IHTIAP Chapter 127

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Chapter 127: Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness together

Yu Nian hadn’t even taken two steps when he lazily sat down on the sofa by the window, holding his phone and scrolling through the comments with great interest.

After a while, a burning smell filled the air. Yu Nian remembered that Xie You had gone to the kitchen, so he hurriedly put on his slippers and dashed downstairs.

As soon as he entered the kitchen, Yu Nian saw Xie You, who was usually composed and in control, standing in front of a smoking oven with his black shirt sleeves rolled up around his wrists, looking a bit helpless.

Unable to resist, Yu Nian slightly bent his long legs and leaned against the door frame in a relaxed posture, chuckling softly.

Xie You noticed that Yu Nian had seen the messy kitchen, and his ears turned completely red in an instant. Feeling embarrassed, he stammered, “N-Nian Nian, does it hurt at the back…? Go back and rest quickly.”

“Who’s so delicate?” Yu Nian straightened up, took a couple of steps towards Xie You, tilted his head, and leaned on Xie You’s shoulder. He looked at the burnt mass in the baking tray and asked with a playful smile, “What are you making?”

Xie You looked away uneasily, “…Brownie cupcakes.”

Seeing flour and butter smeared on Xie You’s fingers, Yu Nian felt as if his heart was filled with something soft and sweet, like a marshmallow. He held Xie You’s hand, lowered his head, and kissed the back of his hand. Then, he looked up and smiled, “I don’t feel like cooking either. For lunch, let’s go downstairs together to that little restaurant you mentioned before, okay?”

Xie You, always following Yu Nian’s lead, nodded and turned on the tap to wash his hands. Yu Nian handed him a towel to dry his hands and asked, “By the way, you used to have He Shan bring me small cakes and animal-shaped cookies.”

“I made them myself!” Xie You quickly clarified, but the blackened masses still smoking in the baking tray made his words unconvincing. After hesitating for a moment, he whispered the truth, “I made over a hundred small cookies and picked out the best-looking ones to give you.”

Hearing this, Yu Nian was taken aback, and for a moment, he couldn’t quite describe the swirling emotions in his heart—it felt a bit like tasting jam on his tongue, tangy and sweet.

The person he liked had always held a special place in his heart.

The water from the tap sparkled in the sunlight, and Yu Nian leaned in, kissing the side of Xie You’s face. “Both the little cakes and the animal-shaped cookies are incredibly cute!”

With that praise, Xie You’s ears turned red once again, still warm from the compliment.

The two of them went downstairs to the restaurant for a simple lunch. The sunlight outside was just right, and due to the recent rain, the air was slightly damp. A gentle breeze brushed their faces, making them unexpectedly comfortable. Seeing Xie You’s gaze repeatedly shift toward the spires of the Leto Music Conservatory not far away, Yu Nian tugged on Xie You’s sleeve, “Shall we take a walk before heading back?”

“Sure.”

Yu Nian added, “Leto is quite close here. Can you take me inside for a look?”

Xie You gazed at Yu Nian, pursing his lips, as if he had made up his mind. “Alright, let’s go together.”

Leto had a history of almost two hundred years, occupying a large area. Lush greenery surrounded the white walls of the European-style buildings. There were few people passing through the straight main avenue.

Xie You said, “Leto has very few students, usually around a hundred and seventy. One teacher teaches one student. At this time, everyone should be practicing or attending classes, so you won’t see many people around the school.”

Passing beneath a carved window sill, faint harp music could be heard, and as the notes flowed, even the sculptures in the corners seemed to come alive. They walked past a long corridor covered in blooming climbing roses and arrived in front of a white building. “When I was a student, my practice room was here,” he pointed out to Yu Nian, “third window on the second floor.”

Yu Nian looked up; the window of that practice room was closed, and he could see the white curtain behind the glass. The breeze rustled through the rose vines.

Xie You also gazed at that window, with a hint of nostalgia in his expression. “Xiao Ran once asked me if I regretted dropping out of here.”

Yu Nian shifted his gaze to Xie You’s profile. Xie You’s facial features were sharp and clear, as if sculpted by the hands of a master sculptor. Against the backdrop of the rose trellis, he looked like a splendid and exquisite oil painting.

As the wind tousled their hair, Yu Nian asked, “So, do you regret it?”

“No, I’ve never regretted it. Although I loved the piano very much, over the years, I’ve had countless moments where I wanted to play.”

