Chapter 91. "No boyfriend, but..."
The apartment was dimly lit, with the bright moonlight shining on the floor through the window. Wen Xue got out of bed and sat down on the sofa. Her cup was still on the small round coffee table. She leaned over to reach it, holding the cup absently. The air conditioner in the room made a slight noise, making it not so quiet.
Perhaps it was because of the low temperature, but she found herself shivering uncontrollably.
My hands could barely hold the cup properly, and I could only take a few sips to try and steady my shaky mind.
She knew perfectly well that her guess was baseless, yet it lingered in her mind, refusing to leave. Impossible; how could anyone in this world possibly be able to foresee the future?
unless……
Unless he has already experienced it.
That's even more impossible and doesn't make sense.
Suddenly, she had a splitting headache, and her thoughts had completely deviated from the realm of science; she even lost the ability to make judgments.
After finishing the water in her cup, Wen Xue returned to bed in a daze.
She wasn't the only one destined to be sleepless tonight. He Yan drove back to the faculty and staff residential area of Xida University. It was already very late when he got home. The little golden retriever was sleeping soundly on the floor. He also needed to remain calm and composed, so he took a few cans of ice-cold beer from the refrigerator.
He had just finished a can when his phone rang; it was Zhou Zhan calling.
Zhou Zhan is a person who is tactful and measured in his dealings with people and things.
If it hadn't been so sudden, he would never have called at 1 a.m.
He Yan answered quickly, his voice a little hoarse: "How is it?"
Zhou Zhan had indeed come to tell him the result. Knowing he was anxious, he skipped unnecessary preamble and replied directly, "Don't worry, it's alright. He didn't even bother to find out which kind person happened to be passing by and saved me, so he and Miss Wen are probably just..."
He paused: "By chance."
Zhou Xian only cares about the outcome; he was lucky to survive the incident in the United States, being the eldest brother.
As for who saved him and how, Zhou Xian was indifferent to the failure, arrogant and conceited.
He Yan gripped the jar tightly with a heavy gaze, unconsciously squeezing it flat, making a dull sound in the quiet night.
He could no longer tell whether Zhou Xian's appearance in Wen Xue's life was intentional or accidental. If it was the former, his opponent was Zhou Xian; if it was the latter, his opponent was so-called fate.
"Are you alright?" Zhou Zhan asked with concern.
"fine."
Zhou Zhan sighed: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
He found it difficult to say what came next. He could certainly guarantee Wen Xue's safety; he wouldn't be unable to do something as simple as this. But based on his understanding of his good younger brother, he suspected that Wen Xue had developed an interest in her.
This is probably even more distressing for He Yan.
“He…” Zhou Zhan said dryly, “Sigh.”
He Yan didn't say a word, threw the crushed can into the trash can, and opened another can with one hand. "Let's get this sorted out as soon as possible."
Zhou Zhan sensed his urgency and hesitated to speak.
Now is not the time to act "quickly". What kind of business is it to strike first if the enemy doesn't move?
However, at this point, he had no choice but to agree.
After hanging up the phone, He Yan tilted his head back and drank the ice-cold beer, but the irritation in his heart was not relieved at all.
-
The next day.
He Yan's car was waiting downstairs, and Wen Xue was unusually late. She hadn't slept much all night, and during those few hours, she had a series of nightmares. Sleeping was even more tiring than insomnia, and she was startled by her own reflection when she stood in front of the mirror.
Worried that He Yan would notice, she carefully covered her dark circles with makeup. To make herself look healthier, she used blush and lipstick.
Today is a special day.
Nana and Wannian, who have been dating for several years, are planning to get engaged this year and hold their wedding on National Day next year.
Their engagement ceremony will be held in their hometown. Their colleagues in Xicheng are all busy, but they've all agreed to attend the wedding next year. Nana and Wannian treated everyone to dinner and karaoke during their day off, as a token of their appreciation.
Wan Nian booked a small restaurant, and all the tables were full of people.
Aside from colleagues, they are all friends.
After a few rounds of drinks, everyone started chatting. Li Jingru whistled at Wen Xue and raised her eyebrows, asking, "Is your sister coming to the company for a part-time job this year?"
Wen Xue smiled and shook her head: "I've already agreed to do the job with my senior."
Wu Yuejiang: "It's such a pity that I didn't make plans to travel anywhere with my roommates or friends during my last summer vacation."
He Yan glanced at him calmly, his eyes sharp as knives.
Wen Xue smiled and said, "They're all busy, either preparing for postgraduate entrance exams or sending out resumes to find internships."
"And you?" Li Jingru asked.
