Chapter 23
Author: Mr. Big Horn
But alas, things rarely go as planned.
In matters of the heart, no one remains a mere observer.
All of his supposed cleverness ended up just changing the form of the tragedy.
— Yet, who could have guessed that the first to fall would be Yan Zhen?
Yan Zhen sighed deeply, pressing his temples, and opened the car door to go upstairs.
Entering his room, he tossed aside his torn shirt, collapsed onto the bed without even changing into pajamas.
It was already late at night.
After a day of intense emotions and unexpected situations, even someone as resilient as Yan Zhen was at his limit. His brain was exhausted, operating purely on instinct as he pulled Su Jinxin into his arms, burying his nose in the back of Su Jinxin’s neck to inhale his subtle, pleasant scent. The image of Jiang Ling grabbing his arm kept flashing before his eyes—emaciated, haggard, with sunken eyes and a crazed look. There was no trace of the “handsome, sweet-smiling, all-round top student” from their school days.
Similarly, Qiao Yizhi, now just a shadow of his former suave self, bore the marks of remorse and despair beneath his charming exterior.
A toxic relationship could truly torment people to this extent.
Yan Zhen was, in fact, frightened.
He realized that at heart, he wasn’t much different from Qiao Yizhi—born into privilege, getting what he wanted effortlessly. Without witnessing such a tragic example up close, he might never have understood how fragile people were and how easily emotions could be shattered. If not for that, Su Jinxin…
Yan Zhen dared not think further, only tightening his embrace.
The person in his arms suddenly sneezed softly.
Yan Zhen remembered the calming incense burning at Qiao Yizhi’s place for Jiang Ling. He quickly got up. Even though his eyelids were heavy with fatigue, he forced himself to the bathroom to take a shower.
He set the water temperature very low.
It helped cool his overheated mind, and he made an impulsive but firm decision: since he had already taken the step to seize the opportunity, he might as well be direct about it. Even if he got rejected, it didn’t matter. He was equipped to handle rejection and had plenty of ways to pursue someone. What he lacked now was the patience to endure in silence.
This decision was like a lightning bolt.
It cleared away the tangle of thorns in his mind.
When Yan Zhen emerged from the bathroom, the fog in his heart had lifted. He even hummed a little tune.
He climbed into bed, pulled Su Jinxin into his arms, and felt a light-hearted sense of resolution as he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
He didn’t notice that Su Jinxin, in his arms, had slowly opened his eyes, watched him for a long time, but ultimately dared not move closer. Instead, Su Jinxin raised a hand and gently touched the fresh scratch marks on Yan Zhen’s bare arm.
Yan Zhen woke up very early the next day.
But Su Jinxin woke up even earlier.
Not finding him in the bathroom, Yan Zhen walked into the living room and saw Su Jinxin through the glass door, making breakfast in the kitchen.
He wore a pure white apron.
It cinched his waist tightly.
His movements were fluid, with a graceful elegance and composure, looking every bit the wholesome homemaker.
Yan Zhen slid open the door and hugged him from behind. “Up so early? Why not sleep a bit more? Leave it for the maid.”
Su Jinxin turned his head and closed his eyes, waiting for a kiss. After the kiss, he said, “Didn’t you say the maid’s cooking here is terrible?”
There was only one maid in Yan Zhen’s apartment, diligent in cleaning but terrible at cooking. Yan Zhen wasn’t a picky eater and usually managed, only occasionally joking about it in front of Su Jinxin. Unexpectedly, Su Jinxin had taken it to heart.
It felt very warm.
He thought, indeed, falling deeper into the whirlpool named “Su Jinxin” was inevitable. There were too many such details, scattered in the corners of life, silent yet pervasive, like a gentle spring rain soaking the heart. Realizing too late that his heart was already drenched, he found it was too late to raise an umbrella and still welcomed it gladly. He sighed with a soft, resigned smile and habitually nestled his nose into Su Jinxin’s neck, inhaling that faintly pleasant scent, making up his mind:
“Jinxin, I have something to tell you.”
His tone was very serious.
Su Jinxin stiffened in his arms. “Now?”
“Yes,” Yan Zhen couldn’t wait, “now.”
“Oh…” Su Jinxin turned off the stove, untied his apron, and placed it on the counter. He turned around hesitantly, took a deep breath, seemingly making a big decision, and spoke first, “I… I also have something to tell you… Can I go first?”
He peeked at Yan Zhen from under his lashes, then hurriedly lowered them again.
He fidgeted with his hands, looking very nervous.
This was odd.
They had been together for almost four years, and Su Jinxin always followed his lead, never making any demands, let alone wanting to speak first—Yan Zhen found it very intriguing. However, he was in high spirits and didn’t think much of it, so he nodded, “Alright, you go first.”
Su Jinxin pressed his lips together, swallowed, and suddenly bowed to Yan Zhen. “Mr. Yan, thank you for taking care of me all these years.”
“Huh?”
What was this about?
Yan Zhen was confused.