Chapter 15. He actually really wanted to marry Shen Yanzhou too. ...
Chapter 15
Although Yu Pan had mentally prepared himself and told himself that it was his first time submitting a manuscript, the manuscript was normal, but when he actually received the rejection letter, his heart still skipped a beat.
When Shen Yanzhou returned home from get off work, he saw Yu Pan squatting on the chair in front of her desk, with her back to the door and her shoulders slightly hunched.
Hearing the noise, Yu Pan turned around, smiled at Chen Yanzhou, but her eyes were filled with tears.
Shen Yanzhou frowned, walked over in a few steps, bent down and picked her up horizontally, sat down on a chair, and then steadily placed Yu Pan on his lap.
Yu Pan was startled by the sudden movement. After settling in, she raised her hand and patted Shen Yanzhou's chest, gesturing, "What are you doing!"
Shen Yanzhou gently stroked his eyelids with his fingers, his voice deepening: "You cried?"
Yu Pan lowered his eyelids and waved his hand, indicating that he wasn't crying. Shen Yanzhou had grown up with him and knew Yu Pan too well; how could he not see through his act of bravado?
There weren't many things that could make Yu Pan's eyes well up with tears. Apart from things related to herself, there was only one other thing: "Is there any news from the magazine?"
Yu Pan stiffened, knowing she couldn't hide it from Shen Yanzhou. After a moment, she nodded, took the envelope from the left drawer, and handed it to Shen Yanzhou.
When Shen Yanzhou opened the envelope, there was only a piece of paper inside with a few lines of text: "The manuscript is too thin and the plot is too bland. It will not be used for the time being. Thank you for submitting the manuscript."
Shen Yanzhou glanced at it only once before throwing it back on the table. "They have no taste."
Yu Pan reached for the rejection slip, placed it on her lap, and gestured, "It's because my writing wasn't good enough."
"It's fine." Shen Yanzhou pulled him closer, resting his chin on the top of his head. "It's alright, there's a first time for everything."
Yu Pan was still listless, her gaze fixed on the rejection slip, and she didn't move for a long time.
The content is thin and the plot is bland.
The words on the manuscript paper became blurred.
He recalled the scene of sticking stamps with Shen Yanzhou that day, the tone of Shen Yanzhou's voice when he said "I believe in you", and how he was so sleepy while revising the manuscript that Shen Yanzhou gently carried him to bed... These images flooded back, making his chest feel heavy.
Yu Pan didn't know what was wrong with him. He had cried once when he saw the rejection letter, so he shouldn't want to cry anymore. Why did his nose start to sting as soon as Shen Yanzhou came back?
But... it's really painful.
Tears eventually fell, landing on the rejection slip and spreading into a small splash.
For the next few days, Yu Pan stayed at home. The new book that Shen Yanzhou bought for him was placed by his pillow, still wrapped in plastic. He stopped writing and just sat on the chair by the bed, staring blankly at the sycamore tree outside the window.
That evening, when Shen Yanzhou returned from his craft business, he saw Yu Pan staring blankly at the shadows of the trees, her eyes vacant.
This situation had been going on for several days, and Shen Yanzhou had noticed it. Just then, the factory was about to ship a batch of goods to Seoul, and Tan Ming asked him if he could apply to stay there for a few days to expand his customer base.
Normally, he and Tan Ming would travel to the surrounding villages and towns, trying to go during the day and come back at night. In the past month, they had covered almost all the surrounding areas.
Tan Ming's truck has three seats. Usually, the back seat is used either to store goods he is transporting or to carry things for people for a fee.
Shen Yanzhou discussed it with Tan Ming and decided to bring Yu Pan along on this trip to visit clients.
Seoul is located further uphill than Gangsi, and it takes at least half a day to drive there.
After confirming the itinerary, Shen Yanzhou greeted the old lady after work that evening, saying that he was going to take Yu Pan out for a trip.
The old lady readily agreed, probably knowing what was going on. She sighed and said, "I've noticed that Xiaopan hasn't been eating well these past few days. Going out for a walk would be good."
After returning, Shen Yanzhou told Yu Pan about his business trip.
Upon hearing that Shen Yanzhou was going on another business trip, Yu Pan snapped back to reality. The confusion in her eyes lessened, replaced by a hint of urgency.
No matter how painful it was to have his manuscript rejected, he didn't want to be separated from Shen Yanzhou for a long time.
Seeing his expression, Shen Yanzhou pinched his cheek: "Don't worry, I'll take you with me this time."
Yu Pan was stunned for a moment, then gestured: "Really?"
