Chapter 31

Yang Yunran’s tears were about to fall again.

He was so happy! But he couldn’t show it!

And who knows what kind of opportunity Jiang Yi wants!

Yang Yunran stopped in his tracks, tilted his head slightly, and pretended to be a sophisticated ex who had seen the world: “What kind of opportunity do you want now? I don’t understand.”

Jiang Yi paused and said, “To reconcile.”

He walked over to the passenger seat and took down the tulips.

Yang Yunran: “Huh? You want to reconcile, right?” That means getting back together. His lips moved slightly, and a “yes” was at the tip of his tongue.

Jiang Yi walked up to Yang Yunran with big strides, handed him the tulips, but looked away: “If you don’t like me now, can we try again?”

Yang Yunran was so happy that he could hardly suppress his expression.

His lips curled up slightly as he tried to control himself: “You want to talk, right? Hmm, I can give you a number tag. Let’s see how you perform.”

“What kind of performance?” Jiang Yi didn’t quite understand, “Do I need to court you?”

Yang Yunran: “Yes, are you unwilling?”

“…No, I am willing.” Jiang Yi saw his eyes smiling, his hair looked extremely soft, and his ears were red and translucent under the streetlights. He seemed very embarrassed, which made it easy to judge his true feelings.

Yang Yunran was hurt by him and wanted a way out. He didn’t really dislike him.

This actually relieved Jiang Yi. Not being in a relationship made him feel more at ease. Because he had no idea what to do in a relationship, let alone with another guy.

This was also good; he could prevent Yang Yunran from getting close to others, so he wouldn’t be hurt by other men.

In the short term, they didn’t need to have intimate contact, which was a bit of a burden for Jiang Yi. And “courting” was a good way to avoid that.

He said softly: “I bought tickets for the amusement park and a concert for tomorrow. I want to invite you. Is that kind of courting okay?”

“I guess… if you perform well, I’ll forgive you!”

Yang Yunran nodded, took the flowers from him, and the overwhelming fragrance made him smile, showing two dimples. Realizing it, Yang Yunran puffed out his cheeks forcefully. It’s not like he hadn’t been courted before, why was he so happy!!

Was a bouquet of tulips all it took to make him happy!!

Boston is full of tulips, Jiang Yi might have even picked them in a park!! What’s there to be so elated about!!! Hahaha!

Jiang Yi lowered his eyes, his tone still calm but somewhat closer, asking: “Can you not go to the fish market with Jimmy tomorrow? Come with me to the amusement park and the concert.”

Yang Yunran had already agreed in his heart.

But he said, “Well, I can’t let Jimmy down. He’s my good friend, and we’ve had plans for many days.”

Jiang Yi stepped back: “You can settle things with him over lunch.”

Yang Yunran: “We originally had other plans for the afternoon, but…” He paused, looking at Jiang Yi for a long ten seconds, then said, “It’s not that I can’t give you a chance to go on a date with me.”

Jiang Yi smiled silently: “I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll pick you up at the fish market at twelve tomorrow.” He casually petted the dog and took the leash, “I’ll walk the dog with you.”

Jiang Yi didn’t say he liked him, but with things at this point, Yang Yunran’s heart was completely swayed.

He silently lowered his head to look at his ex-husband, no, his boyfriend’s hand.

They didn’t hold hands often, but every time they did, his heart would flutter.

He lifted his hand slightly, should he hold Jiang Yi’s hand?

No, no…

Better to wait for Jiang Yi to take the initiative.

Jiang Yi walked ahead of him, then turned back to look at him and stopped.

Yang Yunran said, “You’re walking too fast.”

“Sorry,” Jiang Yi said, “I’m not used to it. I’ll walk slower.”

He waited for Yang Yunran to catch up and walked beside him.

The two of them walked silently along the streetlights to the park.

Jiang Yi said, “I don’t know how to court someone, but I can learn.”

Yang Yunran lowered his head, puffing out his cheeks to avoid laughing.

With his cheeks puffed up, he looked as cute as a hamster, making Jiang Yi unsure if he should pinch his face.

