The Night of Wuzhen

Chapter 135

"Gu... Gu 'Dog' Ran, you did this on purpose, didn't you."

Ye Zhenzhen stared at the room card, her voice trembling.

The landlady's knowing, auntie-like smile was like a human searchlight, shining so brightly on her that she felt like catching fire.

The young girl felt her toes curling uncontrollably in her shoes, frantically digging at the soles. Give her two more minutes, and she could excavate a Leifeng Pagoda right here in Wuzhen.

"No way!"

Ye Zhenzhen spun around and grabbed Gu Ran's sleeve in a death grip, lowering her voice to a harsh whisper: "Gu Ran, let's change places... This is too..."

Too embarrassing!

Even though she had agreed to "elope" in a moment of hot-headedness, wasn't this progress bar moving a bit too fast?

Fast-forwarding straight to a big round bed?

Who could handle that!

Gu Ran let her pull on him, throwing his hands up in an innocent gesture. "Dr. Ye, this is peak season in Wuzhen. You saw it yourself as we walked over here—the streets are full of homeless tourists dragging their suitcases. If we leave this village, we might end up counting stars under a bridge tonight."

"But... but we still can't..."

Ye Zhenzhen's face was as red as a ripe tomato. Steeling herself, she turned to the landlady and spoke in a tragic tone, "Boss, are there really no other rooms? A standard room is fine, even if they're in two separate buildings! I'll even sleep in the woodshed!"

The landlady, who was munching on melon seeds and enjoying the show, was just about to say "there really isn't," when the red landline phone next to her suddenly rang.

After picking up the phone and listening for a moment, the landlady's previously lazy eyes instantly lit up brighter than a lightbulb. "Checking out? Two standard riverside rooms? Okay, okay, okay! I'll process it for you right away!"

Hanging up the phone, the landlady smiled beamingly at Ye Zhenzhen. "You're in luck, little girl! Two young couples from a tour group just had a fight and broke up, so they checked out of two rooms on the second floor. Do you want them?"

Ye Zhenzhen: "!!!"

How could it be so coincidental, like a scripted setup...

But right now, she didn't have the luxury to overthink it.

"Yes! We want them!"

The girl quickly pulled out her ID card and slapped it onto the desk, moving so fast as if she feared that a second's delay would result in Gu Ran carrying her over his shoulder into that "Hundred Years of Harmony Big Round Bed."

Gu Ran stood to the side, the corner of his mouth twitching imperceptibly.

In his heart, he silently gave that tour group a thumbs down.

Break up if you want, but why check out?

So inconsiderate.

"Alright, changing to 201 and 202."

The landlady took back the scorching "honeymoon card" and swapped it for two regular room cards. As she handed them over, she winked at Gu Ran and lowered her voice, speaking with the tone of someone who had been there before: "Young man, this is as far as I can help you. Standard rooms have separate beds, sure, but you can just hop over the balcony. It's only the second floor."

This was really...

Gu Ran raised an eyebrow and subtly gave a thumbs up.

Truly, people of the world understand the ways of the world.

...

Second floor, Room 202.

Pushing open the carved wooden window, one could see awning boats swaying outside, hear the murmuring water, and feel the damp, cool breeze blowing against their face.

"Wow..."

Just as Ye Zhenzhen took a deep breath of the Jiangnan air, a sudden "click" of the door locking came from behind her.

She whipped her head around to see Gu Ran strutting in. He casually shoved his suitcase into the corner and collapsed unceremoniously onto her soft, large bed, sinking into the white bedding.

"Why are you in here?" Ye Zhenzhen crossed her arms warily, like a cat with its fur standing on end. "Your room is next door."

"Routine inspection."

Gu Ran lay on his side, propping his head up with one hand, his gaze playful. "Safety first when traveling. I need to check if there are any pinhole cameras, if the bed frame is sturdy, and if the soundproofing is good."

Ye Zhenzhen: "..."

"Then why are you lying on my bed? Go back to your own room!"

"I'm tired. Can't walk."

Gu Ran patted the spot next to him, his tone lazy. "Come sit for a bit? Let's discuss our itinerary for tonight."

"Who wants to discuss anything with you..." Ye Zhenzhen replied stubbornly, but her body honestly shuffled over. She purposefully sat down at a "safe distance" of one pillow away.

Gu Ran chuckled softly and stopped teasing her. He simply reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His fingertips brushed against her earlobe, causing the young girl to tremble slightly. "Change your clothes. Let's go to Xizha to see the night view. Remember to wear that white dress."

Ye Zhenzhen was stunned. "How did you know I brought a white dress? Did you go through my suitcase?!"

What the hell kind of accusation was that?

I'll sue you for slander!

"Am I that kind of person?"

Gu Ran put on an expression of righteous indignation. "Last night when you were packing, you were holding it up against yourself. I saw it from the balcony."

Ye Zhenzhen: "..."

That damn balcony!

...

Half an hour later.

When Ye Zhenzhen walked out of the guesthouse wearing a white cotton-linen dress, Gu Ran's gaze paused on her for a full three seconds.

Beautiful, ethereal, like a stroke of white ink bleeding into a Jiangnan painting—so pure that it made one want to offer the whole world to her.

"Let's go."

Gu Ran reached out his hand naturally.

This time, looking at the bustling crowds around them, Ye Zhenzhen hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his palm.

Their fingers intertwined tightly, never letting go again.

Wuzhen under the night sky was brightly lit.

