Chapter 51
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Eight years passed in the blink of an eye.
Three hundred kilometers away from Linzhou City, a new sketching base had been established. This area was originally a natural scenic spot, with lofty peaks and flowing streams. However, in the past few years, there had been massive landslides, resulting in casualties and significant financial losses for the scenic area, which led to its temporary closure. After some renovations last year, it had reopened to visitors.
Most people tend to have a common characteristic: they remember the joys but not the suffering. After all, those rocks that caused landslides didn’t fall on them, and the place was still a picturesque landscape. They didn’t mind taking the risk of another landslide to enjoy the breathtaking views and get their money’s worth.
To the east of the scenic area, there was a lush lake. Originally, it wasn’t a prominent attraction, with a few domesticated ducks being the only thing of note. Tourists preferred to move a few steps forward to take photos on the rocks rather than stand by the lake and listen to the ducks’ noisy quacking.
However, fate has a way of changing things. Yesterday, a flock of wild black swans suddenly arrived at Duck Lake, and it instantly became a hit attraction, drawing crowds of visitors who couldn’t squeeze into the prime spots to get a good view. This situation demonstrated that people should never underestimate anyone, as one day they might shine and become too important to reach.
Not far from there, on a hillside, sat three or four people. Each had an easel set up and was sketching in different directions. Judging from the backpacks they carried, they seemed to belong to the same art studio.
The studio was named “Chen Xu Lin.” At first glance, it seemed profound and artistic, but it was actually a play on the surnames of the three owners, a wordplay that they had come up with.
“I guess there will be fewer tourists after 6 o’clock. These black swans are quite dan zi er*; even with hundreds of people crowding around, they act as if nothing is happening,” one of them spoke with a somewhat rigid accent, and his words were strange.
* trying to say they are bold but saying it incorrectly
“Those are ‘dan er,’ not ‘dan zi er.”’ Corrected another person. “If you can’t express yourself clearly, why don’t you speak some decent English? I can understand.”
“I’m adapting to the local language.”
“Haha, local language.”
Laughter erupted, making the mixed-blood young man unhappy. “Xu Ze, even if we share the same name, you can’t always make fun of me.”
Xu Ze took out a pen to try to avoid the bobbing heads below, but he couldn’t avoid them. He casually threw the pen and leaned back in his folding chair. “Alright, Comrade Chen Ze.”
At this moment, a tall figure hurriedly ran up the hill from below. The person was wearing light jeans and a white T-shirt. His hair was a bit long, having gone almost a month without a haircut, and his hair ends were slightly brushing against his neck. He had tied a small, three to four centimeters ponytail using a small hair tie from somewhere.
It was Lin Yuyan, who had just left and returned.
“My keys, my keys,” he searched through Xu Ze’s toolbox for a long time and looked around Chen Ze but grew increasingly anxious. “Where are my car keys?”
Xu Ze asked, “Didn’t you have them on you?”
Lin Yuyan said, “No.” He checked the time on his wrist again, looking as if he were a kettle about to boil. “I’m running out of time.”
Xu Ze helped him look for the keys again, but still couldn’t find them. “Did you lose them on the way?”
Lin Yuyan said, “It shouldn’t be that. I had them with me when I came up the hill.” He crouched on the ground, continuously searching through his painting materials, hoping the car keys would miraculously appear.
Xu Ze said, “If you can’t find them, just forget about it. You can stay here tonight; we have spare beds in the double room.”
Lin Yuyan said, “No.”
“Why not? Isn’t he away on a business trip?”
Lin Yuyan checked the time again and uttered words that sounded way younger than his actual age, “We have a security system at home.”
Xu Ze’s mouth twitched as he asked, “You’re twenty-six, and you have a security system?”
“Oh, right,” Lin Yuyan picked up a keychain from where he had just sat, “I’m heading back. See you on Monday!” With that, he dashed down the hill, got into his car, and drove away.
Chen Ze watched his departing figure thoughtfully and analyzed, “I don’t think the security system is the main issue. I heard that G emphasized multiple times that he shouldn’t come to this dangerous scenic area for sketching.”
“Then he’s in trouble, isn’t he?”
“He should be fine. G is on a business trip. As long as he’s at home during video calls, he shouldn’t get caught, right?”
Lin Yuyan shared this sentiment; he had driven all the way and finally arrived at the entrance to his house before 9 PM.
After catching his breath, he got out of the car with his sketchboard and pressed the code on the keypad.
Before him stood a two-story villa with two parking spots in front. He had bought it five years ago. At that time, Lin Yuyan and Gu Yaoyang had not yet returned to China. By the time they came back, everything had been fully furnished, so they moved in immediately. The housing community was one of the best in Linzhou City, but Lin Yuyan had no idea how much it cost to buy. He had lost track of money matters, as he combined his earnings with Gu Yaoyang’s, and they were more concerned about their relationship than finances.
They had received their marriage certificate the year Lin Yuyan graduated from university. Gu Yaoyang only played professional fights for two years before retiring and starting a sports management agency. Over the years, the agency had expanded its reach, diversifying into various fields beyond just combat sports. Lin Yuyan wasn’t good with economics, and while he initially dabbled in the company’s operations, he soon realized it wasn’t his cup of tea. So he focused on his art, eventually reconnected with Xu Ze, and brought in Chen Ze, who had long wanted to come to China to develop, to open their art studio. They taught students and occasionally organized exhibitions.
Lin Yuyan was quite tired from his long drive today. While changing his shoes at the entrance, he yawned and covered his mouth. Fortunately, he made it back home. Otherwise, if Gu Yaoyang found out he had gone off wandering without permission, it would be days before he could stand up again. Although Gu Yaoyang was currently away on a business trip, he had a tendency to hold grudges. Lin Yuyan still remembered one year when he had been boasting on the phone, but a few months later, after returning home, he was still suffering from the consequences.
Just as he was about to head upstairs to freshen up, the light on the second floor suddenly turned on with a “click.” Lin Yuyan was startled and, seeing the person upstairs, almost dropped his sketchboard. Panicking, he hid it behind his back.
A tall man in a black shirt came down the stairs. He had replaced his earring with a real diamond stud, his hair was cropped short, and he had a mature and stable demeanor. He stood before Lin Yuyan and watched him.
Lin Yuyan, feigning surprise, said, “Oh? Husband?”
“Why did you come back?”
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