It Turns Out I Really Love You - Chapter 6

The day Yu Xiaolu returned, she was a little surprised by Sang Wuyan and Su Nianqin’s intimacy, but then quickly concealed her emotions.

Regarding his relationship with Yu Xiaolu, Su Nianqin said she was a relative’s younger sister who had no place else to go, so she moved in and could take care of him. Sang Wuyan was very surprised that someone like Su Nianqin would openly admit that someone else was taking care of him.

“I’ll take care of you from now on,” Sang Wuyan said, taking Su Nianqin’s arm.

Later, she thought, if she’s a relative’s younger sister, then she’s also a relative, right? Why didn’t he just say cousin, sister, niece, or something like that?

Her thoughts were not very complicated, and after a while, she simply forgot about this doubt.

During that time, they occasionally went to the cinema. To avoid Su Nianqin’s discomfort, they bought a couple’s booth. The seating there allowed Sang Wuyan to rest her head in Su Nianqin’s neck, gently describing the plot to him as she watched the screen.

“Then he walked into the room and hid in the corner, waiting for the mummy to appear. At this moment, a dark shadow appeared again, the mummy…” Sang Wuyan said, her face pale, too scared to look, burying her face in Su Nianqin’s clothes.

“What do I do? It’s so scary,” she was like an earthworm, wriggling deeper into his embrace.

“Then let’s not watch,” Su Nianqin said.

“The more scared I am, the more I want to watch,” Sang Wuyan said with a strained face.

Su Nianqin chuckled, let her sit on his lap, and then rested his chin on her shoulder.

Sang Wuyan was already so tense from the movie plot that she couldn’t control herself, completely forgetting to describe the screen. Su Nianqin could only see the flickering light and shadows of the movie screen directly in front of him.

The more scared she was, the more she wanted to watch—these words reminded him of the feeling of love, both like opium.

On the way back, at the subway station, it was six o’clock, the peak hour with the most crowded people.

The subway arrived. She led Su Nianqin’s hand, avoiding the crowd, waiting to get on last. At this moment, a few people who were rushing to save time suddenly bumped into them, pushing Sang Wuyan into the crowd and onto the train.

When she walked back, she saw the doors had already closed.

She didn’t know if Su Nianqin had also gotten on the train, and she didn’t dare to loudly call his name in the train car, fearing he would be embarrassed, so she looked around. She was short and had to stand on tiptoe, searching back and forth.

Left, right, on the seats.

No.

Her heart began to race.

Su Nianqin must still be at the station. He rarely went to such public places alone, and there were so many people. He was stubborn and definitely wouldn’t ask for help. She should have had Yu Xiaolu drive them. She also wondered if he knew the way, and if he would encounter bad people, and his phone was in her backpack.

The more she thought, the more anxious she became, tears welling up in her eyes.

As soon as the subway stopped, she immediately got off and took the subway back on the other side.

The return train car was much less crowded. She stood close to the door. Outside was a dark tunnel, stretching endlessly. It seemed like an eternity before the subway saw the light outside again. The speaker in the car announced the station name, and then it slowly stopped.

Through the window glass, she saw Su Nianqin standing there in the distance.

He was at the exact spot where they had gotten separated, unmoving.

He was tall and handsome, so striking that she could find him at a glance without needing a particularly conspicuous marker.

Sang Wuyan ran to him and threw herself into his arms, hugging his waist.

He said easily, “So fast!” as if he hadn’t fully enjoyed waiting.

“You scared me to death.”

Su Nianqin touched her head, “There’s nothing to worry about. Wherever we got separated, I will always wait there until you come back.”

Sang Wuyan worked in the news team at the radio station with Yuan Yuan, and soon after, she was transferred back to Nie Xi’s studio. Wu Wei said, “Sister Xi talked to the director; she insisted on having you back.”

“Why?”

Wu Wei thought for a moment, “Any reason is possible, but it’s definitely not because of your work ability.” Then he gave Sang Wuyan a scornful look.

Sang Wuyan feigned anger, “You little ****! Believe it or not, I’ll choke you to death?”

“Even if the peony dies, I’ll still be a dashing ghost,” Wu Wei stuck out his tongue, pretending to be a ghost.

As the two were playfully bickering, Nie Xi walked in and said coldly, “Sang Wuyan, I transferred you here not for you to flirt with my people. Those materials I gave you earlier, you need to arrange them immediately; I’ll use them tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Sang Wuyan lowered her head, stopped talking, and began to work.

Tomorrow, a recently rising young writer, Qingfeng, whose works had swept the internet and then the entire publishing industry, becoming a big name in less than half a year and receiving much attention, was coming to the live broadcast room for an exclusive interview with Nie Xi. Nie Xi was very meticulous in her work; she would always prepare her lessons thoroughly. Now, Sang Wuyan had to systematically organize Qingfeng’s personal information, his writing style, general introduction, character traits of his representative works, online reviews, and publisher reviews, all for Nie Xi.

Before, Ye Li and Wang Lan used to do these things. Sang Wuyan was about to call them, but Nie Xi stopped her, “They have other things to do. You’ve been here for almost half a year; you can’t even handle such a small task?” Her tone was unusually sarcastic, completely different from the amiable Sister Xi Sang Wuyan knew.

After Nie Xi left, Ye Li whispered, “Sang Wuyan, did you offend her?”

“No,” Sang Wuyan wondered. “She asked the director to transfer me back. I haven’t seen her in a long time.”

“Did she run into a ghost?” Ye Li shook her head.

Sang Wuyan looked at the stack of materials, feeling it was quite inexplicable.

That night, Sang Wuyan worked overtime very late. As a science student, she wasn’t particularly fond of this kind of thing. Empty narratives, history, wuxia, and fantasy all muddled her mind. She finally managed to free herself from it, roughly organizing Qingfeng’s personal work history, and then, combining some real-life personal situations, reader comments, and general interview content.

