Chapter 252 - 164: Familiar Stranger
Chapter 252: Chapter 164: Familiar Stranger
The moment Lin Wanyu mentioned pizza, Gao Yuan immediately thought of this place.
The shop wasn’t very big, but the flavors were truly authentic.
It wasn’t a long drive before they arrived at the little shop. Gao Yuan parked on the side of the road, and the two of them went inside.
He ordered a beef and cheese pizza for Lin Wanyu and a fatty beef udon noodle bowl for himself, along with some snacks and juice.
The shop’s decor was somewhat European, and the atmosphere was warm and cozy, with a family-like feel.
The two sat facing each other. Gao Yuan sipped his water, his eyes on Lin Wanyu.
It had been a long time since he’d had Lin Wanyu all to himself. Today was a rare opportunity.
The warm, yellow light shone on Lin Wanyu’s hair, giving her a gentle air, a departure from her usual lively and mischievous demeanor.
A great beauty like Lin Wanyu was a stunning sight to behold, even when just sitting there quietly.
It suddenly occurred to Gao Yuan that they had been together for so long, yet he had never formally confessed his feelings to Lin Wanyu.
And Lin Wanyu had never asked him for anything of the sort.
But Gao Yuan knew perfectly well that every woman appreciated a sense of occasion.
Sometimes, that sense of occasion could give a woman a stronger sense of belonging, an affirmation of her place in his life.
"Wanyu, once this busy period is over, let’s go on a trip!"
This wasn’t a suggestion; Gao Yuan was telling her with a tone of certainty.
He wanted to give Lin Wanyu a proper confession during the trip, to make it absolutely clear to her that she was his woman.
"Why the sudden urge to travel?"
Lin Wanyu asked, looking up from her snack.
She looked at Gao Yuan and suddenly felt that his gaze was incredibly gentle, filled to the brim with love. Though Lin Wanyu didn’t understand why he was looking at her so affectionately all of a sudden, she felt incredibly happy in that moment.
"So, where are you thinking of going?"
Lin Wanyu didn’t care where they went. She had traveled to many places over the years; as long as she was with Gao Yuan, she was happy.
Just as Li Mengqing had said, Gao Yuan had become the center of their world. Wherever he was, they would follow.
"How about we go somewhere warm?"
Gao Yuan asked tentatively.
He had seen Lin Wanyu’s TikToks before. There were many videos of her in summer clothes, and one in particular, where she wore a long dress, made her look like a beautiful, vibrant young girl.
That was a side of her Gao Yuan loved. He wanted to confess to her when she was at her most beautiful and give her an unforgettable memory.
"Okay!"
"It’s been a while since I’ve been to the beach, too."
"And it’s getting cold here now, so we can go to Hainan for a few days."
Gao Yuan nodded.
He was also keen on going to Hainan, especially Sanya.
He’d always been too busy before, never having the time to visit Sanya or experience that seaside atmosphere.
Since Lin Wanyu was willing, they might as well go for it. Besides, bringing both Lin Wanyu and Li Mengqing along—the three of them together—would surely be exceptionally sweet.
The pizza soon arrived, and they began to eat.
When Gao Yuan’s fatty beef udon came, he served a bowl for Lin Wanyu, but after one bite, she was hooked on the flavor.
She insisted on swapping with Gao Yuan, so in the end, he was eating pizza while Lin Wanyu cradled the clay pot, eating the udon noodles.
After they finished their meal, they didn’t continue to wander around, instead driving directly to the entrance of the Xixi Yunlu Villa District.
After parking, Gao Yuan and Lin Wanyu got out of the car. They held hands and walked along the roadside, letting their food settle.
This kind of leisurely moment was something the two of them hadn’t had in a long time.
Walking hand-in-hand under the streetlights like this felt truly warm and romantic.
「Meanwhile,」
Inside a lakeside villa in Xixi Yunlu, five people were seated around a large, round dining table.
It was the Li Family. Li Tianqi sat at the head of the table, beaming, and the others wore smiles as well.
Li Mengqing was also smiling, a rare sight. This was a warmth from her family that she had seldom felt since growing up.
Ever since she returned home today, her mother had pulled her aside to talk.
First, she apologized, saying her past thinking had been too old-fashioned and that she had wronged her.
Then, she started asking about her and Gao Yuan—from whether he treated her well, to his family background, to what he did for a living.
She asked a great deal, especially when they talked about Gao Yuan’s skincare business.
The only thing she didn’t ask about was Gao Yuan and Lin Wanyu, as if they knew nothing about it at all.
And during dinner, Li Mengqing was surprised to see her father, Li Tianqi, smile. He even took the initiative to serve her a piece of her favorite braised pork.
But after dinner, as the family sat around the table making small talk, Li Mengqing realized something was off. Her father and older brother’s conversation kept circling back to Gao Yuan.
’I think I know what’s going on.’
Her father’s and brother’s attitudes determined how the rest of the family treated her, and the reason for their change in attitude was Gao Yuan.
They used to hope Li Mengqing would marry someone who could be of use to them. Now that she was with Gao Yuan, they no longer objected, because Gao Yuan was precisely the person they needed.
Or rather, it was Gao Yuan’s current skincare business that they valued.
But Li Mengqing didn’t let any of this show. Regardless of the reason, she was experiencing a moment of family warmth, and she didn’t want to shatter this hard-won feeling.
However, she also made up her mind to warn Gao Yuan to be wary of the Li Family when she got back.
The time reached past eight o’clock. After dinner, the family chatted in the living room for a while before Li Mengqing spoke to Li Tianqi, who was still in the main seat, "Dad, I should be heading back now."
"Xiaoqing, why don’t you stay the night? We haven’t seen you in so long."
Her older brother, Li Lin, who was sitting beside her, spoke up as soon as she finished.
"We have an appointment to see a venue tomorrow."
Li Mengqing replied to Li Lin, then stood and turned to her father in the main seat.
"Go on back, then. And bring Gao Yuan over for a visit when you have the time!"