The next morning, ZhouXiang made ChenYing breakfast and brought it over to her at the hospital. He stayed with her for half an hour before going to the company.
In the afternoon, he helped CaiWei prepare for a bidding meeting relating to renovating materials for a film studio. Because this involves a contract that is more than seven million yuan and CaiWei was too busy and couldn’t attend, he could only be at ease in sending ZhouXiang.
ZhouXiang is naturally obligated. He spent the afternoon getting an understanding of the several bidding companies and then went with a few others to discuss the conditions for the winning bid.
In the evening, CaiWei came back after finishing his work and insisted on treating them to a meal. ZhouXiang thought of the person at home so he gave YanMingXiu a call to inform him that he won’t be coming back for dinner tonight.
Unexpectedly, YanMingXiu didn’t answer the phone.
ZhouXiang didn’t give it too much thought and instead happily went to dinner with CaiWei.
It is inevitable to have a few drinks during a meal. The group of people drank a bit. CaiWei didn’t drink because he had to meet with clients later in the night. After the meal, CaiWei wanted to take ZhouXiang home. ZhouXiang felt that this will be a bit embarrassing. After all, if CaiWei took him home, it would mean that CaiWei would know that he had moved back to his own home. And the only reason he could move back need not be elaborated (T/N).
T/N: it means that CaiWei would know that ZhouXiang has reconciled with YanMingXiu. After all, YanMingXiu has ownership of that house.
However, being his best buddy, CaiWei would know sooner or later so ZhouXiang didn’t reject his offer. After getting into the car, he gave the address to his condo. CaiWei had just started the car; his foot instantly shift from the accelerator to the brakes making ZhouXiang’s entire body propelled forward, almost slamming into the windshield.
CaiWei looked at him in shock, “You... you moved back?”
This move quickly sobered him up. ZhouXiang almost immediately had no feeling of being drunk. He nodded, “Yeah, moved back.”
"Then... then what about YanMingXiu?"
ZhouXiang sighed and smiled, “He also lives with me.”
“What do you mean? Have you guys really reconciled?”
ZhouXiang touched his nose and softly responded, “Wei Ge, I don’t know if you can understand or not. I’ve also been confused for a long but it seems that our fates have been determined."
"I really can’t fucking understand at all,” CaiWei slammed his hands on the steering wheel, seeming to be quite dissatisfied, “Have you forgotten what he did to you before? No matter what, he indirectly killed you, how can you just get back together with him? Moreover, is the surname Yan from an ordinary family? Will his family accept you? Or are you saying that you’re willing to continue playing this underground love affair?"
ZhouXiang smiled forcefully, “Everything you’ve said, I’ve not forgotten. He also hasn’t forgotten. I just think that when I’m suffering, he also can’t be any better. When I think of this, he’s not so hateful. Moreover, right now he truly treats me genuinely. I can tell. As for his family.....Wei Ge, I really don’t know what to do. We’ll just go day by day."
“ZhouXiang, I see that you will regret one day.”
ZhouXiang rubbed his eyes. He could only force a smile, “Wei Ge, don’t curse me. I don’t even know what I should do. I don’t think that my IQ is this low but when I run into these kinds of things, I feel so fucked up. You know, sometimes when I think of the things that happened from the past, I get so pissed that I want to punch him. But when I see him cry, I also feel pained."
“Fucking crazy.” CaiWei glanced at him fiercely then turned to restart the car. "If you lose yourself again, I won’t fucking give a care about you.”
ZhouXiang’s eyes fell onto the streets outside the windows and depressingly responded, “If I lose again, then that’s just my life.”
CaiWei drove ZhouXiang to the downstairs of his home. ZhouXiang opened the car door and was going to get out. Suddenly he turned his head and asked, “Wei Ge, you want to come up and sit for a while?” ZhouXiang looked at him quietly, "You haven’t been to my place for a long time.”
CaiWei wanted to tell him “fuck no” but seeing ZhouXiang’s expression, he couldn’t say it. He responded in a bad mood, "Another day.”
ZhouXiang nodded and was about to get off the car.
CaiWei immediately grabbed his arm.
ZhouXiang bent his body, “Wei Ge?”
CaiWei sighed, “Get in. I still have something to say.”
ZhouXiang sat back in the car.
