“I am leaving soon to go back to my hometown.”
Jiran suddenly broke the news of his departure. He looked to be in terrible shape, sporting heavy dark circles under his eyes as if he had not slept well in days, and seemed thoroughly dejected and depressed.
Everyone rushed forward to show their concern. After all, Jiran had always left an impression of being positive and cheerful; he was well-liked by everyone, always considerate of others, and had never been seen at odds with anyone. Something major must have happened to him to make him look this haggard, and it naturally made people worry about his situation.
“Jiran, what is wrong?”
“Your complexion is so poor. Did something happen at home?”
“Why do you have to leave?”
“Why so suddenly? Jiran, are you really not going to finish your studies? No matter what happened, your future should come first!”
Everyone tried to persuade him to stay. Jiran had worked so hard for so long to advance his studies; could he really just give it all up like this?
Everyone’s concern did little good, as Jiran brushed aside all their kind intentions. Acting like a completely different person, his eyes devoid of light, he avoided looking anyone in the eye and explained in a barely audible voice:
“There are some issues at home. My mother is hospitalized, and I need to go back to take care of her.”
It seemed Jiran’s mind was made up. Not everyone could easily resolve such a crisis, and given that his family’s financial situation did not allow him to work and study at the same time, he had no other choice.
“Even so, you do not need to drop out of school! At least let us throw a farewell party for you.”
“No, thank you.”
Jiran’s belongings were already packed. Had he not been questioned, he had intended to leave quietly. He lowered his head and walked toward the door with his backpack.
The whole incident happened so suddenly that people who arrived later did not even get to see him one last time, left only with the news that Jiran had returned to his hometown.
“Jiran is quitting his studies? Why did he never mention this to us?”
Cheng You found it impossible to understand. She and the others had been on quite good terms with Jiran, yet he left without even a face-to-face farewell. How could he choose to slip away without a word, leaving no information behind so that they had to find out from someone else?
Yan Qianyu remained silent. He rarely built long-term connections with anyone, and Jiran was one of the few people with whom he could actually converse.
Someone he had grown familiar with had just slipped out of his life without any warning or a single greeting. Living in different social circles and different cities, they would probably never meet again. Perhaps human connections constantly shifted in this manner, refusing to draw a neat and perfect closing period according to one’s own wishes.
This was why he disliked socializing and refused to easily invest emotional attachment in others.
And then there was Shi Yi. As for whether he should build a long-term relationship with someone like this, to be honest, he still had many misgivings. At this stage, their connection was basically forced upon him against his will; it was always Shi Yi who took the initiative to seek him out.
Yan Qianyu did not know what attitude to adopt toward him. Everything that needed to be said had been laid out completely clear, yet it had yielded no effect. Even with the cold treatment, Shi Yi showed no intention of giving up whatsoever.
He could not help but admire the man’s psychological resilience.
In Yan Qianyu’s eyes, Shi Yi was an unknown creature beyond his comprehension, as if they inhabited completely different worlds. His moods were entirely unpredictable, and every single encounter with him was full of unexpected twists.
His phone buzzed with another coffee shop invitation from Shi Yi for the afternoon.
Yan Qianyu’s expression nearly cracked.
Why would anyone invite someone they had just argued with out to dine together? How on earth was this guy’s brain wired?
Someone who played by entirely different rules, whose motives and actions were so absurd, brought Yan Qianyu nothing more than bewilderment and the irritation of having things slip out of his control.
Taking a deep breath, Yan Qianyu laid his phone aside, sat at his desk, and closed his eyes in meditation. Every move Shi Yi made pulled at his emotions; he could not afford to act on impulse. He needed to calm down and carefully figure out how to deal with him.
He could not allow such an unstable variable to linger by his side. He still needed to uncover the full picture of this person.
The afternoon sun was bright, with tiny dust motes dancing in the light. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden fringe over half of the cafe’s tables and chairs. The minimalist interior design provided a clean and refreshing dining experience. Shi Yi and Yan Qianyu each ordered a beverage. The shop was famous for its coffee quality, and a rich, mellow coffee aroma drifted across from the counter every now and then. Skipping the coffee section, which made up two-thirds of the menu, Yan Qianyu ordered a cup of black tea.
The seating arrangement here was comfortable to a fault. The wooden tables lacked any overly sharp edges, and the sofa seats offered a soft, enveloping feel. After placing his order, Yan Qianyu curled up into the sofa. Seeming to lack enthusiasm, he cast a lazy glance out the window.
The indoor temperature ran somewhat high, and after sitting for a while, it began to feel a bit warm. Yan Qianyu removed his outerwear. Underneath, he wore a black, tight-fitting turtleneck base layer, which made his frame look truly slender beneath his coat. His waist looked exceptionally narrow, likely because he spent every day doing research without time for exercise.
