Chapter 74
Bi Fan’s heart was racing as he stole glances at Shen Fei, worried that she might dash across the road in her high heels to chase after a sports car.
Of course, Shen Fei didn’t chase after anyone, even if she could have caught up.
She turned to look at Bi Fan and asked, “Who is that Su Yunzhe?”
Bi Fan quickly replied, “He’s the son of Mr. Su, the owner of Yun Kong Entertainment. He’s been abroad for a long time and just returned recently. I heard Mr. Su is planning to retire soon and wants him to take over.”
“Just came back?” Shen Fei furrowed her brow.
Bi Fan nodded, “That’s what I heard. I think he’s only been back for a few days. Today might be his first time coming to the company.”
Shen Fei’s frown deepened. If Su Yunzhe had just returned, how could he know Shen Yan?
No, wait—he didn’t know Shen Yan.
Shen Fei had seen it all clearly earlier. Shen Yan had thrown himself at Su Yunzhe, calling his name in surprise, but Su Yunzhe clearly didn’t recognize him.
That’s even stranger. Shen Fei hadn’t known that Yun Kong Entertainment had a young heir named Su Yunzhe, and Shen Yan, who hardly ever left his house—only coming out because she had coaxed him—how could he possibly know Su Yunzhe?
When she saw that Su Yunzhe didn’t recognize him, Shen Yan’s face had been filled with a mix of disappointment and lingering resentment, as if he’d been abandoned by someone he cared deeply about.
Hmm…
Shen Fei had been worried for her naive little brother, wondering if he’d been hurt by some jerk, and now she was even more concerned.
Su Yunzhe seemed just as confused about her silly younger brother as Shen Fei was. He hadn’t recognized Shen Yan, yet when Shen Yan glared at him, Su Yunzhe even withdrew his hand from helping the girl. And when Shen Yan invited him to talk, he agreed without hesitation, as though he was perfectly willing to listen to someone he didn’t know. What was going on there?
It all felt off.
Shen Fei quickly waved goodbye to Bi Fan and went to the parking lot, where she made a call to a friend to inquire about Su Yunzhe’s background.
Most of what she heard confirmed Bi Fan’s story, though Bi Fan had left out one detail: Su Yunzhe had been abroad since his birth and had only recently returned to the country.
That meant Shen Yan must have known Su Yunzhe from abroad if he had any connection to him at all.
But Shen Yan hadn’t been abroad recently, so if they knew each other, it must have been in the past. But if that was the case, why hadn’t he ever mentioned it?
The more Shen Fei thought about it, the stranger it seemed. She decided to consult Shen Yue. Meanwhile, Shen Yan, after getting into Su Yunzhe’s car, remained silent.
His mind was still in a whirlwind.
This person looked exactly like Su Yunzhe, even moving and acting the same way. It was hard for him to believe that this man wasn’t Su Yunzhe.
Yun Kong Entertainment, Yu Cai High School—these were all places that only existed in the world of the book. It wouldn’t be surprising if Su Yunzhe had crossed over too.
But why didn’t this Su Yunzhe remember him?
Was the timeline off?
He’d returned to this world the day after he had crossed into the other world, so if the timelines between the two worlds were the same, then maybe Su Yunzhe had crossed over on the second day after him. If that were the case, they really hadn’t met yet.
Damn it!
Shen Yan hated complications. He liked writing stories that were simple and straightforward. He wasn’t good at playing games with twists and turns.
Now, his mind was going over the timeline of the original story, comparing it to the man in front of him.
To be honest, he couldn’t figure out if this was the Su Yunzhe from five years ago, who didn’t know him, or the one from five years later, who was like his old husband. It was all Su Yunzhe’s fault for maintaining such good looks—five years passed, but he looked just the same as he did five days ago.
“Get out of the car.”
Su Yunzhe’s voice pulled Shen Yan back from his muddled thoughts.
Shen Yan looked out the window in confusion. He realized that the car had stopped in a parking lot by the sea, next to a small, niche restaurant that served homemade food. Shen Yan had been there before; the food had been pretty good.
But…
He looked at Su Yunzhe with surprise, and Su Yunzhe shrugged. “I didn’t have lunch, so I’m a bit hungry. Aren’t you the one who wanted to talk? We can eat while we chat.”
It was just about time for dinner.
But… this Su Yunzhe, who didn’t recognize him, was inviting him to dinner? That was completely different from the cold, distant Su Yunzhe he had met back then, who didn’t even bother saying much. What was going on?
This was fine. After spending so much time with Su Yunzhe, Shen Yan had already grown accustomed to this version of him and wasn’t used to the cold, distant Su Yunzhe from before.
The restaurant had a pleasant ambiance. They chose a spot on the second floor, right by the sea. The sun had just set, and the red glow in the sky was reflected on the water. The scenery was eerily similar to the rooftop of a 50th-floor apartment in Qing Shui Bay during a summer evening.
