I Only Want You chapter 7
Yan Lan looked at the successfully sent text message on his phone, sighed deeply, and rested his face in his arms on the table.
He didn’t know if what he did was right, but in any case, he hoped he could help Xie Yun Zhi, even if he might think he was meddling.
After some time passed, his phone suddenly rang with a message notification.
Yan Lan quickly lifted his face and grabbed the phone. It was a reply from Lin, the secretary: Mr. Xie is available tomorrow evening at 6. Is it convenient for you Teacher Yan?
Yan Lan hurriedly replied: Convenient.
Lin: Alright, tomorrow evening at 6, meet at the Forest Coffee in the Fine Arts Institute.
Yan Lan: Okay, thank you.
After replying with these three words, Lin didn’t send any more messages. Yan Lan stared at those lines, lost in thought. His heart was pounding, and it felt like it was about to leap out of his chest. Even breathing became a bit difficult.
The Forest Coffee at the Fine Arts Institute was the largest coffee shop in the area. At its busiest times, it could comfortably accommodate fifty to sixty customers, each enjoying coffee at their respective seats and passing the time with conversations.
Yan Lan and Yang Xiaole had been there once. The decor of the shop was quite unique, with real plant vines even winding around the ceiling.
Xie Yun Zhi chose this place for their meeting, apparently considering Yan Lan was a student at the Fine Arts Institute. This way, Yan Lan wouldn’t have to spend extra money on transportation to a distant location.
Yang Xiaole went out that day, and Yan Lan waited for him in the dorm. When midnight arrived and Yang Xiaole hadn’t returned, Yan Lan sent him a text message. Yang Xiaole replied with a “good night” immediately, allowing Yan Lan to rest easy and turn off the lights to sleep.
The next day, upon waking up, Yan Lan saw someone sleeping on the opposite bed. He didn’t know when he came back, but judging by the fact that he was wearing pajamas and had removed his makeup, it seemed like he hadn’t been drinking. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to soberly complete these tasks himself.
At noon, when Yang Xiaole woke up hungry, Yan Lan prepared a bowl of oatmeal for him and told him about the meeting with Xie Yun Zhi later in the day.
Yang Xiaole’s hair was messy like a chicken coop, and his face was slightly swollen due to just waking up. Holding his phone, he watched Yan Lan’s handwritten notes in the memo app, wondering, “Aren’t you too concerned about their family affairs? Wouldn’t it give people a bad impression? After all, this is their private matter, and you are just a part-time teacher.”
Yang Xiaole’s words were quite incisive, hitting the exact reason for Yan Lan’s uneasy feelings.
He was just an outsider. Even though he was now Tiantian’s art teacher, spending two hours or even more at their home, he was still just an outsider.
Outsiders didn’t have the qualification or standing to care about other people’s family matters because it could easily upset them and be considered impolite.
Yan Lan’s ice-cold face revealed a trace of anxiety and loss. He seemed to have forgotten that Yang Xiaole couldn’t understand sign language. He lowered his head and gestured with sign language, looking somewhat dispirited.
Yang Xiaole scratched his head in embarrassment and said, “Is there something you can’t tell me? Because this doesn’t seem like you.”
Yan Lan nodded. Indeed, there were things he couldn’t say.
“Well, since it’s something you want to do, I, as a friend, will support you.”
During the day, Yang Xiaole didn’t go out, accompanying Yan Lan in the dorm. As the evening approached, Yan Lan became more restless. The closer it got to evening, the harder it was for him to calm down. He was the kind of person whose expression became more indifferent the more nervous he felt. As time passed, the invisible low pressure enveloping him was almost palpable.
Yang Xiaole earnestly advised him, “If you go like this, Mr. Xie might suspect you’re going to fight with him.”
Yan Lan helplessly touched his face and picked up his phone to type: What should I do?
“Relax a bit; don’t be too nervous.”
Yan Lan couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile. He indeed wanted to relax, but the thought of meeting Xie Yun Zhi made it impossible for him to relax.
At half-past five in the afternoon, Yan Lan got up, changed his clothes, and headed to the Forest Coffee.
The Forest Coffee was not inside the campus of the Fine Arts Institute; one had to walk from the south gate. Passing by the bus stop where he often took the bus and walking for about ten minutes, he could see the coffee shop.
The coffee shop was prominently located by the roadside, with two floors and outdoor seating.