Sitting across from him, Shi Yi observed his every move. Yan Qianyu’s clothing choices leaned entirely toward simple, casual basics. He did not seem particular about clothes at all, wearing the same few items repeatedly.
Yet, ordinary clothes completely buried that unique aesthetic charm of his.
It was such a waste of a pretty face. He would look so much better wearing something with a bit of design and a closer fit. It seemed there was still plenty of room to optimize his styling.
Shi Yi was already plotting how to dress him up.
“I do not think I have ever seen you wear anything else. Do you really like this coat that much?”
Perhaps this remark was meant as a light tease, delivered in a breezy tone with a playful upward inflection at the end. However, the person being teased did not find it amusing at all. Upon hearing it, Yan Qianyu stiffened, his brows knitting together as clear displeasure showed on his face.
Shi Yi always managed to step right onto Yan Qianyu’s landmines the moment he opened his mouth. He truly had a talent for ticking people off.
“Remarks like that are just asking for trouble. Someone who lives purely on scholarships and stipends does not have that kind of idle cash to spend on clothes.”
“Eh? Is it that miserable? Then let me buy you a few outfits.”
Resting his head on one hand, Shi Yi looked at him with that same smiling expression. Although his face retained its usual frivolous and devil-may-care look, Yan Qianyu could sense that he had indeed undergone some subtle changes.
That relentless, unyielding persistence had not changed, but he had stopped uttering those obviously fake platitudes, shedding his disguise.
“No need. I am not particular about clothes.” Yan Qianyu’s reply confirmed Shi Yi’s guess.
As expected, he would not accept gifts easily. Of course, it was also possible that the offered gifts did not suit his taste or fall short of tempting him beyond refusal.
Shi Yi intently scrutinized him, moving from the crown of his hair down to his brows and eyes, his lips, and the sliver of snowy white neck exposed above the black turtleneck collar. His gaze made Yan Qianyu’s skin crawl.
“Given your abilities, though, earning a high salary should be quite simple. Your reputation is booming right now; which company in the related industry would not fight to snap you up? Or alternatively, what do you say to me investing in you?” Shi Yi tossed out an olive branch.
Faced with such an unexpected windfall, Yan Qianyu’s first reaction was to doubt Shi Yi’s sense of reality. Did he even know what he was talking about?
“Do you have any idea how much funding a scientific research project requires? Not to mention letting you make decisions when the return on investment is completely unknown?”
“Money is not an issue. What I am investing in is your future. I believe that if it is you, you should be able to produce a satisfactory project proposal, right?”
Regardless of the motive behind Shi Yi’s words, the content caused Yan Qianyu’s breathing to stall for a brief second.
This was precisely what Yan Qianyu desired most, yet he never expected it to be proposed in a setting like this, and by Shi Yi of all people. However, discussing it now was still premature, the conditions were insufficient, and a cooperation partner was not something to be decided on a whim.
After a slightly unnatural pause, Yan Qianyu stiffly shelved the topic. “We can discuss this later. Talking about it now will not yield any results.”
Shi Yi naturally noticed his anomaly.
“Hmm, all right then.”
“Let us talk about something important instead. Since we are already this close, should we start using a nickname for each other?” Shi Yi felt exceptionally good about himself, completely oblivious to whether his words were far too premature for their current stage of relationship.
How were they close?
Between the two of them, someone was definitely suffering from cognitive dissonance!
“How about I just call you Qianyu straight away?” Whether he wanted to tease Yan Qianyu or genuinely planned to call him that, the corners of Shi Yi’s mouth curled high upwards, amusement sinking deep into his eyes.
Yan Qianyu furrowed his brows deeply. Given this man’s lack of shame, if he did not put a stop to it right now, who knew what outrageous nicknames might pop out of his mouth next? He decided to cut straight to the conclusion.
“You should just call me Senior Yan.”
Such a distant form of address was naturally not going to be adopted.
A little intimacy like a nickname could quickly shorten the distance between them. As long as Yan Qianyu was not overly repulsed by the address, Shi Yi could gradually get him used to it step by step.
Shi Yi checked the time. It was about time for him to leave. Although he still wanted to continue chatting with Yan Qianyu, what a pity, he had other matters waiting for him today.
“It is getting late, and I have to go. See you tomorrow, Qianyu.”
Rising from his seat, Shi Yi waved goodbye and added a wink for good measure. Before Yan Qianyu could react, he turned around and strode away with cool nonchalance.
Yan Qianyu could only stare.
Clearly, he was the one who had come with a purpose to test the waters, yet talking to Shi Yi still left him on the receiving end. Not only did his conversational topics constantly get hijacked, but at the slightest lapse in caution, his true intentions would be exposed.
Yan Qianyu gazed out the window at the scenery, reflecting on every little detail of his interactions with Shi Yi over the past few days as complex emotions surged within his heart.
Shi Yi was simply too dangerous and too uncontrollable.