“Do you know Qing Shui Bay?” Shen Yan casually asked, as if it were no big deal.
Even if this Su Yunzhe was the same as the one he had known before, he must know where he lived, right?
Su Yunzhe placed the menu down after ordering, and following Shen Yan’s gaze, he looked out at the view. “The scenery here is like that of Qing Shui Bay.”
Shen Yan turned back, unable to hide his surprise. “You really know Qing Shui Bay?”
Su Yunzhe blinked in slight confusion, then nodded. “I just saw a property there yesterday. I plan to move in a few days.”
“What?” Shen Yan was taken aback. “You mean… here?”
Su Yunzhe didn’t understand why Shen Yan’s reactions were so different, but he instinctively pointed in the direction behind him. “It’s just a 20-minute drive from here. Aren’t you talking about the newly developed neighborhood?”
Shen Yan froze, then let out a helpless sigh. “No, I was talking about that place.”
What the hell!
There’s a Qing Shui Bay here too?
The key was that Su Yunzhe looked like he had only just learned about Qing Shui Bay yesterday.
What was going on? Su Yunzhe didn’t recognize him. Could it be a timeline issue?
“How about Yu Cai High School? Have you heard of it?”
If this was the Su Yunzhe from the other world, no matter what timeline it was, he would definitely know about Yu Cai High School!
Su Yunzhe, holding a pre-dinner glass of wine, took a small sip. Though his posture appeared relaxed, he couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy inside.
He didn’t understand why ever since he met this boy, whose name he didn’t even know, he kept doing unexpected things.
For instance, when Shen Yan hugged him, he didn’t push him away. When Shen Yan glared at him, he didn’t get angry. In fact, he felt a bit guilty. When invited, he had agreed without a second thought, bringing the boy to this restaurant for dinner.
This was a place his friend had specifically recommended for a date, yet he had brought a boy he didn’t even know here.
And now, seeing Shen Yan cautiously ask him questions, with his expression shifting from surprise to helplessness, Su Yunzhe felt a strange sense of guilt, as if he had made a mistake.
When Shen Yan asked about Yu Cai High School, Su Yunzhe looked calm on the outside but was unsure how to answer. He was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, Shen Yan’s face would fall with disappointment.
But… if Shen Yan was disappointed, it wasn’t really his problem, was it? After all, he hadn’t lied!
So, Shen Yan watched him finish his wine in silence, waiting for his slow reply. “To be honest, I just got back to the country. I haven’t heard of the school you mentioned.”
Once the words were out, Su Yunzhe saw the light in Shen Yan’s clear eyes disappear in an instant, leaving only a dull emptiness.
Shen Yan grabbed the wine and drank it all in one go. He called the waiter for a refill, drinking it down with a bold motion.
But to Su Yunzhe, it seemed like Shen Yan’s entire demeanor had taken on a hazy, defeated air, like he was in pain.
Su Yunzhe felt like he had said something wrong. He called for a glass of water and handed it to Shen Yan, asking softly, “Are you okay?”
The wine was a light aperitif, not too strong, but Shen Yan had a low tolerance. After two glasses, his cheeks were flushed, and his head was spinning a little.
He looked up, meeting Su Yunzhe’s concerned gaze. His heart trembled, and suddenly, his nose felt sore. He almost felt like crying.
Su Yunzhe didn’t even know about Yu Cai High School. Was he really the Su Yunzhe from the world of the book?
But if he wasn’t the Su Yunzhe from that world, then why were Qing Shui Bay, Yun Kong Entertainment, and Yu Cai High School all appearing in this world?
If this wasn’t his Su Yunzhe, why was he looking at him like that?
No, this person had to be Su Yunzhe. He couldn’t be mistaken!
He just didn’t know why Su Yunzhe didn’t remember him.
It didn’t matter. If he didn’t remember, then he would make him remember!
Shen Yan shook off his disappointment, smiling brightly, and reached out to Su Yunzhe. “I’m Shen Yan. You meet my aesthetic. How about being my boyfriend?”
Su Yunzhe froze, his gaze locking on the boy’s face across from him, momentarily at a loss for words.
It was rare for him to lose composure like this. He had been confessed to directly before, but when he looked into those beautiful eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say no.
But… he couldn’t just agree like that, could he? Although this boy named Shen Yan was indeed very handsome and fit his aesthetic, Su Yunzhe had only just learned his name.
Su Yunzhe was a little conflicted, his gaze involuntarily falling on Shen Yan’s delicate, fair hand. Without thinking, he reached out and grasped it. “Su Yunzhe, nice to meet you.”
