Chapter 23: “Waiting for You”
Xiao Yuanzhou’s gaze shifted back and forth between Jian Huaiyi and Liang Xun. His eyes narrowed in realization. “How did you two get here together?” he asked Liang Xun.
“Ah, don’t tell me you two know each other!” Xiao Yuanzhou exclaimed, slapping his palm.
Liang Xun: …
“Clever.”
Completely missing the sarcasm in Liang Xun’s tone, Xiao Yuanzhou’s mind went blank for a second before he pressed on, “Were you two desk-mates as well?”
Jian Huaiyi: …
He was just about to say, “We’re friends,” when he felt a sudden pressure on his fingertips. This is bad.
“Boyfriend,” Liang Xun’s thin lips parted as he introduced them to Xiao Yuanzhou. “Jian Huaiyi is my boyfriend.”
Xiao Yuanzhou blinked. “What kind of friend?”
“Boyfriend,” Liang Xun repeated patiently.
“Boy-what?”
Liang Xun: …
Jian Huaiyi silently closed his eyes. Just then, Ning Chen walked out of the shop, having heard the entire exchange.
“You two are together?” Ning Chen asked, stunned. He looked at Jian Huaiyi. “Huaiyi, you and Liang Xun?”
Jian Huaiyi, having already composed himself, braced himself and nodded. “Yeah.”
“When? High school? Or university?” Ning Chen asked curiously.
Jian Huaiyi nonchalantly touched his forehead and pushed Liang Xun forward. “Ask him.” Then he opened the door and walked into the shop.
The weather was beautiful. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, and light the color of maple leaves streamed through the window into the room.
“Wow, you guys kept it hidden so well. I didn’t suspect a thing back then,” Ning Chen remarked, looking between the two of them with sincere admiration.
He, Jian Huaiyi, and Liang Xun had all been in the same class in high school. Ning Chen couldn’t help but reminisce, trying to recall any trace of them liking each other. But the reality was, not only did they like each other, they had been secretly dating.
Jian Huaiyi took a calm sip of his tea, thinking to himself that it would have been strange if anyone had noticed.
The photos from yesterday were all developed. Ning Chen got up to get them and saw Xiao Yuanzhou sitting at the counter, carefully examining one of them.
A chill ran down Xiao Yuanzhou’s back. He spun around to meet Ning Chen’s impassive gaze and quickly explained, “Chenchen, I think I know where I’ve seen Jian Huaiyi before.”
Ning Chen didn’t say anything, bending down to gather the photos one by one. Feeling uneasy, Xiao Yuanzhou leaned in close to Ning Chen’s ear and whispered something.
“The photo in the frame on Liang Xun’s bedside table is of Jian Huaiyi. Before…”
Ning Chen straightened up, his brow furrowing as he met Xiao Yuanzhou’s gleaming eyes. “Stop prying into other people’s private lives.”
Xiao Yuanzhou cried foul, reaching out towards Ning Chen’s cold, retreating back.
“I didn’t! Chenchen, I’m not that kind of person!”
Jian Huaiyi wasn’t going to the museum today, so they had plenty of time and decided to go hiking.
If they left now, they should be able to reach the summit before sunset.
As Ning Chen booked tickets on his phone, a thought occurred to him. He asked Jian Huaiyi, “Is Liang Xun coming with us?”
“Yes,” Liang Xun answered. He looked up, meeting the questioning look in Jian Huaiyi’s eyes, and explained in a low voice, “I’ve finished my business. My flight is the day after tomorrow.”
Jian Huaiyi grew suspicious. “Are you really here on a business trip?”
Who finishes a business trip in a single morning, without bringing anything or anyone, just flying over all by himself?
It seemed less like a business trip and more like Liang Xun had come for a spontaneous city walk.
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.
…Never mind.
What am I even questioning? Jian Huaiyi mused.
Maybe Liang Xun’s business trips were just different from those at the Jian Corporation.
Grouse Mountain was a famous scenic spot in Vancouver. The group gathered their gear and drove to the foot of the mountain.
After parking, the four of them took a cable car part of the way up. Following a short walk of about ten minutes, they finally reached the summit.
The sun was setting in the west, painting the sky like a magnificent oil canvas. Standing at the peak and looking down, they could see the entire landscape of Vancouver.
Red, green, white… different colors wove together into a single tapestry.
It felt as if they were standing among the clouds, a free wind blowing past, smoothing over all imperfections.
Nature had a way of embracing all flaws.
Only in Vancouver was Jian Huaiyi willing to leave a trace of himself behind.
“Huaiyi, I brought a grill. How about we have a barbecue tonight?” Ning Chen suggested.
“I’m in!” Xiao Yuanzhou raised his hand.
“Okay.”
Ning Chen and Xiao Yuanzhou went to a nearby shop to buy ingredients, leaving Jian Huaiyi and Liang Xun to watch their gear.
The view from the summit was beautiful, and the woods were filled with many unfamiliar species of plants.
Jian Huaiyi was thinking of taking a walk inside when a woman in a red padded jacket came running towards them.
The woman wasn’t old, probably in her twenties, and also Chinese. She thrust the child she was holding into Jian Huaiyi’s arms and said urgently in Mandarin, “Hey, handsome, can you watch my kid for a second? I’ll be right back, thanks, thanks!” Then she rushed off in another direction without waiting for an answer.
In a flash, the woman was gone.
Jian Huaiyi looked down and met the child’s eyes.
