CH 9.3

Lin Yuhe held the palm-sized ebony wood as his fingertips caressed its wood grain. He had always had classic facial features, radiating a slight soul-stirring allure. Also, his preferences were mostly of this calligraphy style, as well as wood carvings.

Similar to his love of admiring a distant view from a higher spot, these preferences of his were able to calm his mind gradually.

Be that as it may, Lin Yuhe had never touched this piece of wood. The ebony wood had an incredibly dense hardness, so it did not make it easy for anyone to carve. For such a precious material, Lin Yuhe could never decide on what he should carve.

Due to its scarcity, ebony wood was regarded as an extremely expensive high-grade wood. Just the raw material alone, it would fetch an astronomical price. 

Whereas, this piece of ebony wood was taken from the mountainous woods when Lin Yuhe was a child. However, too much time had elapsed, so he could not remember the exact location where he found this piece of ebony wood. It was only because he liked its fragrance that he had always kept it with him.

Speaking of the ebony wood’s fragrance, the first thing that came into Lin Yuhe’s mind was the hug he had with Lu Nan a few days ago. 

During that moment, Lin Yuhe could pick out this sort of faint woody fragrance from Mr. Lu.

As he was thinking about it, his phone suddenly began to vibrate.

Rq bl bye jdsod ycswv kv lyazkla, bl oswze dsv byhl caswtbv bkp rbsdl swv……

Nkd Zwbl vbswtbv kv oyp y nyzz qasx bkp pvlrxsvbla, ps bl oyp vbkdjkdt sq alflnvkdt vbl nyzz. Tsolhla, yp pssd yp bkp tygl polrv shla vbl rbsdl pnalld, bl kxxlekyvlzu pvkqqldle.

Gzz sq y pweeld, vbl lcsdu osse’p qaytaydnl kd bkp byde pllxle vs byhl yxrzkqkle, tykdkdt taswdep cu kdhyekdt bkp dspl yde xswvb yv yd kdpvydv.

Mbl dyxl ekprzyule sd vbl rbsdl pnalld oyp nzlyazu dsv bkp pvlrxsvbla’p, cwv ayvbla vos osaep vbyv bl bye jlule kd rlapsdyzzu.

Jkt Jasvbla.

Tkp qkdtlap wdnsdpnkswpzu vktbvldle, nywpkdt pbyzzso xyajp vs yrrlya sd vbl aswtb rklnl sq osse kd bkp bydep. Nkd Zwbl blpkvyvle clqsal wpkdt bkp qkdtlavkr vbyv oyp pvkqq qasx vbl nsze okde vs ralpp vbl talld cwvvsd vs ydpola vbl nyzz.

“Tlzzs…… Ya. Nw?”

G ellr, xytdlvkn hsknl vaydpxkvvle vbaswtb vbl rbsdl.

“Haven’t you changed the form of address?”

Lin Yuhe paused before asking, “I would also have to when we are alone? I thought I would only have to when there are outsiders around……” 

Lu Nan remained silent, as his stance was clear. Meanwhile, Lin Yuhe’s voice became increasingly softer before he finally sighed silently and said softly, “Big Brother.”

It was only then did Lu Nan let it go.

He asked, “Where are you now?”

Lin Yuhe answered, “At my dorm. I just got back not too long ago.”

Lu Nan continued to question, “You got back so late? You had a lesson to attend?”

The man spoke so calmly and naturally as if he was really chatting with someone close about some everyday things. 

Lin Yuhe simply could not figure out his intention, but having been reminded by Wu Xin countless times, he was also well aware that he should not lie in front of the other.

Hence, he replied, “I did not have any lessons, but my family called me over to go through the procedures of the engagement party.”

Wu Xin repeatedly emphasized to ensure Lin Yuhe remembered to show his loyalty to Lu Nan. As such, Lin Yuhe only said so to let the other know that he was not clueless about their engagement.

In actual fact, he did not like this sort of feeling where anything said had to be analyzed repeatedly. It was just that the agreement had been finalized, so he would be required to be dedicated to it.

Lin Yuhe was not sure whether Lu Nan was able to sense his sincerity, but instead, the man asked, “Your family? Your stepmother?”

Lin Yuhe was rendered stunned for a moment before he answered, “Yes.”

“There is no need for you to take her words so seriously.”

Lu Nan continued, “Also, you don’t have to be so nervous. I will be with you tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Lin Yuhe was somewhat surprised.

It sounded as if Lu Nan was specially trying to comfort him.

Even if Lin Yuhe thought so, he still responded with “Alright.””

Lu Nan yet again began to ask questions about other topics, but they were mainly random chitchats. If it were not for Wu Xin sending him over dozens of messages every day about Tai Ping’s matters, he would have thought Mr. Lu was not busy at all.

Since it was getting late, Lu Nan did not talk for too long. “Rest well tonight. I will send someone to pick you up tomorrow.”

“Alright, thank you.” Lin Yuhe continued, “Bye, Big Brother.”

Lu Nan said, “Good night, Ning Ning.”

Lin Yuhe froze for a moment before hanging up the phone.

Mr. Lu’s voice had a very mellow timbre. Lin Yuhe had always had an inexplicable affinity for euphonious voices, like his mother’s voice.

Even so, his mother’s voice was very gentle, while Mr. Lu’s leaned towards the cold type; the typical deep male voice that was so magnetic, it tickled one’s ears.

Lin Yuhe was not sure why he would associate these two voices together all of a sudden.

Perhaps it was that nickname, Ning Ning, which no one had used for far too long.

What’s more, Lu Nan responded with “Good night” after he had said “Bye.”

Previously, Lin Yuhe discovered that Mr. Lu was not as indifferent as he expected. Although the two of them did not communicate much, each time they did, the atmosphere was never grim. Lu Nan would always take the initiative to talk to him, and occasionally he would surprisingly be considerate.

Lin Yuhe squeezed the bridge of his cold nose and drew his breath in slowly.

The cold air of a wintry night brought chills to the bone, yet it was able to wake people up as well.

It was already getting very late, even the moonlight had faded into a bleak frosty white. The dark night crystallized into black ice, as faint light was shone onto Lin Yuhe’s face, outlining a gentle silhouette. Increasingly, he appeared to be unworldly in the eyes of others.

A cold wind was blowing, yet Lin Yuhe did not seem like he felt it at all, as he stood motionlessly in his spot, holding his phone in his hand thoughtfully.

After standing still for some time, it was only until the appearance of some pain in his hand from the ebony wood digging into his palm that jerked Lin Yuhe back from his thoughts.

He lowered his head and cast a glance at his phone screen. It was as if his phone sensed his gaze settling on it, as it immediately lit and unlocked itself, displaying the call log from earlier.

Lin Yuhe threw the call log a piercing gaze before putting his phone away.

Just as he was about to turn around and head back, Lin Yuhe happened to hear some movements not too far away. It seemed like someone else was making their way up to the rooftop.

Lin Yuhe looked back over his shoulders and could not help but be surprised. “Huixi?”

Seeing that Shen Huixi was not wearing his earbuds, it seemed that he was not here to make a phone call.

“Why are you here?”

“I came to look for you.”

As soon as Shen Huixi walked over, he could see that color had been drained out of Lin Yuhe’s face from the cold. He knitted his brows and asked, “It is such a cold day today. Why are you still outside?”

“I just made a phone call,” Lin Yuhe asked, “What brings you here?”

“Let’s talk inside.”