After entering the shop, Yan Lan found a quiet corner. A staff member approached him with a tablet, asking what he wanted to drink. Yan Lan ordered oat milk latte.
Not long after, a black Bentley stopped outside the shop. Xie Yun Zhi, without his suit jacket, wearing a spotless white shirt and shiny leather shoes, pushed open the door of the coffee shop.
When he pushed the door, almost everyone’s eyes in the shop focused on him at that instant. It felt like some people were naturally the center of attention in a crowd, and Xie Yun Zhi seemed to be one of those people.
He entered the shop alone, without his secretary or assistant. The coffee shop staff was about to approach him to lead him to a seat when he turned around and walked towards a corner by himself.
Yan Lan stared in amazement as Xie Yun Zhi sat across from him, ordered an oat milk latte like him, and even asked, “Teacher Yan, have you eaten?”
Yan Lan subconsciously shook his head; he indeed hadn’t had a chance to eat yet.
Xie Yun Zhi ordered an additional crab and egg sandwich and a cheese and ham croissant.
“I haven’t eaten either,” Xie Yun Zhi said as he took off his watch, putting it in the pocket of his shirt. He noticed Yan Lan’s gaze and explained, “It’s too heavy; I don’t want to wear it after work.”
Yan Lan nodded somewhat absentmindedly.
Xie Yun Zhi looked at him strangely. “Teacher Yan, why are you looking at me like this? Aren’t we here to discuss Tiantian’s matter?”
Yan Lan snapped out of it and awkwardly touched his nose, gesturing in sign language: How about we talk after you finish eating?
Xie Yun Zhi nodded, “Sure.”
The Forest Coffee served the dishes quickly, and soon, all the items Xie Yun Zhi had ordered were brought to the table.
“Teacher Yan, do you prefer the sandwich or the croissant?”
Yan Lan didn’t understand why he suddenly asked this but pointed at the croissant.
Xie Yun Zhi then pushed the croissant towards him. As he took a big bite of the sandwich.
Yan Lan accepted the croissant that Xie Yun Zhi pushed back to him. Xie Yun Zhi, finishing the sandwich quickly, drank half of the oat milk latte.
Yan Lan ate a bit slower, feeling a bit awkward being stared at by Xie Yun Zhi while eating his croissant with an expressionless face.
After a while, Xie Yun Zhi suddenly said, “Has anyone ever said that you look like snow?”
Yan Lan looked up in confusion, raising an eyebrow to express his puzzlement.
Xie Yun Zhi’s lips twitched, “Never mind, I was just thinking out loud.”
After finishing the last bite of the croissant and taking a few sips of the oat milk latte, Yan Lan wiped his mouth with a tissue and started using sign language: “Tiantian seems to have a misunderstanding about you. He told me that he acts out because you bullied his father.”
Xie Yun Zhi was somewhat surprised by Yan Lan’s directness. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Did he tell you that?”
Yan Lan nodded.
“Why?” Xie Yun Zhi’s eyes showed no emotion as he stared at Yan Lan, “He told you when you asked him?”
Worried that Xie Yun Zhi might have a misunderstanding about him, Yan Lan had no choice but to explain the whole situation, including the part where he had to make Tiantian come out from under the bed to tell him that his uncle disliked bugs.
After Xie Yun Zhi watched his long explanation in sign language, he supported his chin with one hand, “How did you know that I dislike bugs?”
Yan Lan hesitated, unsure whether he should reveal this.
Seeing Yan Lan’s hesitant expression but not stopping the questioning, Xie Yun Zhi continued to press, “How did you know?”
Yan Lan closed his eyes as if sighing and wore an expression as if to say, “I knew five years ago.”
Xie Yun Zhi was stunned, “Five years ago?”
Yan Lan’s face turned cold, “You probably don’t remember.”
The sign language movements made by Yan Lan alongside his cold expression revealed a sense of resentment. For some reason, it made people feel that he was quite wronged.
After Xie Yun Zhi came back to his senses, he thought he might have seen it wrong and carefully observed Yan Lan’s slightly lowered eyes. Indeed, from the slightly elongated corners of his eyes, he could see a faint trace of grievance, so faint that it was almost invisible if one didn’t look closely.
“Sorry, I got into a little accident.” Xie Yun Zhi lifted the bangs on his forehead, revealing a scar about the length of his pinky finger hidden at the hairline, “It happened about three years ago on the set. The doctor diagnosed it as a concussion, and there was also retrograde amnesia. What Tiantian told you about seeing me bully his father is related to this. Because of my injury on the set, my brother was very angry. Before my injury fully healed, he brought me back and wanted to withdraw me from school. That was the only time we had a quarrel. Tiantian was still young at that time, and he might have secretly seen it.”
