Chapter 113: Dancing on a Cliff
"What is it, Brother Fan? You can tell me anything!" Gu Feifei clung tightly to Zhou Fan, as if he would disappear the moment she let go. Her voice, though quiet, was exceptionally firm.
"Drive to a small hotel and check in. We only need it for one night," Zhou Fan said softly.
"Ah? Brother Fan, so you *do* have designs on me! You don't have to be embarrassed, I won't think you're taking advantage of the situation. But why not a nicer hotel?" Gu Feifei looked up, her face bearing a happy and shy smile.
SMACK!
Zhou Fan smacked her right on the forehead. The sting almost brought tears to Gu Feifei's eyes, and she looked at him, aggrieved and confused. "Why did you hit me? Just because I saw right through you? There's no one else here, it's just us!"
"Don't be ridiculous. I told you to find a small hotel, but it has nothing to do with what you're thinking," Zhou Fan said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "The idea is for you to act like you're too scared to go home and have nowhere else to go. You wouldn't dare stay in a big hotel, so you have to secretly find a small one. We're trying to lure out Chu Yifeng and his goons!" He was baffled by Gu Feifei's train of thought. 'What on earth goes through this girl's mind all day?'
"So… is it just me going alone?" After hearing Zhou Fan's explanation, Gu Feifei was too embarrassed to lift her head, despite how brazenly she usually joked around with him. She buried her face in his shoulder, her voice a shy whisper.
"Of course I'm coming with you. If you went by yourself and actually managed to lure them out, you'd be a lamb to the slaughter," Zhou Fan said, letting go of Gu Feifei. He pointed to a wardrobe on the other side of the room. "Go change into something you don't normally wear, something that's not your usual style."
"Wow, so many outfits! Brother Fan, which one should I wear?"
"Just pick something you don't normally wear. The goal is to make them think you're trying to be inconspicuous."
"But I don't know how!"
"Then… the pleated skirt, I guess."
While Gu Feifei was changing, Zhou Fan sat in the living room and called Chu Yan. He briefly explained that he probably wouldn't be back tonight, as he had found Gu Feifei and Gu Changkong and had something to take care of.
In response, Chu Yan was very understanding and simply urged him to be careful. She told him she would head straight home after work and that he shouldn't worry.
At the end of the call, however, Chu Yan added a pointed reminder: even if he didn't manage to fish out Chu Yifeng, he had better not accidentally hook anyone else.
"Brother Fan, how do I look?"
The bedroom door opened. Gu Feifei appeared playfully before Zhou Fan, dressed in a high-waisted white blouse, a pleated skirt, white over-the-knee socks, and a pair of small leather shoes.
And, whether intentionally or not, as soon as she appeared, she did a little twirl right in front of Zhou Fan.
In the soft light of the approaching evening, her face was a picture of shy, youthful vivacity. Her fair skin seemed even more dazzling than her socks, and for a moment, Zhou Fan was completely captivated.
"Hey, stop staring! I asked if you think I look good." Seeing his reaction, Gu Feifei laughed happily. She skipped over to Zhou Fan, grabbing his large hand with her small one and asking in a wheedling tone.
"You look… ahem, it's alright. Since you're ready, let's go." Zhou Fan had almost subconsciously blurted out that she looked beautiful, but he quickly corrected himself, not wanting to let the girl get too full of herself. He then stood up, feigning composure, and walked out of the room without a single sideways glance.
"Hee hee, Brother Fan, you're so funny when you try to act all serious!" Gu Feifei giggled, throwing her arms around Zhou Fan.
But in that instant, Zhou Fan froze again. He turned and gave Gu Feifei a strange look. "You're playing with fire, you know that?"
It turned out that Gu Feifei, for whatever reason, had once again chosen not to wear a bra, a fact that nearly drove Zhou Fan to his breaking point.
"So, you don't like it, Brother Fan?" Gu Feifei raised a delicate eyebrow, a charming, sly smile playing on her lips.
Zhou Fan didn't answer, only gently pinching her nose.
At the Rutian, a very ordinary hotel chain, Zhou Fan gestured for Gu Feifei to handle the check-in. Then, under the whispering and pointing of the front desk staff, the two of them headed up to the third floor.
"Seriously, Feifei, are you actually trying to drive me insane today?" The moment he opened the hotel room door, Zhou Fan froze. He turned his head to look at Gu Feifei, who was standing beside him with a mischievous grin.
"Then feel free. I'm not stopping you," she teased. "Brother Fan, don't tell me you're chickening out?"