After the Fake Young Master Betrayed the Australian Farmer - Chapter 40

“Even if the final result is unsatisfactory, we can afford to lose.”

Han Yan did not expect Adams to still be standing at the door. Seeing that the other man’s expression was gloomy enough to drip water, a hint of impatience flickered across Han Yan’s brow. He reached down and hoisted Xie Yu, who was still throwing a tantrum on the floor, dragging him to the entrance.

“I really need to sleep. If there is anything, talk about it tomorrow.”

With that, he closed the door firmly without hesitation, leaving the two men standing outside looking at each other.

“Holy crap, who are you?”

Xie Yu had been staying at his grandparents’ house for the past few days and had not been to the hospital.

Adams was silent for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, Xie Yu seemed to remember something and suddenly realized, “Oh, I remember now. I saw you last time at the KTV. You are Yanzi’s new flame?”

Adams pursed his lips and remained silent, seemingly accepting the description.

Xie Yu looked Adams up and down and clicked his tongue twice. As expected of Yanzi, his taste was so discerning; no wonder he looked down on those Xie Yu had helped him pick out before.

“My mom said Yanzi’s friend flew in specifically from abroad to help. I did not expect it to be you. You are quite devoted.”

Xie Yu remarked with feeling, then shook his head. “But brother, it looks like Yanzi has not given you an official status yet.”

Adams frowned and said in a deep voice, “So what?”

“Hey, your Chinese is actually quite standard! When my mom said this foreigner spoke good Chinese, I thought she was exaggerating.”

“It is nothing. Just keep it up. Our Yanzi is famously hard to pursue. The people he has rejected could line up from here straight to Australia!”

In fact, no one had successfully pursued Han Yan yet. As Han Yan’s best friend, even Xie Yu was a bit puzzled about what kind of person he actually liked. However, he did not plan to mention this to Adams; it would not be good to dampen the man’s enthusiasm. Sometimes, a person has to hit the wall before they know to turn back.

Adams’s eyes flickered. He wanted to say more, but the door was suddenly pulled open again. A ghostly voice asked, “Are you two finished talking?”

Song Zhiyun’s body gradually recovered, and the divorce proceedings with Han’s father, which had been stalled, saw new progress.

Han Yan did not know what methods his mother had used, but on the day the divorce agreement was signed, his mother and Xie Lan were radiant. Xie Lan, in particular, could not stop smiling.

In contrast, Han’s father had a tense face, his knuckles white as he held the pen. Han Yan could even hear the sound of the man’s teeth grinding.

Han Yan and Han Jue exchanged a look, still unable to believe that it had been settled so simply. When he curiously asked Song Zhiyun what method she had used, she only gave a mysterious smile and kept silent.

He had no choice but to shrug. Fine, it seemed his mother did not want him, as a junior, to know the inside story. As long as the matter was resolved successfully, it was fine. With Aunt Xie around, his mother would not get the short end of the stick.

Song Zhiyun had property in her name. She moved her and her two sons’ household registrations out, placing an arm around each son’s shoulder. The household register, printed with the names of the three of them, lay spread out on the table.

“From now on, you two are following your old lady.”

Seeing Han Jue’s dazed expression, Han Yan playfully patted his head. “Wake up, younger brother.”

Han Jue blinked his dry eyes and his eyes crinkled into a smile. “Brother. Mom.”

Xie Yu leaned over with a grin. “Yanzi, now that you have a brother, should your brother also call me ‘Brother’?”

Han Yan pushed his head away and rolled his eyes. “My brother and I share the same birthday. If anyone is calling anyone ‘Brother,’ it should be you calling him.”

Xie Yu let out a wail, full of fake grief. “Mom, why did you not give birth to me a few days earlier?”

Xie Lan stood with her hands on her hips and laughed. “You brat, is that something I can control?”

The hospital room was a picture of harmony and joy. Adams gazed at Han Yan’s smiling profile, his eyes soft. Han Yan happened to look up and unexpectedly collided with a sea of tenderness. His heart was briefly touched for a moment, and he slowly looked away.

At the end of June, on a sunny day, Song Zhiyun was discharged from the hospital. A driver came in a business van to pick them up. It was the same man who had always driven Han Yan before. Han Yan felt a sense of familiarity as soon as he saw his face.

“Uncle Li.”

When Uncle Li smiled, crow’s feet appeared at the corners of his eyes. He nodded at him. “Master Xiaoyan, long time no see.” After saying that, he turned to Han Jue and greeted him kindly, “Master Xiaojue.”

Adams carried the heavy luggage and put it in the trunk. Just as he was about to go around to the front passenger seat, Song Zhiyun called out to him, “Adams, sit in the back with Xiaoyan. There are many things placed in the front.”

