IROAWTMTFL Chapter 2

Yan Yan bit the pen and continued to jot down some notes and sketches on the paper, creating a mind map. At the top, he wrote: “Known facts: Dr. Yiyun, aged 27. Find out why his mother is setting him up on a blind date.”

Reason Analysis:

1. Dysfunction of “X” (I can handle it, hahaha).

2. Workaholic, unsociable (I just need to be well-behaved, understanding, and supportive of his career).

3. Flirts and is unstable in relationships (I need to be sensible and considerate; in short, get to sleep with him before breaking up).

4. Purely elders meddling (Act adorable and well-behaved in front of elders).

……..

In conclusion, Yan Yan wrote on the side: The most effective strategy with the highest success rate—pretend to be well-behaved (must be beautiful, note, beautiful, not handsome).

Yan Yan was determined not to engage without preparation. Since he’s pretending to be well-behaved, he would never take the initiative to contact his mom’s old classmate. That would make him appear too eager— a well-behaved senior in college should be shy about a blind date.

So, he transferred all the pressure to his mom, insisting that he would meet Zhuang Xian and even suggested that he could go alone if his parents didn’t want to join. Mother Yan was afraid that Zhuang Xian, the old classmate, would rebuke her in the class chat group and complain about Yan Yan’s harassment. So she reluctantly agreed. The two of them would be present to observe and guide, they would try to saddle this wild horse.

However, to their surprise, Yan Yan was not as wild and unrestrained as what they had imagined. Looking at his dark chestnut hair and the white shirt under the yellow sweater, Father Yan and Mother Yan were at a loss for words. Yan Yan smiled, one-third innocence, one-third sweetness, and the rest was shyness.

Not sending him to the film school really made the country’s film industry miss out on a great actor.

Mother Yan slapped her forehead and hesitated on whether to reveal her son’s true nature to her old classmate. Father Yan started to chant Buddhist prayers; as a mortal, he couldn’t handle his son’s overnight transformation.

The Yan family arrived first, and when they entered the private room, Zhuang Xian and her son had also arrived at the underground garage. The two of them remained silent on their way upstairs, Zhuang Xian looking arrogant and cold, while Zhuang Yiyun remained expressionless, repelling everyone from a distance. It wasn’t until they stood at the door of Room 803 and pushed it open that Zhuang Xian switched to the friendly attitude she had displayed when meeting her old classmate a few days ago.

“The traffic was bad on the way, and Yiyun had to take a detour to pick me up, so we arrived late. I’m really sorry!”

“You’re not late at all, we just arrived early.” How could you blindside a smiling person? Mother Yan refrained from blowing up at this blind date, considering she and her husband were kind and tolerant people.

Zhuang Xian came over enthusiastically and shook Mother Yan’s hand. She had her own calculations, but when her gaze fell on Yan Yan, she was somewhat surprised.

“So, this is Yan Yan?” She asked.

“Hello, Aunt Zhuang.” Yan Yan had already stood up, very politely and generously pulling a chair for Zhuang Xian. Although he wasn’t as tall as Zhuang Yiyun, he still appeared to be around 1.8 meters tall, with an upright figure and handsome and delicate features. He had a faint dimple when he smiled, which made him look cute.

Zhuang Xian began to wonder whether Qian Ruqing’s complaints in the chat group were pride or humility. She had seen the chat logs in the class group where some classmates praised Qian Ruqing’s son for his good looks, but Qian Ruqing complained that her son didn’t listen to her.

“Thank you.” Zhuang Xian didn’t rush to take a seat, but instead introduced her son. “This is Yiyun. He only focuses on scientific research, can earn money, and is knowledgeable, but lacks some interests. Yan Yan, please show him more in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Yan Yan finally took the opportunity to look at Zhuang Yiyun openly. God knows he tried not to peek while knowing that a handsome guy was right in front of him, but it was killing him.

The national TV interview footage was raw and would make anyone look unattractive. Facing Zhuang Yiyun in person, Yan Yan finally understood the impact of his appearance. With his deep and handsome features, a cold yet attractive temperament, and standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, he exuded a dominating presence, completely overshadowing the lavish surroundings in the private room.

