Thanks to the excellent experience on the first day of their outing, Jian Ran was no longer so resistant to going out. Over the next few days, Chu Lulin arranged new places to visit each day, with a relaxed pace that was both comfortable and enjoyable. Jian Ran's last bit of reluctance completely disappeared.
Today, while waiting for the car in the front lobby, she ran into Zhao Meng.
"Miss Jian, going out?" Zhao Meng looked around as if searching for someone. "I don't see Xiao Chu?"
Jian Ran pointed toward the restaurant. "He went to get me breakfast." They had agreed on a time to leave yesterday, but she had woken up a bit late and skipped breakfast. When Chu Lulin found out, he rushed off to the restaurant, and she couldn't stop him.
Zhao Meng nodded and casually asked, "Are you settling in well at the villa these past few days? Any issues?"
Jian Ran smiled and shook her head. "No, everything's fine." Then, as if suddenly thinking of something, she added, "The villa's service is excellent, and the butler is very professional. I'm quite satisfied."
Though her words were partly meant to speak well of Chu Lulin, they were also sincere. From their interactions over these days, Chu Lulin was indeed impeccable as a butler.
Zhao Meng was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "That's good to hear." A few days ago, she had heard from the front desk that Jian Ran was dissatisfied with Chu Lulin and had been giving him a hard time, but it seemed those were just unfounded rumors.
"Miss Jian, you're looking really well today." Compared to her first few days, it was like night and day. From Zhao Meng's perspective, Jian Ran's complexion on the first day could only be described as gloomy, but now, if not radiant, at least she was full of energy.
Jian Ran smiled. "Thank you." In fact, she could feel it herself—her current state was much better than when she first arrived. Although these days weren't a frantic rush, she had been playing all day and would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow at night, leaving no time to dwell on things. Her mood had improved a lot.
Before they could chat much longer, Chu Lulin hurried over with breakfast.
"Sister Zhao." He nodded at Zhao Meng, then turned to Jian Ran. "Big Sister, the restaurant only had milk and bread left. The car won't be here for a while, so have something to tide you over."
Zhao Meng quickly chimed in, "Yes, breakfast is important. Eat well to have energy for fun."
Jian Ran gave a soft "mm" and took the bread and milk. The bread was filled with red bean paste—her favorite. Delicious.
Zhao Meng seemed to have nothing pressing, so she asked Chu Lulin a few brief work questions, then looked at Jian Ran, who had just finished breakfast. "Where are you heading today?"
Jian Ran hesitated and turned to Chu Lulin. She really didn't know. Chu Lulin arranged everything daily, and he never told her in advance, nor did she ask. She usually only found out when they arrived. It felt like opening a blind box.
"We're planning to visit the ancient town today," Chu Lulin replied.
Jian Ran was a bit surprised. So it was the ancient town today. She had thought Chu Lulin hadn't arranged it since they hadn't gone before.
The ancient town was a famous attraction nearby, rich in history, with well-preserved Ming and Qing architecture and relics of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. However, the town wasn't very large. After strolling around for most of the morning, they had seen most of it.
Everything went smoothly except for a small hiccup at lunch. Chu Lulin took Jian Ran to a local specialty restaurant that had recently gone viral thanks to a travel blogger's video. Many people had come because of it, so when they arrived, there was already a long line at the entrance.
"I'm sorry, Big Sister," Chu Lulin said, full of guilt and looking cautious. "It's my fault. I didn't plan ahead."
Jian Ran was taken aback. Her first reaction was that it was just an accident—why apologize? But then she remembered the scene where she had rattled off a dozen "don't likes" with a cold face, and she couldn't help but hold her forehead. She had been emotional at the time, just saying that to scare him, but she hadn't expected him to take it seriously.
It dawned on Jian Ran that over these days, Chu Lulin had indeed been diligently following those almost unreasonable demands she had made. But admitting that she had been sulking that day was a bit embarrassing, especially in front of a younger guy like Chu Lulin. She couldn't bring herself to do it.
