WHI – Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The start of university was a time of novelty and anticipation for some new students; some would even go half a month in advance to familiarize themselves with the environment. As for those who were homesick or hadn’t gotten into their desired schools, they wished they could arrive just at the stroke of midnight on September 1st.

Lin Ting and Wen Lan, however, fell into neither category.

Since the last argument with Wen Tan, Wen Lan had rarely gone home, almost always staying in the small apartment Lin Ting rented. Occasionally, he would type a few words on his phone. Lin Ting knew he was chatting with his family by looking at his serious expression, but Lin Ting didn’t ask, and Wen Lan didn’t volunteer to tell him.

It wasn’t until the morning they were heading to the Capital City that Lin Ting woke up to find Wen Lan already packing his suitcase. His arms were bare, and the morning sun of summer poured onto the lean muscles of the young man’s back, his hair illuminated by the light.

Lin Ting got up and pinched his back a few times.

“Hey, you startled me!” Wen Lan, not noticing Lin Ting was awake, jumped with a fright. Once he realized, he hugged Lin Ting’s waist and kissed his nape.

Lin Ting shuffled in his slippers to the washbasin to freshen up. When he came out, he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to go home?”

Wen Lan, holding a few folded clothes from the cabinet and about to bend down to put them in the suitcase, paused. His arms, following the motion, rested on the bottom of the luggage.

“He knows what time my flight is.”

Lin Ting nodded and didn’t ask further.

This situation felt awkward. He clearly wanted to see his father, yet he stubbornly refused to speak up. But Lin Ting could understand; he himself couldn’t even manage to send a message to Su Li to tell her he’d gotten into university.

Wen Lan was stronger in this regard than he was.

Soon, the two had finished packing. Just as they were about to close the iron gate, Lin Ting suddenly stopped Wen Lan. “Wait!” he exclaimed, rushing back into the apartment.

“Did we forget something?” Wen Lan asked, though he knew they had checked everything multiple times, and there was nothing left in the apartment.

As Wen Lan spoke, he followed Lin Ting back inside and saw Lin Ting taking photos of the empty room with his phone.

Finally, Lin Ting raised his phone and muttered to himself, “Thank you for keeping me company for so long.”

Watching Lin Ting walk around the room with his phone, Wen Lan realized he was recording a video. He wondered if the “thank you” was for the room or for him, the one the camera was finally pointed at.

They didn’t have much luggage. Anything that could be sold secondhand was sold, and what couldn’t be sold was given away. They only brought a few clothes they often wore and a few books. With one suitcase each, they went downstairs.

“If I hadn’t gotten into Aeronautical University, would you have run off with someone else?” Wen Lan turned back, looking at Lin Ting, who was carrying a suitcase in one hand and holding the stair railing with the other.

The building wasn’t new and had no elevator. Fortunately, it was only on the third floor, so walking down the stairs wasn’t too strenuous.

Lin Ting tutted. “Watch your step. If you fall and become disabled, I definitely won’t want you.”

Wen Lan’s face immediately fell. “I don’t think you’re good anymore. I suddenly regret it. Was deciding on university for love really rational?”

Lin Ting knew he was joking and couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you going to do? Is it too late to retake the third year of high school? Oh right, there are no more private tutors this time. What will you do if you can’t get into university? Perhaps you’ll have to condescend to stay with me?”

While they were joking, they had already reached the bottom. The taxi they had called was still five minutes away, so they prepared to wait by the roadside.

However, as soon as they stepped out of the apartment building, they saw a familiar figure standing by the sidewalk.

The moment Wen Lan saw the person, he let go of the hand holding his suitcase.

“Go,” Lin Ting said, gently pushing his back and taking his suitcase.

Wen Lan softly agreed and walked over.

“Dad,” Wen Lan said, standing behind the man.

Wen Tan turned around, as if snapping out of a daze. He seemed to have aged a few more years than when they last met at home at the end of last month, but this weathered look brought a sense of kindness, reducing his usual sternness.

Wen Tan turned and was silent for a long time. Finally, he patted Wen Lan heavily on the shoulder. “You’ve grown up.”

“Mm.”

“Study hard. When Dad finishes with the company matters, I’ll come to the Capital City to see you.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t worry. Do you remember Grandpa Qin? The one who used to visit our house often when you were little, the one who always brought you chocolate?”

“I remember. You always wouldn’t let me eat it then, saying it would ruin my teeth. Isn’t he very old…” Wen Lan’s voice began to choke up.

“Mm, a few days ago, Grandpa Qin’s son visited. He said the old man passed away a few months ago. But he hated people crying around him his whole life, so the funeral was only for family. They’re only notifying us now because they didn’t want us to cry when we found out.”

Wen Lan’s eyes turned red, and he couldn’t say anything.

Wen Tan squeezed his shoulder, feeling that his son had truly grown up. “I just think life is too short. Before you can even say a word, it’s suddenly over.”

Wen Lan knew what his father meant.

“Dad, I’ll come back to see you when I have a holiday.”

“Mm, bring classmate Lin with you.”

Wen Lan froze. Before he could say anything, Wen Tan continued, “I built the Wen Group from scratch. I have to admit, we caught the wave of the times. Looking back, it was half effort, half fate. This is my fate, and there’s no reason to impose my fate on you.”

“The company matters are starting to look up, don’t worry. Grandpa Qin’s son is now working in art and took a liking to one of our plots of land, wanting to turn it into an exhibition hall. This should progress next month.”

