…It was just a dream.
This answer made Chu Tingyun let out a long sigh of relief, and his heart, which had stopped abruptly, seemed to start beating again.
But he was still anxious and carefully asked:
“What kind of bad dream?”
“Hmm…”
Yan Xun lowered his eyes, seemingly recalling it seriously before softly saying, “I dreamed that we got divorced.”
If it weren’t for the car accident and memory loss, he and Chu Tingyun would indeed have gotten divorced. At least three months ago, Yan Xun was very determined to get a divorce.
“……”
As soon as the word “divorce” came out, Chu Tingyun’s heart, which had just settled down, felt as if it was suddenly suspended tens of thousands of meters in the air.
“That won’t happen! Xun Xun, we won’t get divorced.”
He half-knelt beside the hospital bed, gripping Yan Xun’s hand tightly, his voice trembling slightly at the end.
“No matter what happens, we will never get divorced, absolutely not!”
“……”
Throughout this process, Yan Xun quietly and carefully observed Chu Tingyun’s every reaction. After a moment, he reached out and used the back of his fingers to touch the corner of the other’s forehead.
When Chu Tingyun had used his pickup truck to stop Yan Xun’s car back then, he got injured and left a scar on his forehead. For a long time, he kept his bangs to cover the scar.
And the surgical incision from back then was the same—Chu Tingyun didn’t want Yan Xun to touch or see it, so every time, either he made him wear a blindfold or they did it from behind.
But now, all those unsightly scars had disappeared, and it was impossible to tell that he had been injured. Those scars had been meticulously repaired and treated in many ways.
Yan Xun brushed aside a few messy strands of hair from his forehead, then slowly touched the reddened skin under his eye corner.
The young man blinked and asked, “Chu Tingyun, are you going to cry over a dream that didn’t even happen?”
“I’m not crying.”
The man immediately turned his head away, pulling down the hand that was on his face. Then he tightly held both of Yan Xun’s hands,
“I stayed up all night, it’s normal for my eyes to be bloodshot.”
“Oh…”
Yan Xun seemed to believe him,
“Then I must have misunderstood. Earlier, you looked so emotional—your voice was trembling, your eyes were red—I thought you were so sad about the thought of divorce that you were about to cry.”
“……”
Chu Tingyun’s body froze. After a long pause, he could only repeat,
“I just stayed up two nights, I’m not in good shape.”
For some reason, he felt that Yan Xun seemed a little different from how he was before waking up. But after thinking about it carefully, he couldn’t pinpoint any real issues.
Still, the fact that Yan Xun had finally woken up was good.
And the fact that he hadn’t regained his memory was even better!!!
President Chu instantly felt as if his heart had dropped from tens of thousands of meters to the ground again, and his mood quickly brightened.
Not long after, the doctor came to check Yan Xun’s condition carefully and said there was nothing wrong, only that he should eat lightly for the next few days and keep the wound dry.
Actually, Yan Xun had only been cut by the broken pieces of a flowerpot that fell from a height, just a superficial wound on the back of his ear. It was simply an external injury. But due to unknown reasons, he remained unconscious, which is why he was kept under observation at the hospital.
The wound required seven stitches, which looked somewhat alarming.
However, Yan Xun wasn’t particularly concerned about the wound; he was more interested in the cause of the accident.
“By the way, what happened with that flowerpot?”
“When you were injured and suddenly passed out, Aunt Xie and I rushed you to the hospital, while Uncle Ye stayed behind to report it to the police. He also immediately requested the leaders of the appraisal agency to pull up the surveillance footage.”
At this point, Chu Tingyun, confirming that Yan Xun was fine, sat down in the chair beside him while talking and picked up a small knife, preparing to peel some fruit for him.
It was already the end of November, and lychees were out of season. Chu Tingyun had been staying at the hospital for the past two days, and since lychees weren’t good for healing wounds, he hadn’t bought any.
The fruit was bought by Xie Fengjun. She wasn’t sure what her younger son liked to eat these days, so she bought a variety of things.
President Chu sifted through the fruit, picking up a pear but then tossing it aside in disgust. He finally chose the roundest, reddest, and most beautiful apple, feeling barely satisfied. After washing it thoroughly, he began to peel it.
