GYAFT 30

Chapter 30

When Xie Yunli saw the incoming call from Wen Ran, he had just reached the restaurant and taken his seat.

Beside him was the client he had just finished negotiating with. As soon as Xie Yunli sat down, he noticed the caller ID, and it was Wen Ran’s name.

Xie Yunli was clearly stunned. For a moment, he almost thought he was seeing things wrong.

But he obviously wasn’t mistaken, and it was impossible for him to misread her name.

Xie Yunli quickly stood up and picked up his phone. “I need to step out to take a call.”

Then he hurriedly walked out of the private room.

Although he had set up ringtones for the phone he gave her, when he called her earlier and she didn’t answer, that was within his expectations.

But he truly found it hard to believe that Wen Ran had actually called him.

Not to mention that she never made phone calls or answered them. Usually, she would even feel repulsed by the sound of phone ringtones, and had never needed something like a phone before.

“Hello?”

While answering the phone, Xie Yunli walked to an empty room and closed the door. “Ran Ran, it’s me. Did something happen?”

He heard weak and urgent breathing from the other end of the phone, as if she was nervous, or afraid of something. He could even sense that she was suppressing her breathing while speaking in a low voice: “I… I am Wen Ran.”

“I know.”

Xie Yunli said in a low voice: “Don’t be nervous. Just say whatever you want to say slowly. I’m not in a rush.”

Wen Ran took a deep breath and said: “What are you… doing?”

Of course Xie Yunli couldn’t say he was dining with clients for business entertainment, or she would probably be scared enough to hang up immediately.

For him, making up a casual lie came naturally.

“I just finished eating and am taking a walk now.”

Xie Yunli said calmly to her: “What about you? What are you doing?”

He glanced at his watch. Eight o’clock in the evening, exactly when Wen Ran would have finished dinner.

“I just… finished eating.”

Wen Ran said hesitantly.

Her voice was already somewhat mumbled and unclear. Speaking so softly into the phone made her voice sound even more childlike, like a little girl who had secretly taken an adult’s phone to make a call.

However, Wen Ran herself was already an adult, and Xie Yunli had never treated her like a child.

It was just that her natural limitations made her too innocent and simple. Any thoughts she had couldn’t possibly contain the slightest impurity, and of course she couldn’t casually tell adult lies like he could.

Thinking of this, his heart softened.

He thought for a moment, deciding he should first find a topic to help her calm down and not be so nervous. “What about Kaka? Is Kaka doing well?”

Wen Ran nodded on the other end of the phone where he couldn’t see her. “Kaka is very good. Today it ate canned food… and some dog food, and a little pumpkin. Its droppings are also normal… Aunt Zhu is also very good.”

She mentioned everyone she cared about, but completely overlooked herself.

“What about you? Are you also doing well?”

Xie Yunli asked: “Do you have any worries?”

“I am also… very good, especially good, because…”

Wen Ran paused, as if organizing her words. After a few seconds she said: “The flower baskets are very beautiful! Very pretty…”

Xie Yunli said: “I’m glad you like them.”

“Kaka and Aunt Zhu also like them very much. Um… thank you, and also… and also…”

Here, she seemed not to know how to continue.

Xie Yunli didn’t rush her, otherwise a few words might completely interrupt her train of thought, making it even harder for her to speak.

“And also… why do you want that painting?”

Xie Yunli was silent for a moment, then said: “No particular reason, I just want it. Is that okay?”

Wen Ran said with difficulty: “Even if it’s not painted well… that’s okay? Even if you don’t like it… you still want it?”

“You couldn’t possibly paint badly.”

Xie Yunli said: “Consider it a gift for me. I couldn’t possibly not like it.”

“Okay… then I’ll give it to you.”

Wen Ran said: “Um… I’m finished talking. Should I hang up… goodbye?”

Xie Yunli said: “No, you probably haven’t finished talking yet.”

This time Wen Ran remembered quickly, and without Xie Yunli’s hint, she quickly said “ah” and whispered: “Good night, Xie Yunli.”

After saying good night, Xie Yunli heard her hang up the phone.

One minute and twelve seconds.

This brief phone call of just over a minute wasn’t even one-tenth of his daily phone time, but it was probably the only phone call Wen Ran had made in all these years.

After returning to his seat, the client beside him smiled and said: “President Xie, you just received a call from some important person, didn’t you? You look much better now.”

All afternoon, Xie Yunli’s expression couldn’t be called bad. He had maintained his usual calm and relaxed state. However, when he returned this time, it was obviously noticeable that his eyebrows and the corners of his eyes seemed much softer than before.

At least that suppressed hint of restlessness had completely disappeared.

Especially after a while, when he received another message from Zhou Wei saying that Wen Ran was very happy to see the flower bouquet, and even sent him a photo of little Kaka sniffing around the small flower basket.

Zhou Wei’s photography wasn’t bad. He captured Kaka looking very cute, and even got a corner of Wen Ran’s dress in the shot.

Of course, Zhou Wei definitely wouldn’t photograph Wen Ran directly, mainly because he wouldn’t dare.

After being married for so many years, he and Wen Ran had nothing like wedding photos between them, aside from a marriage certificate.

Coincidentally, the client suddenly smiled and said: “President Xie, you’re so young and accomplished, your standards must be very high. You probably aren’t married yet, right?”

“Yeah, anyone can see President Xie is a diamond bachelor. It just so happens I have a younger sister at home. How about I call her over today so we can all get acquainted?”

