I Only Want You chapter 15
Yang Xiaole saw Yan Lan from a distance, along with the car parked next to him. However, he didn’t think much about it; he was currently excited due to the unexpected turn of events during the National Day holiday. As soon as he saw Yan Lan, he felt as if wings would sprout from his back in excitement. It was a habitual move for him to pounce on Yan Lan.
“Momo, a friend I know at the engineering school has a ticket, but suddenly she can’t make it. She’s willing to transfer the ticket to me for the original price! I can go to the concert!”
Yang Xiaole, snug in Yan Lan’s embrace, looked up at him, sharing his joy. They were accustomed to hugging each other, a common sight at the art academy. Everyone knew about their close relationship, and Yang Xiaole never avoided physical contact with Yan Lan in public.
However, someone was clearly displeased with this. Almost scowling, this person pushed the car door open.
Seeing the person getting out of the car, Yang Xiaole’s expression noticeably froze.
Yan Lan hesitated for a second before recalling that Xie Yun Zhi hadn’t formally met Yang Xiaole before. The one he had met was “Nana.”
Xie Yun Zhi’s gaze fell on the arm that Yang Xiaole had wrapped around Yan Lan’s waist. He asked with a somewhat forced smile, “Teacher Yan, who is this?”
“I’m his roommate.” Yang Xiaole said while sticking close to Yan Lan, looking puzzled. “May I ask who you are?”
This question caught Xie Yun Zhi off guard. What was he to Yan Lan? A parent of a student? An ambiguous partner? Someone pursuing a romantic relationship?
After a few seconds of hesitation, he replied, “I am a friend of Teacher Yan.”
Yang Xiaole squinted his eyes upon hearing this. “So, just a friend….”
Although his reaction and words didn’t seem problematic, they made Xie Yun Zhi feel very uncomfortable.
Yang Xiaole’s eyes flashed with a hint of satisfaction. He deliberately snuggled closer to Yan Lan, speaking in a soft, coquettish tone, “Momo, accompany me to the engineering school to get the ticket, okay?”
Yan Lan lowered his eyebrows, his facial expression unreadable. However, to Xie Yun Zhi, it seemed like a sign of wavering, a difficult-to-refuse state.
He glanced at Yang Xiaole and said, “Roaming the Ocean?”
Yang Xiaole was startled by this, wondering how Xie Yun Zhi knew about it.
Skipping some details, Xie Yun Zhi said, “Teacher Yan also wants to go. We agreed to go together on October 1. My secretary will handle the concert tickets. If you want to go, you can join us. No need to bother going to the engineering school. Teacher Yan has had a tiring day; let him go back and rest.”
A glint of cunning flashed in Yang Xiaole’s eyes. “…Can you arrange backstage access for the concert?”
“Want autographs and photos too? That’s not a problem.”
Yang Xiaole nodded in satisfaction. “Alright then, since that’s the case, I won’t go to the engineering school.”
After saying this, he released his tight embrace on Yan Lan and switched to holding his hand. “Momo, let’s go back.”
“Wait a moment.” Xie Yun Zhi couldn’t help but call out to them. “Yan Lan, please wait. I just remembered that I have something to tell you.”
Yan Lan turned around to look at him, gently freeing himself from Yang Xiaole’s hand and walking over.
When Xie Yun Zhi walked up to him, he suddenly reached out, grabbing Yan Lan’s wrist, and led him to a place where they couldn’t be overheard. With his back to Yang Xiaole, he looked at Yan Lan with a displeased expression. “Why don’t you keep your promises? You said we shouldn’t lie to children, but can adults lie to each other? I’m still here, and you allow others to hug and cling to you. This is even more excessive than before. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate?”
Yan Lan looked innocent, his eyes seemingly confused.
He took out his phone and typed: “Lele is my best friend.”
