Scout the Venue in Advance

Chapter 226

Early the next morning.

Just as the first pale light of dawn appeared on the horizon, Gu Ran's phone call rang out right on time, as relentless as a ticking time bomb.

Sporting a wild bedhead, Ye Zhenzhen blindly fumbled around her pillow for a long time before groggily swiping to answer.

"Hello..."

Her voice was soft, husky, and dangerously sweet.

"Sleepyhead, time to wake up."

Through the receiver, Gu Ran's voice was clear and laced with a smile, carrying that distinct morning huskiness.

"I'll give you thirty minutes to wash up and pack. I'm waiting downstairs at your dorm. The countdown begins now."

"Mhm... got it..."

Ye Zhenzhen mumbled and hung up the phone.

Yet her body honestly... shrank right back under the covers.

The bed might be the graveyard of youth, but it was just so warm!

Two little figures battled it out in her mind.

After a thirty-second death struggle.

Ye Zhenzhen suddenly threw off the quilt and sprinted into the bathroom like she was running a hundred-meter dash.

When she dragged her sticker-covered small suitcase and ran downstairs panting, the time was exactly at twenty-nine minutes and fifty-eight seconds.

The queen of cutting it close truly lived up to her name.

Gu Ran was leaning against the car door, his long legs crossed, holding the car keys in his hand.

The early morning sunlight spilled over him, making him look both languid and aristocratic.

Seeing her approach, he straightened up.

He naturally took her suitcase and lifted it into the trunk with one hand.

"Quite punctual, aren't we?"

He teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, my will to live makes me disciplined."

Ye Zhenzhen leaned against the car door, panting, and shot him an exasperated glare.

"Spit it out, where exactly are we going? You're making it seem like a secret agent rendezvous."

"Get in, you'll know when we get there."

Gu Ran opened the door for her, shielding the top of her head as she slid in, keeping the suspense going to the very end.

Ye Zhenzhen buckled her seatbelt, her large eyes scanning his face like searchlights, trying to find some clues.

However, the young man's expression management was flawless.

A smile played on his lips, but he gave absolutely nothing away.

The car drove smoothly out of the campus.

Watching the street scenes rapidly retreating outside the window, Ye Zhenzhen felt that things were getting weirder and weirder.

Why was the road getting wider?

And the directions on the street signs were looking more and more familiar...

Wasn't this the road to the airport?

"Gu Ran, are we going on a long trip?"

She finally couldn't hold it in and turned to interrogate him.

"Pretty quick on the uptake."

Gu Ran steered with one hand, the smile on his lips deepening.

Twenty minutes later, when the gleaming gold letters of Qinglin International Airport came into full view, Ye Zhenzhen was completely dumbfounded.

It really was the airport?

"We're... taking a plane?"

She stammered, her heartbeat instantly accelerating. "Where to?"

Gu Ran parked the car at the departures level, turned sideways to look at her, and smiled like an old fox who had just gotten his way.

"Congratulations, the mystery box is opened—we're going to the Imperial Capital."

"The Imperial Capital?!"

Ye Zhenzhen's voice instantly shot up an octave, her face full of disbelief.

"But we agreed to meet Susu and the others tomorrow! Did we get the dates mixed up?"

Gu Ran reached out his index finger and gently pressed it against her chattering lips.

"Shh—I already told them. We're going ahead to scout the way, and we'll regroup tomorrow. Besides..."

He blinked slyly.

"I've already booked the flights and the hotel, and they are non-refundable."

Act first and ask for forgiveness later!

This guy had definitely been planning this for a long time!

"But... this is too much of a waste. Changing tickets costs extra fees."

Ye Zhenzhen's inner penny-pincher awakened, making one last struggle.

"It's not a waste."

Gu Ran held her hand, brought it to his lips for a gentle peck, his eyes full of doting affection.

"Taking you out to have fun is never a waste of money."

Since the money was already spent...

Ye Zhenzhen pouted and reluctantly accepted the situation.

"Just this once, never again. Even the landlord doesn't have surplus grain, you know."

"As you wish, my little manager."

Gu Ran laughed aloud.

For the rest of the process, Ye Zhenzhen fully experienced what it meant to travel like a pampered baby.

Checking luggage, getting tickets, going through security—Gu Ran handled absolutely everything.

All she had to do was carry her own little bag and follow behind him sipping milk tea.

It wasn't until she was sitting in the spacious and comfortable first-class cabin, holding a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice handed to her by a flight attendant.

Looking at the overlapping sea of clouds outside the window, that Ye Zhenzhen finally felt it was real.

She was really going to the capital with Gu Ran.

And it felt like an early elopement.

"Nervous?"

Gu Ran asked softly, noticing that the orange juice in her hand hadn't been touched for a while.

"Not at all."

Ye Zhenzhen's eyes sparkled.

As the plane took off and climbed, the immense push against her seat and the feeling of weightlessness hit her, and she subconsciously gripped Gu Ran's hand tight.

Even though she had flown before, this sensation was still hard for her to get used to.

Gu Ran turned his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. The steady warmth from his palm flowed over, bringing an inexplicable sense of security.

Breaking through the clouds, they entered the stratosphere.

Ten thousand meters up in the sky lay an endless expanse of azure blue and marshmallow-like clouds.

The sunlight poured in without obstruction, breathtakingly beautiful.

Ye Zhenzhen practically glued herself to the window, the sea of clouds reflecting in her eyes as she couldn't help but marvel.

"Wow... it's so beautiful."

"Yeah."

Gu Ran's voice sounded by her ear, carrying a hint of a lazy smile.

"But not as beautiful as you."

Another cheesy pickup line!

Ye Zhenzhen's cheeks instantly flushed bright red. She turned and shot him a playful glare.

"Smooth talker. Minus points!"

Gu Ran didn't mind at all, just propping up his chin and looking at her with a beaming smile.

That gaze looked as if he wanted to eat her right up.

Over two hours later, the plane landed smoothly at the Capital International Airport.

The moment they stepped out of the cabin door, the dry air of the north rushed to greet them, carrying the profound, historic weight unique to the Imperial Capital.

Just as the two walked out of the VIP channel, a gleaming black Rolls-Royce was parked quietly by the curb.

A middle-aged driver wearing a crisp suit and white gloves saw Gu Ran.

He immediately stepped forward and gave a respectful bow.

"Mr. Gu, hello. Thank you for waiting."

With that, the driver opened the rear door with textbook precision and considerately shielded the roof of the car with his hand.

This entire sequence of actions left Ye Zhenzhen completely dumbfounded.

She froze in place, looking at the luxury car that practically had I am extremely expensive stamped on its forehead, and then at the perfectly composed Gu Ran.

A Rolls... Rolls-Royce?!

She at least recognized this car.

She discreetly tugged at the hem of Gu Ran's shirt, keeping her voice incredibly low, terrified the driver would hear.

"Gu Ran... did you buy this car with the money you made from making games? Isn't this a bit too exaggerated?"

Gu Ran was amused by her adorable, shell-shocked expression and casually ruffled her hair.

"What are you thinking? Even if I sold you, it wouldn't be enough to buy a single tire on this car."

"This is a complimentary airport pickup service that came with the hotel booking. The hotels in the Imperial Capital are highly competitive, so they offer great service."

"..."