Yan Lan was again surprised and terrified as he looked at the hideous scar. He fully understood why Xie Yun Zhi’s brother was so anxious to withdraw him from school as the scar looked quite serious. He also didn’t know what caused the scar. Judging from the scar, if this injury had been a bit more severe, Xie Yun Zhi might not be sitting here talking to him.
Xie Yun Zhi let down his bangs, looking at Yan Lan, “So, I don’t remember you, and it might be related to why you seem upset. If I made you sad, I can apologize. It wasn’t intentional.”
Yan Lan didn’t expect Xie Yun Zhi to explain the reasons so sincerely and earnestly. He felt surprised and a bit pleased, but his indifferent expression didn’t reveal much.
He pondered for a moment, then began a somewhat lengthy set of sign language gestures: You should tell Tiantian about your concern for him, dispel his misunderstanding about you, and don’t let him continue to think you dislike him. You are his only family, and he really needs you. This is something neither a teacher nor an aunt can provide. He is just a child, still too young. If you don’t tell him about your love for him and everything you’ve done for him, he won’t understand. This is not conducive to his growth.
After listening, Xie Yun Zhi remained silent for a long time. “Teacher Yan, I understand what you mean, but Tiantian currently harbors deep resistance toward me. He gets upset even when I show concern for him.”
Yan Lan frowned, “Why don’t you live with him?”
Xie Yun Zhi couldn’t help but show a wry smile, “It’s not that I don’t want to live with him. When I first brought him here, he would cry and throw tantrums whenever he saw me. His eyes would almost go wrong from crying. I had to move out, and he stays more stable if he doesn’t see me.”
Yan Lan looked at him firmly, “Try it again. I can accompany you, and I’ll help you convince Tiantian.”
Xie Yun Zhi was moved by his suggestion and looked at Yan Lan in astonishment, “Are you helping me just because we met five years ago?”
Yan Lan’s icy face showed no ripples, “This can be considered repaying a favor. If I hadn’t met you back then, I don’t know if I would be who I am now.”
Xie Yun Zhi, initially not paying much attention to their first encounter, became curious after hearing Yan Lan’s sign language. He wondered what he had done back then that made this snow-like person remember him until now.
“Teacher Yan, can you tell me what our first meeting was like? Why does it count as a favor?”
Yan Lan coldly shook his head, bit the straw in the cup, and finished the remaining latte.
Xie Yun Zhi, observing him with his cheek resting on his hand, felt that this Teacher Yan was not as cold and unapproachable as he had imagined. He seemed to be troubled by not being remembered, and he cared deeply about the matters involving him and Tiantian.
Could it be… a debt of gratitude?
After leaving Forest Coffee, Xie Yun Zhi invited Yan Lan to get in the car and offered to drop him off at school since it was on the way.
Yan Lan declined, indicating that he could walk the short distance himself.
Xie Yun Zhi directly grabbed his wrist, pulling the turning figure back into the car and following him into the back seat. Only after closing the car door did he say to Yan Lan, who looked shocked, “It’s on the way.”
Throughout the journey, Yan Lan appeared uncomfortable from head to toe. His face was as cold as if covered in frost, and his gaze remained fixed outside the car window. He didn’t spare even a glance for the person beside him.
Xie Yun Zhi found it puzzling and couldn’t help asking, “Teacher Yan, do you get car sick?”
Yan Lan shook his head.
Xie Yun Zhi didn’t inquire further.
When the South Gate of the Academy of Fine Arts came into view, Xie Yun Zhi suddenly turned to Yan Lan, “Teacher Yan, can you leave me your contact information?”
Yan Lan was surprised at the request, but Xie Yun Zhi had already extended his hand, indicating Yan Lan to give him his phone. “Next time, you can contact me directly, no need to go through Secretary Lin.”
Yan Lan handed over his unlocked phone, watching as Xie Yun Zhi dialed a number after entering a series of digits, then hung up. “This is my personal number. You can contact me anytime.”
After returning the phone, Xie Yun Zhi sighed lightly, “When Tiantian’s mom was still alive, she used to fold a paper crane for him every day. Their previous home had over a thousand of them. Besides his parents, he only folded paper cranes for two people—me and you.”