IROAWTMTFL Extra 12

School Anniversary

Yan Yan woke up from a dream. When he opened his eyes, the sky was bright. He looked around the bedroom, and felt a bit bewildered. What he saw was undoubtedly his new home with Zhuang Yiyun, but the dream was vivid, like Zhuang Zhou’s dream of a butterfly, and for a moment, didn’t know if he was in a dream or reality.

“What’s wrong?”

Zhuang Yiyun was awakened by his movement.

Almost half-awake, the man instinctively reached out, pulling him into a firm and warm embrace. His strong hold brought Yan Yan back to reality.

“I had a dream.”

Zhuang Yiyun reluctantly opened his eyes, “What dream?”

“I dreamed that I became an emperor.”

Zhuang Yiyun’s dark pupils gradually focused. He buried his head in Yan Yan’s shoulder, chuckling lightly.

“If you become emperor, then I’ll definitely be your loyal minister. I’ll assist you in ascending the throne, help you govern the country, achieve an era of peace, then take you away and travel the mountains and rivers.”

Zhuang Yiyun’s stubble pricked his skin, causing a ticklish sensation. Normally, he would have pushed him away in such a situation, but he was completely preoccupied this time. Surprisingly, what this man casually said matched his dream almost perfectly.

Could it be that they both had the same dream?

“Your husband is caressing you, and you’re daydreaming?” Zhuang Yiyun punished him with a kiss his lips, nibbling on his lip, “Are you still thinking about the dream just now?”

Seeing Zhuang Yiyun’s displeased expression, Yan Yan instantly understood. It was just a dream; what’s real or fake didn’t matter. The man biting him and with the unshaven chin in front of him was undoubtedly more real.

“Zhuang Yiyun, you’re over forty. Take care of yourself, go easy.” Yan Yan laughed and pushed him away.

“Do you want to know if I need to take care of myself?” Zhuang Yiyun sneered, but didn’t press the matter further. Instead, he got up, and Yan Yan followed suit. Today, Yan Yan was going to attend the anniversary celebration at the Polytech University. Initially, Zhuang Yiyun said he would accompany him but, just after shaving, he received a call from his assistant, summoning him back to the laboratory.

“I’ll pick you up at noon.”

“Okay.” Yan Yan responded.

Zhuang Yiyun clasped the back of his neck, kissed him on the lips, and then hurried out.

This was their newly purchased villa from last year, a two-story detached house with a garden. It was part of the newly developed riverside area, offering a panoramic view of the Xing City. It was chosen together with friends; next door were Qi Rong and Cheng Chen’s houses, and on the other side were Ke Mingcheng and Luan Qing’s.

He didn’t see Zhuang Yiyun off, but he glanced out from the second-floor balcony when he heard the car driving away.

After getting ready, Yan Yan started making breakfast for himself, heating up milk and preparing a sandwich-simple and quick. After eating, he went to change clothes and found that Zhuang Yiyun had indeed taken his suitcase. After attending the university celebration, he had to head directly to the airport as Zhuang Yiyun said he would pick him up at noon and then go together.

‘This man became more considerate as he grows he grew older.’

He was thinking about this when he noticed his tie in the trash can. He had prepared it yesterday to go with the suit he intended to wear today, but Zhuang Yiyun had ruined it last night. He felt annoyed.

Forget it, no comments!

Not only would he not comment, but he also planned to teach this forty-year-old man a lesson. Without a little pressure, he wouldn’t understand the need for restraint!

Yan Yan chose clothes in the dressing room for a while before finally getting everything organized. When he went downstairs, the two cats at home tried to pounce on him but he skillfully avoided them. These two cats were newly adopted last year, they were replacements for Zhuaizhuai, who passed away the previous winter. They were reluctant to part with Zhuaizhuai, but life and death were unstoppable. They could only treat the newly adopted cats even better. However, better didn’t mean allowing them to scratch the suit he had to wear out.