Uncle Li, being a veteran who had followed Song Zhiyun for many years, understood her meaning immediately. He took the miscellaneous items he was about to put in the trunk and piled them back onto the front passenger seat.

Adams had no choice but to get into the back row. Han Yan wanted to ask Han Jue to switch seats with him, but after Han Jue received a signal from his mother, he simply tilted his head, leaned against the window, and closed his eyes to fake sleep.

Han Yan: “…”

Fine. The back row was spacious anyway. He and Adams could each sit on one side without bothering each other. Han Yan leaned against the window, propped his chin in his palm, and turned to look out the window, leaving Adams with only the back of his head.

Adams did not try to push closer and kept his distance.

The car drove steadily. Han Yan was mentally praising Uncle Li’s driving skills for being as good as ever while his eyelids fought a losing battle with sleep. Just as he was dizzily about to drift off, a sharp turn caused his body to tilt, uncontrollably bumping into the person beside him.

His head hit a hard arm, and he let out a sharp breath of cold air. Before he could react, a large hand covered the back of his head, gently rubbing it.

“Are you okay? Did that hurt?”

A deep voice sounded from above him. He looked up and met Adams’s face, which was inches away. He only then realized that the other man’s chin seemed a bit thinner, making his features even more sharp and defined. The deep eyes revealed worry, making Han Yan daze for a moment.

Feeling his heart rate increase, he pulled the other’s hand away, straightened his body, and sat back. He said in a flat voice, “I am fine.”

Adams looked down and rubbed his fingertips, where the other’s warmth seemed to linger. The back row returned to a dead silence. Both Han Jue and Song Zhiyun saw the helplessness in each other’s eyes.

Upon arriving home, Song Zhiyun told them to pick the rooms they liked and see if anything was missing so they could order furniture later. Adams stood there stiffly. Seeing this, Song Zhiyun patted his back.

“Adams, you go pick a room too.”

Adams looked startled. Just as he was about to refuse, Song Zhiyun cut him off. “You have helped us so much; I cannot thank you enough. Why do you not let me be your godmother? If you come to China in the future, how about staying here with me?”

“I actually,”

“I know you helped us because of Xiaoyan. Although I do not know what happened between you, I can see that you are different from others to him.”

Song Zhiyun looked at the figures of her two sons moving in and out of different rooms on the second floor and smiled. “If Xiaoyan really hated you, he would not have tacitly allowed you to work so hard in the hospital during this time. In the past, when suitors tried to curry favor with me, he would turn around and beat them up once he found out. He has always hated irrelevant people or things involving his family.”

Song Zhiyun turned back to look at Adams and raised an eyebrow, her expression perfectly overlapping with Han Yan’s usual arrogant demeanor. “Even if Xiaoyan does not have those feelings for you now, at least in his heart, he has categorized you as one of his own. So, do you want to call me godmother? We have a saying in China: ‘A pavilion near the water is the first to get the moon.’ Simply put, by being my godson, you have an absolute advantage over other suitors.”

Adams struggled to understand Song Zhiyun’s meaning, but he guessed the general idea. After a moment of hesitation, he said dejectedly, “Han Yan will be unhappy. He actually does not really want to see me. I have just been shamelessly staying here.”

Song Zhiyun did not think so. She felt that if Adams really left, her son would not necessarily be very happy either. Those who are favored are always bold, but what if that favoritism is one day taken away?

Song Zhiyun did not persuade him further, but she made up her mind to find a suitable opportunity to have a good talk with Han Yan.

Regardless, Adams stayed at Song Zhiyun’s place. He took over the cook’s job every day, making meals in different styles. The cook was terrified of being fired and spent all day pacing anxiously in the kitchen.

Han Yan’s attitude toward Adams still did not soften. His expression was cold, and several times he told Adams to stop cooking, as the house was not without a chef. While the chef looked at Han Yan gratefully from the side, Song Zhiyun mediated. “Xiaoyan, Adams is staying with us now. If we do not let him do some work, his conscience will be uneasy. Just treat it as paying rent.”

Adams nodded in agreement. Hearing this, Han Yan said nothing more. That night, he knocked on Adams’s door. When Adams opened the door and saw who it was, he was first stunned, and then his eyes lit up with obvious surprise.

“Why are you here?”

Han Yan’s tone was flat. “Can we talk?”

Adams stepped aside to let him in. Han Yan walked into the room without looking left or right. As soon as the door closed, he spoke coldly, “When are you leaving?”

Adams’s body stiffened. His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into fists, the veins on his forearms bulging. He asked hoarsely with difficulty, “Do you hate me that much? Do you really not want to see me at all?”

“Hate? I do not hate you that much, but it is true that I do not want to see you.”