“After two days of investigation, the final conclusion was that an intern had placed the flowers on the balcony in the morning, then got busy and forgot to bring them back in. That evening, strong winds blew them down—it was considered an accident.”
Yan Xun frowned. “An accident?”
“Yes, that’s the initial conclusion from the police investigation. I personally checked the surveillance footage, and when the flowerpot fell, there was no one in that room.”
Chu Tingyun held a knife, comparing it to the apple, trying to find the best place to start cutting.
“That intern has been fired, but since it was an accident, they can’t treat it as a case of throwing objects from a height. The person in charge of the appraisal agency apologized, and their attitude was fairly decent.”
“The police said that if we insist on pursuing the matter, the most we can get is compensation for medical expenses and emotional distress.”
But since President Chu wasn’t short on money, and this time Yan Xun’s injury was indeed an accident, his tone sounded a bit frustrated.
Yan Xun didn’t think further. All his attention was on Chu Tingyun’s hands. It was obvious that the other party rarely did things like peeling fruit. Rather than peeling, it looked more like he was cutting off both skin and flesh in chunks.
Yan Xun watched, speechless for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, “Chu Tingyun, are you planning to peel the apple down to its core for me to eat?”
Though the statement was exaggerated, it wasn’t far from the truth.
“……”
The man’s movements stiffened. A few seconds later, he glanced at Yan Xun.
Was it an illusion?
Why did it feel like his little husband wasn’t speaking the same way he used to?
Chu Tingyun couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but he felt like Yan Xun was no longer as cute and obedient as before—he was even mocking him now.
Chu Tingyun’s expression faltered. Just as he was about to retort, Yan Xun said, “Forget it, give it to me. I’ll peel it.”
“Oh, okay.”
Chu Tingyun’s mood instantly brightened. Without a word, he handed over the apple.
With this handover, it turned into the injured Yan Xun getting out of bed, washing his hands, and starting to peel fruit for Chu Tingyun.
Peeling, cutting, placing the slices on a plate with toothpicks—the entire process was smooth and graceful, pleasing to the eye.
Chu Tingyun naturally picked up a toothpick, stabbing a slice to eat, and while eating, he also fed a couple of pieces to his little husband.
Yan Xun didn’t refuse.
After peeling the apple, Yan Xun was about to peel a pear when Chu Tingyun suddenly said he hated pears and forbade him to peel it.
Yan Xun’s movements stopped. He looked up at the man and asked in surprise, “You don’t like pears?”
Then why did he specifically ask the caregiver to buy them when they were in the Russian hospital?
When Yan Xun accompanied Chu Tingyun during his hospital stay, he had to peel two pears for him almost every day.
“Yeah, I don’t like them!”
Chu Tingyun’s tone suddenly turned unpleasant. He directly grabbed the snow pear from Yan Xun’s hand and tossed it into the trash can.
Thud—
The snow pear hit the bottom of the trash can with a loud noise.
Because the angle was off and the force was too strong, it even knocked over the trash can, spilling the fruit peels all over the floor.
“……”
The abrupt change cast the room into a sudden silence.
Yan Xun unconsciously frowned.
…It’s happening again.
He sometimes couldn’t understand it. Chu Tingyun clearly wasn’t a person with a bad temper, but when dealing with others, he never lost his temper for no reason or over trivial matters.
Chu Tingyun had plenty of friends, a decent reputation in the business world, and was quite at ease in social settings—he wasn’t someone who didn’t know how to get along with people.
Yan Xun later realized that Chu Tingyun only behaved this way toward him. When he was in a good mood, he would call him “Xun Xun” or “darling,” but you never knew what would make him flip the next moment.
Moreover, Chu Tingyun had an extremely strong sense of possession and control. He had trackers in his phone and car, checked his social connections, and interrogated him endlessly if he got too close to anyone.
Yan Xun used to think Chu Tingyun was doing it on purpose, probably because this man truly hated him and was using this as a form of revenge or entertainment. But it didn’t seem to be that simple.
