Chapter 102 - Where is YanMingXiu? (1/2)
Seeing how ZhouXiang’s eyes turned red from rage yet still maintain that calm look made YanMingXiu’s heart ache so much.
YanMingXiu thought that this would be the opportunity for him to prove himself but he didn’t expect to shoot himself in the foot with his sister humiliating ZhouXiang. He thought that his sister, who is already wife and soon to become a mother would be more mature. He didn’t expect her to still be so overbearing. He wasn’t afraid of YanMingMei telling their parents. He would have to confront them sooner or later, but right now is not a good time. He’s afraid that ZhouXiang will be hurt.
What he least wanted to see in his entire life is ZhouXiang suffering any grievances. He had already made ZhouXiang lose too many things; so much that he had no way to make it all up to him. Even if he were to do his best to make amends, it is too late… all this really made the crack between them wider and wider.
He regretted allowing ZhouXiang meet YanMingMei. Sooner or later they would meet, but right now is definitely not the right time.
ZhouXiang rubbed his face, “I’m going back. I really have things to do. No time to really just be with you every day.” He turned toward the exit after saying that.
YanMingXiu softly uttered, “Do you need to go with auntie to the hospital? I’ll go with you.”
“Don’t have to. YanMingXiu, give me some breathing space.” He opened the door and left.
YanMingXiu watched as ZhouXiang’s somewhat disheartened back silhouette gradually got further and further away. A huge panic suddenly rose in his heart. He is terrified that ZhouXiang would just walk away…out of his sight… out of his life, just like he did three years ago.
He quickly chased behind ZhouXiang to stop him. He panted and very nervously asked, “Xiang Ge, are you coming home tonight? When are we going to see each other again?”
ZhouXiang looked at him with a bit of astonishment.
“You are coming back home tonight right? If not tonight…then tomorrow? Tell me when you’ll come back.”
YanMingXiu looked at him deeply, “Don’t just leave without a word. Tell me when you’ll come back.”
Right now, YanMingXiu is like a little women worried about her spouse walking out on her, but he can’t control himself from this thought. At the moment, his heart is still hanging in suspense, afraid that ZhouXiang will disappear and he will be shattered once again. Every minute and every second in the past three years is a torment that he can’t forget for a lifetime. Only when this person is around him can he be free from that hopelessness. So he will never let ZhouXiang go. He even wanted to lock ZhouXiang away so nobody can see him.
ZhouXiang wanted to free himself from YanMingXiu’s arm, “I don’t know.”
“You cannot not know.” YanMingXiu’s voice sounded a bit piercing, “Xiang Ge, when are you coming home? I’ll go pick you up. Tell me.”
ZhouXiang gnawed his teeth, “Three days, three days later.”
YanMingXiu loosen his hand and disappointedly uttered, “Okay, I’ll pick you up then……”
ZhouXiang took a step back but YanMingXiu took a step closer and simply pressed ZhouXiang to the wall and kissed him fiercely. Someone may come to the corridor at any time but YanMingXiu didn’t care the slightest bit as he continued to forcefully kiss him for a while before letting him go unwillingly.
ZhouXiang quickly glanced at him, then turned and left.
Until ZhouXiang’s figure disappeared is when YanMingXiu regained his gaze. He took out his cellphone and called home, “Hello, Aunt Xue. I’ll be home for dinner tonight, prepare for it.” There is no need to hide any further. YanMingXiu dazedly look at the cellphone screen; he had already made up his mind.
ZhouXiang bought fruits lasting for an entire week home.
Aunt Wang was in the midst of teaching ChenYing how to knit a sweater. The two are sitting on the sofa talking and laughing. The scene is simple and warm.
“Mom, I’m back.”
“Oh, you’re home.” ChenYing glanced at her watch, “You haven’t eaten yet right? Perfect time for lunch.”
“Yeah, I want to eat the hot and sour soup you make.”
“Aiyah, we don’t have bamboo shoots at home. Let me go buy some. We still have time.” Aunt Wang changed into an outfit, wore her shoes and went out.
ZhouXiang sat next to ChenYing and smiled softly, “I’ll go with you to the hospital later this afternoon.”
“Okay.” ChenYing put down her knitting and asked probingly, “Ah Xiang, can we change it to once a week? I’m feeling a lot better now. Doing dialysis twice a week is time-consuming and a waste of money.”
