Chapter 73: A Reply Finally Came
Zhao Shengge's hand rested on his neck, not with force, but with a slow caress. His cold lips kissed the back of Chen Wan's neck, murmuring, "Keats."
Chen Wan's mind exploded, his entire body trembling.
That night was particularly intense, Zhao Shengge's touches and kisses carried a punishing edge.
Chen Wan's heart was lifted high, then gently set down, over and over again, craving hugs, kisses, and reassurance.
Zhao Shengge occasionally gave a little, but never enough, leaving Chen Wan's senses and soul hanging on the edge, unable to go up or down.
"Zhao Shengge, please."
Chen Wan was likely crying, and Zhao Shengge uttered his name again, face blank, "Keats."
His voice was deep, like a reminder or a warning, yet containing an icy gentleness, making Chen Wan's eardrums tremble.
Later, Zhao Shengge stopped speaking. No matter how Chen Wan pleaded for help, he remained like a silent wolf, never stopping.
On the brink of collapse, a sudden realization struck Chen Wan. With his last bit of strength, he grabbed Zhao Shengge's hand and murmured weakly, "I, I was rejecting him."
Zhao Shengge halted, his face unreadable.
Chen Wan was saved. He had no idea how Zhao Shengge knew, but if Zhao Shengge wanted to know, there was nothing he couldn't find out.
Chen Wan seized this moment of reprieve to explain, "I returned the gift as well, I didn’t keep it."
After Chen Wan politely declined the invitation from the local celebrity to a concert, the celebrity gifted him an expensive set of jewelry before leaving. Chen Wan didn't accept it but, not wishing to cause offense, instead gave a set of tea in a gesture of hospitality, saying it was a local specialty and welcoming him to visit China.
Zhao Shengge looked down at Chen Wan's reddened neck, his expression calm, and softly said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"..." Chen Wan fought for breath, his chest heaving.
Zhao Shengge tilted his head, brushed his cheek, and said, "You can do whatever you want, I’m not going to meddle."
Chen Wan mustered the last of his strength to grab Zhao Shengge's fingers, shook them, and said, "You can interfere with me, however you want."
Zhao Shengge gave him a faint smile, not saying a word.
Chen Wan then said, "Let's go back to the room, could you open the second drawer of the bookcase for me?"
Zhao Shengge looked at him for a moment, then picked him up, carried him into the room, laid him on the bed and tucked him in, and found the envelope and box Chen Wan mentioned in the second drawer.
Chen Wan finally managed to catch his breath, but his voice was still weak, "I wanted to give you this letter a long time ago, but because of the Chen family matters, I didn't get the chance to send it."
Chen Wan leaned against the headboard, gazing at him with understanding, "Can you open it and take a look?"
Zhao Shengge complied, opened the letter, and read it with his head down, his expression unreadable.
"If you want to know about the past, you can read this instead of asking Zhuo Zhixuan. If you want to know about the future, you can ask me."
Chen Wan reached for his hand, "And this synchronized wristband, the password is your birthday."
Chen Wan had customized the highest authority, where location, vision, sound, and even heart rate would be captured in real-time, almost like surveillance.
"It's not because you gave me the foundation and the robot that I'm giving this to you," Chen Wan said, knowing about the bead incident, he had been planning this in his heart, "but you can consider this my return gift."
If Zhao Shengge's desire for control couldn't be satisfied, Chen Wan would offer himself as a sacrifice.
Zhao Shengge gazed at Chen Wan with intense, dark eyes for a moment and said, "You don’t have to do this."
Chen Wan tilted his head with a faint smile, his gaze tolerant, and replied, "I think there is."
"I can’t actually become a puppy to keep you company, but how about a digital dog?"
Zhao Shengge looked at him without speaking.
Chen Wan then said, "Mr. Zhao, can you settle for this?"
Zhao Shengge’s fingers twitched, and he looked at him calmly, seemingly helpless as he said, "Whatever you say," while his hands cooperatively picked up the phone to input the monitoring command.
He examined the wristband just as Chen Wan had fiddled with the robot model earlier.
"..."
Chen Wan chuckled and said, "Well, Zhao Shengge."
"Although I know it might be quite fun, I want to take a shower now. You were a little too intense earlier."
Zhao Shengge then put the wristband on Chen Wan’s hand, picked him up, walked into the bathroom, and they both got into the bathtub.
He wrapped his arms around Chen Wan from behind, glanced at his phone, and said, "Your heart is racing, isn’t it?"
"..."
"Your heart rate is through the roof."
"..."
"But your breathing and stress seem fine."
Chen Wan turned to look at him, helpless but honest, and said, "With you holding me like this, how could my heart not race?"