The child was also fully Chinese, with large, grape-like eyes that looked up at him with a watery shimmer. Despite being shoved into a stranger’s arms, the child didn’t cry or fuss.
Jian Huaiyi: …
“Isn’t she afraid I’ll kidnap her child?” Jian Huaiyi asked genuinely.
Liang Xun held back a laugh, his jaw tight. “Maybe you have a kind face,” he offered. “And you’re young.”
Jian Huaiyi frowned. Perhaps his expression was too cold, because the child suddenly let out a loud wail.
Jian Huaiyi: ?
“What are you crying for?”
His face grew even colder, and the child began to cry while calling for its mother.
People around them started to stare.
Jian Huaiyi’s palms grew clammy and hot, his fine brows knitting together.
Liang Xun wanted to help, but he had absolutely no experience comforting children.
“…Don’t cry,” Jian Huaiyi said, his voice softening, his clear tone laced with a deliberate, forced gentleness.
For some reason, Liang Xun glanced up at him.
The child’s crying paused. Its little fists clutched at Jian Huaiyi’s chest. It looked up, saw it wasn’t its mother, and buried its face in Jian Huaiyi’s chest to continue crying.
Jian Huaiyi was at a loss. He even had the fleeting thought of just dropping the child.
Even Jian Luo hadn’t been this much of a crybaby when he was little.
The crisp jingle of a bell caught the child’s attention. The crying stopped, and its large, tear-filled eyes spotted the small bell in front of it and reached out.
Liang Xun handed the keychain to the child. Unable to grasp it with one hand, the child held the metal ring and brought it into Jian Huaiyi’s arms, playing with it curiously.
For a moment, it forgot to cry.
Jian Huaiyi let out a silent sigh of relief. He lowered his eyes, and a warmth spread across his cheek as the child cupped his chin and planted a kiss on his face.
Jian Huaiyi: ?
A flicker of confusion crossed his light-colored eyes. He looked down and met the child’s gaze. Seemingly sensing that Jian Huaiyi wasn’t a bad person, the child let out a giggle.
“…Don’t laugh,” Jian Huaiyi said, his voice unnatural.
Then he remembered this was a child of only a few years who couldn’t understand him, and his lips pressed into a tight line.
The child’s mother finally returned, taking the child from Jian Huaiyi’s arms and thanking him profusely. “Thank you so much, handsome.”
“Don’t mention it,” Jian Huaiyi said, his hands back in his pockets, his usual cool and distant demeanor restored.
“Say bye-bye to the nice big brother,” the woman said, waving the child’s little hand at Jian Huaiyi.
The child clenched its chubby fist and waved goodbye.
Jian Huaiyi watched the mother and child leave.
“Do you like kids?” Liang Xun suddenly asked, his dark eyes shimmering with an unreadable emotion.
Jian Huaiyi shot him a strange look. “What makes you say that?”
“A gut feeling,” Liang Xun said.
“Are you going to give birth to one?” Jian Huaiyi raised an eyebrow.
Liang Xun’s lips tightened. “I can’t give birth.”
The deadpan way Liang Xun said those words was actually quite funny.
A smile touched Jian Huaiyi’s lips, and he raised an eyebrow at Liang Xun. “So I’ll give birth?”
Liang Xun’s tone held a hint of helplessness. “Of course not. But if you like them, we could adopt one.”
With that, Liang Xun began to earnestly explain the process to him.
Jian Huaiyi fell silent.
Who wanted to adopt a child with Liang Xun?
He held a hand up in front of Liang Xun’s mouth and said, word by word, “Okay, I don’t like kids. End of discussion.”
Ning Chen and Xiao Yuanzhou returned with two full bags of ingredients. They found an empty spot, set up a tent, and prepared the grill for the barbecue.
All four of them grilled something. Ning Chen accidentally burned one of his, and was about to throw it away when Xiao Yuanzhou snatched it from him.
Xiao Yuanzhou took a dramatic bite. Under the shocked gazes of the others, he declared, “This isn’t burnt. This is Chenchen’s overflowing love for me.”
Ning Chen buried his face in his hands. A small smile played on Jian Huaiyi’s lips. With a sizzle, the smell of something burnt hit his nose.
Jian Huaiyi: …
He picked up his skewer, intending to toss it in the trash, but he looked up and met Liang Xun’s eyes.
An idea sparked in Jian Huaiyi’s mind, and he immediately extinguished any hope in Liang Xun’s heart. “You’re not allowed to eat this.”
With a thud, the skewer landed cleanly in the trash can.
Liang Xun lowered his eyes, a flicker of regret in them.
The moon climbed higher. After cleaning up their trash, they realized it was already late.
Jian Huaiyi took a walk through the woods. When he returned, he found only Liang Xun was left.
He sat down in front of the fire, the flames licking at his handsome face. Seeing Liang Xun all alone, he asked, “Where are the others?”
“They went to the bonfire party.”
Jian Huaiyi was in a good mood today. He raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you go with them?”
“I was waiting for you,” Liang Xun said.
Jian Huaiyi’s hand, which had been warming by the fire, froze in mid-air. A bad feeling crept over him.
Liang Xun’s lips pressed together, his dark brows set with determination. As if having made a monumental decision, he walked over to Jian Huaiyi’s side and took a small square box out of his pocket.
Jian Huaiyi glanced down at it.
This is bad.
Alarm bells went off.
Jian Huaiyi’s eyes widened as he tried to stop him. “Wait.”
But it was too late. Liang Xun opened the small box. Inside was a silver ring studded with tiny diamonds.
Everything went black.
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