suddenly remembering that the man before him was the CEO of Jianchen, and that there was a massive gap in their status, his expression shifted. He reined in his smile, furrowed his brow slightly, and asked cautiously with a look of worry, “Then… if I speak to President Gu like this, will President Gu be unhappy?”

“Why would I be unhappy?”

Gu Han reached out, his warm fingertip gently smoothing away the frown on Qi Ran’s brow. He said softly, “I like it very much when you talk like that.”

What Gu Han actually wanted to say was: I like you very much.

Relieved, Qi Ran snuggled obediently into the crook of Gu Han’s arm and continued to chat. “President Gu, what kind of people do you dislike then?”

“Why do you ask?” Gu Han rubbed Qi Ran’s hair. “Are you trying hard to make sure every word you say is proper?”

Seeing his thoughts seen through, Qi Ran admitted it. “Mm. If I have the chance to work with President Gu, I don’t want to make President Gu angry.”

“Angry? As long as you are happy, I will always be happy,” Gu Han said gently. “Why are you being so cautious? I’m not your client. I’m your… your friend. A very close friend. You don’t need to care about all that.”

“Mm,” Qi Ran replied, feigning ignorance while turning the tables on Gu Han. “But President Gu, I’m so close with Cheng Dan, and I’ve never hugged him before.”

Qi Ran had been “good” for too long, he wanted to tease Gu Han a little.

Qi Ran’s tone was as gentle as ever, but this time Gu Han was stunned. After a moment, Gu Han averted his eyes. He didn’t speak, but simply held Qi Ran tighter, locking him firmly in his arms.

Qi Ran didn’t resist, letting Gu Han have his way. After being held tightly for a long time, Qi Ran heard him whisper, “Kid, your tongue is sharp. I really didn’t expect there would be someone I couldn’t outtalk.”

“Then President Gu should punish me,” Qi Ran said obediently. “It was my insolence. I accept the punishment.”

“I punish you to go to sleep right now.”

Gu Han knew his face was flushed, the heat reaching all the way to his ears. With one arm he held Qi Ran tight, while using his other hand to gently cover Qi Ran’s eyes, forbidding him from looking any longer. “You need plenty of rest to recover quickly. Little Qi Ran needs to be good.”

Qi Ran promised, “Okay, I’ll be good.”

Qi Ran stopped talking, and Gu Han breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was wondering how to make the heat in his face fade as quickly as possible, Qi Ran’s somewhat cool hand climbed up to Gu Han’s chest. He whispered, “President Gu, your heart is beating so fast. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Gu Han said, folding Qi Ran’s hand into his own palm to warm it. “Are you cold?”

“Not cold,” Qi Ran said dismissively. “I’m always like this.”

“That won’t do. The stomach is very sensitive to the cold. If you aren’t careful, it will start hurting again in a moment.” Gu Han reached for his suit jacket draped over the chair and draped it over Qi Ran. “Is that warmer?”

Qi Ran nodded. “Mm.”

“Go to sleep,” Gu Han said, enjoying the feeling of stroking Qi Ran’s hair. “Tell me if you feel uncomfortable. I’ll be right here with you.”

This time Qi Ran actually fell asleep, his breathing gradually steadying. Once Gu Han sensed Qi Ran’s body relaxing and was sure he was deep in sleep, he picked up his phone to message Yu Shen: [Shen, Qi Ran seems to know I’m pursuing him. What should I do?]

By the time the message was sent, Yu Shen was already in his office. He had called Lu Ming, the HR Manager, and the two were discussing the earlier incident. Yu Shen glanced at the WeChat notification and set the phone on the desk, he had no time for these small matters of romance yet.

“Lu Ming, here is my plan,” Yu Shen said. “Since Ruihao is playing dirty, we can’t be too much of a gentleman either. Do the same, find some idle thugs to trip them up. They have a preview meeting coming up at the old venue of the Real Estate Convention. Ruin that event for them.”

