I Only Want You chapter 44
On the way back to the art institute by taxi, Yang Xiaole suddenly remembered to check his phone. After all, he hadn’t looked at it since he called Yan Lan in tears, and he was sure that Yan Lan must be worried about him.
As expected, upon opening WeChat, he saw a red background with white text indicating unread messages. Yan Lan had been asking him where he was.
Feeling guilty, Yang Xiaole replied that he was already on the way back to school and promised to tell him everything that happened tonight when they met.
Yan Lan replied with a simple “Okay.”
Over half an hour later, the taxi stopped outside the south gate of the art institute. Yang Xiaole, as soon as he got out of the car, saw Yan Lan waiting for him at the school gate. Holding the bouquet of roses, he ran towards him, “Momo! I’m back!”
Seeing that he was fine, although his eyes were swollen, Yan Lan breathed a sigh of relief, at least he wasn’t crying anymore.
The two returned to the dormitory, and Yang Xiaole drank two glasses of water in a row. He also took out a bag of coarse grain biscuits, saying, “I almost starved on the way!”
While he was eating biscuits, Yan Lan was observing the exquisite bouquet of roses.
Yang Xiaole put down the biscuit bag, walked over, and looked at it with Yan Lan. “This was originally meant for Nana. I angered him, and he threw this bouquet into the trash. I picked it up, along with a bracelet.”
Turning to look at Yan Lan, Yang Xiaole, after finishing the biscuit, continued, “I almost died of fear when I apologized. I was afraid he might say something I couldn’t accept, like calling me disgusting or perverted. But he didn’t say any of that. He’s actually a good person. It seems like he was just angry about me pretending to be a girl and fooling him. Maybe he thought I was playing a joke on him. But I made it clear that I liked him. He didn’t seem as angry as before… Do you think I have a chance?”
Yang Xiaole leaned on the table, staring at the bracelet without blinking. He couldn’t help but wonder what Bian Xianyang might say when he gave the roses and the bracelet prepared for Nana.
Yan Lan opened a notebook and wrote: It’s expected that he would be angry, but what happened afterward was unexpected. It seems he doesn’t mind that you’re a boy.
“Yeah, it’s not just my imagination,” Yang Xiaole said, closing the jewelry box and putting it in his arms. “His attitude towards Nana and me is very different.”
Yan Lan: Understandable.
Yang Xiaole sighed heavily. “I know… but Nana is me. The disparity is more uncomfortable than I imagined, even though I deserve it.”
Yan Lan: You’ve done well. You faced your mistake without evasion. It takes extraordinary courage to do that.
“But it doesn’t change the fact that I was wrong. I was really terrible, not worthy of being liked.”
Yan Lan: What happened can’t be changed, but you can make amends. Redeem yourself. You are worth being liked; otherwise, Bian Xianyang wouldn’t let you into his house, wouldn’t let you cook steak for him.
Yang Xiaole fell silent. He had no idea what would happen next, including whether he would have a chance to meet and talk to Bian Xianyang again. Would they have no connection after today?
The unanswered questions weighed on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. In the end, he let out a breath. “Enough about me. Did your Yun Zhi buy the diamond?”
Yan Lan nodded: Coming back tomorrow morning.
“Really? Impressive! How much did he spend on it? I remember diamonds of that caliber at auctions are valued at over a hundred million, right?”
Yan Lan shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know. Yun Zhi only told him that he had bought it but didn’t mention how much he spent.
Yang Xiaole picked up his phone and searched, “There should be press releases after the auction. Let me check… Ah, here it is! Wow, $55 million!”
The staggering transaction amount surprised both of them. Yan Lan also didn’t expect that the pink diamond would be so expensive, beyond his imagination! $55 million, that’s nearly four hundred million? Almost four hundred million for a pink diamond?!
“Rich people are really crazy…”
Yan Lan strongly agreed, nodding continuously. He also thought so.
“Now that the diamond belongs to Yun Zhi, do you have the chance to take a look at it?”
Yan Lan shook his head: Such a valuable thing should be properly stored.
“Aren’t you curious? Don’t you want to see it?”
Yan Lan shook his head. Although his mind was still shocked by the transaction amount, he had no desire to see the diamond. After all, in his opinion, no matter how beautiful the dazzling pink diamond was, it wasn’t worth $398 million.
The next morning, Yan Lan and Yang Xiaole had a class starting at nine, so they could enjoy breakfast relatively leisurely without resorting to milk and bread. Instead, they went to the cafeteria and had a bowl of steaming hot pickled vegetable and shredded pork noodles.
Yang Xiaole added chili to his bowl, saying, “Carbs bring joy.”
Yan Lan just smiled, quietly peeling a boiled egg.
“Has Yun Zhi arrived?”
Yan Lan nodded, extending his hands and mimicking typing on a keyboard to indicate that he had gone to work.
“Oh, so hardworking. He just got off the plane, but he didn’t even have time to take a break.”