Later, Yan Xun discovered that every time Chu Tingyun lost his temper, he would soon regret it, bringing expensive gifts and humbling himself to make amends. But before he could say a few good words, he would just pin Yan Xun down and drag him to bed.
Afterward, Chu Tingyun would act like nothing had happened.
Yan Xun felt like Chu Tingyun treated him like a pet—when happy, he would hug and kiss him; when angry, he would change his face, scold him, and lock him up to restrict his freedom. When it was time to make up, he would buy some toys and snacks to casually placate him.
Their nearly three-year marriage was an endless cycle of such toxic patterns, and Yan Xun couldn’t take it anymore.
But after he lost his memory, their dynamic changed drastically.
Despite the lies between them, they hadn’t fought since, and they could even cuddle lovingly, relying on each other like a normal couple genuinely in love.
Setting aside his prior biases, during his memory loss, Yan Xun confirmed that Chu Tingyun really liked him.
It was the kind of affection between lovers, with respect for him as a partner, and a tolerance that surprised Yan Xun.
Because of this, when Yan Xun regained his memory and saw how fearful and anxious Chu Tingyun was, he lied.
Before, if Chu Tingyun had randomly thrown things and lost his temper like this, Yan Xun would have immediately put on a cold face, either mocking him or walking away.
But now, looking at the mess on the floor, Yan Xun paused, then suddenly looked at him seriously and asked, “Chu Tingyun, you don’t like pears, but what if I said I liked them?”
“……”
The man froze.
Their gazes met in midair, seemingly engaging in a silent confrontation.
Chu Tingyun vaguely realized something, though he couldn’t quite articulate it. But he did know his reaction earlier had been excessive.
“You… you like eating this?”
His tone softened instinctively.
He took another snow pear from the fruit basket and placed it in Yan Xun’s hand, pressing his lips together a little awkwardly.
“Then you can peel it and eat.”
Yan Xun gestured with his eyes at the floor. “But the trash can’s knocked over. Where will I throw the peels?”
“…Wait.”
Chu Tingyun set the trash can upright and went to find a broom, carefully sweeping up the scattered peels.
After finishing, he washed his hands twice, as if disgusted by the hospital broom.
When he came back, he found that Yan Xun hadn’t continued peeling the pear. He just held it in his hand, staring at Chu Tingyun.
The look in his eyes didn’t seem like anger, nor did it seem like joy… Chu Tingyun couldn’t quite describe it. In the end, he felt that “staring” might better be called “observing.”
President Chu was a bit uncomfortable under his gaze, wondering if something was wrong with Yan Xun’s mind again.
The more he thought about it, the more he started to worry.
Maybe they should make another appointment with a brain specialist?
Yan Xun had no idea that Chu Tingyun was already planning to take him to another expert for a checkup.
He was still thinking.
Chu Tingyun sat back down in the chair beside the bed and asked, “Why aren’t you eating?”
Yan Xun said thoughtfully, “This one doesn’t seem as sweet as the last.”
Chu Tingyun: “…?”
He thought Yan Xun might really be a bit out of his mind.
“You didn’t eat the last one, and you haven’t eaten this one either. How are you comparing them?”
Yan Xun looked up at him and said matter-of-factly, “Why can’t I compare? A person’s mood can affect how food tastes.”
“……”
Chu Tingyun was at a loss for words.
At this point, Yan Xun put the pear and the knife aside, signaling with his actions that he wasn’t going to eat anymore. He wiped his hands clean with a wet napkin, then lay down, his expression showing some discomfort.
Chu Tingyun’s heart tightened, and he immediately stood up to check on him.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
“A bit.”
Having been unconscious for two days, Yan Xun’s face was a bit pale, and with the stitched-up wound, he looked even more pitiful.
After a moment of thought, Yan Xun added weakly, “Maybe you scared me earlier when you suddenly got angry. I feel dizzy, short of breath, and… oh, my wound hurts too.”
As he spoke, he was watching the man’s expression.
Chu Tingyun immediately regretted his actions, his remorse written all over his face, and he hurriedly said, “Wait, I’ll go get the doctor.”
“No need.”
Yan Xun was just pretending—he couldn’t actually make the doctor run over for real. After all, his injury was just a simple cut.