As she went downstairs, she took out her backpack, intending to call Su Nianqin, only to find her phone had run out of battery.

As soon as she entered her rented apartment, her phone rang.

It wasn’t Su Nianqin; it was Sang Mama.

“Wuyan, why aren’t you home so late?”

“Working overtime at the station.”

“Come back early from now on. The public security is so chaotic now; it’s unsafe for a girl to walk alone at night…” Sang Mama began a machine-gun-like lecture on family education. It finally ended with difficulty. As soon as she hung up, the phone rang again.

“Where did you go so late?” This time, it was Su Nianqin asking. “Your phone was unreachable too.”

“Overtime,” she explained again.

“I was going to ask you to come over for dinner.”

“Dinner? You cooked?” She had lingering fears about his cooking skills.

Su Nianqin heard the implication and remembered the fried egg he painstakingly made for her to supplement her nutrition, and she had scornfully asked if it would kill anyone.

He couldn’t help but get a little angry, “Sang Wuyan, you…”

Sang Wuyan quickly changed her tune, “The people who line up to eat Yi Jin’s cooking would fill not just one division, but an entire regiment. So you quickly forget what I said last time.”

“Stop fooling around.”

Sang Wuyan chuckled.

Just like that, back and forth, the two talked on the phone for a long time. Even after hanging up, Sang Wuyan still had a sweet smile on her lips. Actually, he was quite talkative too.

The next morning, Sang Wuyan went to the radio station, carrying her things to report to Nie Xi. Nie Xi glanced at it indifferently and said, “No. The perspective and starting point are wrong.” Then, she took the manuscript, pointed out a bunch of flaws, and ordered Sang Wuyan to continue revising it.

At noon, Sang Wuyan just quickly ate a couple of bites, then buried herself in work again. When she handed it to Nie Xi, Nie Xi was on the computer. Without even looking, she said, “Just put it there.”

That evening, Sang Wuyan was outside the live broadcast room, watching the recording. The director was still playing commercials, urging the two inside to get ready.

Ye Li suddenly mysteriously grabbed Sang Wuyan and whispered, “Nie Xi asked Wang Lan to prepare Qingfeng’s materials last week. She doesn’t need yours at all.”

Wang Lan beside her nodded and said, “That’s right. I was busy with that, and you didn’t ask. I came during the day too, and only just heard it from Lili.”

“Did you offend someone?” Ye Li asked.

Sang Wuyan was so surprised she couldn’t speak for a long time. She turned her head and looked through the glass at Nie Xi, who was smiling at Qingfeng, her emotions complex. Nie Xi wasn’t originally such a woman; she was generous, patient, had no airs, and was kind to people.

Had she not been good enough before? Was she just lacking this kind of tempering?

In a daze, she suddenly remembered what Li Lulu used to say, “Sang Wuyan, if you leave school, leave your parents’ protection, you’ll be nothing.”

For various reasons, she and Su Nianqin weren’t always together. Sometimes, they wouldn’t even see each other for two or three days.

The place they met most often was at Su Nianqin’s house.

She liked to lie beside him, watching Su Nianqin play the piano. Seeing his fingers glide across the keys, sometimes gentle and soft, sometimes passionate and wild, was a very enjoyable visual experience.

She found it hard to imagine that he had truly grown up in an orphanage. How did the teachers and aunties there raise him so well?

“When did you start learning piano?”

“At six.”

“Was it easy to learn?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Were they good to you?” Sang Wuyan suddenly asked. “I mean, the aunties who took care of you.”

Su Nianqin said with unusual calmness, “It’s hard to say good or bad. Taking care of orphans is their job, not out of love or any other emotion. Of course, they might have favored some children. And, sometimes, I can’t even recall those things anymore.”

“Why?”

“I only stayed until I was six.”

“Why?”

He stopped his movements and said blandly, “I don’t want to continue this topic.”

Sang Wuyan paused slightly. Was it that unbearable to recall?

At this moment, Sang Wuyan’s phone rang.

“Wuyan, why aren’t you home again?” It was Sang Mama.

Sang Wuyan glanced at Su Nianqin, then mumbled an excuse into the receiver to her mother, walking out of the room.

“You need to come back at the end of the month. Your father and I contacted a middle school. Although they already hired new staff in November last year, they can add an extra spot for you now.”

“Mom—”

“Bring your resume and those certificates. You should also prepare yourself; the school still requires an interview.”

Sang Wuyan sighed, “I’m not convenient to discuss this with you right now. Let’s talk when I get back.”

“What do you mean, not convenient? You’re not an underground party member. You’ve been sneaky lately,” Sang Mama grumbled and hung up the phone.

Sang Wuyan smirked. Indeed, I am an underground party member. If her family knew about her and Su Nianqin, it would definitely be endless trouble.

When she returned to the room, Su Nianqin asked, “Whose call was it?”

“My mom, talking about work.”

“Mm-hmm.” He rarely asked about Sang Wuyan’s university or internship. Sometimes Sang Wuyan even wondered if he even knew which school she attended.

In the afternoon, the weather suddenly cleared up. The sun cast golden light all over the courtyard, making it particularly inviting. Sang Wuyan pulled Su Nianqin to the park. The weather was lovely, and quite a few people were out basking in the sun.

Sang Wuyan lay on the grass, her head resting on Su Nianqin’s lap. He sat leaning against a tree trunk, his eyes half-closed, listening to the radio with earbuds in.

He would occasionally touch Sang Wuyan’s hair. Her hair was fine and dense, very smooth to the touch. And since she had short hair, it was fluffy, feeling very much like cat fur.

Recalling the words “cat fur,” Su Nianqin couldn’t help but curve his lips, his eyelashes subtly fluttering.

“What are you chuckling about?” Sang Wuyan asked. Lying on her back, she had a clear view of his expression from below.

In this world, only she would call that smile a silly grin.

“Telling jokes,” he pulled out his earbuds.

“What station are you listening to?” She noticed that if he wasn’t reading or playing the piano, his way of passing time was either listening to news on TV or the radio.