“Me?” She thought for a moment, “I should start my internship in October.”
Wu Yuejiang glanced at He Yan and cleared his throat. "I'll take care of this, little sister. I have some connections, so finding you an internship company won't be a problem."
He Yan: "..."
He remained silent, but did not object.
Wen Xue was surprised for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Okay, Brother Yuejiang, thank you for your help."
He Yan was in a bad mood again.
He gets upset if she refuses.
She readily agreed... Why was she willing to help Old Wu when he offered to? But when he offered to rent her a place, she avoided him like the plague?
My phone is vibrating.
He looked down and saw that it was a message from Lao Wu, who was a few seats away. They were on the table and still exchanging messages. What else could this be but a relapse of his illness?
Wu Yuejiang: [Because I'm the older brother]
In the past, when they were both brothers, Wen Xue was naturally closer to He Yan emotionally. But things are different now. He is still the brother, but He Yan is no longer the brother. He is now an ordinary man who has feelings for her.
Different relationships naturally lead to different attitudes.
He Yan stared at those five words and fell silent.
"So fast?" Wang Yuan, who had just returned after pouring drinks for everyone, overheard this and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Time really flies. It feels like just yesterday that Brother Yan came back late at night and asked me to buy a heater."
Wen Xue smiled faintly.
Another driver, unaware of the situation, asked, "What heater?"
“One night, Brother Yan suddenly came back and told me to tidy up the room on the third floor. He also specifically reminded me to buy a heater,” Wang Yuan stared at Wen Xue with a silly grin. “Then Wen Xue came the next day.”
The others laughed along with them.
Wen Xue was laughing for a while, then suddenly her expression went blank for a few seconds.
The day Wang Yuan mentioned was also the day He Yan came to Xida University to find her without any warning.
"I was startled," Wu Yuejiang said. "I only found out when my sister arrived."
He Yan noticed that Wen Xue had become quiet, so he turned his head and asked in a low voice, "Are you hungry?"
Only cold dishes were served at this time.
Wen Xue looked at him hastily, "It's alright."
She was just restless.
The thoughts I had suppressed last night resurfaced in my mind.
The group ate and drank, then went to karaoke in the afternoon, making a ruckus until late afternoon. He Yan drove Wen Xue back to the city. Seeing that she looked tired, he got out of the car and went to the passenger side. He leaned down slightly to adjust the seat for her. The two were very close, their breaths mingling.
"Go to sleep, I'll wake you when we get there," he said.
Wen Xue said softly, "Okay."
He seemed reluctant to leave, still looking at her.
The two looked at each other silently, their eyes meeting.
From yesterday until now, Wen Xue's restless heart has gradually settled down. Regardless of whether her thoughts and guesses are true or not, she will not doubt him in the slightest.
He Yan looked away, fastened her seatbelt, hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand to pat the top of her head. "Go to sleep."
The car interior was comfortably warm, with soothing music playing.
Wen Xue closed her eyes but couldn't fall asleep; her mind kept racing. Scenes from the past, and He Yan's deep voice, all floated before her eyes and echoed in her ears—
“You used to call me brother like Xiao Heng did. Even though he’s gone, you can still treat me as your brother, just to put his mind at ease.”
"I saved someone. It's okay, it was worth it."
“I remember, not long after his burial, Xida University was about to start the new semester. I brought you here. At first, you didn’t want me to come, saying that there was a direct bus from the high-speed rail station to the school. But I still came. After dropping you off at your dormitory, I gave you a business card and told you to contact me if you needed anything. I haven’t received any calls from you since, and I always thought you were doing well.”
"So do you know what I regret?"
"sorry."
"Wait for him to win, he absolutely has to win."
"I saved more than just him."
Her throat tightened, and she struggled to force back her tears. Each breath felt like tiny shards of glass were seeping into her internal organs.
…
He Yan, who was driving, would glance at her when waiting for the green light.
She seemed to be sleeping restlessly, her brows furrowing slightly at times. Seeing that she looked a little cold, he leaned over and turned up the brightness so that the air vents were no longer pointing at her, and the whole carriage seemed to be filled with her scent.
This made He Yan feel satisfied and content.
Even if things get worse, it can't be worse than in her previous life. As long as she can sit next to him like this, all the suppressed emotions seem to have been completely calmed down by her silent comfort.
When they arrived at her rented apartment building, He Yan didn't even want to wake her up.
He leaned back, tilted his head to gaze at her profile, raised his hand to touch her, but then withdrew it for fear of waking her.
"arrive."
When Wen Xue opened her eyes, that was the first thing she heard.
