Chapter 109: Luck
Wen Yan rested his head on Pei Zhouye’s arm, his fingertips still tracing the lines of the man’s palm. Just moments ago, while chatting about old stories from the summer camp, the way Pei Zhouye’s fingers had rubbed against his ring was as light as a seaside breeze, yet carried a treasure-like care that couldn’t be hidden.
He turned his head, watching the silhouette of Pei Zhouye’s jawline shimmer softly in the evening sun. Suddenly, he remembered the way Pei Zhouye looked the first time they met on the University A campus.
Back then, Pei Zhouye was wearing a black suit, standing at the door of Professor Zhang’s office. His gaze was cold and sharp, yet when he saw Wen Yan, he had quietly softened his tone.
“What are you thinking about?” Pei Zhouye asked, leaning down to nuzzle the crown of his head, his nose carrying the warmth of the sun.
“I’m thinking that it feels like we’ve known each other for a very long time, yet it also feels like we only just met yesterday.” Wen Yan huddled deeper into his embrace, his ear pressed against the man’s chest, listening to the steady heartbeat. “Back when you blocked Lin Seran’s harassment for me, I thought you were a bodyguard Professor Zhang had hired.”
Pei Zhouye let out a low laugh, the vibration of his chest traveling through Wen Yan’s skin. “Back then, you were clutching your experimental logs, your hands shaking with nerves, yet you forced yourself to stay calm and say ‘Thank you.’ I just thought… this little researcher was quite cute.”
A wave washed over the sand once more, wetting their pant legs. Wen Yan laughed and tried to dodge, only to be pulled back by his wrist. As he fell into Pei Zhouye’s arms, he met the man’s smiling eyes. “Why are you running?” Pei Zhouye leaned down to kiss him, his lips carrying the salt of the sea breeze. “Sit with me a bit longer until the sun completely disappears.”
They sat in silence until the orange horizon turned into a deep purple and the distant fishing boats lit their lanterns. Only then did they slowly stand up. Pei Zhouye took Wen Yan’s hand as they walked toward the parking lot. Passing a small shop selling shell ornaments, Wen Yan suddenly stopped. In the window hung a wind chime made of white shells; when the wind blew, it made a crisp, tinkling sound.
“You like it?” Following his gaze, Pei Zhouye didn’t even wait for an answer before pulling him into the shop. “Boss, I’ll take this wind chime.”
Wen Yan watched him pay and then took the chime. His fingertips lightly brushed the shells. “Actually, you didn’t need to buy it. I was just looking.”
“If you like it, buy it.” Pei Zhouye helped him hang the wind chime on his bag. “Later, we’ll hang it on our balcony. When the wind blows, you’ll remember the beach today.”
On the drive home, Wen Yan leaned against the window, watching the wind chime sway with the car’s movement. His heart felt full of warmth. Their home was in a high-end residential area near University A, filled with camphor trees. Every summer, a rich fragrance would fill the air. As the car turned into the gates, the security guard greeted them with a smile. “Mr. Pei, Mr. Wen, you’re back!”
“Uncle Zhang, thanks for your hard work.” Pei Zhouye nodded with a smile and parked the car in the garage.
Once inside, Wen Yan first hung the wind chime on the balcony railing. The evening breeze blew in, and the chime made a “tinkle-tinkle” sound, weaving together with the distant chirping of crickets. It was exceptionally pleasant. Pei Zhouye hugged him from behind, his chin resting on Wen Yan’s shoulder. “Hungry? I’ll go cook. What do you want to eat?”
“I want your tomato beef brisket.” Wen Yan turned around and wrapped his arms around the man’s waist. “I haven’t had enough of the one you made last time.”
“Alright, wait for it.” Pei Zhouye pinched his cheek and turned into the kitchen.
Wen Yan leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching Pei Zhouye work while wearing an apron. He remembered the first time he ate Pei Zhouye’s cooking—it was in a Swiss hotel. Back then, Pei Zhouye had just flown in and, ignoring the fatigue of travel, had ducked into the small kitchen to boil a bowl of noodles for him. Thinking back, from that moment on, Pei Zhouye had remembered his tastes perfectly. No matter how busy he was, he always cooked for him personally.
“Zoning out?” Pei Zhouye walked over with a plate of washed strawberries, handing him one. “Try it. I just bought them today; they’re very sweet.”
Wen Yan took a bite, the sweet juice spreading across his tongue. Suddenly remembering something, he pulled his phone from his pocket and showed a photo to Pei Zhouye. “Look, I took this at the beach today. You standing on the rocks… it looks really good.”
