Chapter 56 The Leaf Floats Back

Chapter 56 The Leaf Floats Back

Chen Wan's heart skipped a beat at that moment.

Though the sea was far behind him, it felt as if he was being pulled back into the abyss.

He momentarily lost all thought and consciousness, yet it felt like he was without his medicine.

As Chen Wan stayed silent, Zhao Shengge grew increasingly nervous, as if he was back in the dangerous, hunted situation on the exploration ship.

But this time, it was Chen Wan holding the gun.

Soon, Zhao Shengge heard Chen Wan say—

"Sorry."

Zhao Shengge clenched his fist.

Chen Wan gave a bitter smile. "I do like you."

Zhao Shengge felt relieved, but then Chen Wan spoke again, his voice low and calm. "I’m sorry. I know you probably don’t trust me at all, but I really have no ulterior motives."

"I won’t bother you again, and this time, I’ll keep my word."

Zhao Shengge frowned, finally understanding.

Chen Wan liked him, but that was it—nothing beyond that.

A sharp, heavy bitterness and dull pain pressed against his heart.

To love someone so deeply that you’d give up your life, yet never reveal it, and see the exposure of that love as a burden.

Zhao Shengge felt it harder to breathe than when Chen Wan had shut the cabin door.

The silence stretched on, making Chen Wan increasingly anxious and unsure.

He steadied himself. "If Mr. Zhao really doesn’t want to see me, I’ll take the boat back alone—"

Zhao Shengge cut him off. "How can you prove it?"

Chen Wan paused, then spoke slowly. "I’ll stay away from anywhere you might be and delete all your contact info. You can have someone verify it," he said, having thought it through thoroughly, as if he could present a detailed plan at any moment. "I’ll request to leave the Baoli Bay project team, and my partner will handle Kexiang matters from now on."

"My name can be removed from research, patents, and roadshow lists."

His tone was calm, as if he’d rehearsed this plan countless times. That’s how unrequited love is—always prepared for exposure.

"If you’re still uneasy, I can leave Haishi."

For Chen Wan, it didn’t matter where he went—anywhere was the same.

His soft voice was like a knife, cutting open his own heart and tearing Zhao Shengge’s apart.

Zhao Shengge stepped closer, his voice low and steady as he repeated, "You like me—how can you prove it?"

Chen Wan hesitated, looking up with confusion in his eyes.

Zhao Shengge stared down at him, his voice icy. "Is even your liking me a lie?"

"No! It's not."

Zhao Shengge said, "Then show me."

Chen Wan looked up in confusion, meeting Zhao Shengge's deep gaze. He pursed his lips, struggling to speak, his voice urgent, "I... I don't know how to prove it."

Because he had never thought of expressing it, nor did he need a result, so there was no need to prove it.

Zhao Shengge leaned slightly closer, almost close enough to feel each other's breath, his gaze locked onto Chen Wan's lip. His voice was low, "Then consider it."

His voice was cold and unyielding, "If you can prove it, I'll believe you."

Chen Wan's heart began to race uncontrollably from this moment. He struggled to keep his composure, but he had buried his feelings for too long. Now that he had to lay his heart bare, he didn't know where to start.

Zhao Shengge waited for a long time, his thumb brushing suggestively against Chen Wan's lip. He leaned even closer, his lips almost touching Chen Wan's, but he left the final move to Chen Wan.

He wanted Chen Wan to confess on his own, to prove it actively, to shatter his own principles that made Zhao Shengge want to explode with anger, and to make a choice.

Chen Wan's body was stiff, his thoughts in disarray. He pondered deeply, then confessed with a hint of defeat, "I don't know."

"..." Zhao Shengge sighed inwardly, his expression softened. He gently touched Chen Wan's face, as if coaxing or urging him, "You don't know?"

He murmured, "You do know."

"Think about it."

Chen Wan's thoughts froze, his face a mix of confusion and shock.

"Reflect deeply," Zhao Shengge suddenly became colder.

His hand was large, strong, and warm. When it touched Chen Wan's lip, it felt like flipping a switch.

Chen Wan's heart trembled, as if receiving some indescribable command and an almost tangible guidance. A wave of desperate courage surged within him, and he tremblingly grasped Zhao Shengge's hand.

Then, he lowered his head and pressed a reverent, solemn kiss to the back of Zhao Shengge's hand, careful not to intrude.

"..."

The kiss was light, brief, like a drifting leaf finding its way back to Zhao Shengge's hand.

Restrained yet direct, reserved yet fervent, pure and solemn.

Zhao Shengge's heart quickened, but he felt that Chen Wan might truly not know how to prove it. So he extended the hand that Chen Wan had kissed, cradled Chen Wan's face, and covered his lips with a deep, forceful kiss. His arm tightened, gripping Chen Wan's waist tightly.

Zhao Shengge completely embraced that lost leaf, embedding it into his heart, thus obtaining a whole, perfect autumn.

Chen Wan's lips were soft, full, and his lip was adorable, incomparable to candy or honey, sweeter than Zhao Shengge had imagined, a thousand times over.

Like some tropical fruit, biting into it would yield rich, sweet juice.

