I Only Want You chapter 6

Due to Tiantian’s mischievous pranks, Yan Lan had been on edge for two days, wondering whether he should end his part-time job early. In the future, he might not even catch a glimpse of Xie Yun Zhi.

Initially, after passing the interview, Xie Yun Zhi’s relatively satisfied impression of him was based on the belief that he could handle Tiantian. However, after the events of that day, Yan Lan doubted that Xie Yun Zhi still felt the same way.

Anxious days passed, and it was Wednesday. In the morning, Yan Lan started packing his things. Yang Xiaole, holding a bowl of cereal, watched him absentmindedly as he packed and unpacked a canvas bag, an art book, and a water bottle, appearing distracted. Unable to hold back, he said, “Did you receive a text saying you were fired? Xie Yun Zhi shouldn’t fire you just because of a prank by the kid. It’s not easy to find a sign language proficient art teacher, and you’ve been working with that kid for so long.”

Yan Lan shook his head and typed on his phone: Xie Yun Zhi has strict expectations for his nephew’s education. If I hadn’t told Tiantian that he dislikes bugs, Tiantian wouldn’t have thought of teasing him with bugs. Xie Yun Zhi was very angry that day. Even if Tiantian doesn’t tell him it was me, he should reconsider whether I can still do the job.

Yang Xiaole looked complicated, “so what happens if you really get fired?”

Yan Lan continued typing: I don’t know. If I get fired, I’ll just have to look for another part-time job.

Yang Xiaole sighed heavily, “Kids are indeed troublesome. That’s why I don’t want to take on part-time jobs teaching kids. But then again, why does Xie Yun Zhi’s nephew dislike him so much?”

Yan Lan also wanted to know the answer to that question. Tiantian’s aversion to Xie Yun Zhi didn’t seem like a child’s tantrum; he genuinely disliked him.

At one thirty in the afternoon, Yan Lan left the south gate of the art school, took the usual bus and shared bicycle route, and arrived at Xie’s house just in time at two thirty.

He stood at the door for three minutes, ringing the doorbell only when the time reached two thirty.

The aunt opened the door and welcomed him in, informing him that Tiantian was waiting for him in the art studio. Yan Lan went upstairs, opened the door to the art studio, and saw Tiantian sitting on the carpet, engrossed in something.

Sensing someone entering, Tiantian lifted his face, then handed something to Yan Lan.

Perplexed, Yan Lan walked over, took it, and upon closer inspection, realized it was a well-folded paper crane.

Yan Lan held the origami crane in one hand and pointed to himself. Tiantian nodded.

Does this mean it’s for me?

For you.

Yan Lan looked at Tiantian quietly, placed the paper crane in his canvas bag, and gestured in sign language: Can you tell me why you bully your uncle?

Tiantian lowered his head, using his fingers to pick at the carpet, pretending not to see.

Yan Lan held his little hand, prompting him to look up. With a serious expression, he signed: You shouldn’t bully him; he will be hurt.

Furrowing his brows, Tiantian forcefully withdrew his hand, signing rapidly: I want him to be hurt! He bullied my dad, so I’ll bully him!

Yan Lan was surprised. Tiantian’s father was Xie Yun Zhi’s brother, Xie Hanzhi, who had died with his wife in a car accident two years ago. At that time, there were widespread reports and news coverage. Xie Yun Zhi rushed back from abroad the next day, and reporters captured images of him at the airport with red eyes and a haggard appearance. Shortly after, he took over Venus Jewelry and had been managing it ever since.

Although Yan Lan didn’t know much about the Xie family, he knew that Xie Yun Zhi respected his brother. In college, he was forced to major in management, and the only form of resistance he could muster was working part-time on film sets. How could he possibly bully Xie Hanzhi?

Frowning, Yan Lan looked at Tiantian: Do you have any evidence?

Tiantian gestured to his eyes, angrily stood up from the floor, and was about to walk out of the art studio, bypassing Yan Lan.

Yan Lan followed, using his foot to block the bedroom door before Tiantian could open it.

A child like Tiantian couldn’t match his strength. Seeing that he couldn’t open the door, he turned to crawl under the bed. Yan Lan swiftly caught him as he entered.

Furious, Tiantian scratched and clawed at Yan Lan’s arms, leaving red marks. Although it hurt, he refused to let go, letting Tiantian struggle in his arms like an angry little beast.

Both of them couldn’t make any sound, and with one ear unable to hear, even the silent struggles seemed melancholic.