“Storytelling.”

“Why aren’t you listening anymore?”

“Too many commercials.”

“Do you listen to our station?”

“Occasionally.”

He opened his eyes and lifted his face, turning towards the sun.

“Can you see light?”

“Very faint.”

“Can’t it be cured?” He had too many mysteries, too many unknowns about him, making her want to know.

“It can’t be cured,” he said blandly. “It’s a problem with the optic nerve center, congenital.” His tone was exceptionally calm, but Sang Wuyan still caught the faint hint of sorrow that flashed across his face.

“Did you bring a book to read?” Sang Wuyan changed the subject.

“Mm-hmm. Why?”

“From now on, if you want to read any book, I’ll read it to you. It’ll save you so much trouble.”

Su Nianqin thought for a moment, then handed her the book, “You read.”

“…Not this one. I don’t understand braille.”

At this moment, a singing voice came from not far away, coincidentally singing “Libyan Shell.” Sang Wuyan frowned. “The lyrics are mixed up; this line is from the second stanza.”

Su Nianqin raised an eyebrow and said, “You know it too?”

“Of course,” Sang Wuyan lifted her head. “Want me to sing it for you?”

“No!” Su Nianqin quickly said, “No.”

“You despise me? You think my singing is bad?”

Su Nianqin didn’t speak, clearly not wanting to strike her down.

Sang Wuyan became anxious, “Su Nianqin, I’m telling you, people say my voice is good, otherwise they wouldn’t have chosen me for broadcasting.”

“That—” he said, “I’ll reserve my opinion.”

Sang Wuyan returned to her school dorm to get some things and met Xu Qian on the way. Xu Qian called out to her.

“I heard you’re dating.”

“That’s right, you can finally rest easy now,” Sang Wuyan said awkwardly.

“Wei Hao and I found jobs in B City, and we’ve signed contracts. We’re going back in June.”

“Congratulations.”

Xu Qian shook her head, “Sang Wuyan, when will you grow up a little?”

“Isn’t it good like this? Otherwise, how could you two have flirted behind my back for so many years without me knowing?” Sang Wuyan said, “I won’t forgive you.”

“You…” Xu Qian smiled bitterly.

“As friends, the most important thing is honesty. Why did you deceive me?”

The next day, Sang Wuyan leaned against Su Nianqin and recounted her encounter with Xu Qian from yesterday. She was someone who couldn’t keep things to herself; any news had to be reported immediately, otherwise, she would feel uncomfortable.

“If you ever deceive me, I won’t forgive you either,” Sang Wuyan said bitterly.

Su Nianqin’s hand, which had been stroking her hair, paused slightly upon hearing that.

That evening, as soon as Sang Wuyan returned from Su Nianqin’s place, Cheng Yin said, “Your mom called again, saying you must come back.”

“Oh,” Sang Wuyan immediately deflated like a punctured balloon, her expression instantly dimming.

“You should talk to your mom and dad properly. After all, it’s for your own good.”

“But they don’t have the right to decide my future. What I want to do, whether I want to continue studying, these are all my choices.”

Just as she was speaking, the phone rang again. Cheng Yin gave her a “it’s definitely for you” look. “Just give in, otherwise I’m going crazy.”

It was indeed Sang Mama.

“Mom, I really want to stay. I’m not going back. I’ve been here for four years; I like it here.”

“Will your father and I harm you? Isn’t it for your own good? Look at how angry you’ve made your father? How many people in the faculty want to get in and can’t, and you’re turning down a spot specifically for you. You’ve only been out for four years, and you’ve already gone wild. We shouldn’t have let you go to another place then.” Sang Mama lectured Sang Wuyan in a mouthful of local dialect, speaking very quickly, pouring out bitter words.

“I’m not going back.”

“Wuyan,” Sang Mama paused. “Are you hiding something from Mom?” She felt her daughter had been acting strangely lately, always coming home very late.

“Mom… I…” She thought for a moment, and finally said, “I have a boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? When did you meet him? How old is he? Where’s his family? From the same school? Why didn’t you tell Mom earlier so Mom could see him?”

She would have to face it eventually, so Sang Wuyan could only muster her courage and report everything. When she mentioned Su Nianqin’s visual impairment, Sang Mama suddenly fell silent on the other end of the line. After a long while, she left a remark, “I’ll take the plane tomorrow,” and then hung up.

What happened next was different from Sang Wuyan’s imagination, because her mother brought not a storm of pear blossoms, but a gentle breeze and fine rain.

According to her mother’s personality, she thought she would be scolded mercilessly as soon as she arrived, but Sang Mama didn’t. From the airport to home, Sang Mama didn’t say a word about Su Nianqin.

In the taxi, Sang Wuyan happened to receive a call from Su Nianqin.

“Did you eat?”

“Not yet.” Sang Wuyan spoke each word cautiously, afraid her mother would notice something amiss.

“Wuyan, what’s wrong?” Su Nianqin was exceptionally sensitive.

“Nothing. I’ll call you back in a bit.” She quickly hung up and then sent Yu Xiaolu a text message, asking her to prepare Su Nianqin, as she might bring someone to see him.

As soon as she arrived home, the first thing Sang Mama did was pack Sang Wuyan’s luggage.

“You’re coming back with me tomorrow.”

“Mom—”

“If you want to stay here for that person, then I don’t want you to stay for another minute. Your father will naturally ask for leave for you from school; you must come with me.”

“You should at least meet him before drawing conclusions, okay?”

“Our family doesn’t acknowledge your relationship with him; there’s nothing to see.”

“Mom—”

“While you young people haven’t done anything to regret, end it early,” Sang Mama hinted.

“We are serious; why are you opposing us? Just because of his eyes?”

