Loneliness Chapter 6

Yuan Yuan understood himself very well. He was someone who was very stingy with feelings.

Citing a very obvious example: he would cordially entertain a guest who came from afar, personally shuttling him around, making hotel arrangements, and acting as a guide, but would not let him stay at his home.

He always treated the people around him well, showing them the appropriate care. Everyone said that he was a thoughtful person, and being with him, always felt that they were being looked after by him. But Yuan Yuan knew the feelings that he gave were limited to this, and they were only on the surface.

On the other hand, he would prevent others from being too nice to him.

Because this was how feelings were, what was given out would one day be collected. A person being extremely cordial to you, would surely hope to receive the same in return. Yuan Yuan understood clearly that he would not give it, so he was not willing to accept it.

He could accept Chen Dong Lan cooking, but he would not let him wash the dishes as well. He would let Chen Dong Lan help him celebrate his birthday, but this would not be more important than any other appointment. He left Chen Dong Lan to wait for him late into the night for his return home, but he wouldn't allow him to do anything else for him.

He could allow Chen Dong Lan to treat him as his best friend, or even his only friend, but in no way would he permit him to invest even more.

Because he couldn't return it, right?

After questioning himself, Yuan Yuan distanced himself from Chen Dong Lan.

He thought that this was something that he was used to doing.

He genuinely thought so.

After the hotel staff told Yuan Yuan that he could come back two hours later to collect the clothes, he returned to the room.

When he entered the room, Chen Dong Lan was putting on a cardigan.

Yuan Yuan watched for a few seconds, then laughed. He walked over, pulled Chen Dong Lan's hands aside and helped him to b.u.t.ton it up. “How old are you already? How could you still b.u.t.ton it wrongly?”

Chen Dong Lan placed his hands stiffly at his sides. “Maybe I'm not too familiar…”

“Does wearing clothes have anything to do with familiarity?” Once the b.u.t.toning was done, he looked him over. “It's a little big.”

Chen Dong Lan wasn't much shorter than him, but he was thinner overall. On Yuan Yuan, it would be just right. On him, it was conspicuously loose.

But, Chen Dong Lan didn't think so. He said, “It's just right. It's just right.” With that, he put on a black down coat.

Yuan Yuan twisted the ends of his hair. “Don't be in such a hurry to wear your coat. Blow dry your hair first.”

With the touch of his hand, Chen Dong Lan shrunk away slightly. Because of the softness in his hand, Yuan Yuan looked at him as if he were looking at some kind of plush animal.

Chen Dong Lan seemed unwilling to take off his coat. “My hair is very short and will dry very quickly.”

Yuan Yuan flatly overruled. “You'll catch a cold. I'll help you.”

Chen Dong Lan stopped him. “I'll do it myself.” Without waiting for Yuan Yuan's reply, he went to sit beside the hairdryer. The hotel's hairdryer was affixed to the wall and that position was a tight fit for two men, so Yuan Yuan didn't insist.

He stood one side, looking at Chen Dong Lan's nape.

It was impossible for Chen Dong Lan not to sense it. His movements were stiff and he wanted to turn his head to look. But every time his neck turned a little, he turned back. “You…you're here with nothing to do. Aren't you bored? Xiao Zhou sprained her ankle. Aren't you going to take a look?”

His words were illogical. Yuan Yuan said, “I'm here to look after you. Xiao Zhou is fine and she has three people with her. You only have me here. If I go and see her, would you be okay?”

Chen Dong Lan nodded. “I will.”

“Nonsense,” Yuan Yuan scolded laughingly. “You even did up your b.u.t.tons wrong, and you were unwilling to blow dry your hair.”

With a thump, the hair dryer fell from Chen Dong Lan's hand. Fortunately, there was a spring wire pulling at it and the hairdryer continued to emit hot air, bouncing against the wall before Chen Dong Lan grabbed it. He looked at it nervously. Seeing the air was still being emitted steadily and that it wasn't damaged, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Yuan Yuan laughed. “You see, and you almost damaged public facilities.”

Chen Dong Lan didn't say anything and turned off the hairdryer, returning it back to its place. “I'm done.” He turned around and his face was flushed, even redder than when Senior was making fun of Xiao Zhou.

Yuan Yuan couldn't hold back his laughter. “Really?” He moved closer and touched his head. “It's still wet.”

Chen Dong Lan's breathing became heavier and he moved back a step. “You…anyway, I'm done.”

Actually, it was nearly half dry and Yuan Yuan only said that because he was in a mood to tease a child. Actually, he didn't like to tease children. Previously, when he returned home to celebrate Chinese New Year, he resented the noise from the younger generation at home. Thinking of it now, if those children were like Chen Dong Lan, he would probably play with them all the time.

“Alright then.” He finally decided to let it go.

