Chapter 69: The One Who Will Be With Me For The Second Half Of My Life Will Only Be Jian Jian And No One Else
Chapter 69: The One Who Will Be With Me For The Second Half Of My Life Will Only Be Jian Jian And No One Else
Opening the door, the first thing An Yize saw was Ji Yan lying on the sofa. On the coffee table in front of the sofa there were wine bottles and a cabernet glass that still contained wine.
He had once lived in this place. Then, he had given Ji Yan the keys long ago for her convenience, and she had started living here. However, after she rejected his proposal, he felt hurt and moved out of this place, never coming back. Unexpectedly, Ji Yan came here.
When he had just reached home a little while earlier, he had received a call from Ji Yan, saying that they haven’t met for so long and why don’t they meet. He didn’t expect for her to set the meeting place here. Furthermore, An Yize felt that Ji Yan’s voice sounded slightly unusual over the call. He ultimately drove here with knit eyebrows.
Indeed, the moment he entered the door, he realized that Ji Yan was drunk. In fact, she might have drank quite a bit.
Ji Yan looked up in a daze when she heard the door open. “Xiao Ze, you came…”
An Yize walked over and sat beside her. He asked with furrowed brows, “Ah Yan, what happened?”
Ji Yan looked at him in a daze and smiled lightly. However, her voice was laced with an indescribable sadness, “Xiao Ze, would you still be concerned if something happened to me?”
An Yize replied, “We are friends. Of course I would be concerned.”
A sense of loss flashed past Ji Yan’s eyes. With a dejected face, she stretched her hand towards the wine glass.
An Yize blocked her hand and ordered with a deep voice, “Stop drinking.”
Ji Yan looked at him and gave a gentle smile. However, her eyes looked despondent. “Xiao Ze, you have grown up. You’re no longer willing to listen to me…”
An Yize didn’t reply, only saying calmly, “Ah Yan, you are drunk.”
“I’m not drunk…” Ji Yan smiled dejectedly, “If I could get drunk, that would be great. Then, I wouldn’t be so sad…”
An Yize was a silent for a moment before speaking warmly, “Did Li Mingyi mistreat you?”
Ji Yan looked at him. “What if I said yes? Xiao Ze, if he mistreated me, would you help me?”
An Yize furrowed his brows. “How can I help?”
Ji Yan’s face twisted with sadness. “He is with another woman… One day he says he wants to marry me, but the very next day, he is with another woman…”
This wasn’t the first time Ji Yan came to find him when Li Mingyi was having an affair. Initially, An Yize had been very angry and had tried to persuade Ji Yan to leave him. However, Ji Yan never gave up. After An Yize was hurt so many times, he became numb. Eventually, he stopped trying to convince her. He just stayed by Ji Yan’s side and looked at her feeling sad and hurt because of another man.
At this moment, when this cycle began to repeat again, An Yize no longer felt hurt except for the slight heaviness of his heart. However, he was keeping quiet just like before.
“When he said he wanted to marry me, I was extremely happy. In these past few years, there were many times I wore a wedding gown. However, none of them were real. I have always been waiting for the day when I can wear a wedding gown that belongs to me and be the most beautiful bride… My wish is actually very simple. I just want a loving husband and a happy family, with the two of us raising our children together…”
An Yize was silent for a moment before saying, “You said before that he actually loves you.”
“Loves me?” Ji Yan laughed coldly. “It’s true that I’ve thought so before. So what if he was with another woman. The one he loves the most would always be me. He also said before, that the one he truly likes is me alone… However, I finally understand now. He might not have truly loved me. If he had truly loved me, how could he bear to hurt me like this?”
An Yize didn’t know how he should comfort her, so he stayed silent.
“I’m tired. I’m really tired… Xiao Ze, did you know? I only want to find someone who truly loves me. I will only have him and he will only have me, we will only love each other…” As Ji Yan spoke, she looked up at An Yize, “Actually, I’m very envious of Ms. Su. You’re always protecting her, afraid that she will be sad. I’ve never seen you treating any woman so well before…”
An Yize looked at Ji Yan. “Ah Yan, you will eventually find someone who is willing to protect you and won’t let you feel sad.”
