Tan Yao’s handphone that he had placed behind the cushion on the living room sofa rang incessantly.
Ye Qing did not have the habit of sleeping in late. She had two habits when waking up every morning. One was an uncompromisable cup of water, and the other was to check her phone as soon as possible. She was used to being busy and always stayed on alert in case any situation cropped up at work that required her immediate attention.
She opened the curtains, standing in front of the window with a cup of water and her phone in hand.
Seeing that Tan Yao had texted her, the corners of Ye Qing’s mouth curled into a brilliant arc. The two had effectively lapsed into a cold war before as some of Tan Yao’s words had really been very hurtful…
Still, since he was taking the initiative to contact her, whether he was apologising or not, Ye Qing had still decided to forgive him. This was how it usually was between them.
She opened that first message: Sis Qing, I’ve still decided to call you this way at the end, maybe because you are the person most tolerant of me who care most about me in this world. I want to apologise for what happened a few days ago. I want to say that if I could relive it all, or if there really is a next life, I would choose...to meet you first.
The second message: Actually, I’ve had a thought recently. I was thinking that after getting to the end of this matter with Fang Chen, I would break up completely with her. I would properly cherish you and work hard towards one day having the ability to let you choose me unreservedly over your family’s businesses. Sadly, I no longer have that chance.
Crash.
Her cup of water fell to the ground.
She called him over and over, but no one answered.
Ye Qing switched to sending texts.
Tan Yao, don’t do anything stupid. I’ll help, I’ll help Fang Chen. Say something, won’t you? What’s with you, Tan Yao? Tell me what’s happened!
I choose you. No need to wait for next time. Right now, come back here. I won’t hesitate anymore, I won’t want whatever family businesses. I want you, Tan Yao. Answer my call, okay?!
I know you’ve always really envied Fu Cheng and Ms Fang. I know you’ve always especially longed for a complete family. Come back, and I’ll give birth to a child for you, okay? The three of us, a whole and happy family.
“...”
Finally, a completely distressed Ye Qing called Fang Chen’s phone instead.
The call connected after a few tries. It was cacophonous on the other end. Police sirens, noise from rowdy crowds, the crackling of a roaring fire and the sound of metal plates bending under high temperatures could be heard…
“Where’s Tan Yao?”
“He’s...dead.” The voice was as soulless as a wandering, untethered soul.
……
The texts that Huang Yaming received were different.
Tan Yao said: Old Huang, you always say that in this lifetime, you’ve left the peace to Fu Cheng and the glory to Xu Tingsheng. Our lives are to help Xu Tingsheng with this darker underside of society, freeing him of potential weaknesses and preventing him from being stained with karma as much as possible.
You said that as us bros roam the world together, repaying gratitude and enacting vengeance, you should be the big bro, and I the second bro...I thought about it. What do you mean second bro? No way, you should be the second bro! So, sorry, but this bro is finding fault and quitting. It may be tough, but I believe in you.
Right, I won’t be returning my shares in Bright Brilliance to you guys. You’re not in need of this much anyway. When funds are more readily available later on, help me to set up a scholarship fund for orphans, okay. Just call it ‘Qingchen’. Our annual bonuses should be able to help quite a few orphans go to school.
I was raised on donations from society at the end of the day, even went to university. While I am a bit of a bastard, I have always hoped that I can pay this back in some way someday. And with that, I think I should not have any more unfulfilled wishes.
After reading the first message, Huang Yaming casually sent a reply: Heck, Tan Yao, don’t tell me you're off to be the prince consort of the Ye family? So, ain’t gonna play with me anymore?!
After reading the second message, he stared blankly into space as he felt cold all of a sudden.
Of all those around Xu Tingsheng, Huang Yaming and Tan Yao were actually the closest and most compatible. They had also hung out the most. They had hit on girls, messed around, started a business together. When making out with girls before, they had even been in neighbouring rooms. They were a two-man Casanova team, the Ming (Bright) from Bright Brilliance and the Yao (Brilliance) from Bright Brilliance…
Tan Yao had deserted from their playboy ways as he had been ‘converted’ by Ye Qing. Once in a while, Huang Yaming felt like something was lacking as he felt a bit lonely. Of course, that did not mean he could drag his friend into the hole with him as he could only give him his blessings.
In the end, not only had this dude gotten addicted to being a deserter, he was even going to bail out of their career together?
