Chapter 69 Unbridled

"Shall I help you choose?"

Gu Zhaoqian's lips curved into a smile, and his eyes showed a hint of doting affection.

He Peiru was relatively unfamiliar with bars and rarely drank alcohol, so she simply left the decision to him.

He reached out and took the wine list, then began to look at it carefully.

only……

He had a furrowed brow, as if to say that he couldn't make an easy decision either.

But He Peiru felt it couldn't be that bad, and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Perhaps because she asked that, Gu Zhaoqian's expression relaxed a little, and he replied, "I'm thinking about which one suits you better."

"So...I see."

The realization that it was exactly the same as what she had thought made her stutter and want to immediately withdraw her request.

However, she did not actually do that; instead, she waited patiently.

After a while, Gu Zhaoqian finally spoke up: "I'll order you this Rose Coconut Candy."

He quickly finished ordering.

When He Peiru received the wine list, she noticed that the alcohol content increased as you went down the list.

This cup is the second one from the top.

Was he pondering for so long because he was considering the alcohol content?

Before she could think further, the waiter quickly brought her her glass of wine.

The top layer is a cream topping made of whipped cream and rose syrup, while the bottom is clear and transparent, making it look incredibly tempting.

He Peiru gently fiddled with it, first exclaiming, "This glass of wine looks so beautiful."

"Give it a try," Gu Zhaoqian chuckled. "You'll find it not only looks good, but it tastes great too."

She sipped her tea.

The moment it enters your mouth, you are immediately struck by the rich aroma of rose and the refreshing fragrance of coconut. The base spirit becomes almost negligible, as if you are drinking a carefully crafted non-alcoholic beverage.

After experiencing this novelty, He Peiru turned her attention to Gu Zhaoqian's special drink and asked, "What's yours?"

“It’s called Lemon Smash.” Gu Zhaoqian easily guessed her thoughts and asked, “Curious about my drink?”

When he was taking his order with the waiter, He Peiru vaguely heard him emphasize that a certain type of wine should be consumed in larger quantities.

It seems that the original recipe was too simple for him, so he chose a more suitable ratio based on his preferences.

The brown cocktail in front of her looked much richer than hers.

Gu Zhaoqian followed her gaze and looked down at the glass of wine in front of him. Only then did she say slowly, "This wine looks very bitter."

"Want to give it a try?"

Gu Zhaoqian didn't describe the specific taste to her; he simply pushed the glass of wine towards her gently.

He Peiru didn't hesitate and took a sip of the wine.

The initial bitterness made her frown, but the aftertaste was incredibly addictive.

She wanted to take a second sip, but before she could pick up the glass, Gu Zhaoqian stopped her, saying, "Don't drink it. This glass has a high alcohol content."

As if emboldened by the alcohol, she grinned and asked, "If I get drunk, will you take me home?"

He Peiru's eyes welled up with tears, as if veiled by a thin mist.

Looking at her like this, Gu Zhaoqian revealed a carefree smile and asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll take advantage of you?"

The moment he finished speaking, he immediately regained his serious demeanor, took back the glass of wine that was originally his, and continued, "Be a good boy and drink the one I ordered for you."

The man's tender tone brought He Peiru back to her senses.

Only later did they realize that their bold action had amounted to an indirect kiss.

Realizing this, He Peiru silently gasped inwardly, then pretended nothing had happened and said, "I'd like to try some other special blends."

However, Gu Zhaoqian still had half a glass left in his order. Since mixing alcoholic drinks makes it easier to get drunk, she immediately refused without thinking, saying, "If I drink like this, I'll really get drunk soon."

He then suggested, "The non-alcoholic drinks here are also quite good, and the taste is rather unique. We could give this one a try."

Just then, the snacks he ordered were served: cold-cut ham and cheese, some fried food, and nuts.

It's perfect to pair with alcoholic beverages.

Gu Zhaoqian then called out to the waiter and ordered her an extra non-alcoholic drink called Golden Apple Tonic.

Despite the fairly straightforward name, He Peiru was still curious about what kind of drink this was.

She began to savor the snack platter in front of her with anticipation.

The non-alcoholic beverage was served quickly, and she eagerly took a sip, her mouth instantly filled with the aroma of apples.

The subtle bitterness reduces any potential sweetness, which is also a flavor she would like.

He Peiru could only marvel once again at Gu Zhaoqian's impeccable taste.

The stimulation from the tonic water brought her back to her senses.

