IROAWTMTFL Chapter 52

As lunch time approached, Yan Yan had indeed felt a bit hungry, but he just didn’t have the mood to eat after being criticized by the department head. Now after being comforted by Zhuang Yiyun’s hug, he felt really hungry.

Zhuang Yiyun was indeed stirred up by some thoughts that weren’t suitable for the dinner table, but Yan Yan had just started opening up. It was a precious moment that had never happened before, he wouldn’t be so beastly as to ruin it.

“What do you want to eat?”

“I don’t know.” If it were usual, Yan Yan would seriously think about it, but now he felt a bit too weary to conceal it.

Zhuang Yiyun didn’t press further. If Yan Yan didn’t know, then he would decide. He took Yan Yan to Ke Mingcheng’s restaurant. Ke Mingcheng had opened a private restaurant for fun, it was quiet and with good food, which was perfect for conversation.

Though he rarely came here, Ke Mingcheng had already given him a VVIP card. Whenever he came, everything was arranged with priority. His outstanding appearance made him unforgettable to anyone who had seen him, so the manager immediately greeted him, and all the waiters were very enthusiastic.

“Mr. Zhuang, welcome.”

Zhuang Yiyun nodded, “A private room for two.”

The manager’s gaze swept over Yan Yan with curiosity, but she remained professional and didn’t stare.

“Sure, this way, please.” The manager led them to a private room and personally took their orders. “We have a few new dishes recently. The boss said we should recommend you to try them if you came. Would you like to taste them today?”

“Yes. The menu.” Zhuang Yiyun took the menu from the manager’s hand and handed it directly to Yan Yan.

“It’s Ke Mingcheng’s restaurant. Order whatever you like.”

Yan Yan opened the menu and asked him casually, “Can we put it on a tab?”

“If you like it, I’ll cover it next time.”

He ordered several dishes, including the new ones the manager had just introduced, making a sumptuous meal of six dishes, one soup, and one dessert.

“For someone with a husband, what’s the point of having another man pay?”

When the manager left, she heard Zhuang Yiyun’s words as she closed the door. She nearly lost her composure. What did she hear? Was this Dr. Zhuang’s partner?! Their shop’s younger brothers and sisters would be heartbroken. The male god had gone from single to married.

Inside the private room, Yan Yan raised an eyebrow and didn’t directly retort to Zhuang Yiyun’s words, instead saying, “If it’s delicious, I’ll come here with Ke Mingcheng next time.”

Yan Yan declined politely, and Zhuang Yiyun didn’t insist. He already expected Yan Yan to turn him down. It was like this when they got married, Yan Yan did not use his money even though he had given him a card, so it wasn’t surprising.

While Zhuang Yiyun remained calm, Yan Yan was actually a bit uneasy. Normally, Zhuang Yiyun wouldn’t accept this so quickly.

Before he could think further, Zhuang Yiyun changed the subject. “Let me see your thesis.”

“You’re not from our field. You won’t understand it.”

“I can read.”

Yan Yan had a big question mark above his head, with the words, “Are you kidding me?” written all over his face.

“If you know how to read, you can understand. If you don’t understand, you can look it up.” Zhuang Yiyun reached out his hand towards him, he had already noticed the paper was in his hand.

Yan Yan rarely felt so hesitant. He was reluctant to hand it over, and felt a sense of shame akin to showing off in front of Guan Gong. Zhuang Yiyun must be the kind of person who published papers in top international academic journals, so his graduation thesis probably seemed like a primary school student’s composition.

**Guan Gong is a prominent historical figure in Chinese history. He was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period of China. He is known for his loyalty, righteousness, and martial prowess, and he is considered a symbol of loyalty and integrity in Chinese culture.

“Give it to me.”

“I won’t.”

“Are you forcing me to go ask your department head for it?”

“What?” Yan Yan was stunned. What kind of logic was this? Was he a parent of a primary school kid who hid their homework so he had to go to the teacher for information?

Zhuang Yiyun didn’t explain. Whether as Yan Yan’s legal spouse or the department head’s half colleague, he could indeed get it.

