Chapter 62: No Kisses

Chapter 62: No Kiss

Fan Xiaoyao lifted her head, her misty eyes looking up at Wang Guocheng, her voice choked beside him. “Aren’t you hurt? Come on, let me take you to see a doctor first!”

Wang Guocheng kissed her gently on the cheek. “It’s nothing, just a small wound. I only need to be careful with my diet. Today is our first date alone—how could we leave without even having a meal?”

Fan Xiaoyao grew a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry. You got into trouble because of me just now…”

Wang Guocheng sighed softly. “Xiaoyao, must you still stand on ceremony with me? I told you, I want to spoil you for a lifetime. Of course, I want to protect you for a lifetime too. I’ll never allow anyone to slander you, do you understand?”

Fan Xiaoyao was moved, but the worry in her eyes remained. They had gotten past the issue with Tim, but standing between them now was their families.

One lived in the north, the other in the south. If they truly decided to marry, the question of who would give way would inevitably become the biggest point of contention between their parents.

Wang Guocheng noticed that since taking her seat, Fan Xiaoyao had simply gazed out at the night scene, lost in thought. He quickly asked in concern, “What’s wrong? Are you still thinking about what just happened?”

Fan Xiaoyao forced a smile. “No, why would I? You said it yourself—what’s past is past. Let’s just turn the page completely.”

Wang Guocheng handed her the rose tea he had ordered earlier, his tone gentle. “Here, have some rose tea. It’ll ease your worries.”

Fan Xiaoyao took the cup from him and sipped lightly. “I didn’t expect you to know so much.”

Leaning over the table, Wang Guocheng smiled at her. “So, beautiful lady sitting across from me, have you decided to marry me yet? This is my fifth proposal, you know!”

Fan Xiaoyao pursed her lips, finally voicing her unease. “Guocheng, I want to ask you something practical.

You keep saying you want to marry me, but with us living so far apart, after marriage will you move to Kangcheng for me, or will I go to your city? Either way, our families will definitely argue about it…”

Wang Guocheng reached across the table to take her hand, gazing at her with deep affection. “Xiaoyao, look into my eyes. My eyes won’t lie to you.

Whether we live in Kangcheng or my city after marriage, I’ll respect your wishes. If you can’t bear to leave your life in Kangcheng, I’ll move there for you. Just as I’ve said before—wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be, and wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Fan Xiaoyao looked at Wang Guocheng’s earnest face. Hearing those words—“wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be”—her heart twisted painfully.

How familiar those words were. Yet the one saying them had changed from Tim to Wang Guocheng.

The same words, spoken by different people, carry different weight. When Tim said them, she was filled with happiness. When Wang Guocheng said them, she felt only pain.

Memories of her heart-wrenching love with Tim flooded her mind like an unstoppable tide. Who was it that sang, “Looking back at the past, gentle longing that cannot be forgotten…”

No matter how hard Fan Xiaoyao tried to disguise it in front of Tim earlier, she couldn’t erase his place in the deepest corner of her heart.

Wang Guocheng saw her brows knit together once more and asked gently, “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

Seeing how carefully Wang Guocheng cared for her, Fan Xiaoyao felt warmed and squeezed his hand in return. “It’s nothing. Really, Guocheng, you don’t have to be so careful with me.”

Wang Guocheng patted the back of her hand, his tone meaningful. “You’re the woman I want to cherish for a lifetime—the one at the center of my heart. Of course you deserve my care.”

As tears welled in her eyes, the waiter arrived with an exquisitely crafted floral cake.

“Sir, Miss, your Sweet Garden cake is ready. Please enjoy!”

Fan Xiaoyao looked at the cake in delight. “Isn’t this the one you only make once a year? If I’m not mistaken, three months ago, this year’s Sweet Garden cake was already reserved by the president of Aurora Group for his wife.”

The waiter looked at her with admiration. “Miss, our Sweet Garden cake is indeed only made once a year. But this morning, your fiancé came to see our boss and pleaded with him all day. His persistence moved our boss, so he made an exception for you two.”

Fan Xiaoyao knew the owner of the Aegean Restaurant was no ordinary person—extremely low-key and mysterious, never once appearing in Kangcheng’s magazines or newspapers. “Guocheng, how did you even find their boss? That’s not an easy feat, you know?”

The waiter sensed they had more to say and bowed politely. “Sir, Miss, please enjoy.”

Wang Guocheng cut a slice of cake and placed it on Fan Xiaoyao’s plate, boasting, “Don’t you think your fiancé is impressive?”

Fan Xiaoyao gazed at the enigmatic Wang Guocheng. His actions today far exceeded her expectations. Could an ordinary university lecturer really have such influence? She smiled playfully, “So, will you tell me how you found the boss?”

Wang Guocheng tapped his own cheek. “Want to know the answer? Give me a kiss first, and I’ll tell you.”

The flush that had just faded from Fan Xiaoyao’s face returned. She replied awkwardly, “No kiss!”

No sooner had the words left her lips than Wang Guocheng leaned across the table and kissed her, even taking the chance to lick the cream from the corner of her mouth, looking quite satisfied.

“Not bad, tastes pretty good. Seems my efforts today were worthwhile!”

Fan Xiaoyao’s curiosity was not so easily put to rest. Just how had Wang Guocheng managed to persuade the mysterious owner of the Aegean Restaurant—a man rumored to be both eccentric and capricious, making cakes on a whim?

Unable to resist, she picked up her fork, speared a piece of cake, and fed it to Wang Guocheng herself.

“If you want to eat cake from my hand, then tell me how you did it. I’m really curious!”

Wang Guocheng teased, “Xiaoyao, why do I get the feeling you’re awfully interested in the Aegean’s boss? So eager to know how I convinced him—did you perhaps have a crush on him before, or try to pursue him and get rejected?”

Fan Xiaoyao rolled her eyes at him, retorting, “You really have an imagination! I don’t even know if the boss is tall or short, fat or thin—how could I have had a crush on him?”