Water and Fire~Chapter 131: Unlocking the Secret 3

 

Chapter 131: Unlocking the Secret 3

Chu Qianmiao stared at Ren Yan, stunned, listening as he recounted the story of their first meeting.

No, not two people. Actually, three of them.

Time continued to unfold, revealing a different outcome than she remembered. In this outcome, Tan Shen appeared. It turned out that her interaction with Ren Yan, answering for her senior, had already caught Tan Shen's attention.

Since the lecture hall was occupied by students studying, conversation was impossible, so Ren Yan took Chu Qianmiao to the basketball court.

The early summer weather wasn't yet unpleasantly hot. The sun, though bright, wasn't particularly scorching. Clouds clump together in the sky, chasing the wind, occasionally moving in front of the sun to block it out.

An informal basketball game was underway, and many girls gathered in the audience. A handsome boy on the court hit a three-pointer, and the girls off the court blushed and cheered with joy.

They were so youthful, sweet, and lively, and adorable. It was the most vibrant and brilliant time of their lives. To fall in love for the first time in such a beautiful time, to fall in love with a handsome boy, was truly a beautiful, romantic, and brave thing.

Chu Qianmiao thought that she had been so romantic, so beautiful. And the boy she had once been infatuated with was now standing beside her.

But this boy was hiding a lot of secrets. He remembered her but claimed to have forgotten her.

The thought made her furious. She turned her head and looked up at him. She wanted to ask him if he remembered what happened on the basketball court that year.

As she turned her head, she realized that he had been staring at her the whole time. The bustle on the court, the scenery off the court, the sun and white clouds in the sky—nothing caught his eye. He was just staring at her.

The air was filled with the scent of summer, the flowers, trees, and grass all exuding a vibrant aroma.

Before she could ask, he spoke.

Yes, I remember. I remember the ball flew over, and the little girl squatted, and it hit me in the face.

Ren Yan told Chu Qianmiao that while he was playing against another department, others were playing basketball on the next court. One of them was Tan Shen.

So, the first ball that flew towards her on that basketball court was truly an accident. He held her in his arms and raised his hand to help her block the incoming ball.

But the second ball, even if she hadn't squatted, would have been headed straight for his face due to the height difference between them.

Because the second ball was hit by Tan Shen, he had done it on purpose.

Ren Yan told Chu Qianmiao that he was hit by the ball, his nose was bleeding, and he had to be helped to the clinic by a classmate. She followed him nervously, feeling guilty and remorseful. As they passed the basketball court next door, he caught a glimpse of Tan Shen, who was bouncing the ball and flashing him a quick, devilish smile. He then acted concerned, even calling him "senior" and asking if he was alright.

Ren Yan was holding his nose at the time, too lazy to play along. He glanced at him indifferently, ignored him, and walked away.

So, to anyone else, that scene would have seemed like just an ordinary junior and senior whom they didn't know well, let alone a warm and affectionate junior and a cold and aloof senior.

Chu Qianmiao reached deep into her memory, trying to recall the scene.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall what happened on the court next door that day. Her complete attention was focused on Ren Yan's body.

But when Ren Yan finally went to the clinic with a nosebleed, a classmate on the next court did seem to speak with concern, "Senior, are you okay?"

She could only recall someone saying that, but she couldn't remember who it was. Her thoughts and eyes were completely focused on Ren Yan.

So, was that person actually Tan Shen?

The summer afternoon breeze blew softly, wrapping its warmth around her body. It was meant to be warm, but it also gave her arms goosebumps.

The court was bustling with activity, the cheers and screams of boys and girls filling the air with a cacophony.

Amid the din, Chu Qianmiao could clearly hear Ren Yan's voice.

He told her about that time on the basketball court when he'd taken her towel and water, once again catching Tan Shen's attention.

Their next encounter was when she helped three senior students in a quarrel outside the schoolyard.

Ren Yan led Chu Qianmiao away from the basketball court, casually strolling along the campus' tree-lined path, chatting as they walked.

