Actually, there was another reason why Su Rui chose to spend Gu Yu Cheng's birthday here.
The restaurants here are private and independent. They also offer a kitchen to cook your own meals.
With Su Rui's cooking ability of barely knowing how to cook scrambled eggs with tomato and stir-fried shredded potatoes with green peppers now, it's impossible to make it by herself. However, it is possible to make a DIY birthday cake.
"Birthday cake?" Gu Yu Cheng asked as he looked at the box that was brought by the waiter.
"Sort of, but it is still a half-finished product." Su Rui batted her eyelashes and said.
When Su Rui saw that Gu Yu Cheng was about to open it, Su Rui swiftly moved to close the box.
"Wait, it's not done yet."
"I'll show you when it's done."
"Just wait here for a moment for me, it will be quick." Su Rui said with a smile. She carried the box of half-finished product to the kitchen in the courtyard reserved for customers.
At the same time, it also provided some personal time to Gu Yu Cheng.
After all, it was the dignified chairman of the Gu Company's birthday, even if Gu Yu Cheng didn't have the habit of celebrating birthdays, he would have received many wishes today, right?
As for the cake, it was really like what she had said, a half-finished product.
Previously, she read an online strategy stating that it would be better to personally make a birthday cake for one's boyfriend's birthday.
Su Rui felt that this idea was not bad.
However, Su Rui really doesn't know how to make cake layers or anything like that, and the condition here doesn't allow her to do so.
Thus, when ordering the cake in advance, Su Rui also specially made a note that she would like the cake layers to be made, whipped cream, and the required tools.
There were probably a lot of people who came here for DIY, so the waiter was considerate enough to bring over the cake layers, where whipped cream had already been spread on the first layer.
So all she needed to do was just decorate the cake in the way she wanted it.
When she returned home, she would definitely give this place a positive review.
Su Rui laughed and muttered inwardly.
As for what kind of style she was going to decorate, this had already been thought out beforehand by Su Rui when she ordered the cake for Gu Yu Cheng.
The piped flowers surrounding the cake was based on something that Su Rui had found online. It requires simple techniques, but it also looks more fancy. As for the middle of the cake, it was a chibi portrait of Gu Yu Cheng that Su Rui had designed.
She took out the photo of the drawing that she drew ahead of time from her phone and glanced at Gu Yu Cheng who was answering the phone over there. Su Rui smiled and began to work on the cake according to the style in the photo.
Dark chocolate was used for the outlining of the portraits, and assorted jams that had been prepared beforehand were used for the filling in the centre.
"
"
For this step, since there is nothing particularly cross-disciplinary in terms of technical requirements, it's not really too difficult as long as her hands are steady enough.
Su Rui was drawing seriously and did not notice that the person, she thought would be on the phone for a long time, had directly switched off his personal mobile phone, silenced his work phone and walked straight into the side of the kitchen.
The kitchen was a semi-open concept, and across the kitchen island, he saw the girl with a serious expression in front of him, Gu Yu Cheng's heart was a little moved.
In the next second, Gu Yu Cheng had already taken out his phone and photographed the scene in front of him.
However, Chairman Gu forgot to turn off the sound of capturing the photo.
"Kacha--"
When Su Rui heard that sound, she raised her head at once and saw Gu Yu Cheng in front of her.
As they stared at each other, they were both startled as if something had crossed their minds.
"Are you done with what you were busy with?" Su Rui smiled towards Gu Yu Cheng and asked.
A trace of embarrassment flashed in Gu Yu Cheng's eyes when he was caught in the act of secretly taking the photo of her, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded towards Su Rui.
"En."
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Gu Yu Cheng asked.
Su Rui subconsciously wanted to refuse, but as she thought about it, she said straightforwardly."
"What is it?"
"Can you collect the cutlery from the table for me, please?"
"Sure."
Gu Yu Cheng responded and turned around to collect the plates from the dining table over there.
On this side, while Gu Yu Cheng went to clean up the plates, Su Rui very quickly put the last bit of finishing touches on the cake and closed the lid.
Facing the gaze cast by Gu Yu Cheng, Su Rui blinked and said, "Keep it mysterious."
"Just leave these by the sink, I'll wash them." Su Rui said.
"No, I'll do it." Gu Yu Cheng responded, and he already walked directly to the sink with his plate and cup.
When Su Rui heard Gu Yu Cheng said that, she also did not act pretentiously and very consciously left the space at the kitchen sink to Gu Yu Cheng.
"Hold on."
"Yes?" Gu Yu Cheng stopped and looked towards Su Rui.
"Nothing. You can continue with what you are doing."
Looking at how Gu Yu Cheng was casually pulling up the shirt's cuff on his arm, Su Rui was quite worried that it would be drenched by the water later.
