I Only Want You chapter 30

Why did Xie Yun Zhi come back with Shen Yingying? Was it actually a coincidence?

…………..

Xie Yun Zhi’s work schedule for this afternoon wasn’t tight; he could even leave early. So, when he left in the morning, he told Yan Lan that he would be back early today.

With a rare free afternoon, he wanted to buy the flowers he didn’t get yesterday and the ones for today to give to Yan Lan. A bouquet of pale pink carnations and a bunch of elegant champagne roses.

Xie Yun Zhi was very satisfied with the two bouquets of flowers. He was even eager to hurry home and give them to Yan Lan.

However, just as he was about to reach home, he caught a glimpse of Shen Yingying walking on the side of the road. She was wearing a white floral print dress today, and even from behind, she stood out, making it hard not to notice her.

Tiantian only had Chinese class twice a week. Xie Yun Zhi remembered that she didn’t need to teach Tiantian today, especially at this time.

With a bit of doubt and curiosity, Xie Yun Zhi instructed the driver to pull over, rolled down the window, and called out, “Teacher Shen?”

Shen Yingying turned her head, visibly surprised to see Xie Yun Zhi. Her eyes widened a bit, “Senior?”

“I remember Tiantian only has an English class today.”

“Oh, right. I’m not here to teach Tiantian today.” Shen Yingying took out the copybook from her arms and showed it to Xie Yun Zhi. “I went to the bookstore this afternoon to pick a suitable copybook for Tiantian. Since he’s starting calligraphy, I bought it today to give him a head start. At least he can write a few pages starting today.”

Xie Yun Zhi didn’t expect this young teacher to be so concerned about Tiantian’s affairs. He thought for a moment and said, “I see. Come on board, Teacher Shen.”

Delighted, Shen Yingying thanked him and got into the car from the other side. However, upon opening the door, she saw that most of the seat was occupied by bouquets of flowers, and she was surprised before bending down to sit in.

“Wow, such beautiful flowers!”

Xie Yun Zhi looked at her actions with a slight frown, concerned that she might crush the bouquets.

His intention was to have her sit in the front seat, but Shen Yingying was quick in her actions, directly opening the door and squeezing into the back.

The driver started the car and continued towards home.

Shen Yingying looked at the beautifully wrapped bouquets, then glanced at Xie Yun Zhi’s impeccable profile. Her heart raced uncontrollably, both excited and bitter.

She fell in love with Xie Yun Zhi at first sight. When they first met, she couldn’t help but feel an attraction to this handsome and wealthy man, wanting more interaction and closeness with him.

Unfortunately, every time she came to teach Tiantian, she couldn’t run into him. Worse still, later, it was revealed that Xie Yun Zhi had a same-sex partner. The next day, she saw the man at Xie’s house, and unexpectedly, he was exceptionally handsome, with finely crafted features. This caught her off guard and sparked a sense of rivalry and comparison within her, growing up being praised for her beauty.

Whether Yan Lan was a genuine lover or not didn’t concern her much. In her eyes, two men together wouldn’t last long. How could Xie Yun Zhi, with such a big company like Venus Jewelry, not get married and have children in the future? Would he hand over the company to a stranger?

Shen Yingying found it impossible. Since they would eventually part ways, why couldn’t she get close to him? 

Even in the best relationships, there are cold moments. She believed she could wait for her chance.

The car almost stopped at the ornate iron gate. Xie Yun Zhi was ready to pick up the two bouquets.

Shen Yingying noticed and suggested, “Senior, should I help you with one bouquet? Holding both might wrinkle the wrapping paper.”

Without much thought, Xie Yun Zhi agreed with her reasonable suggestion, nodding.

Yan Lan stood at the door, watching as the two got out of the car, each carrying a bouquet. It felt like something heavy was rushing towards his head, making his already cold face even frostier.

From the moment Xie Yun Zhi got out of the car, his eyes were firmly locked on Yan Lan’s face. Seeing his expression not brightening up, Xie Yun Zhi’s first reaction was concern.

“Yan.” Xie Yun Zhi furrowed his brows and walked to Yan Lan. He reached out to touch his cheek. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Yan Lan nodded, grabbing Xie Yun Zhi’s wrist with his hand.

Xie Yun Zhi, feeling the urgency, hugged him and was about to take him inside. However, Yan Lan didn’t move, but instead, raised his eyes to look at Shen Yingying, who was holding a bunch of champagne roses and walking on the side.

“Teacher Shen stopped by to give Tiantian calligraphy copybooks, I happened to see her on the way back, so I gave her a ride over.” Xie Yun Zhi said, extending a hand towards Shen Yingying. “Teacher Shen, you can give me the flowers now.”

Shen Yingying nodded, moving forward. However, instead of giving the flowers to Xie Yun Zhi, she handed them to Yan Lan, saying with a smile, “These flowers are so beautiful. I envy you.”

