Chapter 61 Return to the South (Part Two) Yan Quan leaned back and jumped from the sky...

Yan Ceyan didn't speak, but silently gripped the railing as well, standing side by side with Yan Quan.

The setting sun, like a warm amber, slowly sank into the distant high-rise buildings. The two shadows standing side by side were stretched very long.

"..." After a long while, Yan Ceyan slowly opened his mouth and spoke: "If they were both very determined, perhaps they would not have separated."

“What if…” Yan Quan felt a faint sour taste in his mouth, “and one of them gives up first.”

"Then you'll miss out."

Yan Ceyan emphasized the last syllable of "missed".

"..." Yan Quan straightened her messy hair with her fingers, "What happens after you miss it?"

A breeze brushed past his ears, the temperature a little cool. Yan Ceyan stared intently at the last rays of sunlight filtering through the clouds on the horizon, and softly replied, "Afterwards, they will meet again."

They confronted each other coldly, exchanging harsh words, believing it to be "hate," but in reality it was "love."

After that, it was an uncontrollable surrender and compromise once again.

"Will things end up between them?" Yan Quan pressed on. "What will the outcome be?"

Yan Ceyan lowered his head, not continuing to answer the question. A shadow covered his eyes, making it impossible to see the expression on his face.

Yan Quan thought that Yan Ceyan indeed lacked a sense of security about himself and this relationship. Even after they got back together, it was still the same.

"Let me tell you their final 'outcome'."

The wind whistled as Yan Quan deftly donned his bungee jumping gear. The rope gleamed coldly in the dim light, like a cascading silver river.

"It's dangerous!" Yan Ceyan hurriedly tried to grab Yan Quan's wrist. "You still have an injury on your leg. This isn't a bungee jumping platform!"

"Why didn't you say it was dangerous when you jumped from here back then?" Yan Quan shook off Yan Ceyan and stood on the railing.

At that moment, the last ray of golden light disappeared below the horizon. In Yan Quan's vision, Yan Ceyan's face flickered in and out of focus in the afterglow.

They remained silent, yet they could hear each other's loud heartbeats.

"Yan Ceyan." Yan Quan opened his arms, his back to the setting twilight: "Do you believe me?"

Yan Quan leaned back.

"In the end, we will always be together."

Yan Ceyan's pupils contracted sharply, and she lunged forward to grab the rope—just like she had frantically grabbed the ring she fell from the building years ago.

But they came up empty-handed.

The rushing air was deafening, and Yan Ceyan's heart was crushed just like it had been seven years ago...

It's unattainable.

No matter what I do, I can't catch it.

Yan Ceyan could only watch helplessly as the ring turned into an extremely tiny dot and disappeared from sight forever.

Afterwards, Yan Ceyan searched every corner under the South Central Terrace like a madman, but still couldn't find it.

Perhaps it fell into the mud, perhaps it shattered into powder, perhaps it had already drifted away down the sewer... That ring, just like his relationship with Yan Quan, disappeared forever in the time and space of the eighteenth year.

So the cruel truth is that the ring Yan Ceyan "returned" to Yan Quan on the show was a fake.

It was during one of Yan Ceyan's drunken, impoverished days that he barged into a jewelry store and demanded that they clumsily order a piece based on a design drawing.

"Yan Quan!" Yan Ceyan snapped out of his daze and shouted at the empty sky, "I believe in you!"

Actually, I had been tracking your flight information back to China for a while.

The moment you landed, I stopped "hating" you.

The first time I saw you again.

I was actually very happy.

"Hahaha..." The rope suddenly taut, and Yan Quan, dangling sixth floor above the ground, burst into laughter: "Just kidding! This is an intelligent descent device—"

Before he finished speaking, Yan Ceyan followed closely behind, grabbed the spare rope, and jumped down.

They embraced tightly as they fell.

Like a comical, disheveled mummy couple.

“This time, we caught him.” Yan Ceyan pressed his palm tightly against the back of Yan Quan’s head, his fingers digging deep into the soft strands of hair.