When Yan Yan locked eyes with him, his face blushed, and he turned his gaze away, shyly and timidly calling out, “Hello, Zhuang Gege…”

Qian Ruqing: “…”

Even though she gave birth to him and raised him, she wondered where he learned this trait, she was even starting to believe that this was how he was.

Father Yan: “…”

‘I didn’t see anything.’

Zhuang Xian raised an eyebrow slightly, not sure if Yan Yan intentionally called out like that or if it was a common habit in the Yan family. She looked at Zhuang Yiyun, but couldn’t figure out anything special. He just nodded in response and greeted Yan Yan’s parents.

After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, the five people at the table started contemplating their own thoughts.

Qian Ruqing was convinced that her son was not worthy of Zhuang Xian and hesitated, considering on sabotaging this date. Father Yan, Yan Ximing, had a more practical mindset. If he couldn’t control his own son, why bother about other peoples’ sons? He decided not to worry about it. If his son could pretend to be well-behaved and actually become good, then he wouldn’t have any regrets in the second half of his life.

Zhuang Xian was discreetly observing Yan Yan, Zhuang Yiyun just wanted to end the blind date and leave as soon as possible, while Yan Yan… he was staring at Zhuang Yiyun’s lips across the table.

The thickness was just right and distinct, like cold ice with snow. He wondered if they would melt upon contact.

Yan Yan’s thoughts continued wondering. If things moved quickly tonight; would there be a chance to experience it within the next three days?

As his eyes grazed Zhuang Yiyun’s brows, eyes, lips, and nose, the other party remained motionless like a mountain. Amidst the laughter and conversations of the elders, he politely contributed a few remarks to the topics, but never engaged much and rarely looked at Yan Yan. However, his vision was sharp; his eyesight was 5.2, allowing him to capture Yan Yan’s every subtle movement.

Qian Ruqing thought Zhuang Yiyun was decent; his attitude was clear, not ambiguous, and he showed no interest in her son, avoiding any misunderstandings. As the meal progressed, she began to relax and chatted more openly with Zhuang Xian.

Zhuang Xian praised Qian Ruqing’s harmonious family, and in turn, Qian Ruqing praised her son’s achievements. The two women flattered each other in almost every aspect and when the conversation shifted to Yan Yan, Zhuang Xian tactfully probed, “Why does Yan Yan have so many ear piercings?”

Four on the left, three on the right; it’s quite a lot.

The atmosphere suddenly stalled. Zhuang Xian added hastily, “Forget it; I asked at the wrong time. Ear piercings are not exclusive to girls; it’s a matter of personal choice on how many to have.”

Although Zhuang Xian’s words were not offensive, they seemed to have a somewhat grating effect.

Zhuang Yiyun felt a bit annoyed. It was okay for his mother to go crazy with him, but he never expected her to be impolite at a blind date she arranged. He glanced over; seven piercings were indeed a bit much, but there was no need to point it out explicitly. This boy seemed like a little lamb, wouldn’t cry because of her comments?

“ I was in poor health when I was young so my mom raised me as a girl for a few years… That’s why I got my ears pierced. I heard that having more piercings could be beneficial, so I got this many.” Yan Yan’s voice softened, appearing somewhat embarrassed, and he averted his gaze, which “coincidentally” met Zhuang Yiyun’s.

“But I’m fine now; I don’t need any special care anymore.” As he blushed shyly like a fawn, Zhuang Yiyun finally noticed that when he raised his eyes, they shone brightly, like a kind of elf.

His slender white hand clenched at the edge of the table, turning red from the pressure. You could tell he was quite nervous; his hand was all red from clenching. Unconsciously, he even used his fingernail to pinch himself. Looking at the white-to-red marks, Zhuang Yiyun felt a bit uncomfortable, so he looked away.

As the meal drew to a close, Zhuang Yiyun took the initiative to offer fruit. This rare act showed Zhuang Yiyun’s dissatisfaction and Zhuang Xian was distracted, ending the topic. She didn’t say anything further but wondered, ‘Zhuang Yiyun stood up for Yan Yan whom he just met, was he really moved?’

After putting down their chopsticks one after another, they chatted while eating fruits. Yan Yan asked in a soft voice, “Can I add you on WeChat?”

