A Crazy Love Proposal

Chapter 47: Chapter 39 Once Embraced

?Chapter 47: Chapter 39 Once Embraced Chapter 47: Chapter 39 Once Embraced Not long after she transferred schools, her brother Wen Yangzhi returned to Yale.

However, those moments of being cherished were so beautiful that they lingered in the heart, aching with yearning.

It had been a long time since she saw her brother, and her longing for him grew wildly like weeds. Finally, at Christmas, she found an opportunity to send him a “Merry Christmas” message.

She still remembered that it took nearly ten hours for him to reply with a “Study hard.”

But a few days later, she received the Christmas gift her brother sent her.

It was a ceramic jar, strangely shaped as if someone had flattened it, with handprints on it.

It was much later when she missed Wen Yangzhi so intensely, and while embracing that ceramic jar, she discovered that it was a hug.

It was shaped that way because someone had purposely hugged the clay jar while forming it.

It was because it had touched her brother’s arms, wrists, chest, and shoulders that it had been shaped into an embrace.

Her brother hugged her at a time she did not know.

How could she have not realized it back then, only to find out after she had already drifted far from her brother, that he had indeed loved her.

In Europe, she wept and hugged the ceramic jar, regretting that she hadn’t understood Wen Yangzhi’s feelings at the time.

But time had passed by a whole six years—how was she to find the Wen Yangzhi from six years ago and tell him how much she loved him, missed him, and was willing to be the butterfly forever on his fingertip?

When he fired and set the shape of that hug, did he also imagine sending his love across the ocean, eagerly hoping she would understand his feelings?

The love that could not cross the boundary was also love that could not be voiced.

She was too naive that year, too inexperienced, unable to comprehend his not-so-overtly expressed true feelings, bewildered by his suddenly cold and warm emotions, unclear about his entanglement and restraint.

Since that summer holiday when high school ended, she had already decided to keep her distance from him.

From the day she mistakenly thought Wen Yangzhi had a girlfriend, she was already slowly drifting away from him.

Latterly, her contact with her brother dwindled with each passing year.

She continued to send greetings for Mid-Autumn Festival and “Happy New Year.”

Her brother’s reply was just a dot, signifying receipt.

“.”

Apparently, even affection can be worn away to nothing. The memory of being coddled in her brother’s palm gradually felt like a distant dream.

She did not understand, and he did not stay.

Both moved on to their separate lives.

Growing increasingly unfamiliar, she went from being a butterfly that was about to shatter yet strived to remain on her brother’s fingertip, to becoming a virtual electronic butterfly.

Only to send out a “Happy holiday” message on festive days.

All the fractures actually stemmed from that winter when she was seventeen.

Back then, Wen Yangzhi, whom she had not seen for half a year, was finally coming back, and Yun Yuwan was so excited that she couldn’t sleep at night.

That night, a private restaurant on Julist Road near Ruijin served only their family.

The aunt said that her brother should be arriving soon, just wait a little longer; the uncle said there was no need to wait for Hong Sheng, he probably wouldn’t arrive that quickly.

But Yun Yuwan craned her neck, waiting until nearly the end of dinner, yet she didn’t see her brother.

She felt uneasy, “Why hasn’t brother arrived yet? Did something happen to him?”

Wen Wei, while cutting crab shells, said, “He probably went to drop someone off at home first.”

Her thoughts got entangled, “Drop who off?”

Yet, a casual remark by Zhao Qin sent her mood plummeting, “Your brother is twenty-one, isn’t it obvious that he would have a girlfriend?”

Girlfriend.

Like a droplet losing its gravity and falling into an icy abyss.

Yun Yuwan’s mood suddenly spiraled out of control, and an ache began to emerge in her stomach.

After more than ten minutes, the brother they had long awaited finally appeared.

All she saw was the door to the private room being pushed open, and a tall figure in a cold-colored coat entered.

She immediately lowered her head.

“Dad, Mom,” she distinctly heard the voice she had longed for.

It was still reserved and indifferent.

As a large hand settled on her shoulder, a deep and cool voice reached her ears, “Yuwan.”

The light and cold fragrance from his body was already close to her breath.

She just kept her head down and nodded slightly.

The newcomer let go of her shoulder, pulled out the chair beside her, and sat down. In her peripheral vision, she could see the hem of his cashmere coat and the vintage openwork silver ring on his long, powerful hands.

She dared not look at his face, fearful that her tears would fall.

Zhao Qin chided, “We’ve finished eating and you’ve just arrived. Your dad and I have another appointment. You’ll take your sister home later, which is just as well since she’s been waiting for you and hasn’t eaten much.”

The person beside her responded with an even-tempered hmm.

Zhao Qin and Wen Wei left, and she still didn’t dare to look up.

He must have pressed the service bell, and the waiter came at the chime.

His detached voice said, “Clear away the finished dishes.”

She could hear the sound of the waiter clearing the plates while she just clenched her chopsticks tightly, not daring to look up for a moment.

She heard him say, “Menu.”

The waiter immediately handed him the tablet.

But the tablet for ordering was extended towards her, and Wen Yangzhi’s voice emerged beside her, “Take a look and see what else you’d like to add.”

In that moment, Yun Yuwan almost wanted to burst into tears.

But she held back, took the tablet, and casually added a few dishes.

Tears were already swirling in her eyes.

When they dropped onto the tablet, she immediately wiped them away with her sleeve, afraid that he would notice anything unusual.

However, the moment she handed the tablet back to him, Wen Yangzhi’s voice entered her ears:

“Not feeling well?”

Yun Yuwan just shook her head desperately but still did not look at him.

Wen Yangzhi handed the tablet to the waiter, who promptly left.

Yun Yuwan turned her head away, not wanting him to see her cry.

Wen Yangzhi spoke softly, “Haven’t you been waiting for me? Are you not happy to see me?”

Yun Yuwan didn’t know what to say.

She wanted to see him, but not like this, with someone else, rushing over in a hurry.

She suppressed a sob, “I just suddenly felt very sad.”

Wen Yangzhi’s patience was the same as half a year ago, a familiar feeling engulfing her, “What’s there to be sad about?”

She could only make up a reason, “I’m sad because the first snow hasn’t fallen. I watched a Korean drama that said the first snow is especially important. I have a wish I want to make, and it hasn’t snowed recently.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than snowflakes began to fall outside the high window with its Shanghai-esque flair.

Yun Yuwan could hardly believe it. In her peripheral view, she saw the snowflakes begin to fly and, surprised, she finally raised her head to look outside.

And with that look, she finally saw Wen Yangzhi’s face.

His features were as intense as before, quietly gazing at her.

The face she had missed day and night, just one look, and she was immediately captivated. Yet, when this long-awaited gaze finally happened, her heart was filled with a sense of loss and sourness.

His tone was tender, “Are you happy now?”

Yun Yuwan dared not meet his intense gaze for long, her heart like a sponge, the more her thoughts pressed down, the more uncontrollable tears seemed to well up within.

She could only pretend to be very interested in this snowfall, leave her seat to stand in front of the tall rosewood window, but in truth, it was only with her back to him that she could release the sorrow she could hardly contain.

She should’ve realized, too – at his age, it was normal for him to have a girlfriend.