INEBM fanfic

Going Out

It's been a few days since Ling Lan and Li Lanfeng have ran into each other.

Only time they've seen each other was when they pass by each other occasionally , but nothing more.

On this particular day there was another pair of squealing girls in their early twenties, fangirling over the lake. Ling Lan and Li Lanfeng were in the same lobby sitting across from each other on a white sofa.

Ling Lan saw her neighbor sigh with a weary smile. This made her raise a brow.

"You don't seem to be too much into the rumors." This wasn't a question, but rather a statement.

Li Lanfeng raised his head to see the amusement in the other party's eyes. "Once you hear something to much who wouldn't get tired." He really didn't need to hear this myth from everyone he passes.

"Usually people come here for that purpose alone. I'm surprised there are other people who isn't here for it." Every single person whom Ling Lan saw come to the hotel was always here to see the lake. For a person to not be looking for it was a rare thing.

'Other?' Li Lanfeng thought for a moment. "You're not here to look for the lake either, I'm guessing." This was a first for him as well. Although he has only been here for about a week it was obvious what the majority of the people came here for.

"What exactly are you doing here then?"

"I have a personal agenda here. But it definitely has nothing to do with a soulmate." Ling Lan chuckled at the thought. She was dressed as a man for majority of her life and was only getting back to being female recently. Romance was the last thing on her mind. "What about you?" Ling Lan was curious as to why he was here, in this hotel specifically.

Li Lanfeng was distracted for a moment. Her laugh was charming and he had forgotten himself in it for a moment before he regained his senses and answering her. "You could say I'm partially on vacation while also doing some work. This place is just closer to where I have to be." This was the truth. He was trying to get away from his thoughts of Ling Lan while distracting himself with work.

"Really now?" Ling Lan got up from where she was sitting and strode over to his side. She landed herself right beside him and continued their conversation. She leaned slightly closer while flashing him a suggestive smile and asked, "Why don't we go out for a day? Assuming you have nothing better to do, of course."

Although she was trying to get something from him she genuinely wanted to try hanging out with him. She had no work to do and was intrested in seeing how he spends the day. You also could say she was lonely without Little Four or Little Blossom around. She had no one to talk to and he seemed like a pretty decent conversationalist.

Li Lanfeng was caught of guard when he saw her come over. He came to work...erm...well that was the excuse he was using. He really didn't think he would have any sort of interaction with anyone while here.

He was about to turn her down, but the words just couldn't escape his throat when he saw her eyes. Why can't he turn her down?

'It wouldn't be too bad, right? And she's not looking for a partner or anything. Just hanging out.'

He had finally convinced himself to go with her. Nodding his head he stood up. "Doesn't seem like a bad idea."

"Good. My name is Huang Xixia, by the way." Ling Lan stretched out her hand to shake. They've passed each other so many times without introductions, might as well become acquainted.

"Nalan Zhan." He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of her hand, he still had to play his role of a rich young master. It shocked Ling Lan. Why did it seem like he was trying to seduce her instead?

"Do you have anywhere in particular that you need to go?" Ling Lan threw it to the back of her head. She took her hand back.

Li Lanfeng almost tightened his grip on her hand. They were just like his, fair and delicate. But he caught himself before he could do anything.

"I have a few stops but nothing major."

"I'll follow your lead then."

With that they both headed out.

...

Their day took longer than expected. They had only planned to make a few stops, but every place they entered thought of them as a tourist couple and tried to get them to buy things related to that. Whatever Li Lanfeng tried to buy they would always try to offer something similar for his 'partner'. When trying to get lunch, they were offered to look through the 'couple's menu.' And this went on for the rest of the day. At first it was a little funny, but after a period of time it just got annoying. They weren't a couple after all. It tired them out so much that they even stopped replying at the last few and just did whatever they needed to do and got out.

They reached back to the hotel at around 8 PM with a sigh of relief.

"I didn't think that the entire district was so high on couples." Ling Lan thought it was only the inn that had a high for romance. It seems she was wrong.

"You really didn't know? This place's revenue basically is ninety percent romance based. " Li Lanfeng turned towards her with an amused look. "How did you book a place like this without knowing?"

Ling Lan audibly groaned. "I really can't be blamed for that. Someone else had taken care of my residentials and had put this trip on me out of the blue." Ling Lan was inwardly putting an 'x' on her mother. She wondered how she would feel if her daughter came back the same as she was before.

"That's really some luck you have." Li Lanfeng tried to hold back a laugh that was threatening to burst out of his chest. He couldn't hold it back and started to laugh out loud. His aura turned warm and bright.

Ling Lan, for one, was stunned. Why was that smile so familiar? Before she could think any deeper Nalan Zhan stifled his laughter and called out to her.

"How about this." He started to walk towards the wine bar with Ling Lan behind him.

"Can I have two number 32s?" Ling Lan raised a brow at his order. Li Lanfeng turned back to her with two glasses in his hand. With a slight smile he gestured one of the glasses towards her.

"Why don't I pay for this one?"

Would this be considered her completing her task? This isn't how she envisioned it but this was okay, too? She wasn't one to reject free wine. With a delighted smile she thanked him and drank with him. While they were sipping on their wine, Nalan Zhan's aura changed a bit.

That aura change was all it took for Ling Lan to recognize the person beside her. She didn't show any changes on the outside but on the inside she was dying.

'Why is Li Lanfeng here!?'