Zhao Shengge made love to him again in the water, Chen Wan surrendering to his every touch, the wristband blaring a sharp alarm, which Zhao Shengge removed and placed in a corner.
Since Fang Jian and Xu Zhiying weren’t on the flight, Zhao Shengge and Chen Wan decided to return by sea, taking a short sea vacation, with their destination being Feiling Island.
Before boarding the ship, Zhao Shengge drove the car to Pangluo.
"Are you getting a ship?" Chen Wan was a bit surprised, as Zhao Shengge already owned several expensive yachts.
Zhao Shengge turned the key and turned off the engine, saying, "You’re the one who’s buying it."
Chen Wan paused, unsure when he had started planning this.
The yacht designer was a white man, and the interior was mostly completed, but the models were also ready, one large and one small.
Being an engineering graduate, Chen Wan was fascinated by the models, marveling at their luxurious design.
Seeing Chen Wan’s fascination with the model, Zhao Shengge said, "You can have this one." Usually, only one model is made for a ship, but Zhao Shengge had specifically requested an additional one.
Chen Wan smiled and said, "I’ll put it in my office."
The designer asked the two of them, "Any thoughts on the yacht’s name? It needs to be registered for the formalities, and it will be painted later."
Chen Wan was still looking at the model and said to Zhao Shengge, "Since it’s your gift to me, you should choose the name."
Zhao Shengge said, "Then we’ll name it the Keats."
Chen Wan's eyes crinkled as he said, "Alright."
Zhao Shengge: "Once Polly Bay Dock is finished, we'll have the Keats, our yacht, make its maiden voyage there."
Chen Wan paused for a moment.
He felt a momentary sense of unreality.
When the Polly Bay Dock project started, Chen Wan had dreamed of owning a ship for its maiden voyage, though it seemed impossible then.
But now, Zhao Shengge had a yacht custom-made for Chen Wan, inviting him to take its first journey.
When Chen Wan didn’t respond, Zhao Shengge added, "You can choose the route. We could even honeymoon at sea. What do you think?"
"Chen Wan?"
Chen Wan's gaze sharpened. He let go of the model and took Zhao Shengge's hand, murmuring, "Honeymoon?"
"..." Zhao Shengge calmly looked at him and said, "You heard me."
Chen Wan gave a wry smile. "Aren’t you still chasing me? Not ready to make it official?"
Zhao Shengge shrugged. "I can keep chasing you after we’re married."
Chen Wan chuckled, nodded, and said, "Alright then."
Zhao Shengge went over details with the designer—a bowling alley for Chen Wan, who liked the game, and a fishing deck, since Chen Wan sometimes fished while Zhao Shengge napped nearby.
While Chen Wan took a call, the designer called Zhao Shengge a "good man."
Zhao Shengge glanced up from the contract and shook his head.
Chen Wan was the real good one.
No matter what Zhao Shengge did, he couldn’t outdo Chen Wan.
They boarded the ship that afternoon, the sea calm as they sailed south on the North Pacific winter current.
Feling Island, located at x°26' N, y°55' E, lies between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, with monsoons bringing heavy rain and year-round summer weather.
They reached the dock at dusk, the sky ablaze with a sunset so vivid the clouds seemed to melt into the sea.
Chen Wan leaned on the railing, the sea breeze ruffling his hair. "Sometimes the ocean reminds me how small we are, how little we control."
Even something as big as the Full Moon Channel project is just a speck in the vast universe.
Zhao Shengge stood beside him. "Then focus on what you can control."
"Do your best and stay calm."
Chen Wan turned to him, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Zhao Shengge."
"Are you always this objective and rational?"
"No," Zhao Shengge said, looking down at him. "You know the exception."
Chen Wan chuckled.
Once they got off the boat, tourists were picnicking in the coastal park, and someone was playing the accordion.
Locals were selling tropical fruits, flower garlands, and postcards to the tourists, and a mother with blonde hair and blue eyes bought a small bunny balloon for her child.
The child, who looked like a doll, grinned and ran into the sea breeze.
Chen Wan watched for a while, deep in thought, and Zhao Shengge asked him, "Which one do you want?"
He never asked if Chen Wan wanted one, only which one he preferred.
Chen Wan, almost thirty, was too shy to take a balloon, so he chose a postcard. If he paid for postage, it would get a Philin Island postmark.
Chen Wan picked up a pen, and Zhao Shengge instinctively blocked the setting sun for him.
Chen Wan wasn't sure what to write or who to send it to—the person he cared about most was right there with him.
Seeing Chen Wan look up, Zhao Shengge thought he had something to say and leaned in.
Chen Wan didn't say anything, just smiled with his eyes, kissed him, and then looked down to write on the paper—
Keanu Reeves actually replied.
-The End-
Author's Note:
I hope everyone gets their own life's reply. Until we meet again.
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