"This is... this is something I saw by chance when I was buying clothes for Xiao Chen, and then I bought it for you, but I haven't told you about it..."
He looked up slightly at Gu Zheng, his voice growing softer and softer.
Gu Zheng looked down at Xia Ran, whose face was full of excitement, and couldn't help but ask a question.
"You're so happy just because you bought me clothes?"
After asking the question, his expression paused slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.
"Huh?" Xia Ran was also taken aback by Gu Zheng's words, and then stammered, "I'm...happy."
Gu Zheng, who was already in a somewhat strange mood, felt inexplicably better after hearing Xia Ran's answer.
"Okay, I'll go change my clothes first."
However, before going into the bathroom, he patted Xia Ran's head.
Hmm, it feels really good.
Xia Ran stood there stunned, raising her hand to touch her head in disbelief.
Just now... did A-Zheng touch his head?
Xia Ran's heart was pounding, and she couldn't help but smile foolishly.
Gu Chen, who had been ignored by Xia Ran for so long, walked up to her, took her hand, and said with a pitiful expression,
"Little darling...do you...not love me anymore...?"
Xia Ran was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this. He quickly bent down, picked Gu Chen up, and said with a smile,
"How could your little dad not love Xiao Chen? Just now, your little dad went to get clothes for your big dad. Don't you want to wear similar clothes as your big dad?"
As Xia Ran spoke, her voice already betrayed a hint of anticipation for Gu Zheng wearing the clothes he had brought.
He had ulterior motives when buying clothes for Gu Zheng. Although he didn't dare to openly buy matching couple outfits, he could buy something similar.
Buy those items that are clearly different styles, but when you wear them out, everyone can tell at a glance that they are a pair.
Thinking about this, Xia Ran couldn't help but blush and feel her heart race.
Gu Chen didn't quite understand what Xia Ran was saying, but he knew that whatever his stepfather said was right, so he could only nod.
It was at this moment that the bathroom door opened, and Xia Ran subconsciously looked up.
When he saw Gu Zheng come out after changing his clothes, his breath hitched for a second.
A very simple black T-shirt, a pair of light-colored jeans, and a pair of white sneakers.
This outfit is very common among modern college students, but now that Gu Zheng is wearing it, even this common style has become unusual.
Moreover, Gu Zheng looked several years younger in this outfit than when he wore his usual impeccably tailored suit; he looked like a recent college graduate.
Gu Zheng had forgotten how many years it had been since he had worn clothes like this. When he saw the clothes Xia Ran had prepared for him in the bathroom just now, he felt a little resistant and wanted not to wear them.
But just as he was about to put the clothes he had taken out back into the bag, the image of Xia Ran excitedly handing him the clothes flashed through his mind.
The light in those eyes made him feel a little dazed, and by the time he came to his senses, he had already changed his clothes.
After changing, he came out immediately, and saw Xia Ran staring at him intently.
"Ahem..." Gu Zheng walked up to Xia Ran somewhat awkwardly and asked with a stern face, "If it doesn't look good, I'll go change it back."
As he spoke, he turned to go to the bathroom to change his clothes.
Xia Ran, who was lost in Gu Zheng's good looks, snapped back to reality and grabbed his hand.
"Don't change it, it looks great."
His words came out almost without him even thinking.
Gu Zheng paused for a moment, then gave a blank "hmm," but if someone observed closely, they would notice that Gu Zheng's ears were slightly red.
Xia Ran's face also felt a little hot, and there was a hint of ambiguity between the two of them.
"This dress...it looks really good on you, but..."
Xia Ran hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped. Gu Zheng frowned and asked,
"But what?"
Xia Ran took a deep breath before mustering the courage to speak.
"But your hairstyle doesn't quite suit you. Bend over a bit, and I'll fix it for you."
Because Gu Zheng wears a suit to work, his hairstyle is always neatly combed, which makes him look much more composed.
But it doesn't really suit today's outfit.
Upon hearing Xia Ran's words, Gu Zheng bent down without even thinking.
Xia Ran looked at the head so close to her face, and couldn't help but let her lips curl into a wild smile.
He held Gu Chen in one arm and ruffled Gu Zheng's hair a few times with the other, making his once neat hairstyle look messy.
