Yan Luji had been rolling around in his bed for 3 hours and was finally resigned to his fate that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep. At 2am, he rose and turned his bedroom lights on, then the living room lights.

He deliberated for a few seconds as he glanced at the bar, then decidedly walked over and opened the cabinet and poured himself a glass of whisky. It was going to be the weekend anyway. He probably would sleep better after getting drunk.

Yan Luji had a sip of the spirit, casually sat on the sofa and brought the iPad that was on the coffee table over to watch a movie. He  only had films and alcohol as company on this long night.

Oh right, he ran out of the medicine packets. He should stock up.

Putting down the glass in hand, Yan Luji picked up his phone and opened the familiar Taobao app, buying 3 packets in a go. 1 for the car, 1 for the office and another for the bedroom.

TCM Family: Having insomnia again?

Yan Luji raised his brows and typed: Shopkeeper is lovesick again?

YCM Family: I finally know why you have insomnia.

Yan Luji: ??? 

TCM Family: You’re too smart.

“Hehehe …” Yan Luji couldn’t help but laugh.

Yan Luji: It’s not that I’m too smart, it’s just that it’s too easy to guess.

TCM Family: …

Yan Luji: Do you want some advice from me?

Perhaps one felt more lonely at night, it was rare that Yan Luji cared about such trivial things. 

TCM Family: Okay, okay. Why is it that after I confessed to the person I like, he kept trying to avoid me.

Yan Luji blinked. Why did he feel that this situation seemed a little familiar?

TCM Family? It cannot be such a coincidence right?

TCM Family: ???

Yan Luji asked: How did the other party respond after you confessed?

TCM Family: He heartlessly rejected me, wuwuwu^[1]Crying sounds. …

Yan Luji: Are you feeling very sad about it?

TCM Family: I’m super sad! I’ve never been this sad since I was young. But since I like him, I don’t want to give up.

Yan Luji thought back to how he rejected Lin Yao. Did that woman feel sad then?

Obviously not, Yan Luji shook his head. Back then, it was like that woman was on stimulants and talked to him in such a vicious manner. It didn’t seem like she was sad at all. Then it must be a different person. The world cannot possibly be so small.

Yan Luji: If he’s avoiding you, then he probably doesn’t really like you.

Yan Luji actually wanted to say, ‘he probably doesn’t like you at all’ but after further considerations about the Shopkeeper girl’s self-esteem, he decided to be more tactful.

TCM Family: Then what should I do?

Yan Luji: The fact that he’s avoiding you just goes to show that you might be a little too proactive in your pursuit. Maybe you can mellow out a bit.

As Yan Luji was typing, his thoughts kept drifting to a certain person that he kept bumping into at the company. 

TCM Family: Since he never liked me, if I am not being proactive, then wouldn’t he like me less? 

Yan Luji urged: It’s not like this is a race where you double down and keep chasing the person in front of you. If you want him to start liking you, then you must first ensure that he isn’t avoiding you. Only then can you let him come to understand you.

TCM Family: Oh, but then what should I do? He is already avoiding me.

Yan Luji: You can just let him know that you aren’t going to keep pursuing him, then he wouldn’t keep avoiding you.

TCM family: Not possible ah, I just want to keep pursuing him.

Yan Luji: Only if you let him know you have stopped your pursuit of him would he stop avoiding you. Then, you can take the opportunity to get closer to him.

Yan Luji thought for a bit and added: This should be mutual. If one side is always unilaterally being the giver, things wouldn’t end well.

TCM Family: I got it. Isn’t this just like setting a trap? I’ll first lie to him by saying that I no longer like him, then I will take the opportunity to appear in front of him everyday, then slowly draw him in?

Yan Luji: … I guess so.

TCM Family: Then will he really notice me? If he really thinks that I no longer like him, will he return to how he was like in the past and not notice me anymore?

Yan Luji: He won’t. People ordinarily wouldn’t easily forget someone who confessed to them before. 

Was he so bored that he so patiently chatted with someone for so long, especially with a young girl who worried about both gains and losses^[2]患得患失 – Before one attains the object of their desire, they worry about not getting it. After they attain it, they worry about losing it.?

Yan Luji had another sip of his whisky.

TCM Family: That puts me at ease. Mr Yan^[3]Lin Yao knows the other party as ‘Self-Discipline’ or 严于律己 and so, refers to him as Mr Yan (严) or 严先生. She doesn’t actually recognize who the other party … Continue reading, you’ve helped me so much. I don’t know how to thank you.

Yan Luji: Didn’t we agree that you would give me some wedding candies?

TCM Family: That’s right, I asked you previously to go see a specialist. Have you?

Yan Luji: I’ve seen some before and have also been prescribed medication, but it was quite ineffective.

TCM Family: Then could you snap a photo of your medical records? I’ll pack some medicine packets accordingly that can help calm your nerves as a form of thanks.

Yan Luji: Would that be too troublesome for you?

Some medicine packets to calm his nerves … that should be more effective than the mosquito repellant medicine packet he’s been using right? Yan Luji felt a little touched.

TCM Family: It won’t be. I’ll just conveniently pack some in for you.

Yan Luji: If I find it effective, I’ll just get more from you next time.

TCM Family: Don’t worry. The medicine packets I pack are definitely effective. The store’s return policy wasn’t written for fun.

 Yan Luji: Then I won’t have to stay up watching ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ anymore.

TCM Family: Do you like this movie a lot?

Yan Luji: This movie is a classic. I rewatch it often.

TCM Family: Then you can keep watching. I’ll be turning in, good night.

Yan Luji: Goodnight. 

At the other end of the park, Lin Yao looked at the categories of contact on the ‘Wang Wang’ platform, and placed the customer, Self-Discipline, into her ‘Friends’ category.

Honestly, if not for the fact that the surname and phone number didn’t match, just from ‘Self-Discipline’ and Director Yan’s similar ID, Lin Yao would also suspect both of them to be the same person.

She must be going insane. With Director Yan’s poisonous tongue, how could he speak as kindly as this other Mr. Yan? However, both do suffer from insomnia.

Lin Yao put her phone down and planned to finish the drama she was watching before going to bed. Yet suddenly, some red words appeared on the screen: “Zhang Xiaoli, I love you.”

“That’s dumb. Didn’t even leave a name following that confession. How would anyone know who you are?” Lin Yao scoffed.

But it must be said that confessing during the screening of a popular drama indeed increased the probability that the person in question would see it.

Should she also do the same? Only, does Director Yan watch soap operas?

He probably doesn’t, probably preferring American shows with a logical plot or classic movies.

Lin Yao blinked, and turned the drama off before starting a new film, speeding up to nearly the end of it and added an extra red and extra bold comment before turning her computer off. Fully satisfied with herself, she went to bed.

On this side, Yan Luji was nursing his drink while enjoying the end of his movie; while watching the moment the male lead and his old friend reunite by the sea ….

He spat the whisky in his mouth on the screen!!

(Yan Luji! I, Lin Yao, like you!!!!)

(Yan Luji, you had better obediently wait for me!!!!)

(Yan Luji, you will definitely eventually belong to this old lady!!!!)

3 in a row???

Holy shit, did this woman want to go to heaven ….

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