Jiang Yi quickly restrained his thoughts and said, “Tomorrow’s concert allows entry at 5 PM. I checked online, there’s a warm-up act at 7 PM, and the singer comes on at 8 PM.”

“Which singer?” Yang Yunran had been too busy lately to follow these things.

“Coldplay. You…” Jiang Yi said, “Do you like them?”

Yang Yunran’s eyes lit up: “I do! I even collected a signed T-shirt from Chris Martin. Jiang Yi, really,” Yang Yunran turned to look at his clear, defined jawline, and asked, “How did you guess my preferences so precisely?”

Jiang Yi said, “Tomorrow is your birthday, and they just happen to have a concert. It’s just a coincidence.”

Yang Yunran thought if Jiang Yi had used more flowery language and said it was a telepathic connection, he might have been overjoyed.

Jiang Yi’s next words moved him even more.

“Coincidence is fate. You like them, and I invited you.”

Yang Yunran stared at him intently.

His gaze wandered to Jiang Yi’s nose.

His gaze lingered on Jiang Yi’s eyelashes, brow bone, and nose bridge. Jiang Yi’s features were so distinguished, and he possessed a unique quality—a purity that was utterly absent in the entertainment industry.

Except for newcomers just entering the scene.

He thought about Jiang Yi eventually entering the entertainment industry… Yang Yunran suddenly felt downcast. This industry would inevitably taint Jiang Yi, altering him beyond recognition.

On second thought, it wasn’t so bad. At least he had Jiang Yi before he was corrupted, capturing his brightest and purest years for himself.

Jiang Yi was at an age where he wasn’t exactly young, but not fully mature either, caught between two states. This created a sense of contradiction. On one hand, Yang Yunran saw him as tolerant and mature, like an older brother. On the other hand, Jiang Yi had some traits that didn’t quite fit the mold of a mature man.

He got jealous but never admitted it, acting like a child.

He didn’t make a sound when they broke up and even introduced him to someone else.

When reconciling, he couldn’t say it straight out, dragging it on and on, saying he needed to go home and think about it. He even said he needed a month to think before! That left Yang Yunran speechless!

Jiang Yi wanted to spend more time with him, but it was too dangerous to stay out late.

Moreover, Jiang Yi spotted a few homeless people in the park from afar. He quickly turned around, grabbed Yang Yunran by the wrist, and led him away.

Yang Yunran didn’t notice the homeless people. He held the flowers in one hand, looking down at Jiang Yi’s suddenly grasping hand. This hand was large, with visible blue veins on the back.

Why hold his wrist and not his hand?

Was he embarrassed?

Yang Yunran wasn’t as shy as Jiang Yi. Impulsively, he pretended to slip and suddenly grabbed Jiang Yi’s hand.

Jiang Yi was stunned for a moment, his whole body suddenly tensed.

Yang Yunran’s hands, pampered since childhood and recently starting to play the guitar, were very soft, with warm skin that felt like water washing over Jiang Yi’s fingers. Jiang Yi’s breath caught, he tried to pull away but felt weak.

It was as if his entire arm went numb.

Jiang Yi didn’t look at him: “I just saw some homeless people, so I acted on impulse.”

Yang Yunran: “Huh?”

“Before we’re officially together, I won’t do that again.” Jiang Yi said politely, gently pulling his hand away.

Yang Yunran: “…”

Brother, why restrain yourself when you shouldn’t?

He really doubted whether Jiang Yi wanted to reconcile. He had already made the first move!! And he still let go!!

Yang Yunran let out an “oh,” and then bent down to pick up dog poop without saying another word.

Jiang Yi took the poop bag from him, saying, “Let me do it.”

The two of them were very in sync; this time, neither of them tried to hold the other’s hand.

Until they found a faucet to wash their hands, and they were very close to home.

Yang Yunran thought about inviting him up but felt too shy to say it.

He glanced upstairs and saw the lights were on in his room.

Jiang Yi swiped his card to enter the apartment and escorted him upstairs.

Yang Yunran: “What’s up with your card? Where did you get it? Non-residents can’t schedule to get a door card, right?”

Jiang Yi: “I recorded it at home myself.”

