Chapter 82: Who Am I?
"Ding ding, dang dang, dong dong, dang dang... Fu Lu Wa~"
Shen Xi hummed a tune from her past life, feeling oddly cheerful as she carried the small cake box into the house.
Just as she walked in, she saw Gu Hanling coming down the stairs. However, his expression seemed even colder than it had been that morning.
“Madam went to see her ‘wild man’ and came back this happy?”
The man’s lips curled into a faint, unreadable smile, his tone light but teasing.
“Uh…”
Shen Xi’s smile stiffened.
Huh? He’s back from work already? And wait, what does he mean by ‘wild man’?!
Gu Hanling walked up to her, his tone casual, as if he were just making small talk.
"Have you met Shi Jingyan?"
Shen Xi's mouth twitched, and she thought in her heart, ‘See him? I might as well go see Lin Yueyue, at least she's a woman, more pleasing to the eye. But again… no thanks. She was just as annoying as Shi Jingyan.’
Okay, fine. Technically, she had seen him. But only by accident!
Could it be that someone had seen their interaction at the cake shop and reported it to Gu Hanling?
Is my whole act falling apart?
Feeling a little guilty, Shen Xi hesitated before testing the waters.
“How… do you know that?”
Gu Hanling’s eyes darkened slightly. How did he know?
Did she really think he was blind? He had seen it with his own eyes.
He let out a cold chuckle but didn’t answer her question. Instead, he turned and walked away, disappearing somewhere inside the villa.
Shen Xi stood there, feeling uneasy, but she quickly convinced herself that she was overthinking things.
She walked over to the living room, sat down on the couch, and carefully placed the small cake on the table.
As she brainstormed how to give the cake to Gu Hanling without making it look too obvious, he suddenly reappeared. This time, holding a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses.
"Madam, would you like to have a drink with me?"
Shen Xi was about to refuse, her past self could drink endlessly without getting drunk, but in this body, two glasses were enough to knock her out.
But as the man walked closer, she finally saw the label on the bottle.
Wait a minute…
That was the legendary Romanée-Conti!
She recognized it because, in her past life, she had once looked up information about this wine after watching one of Stephen Chow’s movies.
"Sure!"
Her eyes lit up, and she agreed without hesitation.
How could she say no? A single bottle of this wine was worth tens of thousands. She had to at least try it!
Suddenly, she remembered something and pointed at the small cake on the table.
"Big brother, want some cake to go with the wine? I just bought it. Should taste pretty good."
Gu Hanling glanced at it, slightly surprised, but simply responded with a faint "Mm."
He sat down on the sofa, his long fingers elegantly picking up a wine glass and pouring two servings of the deep red liquid.
Then, he handed one to Shen Xi. She was stunned and didn’t take it right away.
Just now, while he was pouring, she caught a glimpse of the year on the label, 1961?!
No wonder the bottle looked so old! This is the same vintage from that Stephen Chow movie! This had to be worth hundreds of thousands!
Gu Hanling frowned slightly. "Hmm?"
"Thank you."
Shen Xi snapped out of her daze and quickly accepted the glass.
She swirled the wine gently, watching the deep red liquid spin inside the glass, releasing a rich fruity aroma.
Her thin lips slightly parted, taking a small sip, and her eyes immediately lit up. The taste was mellow, the layers were rich, and the aftertaste was long.
Hmm… but it's not as sweet as that 50 yuan wine she had before.
In short, this tastes… expensive. And the best part? She didn’t have to pay for it. That made it taste even better.
A moment ago, she thought the little cakes were ridiculously overpriced.
But now?
She figured they just barely matched the wine’s prestige.
Gu Hanling picked up a fork, sliced a small piece of blueberry mousse, and put it in his mouth.
He didn’t show any signs of dislike, nor did he make a comment. Which meant… he found it acceptable.
Shen Xi let out a small sigh of relief, seemed like she had chosen the right cake after all.
She took a forkful for herself.