“Really?” Ji Yan’s voice was very light, but her tears slowly flowed down. Although she was smiling, her expression could make someone weep tears of sympathy. “I once thought that he would be that person. However, he’s always making me feel jealous and heartbroken. Afterwards, someone who truly loved me appeared by my side, yet I let him go…”
An Yize said, “Ah Yan, you are really drunk.”
“Haha, perhaps I’m really drunk…” Ji Yan’s eyes which were full of tears looked dazed and hurt. “When I was young, I always wished I could be like other kids and have a doting father. However, Mother told me that Father was never coming back. Afterwards, I followed mother into the Ji family. I thought that I finally had a father as well as siblings. But… Everyone says that I’m the second miss of the Ji family. However, only I myself know that my brothers and sisters actually look down on me. Thus, I could only try my best to learn. Whatever people like, I would learn. Eventually, I became the person everybody liked. All of them say that second young miss of the Ji family is always smiling, but how can someone be smiling all the time? The reason why I like acting is simply because I can finally stop being the second young miss of the Ji family when I’m in front of the camera…”
An Yize said, “Ah Yan, no one is looking down on you. Many people like you.”
“Really…” Blurred by the tears, Ji Yan gave a sad smile.
She suddenly remembered the words that Ji Xinya, the third miss of the Ji family and her younger sister, said to her. “Did you really think that you are my sister? If it wasn’t for your shameless mother seducing my father, you wouldn’t even have a chance to step through our doors! I’m the true miss with the blood of the Ji family. Who do you think you are?”
Ji Yan knew that this sister of hers was secretly in love with the second son of the Li family. After Ji Xinya’s words, she had a coincidental meeting with the second son of the Li family at one of the banquets.
She couldn’t be considered a real miss from the Ji family because she had followed her mother into the Ji family. Then, what if she married into the Li family?
She had always known that the third young master of the An family was in love with her. However, even though the An family was rich, it was still inferior to the Li family. Moreover, An Yize was younger than her and had a cold temperament. Although he treated her well, his actions ultimately made her feel like he was a sentimental little brother. However, Li Mingyi was different. His every frown and smile could make a woman feel moved. To add on, he wasn’t as easy to capture as An Yize. This man who always went with the wind had captured her heart instead…
Ji Yan stretched her hands to take the wine glass and started pouring the wine in.
An Yize was just about to stop her when his phone suddenly rang. Looking at the two words ‘Jian Jian” flashing on the screen, An Yize gave Ji Yan a glance before standing up.
Walking a few steps away, An Yize picked up the phone, his voice becoming gentler unconsciously, “Jian Jian?”
Su Jian was actually outside the door. He had the keys that mother An gave him. However, he didn’t wish to open or knock on the door and enter. But because of mother An’s orders, he could only helplessly give An Yize a call. Hearing the clear and normal voice of An Yize in the phone, different from the panicking and breathless voice he was imagining, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief. He asked, “Uh, it’s raining outside. When are you coming back?”
An Yize replied, “I’ll we be back soon.”
“Oh.” Su Jian didn’t know what else to say. Thinking for a moment, he said dully, “Then, be careful when you drive.”
An Yize’s voice became gentler. “Okay.”
Turning over, An Yize realized that Ji Yan had been looking at him with a face full of tears.
“You’re leaving.” Ji Yan said softly.
An Yize nodded his head. “If I return too late, Jian Jian will be worried.”
Ji Yan lowered her eyes and didn’t speak anymore, only picking up the wine glass to drink again.
An Yize said, “Ah Yan, stop drinking. I will ask your manager here to accompany you.”
“No need, you can leave…” Ji Yan’s eyes were dazed, her expression looking very sad. “I’m fine alone…” After saying so, she drank another glass of wine.
An Yize snatched her glass away and stared at her with knitted brows.