“These years, Dad has wronged you.”

Wen Lan looked up and hugged Wen Tan. “Dad, what’s there to wrong each other in a family? If you say that, then I’ve wronged you too. I was mischievous and caused a lot of trouble since I was little…”

The taxi arrived quickly. Wen Tan opened the door, letting the two young men into the back seat, and waved goodbye to them. “Remember to come home often, and bring classmate Lin too.”

Lin Ting smiled, turned to wave out the car window, and replied, “Okay.”

The fragmented, mottled film reel that chronicled a year was put into a dark box. When time had washed them into a complete story, all the joys and sorrows were layered with cause and effect. The future had thus arrived.

The winter in S City held a different meaning for the two of them, always reminding them of that bone-chilling New Year’s Eve, which, in retrospect, only brought back restless heat.

Their first year of university, they didn’t go back. Wen Tan came to the Capital City, and the three of them spent a few days together.

By their second year, the “babies” in the group chat insisted on planning a New Year’s gathering. Those studying abroad returned if they had vacation, or took leave if they didn’t. Coupled with the Wen Group’s busy schedule with the new island resort construction, Wen Tan couldn’t get away for a while.

Lin Ting and Wen Lan decided to spend this New Year in S City.

“Do you think we should tell everyone in the group about us now? Otherwise, we’ll have to say it when we meet,” Wen Lan said on the plane, rubbing Lin Ting’s palm.

“If we’re going to say it, let’s say it now. I don’t want to stand in the middle of a crowd and announce this news.”

“But I think announcing it publicly has a sense of ceremony.”

“You don’t think so.” Lin Ting noticed the flight attendant’s gaze lingering on their clasped hands. He squeezed Wen Lan’s fingertips, signaling him to let go.

Wen Lan reluctantly withdrew his hand. Before the plane took off, he sent a message in the group chat:

-@Everyone, this is my boyfriend @Lin Ting. Get used to it in advance.

If it were before, Lin Ting would have felt a bit awkward, but now, perhaps influenced by Wen Lan, he felt it was quite good, like a secret hidden for a long time finally being discovered.

The group, which had been enthusiastically discussing the gathering, fell silent for a few seconds after seeing the message. Then, Song Mi was the first to type a question mark, followed by “Huh?”.

Qin Wan, however, adopted an “I knew it all along” attitude. “You two are finally together. Oh, I went through so much back then…”

This statement was likely understood by only the three of them, while the others asked Qin Wan what had happened.

-Qin Wan: You guys don’t know? Remember when it was Brother Wen’s birthday and we went skiing? I was thinking of inviting Brother Lin to my birthday banquet, but Brother Wen scolded me… Tsk tsk tsk, so protective.

-Yu Zhile: Huh? A guy? With a guy? What does boyfriend mean? Like, close male friends? The kind I’m thinking of?

-Li Ziyao: No, shut up.

The plane soon began to taxi. Wen Lan switched to airplane mode. He looked at Lin Ting, who was wearing an eye mask beside him, pinched his arm twice, and then closed his eyes to sleep.

A driver sent by Wen Tan picked them up at the airport.

Over the years, Lin Ting had gotten along well with the Wen family. Even the driver greeted them warmly: “Young Master! Young Mistress… Son-in-law…”

The titles were rather confusing.

Lin Ting opened the group chat in the car to check the messages.

The group chat was already buzzing.

-Han Ziqiu: Speaking of which, between you two, who’s the top and who’s the bottom?

Han Ziqiu had become more outgoing since joining the group, but whenever it came to such open discussions, Lin Ting felt he preferred the old Han Ziqiu.

-Wang Xingzhi: It’s definitely our Brother Wen on top, no need to ask.

-Qin Wan: Brother Lin on top! Absolutely!

-Song Mi: I vote for Brother Wen.

-Fang Ran: Brother Lin on top!

-Wen Lan: Tsk, does this kind of thing need further discussion?

Lin Ting glanced at the annoying person beside him and also typed in the group:

-Lin Ting: @Wen, self-awareness.

The car slowly drove into the city. After nearly another hour, they finally reached the residential area. Lin Ting looked at the familiar small Western-style house outside the car window, and a strange emotion gradually welled up in his heart.

It was as if long-buried memories were suddenly being reawakened.

“And this box, together… We don’t need this one.” From the corner ahead, a few slightly blurred female voices could be heard from outside the window. Even from a distance, the angle made it impossible to see clearly, but Lin Ting quickly identified who it was.

Lin Ting said nothing, but instinctively clenched his fist. The route back to the Wen family’s house didn’t need to pass that corner. He could pretend he heard nothing.

Wen Lan quickly noticed his discomfort. He reached out and slowly unclasped Lin Ting’s clenched fingers, then intertwined their hands. “Do you want me to go down and walk with you?”

Lin Ting didn’t speak, only looked up at Wen Lan.

The driver drove back to the Wen family’s house first. Wen Lan got out of the car, pulled Lin Ting’s arm, and casually walked in the direction of the Gu family’s house.

As they got closer to the female voice, Lin Ting’s heart seemed to beat faster. How long had it been since he last saw Su Li? What was the last thing she said?

It seemed he couldn’t recall any arguments or pain. Love always conspired with time, filtered through countless dreams, leaving only the affection that could deceive the heart.