The night wind howled past, and Yan Quan tasted the salty bitterness on Yan Ceyan's lips. Yan Quan said in a hoarse voice:

"Yan Ceyan, I like you. I really do."

This is insane!

What the heck?! Jumping off a building?!

I thought the idea of ​​lovers committing suicide together was just an old legend.

Hollywood blockbusters are nothing. For genuine action movies, you have to watch romance dramas (laughs).

It's crazy, but so romantic! (covers face)

[Damn, am I the only one who thinks this is a good ship?]

[Add one, it sounds like a scene from a romantic movie]

[Ahhh, Yan Quan finally said, "I like it!"]

This is bad news; Yan Haiwang is serious this time.

I declare that Shuangyan's date this time was unbeatable!

I can't understand what others have to compete with...

"Waaaaah, my darling, is it really him?"

[Damn it, our precious baby is going to be stolen away...]

*

Jumping off a building... oh no, using a landing device. It was definitely a huge drain on his energy. When Yan Quan returned to the cabin, his steps were heavy and weary.

Yan Ceyan followed half a step behind Yan Quan, carrying two high school uniforms in his hands, his eyes always fixed on Yan Quan.

"It's 10:00 PM, you finally decided to come back?" Ji Yao's voice came first as he approached the door.

It turned out that everyone else in the cabin was waiting for the two of them to return in the living room.

[The four major sects besieged Bright Peak...]

You're interrogating prisoners, aren't you? (laughs)

[Only one pair of candidates successfully selects each other.]

[A room full of love rivals...]

Ji Yao sat on the armrest of the sofa with his legs crossed, his supermodel-like long legs almost having nowhere to go. He squinted at Yan Quan and Yan Ceyan, "Are you having fun?"

"I'm very happy," Yan Quan said honestly.

That's a question that's like shooting yourself in the foot... Ji Yao frowned and clicked her tongue, then could only awkwardly continue, "Having fun... that's good."

"Excuse me, where did you go?" Lin Mo, who had been looking down at his book, immediately closed it upon hearing Yan Quan's footsteps. His fingers were still on the page he had just finished reading when he looked up and asked.

Yan Ceyan showed Lin Mo the two sets of school uniforms he was holding.

Lin Mo carefully examined the school uniform logo: "Nanli...Middle School?"

"Nanzhong?" Shan Haotian came out of the kitchen, the Olympic champion's arm muscles clearly defined under his tight T-shirt, carrying a bowl of freshly heated bone broth.

"I remember that was Yan Quan's high school."

Dan Haotian's gaze swept back and forth between Yan Quan and Yan Ceyan, the curve of his lips stiff and forced.

"You two dated in high school. So you went back to revisit that place?"

"Yes," Yan Quan and Yan Ceyan said in unison.

[The hot bone broth that Shan Haotian is holding]

Sigh, this puppy really cares about Yan Quan. He can say it so easily; he must have done a lot of research behind the scenes…

[His attitude during the Yan family crisis... well, I wish him success.]

Actually, I can really empathize with Shan Haotian. Even kids from ordinary families feel pressured when facing Yan Quan's dazzling fame.

Perhaps the puppy has always felt a bit inferior to Yan Quan; he likes her but feels unworthy, unwilling to give up yet wanting to continue trying...

Therefore, the best scenario is when both sides are equally matched and possess formidable strength!

Dan Haotian wanted to sit down next to Yan Quan. Yan Ceyan handed him a cup, poured him a glass of water, and deliberately stood between them.

The previously silent CEO, Murong Yuan, finally pinched the bridge of his nose and looked directly at Yan Ceyan to get to the point:

“The show’s recording is almost over. You can’t keep taking Yan Quan like this forever. You have to give other people (like me) a chance to go on a date.”

Yan Ceyan also stared slowly at Murong Yuan: "I'm several days late."

[A milder version translated from Chinese: I've already given you chances, but you didn't seize them.]