Yan Yan swiftly left home. After exiting his front door, he ran to the neighboring house and rang the doorbell. Qi Rong came to open the door; he was obviously ready to go out too. Seeing this, Yan Yan immediately said, “Senior, can you give me a ride? I need to go to Polytech University.”

“Alright. Did you have breakfast? I made porridge.”

“I already ate. I should have come over for a free meal if I had known.”

Yan Yan walked to their dining room, where Cheng Chen was scooping up porridge at the table, and the aroma of rice filled the air.

“You’re still comfortable. I should really bring Zhuang Yiyun to your place for training, let him see how Senior takes care of you,” Yan Yan said to Cheng Chen.

Cheng Cheng smiled so hard that his eyes turned into crescent moons, “Brother Yan, that can’t be trained. Even if Brother Qi trains Dr. Zhuang, he can’t stop you from spoiling him.”

“Now that you have someone backing you up, you dare say anything?”

Qi Rong said to Yan Yan, “How about saying less in front of Cheng Cheng?” As he spoke, he gave Cheng Cheng a pan-fried bun, this gave both a verbal and physical attack. Yan Yan was miserably defeated by this couple.

“I won’t eat anymore, I’ve gained weight…” Cheng Chen pushed the pan-fried bun away.

“You haven’t. Drinking porridge helps digestion. You’ll get hungry soon,” Qi Rong coaxed gently, picking a pan-fried bun and bringing it to Cheng Chen’s lips.

“Tsk tsk tsk…” Yan Yan was speechless and decided to stay away from this overly affectionate couple.

“Brother Qi, can I drive later?” Cheng Chen mumbled as he bit into a bun, “First, I’ll take Brother Yan to school, then I’ll take you to the law firm, and after that, I’ll conveniently pick up Duo Duo from Sister Li’s house.”

Duo Duo is Jiang Li’s daughter. She is four years old, and is an adorable and clever little girl. Duo Duo’s favorite is Uncle Cheng Chen, who is good at playing games, and she always insists on coming to play with him.

After retiring, Cheng Chen set up a youth training camp. Qi Rong, not wanting him to be too tired, arranged a whole professional operations team for him so he wasn’t very busy, just providing technical guidance every day. Besides, Cheng Chen liked Duo Duo a lot, so he often brought the little girl over. Jiang Li joked that at this rate, after basketball players, their family might produce an esports player in the future.

“Is your waist okay driving?” Qi Rong asked him, pinching his waist.

Cheng Chen’s face turned red, and Yan Yan, who considered himself an “old pervert,” found this scene a bit unbearable. Mainly because Zhuang Yiyun wasn’t around, so he felt unfairly fed dog food by this couple.

“Whoever likes to drive, can drive. You can drive right here,” Yan Yan pointed to his dining room, waved his hand, and stood up. “I’ll go to Ke Mingcheng’s house and get a ride from Luan Qing. He works for his husband, so there’s no worry about being late.”

Qi Rong stopped him, and reprimanded, “What’s this lecherous behavior? What do you think I meant? Cheng Cheng sits in front of the computer all day, and his back and waist might be sore.”

“I’m done eating! Brother Yan, let’s go!” Cheng Chen jumped up, picked up the empty bowl and plate before Qi Rong could, dropped them into the sink, wiped his hands with a tissue, and left.

Cheng Chen pulled Yan Yan towards the garage, and finally found out why he came knocking.

Yan Yan: “I am going on a business trip for a few days. If anyone unsavory person comes to my doorstep, you must be smart.”

Cheng Cheng: “What do you mean? Dr. Zhuang isn’t that kind of person.”

“I know he’s not. But last time, when he went to a meeting in Jing City, he was harassed by the secretary of a business partner. That business partner is coming to Xing City in a couple of days. In case she hasn’t changed…”

“Then tell President Ke and Dr. Luan about it!”

