Chapter 43
After touring Yan Sui's studio, the two went out for dinner.
The weather was cold, but the lamb hotpot restaurant was very warm.
White mist rose from the copper pot, and the meat slices and vegetables were crowded together in the pot.
Yan Sui picked up a slice of lamb, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the wristwatch on Yu Li's left hand.
His movements paused, and he narrowed his eyes to take a closer look.
The wristwatch was hidden in the sleeve, occasionally peeking out with the movement, and the tiny blue rhinestone fish reflected the light, like real fish scales shimmering at the bottom of the sea.
Yan Sui ate the meat, lost in thought.
He was not someone who couldn't appreciate good quality. Although the wristwatch had no brand logo, he could tell that the materials were expensive, and it was likely a custom-made piece.
He knew about Yu Li's family conditions, so this watch could only have been given by someone else, and that person must be in good economic conditions and quite thoughtful.
Yan Sui didn't say anything directly.
After finishing the hot pot, as they walked out of the restaurant and were hit by the cold air, he asked, "Yu Li, are you dating someone?"
Yu Li stopped in his tracks, surprised, and turned to look at Yan Sui.
"How did you know..." He paused, feeling the wristwatch in his jacket sleeve, and nodded, "Yes."
Yan Sui smiled, "You little scoundrel, you didn't even tell me that you're dating someone. How long have you been together?"
Yu Li touched his earlobe, "Half a month, I wanted to wait a while before saying anything."
Although he had been married to Yan Shiting for more than two months, they had only officially been together for half a month.
"Oh—" Yan Sui drawled, "I see, you wanted to wait until the relationship was more stable before saying anything, right?"
He patted Yu Li's shoulder and said, "I also waited until Changke and I had our feelings confirmed before deciding to tell you guys. I can understand."
Looking at Yan Sui's smile, Yu Li also smiled a little, but he had some hesitation in his heart.
Now was not the right time to openly tell Yan Sui, but he could perhaps lay the groundwork in advance.
Thinking about this, Yu Li bit his lip and said, "Yan Sui, there's actually another reason I didn't say anything."
"It's that... my partner is a man."
He was a little anxious, after all, Yan Sui was a straight man, and he was worried whether he would be able to accept that his best friend was a homosexual.
However, to his surprise, Yan Sui did not have the slightest rejection, only a slight surprise, and said, "What's wrong with a man? Don't worry, I’m not the kind of person who discriminates against homosexuals."
His words were natural, and Yu Li's anxious heart slowly calmed down.
"Thank you, Yan Sui."
As they spoke, Yan family's car had already stopped by the roadside.
"There's no need to thank me." Yan Sui then casually said, "Come on, I'll give you a ride home."
Yu Li stood in place without moving, "I have someone coming to pick me up."
Just now during dinner, Yan Shiting had sent a message saying he was waiting on the next street.
Yan Sui smiled, "I see, then I'll be going first."
"I'll be waiting for you and your boyfriend to treat me to a meal one day."
Yu Li waved with a smile, "Okay."
The Yan family's car soon disappeared around the street corner.
Yu Li then stepped forward and headed towards the location Yan Shiting had sent.
By the time he arrived at the Wanting parking lot, it was already 8 o'clock in the evening.
On the way back, Yu Li reclined his seat and took a nap. When the car stopped, his limbs were a little numb from sleeping, so he lazily clung to Yan Shiting's back as he was carried into the elevator.
Hugging Yan Shiting's neck, he said, "Yan Sui said he's waiting for the day when we treat him to a meal."
Yan Shiting stood upright, supporting Yu Li's thigh with one hand and pressing the elevator button with the other, "Did you tell him?"
Yu Li, still drowsy, rested his head on Yan Shiting's shoulder and shook his head, "I just told him I have a boyfriend."
"I'll tell him about our relationship in a while."
The soft hair brushed against the neck as he shook his head.
Yan Shiting turned his head, as if wanting to look at him, but due to the posture, he couldn't see him.
He could only turn his head back and, reflected in the elevator's metal wall, look at the person on his back, "Okay."
The elevator soon reached the floor.
Inside the apartment, Yu Li's head cleared up a bit as he got down from Yan Shiting's back.