[Angry version translated from Chinese: I gave you 99 chances already, and you still got counter-killed. If you're bad, practice more.]

[Versailles version translated into Chinese: Sigh, what can I do? Yan Quan only chose me for his date.]

[Spring Festival Gala version translated from Chinese: I know I should treat everyone equally, but Yan Quan only dotes on me~]

To be fair, it was a bit pitiful for the other people to see them dating and wait for each other in the small house every day.

The recording of the show is almost over, so the production team should give him a chance, right?

Even if you're going to give someone a "friend zone" rejection, you should at least talk to them in person; it's more polite that way...

I wonder if Yan Quan will agree to the date... After all, Yan Quan seems to have reformed and is now particularly infatuated with Yan Ceyan.

The 2v4 conversation ended abruptly. After everyone had chattered about the details of today's date, Yan Ceyan brushed them off with the excuse that "it's late."

As night deepened and the dew grew heavy, everyone returned to their rooms to rest, each with their own thoughts on the matter.

It was past 11 p.m. when Yan Quan had just finished washing up and was about to go to bed. Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Yan Quan?" Shan Haotian lowered his voice. "Sigh, I know it's not good to bother you in the middle of the night, but I really can't find any other opportunity. Can we talk now?"

In the balcony garden, the night breeze carried a faint fragrance of flowers. Shan Haotian leaned against the railing, the moonlight outlining the contours of his strong, athletic muscles.

"You know, I fell in love with you at first sight and have a very good impression of you." Shan Haotian got straight to the point, his directness as an athlete made him bad at beating around the bush: "In fact... before Yan Ceyan came, I think you probably liked me a little too."

As he spoke, Shan Haotian's shoulders slumped: "Is it because when the Yan family got into trouble, I didn't clearly stand up and express my support...?"

Actually, there was no "liking"...not even a tiny bit. Yan Quan sighed silently in his heart.

Without taking any further orders from Shan Haotian, Yan Quan simply looked at him with a very calm gaze. In fact… there was a cold, distant quality to that calmness.

A few dozen seconds later, Shan Haotian's lips twitched slightly: "I knew it."

"But I am not reconciled. Yan Quan."

"Can you let me try one last time?"

As if he had made up his mind, Shan Haotian's dim eyes gleamed in the moonlight—

"Tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM, at the XX Climbing Gym in the capital, I will try my best to make you change your mind."

Fearing Yan Quan would find a reason to refuse, Shan Haotian turned and ran after saying those words. Before Yan Quan could even react, he slammed the door shut.

"..." Yan Quan ran his hand through the top of his head and sighed helplessly: It's easy to invite a god, but hard to send him away.

When I agreed to the script for the show to follow the "fishing for a scumbag O" route, I didn't expect it to be so troublesome afterwards.

Leaning against the headboard, Yan Quan lightly tapped the keyboard on her phone. The pinned chat name was "Yan Ceyan".

Yan Quan: Are you asleep?

A few seconds later, a reply came from the other end.

Yan Ceyan: Hmm.

Yan Quan: Then why did you reply to the message? (Surprised)

Yan Ceyan: I see your profile picture.

This means that Yan Ceyan only got up to reply because the person who sent the message in the middle of the night was Yan Quan.

Yan Quan: Actually, it's nothing. I'll keep it short and sweet. I won't disturb your sleep.

Yan Ceyan: You say it.

So Yan Quan started typing in the input box: "Just letting you know in advance that Shan Haotian asked me to go rock climbing at the gym tomorrow morning. I plan to have a good talk with him about it tomorrow."

[I'm reporting this in advance... Yan Quan, you're so considerate.]

[I can't stand it, Yan Haiwang is getting more and more into pure love stories]

Even after her ex-husband went to sleep, he still replied to Yan Quan's messages; he really loves her.

[Double smoky is invincible, I'm telling you.]

Let's pause for a moment to mourn for Shan Haotian. Yan Quan's date tomorrow will probably be a friend-zoned rejection + a complete service of refusing service.

