Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Someone broke their promise.

Outside the window, the sun gradually sank westward; the bright, splendid sun of the morning had turned into a heavy, setting glow.

But Li Yanchuan still hadn't seen the elder who had promised to take him away.

Whether he couldn't bear to watch any longer or had something else in mind, eventually it was Li Yi, who had been waiting with him, who spoke first, telling him to go home and continue waiting.

The agreed meeting place was a restaurant; staying too long would draw attention and hurt their business. He promised he'd contact Old Zhuang and explain.

But even after night had completely fallen and a whole new day had gone by, Li Yanchuan still hadn't seen him.

The next day, Li Yi told him that Old Zhuang and his family had already flown back abroad, and he showed him the plane tickets as proof.

When he heard this, the young Li Yanchuan neither cried nor made a fuss; he simply lowered his head in silence and calmly accepted the fact.

This was the first time he experienced the disappointment of being let down, and the first time he knew what it felt like to be deceived.

He had even speculated that maybe Old Zhuang had urgent matters to attend to and would call him later.

But a month passed, three months, and even half a year, and no overseas phone call ever came to the house.

Old Zhuang could have simply not made any promises to him; even the sadness of parting would have been easier to accept than this deception.

The first time he felt warmth, only to realize when immersed in it that it was all fake—like beautiful bubbles that burst at the slightest touch.

For the young Li Yanchuan, this sense of loss was a memory he could never forget.

Even as he grew up and developed a heart as tough as steel and impervious to harm, he still couldn't forget this matter.

This small incident was like a tiny thorn that lodged itself in his heart; no matter how the flesh healed around it, the fact of its existence could not be erased.

After Old Zhuang left, Li Yi constantly whispered hints in Li Yanchuan's ear, revealing half-truths, saying he didn't like the Li family, and by extension, didn't like Li Yanchuan himself.

It was only out of respect for his daughter that he came to see this so-called grandson.

All that closeness and care was just an act.

After hearing this kind of talk for a long time, the child at that age began to believe it, stubbornly refusing to reach out to Old Zhuang on his own.

As time passed, the two never saw each other again, completely losing contact.

Although as an adult he had occasionally doubted the truth of Li Yi's words, the broken promise and the subsequent silence were real and couldn't be denied.

In that case, the truth or falsehood of the rest no longer mattered.

With his high self-esteem, he naturally couldn't bring himself to go find Old Zhuang and ask him face-to-face why he hadn't taken him away back then.

His resentment toward Old Zhuang mainly stemmed from that broken promise.

And the subsequent silence.

After hearing this, Song Nian lowered his eyes and grew thoughtful.

From the outside, he felt that maybe Li Yanchuan wasn't actually disgusted.

Rather, he was missing.

Missing that fleeting warmth that slipped away like sand through his fingers.

But he didn't say that; instead, he simply comforted the man in his arms.

"I didn't know about your relationship with Old Zhuang at first; I thought his last name was Zhang, otherwise I wouldn't have agreed to let him come to the house to see Rookie."

He blinked slowly, his lashes fluttering gently, explaining calmly.

"If you don't want to see him, let me take care of it, okay? I'll talk to him for you and find out what he wants."

Although there's no doubt that Old Zhuang is a good elder to the protagonist, it's still uncertain how he truly feels about Li Yanchuan.

If he really hurt Li Yanchuan, or if he has some other agenda like the rest of the Li family, then even as an elder, he can't expect Song Nian to hold back.

Song Nian made a silent vow.

"...Okay."

The person buried against his chest remained silent for a long time; only after a long while did he reply in a voice barely above a whisper.

He really didn't want to face Old Zhuang. After so many years, he himself couldn't tell whether it was unwillingness or fear.

Having finally let out what had been weighing on his heart for years, Li Yanchuan felt much of his pent-up tension dissipate.

The tip of his nose lingered with Song Nian's unique scent—fresh and clean, as if carrying a calming magic that made him involuntarily want to indulge in it.

His arm around Song Nian's waist suddenly tightened.

The unexpected force made Song Nian lose his balance and lean forward; fortunately, he managed to brace one knee against the wheelchair, preventing himself from falling entirely onto Li Yanchuan.

But Li Yanchuan showed no intention of letting go; instead, he pulled the person closer and tighter.

The tip of his nose lightly pressed against the exposed skin of Song Nian's neck, teasingly close, as if savoring the scent the other carried.

He nuzzled gently, the top of his head tickling the hollow of Song Nian's neck.

He looked just like a big dog.

Song Nian couldn't help but think, wrapping his arms around his broad shoulders.

The tension and hostility in the air gradually dissipated, replaced by a warm and intimate vibe.

Rookie, being especially sensitive to the mood, poked his head out of his den, looked around, and realizing there was no danger, trotted over on his little legs to Li Yanchuan's feet.

The two of them, who had been embracing in silence, finally snapped out of it and let go of each other.

Song Nian laughed and patted Rookie's head. Just as he was about to stand up and put his foot down, a sharp, pins-and-needles sensation shot up from his sole like an electric shock, instantly numbing his entire leg.

—My foot's asleep QAQ!

On the verge of tears, he could only stand on one foot, flailing his arms like flapping wings to maintain balance.

"What's wrong with you?"

Amused by the comical sight before him, Li Yanchuan couldn't help but laugh.

The heavy atmosphere was broken, and a crack finally appeared in his serious expression.

Perhaps happiness is always built on others' misery; Song Nian wanted to cry but had no

It must've been from kneeling in the wheelchair too long, so his blood wasn't flowing well.