Eventually, Tiantian stopped struggling because he ran out of energy. His little chest heaved violently, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Yan Lan let him go, supporting his small shoulders to turn him to face him. His sign language seemed urgent: Your uncle is not a bad person. You must have misunderstood him. Sometimes, even if your eyes see something, it might not be true.

Furiously, Tiantian stared at him, and his beautiful blue eyes seemed to spark with fire.

Yan Lan, not one to interfere in others’ business, couldn’t let this continue. Even if he lost his part-time job, he couldn’t watch the relationship between uncle and nephew deteriorate any further.

Suddenly, Tiantian straightened up and pushed Yan Lan with both hands: The teacher doesn’t know anything! My uncle bullied my dad! I saw him bullying my dad!

Anger flashed in Yan Lan’s expression: Since you’re so sure, let’s go ask your uncle now and see if he really did what you said.

Tiantian sat on the floor, looking straight at Yan Lan, and suddenly his eyes turned red. Tears welled up in his blue eyes, like gems washed with water, fragile and heartbreaking. Even his sign language seemed helpless and aggrieved: I miss my mom and dad. I want to go home.

Feeling uneasy seeing him cry, Yan Lan’s eyes showed sympathy and reluctance: This is your home.

Tiantian shook his head: No, he won’t let me go back.

Yan Lan guessed that Xie Yun Zhi probably didn’t want Tiantian to be reminded of the past, constantly yearning for people who would never come back.

Yan Lan: He’s doing this for your own good. If you go back, you’ll keep crying.

Tiantian’s nose was red, tears still streaming down, repeatedly signing: I miss my mom and dad.

Yan Lan tentatively reached out his arms. Since Tiantian didn’t avoid him, he held him in his arms, embracing the crying child.

Tiantian was too young; he was only nine years old. When he lost his parents at the age of seven, he was already old enough to remember.

A child’s yearning for parents must be the most profound, as it’s instinctive. This was especially true for a child who had been deeply loved by his parents. Nothing could be more cruel than the fact that his parents would never come back. Death was outside of time, but for those still living within it, accepting the harsh reality took time.

Perhaps Tiantian had understood long ago that he would never see his parents again. So he stubbornly clung to memories of the argument between Xie Yun Zhi and Xie Hanzhi, witnessed at an unknown time.

He despised Xie Yun Zhi, using childish pranks to bully him. He sought revenge for the times Xie Yun Zhi bullied his father, for the spankings he received, for not allowing him to go home. Yet, at the root of it all, perhaps he couldn’t accept the fact that his parents were gone. Even more so, he refused to accept that Xie Yun Zhi was now his only family.

As Yan Lan held Tiantian in his arms, he cried himself to sleep. Tear marks adorned his fair little face, and his eyes were red from crying, appearing incredibly pitiful.

Yan Lan sat cross-legged on the bedroom carpet, quietly embracing him. He endured the discomfort in his hands, resisting the urge to change positions, afraid of waking the sleeping child.

Until the break time between classes, when the aunt brought them fruit but didn’t find them in the art studio. She went to the bedroom and discovered Yan Lan hugging Tiantian, surprised, with a hand covering her mouth.

Yan Lan heard the movement and turned his head slowly to look at her. Seeing the aunt approaching, he first glanced at the sleeping Tiantian, then spoke in a hushed voice, forgetting that even if he shouted loudly, Tiantian wouldn’t hear.

“What happened to Tiantian?”

Yan Lan shook his head slowly.

The aunt looked at Tiantian’s clearly tear-stained face with pity and whispered, “Should I take him to bed?”

Yan Lan gestured for her to look at Tiantian’s hand clutching his collar tightly, and shook his head again.

The aunt sighed, “It seems Tiantian really likes you. He never lets me hold him normally.”

Yan Lan looked at Tiantian’s peacefully sleeping face, feeling both heartache for him and sympathy for Xie Yun Zhi.

Tiantian was just a child; he could cry and act willful, play pranks to vent his dissatisfaction. But Xie Yun Zhi couldn’t. His brother’s death was a wound that might never heal, and how could he express his longing for his brother?

When Xie Hanzhi had the accident, Xie Yun Zhi was still abroad, working hard for his directorial dreams and thinking about making movies in the future. He had plans to take his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew to movie premieres. But before finishing his studies, he was separated from his brother by life and death. His unfulfilled dreams could never come true.

The once bright and flamboyant idealist seemed to be buried along with his brother’s death. Yan Lan wanted to see him one more time, but he couldn’t even find Xie Yun Zhi himself.