Ji Yan looked into his eyes. With a sudden lean of her body, she landed into his embrace.
An Yize had his arms full with her and wanted to bring her to a seat when a pair of hands hugged his waist unexpectedly. Ji Yan said in a soft voice, “Xiao Ze, don’t leave…”
An Yize stiffened. However, he still removed her hands. “Ah Yan, don’t be like this.” After saying so, he stood up. “If you don’t wish to go home, you can stay here and rest.”
After An Yize finished speaking, he walked towards the door. His hand had just reached the doorknob when a warm body suddenly attached itself to his back.
An Yize’s hand which was opening the door quivered. Then, he turned around.
The door quietly opened behind him, but he didn’t realize.
“Ah Yan…” An Yize’s brows were tightly knitted.
Seeing that An Yize was about to push her away, Ji Yan’s hands hugged tighter. Su Jian who was standing outside the door with wide eyes only given a quick glance. “Xiao Ze, even you are abandoning me as well?”
An Yize’s movement paused for a moment. Lowering his eyes to look at Ji Yan who was lying in his embrace, a series of images quickly flashed pass his eyes.
She was smiling gently at him during their first meeting.
She was feeding stray cats during middle school.
She was embracing another man in the rain afterwards.
She told him, “Xiao Ze, you are the only one who makes me feel fully at ease”.
She held hands with him and walked on the streets in a foreign country.
She whispered to him “sorry” with a pale face under the sky lited by the fireworks.
She informed him gently, “Xiao Ze, I’m getting married”…
Like streams of light passing by, time quickly passed.
An Yize’s voice was low and deep. “Ah Yan, it is true that I liked you a lot in the past, and I don’t regret it even today.”
Ji Yan looked up at him, her face looking moved as well as pleased.
“However, that was in the past. Now, I’m starting the second half of my life.” An Yize pushed her away slowly yet firmly. “Ah Yan, we are still friends. However, the one who will be with me for the second half of my life will only be Jian Jian and no one else.
……
Su Jian was suddenly at a loss of what to do.
He had been standing outside the door all these while. After he finished calling just now, he felt that he had satisfactorily finished mother An’s task. He had wanted to leave, but his gossiping soul haunted him and won. Thus, he stuck his ears to the door impolitely, attempting to hear something from inside the house.
The results were obvious. He couldn’t hear anything at all from the house. He was just about to leave when the door suddenly opened with a “kacha”.
His heart jumped and Su Jian couldn’t help but look back. But at the next moment, he was stunned.
Your mom! An Yize was indeed hugging Ji Yan!
To think that he really caught them red-handed. Su Jian was feeling super helpless. He didn’t know expression he should have, so he could only stare at the two people in the house with wide eyes.
Unexpectedly, the situation turned in the opposite direction. What came out of Queen Ji was a heartbreaking “even you are abandoning me as well” that could make every man’s heart hurt. An Yize who was best known as her number one fan was actually unmoved and even said, “the one who will be with me for the second half of my life will only be Jian Jian and no one else”.
It was so rare for Su Jian’s face to heat up. He thought in his heart: An Yize, can you not drag me in when you show off such shameless lines? I’m just a passerby! Then, he quickly turned to leave.
“Thud!”
Because Su Jian was slightly flustered, he banged onto the door unluckily.
Su Jian whose head was hurting after the collision squatted down immediately while holding his head. As for An Yize who had been unaware of what’s happening behind him due to him facing the other direction, he quickly turned around after hearing the sound.
“Jian Jian?” An Yize was shocked when he saw Su Jian. He pushed Ji Yan away and moved over.
Ji Yan who was thrown behind pursed her lips. As her eyes became more and more blurred, she collapsed slowly and tiredly on the ground. Then, she leaned on the shoe cabinet by the side and fainted.
An Yize didn’t notice her situation at all, only helping Su Jian up. “What’s wrong?”
“Sssss…” Su Jian touched his head. “I banged my head…”
“Let me take a look!” An Yize pulled Su Jian’s hand away. Seeing the green bruise on Su Jian’s forehead, he furrowed his brows.
