Chapter 22: Take the Firewood from Under the Cauldron
Author: Chi Renzhi Update: 2026/4/30 8:00:01 Word Count: 1874
She knew that the Su Nian who had wanted to be a tutor before was acting, and the Su Nian in front of her mother was also acting, and she had also confirmed that Su Nian didn’t like her at all.
If it were any other guy, she would probably start worrying if he had some ulterior motive, but this person was Su Nian.
After his looks? His money? Both were impossible, and there was no need for such a big production.
But Yun Buran was sure of one thing: she longed for a life with Su Nian by her side, even knowing he must have a purpose in approaching her.
So in order to get the sweetness, she was willing to deceive herself.
But now, she couldn’t help thinking: if Su Nian could have been acting all along, then why couldn’t these tutoring days be an act too?
The young man’s skill had already begun to frighten her.
In an instant, every beautiful memory in her rental room became stained, turning into flawed happiness.
Yun Buran had always been self-deprecating and self-loathing. She had once questioned the meaning of effort and resented the unfairness of others’ talents, but at her core, it was always a hatred of herself.
She didn’t think there was anything about her worth coveting. For an ordinary girl, she had good looks, a decent family background, and was in the Key Class for grades.
But for her, who thought she understood Su Nian to some extent, these were absolutely nothing to him. Because he was too dazzling, both in his natural appearance and his acquired abilities.
The Yun Buran from before would have been crushed by inferiority in front of him.
Thinking of this, Yun Buran suddenly found it ironic. Was she even qualified to claim she understood Su Nian? Perhaps the only thing she understood and was sure of was that Su Nian was truly terrifying, and she couldn’t see through him.
Especially during the meal, Su Nian deliberately probed for information. Even if it wasn’t obvious, her sensitivity picked it up quickly.
She even suspected if this was what he wanted her to guess.
But by deliberately inquiring about her family, Yun Buran had confirmed why he had come.
“Mom, no need to see us off. It’s inconvenient for you from here. Su Nian and I will walk back.”
Yun Buran spoke coldly. Shrouded by the night, her unfathomable eyes were unreadable, and no one could know her tangled heart.
Yun Yuan nodded with satisfaction and said to Su Nian, “Then I’ll trouble you, Little Su. Both of you send me a message when you get home. Be safe.”
“Okay, Aunt Yun. I’ll protect Senior Yun.”
Su Nian smiled warmly as always.
Watching as the elevator doors closed slowly, taking Yun Yuan to the underground parking lot.
Yun Buran turned and walked outside. Su Nian didn’t say anything, smiling as he slowly followed.
The wind tonight wasn’t strong, but it felt like it pierced to the bone. Yet it wasn’t cold, and there wasn’t even the sound of wind.
Xiali stared warily at Yun Buran, her yandere aura so thick it was almost overflowing. She truly couldn’t understand what Su Nian was doing, but trusting him, she could only let him handle it.
Yun Buran, walking ahead, spoke coldly. Her voice was so light it seemed like she hadn’t spoken, yet it reached Su Nian’s ears.
“You want to know about my past?”
Su Nian’s smile disappeared, returning to his usual expression. He spoke calmly, “No, I don’t.”
Yun Buran couldn’t help but “heh” twice. As expected, she never got anything good from him.
“Reward.”
Yun Buran stopped at that moment, turning back expressionlessly. Letting the cold wind blow her bangs, blocking her view.
“I said I’d grant you a small wish.”
“Accompany me to Happy Valley this weekend.”
As if she had expected him to answer that, Yun Buran directly stated her request.
“Okay.”
Su Nian shrugged indifferently.
Considering school the next day, Yun Yuan had chosen a restaurant not far from their school, so they quickly arrived at the bottom of Yun Buran’s building.
The silence along the way reminded Yun Buran of their first tutoring session. Looking back now, it seemed she had followed Su Nian’s rhythm every step of the way.
“See you tomorrow.”
As the elevator doors opened, Su Nian turned and left as he spoke.
“Be safe.”
Yun Buran still replied softly.
Actually, during this walk, she quickly shed her confusion. She directly asked herself what she cared about most and quickly weighed the pros and cons.
This was something the sensitive, jealous her from before couldn’t have done. It was still because of him.
So Yun Buran established one thing: no matter what, she liked Su Nian, even if everything at present was a Mirror Flower, Water Moon.
He was her first sun in life so far. So even if Su Nian kept deceiving her, as long as he could keep deceiving her, what did it matter if the moth flew into the flame?
But reflecting on Su Nian’s pattern of action, she noticed he always left himself an out. She was convinced: Su Nian would leave; he would definitely go.
So Yun Buran hadn’t wanted to figure out what that black cat flying beside him all along was.
But now, she had to find out what Su Nian really wanted in order to keep him completely by her side.
Yun Buran’s eyes gradually grew hollow. For that purpose, she was willing to do anything.
Meanwhile, Su Nian was almost home.
“So why exactly have you been using this push-and-pull approach with her? Are you sure such overwhelming Demonic Energy is part of your plan?”
Xiali was no longer tense, just curiously pressing for answers.
“I’m still walking the Path of Conquest, okay? I’m fully aware that I can only get limited information from Senior Yun, but I also know that Yun Buran has always been a smart person.”
“So the point is to make her see that I intend to probe her past, and then have her tell me herself.”
“She’ll tell you?”
The human and cat climbed the stairs as they talked. Su Nian was renting an ordinary residential building, nothing like Yun Buran’s.
“Yes, she will. And remember my goal? I never planned to fill her heart with my love. I want these girls to repair their own strong Heart Wall.”
“Are you sure? I feel like she’s almost a yandere.”
Xiali had already begun to understand terms like “yandere.”
“She arbitrarily decided to make me her emotional pillar, so I slightly revised my plan.”
Su Nian reached the door and inserted his key.
“I need to Take the Firewood from Under the Cauldron and force her to complete her self-rescue.”
With the sound of the key turning, the human and cat entered.