Chapter 43

After visiting Yan Sui's studio, the two went out for dinner together.

Despite the cold weather, the mutton hot pot restaurant was very warm.

White steam rose from the copper pot, where slices of meat and vegetables were crowded together.

Yan Sui picked up a slice of mutton and caught a glimpse of the wristwatch on Yu Li's left wrist.

He paused, squinted, and looked at it carefully.

The watch was hidden in the sleeve, occasionally peeking out with every movement. The small fish with blue diamonds reflected the light, like real fish scales appearing and disappearing on the seabed.

Yan Sui ate his meat, seemingly lost in thought.

He wasn't someone who didn't know his stuff. Although the watch didn't have any brand logo, he could tell that the materials were expensive, and he guessed it was custom-made.

He knew Yu Li's family's financial situation, so the watch could only have been a gift from someone else, and that person was quite well-off and thoughtful.

Yan Sui remained calm and did not ask directly.

After finishing their hot pot meal and stepping outside the restaurant, a gust of cold air blew into their skin, and he finally asked, "Yu Li, are you in a relationship?"

Yu Li stopped in surprise and turned to look at Yan Sui.

"How did you know..." He paused, touched the wristwatch inside his coat sleeve, and nodded, "Yes."

Yan Sui laughed and said, "You little rascal, you've been dating without telling me or the boss. How long have you been dating?"

Yu Li touched her earlobe. "Half a month. I think I'll talk about it later."

Although I've been married to Yan Shiting for over two months, we've only been officially together for half a month.

"Oh—" Yan Sui drawled, "I understand. You want to wait until the relationship is more stable before talking about it, right?"

He patted Yu Li on the shoulder and said, "I also waited until Chang Ke and I were sure about our relationship before I decided to tell you. I understand."

Yu Li looked at the smile on his face and smiled back, but she hesitated in her heart.

Now is not a good time to make it public to Yan Sui, but perhaps he can lay the groundwork in advance.

Thinking of this, Yu Li pursed her lips and said, "Yan Sui, there are actually some other reasons why I didn't say it."

"That's right, my partner is a man."

He was a little uneasy, after all, Yan Sui was straight, and he was worried about whether he could accept that his best friend was gay.

Unexpectedly, Yan Sui did not show any rejection, but was only slightly surprised and said, "What's wrong with men? Don't worry, neither the boss nor I are the kind of people who would discriminate against homosexuals."

His words were natural, and Yu Li's anxious heart slowly calmed down.

"Thank you, Yan Sui."

As they were talking, the Yan family's car had already stopped by the roadside.

"There's no need to thank me." After saying that, Yan Sui casually added, "Let's go, I'll take you home."

Yu Li stood still, saying, "Someone's coming to pick me up."

Just as I was eating, Yan Shiting sent me a message saying he was waiting for me on the next street.

Yan Sui smiled and said, "I understand. I'll be going now."

"I won't see your boyfriend today. I'll wait until you two treat me to dinner sometime."

Yu Li smiled and waved: "Okay."

The Yan family's car quickly disappeared around the street corner.

Yu Li then took a step and walked towards the location sent by Yan Shiting.

It was already 8 p.m. when we arrived at the Wan Ting parking lot.

On the way back, Yu Li reclined his seat and took a nap. When the car stopped, his hands and feet were a little numb from sleeping, so he lazily leaned on Yan Shiting's back and was carried to the elevator.

He wrapped his arms around Yan Shiting's neck and said, "Yan Sui said he's waiting for the day we can invite him to dinner."

Yan Shiting stood ramrod straight, supporting his thigh with one hand while pressing the elevator button with the other. "You told him?"

Yu Li, still sleepy, leaned her head on Yan Shiting's shoulder and shook her head: "I just told him that I have a boyfriend."

"After a while, I will tell him about our relationship."

Soft hair scratched his neck as he shook his head.

Yan Shiting turned his head, seemingly wanting to glance at him, but because of this posture, he couldn't see him.

He could only turn back and, using the reflection from the elevator's alloy walls, look at the person on his back: "Okay."

The elevator quickly arrived at the floor.

Once inside, Yu Li's mind cleared up a bit, and she got off Yan Shiting's back.

