Volume Ten: Those Few Years After She and I Broke Up
Extra Chapter: Do you know the area of this island?
After the Golden Eagle Awards Ceremony1, the most famous person wasn’t the award winner, but rather the one from the “marriage proposal ceremony” who had completely and cleanly stolen the evening’s limelight.
Film Queen You Jiayi had proposed marriage at the same time she won her award, embracing and returning with the beauty2, which drew a flood of congratulations and blessings from the vast audience.
Informed sources also revealed that You Jiayi had been preparing to propose to President Xu for a long time. During the recording of the show 《Heartbeat Once More》,3 You Jiayi had bought that red diamond ring worth over a million. It had cost all of her savings at the time, all just to win a beauty’s smile.4
Because of this grand and sincere marriage proposal, everyone once again believed in “love.”
After Wen Nuan finished accompanying You Jiayi on the set of 《Wind and Rain》, she was bombarded by Grandpa Xu’s chain of life-taking calls5, demanding that she bring You Jiayi back to the Xu family’s old residence.
An Audi drove along the island loop road. The gentle sea breeze made one’s heart and soul ripple.
But only Wen Nuan was rippling; You Jiayi was so nervous she could barely function.
“Don’t be afraid. Did a single meeting with the family elders scare you this badly?” Wen Nuan touched You Jiayi’s hand. Its palm was slick with sweat.
She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, saying, “No matter what, you’ve passed through ten worlds with me. Where’s all that courage you used to have when you acted wild with me?”
You Jiayi pouted. “This is different. They’re your elders, people of high virtue and heavy prestige. One cannot be rash6. We have to be more respectful to our elders.”
“Why would Grandpa ask you to bring me back to the old residence?”
Wen Nuan thought for a moment. “To recognize ancestors and return to the clan.”7
“Recognize ancestors and return to the clan?” You Jiayi let out an “ah.” “Is it that grand?”
“Of course,” Wen Nuan said, touching You Jiayi’s chin. “We’re going to get married, so you naturally have to be entered into my family’s genealogy book.”
“Besides, my parents are back too, so this is a good chance to meet everyone.”
In this mission world, the original body’s parents rarely appeared. They were all work-crazies8. Theirs was a marriage of family alliance, so the two of them had no emotional foundation. After giving birth to Wen Nuan, they threw her to Grandpa Xu and went their separate ways to manage their overseas careers.
Now, hearing that their daughter was getting married—such a major event—made them immediately take time out of their schedules to return to the country.
You Jiayi took a deep breath. “Can we stop the car and rest for a bit?”
“I need to slow down.”
Seeing her growing even more nervous, Wen Nuan smiled and parked the car in a jungle at the entrance of the mountain road.
She unbuckled her seatbelt and wiped the sweat from You Jiayi’s forehead. “What are you afraid of? I’m here for you, no matter what.”
“I’m just worried I won’t do well enough and will disappoint your family.” The panic and unease in You Jiayi’s eyes made Wen Nuan’s heart ache.
She hugged her, stroking her smooth back and comforting her gently. “No, you’re doing great. Grandpa really likes you. Even my parents are eager to meet you.”
“Really?” You Jiayi looked at Wen Nuan with anticipation.
Wen Nuan nodded solemnly. “Of course.”
You Jiayi let out a long sigh of relief. “Then… then that’s good.”
“Let’s get back on the road, then,” Wen Nuan said, glancing at the time. “It’s only another half hour to the old residence.”
You Jiayi didn’t answer. Instead, she looked around and made an off-tune9 comment. “It’s so quiet here, huh?”
“This Shangquan Island is our Xu family’s property. Except for the tourist season in July and August when it’s opened for visitors to come and play, people outside the Xu family normally aren’t allowed on the island.”
Wen Nuan then pointed to the mountain forest in the distance. “The Xu family’s old residence is on Ruquan Mountain. It was built using the entire mountaintop. During the tourist season, Ruquan Mountain is usually closed off to prohibit tourists from coming up.”
You Jiayi blinked. “No wonder ours was the only car on the road, and there were so few people on the island.”
It was currently June, so Shangquan Island wasn’t open yet. The people on the island were basically either relatives of the Xu family or their employees.
“Mhm, it’s a perfect opportunity for me to show you all around Shangquan Island these next few days.” Wen Nuan stroked You Jiayi’s hair. “There are tons of fun things to do on this island.”
Shangquan Island was a 5A-level scenic area10 praised as the “Penglai Immortal Island,”11 and it was one of the ten most beautiful islands in the world.
The scenery was beautiful, with ten thousand qing of green waves. The vegetation was lush, with numerous and varied species.
The undersea creatures were too numerous to be counted. There were boundless beaches with fine, soft white sand and coral reefs of diverse colors. At night, there was even a fluorescent beach.
“Mm,” You Jiayi said with a smile. “Let’s go. I’m feeling better now.”
“If you’re still not comfortable, we can stay a little longer.”
