Chapter 10
With his injured hand, Yu Li’s gameplay became a bit slow.
Seeing this, Yan Sui said they should stop playing and let Yu Li go back to the room to rest early.
As Yu Li put down the controller and walked to the gaming room door, he heard Yan Sui say:
“Xiao Li, if you’re not happy staying here, be sure to tell me.”
Yu Li was taken aback, turning back to look at Yan Sui.
The other had a frown, his sincere gaze carrying a bit of worry.
Yu Li smiled and nodded, “Okay, I know.”
Back in the room, Yu Li thought about it and guessed that Yan Sui must have heard his address of Yan Shiting at the kitchen door.
Even if he didn’t hear the distant form of address, his uncomfortable behavior in front of Yan Shiting could also clearly indicate the problem.
The reason for this was that he was afraid of Yan Shiting.
He was afraid of Yan Shiting, first because of his warning, and second because of that night’s incident.
Yu Li let out a long sigh, pulling the quilt over his face.
It seems he needs to muster the courage to solve this problem.
*
The next day was Saturday.
After Yan Sui went out, Yu Li snuck into the kitchen and made a fruit platter.
With his injured finger, he was particularly careful when peeling and cutting the fruit, and it took him a good while to finish the platter.
After it was done, he carefully carried the fruit platter to the garden.
By the small lake in the garden, a parasol was set up, and Yan Shiting was sitting in a lounge chair reading a book.
Yu Li walked up to him and saw the book cover had a computer-related English title.
He glanced at it briefly before shifting his gaze, placing the fruit platter on the table.
Yan Shiting’s hand paused in turning the page.
Without looking up, he coldly asked, “Aren’t you going out to play with Yan Sui?”
Yu Li felt nervous, having forgotten the opening he had planned, so he dryly answered, “He went on a date with Miss Xu.”
Yan Shiting gave a hum, putting down the book and letting his gaze fall on the fruit platter.
It was the same as the one he had brought to him last time, with the fruits carved into flower and animal shapes.
Yan Shiting looked at it for a moment, pursing his lips without a word.
Yu Li felt a bit uneasy.
After bringing the meal last time, the next day the butler told him that Yan Shiting had finished eating all the fruit platter and small pastries.
So it seemed he didn’t dislike it, which is why Yu Li chose to make a fruit platter again.
But now, Yan Shiting’s behavior left Yu Li a bit puzzled.
He was hesitating on how to express his purpose, when he heard Yan Shiting speak up, “Your hand is still hurting, yet you went through the trouble of making this. Is there something you want to say?”
Yu Li paused, then took the opportunity, “Mm.”
Last time he made the fruit platter to express gratitude, and this time it was just to have a more natural conversation with Yan Shiting.
Yu Li looked around, finding two rocks to stack as a makeshift bench. He sat down, gazing at the rippling lake surface, and said, “Yesterday, Yan Sui said that if I’m not happy staying here, I must tell him.”
Yan Shiting looked at him and asked, “Are you unhappy then?”
Yu Li shook his head, “No, but I’m a bit worried.”
He paused, his hands nervously intertwined, “Yan Sui told me before that you want him to screen his friends. I’ve always wanted to ask, in your heart, am I also one of the friends that should be screened out?”
Choosing to ask this question, Yu Li had his own little thoughts.
The time when Yan Shiting told Yan Sui that sentence was right after the party night.
If Yan Shiting still remembered that night’s incident, upon hearing him mention this sentence, he should have some reaction.
But he did indeed have this doubt. He had once developed inappropriate feelings for Yan Sui, so Yan Shiting might think he was no longer suitable to be Yan Sui’s friend.
After speaking, Yu Li turned to look at Yan Shiting’s expression.
Yan Shiting was staring at the lake surface. Hearing his words, he only solemnly said, “Yu Li.”
“You have helped Yan Sui a lot in his studies, not leading him astray or harming him. Just from these aspects, among his friends, no one is better than you.”
“Moreover, you have even saved his life.”
Yu Li knew which incident Yan Shiting was referring to.
Two years ago on the spring trip, Yan Sui accidentally fell down the slope. At that time, it was raining heavily, and Yu Li was worried about a landslide, so he risked danger and slid down the slope to bring Yan Sui up.
Shortly after he brought Yan Sui up, that slope section indeed had a landslide. If he had delayed a little longer in rescuing Yan Sui, Yan Sui would have been buried.
He didn’t expect Yan Shiting to still remember this.
Yu Li turned his gaze to his hand, “So I’m not the one who should be screened out.”
Yan Shiting: “Mm.”
Yu Li heaved a long sigh of relief.
In the moment of Yan Shiting’s affirmation, his nasal cavity felt sore, but his heart felt light and joyful.
“I have one more thing I want to tell you.” Yu Li took a deep breath, “Although I’ve liked Yan Sui before, I’ve never wanted to be with him. My idea has always been that just being his friend is good enough.”
“Now that he has someone he really likes, I will let go of my own feelings and still be his friend as before.”
Yan Shiting quietly turned his head to look at him.
The Yu Li speaking had a relieved smile on his face, and there was no trace of resentment or sadness in his tone.
It seems he didn’t need Yan Shiting’s reminder, as Yu Li had always been very clear.
It was he who had been overly concerned.
Yan Shiting’s hands on his lap slowly curled up.
He reached out and poured a cup of tea, pushing it towards Yu Li.
Yu Li pulled up the corners of his mouth in a smile.
Among the familiar people, the only one who knew he liked Yan Sui was Yan Shiting, the one who had “warned” him a few times.
Yu Li turned his head, looking at the tea in front of him.
The tea was thick and steaming slightly.
Yu Li took a sip, then ate some of the fruit, pushing the fruit platter towards Yan Shiting’s side, “Big Brother Yan, eat some fruit.”