“Manager Yu, that might not be a good idea,” Lu Ming frowned. “It will ruin our reputation.”

“Why would it ruin our reputation?” Yu Shen was astonished. “Are you going to do it with ‘Jianchen’ stickers on their faces? Or ‘Yu Shen’ stickers?”

Lu Ming forced a smile. “No, it’s just…”

“If it’s not that, then what does it have to do with Jianchen’s reputation?” Yu Shen laughed out of frustration. “I’m truly impressed by you, Lu Ming. You really have a talent.”

“Then I’ll get to work,” Lu Ming said, following with a smile. “Manager Yu, don’t be angry. I understand now.”

Yu Shen tapped his index finger on the desk. “I don’t need to teach you?”

“No,” Lu Ming looked miserable. “I just have too strong a sense of morality.”

“The Tao Te Ching is a great book. I read it too, but I never bring it to Jianchen. Being a saint with a strong moral compass is my hobby, and I understand you. I won’t stop you from being a saint,” Yu Shen stated his stance clearly. “But at Jianchen, you must follow my arrangements. The real estate circle is a vanity fair, behind the scenes, it’s life and death. Do you understand life and death? It’s terrifying competition. And here you are talking about morality? When Ruihao stabbed Jianchen in the back, I didn’t see you going to teach Zhou Cheng how to be a saint. Lu Ming, I’m starting to doubt if I can still trust you with important roles. Are you going to drag me down with your ‘Holy Mother’ heart?”

“No, no, no, I was wrong,” Lu Ming panicked. “Manager Yu, I won’t do it again. It was my fault.”

“Use that brain of yours to think of some dirty tricks. If that preview isn’t ruined, there’s no bonus,” Yu Shen waved him off. “Now go, I have things to do.”

Once Lu Ming left, Yu Shen finally picked up his phone. He replied: [As expected.]

Gu Han: [?]

Yu Shen: [President Gu, look back at your chat records. With that level of excitement you show to me, an outsider, can you really play the role of a reserved boss in front of Qi Ran? Honestly, you’re a bit like a…]

Gu Han: [Like what?]

Yu Shen: [A dog.]

Yu Shen: [Do you know what a dog looks like when it sees its owner? That’s you.]

Gu Han was silent for a minute or two before replying: [You’re right. But what should I do now?]

Yu Shen asked: [How is Qi Ran’s attitude toward you?]

Gu Han: [He’s sleeping in my arms. Out of respect for him, I won’t take a photo. Everything has been very good.]

Yu Shen: [Then it’s fine. Qi Ran likes you too. Just keep up your clumsy way of courting him. Qi Ran is into it. Marriage is a sure thing. But listen, the guy seems shy and not quite ready. Don’t break the ‘window paper’ (confess) just yet. Let the ambiguity last longer, it’s better for both of you.]

After finishing the talk about relationships, Yu Shen reported on work, explaining the assignment given to Lu Ming.

Gu Han: [Your judgment of people is good. Lu Ming is just too timid, but he actually has a lot of tricks. As long as he agrees to do something, it’s a guaranteed success and will be handled perfectly.]

Yu Shen was skeptical: [For real?]

Gu Han: [Really. If you don’t trust Lu Ming, don’t you trust me?]

Yu Shen replied: [Fine, I trust you.]

Gu Han: [Transferred 2000]

Gu Han: [You’ve worked hard these past few days. Have a nice meal.]

Yu Shen: [Returned]

Yu Shen: [Old partners don’t need to be this polite. However, once I help you catch Qi Ran, give me a bigger bonus. I want to buy a new car. I’m tired of the BMW.]

Gu Han: [When the deal is done, I’ll get you a Porsche.]

Yu Shen instantly replied with an ‘OK’ emoji.

