Chapter 22

“If you go to A’Qing’s bookcase, to second drawer on the leftmost side, you’ll find a small box there; and inside it, is the answer to what you want to know.”

Han Yang stood before the bookcase, the words Xu Luozhao spoke earlier replaying in his mind. That bookshelf of Helian Qing’s was rather high, so he used a step ladder to climb up; going for the second drawer on the far left, to the box Xu Luozhao had spoke of.

It was an antique looking wooden box, covered in many intricate designs which were exquisite and beautiful.

Taking the case into his hands made Han Yang feel quite nervous, to the extent where his hands actually began to tremble as the constant feeling of it being like he was peeking at some mysterious object over took him.

He did not try to open the box at first, he only stared at the thing intently, while the two opposing thoughts: “Open” and “Don’t open”, bounced against one another, as if they were the multiple choice answers on a sheet of paper laid out before him.

His mind warned him doing something like this was wrong, and that spying on Helian Qing’s private things without his consent was very bad.

But, his heart told him this thing should be something regarding him, otherwise Xu Luozhao would have been unlikely to tell him about it to begin with.

Besides, he wanted to know the answer to those things Xu Luozhao had said, and ultimately, why Helian Qing wanted to make such a contract with him.

Without a doubt, his emotions prevailed over his rationality in the end. So with the intake of a deep breath, Han Yang slowly opened the box. The box’s latch made a soft “click” echo within his hand when it unlocked, and in that split second, Han Yang heard the sound of his own heart pounding.

Surprisingly, there was nothing particularly special inside the box. So far, just an old piece of newspaper—looking a bit yellowed—resting atop its other contents.

Upon seeing the newspaper, Han Yang was a little stunned; not understanding what Xu Luozhao’s intent could have been in making him see it. He then took out the newspaper and read the date on its cover: July 25th, 20xx.

——This newspaper was from five years ago.

Why would Helian Qing treasure and preserve an old newspaper like this? Han Yang did not understand.

Now putting back the box, Han Yang opened the newspaper and read the capitalised front page headline of the leading news story——Helian Group’s Next Heir, Helian Qing, Receives Secret Invite to Attend the XXth Youth Standalone Webgame Competition: So could this mean the Helian Group is possibly stepping foot into the online gaming industry?!

Below this headline, one-third of all the titles were all about Helian Qing.

Han Yang, “…”Is narcissism that Qing Gége’s reason for wanting to hoard popular newspaper headlines of himself and keep them in that box? Could that Qing Gége actually turn out to be more of a narcissist than a tsundere?

Knowing fully well such a thing was out of the question, Han Yang still could not help but laugh after he thought about it, as he took a careful look at the Helian Qing from back then. Comparatively speaking, there was not that much difference between the Helian Qing in that picture to his current appearance. His features were still quite handsome, and his expression was still rather indifferent; but now it seemed like those features, along with his temperament, became even more refined, more mature—more…composed. That photo, suddenly made Han Yang become more curious as to what Helian Qing was like those years back, especially whether or not he was such a sharp-tongued tsundere as he was now.

Yep, he must’ve still been like that. He was probably born that way, Han Yang thought, before he returned his gaze to the newspaper’s contents.

The article from five years earlier was about a webgame competition where Helian Qing, who was invited as a mysterious guest, received a great deal of attention from the media. It also had quite a number of people guessing whether his acceptance of the invitation to a competition like that had something to do with the next direction his company would advance in.

Han Yang was not very convinced by that report. Due to the strength of the Helian Group, if they really wished to step into the online gaming industry it was unlikely they’d set their sights on an average teenage webgame compe— Wait a minute! Han Yang remembered something. He then swept his gaze back to the article’s title, reading the headline twice.

Han Yang paused, 20xx… Isn’t that the competition I participated in?

Back then, it just so happened to be the summer vacation period, and along with the son of the his homeroom teacher [1], he had formed a team who then entered that competition which they even won the “Most Creative” consolation prize for at that time.

Han Yang had been accepted to a high school in the city and due to his family’s situation, the homeroom teacher looked after him a little more, and also because their son was in the same grade as him though the other boy’s grades in every subject was unbalanced. The form teacher’s son had the problem of focusing seriously on some subjects at the expense of others, so after he and the boy were more familiar with each other, Han Yang took it upon himself to help him make up for those lessons he was falling behind on; and it was because of this guy, that Han Yang got his first chance to interact with computers.

