Yan Shaoyou!
How could he be here?!
Isn't this the ultimate villain Boss from the original novel, the one who made me cry through several packs of extra-thick tissues, loving Su Wan to the point of near madness?!
He's the current second-in-command of Dawn Base, Su Wan's father's most trusted adopted son, and nominally, her fiancé—the one arranged by their parents, just one step away from being packed off into the bridal chamber by Su Wan's father!
Yan Shaoyou's peach blossom eyes, always filled with a gentle smile, suddenly met Su Wan's gaze through the rough windshield of the off-road vehicle.
Unbelievable ecstasy exploded in his chest, sweeping through all his senses like a turbulent sea.
The suppressed longing, worry, and deep affection of countless days and nights now burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam, threatening to completely drown him!
He stumbled, his body tilting forward uncontrollably, as if pushed hard by an invisible hand. The soldiers of his personal guard behind him exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss.
On the command vehicle, a beautiful young woman in a similar combat uniform, but with slightly different epaulets, had originally been looking at Lu Shiyan's car with a hint of curiosity. Now, her beautiful almond eyes were fixed on Yan Shaoyou's uncontrolled retreating figure, her shock and hurt almost overflowing, her lips trembling slightly.
But Yan Shaoyou saw nothing! Heard nothing!
At this moment, his entire world was reduced to Su Wan's face, both familiar and appearing thinner after enduring the hardships of wind and frost!
"Wan Wan!"
"It really is you! Heaven has eyes! I thought... I thought I would never see you again!"
Yan Shaoyou's voice trembled uncontrollably, a mix of extreme, rediscovered ecstasy, intertwined with bone-deep fear and relief.
He practically stumbled, scrambling and rolling to Lu Shiyan's car, almost pressing himself against the passenger side window, his gaze locked onto Su Wan, greedily tracing every inch of her eyebrows, her eyes, her lips, his urgency and focus so intense, as if he feared she would turn into smoke and dissipate before his eyes the next second.
Su Wan's scalp tingled, and goosebumps erupted all over her body. The overwhelming intensity of his emotions almost suffocated her.
"Sha... Shaoyou Ge?" Her mouth twitched uncontrollably, her voice dry.
Lu Shiyan shifted his body slightly, a seemingly casual movement that precisely blocked the space between Su Wan and the car door, cutting off Yan Shaoyou's scorching gaze.
His eyes rested calmly on Yan Shaoyou, his voice steady and unruffled, yet carrying an undeniable, icy pressure: "Who are you?"
Yan Shaoyou finally managed to force a sliver of his consciousness away from his extreme excitement. He reluctantly tore his gaze from Su Wan's face and slowly turned to Lu Shiyan, who was blocking his way.
He raised a hand and unsteadily pushed the refined gold-rimmed glasses up his nose.
Behind the lenses, the carefully maintained gentleness was completely gone when he looked at Lu Shiyan, his eyes swirling with complex, unreadable emotions: scrutiny, wariness, and a deep-seated hostility that was almost bursting forth.
He forced a stiff, what he considered a polite, smile, though it looked worse than a cry.
"I am Yan Shaoyou."
"Wan Wan's fiancé."
He lifted his chin slightly, meeting Lu Shiyan's gaze directly: "May I ask, who are you, sir?"
Heh, Lu Shiyan.
How could Yan Shaoyou not recognize this man! He'd recognize him even if he were turned to ashes!
He and Wan Wan grew up together. He still remembered that year, amidst the light rain of apricot blossoms, she was thirteen and he was fifteen. She stood on her tiptoes, tugging at his sleeve, her porcelain-white face tilted up, smiling like a flower as she asked him, "Shaoyou Gege, will you marry me later? You're the best!" He had cherished that childish vow for half his life, carving it into his very bones.
He was the arm personally cultivated by Uncle Su, the default future son-in-law of the Su family, her destined companion.
Protecting her, possessing her, should have been the trajectory of his, Yan Shaoyou's, life, and no one had the right to change it.
How could she forget? How could she!
They were meant to be a match made in heaven, a couple envied by all.
Until—this man named Lu Shiyan appeared!
Wan Wan, the Wan Wan who had once depended on him and trusted him so much, would actually cry and kneel before Uncle Su for this man she had known for only a few months, tearing their childhood engagement to shreds in the most decisive way, in front of everyone, trampling his dignity and years of anticipation underfoot, crushing them to bits.
That scene, whenever Yan Shaoyou dreamt of it in the middle of the night, felt like a piece had been gouged out of his heart, raw and bleeding, a pain that pierced him to the bone.
Yan Shaoyou's fingernails dug deeply into his palms, the sharp pain accompanied by a surging tide of jealousy and hatred, threatening to completely consume his rationality.
Why! Why on earth could Lu Shiyan so easily steal all of Wan Wan's heart?! Making his, Yan Shaoyou's, years of silent protection and deep waiting into a huge joke?!
Wan Wan even broke completely with her father, who cherished her like a precious jewel, for this man, running alone to that remote southern town, hiding in the old villa her mother had left behind.
Though her father claimed he no longer recognized his unfilial daughter, he would always sit alone facing her childhood photos until dawn, secretly sending his most trusted people to reinforce the villa's defenses, fearing she would suffer even the slightest grievance.
Did Wan Wan know any of this? Did she ever care one bit! Her heart was already filled by that Lu Shiyan!
When the apocalypse descended and communication was cut off, as soon as order in the base stabilized, he couldn't wait any longer. Like a madman, he personally led a most elite team, disregarding the perilous journey, rushing day and night to the south to find her.
He had imagined finding her countless times in his mind. He would forgive her willfulness, he could even overlook Lu Shiyan's existence, as long as she was alive, as long as she was willing to return, to return to him and Uncle Su, everything could start anew.
But all he saw was an empty, dusty, cobweb-filled, dead quiet villa...
At that moment, Yan Shaoyou felt his entire world collapse.
Subsequently, he searched for her aimlessly, but there was no news. He thought he had lost her forever.
Just when he had almost exhausted all his strength and was about to completely despair and give up, he unexpectedly saw her here, in such an abrupt manner!
The ecstasy of rediscovery had not yet swept through him when it was frozen by an even more biting chill.
Why, why was that persistent Lu Shiyan still standing by her side!
"Fiancé?"
Lu Shiyan's thin lips parted, uttering these three words without emphasis, yet the trailing sound was somewhat playful, like a feather lightly tickling Yan Shaoyou's already taut nerves.
The car interior suddenly fell silent, the air so cold it could drop ice shards.
Yan Shaoyou's usual gentle smile completely froze on his face, his skin twitching uncontrollably a few times, as if his delicate gold-rimmed glasses were about to vibrate off his high nose bridge.
"Sir, do you seem to have an objection to my identity?"
"Objection?" Lu Shiyan let out a faint scoff, as if he had heard the biggest joke. "Not really."
He subtly shifted his body half a step closer to Su Wan, almost completely shielding her behind him.
"I only know one thing." Lu Shiyan slightly raised his chin, his gaze piercing Yan Shaoyou like a sharp sword.
"Su Wan, she's carrying my child."