Chapter 31 Lu Yingxiao Watched, Feeling He Too Was Tainted by…

Chapter 31

Lu Yingxiao watched, thinking he too had been affected by...

Distance can not only create beauty, but also give distant onlookers the wrong idea.

Butler Zhan and Gao Youhe both thought Gao Yan had his arm intimately around Lu Yingxiao's waist. In reality, there was a considerable gap between their bodies, enough to fit another Gao Youhe between them.

Gao Yan's arm wasn't exactly wrapped around Lu Yingxiao either; his hand was loosely curled into a fist, minimizing physical contact as much as possible, dutifully serving as a support.

Noticing Lu Yingxiao straighten her back slightly, figuring she had recovered, Gao Yan asked, "How are you feeling now?"

Lu Yingxiao shifted slightly. The intense discomfort from earlier had dissipated, and her body felt light again. She said, "I'm much better now."

Gao Yan then withdrew his arm, cleanly and without any hesitation.

Lu Yingxiao said apologetically, "I already cut into your workout time yesterday, and today I've done it again."

Gao Yan: "It's just a small matter, don't worry about it."

But in Lu Yingxiao's view, although the matter was small, she still felt bad about disrupting his routine again.

Gao Yan then said, "If you really feel bad about it, you can treat me to a meal."

This request wasn't unreasonable.

It's just that her salary hadn't been paid yet, and she didn't have much money on her. Considering Gao Yan's status, she couldn't just take him anywhere.

She was just about to say she'd treat him after she got her salary when Gao Yan spoke again, "I know a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. It's a bit out of the way, but the prices are reasonable, it's at most 50 per person. I've been busy with company matters these past few years and haven't had a chance to go back since returning. I suddenly miss the taste of that place. Shall we go there for dinner tonight?"

At a maximum of 50 per person, even adding Youhe, it would only be 150 for three people, well within her budget.

Lu Yingxiao agreed readily.

Seeing that Lu Yingxiao was fine now, Gao Yan continued his slow jog around the track.

As soon as Gao Yan left, Gao Youhe immediately ran to Lu Yingxiao's side. She first asked how Lu Yingxiao was feeling, and after being told she was fine, she wrapped herself affectionately around Lu Yingxiao's arm.

This was exactly what she had wanted to do earlier, when Gao Yan was holding Lu Yingxiao's waist and strolling in the garden.

Gao Yan holding her sister-in-law, and she, hugging her sister-in-law's other arm—if she had Uncle Zhan take a picture of this scene, it would surely top the charts of the happiest families in the country.

But in the end, she didn't do it.

Because she thought of herself as perceptive and wouldn't act as a third wheel between her brother and sister-in-law.

Anyway, since all three of them were together today, there would be plenty of opportunities to take photos and capture even happier moments than she had imagined.

After the morning exercise, Gao Youhe went back to her room to retrieve the camera before heading to the shower.

Worried she might forget the camera when going out, Gao Youhe simply hung it around her neck on her way down to breakfast.

Seeing this, Lu Yingxiao asked, "Isn't it heavy?"

Gao Youhe held the camera with one hand and smiled, "This is the witness to our family's happiness. I don't find it heavy at all."

Lu Yingxiao: "Even if it's not heavy, it can strain your neck, and besides, we're about to eat."

Gao Youhe: "But I'm worried if I take it off, I might forget to bring it when we go out later."

Lu Yingxiao: "I'll remind you."

Seeing that Gao Youhe still seemed uneasy, Lu Yingxiao first helped her take the camera off her neck and set it down on a clear spot on the table. Then, holding chopsticks in her right hand, she grasped the camera strap with her left hand. "This way, it's almost like you're still wearing it. I definitely won't forget it."

Gao Youhe saw this and followed suit, reaching out her left hand to grab the camera strap too. "With both of us holding it, we definitely won't forget."

Gao Yan silently watched the whole process. He asked them, "Doesn't that make it hard to eat?"

Lu Yingxiao: "It's okay."

Gao Youhe: "Even if it's inconvenient to eat, we can't forget the camera at home."

