Chapter 43 I hope you never forget me, no matter where you are…
Xu Yan nodded upon hearing this, "I understand."
Chen Yaoan smiled.
"However, I still hope you will think it over carefully. You can contact me anytime once you've made up your mind."
After saying that, he pushed his business card in front of Chen Yao'an.
He had gone to such lengths; it would be impolite for Chen Yao'an to refuse again. She put the business card into her bag. "Thank you, I will think about it carefully."
After Xu Jialan returned from the restroom, the three chatted for a while before parting ways.
They took the elevator to the parking lot together, and Xu Jialan called out to Xu Yan, "Come with me, I have something for you."
Xu Yan asked with interest, "What good stuff are you going to give me?"
The three of them walked together to where Xu Jialan had parked. Xu Jialan opened the trunk, took out a bag of peaches, and handed it to him.
"What's this?" Xu Yan reached out and took it, looking down at it. "Peaches, where did you buy so many peaches?"
"It was just picked from the tree yesterday, it's fresh."
Xu Yan looked at him and asked suspiciously, "Did you pick them?"
"Picked from the garden?"
"When did you develop this hobby? Besides, do you even know what a peach tree looks like?"
Xu Jialan clenched her fist and coughed lightly.
Chen Yao'an looked away somewhat awkwardly.
Xu Yan knew there must be a story behind their reactions; it turned out he was just doing it incidentally to pick up girls.
"Okay, thanks, I'll be going now."
"Um."
Xu Yan left with a bag of peaches, and the two of them got into the car.
The car continued driving without the two speaking. The atmosphere inside the car was tense. Chen Yao'an knew that Xu Jialan was a little angry, but she didn't intend to explain.
They walked home in silence, and Chen Yaoan naturally said goodbye to him: "I'm going home now."
Xu Jialan didn't say anything, watching her enter and then close the door again.
He didn't linger and went home.
After entering the house, Xu Jialan changed his clothes and sat down on the sofa. He wasn't sleepy at all and had nothing else to do, so he turned on the TV.
TV programs were so boring that he found a popular variety show to watch. The show had been running for about ten minutes, but he couldn't really get into it.
Before I knew it, my thoughts had drifted to Chen Yao'an.
Why did she disagree?
Hasn't she always hoped for such an opportunity?
What exactly was her reason for refusing?
And shouldn't she explain herself to him?
Xu Jialan grew angrier the more she thought about it. She stood up, grabbed a bottle of ice water from the refrigerator, and gulped down a few mouthfuls, but it had no effect whatsoever.
A few minutes later, Xu Helan could no longer bear it and went to knock on Chen Yaoan's door.
Chen Yao'an was already in bed. She went downstairs to the door, but didn't open it. Instead, she asked, "Who is it?"
"Me." Xu Jialan's tone was somewhat unpleasant.
Chen Yao'an understood, but she was wearing light pajamas and didn't want to open the door for him. Besides, there would be another argument after she opened the door, which was unnecessary.
"What's up? I'm going to sleep."
"Open the door first."
"I'm not available right now."
"Then I'll wait until it's convenient for you."
Chen Yaoan had a headache; Xu Jialan seemed determined.
She turned and went to the bedroom to put on a new dress, then came back to open the door for him.
"What do you want?" Chen Yao'an asked, leaning against the door.
Xu Jialan angrily squeezed past her into the door, leaving Chen Yaoan with no choice but to close the door and look back at him.
Xu Jialan was also looking at her.
The two faced each other in silence for a while, then his tall figure suddenly took two big steps forward, closing in on Chen Yao'an.
She was somewhat intimidated by his aura, her heart leaped, and she looked up at him.
The two were only half a step apart.
He looked down at her, his voice full of confusion, "Chen Yao'an, give me a reason why you didn't agree to Xu Yan's request today."
She knew he had come for this.
She felt uncomfortable with him standing in front of her like that, so she stepped aside and replied, "I don't want to go."
Xu Jialan turned to look at her, somewhat anxiously, "Why don't you want to go? Tell me a reason. I know what you really want isn't to stay cooped up in your little shop..."
Chen Yao'an was somewhat annoyed upon hearing this.
"What's wrong with my little shop? Even if it's small, it's the culmination of my hard work over the years!"
“That’s not what I meant. I know you aspire to a bigger stage where you can showcase your talents, and that would be an opportunity for you.”
"An opportunity? What opportunity? It's just an internship. Even if I go, what happens afterward? Will I not have to go back to Dai County?!"
Xu Jialan fell silent, opening her mouth several times as if to say something, but then not knowing what to say.
"Xu Jialan, I don't need such an opportunity!" Chen Yaoan said resolutely.
"I don't believe it!"
"Believe it or not, go back now!"
Chen Yaoan turned around and pushed him out the door, closing it without pausing.
Xu Jialan stood in front of her door for a while before turning to leave.
In the following days, neither of them took the initiative to contact the other.
In the end, Xu Jialan couldn't hold back any longer and took the initiative to go to Chen Yaoan.
He went next door and knocked on the door, but no one answered for a long time, so he eventually had to give up.
However, he didn't see her for the next few days. When he sent her WeChat messages, she said she was out of town.