So without thinking, Su Rui immediately walked over and stood beside Gu Yu Cheng, unbuttoned his shirt's cuffs and then very carefully folded Gu Yu Cheng's sleeves and folded them twice.
"Done."
Su Rui nodded her head in satisfaction as she saw her own "masterpiece."
When she looked up, she found that at this moment, Gu Yu Cheng had a somewhat very intense gaze on her.
Su Rui blushed a little.
"I'll go set the table and later this side should be ready to serve."
......
Dinner is, of course, delivered here.
But the table was set by Su Rui.
As Su Rui looked at the man opposite her in the candlelight, she couldn't help but had a smile on her face.
"What are you thinking about?" When Gu Yu Cheng saw the smile on Su Rui's face, the corner of Gu Yu Cheng's lips curved into a smile as he asked.
"
"
"Nothing." Su Rui fluttered her eyelashes and said.
She just suddenly felt that for her to be able to find such a boyfriend like Gu Yu Cheng was worth being smug about.
When Gu Yu Cheng heard her response, he smiled and asked, "Now can I see my birthday cake?"
"En. Hold on. I'll get it." Su Rui said as she got up to bring over the cake that was previously prepared.
And Gu Yu Cheng also followed behind Su Rui.
"I will do it."
"Okay."
"Wait a minute." Seeing that Gu Yu Cheng was about to take the cake away, Su Rui suddenly had an epiphany and called out to him.
"What's wrong?"
"Wait a minute, let me decorate it again."
As she said that, just as Gu Yu cheng was carrying the cake, Su Rui took the previously unused piping bag from the side, opened the lid of the box and added another stroke to the top.
The moment the lid was opened, Gu Yu Cheng also finally saw what was drawn on the cake.
A chibi of himself.
Even though it was a chibi, the portrait's facial features as well as the feelings between the eyebrows were exactly the same as Gu Yu Cheng, himself.
It is just that the expression on the chibi version of him was not like the outside world's evaluation of Chairman Gu: cold, domineering and wise.
Instead, this little figure's expression looked gentle and a little bit foolish.
"How is it?" Su Rui looked up at Gu Yu Cheng and asked with sparkling eyes.
"It's drawn well." Gu Yu Cheng said truthfully. He paused for a moment, looked at the piping bag that Su Rui was holding and recalled Su Rui retouching it. He was a little curious and asked, "What did you add?"
"Just a small stroke." Su Rui said and directly drew a small heart symbol next to the cartoon figure.
When Gu Yu Cheng saw the heart symbol, his gaze moved slightly, and a smile appeared on his face.
"Okay, take it over there."
"Alright."
The cake was placed on the table by Gu Yu Cheng. Originally, Su Rui wanted to ask the waiter to prepare 27 candles. However, imaging the 27 candles on a 6-inch cake "grand" scene, Su Rui decided to forego it.
She placed a candle in that spot where the heart symbol was drawn.
"Happy birthday." As Su Rui lit the candle, Su Rui smiled and said to Gu Yu Cheng.
"Thank you." If he could, Chairman Gu wasn't keen on celebrating this 27th birthday.
"Do you want to make a wish?" Su Rui asked.
In the next second, she saw Gu Yu Cheng nodding his head and said, "Yes."
Initially, the wishing and such was just a formality.
But when she saw Gu Yu Cheng making a wish so seriously and then blowing out the candle in the same manner.
Su Rui suddenly couldn't help but be a little curious.
"What did you wish for?" Both of Su Rui's eyes gleamed as she looked at Gu Yu Cheng and asked.
Originally, Su Rui was just curious and subconsciously casually asked him.
She didn't expect that Gu Yu Cheng would actually tell her.
Being asked this question, Gu Yu Cheng gazed towards Su Rui.
"I hope that I can marry my wife when I'm 29." When he said this, Gu Yu Cheng's gaze towards Su Rui had a layer of fervour as well as hidden intent.
Hearing Gu Yu Cheng's words, Su Rui was first stunned.
Immediately, she reacted to what Gu Yu Cheng had said, she also couldn't help but look at him.
What can a birthday cake help you fulfil your wish, the so-called birthday wish usually has two possibilities: It is either to silently set a goal[1] for themselves or to let the person next to you hear your wish, and who knows he/she may be able to help you grant that wish?
Su Rui felt that Gu Yu Cheng should be the latter.
When Gu Yu Cheng is 29 years old, which would be two years later, then she would be 22 years old and had just graduated from university.
Seems...alright?
"Ahem, oh right, there's still your birthday present." After saying that, Su Rui ran over and brought over the box that had been stored on the side beforehand.
"It's for you." Su Rui handed the gift to Gu Yu Cheng.