The one being kissed kept his eyes open. Zhao Shengge didn't let go, his large hand gripping the back of Chen Wan's neck, gazing deeply at him, instructing, "At least prove it like this, Chen Wan."

Chen Wan was startled, staring at him as if looking at a deity, unable to regain his composure.

So, the deity kissed him again.

Zhao Shengge's kiss was deep, long, and meticulous.

Chen Wan's heart swelled, nearly overflowing. Every inch of his heart that was soothed by the deity healed, and even his soul was moistened and scalded by the other's lips and tongue. Chen Wan's reddened lips slightly parted, "You... I..."

"Speak," Zhao Shengge said very gentlemanly.

Previously, it had always been Zhao Shengge making the moves and Chen Wan responding. He was too perfect, making it difficult to catch a glimpse of his thoughts and emotions.

What Chen Wan thought, how much he liked him, why he liked him but never considered being with him—Zhao Shengge knew none of it.

Chen Wan took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, and felt both excited and incredulous.

Throughout his long history of unrequited love, he had never had this possibility or the right to choose.

Chen Wan's eyes darkened, filled with a hidden obsession, as he pleaded, "Zhao Shengge, may I pursue you?"

"..." Zhao Shengge remained silent, looking at him strangely.

Chen Wan tried to keep his voice calm and steady, said earnestly, "I really like you, can I try?"

Zhao Shengge still looked at him complexly, as if he didn't understand him.

"I will treat you well, Zhao Shengge, I will strive to be the best person for you," Chen Wan felt that his expression didn't seem willing to agree, and he was anxious. After thinking, he made some false promises without a change in expression, "But I won't disturb you casually, nor will I cling to you."

Zhao Shengge: "..."

"If you think it's not suitable, I will stop immediately, okay?"

No, it's impossible. Once he spoke and crossed this line, he would never let Zhao Shengge go, whether Zhao Shengge would truly fall in love with him or not.

This had been an untouchable line, but Zhao Shengge's questioning had revealed his true self. If he didn't fight for it, he would be sentenced to a life sentence.

Chen Wan had no retreat. Finally, he took the knife and cut off the shackles himself.

But he didn't want to scare Zhao Shengge.

In Zhao Shengge's indulgence and affection for him, he didn't know how much was the aftermath of the bridge effect and gratitude for his bravery.

But this small amount of affection wasn't enough for Chen Wan. As long as there was a chance Zhao Shengge could fall for him, Chen Wan wanted everything, all of Zhao Shengge.

Zhao Shengge wanted to say that there was no need to pursue, but Chen Wan's gaze was too eager and persistent, as if he really liked Zhao Shengge and really wanted to seriously pursue him.

Zhao Shengge wanted to know what it felt like to be favored and pursued by Chen Wan without any concealment. He said, "It probably isn't that serious, right?"

Chen Wan urgently refuted, "It is!"

Zhao Shengge said indifferently, "You never considered pursuing me before."

"Before... it wasn't the right time," Chen Wan said seriously.

Zhao Shengge smiled without commitment, not very convinced.

"I really like you very much," Chen Wan was very serious, as if this was the most important thing in his life, even his brow furrowed. After waiting for a while and still not getting an answer, he stubbornly asked again, "May I pursue you, Zhao Shengge?"

Zhao Shengge didn't speak, just looked at him.

Chen Wan's heart was pounding in his chest, and after not getting a reply for a long time, fine sweat broke out on his forehead, so he mustered the courage to ask again, "Zhao Shengge, may I pursue you?"

Zhao Shengge looked at him for a while, then said, "Yes, but Chen Wan."

Chen Wan's heart, which had just relaxed a bit, immediately tensed up again.

Zhao Shengge said, "One thing at a time, there's something I need to clarify first."

Chen Wan didn't blink, not daring to breathe heavily.

Zhao Shengge said, "I don't want any misunderstandings between us."

"I like you too, Chen Wan."

Chen Wan's mind went blank, and he stood still.

Zhao Shengge repeated very clearly, "I like you."

"Although I haven’t said it before, I care for you more than you can imagine."

Chen Wan's heart experienced a huge shock, his breath hitched, his heartbeat accelerated, and something burst forth from the barren landscape of his heart.

The sea was very blue, like a warm tide, a warm current, rushing into Chen Wan's eyes, threatening to overwhelm him.

"However," Zhao Shengge restrained the impulse to kiss Chen Wan, caressed his face, used some force with his fingers, and said sternly, "This time you really made me very angry. I can't easily say it's okay. This isn’t something I can easily move past."

Those thirty hopeless minutes in the secret warehouse, one thousand eight hundred seconds, Zhao Shengge probably will never forget in his lifetime.

Chen Wan’s thoughts were still muddled, and he had nothing to argue, so he pursed his lips.

Zhao Shengge lifted his chin, looked at him calmly, and said with a cool tone, "You have to put in a lot of effort and sincerity, and then I might consider and agree."

Chen Wan nodded very hard.

Zhao Shengge found him surprisingly compliant, completely different from the paranoid and isolated person in the secret warehouse who made people angry and worried, so he lowered his head and kissed him again.