171. Housewarming

Yan obediently raised his hand. The sight of YouRan’s slender fingers rubbing burn ointment on the back of his hand sent jolts of electricity straight into Yan’s heart. He could feel the tip of his ears growing red.

As YouRan rubbed ointment onto Yan’s hand, he couldn’t help admiring the other’s hands. They looked so nice. The palms weren’t too big and they weren’t covered in callouses. The other’s fingers were long and slender. The knuckles didn’t pop out overly so. The skin was smooth and fair. What a pity one of them was now covered by ugly patches of burn ointment. Those patches somehow made the hand look greasy.

Once YouRan was done, he rose to put the ointment away and to wash his hands. When he returned, Yan was on the phone.

“Mn,” said Yan. “I’m still moving.”

“No, I’m in a neighbour’s home. Yeah, I had too few clothing on. I didn’t think the temperature would drop today.”

“He’s a really good man. He let me in. Otherwise, I’d be standing outside in the hallway.”

“Mn. Just come during the evening. We can have dinner when you come to my place later.”

“Okay. I’ll ask him.”

Yan then looked up at YouRan with a hand over his phone. “Some of my friends are visiting me this evening. We’ll be having dinner. Could you join us?” Yan asked, hope glimmering in his eyes.

“I won’t be,” YouRan instinctively replied. “You guys have fun.”

Yan’s eyes drooped in disappointment. His hair flopped down as he glumly said into the phone, “He won’t be joining us. Yeah, he might be busy. Yes, okay. Don’t worry. Bye.”

When Yan hung up, his mood was visibly lower.

YouRan didn’t know why but he somehow felt apologetic when he saw Yan like that. Perhaps he was a little more patient because he was talking to a fan of his writing. YouRan paused for a few minutes to think of a new topic.

“Do you live alone?” YouRan asked.

“Yes,” said Yan. “I wanted to live by myself for a while. It’ll be more tranquil. I’ll have my own space.”

YouRan nodded in reply.

“Tonight,” Yan asked after some hesitation, “are you busy?”

Lying wasn’t something YouRan did. “No. I merely don’t like crowds.”

“Oh, I see,” Yan said with a nod. “I understand.”

“Erm,” said YouRan. “When did my neighbours sell their place off? I didn’t know of it at all.”

“Well, they mentioned to me they found a buyer as soon as they decided to sell,” Yan guiltily said. “Everything went smoothly.”

YouRan nodded. “Is your family okay with you moving out on your own?”

“My family’s into democratic parenting. However, my father’s a good son who just can’t relax when it comes to his father. He’d always lived with my grandfather. My brother and my… What do I call him? My brother’s spouse is a guy. I usually call him my brother as well. Anyway, my older brother is married. He has his own place and living the ideal couple’s life. I’m the middle child in my family. I’m not as smart as my brother and not as cute as my uncle’s daughter. I don’t excel in anything nor am I a naughty kid. Yes, my presence isn’t usually strong. But I also hadn’t shown any bad behaviour before. That’s why my family said nothing when I said I wanted to move out. Perhaps my personality made them worry less.”

YouRan didn’t think a simple question would make the other tell him everything about himself. He couldn’t help but let out a little chuckle. This young man he’d just met, someone who looked quite sombre and silent at the start but slowly showed himself to be a rather…adorable airhead (?), was much more honest than YouRan’s ex-lover. That realisation jolted YouRan out of his thoughts. This encounter with Yan had made YouRan temporarily forget about the issues frustrating him. As expected, humans are social creatures.

The two men spent the next few hours languidly chatting with each other. They exchanged phone numbers, WeChat contacts and so on. When it came to Nan Shan’s books, Yan knew them as well as his family’s heirlooms. His knowledge of every book and character was so thorough that he was more excited to go on endlessly discussing them more than YouRan himself. His dead eyes began to sparkle with life. YouRan had to hide his laughs quite a few times. It was confirmed. This man was absolutely a fan of his books. There was no doubt about it.

Eventually, the workers knocked on the door. “Mr Yan, we’re done. Could you come to check and sign off on the work?”

Yan reluctantly stood up and walked to the door. Even then, he persisted in asking once more, “Can you really not join us tonight? There’s only going to be two of my friends.” Yan paused and added, “They’re both men.”

YouRan felt his heart melting at the way Yan looked at him. Still, he insisted, “You guys have fun. I won’t be joining you. Oh, if you have the time, you can drop by my place later.”

With his head drooping low, Yan finally said his goodbyes and left the apartment.

In the apartment, YouRan gently slapped himself on the forehead. He rarely ever spoke as much as he just did in an entire month.

Outside the apartment door, Yan rubbed his hands across his face. The number of times he’d smiled in that apartment just now far exceeded the total number of times he’d smiled over the years. Ah, it was the living, breathing Nan Shan. His heart raced so quickly.

***

YiHan hung up and turned to JingYuan. “From what Yan said, everything went well. He was even able to get into Nan Shan’s home for a few hours. Tonight, we’ll be heading over for a housewarming dinner. Yan tried to ask Nan Shan to join us but, sadly, he was rejected.”

“That’s normal,” JingYuan said. “Based on Nan Shan’s personality, it’s normal for him to say no. It’s quite a surprise that Yan could even enter his apartment and stay for more than a few minutes.”

“Mn,” YiHan chuckled. “Nan Shan is extraordinarily patient when it comes to his fans. First, Yan pretended to be some pitiful little thing to make his heart soften. After gaining entry, he exposed himself as a fan of Nan Shan’s books. I think the man must’ve been quite good to Yan.”

“Pitiful little thing?” JingYuan asked.

“Yeah,” YiHan said, hiding a chuckle behind a hand. “He intentionally put on fewer clothes than usual as he knocked on Nan Shan’s door and told the other he had no place to stay. Nan Shan couldn’t bear to be cruel so he’d let Yan stay in his place for a while.”

“You really can’t judge a book by its cover.” JingYuan was quite shocked. “I never could’ve thought Yan would do something like this.”

“Don’t underestimate the fanatic heart of a fan. Pretending to be pitiful is nothing as long as he can get close to his idol,” said YiHan.

JingYuan’s face darkened. “I remember you once saying you’re also a fan of Nan Shan?”

YiHan chuckled. “My fanatic heart resides in your chest. It can’t be mesmerised by another man. I’m a fan of his books. What I’m mesmerised by are his books.”

Subconsciously, JingYuan’s hand pressed against his chest as if he was afraid something would fall out of it. At the sight of YiHan’s smile, he put down his hand and cleared his throat. He let out a short hum in response before looking down. He looked calm, if one ignored the pair of flushed ears.

YiHan hid a laugh behind pursed lips. Slouched against the couch, YiHan looked at the other man. This “sprite of jealousy” was so very cute when he was embarrassed. Most likely, the only person in the city who’d think Mu JingYuan as cute would be YiHan and only YiHan.

Of course, JingYuan could sense YiHan’s gaze on him. The older man tried resisting the urge but he eventually looked up at asked, “What are you looking at?”

“My man,” YiHan immediately replied with a smile. He’d discovered the joy in teasing others.

JingYuan: “…”

“I was thinking,” YiHan continued, heedless to his incoming doom, “how could a man so hot exist in this world? What’s unimaginable is the fact that he’s my man. I really am the luckiest person in the world… Hey, what are you doing? Why are you standing up? Don’t come closer. I’m warning you. Go back to your work. Hey! Mmgh… Ahn… Don’t bite, you jealous man. Stop biting, you… Fine. I have teeth too. Take this! Mmgh!”

“Still want to bite me?”

“Ahn… No… I won’t… Ahn… Stop licking…”

***

That evening, dressed in a fresh change of clothes, YiHan and JingYuan arrived at Yan’s new home. When the trio exited the lift, they spent a while murmuring to each other in the hallway.

Then, Yan loudly exclaimed, “YiHan, you’re here! Did you bring the soup base?”

“I did,” YiHan replied in an equally loud voice. “Did you get all of the food?”

“I did but I’ve ruined some of the lettuce while washing them,” Yan said.

The two men continued their conversation with ears perked for any sign of movement in Nan Shan’s home. Unfortunately, the door remained silent without a single sign it’d open at all.

The two sighed in disappointment.

“Let’s head in first,” JingYuan suggested after a glance at the door.

YiHan and Yan both sighed once more in unison. After entering Yan’s new apartment, YiHan sat down on the couch.

“It looks like there’s a ways to go before we befriend Nan Shan,” said YiHan.

JingYuan patted YiHan on the head. “You’re in too much of a hurry. This is just how he is. You need to take it slow. Yan living here means we have the advantage when it comes to the location. We have more chances in the future.”

“Mr Mu’s right. We have time,” Yan said with a blank face.

“He Yuan would definitely come looking for Nan Shan one day soon,” YiHan said to Yan. “Have you thought of how you’d react? If Nan Shan doesn’t soften up to you, you’d be at a disadvantage. He Yuan is your uncle-in-law after all. It’s likely not good for you to openly butt heads with him.”

“I’m here now,” Yan said. “Of course I’ve considered this aspect. Nan Shan was only cheated by He Yuan because he lacked affection as a kid. Otherwise, how could a slimeball like that man have the right to make Nan Shan his?”

Yan coldly chuckled and continued, “If He Yuan sees me, that man would likely hide as far away from me as possible. Do you think he’d dare to go against me publicly? As long as I don’t leave here, he wouldn’t dare come!”

“True,” YiHan said with a nod. “He must not yet know his identity’s been exposed. If he sees you, he’d do his best to hide from your gaze.”

“Of course,” Yan said. “I’m not the one who needs to sneak around.”

“You’re right,” YiHan said, smiling. “I can stop worrying now. If he doesn’t have the courage to come, Nan Shan wouldn’t have to listen to his sly words.”

“Alright,” JingYuan interrupted, glancing at YiHan. “Let’s eat. You must be hungry.”

YiHan placed a hand on his tummy and shyly said, “I am. A little.”

Yan stood up and walked to the kitchen. “Let’s eat then. I was just rinsing the vegetables.”

“We’ll heat up the soup then,” YiHan said. “What a pity Nan Shan wouldn’t join us.”

YiHan followed Yan into the kitchen. As he did so, his eyes drifted over to the colander in the sink. He froze, stunned. Moments later, he turned to Yan who was rinsing out some vegetables by the sink.

“Second Master Yan,” said YiHan, “have mercy on these poor vegetables. Look at how wilted they are. Are they still edible?”

Yan froze. He then cleared his throat and replied, “I didn’t know they were so fragile. They crumbled into pieces at a single touch.”

“Don’t wash them like you’re hammering metal,” YiHan said. “Can we even pick them up with tongs?”

Translator’s Note:

Knew them as well as his family’s heirlooms: Chinese proverb. English equivalent is “as well as the back of his hand”.

◄Previous • Index• Next►

170. New Neighbour

When their chests were pressed together, YiHan could easily feel the tremors of JingYuan’s chest when the man laughs. He liked the sensation. Subconsciously, he rubbed his cheek against JingYuan’s.

“Then, I’ll seduce you when we get home,” said YiHan.

JingYuan’s breathing hitched. “Mean little thing,” he said, gently biting the tip of YiHan’s nose. “You are seducing me right now.”

Through great will power, JingYuan forced himself to let go of YiHan and walk back to his desk. He was so afraid that something might happen if they cuddled any longer.

Silently, JingYuan looked down at his little JingYuan and said, My HanHan is hurting already. We absolutely cannot do it again. Stop, you.

YiHan leaned back against the couch with a slight smile. Looking back down at his phone, he frowned.

“Nan Shan still hasn’t replied to me.” YiHan sighed. “It’s so worrying.”

“Don’t appear too hasty,” JingYuan said. “Nan Shan is detail-oriented. You can’t let him find hints of intentional care. There is no use worrying now. He must not feel like talking at the moment.”

YiHan nodded and placed his phone down.

That evening, when the couple returned to the Mu family home, YiHan called Yan once more. The two men spent a long time discussing their upcoming plan of action.

***

Yan moved fast. The evening Yan obtained Nan Shan’s address, he contacted all of the apartment owners on the other man’s floor, except for Nan Shan. He then insisted on buying their homes at a high price. The contract was signed and filed overnight. His one request was for them to move immediately.

Nan Shan’s apartment building wasn’t old but it wasn’t new. There were four apartments to a floor, accessibly by two lifts situated at opposite ends of the hallway. They weren’t big either. The two corner apartments were about a hundred square feet. The two middle apartments were smaller at around eighty to ninety square feet. Nan Shan lived in the left corner apartment, right next to the lift. Overnight, Yan Yan’s resolute actions emptied the entire floor. He then moved into the apartment closest to Nan Shan.

The past two days flew by in a blur for YouRan. He knew his relationship was through. The meeting that day confirmed it further for him. The other man’s hesitant and shifty behaviour said it all. After a series of forceful and insistent questions, the man finally admitted to being married. Yet, that man dared to proclaim there was no love in his relationship with his wife. He liked men in the first place. He loved YouRan. He even asked YouRan wouldn’t it be nice for them to continue on as usual! He’s just so sly! How could it be nice?