However, Su Jian noticed Ji Yan’s situation and pushed him over hurriedly. “Stop being concerned about me! Your old sweetheart has fainted!”
An Yize turned around to look. Seeing that Ji Yan has fainted on the ground, he was a little shocked too. He walked over hurriedly and took a look. Then, he said, “She’s most likely drunk.”
Su Jian saw him squatting beside Ji Yan without moving. Thus, he said, “Quickly carry her up! I don’t have the strength to do that!”
An Yize was perplexed. “You don’t mind?”
“Why would I mind!” Su Jian continued, “Be careful, hold her tight!”
An Yize carried Ji Yan to the bed in the guest room and helped cover her with a blanket. When An Yize turned around, he was faced with Su Jian’s accusing words. “You can’t even help Queen Ji by removing her shoes!” After saying so, he ran over to help Ji Yan remove her shoes attentively. Then, he said, “I’m sure it’s uncomfortable sleeping with a outerwear. Let’s remove it!” Saying so, he helped Ji Yan remove her outerwear.
He wasn’t actually interested in Ji Yan. However, seeing the queen who is always up above lying silently on the bed and letting him remove her clothes, he still felt a sense of pride of the ordinary people.
After helping Ji Yan tidy up, Su Jian looked up while feeling disappointed that it didn’t last longer. Who knew that when he turned around, An Yize’s hand stretched over.
The warmth of An Yize’s palm caused him to shudder. He moved his head away and asked with furrowed brows, “What are you doing?”
An Yize looked at him and suddenly said, “Your face is red.”
Su Jian’s face was slightly hot. He thought: Sister Su’s physique loves to have a red face. What can I do? However, he said stubbornly, “My complexion is as rosy as an apple, so what?”
A trace of laughter appeared in his eyes. He asked, “Why are you here?”
It was good if he didn’t mention it. The moment he said that, Su Jian became unhappy. “Although our marriage is fake, if the agreement is to act as a loving couple, shouldn’t I be professional? How can I act when you neglected me and come here to see a beauty? Therefore, it is natural that I came here to take a look!”
“Just because of that?”
“…Fine. Actually, it was your mother who asked me to come. If you committed adultery, it would definitely ruin the An family’s reputation. Hence, it is normal that she would be concerned.”
An Yize didn’t speak anymore. However, it was obvious from the look in his eyes that he was dissatisfied with the answer.
However, Su Jian didn’t notice at all. Instead, he studied the surroundings. “Is this your house too?”
An Yize nodded his head.
As Su Jian lit the torch to burn all the rich men in his heart, he explored the vicinity with interest with An Yize following behind him.
Su Jian was stunned to find items that obviously belonged to a female in the bathroom. Then, he looked at An Yize jokingly. “So this is a magnificent house to hold your beloved woman!”
An Yize was silent for a moment. He said honestly, “Ah Yan had once lived here for a period of time, so there is still some of her stuff here.” After his failed proposal, he moved out of here and never came back. Thus, he wasn’t aware that Ji Yan had left some of her items here.
Su Jian felt that it was no longer interesting when An Yize admitted to it so frankly. He thought for a moment and asked, “I remember you telling me that you would talk to me about you and Ji Yan when the time’s right. Is this the right time?”
An Yize looked into his eyes. “Yes.”
The two of them sat on the sofa in the living room. Su Jian perked up his ears with interest while An Yize was very calm. “In the past, it’s true that I liked Ah Yan a lot, and for many years. But she had someone she was interested in and didn’t see me that way. Hence, when I proposed to her, she rejected me.”
Su Jian widened his eyes. “That’s all?”
An Yize continued, “After that, I met you.”
Su Jian held his chin. If that’s the case, then An Yize’s fake marriage was actually a revenge against Queen Ji? Su Jian gave An Yize a glance and cursed silently in his heart: An Yize oh An Yize, so you could actually do something so childish like a middle school student!