He told her that, yes, he remembered that incident too, and he remembered it vividly. He remembered her running away with a nosebleed after seeing his abs beneath his wet T-shirt.

Chu Qianmiao bit her lip in dissatisfaction, tilting her head to glance at Ren Yan, a look that was half angry and half annoyed.

That glance sent Ren Yan reeling.

"So later at Liya, when we were playing against the Liya staff, you deliberately lifted your shirt to show me your abs, right?" Chu Qianmiao asked with a slight grumble. (Chapter 86)

"Oh, and that time too," she suddenly stopped, glaring at him sideways, angrily. "You asked me to bring it to your room to show you, but you came out of the bathroom with your chest and belly exposed, wrapped in a towel. You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Looking at her lively expression, both angry and annoyed, Ren Yan felt like he had come back to life. Ever since she broke up, he felt like he was half dead, only his physical functions remaining, his senses numb and dying.

He tentatively tried to hold her hand, but she turned away like a little girl, blocking his way.

"I'm angry, I won't hold it for you."

Even though he was clearly rejected, his mood suddenly brightened, the gloom dissipating.

They continued walking. There was a cafe up ahead. They pushed the door open and found a corner seat by the window. No one was around, and their whispered conversation wouldn't disturb anyone else.

Ren Yan ordered a latte for Chu Qianmiao and a tea for himself.

Chu Qianmiao looked down at her coffee cup, thinking to herself that he always managed to remember her favorite foods and drinks.

She heard him continue to talk about the time she ran away with a nosebleed.

Ren Yan said he still remembered that time, when she helped another of her three seniors argue with the unreasonable aunt. The aunt brought some people with her, and she helped to argue while the other three seniors urgently contacted the boys in their class to come and help.

Later, the unreasonable aunt's men started fighting. She was nearly beaten by them, but he, who had always stayed out of the situation, suddenly rushed to her defense.

In reality, he had never been so kind-hearted, and he never even glanced at such a lively scene. But that time, he not only observed the commotion, but also rushed to her defense.

Later, she saw his alluring, wet abs and ran off with a nosebleed. The boys from her senior's class arrived just in time and contained the situation.

The leader of that group was Tan Shen.

Thus, from Tan Shen's perspective, he saw a difference in Ren Yan's feelings towards that girl.

Chu Qianmiao clasped her hands over her coffee cup. The air-conditioning in the room wasn't too cold, actually quite pleasant. Yet, she felt a chill.

It turned out that Tan Shen's presence had been embedded in every interaction she had with Ren Yan.

She had always believed that Tan Shen entered her life after Ren Yan rejected her confession.

But that wasn't the case. It turned out that Tan Shen, like a shadow, had always been by her side. But at that time, her eyes and heart were filled with the tall, handsome, and cool senior Ren Yan, and she couldn't see anyone else around her. Perhaps this was what further fueled Tan Shen's possessive desire for her.

A chill ran down her spine. She slid closer toward the sunlight shimmering through the window.

Ren Yan sat in the café all afternoon, slowly recounting the events that followed to Chu Qianmiao.

His encounters with the girl had instilled a certain curiosity and interest in her. He sometimes vaguely yearned to see her again. He wondered, with a touch of curiosity, what it would be like to see her again.

She always possessed a vibrant energy that others lacked. Life around him was dull and monotonous, but whenever she appeared, leaping in front of him, it would instantly become vibrant and colorful.

He could sense that for a while, the girl had been deliberately trying to stay close to him. But then, one day, she vanished from his presence.

Around that time, he and Tan Shen went back to his grandmother's house for dinner on the weekend. Tan Shen privately told him, "I've broken up with He Luoyu from your class, and Chu Qianmiao is my girlfriend now, so stay away from her."

He immediately thought, "So that's how it is." So that girl, like his classmate named He, had been seduced by Tan Shen with one simple seduction. He wondered why she no longer appeared around him to attract his attention.