Frankly, YouRan had known his lover was hiding something from him early on in their relationship. However, he was too afraid of losing his lover. He suppressed those thoughts in self-denial. He didn’t dare to even ask. The man never mentioned his family and he would never stay the night. YouRan thought it was because the man’s family couldn’t accept their son for being gay and he didn’t have the courage to fight back. YouRan was even ready for the day his lover would cave in and marry a woman. They would just break up amicably and live on with their separate lives. The mere thought of the arrival of such a day already made him uneasy.

Never could YouRan have imagined the man, who claimed he wasn’t married because of his sexual orientation and inability to find the right person, would already have his own family. What was YouRan then? A “mistress”? A homewrecker? No matter way, there was no way YouRan can accept that. Regardless of how much he’d miss the man, he still couldn’t accept it.

YouRan’s heart was filled with rage and agony over being lied to and betrayed by his lover. He had no friends. He didn’t even have anyone to vent his emotions to. All he could do was pace around in his home like a caged beast.

As night fell, loud noises and chattering rang out from the hallway outside YouRan’s home. He didn’t have the heart to be curious at all. The fan he met not long ago kept trying to contact him but he didn’t know what to say. This whole matter started because that fan named Bai YiHan popped his bubble. While his dream and fantasy for years have been broken, YouRan whole-heartedly thanked YiHan. The other’s reminder was what woke him up and saved him from deceived into being a homewrecker. When faced with his fan’s concern, all YouRan felt at the moment was an immense shame.

YouRan didn’t sleep the entire night. The noises outside had continued into the morning, although they were much softer now. He had no heart for breakfast nor was he in the mood to write. He sat in his living room, spacing out. Suddenly, he heard a knock on his door. YouRan clenched his hands into fists. Normally, no one would knock on his door unless they were his lover or real estate agents. Agents rarely ever knocked on his door, so it was undoubtedly that man. After all, the man said he wouldn’t give up during their fight yesterday.

YouRan remained sitting on the couch. He didn’t want to open the door but the person outside was persistent. They kept knocking and knocking. YouRan could feel his frustration growing with every knock. It’d be good for him to lay things out in black and white to that man. He stood up and opened the door. To his surprise, the person standing outside of his home was a young man he’d never met before.

The young man wore a black, high-collared wool coat, a slim pair of jeans and black, high-top sneakers. The hems of his jeans were tucked into his shoes. He was a handsome man with fair skin. The only flaw to his beauty was his rather dead eyes. There was a stern look to his face. He seemed very much like someone who rarely smiled. Standing there at the doorway, the young man was still raised in a knocking gesture. Upon noticing the door was open, nervousness flashed in his eyes.

YouRan wasn’t used to speaking with strangers. “Is there something you need?” he asked in a somewhat awkward manner.

The young man’s lips raised in a stiff smile as he held out a hand. “Hello. I’m Yan Yan. I just moved in. We’ll be neighbours from today on. I’m here to say hi.”

For a moment, YouRan just stared at the clean, slender hand. Then, he hesitatingly shook it. “Hello. I’m Xu YouRan.”

YouRan glanced behind Yan to find groups of workers bustling in and out of the apartment next to his. There was a box or furniture in every workman’s arms. The hallway was also littered with furniture and boxes.

“Do you need help with anything?” YouRan politely asked after a pause for thought.

 Yan followed YouRan’s gaze to look at the workers behind him before turning back to YouRan. For some reason, Yan felt shy in a way he’d never felt before.

“No. Thank you,” said Yan, lips pursed in a smile. “The workers will handle everything. Erm, if possible, can you let me in for a few hours? My home’s not ready yet and the hallway is a little chilly.”

YouRan was reluctant to do so. His home hadn’t seen any visitor but his lover since his mother passed away.

Noticing the hesitance in YouRan’s eyes, Yan smiled and said, “Oh, it’s fine if it’s not convenient. The workers will be done soon. My apologies for intruding.”

YouRan glanced again at the workers behind the other man. They were all busy, leaving messes everywhere. They didn’t look like they’d be done any time soon. This person was also not wearing much. He looked like he was cold. His face was pale. The hand YouRan shook was icy cold. In the end, YouRan couldn’t let the young man stand in the corridor for a few more hours.

“It’s fine,” YouRan sighed. “Come in.”

“It’s really alright,” Yan said, waving his hand before him. “If it’s not okay, then I won’t go in.”

“I live alone,” YouRan said with a smile. “There’s nothing inconvenient about it. Come in.”

“Thank you so much,” Yan replied with a grateful smile.

Excitement rose in Yan’s fanboy heart as he walked into the home of his idol. His eyes swiftly scanned the room he entered.

The décor of YouRan’s home was simple. All four walls were white. Minimalistic furniture filled the room with barely any decorative pieces. The place might appear neat and tidy, but it also felt monotonous. It was easy to tell material comfort wasn’t important at all to the home’s owner.

The only part of the room that felt different to its general vibe was a display shelf leaning against one of the walls. Yan couldn’t resist walking closer to it. Inside that beautiful shelf were trophies of various sizes for literary awards. Excited joy filled Yan’s body. These were Nan Shan’s awards. Oh, my god! How he wished he could take a picture of them!

When YouRan saw Yan charging straight for his display cabinet the moment the other man walked through the door, YouRan couldn’t help but feel some awkward embarrassment.

“Do you want some hot water to drink?” YouRan asked after a dry cough.

Yan snapped back from his daydreaming. “I’m sorry,” he said, mortified and annoyed at himself for his inappropriate behaviour. It was rude of him to just wander around and explore someone else’s home on the first visit.

When YouRan returned from the kitchen with a cup of warm water, Yan was politely sitting on the couch. The other man hurriedly stood up and accepted the mug. He then held it in his palms.

For a moment, no words were spoken and silence reigned.

“Erm.” Yan hesitated but pushed on anyway. “Excuse me, just now I…” He pointed to the display cabinet and continued, “Saw the name on some of your trophies there…you… Are you Nan Shan?”

While Yan knew the other was Nan Shan, he still felt nervous at blatantly asking the other man. His grip on the mug tightened with anxiety.

YouRan was stunned. He looked up to glance at the display cabinet. Some of the trophies had his pen name etched into them. Flustered, he drily cleared his throat.

“Ah, yes,” YouRan said. “You know of Nan Shan?”

Yan’s hands jittered with excitement. Hot water splashed out of the mug onto his hands but he didn’t care.

“Of course, I do!” he said in exhilaration.  “I’m a fan of your books. No, wait. I’m your fan. No. I’m the head of your fan group! I gathered some of your fans into a group chat called ‘Book lovers of Nan Shan’. Have you heard of it?”

YouRan could never have imagined someone who looked so calm and serene could be so exuberant. He could see the blood rushing into the other man’s hands from the splashed water. YouRan could feel his hand aching on the other man’s behalf. However, faced with someone who loved his books to such extremes, YouRan’s heart was filled with unspeakable warmth.

YouRan didn’t know how to respond to Yan’s glimmering eyes, so he turned to grab the first-aid kit. As he looked for the burn ointment, he said, “Ah, I know of that group. I’m in it too.” Aah, what did he just say? Would the other man think he was a narcissist?

To YouRan’s surprise, Yan’s excitement only grew. “So you’re in the group chat too,” he said with a smile. “Why have I never seen you speak up before?”

Having found the burn ointment, YouRan read the instructions as he replied, “I only joined the group not long ago. It was by chance. It’s quite interesting to read the conversations in the chat.”

At the thought of Nan Shan lurking the entire time, Yan felt a little shy. He bit his lip as he tried to recall if there were any unseemly words spoken lately. Try as he might, he couldn’t think of anything. His anxiety lessened a little.

Cautiously, Yan asked, “Can you give me your contact number or something? Don’t worry. I won’t disturb you and I won’t leak it out to anyone else! I’m a die-hard fan!”

“I know,” YouRan said. He couldn’t help but smile. “Give me your hand.”

Translator’s Notes:

He Yuan: He Yuan’s name has been edited out as YouRan doesn’t know the guy’s real name yet.

Burn Ointment: Please do not apply burn ointments to burned skin until the skin has cooled down. This might make the burn worse as the heat will be trapped in the flesh. Burn ointments are optional (for minor burns like above) and are to be used after all the heat is gone.

◄Previous • Index• Next►

169. Leave This Mission to Me

YiHan sat up straight. “What happened?”

Placing his pen down on the desk, JingYuan clasped his hands together and rested them on the wooden surface. “Just as I thought, Nan Shan suspected He Yuan. Not long after the man arrived in Nan Shan’s home, the two fought. In less than two hours, He Yuan stomped out of the door with an upset look on his face. Slamming the door shut behind him, he left. No sign of movement from Nan Shan was observed since. My men are keeping a close eye on He Yuan’s every move. Thankfully, he hasn’t made a move against Nan Shan yet. He merely changed back to his usual outfit and returned to his office.”

“He wouldn’t be letting go so easily,” said YiHan. “He’ll want to make Nan Shan stay. That’s why he didn’t let his vicious side show.”

“That must be it,” said JingYuan.

Frowning, YiHan asked, “Nan Shan is all alone in his home. We don’t know what happens inside at all. It’s so worrying. What do we do now?”

“Nan Shan doesn’t have any friends,” replied JingYuan. “It’s certainly not good to leave him to his thoughts without company. I think we should buy the apartment next to Nan Shan’s home. We can stay there for a while. It’ll be easier to care for him there. If anything happens, we can also react in time and help him up. At the very least, no one will be barging into his home. Your mission is to get close to him and counsel him, give him a friend. However, it’s still the same condition. Do not let him grow any inappropriate thoughts about you, or else…”

“Or else you’d strangle him to death yourself,” YiHan said, lips twisted to the side.

“You know me well, HanHan,” JingYuan said with a smile.

YiHan was about to speak when his phone started ringing. A glance at it showed the caller to be an unknown number.

“Hello?” YiHan said, answering the call.

“Hello, Little Master Bai,” said the caller. It was the deep voice of a man. “I’m Yan Yan.”

YiHan was stunned. He covered the bottom half of the phone with a hand and mouthed “It’s Yan Yan” to JingYuan. The older man nodded and calmly looked back at him.

“Second Master Yan,” YiHan said, dropping the hand that had been covering the microphone, “is there something you need?”

“Let’s not beat around the bush and get straight to the point,” replied Yan. “Pei-Pei has told me about Nan Shan. As a fan, I would like to thank you for your help.”

“It’s fine,” said YiHan. “I’m a fan of his books too. I believe we’re all on the same side. If you had found out about this first, you would also help him without hesitation.”

“That’s right,” Yan concurred. “However, I know nothing of Nan Shan’s situation. Once this matter blows up, as a Yan family member, I wouldn’t be in a good place to help him then. Thank you for letting me know about it before that happens.”

“It’s what I should do,” said YiHan. “JingYuan and I were afraid of putting you and your sister in a tough spot. We had some worries about informing you. We can put those fears aside now.”

“As Nan Shan’s loyal reader, I know him well through his writing,” said Yan. “I believe the current situation was not something he willingly created. You and Mr Mu have been keeping an eye on Nan Shan. Are there any new updates?”

“There are,” said YiHan. “As JingYuan predicted, Nan Shan was already suspicious of He Yuan. Their meeting today was not a happy one. He Yuan stormed out of the place. However, he has yet to threaten Nan Shan or acted in revenge. We think he still intends on trying to make Nan Shan stay. As for Nan Shan, there has been no news. It’s quite worrying.”

“He needs a friend to counsel him,” said Yan.

“Yes,” YiHan agreed. “JingYuan and I are planning on buying the apartment next to his. We’ll stay there for a while. One, we can use that as a reason to be with him as he goes through this dark period. Two, we would obtain first-hand information. Three, if anything happens, we’d be close enough to save him.”

Yan was silent for a moment. “This is truly a good plan. If you trust me, perhaps you can leave this mission to me. The two of you are big targets, particularly Mr Mu. You’d attract too much attention. Nan Shan must not want too much attention at this time. This is also a long-term mission. It’d be inconvenient for you two to move about in secrecy.”

“Of course, I trust you,” said YiHan. “Pei-Pei told me she fell in love with Nan Shan’s books because you recommended them to her.”

“Nan Shan is a great author,” said Yan. “His books are worthy of more love. I hope that our help can let him get through this obstacle in his life without a hiccup, that it’ll let him create better works.”

“What a coincidence,” YiHan chuckled. “I think so too. It’s a pleasure working with you, Second Master Yan.”

“Pleasure working with you,” said Yan. “This is my personal mobile number. We can contact each other through this and exchange information we have.”

“Okay,” said YiHan.

After hanging up, YiHan saved the number to his contact list as he addressed JingYuan, “You don’t have to worry now. Yan has offered to take on the task. He’s right. We’re too eye-catching. We’d be easily found out. It’d be bad for other people to notice Nan Shan because of us. Yan by himself would be a smaller target.”

“Yes. Yan might be rather conservative and reserved but his word is worth gold,” JingYuan said as he nodded. “He’s mature and calm. If he helps out in this, you can stop worrying and, yes, I can stop worrying too.”

Once the number was saved in his phone, YiHan slouched back into a more comfortable position. He then clicked into the chat he had with Nan Shan.

“And what were you worried about?” asked YiHan as he typed up a message. “Don’t tell me you were truly afraid he’d fall in love with me.”

“Shouldn’t I be?” JingYuan solemnly asked.

There was no reply from Nan Shan to YiHan’s message.

