Chapter 141

Unedited

Qiu Tianyang heard buzzing in his ears.

The tear falling down the cheek of the man before him cut deeper than any questions, like an awl wedged into his chest. From there, a sour and bitter taste rose up his throat as the intense sense of guilt made his eyes redden as well.

No one will touch that apartment, He said hoa.r.s.ely, Never

Upon hearing those words, Shen Yan trembled slightly, breathing heavily for a long while before regaining composure. The moment he loosened the hold on Qiu Tianyangs s.h.i.+rt, this guy stumbled back onto the sofa.

After the intensive build-up and outburst of emotions just now, Shen Yan felt completely emptied out. The two steps back he did were sluggish, as if treading through a marsh. He slowly and wearily collapsed back onto his original seat, his face pale and eyes still tinged with red. He silently rubbed them with his hands for a while.

And all that time, Qiu Tianyang remained motionless like a stone, his tie and collar in a disorder. He looked completely disheveled, yet made no effort to fix his appearance, staring at some nonexistent point in the distance with a vacant expression for the longest time.

That year, you never opened the letter I sent you, am I right?

Suddenly, he asked numbly.

Shen Yans hands froze for a moment, but he didnt say anything.

That year, he locked himself in the empty apartment after the old mans departure. He wouldnt speak with anyone, wouldnt see anyoneespecially the people from Shen family.

He disconnected the telephone line, installing the Skype and QQ softwares from his computer. He isolated himself completely in this closed world, enduring silently day after day as he faced the belongings the old man left behind, his heart cold like ashes.

He knew that someone kept knocking on the door desperatelyhe also knew who it was, so he never bothered himself to go open it.

He knew, after he reconnected the telephone line, that a number from Beijing used to call him every day, but he was also never bothered to call back.

He knew that after a month, he finally once again opened the letter box downstairs, among the stack of envelopes was a heavy letter addressed to him. Before, all the letters sent to this address were for his grandpa, and hardly anyone knew he lived there and would write to him, so as for from whom that letter was, he knew that as well. But to this day he has never opened it, keeping it locked away in a drawer for a couple of years now.

You really didnt even open it. Qiu Tianyang laughed bitterly, raising his head under the lamplight, looking even more dishevelled than before when he combed his hair with his hand, Is it because you didnt want to see whats inside, didnt want to see Im sorry Is it because you thought that saying so when things came to that point was too much of a hypocrisy?

The answer didnt come for a long time.

Shen Yan could more or less guess the letters content, could more or less guess that it would contain those words. But it wasnt that he didnt open it because he found it hypocriticalat that time, he simply didnt want to have anything to do with his fathers family anymore. Day 2 words 565/771

If it wasnt for you who took me to the hospital back then, I wouldnt even know that he was critically ill. And if you didnt help me push those people away, I might not have been able to see grandpa for the last time For this matter, I need to thank you. Shen Yan said slowly, his voice rough and dry as if sc.r.a.ped with gravel, If it was hypocrisy Then you wouldnt take action.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tianyang couldnt hold back the urge to cry anymore for some reason. As he stared in a daze, a tear escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheek.

He took a hurried deep breath and wiped his face.

Its because uncle, he He told me about it himself. He breathed erratically for a moment before finally calming down a little. Breathing in through his nose first, he said, When he discovered that I was secretly planning to drive you out with Auntie, he came to me and told me the truth about what happened in the past.

The man was a very proud and arrogant person. And proud, arrogant people would always think lying below their dignity.

The man was also the protagonist of those past events.

So it was the mans words that were actually true.

When I found out that your mom wasnt some mistress, when I realised that you were innocent, and I was a scoundrel for what I did, it was already too late.

At that time, Shen Yan was interning away in a different city. The old man didnt want to burden his grandson with the news of his illness and then its turn for the worse, because if he left this world, his grandson would be left behind devastated and with no support in this worldso he planned to clench his teeth and endure through it. There was no one in the Shen Family who would notify Shen Yan, and the mans wife even wanted to take advantage of the time when Shen Yan was away and the old man was unable to manage the family due to his condition, wanting to once and for all drive him out from the Shen family.

After hearing the truth from the man, he quickly flew over from Beijing, asking all around, looking all around that unfamiliar city before finally finding the person he was looking for at the local quarantine facility where he was interning.

But to do that, he had no other choice but to confess his ident.i.ty.

The look in your eyes when you heard who I was at that clinic I will never be able to forget it.

He would never forget the mistakes he has casted.

He would never forget, fated to shoulder the weight of his guilt for a lifetime.

He smiled miserably, At one point, I thought you would never speak with me anymore.

No matter how many times he went there, those doors stayed shut close; no matter how many times he called, the phone number couldnt be reached or n.o.body picked up; no matter how many messages he left on Skype or QQ, he never got a reply. Even when he anxiously sent out that letter, it was ultimately left with no answer, like throwing a stone into a bottomless sea.

Shen Yan was always the type of man to answer every plea. So when he didnt answer anymore It meant that he completely cut the ties altogether.

