Chapter 52 The Eighteen-Year-Old Wedding (Part 1) "Yan Quan, now we..."
*Recalling the dividing line, the beginning*
Yan Quan couldn't find a single word to accurately describe his relationship with Yan Ceyan seven years ago.
They seemed to be a very close couple. When their eyes met, they would naturally hug and kiss.
They had been quite intimate. With fingertips, with eyes, with lips, they had intimately touched every inch of each other's bodies.
Aside from the markings, Yan Quan's eighteen-year-old self and Yan Ceyan's eighteen-year-old self are almost entirely unreserved.
In Nanzhong, in classrooms and dormitories, they spent that humid summer filled with the sound of cicadas... All the students in Class A gradually came to understand that Yan Quan and Yan Ceyan had a "close relationship".
Because even the perpetually stern-faced King Yama will bow down to Yan Quan. The obsessive-compulsive Yan Ge will reach across the back of the chair and use his fingertips to gently stroke Yan Quan's long hair…
"Yan Ceyan." Yan Quan casually handed the final exam paper to the person next to him, "You have a serious problem with being unbalanced in your subjects."
"A score of 70+ in Chinese and 30 in foreign language?"
"But he was first in the class in the combined science subjects."
“It’s not that I can’t learn it…” Yan Quan felt a tickle from the fingertips that were dangling from her ear: “It’s that you simply don’t want to learn it.”
"Not going to apply to prestigious finance or business schools?"
Yan Ceyan was groomed to be the heir of the Yan family from a young age, and he began to be involved in the family's real estate business when he entered high school. Studying business seemed like the obvious choice.
"..." Yan Ceyan lowered his eyelashes and fluttered slightly, his fingertips continuing to twirl around the ends of Yan Quan's hair. He didn't reply.
"The legal marriage age is 20," Yan Ceyan suddenly said, something completely unrelated.
Yan Quan, busy correcting the mistakes on the test paper with a red pen, replied perfunctorily, "Omega is 20 years old. Alpha is 22 years old."
"Then we'll have to wait another four years." Yan Ceyan's tone sounded somewhat regretful.
Yan Quan stopped writing and looked up at Yan Ceyan in surprise. "You...want to marry me?"
"Hmm." Yan Ceyan's dark, deep eyes were fixed on Yan Quan. "...Is that not allowed?"
“Double A homosexuality is illegal.” Yan Quan rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment before cautiously adding, “At least, it’s illegal in the Republic.”
"Give up." Yan Quan continued to write out the calculations, his fingers slipping so much that large dots appeared on the draft paper.
"Yan Ceyan, we have no future."
Yan Ceyan seemed not to have listened to Yan Quan's words, and instead lowered his head and fell into deep thought.
Yan Quan had no idea what Yan Ceyan was planning. He was busy correcting his exam paper—Yan Quan had slipped in this exam, ranking sixth. Previously, Yan Quan had always been in the top three.
The prestigious Ivy League schools in Federation A place great emphasis on grades, and Yan Quan had to be in the top 3%... From then on, Yan Quan began to look for a "way out" for himself.
Later, the school bell rang, and the students gradually left the classroom. Yan Ceyan had just withdrawn his fingers when his hot breath enveloped Yan Quan's nape.
"If the law doesn't recognize A-type homosexuals, then there's no need to worry about the legal age."
"Yan Quan, marry me."
Yan Ceyan's marriage proposal, like his confession, was inexplicable and unexpected.
There were no scented candles, no roses, and no pre-arranged romantic atmosphere. There was only a very simple, silver ring.
My family wants me to study business in China.
Because once I inherit the family's business resources, they can easily control me.
“But I won’t follow their arrangements; I’ll go to the Northwest Theater Military Academy…”
This is another, much more difficult path. I will use the resources it brings to make up for the losses in my family's real estate business. That way, I can marry you openly and legitimately, and get them to accept you.
"Yan Quan, let's get married now."
Yan Ceyan's gaze was intense, fixed on Yan Quan like an irresistible magnet. "Military school lasts a maximum of five years... wait for me."
"I swear I will be loyal to you."
It was already winter then, and the cicadas' desperate chirping could no longer be heard outside the window... It was rather desolate.
Yan Quan suddenly felt his eyes sting, and his fingers holding the pen felt heavy.
The new town project in Area A is progressing rapidly, with a total investment of 16 billion yuan and a planned area of 950,000 square meters...
As a secondary business district that helps drive the capital's economy, this project will determine the landscape of the capital's real estate industry over the next decade, and the losers may very well be forced to exit the top tier.
The Yan and Yan families, as evenly matched rivals in the capital's real estate market, are both determined to win this project. Yan Zhengdong wants Yan Quan to steal the Yan family's core bidding plan from Yan Ceyan.
Yan Quan knew that as long as she spoke, Yan Ceyan would waver... This love-struck idiot might actually send over the tender documents and PDF version from the safe—in fact, Yan Quan had already extracted a lot of information from the Yan family about this project.