YiHan sighed and rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Please, JingYuan. Do you really think my charms are that amazing? You might be fine saying that but I’m not okay listening to it. You are looking at me with the rose-tinted glasses of a lover. To other people, I’m just an average person, someone that’s as normal as normal can be. How can people fall in love with me so easily?”

JingYuan closed the file in his hands as he sternly said, “HanHan, I believe there’s a need for me to discuss a serious issue with you so you can understand the grave nature of the matter. You look at yourself in the mirror every day. You’ve already grown weary of your own beauty. You think it’s nothing. You might not know this, but your looks and body are definitely the crème de la crème. Every time you walk out the door, you are the focus of everyone’s gazes. This is an undeniable fact. Furthermore, there is the current situation. Nan Shan is at a low point in his life. Anyone who appears at this time to encourage him, to comfort him, will be his saviour. If this person is perfect in every way, it’s extremely easy for him to fall in love again. I am not overthinking things. It is the reality of this situation. My concern is very reasonable. If not because of you… Because you love me and only me, I would never allow you to do such a thing.”

YiHan was speechless. “Can you be any more illogical?”

JingYuan wasn’t joking at all. He solemnly continued, “To save a man’s life is better than building a pagoda in his honour. Nan Shan has had a rough life, but he’s talented and someone important to you. It’s understandable for me to save him. However, if it carries a risk of letting someone else steal you from me, I can no longer be so generous. After all, having one’s lover be lusted over by another is not something that makes me happy. Even if I know that my lover is true to me.”

There was a faint red blush on YiHan’s cheeks. He cleared his throat and said, “Alright, enough. I can feel my skin growing thicker by the second. A-Anyway, Yan Yan has taken this mission. What’s there for you to worry about?”

JingYuan nodded and looked back down at his document. Then, as he turned a page, he said, “Yan Yan is not a bad man.”

“Not only do you think your farts don’t stink, but you also think everyone finds them pleasant,” YiHan muttered under his breath.

“What did you say?” JingYuan asked, looking up. “I didn’t catch that.”

YiHan smiled at the other man. “I said, hearing you flatter me as perfect in every way fills me with great joy.”

“I was only stating the fact,” JingYuan said with a nod. “It wasn’t flattery. If I really wanted to do that, I should’ve called you a celestial fairy.”

A snort burst out of YiHan. Could the other man be even more shameless? Was this some ultra-edition of rose-tinted glasses?

“What is it?” JingYuan asked, frowning. He shifted to stand up.

“It’s nothing,” YiHan said, hands hurriedly waving in a pacifying gesture. “Nothing. Just focus on your work. I merely choked on my own saliva.”

JingYuan sat back down. “You’re great in every way but you just don’t know how to take good care of yourself,” he sighed. “Well, no one’s completely perfect after all.”

“I have you, don’t I?” YiHan awkwardly smiled.

“Mn, you’re right,” JingYuan said, nodding in agreement. “I’ll just take care of you. You don’t need to know how to do anything.”

YiHan was touched. “I have you,” he warmly said. “I don’t ask for anything more.”

JingYuan looked up from his work once more. The two spent a few moments just silently staring into each other’s eyes. Try as he might, JingYuan couldn’t resist walking over to YiHan and kissing him. Wrapped in each other’s arms, the two made out on the couch for a long time.

“Mr Mu-Mu,” YiHan eventually panted, “don’t you have work to do?”

JingYuan’s mouth on YiHan’s neck froze. In a deep voice, he replied, “I do.”

YiHan stroked JingYuan on the back of the neck and smiled, “Do you want to do it still?”

The other man went quiet. Staring down at the flesh before his eyes, the flesh that had turned bright red due to his gnawing, JingYuan said, “I do!”

YiHan patted JingYuan on the shoulder, smiled and said, “Then get to work. If we do it again, I’ll die. My behind still hurts and you still want to do it.”

JingYuan sat up straight. “Pain?” he asked, frowning. “Is it injured? I didn’t notice it when I bathe you just now.” He stood up from the couch, one leg kneeling against the cushions, and went to pull YiHan’s pants down.

YiHan scrambled to hold onto his pants. “N-No. I’m not hurt. It’s just…” His face was bright red. “It, erm, it’s been strained. I’ll be fine if I just rest for a day. Oh, just hurry back to your work. We might not be able to go home if this goes on.”

Only then did JingYuan’s hands stopped. After pecking YiHan on the lips, JingYuan said, “My bad for wasting time. Don’t worry. I’ll be done with work soon and we can go home. You can properly rest then.”

YiHan kissed JingYuan back. “It’s fine. Don’t rush. We wouldn’t want you making a mistake.”

JingYuan lowly chuckled. “As long as you don’t seduce me, I won’t make a mistake.”

◄Previous • Index• Next►

168. I Promise You

YiHan’s heart ached. When JingYuan tried to grab his hand again, he “couldn’t” dodge in time.

“You didn’t mean to lie to me?” YiHan coldly chuckled. “You purposely took a cold shower and went to the balcony, still dripping wet. All to enjoy some cold breeze and made your fever run so hot that it’d never subside. You enjoy watching me panic, don’t you?”

“No, HanHan,” JingYuan said. “I really didn’t mean to at the start. That incident in Grandpa’s home was truly an accident. Hui later called me. He found out I was sick so he suggested something to me. He said, if you still love me, your heart will soften and you’ll cave in. I truly didn’t mean to lie to you.”

At this, YiHan finally stopped smiling. “Yes,” he said with an expressionless face. “I love you. My heart didn’t just soften. It ached to the point of bleeding. Are you satisfied?”

JingYuan’s mouth gaped open. “I…”

“You’re happy about it, aren’t you?” YiHan angrily said, voice getting louder. “You played around with your own health as if it were just a joke to you. And you think you were successful at it, don’t you? Do you know you’ve been sick for a month? A whole month! You had a fever the entire time. You were coughing throughout the month! Do you know why your fever shot up after having sat on the floor for just a short while? It’s because you’ve chipped away at your immune system so much that it’s at the worst it could be! What if something truly serious came out of it? Do you know just how terrified I was? I had wished so badly that I was the one who fell sick! Do you know how many times I’ve prayed for the gods to transfer your illness to me? Now, you tell me you did it on purpose?

“Let’s take a hundred steps back. I’d be fine if you’d just pretended to be sick like Yan Hui suggested! But then you actually went and tortured your body, all so it’d be realistic! Have you ever thought of me? Of whether I’d be sad? Whether I’d be upset? Whether I’d feel…guilty?”

When YiHan recalled the emotions he’d felt during that agonising month, tears started streaming down his cheeks. He could feel his veins popping out on his forehead.

JingYuan clumsily rushed forward to wipe YiHan’s tears away. Then, disregarding YiHan’s attempts to struggle away, he pulled YiHan into his embrace and patted him over and over on the back to comfort him.

“I’m sorry, HanHan,” JingYuan guiltily murmured. “It’s my fault. Don’t cry, please? I beg you. Don’t cry.”

YiHan shoved hard at the taller man. “So you’re sad now? You’re upset just like that?” he angrily cried. “Why didn’t you think of me back when you had a high fever? Wouldn’t I be sad? Wouldn’t I be upset? You even refused to take your medication and just kept the pills in your mouth! You’re so strong. You’re so smart. Can you not taste anything? Weren’t they bitter? Doesn’t it feel exhausting to have a constant fever and cough? I’d never have imagined it was your illness that was the lie instead of your love for me. You once told me that nothing in the world is worth my pain and suffering. What about you? What is it that’s worth abusing yourself for? Let me tell you: nothing is worth it! If you only wanted to make me stay, why didn’t you listen to Yan Hui and pretended to be sick? I just can’t imagine how you could go for a cold shower and then stand out in the cold air while you were still feverish! I hate the mere thought of it! I hate it! You might as well have stabbed me with a knife!”

JingYuan was internally panicking. Through some hard work, his relationship with his HanHan was finally back to how it was. He didn’t think the good times would end so fast. He only had a few days to celebrate the repaired relationship before the ruse was discovered. His HanHan was furious. What should he do? Would the other forgive him?

JingYuan arms tightened around YiHan. Then, suppressing the urge to visibly panic, he calmly said, “It’s really quite okay. Compared to the terror I felt at the thought of you leaving me, the fever was nothing.”

YiHan was stunned. Suddenly, all his strength left his body. Without his legs to support him, YiHan’s entire being just slid down towards the floor. Thankfully, he was still wrapped up in JingYuan’s embrace. That’s what saved him from collapsing on the floor.

Head drooped, YiHan remained silent for a few long minutes before he softly spoke, “Yes. It’s all because of me. What right do I have to be angry? You would use such a method to lie to me, to punish me, because of me. It’s all my fault. I didn’t trust you. I didn’t trust myself. I was a cowardly rat who shirked back into his shell the moment something minor happened. That’s what agonises you. How are you at fault? I’m clearly the one in the wrong here. I’m sorry, JingYuan. You really shouldn’t love me. I’m not worthy of your love at all.”

YiHan’s body kept slipping down so JingYuan carried him over to the sofa and place him there. As if he was boneless, YiHan just collapsed on it. JingYuan dropped to one knee and anxiously wiped at the endless tears rolling down YiHan’s cheeks.

“HanHan, please don’t say that,” JingYuan said. His voice was trembling. His heart ached so much it could burst. “It’s my fault. Don’t be angry. I can do whatever you wish me to do, except for leaving you. Please? Don’t be like this.”

YiHan turned to look at JingYuan. His eyes were red. Tears silently streamed out of the corners of his eyes and into his hair.

“I’m not angry, JingYuan,” YiHan whispered in a low voice. “You’re always so resolute but I’m just a weakling, a coward. I’m not a good match for you.”

JingYuan’s hands never stopped wiping at YiHan’s tears but no matter how hard he tried, he could never wipe them dry. With red eyes, he leaned forward to rest his head on YiHan’s chest.

“HanHan,” he said in a deep voice, “in this entire world, you are the only one who’s a good match for me and I am the only one who’s your perfect match. Forgive me, HanHan. I only love you. I love you…”

YiHan could feel wet spots slowly growing on his chest. He raised his hands and slowly wrapped JingYuan’s head into a hug.

“I promise you, JingYuan,” YiHan whispered. His voice was firm and unwavering. “I will learn to make my heart as strong and steadfast as yours. I’ll love you, trust you and never ever give up so easily anymore. Can you also promise me that no matter what happens, you won’t ever gamble around with your body again? If you’re angry, you can shout at me and hit me but don’t punish me like this. My heart hurts so, so much.”

JingYuan lifted his head and looked into eyes as bloodshot as his. Then, he slowly lowered his head into a gentle kiss.

“I promise you,” he said in a muffled sigh. “HanHan, I’m yours.”

YiHan’s arms clung onto JingYuan’s shoulders as he kissed back with a passion that had never been shown before. His passionate response meant the sweet kiss slowly turned into something more. The air between the two men’s mingled breath grew heavier. Their bodies grew hotter and hotter. The tiny patch of skin on YiHan’s neck was a mesmerising pink. His chest rose in quick bursts. JingYuan’s breathing turned into harsh little pants. Upon noticing YiHan had no intention of refusing him, JingYuan swept the younger man up into his arms and strode into the break room. The door closed shut with a loud bang.

­— Click! —

Later, when everything was finally calm and quiet. JingYuan cleaned up YiHan and changed the younger man into fresh clothes that were stored in the room. As for YiHan, he couldn’t even gather the urge to lift a finger. He just went along with JingYuan’s movements as the older man helped him get dressed.

Once YiHan was tucked into his clothes, JingYuan laid back on the bed and pulled YiHan into a slow, lingering kiss.

“HanHan, if you’re tired, you can just sleep,” JingYuan gently said. “I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go home, okay?”’

YiHan’s eyes were closed. He didn’t have the strength to open them. All he felt like doing was to nod imperceptibly.

With linked hands and a smile on his face, JingYuan looked at the other for a while. A series of intense kisses were had before he reluctantly let go of YiHan’s hand and stood to walk away. He had only taken a few steps before he turned around to look at the “lonely” hand he’d just “abandoned”, just laying there on the bed. It looked so lonely that he had to walk back and tenderly hold it in his hands. He kissed it repeatedly and rubbed his cheek against it, again and again. He was thoroughly unwilling to let go of it.

YiHan’s eyes squinted open. Met with the conflicted look on JingYuan’s face, YiHan sighed and let out an exasperated smile.

“Mu-Mu,” said YiHan.

JingYuan’s head shot up. “I’ll be going right now. Are you thirsty? I’ll pour you some water.”

YiHan shook his head and softly replied, “I don’t want to sleep here alone. If it doesn’t affect you, can I lie on the couch outside? I’ll be closer to you then. The moment I open my eyes, I can see you.”

Fireworks were bursting within JingYuan. Still, he hesitantly asked, “You won’t be comfortable sleeping on the couch. You’ll be aching.”

“I won’t,” YiHan stubbornly replied. “The couch you got for me is especially comfortable. I love lying down on it.”

JingYuan’s eyes gleamed as he carefully scooped YiHan up. “Okay, then. It’d be easier for me to take care of you if you’re outside. Don’t worry. I have no meetings scheduled for the afternoon. No one will enter my office.”