She had already concealed the turmoil in her heart. She got out of the car with him, and a bright moon hung in the night sky, lengthening their shadows.
He Yan stopped at the door.
As usual, he patiently reminded her to close the doors and windows and to call him if anything happened. After giving his instructions, there was a long silence of more than ten seconds, and Wen Xue waited patiently.
“If you see Zhou Xian again, remember to call me,” he said.
Wen Xue noticed the coldness that flashed between his brows when he mentioned that name.
A few days ago, when he mentioned what Zhou Xian had done to Zhou Zhan, his tone and mood were very calm. But now he was enduring it, as if Zhou Xian's presence in his life was an unforgivable thing.
"Okay." She nodded.
She had slept in the car, and her hair was a little messy. He Yan raised his hand and awkwardly tidied it for her. "You must listen to me on this matter."
Wen Xue looked up at him, her eyes full of smiles: "I know."
-
Wen Xue didn't expect to see Zhou Xian again so soon.
Xicheng University is full of talented people. Although their drama club's play "Gemstone" was not the most wonderful, it still received a lot of praise. Everyone who had worked hard had no regrets. After a few days of rest and recuperation, the club president called out in the group chat to have a celebratory meal.
Wen Xue went to the appointment, and after entering the private room, she unexpectedly met Zhou Xian's gaze, which made her feel a chill run down her spine.
She lowered her eyes, subconsciously avoiding his gaze. If He Yan hadn't told her that this person was Zhou Xian, she would never have believed that the student-like man in front of her was such a ruthless person.
"Mr. Zhou."
When she looked up again, her expression had returned to normal, and she greeted him politely.
Zhou Xian smiled and nodded: "Wen Xue."
After she sat down, she lowered her head and sent He Yan a message: "He's here for the drama club's celebration party."
He Yan didn't reply, probably because she was busy. She put away her phone and made no intention of turning around and leaving or leaving the table early.
She didn't know what important things he and Zhou Zhan were doing, and she couldn't help them, at least she couldn't hold them back. If her behavior was too unusual, Zhou Xian might notice, and besides, she could tell that Zhou Xian didn't know He Yan, nor did he know that He Yan had saved Zhou Zhan.
She hoped that He Yan could remain in the shadows forever.
The shy freshman's eyes darted back and forth between Zhou Xian and Wen Xue.
The senior student in the planning department sat down next to Wen Xue, leaned closer, and whispered, "Did you see the card in the flowers we sent yesterday this week?"
Wen Xue gently shook her head. "What?"
"The card specifically mentioned you," the senior student said softly. "Something's fishy."
However, this kind of thing is not uncommon. There are quite a few people in the school who are interested in Wen Xue, and a very few individuals, after just a fleeting glimpse, specifically come to the drama club for an audition, such as the freshmen.
Wen Xue frowned.
The waiters brought out the dishes one after another. She didn't have much of an appetite, so she ladled out a bowl of soup and sipped it. Without looking up, she could feel Zhou Xian's gaze on her. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She thought it was He Yan replying to her message, so she put down her spoon and looked down at her phone, which was hidden by the table.
This was not He Yan's reply.
This is a friend request: [Zhou]
She looked up at the opposite side, where Zhou Xian was staring at her.
She pretended not to see the application and ignored it. The group ate, drank, and chatted happily. Zhou Xian acted very amiably and could chat with anyone. But everyone soon noticed that when he talked to Wen Xue, he always looked at her very seriously.
During the meal.
Wen Xue got up, took her phone to the restroom, but He Yan still didn't reply. She guessed he was probably in a meeting.
She washed her hands, walked out of the restroom, and bumped into her junior in the corridor.
The junior student, with his handsome and youthful face, quickly stood up straight and asked in a composed manner when he saw her arrive, "Senior Wenxue, someone gave me two tickets to an amusement park. If you're free, I'd like to invite you to go with me, okay?"
God knows how much courage it took for him to say those words.
After he finished speaking, he didn't dare to look at her.
Wen Xue hesitated for a moment, then said, "Excuse me, I—"
She paused.
Even before those words appeared in her mind was a figure, but she didn't know how to define his identity.
When her junior saw that she was hesitant, he said, "I heard from them that you don't have a boyfriend right now."
A smile appeared in Wen Xue's eyes.
She suddenly vaguely remembered that this scene was familiar, as if it had happened before. Only then, the person standing in front of her was Wang Yuan.
Time is indeed a great healer.
When she heard those words then, her heart ached, but now she felt calm because she remembered that familiar, comforting figure.
"right."
She nodded, her eyes smiling, and said gently, "But I have someone I like."
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