"Really." Shen Yanzhou playfully pinched his nose. "When have I ever lied to you?"
Yu Pan pursed her lips and shook her head.
Shen Yanzhou had not lied to him.
The next morning, Shen Yanzhou and Tan Ming went to the factory to load goods first, and then drove to town to pick up Yu Pan.
It was Yu Pan's first time riding in such a big truck, and she found it very novel. After getting into the back seat, she couldn't help but look around everywhere.
Seeing that he finally seemed to have some spirits, Shen Yanzhou felt a little relieved.
As the truck drove out of town, Yu Pan peered out the window, watching the familiar street scene recede into the distance, and felt a sense of déjà vu.
After driving for about two hours, Tan Ming rubbed his shoulders and complained of being tired, so Chen Yanzhou took over driving.
Yu Pan was even more surprised. She stopped looking around and stared intently at Shen Yanzhou's hands on the steering wheel.
Brother can drive a truck!
Seeing his reaction, Tan Ming laughed from the passenger seat: "Want to drive? I'll teach you another day?"
Yu Pan shook her head, and was about to raise her hand to gesture, but then remembered that Tan Ming couldn't understand, so she put her hand down, pointed at Chen Yanzhou, and then pointed at herself.
"Shen Yanzhou, what does your brother mean by this?" Tan Ming asked.
Shen Yanzhou glanced at him and said firmly, "He said he doesn't need you to teach him; I will teach him."
Yu Pan nodded vigorously in the back row, agreeing that Shen Yanzhou would naturally teach him.
Tan Ming clicked his tongue in surprise: "No, he just pointed. Is there really so much meaning in this?"
"Of course it can mean so many things," Yu Pan thought to himself. "Even if Tan Ming learned sign language, he might not understand the way he and his brother communicate."
After all, they've lived together for so many years, and sometimes they can tell what the other is thinking with just a glance.
No gestures are needed.
The car drove from morning until noon, and finally arrived in Seoul.
Shen Yanzhou told Yu Pan to wait in the car while he and Tan Ming got out to unload the goods.
While the goods were being inventoried, Yu Pan peered out the car window and saw Shen Yanzhou skillfully checking the numbers on the order form, occasionally exchanging a few words with the warehouse manager. His profile appeared remarkably composed in the sunlight.
After signing the papers and getting back into the car, Shen Yanzhou handed him an open bottle of soda. "Are you hungry? Let's go get something to eat later."
Yu Pan nodded, took a sip of her soda, which was orange-flavored.
It tastes good.
After parking their car and eating a bowl of noodles at a roadside stall, they began visiting customers door-to-door.
Seoul is much, much bigger than Baekhee Town, with shops lining the streets one after another, making Yu Pan's eyes dazzled.
The first shop Shen Yanzhou entered was a wedding planning store. Yu Pan followed closely behind him. She saw Shen Yanzhou with a gentle smile on his face, saying to the shop owner, "Hello, boss, we are from Jiang City Qinghe Fireworks Factory..."
“Our ‘Galaxy’ series explodes to a golden-red color, perfect for a wedding, and it’s also very safe…”
The shop owner frowned. "Do you have a picture?"
“Yes.” Shen Yanzhou took out a fireworks poster from his bag and unfolded it in front of the shop owner.
The shop owner was intrigued by the image of fireworks exploding on the paper. "How much cheaper can I get if I buy from you?"
Shen Yanzhou gave a number.
The shop owner calculated for a while with a stern face, then waved his hand: "It's still a bit expensive. How about a few rockets instead?"
Shen Yanzhou wasn't annoyed. He folded the poster and put it in his bag. "It's alright. We come here often. If you need anything in the future, you can call us anytime."
...
That afternoon, they visited seven or eight more shops. Some shopkeepers were willing to learn about their products, while others, after listening to their stories, scared them away, treating them as swindlers.
Even so, Shen Yanzhou never showed any bad temper when facing the next client.
Finally, a grocer became curious about what they were talking about.
"Does this firecracker really last for two minutes?" the shop owner asked, pointing to the red firecracker on the poster.
"Don't worry, I'll refund you even if it's a second too short," Shen Yanzhou said. "Shall I bring you a sample next time?"
The boss waved his hand, neither saying whether he wanted it or not, but simply saying he would think about it.
When I left the grocery store, the sun was already setting in the west.
Shen Yanzhou took a fruit candy out of his pocket, unwrapped it and gave it to Yu Pan. He also put one in his mouth. As the sweetness spread on his tongue, he suddenly smiled, and the weariness in his eyes faded a little.