He looked at Yan Shiting, who was bending down to pick up the slippers, and suddenly asked, "Brother, have you ever thought about marrying someone of equal social standing?"

Yan Shiting paused, straightened up, and looked at him: "No."

He lowered his gaze, his eyes revealing emotions that Yu Li couldn't decipher: "Before I met you, marriage wasn't part of my original life plan."

Yu Li felt her heart suddenly race.

His eyes widened slightly as he stared blankly at Yan Shiting.

He suddenly realized that if he hadn't gotten pregnant, he wouldn't have had the chance to marry Yan Shiting, let alone develop feelings for each other like this.

Yan Shiting then asked, "Where did you hear that?"

Otherwise, why would they suddenly ask such a question?

Yu Li snapped out of her daze and shook her head: "I just feel that I can't become someone like you, I can't be as successful as you."

Before he liked her, or rather, before he was afraid of her, he had admired Yan Shiting.

He learned about Yan Shiting, an honorary alumnus of Y University and a successful entrepreneur, from those magazines and financial newspapers.

Yu Li had thought to himself that he wished he could become such a person.

But……

Yu Li frowned, her eyes filled with confusion: "Right now, I don't even know what I want to do."

What he cared about was not that he and Yan Shiting were not a good match in terms of social status, but that he was still confused and had accomplished nothing. If this continued, others would see him as merely "dependent" on Yan Shiting.

He wanted to be successful in some way, so that he would be a "good match" with Yan Shiting when they stood together.

Yan Shiting touched his face: "You just need to be yourself."

You don't have to become someone like him.

Yu Li fell silent.

Yan Shiting knelt down, changed his slippers, and led him to the French window, where he sat in a rocking chair.

"If you can't think of what you want to do right now, you should think about what you haven't done yet."

Yu Li slowly came back to her senses and thought about what he said carefully.

You haven't taken your driver's test yet?

Otherwise, the car that Dr. Yan gave him would just sit in the parking lot collecting dust.

"Hmm." Yan Shiting said patiently, "You can take the exam after you give birth. Is there anything else? For example, something you've always wanted to do but haven't been able to, or something you've always really liked."

His patient guidance was particularly pleasant to hear.

Yu Li also forgot what had been bothering her just now, and only knew to follow his train of thought:

"Something I've always wanted to do but never had the chance to go to... I want to go to an amusement park, but I've never had the chance."

For Yu Li, amusement parks were places that only existed on television and in books.

Even when he was very young, he secretly longed to go to this place, but he was too embarrassed to ask his busy parents to let him visit the amusement park.

"And then, things I like..." Yu Li said a little shyly, "I like going to school and reading, and I like the feeling of receiving new knowledge."

When she was little, Yu Li would always chase after the older brothers and sisters next door, wanting to go to school with them.

When he started school, he got good grades and was well-behaved and obedient, always receiving praise from his teachers and parents, which made him feel that learning was a very happy thing.

Later, after his father passed away, he went to junior high school and became introverted. His classmates didn't want to play with him, so he could only find some meaning in his studies to make himself feel at peace.

As long as he can learn something, he will feel less empty and incompetent, and then he will want to continue learning.

Yan Shiting listened quietly, and after Yu Li slowly finished recounting the past, he said, "Then do you want to continue your studies? Go for postgraduate studies, pursue a doctorate, and do scientific research."

"Don't consider other conditions, just consider your own thoughts."

Yu Li pursed her lips and fell silent again.

After turning down the opportunity to pursue a master's degree last semester, he actually felt a moment of regret.

But then I thought about my family's circumstances and put that feeling of regret behind me.

Now, Yan Shiting says he's only considering his own thoughts.

Yu Li's eyes showed struggle.

Yan Shiting didn't urge him, but held Yu Li and stroked his hair.

After a long while, Yu Li, nestled in his arms, softly uttered, "Yes."

He wants to do scientific research and become better and better at what he loves: "learning".

In this way, he could stand beside Yan Shiting, just as he wanted.

Upon hearing this, Yan Shiting lowered his eyes and met Yu Li's gaze.

His eyes were calm and gentle, and his voice had a reassuring quality: "Then focus on preparing for next year's postgraduate entrance exam. Leave everything else to me."