In the photo, Pei Zhouye was wearing a white shirt, his hair slightly messy from the wind as he looked down at the sea. The silhouette of his profile was sharp and clear in the sunlight. Pei Zhouye looked at the photo, his lips curving. “Not bad. Just a bit less good-looking than the photos I take of you.”
“Is not!” Wen Yan retorted defiantly, though he couldn’t help but laugh.
After dinner was ready, they sat at the dining table. Pei Zhouye kept placing food in Wen Yan’s bowl, hardly eating himself. “Eat more. You seem to have gotten thinner lately.” Pei Zhouye’s eyes were full of heartache. “Don’t push yourself too hard at the lab. If you’re tired, take a few days off.”
“I know.” Wen Yan placed a piece of brisket in the man’s bowl. “You eat too. Stop just looking after me.”
After the meal, they sat in the living room watching television. Wen Yan leaned into Pei Zhouye’s embrace, holding a throw pillow. They were watching an old movie—the plot was slow but incredibly heartwarming. halfway through, Wen Yan sat up. “Oh, it’s Professor Zhang’s birthday next week. Should we prepare a gift?”
“I’ve already prepared it,” Pei Zhouye said with a smile. “I asked someone to buy a set of old manuscripts from abroad that he’s always wanted. They should arrive tomorrow.”
Wen Yan looked at him in surprise. “How did you know he wanted those? I’ve never heard him mention it.”
“Last time I was in his office, I saw a photo of those manuscripts on his bookshelf and noted it down.” Pei Zhouye rubbed his hair. “Don’t worry, he’ll love them.”
That Sunday, they went to Professor Zhang’s home. The professor’s wife was already at the door, greeting them warmly. “Wen Yan, Zhouye, come in quickly! Old Zhang opened a bottle of good wine just waiting for you!”
Inside, Wen Yan saw Professor Zhang reading the newspaper on the sofa. Seeing them enter, he immediately stood up with a laugh. “You’re here! Sit, sit!”
Pei Zhouye handed over the manuscripts. “Professor Zhang, Happy Birthday. Just a small token.”
Professor Zhang took them, and his eyes immediately lit up. “These manuscripts! I’ve looked for them for so long. How did you know I wanted this?”
“I saw the photo in your office and took note,” Pei Zhouye said with a smile.
“Good, good! You’ve really put thought into this!” Professor Zhang patted Pei Zhouye’s shoulder excitedly, then turned to Wen Yan. “Wen Yan, is everything going smoothly at the lab? Tell me if you run into any trouble.”
“It’s going well, thank you for asking,” Wen Yan said with a smile. “With Professor Li and the team’s help, everything is progressing nicely.”
That afternoon, the four of them sat in the courtyard drinking tea and chatting. Professor Zhang’s wife brought out fruit and snacks. The professor and Pei Zhouye talked about company matters, and occasionally the professor would ask about Wen Yan’s life. Sitting there, watching the pomegranate tree in the yard heavy with fruit, Wen Yan’s heart was full of warmth. This was his ideal family—respected elders, a beloved partner, and a peaceful, happy time.
As they left, it was already late. Pei Zhouye took Wen Yan’s hand toward the parking lot, and the professor’s wife called from the door, “Come visit whenever you’re free! I’ll make dumplings for you next time!”
“Alright, thank you, Ayi!” Wen Yan replied with a smile.
On the road, Wen Yan leaned against Pei Zhouye’s shoulder. “Pei Zhouye, do you think when we’re old, we’ll be like Professor Zhang and his wife? Planting a tree in the yard and drinking tea every day?”
“We will.” Pei Zhouye squeezed his hand. “When we’re old, we’ll find a house with a courtyard. We’ll plant the mint and roses you like, and we’ll get a cat. We’ll go buy breakfast together in the morning, drink tea in the yard in the afternoon, and watch the stars at night.”
Wen Yan nodded, full of anticipation. He knew the future Pei Zhouye described would definitely come true.
In the days that followed, their lives remained peaceful and happy. On weekends, they went to the supermarket together. Pei Zhouye would push the cart while Wen Yan picked things out. occasionally Wen Yan would toss some snacks in, and Pei Zhouye didn’t stop him, only saying with a smile, “Eat fewer sweets; it’s bad for your teeth.”
Sometimes, they went to the movies. Wen Yan liked art films, while Pei Zhouye preferred action movies, but Pei Zhouye always accompanied him to the films he liked and discussed the plots seriously afterward. Wen Yan knew Pei Zhouye wasn’t actually interested in art films, but the man was willing to accompany him nonetheless—just as he was willing to watch action movies for Pei Zhouye. True love was being willing to do things you didn’t like but were important to the other person.
