Chapter 119: Xie You, I’m really scared
The meeting place was still arranged at Yulan. Compared to their last meeting, Mr. Louisen’s collar and lapel remain without a single wrinkle, but his face seems to have aged a bit, showing evident fatigue. When Yu Nian entered, he politely stood up and said, “I apologize for inviting you to meet. It must have been a disturbance.”
Yu Nian nodded in response, “I have no plans these days, so it’s not a bother.”
They both sat down, and amber-colored tea was poured into the cups. The tea fragrance filled the air as Yu Nian patiently waited for the other party to speak.
Louisen’s tea cup was still emitting steam as he sat upright, his voice slightly hoarse. He began, “Mr. He’s health is not good. His spirits improved a bit a few days ago, but last night he deteriorated again. The accompanying doctor was busy all night until this morning, when he finally stabilized.”
Yu Nian asked with confusion, “Then why—”
Louisen continued, “You must be wondering why, at such a critical moment, I’m not staying by Mr. He’s side but instead meeting with you, right?”
Yu Nian tried not to show surprise at being seen through and replied, “Yes, that is indeed my question.”
He looked at me with complex emotions and added, “The reason I asked to meet you this time is to persuade you to accept the bronze gui. Mr. He values it greatly and cannot rest assured handing it over to someone else.”
“Mr. He doesn’t want to force you to take it, but after following him for so many years, I can’t bear to see him unable to let go of it. That’s why I took the liberty to meet you privately.”
Clasping the tea cup tightly, Yu Nian shook my head gently, “Your sincerity moves me, but if we’ve come this far, I want to know the real reason why you and Mr. He are so insistent on entrusting the bronze gui to me. Otherwise, I can’t accept it.”
The private room fell silent, even the sound of teacups and spoons touching was absent. The air was filled with a faint aroma. Louisen lowered his eyes and answered after a few breaths, “I’m sorry, I can’t say.”
Meng Yuan and Shi Rou were waiting in the car. When Yu Nian returned, Meng Yuan asked with concern, “How did it go? What was the other party’s intention?”
“Louisen said he took the initiative to meet me,” Yu Nian pondered, “From his words, I could tell that Mr. He Xiao’s health is very poor, and he may not hold on for long. They want to give the bronze gui to me but refuse to tell me the reason.”
Meng Yuan hadn’t encountered such a situation before and rubbed his chin, “In my opinion, there are two possibilities. First, your Qingshan Yu family and Mr. Xiuning’s reputation is too great. As a descendant of the Yu family, they treasure the bronze gui dearly and believe in you, so they insist on giving it to you.”
Yu Nian nodded while listening.
Meng Yuan continued, “The second possibility is that there might be some conspiracy or trap involved. If there is a plot, it could be either a grudge against you personally or a grudge against your family. If it’s the latter, the grudge must run deep, and this Mr. He might seize an opportunity to harm you.”
Yu Nian pondered, “The other party did ask me two questions: whether my grandfather is Yu Xiuning and my grandmother is Sheng Lingyi, and they also asked if my birthday is on New Year’s Eve.”
Shi Rou, who had been silent, spoke up, “I may be thinking naively, but… could it be that this Mr. He has no descendants or heirs, and before his passing, he wants to entrust the bronze gui’s base to someone he can trust, at least a little?”
Shi Rou’s words kept circling in Yu Nian’s mind.
When Xie You returned, he saw Yu Nian sitting in the armchair by the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought. He walked over, loosened his tie with one hand, leaned down, and kissed Yu Nian, asking, “What are you thinking about?”
After coming back to his senses, Yu Nian shifted slightly to the side and leaned against Xie You as he habitually did. “I was thinking that, in comparison, it’s almost the same situation. Back then, Madam Feng had no descendants and felt her life was nearing its end. She entrusted ‘The Manuscript of Praying for Heavenly Virtue’ to me and asked me to bring it back to China, giving me complete freedom to handle it as I saw fit.”
