I Heard That I Am Poor

Chapter 129: Nian Nian, you can call me——

After arranging a private plane, filing the flight plan, and adjusting the schedule, the next morning at 7 o’clock, Yu Nian followed Xie You to the airport. The weather in late October had significantly cooled, and the sky hadn’t completely lit up yet. The wind blowing on their faces carried a faint chill.

Yu Nian wore a black mask and a duckbill cap, staring somewhat absentmindedly at the blinking signal lights on the runway.

Xie You raised his hand and pulled Yu Nian into his embrace, shielding him from the wind, and then touched his face. “Nian Nian, are you cold?”

Shaking his head, Yu Nian leaned into Xie You’s embrace. “Not cold, I’m wearing two sweaters.” He didn’t hide his vulnerability, whispering, “But… I’m very scared. My fingertips just can’t stop trembling.”

Holding Yu Nian’s icy hand and tucking it into his own pocket, Xie You said, “If you’re scared, we’ll go see for ourselves. Constantly guessing will only intensify your fear.” He gazed into Yu Nian’s eyes, his voice carrying a reassuring strength. “No matter when, I’m here.”

Resting against Xie You’s shoulder, Yu Nian took a deep breath of the faint cedar scent on him, gaining a bit of courage.

As the plane left the ground, tall buildings, and neon lights turned into indistinct dots. Clouds obscured the view, and everything became a vast expanse. Yu Nian hadn’t slept much the previous night, recording songs until past 2 in the morning. He hadn’t closed his eyes for long before getting up to pack his bags—it seemed he always had to find something to do in order to barely suppress the unease in his heart.

Xie You brought three assistants along, and once the plane was flying smoothly, he started to work. Yu Nian lay on Xie You’s lap, his eyes closed, never really sleeping deeply, in a state between wakefulness and sleep. Long flights were always tough to endure. Unable to sleep, Yu Nian found a musical that lasted over three hours to watch, but even after it ended, he had no idea what story it told.

Finally enduring until the plane landed, it was noon in Switzerland, with the sunlight dazzlingly bright. They took a car to where He Xiao was, and Louisen was waiting at the entrance. Seeing Yu Nian, he placed his hands in front of him respectfully and greeted, “Young Master, Mr. Xie, good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon. Thank you for your hard work.”

Following Louisen inside, they were in a spacious area on the outskirts of a small town, surrounded by lush foliage. Looking up, they could see dense woods, clear lakes in the distance, and the graceful curves of distant mountain ranges.

At the end of the road stood a modern-style white rectangular building, its dark glass windows reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. Upon entering, the interior was primarily black and white. Going up to the second floor, a huge full-length portrait hung on the wall along the corridor. Yu Nian stopped in his tracks and stared, “This is—”

“This is Miss Taying, painted by Sir during a period of good spirits. It took him over three months,” Louisen explained, looking up along with Yu Nian and Xie You at the artwork before them. “However, Sir never paints Miss Taying’s front. He always claims his skills are inadequate to capture her beauty, so this painting only shows her profile. Of course, what Sir paints more often is her back.”

It was only when Yu Nian entered the room where He Xiao was that he understood what Louisen meant by “more often is her back.” On the wall facing the bed hung numerous paintings, both large and small, all depicting the back of the same person. Longing and admiration flowed like water, as if they would drip from those artworks in the next second.

Louisen stood by the bedside and whispered, “Sir, Young Master and Mr. Xie have arrived.”

He Xiao’s relaxed eyelids trembled slightly as he slowly opened his eyes. When he saw Yu Nian, a smile spread across his face. His voice was weak but playful, “Are you tired?”

On his way here, Yu Nian had mentally prepared himself countless times, thinking he was ready to face any situation or scene. However, at this moment, he realized that all his expectations and preparations had turned to dust in an instant. The overwhelming sadness that spread in his heart was difficult to withstand.

He Xiao didn’t hear a response and added with a chuckle, “Come closer, let me see if the little crybaby is shedding tears again.” He took a moment to catch his breath before continuing, “Don’t think I don’t know. After the video call was disconnected earlier, you definitely wiped your tears in secret, didn’t you?”

Yu Nian’s voice trembled as he replied, “How do you know?”

He Xiao looked at him and said gently, “Because our Nian Nian is a kind-hearted and gentle child at heart.”

Seeing He Xiao’s trembling hand lifted, Yu Nian quickly stepped forward and held it.