“Just? Do you think this is ‘just’? You’re a young girl who hasn’t experienced the ups and downs of life and doesn’t know its bitterness. Mom isn’t denying the love you believe in, but reality isn’t what you imagine. You’ve been pampered at home since childhood, crying when you want to cry, making a fuss when you want to make a fuss. Your father spoiled you so much he was afraid of dropping you if he held you in his hands, and afraid of melting you if he held you in his mouth. You can’t even stand Wei Hao dating someone else and cause trouble, so how can you distinguish right from wrong? What have you experienced? What can you experience?”

“I will learn. I will learn to cook, earn money, and take care of him and me. And Su Nianqin doesn’t need me to take care of him at all.”

“Your father and I raised you this big not for you to spend most of your life taking care of such a man. And he’s an orphan.”

“No, that’s not true. He has family; he’s not an orphan,” Sang Wuyan said. “Mom… you should meet Nianqin. He’s a very outstanding man, and he loves me very much.”

“Mom told you before that love isn’t just an impulse; it also includes a sense of security and responsibility. For such a disabled person with an unknown background, he hasn’t even told you who his family members are. Can that be called love?”

“I can call him right now and ask him. If you’re just worried about that, I can ask immediately,” Sang Wuyan teared up.

“Wuyan, no need. I don’t need to know what kind of family he has. I don’t want to know either. If his family has money and power, we would never presume to associate with them. If he’s destitute, I would only dislike him more!”

“But Mom, I’m the one who’ll be with him, not you!”

“Wuyan!” Sang Mama was furious. “How can you speak to your elders like that?”

After the intense exchange, both seemed suddenly tired and fell silent.

Just then, Sang Wuyan’s phone rang again. Even on vibrate, it made a violent buzzing sound in her backpack.

She was powerless to face Su Nianqin, powerless to face their love.

That night, Sang Mama didn’t say another word.

Cheng Yin seemed to have a premonition and didn’t return.

So Sang Wuyan left the bed for her mother and slept alone in Cheng Yin’s room.

Late at night, she went to the restroom and heard her mother turning over on the small bed in the room.

“Mom, are you still awake?” she opened the door and asked softly.

Her mother lay on her side facing the wall, ignoring her.

Sang Wuyan got into bed and said to her mother’s back, “Mom, I’ve grown up. Can you let me find my own happiness? If there are setbacks, I’ll be very strong. Even if I’m knocked down, I still have my mom who loves me very, very much.” As she spoke, she gently hugged her mother from behind.

“I want to choose my own life,” she said.

Sang Mama still didn’t answer her, only closed her eyes and shed silent tears.

The next day, before leaving early, Sang Mama said, “Wuyan, your mother won’t interfere with you anymore. Do whatever you want. Anyway, no matter what I say, you won’t listen. But you must remember, the path you choose is your own. In this life, there’s no medicine for regret. If anything happens in the future, don’t blame anyone else.”

She must have deeply hurt her mother to leave such words. Every word echoed in Sang Wuyan’s ears, disturbing her emotions even more than yesterday’s confrontation.

She suddenly felt a bit scared.

“Did I hurt their feelings?” Sang Wuyan asked Cheng Yin.

“If you and Su Nianqin are unhappy because of this, they will be even more hurt,” Cheng Yin replied.

That day, for the first time, she took leave from the radio station for personal reasons, eagerly taking a taxi to Su Nianqin’s house.

Yu Xiaolu and he were not there.

Sang Wuyan kicked off her shoes and walked barefoot on the floor.

The grand piano Su Nianqin often used under the floor-to-ceiling window wasn’t covered. She walked over and poked out a few dull single notes with her fingers. As someone who had been tone-deaf since childhood, she quickly grew bored in less than three minutes, then slipped into Su Nianqin’s room, got into his clothes, and crawled under the covers.

His scent lingered inside. That scent immediately made her feel at peace.

Su Nianqin, why aren’t you back yet? I’m so hungry… This was Sang Wuyan’s last thought before she vaguely closed her eyes.

What woke her from her sleep was the sound of the front door unlocking.

Yu Xiaolu and Su Nianqin returned together.

Then came the sound of Yu Xiaolu changing into slippers and going up the stairs, stopping halfway.

“Nianqin, you shouldn’t be so stubborn with your father,” Yu Xiaolu said.

“Father?” Su Nianqin scoffed coldly. “I never considered him to have fulfilled a father’s responsibilities.” After saying that, Su Nianqin went back to his room.

The lights in the bedroom were off. Sang Wuyan hid behind the door, ready to jump out and scare him.

Just as she was about to pounce, she heard Su Nianqin ask, “Wuyan? Are you there?”

She immediately felt disappointed, let out an “oh,” and obediently gave herself up.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Who told you to always kick your shoes around at the door whenever you come, nearly making me trip?” Su Nianqin’s expression softened as he spoke to her.

Sang Wuyan smiled apologetically.

“You said yesterday you wanted me to meet someone?”

Sang Wuyan’s expression paused, and her gaze flickered as she said, “It’s Cheng Yin. I wanted you to meet her.” Seeing Su Nianqin’s face, she suddenly decided not to tell him anything. She would handle the family matters herself and not let him worry.

“Why so mysterious?” Su Nianqin was a little suspicious.

“Because I’m moving in with you.”

“How did you come around to that?” Su Nianqin couldn’t quite hide his joy. He rubbed Sang Wuyan’s messy short hair from sleep.

“Since I’ve found a long-term meal ticket, why wouldn’t I move in early for free food and lodging, to save on expenses?” Sang Wuyan gave Su Nianqin a big hug.

Mom, I will definitely try my best to find happiness, Sang Wuyan thought, closing her eyes.

“This isn’t a free inn here,” Su Nianqin chuckled.

“Wrong. Not only does it include food and lodging, but it also comes with a complimentary male idol.”

“Why am I ranked third? I should be the exclusive male idol, with food and drink as compliments.”

“Su beauty, who told you not to cherish your virtue like jade, and let me, Master Sang, have my way with you as soon as you arrived?” Sang Wuyan laughed so hard she swayed.