“This time, Mr. He Xiao wants to entrust the bronze gui’s base to me, but why do I harbor reservations about it? It’s like a subconscious… resistance.”
He hooked his finger with Xie You’s, speaking as if to himself and affirming, “Yes, it’s indeed a resistance. From the moment that butler called Louisen found me, and then when I met the bedridden Mr. He Xiao, I inexplicably felt a strong resistance.”
Xie You pulled him into an embrace and asked softly, “Nian Nian, why do you feel resistant?”
Yu Nian hesitated for a moment and replied, “I don’t know either.”
Xie You gently ruffled Yu Nian’s hair, “If you can’t figure it out, then don’t dwell on it for now.”
The night unfolded its curtain, enveloping countless skyscrapers in darkness. Louisen opened the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling window, revealing the twinkling neon lights of the entire city in front of He Xiao.
Sitting back in the chair by the bed, Louisen heard He Xiao ask, “Did you go to meet him today?”
“Nothing can be hidden from you,” Louisen spoke softly and honestly, “Mr. Yu agreed to my invitation and met with me. However, he firmly stated that he won’t accept the bronze gui without knowing the clear reason behind it.”
Leaning against the pillow, He Xiao’s lips turned pale. He let out a light cough and smiled, “He’s just like his mother, very stubborn. On the surface, he seems gentle, but once he’s made a decision, no matter how many times others try to persuade him, he won’t listen.”
Louisen nodded, remaining silent for a dozen seconds before asking again, “Sir, are you really not going to tell him?”
He Xiao looked at the neon lights outside the window and shook his head slowly, his voice hoarse, “For the first 22 years of his life, I never appeared in his life, and I didn’t even know of his existence. Now, what right do I have to suddenly show up and intrude into his life? Moreover, with my current condition, I don’t have much time left. How can I bear to tell him?”
After coughing several times, He Xiao weakly continued, “He is still so young, losing his mother at such a tender age, and then saying goodbye to his grandfather and grandmother. Why should I make him say goodbye to me too, adding to his sorrow? It’s better if I quietly pass away, so he can believe that, even if he doesn’t know where, he still has a relative in this world, providing him with some consolation. Otherwise, he would be even more distressed.”
Louisen couldn’t bear to see him like this:
“Sir, but you—”
“I am already content,” He Xiao interrupted Louisen, “He’s doing well, really well. Avoid being greedy, just being able to catch a glimpse of him is enough for me.”
He also advised Louisen, “You are an old friend by my side, please don’t take matters into your own hands and try to find him.”
Louisen folded his hands in front of him and finally agreed, “Yes, sir.”
Yu Nian realized that he was sleeping lightly, always dreaming repeatedly.
In the dream, he was a very young child, coming home from kindergarten, and he asked his grandfather and grandmother with confusion, “Other kids have not only grandparents but also moms and dads, and some even have older brothers and sisters. Why don’t I have them?”
At that time, his grandfather was reading books, and upon hearing this question, he pulled Yu Nian close without avoiding or lying. Instead, he gently said, “Our Nian Nian Nian’s mom left this world very reluctantly after giving birth to you? As for who Nian Nian’s father is, neither Grandpa nor Grandma knows because it is a little secret of Nian Nian’s mother.”
“Just like I have my own little secrets, Grandpa secretly bought a porcelain bottle a couple of days ago, and he doesn’t want Grandma to know about it. It’s also Grandpa’s little secret, right?”
“Yes, you’re absolutely right. Because it’s Mom’s little secret, we all don’t know about it. But even though our Nian Nian doesn’t have a dad, Mom, Grandma, and I all love you very, very much. You can feel that, right?”
“Yes, I feel your love.”
He dreamed again, carrying his old school bag back from school, and Uncle Shen had already prepared dinner. As he sat on the chair, holding his chopsticks and eating, tears fell into the rice.