Yan Lan paused for a moment, taking the bouquet of roses with a calm expression.

Shen Yingying didn’t mind his somewhat indifferent attitude. She patted the copybook in her arms and said to Xie Yun Zhi, “Senior, can I talk to Tiantian for a moment?”

“Of course, he should be finishing class soon.”

Xie Yun Zhi, holding the flowers, led Yan Lan into the house. The aunt had been in the kitchen and only came out when she heard the commotion. Seeing Shen Yingying, she was also surprised. “Teacher Shen?”

Shen Yingying smiled, “I came to deliver calligraphy copybooks to Tiantian.”

“Oh, I see.” The aunt subconsciously glanced at Yan Lan, inviting Shen Yingying to sit down. “Teacher Shen, you’ll have to wait a bit. Tiantian hasn’t finished class yet.”

“That’s fine. I’ll sit and wait for him.”

Yan Lan didn’t stay in the living room; he carried the bouquet of champagne roses upstairs. Xie Yun Zhi, concerned, followed him into the master bedroom.

As soon as the door closed, Yan Lan couldn’t hold back any longer. He placed the bouquet on the table and turned to face Xie Yun Zhi. His sign language was forceful, expressing his emotions: Do you know she likes you?

Only then did Xie Yun Zhi realize that Yan Lan’s displeasure was not due to physical discomfort. “Yan, she’s just Tiantian’s Chinese teacher.”

Yan Lan was so angry that his fingers were trembling: I’m asking if you know she likes you?

“I know.”

Yan Lan: “You know yet you let her come back with you? carrying the flowers you bought for me?”

Xie Yun Zhi emphasized once again, “She’s just Tiantian’s Chinese teacher. I can’t pretend not to see her when I encounter her. The reason she’s carrying your flowers is just to prevent both bouquets from getting wrinkled.”

Yan Lan nodded. So how do you explain the belt? I imagine it’s a gift from Yao Jinni, right?

Probably not expecting Yan Lan to suddenly “mention” the belt, Xie Yun Zhi frowned deeply.

Yan Lan: I want to know how much in this room is given by her?

Sighing, Xie Yun Zhi said, “Yan, Jinni and I are just friends. Those are just gifts between friends, and I’ve never used them. I only keep them. I’ve never used them.”

Yan Lan: You don’t use them, but you keep them in your wardrobe.

Xie Yun Zhi looked up and met Yan Lan’s eyes. “Then where should I put them? Should I throw them away?”

Yan Lan’s gaze dimmed after hearing his response. He lowered his eyes, not looking at him: You don’t need to throw them away; keep them. Use them whenever you want.

After finishing the sign language, he turned around to leave. However, Xie Yun Zhi grabbed his wrist, pulling him back.

Yan Lan didn’t resist, allowing himself to be pulled back, staring fixedly at him.

Xie Yun Zhi led him to the wardrobe, took out the belt, rolled it in his hands, and threw it into the wastebasket in front of him. Turning around, he looked at Yan Lan and asked, “Apart from this, what else have I done to make you unhappy?”

Yan Lan’s eyes were faintly reddening at the corners, and he didn’t react for a while, just quietly watching him.

Xie Yun Zhi also looked at him and did not urge him to speak.

After a long time, Yan Lan finally made a move. He took a slow step towards Xie Yun Zhi, extended his arm to encircle his waist, and gently pressed himself against his chest.

This seemingly simple action revealed the softness and vulnerability hidden in Yan Lan’s heart, as if the person who was furious and frosty just now wasn’t him.

Xie Yun Zhi sighed lightly, embracing the person in his arms. “Tell me, Yan, what have I done to make you unhappy?”

At this moment, Yan Lan couldn’t explain to him. His mind was in chaos, unable to articulate why he was upset, as recent events had been mostly unpleasant.

Whether it was being attacked on the internet, being labeled a male third party, discovering the belt given by Yao Jinni to Xie Yun Zhi, or Shen Yingying clinging to Xie Yun Zhi with the flowers he bought for him.

Such is life; planned and ongoing matters are always disrupted by unexpected people or events, losing their intended rhythm.

One can choose to be negative and leave things as they are or choose to patiently reorganize.

The problem always exists; the difference between now and the past is whether one is aware of it. When awareness strikes, the most crucial thing is figuring out how to deal with it.

Yan Lan wasn’t a robot. His mental resilience, despite being good, had its limits. When stretched to the extreme, a string will break, and once broken, it unleashes a burst of emotions. After the eruption, you replace it with a string that’s more resilient and less prone to breaking.

He was an orphan, a mute disabled person. From the welfare institute to university, self-adjustment was his “basic skill.” He faced various life pressures earlier than peers, adjusting himself to avoid falling into negative thinking traps. Even though he might experience stress due to inexperience, he wouldn’t let it persist.