“I know, you watch my house, and they’ll keep an eye out outside.” Yan Yan patted his shoulder, looking like he was entrusting a significant task. Qi Rong watched from behind and wanted to laugh. This silly child of his would always be manipulated by Yan Yan.

“Also, if Zhuang Yiyun is working overtime and hasn’t come home, just go in and check on the cats for me. If he comes back, and he doesn’t have any food left, you two will take him in for one meal, right?”

“Tsk tsk tsk… You’re just going on a business trip for a few days, it’s disgraceful to see you like this.” Qi Rong bounced back Yan Yan’s teasing from earlier. He knew the real reason why Yan Yan wanted them to monitor his home, he was just worried that his husband would go hungry.

Cheng Chen was still as innocent as ever, readily agreeing, “Okay, I’ll check if your lights are on, and Brother Qi will just make a meal for one more person, it’s a small matter.”

“Ungrateful little brat, don’t feel bad that your husband will be tired? You just listen to his lies.” Qi Rong felt a headache.

“It’s just a meal for one person. It won’t tire you…” Cheng Cheng said while rubbing his forehead. “Dr. Zhuang has no husband to hold, no food to eat, poor thing. You have a husband to hold, you can cook delicious food yourself. Be kind to others.”

Yan Yan: “…” In this world, you eventually reap what you sow. If you fool an honest person, you will eventually be shot down by the honest person.

Yan Yan got a ride to Polytech University. After getting off, he looked at the campus and remembered the past. He graduated at the age of twenty-two, and now, at thirty-five, he had been away from his alma mater for over a decade. Except for the changing crowds and a more festive setup for the anniversary celebration, not much else seemed to have changed.

This year marked the eightieth anniversary of Polytech University, and Yan Yan, now a well-known lawyer in Xing City and a popular figure during his college days, was specially invited by the alumni association to return to the campus for the ceremony. He was also invited to speak as the representative of young alumni.

Upon arriving at the school, he was greeted by staff from the student union. As soon as they saw him, the faces of the young students turned red.

Those who needed to speak at the school anniversary were all on the important reception list. They had seen the basic information before. They only knew that Yan Yan was a lawyer, but they did not expect that the real person was so handsome. According to the information, he was thirty-five years old and had graduated twelve years ago. He didn’t look like he was thirty-five years old. He looked like he was twenty-five at most!

On days like the 985 University Anniversary, apart from major local media outlets, school newspaper reporters, campus radio station journalists, and students operating university public platforms and self-media were all out in full force. The reception area was filled with people waiting to take pictures and conduct interviews. Yan Yan immediately stole the spotlight when taking photos and interviews and became a hot topic on the campus forum within five minutes of his appearance.

#I need to know all the information about this alumnus within five minutes!!!#

The topic thread began with a picture, and aside from Yan Yan’s face and body, little else was known. Everyone in the comments was licking his face

[All those who receive individual receptions are outstanding alumni. This senior looks no more than twenty-five or twenty-six. What kind of outstanding profession is this? Is he the son of some company’s CEO?]

[So handsome! He must be at least 1.8 meters tall!]

[Am I the only one getting bent? That waist… it’s not a waist, it’s a deadly scythe.]

[His waist-to-hip ratio is perfect. Upstairs, you’re not alone, I’m losing face directly.]

[Report! Frontline report! The senior is named Yan Yan, he is a lawyer and is thirty-five years old this year!]

[Thirty-five… Are you kidding me? A lawyer? What kind of lawyer is he? He should just be a spokesperson for skincare products, I’d buy whatever he endorses!]

[I’ll do a quick Baidu search.]

[Senior is so handsome. A lifetime together, I don’t age, and you don’t age either. Can we still rush into love?]

[I genuinely envy the classmates receiving him in person.]

[This is the first time I want to apply for the student union. Can someone report the senior’s location? I want to see a real person.]

[I’m back from Baidu! He is a partner at Guangheng Law Firm, a criminal defense lawyer, holy shit, so impressive!]

[Is it the Guangheng I know? The most famous one in Xing City in recent years?]