Grandma touched his head with concern and asked, “What’s wrong, Nian Nian? Did something happen at school? Or is there something that’s bothering you?”
He looked up, with a hint of sadness in his voice, and choked, “Grandma, does Dad… does he not want me and Mom, that’s why he never appeared? My deskmate’s parents pick him up from school every day, and I really wish I had parents to pick me up too…”
Struggling to wake up from the dream, his eyes seemed to be filled with moisture. The bedroom was quiet, and next to him was Xie You’s breathing. Yu Nian stared blankly with his eyes open for a while, then turned to curl up in Xie You’s embrace.
When he was very young, he used to hide and cry secretly without letting Grandpa and Grandma know. He even fantasized about what it would be like if his parents were still here. Or if one day, his father suddenly appeared, touched his head, and lifted him up, how would that scene be like?
But as he grew older, he understood that he couldn’t indulge in beautiful fantasies and put all his hopes and expectations on a completely unfamiliar person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t appreciate the goodness of the people around him, and the greater the expectations, the greater the disappointments.
He was timid, so he stopped all his fantasies because they were all wishes.
“Nian Nian?”
Hearing Xie You’s sleepy and hoarse voice, Yu Nian snuggled closer in his embrace and asked, “Hmm?”
Xie You’s warm palm gently touched Yu Nian’s slightly cool face, and he kissed him, saying, “Did you have a nightmare?”
“No, I just dreamed about things from my childhood.” Yu Nian held Xie You’s wrist, keeping his hand pressed against his face, not wanting to let go. His voice was a bit low, “You asked me why I resist, but the truth is, I do know why.”
Xie You remained silent.
Yu Nian’s voice became even softer, “I’m afraid.”
From the trembling in his voice, Xie You reached out and tightly embraced the person in his arms.
Yu Nian nestled in Xie You’s embrace, clutching his sleepwear tightly. After a while, a few choked sobs escaped into the darkness, “Xie You, I’m really scared…”
Chapter 119: Xie You, I’m really scared
The meeting place was still arranged at Yulan. Compared to their last meeting, Mr. Louisen’s collar and lapel remain without a single wrinkle, but his face seems to have aged a bit, showing evident fatigue. When Yu Nian entered, he politely stood up and said, “I apologize for inviting you to meet. It must have been a disturbance.”
Yu Nian nodded in response, “I have no plans these days, so it’s not a bother.”
They both sat down, and amber-colored tea was poured into the cups. The tea fragrance filled the air as Yu Nian patiently waited for the other party to speak.
Louisen’s tea cup was still emitting steam as he sat upright, his voice slightly hoarse. He began, “Mr. He’s health is not good. His spirits improved a bit a few days ago, but last night he deteriorated again. The accompanying doctor was busy all night until this morning, when he finally stabilized.”
Yu Nian asked with confusion, “Then why—”
Louisen continued, “You must be wondering why, at such a critical moment, I’m not staying by Mr. He’s side but instead meeting with you, right?”
Yu Nian tried not to show surprise at being seen through and replied, “Yes, that is indeed my question.”
He looked at me with complex emotions and added, “The reason I asked to meet you this time is to persuade you to accept the bronze gui. Mr. He values it greatly and cannot rest assured handing it over to someone else.”
“Mr. He doesn’t want to force you to take it, but after following him for so many years, I can’t bear to see him unable to let go of it. That’s why I took the liberty to meet you privately.”
Clasping the tea cup tightly, Yu Nian shook my head gently, “Your sincerity moves me, but if we’ve come this far, I want to know the real reason why you and Mr. He are so insistent on entrusting the bronze gui to me. Otherwise, I can’t accept it.”
The private room fell silent, even the sound of teacups and spoons touching was absent. The air was filled with a faint aroma. Louisen lowered his eyes and answered after a few breaths, “I’m sorry, I can’t say.”