He looked at Yan Shiting, who was bending down to get the slippers, and suddenly asked, "Brother, have you ever thought about finding a matching partner to marry?"
Yan Shiting's hand paused, straightening up and looking at him, "No."
He lowered his gaze, and there was an emotion in his eyes that Yu Li couldn't understand, "Before I met you, marriage was not part of my original life plan."
Yu Li felt his heart suddenly beating faster.
He opened his eyes wide, staring blankly at Yan Shiting.
He suddenly thought that if he hadn't gotten pregnant, he wouldn't have had the chance to marry Yan Shiting, let alone develop feelings for each other like now.
Yan Shiting then asked, "Where did you hear something like that?"
Otherwise, why would he suddenly ask this.
Yu Li snapped out of it and shook his head, "I just feel that I can't become someone like you, can't be as successful as you."
Before liking him, or rather, even earlier, before being afraid, he had also admired Yan Shiting.
In those magazines and financial reports, he had learned about Yan Shiting, the honorary alumnus of Y University and the successful entrepreneur.
Yu Li had once wished that he could also become such a person.
But...
Yu Li frowned, his gaze confused, "Now I don't even know what I want to do."
What he cared about was not that he and Yan Shiting didn't match, but that he himself was still confused and accomplished nothing. In the long run, in others' eyes, he would just be "relying" on Yan Shiting.
He wanted to be very successful in at least one area, so that when he stood next to Yan Shiting, they would be more "well-matched."
Yan Shiting stroked his face, "You just need to be yourself."
No need to become someone like him.
Yu Li fell silent.
Yan Shiting crouched down, changed his slippers, and led him to the floor-to-ceiling window, sitting down on the rocking chair.
"If you can't think of what you want to do right now, why not think about what you haven't done yet."
Yu Li gradually regained his composure and carefully thought about it following his words.
"Haven't you gotten your driver's license yet?"
Otherwise, the car Dr. Yan gave him would just be left to gather dust in the parking lot.
"Mm." Yan Shiting patiently said, "You can go take the test after giving birth to the child. Anything else? Like things you've always wanted to do but haven't, or things you've always liked."
His patient guiding voice was particularly soothing.
Yu Li forgot what had been depressing him just now, and just followed his train of thought:
"Something I've always wanted to do but haven't... I've always wanted to go to an amusement park, but I've never had the chance."
Amusement park, for Yu Li, was a place that only existed on TV and in books.
When he was very young, he would secretly long for this place in his heart, but facing his busy parents, he didn't have the courage to ask to go to the amusement park.
"And something I like... " Yu Li felt a little embarrassed, "I like studying and learning, I like the feeling of gaining new knowledge."
When he was small, Yu Li would always chase after the neighbors' older siblings, wanting to go to school with them.
When he started school, he did well and was obedient, often praised by teachers and parents, so he felt that learning was a very happy thing.
Later, after his father passed away, he went to junior high and became more introverted. His classmates were unwilling to play with him, so he could only find some meaning of existence in studying, which made him feel calm.
As long as he could learn something new, he would feel that he was not so empty and incapable, so he just wanted to keep studying.
Yan Shiting listened quietly, and after Yu Li slowly talked about the past, he said, "Then do you want to continue your studies? Go for a postgraduate degree, a doctorate, do scientific research."
"Don't consider any other conditions, just think about your own wishes."
Yu Li pressed his lips together and fell silent again.
After rejecting the opportunity to take the postgraduate entrance exam last semester, he had actually felt a pang of regret for a moment.
It was just that later, when he thought about the family's situation, he had simply brushed aside that feeling of regret.
Now, Yan Shiting said to just consider his own wishes.
Yu Li's gaze struggled.
Yan Shiting did not urge him, hugging Yu Li and stroking his hair.
After a long while, the Yu Li in his arms softly said a word, "Want."
He wanted to do scientific research, wanted to become better and better at the "learning" he loved.
This way, he could stand beside Yan Shiting as he had wished.
Yan Shiting lowered his gaze and looked into Yu Li's eyes.
His gaze was calm and gentle, his voice carrying the ability to give comfort, "Then prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam next year, and leave the rest to me."
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