YiHan hummed in reply as he drifted off to sleep with his head nesting on JingYuan’s shoulder.

By the time YiHan woke up, it was nearly time for them to head home. YiHan laid there on the couch, blanket over his body, as JingYuan worked at his desk. During the n+1th time JingYuan glanced up, he was met with YiHan’s open eyes. Immediately, JingYuan stood up and walked over.

“You’re up,” JingYuan said with a smile. “Do you feel tired? Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

YiHan let himself be pulled up and into JingYuan’s embrace. As he had just woken up, his entire body radiated a lazy powerless aura.

“I’m not hungry or thirsty. What time is it?” YiHan said with a little yawn. His voice was hoarse.

“It’s nearly five,” JingYuan said as he lifted one of YiHan’s hands to his mouth for a little peck. “Take your time to wake up. We’ll be heading home soon.”

YiHan could feel his body going numb from JingYuan’s kisses. “Alright, you,” he chuckled, “go back to work. We have to go home soon.”

The other man lifted the hand he was holding higher up to his eyes and smiled. “HanHan, how did you get your hands to be like this? Why are they so beautiful? I can’t even find the proper words to describe their charm.”

A chuckle burst out of YiHan’s lips. When he noticed the serious gaze in JingYuan’s eyes, he responded, “They’re for you. Of course, they’re beautiful.”

A faint blush of red-tinted JingYuan’s cheeks. He cleared his throat and looked back down at the hand in his grasp. He couldn’t help but kiss it again. Only then did he, cautiously, put it down and happily walked back to his desk.

As JingYuan was signing a document, a thought suddenly struck him. “Right,” he said as he looked up at YiHan. “There’s something I nearly forgot to tell you. There’s an update to Nan Shan’s situation.”

◄Previous • Index• Next►

167. Ploy

YiHan’s eyes lit up as he smiled and said, “That’s a good idea. If your grandfather takes a liking to Nan Shan’s books, he’ll have a good first impression of the man. Then, he wouldn’t be as easily swayed by He Yuan’s lies.”

“That’s what I thought!” Pei said with a smirk. “How dare he cheat on my aunt and Nan Shan. He’ll see just what I can do to him!”

“And we’ll teach him that it’s his mistake, he pays the price for it!” YiHan added.

“Yeah!” said Pei. “Okay, I’ll head back now and get my brother in on this. The earlier it’s done, the better!”

“That’s a good idea,” said YiHan. “Oh, how did you arrive? You don’t have a driving license yet, right?”

“My eldest brother drove me here,” said Pei. “He’s gone to chat with Mr Mu. They’re actually quite close friends. What a surprise, right? I only knew yesterday. They usually don’t talk.”

YiHan was truly surprised. He didn’t know they were good friends at all.

“There’s a kind of friendship in this world that don’t seem close,” she said with a smile. “They rarely go out for meals or drinks together, and certainly don’t contact each other every single day. However, if one of them is in trouble, the other would instantly appear and help them.”

“You’re right,” YiHan said, his head tilted in contemplation. “Looks like they’re that kind of friends. Okay, then. Let’s walk back to the office together and have your brother send you home.”

Pei nodded in agreement and the two walked back to the office building. They headed straight up to JingYuan’s office using the man’s personal elevator. When they were at the doors to JingYuan’s office, YiHan’s hand raised out of habit to push the door open. Then, he remembered there was currently another man in JingYuan’s office. It’d be rude to just push the door open. He let go of the door’s handle and raised his hand to knock on the door, which had been pushed open a crack. Then, he heard a voice speak up from within the room.

“The ploy was useful, right?” said Yan Hui. “Well? Did pretending to be sick work well for you?”

Pei panicked. She was about to barge into the room when YiHan stopped her with a raised arm. The smile on his face had vanished. He silently stood there at the door with a blank, expressionless face.

Pei didn’t dare say a word. She was worried to the point of pulling at her own hair but the men in the office noticed it not.

“It’s not bad,” JingYuan’s voice calmly replied.

“No need to act all proper in front of me,” Hui chuckled. “You must be ecstatic. You were so disdainful when I mentioned it to you. I used this same tactic to get Zhang Su to date me.”

“Not doing to call him uncle this time?” JingYuan asked.

“Don’t make fun of me,” Hui said. “The character for ‘uncle’ is a homonym of ‘Su’. Uncle is just a nickname I use when I’m trying to act cute. I don’t use it all the time. It’d become ineffective then.”

“Act cute?” JingYuan solemnly asked. “How do you do that? Is it useful?”

“You can’t use it all the time or he’ll think you’re a little girl,” Hui said, “but it’s very effective if you do it occasionally. Just like the ploy you used, pretending to be sick, you can’t do that often. Either way, Zhang Su always falls for it when I act cute.”

“There were a few times when he nearly found out it’s a ruse,” JingYuan said. “I was so very nervous.”

“You were only anxious because it’s your first time and you went slightly overboard,” said Hui. “You’re way too harsh on yourself. I’ve told you, 30% ill and 70% pretence. You just went and got thoroughly sick. You even gave yourself pneumonia. Look at how thin you are. You still haven’t recovered.”

“I was afraid of exposing myself if I just pretend to be sick,” said JingYuan. “He was also extremely worried about me. We had gone to the hospital a few times. What can I do but actually fall sick?”

“I’m impressed. That is a perfect plan,” Hui said. “You’re quite a capable man. How did you do it? You took the pills. You had injections. With how strong your body is, how did you drag it out for so long? How did you make yourself remain sick? You even had another trick up your sleeves. You developed pneumonia out of nowhere. You’re quite the professional.”

“You taught me how to do it,” JingYuan said. “While he’s out, go for a cold shower and stepped out into the cold air. Thankfully, the weather’s been getting colder. I don’t need to turn on the air conditioner. I’ve saved some time and I wouldn’t be easily discovered because of the change in the room’s temperature. Then, when it came time to take my medication, I’ll stick the pills under my tongue and wait for a chance to spit them out. However, the pneumonia wasn’t a trick up in my sleeves. I was merely lost in my own thoughts. I didn’t realise I’d been sitting on the floor for a little too long.”

Hui burst out laughing. “How have I never realized you were so talented, JingYuan? I never taught you to keep the pills in your mouth. What will happen if you have no chance to spit them out?”

“Yes, there were a few times when I didn’t have a chance to spit them out until after the pills have all dissolved,” said JingYuan. “Thankfully, HanHan wasn’t willing to be intimate with me back then or he’d have realized something was wrong with the bitter scent of my mouth.”

“If he was willing to be intimate with you, you wouldn’t have used such a trick. You really were in a tough situation,” said Hui.

“It’s actually alright,” said JingYuan. “I was panicking a little. A little investigation revealed to me he was secretly looking for a place for himself. My heart went cold. If I wasn’t sick, who knows what would’ve happened to us now?”

The smile on Hui’s face slipped away as he solemnly replied, “I know you don’t like hearing this but, before this, I really didn’t think you two would go far. He’s a carefree, inconsiderate young master. I always thought that there’d be a day when he’d hurt you to the point where I wouldn’t be able to see an inch of untouched skin on you.”

“He wouldn’t,” JingYuan retorted. “He loves me too. When I was sick, he took great care of me. He’s gotten so much thinner. I…”

“If he takes care of you, your heart will ache for him,” said Hui. “If he ignores you, your heart will go cold again. Honestly, I never thought he’d change so much so suddenly. It’s like he’s a completely different person from who he was before. He’s considerate now. He would be concerned for other people. If not because of that, I would never have given you ideas on how to make him stay. After all, it’s better to rip off the band-aid than to let the agony go on. It’d be good for you to break up. Still, I must admire your ability to sense danger. You found out about it before he showed any signs at all and you immediately set up a ploy for him. Haha.”

“Could you not feel it when Zhang Su’s mood changes?” JingYuan asked.

“Of course, I could! He just needs to open his mouth and I’ll know if he wants a kiss or food!” replied Hui.

“And that’s the answer,” JingYuan said. “Hui, if HanHan hadn’t changed, what would you have done? Would you have tried to break us up?”

“Do you think I’m a fool?” Hui asked. “Break you up? You’re not a kid. It’s your choice on who you want to love. Emotions and feelings are like drinking water. You know when it’s cold and when it’s hot. I don’t think you’ll go far so I’ll just be watching. I’ll never lend a helping hand and I’ll never say anything. It’ll be as if I didn’t exist. You two are free to torture each other however you like. Remember his kidnapping? I didn’t help you at all. In hindsight though, I kind of regret it and am rather scared of what could’ve happened. Thank goodness, my grandfather helped out.”

“There’s no need for your help! I could’ve saved him myself!” JingYuan huffed and harrumphed.

“I just know mentioning this matter would’ve made you angry,” said Hui. “The difference between now and then is I didn’t like him back then. My opinion of him has changed. I promise you. If anything ever happens to your lover again, I swear I will be the first to help. How about that?”

“He is my future husband. When it comes to him, it’s naturally my job to worry. I’ll consider you when it’s something I can’t resolve,” said JingYuan.

“Hey! Am I even forcing you to take the offer?” Hui cried. “It was a sincere offer but you don’t care for it at all. Fine. Just why must you hold a grudge? I even gave you a great idea that successfully saved your relationship, didn’t I? The record’s even now, right?”

“If you want to even the records, there’s something I need you for,” said JingYuan.

“Just let me know!” Hui generously declared.

“HanHan and I don’t know what to do with you yet. Just wait and listen to our instructions,” said JingYuan.

“Why so mysterious?” Hui curiously asked.

“It concerns your aunt and her husband,” said JingYuan. “If you find yourself put in a tough spot, you can choose to help neither parties. Either way, I won’t make you hurt your own family members.”

“I know that. Of course, I do,” said Hui. “I’m just curious. What can it be to make you act so mysteriously? I might be someone who values my family and friends more than logic but I’m not that close to my aunt. Tell me. Have they done anything to you?”

“Not really,” said JingYuan. “They’re merely bullying someone who is connected to me. I can’t tell you too much just yet. Don’t say anything when you get home. You’ll know once it’s time.”

“You plan on making a move? Hm,” said Hui. “Don’t worry about me. The only tie I have with my aunt is through our blood. We’re not close and we only ever see each other a few times a year. Even when we do see each other, I only ever see the bottom of her chin. When I was a kid, she’d snatch things from me.” Hui shrugged. “Sometimes, I forget I even have an aunt.”

“Relax,” said JingYuan. “I never worried about you before.”

“There’s no need to be so frank, JingYuan. Say, just what is Pei-Pei talking to your lover about? Why aren’t they done yet? Should we give them a call?” asked Hui.

Then, an eerie voice sounded from beyond the office doors, “We’re done.”

Shocked, Hui turned around to find the office doors wide open. Bai YiHan was standing there with a dark and gloomy face. Behind him was his sister who was panickily gesturing to him in a way he did not understand.

JingYuan froze. He forced a smile on his face and asked, “HanHan, when did you get back?”

“When Mr Yan here mentioned a ‘ploy’,” YiHan said in an ominous tone. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but what you were discussing was just too interesting. I didn’t have the heart to interrupt you.”

JingYuan’s face went pale. Hui could feel a bead of sweat roll down his forehead.

“I, erm,” said Hui with a dry smile as he strode towards the door, “please don’t misunderstand anything, Little Master. We were only joking. Ah, Pei-Pei and I have something to attend to. We’ll just go.”

“Goodbye, Mr Yan,” YiHan said with a “polite” smile.

Hui could feel chills running down his spine. He threw a “bye” at the other two men and flew out of sight with his sister in tow.

YiHan slowly turned and closed the doors to the office. Clack. The doors were locked. He then turned back to JingYuan and “politely” smiled at JingYuan.

“JingYuan,” calmly said YiHan, “do you not plan on saying anything?”

The other man stood up and steadily walked over to YiHan. “You heard it all,” he said in a deep voice. “I…”

“You think you did quite well. You felt so satisfied with yourself, right?” YiHan was still smiling.

“That’s not what I meant, HanHan,” JingYuan hurriedly blurted. “I didn’t intend on lying to you. I was just afraid you’d leave me so I just used any idea thrown at me.”

As JingYuan said so, he reached out a hand to grab YiHan’s hand but the younger man dodged his touch. He pursed his lips. They were as pale as can be.

◄Previous • Index• Next►

166. I’ll Help

Yan Pei was enraged. Looking down at the photo of Nan Shan, her universe exploded. “Aaargh! This pisses me off so much! Just who is this scumbag?”

“We couldn’t find this man at first,” said YiHan. “They’re dating. Is there a need to be so mysterious? Then, JingYuan’s men stumbled upon Nan Shan’s mysterious boyfriend visiting him. They sent us a few photos of the man. Coincidentally, we all know him. That’s how we found out.”

Pei instantly honed in on YiHan. “You both know him? Do I? Is he someone in our social circle? Don’t leave me hanging. Spit it out.”

“It’s He Yuan,” YiHan said in a low voice.

“Oh…” Pei said with a nod. Then, she shouted, “Huh? What did you say?”

Pei immediately leapt out of her seat. Her eyes were as wide as plates.

YiHan hurriedly pulled her back down. “Don’t panic. Hear me out first. JingYuan and I were shocked too. Both the Yan family and Nan Shan are involved in this matter. It is a matter of utmost seriousness. We dug deeper and conducted an even more detailed investigation. I’ve even tested what Nan Shan knew when he had his guard down. After compiling all the information we could, we reached a consensus: Nan Shan and your aunt are both fooled.”

