Wilderness Vegetation Chapter 25

Chapter 25

---

Today was the night before New Year's Eve. After finishing work, Xu Yan left the studio and saw Xu Nian waiting by the car – Xu Yan had promised him on his birthday that he would go home tonight and kneel before their parents.

"It's so cold, can't you wait in the car?" Xu Yan opened the back seat and placed his camera inside.

"Can't I come out and take a look?" Xu Nian squinted at him and retorted.

Lu Sen's car was also parked nearby. He walked over and said, "Xiao Xu still works as a part-time driver after work, huh?"

"Yeah, to subsidise the household expenses," Xu Nian replied.

Lu Sen didn't say anything but reached out to help Xu Nian adjust his scarf. Xu Nian stared at him seriously and suddenly asked, "Hey, are you free during the Spring Festival?"

"What's up?" Lu Sen asked.

Xu Nian said, "I'm missing a photographer for my wedding."

Xu Yan directly kicked him in the calf. "Are you out of your mind? You're asking TIDE's chief photographer to do your wedding shoot?"

"Does your company have a rule that photographers can't do weddings?" Xu Nian angrily brushed the footprint off his pants and righteously declared, "I'll pay by the minute, no matter how much it costs!"

Xu Yan couldn't be bothered to argue with the fool.

"No such rule, it's allowed," Lu Sen said with a smile. "But on the third day of the New Year, Xu Yan and I are going to Hokkaido for an outdoor shoot. We'll be back within a week. When do you need it?"

"There's no conflict in timing, I'll send you an invitation," Xu Nian said with a grin, patting Lu Sen's shoulder.

What else could Xu Yan say? Straight men would never know how hurtful they could be.

Leaving the garage, Xu Nian hooked his arm around Xu Yan's and dragged him up the steps like carrying a bag, and frantically pressed the doorbell. "Dad, Mom, Ge and I are back for dinner!"

At that moment, it felt like memories rewound ten years, the two brothers coming home from school, always banging on the door loudly and shouting open the door for dinner, we're back for dinner.

"Coming, coming." Fang Hui's voice came from afar and got closer. She opened the door, still wearing an apron, wiping her hands while moving two pairs of slippers closer. "Change into the slippers. There's still one dish to go, you can go sit in the living room first."

Xu Yan stood still and called her, "Mom."

Fang Hui's movements paused noticeably. Then she straightened up, looked at him, and asked with a smile, "Was work tiring today?"

Xu Yan felt a pang of sourness in his heart and shook his head. Xu Nian pushed him from behind. "It's freezing, Ge, hurry up and change your shoes and get inside."

The maid wasn't around, and the dishes were prepared by Fang Hui. Xu Nian set the table, while Xu Yan went to the kitchen, where Fang Hui was chopping scallions. She had a ballet background and had been a university dance teacher for nearly thirty years, retaining her graceful demeanour. The fish was simmering in the pot. Xu Yan picked up a spoon to pour some sauce and asked, "Where's Dad?"

"In his study upstairs," Fang Hui replied. "He's been painting a landscape recently, saying he wants to give it to Nian Nian as a wedding gift."

Xu Shen had no interest in business and he loved traditional Chinese painting, but being the only son, he had to take over the family business. Since childhood, the most frequent thing Xu Yan and Xu Nian heard from Xu Shen was, "Grow up quickly, take over the company so I can take a break."

In fact, Xu Yan knew well what kind of family he was born into. His parents loved the arts and were open-minded. When he said he liked photography, Fang Hui and Xu Shen were supportive. Unfortunately, Xu Yan was the first to give up. If he had communicated well with his parents, perhaps there wouldn't have been a two-year cold war. But it was no use, he had been impulsive, and it was the first time Xu Shen had ever hit him.

Xu Yan believed Xu Shen was right. He never regretted being with Shen Zhi, but he regretted choosing to hurt his family to prove those young, arrogant, foolish, and impulsive feelings.

When the dishes were ready, Xu Yan brought them to the table just as Xu Shen came downstairs. Xu Nian stood beside his brother, muttering, "Kneel, kneel, kneel..." Xu Yan glared at him.

"Dad," Xu Yan called out.

Xu Shen ignored him and went to the kitchen to get two bowls of rice, one for himself and one for Fang Hui. Xu Nian stuck his tongue out at Xu Yan and pulled him to the kitchen. Fang Hui had taken off her apron. As Xu Yan was serving rice, she gently touched his head and said, "Your dad is like this. It's good you came home. Take it slow, he'll calm down."