Since Yan Shiting didn’t react to that night’s incident, it means he had forgotten it.
So he could be more natural when facing him.
Hearing Yu Li’s address, Yan Shiting’s hand paused as he lifted the tea cup.
He looked at Yu Li, seeing the small face scrunched up from the sourness of the kiwi.
Yan Shiting silently retracted his gaze, eating a small apple-shaped piece.
He asked, “Does your hand still hurt?”
Yu Li looked at the bandaged finger, “No, it doesn’t hurt.”
He turned his head to look at the scenery by the lake, suddenly glimpsing the buoy in the lake seem to move, then sink down.
Yu Li’s eyes brightened, “Fish! Was a fish hooked?”
He had just said that when the buoy floated up again.
Yu Li felt a bit disappointed, “It got away?”
As soon as he said that, he paused.
To say such a thing to a fisherman, wasn’t it a bit cruel?
Yu Li looked at the motionless Yan Shiting, hesitantly asking, “Was it scared away by me?”
Yan Shiting put down the tea cup, “No.”
He said indifferently, “Wait for the next one.”
Yu Li nodded, taking the fish food and running to the side to chum, wanting to help Yan Shiting catch a fish.
However, until lunchtime, Yan Shiting still hadn’t caught a single fish.
But in fact, the buoy had moved several times during this period, yet Yan Shiting had no intention of lifting the rod, still sitting there drinking tea and reading.
In the end, Yu Li understood.
Yan Shiting wasn’t here to fish, he was here to feed the fish.
…
In mid-August, it was Grandma Yan’s 80th birthday.
Yan Sui brought Chang Ke and Yu Li together to celebrate Grandma Yan’s birthday.
Grandma Yan lived in an ancient town in Y City, with a house that had a courtyard. According to Yan Sui, it was the ancestral home of the Yan family. Originally, it wasn’t very big, but later when the Yan family prospered, they bought the two neighboring houses and expanded it, so the ancestral home became much larger.
Grandmother’s 80th birthday was an important day, and those with good relations with the Yan family all received invitations.
Even those without much of a relationship would still come to send birthday gifts.
Therefore, the vehicles on the way to the ancestral home were numerous, and Yu Li’s group was stuck in traffic for quite a while before arriving.
As soon as the car stopped at the gate of the ancestral home, Grandma Yan smiled and walked out with the help of a cane. “Ah, my precious grandson is here.”
There were already many guests in the courtyard, and at her words, they all turned to look towards the gate.
Seeing that the one getting out of the car was Yan Sui, many people lost interest and turned their gaze away.
“Grandma!” Yan Sui waved and quickly walked up to his grandmother.
“Happy birthday, Grandma! May you live as long as the southern mountain, have blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea…”
Yan Sui rattled off dozens of birthday blessings, making Grandma Yan laugh continuously.
“Alright, alright, I know you’ve prepared carefully.”
Her gaze fell on the figures of Yu Li and Chang Ke behind, and she asked, “Who are these two young ones?”
Yan Sui turned around and introduced, “Grandma, this is my good friend, Yu Li.”
Yu Li stepped forward and handed over the gift he had prepared, saying, “Grandmother, happy birthday. May you have good health, may the sun and moon shine, and may you have an eternal spring.”
Yan Sui then looked at Chang Ke, his face reddening as he said, “Grandma, this is… this is my girlfriend, Chang Ke.”
Chang Ke’s face also flushed as she presented the gift and expressed her congratulations.
Grandma Yan looked them over, her smile deepening, “Good, good, very nice.”
Though this was not the formal introduction to the family, seeing Grandma Yan’s reaction, Yan Sui and Chang Ke both couldn’t help but relax.
Yu Li stood by watching their synchronized movements, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile.
Chang Ke’s family also had some matters to attend to today, so after greeting Grandma Yan for a while, she left.
Yu Li followed Yan Sui and Grandma Yan into the house.
Grandma Yan held Yan Sui’s hand, speaking earnestly, “Ah Sui, you’ll be 22 this year. Have you thought about doing something at the company?”
Yan Sui touched the tip of his nose, “Grandma, you know I don’t like managing the company.”
Grandma Yan clicked her tongue, not very satisfied, “Your brother entered the company at 18, how can you let him outshine you?”
Yan Sui remained silent, not responding.
Grandma Yan continued, “If you don’t go to the company, then won’t your brother be the sole decision-maker for the Yan family’s business?”
Yu Li listened, feeling more and more that something was off.
Between brothers, why would they talk about who is outshining whom?
Grandma Yan’s words, how could they sound like she was trying to stir up discord?
Yan Sui gave an embarrassed laugh, picking up an orange and squeezing it in his hand.
“Grandma, as long as my brother is capable of growing the company bigger, I’ll just lie back and enjoy the dividends. How nice would that be?”
He peeled the orange and handed it to Grandma Yan, “Grandma, let’s not talk about this anymore. I really don’t want to work, I want to be carefree for a few more years.”
Grandma Yan sighed, poking Yan Sui’s forehead with an exasperated look, “You, every time we talk about this, you’re like this.”
Yan Sui chuckled foolishly.
Just then, one of Grandma Yan’s friends arrived.
As Grandma Yan was busy greeting the old friend, Yan Sui took the opportunity to pull Yu Li aside, calling a few peers he knew to play mahjong.
They had just sat down when a loud voice rang out in the courtyard, “President Yan is here!”
Yu Li turned his head to look, seeing the guests enthusiastically heading towards the entrance.
He shifted his gaze, only to find Grandma Yan sitting in the living room, her face cold and unmoving.
A complete contrast to how she had looked when seeing Yan Sui.
Recommended Reads
