Standing face to face like this broke the normal social distance a bit, but it wasn't really anything suggestive. However, because of their body size difference, from the man's angle, it looked like Chu Lulin had just intimately pulled her into his arms.
After discarding the grass clippings, Chu Lulin naturally stepped back to Jian Ran's side, but cleverly positioned himself half a shoulder ahead, visually shielding her.
"Sorry, please continue," Chu Lulin said to the man.
The man understood perfectly. As a fellow male, he had basic intuition about certain actions and recognized this subtle yet deliberate display of territoriality.
He curled his lips, nodded slightly at Jian Ran, and said, "Sorry for the interruption."
Chu Lulin watched the man's hurried retreat, then calmly looked away. Turning back, he put on a slightly confused expression as he looked at Jian Ran. "Big Sister, is he your friend? Why did he leave?"
Jian Ran blinked, also a bit baffled. But as her gaze fell on Chu Lulin, she figured it out. The man must have misunderstood. Well, by accident, it had saved her some trouble.
"I don't know him. Just a passerby," Jian Ran shook her head. She briefly mentioned the man's game and missing partner, but left out the hitting-on part. She didn't explain the misunderstanding either—no need.
Chu Lulin curled his lips and said softly, "That's good. I was afraid I might have ruined something for you."
Jian Ran waved her hand dismissively. She was new here; what could there possibly be?
The ranch was in a great location, nestled between mountains and water. After riding, you could find a spot anywhere to enjoy the scenery and relax.
They found a comfortable grassy slope and sat side by side.
"I saw you chatting with the owner for a while. Something up?" Jian Ran asked casually.
"Nothing much," Chu Lulin glanced at her, then took a sip of water. "Just asking if we were having fun and what we thought of the experience."
Jian Ran nodded and didn't press further. It was normal for the owner to check in with customers during trial operation.
"What do you think, Big Sister?" Chu Lulin shifted sideways, his eyes sweeping over her relaxed brows. "Are you having fun?"
Jian Ran screwed the cap back on her bottle and turned to smile at him. "Yes, fun!" The ranch was big; galloping was thrilling. Especially when racing with Chu Lulin—it was much more interesting than riding alone. That was the charm of competition. Of course, mainly because she won. If she had lost, the joy would have been somewhat diminished.
Chu Lulin nodded, his gaze soft. Good, she was happy.
But Jian Ran was actually quite surprised that Chu Lulin could ride. After all, horseback riding was a niche sport in China. She had learned as a child, back when her parents were still married. Every weekend, her family would go to a horse ranch on the outskirts of Beijing. But after her mother passed away, she rarely went. Only when her mood was particularly bad would she go for a few rounds.
"You ride well. You must go often," Jian Ran asked casually.
Chu Lulin replied, "I used to go often. After college, I rarely rode."
Jian Ran nodded and didn't pursue it further, changing the subject. After all, asking more might touch on privacy.
"Did you know I can ride?"
She didn't recall it being on the villa's guest profile. Could Lu Chuchu have filled it in? But no, Lu Chuchu probably didn't know.
"No," Chu Lulin's eyes flickered. "It wasn't on the guest information."
Jian Ran gave a soft 'mm.' So it was a coincidence.
"Then how did you dare bring me here? Weren't you afraid I wouldn't be satisfied?"
Chu Lulin pointed to the side. "They seem to be having fun too."
Following his finger, she saw a few girls sitting on horses, being led by a staff member around the track. Jian Ran laughed. So that had been his original plan. "Looks pretty good."
Chu Lulin smiled. "Want to go over later? I'll lead the horse for you, Big Sister?"
Jian Ran waved it off. "No thanks. I prefer letting the horse run."
That feeling was very free and exhilarating.
Chu Lulin nodded too, saying softly, "Me too."
Jian Ran's lips curled slightly. She could tell. Chu Lulin on the ranch was very different from his usual self.
The unrestrained young man, galloping at full speed, in the prime of his youth. A bit wild, a bit unruly.
They spent the morning mostly at the ranch and had lunch at the farm next door. The farm also had a rest area for naps. After a short break, they chose to go back to the ranch. Maybe because it had been so long since she last rode, Jian Ran felt like she couldn't get enough.
In the afternoon, there were noticeably more people at the ranch, but there was still no one else who could ride. The galloping track was still just the two of them.
After a few laps, Chu Lulin suddenly pulled a camera out of his backpack.
"You brought a camera?" Jian Ran was surprised.
Chu Lulin smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Big Sister. My photography skills are decent. I should be able to get some good shots."
It turned out that Chu Lulin's photography skills were more than just decent—they were excellent.
At first, Jian Ran didn't take it seriously. To be honest, she didn't like having her photo taken much and rarely even took selfies. So she didn't bother posing; she just let Chu Lulin capture candid shots.
But when she sat on the grassy slope again and looked at the photos on the camera, she was impressed. There were shots of her galloping, holding the reins, and even petting the horse's head to soothe it. There were dozens in total, each from a different angle, but every single one was stunning.
Jian Ran's favorite was the one with the orange-red sun half-suspended over the mountain, sunset clouds spreading across the sky. She was on horseback, galloping toward the setting sun. The mood was beautiful beyond words.
She couldn't help but turn to Chu Lulin and ask, "Is photography a mandatory skill for butlers?"
Chu Lulin paused. "Probably not. It wasn't in the job requirements."
Jian Ran chuckled. "Then I guess I got lucky."
Chu Lulin's lips curled up, and he smiled too. "My pleasure."
Author's note:
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