Recalling the fact that An Yize is well liked by many girls but he was rejected by the only girl he liked, Su Jian felt that heaven was still considered fair and his mood couldn’t help but improve. He asked An Yize, “From the looks of it, it seems like Queen Ji is truly regretting. Are you not considering?”
An Yize replied, “We can’t restart our lives.”
Su Jian’s mouth twitched. “Are you not afraid that you will regret in the future?”
An Yize looked at him. “Do you have no confidence in yourself?”
“Of course I do…” As he spoke, Su Jian came back to his senses. “How does this got to do with me?”
An Yize replied, “Because, you’re the one that will be with me in the future.”
Being stared at by An Yize as he said those romantic lines, Su Jian felt his face redden again. Acting natural, he stood up and walked towards the window. Opening the window and looking outside, he changed the topic and said, “It’s raining so heavily!”
As the window opened, cold air rushed in through the window. Su Jian couldn’t help but shrink back. An Yize gave one look at Su Jian’s thin clothes and promptly removed his suit jacket.
Su Jian was stunned when Yize put the jacket still warm with body heat onto him. When he turned around inquisitively, he heard An Yize say, “The weather is cold. Don’t get sick.”
Su Jian looked at his clothes and said. “You’re obviously wearing less than me!” After saying so, he began to remove the jacket.
An Yize held down his hand. “I have clothes in the wardrobe. You can wear this first.” After he finished speaking, he turned around and headed towards the bedroom. He opened the wardrobe to find a jacket that was similar to the one he had just taken off.
When he came out into the living room after putting on the jacket, he found Su Jian sitting on the sofa, holding onto Ji Yan’s leftover wine bottle. An Yize went over in a few steps and said with a deep voice, “You’re not allowed to drink.”
I’m just taking a look… Su Jian put down his hand awkwardly. Suddenly, the painful memories that occurred after he was drunk the previous time flashed in his mind and he felt uneasy immediately.
Looking at the time, Su Jian asked An Yize, “Do you intend to sleep here?”
“No.”
“No? But is it okay to leave Queen Ji here alone?”
An Yize looked over and saw the phone that was left on the coffee table by Ji Yan. He took it up immediately. Searching the contacts, he gave Ji Yan’s manager a call.
Putting down the phone, he said to Su Jian, “Ah Yan’s manager said that she’s coming over. When she arrives, we will return home.”
Su Jian nodded his head. As his eyes swiped pass the wine bottle on the coffee table, he sighed. To be honest, both of us got drunk. Queen Ji wished to go crazy but it didn’t happen. However, he hadn’t wished to go crazy previously but his craziness went to the extreme. Life is really unpredictable!
After they waited for a while, Ji Yan’s manager arrived in a hurry. An Yize said, “Ah Yan is drunk. Let her rest here for a night. She has the key.” After he finished speaking, he held Su Jian’s hand and headed towards the door.
Su Jian said jokingly, “Look, even your mistress has the keys while I, the official wife, don’t have a set.”
“I don’t live here most of the time. “An Yize looked at Su Jian and said, “Tomorrow, I will find someone to sell it.”
Su Jian was stunned. “You’re selling it?”
“Yes.” An Yize nodded his head. “I won’t be living here in the future. I think it would be better to sell it.”
The two of them took the lift and went down. Su Jian said, “Oh right, the chauffeur is still waiting for me. I won’t be following you. You can drive back yourself!”
An Yize gave him a glance. Without replying to him, he took his phone out directly and gave the chauffeur a call. “Yes, you can go back first. Jian Jian is with me, I will bring her back.”
Su Jian: “……”
……
After the two of them left, Ji Yan’s manager came to the living room to check on Ji Yan. The manager was still worried even after giving Ji Yan a simply tidy up. Thus, she decided to rest here for the night.
However, Ji Yan had taken the guest room. She couldn’t use the master room and the study room didn’t have a bed. Therefore, she could only lie down on the sofa.
The house finally quieted down and only the soft rain outside the window could be heard.
In the silent darkness, the person on the bed slowly opened her eyes.