Chapter 29 – Days
Xing Zhongwan stood outside the villa. He took a deep breath and the fresh air made him feel better instantly.
He turned around and asked Qi Yun who was behind him, “When did you find this place? It’s alright. Even birds can’t fly up here. What do you think? Do you want to die alone here?”
Xing Zhongwan, who was wearing a hat that only exposed his eyes, took off the scarf around his neck and wrapped it around Qi Yun.
“I had this idea before. When I built this villa, I thought it would be good to die alone here.”
Qi Yun smiled. He was not joking, he knew really meant it at the time.
Xing Zhongwan pulled the scarf covering Qi Yun’s mouth and stared at him, who was a little flustered.
“What’s the matter?”
Xing Zhongwan said seriously, “It’s not easy for a person to live. Even if you are alone, you have to live well. How old are you to still have such negative thoughts?”
Qi Yun asked him to sit on the side of the fence. On the chair, he placed a thermos cup in his hand filled with red date broth boiled by Xing Zhongwan.
“Wanwan, have you ever thought that without you, there might not be a Qi Yun in this world anymore. For so many years, I have always felt that those days were stolen by me.”
His eyes drooped slightly as his eyelashes fluttered. Xing Zhongwan knew that he was thinking of the past.
Xing Zhongwan took his cold hand and sat across from him. He then put his hand in his pocket to warm it.
“Qi Yun, I told you before that God allowed you to survive. That means you should not wish for death, and instead you should cherish your life.”
Qi Yun raised his head, looked at him blankly, and finally kissed him in the corner of his eye. “I have always been alone, Wanwan. Qi Zongcheng’s knife has long since taken away all my family, my cares and concerns in this world. It is not me who is cruel. Everyone forces me to be cruel.”
Xing Zhongwan understood. He knew it all. It hurt, but what could be done? It was impossible for one to not be dragged down as long as one was in that position.
“I, Qi Yun, am unsure of how much blood I have on my hands. I’m not worthy of you, Wanwan.”
Xing Zhongwan sighed and touched Qi Yun’s cold forehead. He then unscrewed the thermos cup in his hands, “Drink this and keep yourself warm.”
The warmth reached Qi Yun’s eyes and Wanwan in front of him became blurred. He subconsciously grabbed Xing Zhongwan’s hand.
Xing Zhongwan let him hold it and fell on the back of the chair. Although the wind was strong, the warm sunlight made it less cold.
“I’m not as good as you think. When I first took over the corporation, no one accepted me. I was once young, and with this beautiful face… Sometimes it might become a burden. At that time, I had nothing but blood of the Xing family. Even so, I had to live on. I had to let others acknowledge me. At the most difficult time, I had to sleep in the airport to talk to my shareholders. Once, I was also in Country Y for training despite the difficult conditions and war. I was once stuck on the ground, but the Xing Zhongwan now is very beautiful. Outsiders don’t know what he has experienced. Being from the royal family is a shackle with so many people’s eyes staring at you. You can’t do anything wrong because even a little bit will be infinitely magnified. I can’t be easily swayed by others if I make myself stronger. Yes, you can see that everyone likes me. Who doesn’t like Xing Zhongwan who is slick, smooth and never makes mistakes. Do I want to be like this? No. I have to work hard to make others like me. Only then can I get by. By trying my best to become what everyone likes and becoming the perfect Xing Zhongwan forever.”
Xing Zhongwan paused and looked at Qi Yun, “I don’t want to, but I can’t help it. I don’t have a father or mother. With no one to rely on, I have friends like Xue Qing and Laocheng who lived their lives, but they have their own lives. After all, everyone can only rely on themselves. People who have no one to care about will arm themselves and improve themselves. When there is no one to rely on, one will become strong”
He stretched out his hand to hold Qi Yun’s face, “You are fine like this. Fate has not been fair to you, and you still have your own imperfections and weaknesses. You should not compromise.”
There is still half still left unsaid but Xing Zhongwan pressed into the bottom of his heart. I want to love you, Qi Yun. I want to protect your imperfections and weaknesses and let you live a free life. When you look back, I want to still be here. All the pain and injustice in your world. I want to support you through them all.
But he didn’t dare say this. The difficulties between them are far more than the current ones they’re facing. He swears that he won’t dare to say it easily.
“I know you had a hard time.”
Qi Yun dragged Xing Zhongwan into his arms and patted him on the back. Xing Zhongwan didn’t look over his head and took a deep breath, “Okay, let’s not stay in the wind. Let’s go in and prepare for lunch, my nose is freezing up. Get up. “
Qi Yun said ok before letting go of him. He then took his hand into the villa.
Xing Zhongwan walked behind and looked at the hands of the two of them in a rare moment of tranquility.