When Shen Yan left, he didnt have the courage to tell the truth to Yang Jie and the rest, he even barely showed up anymore. In the end, with their voice acting group slowly losing the support of the core members and with the pressure of everyone facing different commitments, they all went on their own way.

Even if he took on a new project elsewhere on his own, the very act of voice acting would always evoke the guilt he felt towards Shen Yan in his heart. As time went on, he couldnt bring himself to do any voice acting anymore, so he cleaned up all of his remaining projects, ending the era of

Sleek horses run fast

he used to be so proud of.

Two years after that Uncle found me and asked me to give this to you. Qiu Tianyang muttered as he took out a bunch of keys from his pocket.

Shen Yan looked at it, frowning slightly the same way he did in the past.

He said that youd definitely refuse to see him, but maybe you would still be willing to see me Qiu Tianyang nervously rubbed the key with his thumb, its toothed bitting just as jagged as his feelings at that moment. That day, even when I stood by the door, I really didnt feel like you would be willing to open them to see me. But I was wrong.

The door openedjust opened, nothing more.

Merely ten centimetres away, the man he didnt see for such a long time stood silently in the entrance, watching the visitor and the keys in the visitors hand with a cold, indifferent gaze.

Are you here to tell me that I cant stay here anymore? Youre chasing me out somewhere else?

No

Then leave.

Just those few words, yet they left him with no chance to implore before the door closed heavily.

Still, at least your att.i.tude changed from the previous complete avoidance to being willing to see me at least that once, Qiu Tianyang forced out a bitter smile, I thought that Maybe the day would come when I would be able to sit down with you face-to-face and have a proper talk.

At that time, Shen Yan said quietly, Im willing to listen nowso go ahead and say it.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tianyang froze for a moment, then pursed his lips, as if he needed to suppress the slight shaking in his voice first before speaking.

I didnt come to make excuses for myself today. The mistakes had already been made, I have no say in this. day 3 words 1020/1791

You had your own standpoint back then, and you didnt know the truth. Shen Yans voice carried a calm and subdued tone, as if his turbulent feelings from a moment ago had subsided gradually, much like sea waves going back into the sea after cras.h.i.+ng against the rocks, leaving behind a smooth sandy beach. Of course you would choose the person closer to you over a stranger like me. Thats just how it is.

Qiu Tianyang didnt continue with the conversation right away, sitting there silently for a while. Then, he reached his hand out once again to pour Shen Yan a cup of water.

His hands were still shaking, but he still held the bottle steady, pouring him a full gla.s.s.

Right now, there was also something in his heart that filled slowly to the brim.

That letter, He suddenly went back to the main topic, his voice as careful as his movement of sliding the gla.s.s over to Shen Yan, Open it when you go back. Aside from the letter I wrote to you theres also a copy of that old apartments property owners.h.i.+p.

Shen Yan was stunnedhe raised his head to look at him in shock.

Qiu Tianyang smiled weakly, After grandpa pa.s.sed away, uncle didnt mind aunties objections and changed the name on the property owners.h.i.+p certificate to yoursI just want you to see this. Seeing how you remained on guard against me regarding this place, thinking that I wanted to evict you, I knew that you never opened that letter.

Shen Yan stared at him for a long while, then finally looked down, unable to say a word.

At that moment, Qiu Tianyang gently placed the keys from his hand back on the gla.s.s table, pus.h.i.+ng them beside the gla.s.s of water, displaying them both before Shen Yan. And also this. Two years ago, I wasnt able to explain it to you clearly, and Two years ago, you probably wouldnt accept it either. Thats why I brought it with me again today.

These keys were just your ordinary house keys, with two identical copies, reflecting a silvery light under the dim lamplight.

Aside from that old apartment, uncle also gave you this, He said slowly, Its to the apartment he purchased in Beijing. He didnt want auntie to know about it, so he kept it under my name, hoping that someday I could transfer it to you in secret.

I dont need it. Shen Yans answer was light, but decisive.

He didnt want it.

The only thing he wanted was that old apartment, even if it meant spending the lifetimes worth of hard-earned money to buy it from the Shen family. But now, he didnt have to do that anymore. Besides, he didnt need that man to give him anything, especially not material goods

Qiu Tianyang seemed to know from the beginning how he would react. He wasnt surprised at all, and only sighed quietly.

I need to tell you something

Even though it wasnt his place to say it, remaining silent about it would only weigh down on him later.

This might seem like uncle is attempting to bribe you with money, to patronise you, but what I want to say is Some things arent the way you think. In this world, there are some people that dont know how to express their remorse through words, especially someone as proud as uncle. In his mindset, in the values of those from his generation, there are some things difficult to put into words. They are only able to show through material things. But it doesnt mean that he thinks youre someone who can be appeased with money. He just never knew how to say Im sorry.

Time can change many things, change many people. Sometimes, it is only at a certain age that some people would look back to reflect on all of the absurdities they have committed throughout their lives.

Uncles in his fifties already, the age where a person is already more accepting of fate. Although he never said so clearly, I know that he definitely felt remorse. Qiu Tianyang slowly came to the point, Of course, its not like simply saying I regret can nullify every debt in the world, but everyone has a different way to pay it back.