Yang Yunran: ??

Yang Yunran: “Why are you entering the entertainment industry? With skills like that, wouldn’t robbing a bank be faster money?”

Since Yang Yunran’s tone was joking, Jiang Yi didn’t mind and said, “Every time I come to see you, I have to ask you to open the downstairs door for me.” Sometimes he had to wait because Yang Yunran wouldn’t always reply immediately, so he made his own recording out of frustration.

Yang Yunran: “So you just recorded it yourself? That’s impressive.”

Jiang Yi: “Thank you for the compliment.”

When they got out of the elevator, Yang Yunran took out his key to open the door and looked at Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi said, “I still want to wash my hands.”

Yang Yunran smiled and stepped aside to let him in.

Yang Yunran also needed to wash his hands. They shared a bar of soap. Yang Yunran bought it purely because he liked the scent. The soap slipped from Jiang Yi’s hand to his, then into the sink. Both reached to pick it up, their fingertips touching suddenly.

Jiang Yi’s heart skipped a beat, and his eyelashes fluttered.

He suddenly wanted to wrap Yang Yunran’s hand in his, lather it with soap and bubbles, slowly running his fingers over each other, rinsing them clean under warm water. Just like that… once more.

This remained in his imagination; Jiang Yi didn’t actually do it.

Yang Yunran handed him a paper towel to dry his hands: “It’s late. Are you going back?”

“Yeah.” Jiang Yi asked, “How’s the electric piano? Why does it look different from before?” He had installed it himself, so he remembered.

“It’s great. A brand sponsored me, so I have to use the new electric piano for a while.” Yamaha sponsored him, so Yang Yunran temporarily moved the one Jiang Yi gave him to the storage room.

“I thought you didn’t like it…” Jiang Yi looked down and said, “I’ll be going now. I’ll pick you up at the fish market at noon tomorrow. Add me back on WeChat.”

He took out his phone, letting Yang Yunran scan it.

Yang Yunran saw him out, and Jiang Yi said goodnight.

Yang Yunran also said, “Goodnight.”

It had been a long time since they exchanged goodnights like this, one after another.

Jiang Yi’s heart…

An unusual feeling arose, and he finally understood why he had been irritable and unable to sleep well lately.

Because Yang Yunran hadn’t said those words to him, he wasn’t used to it.

Jiang Yi drove home, and as before, Yang Yunran told him to drive slowly.

When he got home and took a shower, he remembered that Yang Yunran once asked him to turn on the camera. Jiang Yi had been drinking that day and forgot about it the next day, but after some time, he suddenly remembered it.

Of course, that was impossible, and it would always be impossible. But he still took his phone with him, his hands wet, and replied to Yang Yunran’s message asking what he was doing: “I’m taking a shower.”

Yang Yunran: “I’m soaking in the bath~”

The mirror reflected his empty eye socket. Yang Yunran closed his eyes and turned to put on his clean prosthetic eye.

The reflection in the mirror looked normal again.

Yang Yunran’s fear subsided; he wouldn’t tell Jiang Yi about this. Never mind whether others could accept it, he couldn’t even accept it himself.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and Jiang Yi didn’t have to go to the lab. He came out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel, and sat at his desk.

The solar system model was already finished. Jiang Yi turned on his computer, his slender fingers tapping the keyboard.

Project name: Visual Regeneration and Gene Editing Research Plan.

Research objective: To achieve eye reconstruction and restore vision in blind patients through advanced gene editing and regenerative medicine technology.

Gene editing had always been his research focus, but he hadn’t concentrated on visual regeneration.

At MIT’s laboratory, Jiang Yi had always been working on stem cell regeneration projects.

Jiang Yi now wanted to start a new project.

By inducing pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into eye cells, generating photoreceptor cells with visual perception functions, and other necessary types of visual cells.

It sounded easy, but it was actually very difficult to achieve and involved the field of neural connections. If real progress could be made, enabling patients with removed eyes to regain their vision, then similarly, the regeneration of other tissues and organs could be achieved.

Those with amputated limbs would benefit from this medical project.