The fragrant steam from the food wafted up, and Xu Yan blinked a few times, forcing back the stinging in his eyes. He nodded and murmured, "Mhmm."

The atmosphere at the dinner table was inevitably a bit stiff, but fortunately, Xu Nian was a perceptive fool, doing his utmost to liven things up. Before Xu Yan came home, Xu Nian had talked to their parents, saying that his brother had suffered outside and shouldn't have to face a cold reception from his family when he returned. They needed to give him warmth.

Xu Shen had said at the time, "I don't want to see him."

But now they were all sitting together for a meal, indicating there was still hope for this father-son relationship, which made Xu Nian quite gratified.

After dinner, Xu Yan and Xu Nian cleaned up the dishes and were fiddling with the dishwasher in the kitchen. Xu Shen sat for a while, then stood up to go upstairs. Fang Hui asked him, "Yan Yan rarely comes home, why are you leaving right after dinner?"

"He shouldn't need to be 'rare' in the first place," Xu Shen said coldly.

As he said this, Xu Yan was just coming out with two cups of tea. Hearing this, he stood there and watched Xu Shen go upstairs. Fang Hui, sitting on the sofa, waved him over. "Yan Yan, come and sit."

Xu Yan walked over and placed the cups on the coffee table. Fang Hui took his hand, looked closely at his face for a long time, and then softly said, "Why have you lost so much weight..." Her voice choked slightly, and her eyes reddened.

"Then I'll come home for meals more often so you can fatten me up," Xu Yan said, hugging her shoulders, trying to comfort her lightly.

Around nine in the evening, Xu Yan and Xu Nian left home. When the door opened, the cold wind blew directly into their faces. The two brothers instinctively shielded Fang Hui, preventing her from stepping outside. The wind tousled the hair beside her face, yet she still had that graceful and captivating look. She had always been well-protected, except for the betrayal by Xu Yan. She looked into Xu Yan's eyes and asked, "Yan Yan, you'll be home for the New Year this year, right?"

Xu Yan tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled, "I will, from now on, I always will."

He felt fortunate to have a mother who could fully express her gentleness and love, so Xu Yan never hesitated to give his feelings, even though he hadn't received much in return from that person. At least he could always have a clear conscience.

As the car drove out of the garden gate, Xu Yan turned his head and caught sight of a gap in the curtains of the study on the second floor, which quickly closed, leaving only a slight sway.

After dropping Xu Yan off in his neighbourhood, Xu Nian turned around to find his fiancé. Xu Yan took the elevator upstairs and ran into a neighbour in the hallway – the charming flower shop owner, named Yu Xue, who was gracefully heading towards the elevator. She wore a grey fur coat with a deep-necked camisole underneath, and just looking at it made Xu Yan shiver with cold.

"Your mink coat..." Xu Yan started.

"Aiya, it's fake fur, who would harm little animals?" Yu Xue said, spinning around gracefully in front of him and asking, "Does it look good?"

"It looks good," Xu Yan replied, carefully helping her pull up the fur to cover her chest. "Wrap up a bit, it's really cold. Don't catch a cold."

Yu Xue slapped his hand away with a smack. "What do you know! Straight man."

Xu Yan shut his mouth, reluctant to accept the label of a straight man.

"Oh, right." Yu Xue suddenly remembered something and said, "Who was that guy waiting at your door today? You work at a magazine, don't you? Is he some actor or model who hasn't made his debut yet?"

Xu Yan said, "A loan shark."

"Nonsense." Yu Xue took out a makeup mirror from her little Gucci bag and checked her eye makeup. "No loan shark is that handsome and dedicated. I asked for his WeChat, and he said he wasn't single."

Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat, understanding that this meant that Shen Zhi and Tang Yunyan had reconciled.

"I just don't get why a man like that was waiting at your door. I came back at three in the morning after drinking, and he was still standing there. He must have been freezing."

"What...?" Xu Yan was a bit slow to react. "Three in the morning?"

"Yeah, it gave me quite a scare. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was waiting for someone. I almost called the police, but when I saw his face, ai..." Yu Xue clutched his chest, "he was really handsome. It's a pity he's not single, it's not meant to be."

After blowing Xu Yan a kiss, Yu Xue sauntered away. Xu Yan stood still, confused. He had thought Shen Zhi left at five-thirty to meet Tang Yunyan earlier, but now he learned Shen Zhi had been waiting at his door since three in the morning – or possibly even earlier. Why?