Yan Lan nodded.
After breakfast, the two tidied up their table and went to class.
During the break at half-past ten, Yan Lan was concentrating on reviewing the content of the previous class and didn’t notice that everyone in the classroom kept looking at him until Yang Xiaole rushed back after the bell rang.
“Oh my god, Yan Lan!”
Yan Lan heard his voice, sounding both panicked and joyful, and turned to look at him as he rushed back.
“Quick, look at this. This is the video of Yun Zhi landing at the airport this morning.”
Confused, Yan Lan took the phone he handed over and played the video.
The video, lasting about a minute, clearly showed scenes shot at the airport, with Yun Zhi wearing a black suit always in the center of the frame.
Yan Lan couldn’t figure out what was so special to film about, but then he heard a person speaking rapidly and almost without pause in the video.
“At the recently concluded Sotheby’s Autumn Auction, General Manager Xie spent $55.5 million to win the 12.56-carat internally flawless fancy vivid pink diamond. Will there be a chance for it to enter Venus Jewelry’s annual jewelry exhibition?”
Xie Yun Zhi, who had never responded to reporters’ questions in informal occasions, unexpectedly answered this question.
“No, I bought this diamond to propose. It belongs to my partner, Yan Lan.”
Yan Lan was stunned by this sentence, and his fingers couldn’t help but slide the progress bar back to listen again.
This sentence not only shocked him but also caused a commotion among the reporters surrounding him at the scene. However, no matter how they asked, Xie Yun Zhi didn’t answer a single word. He walked out of the airport hall in silence and got into the car that came to pick him up.
Yang Xiaole was excited, pupils dilated. “He bought that diamond to propose to you! Right from the beginning! “
Yan Lan’s expression was blank. He just stared at Xie Yun Zhi’s face on the phone screen, lost in thought for a while before remembering to return the phone, which had already dimmed.
His reaction was beyond Yang Xiaole’s expectations. The excitement he felt upon hearing the news faded a bit. “What’s wrong, Yan Lan? Xie Yun Zhi is going to propose to you. Aren’t you happy?”
Yan Lan’s mood was so complicated that he didn’t even know what to do. Of course, he was happy that Xie Yun Zhi was planning to propose to him. He was thrilled. But why spend so much money to buy that pink diamond at the auction?
He never said he needed such things. Why spend so much money to buy it for him? 398 million!
This astronomical figure pressed down on Yan Lan’s shoulders like a mountain. His head was dizzy, and it was hard for him to simply feel happy. It was too precious, beyond what he could imagine, and not something he could afford.
“Yan Lan, your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you feeling unwell?”
Yan Lan weakly supported his forehead, shook his head, and picked up a pen to write: I’m fine. I just need some time to recover.
Yang Xiaole was a bit puzzled, but seeing that Yan Lan didn’t seem happy, and even looked more shocked than surprised, he didn’t speak to disturb him.
The morning classes ended at twelve noon. During lunch, Yan Lan chose not to go to the cafeteria and returned to the dormitory, while Yang Xiaole went to the cafeteria to get food and brought back fried rice for him.
Seeing Yan Lan looking deeply troubled, Yang Xiaole hesitated for a moment but chose not to tell him that the internet was buzzing with discussions. Even as he went to the cafeteria to get food, at least six out of ten tables he passed were discussing Xie Yun Zhi’s plan to propose to Yan Lan using the recently purchased pink diamond.
“Yan Lan, why aren’t you happy? This is obviously a good thing!”
Yan Lan, low-spirited, opened the disposable lunch box and wrote: I’m fine. I’ll be fine after some time.
Yang Xiaole sighed softly, watching him for a moment before deciding not to ask further.
Afternoon classes ended, and Yan Lan handed his books to Yang Xiaole, asking him to take them back. Yan Lan needed to go to the Xie family. After leaving the school gate and taking a bus, he sent a WeChat message to Xie Yun Zhi, letting him know roughly when he would be home.
A few minutes later, Xie Yun Zhi replied: Okay, I’ll be back earlier today too.
Neither of them mentioned the pink diamond or the proposal. It seemed as if nothing had happened.
Xie Yun Zhi returned home before dinner. Yan Lan, as usual, stood up when he heard the sound of the car engine, walking to the door to greet him.
The two walked into the entrance together.
After changing into indoor shoes, Xie Yun Zhi held Yan Lan’s face and said, “Yan Lan, what’s wrong? Why do I feel like you’re not happy?”
Yan Lan gazed at him, his thoughts heavy. The 398 million kept making his head spin.
Xie Yun Zhi was still unaware that Yan Lan was concerned about the diamond being too expensive. He held Yan Lan’s face, and their foreheads touched as he tried to feel his warmth. Only after making sure everything was fine did he slightly ease his worry. “Didn’t sleep well or feeling too tired?”
Yan Lan raised his hand to gently pull away Xie Yun Zhi’s arm: I can’t accept that diamond. It can’t belong to me.