It was obvious Pei found the news a little hard to swallow. “How could it be him?” she mumbled. “He’s treated my aunt…”

“That’s right,” YiHan said. “They were both fooled by He Yuan. Marrying your aunt was a beneficial transaction for him. After marriage, he treated your aunt so well that he’s considered the ideal husband in high society. If it’s out of love, that’d be amazing. However, from our investigations, we’ve realised he was never a straight man. He’s either gay or bisexual.”

Pei leaned back against her seat, her hand against her forehead. “Give me a few seconds to sort my thoughts out and calm down.”

A few long minutes passed before she spoke up again. “You two are absolutely certain on this?”

YiHan picked up his phone and looked through the photos JingYuan’s men sent over. “Definitely,” he                                                                                                        said as he showed Pei the photo of the man’s face. “This is him, for sure. I’ve also tried hinting about it to Nan Shan. He’s extraordinarily against being the homewrecker of another’s relationship. JingYuan said Nan Shan should start to suspect He Yuan now. We’ll soon know what decision he’ll make.”

Pei stared down at the photo for a beat before spitting out through gritted teeth, “He’d changed the entire style of his clothes and covered himself up so tight that no one would know it’s him unless they were very familiar with him!”

“Indeed,” said YiHan. “Not only did he change his clothes, but the way he carried himself also changed. I didn’t recognise him at first. It’s all thanks to JingYuan’s amazing memory. He instantly knew who the man was because of his photographic memory.”

“You just said Nan Shan was suspicious of him?” asked Pei. “Will he willingly leave He Yuan?”

“It’s very likely he will,” said YiHan, “but we’re afraid He Yuan wouldn’t let Nan Shan go. He’d threaten Nan Shan and maybe even take revenge on Nan Shan. From the results of our investigations, he seems to be extremely enthralled with Nan Shan. JingYuan said He Yuan wouldn’t easily let go. Nan Shan is just an author. He’s alone and weak. There’s no way Nan Shan can stand his ground against him. Nan Shan might suffer a lot.”

“Who said Nan Shan is alone and weak?” Pei barked in fury. “He has us, doesn’t he? I never would’ve thought He Yuan could be so vile! I must tell my aunt!”

“You can’t!” YiHan grabbed Pei’s hand as she stood to leave.

“Why can’t I?” Pei shouted back. “He Yuan is just disgusting! Do I let him continue making a fool of my aunt?”

YiHan clung on tight to her. “Calm down, Pei-Pei! Have you ever thought about what your aunt will do to Nan Shan when she knows of this? Would she believe Nan Shan is just an innocent victim? He Yuan would push Nan Shan out to be his scapegoat! Can you stop her then? Even if Nan Shan doesn’t die, he’d be skinned alive! At best, his reputation would be torn to pieces!”

Pei was stunned. A moment later, she sunk back down to her seat. “You’re right. I know my aunt. She would never let Nan Shan go free. What do we do, YiHan?”

“Pei-Pei, I was actually hesitating whether or not I should tell you about this,” YiHan sighed. “You’re stuck in the middle. It’s a tough spot to be, but you could also tell that this matter cannot come to light. We must act in secret. This concerns the Yan family. JingYuan and I must be cautious. After serious reconsideration, we decided to tell you. Of those in this relationship, Nan Shan is innocent. He shouldn’t be a sacrificial offering for He Yuan’s lust. Nan Shan’s life is terrible enough, isn’t it?”

Picking up the phone to stare at the photo of Nan Shan again, Pei softly mumbled, “What can I do for him then?”

“JingYuan said we’d have to wait and see what Nan Shan thinks of this first,” YiHan replied. “JingYuan’s a smart man. I’ll go with his suggestion. I’m telling you now because I don’t want you to be kept in the dark about it. If word of this matter ever reaches the ears of your family, the story would be twisted by He Yuan.”

“Twisted? Into what? That Nan Shan seduced him?” Pei spat in fury. “With his looks? As if that’d happen!”

“How does Mr Mu plan on handling this?” Pei asked after taking a few harsh pants. “Let me know if there’s anything I can help with. I trust in his brains and tact. I’m too impulsive. I’ll just be a helper.”

“I’d like to know what the old Mr Yan thinks of He Yuan,” said YiHan.

“Frankly, He Yuan is not someone the Yan family welcomes warmly,” Pei said. “My grandfather didn’t even want to let my aunt marry him. He thought He Yuan wasn’t an ethical man. My father and uncle both objected to the relationship as well. Unfortunately, my aunt has been mesmerised by the man. She insisted that she’ll marry no one but him. They had no choice but to let the couple get married. After the wedding, we rarely interact with them. He Yuan also knows my grandfather dislikes him. He seldom comes to visit. If there’s anything they want, it’d be my aunt who brings it up. Since the man treats my aunt well, Grandfather helped whenever he could. Honestly, I don’t like him either. He’s always dressed up. His silver tongue is so slippery that it’s a wonder it hasn’t made the impossible happen. If he wasn’t the husband of my aunt, I wouldn’t even bother interacting with him.”

After a brief pause, Pei then continued, “Actually, none of the younger generation have a great relationship with my aunt. When she lived with us, we were still kids. All we knew was that no matter what it was, my aunt would never let us have anything or do anything first. We were the ones who had to be obliging and let her have whatever she wanted. She later got married. Since then, she’d rarely come visit us. Every time she did, it was always because the He family or He Yuan needed help from Grandfather and the rest of my family. She never stayed longer than necessary. The last time my grandfather was admitted to the hospital, she only came and see him once. Even then, it was for He Yuan. She begged my grandfather to help He Yuan win over a potential project when Grandfather was bedridden. After my grandfather agreed to help, she left within the next few minutes.

“I was taking care of him then so I was there. The moment my aunt left the room, my grandfather was so depressed. He told me that he’d lived a grand life but the person he owes the most to is my grandmother. He was so busy with work and building up the family as a young man that he didn’t have time to properly be by her side. My grandfather has always felt guilty about it since she passed away. My aunt looked the most like my grandmother and my aunt was a daughter born to him when he was older. Grandfather couldn’t help but favour her more, spoil her a little more. To him, boys can trip and fall but still be fine. Girls needed to be pampered and protected. Who knew that the children he left to struggle and trip as kids would be so filial while his one and only daughter, the kid he doted on, would…

“Grandfather said he was very disappointed in my aunt. She only looked like my grandmother. Their personalities were as different as night and day. Nowadays, he’d still help my aunt whenever she comes asking but, unlike before, he would never wonder all the time, ‘Why hasn’t she visited me yet?’.”

“When it comes to filial piety, unconditional love is a cause but it depends more so on the other’s personality,” YiHan sighed.

Pei nodded.

“Is there anyone else in the Yan family who knows of Nan Shan?” YiHan asked.

“My second brother,” Pei replied without hesitation.

“The Second Young Master of the Yan family?” YiHan asked.

“Yes,” Pei said. “He looks so average and gloomy that he doesn’t seem to be the kind to read detective novels, right? I’ll let you in on something. I read Nan Shan’s books because he recommended them to me.”

YiHan was truly stunned. “I thought you recommended them to him!”

“No,” Pei replied. “Before this, I never read detective novels. One day, he saw me reading a romance novel so he recommended Nan Shan’s books to me. The first Nan Shan novel I read was ‘The Blue Night’. I was stuck in the rabbit hole since then. If there’s anyone you want to call a diehard fan, it should be my brother.”

“True,” YiHan said, nodding. “There aren’t a lot of girls who like to read detective novels. I really couldn’t tell with your brother. And he’d recommend books to other people? That’s impossible, even in my imagination.”

Pei chuckled. “Yes. I was shocked too. He displayed a passion he’d never shown before. He ran right back into his room to grab the book for me. He told me I’d definitely like Nan Shan’s books. Well, he was right.”

“Say, do you think he’ll help Nan Shan if he knows of this?” YiHan asked.

“It’s very likely!” Pei said, her hand on her chin in a contemplating pose. “I’ll tell him. Even if he doesn’t help, he wouldn’t let a word of it slip!” She paused, then continued in a whisper, “Can you send me the photo of Nan Shan then? I can show it to him.”

“I…” YiHan was put in a tough spot. “I’ve already let you view it without asking Nan Shan first. It’d be bad if this photo reaches another’s hands, right…?”

“Please, YiHan,” Pei pleaded with a little tug at his hand. I’ll only show my brother once. I will never let anyone else even know of it!”

“How about this?” YiHan said. “I’ll send it to you. The moment your brother has taken a look at it, you’ll delete it on the spot. We don’t want other people finding out and causing unexpected problems for us, okay?”

“Hm,” Pei mused in thought. “Alright.”

“Don’t think of it as a pity,” YiHan said as he smiled. “As long as we can help Nan Shan get past this, we might be able to talk to Nan Shan in person. Who knows? Perhaps we’ll eat at the same table!”

Her eyes gleamed as she fervently nodded. “Okay! Sure! We can do that!”

“Frankly, we’re not all that safe with just my second brother,” Pei then continued with an evil little chuckle. “We might not be able to protect Nan Shan so well that he can escape unscathed.” She let out another smirk. “Once I have time, I’ll read “The Blue Night” to my grandfather. It’ll help alleviate his boredom.”

Translator’s Notes:

Bisexuality: Please note that this story has a bias against bisexuals, as most old-school dramas do. This is because the only bisexual representation in this story is He Yuan, the typical negative stereotype of bisexuals are dishonest. Take whatever words this story says about the matter with a pinch of salt.

Greasy air…impossible happen: The actual text reads, “He’s always dressed up to the nines (via makeup/skincare) and his tongue is so slippery, like it wishes it could produce a flower (from nothing)”.

Blue Night: The author mistakenly wrote “The Blue Mountain” here.

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165. We’ve Got to Get Them on Our Side

YiHan furiously grabbed an orange from the table before the couch. “That’s right. I don’t believe the Yan family can be swayed solely by Yan Miao’s words! Does she think she can bully others in such an outrageous manner just because she has power? My great Nan Shan has powerful backers too! Let’s think and make it so they have to suffer without complaints!”

JingYuan took the orange from YiHan and began peeling it. “Don’t worry. We will teach them a lesson.”

YiHan accepted the slice of orange offered and munched on it. Suddenly, he wondered, “Say, do you think we shouldn’t be so harsh against Yan Miao? After all, she has been cheated too.”

Handing over another slice, JingYuan smiled and answered, “She has been lied to but, from your description, her method of dealing with the issue is too extreme. It also feels like she’s rather tyrannical without any concern for what’s right and what’s wrong. She pushed all the blame onto Nan Shan. She made him bear the consequences of her husband’s mistake. You could see her ruin Nan Shan’s reputation, step by step, motion by motion. She was even the one to give the last push and force Nan Shan to jump to his death. Even if there was a great grudge between the two, it should all end once he’s dead. However, she insisted on ruining even a memorial service. It’s obvious just how toxic she is as a person.”

YiHan pondered on JingYuan’s words as he chomped on a new slice of orange and gulped it down. “You’re right,” he angrily said. “She’s not a good person either. I didn’t see her doing anything to He Yuan. After Nan Shan’s death, they went back to being lovey-dovey without a hitch. Nan Shan’s death couldn’t have been any more unjust than it already was!”

“Now that we are interfering in the matter,” said JingYuan. “As long as make our stances clear, they wouldn’t dare to push Nan Shan to his death, no matter how. Still, we can’t avoid his reputation being marred. A lover’s betrayal, a ruined reputation; these will all deal a serious blow to Nan Shan. What we need to do is to minimise the damage. If we can get Yan Pei and Yan Yan over to our side, they’d be a great help.”

“Yes,” said YiHan, “there’s Pei-Pei. But she didn’t do anything in the last – ahem – in the dream. Will she help us?”

“In your dream, Yan Pei and Yan Yan were merely his fans,” JingYuan chuckled. “On one hand, it’s their favourite author. On the other, it’s their aunt. They might be distant and they might not know the full truth, but they must not have thought Nan Shan would die. It’s understandable for them not to act. However, if we show them the truth of everything and explain clearly the situation along with the worst-case scenario, they might not stand to sit it out. Yan Yan has always been a neutral party. He’s also a quiet man of little words. I don’t know if he’ll act. Even if he doesn’t, he can at least be a neutral party and help no one. Yan Pei has a heroic air to her. Upon knowing of such an incident, and with us helping Nan Shan, she should be eager to help.”

“Now that you’ve analysed the situation, I feel more confident,” said YiHan with a fist pump. “I’ll pull Pei-Pei in first before I ask about Yan Yan.”

YiHan did as he said. He immediately stuffed the rest of his orange into JingYuan’s mouth and picked up his phone to call Yan Pei.

A mouth stuffed full of orange, JingYuan looked on in speechless mirth as YiHan spoke into the phone.

“YiHan?” Pei happily greeted. “Do you need something from me?”

“Pei-Pei, the last time we met,” said YiHan, “you told me you were a fan of Nan Shan’s books too. Right?”

“Yes!” said Pei. “I’m a diehard fan!”

Taking a deep inhale, YiHan asked, “I have news of Nan Shan himself. Do you want to know?”