Han Yan was telling the truth. It was truly annoying to see Adams wandering around in front of him all day with those wet puppy eyes.

Adams grabbed Han Yan’s arm, his voice raspy. “If you are still angry, you can hit me or scold me. I will change anything you do not like.”

Han Yan pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. “Adams, I am not angry, and I do not need you to change. It is truly over between us, so stop staying here and doing useless work, okay?”

Han Yan’s brooks no argument tone made Adams’s heart ache. He unconsciously tightened his grip and whispered, “Give me one more chance. Just one. This time, I will really make you satisfied.”

Han Yan forcefully pried his fingers away, rubbed his aching arm, and flatly uttered two words: “I won’t.”

What would giving him another chance do? He would still break up because he could not stand Adams’s domineering nature. They would just be repeating the same mistakes.

Adams looked up at Han Yan’s determined gaze and closed his bloodshot eyes, his voice trembling slightly. “Han Yan, I really like you.”

Han Yan’s fingers paused, and his heart skipped a heavy beat. Although he had always known Adams liked him, this was the first time he had heard Adams’s confession. Seeing the man’s expression, which looked worse than crying, his heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by a hand, hurting intensely.

He bit his lip, trying his best to control his emotions, and said nonchalantly, “I know. But many people like me; I do not lack you.”

Was he really not lacking him?

“Yes, I know.” Adams stared at the floor and took a breath, forcing out one word after another from between his teeth. “I will leave.” A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. “It was my lack of discernment that made you feel uncomfortable during this time. I am sorry.”

In an instant, Han Yan felt as if he were being strangled, unable to make a single sound. If Adams could have looked up at that moment, he would have found that Han Yan’s face was not much better than his own. However, Han Yan fled the room, and Adams did not look up again.

Adams left the next day, quietly. When Han Yan found out, he ate his meal as usual, though his brow furrowed imperceptibly. It tastes bad.

He thought Adams’s departure would make him feel relieved, but every time he closed his eyes, the man’s red eyes and hurt expression appeared. He noticed the wooden cat carving on the nightstand, reached out, and gripped it in his palm.

So he really just left? That is good. Life is so long; Adams will eventually find someone suitable and will slowly forget his feelings for Han Yan over time, forgetting this experience that left him covered in wounds. Yes, it is truly good.

Han Yan curled up in his blanket, placed his hand over his chest, and closed his eyes, a deep furrow appearing between his brows.

“Xiaoyan, your school starts in August, right?” At the dinner table, Song Zhiyun suddenly asked. Han Yan swallowed his food and said, “Yes, school starts in half a month.”

“Sigh, the doctor said I still need to recover for more than half a year before I can travel long distances. It seems my wish to see the aurora this year is ruined.”

Song Zhiyun looked melancholy. Han Jue thought for a moment and suggested, “How about my brother and I go see the aurora? We can video call you then, so it will be like you saw the aurora too.”

Song Zhiyun’s eyes lit up, and she gave Han Jue a thumbs up. “I think that is a good idea. Xiaoyan, what do you think?”

Under his mother’s expectant gaze, Han Yan nodded. Fine, what else could he say? Since it was his mother’s wish, it had to be fulfilled.

One day in mid-July, Han Yan, Han Jue, and Xie Yu boarded a plane to Tasmania. Before boarding, Han Yan held Song Zhiyun’s hand, repeatedly telling her not to overwork herself and to rest well. If Han’s father tried anything again, she had to call them. Song Zhiyun found him long winded and patted his hand. “Enough, your old lady is an adult. What is there to worry about? Go, or you will miss the plane.”

“Mom, how can one miss a private plane?” Han Yan was speechless but said no more, waving to Song Zhiyun and Xie Lan.

The three landed in Tasmania and were picked up by a private car. Xie Yu thought that since they were finally out to play, it would be more comfortable without outsiders. So, they did not let a guide follow them. After asking about the best location and time to view the aurora, they rented a car and set off. Han Jue did not have a driver’s license, so Han Yan and Xie Yu took turns driving.

The time for viewing the aurora was midnight, so they were in no hurry. They first wandered around the surrounding small towns and tasted the most famous local curry pies. Xie Yu took a bite and was splattered with scalding curry juice, jumping up and down like a monkey while gasping for air, which earned him the heartless laughter of Han Yan and Han Jue. Han Yan even very unkindly took out his phone to record a video. Xie Yu covered his mouth, tears sparkling in his eyes, chasing Han Yan to delete the video, otherwise, he would post a video of Han Yan singing out of tune online.

Faced with Xie Yu’s threat, Han Yan gave a fake smile. “So you still have that video? Xiao Yuzi, you are a dark horse, are you not? Han Jue, come help your brother!”