Like all young couples deeply in love, they shared a box of Dingsheng cakes and wove through the blue calico fabrics in the dyehouse.

The shutter of the DSLR camera in Gu Ran's hands never stopped clicking. The young girl in the lens smiled brighter than the thousands of lights behind her.

At the river pier, someone was selling river lanterns.

Ye Zhenzhen picked out a pink lotus lantern, squatted down, carefully placed it into the water, and clasped her hands together.

She closed her eyes and made a wish.

—I hope time can stop at this moment.

"What did you wish for?"

"I won't tell you. If I say it out loud, it won't come true." Ye Zhenzhen stood up, patted her skirt, and smiled like a cunning little fox.

Just as they were talking, two fashionably dressed youths brushed past them, holding the latest iPhone 4s and talking loudly.

"Hey, I heard the iPhone 4S is coming out in October?"

"Really? Isn't Steve Jobs in bad health?"

"If it really comes out, I definitely have to upgrade. The current 3G internet speed is too slow; it takes forever just to load a picture..."

Gu Ran's gaze swept over the two men's phones, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Summer of 2011.

There were still three months until that world-changing product launch.

The massive wave of the mobile internet was about to sweep the globe, and he had already built his surfboard, just waiting for the wind to come.

"What are you looking at?" Ye Zhenzhen followed his line of sight. "That phone? I heard it costs five or six thousand. It's too expensive, practically highway robbery."

In an era where housing prices in the county were only two or three thousand per square meter, this was indeed an astronomical price for students.

"In the future, everyone will have one." Gu Ran retracted his gaze and squeezed her soft palm, his tone certain. "When the 4S comes out, I'll buy you one."

"I don't want it. My Xiaolingtong still works, and the phone bill is cheap."

"Dr. Ye, you need to broaden your horizons."

Gu Ran put his arm around her shoulders and walked back. "In the future, your patients might all use their phones to book appointments. Don't you need to keep up with the times?"

Wait a minute!

What was resting on her shoulder?

How did this guy take advantage of her again when she wasn't paying attention?!

...

It was already 9:00 PM when they returned to the guesthouse.

As soon as they entered the room, the air conditioning hit their faces, but it couldn't suppress the thin layer of sweat on their bodies.

"I want to take a shower." Ye Zhenzhen grabbed her change of clothes and walked toward the bathroom, but her footsteps suddenly screeched to a halt.

I hadn't noticed it just now, but in its pursuit of a so-called "romantic atmosphere," this guesthouse actually had a frosted glass wall for the bathroom!

Although it wasn't transparent, as long as the lights were on inside... a person's silhouette would be seen plain as day! Did the designer have some kind of twisted fetish?

"This..." Ye Zhenzhen pointed at the glass, her face instantly turning beet red. "How am I supposed to shower in there?"

Gu Ran followed her gaze and let out a meaningful chuckle.

The landlady hadn't lied to him. The designer definitely deserved a raise.

"It's frosted, you can't see the details," Gu Ran said, knocking on the glass with a deadpan expression. "It's artistic design, don't you get it?"

"But there will be a shadow!" Ye Zhenzhen bristled. "Go back to your own room!"

"I forgot my room card." Gu Ran threw his hands up, starting to play the rogue. "And I accidentally locked room 201 when I left, so I can't get in now."

"Who are you trying to fool! The room card is bulging right there in your pants pocket! I can see the shape!"

"I really don't have it." Gu Ran even pulled out his empty left pocket. "If you don't believe me, you can search me."

Seeing his completely shameless attitude, Ye Zhenzhen took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "Then turn around! Put your headphones on and listen to music! You are not allowed to look back! If you dare to look back, I'll..."

"You'll what?"

"I'll never talk to you again!"

"Alright, as you command."

Gu Ran obediently walked over to the wicker chair by the window, sat down with his back to the bathroom, and put on his headphones.

Ye Zhenzhen stared at the back of his head, monitoring him for half a minute. Once she was sure he wasn't moving, she slipped into the bathroom like a thief and locked the door with a click.

Hearing the lock, a wicked smirk curled onto Gu Ran's lips.

He took off one earbud, his fingers gently tapping a rhythm on his knee.

Soon, the patter of running water came from the bathroom.

Behind the frosted glass, the warm yellow light turned on. A slender, hazy silhouette was cast against the glass, swaying gently with her movements.

The girl untied her hairband, and her long hair tumbled down like a waterfall...

Gu Ran felt his throat go a little dry.

This wasn't frosted glass; it was clearly a whetstone meant to test a man's absolute self-control.

Suddenly, a gasp echoed from the bathroom.

"Ah!"

Gu Ran's expression changed, and he rushed to the bathroom door almost on instinct. "What's wrong?!"

"N-nothing! I'm fine!"

The voice inside carried a mix of panic and embarrassment. "I dropped the shower gel... Gu Ran! Did you turn around?!!"

With his hand resting on the doorknob, Gu Ran looked at the blurry silhouette on the glass bending over to pick something up, his voice instantly dropping a few registers.

"Dr. Ye."

"What?!"

"This glass... doesn't seem to be very soundproof, nor does it block out much light."

Gu Ran chuckled softly, his fingertips slowly trailing across the glass, as if he were touching something through the air.

"Need me to stand guard for you?"

"Get lost!!!"

Accompanied by a roar of absolute mortification, a soaking wet bath sponge smacked heavily against the glass door with a thud.

Gu Ran rubbed his nose and sheepishly retreated back to the bed.

Tsk.

So feisty!