“From my undergraduate studies until now, I’ve written and supervised no less than a hundred papers. Be good, let me take a look for you.”

Yan Yan pondered for a moment. Come what may, he might as well just show it. He had never showed the image of a god of study anyway, so he wouldn’t lose much face. Perhaps, Zhuang Yiyun could really guide him.

He bravely handed over the paper.

Zhuang Yiyun took out a pen from his coat pocket, surprising Yan Yan. It was the first time he knew Zhuang Yiyun carried a pen around. And it wasn’t some expensive pen. It was just an ordinary one, only slightly better than the common ones found everywhere.

Zhuang Yiyun uncapped his pen, carefully smoothed out the paper that had been crumpled and began to read the thesis. Although it was just a first draft of an undergraduate thesis, Zhuang Yiyun approached it with utmost seriousness.

With simple movements and a focused expression, Zhuang Yiyun unknowingly captivated Yan Yan, who belatedly realized the charm of a god of study. He had seen many sides to Zhuang Yiyun, even that side of him when they attended the annual meeting of Senlan Pharmaceuticals, but this was the first time he had seen Zhuang Yiyun like this. As he read and made notes, he exuded the aura of a scholar throughout.

Their table received special attention, and the dishes were promptly served. Even when the food arrived, Zhuang Yiyun continued to read.

“Let’s eat first.” Zhuang Yiyun was so serious Yan Yan felt hesitant to disturb him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have spoken if he didn’t know Zhuang Yiyun was reading his crappy thesis.

Zhuang Yiyun subconsciously wanted to ask Yan Yan to start eating, but then he realized if he continued reading, Yan Yan wouldn’t eat either. Moreover, he had said he was hungry earlier. So, he closed the thesis, carefully placed it on a small table nearby to avoid getting it oily. A first draft was treated like this and Yan Yan even got the illusion that the papers were gold.

Ke Mingcheng’s restaurant was excellent, and Yan Yan ate to his heart’s content. It seemed that Zhuang Yiyun was right about the place and it was not just because of some “brother filter”.

After the meal, Zhuang Yiyun smoothly asked, “Go home and read the thesis?”

Yan Yan’s hear skipped a beat, uncertain about the intentions behind this question. Was Zhuang Yiyun asking him to go home and read the thesis, or was he referring to reading it together? After some thought, Yan Yan had no confidence in his self-control and firmly shook his head, fabricating an excuse, “A roommate of mine has an interview tomorrow. I promised to help him practice.”

The excuse sounded grand, especially considering no one in their dorm, including him, needed practice sessions, whether for postgraduate studies or employment.

Zhuang Yiyun expected Yan Yan’s refusal and didn’t press further. He knew the outcome already. Yan Yan was one to adhere to his principles. He rang the bell to call the waiter, asked for the table to be cleared, and continued reading the thesis inside the private room.

The undergraduate thesis was just over ten thousand words. Even while annotating, Zhuang Yiyun didn’t take long to read it. He called Yan Yan to sit beside him and explained each issue one by one.

“First, there are some minor issues with your writing structure, and then the logical reasoning and design of the tourism development plan. Let’s start with the structure…”

Zhuang Yiyun pointed out several issues based on his understanding, explaining them without any expression on his face but with extreme care. When it came to topics related to tourism management that he didn’t understand, he said he would look up the literature.

As he explained, Yan Yan unexpectedly felt enlightened, a sense of sudden comprehension he hadn’t experienced before. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it for himself. The breadth of Zhuang Yiyun’s expertise was astonishing. Within a short time, he had managed to explain everything, even giving him some techniques to make the thesis appear more sophisticated for approval.

In Zhuang Yiyun’s words, “I haven’t done it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know.”

Yan Yan: ‘Damn it, I fell for it…’

Suddenly, Yan Yan remembered when Zhuang Yiyun talked to him about the agreement to get married. He had mentioned providing “guidance and assistance in studying and employment.” At that time, he didn’t pay much attention to it, but now he realized how valuable it was.

