Kung si Si Ye Han talaga iyon

She only saw the back of the man in the center, but that silhouette was too familiar…

Nakita niya lamang ang likuran ng lalaki na nasa gitna, ngunit parang pamilyar sa kanya ang pangangatawan nito...

Si Yehan's face instantly appeared in Ye Wanwan's mind.

Biglang naisip ni Ye Wan Wan si Si Ye Han.

She couldn't be certain, but that figure's back was simply too similar…

Hindi pa siya sigurado pero pamilyar talaga sa kanya ang itsura ng lalaking iyon...

However, if it was really Si Yehan, why would he come to this kind of red-light place to fulfill his carnal desires…

Gayunpaman, kung si Si Ye Han nga ito, bakit siya pumunta sa malaswang lugar na ito para mabigyang kasiyahan ang tawag ng kanyang laman...

Ye Wanwan never would've expected she would silently hypothesize how she would feel if it was Si Yehan who was there a second ago and would see his familiar figure as soon as she stepped outside.

Hindi inasahan ni Ye Wan Wan kung ano ang mararamdaman niya kapag nakita niya si Si Ye Han kanina at kapag nakita niya talaga ang tunay na itsura nito nang makalabas ang lalaki.

"Si Yehan!"

Ye Wanwan subconsciously shouted at that person.

Biglang sinigawan ni Ye Wan Wan ang lalaking iyon.

…

The man entered a black car in the center of the motorcade and had just closed the door when he heard a voice that he had yearned after for many days… Moreover, that voice seemed to be calling his name.

Pumasok ang lalaki sa itim na kotse sa gitna ng motorcade at kasasara niya lamang ng pintuan nang marinig niya ang boses na hinahanap-hanap niya ng ilang araw… at tsaka, parang tinatawag ng boses na iyon ang pangalan niya.

"Ninth Brother, what is it?" Lin Que, who was sitting next to the man, asked when he saw something off about the man's expression.

"9th Brother, ano iyon?" Tinanong ni Lin Que ang lalaki na nasa tabi niya nang makita niya ang naging reaksyon nito.

"Nothing," the man replied aloofly.

"Wala," sagot ng lalaki.

"Ninth Brother, what is it?" Lin Que pursued, unwilling to give up when the man looked like he had something on his mind.

"9th Brother, ano iyon?" Patuloy na nagtanong si Lin Que, ayaw niyang sumuko sa kakatanong nang makita niyang parang may iniisip ang lalaki.

The man was silent for a moment before asking, "Did you hear it?"

Nanahimik ng panandalian ang lalaki bago siya magtanong, "Narinig mo?"

"Hear?" Lin Que was startled. "Hear what… I didn't hear anything…"

"Narinig?" Nagulat si Lin Que. "Narinig ang ano? Wala akong narinig…"

"Wanwan's voice…" the man said.

"Boses ni Wan Wan…" sabi ng lalaki.

"Huh? Ye Wanwan?" Lin Que broke into a chuckle. "Ninth Brother, have you fallen ill from longing… How could it be Ye Wanwan… This is the Independent State, and Ye Wanwan is in China. There are thousands of miles between us. You're overthinking, Ninth Brother."

"Huh? Ye Wan Wan?" Natawa si Lin Que. "9th Brother, na-miss mo na yata siya… paano naging si Ye Wan Wan ang tumawag sayo… nasa Independent State tayo, at si Ye Wan Wan ay nasa China. Ilang libong milya ang layo ng dalawa. Masyado ka yatang nag-iisip, 9th Brother."

"Perhaps." The man looked at the nightclub through the window.

"Siguro." Tumingin sa labas ng bintana ang lalaki.

However, that familiar figure wasn't in front of the nightclub.

Gayunpaman, wala ang pamilyar na taong tumawag sa kanya sa harap ng nightclub.

"Drive," Lin Que ordered.

"Magmaneho ka na," utos ni Lin Que.

The motorcade started moving.

Biglang gumalaw ang motorcade.

"Ninth Brother, after coming back this time… we've cut off all ties with everything in China… You said it yourself. Can you really let it go?" Lin Que looked at the man.

"9th Brother, dahil nakabalik ka na… tinanggal na namin ang lahat ng komunikasyon mo sa China… sinabi mo iyon. Kaya mo ba talagang talikuran ang lahat?" Tiningnan ni Lin Que ang lalaki.

The man fell into silence and didn't respond.

Nanahimik lamang ang lalaki at hindi siya sumagot.

"Ninth Brother… I know you had no choice in what you did. To protect her, you brought her back to China and even destroyed her memories… Now, you had to painfully leave… However, it's a good thing. She will only be safe in China; she can start a new life there and will never again see this place that provoked fear in her—the Independent State." Lin Que sighed.

"9th Brother… alam ko na kailangan mong gawin ang ginawa mo. Para protektahan siya, dinala mo siya sa China at tinanggal mo ang ala-ala niya… Ngayon, kailangan mong umalis… pero, okay lang iyon. Ligtas siya sa China; pwede siyang magsimula ng panibagong buhay doon at kailanman ay hindi na siya babalik sa lugar na ito na katakutan lamang ang bumalot sa kanya–ang Independent State." Nagbuntong hininga si Lin Que.

A moment later, the man looked outside, his eyes unfathomable. The night was dark, and the pattering rain drizzled onto the ground.

Napatingin ang lalaki sa labas at hindi maikakaila ang pakiramdam sa kanyang mga mata. Madilim ang gabing iyon at ang ulan ay tumutulo sa kalsada.

…

Inside the nightclub, Big Dipper looked at Ye Wanwan, who was suddenly dazed, with his brows furrowed. "Sis Feng, what happened?"

Sa loob ng nightclub, biglang napakunot si Big Dipper sa nakatunganga na Ye Wan Wan. "Sis Feng, anong nangyari?"

Ye Wanwan gathered her emotions upon hearing that and said, "It's nothing."

Tinago ni Ye Wan Wan ang kanyang mga emosyon nang marinig niya iyon at kanyang sinabi, "Wala."

Did she go crazy from how much she wanted to find him? She thought a random silhouette was Si Yehan…

Nabaliw na ba siya sa lubhang kagustuhan niyang makita si Si Ye Han? Akala niya si Si Ye Han ang aninong nakita niya...

"Bullsh*t, I know you best. Something must've happened… Oh right, why did you call Si… what is it… oh right, Si Yehan just now… Who's Si Yehan… It's not some lover you found while you were missing these past years, right…" Big Dipper looked at Ye Wanwan with astonishment.

"Bullsh*t, kilala kita. May nangyari siguro… Oo nga pala, bakit mo tinawag si Si… ano ba iyon… oo nga, si Si Ye Han kanina… sino si Si Ye Han… bago jowa mo iyon noong nawala ka ng ilang taon, tama ba?" Gulat na tiningnan ni Big Dipper si Ye Wan Wan.

"Si Yehan…"

Ji Xiuran murmured this name, an indescribable glint flickering through his eyes.

Binulong ni Ji Xiu Ran ang pangalan ay biglang kuminang ang kanyang mga mata.

"I said it's nothing. Are you blind?" Ye Wanwan snapped with a glare at Big Dipper.

"Sinabi ko wala, 'di ba? Bulag ka ba?" Tiningnan ng masama ni Ye Wan Wan si Big Dipper.

"What does this have to do with being blind? Shouldn't it be deaf?" Big Dipper was bewildered.

"Anong kinalaman nito sa pagiging bulag? Hindi ba dapat bingi?" Nagtaka si Big Dipper.