Chapter 37: CH 37

Gu Yaoyang didn’t want to admit it, so Lin Yuyan didn’t mention it again. He thought that Gu Yaoyang was shy and secretly kept this matter inside his heart. He was secretly happy inside.

The next day, he went to Mr. Zeng’s place to draw as usual. Although Gu Yaoyang had slandered him all over the place yesterday, Lin Yuyan still respected his teacher very much.

However, Mr. Zeng has been very busy recently. He would go to the club in the morning and return to give him pointers in the afternoon. Mr. Zeng received an email and opened it. He looked at the contents before asking, “Yuyan, do you have anything to do these days?”

Lin Yuyan put down his pen and answered, ” No, what’s the matter?”

Mr. Zeng replied, “That’s great, I’m going to hold a solo exhibition in the south next weekend. I need you to help me.”

Lin Yuyan had seen many art exhibitions, but this was his first time holding an exhibition himself. The showroom wasn’t ready-made either. Mr. Zeng had bought a small wooden house at the foot of the mountain in the suburbs some time ago. He plans to renovate it and use it as his showroom and studio.

He usually paints at home, but now that he has a studio, he’ll probably paint there. He might be getting bored of staying at home.

The weather in Mostine was getting warmer recently, and Lin Yuyan was wearing a thick sweater and a floral apron that was covered in paint. He stood on the ladder and helped Mr. Zeng paint the walls. On the wall are the sceneries painted by Mr. Zeng. There were spring, summer, autumn, and winter sceneries.

“How are you and Yaoyang?”

Mr. Zeng was dressed similarly to his little apprentice. He was holding a palette in one hand and a brush in the other and was sketching the falling leaves on the autumn view.

Lin Yuyan didn’t know much about this work yet. He climbed down the ladder with a colorful face and answered with a smile, “We’re doing pretty good.”

After all, they’re couples who have just confirmed their relationship and were happy every day. Lin Yuyan was so happy that he always had a smile on his face, he was only short of putting a few large characters on his forehead that says, “I’m in love”

Mr. Zeng followed suit with a smile. His black and white mustache twitched left and right and made him look like he had a mischievous thought.

“Apprentice, ah. Can I call you that?”

Lin Yuyan answered, “Of course, you can call me anything you want.”

Mr. Zeng nodded in satisfaction, and asked from the corner, “How much do you know about professional ring games?”

Lin Yuyan replied, “I’m not very clear about it, but I searched for some information when Gu Yaoyang was going to join the club.”

“So you know a few things?”

“Mhn.”

Mr. Zeng said, “Actually, several agencies contacted me a while ago. They were hoping that I could transfer Yaoyang to them.”

“Why?”

“Because he is very sought after. Many clubs rushed to recruit him before he joined me. He didn’t intend to become a professional player, but you know, I want to see him participate in professional competitions.”

Mr. Zeng sighed and continued, “Besides, the quality of the players who participated in training this year isn’t very good. I have three recommendation spots, and there’s still one empty spot left.”

Lin Yuyan knew that Mr. Zeng had always wanted Gu Yaoyang to play professionally, but Gu Yaoyang had his vision. They were related to his past, and nobody could easily change them.

“But he doesn’t want to…”

“That’s why I came to you.” Mr. Zeng continued, “You already knew why Gu Yaoyang didn’t want to participate right?”

Lin Yuyan nodded.

Mr. Zeng glanced at his apprentice and spoke with a tone akin to a human trafficker, “But his parents died a long time ago, and those situations in his family have nothing to do with him now. He shouldn’t bear his parents’ crimes. He’s too stuck in the past. He has to look forward, to have a bright future.”

Mr. Zeng placed his palette down and patted Lin Yuyan on the shoulder. He earnestly said, “Do you want to see him live in the past for the rest of his life?”

Lin Yuyan shook his head.

“So, you have to help him.”

“Me? Didn’t you say that he doesn’t need…”

“It’s you.” Mr. Zeng continued, “I did tell you that he doesn’t need someone to come save him.”

“Yes.”

“But he needs a future, and you are his future.”

The word ‘future; seemed too far away. It was so far that Lin Yuyan hadn’t even thought about it that deeply.

But Mr. Zeng mentioned it today, so he began to think about it. The four seasons on the wall seem to alternate. When he looked around, it felt that year after year have passed. It also seemed that from this moment onward, Lin Yuyan’s future would always have a shadow of Gu Yaoyang, and he would be by his side every day in the future.

Today’s weather is good, and the surrounding snow has melted a lot. Lunch was settled in the empty exhibition hall. Besides Lin Yuyan, Mr. Zeng had also called several other people to help him.

In the afternoon, Gu Yaoyang also came.

“Isn’t it cold?

Lin Yuyan was squatting in the yard to help clean up the weeds. He was wearing a pair of dirty white gloves and his face was dripping with sweat. Gu Yaoyang squatted beside him and helped him wipe the paint off his face before joining him in cleaning the yard.