“Really?” she excitedly cried out. “YiHan, you’re the best! Do you have a photo of him? Send it to me! Send it!”

“I do,” said YiHan, “and there are a few more issues. I can’t really explain it well over the phone. Why don’t you come and meet me? I’ll tell you then.”

“Okay,” replied Pei. “I don’t have class today anyway. I’ll be right there!”

“Ah, don’t hang up! Do you know where to meet me?” asked YiHan.

“Is there a need to ask?” Pei frankly shot back. “You and Mr Mu always act like it’s a shame you can’t glue yourselves together. You must be in Mr Mu’s office right now. I’ll call you once I arrive at the office.”

“There’s no need,” YiHan said. His face blushed red. “There’s a charming little cafe beside the office. I’ll wait for you there.”

“Alright!” Pei cheered. “It’s better that I don’t have to face that brooding man. I’ll be there soon! Nan Shan, I’m coming!”

Before YiHan hung up, he vaguely heard Pei shout “brother” but he didn’t pay attention to it. He then turned to JingYuan.

“I’ve asked Pei-Pei to meet me,” YiHan said.

“It’s certainly better to speak in person regarding this matter,” said JingYuan. “I’ll go with you.”

“It’s fine,” YiHan said with a wave of his hand. “I can just meet her by myself. Pei-Pei is a little scared of you. If you’re there, she might not speak as freely.”

“Why is she afraid of me?” JingYuan asked in exasperation.

YiHan laughed. He pinched JingYuan on the cheeks and said, “Well, you always look so stern. You always have a frown on. She’s just a little girl. Of course, she’ll be scared. I’m off.”

“She won’t be here so soon,” said JingYuan. “Why the hurry?”

“I need to think about what to say to her,” replied YiHan. “Do I tell her everything?”

“Don’t say anything about the dream,” said JingYuan. “Just tell her you accidentally found out.”

“Okay,” YiHan said, nodding. “I understand.”

***

The cafe was quiet when YiHan entered. There weren’t many customers around at this time of day. He sat down at the private room he’d booked and soon, Yan Pei arrived. It was easy to see just how eager she was.

YiHan raised his hand in a wave. Her eyes lit up as she pattered over to the table.

“Where is Nan Shan’s photo? Hand it over!” she exclaimed. She hadn’t even taken her seat yet.

YiHan let out a soft chuckle and dug out his phone. After finding the selfie he’d spent half a day begging Nan Shan for, he handed the phone over. Nan Shan was someone who never took selfies. He only agreed to do so after YiHan’s persistent “bugging”.

The first selfie anyone ever takes will never be good. In the photo, Nan Shan’s expression looked stiff and awkward. His eyes didn’t stand out. Still, Pei was overwhelmed by his good looks. She snatched the phone out of YiHan’s hands.

“So Nan Shan’s a young man,” Pei said, her eyes in the shape of hearts. “He’s so handsome. I thought he’d be a scruffy, unkempt middle-aged man.”

“He’s not a middle-aged man,” YiHan harrumphed, snatching his phone back, “but he fell for the trap of one.”

Pei hadn’t had her fill yet. She lunged forward to grab the phone as it left her grip.

“YiHan, if you’re a true friend,” she said as she struggled against YiHan’s grip on the phone, “you’ll send that photo to me!”

“No way!” YiHan coldly stated as he stood up and held the phone high above his head.

Pei was very much shorter than YiHan. She hopped and she jumped but she just couldn’t reach the phone. Her cheeks puffed up in fury.

“Bai YiHan!” she barked. “To think I thought of you as my very best buddy. How could you fool around so heartlessly? You’re cold-hearted and cruel. You’re heartless!”

Upon seeing YiHan remaining unaffected, Pei decided to try a softer approach. “YiHan-ge,” she tearily whimpered, “how could you bear to be so cruel to me?”

A chuckle burst out of YiHan as he once more handed his phone to her. “Pei-Pei, I’m not trying to be mean or petty but there needs to be some caution regarding certain issues. You can look at the photo here but I really can’t send it to you. This is to protect Nan Shan.”

Pei immediately began staring at the photo of her idol the moment she had her hands on the phone again. Swooning over the man in the picture was her first priority. Upon registering YiHan’s words, she hurriedly raised her right hand.

“I swear,” she said, “I will never ever let slip any information on Nan Shan or photos of him!”

“Of course, I believe you won’t do that but…” YiHan heaved another loud sigh.

“What is it?” Pei asked with a solemn face. “Is it that serious? Is Nan Shan in trouble? Just now, you said he’d fallen into the trap of a middle-aged man. What did you mean?”

YiHan gazed back with an equally solemn face. “Pei-Pei, I want you to promise me that, no matter what decision you make after hearing Nan Shan’s story, you will not tell anyone else what you’ve heard today. Starting from the moment you set a foot out of this room.”

“I promise,” replied Pei.

YiHan let out a sigh. “I’ve seen Nan Shan himself in person. I obtained this photo through a lot of begging and pleading. This is his first-ever selfie. Frankly, it’s not a great photo. He looks so much worse in it and it doesn’t show the full extent of the way he carries himself.”

“You know Nan Shan?” Pei gasped in shock. “You got this photo by asking. Are you two close? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“We haven’t actually known each other for long. It’s just because he doesn’t have any friends and I sincerely think of him as one. That’s why he’s so unguarded with me. He also doesn’t know that I know he is Nan Shan.”

“How could the great Nan Shan not have any friends?” Pei was even more surprised.

“Don’t rush,” said YiHan. “Hear me out. On the day of Zhang-ge’s bookshop reopening, it was still quite early when I left. Since Mu­­-,” he cleared his throat, “JingYuan wouldn’t be back yet, I asked the driver to take me around. We drove near the gate of a gated area. It looked so peaceful that I left the car and sat on the bench for a few minutes. I was still holding onto “The Blue Night” then. Coincidentally, that was where Nan Shan lives. He spotted me, book in hand, as he was returning from a grocery run. Perhaps he had nothing urgent on that day. He sat down beside me and we talked for a while. He said he’d read Nan Shan’s books before. I suggested we exchange contact information since we were both fans of the same author. He agreed. Later that day, I added him to the QQ fan group. Then…I think JingYuan likely saw that I was having such a good time chatting with him and felt a little uneasy. He privately investigated the man and found out he was Nan Shan.”

“Really? How fantastical,” Pei said. Her mouth was gaping wide open. “This is fate. Still, if Mr Mu is jealous, just say he’s jealous. No need to cover it up for him.”

YiHan drily cleared his throat and silently apologised to JingYuan, I’m sorry, Mu-Mu. I made you take the blame for it.

“Not only did his investigation revealed Nan Shan’s identity,” YiHan said, face slightly flushed, “it also revealed something that nearly made me go crazy with anger.”

“About Nan Shan?” Pei asked, brows furrowed. “A creepy middle-aged man?”

“That’s right,” said YiHan. “According to JingYuan’s findings, Nan Shan was raised in a single-parent household. He only knew his mother, who passed away when he was fifteen. Since then, he’d been living alone. He likes quiet places and he doesn’t like leaving his home. He didn’t have any friends and had a low EQ. His personality was very reactive and less pro-active. He rarely interacted with other people. As for his looks… Well, you’ve seen it.

“His needs are quite basic. He’s not interested in anything but writing novels. Hence, he turned into the target of a married bisexual man. That man lied and said he was single. He wooed Nan Shan and keeps brainwashing Nan Shan with the wrong idea of love. That man fooled Nan Shan into being his ‘mistress’. Nan Shan grew up rather lacking in the emotional department. He was easily taken in. He thought that was how all lovers acted, that they’d go on with their usual, separate lives. Lovers would only meet once in a while and they’d rarely stay the night at the other’s place. Until now, all Nan Shan knows of the man is his name and phone number. Even the name is fake. As for the phone number, heh, it’s most likely only ever given out to Nan Shan. Either way, Nan Shan rarely ever calls the man.

“When I bumped into Nan Shan, he was a very melancholic man. JingYuan said someone who was deeply in love shouldn’t be so melancholic. Nan Shan must’ve observed something was off with his lover too. But he was just like a man floating in the middle of the ocean, unwilling to let go of the only driftwood he could find. He had been suppressing his uneasiness all this time. JingYuan’s investigations also found the other man’s identity. Not only was he married, but he also had two kids. He was money and power but his wife was even more powerful with a higher social ranking. If she ever knows of Nan Shan, he would be on the receiving end of her rabid revenge. It wouldn’t matter if he was the victim in this situation. This ending is definitely something Nan Shan cannot accept. As for that man? Ha. He will give up Nan Shan without hesitation. He would make Nan Shan pay the price for the mistake he made.”

Translator’s Notes:

The Blue Night: The author likely made a typo as the Chinese text here states “The Blue Mountain” instead of the book’s previously stated title.

This will be the only chapter for today. Double-chapter updates will resume in another week or two.

◄Previous • Index• Next►

164. So It’s Him!

YiHan thought about the hints JingYuan had given him. Frown present on his brows, he asked, “It’s He Yuan?”

“That’s right. You’re so clever,” JingYuan praised.

“You’ve already led me straight to the answer,” YiHan huffed. “Can I not guess it? His wife is Yan Pei’s elder. The only relatives who can suppress Yan Pei would be someone within the immediate family. Combined with that age, it could only be her aunt, Yan Miao!”

“It’s actually him?” YiHan was so angry that he stomped his feet. “If not for these photos, I would never have believed it! He’d always been the model husband. He’s extraordinarily nice to Yan Pei’s aunt. He’s the kind that would never settle for the moon if his wife asked for the stars. They even have two kids now and the eldest is ten. So he’s gay! He even fooled Nan Shan into being his secret lover! No wonder the man is wrapped up in so many layers. If Yan Miao knew of this, she could chop his head off! How can be he so shameless? He might as well aim to be a god!

“It’s no wonder those two could protect themselves so well in the scandal! A whirlwind wrecked through the city but they were utterly unharmed! They still went on in being the ideal couple. Even when Yan Miao barged into Nan Shan’s home with a group of men, not a single hint of her identity could be found. The Yan family must’ve covered up everything! Yan Miao is the old Mr Yan’s youngest daughter, born during his older years. She’s the apple of the Yan family’s eye! No wonder Pei-Pei didn’t make a move. That is her aunt. How could she do anything? She must have been so pissed off when she heard Nan Shan committed suicide!”

“I just knew you’d be furious,” JingYuan said, gently patting the other man on the back. “Calm down a little, HanHan. This matter involves the Yan family. We must think up a proper plan on how to proceed. He Yuan should be bisexual. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sired a daughter and a son. He must prefer men a little more. His marriage to Yan Miao, and courting her until she’s fawning over him, was all for a very obvious purpose. He wanted to borrow the Yan family’s might. As we can see, he has succeeded. Not only did he successfully become the head of the He family, but he has also raised his family status to the point where the He family could be the most powerful family in the city, if the five great families didn’t exist.”

“Why must he still go on lying to Nan Shan?” YiHan angrily asked. “Isn’t he afraid of everything crashing down on him?”

“HanHan,” JingYuan said, a hand running through the other’s hair, “you must understand. When a person has power and status, they will want to chase after the emotional comforts in life. He Yuan and Yan Miao have different financial and social statuses. Between both of them, He Yuan has always been the weaker party. He had to curry her favour. If the marriage was not born out of love, then as time goes by, it’ll feel very oppressive. Additionally, he’s a bisexual whose preferences leaned more towards men. When he saw the ethereal Nan Shan, well, it’s easy to tell what happened.”

“Nan Shan also detests leaving his home,” YiHan spat through gritted teeth. “He’s not emotionally savvy and very gullible. There was no target better than he.”

JingYuan nodded and said, “I can tell. He’s very cautious when he went to Nan Shan. He even deliberately put on an extremely average outfit. Nan Shan shouldn’t know who he is. The name he gave to Nan Shan must also be fake.”

“But he is famous, one way or another,” YiHan said. “The finance magazines would often publish his photo. Would Nan Shan still not recognise the man?”

“HanHan, let’s put aside the question of whether a person like Nan Shan would look at those types of magazines first. Even if he does look through them, He Yuan is not a dead object. He has a silver tongue. If he could wrap Yan Miao, a proud little miss, around his little finger, how could he not do the same with a man who’s innocent to the ways of the world like Nan Shan? Anyway, a person will look different in photos. With just a simple change to his outfit and hairstyle, he’s now unrecognisable to you, someone who has seen him in person multiple times. How could Nan Shan recognise the man with just a few photos in a magazine? Even if he did notice the similarity, he’ll just think the two men share the same name and look alike.”

YiHan glanced down at the photo again. “Indeed. Now that he’s changed his hairstyle, he gives a very different impression compared to how he usually is. With just these photos, I really still can’t see He Yuan in them.”

“Someone who mingles with businessmen will almost always be wearing a facade,” said JingYuan. “Perhaps it’s only before Nan Shan that the man can truly be himself.”

“Perhaps it’s why Nan Shan didn’t realise the other man’s emotions were faked,” replied YiHan. “How else could a veteran writer of detective stories be unable to tell the other was hiding something, even after being together for so long? It must be due to He Yuan being true to his own personality when he’s with Nan Shan.”

