Chapter 89 Winter Vacation
The winter air in S City was damp and chilly, with a chill that could penetrate the bones. After handing in his final exam, Gu Ye practically rushed out of the teaching building. The cold wind blew against him, yet he felt only a burning sensation throughout his body—winter vacation had begun, and Chu Yan should have arrived by now.
He looked around impatiently, his eyes anxiously sweeping over the hurried crowd. Suddenly, his sight fixed on a bare sycamore tree not far away.
The man wore a long, finely crafted black coat, his figure standing tall as a pine tree. The simple design evoked a natural elegance in his attire. He leaned casually against the tree trunk, his head tilted slightly to the side as he gazed at the passing students, his expression relaxed and indolent, as if the cold and bustle of the surroundings had nothing to do with him.
Just standing there, he was a striking sight. In just a few moments, Gu Ye had spotted two girls approaching him with blushing faces, then leaving with a hint of disappointment as they shook their heads with a gentle yet distant smile.
Gu Ye could no longer hold back and ran towards the figure excitedly like a large dog on frolic, with an undisguised bright smile on his face.
Chu Yan also saw him, and his originally indifferent eyes were instantly filled with a genuine smile. He watched Gu Ye rushing towards him against the wind, his eyes shining, and he was slightly panting because he ran too fast.
"Are you done with the exam?" Chu Yan's voice was filled with a smile, and he reached out and naturally brushed away a dead leaf that had fallen on his shoulder.
"Yeah!" Gu Ye nodded vigorously, staring at him without blinking, as if he couldn't see enough. "Have you been waiting for a long time?"
"I just arrived a while ago." Chu Yan looked at him and frowned slightly, "Why are you wearing so little?" Gu Ye was only wearing a sweater inside, and his coat didn't look very thick. The tip of his nose and ears were a little red from the cold.
As Chu Yan spoke, he began to untie the soft grey cashmere scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around Gu Ye, his movements natural and intimate. The scarf still retained Chu Yan's body warmth and a faint, reassuring, cool fragrance.
Gu Ye stood obediently and let him move, feeling the warmth wrapped around him, but he still had to pretend: "It's okay, I'm not cold..."
Chu Yan slapped his head in annoyance. "Winter in S City is a magical attack. You want style over warmth? How can you go skiing if you catch a cold?" After adjusting his scarf, he naturally took Gu Ye's hand and stuffed it into his coat pocket. "Let's go, let's go back and pack our things first."
The warmth from his palm instantly dispelled the coldness from his fingertips and firmly wrapped around Gu Ye's excited heart. He held Chu Yan's hand tightly and said "hmm" loudly.
Far away at the foot of the Swiss Alps, the ski town of Ge is blanketed in thick white snow, resembling a fairytale world. It's already evening when Chu Yan and Gu Ye arrive, the afterglow of the setting sun tinting the snow a gorgeous golden-pink hue. The air is cool and pure, carrying the unique scent of pine and snow.
After checking in and unpacking, the two eagerly immersed themselves in the town's laid-back atmosphere. The streets were lined with elegant wooden shops, their windows ablaze with lights, brimming with festive warmth.
In a strange country, surrounded by tourists of different skin colors and speaking different languages, Gu Ye felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation and excitement. He held Chu Yan's hand tightly and walked on the snow-covered stone road.
When an enthusiastic local vendor tried to sell them handmade souvenirs in accented English and said to Chu Yan with a smile, "Buy one for your lover," Gu Ye's eyes lit up instantly and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
"Lover"—the word accurately struck at his most secret desire. Here, no one knew them; Chu Yan belonged to him alone, his legitimate "lover." He almost couldn't wait to pay for the adorable wooden snowman, cradling it in his hands like a treasure.
Chu Yan saw all of his little thoughts and smugness, but didn't point it out. He just smiled indulgently and let him go. This kind of happiness that came from simply being recognized as a relationship was pure and hot, and it made him feel happy.
At night, the hotel room's heater was cranked high, completely isolating the bitter cold outside. Perhaps it was the excitement of the day still lingering, or perhaps it was the foreign environment that had given rise to a different kind of emotion, but Gu Ye was particularly clingy tonight, as if trying to make up for all the longing he'd felt during their separation, his enthusiasm nearly overwhelming Chu Yan.
