Chapter 39: An Yize Used To Like Someone
An Yize used to like someone.
A lot.
Ji Mingfei once told him, “Yize, Ji Yan is your predestined calamity.”
An Yize knew this, but everybody had at least one point in their lives where they were obstinate in the face of reality.
The one time in An Yize’s life where he was obstinate in the face of reality was Ji Yan.
……….
An Yize still remembered his first meeting with Ji Yan.
It was at his oldest brother’s birthday banquet. Many guests, including adult and children, attended the banquet. It was very lively.
But that day, he wasn’t happy at all.
That was because he had just fought with his second older brother. He, who wasn’t very good with words, was utterly and completely defeated by his second brother.
The ten-year-old third master An didn’t have his current, strong disposition so he sorrowfully ran into the corner of the garden, hiding his red eyes.
Right at his lowest point, a warm voice rang out: “What’s wrong?”
…….
When An Yize looked up in surprise, a face as beautiful as the voice appeared in his sight.
The thirteen-year-old Ji Yan who had already blossomed into a young lady looked at him with a face full of concern.
An Yize looked at her guardedly. “Who are you?”
Ji Yan crouched lower with a smile and glitters like stars in her eyes.
“My name is Ji Yan.”
…….
Afterwards, An Yize learned from his well-informed second brother of the gentle, older sister’s identity.
Ji Yan was the second miss of the Ji family, but Ji Yan was not related to the Ji family as she came with her mother who had remarried into the Ji family. Then, her last name was changed to Ji.
The Ji family and the An family got along well. So later on, An Yize had many chances to see Ji Yan.
Ji Yan was beautiful and kind-natured. After their first meeting, she looked after An Yize a lot. An Yize, who had two elder brothers that weren’t that great at looking after people, he naturally fell for this gentler older sister.
Furthermore, the two of them went to the same school.
His elementary school was near her middle school so he frequently went to see her. Sometimes she knew. Sometimes she didn’t.
Later on, he was in middle school as she entered high school. The high school was a bit far from the middle school so he specially bought a bicycle and would go over to see her whenever he had time.
Even her good friends started recognizing him. Whenever they saw him they would smile. “Ji Yan, that younger brother of yours is here again!”
Ji Yan just smiled helplessly as she softly reproached, “Xiao Ze, you’ll tire yourself out running here all the time. In the future, don’t do it anymore.”
An Yize was happy in his heart, but he displayed a false cool expression that was exclusive to teenagers: “I like running!”
…….
Later on, she went to college in another city.
High schooler An Yize started to secretly plan to test into that city’s college.
During break, An Yize went out of his way to go to that city to see her. He would never have imagined that he would see her thin and pallid face filled with grief.
Under An Yize’s interrogation, she admitted that her boyfriend had cheated on her.
An Yize was silent for a long while, then asked, “Who is he?”
An Yize beat up the man who had made her cry, but he couldn’t have imagined that Ji Yan would rush over suddenly then cry while holding and being held by that man.
That day, it rained a lot.
An Yize stood in the rain with an unreadable expression on his face.
…….
Afterwards, An Yize never did something so rash again.
A once rash youth grew more steady, composed, and more taciturn.
It was only when he faced Ji Yan that there would be a particular gentleness under his taciturn expression.
As usual, Ji Yan treated him well. So well that he couldn’t let go of the yearning in his heart.
He once mustered the courage to ask her, “Why do you treat me so well?”
She said, “Xiao Ze, don’t you know that you are irreplaceable in my heart?”
…..
Because of her words, all the concealed hurt in his heart seemed to fade.
And the deeply hidden affection in his heart began to flourish again.
Then, Ji Yan decided to enter the entertainment circle.
The Ji family did not agree, but Ji Yan stubbornly continued ahead. She said that playing different roles and experiencing different lives was her dream.
When most other wealthy family’s misses were enjoying their lives and getting married, her persistence in pursuing the life she wanted made her particularly dazzling.
An Yize thought that, as expected, his ‘her’ was different.
Thus, An Yize secretly begged his oldest brother and second brother.
There was an entertainment company in the An family assets. Its resources were naturally plentiful. Also, ever since his second brother An Yiheng entered entertainment circles for fun, he’d had some particular successes.
As expected, under the secret help of the An family, Ji Yan quickly began to shine.
Yet, An Yize didn’t let Ji Yan know all this.
……
As Ji Yan gradually became more famous, An Yize’s chances to see her gradually decreased.
On-screen, she looked a bit noble, a bit cool and elegant, as she displayed different expressions.
But in An Yize’s heart, she was always the kindest young girl.
But, sometimes kindness was also a weapon.
An Yiz knew Ji Yan was on and off again with her boyfriend from before, but they had never completely broken up.
Every time they fought, Ji Yan, weary and haggard, would come find him.
She’d say, “Xiao Ze, you’re the only one in this world who can set my mind at rest.”
……..
An Yize was possessive. He also wanted the person he liked to only look at him.
Thus, when Ji Yan went to see him again and fell asleep on his couch, An Yize crouched down in front of her, gently wiped the traces of tears from the corners of her eyes, then confessed to her after she woke up.
Ji Yan was silent for a long time, then she displayed her previous kindness, albeit with some regret.
“I’m sorry Xiao Ze. I’ve always treated you like my little brother.”
“But I’ve never treated you like an older sister! Do you really not know that I haven’t treated you like a sister from the very beginning?”
“…I know, but…”
“Forget it.”
……
But how could it be so easy to forget things?
He still couldn’t let it go.
In business, he was always able to make the most accurate judgments and make the most resolute of choices. But, his temperament persistently included a different kind of obstinacy.
As a child, whenever he did International Math Olympiad problems and got stuck on a problem, he would stubbornly refuse to move on to the next one. He wasn’t willing to change his line of thought by doing the next problem and would not stop until he solved the current problem.
Then, Ji Yan saw him practicing piano once. Ji Yan smiled at him as she said that he looked like a little prince when he was playing the piano. He, who didn’t really like playing the piano, started to practice hard to the point where he even won many awards.
Except, she had never heard him play the piano that he had practiced for her.
In middle school, Ji Yan would frequently feed the feral cats at school.
In the beginning, An Yize stood quietly behind her and watched her feed them. The indifferent-looking young boy’s eyes were filled with tender feelings as he watched the young girl tenderly dote on the small feral cats under the sunlight.
But as time went on, Ji Yan got busier with her studies and forgot. Then, Ji Yan stopped feeding the feral cats so An Yize frequently brought food over by himself, continuing on for her.
Under the camphor tree, a youth wearing a white shirt and school uniform expressionlessly crouched down as he fed a bedraggled cat, his movements gentle.
Ji Mingfei had also once said that he was too obstinate.
However, with some things, how could he not be obstinate?
Thus, because she said she wanted him to play the piano, he could continue practicing.
Thus, when she stopped feeding the feral cats, he could keep feeding them for her.
And also, even if she didn’t like him, he still liked her uncontrollably.