Xie You’s voice was soft, and he spoke a bit more than usual. “When I first learned about my brother’s death, I felt lost. I didn’t know where a person’s heart goes, where they go after leaving this world. But I was certain that wherever he went, he wouldn’t come back.
I kept telling myself over and over again that I had to remember my brother for my whole life. That way, the traces of his existence in this world would never disappear.
Later, I became the heir of the Xie family, dealing with affairs I had never been exposed to before, and it became a heavy burden on my shoulders. I felt like a note pulled out of a musical score, placed in a rushed world filled with money, numbers, and financial reports. I knew it was my responsibility; I couldn’t escape it, so I had to adapt.”

Yu Nian reached out and held Xie You’s slightly cool fingertips. “And then?”

“And then,” Xie You looked at Yu Nian, “the threads of fate in the world proved to me once again that when fate strikes unexpectedly, there’s simply no adequate time for preparation.” He fell silent for a few seconds. “I’m grateful that I’ve persevered until now, not been defeated, and gained the strength to protect the people I cherish.”

From somewhere, piano music drifted in, and Xie You instantly recognized it, “It’s the ‘Grand Valse Brillante’ in E-flat major.”

Yu Nian and Xie You listened quietly for a while. Suddenly, Yu Nian became curious. “What does it feel like when you play the piano?”

Upon hearing the question, Xie You raised his hand, and his slender fingers danced in the air. His eyes seemed to glimmer with tiny lights. “Sometimes, it feels like all the keys are under my control, and I am the king of the world composed of musical notes. Other times, I feel like a small note, and that world of musical notes is the universe, and I’m just a floating speck of dust within it.”

He smiled lightly, with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I have responsibilities I can’t shed, things I must do, but I really love music, and I really love the piano.”

As he finished speaking, Xie You suddenly froze. He couldn’t quite remember when was the last time he said, “I love music” or “I love the piano.”

Tilting his head, Yu Nian said earnestly, “I love you. Just like how you love music and the piano.”

Caught off guard by this confession, Xie You felt a bit bashful. He lifted his hand, using his bent fingers to lightly touch the corner of Yu Nian’s eye, and leaned down to give a gentle kiss. “I love you too.” After pausing for a couple of seconds, Xie You lowered his voice and added, “Even more than I love music and the piano.”

Beneath the rose trellis, Yu Nian picked a perfectly intact rose and pressed it between the pages of a book before taking it back home, planning to preserve it.

After adjusting to the time difference by sleeping next to Xie You, on his way to the company to meet Meng Yuan, Yu Nian attempted to make a video call to He Xiao, but the call kept ringing without being answered.

His finger hovered over the “Video Call” button, and he hesitated for quite some time before mustering the courage to press it.

Just then, his phone rang, and Yu Nian snapped back to attention. “Butler Louisen?”

“Good afternoon, Young Master,” Louisen’s voice remained as steady as usual. He spoke respectfully, “Sir is currently undergoing his routine examination.”

Yu Nian’s brows slightly furrowed, “It’s only 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Routine examinations don’t usually happen at this time.”

Louisen remained silent without responding.

Yu Nian’s heart rate suddenly quickened by two beats. His throat felt dry. “Is… there a sudden change in his condition?”

After a moment, Louis replied, “Yes, Sir asked me to keep it from you.”

Before Yu Nian could ask further, Louisen spoke again, “He was fine until a few days ago. The doctor said if he continued to maintain that state, he might have more time left. But just now, he suddenly lost consciousness without any warning, and the doctors are trying to save him.”

His fingers, placed at his side, suddenly clenched, leaving deep nail marks in his palm. Yu Nian bit his lip, suppressing the sourness in his nose and the fluttering in his heart. “Please let me know when he wakes up.”

Louis’ voice was somewhat hoarse too. “Of course, Young Master.”

When he reached the company and met Meng Yuan, they went together to the recording studio. Yu Nian stared at his still phone for a while, then handed it to Shi Rou and instructed, “If I receive a call or video call later, please make sure to inform me.”

Seeing Yu Nian’s concern, Shi Rou nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry, Nian Nian.”

Aware of his own condition not being very well, Yu Nian didn’t immediately start recording songs. Instead, he chose to record backup vocals for a song first. He focused hard, though he couldn’t help but lose his concentration a few times. However, overall, the recording process went smoothly.

After recording backup vocals for three songs in a row, Yu Nian noticed Shi Rou making gestures at him. He quickly pressed the pause button, took off his headphones, and walked out in three strides, taking his phone from her hands.

The video call connected, and on the screen, He Xiao was wearing an oxygen mask, his drooping eyelids showing signs of fatigue, and his head resting weakly on a pillow.

Yu Nian’s eyes welled up, and he struggled to steady his voice as he asked, trying to sound as natural as possible, “How are you doing?”