Chu Yan wanted to restrain himself, considering he had to go skiing the next day, but when he saw Gu Ye's moist eyes, all his rationality gave in. However, he was concerned about his physical strength and slowed down the pace, gently leading everything until Gu Ye curled up in his arms, exhausted, and fell asleep.
Even so, the next morning, when Chu Yan woke up on time, Gu Ye was still sound asleep, showing no sign of waking up. He clung to Chu Yan like a koala, his head buried in the crook of Chu Yan's neck, breathing evenly and slowly, his face flushed with the lazy glow of satisfaction.
Chu Yan laughed and carefully adjusted his position to make him sleep more comfortably, combing his slightly messy hair with his fingers from time to time. Outside the window, the sky was already bright, and the sunlight shone on the snow, reflecting a dazzling light.
While Gu Ye was still sleeping, Chu Yan's consciousness sank into his mind and began to "torture" the system.
[Tell me, how do you get points?] Chu Yan's voice was filled with unquestionable interrogation.
The system hesitated for a long time, the data flow flickering, and finally, seeing that it could no longer hide the truth, it finally admitted: "Okay... I tricked you..."
[Cheating?] Chu Yan raised an eyebrow, [Who did you cheat on? Which cheating system?]
[…It’s…it’s Wangchuan’s system…] The system’s voice was as small as a mosquito’s hum.
Chu Yan: […? ? ?]
He was speechless for a moment. Wang Chuan, the second-ranked tasker on the leaderboard, was known for her strong personality and exceptional skills, a renowned violent beauty within the Task Bureau. She had always considered Chu Yan her greatest competitor, and her system was said to be quite ruthless. [You're so bold... How did you manage to deceive me?]
The system seemed to be a little scared, but also with a strange sense of pride: [It’s just that I learned some love skills from you before... I, I was thinking of putting them into practice... Then I met Wangchuan’s system in the system exchange area... I didn’t expect it to be a hidden love-brain... I just used a little bit of rhetoric...] Its voice became smaller and smaller as it spoke.
Chu Yan was practically at a loss for words. The very techniques he'd used to defeat his targets had been learned by his own system and used to infect his sworn enemy's system? What kind of a thing was this? […I didn't expect Wangchuan's system was even obsessed with love.] He mused. No wonder Wangchuan had, for once, sent him a message a while ago, saying "well done" out of nowhere. He'd been baffled at the time, but now the case had finally been solved.
[Host, Wangchuan won't tear me apart, will he?!] The system belatedly began to feel fear, and the data group trembled.
Chu Yan remained calm: "Not really. You earned the points through deception. It was a private communication between systems. Wang Chuan probably just wanted to kill me, but he wouldn't do anything to you directly." He paused and added, "But you'd better keep a low profile recently."
It wasn't until the afternoon that the two finally left the house. Chu Yan was afraid that Gu Ye would get cold, so he wrapped him up like a ball, scarf, hat, and gloves. Gu Ye's protests were in vain. It wasn't until he changed into professional ski clothes that he felt he had regained the ability to move flexibly.
Then, Gu Ye suffered a major setback in his life.
Standing at the top of the beginner ski slope, looking at the smooth and steep snow slope under his feet and the figures whizzing past him, Gu Ye swallowed stiffly.
"What's wrong?" Chu Yan had already put on his snowboard and slid smoothly to his side. Seeing that he was not moving, he asked in confusion.
Gu Ye had a sad face and his voice was so low that it was almost inaudible: "...I, I don't know how to skate."
Chu Yan: “……?”
He hadn't expected Gu Ye to enthusiastically invite him out skiing so early, only to find himself a complete novice. Seeing Gu Ye's timid and stubborn demeanor, Chu Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud, reaching out to ruffle his hair, which was held down by his hat. "So you were just imagining me when you asked me out?"
Gu Ye's ears flushed red, and he stiffened his neck: "...Can't I learn now?"
"Sure, why not?" Chu Yan suppressed his laughter and resigned himself to his duties as coach. He patiently explained the basic techniques, helped him adjust his skis, and supported him as he slowly found his center of gravity.