[Yes, that’s the one! I’m preparing my resume now. Nobody stop me, I’ll apply next year, during my senior year.]

[Report! The senior is currently passing by the library!]

Yan Yan stopped at the library entrance. The student who received him had gone through training, and immediately introduced, “Senior, the B building of the library wasn’t completed when you graduated, right? Over there is the B building. Now the school has separated humanities and social science books into A and B buildings, and there are many more places in the library study rooms.”

Yan Yan nodded, but his gaze didn’t follow the direction the student pointed. He was looking at the other side, the path from the library to his dormitory building. It was there that Zhuang Yiyun waited for him the day before he left for the MOTC project.

The first time he saw Zhuang Yiyun, he was already defeated by the desolation emanating from him. Zhuang Yiyun was smoking, and the smoke enveloped his face like clouds, hanging high and cold.

He lowered his head and smiled lightly, thinking about the pain of that time. Over time, all that was left was the sweetness of “online dating” with his gege.

Seven or eight young students came out of the library entrance, and their bustling activities interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to reality. He turned to look at them, and each of those students immediately turned around as if he was invisible. He was stunned, not understanding what had happened. Of course, he didn’t know that these students were all on the forum, having rushed out of the library to look at him after reading the posts.

“Let’s go,” Yan Yan said to the reception staff.

The students at the library entrance all took out their phones, some taking sneak photos, others posting comments.

[Senior Yan Yan has a super nice voice!]

[What did he say?]

[ “Let’s go.”]

[???]

[Can you get excited over just two words?]

[It’s really nice, super nice. Trust me!]

[Frontline report! Senior Yan Yan will give a speech at the school celebration ceremony.]

[Dean, I was wrong. I won’t say the ceremony is an old man’s meeting anymore.]

[I’m heading to the stadium now, I can still get a front-row seat.]

[Latest photos!]

[He’s truly a Jiquan Tiancai.]

[Jiquan Tiancai… Can we say that?

*Jiquan Tiancai is a person who can attract the same sex even if they are straight.

[Why not? Same-sex marriage has been legal for over ten years now.]

In the photo, Yan Yan stood in front of the library, with a bamboo-lined path behind him. When he looked back at the camera, the light and shadow fell on him, rendering him exceptionally handsome. The light touched his ear, making it seem almost transparent, while the diamond earring on the other side sparkled.

This was a candid shot taken by the students Yan Yan had seen. In that fleeting moment, they captured an excellent angle.

[Partner at a Law firm…A senior with looks and wealth, is he lacking a male university student to warm the bed? The type who can play basketball and excel in advanced mathematics.]

[Upstairs, take advantage while the forum admin is busy today; tomorrow, enjoy a month-long ban.]

[For Senior Yan Yan, being banned is worth it.]

[Senior Yan Yan, do you need a male university student who can act coquettishly and sell cuteness?]

[You all have such low tastes. I just want to be Senior Yan Yan’s assistant. I don’t care if the boss scolds me every day, as long as I see his handsome face!]

The forum was buzzing, and by the time Yan Yan took the stage to speak at the school celebration ceremony, a current Ph.D. student had already revealed most of his background. This Ph.D. student had graduated after a few years of work and returned to school for further studies, and was in the same school as Yan Yan during her undergraduate years. When Yan Yan was a senior, she had just entered as a freshman.

#I heard everyone is interested in Senior Yan Yan?#

She started a new thread, and with the narrative style, immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

[First, let me say, I am not familiar with him, so don’t take advantage. I am only saying what I know, whether it’s reliable or not, I won’t take responsibility.]

[Quick, say it! Don’t make me beg you!]

[When Senior Yan Yan was at our school, he majored in tourism management. He was already quite famous during his time at school as he was handsome and had a nice voice. He was also part of the cosplay club and had cosplayed many anime male gods. I heard he also did his own live broadcasts. It might be hard to believe, but he was a relationship zone anchor, mainly mediating disputes between couples.]