What interrupted their laughter was Sang Wuyan’s loudly rumbling stomach.

“It’s too late to bother Xiaolu.”

“You don’t cook?”

“Do you think I look like a man who cooks?” Su Nianqin raised an eyebrow. “And as a woman, I should be asking you this question: You don’t cook?”

Sang Wuyan lowered her head, pouted, and said in a small, indignant voice, “I’m not a cook.”

“However, I’ve heard an idiom,” Sang Wuyan bit her lip and chuckled.

“What?” Su Nianqin asked.

“So beautiful as to be edible.” Saying that, she tiptoed and kissed Su Nianqin’s lips. She was easily distracted.

She thought Su Nianqin would respond, but he changed his usual demeanor, resisting with a serious face: “Being hungry will cause stomach pain.” Saying that, he pulled Sang Wuyan out the door.

He, too, was starting to get used to taking care of people.

The surroundings were all residential areas, and it was a lake district. Turning this street, there were only bars, no small shops selling food. The two walked for quite a long stretch. It was then that Sang Wuyan realized she and Su Nianqin still needed time to adjust to each other.

For example, she liked to talk while walking, while Su Nianqin was always silent. Because keeping up with a normal person’s speed was a difficult task for him, even with a white cane and Sang Wuyan guiding him, it required all his energy and he couldn’t spare any attention.

She liked them to hold hands and walk side-by-side, while Su Nianqin was more comfortable walking half a step ahead or behind.

Young women around would look back at Su Nianqin in awe. Upon discovering his disability, they would then reveal an expression of pity, and then whisper and point to each other.

She didn’t like their gazes, neither the awestruck nor the pitying ones.

“Wuyan?” Su Nianqin sensed something amiss, stopped, and asked. His body happened to block the street light, casting Sang Wuyan in shadow.

Sang Wuyan took advantage of the dim night to plant a kiss on his cheek, “From now on, I’m putting a label on you: Su Nianqin is Sang Wuyan’s private property.”

When they found a roadside wonton stall, the owner had a radio playing, and the station was broadcasting a song written by Su Nianqin.

“Will you teach me piano?” Sang Wuyan asked.

“Someone who sings off-key and can’t read sheet music wants to learn piano?”

“As long as you have perseverance, I can learn.”

“Why do I need to have perseverance if you’re learning piano?”

“I definitely won’t have perseverance, so I have to rely on you, the tyrant,” she was quite self-aware.

“You’re asking me for something, and you’re still calling me a tyrant?” Su Nianqin raised an eyebrow.

The wontons were served. Sang Wuyan took a sip of the hot noodle soup.

“I feel very happy,” she said.

Halfway through her second bowl, she suddenly remembered something.

“That time on the sofa, how did you find me?”

“Which time?” Su Nianqin asked, clearly knowing the answer.

“It was… it was… I secretly…” Sang Wuyan was a little embarrassed.

“You had my scent. Using my bed, wearing my pajamas, washing with my shower gel, you could only be infused with my scent. A blind person’s sense of smell is very keen.”

“So if I go find other men in the future, I’ll have to change clothes and shower before I can come back,” Sang Wuyan intentionally teased him.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Su Nianqin immediately retorted.

“I was just playing around,” Seeing his strong reaction, her heart fluttered.

“Wuyan, if you dare to leave me first, I will hate you,” Su Nianqin said suddenly on the way back, against the dim night.

“If you dare to not want me, then I’ll hate you to death,” Sang Wuyan countered, not forgetting to add a time limit, “Definitely hate you for a lifetime.”

Su Nianqin chuckled, not annoyed and not saying anything more.

He always had a sense of unease, always feeling that she would eventually leave him because of his blindness.

Ever since the incident with Qingfeng, Sang Wuyan tried her best to avoid Nie Xi. One day at noon, while eating lunch in the cafeteria, Nie Xi suddenly sat down in front of Sang Wuyan.

“Many people are having lunch with you today,” Nie Xi said.

Sang Wuyan watched her sit down, watched her pick up food and put it in her mouth, watched her suddenly come to chat, and blankly greeted her, “Sister Xi.”

“Eating two servings of meat again?” Nie Xi glanced at the dishes on Sang Wuyan’s plate. “I really envy you young girls; you can eat whatever you want and not gain weight.” Her expression returned to the amiable Nie Xi Sang Wuyan remembered.

Sang Wuyan was a little surprised by Nie Xi’s two drastic changes.

She hadn’t planned on talking about Nie Xi, but this time she really couldn’t help but tell Su Nianqin.

Su Nianqin said, “Nie Xi? I know her.”

“Of course you do. She interviewed you last time.”

“No, she’s… she’s Xiaolu’s sister’s classmate, and has a good relationship with Xiaolu,” Su Nianqin replied.

After spending days and nights together, Sang Wuyan discovered that Su Nianqin had almost no bad habits. This gave Sang Wuyan an immense sense of pressure.

“You should take him on a touring exhibition.”

“Hmm?”

“A model example of excellent human education.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Sang Wuyan, sitting at the piano, was given a sharp rap by Su Nianqin, “Don’t daydream, this part is very important!”

“How long does it usually take to learn to play ‘Chopsticks Dance’?”

“Individual talents vary; some people take years, some a few days.”

“What about me?”

“I don’t know.”

Sang Wuyan said dejectedly, “Then I’m not learning.”

Su Nianqin raised an eyebrow and said, “I’ve been bothering you for two days, just waiting for that sentence from you.”

“Is teaching me that painful?” Sang Wuyan was even more dejected.

“Oh no, no, not as painful as you learning it, Miss Sang,” Su Nianqin said modestly.

Sang Wuyan was choked with anger.

“Why did you learn piano before?” Sang Wuyan thought about how difficult it would be if he had poor eyesight and couldn’t see the sheet music.

“My mother believed that if a blind person had some special skills, even if they were reduced to begging on the streets, they would still retain some dignity.”