Chen Dong Lan and Xiao Zhou a.s.sisted the police in their investigation, and the park checked their surveillance videos. Everyone watched it together and saw that the situation had been both dangerous and not dangerous. Xiao Zhou and Chen Dong Lan's efforts (T/N: Original text 三脚猫的功夫, literally meaning three-legged cat's efforts, where 三脚猫, three-legged cat, also means jack of all trades.) in holding on to the man were very clumsy. Fortunately, their opponent did not carry any knives.

When Chen Dong Lan was pushed down, he resisted. But the slope/incline was too steep/sudden/unexpected, and he wasn't as familiar with the terrain as the man. Having somewhat stopped the downward momentum, he had still fallen down because his feet had slipped.

Yuan Yuan knew that he was perfectly alright, but his heart still tightened.

The investigation didn't last long because the situation was very clear. The perpetrator had confessed everything, and he was not a first-time offender. Chen Dong Lan and Xiao Zhou were fine, and Amy had only received a bit of a shock. The rest could be dealt with back in the city.

The park said that it would waive all their hotel expenses and even let the restaurant handle their dinner. But, after a small discussion, no one was in the mood. They had originally booked rooms for another night, but they no longer intended to stay.

Xiao Zhou felt so guilty that she cried till her eyes swelled. She kept saying that it happened because she didn't look after Amy properly. Senior didn't think this way at all, consoling her with ease saying that it should be blamed on Amy's lack of safety and time awareness. She shouldn't have insisted on going somewhere desolate and dangerous, hence she was targeted.

At this point, Yu Lin interrupted, “Actually, it's because Amy is too pretty and cute.”

Amy was originally still sluggish and had not recovered, but hearing such a shameless praise from him, she buried her red face in her mother's arms.

Chen Dong Lan couldn't raise his head in front of Senior, saying that he shouldn't have walked so far away. Senior smacked the back of his head. “I can't thank you enough, and you're still saying something like this. You're asking for a beating!”

Finally, as they headed back to the city, everyone had swept away the haze in their hearts, talking and laughing.

On the way here, Amy had sat in Yu Lin's car. When going back, she moved close to Senior's ear and said that she wanted to sit with Xiao Zhou and Chen Dong Lan. When Senior relayed her message, she masked her shyness with a smile.

In the end, Yu Lin was depressed to find that there was only one old guy, Ou Yang in his car.

Ou Yang seized him. “Let's go. I'll show you a photo of my girlfriend in the car.”

Yu Lin's heart shattered.

In Yuan Yuan's car, everyone satisfied Amy's request. Senior sat in the front pa.s.senger seat and Amy sat behind, in between Xiao Zhou and Chen Dong Lan.

Amy was very satisfied and kept humming a song.

Xiao Zhou and Amy were now very familiar with each other. They played a guessing game which was very simple. Amy had such a great time that she couldn't stop laughing, causing Senior and Yuan Yuan to be concerned that she was unable to breathe.

Senior looked worriedly at Amy and asked Yuan Yuan, “Do I need to give birth to another one so she has somebody to play with?”

Yuan Yuan laughed awkwardly. It was useless to discuss this with him. She should ask the Caucasian foreigner with whom she had a child with.

After Xiao Zhou had played with Amy for about an hour, she was tired and her actions gradually slowed. A short while later, her head fell to one side, and she was asleep. Amy shook her but couldn't wake her.

Senior sensed it and turned around. “Shhh, Xiao Zhou Jiejie (T/N: 姐姐 meaning older sister) is too tired.”

Amy copied her shus.h.i.+ng and sat obediently.

This didn't last long. Soon, she was moving around, bored, and observing Chen Dong Lan out of the corner of her eye.

But, she was not as familiar with Chen Dong Lan and didn't dare to hastily “strike up a conversation”.

From the rear-view mirror, Yuan Yuan saw that Amy was having a hard time and was about to help her out. Right then, he saw Chen Dong Lan fish out two coins from his pocket and held them separately in his left and right hand, asking Amy softly, “Guess which side the coin is?”

Amy's eyes were bright, and she called out loudly, “Right side!”

Chen Dong Lan opened his left hand. “Actually, it was on the right side. But, Amy's voice was too loud, and the coin ran away after hearing it. For the next round, Amy has to guess softly, okay?”

Amy genuinely believed him and nodded. “Okay…”

The two of them continued to play quietly.

Senior laughed and said to Yuan Yuan, “I didn't expect that he's actually quite good with children.”

Yuan Yuan was also somewhat surprised by this.

All along, Chen Dong Lan had reacted coldly towards Amy. Senior had worriedly asked him if he didn't like children and was annoyed by the noise. But looking at it now, it probably wasn't that he didn't like children. No matter if they were adults or children, he would hide his feelings just the same. If there hadn't been an opportunity, they wouldn't have gotten a glimpse of it.

But, when Yuan Yuan thought about it carefully, Chen Dong Lan would often expose his feelings to him. If he told Yu Lin that Chen Dong Lan was overjoyed with the big screen television, and would be moved by melodramatic television series, he would surely not believe it.

He should have been focused on driving, but Yuan Yuan was distracted by thoughts of Chen Dong Lan.