I Only Want You chapter 4
After revealing to Tiantian the secret that Xie Yun Zhi dislikes insects, he finally stopped hiding under the bed and was willing to drink water and eat fruit during classes.
Although Tiantian hadn’t done the homework Yan Lan assigned him last time and didn’t even bother to submit a blank sheet, this time he did exceptionally well in the class assignment. He didn’t just casually paint; he followed Yan Lan’s instructions on the theme without fussing with the color palette.
Tiantian’s talent in art was not exceptionally high; he had some talent but couldn’t be considered a genius. His ability to express colors and rich imagination were remarkable. Despite the serious and sometimes indifferent attitude, Yan Lan could sense that Tiantian had a certain interest in art, though not overwhelming. This explained why he was sometimes diligent and sometimes indifferent during classes.
After class, as Yan Lan was preparing to leave, the aunt appeared from the kitchen with a bag and insisted on giving it to Yan Lan to take home. Yan Lan initially refused but eventually accepted, thinking of buying a cake to reciprocate next time.
Little did he know that Tiantian’s retaliatory plan against his uncle would unfold almost immediately after he left. Tiantian suddenly became busy and enjoyed playing in the garden, collecting and observing insects.
According to the aunt’s account later, as long as Tiantian didn’t have classes or homework, he could be found in the garden, holding a glass jar, capturing butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, and even ladybugs.
The aunt found it particularly strange how Tiantian had developed a sudden interest in collecting and observing insects. This continued for four days until Sunday…
For Xie Yun Zhi, the memories of that day were equivalent to a nightmare, but for Tian Tian, if it were a dream, he would have laughed himself awake.
That afternoon at 2:30, Yan Lan arrived at Xie’s residence on time. Before the class, he checked the homework left for Tiantian from the previous class—a watercolor painting and a sketch. Both were done exceptionally well, so well that Yan Lan felt something was amiss.
Tiantian rarely did his assignments; most of the time, he didn’t pay attention in class and simply played around. Even if he chose to comply, he would casually draw some random things to get it over with. Completing assignments diligently was unprecedented.
Yan Lan’s instincts began to alert him, sensing something was wrong. The feeling was like, “When children are unusually quiet, mischief is afoot.”
In any case, Yan Lan started feeling uneasy. He put down the two drawings in his hand and asked Tiantian, “Did you hide something from the adults?”
Innocently, Tiantian blinked his beautiful blue eyes and slowly shook his head, indicating that he hadn’t.
Yan Lan, half-believing, half-doubting, asked again, “Really nothing?”
Tiantian nodded.
Yan Lan: “Then let’s start the class.”
Tiantian nodded again.
Seeing him obedient, Yan Lan felt even more uneasy, but there was nothing he could do. He picked up the brush and started the class.
During the break, the aunt brought them fruits. Yan Lan went downstairs to the bathroom while Tiantian stayed in the room. When Yan Lan came out, he heard a loud noise from upstairs.
This loud noise was so significant that even him, standing downstairs, was startled. He frowned and ran upstairs to see what had fallen.
When he reached the stairs, he saw Tiantian standing at the door of the art studio, looking down the corridor with his back to Yan Lan. The direction he was looking was towards the study.
The aunt had already rushed over and was standing in front of the study, unsure of what to do. She seemed to want to enter and help but was worried about causing trouble. Her hands were waving frantically in the air, as if trying to drive something away.
“Open the window!” Xie Yun Zhi shouted.
“I’ll do it!” The aunt hurriedly approached. “I’ll open it!”
As soon as she left, the space in front of the study became vacant. Yan Lan walked over to take a look and saw butterflies of various colors flying everywhere. Among them were moths, ladybugs, and even three or four grasshoppers jumping around. The chair that had fallen on the floor was clearly the source of the loud noise.
Tiantian was also watching. He stood next to Yan Lan, holding onto the door frame, watching his usually noble and dignified uncle waving a book in his hands, trying to shoo away the butterflies and moths flying around him. His secretary and assistant also frowned as they tried to drive away the annoying insects.
If Tiantian were not a deaf-mute child, his laughter at this moment could probably lift the roof.
Xie Yun Zhi spent almost an hour cleaning up the study, which had been occupied by various insects. Later, he checked the surveillance footage of the study and discovered that every evening, when the aunt wasn’t paying attention, Tiantian would run into the study with a jar. He would then empty the contents of the jar, repeating this for four consecutive days, turning the study into a world of insects.
Normally, Xie’s study was off-limits to everyone, and even cleaning required him to inform the aunt before she could enter. Therefore, no one had noticed Tiantian playing pranks in the study.
The insects placed in the study found corners to settle in quietly. It wasn’t until Xie Yun Zhi opened the door with his staff that they slowly awakened, emerging from various corners one after another.