“Great! Mr. Lin’s sister is a top student and a great beauty. If she comes, we’ll be in for a treat.”

As several people were talking enthusiastically, Xie Yunli found a gap to interject with a smile: “Sorry, I came in such a rush today that I not only almost left my phone in the car, but also left my wedding ring at home.”

As he spoke, he unconsciously rubbed his left ring finger with his other hand.

Only then did everyone drop that topic, and Mr. Lin, who had wanted to call his sister for dinner, quickly retracted the message he had just sent.

That almost caused a big misunderstanding.

“I really didn’t expect it. President Xie’s wife must also be talented and beautiful, right?”

Xie Yunli smiled faintly. “Yes, she is like that.”

No one continued that topic, and no one noticed that Xie Yunli would occasionally rub that empty ring finger thoughtfully.

There should indeed have been a wedding ring there, as all married people should have.

Wen Ran worked on that painting some more, personally framing it with a picture frame. After thinking about it, she had Aunt Zhu help her order a gift box online.

Xie Yunli had given her many gifts, but she had never given him anything, not even this painting, which he had specifically asked for.

Wen Ran felt a bit guilty. She thought that if Xie Yunli really liked this painting, she would paint more pictures to give him.

She didn’t have anything else presentable, only these works that she had created with her own hands.

This carefully packaged artwork was delivered to Xie Yunli by Zhou Wei two days later.

He opened it in his office, with Zhou Wei secretly watching from the side. As soon as it was unwrapped, he was completely amazed.

“My goodness, this painting… this is painted so well.”

Zhou Wei exclaimed: “I’ve walked back and forth on that road so many times. This scenery is incredibly similar. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was a photograph with filters applied. It’s so beautiful…”

Xie Yunli didn’t speak. Zhou Wei couldn’t help but glance at him.

Xie Yunli was still focused on looking at the painting. Zhou Wei couldn’t detect any emotions like amazement or admiration on his face. Instead, he seemed to have a hint of a smile.

“President Xie, did you already know Miss Wen was such a good painter?”

“She is my wife.”

Xie Yunli’s tone was calm and matter-of-fact: “Do you think I wouldn’t know something like this?”

“With such superb painting skills, if we held an art exhibition and did some promotion, it would definitely be a huge hit.”

Zhou Wei sighed: “Nowadays many young painters without such strong abilities become famous through hype. Miss Wen has such talent, maybe if we just…”

Before he could finish, Xie Yunli interrupted him: “She doesn’t need those things.”

“Don’t bring up this topic again in the future.”

Zhou Wei was startled and nodded. “Yes, boss.”

In this internet age dominated by traffic, autism, genius beautiful painter—combining these for hype could indeed make someone a highly attention-grabbing star.

Xie Yunli had heard that when Wen Ran was young, her parents often argued about her education and future, and one of the reasons was probably Wen Ran’s artistic talent.

Wen Ran’s father, like most businessmen, valued profit greatly and cared about face. Having an autistic daughter was already despairing enough, but having a talented daughter who couldn’t showcase her abilities was probably one of the reasons Wen Ran’s father eventually left her.

With her talent and beauty combined, she could receive more recognition and gain more attention.

But those worldly glories weren’t worthy of her.

“Boss, you’re going to hang the painting in your office, right? I’ll find someone to install it on the wall for you.”

Xie Yunli had originally decided to do that.

But after Zhou Wei’s chatter, he suddenly didn’t want to hang it in his office anymore.

Because anyone who saw this painting wouldn’t be unmoved like Zhou Wei was. If they were moved, they might ask who the creator was. If they learned it was his wife, the questions would become more and more numerous.

So to avoid these troubles, Xie Yunli packed the painting back up, planning to take it to his apartment.

At eleven o’clock that night, Xie Yunli suddenly drove over. Aunt Zhu had originally planned to go to sleep, but receiving Xie Yunli’s call startled her, and she hurried out to open the door.

“I was afraid of scaring her, so I didn’t ring the doorbell. Is she asleep?”

“She just fell asleep. Why did Mr. Xie suddenly come at this hour?”

Aunt Zhu brought him slippers and looked at the time—it was past eleven.

“It’s nothing. I just got off work and wanted to come see her.”

To be honest, although this kind of behavior from Xie Yunli was rare, Aunt Zhu was actually getting used to it. After all, the closer anyone got to Wen Ran, the more they wanted to understand her, and the more they missed her.

So Aunt Zhu just smiled knowingly and said: “She had the starlight lamp on until just now. If you want to see her, go upstairs and take a look. Just keep your voice down.”

“Oh right, Mr. Xie, you’re so thoughtful, preparing flowers for me and Kaka too.”

Aunt Zhu smiled at him: “We all love them. Did you personally select all of those?”

Xie Yunli nodded. “I’m glad you like them. In the future…”

He paused and said: “I’ll give her more things she likes.”

After going upstairs, Xie Yunli didn’t enter Wen Ran’s bedroom. He was still afraid of waking her, so he just stood at the doorway.

She was still so quiet, whether during the day or at night.

Whether awake or asleep, she always appeared quiet and beautiful.

Just quietly looking at her could instantly calm even the most chaotic emotions.

As if there were some kind of magic.

And this magic also seemed to make people increasingly drawn in, increasingly infatuated, and increasingly wanting to get closer, wanting to see more sides of her.

No matter which meeting it was, this feeling was much deeper than the previous one.

Tl: Please comment below if you would like this story translated to completion. Otherwise, it will be on hiatus for now.