In the underground parking lot of Venus headquarters, an elevator descended from the top, revealing three men in suits.

Leading them was Xie Yun Zhi, who walked towards the Bentley without waiting for the assistant to open the door.

After the three men got in the car, the black Bentley slowly left the underground parking lot, heading to the location of the new GG shoot for Venus Jewelry, more than ten kilometers away. Xie Yun Zhi needed to review all the shooting details personally and then have dinner with Yao Jinni at 7:00 in the evening.

This wasn’t originally part of the planned itinerary; it was added after he received a private call from Yao Jinni last night.

Yao Jinni, who should have been shooting the movie on set, got a rare break because the director went abroad for an award ceremony. She hoped to have dinner with Xie Yun Zhi.

Xie Yun Zhi had no reason to refuse her, so after hanging up the phone, he had his secretary rearrange the schedule. After completing all the work, he went directly from the GG shooting location to the French restaurant Yao Jinni had booked.

It was a Michelin three-star French restaurant, Yao Jinni’s favorite, with a romantic and luxurious Parisian style. Xie Yun Zhi wasn’t surprised that she chose this restaurant; even though he didn’t like French cuisine, it probably didn’t matter to Yao Jinni.

From the moment the Bentley stopped at the restaurant’s parking lot, the hidden cameras in the distance were focused on capturing every detail of his arrival.

Xie Yun Zhi ascended the steps to the entrance, and before entering, he turned to glance at the cameras. His stern gaze almost made the paparazzi lose their grip on their cameras.

Inside, Yao Jinni, who was already drinking red wine, greeted him with a bright smile. She raised her jade-like fingers toward him, waiting for him to come over and kiss the back of her hand.

Privately, Yao Jinni never hid her admiration for Xie Yun Zhi. Especially in these private moments, with only the two of them, her impeccably beautiful eyes were now soft and gazing at him, and her lips slightly parted as if inviting him to come and kiss her.

Seeing him arrive, she stood up elegantly, swaying towards him. Her waist, barely a grasp, tempted those watching.

“Yun Zhi, how have you been lately?”

Xie Yun Zhi let go of her wrist, sitting at the other end of the long table. “Same as usual.”

Yao Jinni, with a face full of delicate makeup, gazed at him affectionately. “I miss you a lot. Even during the shoot, I always wondered if you would come to visit.”

Xie Yun Zhi smiled and didn’t respond.

Yao Jinni looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. “You’re always like this, making me feel that I’m close to you but also very far away.”

“Jinni, you’ve known for a long time. Between us, interests outweigh emotions.”

Yao Jinni looked at him unwillingly, “Do you really have no feelings at all for me?”

Xie Yun Zhi’s eyes were calm. “What qualifies as having feelings?”

“Like…” Yao Jinni gracefully stood up, walked across the dining table, her waist swaying in a way that made people itch.

“…if you kiss me now, that would count as having feelings.”

Xie Yun Zhi’s gaze fell on those red lips, but he showed no reaction.

He didn’t dislike Yao Jinni. On the contrary, he appreciated her, or else he wouldn’t have chosen to cooperate with her. But this appreciation had nothing to do with love, and there was no desire. In his eyes, their relationship probably only qualified as friendship; it couldn’t develop into love.

In his heart, the most important things were Tiantian, followed by Venus Jewelry, with nothing else coming in third.

He understood Yao Jinni’s feelings for him, but both of them are adults. Some things were not left unsaid because they were not understood but rather because they were not suitable to be spoken.

Xie YunZhi’s silence at this moment was the answer.

Yao Jinni’s beautiful eyes showed a hint of mist, which quickly dissipated.

Casually, she stood up, clapped her hands to signal the violinist waiting outside to come in. She raised the red wine glass, restoring the familiar cold elegance. Without looking at Xie Yun Zhi or the violinist, she said softly, “You may begin.”

This woman was always proud. Even if she experienced heartbreak, she would remain as proud as a swan. If rejected, she would elegantly swim away without even flapping her wings.

Xie Yun Zhi’s secretary and assistant did not enter the restaurant; they waited outside. Surprisingly, dinner ended more quickly than they had anticipated.

The first person to come out was Yao, wearing a large hat and sunglasses covering half of her face. She quickly got into a black Porsche without looking back and left.

Xie Yun Zhi came out shortly afterward, but his expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing about his mood.

Seeing him, his secretary hesitated for only a second before saying, “Mr. Xie, Teacher Yan sent a message, hoping to arrange a time to talk with you. It’s about Tiantian.”