Chapter 21: Blatant Secret Crush part 3

When Lin Yuran walked over, she heard Grandma say that and blinked in confusion at Chi Ye. She’d only been gone a minute. How had Chi Ye suddenly become her boyfriend?

Chi Ye looked at her but said nothing, just smiled.

“So tall and strong. Your children will be tall too,” Grandma continued.

Lin Yuran’s face darkened, and she hurriedly took Grandma’s hand. “Alright, alright, let’s not talk here. It’s late, let’s go home and sleep.”

Grandma nodded obediently. 

Helping Grandma into the backseat, Lin Yuran sat with her and took the college welcome package from the seat to show Grandma. “Grandma, you weren’t dreaming. I really am going to college.”

She took out the school uniform and held it up to herself. “Look, Grandma, doesn’t the uniform look nice?”

Grandma nodded. “Looks nice.”

Then she found the school badge, held the tiny pin in her palm and stared at it for a long time before tremblingly pinning it to Lin Yuran’s uniform. Grandma then rummaged in the bag again, found the student ID, and stared at it until tears started dripping down her face.

Chi Ye, in the driver’s seat, handed over a tissue.

Lin Yuran took it, hurriedly wiping Grandma’s tears. “Hey, what’s this? Why are you crying?”

Grandma wiped her eyes. “Our Little Nuotao’s finally going to her dream university. I’m just so happy.”

Then she fell silent, quietly touching and inspecting each item in the package.

Sometimes Grandma was clear-headed, sometimes confused, but Lin Yuran preferred it when she was a bit muddled. She just hoped Grandma could live out her days in peace and happiness. When Grandma was clear-headed, Lin Yuran would often catch her secretly wiping her tears. Grandma probably felt so guilty that she couldn’t help her. She probably worried that she was the reason Lin Yuran couldn’t go to college.

After dropping Grandma off at the nursing home, feeding her and settling her in, Lin Yuran reminded her, “Grandma, I’m heading back now. You’re not allowed to wander off anymore, okay?”

Grandma nodded with a smile. “Go study, Little Nuotao. Grandma won’t cause you any trouble.” She waved them off.

Only then did Lin Yuran feel reassured enough to leave.

Outside the nursing home, Chi Ye stopped her, lowered his head, and quietly stared at her for half a minute before asking, “Lin Yuran, is the reason you didn’t go to the Academy of Fine Arts because of Grandma’s illness?”

By now, there was nothing left to hide. Lin Yuran nodded. “Yeah. Studying art was too expensive. I couldn’t afford it.”

In her last year of high school, Yao A-ping had signed her up for the best art prep class in the city. It cost over a hundred thousand yuan, almost all the money her dad had left behind for her.

But then, out of nowhere, Yao A-ping fell ill, and there was no money left for the expensive medical bills. To pay for her treatment, Lin Yuran went to every relative’s house she could think of, begging, until she finally scraped together enough.

At first, it wasn’t so desperate. The relatives, knowing her difficulties, didn’t rush her to pay them back. Grandma even sold her old house to help cover part of the tuition. Originally, Lin Yuran could have applied for student loans and poverty grants. With Grandma watching over Yao A-ping, she could have gone to the Academy of Fine Arts without issue.

But then, just a few days after moving in, Grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She soiled herself and didn’t even know it, still trying to feed Yao A-ping. In that situation, how could Lin Yuran possibly study?

Grandma’s treatment cost more money, and Yao A-ping needed a caregiver. Grandma also needed constant supervision. With a mountain of debt, Lin Yuran had no choice but to work tirelessly to fill that gaping hole. Studying art became her most extravagant dream.

Looking into Chi Ye’s eyes, Lin Yuran suddenly remembered the promise he’d asked her about at school. She hadn’t forgotten it.

But the peaceful campus days like the ones she’d shared with him were just bright pages wedged between the darkness of her life, always at risk of being torn out and crushed underfoot, even ground into the mud.

Some things she didn’t dare to wish for.

“You still have a father, don’t you?” Chi Ye asked.

Lin Yuran let out a cold laugh. “That scum? I’m lucky if he doesn’t try to eat me alive.”

The thought of him made her nauseous. “Chi Ye, don’t ask. This is my life. At least now I have enough to pay for my own education and take care of Grandma and Mom. It’s not too late for anything.”

She smiled brightly and started walking toward the car. Chi Ye watched her.

Moonlight poured down, scattering a cold, silvery glow. Her silhouette stretched thin and fragile under the night wind, yet she stood strong. It was hard to imagine that this small, delicate girl had managed to hold all of this together on her own for so many years.

If he hadn’t been there for her tonight, what would she have done? Would she have spent the whole night searching on her own?

Or maybe two nights. And still not found her? Would she have broken down? How would she hold the nursing home accountable? Would they have bullied her because she was so small and helpless?

Watching her calm and composed, he realized she must have faced situations like this more than once. Chi Ye’s heart ached so much it felt like it would burst. He wanted to hold her tight and tell her that she didn’t have to face everything alone anymore. 

He caught up with her and opened the car door for her. After she got in, he didn’t start the engine. His pale knuckles tapped the steering wheel, slow and deliberate. After a while, he spoke. “Lin Yuran, this nursing home is unreliable. Let’s find Grandma a better place.”

“When I can afford it,” Lin Yuran said.

Chi Ye was silent for a moment, as if choosing his words.

“Let Grandma stay at the nursing home my family runs. They have a professional team for Alzheimer’s treatment. The staff is well-trained, and they’ll take great care of her. She’ll never go missing like today.”

“No,” Lin Yuran refused immediately.

As if expecting that, Chi Ye pressed, “What if she goes missing again? Could you be sure you’d find her so easily? And what if you didn’t?”

Lin Yuran fell silent.

Seeing her hesitate, Chi Ye added, “That home is owned by my family. We wouldn’t even charge you.”

The moment she heard ‘no charge,’ Lin Yuran didn’t hesitate for a second. “No way. If it’s free, she definitely can’t go.”

“Lin Nuotao,” Chi Ye sighed, using her nickname for the first time.

Lin Yuran froze.

That name… only her closest family had called her that. Now it was just Grandma who still did. Chi Ye using it suddenly felt so intimate.

For some reason, hearing him talk about ‘refusing him,’ Lin Yuran felt a tightness in her chest.

“So, how much does it cost at your place? Expensive?”

From the look of it, if Chi Ye said it was free, Lin Yuran would definitely refuse.

“Not expensive. I’ll give you a friendly discount,” Chi Ye thought for a moment. “Let’s say ten percent of the normal price. That’s enough to cover costs. But if you insist on letting me profit off of you, then from now on, don’t call me your senior or anything. Just say we don’t know each other.”

Lin Yuran wanted to say that she wouldn’t have said it again anyway, that she’d only said it today because she’d lost her head for a moment.

Chi Ye had already said this much, and Lin Yuran found it hard to refuse. “Alright.”

Chi Ye smiled. “Good. Then try to come by tomorrow or the day after to get the paperwork done. That way you can bring your grandmother over as soon as possible.”

Lin Yuran nodded. “Okay.”

Chi Ye started the car. After a long moment, Lin Yuran finally remembered to thank him. “Chi Ye, thank you. For everything today… thank you.”

Chi Ye turned his head slightly to glance at her but didn’t say a word.

……

T/N: Chi Ye is doing his best to help Yuran, how can I not like him 🥺