I Heard That I Am Poor

Chapter 100: Reference materials for love

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan couldn’t hold his grip on his phone and it fell to the ground with a “snap.” He quickly bent down to pick it up, looked around to ensure nobody was nearby, and then took a few steps forward, anxiously asking, “What’s going on? Does Xie You’s mother want to see you? Is it time for a showdown?”

Yu Nian was puzzled but quickly understood Meng Yuan’s meaning. “Probably because I went to Xie You’s house last night, and his mother came back and happened to see me there, so she wants to meet me.”

Meng Yuan’s expression froze for a moment. “Did she catch you red-handed?”

Knowing that Meng Yuan was genuinely worried, Yu Nian explained, “Yes, she saw me, but I don’t think it’s a big problem.”

Seeing Yu Nian remain calm, Meng Yuan became anxious. “You’re usually clear-headed and composed in every situation. How come you’re confused when faced with this situation? Is Xie family easy to deal with? In the industry, whether it’s the top actresses or rising stars, many have married into wealthy families, but the wives of these wealthy families are not easy to get along with! Well, I’m just giving examples; don’t read too much into it.”

Meng Yuan waved his hand and continued, “Although it’s not polite to say, the fact is that if Xie You’s mother is determined to find a suitable match for him, your profession and gender would become obstacles.”

“You’re right, but we should meet first before making any conclusions, right?” Yu Nian remained relatively relaxed and reassured Meng Yuan, “Brother Meng, don’t worry, it won’t be a problem.”

Seeing Yu Nian’s nonchalant demeanor, Meng Yuan couldn’t contain his worry. “Alright, but I guess you should inform Xie You at least. It’s not a big deal, but he has the right to know when his mother wants to meet the person he likes.”

After some consideration, Yu Nian agreed, “Okay.”

While they were talking, Meng Yuan answered a phone call and couldn’t contain his excitement afterward. He said, “Nian Nian, there’s news about your endorsement with Daibo! They seem to be interested!”

Yu Nian was also surprised. “There was no news before. I thought it might not happen.”

“I also lowered my expectations after the event, but it seems that Daibo has been observing. After seeing your image and popularity from ‘Elegant,’ they wanted to see if your new single ‘Dream Reverie’ could sustain your popularity. Now ‘Dream Reverie’ is doing great, and it might even surpass your previous songs, which is why Daibo finally decided to approach you!”

 Meng Yuan held his phone, his eyes lit up with joy. “I thought they would make a decision after the official release of the ad with Hersey, but they were more eager than I expected.”

Mentioning Daibo, both of them recalled Zheng Zhaoxi. Meng Yuan sighed and said, “What’s that phrase called again?  The one that goes, ‘Not for the sake of gains.'”

Yu Nian continued, “The world is bustling, all for the sake of profit; the world is chaotic, all for the sake of gains.”

“That’s the one!” Meng Yuan said philosophically, “Probably, I saw him rise to fame, but then there was no news about him. In this industry, no matter how quickly and easily you gain fame, you have to be cautious and walk on thin ice. Otherwise, the higher you climb, the harder you fall. It’s not just about getting hurt physically but also suffering a total collapse.”

Yu Nian understood Meng Yuan’s good intentions and said, “I understand, Brother Meng, don’t worry. I’ll remember.”

Meng Yuan patted Yu Nian’s shoulder and said, “Don’t mind me if I keep reminding you.”

Perhaps to protect their privacy, Ruan Yunmei chose to meet at the Yulan Club. Upon entering the private room named “Yuquan,” Ruan Yunmei was already waiting inside.

Her outfit was different from the previous night; today she was dressed very formally in a pearl-white suit, with matching ruby earrings, necklace, and bracelet, exuding a gentle and dignified temperament.

Yu Nian greeted politely, “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” After Ruan Yunmei gestured, Yu Nian sat down across from her.

“The person in charge here still remembers your preference for tea and snacks. I instructed them to serve you accordingly, hoping you’ll enjoy it.”

“Thank you.”

Stirring the red tea gently with a small spoon in the bone china cup, Ruan Yunmei remained silent for a while, and Yu Nian followed suit in silence.

After stopping the stirring and placing the spoon on the porcelain plate, Ruan Yunmei finally looked up and spoke softly, “I’ve also listened to your new work, and it’s really good. I don’t usually like pop music, but I couldn’t help but listen to it repeatedly.”

Yu Nian replied cautiously, “I’m glad to receive your praise.”

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Ruan Yunmei’s gaze fell on Yu Nian’s face, and she suddenly changed the topic, “It must be tough being with Xie You, isn’t it?”

Yu Nian was slightly taken aback, not understanding why Ruan Yunmei suddenly asked this question. After thinking for a moment, he decided to be honest, “It’s not so much about whether it’s tough or not, but two people being together requires constant discovery of conflicts and issues, and continuous adjustment. Meeting someone willing to communicate, get along, and adapt to each other is already a very fortunate thing.”