The place they had parked was a dead-end road. The vegetation was lush, covering the sky and blocking the sun12. A gentle breeze blew through the gaps in the leaves, carrying the fresh scent of gardenias, which made one’s heart open and spirit happy.
You Jiayi didn’t want to delay the meeting with the family elders because of her own issues. She took a few deep breaths, then slowly exhaled. “I’m fine. I’ve recovered. Let’s go.”
Wen Nuan propped one hand on the steering wheel, watching You Jiayi take deep breaths.
Today, she was wearing a spaghetti-strap floral dress with a floor-length chiffon blouse as an outer layer. But because it was too hot on the road, she’d taken it off, leaving only the v-neck spaghetti-strap dress.
You Jiayi’s skin was already fair, and after being touched by the sun, her shoulders were a tender pink.
With the few deep breaths she took just now, the rise and fall of her chest caused a flash of heat in Wen Nuan’s eyes.
Last night’s little scuffle couldn’t satisfy Wen Nuan at all. Because You Jiayi had to meet her parents the next day, she had refused to let her continue, no matter what.
And this morning, she had even dressed up specially. She was so beautiful that it made Wen Nuan’s heart feel like a restless ape and her mind like a galloping horse13. The small flame in her heart rose with a swishing sound.14
“No rush,” Wen Nuan said with deep meaning. “You’re not nervous anymore. On the contrary, I’m starting to feel a little nervous.”
“What are you nervous about?” You Jiayi asked, puzzled.
Wen Nuan’s hand found a button and quietly pressed it. “My heart is pounding right now, my breathing is rapid, and my chest feels terribly stuffy.”
As soon as You Jiayi heard this, she didn’t notice her seat was being lowered. She leaned over nervously. “Is it that serious? Is it heatstroke? Should we go to the hospital?”
“No need,” Wen Nuan said, taking her hand. “It’ll be enough if you just help me.”
“How can I help you?” You Jiayi asked, looking at the already reclined seat. “You’re…”
She looked up and abruptly met Wen Nuan’s gaze, which was even hotter than the sun. She instantly understood the profound mystery within her earlier words.
“Wen… Wen Nuan, we still have to go meet…” You Jiayi tried to persuade Wen Nuan to return to her senses.
Unfortunately, Wen Nuan was not being a person.15
“No rush,” Wen Nuan said, pushing her down with a serious face and kissing her anxiously. “First, let’s do proper business.”16
You Jiayi: “…”
How can this kind of thing be counted as proper business!?
Her internal protest was ultimately smothered at her lips by Wen Nuan. From beginning to end, she couldn’t even speak a single complete sentence.
The Xu family’s original intention in wanting to see You Jiayi was to see which warrior had managed to subdue their family’s Great Demon King.17
They were waiting in the old residence early on. Grandpa Xu looked at the WeChat18 message on his phone, tapped the table, and said, “Xu Jie, go down the mountain and take a look. An hour ago, Wen Nuan said her car had a flat tire and was stopped halfway up the mountain. She still hasn’t arrived, so go help her out.”
An hour ago, Grandpa Xu had received a WeChat from Wen Nuan saying the car had a flat tire. He had wanted to send someone to pick them up, but Wen Nuan said there was no need; she could just change the tire and would be fine in a little while.
As it turned out, that “little while” became an hour.
Just as Xu Jie was about to head out, he heard a car screech to a halt at the entrance. Then, everyone heard an angry roar from the gate.
“It’s all your fault! We’re late!”
“Hey, hey, hey, slow down! Look, you’ve fallen!”
“Isn’t that still your fault? I already said I didn’t want it anymore, but you still continued! Ai… put me down, I can walk by myself!”
“Your legs are trembling19. What can you possibly do?”
“For the elders to see us like this, what kind of propriety is that?! Put me down, Wen Nuan!”
That shout of “Wen Nuan” was sonorous and forceful, making everyone in the old residence tremble slightly.
The structure of the old residence was very special. Even though the main gate was clearly far from the main hall, the building’s layout could effectively transmit all sounds inside.
As Wen Nuan and You Jiayi walked from the main gate to the corridor, the sound of their argument gradually faded.
Everyone exchanged glances, then looked in unison at Grandpa Xu and Wen Nuan’s parents, who were sitting to the side.
Wen Nuan pulled You Jiayi into the main hall. Looking at the uncles, maternal aunts, paternal younger uncles’ wives, and paternal aunts present, she smiled. “Good noon. Has everyone eaten?”
Everyone looked at the floral spaghetti-strap dress she was wearing. The little dress, originally gentle and charming, was forcefully worn by Wen Nuan with an “I, your father,20 am just this cold and cruel” kind of posture.
And You Jiayi, next to her, was in a white shirt and black pants, looking clean and neat. The first button of her shirt was fastened very tightly, giving her an air of profoundness and seriousness, like a good child from a respectable family.
It was just that they faintly felt it would probably be better if the two had swapped clothing styles.