He Xiao’s voice lacked strength as he continued, “Originally, I thought that quietly leaving would be the best. I didn’t want you to see me lying in bed, unable to escape the grip of death. In my life, I’ve been ambitious, expanding my career and experiencing both downfall and glory. I once thought that, apart from your mother, I had no regrets. But now, my biggest regret is that I can’t live a few more years and  can’t accompany you a little longer.”

Yu Nian shook his head and whispered, “No, I’m already very satisfied that you appeared in life.”

He Xiao tightened his grip slightly, “You don’t blame me… for not being there for the first twenty-something years of your life, for leaving early and leaving you alone?”

Shaking his head again, Yu Nian replied, “I’m not greedy.”

With a soft sound, He Xiao’s eyes slowly closed, and he slipped back into a doze.

Carefully tucking He Xiao’s hand under the blanket, Yu Nian left the room with Louisen.

He Xiao’s awake time was short each day, and lawyers or subordinates would occasionally come and go from the room. Yu Nian didn’t pay attention to these details. He found that what He Xiao enjoyed most was listening to stories from his past. Whenever he could sit by He Xiao’s bedside and chat, he would talk about these topics with ease.

“When I was young, my grandma planted many flowers in the yard, and I liked peonies the most. I learned to paint from my grandpa, and the first thing he taught me to draw was a peony. One time, I had a nightmare in the middle of the night and was so scared that I couldn’t sleep. The next day, I kept dozing off while painting. Grandpa noticed but didn’t wake me up. By lunchtime, I had paint all over my face. Grandpa teased me, saying I used my own face as a canvas, showing great sacrificial spirit.”

He Xiao laughed.

With dexterity, Yu Nian peeled grapes in his hands and continued in a cheerful tone, “I used to live with my grandparents at the Si Ning Manor. It’s a family property, and the building is quite old. There was a period when Ning City had heavy rain all the time, and one part of the roof was very worn and leaked. Grandpa wasn’t unhappy about it; instead, he said that the rain that came into the house had a destiny with our family. Otherwise, with billions of raindrops, how could only these raindrops happen to fall inside?

I was young then, quietly getting up in the middle of the night, squatting there to watch the ‘destined rain.’ After a while, I couldn’t stay awake and ended up sleeping on the ground. The next day, I caught a cold, and Grandpa teased me about it for a long time.”

Seeing a smile in He Xiao’s eyes, Yu Nian playfully remarked, “You’re laughing at me too!”

He Xiao quickly put on a serious expression, pretending, “Hmm, I didn’t laugh. It was Nian Nian who misunderstood.”

Blinking, Yu Nian chuckled, “Hmm, alright, I misunderstood.” He put the peeled grape into his mouth, swallowed it, and then spoke softly, “I understand your persistence and thoughts, but for me, I still want to come and see you. At least,” he looked into He Xiao’s eyes, “at least one day in the future, when I recall you, I won’t only remember a video image.”

He Xiao nodded, his eyes holding complex emotions, “Alright,” he said, “you and your mother are very alike, equally stubborn.”

Yu Nian’s eyes curved, “Hmm, it seems to be genetic.”

After He Xiao fell asleep, Yu Nian moved cautiously, stepping on the carpet as he walked out of the hospital room. Seeing Louis waiting at the door, Yu Nian whispered, “He’s already asleep.”

Louisen looked relieved, “After you came, Sir’s mood improved significantly. Sir has always been more rational than emotional, and the decisions he makes are not open for debate. But about your visit, he’s truly very happy.”

“It’s what I should do.” Yu Nian’s forehead creased with worry as he spoke through the hospital room door. He hesitated, “In the past couple of days… his condition has been deteriorating.”

“Yes.” Louisen straightened the sleeves of his already unrumpled shirt, as if adjusting his mood. After a while, he continued, “The doctors say it’s due to recent events. Sir has noticed it too, so during his brief moments of clarity, he’s been trying to arrange things properly.”

Seeing Yu Nian’s silence, Louisen consoled, “After spending many years on his sickbed, Sir has already become indifferent to life and death. He can face it calmly. Knowing of your existence, Young Master, has added a touch of unwillingness. However, fate won’t halt its steps or processes because of anyone’s reluctance, right?”

Taking a deep breath, Yu Nian tried not to think too far ahead. “I’ll go pick a few flowers from the garden as I promised. I said I would bring back the blooming ones for him to see.”