After this situation with the thesis , he no longer had any resistance when Zhuang Yiyun asked about his employment plans. Half of it was because the other party had displayed convincing capabilities, and the other half was due to Zhuang Yiyun’s calm attitude. He couldn’t help but think, was this the charm of an older mature man?

“I’m a bit confused…” Yan Yan began candidly. “I didn’t really care about graduating until it was right in front of me. When I returned to school, I found that my classmates had already figured things out, while I still hadn’t decided what to do.”

Zhuang Yiyun skipped over the part about his classmates having plans and Yan Yan had not. In his opinion, such comparisons held little meaning. Recognizing oneself was more important. He cut to the core of the matter and asked, “What are your thoughts now?”

“No… not really. Is having wild and imaginative thoughts considered?”

Zhuang Yiyun nodded. “It counts. How wild are your thoughts?”

Yan Yan didn’t respond immediately. Zhuang Yiyun stared into his eyes and said, “Scientific research is the most rigorous and bold endeavor. Perhaps what you find absurd and ridiculous might be a hypothesis worth testing in my eyes.”

His tone was ordinary, and there was no trace of humor in his dark eyes, nor did it carry the oppressive atmosphere from their past confrontations. He was as accommodating as a deep spring.

Yan Yan had been contemplating whether to voice his thoughts, worried about being laughed at. However, in Zhuang Yiyun’s presence, he found himself not bothering to choose his words carefully and he blurted out what he wanted to say.

“You know, I do live streaming, and I’m doing quite well. I can sustain myself after graduation. Maybe it’s because I have a safety net that I don’t feel much pressure. I originally chose this major on a whim and couldn’t find any interest in it even after four years of studying. I don’t want to work in my field of study. I went to job fairs, but nothing interested me. So, I just put it off because I can earn some money either way. My classmates see me this way too; they think I don’t have any job pressure.”

“But you don’t want to make live streaming your main career,” Zhuang Yiyun remarked.

“Exactly, I don’t want to. I ended up like this due to a series of coincidences, not because of passion.” Yan Yan looked at Zhuang Yiyun and strangely felt encouraged by his focused gaze. “But because of live streaming, I developed a stronger idea. You haven’t seen my live streams, I help people resolve disputes. But online advice and arguments have limited effects. Some people I encounter need more substantial assistance.”

“It’s annoying, I’m sounding a bit bitter… Anyway, you get it.” Yan Yan was usually quite narcissistic, but this self-love mainly revolved around his appearance and personality. When it came to serious matters like this, he blushed.

Zhuang Yiyun indeed hadn’t seen his live streams, so he took a moment to understand. However, Yan Yan didn’t expect him to truly comprehend, he had said what he needed to, and laid it all out.

“I want to become a lawyer. I think that I can help people more thoroughly that way.”

It was a simple wish, one that surprised Zhuang Yiyun. It was true that it involved a wide range of disciplines, and law was a complex field of study that Yan Yan hadn’t explored before. No wonder he considered it a wild and imaginative thought. Yet, it made sense to Zhuang Yiyun. In his eyes, Yan Yan was precisely this kind of person—kind and warm, never boasting about his goodness, yet it shone so brightly.

“I know it’s late to bring this up now, I’m about to graduate…”

“It’s not too late,” Zhuang Yiyun interrupted him. “As long as you have the desire to learn, it’s never too late.”

Yan Yan looked at him, suddenly remembering that Zhuang Yiyun had switched majors after graduating with a bachelor’s degree and pursued pharmacy. But who was Zhuang Yiyun? He was the top scorer in the national college entrance exam, a genius at Peking University. Could he even compare to him in this aspect?

Zhuang Yiyun didn’t affirm or deny his academic abilities. He raised another concern.

“I believe the most important thing is for you to make a relatively mature choice this time. You have a simple ideal about becoming a lawyer, but, from what I know, this profession has many harsh realities. Can you accept them? Won’t your ideal shatter easily in the face of reality?”

Yan Yan was stunned. He hadn’t thought about it, nor has he ever interacted with lawyers; who goes looking for a lawyer unless you’re in trouble?

“At that time, if you decide to start over, it won’t be a matter of time or money, but the more frightening part is having your confidence shattered. Yan Yan, I only hope for you to be firm in your heart before making significant decisions.”