Xing Zhongwan went to the bathroom and left Qi Yun to boil a pot of water before he came out to blanche the ribs. As he went to the toilet, he put some ointment on the way out before rolling up his sleeves.
Qi Yun only stood in the kitchen in a daze when Xing Zhongwan quickly walked over. He then saw what was going on and slapped his forehead, “Wow. I overestimated you, fairy. You should remain floating in the sky. Let me, a common man, do these trivial matters.”
Qi Yun’s embarrassedly touched his nose. He has been studying very hard, but he didn’t know how to start a fire.
Xing Zhongwan looked back at the panicked grown man behind him and pulled a stool over for him to sit on, “Now, sit down.”
Qi Yun sat down obediently, staring at Xing Zhongwan’s back, “Did you cook for me like this before?”
Xing Zhongwan thought about it very seriously, “The villa you lived in was very crowded and the kitchen is much smaller than this. To be honest, I had just established a firm foothold in the group at that time and was finally able to just raise my eyebrows and be allowed to come back. Thinking about it, I was unlucky enough to be tasked with taking care of you.”
Looking at the bubbling ribs in the pot, Xing Zhongwan suddenly remembered something, “Speaking of which, you used to be much cuter than you are now. You’re not that easy anymore. It’s a pity.”
Qi Yun got up and walked to hug him from behind. Xing Zhongwan was taken aback for a moment before taking a piece of paper towel to dry his hands. He then brushed his hair back, “What’s the matter?”
Qi Yun didn’t speak for a long time, even as Xing Zhongwan turned off the fire.
Qi Yun buried his face in Xing Zhongwan’s neck, “I’m miss it.”
Xing Zhongwan was startled. He understood what Qi Yun meant by missing it. Such a pleasant time seemed illusory.
Resisting the sourness gushing out of his heart, he pushed Qi Yun out and closed the kitchen door. Xing Zhongwan turned on the faucet and looked at the rushing water, with red eyes.
Qi Yun lowered his head, frowned slightly and let out a sigh of relief. The phone on the table rang. Qi Yun walked over to pick it up, unlocked it, and opened it.
The originally warm face sank little by little. After pressing the power button, Qi Yun’s eyes did not move until the screen turned black. He raised his head and glanced at the closed kitchen door before raising his forehead. He took a few steps forward and finally stopped. Looking down at the beige carpet, Qi Yun gritted his teeth, his hands hanging by his side were already tightly clasped and his forehead was flushed red.
The moment the kitchen door opened, Qi Yun released his clenched fists and looked up at Xing Zhongwan who was holding a plate, and laughed.
Qi Yun drank the soup. Although he had always had a cold face, the joy on his face could not deceive anyone. Xing Zhongwan took two more sips, “Is it so delicious? Why do I think it tastes mid?”
Qi Yun smiled, “It tastes like home.”
Xing Zhongwan was taken aback for a moment. He then turned his head abruptly, his face a little red.
After coughing twice in embarrassment, Xing Zhongwan felt that he had to change the subject, “Seriously, you’re always getting injured all your life. Have you had your fortune read? Is there no way to resolve it?”
Qi Yun suddenly remembered that Wanwan believed in these superstitions a lot, “Yes, when I was a child and my grandmother was still alive. They counted my luck using my birthday and said that when I was 30 years old, I would meet a righteous and noble person who could prevent all disasters.”
Xing Zhongwan stared at his bowl. “Really? 30 years old… that’s five years ago, who did you meet?”
Qi Yun smiled but didn’t say a word. When Xing Zhongwan realised, he swore several times.
“Turns out you can tease me too, Qi Yun!”
Qi Yun shook his head quickly, “I’m telling the truth, are you not my righteous and noble person?”
Xing Zhongwan snorted, covering his mouth and looking to the side.
Qi Yun put down the bowl and looked at him quietly. This was the first time in a long time he had seen this side of Wanwan. This was the real Xing Zhongwan. Not the heir to a well-known and wealthy family in country X who was excellent in everything and perfect in everything. Removing the series of labels attached to him, this was just Xing Zhongwan.
Xing Zhongwan turned his head and met Qi Yun gaze, “Are you not going to eat?”
“Eating.” Qi Yun picked up the bowl and ate mouthfuls of rice with a smile.
At this time, Xing Zhongwan’s cell phone rang. He glanced at it before walking to the living room with his cell phone to speak. When he walked away, the smile on Qi Yun’s mouth gradually faded, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
“On the plane tomorrow night, go back with Aisha’s group.”
Xue Qing called and told him it was time to go back.
Xing Zhongwan hummed and asked her if her body could handle the long flight.