[???]

[Are you sure you’re talking about Lawyer Yan Yan and not another alumnus with the same name and surname?]

The forum erupted in disbelief.

Meanwhile, at the school celebration ceremony, Yan Yan was saying…

“Don’t set limits on life. Someone told me not to believe in phrases like ‘it’s too late to start now.’ At any time, at any age, at any stage, as long as you find something you truly want to do, you have the most powerful source of motivation. Our job is not to question or suppress it but to cherish and nurture it, allowing it to grow into a towering tree that can support our lives.”

[That’s right, this is Senior Yan Yan in the photo. I just found an old picture as evidence.]

In the photo, Yan Yan had shoulder-length golden hair, walking side by side with Jiang Li on the basketball court.

[Senior Yan Yan is a law graduate student at Xing University. He passed in one go and I heard he passed the bar exam in the first year of his Master’s studies. I remember he used to spend every day in the library before graduation, presumably preparing for postgraduate studies. The spirit of postgraduate entrance examination is known only to those who have experienced it, and it’s even harder for someone like him who transferred majors.]

Yan Yan said: “But just wanting to do it is not enough. We need to make efforts matching our goals, cultivate abilities matching our goals. Here, we need to learn to break down and discover problems, such as mindset, knowledge reserve, learning ability, adaptability, language expression ability, and so on. We need to identify our weaknesses and respond with the most arduous efforts to embrace our youth.”

“No one can succeed casually. Countless people have said this, but I still want to emphasize it. Chase the wind and the moon without hesitation, beyond the plain lies a green mountain.”

On the forum, the PhD student continued.

[Also, don’t think that Senior Yan Yan doesn’t have someone by his side, he doesn’t lack, not at all.]

[There’s a story! OP, please, tell us.]

[Senior Yan is married, and his spouse is quite impressive.]

[Now I’m even more curious!!!]

[OP, if you don’t tell, I won’t eat lunch today!]

The forum was buzzing with questions, but the original poster remained elusive. Sharing inspirational stories for younger students was fine, but private lives were off-limits.

At the ceremony, Yan Yan concluded.

“As I am the representative of young alumni, so unlike the senior leaders who have a rich experience and profound insights, I have to say something more relatable to us young people. Be brave enough to pursue love, only then can you have no regrets in your youth. Don’t be afraid of rejection, don’t fear tears; savor the sweet and sour of that moment, cherish and enjoy the present.”

“Not all pursuits are reciprocal, but there are always some efforts that can make the ice-covered ground bloom the most brilliant roses.”

There was thunderous applause, and Yan Yan leaned forward and bowed, full of sincerity and blessings.

When he stepped off the stage, Zhuang Yiyun was standing at the edge of the sports field, having listened for who knows how long. He wore a black windbreaker with a tie matching Yan Yan’s color scheme. Over forty years old, his impressive bone structure truly demonstrated its power. He had a smooth and full outline, deep and expressive eyes, exuding a mature man’s calm, elegant and restrained demeanor.

He stood out in the crowd.

Yan Yan walked towards him, and the two exchanged smiles, then greeted the school leaders before leaving.

Students were watching from behind. The MOTC virus was a decade-old story now, and was rarely mentioned. Zhuang Yiyun had kept a low profile over the years, and many students didn’t recognize him. However, almost all the school leaders stood up and greeted him politely. Students grew even more curious; this wasn’t a celebrity, but he was so handsome and carried himself so well, who was he?

The former dean of the College of Pharmacy, now the executive vice president of the university, Lin, was the most familiar with Zhuang Yiyun among the leaders present. Zhuang Yiyun spoke more casually with him, and when Vice President Lin tried to keep him, he directly said, “Yan Yan has a flight at noon so do you mind if I take some time to have lunch with him? We’ll leave first, please continue.”

As the two left the ceremony venue, a male student caught up with them, and not just one, but many wanted to continue watching the handsome senior.