But his reaction that time was different from every time he heard this kind of news. This time, he felt a sense of betrayal and betrayal. He figured the girl's affection and love for him was just that—so tempting, and Tan Shen had just seduced her away.

This nameless anger lingered for quite a while. Tan Shen understood it perfectly.

He later thought that Tan Shen must have realized before him how special that girl was to him.

One day after that, he discovered that Tan Shen and the girl named He from his class were still seeing each other; it seemed they hadn't completely broken up.

That day, he issued a warning to Tan Shen. It was the first time he had warned Tan Shen since his uncle's death; he had never confronted him so directly.

He warned Tan Shen, "Either you cherish this girl or let her go. If you're just to torture me, you might as well let her go. You just don't want me to live a good life. Don't do anything to her. I can promise you that I'll live alone from now on. I won't be in a relationship or look for a girlfriend."

Tan Shen was stunned for a moment when he heard these words, then he burst into laughter, laughing like a madman, tears streaming down his face.

He watched Tan Shen's madness with a cold eye, and when he finally calmed down, he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and said, "I can't believe you like her so much, my cousin?"

After asking this, Tan Shen's expression suddenly turned sinister. "But you'd better give up on it. I'm telling you, I'm serious about her, too."

In the end, he and Tan Shen seemed to have reached some kind of tacit agreement. He gave up his budding feelings for the girl; after all, she was already Tan Shen's girlfriend. Tan Shen, on the other hand, was in a serious relationship with her and no longer wavered with other girls, especially those who appeared around him.

He let go of the girl and focused on preparing to go abroad.

But before leaving, he ran into the girl again.

Looking at her, he thought, she was still so fresh, so vivid. Her presence was like a riot of color, illuminating herself and everyone around her.

But her brilliance was ultimately captured by Tan Shen.

What surprised and puzzled him was the look she gave him: a hint of longing and resentment.

He felt a faint tinge of anger and resentment.

Since she was already Tan Shen's girlfriend, why was she still looking at him like that? She thought she was a good girl, but she was just that, wanting more while having her cake and eating it too.

It was the girl who took the initiative to speak to him, saying goodbye. "Senior, I heard you're going abroad. I wish you all the best."

Her voice was soft, a touch of distress and resentment.

She was using her girlish qualities on a man other than her boyfriend. He replied coldly, "Thank you."

He was about to turn around and leave when the girl suddenly looked up and asked, "Senior, do you think there's anything wrong with me?"

Her eyes were so bright, her face was beautiful, and her whole body was full of life and energy.

He felt a surge of annoyance at the thought of her being Tan Shen's girlfriend. He gave her a cold smile. "You're all good." "Keep going, bye."

These were his last words to her before he left for the country.

For the next few years, they had no further communication.

He wasn't going abroad purely to study; he was working and studying at the same time.

Every weekend, his grandmother would drag him and Tan Shen along for a video chat. She would always chat for a few minutes before going to bed, but she would let the two brothers chat a little longer before hanging up.

He knew his grandmother wanted them to be closer. But she never understood that after so many years, their dysfunctional relationship had become deeply ingrained, and he and Tan Shen would never be able to be close. He would be thankful if they could just get along.

Ren Yan thought back to the time when he first went abroad. In fact, Tan Shen seemed like a different person back then. He became like a normal boy.

Back then, his grandmother was very pleased and would tell Ren Yan about Tan Shen during the video chats. Grandma told Ren Yan that Ah Shen was worried about falling in love with a girl. Ah Shen had started planning his future with that girl. Ah Shen had even agreed to bring that girl to see me and have dinner with me.

Then one day, Grandma told Ren Yan that Ah Shen, that brat, had taken that girl home with him the previous night.

When Ren Yan heard Grandma's words, his heart sank. He felt a little choked up, unable to catch his breath.

