That fleeting kiss felt like a violent wave whipped up by a gale on a calm lake or perhaps a seed planted in a desert, destined to grow into a towering tree.
Pei Jin appeared calm, but his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. The faint, sweet scent of citrus filled his senses; he knew it was the smell of Wu Yan’s shower gel.
“Brother, are you angry?” Wu Yan asked softly, his eyelashes trembling. “I just like you too much. I couldn’t help myself. Pei Jin, is my love for you not obvious enough?”
Ever since Wu Yan had started clinging to him, he had always used the term “Brother.” It was rare for him to address him so directly by name.
Silence fell, thick and heavy. The atmosphere shifted into something unnameable, so quiet that even the sound of a pin drop would have been clear. Pei Jin, sitting beside him, was clearly not as composed as he looked. In the dimming light of the room, his light brown eyes turned deep and unreadable.
“Wu Yan, did you drink at the party today?” Pei Jin’s voice was hoarse as he noticed the redness at the corners of Wu Yan’s eyes. “You’re drunk.”
Who’s drunk? Wu Yan hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol. He was about to retort when his phone buzzed on the coffee table. He checked the caller ID.
“Hello, Mama,” Wu Yan said, walking to the window to take the call.
“Xiao Yan, I finished work early. I’m taking a flight tonight and will be home tomorrow morning. Have you been good and taken your medicine?” His mother’s voice came through over a background of airport noise.
“I know, I know. Of course I took it…” Wu Yan stared out at the city skyscrapers. After hanging up, he looked back at the sofa. Pei Jin was gone.
When did he leave? How did I not notice?
The Return Home
At 6:00 PM, Xu Yike arrived with dinner from Aunt Wang. Wu Yan ate distractedly. “Does the food not suit you?” Xu Yike asked. It was a familiar question; Pei Jin had asked him the same thing earlier.
“It’s fine. I’m going home soon. Don’t check out of this room yet,” Wu Yan said concisely. He knew his mother was returning.
After eating, he packed his things. Passing Pei Jin’s closed door, he felt a strange sense of unease.
Back at the Jianglan Road villa, Wu Yan felt a bit dazed. He changed into slippers and headed straight for his room without a word. He threw himself onto his bed, burying himself in the soft duvet.
“So annoying… what exactly does Pei Jin mean?” he murmured into the pillow.
A knock sounded. “Who is it?” Wu Yan asked irritably. “Young Master, it’s me,” Xu Yike’s voice replied.
Wu Yan opened the door to see Xu Yike with a fruit platter. “Aunt Wang prepared this for your vitamins.” He hesitated. “Today, with Brother Pei…”
“Nothing happened.” Wu Yan grabbed the platter and shut the door.
He sat at his desk, eating a piece of pear. The sweetness burst in his mouth. Just then, a message from an unknown number popped up:
Tomorrow at 3:00 PM. Baizhou Café, Nanjiao Lane. Wu Yan, I’ve prepared a surprise for you. You better come and come alone.
Ah, the troubles of being a cannon fodder, Wu Yan sighed. Even when he was being well-behaved, trouble found him.
In the original novel, the protagonist Jiang Jingning was arrogant and domineering until he met the “pure” female lead. After being “saved” by her, he changed his ways, cleared out his old flings, and crushed his enemies. As the primary rival from childhood, Wu Yan was the perfect target to be made an example of.
Wu Yan felt like he was about to faint. This kind of plot was truly unavoidable. He vaguely remembered the female lead was an actress with a pure image, but he didn’t have much more detail.
A Mother’s Return
The next morning, his alarm jolted him awake. He checked the date and bolted upright. “Crap!” He scrambled to wash and dress. His mother had likely been home for hours.
Downstairs, Mrs. Wu was in a silk robe, drinking tea. She smiled when she saw him. “Xiao Yan is awake. Why aren’t you wearing more clothes?”
Wu Yan sat beside her and acted spoiled. “Mama, did I sleep too long?” “I just got back too early,” she laughed, ruffling his hair.
Even though it was a fictional world, Mrs. Wu looked exactly like his mother from his original world, making him feel a genuine emotional connection. “Did you bring me anything fun?”
“You’re so grown up,” she teased. “I brought some specialties. Aunt Wang will cook them for you tonight.”
They sat together for a while until he was ushered to the dining table. “Xiao Yan,” she asked as he ate his wontons. “How are things with Ah Jin?”
Wu Yan added vinegar to his bowl, looking troubled. “He doesn’t seem to like me very much.”
“How can that be? You played together as kids,” she comforted him. “I heard he’s never been in a relationship. The engagement is in less than two months don’t worry, feelings can be cultivated slowly.”
Wu Yan nodded. As long as he didn’t cancel the engagement this time, Pei Jin likely wouldn’t either.
The Secret Meeting
After spending the morning at Guiyu baking more fish cookies for Pei Jin, Wu Yan headed to Baizhou Café. A waiter led him to a private room on the second floor.
Behind a decorative screen sat Jiang Jingning. His expression was sour; his driver had arrived too fast, so he had been waiting for minutes.
Wu Yan sat opposite him. “I’m busy. Say what you have to say.”
Jiang Jingning was fuming. He threw a stack of photos onto the table. They scattered everywhere. Wu Yan didn’t even look down. “Who is this?”
“Are you playing dumb?” Jiang Jingning sneered. “This is Wen Luo, the student Pei Jin sponsors.”
“Oh. And?” Wu Yan was indifferent.
“And? Pei Jin is your fiancé! Can’t you keep him on a leash? She’s so much younger than him, and he’s touching her?” Jiang Jingning stood up in anger.
Wu Yan finally looked interested. He picked up a photo and studied it. Then he looked up, his tone flat: “Is she better looking than me? Pei Jin won’t touch me, but he’ll touch her?”