Jiang Yi worked until one in the morning. The night outside was colorful. He turned off the computer and glanced at his phone.

The messages stopped at Yang Yunran saying he had finished his bath and was going to sleep and wished him goodnight.

Jiang Yi sent: “Happy birthday.”

Jiang Yi: “I was busy with work and forgot to send this at exactly midnight. Sorry.”

Jiang Yi had never started such an “attempt” without confirmation. He had a determined personality and had never experienced failure since birth, regardless of

Is it an experiment or a life?

But with Yang Yunran, he wasn’t so sure.

Yang Yunran was like an unknown experiment or adventure to him. Despite knowing the danger and impossibility, he couldn’t help but explore.

Would he end up hurting Yang Yunran in the end… perhaps he should modify the way he interacts with him?

Jiang Yi searched online: “How to get along with Pisces.”

The first suggestion from internet users: Be romantic.

The second: Don’t rush for their reply, and don’t ask why they haven’t replied.

The third is that actions speak louder than words.

Jiang Yi thought he lacked some romantic flair, but he was doing quite well with the second and third suggestions. Jiang Yi was always measured in his dealings with people.

He was a quick learner and very intelligent. The way to get along with a Pisces seemed simple enough, not difficult for him. It only took him fifteen minutes of surfing to figure it out.

The next day, Jiang Yi sent him a morning greeting. Yang Yunran replied, thanking him for the “happy birthday.”

Yang Yunran had been so happy last night that he couldn’t sleep, and in the middle of the night, he wanted to say okay, okay, let’s get back together directly, but just before sending it, he deleted the message and didn’t send it to him. Being too eager would make him look stupid! Not acceptable.

Yang Yunran woke up late and hurried to go live.

Jiang Yi exercised while wearing Bluetooth headphones, and listening to music in his live broadcast room. He even found time to send a few gifts.

Jiang Yi patiently waited until he finished his live stream: “What time are you going to the fish market?”

Yang Yunran rushed out, changed his clothes after the stream, and left his phone in his pocket.

Halfway there, he realized and Jimmy drove him back to get it, causing more traffic.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yi was getting a bit irritated because he hadn’t replied in half an hour, asking him, “What are you doing? Why aren’t you replying?”

Jiang Yi knew he might have gone to buy fish with Jimmy. He changed his position on the sofa. Did Jimmy badmouth him?

When Yang Yunran got home, he saw the message: “Ah, ah, I didn’t reply.”

Jimmy: “?”

Jimmy: “Whose message is so important?”

Yang Yunran didn’t dare to say, stammering that it was no one, and explained to Jiang Yi by typing: “Forgot to take my phone when I went out, just came back to get it.”

Jimmy saw his note and was thunderstruck: “Yang Yunran, are you back together with Love-Acting Guy???!!”

“No, not yet.” Yang Yunran put away his phone, looking embarrassed. He had sworn to break up a few days ago, but now he was sneaking around trying to get back together.

Yang Yunran said seriously, “He wants to get back together, but I haven’t agreed yet.”

Jimmy:

**Jimmy**: Why are you in such a rush? Do you look like someone who hasn’t agreed? You look like you’re about to rush off to book a hotel room! Oh, you told me yesterday that you had plans for noon. Jimmy suddenly remembered, “You mean you were going on a date with him?”

**Yang Yunran** lowered his head: Ah… yes.

He blushed slightly.
Jimmy teased him, seeing his embarrassed expression: “Are you booking a hotel room? I won’t stop you from booking a room, but don’t get back together.”

Yang Yunran humbly accepted: “Okay, okay. We haven’t reached that stage yet. We’re just going to the amusement park, and even that might not happen.”

Yang Yunran didn’t hold out much hope for this, because Jiang Yi seemed to reject physical contact. If there were no hidden difficulties, he wouldn’t believe it.

Jimmy was getting angry: “Why don’t you try to see if he’s interested? How can you date him even if he’s handsome?”

Yang Yunran was a bit confused: “Huh? How do I try?”

“In the past, how did you not notice you’re so innocent?” Jimmy gave him a strange look, “Just go to his place and touch him! Do I have to teach you?”