“Senior, Senior Yan Yan, please wait.”

Yan Yan turned to look, and saw it was the student who had been in charge of receiving him just now. He politely stopped, thinking there might be some school celebration matters to discuss.

But the male student ran up and stopped in front of him, saying, “Senior, you mentioned being brave in pursuing love. May I add you on WeChat?”

“Wow~” There were cheering sounds all around, everyone watching the excitement didn’t think it was a big deal.

Yan Yan was still thinking about the most appropriate way to refuse; after all, he was already at the uncle level, and he needed to consider the self-esteem of the young students. However, before he could speak, Zhuang Yiyun directly held his hand.

“Pursuing love is called bravery, pursuing someone else’s spouse is called immorality.” After speaking, Zhuang Yiyun took Yab Yan away.

Yan Yan was helpless, and complained, “Gege, you’re a bit undignified like this.”

“Who dares to have designs on you, I’ll let him know how cold dignity can be.”

“Tsk tsk, gege, you’re a bit pretentious.”

“Do you like it?”

“I do.”

As they hadn’t walked far from the sports field, a photo of them holding hands was already posted on the forum. The earlier post with revelations became popular again, and people were eagerly asking who Senior Yan Yan’s husband was. Zhuang Yiyun wasn’t an unknown figure after all, and soon, a student from the College of Pharmacy came to enlighten them. While students on the forum marveled at another handsome senior in the academic circle, the conversation between the two on the road was also posted.

[Frontline report! Two handsome seniors in the academic circle are discussing cats.]

[Cats?]

[Senior Yan Yan said the door was scratched by the cat again, and also told Dr. Zhuang to be more restrained.]

[What does the cat scratching the door have to do with Dr. Zhuang?]

[Fuck, I understand now… face turning yellow.]

[Fuck, I also understand… the speed of the car is 300 and a high-speed train roared past my face.]

[What’s the meaning, upstairs?]

[Think about it carefully. Why would a cat scratch the door? Usually, it’s to get inside. Why not let it in? What is the person inside doing?]

A kind person explained, and immediately, the screen was filled with yellow emojis.

In the car, Yan Yan was still dissatisfied.

“My deep coffee-colored striped tie, I deliberately placed it there to wear today. You’re really too much, you could’ve pulled any other tie, but you chose that one, and now it’s ruined. I had to find a replacement at the last minute.”

“Yan Yan, I’m driving. It’s better not to remind me of last night.”

“But I want to talk about it.”

“Well, if I cause you to miss your flight, don’t blame me. We haven’t done it in the car this year.”

“Get lost! I won’t do it, and I won’t, we have a meeting in the afternoon! I don’t care, you compensate me for the tie.”

“I’ll compensate you. When you come back from your business trip, I’ll compensate you by picking one out together?”

“Fine.” Yan Yan reluctantly agreed.

At the airport, Zhuang Yiyun accompanied Yan Yan all the way to the security checkpoint. When it was time to part at the security checkpoint, and just as Zhuang Yiyun was about to give some instructions, Yan Yan leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I’m wearing a shirt clip today.”

His breath tightened, and the hand around Yan Yan’s waist exerted force.

Yan Yan was quite satisfied with his reaction. He let go of Zhuang Yiyun, patted his chest triumphantly, and confidently entered the security checkpoint.

Zhuang Yiyun watched his retreating figure, already contemplating whether to buy tickets for the next flight. After completing the customs registration, Yan Yan waved his ticket and documents behind the glass partition toward Zhuang Yiyun.

“Safe travels,” Zhuang Yiyun mouthed silently. Yan Yan understood his lip movements, smiled, and nodded.

Zhuang Yiyun thought it might be better not to chase after him now. When Yan Yan returned from his business trip, he would settle today’s accounts with him.

It’s the end to Yan Yan and Zhuang Yiyun’s story. .⁠·⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠(⁠>⁠▂⁠<⁠)⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠·⁠.

Thank you for reading to this point ❤️.