Han Jue moved quickly to grab Xie Yu’s arm, stood on his tiptoes to snatch the phone, and tossed it to Han Yan.

“Fine! You two brothers are teaming up to bully me!” The three played and joked all afternoon, and when they sat back in the car, they were all breathless and laughing. Han Yan pulled off the scarf around his neck; he had broken into a sweat in the middle of winter.

After resting for a while, they started the car and headed toward their destination according to the guide’s location.

“Holy crap, Yanzi, this car’s fuel level seems low!” As Xie Yu neared the destination, he panicked seeing the flashing fuel warning light.

Han Yan leaned over to look and said calmly as he swiped the navigation map, “After the fuel warning light comes on, the car can generally travel 50 to 90 kilometers. We are 60 kilometers from the city area; we can make it.”

“But we are still 10 kilometers from the destination. With the round trip, if there is a traffic jam or something, it is quite risky.”

Han Jue had fallen asleep in the back seat and woke up dizzily to their voices. After understanding the situation, he let out a yawn. “Why do we not just get out here? Although it is not the best viewing spot, we should still be able to see it.”

As soon as the three got out of the car, a bone chilling cold wind hit them. They all reflexively pulled their necks into their collars.

“Let us walk forward a bit to the flat ground. There are too many trees here to see clearly.” Han Yan took the lead, and the other two followed closely behind him.

They walked for about ten minutes, and a wide open flat area finally appeared before them. Suddenly, Han Jue’s excited cry sounded behind them: “It is the aurora!”

Han Yan looked up at the sky. Colorful lights gathered into a river, flowing in the night sky, like a dancing ribbon, spinning and swaying with grace. The dazzling light outshone the stars, outlining a grand and magnificent picture.

He quickly took out his phone and sent a WeChat video call to Song Zhiyun. It was picked up after two rings.

“What is it, Xiaoyan?” Song Zhiyun’s face appeared on the screen, and he pointed the camera at the sky.

“Mom, the aurora you wanted to see!”

Song Zhiyun’s laughter came through the receiver. “It is so beautiful. If I were there in person, seeing it with my own eyes would be so shocking.”

“Mom, let us come together next year. Then we will go to the best viewing spot; it will definitely be even more shocking!”

Song Zhiyun smiled and agreed. Gazing at the beautiful scene in the camera, she suddenly laughed. “Son, do you know the legend of the aurora?”

“I know. They say if you make a wish upon the aurora, it will come true.”

“Actually, there is another saying. It is said that if two people in love see the aurora together, they will receive eternal love.”

Han Yan’s wrist trembled, and the scenery in the camera shook. Song Zhiyun teased him playfully. “Xiaoyan, who are you thinking of right now?”

“Mom, that is just a legend.”

Song Zhiyun propped up her phone, chin in her palm, and tapped her cheek. “Son, a person’s life is actually very short, and life is truly fragile. So, your mother has thought through many things now. Take the divorce, for example. I had thought about it a long time ago, but since we had been married for so many years and life was passable, I thought I would just make do. Going to the gates of hell made me realize that if you do not do some things, you will truly regret it for the rest of your life. Being happy is what matters; you cannot wrong yourself for any other reason. Do what you want to do, follow your heart, and do not leave any regrets every day.”

Han Yan was silent for a moment, confusion and doubt in his eyes. “But Mom, we are fundamentally incompatible. I do not think we will last long. Since the ending can be guessed, why even start?”

Song Zhiyun shook her head with a laugh. “Son, are you God? No one can predict the future. The future is constantly changing; every tiny decision can change it. You cannot even know whether tomorrow or an accident will come first, so how can you talk about the ending?” Song Zhiyun raised an eyebrow and winked at the camera. “So, son, go ahead and do it. Your mom has your back. If you are sad or heartbroken, my door is always open for you. Even if the final result is unsatisfactory, we can afford to lose.”

Han Yan’s heart was shaken. Yes, he had been obsessing over his and Adams’s incompatible personalities, firmly believing they would not have a happy ending. But who could predict the true ending?

If he did not do it, there would never be a result. Asking himself honestly, could he really let go of Adams? At least for now, he could not. Han Jue was right; he was a coward, overthinking everything. At that time, he had nothing; he could not afford to lose.

But now? He had everything. He had the capital to lose. Even if he lost, so what? At worst, he would just lie on a pile of money and cry for a few weeks. Since the worst ending was only that, why not give Adams, and himself, a chance?

At this moment, the haze surrounding Han Yan’s heart dissipated, and his heart beat violently as if celebrating his decision. He curled the corners of his mouth, his eyes shining under the reflection of the aurora.

“Mom, I understand.”

As it turned out, the title of ‘coward’ did not suit Han Yan at all.