Xia Ran fiddled with it a few more times before her hairstyle was finally done.
As she was about to stop, Xia Ran couldn't help but gently pat Gu Zheng on the head.
Perhaps feeling guilty, Xia Ran quickly withdrew her hand after making that slap.
"Okay...okay."
Upon hearing this, Gu Zheng straightened up and glanced at Xia Ran.
Gu Zheng's hairstyle now suits his outfit perfectly. The slightly messy hair with a few strands falling across his forehead makes him look good no matter how you look at it.
Gu Zheng had no idea what Xia Ran was thinking, so he simply took Gu Chen from Xia Ran's arms.
Suddenly separated from his little father's embrace, Gu Chen felt terrible, but Gu Zheng's next words immediately silenced him.
“You’re too heavy. If your stepfather keeps carrying you, he won’t be able to handle it. If you don’t want me to carry you, you’ll have to walk by yourself.”
Gu Zheng's tone was indifferent, and upon hearing this, Gu Zheng stopped moving.
After considering the pros and cons of walking versus being carried by his annoying older father, he chose to remain quiet.
Actually... it's not that his older father can't hold him.
Xia Ran smiled as she looked at the father and son, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. Just now, A Zheng had been worried about him.
"Okay, let's set off now. But I haven't decided where to go yet. I'll check online later on the way."
Gu Zheng: "No need, I'm already prepared."
"Huh?" Xia Ran's eyes widened in shock. "A-Zheng, what did you just say? You said you were ready?"
Gu Zheng turned his head to look at Xia Ran, whose face was full of surprise, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Chapter 42 The Two Fathers Are Not Quite Right
"Yes, everything is ready. We can just go play according to the schedule later."
Gu Zheng carried Gu Chen out, completely unaware of the profound shock his words had caused Xia Ran.
Xia Ran thought Gu Zheng had no choice but to go because of his nagging, but she didn't expect that everything was already prepared.
Xia Ran couldn't help but giggle again.
"Ah Zheng, you're so kind," he couldn't help but say.
At this moment, Gu Chen, who was in Gu Zheng's arms, suddenly opened his mouth and said something.
"very nice……"
His childish voice startled both Gu Zheng and Xia Ran.
"Baby, you also think Daddy is great, right? So you can't say Daddy is bad anymore, okay?"
Xia Ran happily reached out and pinched Gu Chen's cheek.
Gu Chen's face was slightly flushed. He glanced at Gu Zheng, then at Xia Ran, and finally nodded slightly.
Listening to their conversation, Gu Zheng's smile deepened.
It seems Qin Hao was still somewhat useful.
As they were leaving the office, Assistant Wang was knocking to come in.
Upon seeing Gu Zheng's expression, Assistant Wang was completely stunned.
He stared blankly at Gu Zheng, somewhat unsure if the person in front of him, who looked like a recent college graduate, was their cold and aloof CEO.
"President... CEO?"
"Hmm." Gu Zheng responded coldly, "I have to go out. You handle things this afternoon."
After saying that, he left with Xia Ran and the others.
Assistant Wang stood there dumbfounded, even pinching his own cheek before letting go after feeling the pain.
Xia Ran turned around and saw Assistant Wang pinching herself. She couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Sure enough, he wasn't the only one dumbfounded by A-Zheng's new style of dressing.
Upon hearing the laughter, Gu Zheng instinctively looked at Xia Ran, and for some reason, he blurted out the question without thinking.
"What are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing, I was just laughing at how silly Assistant Wang was, that he actually pinched himself."
Because Xia Ran was still preoccupied with the incident of Assistant Wang pinching her, she answered the question without even thinking.
Gu Zheng, who had just entered the elevator, turned cold upon hearing these words.
"You think it's funny that he's pinching himself?"
Gu Zheng's tone was noticeably cold.
Normally, Xia Ran would have noticed this by now, but he was grinning foolishly, completely oblivious to anything amiss, and instead answered Gu Zheng's question with absolute certainty.
"Yes, it was hilarious. He was surprised, but he even pinched himself. It's the first time I've ever seen Assistant Wang like this!"
Xia Ran was answered with a heavy, cold snort from Gu Zheng.
This time, Xia Ran finally realized something was wrong. He turned to look at Gu Zheng and asked cautiously.