Yan Lan held Xie Yun Zhi motionlessly, seemingly frozen. After a long time, he let go, and softly said, “I don’t want to argue with you.”

“We haven’t argued. This isn’t considered an argument. It’s my fault; I made you unhappy.”

Yan Lan slightly tilted his face upward, looking directly into Xie Yun Zhi’s eyes. “I also don’t want you to see me like this, but I can’t help but care. I want to know why you and she are not together.”

“Who? Are you talking about Jinni?”

Yan Lan nodded. “She likes you. I can tell from the way she looks at you in those magazines and how she talks about you. I knew she must like you.”

“If she likes me, do I have to like her back?”

Yan Lan lowered his eyes slightly. “She’s so good and talented, and you haven’t been with her. I’m not as good as she is, and I’m a man, yet you’re willing to be with me. Don’t you find that strange?”

“Who says you’re not good? I think you’re great.”

Yan Lan added, “You keep the belt she gave you in the wardrobe. Even if you don’t use it, I don’t believe you don’t have any feelings for her.”

“Yan, I just threw it away in front of you. Between her and me, it was just friendship.”

Yan Lan continued, “I didn’t ask you to throw it away. You casually throw away a belt worth over three thousand. Rich people like you are really annoying.”

Xie Yun Zhi was puzzled. “So should I not throw it away? Should I go pick it up?”

“Go pick it up. Pick it up and wear it to work tomorrow. It’s such a good brand, and it was a gift from the top actress. Don’t waste it.”

Helpless, Xie Yun Zhi lowered his head. “So what do you suggest? I’ll listen to you as long as you’re not angry.”

Yan Lan raised one finger to indicate the first point. “Do you still have any contact with her?”

“No.”

“Good. Keep it that way. If she contacts you for personal reasons, you must tell me, don’t wait for me to find out.”

Xie Yun Zhi accepted the demanding request with a pleased nod.

Yan Lan raised two fingers. “I want you to clarify that you and she have never been together.”

Xie Yun Zhi hesitated slightly. “Yan, actually, when I arranged for the team to handle the matter on Weibo, I considered it. But at that time, we weighed all factors. First, Jinni had already clarified. Was it necessary for us to add fuel to the fire? Second, my clarification would inevitably expose you, pushing you into the public eye. All your information, every move, everything about you at school might be posted on Weibo, viewed by countless people. Life could never return to its original calm. So, the handling approach we chose was what you see now – taking you out and letting everyone slowly forget you.”

Yan Lan shook his head. “I don’t want everyone to always think there’s something unclear between you two. I don’t want people to keep speculating if you’ve been together. I especially don’t want them to call me a male third party.”

Xie Yun Zhi looked directly at him, “So, have you prepared yourself for me to reveal you? Even if your life may not return to its original calm after this and you may regret it?”

Yan Lan nodded.

Xie Yun Zhi couldn’t help but smile. “This is simple. I will have someone handle it. Anything else?”

Yan Lan nodded again, raising three fingers, then pointing downstairs. “I don’t like her; she’s too calculating. Find a new Chinese teacher for Tiantian, and after Secretary Lin interviews them, before signing the contract, I want to meet the new teacher with you.”

Xie Yun Zhi shrugged. “Okay, done.”

A faint smile appeared on Yan Lan’s face.

Xie Yun Zhi reached out and touched his face. “Anything else?”

Yan Lan said, “I’m considering applying for day school, moving all my belongings into your room. Do you have any objections?”

Xie Yun Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly laughed, his eyes crinkling. “Are you feeling threatened and want to stay close to me?”

Yan Lan reached over and pinched his arm.

Xie Yun Zhi made a sound and rubbed his arm. “Alright, I have no objections. I’d be happy. Stop considering and move quickly.”

Yan Lan said, “Find a time; let’s accompany Tiantian to the bookstore together to buy copybooks for calligraphy.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

Yan Lan nodded lightly, his expression softened, and his gaze became tender. He gently exhaled, seemingly nervous.

Curious, Xie Yun Zhi looked at him. Yan Lan lifted his left hand, opened his palm in front of his chest, and raised the right index finger slightly, then used the left palm to lightly touch over it.

The hand sign meant only one thing in China: “I love you.”

Yan Lan had experienced this expression several times, but he had only used this particular set of sign language with Xie Yun Zhi.

It was the simplest, yet most difficult, and unavoidable. The fastest way for Yan Lan to hear “I love you” from Xie Yun Zhi was for him to express it first.

As Yan Lan completed the sign language, the smile on his face deepened. The genuine joy on his face suddenly made him look very radiant, as if emitting light.

Xie Yun Zhi stared at him without blinking and leaned over to kiss his lips. “I love you too.”