Hearing what he said, Sang Wuyan’s heart began to ache. Su Nianqin didn’t mention it, and she didn’t pursue questions about Su Nianqin’s childhood. She was afraid it would be something that would make her heart ache even more.

“Is it really the meaning of ‘Nianqin’?” Was Cheng Yin right?

“No. What you said before was accurate, Nianqing. My mother was also from the south, it’s a homophone.”

“Where’s your mother?”

“She’s dead,” he said.

This conversation, after the four words uttered by Su Nianqin with an expressionless face, came to an abrupt halt.

That night, Su Nianqin suddenly asked, “Wuyan, what do you look like?”

Sang Wuyan blinked, and said mischievously, “Of peerless beauty.”

Su Nianqin smiled faintly, helplessly.

Sang Wuyan giggled, amused by her own words, “Anyway, you should think this way in your heart: I’m definitely the most beautiful in the world.”

“Not the most beautiful, but the cutest. Even if not the cutest, you’re still my treasure.”

Sang Wuyan took his hands and placed them on her face.

“These are my eyebrows, a bit messy; I don’t really like to groom them,” she guided him.

“These are my eyes, with sparse eyelashes. My eyes cry easily, but my vision is very good.”

“My nose is a bit small.”

Su Nianqin no longer needed her explanation and continued to grope on his own.

Slowly, not missing a single inch of skin on her face.

As soon as he touched her, she would become scalding hot.

Continuing downwards.

“Hey—” Sang Wuyan protested.

“I need to do a full inspection to see if there are any flaws that need returning.”

“Return it? No way,” Sang Wuyan yelled.

“Shh—” Su Nianqin motioned for her to be quiet.

Then he unbuttoned her pajama top one by one.

“Why do you always love to wear so many buttons?” Su Nianqin’s voice was hoarse, and his fingers trembled from trying to control his emotions.

“These are your pajamas.”

With her clothes open, Su Nianqin’s kisses rained down densely.

“I want to do something bad,” Su Nianqin said.

“Aren’t you already doing it?”

He was indeed a difficult man to get along with, even childishly stubborn at times. Such a personality was certainly not something ordinary people could tolerate. But when he was in a good mood, he could spoil Sang Wuyan to no end. He also wasn’t someone who required Sang Wuyan to sacrifice everything to take care of him. Although Su Nianqin didn’t cook, he liked to be hands-on with other things.

Just like Sang Wuyan sitting there, watching Su Nianqin alone tidying up the clutter in the living room. His progress was very slow, because he needed to restore every item that Sang Wuyan had touched to its original position, as each item had a fixed place, otherwise he would feel very uncomfortable.

“You don’t like me touching your things?”

“It’s fine,” Su Nianqin said. “But it would be even better if you remembered to put them back every time.”

“I thought that picture frame looked better skewed to the left, so I moved it,” Sang Wuyan explained.

Su Nianqin didn’t speak.

“Who are the people in the picture frame?” Sang Wuyan continued.

“Who? Who?” This question finally caught Su Nianqin’s attention.

“The one in your hand.”

Su Nianqin’s hand paused, he stood rooted to the spot, silent for a moment, then said, “Sang Wuyan, come here.”

Seeing his displeased expression, she reluctantly walked over, “What?”

“Who are the people in the photo?”

“If I knew, why would I ask you?” She originally wanted to say that, but seeing Su Nianqin’s face, she could only say awkwardly, “It’s an old photo, there are many people, old ones, young ones, some look like a family photo. Uh—this person looks a bit like Miss Yu, but her hair is short, different from how it is now. There’s a woman next to her, holding hands with her.”

“Is the background a big pool?”

“Oh, right. There’s a fountain here.”

Upon receiving Sang Wuyan’s confirmation, Su Nianqin quickly put the picture frame away, turned around, and threw it in the trash can.

Sang Wuyan watched the scene with wide-eyed astonishment, seeing his slightly angry brows. What on earth happened?

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s good. Thank you.” His tone, however, was very bad.

After a while, he picked the picture frame out of the trash can again.

Su Nianqin’s dark face remained until Yu Xiaolu returned from grocery shopping.

As soon as Yu Xiaolu entered, she smelled the tense atmosphere, while Sang Wuyan desperately signaled her with her eyes.

Yu Xiaolu mouthed, “Did you two fight?”

Sang Wuyan shook her head, squeezed her eyes, and mouthed the words “picture frame.”

Missing me? Yu Xiaolu wondered.

Sang Wuyan then pointed to the object in Su Nianqin’s hand.

“Stop signaling each other,” Su Nianqin raised the photo he had been holding in his hand. “Yu Xiaolu, what is this?”

“Huh?” Yu Xiaolu didn’t know how to explain for a moment.

“A landscape painting?” Su Nianqin sneered.

“She actually said it was a landscape painting,” he repeated, his tone colder than before.

“Nianqin, listen to me…”

“How long has this photo been here? Tell me. You actually told me it was just a simple landscape painting.” he asked blandly.

“What do you want to convey? That our family loves each other? You know what I hate most, yet you brazenly put them right under my nose. Are you playing tricks on me? Mocking me? Taunting me? Is it just because I’m a blind man who can’t see anything!” His words should have been filled with extreme anger, but he spoke with a sarcastic, self-mocking tone, making it even more painful for others to hear.

He stood up and slowly tore the photo to shreds.

Sang Wuyan watched this scene dumbfounded. What on earth was going on?

That night, Su Nianqin didn’t even eat dinner.

Since she had decided not to study after graduation, Sang Wuyan had to be even more diligent in her work at the radio station.

The topic of Yi Jin was replaced by other news. The entertainment industry was just like that, no wonder Su Nianqin tried his best to avoid it. However, once he had new works released, people would call the station again, asking about Yi Jin. Sang Wuyan had personally received calls on both the hotline and the office phone.

After all, their station was the only place Yi Jin had ever appeared.