Normally, people would get two stitches and be up and about in no time, but here he was, lying around like some critically ill patient.
“It’s not that serious. If I rest for a bit—”
But he underestimated Chu Tingyun’s stubbornness. Before he could finish his sentence, the man had already sprinted out of the room.
He must have exaggerated Yan Xun’s condition, because before long, three or four doctors and nurses rushed in.
…As if they were about to wheel him straight into the emergency room.
Yan Xun: “……”
He didn’t want to recall the complex expression on the doctor’s face after the checkup. In the end, the doctor just patted his shoulder and said:
“Young man, you’re in good health. Relax, don’t overthink things.”
“…… Alright, sorry for the trouble.”
Yan Xun just wanted to be discharged.
Right now, immediately!
But it was obvious that Chu Tingyun didn’t quite trust the hospital’s expertise. He was already on the phone with someone, trying to arrange appointments with several neurologists for Yan Xun.
Luckily, at that moment, Yan Xun’s parents arrived.
They had received news from Chu Tingyun on the way, saying that Yan Xun had woken up and was fine.
As soon as Xie Fengjun entered, she came over to check on her son, examining him from head to toe but not daring to touch him.
“Yanyan, are you okay? Do you feel unwell anywhere?”
Actually, she had been by his side with Chu Tingyun for the past two days, but this morning she thought Yan Xun would probably be hungry when he woke up. Even if he hadn’t woken up, little Chu needed to eat something nutritious to stay healthy, so she went home to cook some food and bring it over.
As for Professor Ye, he had gone to find a few friends. Since Chu Tingyun had mentioned Yan Xun’s recent car accident, where he had almost lost his life, Ye believed that the flowerpot incident might not have been an accident either.
However, after receiving the news that Yan Xun had woken up, the couple rushed to the hospital immediately.
“No, the doctors checked everything, I’m fine now.”
Yan Xun remembered his childhood and also recalled his mother. But too much time had passed, and they had been separated for so long that now, suddenly reuniting, he wasn’t sure how to interact.
“Good, good, as long as you’re alright…”
Xie Fengjun gently touched her son’s face, her eyes reddened, but she didn’t cry. Instead, she forced a smile and said,
“You must be hungry. Mom made some delicious food for you.”
As she spoke, she took out the thermos and lunchbox, placing them on the table. It was clear that Xie Fengjun had prepared enough for two people.
“Little Chu, come over and eat too. You didn’t have breakfast this morning, so eat a bit more at lunch…”
Being pulled over, Chu Tingyun suddenly felt a little awkward and obedient,
“Auntie, you and Uncle…?”
“We ate on the way here.”
Professor Ye stood nearby and said in a gentle tone,
“This is especially for you two, so go ahead and eat.”
So, under the loving gaze of his parents, the two quietly finished their meal, leaving nothing behind.
After tasting Xie Fengjun’s cooking, Chu Tingyun suddenly understood where his little husband’s culinary talent came from.
In the afternoon, Yan Xun’s parents didn’t leave. They stayed to keep him company. They didn’t force their younger son to immediately call them “Mom” or “Dad,” nor did they insist on him coming home with them right away.
They simply asked how he had been over the years and how things were with him and little Chu now.
Yan Xun picked out the good things to share with them, and as for anything involving Chu Tingyun, he continued with his “amnesia” persona, leaving Chu Tingyun to explain.
Of course, President Chu couldn’t talk about any forceful or shady behavior, so he only mentioned the good parts. But there weren’t many good things between him and Yan Xun, so he modified the bad moments and presented them as positives.
For example, their first meeting at the bar, leaving out the forced kiss, and the reason for their marriage, omitting the transactional aspect.
Yan Xun didn’t object, just sat quietly on the side, watching as Chu Tingyun racked his brain to make things up.
In his parents’ eyes, their child had grown up healthy and safe and had met a loving and excellent partner.
Even though the partner was a man, what did that matter?
As long as their child was still alive, as long as Yanyan was happy, that’s all that mattered.
Professor Ye only mentioned that the flowerpot incident was still under investigation, without going into details with Yan Xun. As a father, he would handle such matters himself.
