Chapter 51: The Trial

Chapter 51: The Test

When Fan Xiaoyao heard that Wang Guocheng wanted to spend the New Year with her, she was stunned for about 0.02 seconds.

Wang Guocheng thought Fan Xiaoyao was unwilling, and anxiously asked, “Xiaoyao, are you not welcoming me?”

After composing herself, Fan Xiaoyao lowered her head and replied, “Of course I welcome you, but… don’t people usually spend New Year with their families?”

Wang Guocheng pulled Fan Xiaoyao into his arms and whispered in her ear, “Where you are is home. You are my family.”

Fan Xiaoyao blushed and turned her face away. She handed Wang Guocheng the allergy screening report she’d collected from the lab, trying to cover her embarrassment.

“Look at the data here. You really are sensitive—your allergens include things like soap, and even scallions?”

Wang Guocheng was actually well aware of his own allergic reactions.

Every year, Flying Eagle conducted a thorough check of Wang Guocheng’s health.

Wang Guocheng glanced over the report; the data matched previous ones. He nodded to Fan Xiaoyao, “Xiaoyao, thank you for your trouble!”

Fan Xiaoyao patted Wang Guocheng’s shoulder. “No need to be polite, it’s my duty to take care of you. Now that everything’s fine, I’ll help you with the discharge paperwork. If you’re feeling stuffy in the hospital, there’s a garden to the right after you leave—quite a lovely spot!”

Wang Guocheng gently took Fan Xiaoyao’s hand in his own. “Xiaoyao, it’s all right—I’m just having an allergic reaction, not so frail yet. I’ll go with you for the discharge procedures.”

Seeing her hand ensconced in Wang Guocheng’s again, the intimacy of the gesture made Fan Xiaoyao blush once more. “That’s fine.”

Once the discharge formalities were done, Fan Xiaoyao brought Wang Guocheng back to the apartment she shared with Feng Youru.

After settling Wang Guocheng’s belongings, Fan Xiaoyao introduced the apartment’s amenities.

“Guocheng, this place is mainly rented by Youru and me, but while you’re staying, Youru will be at her family’s place. So you’ll sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep in Youru’s.”

Wang Guocheng wrapped his arms around Fan Xiaoyao and playfully pleaded, “But I want to share a room with you.”

Fan Xiaoyao almost choked on his words. “Ahem… That’s not proper. We’re both unmarried—a man and a woman alone in one room isn’t right!”

She pushed Wang Guocheng away and retreated to the side, her cheeks flushed as she looked at him.

Wang Guocheng laughed softly nearby. “Silly girl, I won’t tease you anymore. I’ll go shower and change—these clothes feel almost sour…”

He deliberately sniffed his clothes, making a face, which amused Fan Xiaoyao.

“You! It’s not that bad!” Fan Xiaoyao covered her mouth, laughing out loud.

When Wang Guocheng emerged from the room, he caught Fan Xiaoyao staring at him. He teased, “Xiaoyao, are you hoping to shower with me?”

Fan Xiaoyao had been entranced by his abs, and only snapped out of it when he teased her. She blushed furiously and ran off in a panic.

She locked herself in Feng Youru’s room and called out through the door, “Who cares about your abs!”

Fan Xiaoyao hadn’t expected Wang Guocheng’s physique to be so impressive. The scene replayed in her mind, making her involuntarily swallow and pat her flushed cheeks, embarrassed by her earlier longing gaze.

After his shower, Wang Guocheng wandered the apartment, not finding Fan Xiaoyao. He called out softly in the living room, “Xiaoyao?”

When there was no response, Wang Guocheng pushed open the door to Feng Youru’s room and found Fan Xiaoyao sleeping deeply on the bed.

A tender smile appeared on his face. “This girl is so trusting, not afraid I might do something to her.”

Fan Xiaoyao had felt drowsy after earlier events, and lay down for a nap on Youru’s bed, not expecting to sleep the entire afternoon.

“Cloudy afternoon outside the car window…” The phone rang for the eleventh time before Fan Xiaoyao finally answered.

She blinked sleepily at the screen, seeing Yang Yeye’s name. “Ah, Yeye, I was just napping. Felt a bit tired and fell asleep.”

Yang Yeye, after calling Fan Xiaoyao eleven times without an answer, worried she’d run into some online lunatic and was about to report a missing person.

“Xiaoyao, you’ve got some nerve, bringing a man you just met into your apartment—is that safe? If it’s really not okay, let him stay at a hotel. You’re both unmarried, and sharing a home just isn’t proper,” Yang Yeye urged earnestly over the phone.

“He’s a guest—it’s not right to ask him to stay at a hotel. Besides, we’re not in the same room, so what’s there to worry about?” Fan Xiaoyao replied with an easy conscience.

Yang Yeye sighed helplessly on the other end and continued, “Right, tonight at six-thirty, bring Mr. Wang to Kangcheng Restaurant. Youru and I will act as your jury and properly test him!”

Fan Xiaoyao asked, a bit embarrassed, “Test? You’re pregnant—won’t that be inconvenient?”

Yang Yeye almost had a heart attack hearing that. “Fan Xiaoyao, can you be serious? The test is to see if he’s reliable. What is your head filled with all day—has writing novels made you addled?”

Fan Xiaoyao realized she’d misunderstood, and replied sheepishly, “Yeye, I’m not addled; my brain’s sharp and healthy. It’s your wording that was ambiguous. All right, I got it. We’ll talk when we meet.”

She quickly hung up, afraid Yang Yeye would say something she couldn’t answer.

After hanging up, Fan Xiaoyao turned to find Wang Guocheng already standing at the door.

Blushing, she looked at him. “You… were eavesdropping on my call!”

Wang Guocheng suppressed his laughter, looking at her with interest. “Xiaoyao, I’m seriously considering something.”

Fan Xiaoyao gazed at him, puzzled. “What are you thinking about?”

Leaning against the door, Wang Guocheng replied, “I’m thinking about this test your friend mentioned. I think you should be the one to test me—we don’t need to bother them.”

Fan Xiaoyao swallowed hard, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Guocheng, you misunderstood. They just want to invite you to dinner.”