Lin Yuyan hasn’t met him for a long time. He tilted his head intimately and rubbed against him. He smiled and said, “It’s not cold. It feels like the temperature has risen recently.” He then asked, “Did Mr. Zeng ask you to come?”

Gu Yaoyang responded with a, “Hmn.”

Lin Yuyan said: “He seems to have something to talk to you about.”

“I’ve talked about it with him a long time ago, but he kept on mentioning it.” Gu Yaoyang took out a cigarette but Lin Yuyan snatched it away. Holding a handful of weed, he seriously said, “Go back and smoke in a different place, It’s easy to catch a fire here.”

Gu Yaoyang glanced at him, “How lenient.”

Lin Yuyan snorted. He helped him put away the cigarette and asked, “Then what do you think?”

Gu Yaoyang asked back, “What about your thoughts?”

Lin Yuyan replied, “Of course, I respect your choices. Although playing in the professional arena would be great, I still think that the most important thing is for you to be happy.”

Gu Yaoyang asked, “Didn’t Zeng Yi ask you to be a middleman? Why are you betraying him?”

“Eh?” Lin Yuyan asked, “How did you know that teacher is going to use me?”

Gu Yaoyang answered, “What other purpose would he have for calling me here now?”

Lin Yuyan rubbed against him again and praised with a smile, “You’re so smart.”

Gu Yaoyang replied, “You’re not bad either. You could also see that he intends to take advantage of me by using you.”

After a short pause, he asked again, “What about you? Put aside my thoughts, do you think I should play professionally?”

Lin Yuyan nodded and answered honestly, “I hope you can stand on a higher ground and be in a better position. You’re great at it, maybe you could even become a boxing star.”

Gu Yaoyang raised his eyebrows, “Do you like stars?”

“No.” Lin Yuyan turned his head and kissed him on his cheeks. After a moment, he smiled and said, “I like you.”

The two cleaned up the weeds at the door and found a flower hidden in a pile of snow. Although it was withered, the petals were still in good shape. Lin Yuyan picked a handful of it, he then found a red rope nearby and tied them together.

After tidying up, the two sat on the wooden steps to bask in the sun. The room behind the door was buzzing with activity. Mr. Zeng was instructing the workers to measure the size and prepare to make a few new cabinets.

Lin Yuyan leaned on Gu Yaoyang’s shoulder. He held his hand and traced the lines on his palms. They were a bit rough, but his fingers are slender and beautiful. If he wasn’t born into such a family, he would’ve been a pampered young master. Even if he wasn’t one, he would’ve been a naughty, sunny, and bright boy.

“Will you leave me?”

“Huh?”

Gu Yaoyang asked suddenly, “Will you leave me?”

Lin Yuyan answered, “Of course not.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m not only sure of it, I can even swear it.”

After Lin Yuyan finished the sentence, he held up two fingers and seriously said, “I swear, I will never leave you. Although we may be separated for a while in the last of high school, we could video call every day, and I will come back to you as soon as I graduate.”

He placed his hand down and leaned into Gu Yaoyang’s shoulders again. He talked about everything that happened today and the possibilities that could happen in the future, “If you choose to play professionally, I would choose to study at the university closest to you. This way, I could go to school with a peaceful mind. It would be better if we could live in the same city, or even live together. We could also raise a small pet, like a kitten, or maybe a puppy, or even a parrot. I’ll learn to cook when you’re away. I’ll try to make some healthy recipes, professional players need to eat nutritious meals, right? When I learn it, I’ll prepare a super rich meal for you. We could also grow some plants and flowers and put them on the balcony like Uncle Zhou. I could also put my easel on the balcony, and place your sandbag in the study.”

Gu Yaoyang shook his hand and asked, “Why do you want a balcony?” Lin Yuyan answered, “Because I’m younger than you and need to absorb sunlight to grow.”

Gu Yaoyang laughed, “How are you younger than me?”

Lin Yuyan knew that he was thinking in the wrong direction, so he immediately answered, “Isn’t it obvious from my age? my height?!”

He answered so adorably, just listening to him could make people’s heart flutter. Gu Yaoyang still wanted to ask him a question but swallowed the question back down. He was afraid of reminding Lin Yuyan of his own situation, afraid that he would shrink back after hearing it.

“Then say it again, say that you won’t leave me.”

Lin Yuyan raised the corners of his mouth and said word by word right into his ear, “I will definitely never leave you, no matter what happens, I will never leave you. He spoke so firmly and earnestly. Gu Yaoyang became silent for a long time and replied with the corners of his mouth curled up, “Well then, I could try to participate in the professional competition.”

Lin Yuyan didn’t expect him to make such a decision, he asked in surprise, “Really?”

Gu Yaoyang answered, “Yes.”

“Why?”

“No reason, maybe it’s because I want to raise a little parrot.”

Lin Yuyan asked with a smile, “Then you’ll become a boxing star?”

“Maybe.”

“Great!” Lin Yuyan kissed him again. He held the bouquet of dried flowers beside him and handed it to Gu Yaoyang with a big smile, “From now on, You’ll be a big star, and I’ll be your little painter.”