Shen Yan listened silently, not saying anything.

Qiu Tianyang continued, I I once heard Teacher Pu mention to Teacher Yuan that she wanted to invite you to her university to pursue your undergraduate studies, and when I chatted with Return Date today, he also said that hes getting transferred to work in Beijing at the beginning of the next year. So You guys will surely need to find a place to stay at that time, right?

When Qi Jing got brought up, Shen Yans expression s.h.i.+fted slightly. He opened his mouth, but ultimately didnt say anything.

The rent in Beijing is really high, especially for the areas with convenient transportation. If you were to live far from the city centre, commuting everyday would be very tiring and time-consuming. This apartment has a good location with a metro station nearby, and its within the city area with relatively well-established property management. Qiu Tianyang spoke this with all sincerity, with no intent to pressure him. If youre willing to consider it Even if only for a while, think of it like renting an apartment for free. This way you could also help ease Return Dates burden.

Shen Yans gaze lingered on the keys on the table for a long while before he finally reached out and picked them up.

However, his principles wouldnt change.

Return Dates interns.h.i.+p will last three years, and if I will pursue my undergraduate studies, it would also take me three years. He said, After three years, I will return the keys to you. After that, you can do whatever you want with it

After that, he picked up that gla.s.s of water, tilting his head back and downing it in one go. Day 4 words 1008/2801

Qiu Tianyang watched as the water in the gla.s.s slowly disappeared, and suddenly he felt a mix of emotions surge inside him. He watched Shen Yan, stunned, until he completely emptied the whole gla.s.s.

After so many years, he never expected that Shen Yan would really accept them.

Accept that bunch of keys.

Accept that gla.s.s of water.

Then, if he offered the third thing, the one he was late to give, would Shen Yan accept it as well?

Shen Yan, Im sorry. Perhaps because the psychological burden brought by those words was too great, but the more he said, the more strained and hoa.r.s.e his voice became, until he could only choke out a faint sob, For everything Ive done in the past Im so sorry.

The one speaking struggled so, but his listeners expression was just as before, neither joyful or sorrowful as if he was an outsider in this all, calm like the still water.

He silently placed down the gla.s.s in his hand, letting go of it. Letting go is such a simple action, yet its also something people spend a lifetime trying to do.

A human only has one lifetime, spending it all on this one thing would be too wasteful. Thats why

I forgive you.

He said impa.s.sively.

After doing so, he breathed a long exhale as well, closing his eyes as his shoulders slumped slowly as if he got rid of some burden. He leaned back comfortably on the sofa, his left hand reaching up for that b.u.t.ton hanging on his collarbone.

At that moment, he felt the man beside him s.h.i.+ft closer and suddenly hug him tightly, reinstating the weight on his shoulders that he had just relievedbut he didnt find it unpleasant. Even though the head pressed on his shoulder was slightly shaking, and even though those wet, scalding things falling one after another on his s.h.i.+rt were a bit bothersome.

And that guy kept muttering, not minding taking any trouble, Thank you, thank you

He also replied softly, Mn.

And in that exact moment, the door to the room suddenly swung open with a clack, and two men walked in one after another. The first thing they saw upon entering was none other than this.

Qi Jing froze.

Shen Yan froze.

Qiu Tianyang also froze.

Tan Zixian didnt freeze, only raising one brow.

Why, was this situation, so, weird? Because clearly, this wasnt some adultery coming to light

Qiu Tianyang stayed like that for a while, stupefied and with his hands still on Shen Yans body. He blinked in confusion, unsure what to do.

Seeing how he clung to Shen Yan like a koala to a tree, Tan Zixian didnt protest. He made a calm turn to the side, suddenly opening his arms to hug Qi Jing on his side tightly in a bold and self-righteous provocationyou can hug, then I can hug as well. He even confidently put his head on Qi Jings shoulder, reenacting the scene of tossing oneself into someones arms

per, fect, ly

.

Qiu Tianyangs face momentarily turned white, an expression of someone hurt so badly that he couldnt even cry in protest.

Qi Jing initially was also startled by this hug from Tan Zixian, but that exaggerated expression on Qiu Tianyangs face made him stop once again. Then, he couldnt help himself and sputtered with laughter.

Shen Yan was also still a bit stupefied, but when he saw Qi Jing laughing, his frown disappeared slowly as well and he chuckled quietly.

Thats right.

He also only had one lifetime, so rather than using it up on letting go of the past, why not just Spend it on cheris.h.i.+ng the present.

A/N:

To be honest, the amount of Fives fans turning into antis after the last chapter was beyond my expectations (Was it because I didnt finish the scene yet?? Cant be leaving people on cliffhangers like that So this time I shouldnt end the chapter on a crucial point, yup)

Seems like there was a lot of people that misunderstood that Kittys Papa didnt see his grandpas last moments. In reality, he managed to do that, although the events leading to that were a bit rough. If he really werent able to see his grandpa on his dying bed, that would be simply too cruel ^

As for Five, its up to the future generations to evaluate him. (Five: QAQ Im not dead though)

P.S.: Yes, up to the very end Im still secretly spamming Time Limit _(:3)_