The lingering taste of wine in her mouth blended with the sweetness of the cake, creating a contrast that somehow made both flavors stand out even more.
She couldn’t help but sigh in satisfaction. Expensive things really did have their reasons.
Cake and red wine? A perfect match.
Shen Xi raised her glass and sincerely said, "Thank you, President Gu. This is the best wine I've ever had."
Gu Hanling glanced at her. After just one sip, the woman's fair cheeks had already turned a soft shade of pink from the alcohol.
He clinked his glass lightly against hers with a crisp "Ding—"
"Cheers."
Shen Xi smiled sweetly, a playful glint in her eyes, and silently thought to herself:
Big brother, happy birthday.
Gu Hanling stared at her, his gaze deep and unreadable. She’s supposed to be his golden canary, but she thought about flying into someone else's cage all day.
Shen Xi knew she had a low alcohol tolerance now, but in her past life, she had always enjoyed a little drink.
Now that she was finally tasting the legendary Romanée-Conti, she couldn’t help but take a few extra sips.
Her cheeks were now flushed a rich red, making her look as tempting as a ripe peach. She blinked her eyes, her vision slightly hazy.
Somehow, Gu Hanling, who was sitting beside her, started to look like the dog she used to own in her past life.
Feeling a bit lightheaded, Shen Xi leaned against him, her soft body pressing into his side. She reached up and gently ruffled Gu Hanling’s hair, mumbling,
"Xiao Bai, why did you get so big? And why are you dressed so formally..."
The man's face darkened, Xiao Bai sounded like a dog's name, he reached out and grabbed Shen Xi's wrist, and with the other hand lightly pinched the woman's chin, making her look at him
"Who am I?"
Shen Xi blinked hard, her dazed eyes finally focusing on the sharp, cold face in front of her.
She murmured softly, her voice delicate and sweet,
"Big brother..."
"Then who are you?"
Gu Hanling pressed on, his gaze turning colder. Hearing this, Shen Xi’s body trembled slightly, sobering up a little.
After a moment of hesitation, she asked in a small voice.
"Big brother... are you afraid of ghosts?"
"Ghosts?"
Gu Hanling raised an eyebrow slightly and let out a cold chuckle.
"Should I be afraid of something?"
Hearing this, Shen Xi smiled sweetly. Yeah, nothing is scarier than a human heart.
Her eyes were hazy, lips slightly parted as her breath quickened. Her rosy lips carried an irresistible allure.
Gu Hanling slowly lowered his head, drawing closer. Their breaths intertwined, the air filled with the rich aroma of red wine.
Lips met.
Shen Xi's beautiful eyes widened slightly, her body tensing. The alcohol blurred her mind, leaving only the warm sensation of their lips touching.
Gu Hanling's kiss was restrained, like he was testing the waters, waiting for her response.
Her heart pounded wildly, her body growing weak. The last shred of rationality told her, he's a man, this is wrong!
She wanted to push him away, yet somehow, her hands had already wrapped around his neck.
Sensing her response, the coldness in his eyes eased a little, and his kiss deepened.
Just as Shen Xi was about to run out of breath, he suddenly pulled away. Keeping some distance, he looked down at her, his voice deep and husky.
"Do you understand now?"
The alcohol was hitting hard, making her thoughts hazy. Her body, softened by the kiss, collapsed weakly into his arms. She murmured softly,
"Third... time."
Gu Hanling’s lips curled into a smirk as he let out a quiet chuckle.
"So... who made you feel better, me or that Shi guy?"
But the woman in his arms gave no answer. Her breathing was steady, a clear sign she was fast asleep.
Gu Hanling held her close, one arm supporting her back, the other gently holding her legs as he lifted her into a princess carry.
Once inside the bedroom, he carefully placed her onto the bed, handling her as if she were a fragile treasure.
He pulled the thin blanket over her, watching as she slept peacefully. Then, he gently stroked her smooth, delicate cheek.
"Du gehörst mir." (You belong to me.)