chapter 41

Chapter 41

In the days after returning home from Du Island, Ning Qiuyan had planned to devote himself entirely to preparing for his exams.

He had already bought his train tickets in advance, booked a room near the school, and carefully studied the route map.

But he kept recalling the pale blue lakeside, and Guan Heng in his black coat.

It wasn’t in dreams, nor was it intentional-he only had to close his eyes to see Guan Heng standing silently and proudly at the end of the crowd, and the details of the scene would automatically fill themselves in.

He saw the gentle sunlight shining on Guan Heng’s pale face, casting shadows beside his handsome nose and brow bone.

He saw those deep, indifferent phoenix eyes, the dark red swirling in the center of his pupils fading away.

He saw sunlight dancing on Guan Heng’s eyelashes.

So it turned out everything had a reason.

Ning Qiuyan, sunlight, blood donation.

It was all just to keep Du Island.

Guan Heng was never truly a demon. He adopted orphans, saved the lives of young workers on the island, helped Ning Qiuyan, and even… only drank animal blood.

Ning Qiuyan’s mood improved greatly.

Inspiration burst forth from his heart unconsciously. He picked up his guitar, grabbed a pen, and swiftly wrote down the notes, not encountering even a single measure of stagnation.

The piece came together in one go, and after two days of revision, it gradually took shape.

When Dr. Ling called, Ning Qiuyan was kneeling on the floor, biting the end of his pen.

The rainy season in Wutong’s spring had finally ended, and compared to Du Island, the sunlight was even brighter and more dazzling. After a cold winter, the plane trees in the old neighborhood had already sprouted, growing tender green leaves. At a glance, the lush greenery was pleasing to the eye.

Dr. Ling said, “Sir asked me to check with you-have the marks on your neck faded?”

They never used to ask after blood donation.

Ning Qiuyan knew he was asking about the marks on his skin.

“Pretty much,” Ning Qiuyan replied. “It’s fine, no need to worry.”

Those alarming purplish-red marks had indeed faded quickly, now turned a dark yellow, and in a few more days would disappear completely, just like the two small red dots on the side of his neck.

It was Guan Heng’s initiative to ask that surprised Ning Qiuyan.

Since coming back, he hadn’t pestered Guan Heng to chat or ask questions. For one, he knew Guan Heng would be busy lately; for another, he couldn’t quite explain it-after asking so many questions, it seemed there were none left to ask.

It wasn’t that he was no longer curious about Guan Heng. On the contrary, he was terribly curious, but those points of curiosity weren’t suitable for a blood donor to bring up. Even if Guan Heng might not mind, it was beyond the scope of their relationship, and Guan Heng had already given him too many privileges.

After finishing the call with Dr. Ling, Ning Qiuyan looked at the score, his heart stirring slightly. He’d been troubled over what to name this new piece, so he bit his pen and racked his brains.

So why not send it to the person who inspired all his creativity and let him decide?

He took a photo with his phone and sent it to Guan Heng.

The chat interface still showed their last conversation-Guan Heng saying, “Ning Qiuyan, stop,” in a helpless tone. Their schedules mostly didn’t align, so they rarely sent closing messages, let alone morning or evening greetings.

Ning Qiuyan typed, asking Guan Heng to help name the piece.

The moment the blue bubble was sent, he remembered that late night when Guan Heng stood by the billiard table with a cue, looking calm and confident because he was sure of victory.

That was the first time Ning Qiuyan found a vivid sense of life in Guan Heng.

Was Guan Heng sleeping now?

Or still dealing with those trying to destroy his home?

How long could his blood help Guan Heng stay in the sunlight?

If Guan Heng were just an ordinary human, never afraid of sunlight, if he were just a so-called “mysterious tycoon,” young and idle, would he be as free and unrestrained as that night?

These idle thoughts were quickly dispelled.

At night, Guan Heng’s reply finally came, belatedly: [Newly written?]

Ning Qiuyan had just showered and sat on his bed, replying while drying his hair: [Yes. What do you think?]

Guan Heng: [Wait.]

About twenty minutes later, Guan Heng sent another message, this time a video.

Ning Qiuyan was curious and opened it immediately.

The video first showed the ceiling and a chandelier. Then, the first note sounded-the piano’s elegant, gentle voice came through, and the image remained fixed on the ceiling and chandelier.

Ning Qiuyan quickly recognized it as the music room in the mansion, with a black grand piano in the center of the room.

That Guan Heng could play the piano was no surprise, nor was it surprising that he could play so smoothly and completely on first sight of the score.

He just never imagined Guan Heng would personally play the piece he had written.

Guan Heng: [Not bad, I like it very much.]
Guan Heng: [Next time, just send me a voice message.]

Ning Qiuyan’s cheeks grew warm. He felt he was troubling Guan Heng too much, and also that he was showing off: [Sorry, I wrote it in a rush, some details haven’t been revised yet.]