But Grandma actually seemed a little pleased about it. She said to him, "Although this is a bit casual, I really like that girl. She's pretty and smart, and her smile is captivating. Ah Shen has had so many girlfriends, but only this girl can hold him. Tan Shen should settle down. This girl can make Ah Shen settle down, which is good, very good."

After talking to Grandma that day, Ren Yan rubbed his chest, feeling a little depressed, and thought, "This is indeed good." If that girl could turn Tan Shen back to normal, that would be great.

And if Tan Shen was serious about being with her and stopped targeting girls around him, he'd be relieved, right?

It was around that time that Ren Yan met Li Tang, who was studying abroad.

At first, he felt that Li Tang resembled him: aloof, quiet, and well-mannered. She wasn't clingy or aggressive. Li Tang quickly warmed to him and accepted his non-marriage stance.

Soon after, Ren Yan fell seriously ill while abroad, and it was Li Tang who cared for him tirelessly. When he recovered, Li Tang expressed her desire to be his girlfriend. He thought she was a good match, generous, well-mannered, and compatible with him. With Tan Shen's life settled, he felt he could give a try at dating. He agreed.

At first, Ren Yan thought their casual relationship was actually quite good.

But then, Li Tang suddenly broached the idea of ​​marriage. She spoke with such a natural, undeniable sense of right and wrong. She said that as their relationship deepened, marriage would be a natural progression. She also said that Ren Yan's refusal to marry was just an excuse because he didn't love her enough at the time, so she just went along with him. After all, when love is deep, marriage is inevitable.

It was only then that Ren Yan realized that Li Tang's apathy was completely different from his own. His apathy was the apathy of wanting nothing. Li Tang's apathy, on the other hand, was the apathy of stubborn pride. Her apparent indifference wasn't genuine indifference; it was actually a stoic calmness and overconfidence that held everything in check.

But the last thing he wanted in his life was to continue dealing with such a stubborn person.

Regarding Li Tang's request for marriage, Ren Yan reiterated seriously that he truly had no intention of getting married.

Li Tang immediately said, "If that's the case, let's break up."

Ren Yan nodded in agreement.

And the moment he nodded in agreement, he saw Li Tang's surprise.

Ren Yan then realized that Li Tang was truly overconfident. She believed she was beautiful, knowledgeable, charming, and exceptionally talented. She was confident she could handle everything, even the heart of a man named Ren Yan. She believed Ren Yan wouldn't truly be willing to break up, and that he would compromise with her desire to get married if she proposed.

But Ren Yan shattered all her preconceived notions.

Finally, Li Tang began to skillfully and tirelessly manipulate Ren Yan, hoping he would reconcile.

Ren Yan had hesitated at the time, wondering whether to reconcile.

But around that time, Tan Shen also left the country.

Ren Yan later learned that Tan Shen had heard in China that he had a girlfriend. It was said that the girl was a stunning beauty from the next school over. Upon arriving abroad, she had pursued Ren Yan and quickly won him over. The two had been together for a very long time and were already planning their marriage.

These rumors suddenly shone a warm and happy image of Ren Yan's life abroad. Some people simply couldn't bear his happiness. Although Tan Shen seemed to be truly changing because of a girl, he ultimately remained the same Tan Shen.

Between "staying with that girl, and letting Tan Shen and Ren Yan live their own lives" and "not wanting to see Ren Yan happy," Tan Shen ultimately chose the latter.

A few days before Tan Shen left for abroad, his grandmother video-called Ren Yan to tell him that Ah Shen had broken up with that girl, and he'd been devastated for days. Ah Shen actually hoped that she would change her mind and come back to him. He even said that if she did, he wouldn't leave the country at all. You see, girls these days are even more carefree than boys when they let go.

Grandma sighed and told Ren Yan to take care of Ah Shen when he arrived abroad and to take him out for a good walk.

Ren Yan mechanically agreed. In his grandmother's eyes, Tan Shen, only four years his junior, would always be a child in need of care.