Unable to get through to Tan Yao on his phone, Huang Yaming sent via Weixin: Tan Yao, try to run, why don’t you! Heck, someone like you who only ranks second actually dares to have your own bright ideas?! Heck, if there’s anything, just tell your big bro about it...I’ll bear that weight for you!
When the news came, he sat at a corner of the coal mines, bawling uncontrollably.
“I told you long ago to stay away from Fang Chen...you fool, you wouldn’t listen...you didn’t even listen to your big bro...look, now you’ve even lost your life to this.”
……
Later, when university reopened after the summer holidays and their fourth year commenced.
The remaining five people of Room 602 were all gathered...wrong, those of Room 602 would never all be gathered again.
Ye Qing took some of Tan Yao’s belongings from the dormitory. As for the remainder, the five of them helped to tidy them up neatly, even neatly folding and placing the blanket on the bed...there they would remain thereafter, at least till the end of their fourth year.
Little Bro, Zhang Ninglang, carefully tidied up Tan Yao’s still brand new textbooks while sobbing. With tears in his eyes, he earnestly begrudged Xu Tingsheng for the first time.
“There were several times when I asked for us to take a picture together. You and Tan Yao both said that men need not be so cheesy, that it could wait till graduation. What now? There’ll just be the five of us when we graduate. How can we still take it? I’m not doing it anymore...do it yourselves, you jerks.”
“You’re seldom in school, usually. Tan Yao always said: Lil’ Bro, tell bro if you’re bullied. Bro will look after you. I never even got who exactly bro is.”
“Can’t you just study properly? Why must you get involved in all these things…
The remaining four, Xu Tingsheng included, cried as they listened, no one daring to rebut. That night, those of Room 602 who remained sat there all the way till day broke…
The next day, a bedsheet was hung from the top of C district’s Block 13.
“Tan Yao, **** me again.”
The entire Yanzhou University was thrown into upheaval.
As the five from Room 602 went to class together and saw it, Li Xingming said, “Right, because we were living in the same dormitory all this time, I totally forgot. Tan Yao’s the prince of our Yanzhou University!”
Lu Xu said, “Yeah. My wife’s friends were always asking me to get Tan Yao out for a meal with them.”
Old Wai said, “You surely wouldn’t have thought, but those very docile friends of Linlin’s...got me to secretly take some photos of Tan Yao in the bath.”
It was already long since impossible to keep count of how many people Tan Yao had been involved with before he had reformed. Even he himself could not keep track of the specific number.
Yet, one thing was definite. This Casanova had established a fresh brand image for himself as he unceasingly traversed the field of flowers - if you get together with Tan Yao, you’ll definitely be dumped.
Therefore, the chicks who threw themselves at him were actually largely mentally prepared. Even if they gave themselves to him, it was when they felt it was worth it. In Tan Yao’s own words: I’m actually the one being slept.
Therefore, the incredible thing about Tan Yao was that while he clearly had uncountable exes, he never incurred their animosity. They seemed only to remember him only for how handsome, gentle, romantic, valiant, capable he was…
He had been voted most ideal lover in an anonymous poll in Xishan Tower’s forum. After all, his support base was incomparably strong, Rebirth was mysterious and Xu Tingsheng too detached from the masses.
The university requested after breakfast for people to remove that bedsheet, which ‘stained the university’s culture’.
Then, after school that afternoon, everyone left the various teaching buildings and returned to the living areas to find...entire buildings, the entire sky full of floating bedsheets. Also, it was not just limited to Yanzhou University too. This phenomenon similarly occurred in other universities of this academy city, Jianhai Technological University which was nicknamed a ‘temple’ included...after all, this entire academy city had once been Tan Yao’s hunting ground.
“Senior Tan Yao, I was still saying that I’d definitely get you done in your fourth year here.”
“I still thought that at least for a year longer, I’d be able to meet you on the roadside. With how thick-skinned you are, you’d surely cheerfully come over to say hi anyway.”
“Oh how I regret being so reserved.”
“Slept me once and ran...Tan Yao, you asshole.”
“I still have the present you gave me, even though I know you bought the same bracelet in a whole shipment from Yiwu, and maybe over a hundred girls in this academy city have one.”
“I never told you before, but you were actually my first love. Even though it was only for a few short days...you said you didn’t touch virgins, that’s why I lied to you.”
“It was just a period of fun for you, but it was years of longing for me.”
“A single blissful night solidified our union. Go well, Husband.”
“Milord.”
“...”
The bedsheets flew that day.
Tan Yao ended his journey in his youth, imprinted in the youthful memories of countless sisters and aunties for decades to come.
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