As they chatted in a warm atmosphere, the sun gradually set.
At 6 PM, Chu Tingyun helped Yan Xun with the discharge procedures, and the family had dinner together outside.
While Yan Xun was in the restroom, Xie Fengjun pulled Chu Tingyun aside for a talk.
“Little Chu, although we are Yanyan’s biological parents, too much time has passed since we last saw him. So now, you are the person he feels closest to and loves the most.”
“Auntie, actually…”
This made Chu Tingyun feel a little guilty. But Xie Fengjun patted his hand, smiled, and said,
“You know, the other night when that big flowerpot fell, without even thinking, his first reaction was to protect you. That says it all.”
“Of course, Auntie knows you love him just as much. In this time, with the car accident, the search for his birth family, and this recent injury, you’ve been the one caring for him and staying by his side. It’s incredibly lucky and fortunate that you two found each other and got married.”
As she spoke, Xie Fengjun’s gaze fell on the jade pendant hanging around Chu Tingyun’s neck,
“Auntie hopes that you two can continue to walk hand in hand until the end. But in life, there will always be friction between two people. In the future, I hope you both can be more understanding and patient with each other, alright?”
“……”
Chu Tingyun was stunned for a moment and then nodded.
“Alright, I will remember.”
Professor Ye said almost the exact same thing to Yan Xun in the restroom.
Clearly, the couple had discussed the matter and come to a consensus. Although they had found their child again, their son was already married and had his own family.
They couldn’t force the 24-year-old Yan Xun to become the 5-year-old Ye Chengyi again and take him back by force. Instead, they had to find a way to ensure he lived happily within his own family.
And as biological parents who hadn’t seen their son in over ten years, a measured level of care was the most appropriate approach.
After dinner, the Ye couple didn’t insist on Yan Xun going home with them but instead exchanged addresses and expressed their hope that Yan Xun and Chu Tingyun would visit whenever they had the chance.
“Alright.”
Yan Xun hugged his parents and said goodbye.
Chu Tingyun was standing by, but before he realized what was happening, Xie Fengjun pulled him in for a hug too.
“……”
For once, President Chu showed a slightly awkward and flustered expression.
Though he had been raised by his mother, she had been too strict.
Perhaps it was because she had pinned all her abandoned dreams on the child. From childhood to adolescence, Chu Tingyun’s every weakness and tear had been forbidden.
There was no room for things like smiles and hugs, only harsh training and punishment.
In comparison, Xie Fengjun was far too gentle.
If Yan Xun hadn’t been abducted as a child, he should have grown up in such a loving family, protected by parents who adored him.
Chu Tingyun felt sad for Yan Xun, felt regretful, but at the same time, he couldn’t help feeling a little envious of him.
Yan Xun, however, wasn’t thinking that deeply. He was still thinking about the previous car accident, the Chen family, and Li Rong.
The car accident had happened so quickly that even after recovering his memory, all he could remember was being on the phone at the time, then losing control due to the rainy weather and crashing into the guardrail, tumbling down the hill.
Whether there had been an issue with the car remained unclear.
Then there was a key piece of evidence related to the Chen family’s illegal bank loans and massive bribery. However, Yan Xun didn’t have the evidence in his possession right now. He would have to find a way to retrieve it first…
The car was quiet, and both men were deep in thought.
Only, one was thinking about serious matters, while the other was still reflecting on the parents.
After getting in the car, Chu Tingyun couldn’t stop reminiscing about everything related to Ye Cunshan and Xie Fengjun.
He realized that while Yan Xun appeared cold, much like his father, deep down, he was actually more like Xie Fengjun.
Genes were truly amazing. Even though Yan Xun hadn’t grown up with them, he had still turned out just like his parents.
For the first time, Chu Tingyun thought that it was a shame he and Yan Xun were both men. Otherwise, they might have had a child someday who resembled Yan Xun or maybe Xie Fengjun.
Apparently, he had been lost in thought for too long because Yan Xun, finding it odd, asked,
“Chu Tingyun, what are you thinking about?”
The man turned his head, staring straight at him, and said:
“Thinking about having a child with you.”
Yan Xun: “……”
Could this guy think about something else for once?!
