Under the influence of an external force, the gaze that was tugging at my skirt beneath the table reluctantly shifted upward.
Gu Fan gently lifted my chin with two fingers, like an appraiser in a museum delicately admiring a treasured artifact, his expression unusually serious and focused.
“Miss Zhi Nian, if you keep ignoring my presence and drifting off like this, I’m going to have to forcibly switch into hug mode.”
“Ugh, I know already…”
Although being close to Gu Fan was a happy thing, if it happened too many times in a short period, I was afraid my tolerance threshold would be pushed beyond its limit.
After apologizing sincerely, Gu Fan didn’t lower his fingers but instead continued to gently tilt my face upward toward him.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I averted my gaze, looking left then right, but my keen senses told me Gu Fan’s eyes were unwaveringly fixed on my face.
His attitude was utterly shameless, like a lord patrolling his own domain—now resting on my eyelashes, now scrutinizing the edge of my lips, causing my cheeks to involuntarily flush with heat.
“Hmph… A cute little catgirl like Zhi Nian definitely deserves to be loved.”
“Really? I don’t have any strengths, and I’m always causing trouble.”
Even though Gu Fan was the one complimenting me, I couldn’t help but argue back, a prickly itch spreading all over me like tiny needles, making me extremely uncomfortable. Maybe deep down, I just didn’t think I deserved anyone’s care and protection.
To be honest, I still didn’t understand the meaning of ‘love,’ nor how to make it concrete and real.
So in my mind, the best way to win Gu Fan over was always to pin him down, use my natural advantages to serve him well, and ultimately tie him to me firmly with a baby.
This method I’d picked up from some online tutorials. At first glance, it seemed extreme, but my clumsy nature couldn’t think of a better way.
Girls who were eloquent and sharp-minded could probably win Gu Fan’s heart with gentler, more tactful means, using cooking, music, painting, and other skills, until he was utterly dependent on them and couldn’t escape.
Suddenly, the hand holding my chin left, and his gaze returned to an even, face-to-face angle.
Gu Fan sighed helplessly, causing me to straighten my back immediately. The arms I had crossed over my chest dropped to press tightly against my skirt on my thighs. Habitually, my eyebrows and eyes lowered again, like a misbehaving student scolded by a teacher.
Thankfully, Gu Fan didn’t actually criticize me. He silently picked up the last small piece of strawberry cake with his fork and brought it to my lips, gesturing for me to eat it.
I froze for a moment, not refusing. I knew that for a man, repeatedly turning down kindness felt like rejection—it was better to accept it honestly.
For someone as weak as me, facing a childhood friend whose abilities were profound and unfathomable, sincerely expressing my feelings was more effective than any flowery words.
Those worldly pleasantries, every time they came out of my mouth, made me feel an indescribable disgust. I didn’t know why, but my body’s reaction was clear.
I obediently parted my lips. Gu Fan gently placed the small piece of cake into my mouth.
The sweetness of the strawberry cake lingered, the creamy richness sliding over my tongue that was covered in small sensitivities. I swallowed the cream and the bread base after several attempts.
“See? Zhi Nian’s strengths aren’t that obvious—obedient, gentle, emotionally delicate, and innocent. Not like those green tea girls who turn a date into a calculated chess match, each negotiation exchanging benefits and probing each other’s limits, making it completely unfun.”
Gu Fan’s lips twitched slightly with a hint of satisfaction as he stirred the fork in his hand. My gaze involuntarily followed the up-and-down movement. My active imagination wildly pictured what it would be like if those slender fingers were doing naughty things to me.
Hmm, Gu Fan wasn’t wrong. After hearing such an evaluation, my first reaction was actually to think of something inappropriate.
Embarrassed, I looked away and softly hummed in acknowledgment, not knowing how to respond.
After a moment of thought, I asked in a voice as quiet as a buzzing mosquito, “Gu Fan… if I become ugly in the future, or say, not cute anymore, if my temper gets worse and I become unpleasant, would you still be this gentle with me?”
I had meant to ask if he would still like me, but suddenly remembered we weren’t officially a couple yet. Our relationship was still just childhood friends, no matter how ambiguous it got, we hadn’t taken that crucial step. So I couldn’t just say it so bluntly like a fool.
Of course, I was even more afraid that Gu Fan would say something harsh like, “We’re just good friends. Are you overthinking? How could I like a big, clueless girl like you? My goal is marriage—to marry you and have kids, but won’t they all turn out to be a bunch of dumb catgirls?”
Sincerely expressing feelings was one thing; carefully choosing words was another. Slowing things down was definitely right. Nobody could stand being forced.
Uh… no, if the arrow was coming from Gu Fan to me, I might actually be super happy. After all, that was exactly what I dreamed of—only Gu Fan could get away with being forceful.
Before the vivid fantasy in my mind could develop further, Gu Fan poked my forehead with his index finger.
The poke wasn’t strong, but it sent a tingling electric current across my back and shoulders. Static electricity should hurt, right? Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me.
“You watch too many dramas, Zhi Nian.”
Gu Fan’s tone was as calm as ever, betraying no obvious emotion.
I crossed my arms and pressed my palms tightly on my skirt, sneaking a peek at Gu Fan’s expression out of the corner of my eye.
He had been propping his face with one hand, tilting his head to look at me, but now he sat upright, facing me squarely.
“I didn’t watch too much… I was just asking casually. Gu Fan, you don’t have to take it seriously.”
Worried that Gu Fan might say something hard to bear, I quickly retracted my question, but he didn’t give me the chance.
“I’m no great philosopher; I can’t give those profound answers that sound so logical.”
Gu Fan said this as he reached out his right hand to stroke my little head and secretly pinched the tip of my cat ears.
“All I know is that Zhi Nian occupies a very important place in my heart. As for those possibilities that haven’t happened yet, I don’t know how I’ll act then. But at least in this moment, I choose to stroke my silly little cat.”