I Only Want You chapter 14
Tiantian quickly grew tired after crying. Xie Yun Zhi held him in his arms, and the chubby face with baby fat rested sweetly on his uncle’s shoulder as he slept. Due to the crying, his eyes were red, and even the tip of his nose was pink.
Yan Lan stood in the clean and bright living room, pointing at the family photo hanging on the wall, making sign language gestures to Xie Yun Zhi: “Was this photo taken five years ago?”
Xie Yun Zhi nodded.
A faint smile appeared on Yan Lan’s face: “The first time I met you was indeed five years ago. You in this photo and the one in my memory are the same.”
Xie Yun Zhi stared at him, “I’ve always wanted to know how we met five years ago, but you refused to tell me.”
Yan Lan raised an eyebrow, “Why should I tell you? What difference would it make if I did?”
Xie Yun Zhi looked helpless, “Do you really like me? Normally, in such matters, wouldn’t you voluntarily tell the other person?”
Yan Lan replied, “I do like you, but I really don’t want to tell you.”
“Why? What can’t be said?”
Yan Lan shook his head, “You have to remember it yourself.”
“What if I can’t remember it?”
Yan Lan responded, “Then there’s nothing you can do.”
Xie Yun Zhi’s gaze shifted from the photo to Yan Lan’s face, “Will you fall in love with someone else?”
Yan Lan shook his head.
“Is shaking your head a sign of not knowing or not being willing to?”
Yan Lan said, “I won’t tell you.”
Xie Yun Zhi didn’t press further. He lifted the sleeping Tiantian from the sofa, “Let’s go, it’s time for dinner.”
Carrying a canvas bag, Yan Lan followed him back to the car, and on the way, Xie Yun Zhi handed the sleeping Tiantian to Yan Lan. He then took off his suit jacket, wrapped Tiantian in it, and held him again, allowing him to sleep against his arm.
Perhaps it had been more than two years since he held Tiantian like this. Yan Lan noticed that Xie Yun Zhi frequently lowered his head to gaze at Tiantian’s peacefully sleeping face, and he could sense the joy and treasuring of Tiantian in his heart.
Yan Lan took out his phone and typed: “Are you moving back today?”
Xie Yun Zhi’s gaze moved from the phone screen to Yan Lan’s face, “Yes.”
Yan Lan nodded satisfactorily, “That’s good. Tiantian will be happy.”
“I did say you would be with him. You didn’t deny it at the time. In the future, come often when you have time. No need to ask me.”
Yan Lan turned his face away slowly.
Xie Yun Zhi couldn’t help but say, “You’ve said it yourself, don’t lie to the child.”
Yan Lan nodded, “I know.”
Satisfied, Xie Yun Zhi turned his attention back out the car window.
For lunch, they went to a private restaurant run by a friend of Xie Yun Zhi. The place had a Chinese-style decor with expensive-looking rosewood furniture.
The restaurant staff seemed to recognize Xie Yun Zhi. As soon as they saw him, they led him into a private room and brought tea sets and tea leaves.
Tiantian had woken up when they got out of the car. He was now sitting between Xie Yun Zhi and Yan Lan, staring blankly at the flowers on the revolving table as if he hadn’t fully awakened from a dream.
After Xie Yun Zhi and Yan Lan ordered their dishes, a staff member brought a small toy for Tiantian—a handheld fan that needed to be operated manually.
Tiantian, expressionless, examined the toy he received. After playing with it for a while, he lost interest and set it aside.
The toys at home were stored in a separate room, and he had access to anything he wanted. Although Xie Yun Zhi was strict with him at times, he had never deprived Tiantian materially. The money spent on buying toys for Tiantian each year far exceeded typical indulgence levels.
However, Tiantian’s lack of interest didn’t apply to Yan Lan. He was quite fascinated, and after getting Tiantian’s consent, he picked up the small fan, used his thumb to operate the switch, making the soft blades turn, and blew a cool breeze.
Xie Yun Zhi and Tiantian both turned to look at him, surprised to see him happily playing with a manually operated fan. His fine hair was blown up, revealing a fair and clean forehead.
Unable to resist, Tiantian leaned over, rubbing his little head against Yan Lan’s shoulder for the breeze. Yan Lan lowered the fan a bit, allowing both of them to enjoy the cool air.
Xie Yun Zhi sat with one hand propping up his cheek, watching them play. He couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. Before today, he could never have imagined such a scene—they looked like a family of three, natural and harmonious.
After finishing their meal, Yan Lan didn’t stay long at Xie’s house. After dinner, he said he was going back to school.
As it was a bit late, Xie Yun Zhi didn’t try to keep him. Instead, he stood up and said he would walk Yan Lan out.
After bidding a reluctant farewell to Tiantian, Yan Lan took the small fan toy from earlier and got into the Bentley parked outside the door.
He initially thought Xie Yun Zhi would at most see him off to the door and then return, but unexpectedly, Xie Yun Zhi also got into the car. It seemed that he intended to drop him off at the school gate.