They found a small restaurant to sit down and rest, and ordered a few dishes. While waiting for the food, Tan Ming stood at the door and smoked.
Yu Pan sat next to Shen Yanzhou, her fingers unconsciously tapping the corner of the table, her mind filled with the scenes she had witnessed that afternoon.
Shen Yanzhou's lips pursed slightly when he was rejected, his back remained straight as he turned away, and the gentle smile that returned when he faced the next customer.
"Do you think your brother is useless?" Shen Yanzhou suddenly turned his head and asked, his voice very soft.
Yu Pan shook her head vigorously and wrote on Shen Yanzhou's palm, stroke by stroke: "Brother, you are amazing."
Shen Yanzhou was stunned.
Yu Pan had occasionally heard Tan Ming mention the difficulties of running a business, but no matter how much she imagined it, it was not as shocking as seeing it with her own eyes.
This kind of overt rejection is more embarrassing than the cold, hard words on a rejection slip.
Yu Pan suddenly felt very stupid.
Just because of one rejection, he's like a turtle hiding in its shell, refusing to come out. People like him are truly useless.
"Brother, I've made up my mind." Yu Pan looked into Shen Yanzhou's eyes and gestured earnestly, "I don't want to be someone who's afraid of failing just once."
I want to be like you.
Seeing the light return to his eyes, Shen Yanzhou couldn't help but smile, raising his hand to ruffle his hair. "You'll be better than me."
“We need to become better together,” Yu Pan corrected, poking his chest with her fingertip.
The trip lasted three days. In the last two days, Shen Yanzhou negotiated two deals worth 300 yuan each and four deals worth 100 yuan each. Tan Ming and the others split up and also secured two deals worth 80 yuan each.
When they returned to Baixi Town, the melancholy aura around Yu Pan had dissipated. The truck was parked downstairs, and Shen Yanzhou had to go back to the factory to report, so he told Yu Pan to go home first.
As Yu Pan got off the bus, he saw the old man who ran the bookstore dozing under the shade of a tree. Hearing the noise, the old man opened his eyes, saw him, and greeted him with a smile: "You're back."
Yu Pan nodded, took out a small notebook and pen from her bag, and wrote: "My submission was rejected."
A small crying face was drawn next to it.
Although she has come to terms with it, Yu Pan still feels a little embarrassed and ashamed when she talks about it with others.
The old man looked at him and said, "The first time I submitted a manuscript, it was rejected. I was so proud back then, so I sent it back to ask why it was rejected. Guess what they replied?"
Yu Pan tilted her head and shook it.
The old man brought up the topic, "He wrote on my manuscript, 'Full of nonsense, pointless whining,' and said I should go home and grow sweet potatoes. I was so angry that I almost broke my pen!"
Yu Pan couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this, and wrote in her notebook: "And then?"
"And then?" The old man snorted and tapped the armrest of the wicker chair. "Then I kept writing. I wasn't going to listen to his nonsense."
"Writing is like brewing rice wine; it takes time to ferment. You can't rush it. It takes several rounds of brewing before it comes out."
Looking at the old man's smiling face, Yu Pan suddenly felt relieved. She nodded vigorously, said goodbye to him, and walked home with light steps.
When Shen Yanzhou returned from the factory, he had just opened the door when Yu Pan rushed up and hugged him.
"Still feeling unwell?" Shen Yanzhou pinched the back of his neck.
Yu Pan shook her head and pulled him toward the desk.
Several sheets of paper were spread out on the desk, with half a page already written on them.
Shen Yanzhou picked up the manuscript and read it line by line. When he saw the sentence "Uncle Shen had a rotten leaf in his mouth," he chuckled softly. "Did Dad have a leaf in his mouth back then? I've forgotten."
Yu Pan nodded and wrote on his arm, "Yes, Uncle Chen spat it out right away, you didn't see it."
“So that’s how it is,” Shen Yanzhou smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. “You remember it so well.”
Yu Pan blushed slightly. These past few days, they had been eating and sleeping with Tan Ming, and they hadn't had a proper hug or kiss for several days.
He actually really wanted to kiss Shen Yanzhou.
Once she sets her mind to something, she does it; that's always been Yu Pan's way.
So just as Shen Yanzhou's lips were about to leave, he reached out and hooked his arm around Shen Yanzhou's neck, then tiptoed and chased after him.
The sunset outside the window was in full bloom, and sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a warm glow on the two people embracing.
Yu Pan clipped the rejection slip to the wall by her desk and hung it there. This time, looking at it, Yu Pan felt no more pain.
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