But……
The feeling of resistance and nausea rising in Yan Quan's heart grew stronger and stronger—it was too dirty, this was too dirty...
Yan Quan was increasingly unwilling to continue to involve such a rotten maggot between himself and Yan Ceyan—even though it already had a long history of bad deeds.
Yan Quan's profile was bathed in the fading glow of the setting sun, his fair skin appearing almost transparent and thin.
"Two Alphas getting married... without Alpha hormones to attract me, you can't even mark me."
"Yan Ceyan, are you so desperate for me?"
Yan Ceyan ran his knuckles along the silver ring—he hadn't told Yan Quan that he had made the ring himself. He had taken the trigger of his most beloved rhodium-plated pistol and melted it into the ring.
Yan Ceyan thought that if Yan Quan wore this ring, she would look very beautiful—because it would look like she was firing a gun.
"Yes, Yan Quan, I can't live without you."
"Ha..." Yan Quan smiled slightly, turning her head to the side, after hearing Yan Ceyan's firm answer. The smile was backlit, making it difficult for Yan Ceyan to see clearly.
Yan Quan's laughter was actually quite unlike his personality.
Yan Quan's appearance is extremely bright and alluring, with thin lips, distant mountain eyebrows, and upturned fox eyes... she is the enchanting fairy who captivates all beings in countless stories.
But Yan Quan's voice was clear and crisp, like the first snow after a storm on a mountaintop, carrying a hint of cold.
So sometimes, Yan Ceyan felt that Yan Quan was smiling, yet it seemed like he wasn't. That faint smile was more like a defensive disguise.
This is also a major reason why Yan Ceyan is eager to propose – a sense of crisis.
Yan Ceyan subconsciously felt that he had never truly gotten close to Yan Quan's heart. And... he was about to lose Yan Quan.
After a long while, Yan Quan lowered his slightly narrowed eyes, a hint of gloom flashing in his eyes, and finally turned to look at Yan Ceyan: "Yan Ceyan, I do not accept this ring."
"I will not accept your marriage proposal either."
"Everything is happening too fast. Perhaps you need to calm down."
"That's settled then, let's not see each other during winter break."
Yan Ceyan stood frozen, clutching the ring. "Yan Quan, what do you mean...?"
"So, Yan Ceyan, you should really learn some Chinese reading comprehension. Not being weak in any subject is really important for you to get into a good university..."
Yan Quan packed her things, and with a "rip," pushed the zipper of her backpack all the way down, easily stepping over the table and chair next to her with her straight, slender legs.
Yan Quan's words, reaching Yan Ceyan's ears, were several times colder than the winter winds of the capital. "Yan Ceyan, we're splitting up—"
Yan Ceyan knew which word Yan Quan wanted to say.
Every time Yan Ceyan recalls this memory, his heart skips a beat—a phenomenon known in psychology as a stress response.
Because every time Yan Quan brought up breaking up, it felt like a precipice.
From the mountains to the valleys.
In the blink of an eye, he was shattered to pieces.
"Yan Quan, don't say it—" Before Yan Quan could finish speaking, Yan Ceyan growled hoarsely, "Don't say that word."
Yan Quan felt a pang of sadness at Yan Ceyan's slightly trembling voice, and silently shut the words that were about to come out. "...Okay, I won't say it."
“If you don’t want to get married, then fine… I won’t bring it up again…” Yan Ceyan walked over slowly, wanting to put his arm around Yan Quan’s shoulder.
But Yan Quan took a step back, deliberately avoiding Yan Ceyan's hand: "It's not because of 'marriage,' Yan Ceyan."
This is not Yan Quan's true feeling.
To be honest, Yan Quan really liked that ring. In fact, Yan Quan really likes silver.
Let's separate for a while.
"Yan Ceyan, just think of me as someone who's tired and needs to be alone, okay?"
"..." Yan Ceyan stared blankly as Yan Quan's solitary figure gradually disappeared into the corridor at the corner of the stairs.
Yan Ceyan didn't know if this counted as a "breakup".
However, Yan Ceyan's heart felt like it was being torn to pieces, and his breath, along with the cold air outside the window, felt frozen.
Just like what he said to Yan Quan when they got back together—"You're lying to me." Yan Ceyan knew that in this relationship, Yan Quan was always the "superior" one, and it was always him who was getting more and more deeply involved.
Yan Ceyan's unease grew stronger and stronger. He increasingly felt that... Yan Quan might never have liked him at all.
Not even a tiny bit, no bigger than a fingernail...
*
Yan Quan had not returned to the Yan family home for a long time.
To my surprise, the door opened to a scene of utter chaos: shattered glasses, overturned tables and cabinets... and bloodstains glaringly visible on the pristine white marble tiles, gushing across the floor.
At the source of the blood lay a thin, elongated shadow—Wu Yingxue's slender arm extended from the creased tablecloth, her skin as pale as death, covered with bluish-purple bruises.