“Are you sure he’s just your best friend and not something more ?” Xie Yun Zhi frowned tightly. “I feel his feelings for you might not be that simple. Don’t think of him too naively. Moreover, you promised me just a few minutes ago that you would keep a distance from others. Then, in the blink of an eye, you forget what you promised me. Can’t you feel uncomfortable with his hand holding your waist so tightly?”
Yan Lan thought for a moment and typed: I’m sorry, I’m just used to it.
“Used to it?! Does he often do this to you?”
Yan Lan hesitated for a moment and nodded.
“How many people are in your dormitory?”
Yan Lan raised two fingers.
Xie Yun Zhi’s face instantly became even darker, a solid, oppressive feeling more intense than usual.
He looked at Yan Lan expressionlessly. “Can you apply for a single dormitory? I’ll cover the expenses.”
Yan Lan shook his head and typed low: Lele is my friend. I don’t want to leave him.
“What about me?” Xie Yun Zhi stared straight into his eyes. “Don’t you care about what I think?”
Yan Lan couldn’t help but laugh when he heard this, his lips curving up, a smile so bright that it was like melting ice and snow, making it difficult to look away.
Xie Yun Zhi stared at him intensely. “Yan Lan, don’t find it amusing.”
Yan Lan had to continue typing: He is like me.
Although these four words seemed simple, they carried a lot of information. Xie Yun Zhi quickly understood.
Still in a daze, Yan Lan typed another line: Are you reassured now?
Xie Yun Zhi’s eyebrows slightly relaxed, lacking confidence. “Well, you should also pay attention. People who don’t know might think you two are dating.”
Yan Lan: Do you still think so too?
“No, I just don’t want others to think that way.”
Yan Lan: Rest assured, everyone knows that we are very good friends and there is no misunderstanding.
Xie Yun Zhi silently stared at him for a while and said in a low voice, “okay.”
Yan Lan looked at him with a deepening smile: Can I go back now?
Xie Yun Zhi nodded and uttered a sound of agreement. “Remember to send me a text.”
Yan Lan’s eyes gradually deepened with a smiling expression. After signing a goodnight with sign language, he walked away from him and towards the school gate together with Yang Xiaole.
This time, Yan Lan didn’t let Yang Xiaole stick to him. They walked side by side, with a distance of one fist between their shoulders.
When they were far away and couldn’t see the school gate, Yang Xiaole suddenly chuckled.
Helplessly, Yan Lan looked at him, and they both couldn’t help but laugh. Yan Lan took out his phone and typed: You did it on purpose, didn’t you?
“Humph, it had to be me. Lin Jianxing’s rank is too low,” Yang Xiaole proudly shook his head, “No matter what, I should let Mr Xie know he has to be on his toes.”
After saying this, he suddenly seemed to think of something, glanced at Yan Lan secretly, and asked, “You’re not secretly mad at me, right?”
Yan Lan shook his head: Not mad, because I saw a cute side of him, very much like he used to be.
“Cute? You think Xie Yun Zhi is cute? beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder…”
Yan Lan just smiled, offering no further explanation.
“How was your ‘date’ with him today? I see you’re in an explosively good mood.”
Yan Lan: It was not a date. I’m in a good mood for other reasons.
“Alright, alright. As long as you’re happy, by the way, what did he secretly say to you just now? Can you tell me?”
Yan Lan thought it wasn’t something that couldn’t be said, so he gave him a rough idea.
Yang Xiaole grabbed Yan Lan’s phone, making a clicking sound with his mouth as he read. “Does he know what he’s talking about? Does he know what he’s doing?”
Yan Lan took his phone back, smiling and shaking his head.
Yang Xiaole clicked his tongue again. “Has a mouth but stubborn? His possessiveness has gone this far. If you guys don’t start a relationship, it’ll be hard to end this.”
Yan Lan: He’s still considering.
Yang Xiaole rolled his eyes, “What’s there to consider? You’re about to have a date soon, and he’s still thinking?!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Lan’s phone made a “ding” sound, indicating a new message.