Meng Yuan and Shi Rou were waiting in the car. When Yu Nian returned, Meng Yuan asked with concern, “How did it go? What was the other party’s intention?”
“Louisen said he took the initiative to meet me,” Yu Nian pondered, “From his words, I could tell that Mr. He Xiao’s health is very poor, and he may not hold on for long. They want to give the bronze gui to me but refuse to tell me the reason.”
Meng Yuan hadn’t encountered such a situation before and rubbed his chin, “In my opinion, there are two possibilities. First, your Qingshan Yu family and Mr. Xiuning’s reputation is too great. As a descendant of the Yu family, they treasure the bronze gui dearly and believe in you, so they insist on giving it to you.”
Yu Nian nodded while listening.
Meng Yuan continued, “The second possibility is that there might be some conspiracy or trap involved. If there is a plot, it could be either a grudge against you personally or a grudge against your family. If it’s the latter, the grudge must run deep, and this Mr. He might seize an opportunity to harm you.”
Yu Nian pondered, “The other party did ask me two questions: whether my grandfather is Yu Xiuning and my grandmother is Sheng Lingyi, and they also asked if my birthday is on New Year’s Eve.”
Shi Rou, who had been silent, spoke up, “I may be thinking naively, but… could it be that this Mr. He has no descendants or heirs, and before his passing, he wants to entrust the bronze gui’s base to someone he can trust, at least a little?”
Shi Rou’s words kept circling in Yu Nian’s mind.
When Xie You returned, he saw Yu Nian sitting in the armchair by the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought. He walked over, loosened his tie with one hand, leaned down, and kissed Yu Nian, asking, “What are you thinking about?”
After coming back to his senses, Yu Nian shifted slightly to the side and leaned against Xie You as he habitually did. “I was thinking that, in comparison, it’s almost the same situation. Back then, Madam Feng had no descendants and felt her life was nearing its end. She entrusted ‘The Manuscript of Praying for Heavenly Virtue’ to me and asked me to bring it back to China, giving me complete freedom to handle it as I saw fit.”
“This time, Mr. He Xiao wants to entrust the bronze gui’s base to me, but why do I harbor reservations about it? It’s like a subconscious… resistance.”
He hooked his finger with Xie You’s, speaking as if to himself and affirming, “Yes, it’s indeed a resistance. From the moment that butler called Louisen found me, and then when I met the bedridden Mr. He Xiao, I inexplicably felt a strong resistance.”
Xie You pulled him into an embrace and asked softly, “Nian Nian, why do you feel resistant?”
Yu Nian hesitated for a moment and replied, “I don’t know either.”
Xie You gently ruffled Yu Nian’s hair, “If you can’t figure it out, then don’t dwell on it for now.”
The night unfolded its curtain, enveloping countless skyscrapers in darkness. Louisen opened the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling window, revealing the twinkling neon lights of the entire city in front of He Xiao.
Sitting back in the chair by the bed, Louisen heard He Xiao ask, “Did you go to meet him today?”
“Nothing can be hidden from you,” Louisen spoke softly and honestly, “Mr. Yu agreed to my invitation and met with me. However, he firmly stated that he won’t accept the bronze gui without knowing the clear reason behind it.”
Leaning against the pillow, He Xiao’s lips turned pale. He let out a light cough and smiled, “He’s just like his mother, very stubborn. On the surface, he seems gentle, but once he’s made a decision, no matter how many times others try to persuade him, he won’t listen.”
Louisen nodded, remaining silent for a dozen seconds before asking again, “Sir, are you really not going to tell him?”
He Xiao looked at the neon lights outside the window and shook his head slowly, his voice hoarse, “For the first 22 years of his life, I never appeared in his life, and I didn’t even know of his existence. Now, what right do I have to suddenly show up and intrude into his life? Moreover, with my current condition, I don’t have much time left. How can I bear to tell him?”