He tried to put his foot down, but a sharp pain immediately shot through, so he had to keep his leg suspended and didn't dare move.

He kept lowering and lifting it for a while, but the numbness still wouldn't go away.

Seeing this, Li Yanchuan let out a low chuckle, pulled him over, and settled him sideways on his lap.

His next move caught Song Nian completely off guard.

Seeing him slowly lift Song Nian's leg, and with a gentle yet strong palm, he started massaging his calf.

Suddenly having his calf grasped, Song Nian was stunned and wanted to stop him, but was held back.

Even through the fabric, he could still feel the warmth of that broad palm.

It was a bit cool but not biting; if he focused, he could detect a hint of barely noticeable warmth.

His hand was large, large enough to grasp the ankle in a firm grip; the bulging veins and smooth muscle lines showed that this hand also had the strength to pull someone back.

The soft flesh of the relaxed calf was completely squeezed, with a bit spilling out between his long, slender fingers.

For a moment, Song Nian didn't know whether to be more shocked about sitting on Li Yanchuan's lap or about him actively massaging his leg, his face suddenly flushed red, and he stammered:

“H-Honey, don't—”

“Feeling better?”

But Li Yanchuan didn't think much of such an action; he lowered his sharp eyes gently, his gaze and attention focused on the person's leg, with a patience he reserved for no one else to knead carefully.

“M-Much better, I'll get up right now!”

The discomfort eased quite a bit; before the pins and needles were completely gone, Song Nian hurriedly tried to stand up.

But before he could stand, he was pulled back to sit down.

As if to be completely nailed to the person's lap, he turned his head stiffly and met the man's gaze directly.

Their eyes met; after a moment of silence, he slowly blinked and asked in a low voice:

“Like this, don't you mind it?”

Given Li Yanchuan's personality—he even resents curious looks from others—yet he let Song Nian sit on his lap.

And he was the one who initiated it, more than once.

Li Yanchuan's gaze came straight at him, full of gravity and earnestness:

“With you, I don't mind it.”

The reply hit Song Nian's heart like an unexpected fastball, making him embarrassed; he awkwardly scratched his cheek and averted his gaze.

It sounded like a confession; it made him so shy.

He couldn't help thinking to himself.

He couldn't believe that if Li Yanchuan stood up and gave him a princess carry with that perfect body, what a tense and masculine picture it would be.

Broad chest, strong arms, handsome features right there...

Just imagining that scene made Song Nian's face turn red.

“What are you thinking about?”

Seeing his cheeks getting redder, Li Yanchuan asked in confusion.

“Nothing!”

Feeling guilty, like a thief, Song Nian instinctively raised his voice, which only made him more obvious.

“I-I'll get you a glass of water!”

As if making a run for it, he jumped out of his arms and rushed straight to the coffee table.

He was in such a rush that he even tripped over Rookie.

The weight in his arms suddenly lightened, leaving a hollow feeling; he felt an unexplained emptiness.

Recalling the touch of the palm just now, Li Yanchuan lowered his head to look at his loosely closed hand, his expression darkening.

That person's waist was thin and delicate, as if two hands could completely encircle it, but the calf was soft.

Of course, there were a few other spots that were a bit more fleshy.

Even so, his entire body weight wasn't heavy; in total, there wasn't much flesh, and even though he could barely feel his own legs, he knew Song Nian wasn't heavy.

If he could stand up, he could probably lift him with one hand.

But unfortunately...

Thinking of this, Li Yanchuan lowered his eyes to stare at his legs, a turmoil of emotions swirling in his eyes.

If he could really succeed in standing up, the first thing he wanted to do was not to appear proudly in public to announce it, nor anything else.

But to scoop Song Nian up in his arms and hug him tightly.

Meanwhile, Song Nian was completely unaware; standing by the coffee table waiting for his face to cool down, he then patted his cheeks to force himself to calm down and picked up the water glass.

When he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a bouquet of flowers on the counter.

A large bouquet of roses showed a light pink color, bright yet understated, wrapped in elaborate paper, blooming brilliantly and emitting a rich fragrance.

It was clearly specially ordered.

Why would he order a bouquet out of the blue?

Such beautiful flowers—who are they for? Or who sent them?

Just thinking that it might be from someone else, he felt inexplicably annoyed.

As Song Nian was pondering, Li Yanchuan slowly wheeled himself forward.

“The flowers are for you, congratulations on wrapping today.”

As if reading the person's guessing gaze, he said as he picked up the bouquet and placed it into Song Nian's arms.

He tried to sound casual, but in reality, he had put a lot of thought into it.

After asking Qi Ze and learning that an actor's wrap is a big deal and often celebrated, he spent a whole day carefully selecting the right bouquet.

He had originally wanted to give it to him as soon as he arrived home, but then he learned that someone else would be coming over, so he left it on the counter, planning to give it later.

After what had just happened, it was further delayed.

It was actually for me?

Never having expected Li Yanchuan to be so thoughtful, Song Nian felt his displeasure instantly vanish. His eyes suddenly lit up, filled with stars.

"Thank you! I love it!"

He carefully cradled the flowers, bent down, and took a deep sniff of their fragrance, his face brimming with joy.

As if he had received a priceless treasure.

Later, he meticulously transplanted the flowers into the garden, where they grew into everlasting blooms, taking root in the soil.

Like the bond between them—always vivid and full of life.

————

About Old Zhuang's situation, Song Nian took the time to call him specifically to arrange a meeting to discuss it in detail.

The meeting was set in a private room at a tea house, which was very private.

When Song Nian arrived alone, Old Zhuang was already waiting in the room.