Xue Qing said that there was nothing to worry about on her end. There was a doctor accompanying her. The two talked for a long time without getting to the point. In the end, Xue Qing breathed a sigh of relief, “What about you? With Qi Yun?”
Xing Zhongwan hummed. Xue Qing sighed, “If you can’t bear it, then…”
“It’s not a problem that I can’t bear for now, you know?”
Xue Qing stopped talking, how could she not understand.
“I’ll wait for you at the airport tomorrow.” After saying this, Xue Qing hung up.
Xing Zhongwan put down the phone and stared blankly at the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun gradually disappeared and it looked like it was going to rain.
Behind him, a clear and indifferent voice had an unparalleled deepness, “Go back.”
Xing Zhongwan turned around and wrapped his arms around Qi Yun’s back. The obvious outline of his spine made him a little afraid to go back. Putting his head on Qi Yun’s thin shoulder, “Why did you offer up so many lamps and copy so many scriptures, when you obviously don’t believe in those?”
Qi Yun chuckled lightly, brushing Xing Zhongwan’s hair, “I did too many wrong things. I’m afraid of going to hell and being unable to enter reincarnation after death, and that I can’t meet you in the next life.”
Xing Zhongwan’s hand hung on his waist. He tightly grasped the thin body underneath the casual clothes because he was shaking slightly. He hated the Qi Yun who was too honest and opened his heart for him.
Qi Yun grabbed his trembling hand and held it gently, “I didn’t believe it before, but after you left, this has become the meaning of my life; to find you. If there is a next life and I am not Qi Yun, and you are not Xing Zhongwan, if there is no danger lurking at every corner and I don’t have so many scruples. If we were just ordinary people, can we… be together?”
Xing Zhongwan closed his eyes and held Qi Yun’s hand tightly. No one dared to let go.
“Then let’s think of a secret code so that we can recognize each other.”
Xing Zhongwan raised his head and Qi Yun’s eyes flashed with a quiet light. It was deep and never ending.
Xing Zhongwan approached Qi Yun and a light kiss fell on the corner of his mouth.
At the moment of separation, Qi Yun raised his hand to caress Xing Zhongwan’s beautiful eyebrows.
“If I go back to the beginning, I won’t let go of your hand. I will take that dirty little boy home… and hide him away from the world.”
Xing Zhongwan looked at the smile on Qi Yun’s mouth. Although he smiled, Xing Zhongwan knew how painful it was for him to say this. Qi Yun didn’t have many happy events in his life. He was forced to reach the present, and he couldn’t stay out of it. Qi Yun desperately wanted to keep a little bit of his clarity, how could he not understand?
“Qi Yun, promise me, be good. No matter how difficult it is, don’t give up on yourself. I’m not heartless, I’ll be sad and distressed. If you go to the hospital again, I won’t be able to take it anymore. Xing Zhongwan can bear it again, but you can’t be so selfish and keep yourself in danger so the person you like worries again and again.”
Xing Zhongwan’s eyes were red, and he spoke every word one by one because the corners of his mouth were shaking. Qi Yun kissed the red and hot eyes, “My Wanwan, so beautiful.” Xing Zhongwan closed his eyes, “I was praised by someone who was prettier than me. Should I jump up in joy and turn three times?”
There was no joy in his playful tone.
Qi Yun held his face, I promise you, I won’t let myself get involved in another accident. “
Xing Zhongwan’s shoulders loosened, “You must keep your word! “
Shen Congxin looked at the secretary who put down the phone again and felt a little distressed for him. He just came back to work after recovering from a serious injury and has not been stable for a few days, but has already started to live every day in stress.
“Does it still go to voicemail? The secretary wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at him helplessly, “What do you think? “
Shen Congxin spread his hands, “At this time, if you go to the big cousin, you will also be kicked out. Just pick it up at the agreed time, and get your suit ready.” It was rare for the secretary to see Shen Congxin so calm, and he was a little puzzled, “Do you know something?””
Shen Congxin shook his head. It would be great if I could really guess what his big cousin was thinking. He looked at the stack of photos on the table with a complicated expression.
During this period of time, he always felt that Qi Yun had already made a decision. Although he didn’t know what the hell it was, he always felt that this decision would bring earth-shaking changes to the current tense situation.
Just as he was thinking, the phone rang.
Shen Congxin picked it up and greeted the caller.
“What did you say? Big cousin? Are you sure!? Hello! Hey……”
The moment he hung up the phone. Shen Congxin was sluggish, what did he hear just now?
After walking around the office like a headless fly, the secretary stopped him and patted him on the shoulder, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Congxin opened his mouth, but couldn’t make a sound.
Qi Yun, are you serious?
T/N: 4th chapter before happily ever after (?)
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I’m not breathing