Chapter 192 - 192 Meat and Pepper

"Why did you say something like that?" Ma Rong exclaimed with harshness in her voice. She was angry at him but more in herself because of how humiliated she was. She never would have thought that she would feel so elated when she heard him claim that she was his girlfriend. 

'Oh my gosh! Am I getting crazy? I am getting full of myself. No, don't beat that fast, you foolish heart. That was just something he said to help her out. He was just being kind. Nothing more.' Ma Rong said this to herself, trying to convince herself that she should not expect anything more than that. 

"What do you mean?" Gu Chen said feeling good with himself as he asked this in a nonchalant way. It seemed to him that Ma Rong was still unaware that her hand was still held by him. A smile so mesmirizing that the people they were passing by would stare at him wide-eyed. He looked at her with a kind smile. 

Ma Rong g.r.o.a.n.e.d. Her heart began to flutter in a weird way and her face started to blush. She bit her lip, feeling conflicted.

"That..." She started as she averted her eyes away from his kind and gentle gaze. If she looked any longer, she thinks that she will probably step to a space she had never yet encounter. And this was making her uncomfortable and afraid. If she did step into that unfamiliar space, what will happen to her? 

"That time when you said that I'm your "girlfriend." Don't you think that your joke is going too far? You'll be laughed at." Considering that I am like this. Ma Rong looked at the people they were passing by only to find that they were looking at them quite intently. She looked away. Their eyes were hurtful. 

Those eyes...it was like they were saying something like "Eww. Two guys?", "They are so close. Are they in that kind of relationship?", "How indecent.", and "OMG! Seriously? His looks (Gu Chen) are wasted with that cross-dressing man." 

Ma Rong's posture bent forward, showing how her confidence was slowly dwindling away from her. The worry she had was clearly written on her face and it was seen by Gu Chen.

'Did she dislike holding my hand that much to the point that she would show such a distressed look on her face? Is she not saying anything because she does not know how to tell him off?' Gu Chen's heart was suddenly pricked by a hundred needles but he still gritted his teeth and his hold of her tightened. 

Gu Chen was not planning on letting her go yet. Let him be this shameless today. He does not care anymore. "Let's have lunch first."

Ma Rong did not get any clear answer from Gu Chen from her question and she was even more troubled by this as confusion and frustration increased in her. Then she got pulled inside the restaurant "7 Treaures."

Her eyes then looked at the hand clasped tightly in his and her mind went blank for a moment. However, she was already too late to realize that her hand was being held in his. She tried to open her mouth but no words could escape her mouth. 

Gu Chen, though reluctant, finally let go of Ma Rong's hand. Instantly, he felt like his hand became empty and cold. He missed her touch already.

'No, no. Stop thinking like that.' Gu Chen slightly shook his head to get rid of his thoughts before pulling a chair for Ma Rong to sit and said in a very gentlemanly manner, "Miss Ma, please."

Ma Rong forced out a smile on her face as she thanked Gu Chen before sitting down on the chair he had good-naturedly offered for her. Of course, her movement was stiff and awkward. If anything, she was the one who usually lets other ladies to sit. But now she was the one being treated like this and she was getting terribly fl.u.s.tered. 

"Thank you, young master Gu."

"Please, just call me Chen." Gu Chen smiled at Ma Rong before sitting opposite her. 

"Then you can also call me Rong, if you want, young master Chen." Ma Rong said lowering her head to avoid his gaze.

Gu Chen bitterly smiled to himself. Was he making her that uncomfortable?

"Okay, Rong'er. Let's order then. What do you want?" He said this as her name rolled out of his mouth in such a natural manner before waving to call for a waiter. 

'Rong'er?!' 

It did not take long before they ordered. However, silence descended onto them. They don't know what to talk about. In the end, both remained silent with one staring and the other avoiding. It remained like this until their food had finally arrived placed neatly in front of the two.

Gu Chen cleared his throat and decided to be the one to talk first. With his usual sunny smile, he said, "Let's eat." 

"Yes."

'Oh f*ck! Why am I such an idiot? Let's eat? Let's eat?! Is that even considered a conversation?!' Gu Chen cursed himself. He did not know that he would screw up like this. He hated himself and had the urge to punch himself.

He looked toward her plate and noticed that she was mostly filling her plate with meat and pushing peppers on the side. Amus.e.m.e.nt filled his eyes as he smiled at this. 'Cute.'

"Do you really hate peppers that much?" He chuckled in his throaty voice. 

Ma Rong snapped her head up only to see the amused-filled gaze he had with a sweet and gentle light while looking straight at her. It felt like this smile pierced through her and went straight to her heart. 'Ma Rong, get a grip of yourself! Don't let him make your heart squeeze sweetly so much!'

"Yes, I always find it hard to eat it." She replied, feeling a little embarrassed. 

"If you don't want it, I can eat it for you." He offered with eyes squinting as he smiled, making him all the more dazzling in Ma Rong's eyes. 

'This man, is he trying to seduce me? Because if he is, then he definitely succeeding!'

"No, I can't do that." 

He chuckled and reached out to her plate. Ma Rong's eyes widened in surprise at his actions and mouth slightly hanging open.

"I insist. In exchange, you can have my share of meat." 

Ma Rong then looked at the plate in front of her and saw how it was all meat. She then looked at his plate and noticed how bizarre it looked; half was pepper and half was meat.

"You--you really don't have to do this."

Gu Chen opened his mouth and started to eat with a crunch in every bite. He looked as if he was enjoying himself and ate in relish. "Don't worry. I've grown to eat anything considering how my family is in this kind of industry. Anyway, you should start eating too or your food will turn cold." 

Ma Rong was still worried but she looked at the handsome man before her eating with great enjoyment. But Gu Chen had already said those things and so she could only eat her share. 

"Thank you, young master Gu--I mean, Chen." She said.

"So when exactly did you meet October?" Gu Chen asked with raised eyebrow and took a sip of his wine.

Ma Rong swallowed her food first while covering her mouth with a hand before answering, "We first met at a party and that was when she turned five years old. I was already five at that time since I am older than her by five months. She was still so innocent at that time and always smiling. She was cheerful and bright."

"Oh?" He was getting curious and amazed at the same time. He did not expect that October was someone who smiles a lot. He could not imagine that at all. 

Ma Rong nodded her head and seemed happy as she started to reminisce about the past with a carefree and relaxed smile. Of course, Gu Chen was also happy when he noticed that she was slowly starting to warm up to him.

He wanted to make this time to continue. Unfortunately, his little wish was instantly shattered as soon as he finished wishing for it as someone unexpected arrived to intervene.

"Sis--sister...? Big sister Rong? Is that you?" A beautiful girl in a yellow dress arrived in front of Ma Rong with a bright and innocent smile on her pretty face. She was slim and petite, just like a small animal that was cute and cuddly and can incite a protective stance from people.

"Big sister Rong, it really is you!" She exclaimed happily and clasped both hands before her and her eyes turned red as if she was about to cry, relief and happiness shown on her face.

Ma Rong's body turned cold the instant she heard this voice that seemed like it came from the depths of hell. Her jaw tightened and her teeth gritted so hard that her gums were started to hurt; however, she did not notice this at all. Her expression darkened and her grip on her fork tightened so much that it started to shake.

She closed her eyes and took a breath, calming herself down. The instant she opened her eyes again, it was now clear and calm before turning toward the girl standing before her. 

"Quiyue, my dear little sister."