She glanced at Gu Zhaoqian out of the corner of her eye, realizing that what was supposed to be a simple walk had turned into the two of them sitting in a bar drinking specialty drinks.

For a moment, I felt that life was full of surprises, especially...

It was during her time with Gu Zhaoqian.

It's like you never know what will happen next.

She didn't let her thoughts wander any further. Looking at the drinks and snacks that had just been served, she realized that the portions weren't actually that large, and the two of them easily finished most of them.

Seeing that it was almost time, He Peiru said, "Let's go back."

Her body felt slightly warm, and she couldn't help but feel grateful that she had listened to Gu Zhaoqian's words earlier. The non-alcoholic drink behind her had helped to alleviate any possible dizziness.

Unfortunately, I was in a bit of a rush and wobbled a little when I got up.

Gu Zhaoqian immediately noticed something amiss, and as he stood up, he chuckled, "I knew I was right. It seems that Aru's alcohol tolerance is indeed not very high."

"I just didn't drink much..."

Her answer sounded more like a helpless struggle.

Gu Zhaoqian didn't expose him, but his laughter still reached He Peiru's ears.

It was as if they weren't worried at all that she would get angry.

She wasn't angry, just a little helpless, muttering, "Why are you still laughing? It makes me look like I'm struggling helplessly."

"I don't know if anyone has ever told you..." He didn't refute, and his smile didn't fade as he continued, "You look adorable like this."

This statement made her turn her head away, but the blush on her face betrayed her feelings. She replied vaguely and somewhat unnaturally, "Well... you are indeed the first person to say that."

"That's it then." Gu Zhaoqian gently pinched her cheek, then naturally took her hand, turned around and said to her, "Let's go."

The man's initiative caused her to pause for a moment. The warm touch from his palm made her a little flustered, but she tried her best to calm herself down.

She got into the car with Gu Zhaoqian, but even after they were seated, he still didn't let go of her hand.

The warmth spread across the area covered by Gu Zhaoqian's palm, making He Peiru feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Even though he was just gently holding her hand, and she didn't know if it was her imagination, her hand felt like it was being caressed, and an endless itch arose within her.

He Peiru tried to pull her hand away, only to find that he had used force.

They were completely unable to move.

She silently told herself that it was only a ten-minute drive back to the apartment, and the trip would be over soon.

Based on her understanding of Gu Zhaoqian, he most likely wouldn't do anything.

The time it took to get back to the apartment was shorter than He Peiru had expected.

However, when the car came to a stop, just when she thought she could finally breathe a sigh of relief, Gu Zhaoqian still didn't let go of her hand, but he didn't say anything either.

The partition inside the car had already been raised when they got in. He Peiru was less embarrassed about being spied on by the driver, and naturally did not suppress her doubts, but only said softly, "I'm going up."

"Okay, I understand," Gu Zhaoqian replied in a breathy voice, then murmured, "Let's get out of the car."

However, even after he finished speaking, he remained unmoved.

And he still held her hand.

Just as He Peiru was about to urge him again, Gu Zhaoqian finally opened the car door first and pulled her out of the car together.

After getting off the bus, the two stood facing each other.

She looked up at Gu Zhaoqian, and it was the first time she had ever examined his features in such an environment.

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, but he looked much gentler, completely losing his usual unruly demeanor.

This somewhat unusual behavior left her at a loss, so she could only ask, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Gu Zhaoqian looked down at her, his eyes filled with a deeper meaning she couldn't decipher, and continued, "I just thought..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but lowered his head and, following her gaze as she looked up at him, leaned down slightly and kissed her lips.

Their movements were so fluid and natural, it was as if the two were a couple deeply in love.

And this kiss was a complete expression of love.

He Peiru would certainly not reject his approach, but this sudden move still took her by surprise.

Fortunately, her other hand was free, and in this somewhat flustered situation, she could grab Gu Zhaoqian's wrist for leverage, which helped ease the tension.

Gu Zhaoqian's kiss was deeper than the last one, but that was all; he restrained himself and made no other moves.

He quickly straightened up, his gaze fixed on her face, as if to say, "Remember, this is the second time I've kissed you."

The softness of her lips completely stunned He Peiru, and she was so anxious that she didn't have time to think much before retorting, "I can't possibly forget."

The two remained very close.

Gu Zhaoqian's laughter became unrestrained. He grabbed her hand that had been holding his, but his words were completely opposite to his actions: "Go on upstairs, goodnight."