“You… agreed?” Shen Yan was also surprised. He had said that on purpose to provoke Su Yunzhe, hoping it would trigger some memories. After all, when Su Yunzhe first met him, he had said something similar—”Su Yunzhe, you meet my aesthetic. Name your price, I’ll support you.”
But it didn’t seem to stir any memories. Instead, Su Yunzhe had just agreed, holding his hand without letting go.
Still such a hand fetishist!
Shen Yan felt a little better and didn’t pull his hand back. He leaned his chin on his hand, winking at Su Yunzhe. “My hand looks really good, doesn’t it?”
Su Yunzhe, snapping back to reality, felt a little awkward. He wanted to let go of Shen Yan’s hand but suddenly noticed the boy smiling smugly, as if he were… teasing him?
Su Yunzhe narrowed his eyes, a charming smile forming on his lips. “Yes, it looks very nice.”
As he spoke, he gently pulled Shen Yan’s hand toward him, running his fingers along each one in an unexpectedly intimate manner.
Shen Yan actually felt a bit shy. Even though they had been together for so long in the book’s world, and were like an old married couple with kids, this Su Yunzhe wasn’t exactly the same person as the one he knew.
Instinctively, Shen Yan tried to pull his hand back, but Su Yunzhe held it firmly in his palm, lightly squeezing it, looking at him with a smile. “Just because of these beautiful hands, I’d really like to agree to be your boyfriend, but… I have a girlfriend, so…”
“What did you say?” Shen Yan interrupted urgently. “You have a girlfriend?”
“Yes, the one you saw at the elevator earlier,” Su Yunzhe said.
The elevator?
Shen Yan thought for a moment and remembered. It was the delicate little girl.
No way, that’s Su Yunzhe’s girlfriend?
His girlfriend was carrying something in her shoes, and he had her leaning against the wall?
And…
Shen Yan yanked his hand back, narrowing his eyes as he sized Su Yunzhe up, annoyed. “That girl is what, eighteen? Maybe twenty? So, you like older men, huh?”
Su Yunzhe raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed, and replied, “How old are you?”
Uh…
Shen Yan was left speechless.
Although he was actually twenty-eight years old, the six years he had spent in the book world had just vanished, and now, he was back to being twenty-two.
On top of that, he looked very young. To Su Yunzhe, he probably looked no older than twenty.
A moment ago, he was confessing, and the next second, he was criticizing Su Yunzhe for being a “dirty old man,” clearly a bit jealous.
Sure enough, Su Yunzhe was struggling to suppress a laugh.
If this had happened back at home, he would’ve kicked Shen Yan out, laughing at him.
But now, he could only glare at him in frustration, still bothered by the situation. Unable to hold back, he muttered, “Is she really your girlfriend? She doesn’t seem like it!”
Who lets their girlfriend lean against a wall?
Su Yunzhe stopped smiling and nodded seriously. “Of course! I was supposed to come here with her tonight for a date.”
Shen Yan froze, unable to respond at first. He only registered the firm answer from Su Yunzhe, and the mention of a “date” left him feeling uneasy. However, he knew that even if Su Yunzhe was from the book’s world, in this reality, he had a new life and identity. They weren’t even that close yet, and he had no reason to blame Su Yunzhe for having a girlfriend.
So, he pushed the discomfort down, softly muttering, “Sorry,” and then grabbed his glass and began drinking heavily again.
Su Yunzhe, unaware of Shen Yan’s low tolerance for alcohol, simply didn’t want to see him look so dejected. He reached out to stop him, pressing his hand down. “Don’t drink anymore.”
The alcohol had already dulled Shen Yan’s mind, and the growing sense of disappointment was magnified. He looked up at Su Yunzhe with misty eyes, a soft sense of grievance in his expression. “Why do you care? You’re not anyone to me!”
Su Yunzhe’s heart softened, and he felt an unfamiliar twinge of sympathy.
He didn’t understand why he was reacting like this. He had only just met Shen Yan, but the boy’s every action seemed to easily affect him.
Still holding onto Shen Yan’s hand, he spoke gently, “At my age, I should be getting married. My family thinks it’s a good match, and I don’t mind, so I’ll go along with it. I haven’t seen her much, actually, today is technically our first date, but I ended up here with you. You’re sitting in her place right now.”
Shen Yan, momentarily stunned, finally spoke up after a long pause, “Are you really Su Yunzhe? There’s no way Su Yunzhe would settle for something like this.”
Su Yunzhe met his soft gaze, and for some reason, he felt a wave of displeasure rise in him. “It sounds like you know me quite well? You must have mistaken me for someone else. I not only settle, but I even have a son. Actually…”
“A son?”
Shen Yan, who had been lying against the table, immediately sat up straight, gripping Su Yunzhe’s hand with both of his, his voice filled with excitement as he asked, “What’s your son’s name? Where is he?”