"...Did he hit me?" Yan Quan's voice was flat, his back teeth pressed together as he desperately suppressed his raging anger.
“Desperate…”
Wu Yingxue's eyelashes fluttered as she regained consciousness. Despite the bruises and pain, she could only lift her head slightly, even with all her might.
"You're finally willing to come home, Quan Quan. I thought you were angry and wouldn't talk to me anymore..."
Perhaps it was the oppressive feeling of being constantly manipulated and subjugated, or perhaps it was the grievance of having just broken up with Yan Ceyan...
In short, Yan Quan's suppressed resentment and anger finally erupted at this moment. The anger rising in his chest, mixed with his heartache for his mother, raged and burned wildly throughout Yan Quan's body.
I asked, "Was it Yan Zhengdong who did it?"
“Quanquan, he… he didn’t do it on purpose, you know… the company has been under a lot of financial pressure lately… there are competing projects, everyone is very stressed… he… he just needed some space to vent…”
"Ha... Release?" Yan Quan picked up the sharp, conical gold cup that had rolled on the ground—it was Yan Zhengdong's exclusive collection, and now it was dripping with bright red blood.
"I also need to vent." Yan Quan turned and left angrily: "I'm going to settle the score with him."
"No, no...don't...I'm so anxious."
Despite being covered in bruises, Wu Yingxue suddenly unleashed astonishing strength, staggering and crawling to Yan Quan's feet.
He held Yan Quan's feet tightly with his hand, "Quan Quan, please, Quan Quan, don't be impulsive, don't make your father angry. It's just a special period, just bear with it..."
"Hoo..." Yan Quan's fierce back stopped instantly as the woman's withered, bony fingers gripped his back.
Yan Quan gasped for breath, feeling as if her lungs were being crushed: "Yan Zhengdong isn't my father! I was born without a father!"
One sentence, delivered in a burst of emotion, stunned Wu Yingxue, leaving her frozen in place.
Her nails clenched so tightly they dug into her flesh. Yan Quan's eyes were red as she gritted her teeth, turned her head, bent down, and hugged Wu Yingxue: "Mom, let's go. Let's leave this place."
"He's already tormented you to this extent..."
"Mom, you actually understand, he has never treated you like a human being..."
Wu Yingxue's excessively thin frame caused her neck bones to sink deeply, and Yan Quan's arms were wrapped around her mother. The protruding edges were painfully digging into her neck.
"Who does Yan Zhengdong even mean?" Yan Quan's heart ached even more, and he hugged Wu Yingxue tighter and tighter.
"Mom, let's go. Let's leave this place. I'm an adult now, I can take care of you."
Unwilling to be a pawn manipulated by others, Yan Quan had already secretly planned everything.
"With its high-leverage debt, Yan's Group has fallen into a serious cash flow crisis. Only government funding to win this bidding project can save Yan's Group."
“But I won’t let Yan Zhengdong have his way. I forged a fake bidding proposal. Once Yan Zhengdong transferred the money to the account, we’ll take the money and leave this place.”
“Let’s go to the West Coast, to Federation A. The sun is great there. Aren’t you always feeling cold? We can sunbathe all day long there…”
The eighteen-year-old boy's voice was deep and hoarse, penetrating Wu Yingxue's damp hair and temples to her eardrums:
“I know you need money, Mom… I have good grades, I will apply to a good university. Then I will find a good job… I will make money, lots and lots of money, and I will give it all to you.”
"It was wrong from the very beginning. Mom, stop thinking about the Yan family... Let's go to the hospital and get Yan Zhengdong's permanent mark removed, okay?"
"Let's find a place to start over."
The same words, punctuated by the woman's intermittent sobs, were repeated by Yan Quan over and over again:
"Mom, didn't you say you loved me? Didn't you say you loved me the most in the world?... Then come with me. Let's leave this place together."
Yan Quan and Wu Yingxue hugged each other tightly, and Wu Yingxue's tears dripped down her nose and onto Yan Quan's cheeks... It was as if Yan Quan was also shedding tears.
"Mom, believe me. I can fulfill your wish without relying on the Yan family."
"Qianqian... my darling." Wu Yingxue looked up and gently cupped Yan Qian's cheeks, tears streaming down her face in large drops from her sunken eyes.
At first, these tears were scalding hot, but then they gradually turned icy cold...
"No, that won't do. Please."
There's no turning back now.
"I'm pregnant. It's Yan Zhengdong's child."
Yan Quan looked down in astonishment, his wide pupils reflecting the woman's slightly protruding belly—
Wu Yingxue's voice trembled with sobs, like a rusty knife cutting into something.
“Quanquan, he is your own brother.”
"Can you really watch the Yan family go bankrupt and experience the same childhood as you?"
"Clang—" The sharp, conical gold cup tumbled over again at Yan Quan's feet, dripping liquid down its base, crimson...
That was Yan Quan's blood.
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