Back then, his participation in that competition was accidental. Still unfamiliar with computers, he could not help much but with his that clever mind of his, he did provide them with many new ideas and directions. In fact, the concept for the end product that went up for the competition was thought up by him, while the concrete design was the work of the homeroom teacher’s son and another team member’s. Little did he expect that they would win a prize for it in the end.

Han Yang also recalled the picture he had of all his teammates from when he took part in the competition, which now rests on his desk back at his family’s home. Grandpa would frequently take out that picture to look at it, and say how that event still made him very happy.

But why would this newspaper be here? Han Yang continued reading. Below the article, his eyes falling on a photo with him standing in the first row to the far left, looking very reserved while wearing a white shirt and black trousers.

“…inside it is the answer to what you want to know.”

Xu Luozhao’s words echoed once again, and an unbelievable thought slowly formed within Han Yang’s heart. His mouth now slightly agape, he did not dare believe what he just saw in that newspaper, considering the speculation now forming in his heart as simply preposterous.

“…how can something like this be possible?” Han Yang mumbled. Folding up the paper recklessly, he then picked up the box again to find there were a few more news clippings inside that were from the same time as the one before. Apart from the newspapers, there were also several pictures, with not even one failing to be a photo of him from that competition.

His heart “ba-thumped” as it pounded, seeming as if it wanted to burst open, giving him no way to control its throbbing. He then, very carefully, picked up those photographs a upon making contact with them, to his shock, every one of his fingertips emitted a scalding heat.

It the same as the time when he saw the contents of the journal, except now it was the box in his hand which felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, and yet again it seemed as if an invisible hand had churned the seas within his heart and tossing that place into chaos.

Han Yang thought he had already gotten along well with Helian Qing and had also gradually come to understand the depth of that man’s affections. But it never occurred to him he had yet to touch the tip of it.

“Han Yang.” Helian Qing’s voice came from outside, jolting Han Yang back to reality. Eyeing the doorway, he quickly put the newspapers and pictures back into the box, covered it, then returned it to its original place before hurriedly climbing down the ladder, three steps merging into two, as he ran out the study.

Helian Qing stood in the doorway of their bedroom, the towel used to dry his hair hanging around his neck. Seeing Han Yang exit the study, he then said, “What are doing staying up so late? Come over here.”

Han Yang’s head was completely filled with all the pictures from inside that box, and after setting eyes on Helian Qing, his steps halted; and soon after, he did something that even after many years had passed, his recollection of it made him feel ashamed to return back to his village.

Making his way over to Helian Qing with quickened steps, he threw himself onto the other when he was finally right before him. That’s right, he threw his whole self onto him, jumping on the man with both legs wrapping around the other’s waist and arms tightly encircled around his neck.

Helian Qing got quite a scare by the smaller man’s pouncing, the impact causing him to draw backwards by a free steps before he could steady himself, and use both hands to prop him up by the butt as he held him.

“Hiss!” Helian Qing’s face got knocked by the lad’s forehead. Sucking in a breath, and with an unhappy tone, he said, “Are you throwing yourself into my arms, or are you trying to to murder your dear husband?”

Han Yang gave him no reply, instead choosing to tighten his embrace and bury his face with the hollow of the other man’s neck while repeatedly calling out his name softly.

“What happened?” Helian Qing noticed he was acting a bit odd.

Han Yang sniffed his nose, his voice a bit hoarse as he asked, “Why are you so good to me?”

“Why, hm? ” Helian Qing thought about it, then replied, “It’s probably because I’m a good man, right? I don’t want to see you crying, okay. It’s too ugly.”

[T/n: the word for ugly used here also means embarrassing]

Bull-crap. Han Yang said internally. It’s obviously because you love me…you’ve loved me for such a long time.

Han Yang did not expose him. Since Helian Qing wanted to conceal it, he chose to treat the matter as something he had never discovered in the first place

“Helian Qing…” hugging for a while, Han Yang finally spoke.

“Hm?” Helian Qing replied.

“Please let me down,” Han Yang said. This kind of position was to embarrassing, as there will always be this kind of feeling after performing such a jarring action.

“Let you down?” Helian Qing raised a brow, “Who was the one who launched himself like a rocket onto me a moment ago?”

Han Yang’s face became flushed by his words, it was just that a moment ago he was simply too moved. Knowing that Princess Qing held such a big secret in his heart made him unable to restrain his repressed emotions, thus giving him the urge to do something so embarrassing.

“Hm? Where did all that vigor you just had go, huh?” Helian Qing dragged his hand over the other’s buttocks, pinching it harshly, “Scared?”