CaiWei thought for a moment, “Since you’re willing to start over with him, I’ll also say a few impartial words. This guy YanMingXiu is nothing special but towards you.... his feelings are likely genuine." CaiWei took out a cigarette and lit it, then opened a slit of the car’s window, “At the time of your accident, the search and rescue team would reasonably search for just a week, at most two weeks. YanMingXiu rushed to GuangXi and got connection to somebody and ended up forcing the rescue team to search for more than a month. This is not typical. The search and rescue team wasn’t even owned by his family. I was also there at the time and wanted to urge him but YanMingXiu was extremely unrelenting. It was as though he had gone crazy, looking nothing like what he used to be. If you see him, you also won’t feel that he’s the same person.”
ZhouXiang lowered his eyes; his heart trembled slightly. This... he had heard intermittently from other people’s mouths. Although he didn’t see it with his own eyes but from these fragments, he could feel YanMingXiu’s desperation and hopelessness at that time. If only he could switch places with YanMingXiu, he would be able to experience what kind of immense pain it would be to not know whether the person you love is dead or alive.
Therefore, he really can’t continue to hate YanMingXiu because YanMingXiu had already received his punishment.
“It was only at this time that XiRong and I dared to believe that he really has feelings for you. Otherwise just an accident alone could not destroy a person like that.” CaiWei tapped the cigarette ash out of the window. A gush of cold wind blew through the window slit, blowing the ash back inside and fragments into ZhouXiang’s nose. He wrinkled his nose, from his nasal cavity to the rim of his eyes, all of it making him feel grieved.
“This is all I have to say. Since you want to be with him, then just seriously start over again. Although I’m not optimistic about you guys, but who can say? Maybe lovers can really have a happy ending. Since I can see that you haven’t given up even after dying once, you’re utterly hopeless.”
ZhouXiang sighed, “That’s just the way it is.”
“Okay, get the fuck out.” CaiWei patted his head, “Dumb idiot. Even got younger after dying, lucky you."
ZhouXiang laughed and turned to go upstairs.
After ZhouXiang got home, YanMingXiu still hadn’t yet returned. He didn’t know what YanMingXiu could be busy with.
Sitting on the sofa in the living room, he carefully looked around everywhere, at every corners of this home. YanMingXiu’s traces are everywhere. He sat and thought of everything between them. It was as if nothing had happened, but the reality is that everything that did happen is irreparable.
He swung his head a few times, not wanting to think anymore. He got up and took a shower and went to sleep early. Sleeping into the middle of the night, the room’s door was opened.
"MingXiu?" ZhouXiang muttered.
"It’s me."
YanMingXiu removed his clothes and simply jumped into the bed. ZhouXiang was lying flat on his belly. YanMingXiu pressed directly on his back with his breathing a bit heavy.
He smelled a bit like liquor.
“Hey? Did you drink? Or is it me..l.can’t be... I’ve taken a shower....You drank?”
"Yeah”
“With who?”
“......My dad.”
ZhouXiang turned over and tried desperately to discern YanMingXiu’s face in the dark but he could hardly see anything. He could only see YanMingXiu’s intoxicated eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Xiang Ge, no matter what happens, will you stay with me?"
“What’s going on?”
“Promise me.”
"Promise you what?”
“Promise me that you won’t leave me no matter what happens.”
"What is really wrong with you?" ZhouXiang is not use to a YanMingXiu who had drank alcohol. YanMingXiu’s alcohol tolerance is very bad. Every time he gets drunk, he could create problems for him. The most unforgettable and profound time was the night of WangYuDong’s engagement to his sister. He was drunk and was lying in bed calling out WangYuDong’s name. That time made him disgusted, so he had had always felt unsettled with YanMingXiu’s drinking.
“Xiang Ge, I can’t leave you. I really can’t leave you.” YanMingXiu pulled tightly onto ZhouXiang’s waist, “Why are you so good to me? I treated you so bad before.”
Starting to talking nonsense...
ZhouXiang is helpless. He wanted to push YanMingXiu away but he is like a snake wrapping tightly around him, not letting him go no matter what.
YanMingXiu suddenly said with sobbing tone, “Xiang Ge, you must not leave me.”
ZhouXiang sighed, “Fine. I won’t leave you. Let me go first okay? I can hardly breathe.”
Once YanMingXiu heard his words, he slid down from ZhouXiang but still didn’t let go. He was like a child who lacked a sense of security. Arching his head into ZhouXiang’s embrace until he found a position that put him at ease, he fell into a deep asleep.
ZhouXiang went to bed too early, with YanMingXiu’s ordeal just now, he actually couldn’t fall sleep.
YanMingXiu’s even breathing sounded in his ears. ZhouXiang’s arms on his waist also unconsciously tightened.
End of the chapter
Next chapter: Chapter 112 – YanFei Came To Find ZhouXiang