Xu Jialan was extremely depressed, so she asked Xu Yan out for drinks that night.
After a few drinks, Xu Jialan was slightly tipsy.
Do you think I'm just imagining things?
Who are you talking about?
Xu Jialan glanced at him. "Of course I'm talking about Chen Yao'an."
Xu Yan laughed out loud, "When did you become so concerned about a woman?"
Xu Jialan didn't say anything, but took a sip of the wine in her glass.
"Don't worry, if she changes her mind, she can come to me anytime."
Xu Jialan thanked him, "I just don't understand, why didn't she take the opportunity when it was right in front of her?"
"Have you ever thought that this opportunity was obtained through favors, and she might feel burdened?"
“What burden is there? I don’t ask for anything in return from her.”
"Is that really true?"
Xu Jialan glanced at him, momentarily confused by his words.
Xu Yan patted him on the shoulder, it seemed his brother's love life hadn't been easy. "Let's drink."
The two drank until midnight.
Xu Jialan drank too quickly and eventually got herself drunk.
Xu Yan wanted to send the person back, but changed his mind before leaving.
He found Xu Jialan's phone, found Chen Yaoan's number in the contacts, and dialed it, asking her to come pick up Xu Jialan.
Chen Yao'an seemed rather unwilling.
Xu Yan answered with ease.
Chen Yao'an had no choice but to compromise in the end.
Half an hour later, Chen Yaoan arrived at the bar.
Xu Jialan was already slumped over the table, unconscious.
Xu Yan handed her the car keys. "Can you drive?"
"Not familiar with it."
Xu Yan nodded, called a designated driver for them, and then helped Xu Jialan into the car together with Chen Yaoan.
"Please take care of Jialan."
Chen Yaoan nodded.
Let's go.
Back home, Chen Yaoan had to put in a lot of effort to get Xu Jialan upstairs.
As soon as she entered, Chen Yaoan threw Xu Jialan onto the sofa. Xu Jialan was tall and strong, and when she fell onto the sofa, she knocked Xu Jialan down with her.
She suddenly leaned against his chest. A few buttons on his shirt collar were undone, and her fingers touched them; they were smooth, delicate, and a little hot.
She jumped away, stood up from the sofa, and was about to leave when he reached out and grabbed her arm.
"I want to drink water."
She turned around, and Xu Jialan looked at her with half-open eyes, her gaze unfocused, her words muffled, "Where...are you going?"
"I'll go get you some water."
Xu Jialan released her hand.
When she returned after pouring the water, Xu Jialan had already sat up and was lying back on the sofa.
She handed him the water glass, but he reached out and opened it.
Water splashed out of the glass and onto the sofa. Chen Yao'an said irritably, "What are you doing?"
Without saying a word, he grabbed her wrist and forcefully pulled her down onto the sofa, then his angular face loomed close to hers.
Chen Yao'an's breath hitched when they were only a fist's distance apart.
Xu Jialan was still drunk and didn't notice that the two were too close.
Chen Yao'an struggled, "Let me go first!"
He wouldn't let go no matter what, probably because he was drunk, he used extra force, making it impossible for her to break free.
"Tell me... do you... actually want to go?"
Strangely enough, Chen Yao'an immediately realized what he was talking about.
"I don't want to go, you drink the water first."
Xu Jialan ignored her words and simply raised her hand to knock the cup out of her hand. Water spilled all over the sofa, and the cup landed on the carpet, but it didn't break.
Chen Yao'an was a little angry, "Xu Lan, are you ever going to stop?!"
He, on the other hand, took advantage of his drunkenness to start acting crazy, shouting, "I'm not done yet!"
He released her hands, grabbed her shoulders, leaving her no way to escape. "Chen Yao'an, tell me the truth!"
Chen Yao'an tried to push his arm away, but couldn't budge it at all.
"Xu Jialan, stop being unreasonable! Let go!"
"You're being unreasonable! If you don't give me an answer... I won't let you go!"
"Fine, I'll tell you, I don't want to go!"
Xu Jialan didn't hear the answer she wanted, and started to act spoiled, "No, this isn't the answer I want... No, this isn't your real answer either."
At this point, Chen Yaoan completely lost his patience and shoved him in the chest. Xu Jialan was caught off guard and leaned back, his head hitting the wooden armrest of the sofa with a "thud".
Chen Yao'an panicked and ran over to check on him. But as soon as she got close, he seized the opportunity to grab her and trap her in front of him.
The pain in the back of her head brought Xu Jialan back to her senses.
"Tell me the truth."
Judging from this, he won't give up until he gets the answer he wants today.
She sighed, "Okay, then I'll tell you, I want to go, alright?"
Xu Jialan's eyes lit up immediately. He then let go of her and fumbled for his phone. After finally finding it, he handed it to Chen Yaoan.
What are you doing?
"Call Xu Yan."
Chen Yaoan reached out and pushed his hand away, then stood up from the sofa to leave.
"Chen Yao'an..." His voice was a little loud.
She stopped.
"Why? Why are you so unwilling to accept this? If it were me, even if there was only the slightest chance, I would seize it." His tone was full of confusion.
Chen Yaoan had no intention of paying him any attention.
"Chen Yao'an, I hope you will never forget your heart, no matter where you are."
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