Oh, poor Shan Haotian, you can only vent your anger by eating more at Shuangyan's wedding banquet.

[Haha, you CP fans, watch your mouths!]

I'll put an electronic wooden fish here. After you've finished laughing, tap it once so you won't lose merit points.

After quickly and smoothly editing and sending the message, Yan Quan was about to lie down to sleep when suddenly there was another knock on the door.

"Yan Quan, excuse me, can we talk now?"

This time it's Murong Yuan.

"..." Yan Quan sighed, slipped on his slippers, got up, and opened the door.

[Yan Quan won't be able to get a good night's sleep tonight (laughs)]

The popularity king is so great that...

[Shan Haotian just left, why are you here, President?]

The puppy and the CEO really...keep bumping into each other.

Even the words they said when knocking on the door were extremely similar.

We've thought of the same thing again.

Seriously, why don't you two get a DNA test done sometime? You might actually be long-lost brothers.

"The recording of the show is nearing its end. But we haven't had a chance to spend time alone together to get to know each other better. I feel that we are a good match..."

Murong Yuan's voice came through the door, sounding somewhat low and carrying a hint of barely perceptible unease:

"Tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM, at XX Restaurant in the capital. Whether you accept my feelings or not. I hope you will make a decision after we have talked."

"..." Yan Quan's lips curled slightly: "I have an appointment at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. Shan Haotian."

"Then five o'clock this afternoon." Murong Yuan's lips twitched, and he gritted his teeth to change his mind, saying, "If you agreed to him, you'll definitely agree to me too, right?"

Yan Quan: ...

The CEO must have been grinding his teeth to dust when he found out someone else had beaten him to it.

[Haha, tomorrow will be another busy day for Yan Quan!]

[We make appointments one in the morning and another in the afternoon; that's how our heartthrob is.]

〖Oh well, another poor soul getting friend-zoned on a date tomorrow…〗

"What can we do? President, you and Shan Haotian can also eat more at Shuangyan's wedding banquet to vent your anger."

[Haha, I can't stop laughing! You CP fans are just here to earn money for your idols, right?]

After seeing Murong Yuan off, Yan Quan continued typing in the chat box.

Having been offline for so long, Yan Quan had given up hope that Yan Ceyan was still online. She planned to send the message tonight and wait for Yan Ceyan to check it tomorrow morning.

Yan Quan: Now a new situation has arisen.

The other party replied instantly after Yan Quan sent the message.

Yan Ceyan: ?

Yan Quan: A reply in a second? Were you waiting all this time? Haven't you gone to sleep yet?

Yan Ceyan: Didn't you leave things unsaid?

Yan Quan: Huh? How did you know I hadn't finished speaking?

Yan Ceyan: I didn't say goodnight. That's not really your style.

Yan Ceyan: I'm waiting for you to say goodnight.

“Dogs have such keen observation skills…” In the darkness after the lights were turned off, Yan Quan’s porcelain-white skin glowed with a dim light. He rubbed his cheeks with his palms: they were a little hot.

Yan Quan: I'll say goodnight after I've finished reporting.

Yan Ceyan: Another report?

Yan Quan could already picture the frown on Yan Ceyan's face when he asked that question.

Yan Quan: It's Murong Yuan. He asked me to have dinner at a restaurant tomorrow at 5 pm. I plan to have a good talk with him tomorrow.

Yan Ceyan remained silent for a long time.

Yan Quan: I'm going out alone with someone tomorrow. Are you feeling a little down?

Yan Ceyan: A little. But it was expected.

No one knows better than Yan Ceyan how popular Yan Quan is.

Yan Quan: It's okay, I'll be back soon.

Yan Ceyan: Hmm.

Yan Quan: Okay, now you can say goodnight.

Yan Quan's hands were getting a little weak from typing on the screen.

Yan Quan: Good night.

Unexpectedly, less than a second after the message was sent, Yan Ceyan replied very seriously: I want a voice message.

"..." Staring at this message, Yan Quan felt her cheeks burning even hotter.