“You also cannot ignore the power of love,” said JingYuan. “When a person is in love with another, he’d subconsciously deny the truth that he’s unwilling to accept. Even if there were holes in He Yuan’s story, Nan Shan would make excuses up for the man. An act upheld for years will absolutely have a lot of weaknesses. Nan Shan writes extraordinary detective novels. That means he has an observant and detailed mind. However, his emotions have clouded his eyes. Because of how much he craves to be loved, he’d always been repressing his insecurity. Still, deep in his heart, he must’ve noticed it. Perhaps it didn’t occur to him that his lover is married with a family, but he would realise their relationship was off. There must be a lot of matters his lover is secretive about. Why else would someone deeply in love be so obviously melancholic? Furthermore, when you spoke of your hypothesis, his first reaction wasn’t anger. It was silence. His last message seemed more like he was comforting himself than rebuking the notion. After all, why would someone lost in the ocean be willing to let go of the only piece of plank floating in his vicinity?”

“That’s no plank,” YiHan spat out in anger. That’s a snake. Sooner or later, he’ll drag Nan Shan down to the bottom of the ocean! You’re right. It’s no wonder Nan Shan asked me how lovers usually interact with each other. He must’ve noticed something was wrong.”

JingYuan patted YiHan on the back to help him calm down. “But from your conversation, Nan Shan shouldn’t be an illogical man,” JingYuan said with a smile. “He’s also very much against being a homewrecker. That’s why I said to give him some time. Once he thinks things through, when he can’t lie to himself anymore, he will make the correct choice.”

“Will he leave He Yuan? Won’t He Yuan take revenge on him?” asked YiHan.

“We’ll know of the results once he acts,” answered JingYuan.

YiHan solemnly looked back at him, waiting for a continuation.

Unable to help himself, JingYuan kissed YiHan on the lips before continuing, “You spoke of your suspicions the day before yesterday. Nan Shan has been silent since then. That means he’s still thinking about it. Now that He Yuan has appeared, maybe Nan Shan will try confirming a few details with the man. Perhaps He Yuan will get into a fight with Nan Shan because he felt guilty. If He Yuan leaves Nan Shan’s home in a bad mood, that shows us Nan Shan is suspicious of him now.”

“Won’t Nan Shan be hurt or be taken advantage of?” YiHan worriedly asked. “Will He Yuan do something to him?”

“Not yet,” said JingYuan. “Based on how often He Yuan visits Nan Shan, that man must be mesmerised. He wouldn’t let go so easily. If he can make Nan Shan stay, he won’t do anything. Also, he has us, right? My men will keep watch. If anything happens, they can react in time. There’ll be a team dedicated to keeping track of He Yuan’s movements. Nan Shan won’t be hurt.”

YiHan leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. Concentrating hard, he thought back to anything and everything that he knew in his past life about Nan Shan’s incident. Back then, all information he had came from the newspapers and news channels. The most prominent of those memories were two photos. One was the censored photo of the man’s bloody corpse. The other was of the trashed memorial ceremony Nan Shan’s diehard fans had organised.

The photo of Nan Shan was thrown on the ground, dirtied by black, dirty footprints and partially covered by a random assortment of items. The glass frame was cracked. White chrysanthemum flowers were scattered all over the floor, squashed and stomped on by countless feet. And then there were the faces of the fans. Some were crying. Some were terrified. Some were visibly brooding and fuming. Some were wracked with agony.

Wait!

YiHan’s eyes snapped open as he suddenly sat straight up.

JingYuan was frightened. He hurriedly stroked YiHan on the hair and asked, “What is it? Did you fall asleep?”

YiHan turned to JingYuan. His eyes looked straight into the other’s eyes as he said in a deep voice, “I just remembered something.”

“What is it?” asked JingYuan.

“In my dream,” YiHan said, a serious look on his face, “after Nan Shan’s suicide, his diehard fans once organised a small memorial service for him. I don’t know how but Yan Miao found out about it. She arranged for some men to charge in and trash everything up. This incident was on the news. In the photo the news report showed, there was a familiar face. I didn’t pay attention to it back then but now that I think of that photo, I suddenly remember who he is.”

“Who is it?”

“Yan Yan.”

JingYuan was surprised. “Him? How is he involved in this situation?”

“He was standing right in the middle of Nan Shan’s fans,” said YiHan. “His eyes were looking at the photo on the ground. He had a gloomy face on. From where he was standing, he should be a fan of Nan Shan’s books.”

“Then, can we take it as he’s also a fan of Nan Shan,” asked JingYuan, “but just like Yan Pei, he was unable to help Nan Shan due to Yan Miao’s involvement? After Nan Shan’s death, he felt guilty so he attended Nan Shan’s memorial service. He didn’t think his aunt would send some men over to ruin the ceremony. It made him feel so guilty and helpless. That’s why he had a gloomy face on.”

“I think so too,” YiHan said with a clap of his hands. “I’m thinking I should implicitly ask Pei-Pei if Yan Yan is a fan of Nan Shan’s books.”

“You want him to be an ally?” asked JingYuan.

“Everyone who attended that service was a diehard fan of Nan Shan,” YiHan replied. “The rest of the fans aren’t as fervent. They were either misled by the media or too cowardly to admit they were a fan of Nan Shan. Since Yan Yan publicly appeared in the memorial service, that meant he’s a diehard fan too. He is the Second Young Master of the Yan family. Without his approval, no media would dare to publish a clear photo of him. That photo might represent Yan Yan’s silent objection.”

JingYuan paused and thought about it. “You’re right. Since this issue involves Yan Miao, it has certainly become much more complicated. Nan Shan is a public figure. If we want to protect him, we’d best discreetly get rid of He Yuan and stop him from ever bothering Nan Shan again. We must also keep the entire incident a secret and avoid affecting Nan Shan’s reputation in any way. After all, we know Nan Shan had no choice but other people do not. They might not understand his situation. We can’t explain to everyone how hard the man’s life was. The best way to do so is to avoid letting this matter reach the public’s eyes. If a Yan family member can help protect Nan Shan, that’d be great.”

Translator’s Note: Due to a family emergency, this chapter will be all for today. Apologies for the late notice. Remember, falls in the toilets are terrible. Always keep an eye out for those prone to dizziness.

Additional T/N: Due to an exhausting 1.5 weeks of being the only and primary caregiver of my mom, there won’t be any updates this coming week. Updates will resume the week after.

◄Previous • Index• Next►

163. That Man

JingYuan glanced down at YiHan’s phone once more. “Well, you’ve said it already. Let it be,” JingYuan said, holding back a laugh as he did. “It’s not a bad idea to cut things off as soon as possible. Tell him means we can’t leave him any further delusions. It’s better to just rip off the band-aid. However, you two aren’t close enough yet. You can’t give him the emotional support he’ll need.”

YiHan’s eyes lit up. “If he can get into a true relationship right after, that’d be amazing. That is proper emotional support.”

“Of course, that’d be the best-case scenario,” JingYuan said with a shrug. “Unfortunately, that depends on luck. We can’t forcefully push him into a match.”

The lightbulb in YiHan’s eyes dimmed. “What do we do then?” he mumbled.

“Don’t worry,” said JingYuan. “What you just said must’ve felt like a tornado hitting him. Give him some time to think about it.”

Just then, YiHan’s phone chimed. It was a QQ notification sound. YiHan hurriedly clicked into it. As expected, it was Nan Shan.

[YouRan: Why do you say that?]

YiHan’s eyes pleaded JingYuan for help. “What do I do? What do I say?”

“Just go with what you think,” JingYuan said. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “Once you’ve spoken, do not leave a single shred of doubt.”

YiHan bit down at his lip. His fingers began clacking away as he composed his message.

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: If there’s nothing special going on in his life and he’ll usually be in his home, attending to his own business, and only ever visit every few days, plus if he rarely ever stays overnight, that means he should have his own family.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan:

think about it. If he’s married, he’ll have a wife and perhaps even kids. Of course, he’ll have to head home every day to be with his wife and kids. He can only visit his mistress when he’s free. He can’t even stay the night because frequently spending nights out of his home will arouse his wife’s suspicions.]

[YouRan: I’m not a mistress!]

That message was instantly deleted two seconds after it was sent.

YiHan: …

JingYuan saw the message too. “Looks like it’s even more unthinkable for him to want to be a mistress than we thought.”

After a while, Nan Shan sent another message.

[YouRan: You saw that?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: I trust you’re not.]

[YouRan: What?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: While we’ve only met once and we haven’t really talked much, I believe that you will never be a homewrecker.]

[YouRan: Thank you.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: He lied to you, didn’t he? He told you he was single? What do you know of his family or personal history?]

It was a very long time before YiHan received a reply.

[YouRan: I don’t know. I only know his name and phone number. He said his family’s not important. He wasn’t willing to talk about it so I didn’t ask any more questions. But I believe he didn’t lie to me.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: There aren’t a lot of things that is hard to talk about. If he loves you, his family is something you must both face one day. You’ll know sooner or later. Why can’t you ask? Has he ever mentioned marriage to you? How long have you two been together?]

The pause this time was longer than the last.

[YouRan: Nearly five years.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: It’s been nearly five years and you’ve never talked about marriage?]

YiHan waited and waited. His phone remained silent.

Staring down at the phone screen, which had gone dark long ago, YiHan frowned and said, “He’s not replying. Is he angry?”

“Don’t panic. Give him some time to consider it. If that person has been lying to him the whole time and he had been fooled, a single poke by you would certainly lead him to think of more holes in that man’s behaviour. His pause means he’s starting to feel uneasy. He only has a low EQ and rarely interacts with the outside world. He’s not dumb.”

“They say when lovers quarrel, you should always tell them to make up and not tell them to split,” YiHan sighed, throwing himself on the couch. “Yeh, I’ve only ever been doing all I can to get them to split up.”

“Because they’re not lovers,” said JingYuan, “and they’ll never be lovers.”

“Yes,” said YiHan. “Nan Shan is so unlucky to have met such a scumbag. His mother had it worse too. She also met a scumbag. Wait, no. At least when she was with Chu FangMing, the man was still single. She was only cheated on. Nan Shan, on the other hand, was cheated on by that scumbag and forced to be a ‘mistress’. Ugh. I don’t know which of the two is considered unluckier, but they’ve had all the bad luck in the world.”

“There are plenty of such situations happening all over the world,” said JingYuan. “We just don’t know of them.”

“True,” said YiHan. “There are too many men in the world who wish to enjoy being surrounded by multiple lovers. It’s not just the men either. There are women who are like that.”

“I think that Nan Shan and his mother aren’t particularly unlucky. There are plenty of people in the world who’d encountered similar scumbags. However, they have families and friends by their sides. They have plenty of people who love them. Perhaps they lack romance but they aren’t lacking in love. Thus, most people can easily differentiate between what’s true and what’s fake. Even if they were careless, they’ll merely experience an unpleasant relationship. But Nan Shan and his mother are different. Nan Shan’s mother lost both of her parents at a young age. Because of her inheritance, she was exposed to the ugly truths behind her relatives’ smiles. She had been all by herself for years. She was only a young girl. It’s already a hard task for her to persevere that long. She craved love and a family more than the average person. She might even yearn more for them than Jiang Hua. He was abandoned as a baby. He had never once felt the warmth of a family. She’s different.

“She had once enjoyed the comfort of a family before losing it all. It’s like throwing someone who’d grown used to living in the south straight into the northern pole. She would recklessly flutter straight to a fire that could warm her up. This fire was Chu FangMing who was attracted by her beauty. Unfortunately, Chu FangMing wasn’t a good man. For his family inheritance, his marriage must be useful to his future. Xu JinXuan was clearly unable to do that. Hence, their relationship was destined to be doomed. When Chu FangMing broke up with her and swiftly got married, if she could be slightly more open-minded, her looks and good qualities would definitely allow her to find someone who loved her even more. She might possess the happiness she longed for then. But the second major loss in her life had shattered her world. She no longer believed in love yet she desperately needed a family. That was why she insisted on giving birth to Nan Shan. She ignored the possible consequences and her own health. She let herself die an early death. Because of how he grew up, Nan Shan repeated his mother’s tragic story. It gave that man a chance to take advantage of.

“They were unlucky. They couldn’t meet the right person at the right time. When they were stuck deep in the mud, no one gave them a hand and pulled them out. They sank deeper and deeper into the mud until Xu JinXuan died at a young age while Nan Shan committed suicide by jumping off a building.”

YiHan let out a deep sigh. “Yes. These two just had to exceptionally gorgeous. They were more likely to attract trash. If only they could appear a little more average, they might even achieve a peaceful life. What a pity. When a beautiful person who craves love meets trash, that’s a terrifying tragedy. However, there’s simply more trash than ever these days!”

“Alright, don’t be upset,” JingYuan said, walking over to sit down by YiHan’s side. “There are plenty of people like that. We can’t take care of all of them.”

“Indeed, I can’t get rid of most of the trash in the world,” YiHan furiously said, “but this one has barged right into my palms. I will never forgive him! Furthermore, the one he’s lying to is my idol! How utterly disgusting for him to cheat on a poor young man like Nan Shan!”

“Don’t worry,” JingYuan softly said, stroking YiHan’s hair back. “As the spouse of a fan, I will help your idol out. Having someone like you working hard to save him must be the luckiest thing to have ever happened to him in his entire cursed life.”