“Mom, we’ve already agreed to do it a few times a week. It’s what the doctor said. Now, YanMingXiu is trying to get you transferred to a different hospital. We can do another checkup at the new hospital. We have to follow the doctor’s advice, don’t think too much.”
“Aigh, it’s not easy for you to make money……” ChenYing suddenly thought of something and said seriously, “Ah Xiang, although our family is not rich, we can live comfortably. Listen carefully, although Xiao Yan’s family is rich, you can’t depend on him. You can’t take his money. We need to have our pride and not allow anyone to look down on us.”
ZhouXiang nodded guiltily, “Mom, I understand.”
“I know that you’ll know what is appropriate. By the way, when is your movie going to be out in the theater? Let’s go and watch it. Oh and also bring Aunt Wang too.”
ZhouXiang can only half-heartedly respond, “It seems to have been postponed. I’m not sure yet. There are many movies out during the end of the year. Sometimes it can be pushed out to next year.”
“Oh, that’s true. No hurry. You are still young. There are people who get popular in their 40s or 50s. As long as you have a steady income, there’s no need to hurry.”
ZhouXiang chatted with ChenYing for a while. When Aunt Wang came back, they had lunch, took a nap, and then ZhouXiang went with ChenYing to the hospital for dialysis.
YanMingXiu didn’t call him all day. ZhouXiang felt a lot more relaxed.
The next day, ZhouXiang went to the company. He had not been to the company for almost a week, which is not good. He had to discuss with CaiWei on the few extra jobs he told him about last time.
After arriving at the company, CaiWei’s looked very dispirited. He did not look like his usual energetic self.
“Wei Ge, what’s wrong?”
CaiWei looked at him tiredly, “My dad may not be able to make it to the New Year’s.”
When ZhouXiang thought of the old man who couldn’t move in bed, his heart also felt pained. He comforted, “Wei Ge, don’t dwell on it. In fact, lying immobile like that, your dad is suffering too.”
“I know. He’s been sick for so long, the entire family is mentally prepared for it. It’s just that when thinking he’s really going to die…. I…” CaiWei shook his head, “To be born, grow old, get sick, and die, the fate of humankind is something that nobody can avoid. Anyway, let’s not talk about this. Let’s talk about your work.”
“Okay.”
“Here is what’s owed to you for your last few jobs, review it. If you don’t have any problems, sign it and I’ll approve it for you. The company had set aside a lot of funds for XiRong’s MV so you’ll get ¥80,000. This price for a new person is very good.”
ZhouXiang is shocked, “That much?”
“Yeah, do you know who approved it?”
“President Wang?”
“Yes, President Wang specially approved it, saying that you did very well.”
ZhouXiang remembered how President Wang pushed him into YanMingXiu’s car that day. Although he has other intentions but to spend tens of thousands just to get closer to YanMingXiu, it is a very profitable thing. Unfortunately, President Wang’s intention is a bit off. Even ZhouXiang himself is unclear of his relationship with YanMingXiu.
CaiWei looked at ZhouXiang again and again and sighed, “Lately, how’ve you been with YanMingXiu?”
ZhouXiang looked away awkwardly, “Ahh, like usual.”
“I can also guess why you are still with him. But ZhouXiang, I can only warn you that a person who has been stumbled twice by a stone is most stupid. Have you thought about it clearly?”
“Wei Ge…” ZhouXiang wanted to say “You can be rest assured, I know what I’m doing,” but he’s guilty and can’t say anything. It’s not that he doesn’t know that the time being with YanMingXiu would carry the risk of repeating the same mistakes of the past, but he is powerless to break free from the net that YanMingXiu had set for him.
YanMingXiu didn’t give him a choice; he really had no choice at all. Although there is still half-year remaining on their contract, specifically, five months, but after the five months is over, will YanMingXiu be able to naturally and unrestrainedly say goodbye to him?
He is more perplexed than anyone else, more at loss than anyone else. He can’t see how he should move forward in the future nor does he know who is waiting for him at the end of the fog.
CaiWei, “I can’t control your matters but you hurt XiRong very much.”
ZhouXiang slowly lowered his head, speechless.
After that time, LanXiRong called him two times but he didn’t pick up. What is he going to say if he picked up the phone? The questions LanXiRong would ask, he won’t be able to answer any. Instead it will make him feel extremely awkward and miserable.