I Only Want You chapter 48

When Yan Lan entered Xie Yun Zhi’s office, he immediately noticed the photo frames on the desk. Unable to resist, he walked over and took a look. Those two wooden frames were the ones Xie Yun Zhi bought when they went to the bookstore before. As he had mentioned, he indeed put the photos of him in his queen attire into those frames.

Especially the photo with the three of them in the middle, Yan Lan couldn’t help but pick up the frame and look at it a few more times.

Xie Yun Zhi, while taking out a glass container of hot dishes from the insulated lunchbox, noticed Yan Lan looking at the frames and said with a smiling voice, “Nice, aren’t they?”

Yan Lan smiled, placed the photo frame back in its original position, and walked back to Xie Yun Zhi, nodding as a response.

Xie Yun Zhi opened all the glass containers, glanced at the dishes, and said, “Let me guess which one you made… Shredded potatoes with green peppers?”

Yan Lan turned to look at him, wondering how he knew.

“Because Tiantian doesn’t like green peppers and isn’t fond of fried potatoes either. The dishes made by Auntie always cater to his taste. I’ve never seen shredded potatoes with green peppers on the dining table at home, so I felt this should be the dish you cooked for me.” Xie Yun Zhi’s guess hit the mark, and he happily picked up the box of white rice. “I’ll enjoy this. Thanks Yan.”

Yan Lan’s culinary skills weren’t extraordinary, but with Auntie’s assistance, making a simple dish like shredded potatoes with green peppers was not a problem. The seasoning was just right.

However, even for such a simple home-cooked dish, Xie Yun Zhi loved it. Despite bringing yellow braised prawns and clam soup, he ate very little of those. Instead, he kept using his chopsticks to pick from the box of shredded potatoes with green peppers.

Yan Lan was pleased to see Xie Yun Zhi enjoying the meal. He knew his cooking was ordinary compared to Auntie’s skills, but Xie Yun Zhi liked it so much because he made it himself.

“I’ll finish work early today, so how about having dinner outside? Just the two of us, without Tiantian,” Xie Yun Zhi suggested.

Yan Lan nodded, indicating his agreement.

“What about your afternoon schedule?”

Yan Lan gestured, showing that he had a book to finish.

Half an hour later, the two finished a clean lunch. Yan Lan didn’t stay in Xie Yun Zhi’s office for long. After tidying up the desk and disposing of the trash, he was ready to leave. Xie Yun Zhi wanted to accompany him downstairs, but Yan Lan refused. Before leaving, he pointed to his desk, indicating that Xie Yun Zhi should focus on work.

Unable to persuade him, Xie Yun Zhi had his assistant, Xiao Zhang, accompany Yan Lan downstairs. Yan Lan didn’t want to trouble anyone but accepted it since he needed someone to accompany him downstairs.

Back at the Xie residence, Yan Lan washed the lunchbox he brought and placed it in the sterilizer. He then went upstairs to catch Tiantian, who had refused to take a nap. After a short nap of about an hour, he took Tiantian downstairs to prepare for his online classes.

Tiantian, too, had classes on weekends. Xie Yun Zhi believed that with two hours of classes each day, he had enough playtime during weekdays, so there was no need for special relaxation during weekends.

Yan Lan didn’t intervene in Xie Yun Zhi’s arrangements. When it was time, he called Tiantian back from his playtime and helped him wash his face.

Every time at such moments, Auntie would be particularly happy that Yan Lan stayed with them. Tiantian rarely threw tantrums or got upset with Yan Lan. He was reasonable and had a good sense of proportion. Even when he was reluctant to get up and was a bit upset, Yan Lan could quickly comfort him. With Yan Lan around, Auntie felt much more relaxed. In a way, she should be the person, other than Xie Yun Zhi, who most wished for Yan Lan to stay permanently.

After sending the cranky Tiantian into the small study for his online classes, Yan Lan spent the afternoon reading. Only during Tiantian’s break did he come downstairs, slightly interrupted by the child who wanted him to peel grapes.

Yan Lan put down his book and wiped his hands with a tissue: The grapes are all gone.

When he went to find Xie Yun Zhi at noon, he brought all the remaining grapes with him. Now there wasn’t a single grape left at home, but fortunately, there were still mangoes.

In the midst of enjoying the mangoes, Auntie hurriedly came back after finishing her yard work outside. She couldn’t help but exclaim when she saw Tiantian eating happily. She smiled and said, “Whenever Teacher Yan comes home, Mr. Xie’s mood becomes exceptionally good. Wasn’t the meal I left in the kitchen last night eaten by him? That’s because you were at home. Otherwise, he would have asked me not to cook his meal and eat outside. Also, today at noon, you brought lunch to him. I’ve suggested several times to bring him lunch, but he always refused, saying it’s unnecessary, and he’ll eat in the cafeteria. But when you offer, he willingly accepts. He probably wants to spend more time with you. Even I, as an onlooker, can feel it. Mr. Xie really likes you.”

These were the first words Yan Lan heard about it, especially from Auntie. After listening, he felt both embarrassed and happy.