He opened it and looked at the message from Xie Yun Zhi.
[Have you reached the dormitory?] [Not yet.] [Okay, let me know when you do.]Yang Xiaole glanced at the screen of Yan Lan’s phone, not seeing the message content, but seeing the message page made him unable to help but comment, “You guys communicate like this? Why not use WeChat?”
Yan Lan: I don’t have his WeChat.
“Why not add him then?”
Yan Lan: It’s the same. He doesn’t mind, and I’m okay with it. My plan includes five hundred text messages per month, which is enough.
Yang Xiaole couldn’t help but chuckle as he looked at Yan Lan, his arms crossed behind his head. “When do you think he will ask you for WeChat?”
Yan Lan shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know.
“Don’t you think he’s a strange person? I really can’t understand what he’s thinking. Saying he’s indecisive, but he seems to be pursuing you, caring about you, and being possessive. It’s strange how you haven’t made any moves to pursue him, inviting him to meet, watch a movie, and then he proposes to go out with you on the National Day. He really seems to be creating opportunities for himself. Trying to find a way to get down.” Yang Xiaole kept shaking his head, “I feel like it’s so easy for you to bully him. Just ignore him, and he’ll definitely panic.”
Yan Lan: I don’t want to bully him.
Yang Xiaole waved his hand, “I’m not asking you to bully him. I’m just surprised that he is like this. He turns out to be a big dog!”
Yan Lan listened with a blank expression.
“Like some kind of large breed, looks fierce but is actually very clingy, also very jealous. Don’t you think he is like that towards you?”
Yan Lan showed a hesitant expression.
Yang Xiaole asserted, “I think he’ll admit he likes you sooner or later.”
Perhaps to confirm Yang Xiaole’s words, Yan Lan noticed that Xie Yun Zhi’s messages to him had noticeably increased these days. Often, he would wake up to see a “Good morning” message.
Yang Xiaole commented on this: A clingy big dog!
Sometimes, Yan Lan would see the message but not reply, leaving it there. An hour later, Xie Yun Zhi would send another message, [Are you still busy? Tiantian thinks about you every day. He keeps asking me when you can come and play with him.]
[Tell him that I miss him too. I’m just busy at the beginning of the school year, and I can’t make it. When I have time, I’ll come see him.] [Do you only miss him?] [.] [I have a class now.]Yan Lan didn’t lie to him, nor did he avoid him intentionally. He was indeed very busy, with lots of classes and assignments. Every day seemed filled with endless drawings and unread books. He was so busy that, in a daze, he didn’t even realize that the military training for freshmen had ended, and the welcome party was about to begin.
The welcome party at the School of Fine Arts was always lively, with various programs hosted by different campus clubs. The highlight was the collective singing of the national anthem, preceded by performances from the new students.
Yan Lan had never performed on stage before. No teacher or student dared to approach him about participating in any performance.
But this year, there was someone who dared: Lin Jianxing.
Since exchanging WeChat outside the school gate that day, Yan Lan and Lin Jianxing hadn’t exchanged a single message. So, when Yan Lan received Lin Jianxing’s message, he was quite surprised, especially by the opening line.
[Senior, I want to ask you for a favor, please, you must agree. I’m really at my wit’s end.] [Hmm? What’s the matter?] [Well, this year, for the new student performance at the welcome party, we plan to arrange a very interesting program. It’s like a musical, but with a fairy tale theme, and we’ve written the script ourselves.] [Hmm, what do you need me to do?]Lin Jianxing even sent him an emoticon of kowtowing.
[Senior, if you don’t play the queen, our entire performance will lose its soul (crying loudly). Senior, please agree!]Yan Lan’s eyes twitched slightly, [What’s the small sacrifice I need to make?]
Lin Jianxing sent him a picture of a vintage, champagne-colored, typical Rococo-style gown from medieval Europe. It had a large skirt, adorned with lace, bows, and ribbons.
[Cross-dressing.]