"Yes, just like that, lower your center of gravity, bend your knees, and try pushing the slope with the back edge first... Yes, take your time..." Chu Yan supported him and guided him step by step.
Gu Ye stumbled as he learned and fell several times, but he had good motor skills and was brave, so he quickly mastered the most basic techniques.
Seeing that he could almost move slowly on his own, Chu Yan tried to loosen his hand: "Try it yourself, I'll be right next to you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Ye felt that he had lost his balance, "Hey hey hey? Help, help, help..." He couldn't control himself and began to slide down, and the speed was getting faster and faster. He was so scared that he screamed, and his voice was changed in the wind. He frantically asked Chu Yan for help.
Chu Yan looked at him screaming but surprisingly not falling down, just rushing straight down in a funny way. He felt angry and amused at the same time. He did not chase after him immediately, but followed him slowly.
Gu Ye rushed to the bottom of the slope in a thrilling and exciting way, and miraculously did not fall. He was still gasping for breath, his heart pounding. After recovering, he immediately pretended to be calm, cleared his throat and tried to make amends: "That's it? Well... It's not that difficult..." Turning around, he saw Chu Yan had unknowingly performed a very handsome parallel turn and stopped steadily beside him, his snowboard stirring up a beautiful wave of snow.
Gu Ye instantly forgot his previous embarrassment, his eyes lit up, and he gave a thumbs up sincerely: "Handsome!"
Chu Yan raised his eyebrows, took off his snow goggles, and his eyes were full of teasing: "Who was shouting for help just now?"
Gu Ye: "...The wind is too strong, you heard it wrong."
The two of them were laughing and joking on the ski field, one teaching and the other learning, and the time was relaxing and enjoyable.
However, just as Chu Yan and Gu Ye were enjoying their rare time together, Chu Yu, who was far away in the country, was facing a silent storm.
In the main residence of the Chu family, the atmosphere in the study was solemn.
Chu Yu sat upright on the sofa with his back straight, his expression as stern as ever, but if you looked closely, you could see that his hands on his knees were slightly clenched.
Mr. Chu and Mrs. Chu sat opposite, with helplessness and worry on their faces.
"Yuyu, that's not what I meant. I'm not forcing you to get married for a business purpose." Mrs. Chu spoke gently, trying to ease the atmosphere. "It's just that you're almost thirty, and it's time to think about your lifelong affairs. Ayu is your Uncle Shen's daughter, and we know each other well. You even played together when you were little. Just think of it as making another friend, meeting each other and getting to know each other. Even if you decide it's not a good match in the end, being friends is still good, isn't it?"
Chu Yu pursed his lips, remained silent, his jawline tense. His silence itself was a form of resistance.
Director Chu sighed deeply as he looked at his exceptional son, who had almost never given them any cause for worry. He knew Chu Yu's temper. He had always been very opinionated, and it was extremely difficult to change his mind once he made up his mind.
"Chu Yu," Director Chu said in a steady voice, carrying the authority of the head of the family. "You're almost thirty years old, not a child anymore. You should be very clear about your status and the responsibilities you shoulder. The future of the Chu family needs a stable and reliable heir and his family." He paused, looking at his son sharply. "Mom and Dad won't force you to marry anyone, but before you turn thirty, you must find a suitable partner who can stand by you and benefit the future of the Chu family. This is your responsibility, do you understand?"
Chu Yu remained silent, but his father's words were like a hammer, shattering any hope he had. It wasn't that he didn't understand, it was just that he'd been avoiding it. At twenty-eight, the status of the Chu family's patriarch—the responsibilities and honors he once took for granted—now seemed like a heavy yoke.
Chu Yan is only twenty years old, brilliant, free, and as elusive as the wind. His world is vast and boundless, and his future has infinite possibilities.
The age gap, the chasm in status, the pressure from his family... these realities came crashing down on him like a cold tide, nearly suffocating him. Chu Yu's mind went blank, his parents' words gradually becoming blurred, leaving only the silent roar of his heart.
The time between twenty-eight and twenty was far more than eight years. For the first time, he realized so clearly that the line between him and Chu Yan, which seemed to be easily crossed, was actually bottomless.
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