Seeing that the evidence of his prank had been discovered, Tiantian wasn’t afraid at all. Standing in front of his uncle, who had a stern face, he faced him with an innocent expression as if he knew nothing.
Xie Yun Zhi skillfully gestured in sign language to question him: Why did you put insects in the study?
Tiantian also gestured: Is it not allowed to put insects in the study?
Xie Yun Zhi’s face darkened even more: Why didn’t you put them in your own room?
Tiantian: My room is for sleeping. Your study isn’t for sleeping. I wanted to keep insects in there, and no one said it was not allowed.
Yan Lan stood quietly on the side, watching the uncle and nephew communicate through sign language, feeling like he was watching a silent play. He wanted to laugh but dared not, keeping his head down like an accomplice of Tiantian.
Soon, Xie Yun Zhi’s questioning reached a crucial point: Who taught you to do this?
Tiantian, with a righteous expression, said: I won’t tell you!
Yan Lan felt guilty and didn’t dare to lift his head to look at Xie Yun Zhi.
But with his head buried like that, it felt like he was confessing without being interrogated.
Xie Yun Zhi’s gaze shifted from Tiantian to Yan Lan. “Teacher Yan?”
Yan Lan, expressionless, raised his face and looked at Xie Yun Zhi with eyes as calm as water. He gestured in sign language: Can I leave work now?
Without asking for his opinion this time, Xie Yun Zhi directly instructed his secretary, “Secretary Lin, have the driver take Teacher Yan back to the school.”
This time, Yan Lan didn’t even have a chance to refuse. The secretary who had interviewed him before, Lin, led him away.
After Yan Lan left, Xie Yun Zhi looked at Tiantian and said, “Don’t let this happen again. You’ve caused trouble for many people.”
Tiantian’s little face tightened. He turned and walked away without looking back, heading upstairs to his room.
Yan Lan was sent back to the school in a black Bentley. The car stopped at the main gate of the art academy.
As soon as he got out of the car, he bowed to thank the driver. Back in the dormitory, he sat on a chair and stared blankly.
Yang Xiaole, with a face mask on, approached him and said, “What’s wrong, Momo? You look like Hiroshi Nozomu after work now.”
Yan Lan took out a notebook and wrote: My part-time job might end early because the student caused trouble today.
Yang Xiaole comforted him, “Children, even deaf-mute children, can be mischievous. It doesn’t necessarily affect your work. By the way, what did he do?”
Yan Lan wrote down the details of the insect incident from start to finish on the clean sheet. The beautiful characters in thin gold ink were pleasing to the eye.
Supporting his face with the face mask on, Yang Xiaole read the words on the paper. After reading it, he chuckled, “Xie Yun Zhi is afraid of insects?!”
Yan Lan grabbed the pen and corrected: It’s dislike, not fear.
Yang Xiaole tilted his head, looking at him. “How do you know? You don’t even really know him, right? How do you know he dislikes insects?”
Yan Lan continued to write: It’s a long story. I met him a long time ago, but he has long forgotten about me.
Yang Xiaole made an exclamation sound, “How long ago is ‘a long time ago’?”
Yan Lan’s gaze fell on the paper, showing hesitation. This was something he had thought only two people knew. However, after confirming that Xie Yun Zhi had long forgotten about him, he was the only one stubbornly holding onto that precious half-hour.
Seeing that he seemed to be feeling awkward, Yang Xiaole was about to say that it was okay not to tell him when he saw Yan Lan pick up the pen and write down another line: Five years ago, I met Xie Yun Zhi by the side of Liuxian Lake. At that time, I was filled with confusion and fear about the college entrance examination and the future. He encouraged me to continue painting and pursue my dreams.
Yang Xiaole exclaimed, “It’s completely unexpected that he’s the type to encourage others to pursue their dreams.”
Yan Lan continued to write: His dream was to become a director. However, according to what he said at the time, his brother did not approve. He was forced to study management in college, but he later fought hard to persuade his brother to let him go abroad to study directing. The day I met him was the day before he went abroad to study. He was very happy. He told me that there are many paths in this world. Your family and teachers will tell you which path is better, but the ultimate decision is always in your own hands. You don’t have to necessarily choose the so-called better one. You can bravely choose what you want because only by harboring dreams can you become an ideal person without fear.
Yang Xiaole stared at the passage for a long time. “…Do you admire him a lot?”
There was a hint of embarrassment in Yan Lan’s eyes, not caught by Yang Xiaole. He just wrote down: At that time, he seemed a lot like what he described, an ideal person.
“Now, isn’t it the same? Successful career, a beautiful woman in his arms. For a man, is there anything more ideal than this?”
After a long time, Yan Lan nodded and wrote: You’re right.