He Xiao nodded slowly and laboriously. “Yu Nian, don’t cry… I’m fine.”

A hint of uncontrollable choking emerged in Yu Nian’s voice. “Okay, I won’t cry.”

He watched the video, seeing He Xiao trying his best to remain alert. He wanted to keep looking at him a bit longer, but he couldn’t hold on any longer. His eyelids drooped bit by bit, finally closing as he slipped into unconsciousness.

The camera angle shifted, and Louis appeared on the screen. “Young Master, rest assured. The doctors managed to stabilize him. As long as he’s well taken care of, his condition shouldn’t fluctuate significantly in the next few days.”

Yu Nian managed a strained smile. “Thank you.”

After the video call ended, Shi Rou, who was standing nearby, voiced her concern. “Nian Nian, do you… want to take a break?”

Returning the phone to Shi Rou, Yu Nian, with red eyes, shook his head. “No, being idle makes it easier for my mind to wander.”

However, this time, before he could even finish recording backup vocals for a song, Meng Yuan pushed open the door to the recording studio and signaled to him.

Taking off his headphones and stepping out, Yu Nian asked, “Brother Meng, what’s up?”

Meng Yuan handed him a lit-up phone. “This is an interview that was sent over from abroad. The person being interviewed is an antique dealer named Joseph. In the interview, he mentioned that in a recent deal, he sold a bamboo slip to you.”

On Meng Yuan’s phone was the interface of an entertainment forum.

“Some news says that Yu Nian’s father is He Xiao, the shipping and mining tycoon! What do you all think?”

[What the hell, who cares? We’ve been discussing who Yu Nian’s dad is every day. It’s getting annoying. Stop making threads without solid evidence!]

[Um, excuse me, I’m the original poster. It’s not baseless. There’s actually solid evidence [link] [image]. In the video, the guy with a beard is a dealer in antiques. He was interviewed by a magazine and said he recently sold a valuable bamboo slip at a low price to Yu Nian, the son of He Xiao, the chairman of Zhu Yue Group. Although the profit wasn’t as high as he had estimated, the cooperation was very pleasant, and he sincerely thanked Mr. He Xiao for his trust. Let’s not dwell on why He Xiao’s son is surnamed Yu. The key point is that He Xiao’s son is named Yu Nian? Pardon my ignorance, but my first reaction is that ‘Yu Nian’ is Yu Nian!]

[The original poster is probably a troll, case closed! Let’s carry away the cub, we won’t entertain this. We just want our Nian Nian to sing well. We don’t care about illegitimate children from wealthy families fighting for inheritance rights, changing surnames because of poor fathers, being abandoned due to bad fate by parents—we’re not interested in any of that!]

[Seeing that they have the grand title of Qingshan Yu’s family but not much money, they’re in such a rush to provoke and create a stir? People should curb their greed, or they might end up stuck in a hole without knowing where things went wrong!]

After Meng Yuan and Yu Nian finished reading the forum posts, Meng Yuan nervously asked, “Um… Nian Nian, please tell me that the shipping tycoon isn’t really your dad?”

Yu Nian looked up and nodded in confirmation. “Yeah, he’s my biological father.”

Saying the word “father” carried a bitter taste on his tongue.

Shi Rou also seemed a bit stunned. “You mean, the guy from the video just now—”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

With Yu Nian’s response, Meng Yuan paced back and forth in place, then couldn’t hold it in any longer. “What the hell kind of luck did I hit? I dug up this treasure! Was the auspicious star directly above my head when I signed the contract with you?!”

Yu Nian curved his lips. “Being able to cooperate with Meng Ge is also my luck, isn’t it?”

Just as they were talking, Shi Rou suddenly interjected, “Oh, there’s more to this post.”

Seeing both Yu Nian and Meng Yuan turn their attention to her, Shi Rou continued, “This Joseph guy probably loves boasting about his social circle, posting pictures with influential people to bask in their glory. He also likes to show off who he’s met. So, he… has another trick up his sleeve.”

Meng Yuan suddenly had a bad feeling. “What trick?”

“He… he reposted the interview video on his social media account and added a line of text. He said that on the day of the face-to-face transaction with Yu Nian, someone who accompanied Yu Nian was Mr. Xie.”

It felt like thunder had just struck right next to Meng Yuan’s ears. Anxious and impatient, he took Shi Rou’s phone, looked at the screenshot of Joseph’s social media account, and read out the last line, “…I am honored. Wishing the two of you a lifetime of happiness and growing old together.”

Meng Yuan’s expression turned blank. “What… What’s going on?”

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