Jian Ran cleared her throat and opened her mouth. "Well, although I don't like queuing, given the circumstances, it's normal for plans to change occasionally." So he didn't need to be so tense, as if she were some heartless capitalist. Hypocrisy was a bit awkward, so she pretended nothing was wrong and looked around, acting busy.
"Thank you, Big Sister," Chu Lulin replied obediently, but his lowered lashes hid a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
The restaurant Chu Lulin had picked was tucked away in a remote alley of the ancient town. It had no lavish decorations, just a wooden sign at the entrance with four simple characters: "Open Today." The owner was clearly caught off guard by the sudden popularity, having only set up a simple awning and a few stools for people waiting in line, not even preparing tea.
They took a number and found an inconspicuous spot to sit. Summer in Yuncheng was relatively comfortable compared to Jing City, with cooler weather. Even walking outside during the day wasn't too hot. But maybe because they had hurried over, or because the midday sun was indeed stronger, Jian Ran suddenly felt a bit warm. She fanned herself with her hand, but it didn't bring much relief; instead, the movement only made her feel more restless.
Alright, better not fuss. Calm your mind and you'll cool down naturally.
Just as Jian Ran was trying to hypnotize herself, she suddenly felt a cool breeze on her neck. Startled, she turned around and saw Chu Lulin smilingly holding a small handheld fan toward her.
"Where did you get a fan?" she asked happily.
Chu Lulin pointed to his backpack. "I prepared it in case you got hot." He handed the fan to her.
Jian Ran took it and gave him a thumbs-up. "Forethought. Nice." With the fan in hand, she could easily cool herself from all angles, and the restlessness finally subsided. She immediately felt much better.
"I also have some cookies in my bag. If you're hungry, you can have some to tide you over," Chu Lulin said.
He hadn't mentioned it before, but now that he did, Jian Ran realized she was a bit hungry. "What flavors?"
Chu Lulin took out several packs for her to choose from. Jian Ran picked a pack of black truffle ham soda crackers. "Thanks." "You're welcome, Big Sister."
After finishing the small pack of crackers, Jian Ran no longer felt impatient about waiting in line. With nothing to do, she looked around. At first, she didn't pay much attention, but soon she noticed something odd. People seemed to be glancing their way intentionally or unintentionally. Especially groups of young girls who would walk past them casually, then sneakily look their way and whisper among themselves. Sometimes, when they accidentally met Jian Ran's eyes, they would quickly look away. Their poor acting was quite amusing.
Jian Ran had a rough idea of what they were looking at. Growing up, she had been subjected to such stares often enough that she was used to it, but she had never encountered such an exaggerated situation. As for the reason...
"Who do you think they're looking at?" She nudged the person next to her.
Chu Lulin paused, then immediately understood. After a few seconds of thought, he replied, "Half at you, half at me, I think."
Jian Ran glanced at him, thinking that was a fair assessment. She had expected him to be modest.
"Oh, so you know you're handsome," she teased.
Chu Lulin smiled helplessly at the teasing. "Big Sister, I look in the mirror."
Jian Ran chuckled and gave him an approving look. The young man was straightforward. She liked that!
In Jian Ran's view, the idea that someone is beautiful or handsome without knowing it barely exists. How could you not know what you look like? And even if you genuinely didn't, people around you would have shown you through their reactions over the years. But there was a difference: some people treat their appearance as their only weapon, while others see it as just a minor advantage. Chu Lulin was clearly the latter.
After waiting outside for over half an hour, they finally got a table. The restaurant didn't have many dishes, but they were all local specialties, delicious and worth the long wait.
After lunch, Jian Ran was satisfied and casually asked, "What's the plan for this afternoon? Still visiting the ancient town?"
The town seemed small; they had probably seen most of it in the morning. She wondered where else they could go.
Chu Lulin handed her a wet tissue. "Not strolling. I'll take you to another place."
Jian Ran said "Oh," took the tissue to wipe her mouth, and asked curiously, "What other place?"
Chu Lulin smiled but suddenly became secretive. "Guess, Big Sister?"