Afraid the elders would notice something was wrong, You Jiayi endured the discomfort in her legs and respectfully greeted them one by one. In the process, she received a pile of red envelopes and gifts, so many that she couldn’t hold them all with both hands.
Grandpa Xu had always been very satisfied with You Jiayi. He gave her a box containing a jadeite bracelet of extremely fine quality and a set of exquisite, grand golden head ornaments.
Father Xu said he didn’t have much to offer. After years in archaeology, he didn’t have any presentable precious objects, so he could only give You Jiayi a cloisonné vase with a copper body21 that he had treasured for the past few years.
Mother Xu was even more direct. She gave You Jiayi a check for one hundred million, telling her to spend it however she pleased.
The “meet and greet session” kept them busy from noon until night. The two of them were like newlyweds, going to each person to toast and talk. You Jiayi’s alcohol tolerance was average, so Wen Nuan blocked most of the drinks for her. By the end of it all, she was a bit unconscious of human affairs.22
You Jiayi pulled the already-drunk Wen Nuan, whose entire body was draped over her. She half-dragged, half-pulled Wen Nuan back to their room.
She laid Wen Nuan down on the bed. Just as she was about to get up and fetch a wet towel to wipe her down, her wrist was grabbed and pulled fiercely.
The sky spun and the earth turned.
You Jiayi looked up at Wen Nuan, whose face and eyes were red from drinking. “What’s wrong?”
She touched her forehead; it was a little hot. “Are you feeling unwell?”
Wen Nuan leaned down, rubbing against her. “No, I don’t feel unwell.”
Seeing her acting spoiled, You Jiayi couldn’t help but laugh. “Then what are you doing now? I’m going to get a towel to wipe you down.”
“You find me dirty?”
Her voice was low and hoarse, and her hot breath dyed You Jiayi’s earlobe red.
You Jiayi turned her head and kissed her cheek. “I don’t find you dirty. I don’t even have enough time to like you.”
Wen Nuan laughed foolishly. “So good.”
She hugged You Jiayi tightly and sighed with feeling again. “So good.”
After passing through a hundred lifetimes to obtain this good person, she was long since satisfied in her heart and content in her mind.23
At this moment, her empty heart was filled, and inside it was entirely the person before her eyes.
You Jiayi understood. She rubbed Wen Nuan’s hair. “Mm, I also think it’s very good.”
“But…” she said, pressing down on a certain person’s restless hand, “…you have to accept your punishment.”
The touched feeling in Wen Nuan’s heart dissipated. She asked aggrievedly, “Why?”
You Jiayi narrowed her eyes. “You tell me.”
“You can’t blame me for that. Who told you to provoke me?” Wen Nuan muttered.
“Who provoked you?” The moment You Jiayi brought up the incident in the car, she became shy and annoyed.
Her fingertip pressed against Wen Nuan’s head, which was trying to move downward. “Who was it that reclined my seat?”
Mm, it was her.
“Who was it that locked the car doors and wouldn’t let me out?”
It was still her.
“Who was it that kept messing around recklessly even after I said I didn’t want it anymore?”
It was still her.
“Who was it that came again and again, causing me to be late?”
It was still her.
You Jiayi watched as Wen Nuan turned her head as if nothing had happened. She wrenched it back to face her and said in a vicious tone, “Do you know you were wrong?”
Wen Nuan blinked her eyes, her eyebrows drooped. “You’re being fierce to me?” she asked, aggrieved.
“…” You Jiayi couldn’t bear to see Wen Nuan like this. Every time she looked at her so pitifully, she would be so charmed by Wen Nuan that she would forget herself.
But in order to teach Wen Nuan a stern lesson this time, You Jiayi told herself she had to harden her heart.
“I’m telling you, it’s useless. Your behavior was very malicious this time, and you must accept your punishment.”
“What punishment?”
You Jiayi said cruelly, “For every day that we stay in the old residence, you are not allowed to touch me.”
Wen Nuan: “…”
“That cruel?”
You Jiayi refused to look at Wen Nuan’s aggrieved-looking expression and said through gritted teeth, “Mhm.”
Wen Nuan sighed. “Alright then. I’ll listen to you. I’ll correct my mistakes now that I know them.”
She rolled over and looked out the floor-to-ceiling window, then suddenly said, “Jiayi, do you know how big Shangquan Island is?”
You Jiayi thought Wen Nuan was just making conversation about the scenery. “How big is it?”
“Approximately 13.6 square kilometers.”
“That’s so big,” You Jiayi said, confused. “Why are you suddenly talking about the island’s area?”
Wen Nuan turned her head to look at her, a strange smile on her face. “Do you want to personally experience the area of this island?”
You Jiayi was puzzled. “How would I experience it?”
Wen Nuan didn’t answer her. She just gently stroked her face with a tender gaze, then turned over and went to sleep.
It wasn’t until later that Wen Nuan abided by the punishment You Jiayi had set, and also let You Jiayi deeply understand what she had meant by “personally experience”!
That is, on this island, in every unique scenic area, her soundless sobs and bitter pleas for mercy were left behind.
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