Dishevelled appearance, dark circles under his eyes, a tired demeanour, saying he would pick him up from work... Looking back, Xu Yan realised he truly didn't understand.

In fact, Xu Yan had been baffled ever since Shen Zhi first showed up at his doorstep in the early morning. He thought he hadn't been clear, but even after he firmly said it was over and that he didn't like him, Shen Zhi kept coming back, time after time.

Xu Yan felt a surge of fear. If all this was because Shen Zhi was struggling to adapt, then it could only mean he had been too competent a caretaker in the past few years, leaving Shen Zhi still longing for him even after he resigned.

With a self-deprecating chuckle, Xu Yan pulled out his keys to unlock the door. Suddenly, his phone rang, it was Tang Yunyan. Xu Yan stared at the screen for three seconds before answering. The background noise was quite loud.

"Chloe?"

"Xu Yan, sorry to bother you so late, but... Shen Zhi is drunk."

"Oh," Xu Yan said calmly, rubbing the serrated edge of his key with his thumb. "So, what do you need from me?"

"Could you come and–"

"Yan Yan..." Before Tang Yunyan finished, Xu Yan heard Shen Zhi's drunken, slurred voice call out, interrupting her.

It sounded too similar, exactly like four years ago on Shen Zhi's birthday. In a dark room, after a passionate kiss, Shen Zhi had called out to him in the same way. Back then, Xu Yan foolishly thought he had been recognised, but in reality, Shen Zhi had been calling for someone else.

But at least today, the person Shen Zhi wanted was right beside him. It wasn't Xu Yan, the imposter who had once taken advantage of the situation, but the Yunyan he had missed for so long.

"Sorry, Chloe, there's really nothing between Shen Zhi and me anymore, don't take it to heart," Xu Yan said with a smile. "Shen Zhi handles his alcohol well. He'll be fine once he sobers up a bit. I've got some things to do, so I'll hang up now, goodnight."

"Wait, let Shen Zhi talk to you," Tang Yunyan said, holding the phone to Shen Zhi's ear. "Shen Zhi, say something."

Shen Zhi, eyes downcast, was silent for a moment before calling out again, "Yan Yan."

Xu Yan admitted, the instant he heard those two words, his scalp tingled slightly. He shamelessly thought it would be nice if Shen Zhi really was calling him, but unfortunately, he wasn't. He said, "I'm not Yan Yan."

"You are," Shen Zhi stubbornly retorted.

"I'm not," Xu Yan said calmly. "Stop bothering me."

He hung up decisively. Shen Zhi, head bowed, called out again, "Xu Yan," but there was no response this time.

Tang Yunyan withdrew her hand, silently looking at the ended call screen. Around her, a few people exchanged glances. One of them was Ke Xun, a high school friend of Shen Zhi's. He looked for Shen Zhi to chat with him today and found out he was in town, and gathered everyone for a get-together. Unexpectedly, Shen Zhi was the first to get drunk.

"Young Master Shen," Ke Xun said sincerely, holding Shen Zhi's bandaged hand, "which Yan Yan are you looking for? Miss Tang is right here. If it's not her, you should call out the full name from the start, otherwise, Yan Yan might misunderstand."

Tang Yunyan sighed, helpless. She took a sip of her drink, removed the clip from her hair, and tossed it into Ke Xun's lap. Standing up, she raised her hand to the palm of the mixed-race hottie who had been eyeing her all evening. He politely kissed the back of her hand and led her to the dance floor.

Ke Xun watched Tang Yunyan's graceful figure retreating, then looked at Shen Zhi, who was slumped on the sofa with a vacant expression. Finally, he placed a wine glass in Shen Zhi's hand, raised his wrist, and clinked glasses with everyone, saying, "There will be another Yan Yan. There definitely will be. When have you, Shen Zhi, ever been denied anything you asked for? The next Yan Yan will be even better."

Shen Zhi lay his head on the table and closed his eyes. Amid the noise, his throat, the back of his hand, his wrist, and his chest all ached. In his muddled state, he kept seeing Xu Yan's face, over and over.

"There is no next one..." Shen Zhi murmured drunkenly. "He's the best."

———

The author has something to say:

Xu Yan Yan: Best Male Nanny of the Year.

Shen Zhi Zhi (pointing at the Xu family's door): I don't care. I want parents like that, I want them!

Tang Yunyan: #MyExReallyIsHopeless#

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter

Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: June 30, 2024 by Angel

Edited: July 27, 2024 by Angel