“No,” YiHan said, body leaning over to sprawl over JingYuan’s. “I’m not saving him. It’s his talent that saved him. Without his talent, he couldn’t have written such amazing books. I wouldn’t have known his existence then.”

JingYuan’s hands continued running through YiHan’s hair and replied, “Mn. Whatever you say is right.”

***

As per JingYuan’s expectations, that man was very enthralled with Nan Shan. By the third day, the men keeping thorough surveillance of Nan Shan’s home had found signs of the man. They immediately snapped a few photos of him and passed them onto their bosses.

There were many photographs of the man. There were some of his side profile, some of his back and even a picture of him turning back and looking straight at the camera. There were photos of him from all angles. That man had a cap and a mask on. His clothes were so average that one would never be able to pick him out from a crowd. If his destination wasn’t obviously Nan Shan’s home, it would be hard for anyone to have paid attention to him.

YiHan looked through the photos over and over again for a long time before angrily throwing them away. “What is this? Does he think he’s acting in one of the Infernal Affairs movies? He’s covered so much of himself up that I can’t even see his face. Looks like we’ll have to hire some professionals to find him.”

“There’s no need,” JingYuan darkly said after a long moment of silence. “I know him.”

“You do?” YiHan was surprised. “Who is it? Why don’t I know him?”

“If he changes his outfit and takes off his cap and mask, you’d recognise him too,” said JingYuan. “But you’re not familiar with him.”

“Oh, stop stalling and just tell me,” YiHan anxiously said. “Just who is it? You’re driving me to panic.”

JingYuan held up the only photo they had of the man’s face from the front. In the image, the man was wrapped up in layers of clothing. Only his eyes could be seen out of his entire face. Still, it was enough to give them some information. The man wasn’t particularly young nor was he old. He looked like he was in his mid or late thirties. He took great care of his skin. His figure was rather tall and muscular. While he had a mask on, it was clear that he had a sharp jawline. The tiny patch of skin around his eyes was as fair as can be.

“Speak,” YiHan urged. “Just who is this man? Are you close to him?”

JingYuan held YiHan by the hand and slowly said, “We’re not close but I’ve seen him plenty of times. You know how good my memory is. There aren’t many in our social circle whom I can’t recognise. No matter how tightly wrapped up he is, just a pair of eyes is enough if it’s someone I know.”

“Well, who is he then?” YiHan asked. “Is it really bad for you to name him?”

“Not that,” JingYuan solemnly said. “I had just never thought it could be him. He is actually connected to Yan Pei. No wonder Yan Pei didn’t save Nan Shan in your dream.”

YiHan’s heart froze. “This man is that powerful? He even outranks Pei-Pei by that much?”

“It’s not because he’s powerful or strong,” JingYuan said. “It’s his wife. She is one of Yan Pei’s older family members. You were right. This man’s wife is more powerful than he is. Everything makes sense now.”

Translator’s Note:

Get into a true relationship right after: This is called a rebound. In reality, approach all rebound relationships with caution. They rarely go right as the person who had a break-up is still carrying unresolved emotional baggage with them. It is not anyone’s responsibility to fix another person. Relationships are not there to make anyone a better person or to heal them up.

If only they could appear a little more average: Victim-blaming here, but it’s super common to hear musings like this, e.g. “If only she didn’t wear those clothes” or “if only he didn’t walk home that late”.

Infernal Affairs:  A series of crime-action films.

◄Previous • Index• Next►

162. Particularly Clingy

JingYuan pulled YiHan’s hand into his palm. With a doting hum in response to YiHan’s exclamation, JingYuan pulled YiHan out of the elevator. The two then entered JingYuan’s office.

Before YiHan’s special couch was a table filled with snacks, digital devices to entertain himself with like a tablet and a laptop, and books. JingYuan only sat down at his desk when YiHan awkwardly settled himself into his spot.

Chen Hong, who’d followed them in, immediately began reporting on the work of the day. “One more thing,” he said at the end of his list, “about your order, nothing unusual happened last night. That man didn’t appear at all.”

“Hm,” said JingYuan, “this isn’t something we can’t rush through. We can only wait. You may leave.”

After a swift response of confirmation, Chen Hong turned and left.

YiHan leisurely stretched out across the couch on his side. Flipping through a book from the pile before him, YiHan said, “Say, when do you think that scumbag will appear?”

“No need to worry,” JingYuan replied. “As long as he doesn’t realise anything unusual happening, he’ll soon appear. From the results of our previous investigations, he’ll visit Nan Shan at least twice a week. While he rarely ever stayed over, he visits the other quite frequently.”

YiHan placed the book back on the table. “From the looks of it,” YiHan pondered with a tilt of his head, “he’s quite enthralled by Nan Shan.”

JingYuan let out a little chuckle. “That’s why this person should be homosexual. Even if he’s bisexual, he much prefers men. He should also have quite a lot of power. That’s why he could keep him and his wife so well-protected. As for Nan Shan…” He paused. “In times of need, naturally, he can only be sacrificed.”

“Perhaps it’s his wife who has a higher social rank?” YiHan said, a cold smirk on his lips. “In terms of who’s more useful, Nan Shan could never compare to her. To men like him, there’s always a limit to how much they love another person. They only love themselves, just like Chu FangMing.”

“You’re right,” JingYuan replied. “If Nan Shan is truly, deeply, irrevocably in love with him, things will be troublesome. Once Nan Shan knows the truth, he’ll be severely hurt.”

YiHan angrily dug out his phone and said, “Men like that are too despicable. Not only did they use lies to lure another into marriage, they even hurt other people and cheat others out of therr love. This scumbag really is the embarrassment of all men.”

“There are actually quite a lot of these men,” said JingYuan. “Perhaps they couldn’t bear being looked at weirdly, perhaps for other reasons, many homosexuals would choose to get married to a woman instead.”

“Yes, I know,” said YiHan. “Some do it for their families, for their relatives. Some do it for reasons out of their control. They have no choice but to marry a woman. However, no matter what the reason is, once you’re married, you have a responsibility to the other person! Look at this man! He’s married but he still lies to Nan Shan to lure him into a relationship. Not only is he two-timing and cheating both the wife and Nan Shan of their affections, he even abandons Nan Shan when an issue pops up. He would even let his wife humiliate and push Nan Shan around while he hides behind her as if this whole matter had nothing to do with him. There’s no man viler than he.”

“You are absolutely right,” JingYuan said in a pacifying tone. “That’s why we must now drag him out so he can’t hide any longer. We’ll save Nan Shan from his suffering. Even if he ends up alone forever, it’d be much better than sacrificing himself for trash.”

“You’re right, Mu-Mu,” said YiHan. “As his fan, I must do my best to protect my idol! As the family member of a fan, it’s natural that you cannot stand by! If need be, I can contact Pei-Pei. She’s also a fan of Nan Shan. Wait. Say, why do you think Pei-Pei didn’t do anything for Nan Shan in the dream? She’s a fan. I was powerless then but she’s the young miss of the Yan family! If she steps in, Nan Shan would never have died in such a horrible manner! Did she not know because she wasn’t in the city then? Oh, poor Nan Shan.”

JingYuan thought about the question posed before saying, “We know nothing on that point but you’d best avoid telling Yan Pei anything about this for now.”

YiHan looked down in thought. Suddenly, he mumbled, “You suspect Yan Pei is connected to that trash somehow?”

“I’m not sure,” said JingYuan. “Don’t think too much about it. We’re not telling her because we want to be on our guards against what-ifs. We can settle this matter by ourselves. We don’t need to pull other people in, right?”

“Yes, you’re not wrong,” YiHan replied, nodding. “But Pei-Pei must not have known. She has a heroic and just heart in her. If she knew, she’d definitely make a move to save Nan Shan.” Having said so, he tapped into his chat with Nan Shan on QQ and his fingers flew across the screen as he typed.

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: What are you doing? I’m bored. Chat with me.”]

Soon, the other replied.

[YouRan: Nothing much. Chat about what?]

“Nan Shan is so interesting,” YiHan burst out into a muffled chuckled. “He doesn’t know how to chat at all. He only knows how to kill a conversation.”

“Do not praise other men before me!” JingYuan boomed with a dark look on his face.

“I’m not praising him,” YiHan said, surprised.

“You said he was interesting,” JingYuan replied.

“Can you be any more irrational?” YiHan sighed in exasperation. “That’s praise? Anyway, there are plenty of interesting men in this world but I am only interested in you.”

JingYuan gave a loud “humph” and went silent, flipping swiftly through the document before him.

Using his ultra-strong eyesight, YiHan saw the other man’s ears turning red. Deep in his heart, YiHan guffawed. Hah! He could get jealous over nothing and anything yet his skin was thin. JingYuan was way too naive to be beating him in this! Aah, why did JingYuan look so cute when he’s both proud and shy?

Hiding a smile behind pursed lips, YiHan looked back down on his phone.

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: Say, why do you think Nan Shan hasn’t published a new novel yet? He’s not posting any works online either. I want to catch up on his new writing but there’s nothing for me to read. I can only wait in agony. I’ve re-read “The Blue Mountain” multiple times now.]

[YouRan: Writing a new book isn’t a fast process. Perhaps he’s busy with something else. He can’t use every moment of his day to write then.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: True. Perhaps he’s married or he’s in love, and he needs to give more time to his lover?]

[YouRan: That’s…possible. I don’t know either.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: Hm, I can understand if that’s the case. Just like me and my future husband, we’re almost always by each other’s side. If he’s at work, I have to go with him too. He’s particularly clingy.]

[YouRan: Your…future husband? Aren’t you a man?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: Yup. Can’t men have husbands? We’re going to be married soon. Do you hate gay people?]

[YouRan: No, no. That’s not what I meant. Congratulations.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: Thanks. I was so afraid you couldn’t accept it. We get along so well. I truly cherish you as a friend. I was afraid of scaring you off.]

[YouRan: How could you? I’m the same.]

[YouRan: I meant, I too cherish you as a friend. I have very few friends.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: That’s great! Money is easy to come by but true friends are not! (shake hands)]

[YouRan: (shake hands)]

[YouRan: Can I ask you something?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: Shoot.]

[YouRan: You and your lover… How do you usually interact with each other? Are you always together? Doesn’t he go home or go off to do something else?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: We live together. We’re lovers, of course, we have to be together. He said that wherever I am, that is his home. His family aren’t around anymore. I’ve moved out of my home to live with him. When I head back to my home, he’ll stay with my family too. Anyway, he doesn’t want to spend a single day apart from me. I also can’t bear to let him stay in a lonely home. As for other matters…he has to work too. But he’ll bring me with him. When he can’t bring me with him, we have our phones. A call, a short message; we’d do anything and everything to feel like we’re still together.]

[YouRan: I see. Is that…what it’s like to be dating another person?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: How do I put this? It depends on the situation. Many couples don’t spend the whole day together. My man is just too clingy. However, the usual couples would meet every day too. Perhaps they’d split off to work during the day but they’ll be together in the evenings, unless it’s a long-distance relationship or due to unforeseen, special circumstances. Still, such relationships usually don’t last long so most people try to stay together as much as possible.]

[YouRan: Wouldn’t he… Could he usually be found in his own home or off attending to other matters, only visiting you once every few days?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: How can it be? Either way, we definitely couldn’t do that. If not for situations beyond our control, he would never be apart from me for a single day. Frankly, even if he was okay with it, I wouldn’t be.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: By the way, just a little secret advice. If you have friends whose lovers do what you say, you’d best warn them to be careful. Who knows? That person might be married already.]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: YouRan? You there?]

[Mu-Mu’s HanHan: Did something come up?]

YiHan’s head snapped up as he cried out, “Mu-Mu, I might’ve caused a disaster.”

“What is it?” JingYuan gently asked, raising his head from his work.

“I was chatting with Nan Shan just now,” YiHan sighed. “We somehow started talking about how people are like when they’re in love or dating. I was too anxious and might’ve said something wrong. He won’t reply.”

“What did you say?” JingYuan asked.

YiHan pushed aside the snacks around him to stand up and show JingYuan his chatlog.

After a few moments of reading, JingYuan didn’t know whether to cry or to laugh. “Just what kind of man have you made me out to be? Do you think I’m especially clingy?”

“It was only so I can make him see what true love looks right,” YiHan hurriedly replied. “I didn’t want him to internalise that scumbag’s words and think their type of love is the norm.”

JingYuan looked back down at the phone and said, “From what he’d written, it certainly seems like it. He doesn’t have much experience in love. Naturally, whatever that man says will be correct to him. He actually doesn’t know what love should look like. That man misguided him on how love should be and fooled Nan Shan into being his lover.”

“This man is just disgusting!” YiHan angrily said. “But what’s important now is Nan Shan is ignoring me. What do I do?”

“You did move on too quickly,” JingYuan sighed. “What we’ve planned is still just based on a hypothesis of ours. It’s still too early for us to voice our opinion.”

“But it’s no guess that the man is married,” YiHan said. “Also, from Nan Shan’s words, our hypothesis is at least 80 or 90 per cent correct!”

“It certainly seems so,” JingYuan said with a nod. “Don’t panic. Give him some time. Slowly guide him to realising it himself. Don’t be too direct.”

YiHan’s face fell. “But I’ve already said it right to his face.”

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