All those stirred up emotions he felt from his discovery of that Princess Qing’s secretly being in love with him had yet to be tempered, and now because of that man’s teasing, Han Yang’s mind grew heated, causing him to cup the man’s face and go straight in for a kiss, delivering a reckless kiss against his lips.

Left speechless by this sort of dog-licking like attempt at a kiss, Helian Qing carried that person straight to their bed and pressed him down, switching their positions to one where he was the one now on the attack.

That thing from just a moment ago had given Han Yang such a great impact, he wanted very much to be more close to Helian Qing—just a little closer—wishing that he could fuse himself together with that man as only this method would quell the surging tides within his heart.

[T/n: the impact mentioned is specifically from a thrust or great force, *wink*]

This was probably the most euphoric experience the two have had; there joining bodies seeming to stem from a cry within their souls, causing both of their hearts—their spirits, to tremble; each wishing the other would become wrapped within their own body.

**

The next day, Helian Qing was already gone by the time Han Yang woke. With it being the day of the conference for his company’s new product, it was mandatory for him to be present.

The pillow beside him, still holding the onto Helian Qing’s scent, was then embraced by him followed by the inhalation of a deep breath; the sensation he felt of himself being surrounded by this scent giving him an extremely comfortable feeling.

Lying back on the bed again for a while, Han Yang finally got up a little past ten to wash up, all because Helian Qing’s news conference was to be aired at eleven o’clock.

Being kept warm in the kitchen, was the breakfast Helian Qing went out to buy, so Han Yang took the warm milk, the pancakes and the dumpling with him as he went to turn on the television to the station to watch press conference of Helian Qing and company.

At the moment, it was still not the time for the event to begin, so Han Yang ate his breakfast while he waited. After he finished his breakfast it was finally the time, as Helian Qing just appeared at the site of the conference.

Han Yang noticed that even though it such a situation, Helian Qing’s attitude was neither cold nor warm, and his answers to the reporters’ questions were also very simple. Sometimes, those answers even just had a couple words, which were extremely simple and crude.

At the news conference, everything was arranged in advance, but there was one reporter who thought that place was suitable for gossip. As the event came near to its end, this famous reporter suddenly put forward a question completely unrelated to the conference’s topic, saying, “Mr. Helian, according to a reliable source, is it true that you already got married secretly?”

With this subject out, the venue was now in an uproar, with other reporters echoing this question one after the other.

The Helian Group’s public relations staff members upon seeing this, at once, changed the topic however Helian Qing raised his hand to stop them, and surprisingly, gave the response, “Since you stated your source is reliable, what are doing asking me?”

When Helian Qing made that statement his expression was extremely cold, while he looked as if he was staring at a complete fool.

“Mr. Helian, may I please ask you if it is true that you’ve gotten married? Or, is it still just a rumour?” the reporter continued to ask.

Helian Qing’s finger tapped the table; the entire venue was in a state of silence until a few moments afterwards when he said one, single, word: “Yes.”

This reply made a wave of silence come over the scene, immediately followed by even more bustling and commotion, as an increase number of reporters competed to ask their questions: “May I ask when did you register? Why haven’t you held your wedding ceremony so far, and may I also ask when your planning to do so? May I be so bold as to ask where your wife is? Someone said they saw you with a younger person at the civil affairs office, is that true?”

Han Yang never expected Helian Qing would admit to their marriage at the press conference. Astonished, he stared on at the television screen, looking at the man calmly say, “Exactly when the registration took place is my personal business. As for the ceremony, I too would like to ask since that person is watching the television right now.” Helian Qing lifted his chin faintly, seeming as if he was speaking to Han Yang through the camera, saying, “When are you going to marry me?”

Han Yang, who was twirling the chopsticks in his hand, dropped them onto the table, not daring to believe what he just saw on the television. He looked on as Helian Qing stood up then left the conference after he spoke, and the reporters who wanted to follow him afterwards be blocked by the security guards.

…was this a marriage proposal? Han Yang covered his face. It was simply indescribable that this person would propose at a news conference. Every bit of this person was not good at all!!!

Qing Gége, is this you wanting to be some kind of heartthrob [2]!!

Han Yang could already imagine what the next day’s news headline would be…

……………………………………????

Notes:

[1] 班主任: banzhuren: the head teacher in charge of a class. So, form teacher, for secondary schools; and homeroom teacher for high schools.

[2] 苏炸天: sū zhà tian: it’s used to describe a guy who’s really awesome, like an idol, and has the power to make people react like K-pop fans… weak-kneed and swooning all over the place I mean, like a fujo/fudanshi reading their favorite BL. So a heartthrob, I guess. (I’m having a hard time “englishing” this one