The man on the other end of the phone listened to the girl’s gentle and soft voice, and his whole heart turned into tender affection.
"Tutu, what are you doing? Missing me?" Gu Yelin asked with a light laugh, his voice deep and pleasant.
Hearing the low laugh and the faint sound of firecrackers coming from the man on the other end of the phone, An Yiqing guessed he must be outside.
"Hmm, Ah Lin, aren’t you at home?"
"In the yard, setting off firecrackers with Gu Tingting. Tutu, you haven’t answered me, do you miss me?"
An Yiqing pursed her lips helplessly, with no way to deal with Gu Yelin’s astuteness and patience.
"Hmm, I miss you... I do miss you..." she said shyly, her voice low.
Listening to An Yiqing’s soft words, Gu Yelin, whose black eyes were usually cold, showed joy and indulgence. He looked up at the elders beside him, nodded politely, and then strode upstairs.
The shy An Yiqing did not notice the strange movement on the other end of the phone, still lost in sweetness.
"Tutu, I miss you too."
The voice on the other end sounded strange, as if it was right by her ear. An Yiqing was stunned, and before she could respond, she felt a weight on her shoulder, and that familiar scent dominantly invaded her sense of smell.
"A-Ah Lin?" she stammered in disbelief.
Behind her, Gu Yelin let out a light chuckle, his lips close to An Yiqing’s ear, whispering, "Tutu, I’ve missed you."
He had come, he had unexpectedly appeared before her! An Yiqing quickly turned around, lifted her little face, and gazed unmoving at the travel-weary Gu Yelin. He was only wearing a simple black sweater, and as he had just come inside from the cold outside, his clothing still carried a slight chill. It was apparent that Gu Yelin must have hurried over.
"Ah Lin, weren’t you celebrating the New Year at home? Why did you run over here wearing so little?" An Yiqing took Gu Yelin’s large hand with concern, holding and rubbing it tenderly.
Gu Yelin looked at An Yiqing’s concerned face gently, pulled her into his arms, and heaved a deep sigh, "I missed you, so I came. Without you by my side, my heart is restless."
All day long, Gu Yelin had been distracted in the Gu Family Mansion, feeling a hollowness inside, as if something was missing. No matter which room of the mansion he was in, it lacked that intoxicating fragrance that bewitched him. Finally, in the evening, Gu Yelin could not sit still any longer. Without taking the time to explain to his family, he grabbed some things from the storeroom and rushed over in a hurry.
It was only when he saw An Yiqing that Gu Yelin’s empty heart finally felt full. He knew she was the incurable poison of his life.
"Come with me, I’ll take you somewhere."
Gu Yelin gently took An Yiqing’s small hand, holding it tightly and, under her puzzled gaze, turned and left the bedroom with her.
Downstairs, the whole An Family and Ye Chenghong, along with Zhang Yuksheng and a few others, sat in the living room, watching the couple with suggestive looks. Gu Yelin was still his usual icy self, but poor An Yiqing, with her thin-skinned face, blushed as Gu Yelin led her out.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Maternal Grandpa, Maternal Grandma, Master, Mom and Dad, Ah Lin and I will step out for a bit," An Yiqing considerately informed her family before leaving.
Kong Shi nodded her head smilingly and waved her hand enthusiastically, saying, "Go on, we’re at ease with Xiao Gu here."
With her face turning red, An Yiqing put on her coat and followed Gu Yelin out.