"What is it?" Taking the gift box that wasn't too light in weight, Gu Yu Cheng asked, "Can I open it?"
"Of course."
Gu Yu Cheng unwrapped the box on the outside, opened it and took out a bottle of wine from within the box.
"The red wine from V brand?"
"Take a closer look."
Hearing Su Rui's words, Gu Yu Cheng's eyes looked once more at the bottle of red wine.
When he saw a certain very familiar number, Gu Yu Cheng's eyes lit up.
"The red wine was produced on my birthday?"
"En. Do you like it?"
"I love it. Thank you."
"Do you want to try it?" Su Rui asked.
"No," Gu Yu Cheng said. He paused and explained, "I still have to send you back later."
Upon hearing that, Su Rui raised her eyebrows and gave a sceptical glance towards Gu Yu Cheng.
Chairman Gu, have you forgotten that there's always a chauffeur service?
Gu Yu Cheng didn't forget.
Originally this was a reason that Gu Yu Cheng randomly found, and as for the real reason: Chairman Gu didn't want to drink this very memorable bottle of wine.
......
In the evening, Gu Yu Cheng drove Su Rui back to the Su house.
As they stood downstairs of Su House, Gu Yu Cheng pulled Su Rui.
"When are you going to let me pay a visit to your house?" Gu Yu Cheng asked.
When Su Rui heard that, her gaze moved.
Initially, she had been considering this issue today but didn't expect to be asked by Gu Yu Cheng first.
"Well.... Let me think about it." After feigning to ponder, Su Rui added, "Wait until you return from this business trip."
"Alright."
"Su Rui."
"Hm?"
Hearing Gu Yu Cheng calling her name, Su Rui looked up, and her whole body had been enveloped into a warm embrace.
This was the first time that Su Rui and Gu Yu Cheng had been so close to each other ever since the two of them had started dating.
All of a sudden, Su Rui's expression was a little dumbfounded.
Although there were times when she would be infatuated with a male celebrity's picture or was fond of a boy when Su Rui was in school, this was the first time for her to date and be in such close contact with a man.
The scent of Gu Yu Cheng's body pervaded within her nasal passage, Su Rui couldn't help but feel a little hot on her face.
Also, the "thump, thump, thump" in her ears, Su Rui could not differentiate whether it is the sound of Gu Yu Cheng's heartbeat or her own.
Before Su Rui could distinguish whether she was now a little more nervous or her heart was pounding more, Gu Yu Cheng's voice sounded in her ears.
"I'm leaving on the 9am flight tomorrow, and I'll be in City S for about a week." Gu Yu Cheng said. After a pause, he added, "I'll try to get back as early as possible after it's over."
"I might be busy during the day, but I'll call you in the evening."
"Also, sometimes my phone may be turned off, so if you can't find me if something happens, you can call Wang Zhou."
Su Rui buried herself in Gu Yu Cheng's arms and nodded her head when she heard what Gu Yu Cheng had said.
"As mentioned earlier, other than the ones we had talked about, do you have any other things you want me to be aware of?" Gu Yu Cheng asked again.
Su Rui had vaguely felt that his odd behaviour of "talking too much" is probably an attempt to stall time. But, what can she do, she was also quite reluctant to let Gu Yu Cheng go back.
"Oh, let me think...."
"Don't stay up late, drink less alcohol, remember to eat your meals..."
"Oh right, I checked the weather and it's raining and cool over there in City S next week, so you should dress warmly."
"And," Su Rui's gaze turned and deliberately changed her tone as she said, "No female companions when you are attending social gatherings. No nightclubs and no weird clubs of any kind."
Hearing the last sentence said by Su Rui, Gu Yu Cheng couldn't control and laughed lightly.
He hadn't been to such social gatherings before without Su Rui, let alone now that he had Su Rui.
However, his girlfriend's reminder, such as this made Gu Yu Cheng feel inexplicably happy.
"
"
"Alright, I promise."
"Is there more?" Gu Yu Cheng asked.
'Have a safe trip."
"And..." Su Rui said and the corner of her mouth quirked. She raised her head and looked at Gu Yu Cheng in front of her.
She slightly stood on tiptoe and imprinted a kiss on Gu Yu Cheng's lips.
"I will wait for you to come back."
......
Until Su Rui entered her house, Gu Yu Cheng was still standing upright downstairs of Su house with the pair of eyes that seemed to be on fire.
Pfft, I don't feel like going on this business trip.
[1] 立flag(lì flag)- Raise a flag. It originates from japanese phrase "furagu ga tatsu", which literally means "a flag rises (a flag has been raised)"). This phrase would mean the prerequisite conditions for an event to be fulfilled or to set a goal. Credits: Wikipedia