After coughing several times, He Xiao weakly continued, “He is still so young, losing his mother at such a tender age, and then saying goodbye to his grandfather and grandmother. Why should I make him say goodbye to me too, adding to his sorrow? It’s better if I quietly pass away, so he can believe that, even if he doesn’t know where, he still has a relative in this world, providing him with some consolation. Otherwise, he would be even more distressed.”
Louisen couldn’t bear to see him like this:
“Sir, but you—”
“I am already content,” He Xiao interrupted Louisen, “He’s doing well, really well. Avoid being greedy, just being able to catch a glimpse of him is enough for me.”
He also advised Louisen, “You are an old friend by my side, please don’t take matters into your own hands and try to find him.”
Louisen folded his hands in front of him and finally agreed, “Yes, sir.”
Yu Nian realized that he was sleeping lightly, always dreaming repeatedly.
In the dream, he was a very young child, coming home from kindergarten, and he asked his grandfather and grandmother with confusion, “Other kids have not only grandparents but also moms and dads, and some even have older brothers and sisters. Why don’t I have them?”
At that time, his grandfather was reading books, and upon hearing this question, he pulled Yu Nian close without avoiding or lying. Instead, he gently said, “Our Nian Nian Nian’s mom left this world very reluctantly after giving birth to you? As for who Nian Nian’s father is, neither Grandpa nor Grandma knows because it is a little secret of Nian Nian’s mother.”
“Just like I have my own little secrets, Grandpa secretly bought a porcelain bottle a couple of days ago, and he doesn’t want Grandma to know about it. It’s also Grandpa’s little secret, right?”
“Yes, you’re absolutely right. Because it’s Mom’s little secret, we all don’t know about it. But even though our Nian Nian doesn’t have a dad, Mom, Grandma, and I all love you very, very much. You can feel that, right?”
“Yes, I feel your love.”
He dreamed again, carrying his old school bag back from school, and Uncle Shen had already prepared dinner. As he sat on the chair, holding his chopsticks and eating, tears fell into the rice.
Grandma touched his head with concern and asked, “What’s wrong, Nian Nian? Did something happen at school? Or is there something that’s bothering you?”
He looked up, with a hint of sadness in his voice, and choked, “Grandma, does Dad… does he not want me and Mom, that’s why he never appeared? My deskmate’s parents pick him up from school every day, and I really wish I had parents to pick me up too…”
Struggling to wake up from the dream, his eyes seemed to be filled with moisture. The bedroom was quiet, and next to him was Xie You’s breathing. Yu Nian stared blankly with his eyes open for a while, then turned to curl up in Xie You’s embrace.
When he was very young, he used to hide and cry secretly without letting Grandpa and Grandma know. He even fantasized about what it would be like if his parents were still here. Or if one day, his father suddenly appeared, touched his head, and lifted him up, how would that scene be like?
But as he grew older, he understood that he couldn’t indulge in beautiful fantasies and put all his hopes and expectations on a completely unfamiliar person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t appreciate the goodness of the people around him, and the greater the expectations, the greater the disappointments.
He was timid, so he stopped all his fantasies because they were all wishes.
“Nian Nian?”
Hearing Xie You’s sleepy and hoarse voice, Yu Nian snuggled closer in his embrace and asked, “Hmm?”
Xie You’s warm palm gently touched Yu Nian’s slightly cool face, and he kissed him, saying, “Did you have a nightmare?”
“No, I just dreamed about things from my childhood.” Yu Nian held Xie You’s wrist, keeping his hand pressed against his face, not wanting to let go. His voice was a bit low, “You asked me why I resist, but the truth is, I do know why.”
Xie You remained silent.
Yu Nian’s voice became even softer, “I’m afraid.”
From the trembling in his voice, Xie You reached out and tightly embraced the person in his arms.
Yu Nian nestled in Xie You’s embrace, clutching his sleepwear tightly. After a while, a few choked sobs escaped into the darkness, “Xie You, I’m really scared…”