Gao Yan reached out to them for the camera. "Let me hold it. You two eat properly."

Gao Youhe handed the camera to Gao Yan without hesitation because she felt her sister-in-law was too thin and needed to eat well, while her brother was tall and sturdy—missing one proper meal wouldn't shrink his mountain-like physique. "Brother, the camera's your responsibility now. Don't forget to bring it when we go out later."

Gao Yan: "Don't worry, I won't forget."

Following Lu Yingxiao's lead, he tightly grasped the camera strap with his left hand and even wrapped the remaining strap around his wrist. "Are you satisfied now?"

Gao Youhe nodded vigorously. "Satisfied, satisfied."

She rewarded him by putting some pickled vegetables on his plate.

Lu Yingxiao ate silently, but upon closer observation, one would notice she was eating much faster.

Gao Yan mercilessly tattled to Gao Youhe, "Someone isn't eating properly."

Gao Youhe, who had her head down in her food, immediately looked up upon hearing this. "Who?"

Gao Yan looked at Lu Yingxiao.

Gao Youhe's gaze also fell on Lu Yingxiao. "Sister-in-law, you weren't eating properly?"

Lu Yingxiao: "..."

She had originally wanted to eat faster to take the camera back, never expecting Gao Yan would tattle on her.

Lu Yingxiao glanced sideways at Gao Yan. Faced with Gao Youhe's question, she firmly denied it. "No, I've been eating properly all along. I don't want to lose a Little Red Flower."

Gao Youhe believed Lu Yingxiao. She said to Gao Yan, "Brother, are you seeing things?"

Gao Yan didn't argue either, obligingly replying, "Perhaps I am."

Not only that, he even apologized very sincerely to Lu Yingxiao.

Lu Yingxiao didn't say a word, just continued eating.

Her eating speed didn't increase again either; she ate leisurely. Occasionally, she stole a glance at Gao Yan beside her. Seeing his eating was a bit awkward because his left hand was restrained by the camera, Lu Yingxiao didn't feel sorry for him at all. The corner of her mouth even lifted slightly. Serves him right for tattling on her earlier!

In a pleasant mood, she finished breakfast and also stuck a Little Red Flower on the reward chart. The cheerful trio set off happily.

They weren't taking a driver today; Gao Yan would drive.

After opening the rear car door for Lu Yingxiao and Gao Youhe and making sure they were seated, Gao Yan circled around to the driver's seat, started the car, and drove steadily towards the flower and bird market.

Along the way, Gao Youhe was particularly excited, tugging at Lu Yingxiao's sleeve to point out the scenery.

"Sister-in-law, look! A bird's nest! A bird's nest! There's a bird's nest in this tree!" "Your eyesight is really good. There really is a bird's nest."

"What kind of bird's nest is that? It's oddly unique."

"I don't know what bird it is, but if it can build such a distinctive little nest, it must be a bird that's really good with its hands."

"Brother is also great with his hands. If he were a bird in his past life, what species do you think he would be, Sister-in-law?"

If Gao Yan hadn't told on her to Gao Youhe earlier that morning, Lu Yingxiao would have instinctively thought of a fierce eagle.

But now, she replied without hesitation, "A myna."

Gao Youhe was surprised. "A myna? I thought you'd say an eagle, Sister-in-law. Why? Why do you think Brother was a myna in his past life?"

Lu Yingxiao didn't explain, only firmly stated, "My gut says that if there really was a past life, your brother was a myna."

After hearing this, Gao Youhe leaned forward, her hands planted on the back of the front seat, and tilted her head to ask Gao Yan in the driver's seat, "Brother, Sister-in-law says you were a myna in your past life. What do you think?"

Gao Yan glanced at Lu Yingxiao in the rearview mirror and replied quite agreeably, "I'd say that's about right."

Gao Youhe was curious. "Why?"

Gao Yan looked into the rearview mirror again. Because he had agreed, Lu Yingxiao also looked toward the front seat, and their gazes met in the mirror.

Lu Yingxiao didn't look away, waiting for Gao Yan's answer.

Gao Yan replied clearly, word by word, "Because I talk a lot."