He lay down on the bed.

Since he said it was written on the spur of the moment, Guan Heng asked: [Where did the inspiration come from?]

Ning Qiuyan was too embarrassed to say it was because he’d glanced at Guan Heng by the lakeside. After thinking for a moment, he answered conservatively: [It was your painting, the one of the sunrise over the sea.]

As expected, Guan Heng didn’t question it: [Zhaozhao.]

Ning Qiuyan didn’t understand: [What?]

Guan Heng replied: [The name of the painting.]

Ning Qiuyan was never a good student, and still didn’t get it. He immediately opened his phone browser and searched. It turned out “Zhaozhao” means bright, radiant, originating from “The Songs of Chu: Nine Songs: Lord in the Clouds”-“Ling lianquan xi ji liu, lan zhaozhao xi wei yang,” and also from Laozi: “The common people are bright, I alone am muddled,” meaning clarity or enlightenment.

Guan Heng naming the sunrise painting this way clearly had a very unique meaning.

Guan Heng: [If you really can’t think of a name, just use the same one.]

Zhaozhao.

Guan Heng thus decided on the name for the new piece, sharing the title with his painting.

Ning Qiuyan’s heart felt as if it had been gently tickled by a feather, and he happily agreed: [Okay.]

Guan Heng didn’t reply again.

A few days later, on the afternoon before Ning Qiuyan was to leave for Sujing, he arranged to have dinner with Su Jianzhou, as usual at their favorite barbecue stall. By the time he got home, it was already a bit late, but someone knocked on his door.

The visitor was a tall man, concise and very polite. Ning Qiuyan immediately recognized him as the driver Guan Heng had once sent to pick him up.

Thinking something had happened on Du Island, Ning Qiuyan grew a bit nervous, but the man simply said he would come to pick him up for the airport early the next morning, and had come especially to remind him of the departure time.

Ning Qiuyan asked in surprise, “Pick me up for the airport? Why?”

The driver said, “Mr. Guan has already prepared round-trip plane tickets and hotel accommodations for you.”

Ning Qiuyan immediately understood what was going on and hurriedly said, “But I’ve already made my own arrangements. I booked a train ticket, and I’ve already found a hotel…”

The driver remained respectful: “Mr. Guan hopes you will have an enjoyable trip.”

“But I’m going for an exam, not for fun,” Ning Qiuyan said anxiously. “Can you refund the plane ticket and hotel? I’ll talk to Mr. Guan.”

“That’s not possible. Mr. Guan said you do not have the right to refuse.”

The driver said.

“Please don’t make things difficult for me.”

Ning Qiuyan opened his mouth, but suddenly remembered something.

Is this also… part of ‘handing himself over to Guan Heng’?

The agreement hadn’t ended yet, so he really didn’t have the right to refuse-everything had to follow Guan Heng’s arrangements.

He now belonged to Guan Heng.

The driver was very perceptive, and seeing that Ning Qiuyan wouldn’t refuse again, nodded and prepared to leave: “Then I’ll come call for you tomorrow.”

“Wait!” Ning Qiuyan stopped him, hesitated, and asked, “Will you… also be going to Sujing with me tomorrow?”

The driver didn’t deny it, clearly having been instructed by Guan Heng: “I’ll be responsible for your safety. But don’t worry, just like before, you’ll hardly notice my presence and I won’t cause you any trouble.”

After the driver left, Ning Qiuyan closed the door.

After a few seconds of thought, he hurried to the window, but saw no sign of the driver. In such a short time, the man had vanished without a trace.

Ning Qiuyan had always known that Guan Heng had people watching over him, but Guan Heng’s relaxed attitude made him feel at ease, so each time he realized the tightness of this security, he was surprised all over again.

The next day, the driver picked up Ning Qiuyan, helped him load his luggage and instrument into the car, and drove him to the airport.

To be honest, this was Ning Qiuyan’s first time flying, and his first time was in first class. Wutong and Sujing were far apart-by train it would take eight or nine hours, so flying was indeed much more convenient and comfortable.

However, as he stared absentmindedly at the clouds after takeoff, he thought, Guan Heng had lived on Du Island for so many years, maybe he’d never flown before either. The thought amused him.

Just as the driver had said, after handling the check-in and boarding, he disappeared, leaving no sense of his presence at all.

With no one beside him, Ning Qiuyan leaned toward the window, took out his phone, and snapped a photo of the clouds outside, wanting to show Guan Heng.

The plane landed in Sujing.

The moment Ning Qiuyan stepped off the jet bridge, he was amazed by the airport’s architecture and development.

After all, it was the capital. Carrying his guitar, Ning Qiuyan freed a hand and, like a country bumpkin, kept changing angles to take pictures.

All to show Guan Heng.