After finishing his chat with Yu Shen, Gu Han put down his phone and adjusted his hold on the sleeping Qi Ran. Gu Han leaned his body back against the headboard, wanting to nap for a bit. Gu Han usually went to bed late and woke early, and he wasn’t used to the hospital bed. He had spent the previous night with an aching back. Besides his instinctive desire to protect and possess Qi Ran, Gu Han desperately needed rest.

Gu Han closed his eyes and drifted off. While the previous night had been dreamless, this short nap was filled with chaotic, fragmented dreams, most of which featured Qi Ran. In the dreams, it felt as if they hadn’t just met, but had been a couple for many years, always side by side, holding hands. Compared to reality, it felt somewhat surreal, at least for now. However, Qi Ran’s appearance remained as sweet and lovely as ever, his expression soft; he hadn’t changed at all.

Gu Han was almost completely submerged in the dream and couldn’t wake up. Just as he was struggling within the dreamscape, he suddenly heard Qi Ran say something in his ear. He snapped his eyes open and found Qi Ran awake, curled up in his arms with his snow-white arms wrapped around his own abdomen. His brow was slightly furrowed. Gu Han asked urgently, “What’s wrong? Does your stomach hurt again?”

“Mm,” Qi Ran’s voice was weak. “President Gu, I’m in pain.”

“I’ll go get the doctor.” Terrified that something was wrong, Gu Han reached for the call button. “Little Qi Ran, hang on for a moment.”

“Don’t go.” Thinking Gu Han was leaving, Qi Ran hurriedly grabbed Gu Han’s hand as it reached for the button, pleading softly, “Can President Gu just stay with me alone for a while?”

“Little Qi Ran, your stomach hurts so much, I’m worried.” Seeing Qi Ran’s resistance to the doctor, Gu Han let go of the button and instead pulled Qi Ran completely into his embrace, negotiating gently. “How about this. I’ll stay with you for a bit. But whether the pain gets worse or better in a moment, I have to have the doctor come check, okay?”

This time Qi Ran agreed. “Okay.”

“Come, let me rub it for you.” Gu Han rubbed his hands together to warm them, waiting for Qi Ran to loosen his arms from his waist. He placed his hot palm over Qi Ran’s stomach, moving in light, slow circles. “Little Qi Ran, relax your body. Just lean into my arms. Be good.”

Qi Ran obeyed. His tense limbs slowly softened, and his body went completely limp in Gu Han’s arms, his head naturally resting on Gu Han’s shoulder.

“That’s right,” Gu Han stroked Qi Ran’s head. “Relax a bit, and the pain won’t be so bad.”

“President Gu, don’t worry too much. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Even though Qi Ran was often treated with such meticulous care and love by Gu Han, he still couldn’t help but blush in the heat of the moment. He didn’t dare look at Gu Han, lowering his head and whispering, “I’m okay. Gastric ulcers are just like this. I’m used to it.”

“Well, I’m not used to it. How can you let yourself suffer like this?” Gu Han was displeased. “I don’t care, you have to recover properly. I want a healthy Little Qi Ran.”

Qi Ran looked up at Gu Han again. When their eyes met, Gu Han realized his words had been too blunt, so he stammered to cover it up. “I mean… I hope that when Little Qi Ran joins Jianchen, your health will be better. Um… actually, real estate companies are somewhat busy, lots of running around. I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it. Stomach problems are very draining. If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll take care of you, but I’ll also be heartbroken because you’re sick. I want you to be well.”

Gu Han’s explanation was both logical and forced. The words he spoke to Qi Ran always carried a cloyingly sweet, ambiguous tone. Qi Ran was a clever one, intelligent and highly perceptive. From the moment Gu Han began his frequent displays of affection at the hospital, Qi Ran knew he was surrounded by pink bubbles, and inside those bubbles was Gu Han’s longing for love and marriage. The offensive was so fierce that Qi Ran was almost drowning in the river of love.

To his own surprise, Qi Ran actually reached out to wrap his arms around Gu Han’s waist, acting spoiled in a soft voice: “President Gu, my stomach hurts so much. I need you to rub it.”