Tiantian, oblivious to what Auntie and Yan Lan were talking about, just grabbed Yan Lan’s wrist, pressed his face against Yan Lan’s hand, and opened his mouth to bite the mango, getting mango juice on his cheek.

For Tiantian, who was a bit obsessed with cleanliness, this behavior was quite unusual. However, he liked it when Yan Lan awkwardly fed him like this. It was hard to express why he liked it; he just felt a strong desire to rely on him.

After feeding him almost half of the palm-sized mango, Yan Lan washed Tiantian’s hands and wiped his face. He was about to take him back upstairs to continue the lesson when Tiantian suddenly pulled back his hand and looked at Yan Lan with a serious expression.

Yan Lan, puzzled, turned to look at him. “What’s wrong? Do you need to go to the bathroom?”

Tiantian shook his head, asking Yan Lan earnestly, “Can Teacher stay at our house forever? And grow up with me.”

Yan Lan always found him adorable when he looked serious, like “The Boss Baby.” Unable to resist, he extended his fingers to pinch Tiantian’s cheek and asked, “Do you want me to stay at your house?”

Tiantian nodded, playing the role of an advisor with a small suggestion, “Teacher can marry my uncle, and stay with me and auntie and live with us forever.”

Yan Lan was taken aback, blushing, he covered his face. Being told such things by a child made him feel embarrassed almost to the point of burning up.

Yet, Tiantian still insisted on holding his wrist, looking at him with a concerned expression, eyes filled with the question: Is it okay? Is it okay?

Yan Lan nodded ever so slightly, so light that Tiantian didn’t even notice, and then led him upstairs.

Around 5 PM, Xie Yun Zhi returned home to pick up Yan Lan. Tiantian had heard Yan Lan mention that they had something to do and would bring a gift for him in the evening. So, seeing the two adults leaving him with Auntie, he wasn’t upset. Instead, he held Yan Lan’s hand, urging him to think carefully and making Yan Lan blush.

Watching with curiosity, Xie Yun Zhi asked, “What’s going on? Do you two have a secret?”

Yan Lan shook his head.

Turning his gaze to Tiantian, Xie Yun Zhi used sign language to ask him.

Just as Tiantian was about to answer, Yan Lan quickly reached out and grabbed his little hand, stopping him from making any sign language. He signaled Auntie to take Tiantian away.

Xie Yun Zhi looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Can’t you tell me?”

Yan Lan put on his coat, linking his arm with Xie Yun Zhi’s as they walked outside, pushing him into the car.

“Tell me just a little, is it related to me?”

Yan Lan, pretending not to hear, gazed out of the car window.

Xie Yun Zhi leaned in to look at his blushing face, “Did Tiantian say something related to me? Why are you so embarrassed?”

On the way to the restaurant, no matter how much Xie Yun Zhi asked, Yan Lan refused to “say.” However, even after dinner, Xie Yun Zhi didn’t forget and continued to ask as they walked in the secluded paths of the Liuxian Lake.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Yan Lan finally told him about Tiantian suggesting that Yan Lan should live with them forever.

Xie Yun Zhi, looking at him with amusement, said, “Indeed, i want the same thing as him.”

Yan Lan felt a bit embarrassed, especially sensing that the atmosphere between them had become somewhat awkward.

Unconsciously, the two had walked from the quiet park paths in the evening to an even more secluded spot by the Liuxian Lake.

Under the moonlight, the lake was not as lively as during the daytime. Only a few people were walking their dogs, and the lake surface reflected the distant lights of the steel jungle, creating a captivating play of light and shadow.

Yan Lan was lost in thought, unintentionally pressing his cheek against Xie Yun Zhi’s shoulder, quietly leaning on him.

The cool wind, carrying a hint of chill, gently blew by under the moonlight, creating a rustling sound as it passed through the leaves of the trees along the lake.

“Yan.”

After waiting for a while without any further words from Xie Yun Zhi, Yan Lan lifted his face to look at him.

Xie Yun Zhi showed a slightly nervous expression. “I’ve imagined countless times what tonight would be like. I’ve rehearsed many things I wanted to say to you over and over in my mind.”

Yan Lan stared into his eyes, feeling his heartbeat gradually accelerating.

“But now that the moment is here, my mind has gone completely blank.” Xie Yun Zhi turned his face to meet his gaze. “I’m so nervous that it’s a bit scary. Is that too unbecoming?”

Yan Lan, shaking his head slowly, could feel Xie Yun Zhi holding his hand tightly, almost painfully.

“All this time, I haven’t done very well. Whether it’s our first meeting that I forgot or the night I got drunk, or later when you became a target because of me, I’ve messed up too many times… Even though I want to cherish you, have you always by my side, only look at me, and have you love me forever, it seems that I’ve failed to express it properly.”

Xie Yun Zhi held Yan Lan’s right hand firmly, using his left hand to pull out a ring from his pocket—a silver ring with a dazzling and breathtaking pink diamond.

“Yan, would you be willing to be my lifelong companion and become Tiantian’s uncle?”

Almost as soon as Xie Yun Zhi finished speaking, a series of bursts sounded from the lakeside, and sharp whistles shot straight into the sky, bursting into a brilliant display of fireworks accompanied by English letters.

Yan

Marry Me