However, fate’s pace turned out to be faster than Yu Nian had anticipated. During dinner, Louisen suddenly came to find him, saying that Sir wasn’t feeling well. Yu Nian hastily got up and headed upstairs. While climbing the stairs, his footing faltered, and he nearly stumbled.

Xie You reached out from the side and steadied his arm as Yu Nian’s legs gave way beneath him. Yu Nian realized that his legs were trembling and devoid of any strength. Clenching his fingers tightly, he looked at Xie You in a fluster and opened his mouth as if to ask, but not a single word came out.

Quickly placing a kiss on Yu Nian’s forehead, Xie You reassured, “Nian Nian, don’t be afraid.”

In the room, which had been converted from a bedroom into a hospital space, medical personnel were rushing in and out. The disordered footsteps felt like steel needles jabbing into one’s heart. Yu Nian stood next to Xie You, staring intently at the situation inside without blinking.

After some time, the attending doctor emerged from the room and said in English, “He has been stabilized.”

Subconsciously, Louisen turned away and sincerely offered a prayer, his face filled with relief.

Not long after, He Xiao woke up. Compared to before, he appeared increasingly thin, bearing little resemblance to his younger self in his features. Seeing Yu Nian with red eyes, he raised his hand, wanting to comfort him, but lacked the strength to do so and gave up.

As his breathing gradually steadied, He Xiao spoke slowly and deliberately, “Nian Nian, promise me, don’t be sad for too long, okay?”

Yu Nian’s nose tingled, and he shook his head slightly.

A hint of a smile appeared in He Xiao’s eyes as he spoke slowly, “In my lifetime, meeting your mother when I was young and finding you when I’m about to pass away, that’s enough; I ask for nothing more.”

“I once blamed Tayue, then I blamed myself a thousandfold and more. Later on, I blamed the roughness of fate. But recently, I’ve realized that Tayue gave birth to you, and fate allowed me to meet you. All of these are gifts from above.”

Yu Nian held He Xiao’s thin hand and nodded heavily, his voice choked, “Being able to meet you is also a gift from above.”

He Xiao’s fingers slightly curved, and he tried to hold onto Yu Nian’s hand in return, “I hope you won’t blame me. I dare not see you because, as you see, if I meet you, I might become greedy. I might desire life, fear death, not want to face death, be reluctant to leave you, to leave this world.”

Yu Nian’s voice was very gentle, “I understand.”

He Xiao’s gaze shifted away, landing on Xie You, who stood behind Yu Nian. There was a sense of contentment in his expression, “It’s really nice. Our Nian Nian won’t be alone in the future.”

Gradually running out of the strength he had mustered, He Xiao closed his eyes slightly, “Nian Nian, you can call me—”

“Father.” Yu Nian didn’t wait for He Xiao to finish; he spoke first. He slightly lifted the corners of his lips and continued, “My name is Yu Nian, and my father’s name is He Xiao. He’s an extremely, extremely amazing person.” Every word was spoken clearly.

After saying those words, it was as if a deep chasm that had existed in his heart since childhood was finally bridged and filled in that moment.

After He Xiao fell back asleep, Yu Nian sat next to Xie You on the sofa in the adjacent room, feeling unsettled. He didn’t return to his own room, lost in thought.

In the middle of the night, he was dozing off next to Xie You when suddenly, as if realizing something, he opened his eyes. After a two-second pause, Yu Nian didn’t even bother putting on his shoes. He stepped forward, his pace quickening, and finally, he ran barefoot to He Xiao’s bedside.

In just two seconds, the machines emitted a piercing, shrill noise, and shortly after, doctors rushed in, their urgent voices mixed with hurried words. Yu Nian stood frozen in place, feeling a coldness rising from the soles of his feet, freezing his blood, while his heart raced, hammering against his eardrums.

He instinctively held onto Xie You’s hand tightly, feeling as if time was stretching infinitely.

After what felt like an eternity, the heart rate on the monitor’s curve became steady. The doctors stopped their efforts and withdrew the equipment, and at that moment, all the sounds and movements in the room came to a halt.

As if a hard stone were firmly lodged in his airway, his breath felt obstructed, and even his heartbeat beside him became dull and painful. Yu Nian unconsciously took a step back, and his hand hanging by his side began to tremble uncontrollably.

Xie You raised his hand and silently pulled him into an embrace. It wasn’t long before warm tears soaked through Xie You’s shirt, as if molten lava, scorching the skin on his shoulder.