The implied meaning of this question was clear. Yan Yan acted as if he was nervous and shy but still wanted to ask, looking innocent and soft, easy to be taken advantage of. This appearance of a timid and soft creature reminded Zhuang Yiyun of a honey badger living in the tropical rainforest – seemingly cute, but actually fierce. However, Yan Yan probably couldn’t be fierce, he just looked very well-behaved.

Originally, he wanted to discuss things later, but being asked directly by Yan Yan changed his mind. There was no need to beat around the bush. Since the other party’s intentions were so obvious, he could directly decline.

“I have to work overtime later, would you like to go across the street and get a cup of coffee together?”

Yan Yan nodded slightly, trying to hide his smile, but he couldn’t contain it.

The three parents left to let the young ones talk alone, regardless of whether they liked it or not. After picking up their coats and bags, they bid farewell together. Yan Yan and Zhuang Yiyun saw them off, and Yan Yan’s parents took Zhuang Xian back with them. Then the two of them left the restaurant and went to the coffee shop across the street.

During mealtime, the coffee shop wasn’t crowded and they found a corner to sit down. Situated in the city center, the coffee shop wasn’t small, and it had survived for a reason. The air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee mixed with the scent of toasted bread, and the décor had a charming ambiance.

The waiter came to take their orders. Yan Yan held the menu and talked with the waiter, his voice gentle and his profile bathed in the light from the window. It gave him a translucent glow, making him look soft and fluffy. But that slender and fair hand that pointed and tapped on the menu had a bluish mark on the index fingernail, which was quite conspicuous.

Zhuang Yiyun was a bit annoyed. He had never interacted with such a soft little creature before. Once the waiter left, he got straight to the point, “I only came today to politely decline. Your kind invitation, I really appreciate it.” His words were tactful, and he didn’t want to be too straightforward and hurt the young college student’s feelings.

Of course, the college student understood. Gege is a gentleman, seemingly cold but not really cold. He knew that the rejection wasn’t directed at him personally but rather the idea of being set up on a blind date. The gentle refusal left him some room for interpretation. But, Yan Yan was prepared for this. Zhuang Yiyun’s room for interpretation was just what he needed to take advantage of.

“That’s alright… I was just looking forward to meeting you alone. I’m so silly.” Yan Yan’s voice became softer as he dropped his gaze, looking slightly disheartened.

Zhuang Yiyun caught the disappointment in his eyes. Although he had expected this outcome from the beginning, he chose not to continue speaking.

He was soft in nature and wore his emotions on his face. He might blush and appear shy, but he dared to express his feelings of affection. That was the impression Zhuang Yiyun had of Yan Yan now. They were completely different. In any case, there was a world of difference between them.

This young man, who had yet to enter society, was both obedient and soft, yet he had a straightforward charm. He was goodlooking, and his bright eyes looked straight at hom. Zhuang Yiyun thought to himself, if he were gay, he might not be able to resist. Unfortunately… he had no interest in either men or women, let alone running a family.

“I have no intention of finding a partner. I just wanted to talk to you alone and make things clear. I’m sorry for any misunderstanding.”

This was the longest sentence Zhuang Yiyun had spoken during their meeting, but unfortunately, it was heartless, firmly and unhesitatingly rejecting him. Yan Yan was speechless. Indeed, it seemed that charming a handsome guy wasn’t that easy.

As Zhuang Yiyun’s words fell, the disappointment was clearly written on Yan Yan’s face, and the brightness in his eyes dimmed. Zhuang Yiyun didn’t say anything more and politely averted his gaze, looking at the shadows outside the window, giving Yan Yan space to digest his emotions.

Yan Yan fell silent, and Zhuang Yiyun thought that at this point, he should give up. After all, they had only met today, and they couldn’t possibly have deep feelings for each other. He intended to wait for the coffee they ordered to be ready and then leave. He wasn’t making up an excuse on the spot; he really had to go back to work overtime.

“But…” Yan Yan suddenly spoke up, pulling Zhuang Yiyun’s thoughts back. “If since Gege agreed to meet, it means that although he doesn’t have a subjective desire to find a partner, there is an objective need, right?”