Yan Lan, disapproving, took out his phone and typed: “the driver can take me. You go back and stay with Tiantian.”
“It’s okay; Auntie is there,” Xie Yun Zhi said, closing the car door without paying much attention and instructing the driver to start.
Yan Lan, seeing that persuasion was futile, didn’t insist any further.
The car fell into a momentary silence on the way to the art academy. After a while, Xie Yun Zhi spoke, “Thank you, Yan Lan.”
Yan Lan smiled, “No need to thank me. I didn’t do much.”
“Before you intervened, I always thought my relationship with Tiantian would remain strained until he grew up.”
Yan Lan said, “It’s not your fault. You’ve been too busy. Staying away from home before was also for Tiantian’s sake. You were afraid he would cry as soon as he saw you. You didn’t have much time to spend together or communicate. Once you’ve talked it out, it’ll be fine. He needs you. In your free time, you should make time for him.”
“What about you, Teacher Yan?”
Yan Lan looked puzzled, but Xie Yun Zhi suddenly fell silent.
After a few minutes of silence, Xie Yun Zhi spoke with a heavy heart, “I really don’t know what to do.”
Yan Lan looked at his profile and typed, lowering his head: “It seems I’ve put you in a difficult position.”
Xie Yun Zhi sighed lightly after reading it, “It’s my own problem.”
Yan Lan typed: “You don’t have to worry about hurting me. Do what you think is best. If you want to reject me, just reject me.”
Xie Yun Zhi looked at him with a gaze filled with complexity after reading it. “Didn’t you say you wanted to pursue me?”
Yan Lan nodded: “But ultimately the one who’ll make the final decision is you. No one can interfere.”
“But I haven’t seen any pursuit from you. You haven’t even mentioned wanting to meet up for a meal or a movie.”
Yan Lan said: “You’ve been too busy, and I didn’t want to disturb your work.”
Considering his packed work schedule, even if Yan Lan had suggested it, Xie Yun Zhi might not have had time for a date.
“I should have time during the National Day,” Xie Yun Zhi said, taking out his phone. “What do you want to do? October seems quite lively; I heard there are art exhibitions and concerts.”
As soon as Yan Lan heard the word “concert,” he hesitated for a moment and asked, “Can you get tickets for the Roaming the Ocean band concert?”
“Of course, no problem. Do you like this band?”
Yan Lan replied: “My roommate likes it; he wants to go.”
“Do you want to go?”
Yan Lan considered for a moment between the concert and the art exhibition, feeling that going to the exhibition with Xie Yun Zhi might be a bit dull. So, he nodded, indicating that he wanted to go to the concert.
“Then let’s go to the concert.” Xie Yun Zhi sent a text to Secretary Lin, asking him to handle the ticket matters, then put away his phone. “Regardless, matters of the heart should not be taken lightly. I hope you know that I am seriously considering the things between us. Before I can make a decision, I think it’s necessary for us to go on some dates to get to know each other.”
Yan Lan couldn’t help but chuckle, “Like a blind date?”
“…It seems to be somewhat like that,” Xie Yun Zhi scratched his nose. “Anyway, now that we have reached some basic consensus, I think it’s necessary to pay a little attention. I don’t often interact with women, both in work and private life. Even if I do, I maintain a polite distance.”
Yan Lan nodded, pretending not to understand Xie Yun Zhi’s implication, “You can rest assured; I don’t have any female friends.”
“I think it’s necessary to pay a little attention to male friends as well, like that junior brother or anyone else.”
Yan Lan raised an eyebrow, “And what about you?”
“I will do the same.”
Yan Lan lifted his chin slightly, making a knowing expression, then turned to look out of the window without looking at him.
His unexpected reaction caught Xie Yun Zhi off guard. Unable to resist, he furrowed his brows and asked, “You understand what I mean, right?”
Yan Lan typed with his head down, “I understand.”
“So, do you agree or disagree? I don’t want to see you coming out with another man chatting and laughing when I come to pick you up next time. Your affection is for me, right? Not to mention that we are…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Yan Lan pinched his thigh.
With a slightly red cheek, Yan Lan gave him a glare and turned his head, leaving him with just the back of his head.
Xie Yun Zhi touched his thigh, “Teacher Yan, your pinches hurt.”
Yan Lan, without looking back, made a motion with his hand as if saying okay.
After the car stopped at the south gate of the art academy, Yan Lan opened the car door and got out.
Xie Yun Zhi lowered the car window, “Goodnight.”
Just as Yan Lan was about to respond with a goodnight gesture, suddenly a series of rapid footsteps approached. The footsteps sounded familiar.
He turned around to confirm if it was Yang Xiaole, but suddenly, a slender figure extended its arms and pounced into his embrace, tightly hugging him.
“Momo!”
Seeing this, Xie Yun Zhi’s expression inside the car instantly darkened.