“Indeed.” Ruan Yunmei appeared gentle and lacking any sharpness in both her appearance and temperament. With her eyebrows slightly furrowed, she seemed to carry some worries. She smiled and said, “Actually, I knew a long time ago that Xie You had someone he liked. It’s not recent news. After all, whether he likes someone or is in a relationship, that kind of radiance can’t be concealed. There was even a time when he came back and stayed up all night, lost in thought. I could also guess that you two had some conflicts.”

Yu Nian listened carefully.

Ruan Yunmei seemed to be contemplating her words, “In fact, Xie You is… quite shy and introverted,” she hurriedly added, “I know it’s different from how he appears on the surface. But you should have noticed it, right?”

Yu Nian nodded, “Yes.”

Recalling Xie You’s childhood, Ruan Yunmei smiled again, “He was really adorable. He was a bit introverted back then, with few friends other than Xiaoran. I used to worry, but he told me that the birds and trees in the courtyard were his good friends, and he enjoyed playing the piano for them.”

Yu Nian imagined a young Xie You and said, “That’s cute.”

“Yes, he was really cute! At that time, his father and older brother were busy, and he had piano lessons every day, so he didn’t have much free time. However, every evening, he would secretly pick a flower from the garden and have a servant place it in my bedroom. I eventually found out, and he felt embarrassed for a long time.”

Ruan Yunmei skipped a certain part and continued, “But later on, he faced many difficulties, and I always worried that he would be too straight-backed and tire himself out. However, I didn’t know that he had already put me under his protection, just like I couldn’t bear to lose my youngest son after losing my husband and eldest son in succession. He’s the same way. 

So, no matter how heavy the burden is on his shoulders, how tough and tiring it is, and how dangerous the situation is, he never complains or shares his troubles with me. He always faces everything alone.”

Taking a slow breath, Ruan Yunmei gazed at Yu Nian and said, “So, last night, when I rushed back knowing he had a migraine, and saw him sleeping peacefully by your side, it made me feel really relieved.”

As she said the last two words, her voice carried a subtle hint of choked emotion. She smiled again and said, “I apologize for losing my composure.”

Yu Nian shook his head gently, “It’s okay.”

Ruan Yunmei nodded and continued, “These past two years, I’ve been doing what I can to make him feel a bit lighter. But no matter what, I can’t share much of his burden mentally. Luckily, there’s you—”

At this moment, there were hurried knocks on the private room’s door, and the next second, Xie You walked in.

Yu Nian was surprised because he had planned to inform Xie You after the meeting. However, Ruan Yunmei wasn’t surprised, “When I came here with you, the person in charge here must have reported it to him.”

Xie You had rushed here from a meeting, and upon entering the room and seeing Ruan Yunmei and Yu Nian sitting opposite each other, he didn’t know what to say.

Ruan Yunmei spoke first, asking, “Escaping from the meeting?”

Xie You nodded.

Seeing that he couldn’t calm down from the moment he entered the room, continuously observing the expressions on Ruan Yunmei’s and Yu Nian’s faces, Ruan Yunmei stood up, holding her handbag, and said, “I also made an appointment to watch an opera with Xiaoran’s mother. It’s about time, so I’ll leave first.”

Yu Nian quickly stood up, “Take care.”

Ruan Yunmei smiled, “Thank you for chatting with me for so long.”

Once the room was left with only Yu Nian and Xie You, Xie You walked a couple of steps to Yu Nian and tightly embraced him, anxiously saying, “Nian Nian, please don’t leave me.”

Yu Nian hugged him back and chuckled, “I won’t leave you.”

“Really?”

“Of course, it’s true.”

“Then, the check, you refuse to accept it, right?”

Yu Nian looked puzzled, “What check?”

Xie You was nervous, “The 50-million yuan check my mom gave you to make you leave me.”

It took Yu Nian a moment to connect with Xie You’s train of thought, and he laughed before leaning in to peck Xie You’s lips. “Why are you so cute?” He explained, “I only exchanged a few words with your mom, and you came. She didn’t ask me to leave you or give me a check.”

Yu Nian asked him again, “Where did you see or hear that your mom would definitely give me a check and ask me to break up with you?”

“Not only that, you would also gladly accept the check my mom gave, and then happily tell her, ‘Thank you, Auntie. Don’t worry, I’ll leave him right away.'”

In several fan fiction stories Xie You had read, there were scenes where his mother offered checks of varying amounts to make Yu Nian leave him. However, it was evident that reality was quite different, and he let his concern get the best of him. When he heard the news, he became too anxious.

He averted his gaze, feeling somewhat embarrassed, “…I saw it in reference materials.”

“Reference materials?” Yu Nian was curious and asked for more details, “What kind of reference materials?”

Xie You hesitated for a while before finally confessing, “YouYu CP articles.”