Once, they watched a documentary about snow mountains. Seeing the Jungfrau, Wen Yan remembered their time in Switzerland. “Do you remember watching the sunrise at Jungfraujoch?” Wen Yan whispered against his shoulder. “That’s where you proposed, and I cried.”
“Of course I remember.” Pei Zhouye leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Back then, I was worried you’d reject me.”
“How could I reject you?” Wen Yan looked into his eyes. “Meeting you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.”
After the documentary, they walked out into a light rain. Pei Zhouye took off his coat and draped it over Wen Yan, taking his hand toward the parking lot. The rain pattered against the umbrella with a “tap-tap” sound. Leaning against Pei Zhouye, Wen Yan felt incredibly grounded. As long as Pei Zhouye was there, he wasn’t afraid of any storm.
Back home, Wen Yan showered first while Pei Zhouye went to the kitchen to boil two bowls of ginger soup. When Wen Yan came out, Pei Zhouye was walking over with the bowls. “Drink some so you don’t catch a cold.”
Wen Yan took a sip; the warm liquid slid down his throat, heating his whole body. He looked at Pei Zhouye and suddenly said, “Pei Zhouye, let’s go on a trip. Just the two of us, somewhere where no one knows us, and just play for a few days.”
“Alright,” Pei Zhouye said with a smile. “Where do you want to go?”
“I want to go to Iceland to see the Aurora.” Wen Yan’s eyes sparkled. “I read in a book that the northern lights there are beautiful—green bands of light floating in the sky. It’s magical.”
“No problem.” Pei Zhouye rubbed his hair. “I’ll book the flights and hotel right now. We’ll leave next week.”
Wen Yan hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly and hugged him excitedly. “Thank you, Pei Zhouye!”
“Silly, what are you thanking me for?” Pei Zhouye hugged him back. “As long as you want to go, I’ll go anywhere with you.”
A week later, they boarded a plane for Iceland. On the plane, Wen Yan leaned in Pei Zhouye’s arms, watching the clouds with anticipation. Pei Zhouye helped him organize his thick down jacket. “It’s very cold in Iceland. You must wear more when we land so you don’t freeze.”
“I know, you’re more naggy than my mom,” Wen Yan teased, though he nodded obediently.
When they landed at Reykjavik airport, a light snow was falling. Pei Zhouye disembarked first, handing Wen Yan his coat and helping him with his hat and scarf. “Alright, let’s go. The car is waiting.”
Their hotel was near the city center, with a giant floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the snow mountains. After dropping their bags, Wen Yan ran to the window. “Look! Snow mountains! Even more beautiful than the ones in Switzerland!”
“I’m glad you like them.” Pei Zhouye hugged him from behind. “Tomorrow we’ll go to the Blue Lagoon, and the day after, we’ll see the Aurora, okay?”
“Yes!” Wen Yan nodded vigorously.
The next day, they went to the Blue Lagoon. The water was pale blue, surrounded by black volcanic rocks, with snow mountains shimmering in the distance. Soaking in the hot springs, Wen Yan leaned against Pei Zhouye. “This place is too beautiful. It’s like a fairyland.”
“It is.” Pei Zhouye took his hand. “Let’s come here once a year from now on, okay?”
“Alright.” Wen Yan nodded, full of happiness.
That night, they went to see the Aurora. They followed a guide to an open snowfield with no lights around, only the twinkling stars. After about an hour, a green glow appeared on the horizon, getting brighter and brighter until it floated across the sky like a green silk ribbon.
“The Aurora! It’s the Aurora!” Wen Yan grabbed Pei Zhouye’s hand, his eyes full of wonder.
Pei Zhouye hugged him from behind, his chin resting on Wen Yan’s head. “Is it beautiful?”
“Beautiful… it’s so beautiful!” Wen Yan’s voice was choked. “Thank you, Pei Zhouye, for taking me to see this.”
“Silly, what are you thanking me for?” Pei Zhouye leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Being able to watch the Aurora with you is the happiest thing in my life.”
Translator’s Note:
A few notes on the terms used:
- Hongshaorou (紅燒肉): Red-braised pork belly. It’s a classic Chinese comfort food. The fact that Pei Zhouye brought it to Switzerland is the ultimate act of love in Chinese culture!
- Jungfraujoch (少女峰): Known as the “Top of Europe,” it’s a famous peak in the Swiss Alps.
- Ayi (阿姨): Literally “Auntie.” Used here for the domestic helper/cook, but also as a polite term for Professor Zhang’s wife.
- Nianyan (念言): The child’s name is beautiful. “Nian” (念) means to miss or remember, and “Yan” (言) is from Wen Yan’s name. It literally translates to “Remembering/Thinking of Wen Yan.”
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