Yan Yan’s heart pounded heavily with every beat, it was not like the heartbeats during their kisses or teasing moments but more profound, touching his soul. He looked at Zhuang Yiyun seriously, listening earnestly to his words and contemplating.

He suddenly wanted to ask why Zhuang Yiyun had made that decision back then. Since he wanted to know, he directly asked. He had a gut feeling that, at this moment, Zhuang Yiyun would be accommodating no matter what he asked.

Zhuang Yiyun realized he was asking about his decision to switch from studying medicine to pharmacy, and was silent for a moment.

Yan Yan had confided in him, so he shouldn’t brush him off.

“My emotional control was terrible. I couldn’t handle so many unfamiliar patients and couldn’t perform surgeries.”

Yan Yan didn’t expect to receive such an answer, and a surprised expression appeared on his face.

After saying the first sentence, Zhuang Yiyun didn’t find it difficult and continued, “I have a terrible relationship with my mom. From childhood to adulthood, she meddled in every little thing. Even after I entered university, she would interfere with my studies and life. She knew everything, whether I went to the self-study room or not; she wanted to control everything.”

“Her excessive control made me detest communication with others, and I easily lost control of my emotions. I was very unstable at that time, so I decided to switch to studying pharmacy. It was simpler in terms of interpersonal relationships. I had a liking for it, I could spend a decade or even several decades conquering a difficult problem in a relatively closed environment. I enjoyed it.”

Although Yan Yan had witnessed this, it was the first time he heard Zhuang Yiyun say it. What Yan Yan didn’t know was that this was the first time Zhuang Yiyun had ever mentioned anything about his mother. He never spoke of it to anyone, not even during the most difficult moments he was forced to endure.

When discussing his profession, Yan Yan saw another side of him, one that is calm and resolute. The original intention was to show that he had held up against the erosion of time.

His tone was ordinary, but Yan Yan’s heart tightened. He couldn’t imagine what kind of life that must have been, the endless pressure.

After a while, he asked, “So, how should I be certain?”

Zhuang Yiyun: “Do you want to learn about what lawyers do?”

Yan Yan: “Yes.”

Zhuang Yiyun: “Good, I’ll arrange it.”

Zhuang Yiyun said he would arrange it, and he quickly contacted an alumni, someone he had met while studying at Peking University. The alumnus majored in law for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was now a partner at a law firm. Zhuang Yiyun asked him for help, requesting an internship opportunity for Yan Yan. It wouldn’t be for long, and no formal internship certificate or documents were needed. The other party was curious, having never encountered such conditions before. Usually, people wouldn’t come to work if there was no certificate.

Zhuang Yiyun made the call in front of Yan Yan. From the conversation, it was clear that he and the other person weren’t as close as he and Ke Mingcheng were. However, Zhuang Yiyun still went out of his way to help him, a university student with an unrelated major into a law firm for an internship.

Listening to Zhuang Yiyun’s courteous conversation with the other party, Yan Yan felt nervous about the internship opportunity. He secretly worried whether Zhuang Yiyun would get embarrassed because of him. Well, he probably wouldn’t. If things went south, he could say Zhuang Yiyun was the grandnephew of his uncle’s aunt’s eldest aunt. In short, he was a distant relative, the kind that he didn’t have a real connection to and this internship was just Zhuang Yiyun’s kindness, helping a distant relative out of goodwill.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Zhuang Yiyun say to the person on the other end of the call, “Who am I? I am his spouse.”

The other person was unable to contain their curiosity and had asked, never expecting such a formal reply.

Zhuang Yiyun glanced at Yan Yan and pinched his fingertips with his free hand.

Yan Yan: “…”

‘I can’t breathe, help! Do you have to be so serious?!’

The crucial thing was, this straightforwardness was difficult to handle. “Spouse”? This worn-out term, this old-fashioned way of addressing someone—why did it sound so touching when he said it?

He suspected Zhuang Yiyun had really enrolled in some advanced course, perhaps titled “The Yan Yan Strategy Guide.”