“Honestly, the first time I saw him, I was really startled. Only then did I realize that the phrase ‘not tainted by worldly concerns’ could also be used for a man,” Wang Lan from Nie Xi’s studio said during lunch at the cafeteria.

“If only I had brought a camera and taken a picture to sell to a magazine then, that would have been great,” Ye Li sighed.

Both of them were staff members who had met Su Nianqin in person, but they had good professional ethics.

“You’re crazy. If the director or Sister Xi knew, we’d all be dead.”

Ye Li turned to Sang Wuyan and said, “It’s a shame you haven’t seen him in person.”

Sang Wuyan nodded, secretly chuckling.

“Wuyan, why are you just sitting there silently, giggling foolishly?” Wang Lan asked.

“Because Master Fang scooped me half more chili beef shreds than usual yesterday, and it was really satisfying to eat,” Sang Wuyan said.

Ye Li and Wang Lan could only look at each other, speechless.

“I heard you moved to live by the lake in the west of the city? It’s truly a blessing to find such a boyfriend. There are all luxury cars and villas there.”

“It seems that house isn’t his,” Su Nianqin had said at the time.

“Oh dear—then you need to be careful. I hear the news team at the station often encounters cases of men using borrowed houses to pretend to be rich and scam people into marriage,” Ye Li warned.

Sang Wuyan chuckled.

Halfway through her meal, Su Nianqin called.

“Did you eat?”

“I’m eating and chatting.”

“Chatting?” Su Nianqin could never understand why some people liked to talk at the dinner table.

“Talking about Yi Jin. They say a photo of him can sell for a high price,” Sang Wuyan said with a grin, glancing at her two colleagues next to her.

“You ate beef?” Su Nianqin asked.

“How did you know?” Sang Wuyan was surprised. Could he smell the meat through the phone?

Her question was a self-incrimination.

“What did the doctor say? You forget as soon as you step out the door!” Su Nianqin said angrily.

A few days ago, Sang Wuyan had another skin rash. After the examination, the doctor actually told her to avoid protein and beef.

For Sang Wuyan, who loved meat, it was a torment. She said, “Half the joy of my life is lost.”

Su Nianqin said, “Just endure it these few days while you have the rash. Why are you exaggerating so much?”

Now, Su Nianqin’s purpose in calling was also to supervise her incidentally.

“How did you know I ate it?” Sang Wuyan asked again.

“Judging by your smug expression when you talk, it’s unmistakable.”

She held the phone, with a “what are you going to do about it” look, and stuck out her tongue.

“From now on, you must go home for lunch,” Su Nianqin announced the punishment.

“The two places are far apart; I’m too lazy to go.”

“Then from now on, I’ll personally go to your cafeteria to watch you!” Someone reverted to his tyrant self.

“No!” Sang Wuyan immediately surrendered. If these women knew he was her boyfriend, she would probably be tortured to death.

Sang Wuyan returned home near dusk.

She sighed unintentionally as she took off her shoes.

Su Nianqin heard it, and his movements paused. He knew she was shuttling between four places and was truly tired.

She had to go to school, had to go to the radio station. She was worried about Cheng Yin living alone and often went back to check on her. Finally, she would return to him.

He often asked himself, Am I being selfish? But another voice in his heart said, No, Su Nianqin, for love, you can be even more selfish.

However, it was always cruel for one person to sacrifice their ideals to accommodate another.

Su Nianqin asked, “Has the rash subsided a bit? Is it still very itchy?”

“Do you really want me to come back for lunch?”

“No need.”

“Are you going instead?” Sang Wuyan became even more nervous.

“I’m not a shameful person; why can’t I go?” Su Nianqin raised an eyebrow.

“You know I don’t mean that,” Sang Wuyan said, a little anxious.

“I won’t go either, as long as you’re obedient.”

Sang Wuyan’s heart suddenly warmed, “Mm-hmm.”

“Oh, right,” Su Nianqin suddenly thought of something, “What’s the other half of the joy in your life?”

Sang Wuyan smiled mysteriously, “Eating pork.”

“…”

“Ah—Xiaolu, I just added seasoning and used vinegar instead of soy sauce.”

“It’s fine, I’ll re-mix the seasonings in a bit,” Yu Xiaolu immediately came over to clean up the mess Sang Wuyan had left. She skillfully beat an egg, then added a little salt, stirred it with chopsticks, and then tasted the pork rib and radish soup Sang Wuyan had just stewed. Finding it too salty, she added water and put it back to boil.

The kitchen was originally quite large, but unfortunately, once Sang Wuyan stood there, she truly felt like she had no place to be, completely superfluous. She had no choice but to shrink to a corner and chat with Yu Xiaolu.

“Where did Su Nianqin go?” She hadn’t seen the man since she came back.

“Something came up at home; someone came to pick him up and take him back,” Yu Xiaolu said blandly, as usual.

“Home? He has a home?” Sang Wuyan’s eyes widened.

“Why wouldn’t he have a home? Can the Su family of Lion Mountain just disappear into thin air? He didn’t tell you?” Yu Xiaolu asked, somewhat puzzled, while stir-frying vegetables.

“Lion Mountain? The Su family?” Sang Wuyan was perplexed.

At this moment, Yu Xiaolu stopped what she was doing, looked at Sang Wuyan, and said hesitantly, “If he hasn’t mentioned it to you before, then I spoke out of turn. Nianqin probably has his own reasons, and I won’t talk about his affairs anymore.”

“Can you talk about your own affairs then?” Sang Wuyan suddenly felt she shouldn’t be so passive anymore.

“What kind of affairs?” Yu Xiaolu said.

She didn’t know whether she was influencing Su Nianqin or vice versa, but in some ways, they were surprisingly similar, or perhaps their whole family had this temperament.

“Are you and Su Nianqin relatives?”

“Yes.”

“He said he grew up in an orphanage. If he has a family, why was he sent to an orphanage?”

“Hmm—that’s a complicated question, a long story. Ask a simpler one.”

“He said his mother passed away. Is his father still alive?”