Lu Yingxiao was amused and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He was quite self-aware.

Gao Youhe looked bewildered. She didn't think her brother talked much at all—in fact, he was rather quiet.

She also didn't understand why Sister-in-law found his explanation so funny.

She scratched her head in puzzlement, but seeing the harmonious atmosphere in the car—her brother smiling and her sister-in-law beaming—she didn't pry any further and just went along with the good mood.

The car smoothly arrived at the flower and bird market.

It was a huge greenhouse complex, so big you couldn't see the end of it. Cars and people were coming and going at the entrance, and even in the parking lot, the rich scent of flowers and plants filled the air.

Neither Lu Yingxiao nor Gao Youhe had been here before, and they were looking around, full of curiosity.

Gao Yan asked, "Do you want to look around first, or get the mulberry tree and then look around?"

Lu Yingxiao didn't mind.

She looked at Gao Youhe.

Gao Youhe linked arms with Lu Yingxiao and suggested, "Let's go in and look around first. If it's fun, we can take our time. If not, we'll buy the mulberry tree and leave."

Lu Yingxiao had no objections.

Neither did Gao Yan.

Since they were browsing first, the three of them didn't head straight for the flower stalls after entering the market. Instead, they started exploring from wherever they entered.

They had entered from the east side of the market, which was full of all kinds of aquatic life—both saltwater and freshwater fish, as well as non-fish species like corals, shellfish, turtles, and jellyfish. One look and it was like they'd entered an underwater world, with colorful corals and diverse fish—a dazzling sight.

Gao Youhe was fascinated by everything she saw.

Whenever she spotted an unfamiliar aquatic creature, she'd drag Lu Yingxiao over for a look.

"Sister-in-law, look at this fish—it has a huge red bump on its head. It looks really weird."

"It really is odd. That bump is so big it even covers its eyes."

"I wonder what kind of fish this is."

"I'll look it up."

Before Lu Yingxiao could take out her phone to search, Gao Yan, who had been quietly following them, spoke up, "That's a Flowerhorn fish, bred through complex hybridization."

Lu Yingxiao turned to look at Gao Yan, curious. "You know about fish too?"

Gao Yan replied, "Not exactly an expert, but I've looked into it before."

Lu Yingxiao nodded.

When Gao Youhe saw another strange aquatic creature and exclaimed in wonder, and Lu Yingxiao, who also hadn't seen it before and didn't know what it was, she didn't reach for her phone to search. Instead, she simply looked at Gao Yan.

Gao Yan answered, "That's a mushroom coral."

Lu Yingxiao stood in front of the aquarium, gazing at the several mushroom corals attached to the rocks inside, and said in amazement, "I thought all corals were shaped like tree branches. I didn't know there were round ones like this, a bit like mushrooms."

"Mushroom corals are distant relatives of traditional reef-building corals. They both belong to invertebrates. Even siblings can look different, let alone distant relatives? So naturally, they each have their own appearance." Seeing Lu Yingxiao nod in understanding, Gao Yan continued, "Although 'mushroom coral' has the word 'coral' in its name, it isn't a true coral. It's closer to a sea anemone."

Lu Yingxiao listened with great interest.

She realized that Gao Yan was quite knowledgeable, with a wide range of interests. He even knew so much about aquatic life. Yet, he didn't have the annoying habits some men had—boasting about what they knew as if they wanted the whole world to hear, or using it to put others down. He was low-key and humble, never showing off or getting cocky. He never mocked those who knew less than him. Listening to him share knowledge about aquatic life felt like chatting with an old friend—their relationship was equal.

Behind Gao Yan was a giant vertical aquarium, taller than him, filled with hundreds of pink jellyfish, giving the whole tank and the water a soft pink tint.

Perhaps there were lights inside the tank.

Under the light, the pink color of the jellyfish seemed to spread beyond the aquarium.

As she watched, Lu Yingxiao felt as if Gao Yan, who was speaking so eloquently, had also taken on a tinge of the color of the pink jellyfish—from head to toe, even his hair seemed enveloped in a faint pink hue.