After Tan Shen arrived abroad, Ren Yan seized the opportunity to ask about his relationship with Chu Qianmiao.

Tan Shen, upon hearing this question, immediately gave him a wicked smile.

"What? You're still thinking about her, aren't you?"

Tan Shen's smile was wicked and deliberate. He leaned in close to Ren Yan and said, "My cousin, even though Chu Qianmiao and I broke up, she was still a woman I slept with. Don't you always avoid all the women I've slept with, never touching them? So, you should stick to your principles and stay away from Chu Qianmiao from now on. Otherwise, just imagine me pinning her against the fish tank in my room, and f*cking her hard from behind. She'd buck forward, screaming beautifully at the fish. Oh, and by the way, she has a beautiful little red mole on her left buttock. It was so bright and delicate when I f*cked her. She..."

The rest of his words were lost in Ren Yan's fist. Unable to bear it any longer, Ren Yan struck him. That was the first time he'd ever hit Tan Shen. He simply couldn't bear to hear such filthy words.

Tan Shen, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, grinned grimly and said, "My dear cousin, think about these things. Even if Chu Qianmiao and I broke up, would you still be with her? Oh, and grandma knows I took her home overnight. Think about it, if you pick up a woman I slept with, would she agree?"

Ren Yan sternly told Tan Shen to shut up. In that moment, he thought Tan Shen was a dog, a mad, biting dog. He thought how naive he was. How could he have thought that Tan Shen, who was like this, could change, become a normal person?

He asked Tan Shen why he had gone abroad.

Tan Shen laughed wildly and said, "Who told you to go abroad? Of course I figured it out. I can't help it. Whatever you tell me to do, I just want to do it. Oh, and I heard you have a girlfriend, you're getting married, and you're all very happy. You know, I hate it when you're happy."

As he spoke, he opened his hand and showed Ren Yan the button in his palm. He winked at him and said, "Look, this belongs to Li Tang."

Chu Qianmiao felt a chill running through her body. She asked the waiter for a remote control, turned up the heat, and then asked Ren Yan, "What does the button mean?"

Ren Yan paused and told her, "It's one of Tan Shen's quirks."

He told Chu Qianmiao that the story had to start from the beginning.

"My uncle forced my aunt to leave the house. The day my aunt left, Tan Shen grabbed her arm tightly and wouldn't let her go. In the end, my uncle went up and forcibly pried his hand away."

Chu Qianmiao nodded. She had heard this detail from Lei Zhenzi before.

"At that time, Tan Shen tugged at his mother's sleeve, pulling off a button. He held onto the button as he watched his mother walk away. Two years later, when he was older, he learned that his mother had been kicked out of the house because of infidelity. His feelings toward his mother became complicated, a mixture of love and hate." Ren Yan paused before continuing, "His hatred for his mother's infidelity gradually twisted. He then began to befriend the girls around me, and he would remove a button from the sleeve of any girlfriend he had s*x with."

Chu Qianmiao was stunned for a long moment.

She began to suspect that Tan Shen had more than one mental illness.

She reacted for a moment, surprised. "So, Tan Shen met Li Tang and had s*x with her shortly after arriving abroad."

Ren Yan looked at her and nodded. "Tan Shen said that the day after they had s*x, Li Tang begged him not to tell me."

"Wait, let me figure it out." Chu Qianmiao's heartbeat quickened before the puzzle was solved. "So, you knew Li Tang and Tan Shen had s*x, but Li Tang didn't know you knew, so she tried to win you back, pursuing you all the way back to China."

Ren Yan looked at Chu Qianmiao and nodded slowly.

Chu Qianmiao leaned back on the sofa.

"How confusing! Why is it so confusing?"

It was giving her a headache.

She took a sip of her coffee, then put it down and asked Ren Yan, "What happened next?"

"I returned to China and joined an investment bank," Ren Yan said.

Chu Qianmiao looked at him, unblinking, and asked, "Then why did you pretend not to remember me on the Hanhai Home Textiles project?"