“Of course,” Yu Xiaolu nodded. “But I only answer questions related to me, and this one is already breaking the rules. Never mind, consider this question a bonus from me. Next one.”

“What’s your relationship with him?” As soon as she asked this, Sang Wuyan felt embarrassed again, feeling like she was confronting a rival in love.

Yu Xiaolu didn’t mind and answered straightforwardly, “I’m his paternal aunt.”

“Paternal aunt?!” Sang Wuyan was dumbfounded.

“A paternal aunt not by blood.”

Sang Wuyan’s mind stopped at the words “paternal aunt,” unable to process for a long time.

“My sister is his stepmother.”

Sang Wuyan stood frozen.

At this moment, a dark Bentley stopped about a hundred meters away from the house, around the corner. The driver heard Su Nianqin in the back seat say, “Just here, don’t drive further.”

The driver looked somewhat troubled at Yu Weilan, who was also in the back seat, through the rearview mirror.

Yu Weilan nodded at the driver.

As the car slowly stopped, Yu Weilan said, “Your father is not well and often worries about you. Go back and see him more often.”

Su Nianqin remained silent.

“Xiaolu said the girl you like is very cute. Treat her well,” she was only a few years older than Su Nianqin, but she spoke with the air of an elder, and even patted Su Nianqin’s hand that rested calmly on his lap.

“No need for you to tell me; I will cherish her,” Su Nianqin pulled his hand back, then got out of the car and left.

“Third Young Master,” the driver was about to go with him, but was stopped by Yu Weilan.

“Never mind, he can manage himself.”

Sang Wuyan looked through the kitchen window and saw Su Nianqin push open the gate and enter the small garden.

She immediately panicked; the many unknowns made her unsure how to proceed.

That afternoon, she met Cheng Yin at a coffee shop.

“His family has very complicated interpersonal relationships,” Cheng Yin said.

The waiter came over.

“I’ll have a strawberry milkshake. What are you having, Cheng Yin?”

“Iced plum juice.”

The waiter wrote it down: “Just one strawberry milkshake, is that all?” Clearly ignoring Cheng Yin’s request.

“And iced plum juice,” Sang Wuyan added.

“And they should have a very strong background,” Cheng Yin continued to analyze. A family that uses a Bentley for transportation couldn’t be too bad off financially. “When you connect the dots, there’s even less doubt. Rich people often have old husbands and young wives; Yu Xiaolu certainly has no reason to lie to you. The question now is: why did Su Nianqin hide it from you? For this society, having money in the family is such a good thing, why not tell the truth?”

“I’m a little upset. Am I not qualified enough for him to tell me the truth? Does he still need to test if I’m a gold-digger? Cheng Yin, I suddenly have no faith in love anymore,” Sang Wuyan scratched her head. “I’m so distressed.”

“Yes. It would indeed be distressing if you became Mrs. Su and had so much money you didn’t know where to spend it. We need to plan this carefully.”

“Get lost.”

Sang Wuyan made a pained face; the anxiety in her heart felt like no one could help her. Originally, she only thought Yi Jin was Su Nianqin, and Su Nianqin was Yi Jin, which was already the biggest secret she could enjoy.

She made a call, asking Li Lulu to help her search online for “Lion Mountain Su family.” From Yu Xiaolu’s tone, it sounded like they had some reputation, so it should be traceable.

The results were unexpectedly horrifying.

A wealthy family, with its subsidiaries including the world-renowned RD cosmetics.

“Mainly cosmetics?”

“No, that’s just what we know best. The others…” Li Lulu moved the mouse, “Also oil rigs.”

“Oil what?”

“Probably stuff for oil exploration, sold specifically to foreigners.”

Truly a world Sang Wuyan couldn’t imagine.

Li Lulu asked, “Sang Wuyan, are you not going to work, and instead plan to shift your target to catch a rich husband?”

“No.”

Leaving Cheng Yin, Sang Wuyan sat in the park, calming down alone for a while.

Su Nianqin’s mother died early, and he grew up in an orphanage—this was something Sang Wuyan had accepted. And being with him meant facing such great pressure from her family, but Sang Wuyan had always felt that Su Nianqin was her own private possession. She understood him.

But in one day, she suddenly discovered that Su Nianqin was not at all what she thought. He was not an orphan, nor was he lonely and helpless. He had a father, a stepmother, and even an extraordinarily prominent family. Almost instantly, all the perceptions she had built up collapsed.

The crucial point was that the first person who made her aware of all this was not Su Nianqin himself!

She nervously dialed her home number, hoping her mother would still speak to her.

Sang Wuyan said, “Mom, it’s Yanyan.”

On the other end of the phone, Sang Mama paused, not speaking immediately, clearly still upset.

Seeing that her mother didn’t answer, Sang Wuyan suddenly didn’t know what to say, “I… I saw you two weren’t out for a walk.”

“No, I’m home alone, just about to go out.”

Hearing her mother speak like before, Sang Wuyan let out a big sigh of relief, “Is Dad still at school?”

“Yes, the school is doing a teaching evaluation; he’s very busy.”

“Mom…” Sang Wuyan said, “You don’t need to transfer money to the bank anymore; the money I earn from working is already enough.”

“You must take the graduation exams seriously, and send the photos taken at the degree ceremony back to see,” her mother resumed her usual motherly demeanor. “Living expenses will also be transferred until you graduate. How much can you earn from your part-time job? A girl must be independent; only with her own money can she hold her head high.”

“Mm-hmm.” She understood her mother’s meaning; those teachings had been etched in her heart since childhood.

After hanging up, she finally understood her unease. Her mother had said that even if he had money and power, they wouldn’t presume to climb their social ladder.

Her mother only wished for her to be ordinary and happy since childhood, but was exceptionally strict when it came to studying. She said that studying, going to university, finding a husband whose status and income were not too different from her own, that was the standard for happiness.

And a family like Su Nianqin’s, she had never even considered. And he, why did he hide it from her?