Chapter 17
During the day, Qu Di had slept too long, so at this moment, he couldn’t sleep at all. He turned over, found his phone, turned it on, and checked the battery, which was at a pitiful 31%. As soon as he powered it up, he saw 109 missed calls and numerous messages, including hundreds of messages on social media apps that were rarely used.
First, he checked the missed calls. Besides mostly unknown numbers, there were only two familiar ones: Qi Shan and his mother. What surprised him was that his stepfather had also called him several times. He had been staying at the police station and had no idea about what was happening outside or the fact that his stepfather had been suspended due to his actions.
He decided to call his mother first. The call rang for a long time before she picked up, and her voice sounded cautious, “Is that you, Qu Di?”
“Mother.”
As soon as she heard his voice, his mother started complaining with a hint of tearfulness, “How could you do such a thing? Do you want to kill us? There are people staking out our house every day. Mother is too scared to go to school, and your stepfather is suspended for investigation because of your actions… Why don’t you answer your phone when we call? You’re like a jinx. You brought this on us! I shouldn’t have brought you here in the first place! You’re nothing but trouble, causing all this trouble!”
These words hit him like bombs, and then they ignited around him like a fierce fire. He was at a loss and could only say instinctively, “I’m sorry.”
But his mother wasn’t willing to let him off the hook, “Sorry? What good does ‘sorry’ do? I gave you money to live on your own. Wasn’t that enough? I provided for you, and all you do is cause trouble. I just want a normal life.”
So that was it? He was just a burden. The familial warmth he had imagined before was nothing more than his mother’s way of pushing him away. He had foolishly cherished this meager affection as “maternal love.”
His own mother truly had no feelings for him.
He said in a muted voice, “I’m sorry, Mother.”
But his mother still didn’t relent. She cried even harder, “Zhiping wants a divorce! Can you Qu family people just leave me alone? You’ve ruined my life. Your father and you are both vampires, sucking my blood, and your father forced me to marry him. Now you’re ruining my life again! Qu Di, why don’t you just die?”
Qu Di, why don’t you just die?
Qu Di shivered all over, a chilling feeling surging from the depths of his soul. Those painful memories slowly resurfaced. There was a time when someone had whispered in his ear and said, “Qu Di, why don’t you just die?” It was all because he wasn’t the Alpha his father wanted.
Fear invaded his body, and he felt as if the voice in his ear was a demon from hell, ready to tear his tendons, drink his blood, strip his flesh from his bones, and then spit on him, saying, “Garbage.”
“Stop it…”
He threw his phone against the wall, and the screen shattered. Cracks spread out like spiderwebs. Everything fell silent.
Qu Di felt terribly cold, as if he had been thrown into a ditch in the village on a bitterly cold day. Filthy moss clung to his clean old cotton clothes, and the foul-smelling water gradually soaked his pants.
His drunken father held a whip in his hand, lashing him again and again. It didn’t hurt, but his cherished cotton clothes were ruined. He reached out to protect them, and the whip hit his hand, drawing blood. He couldn’t see his father’s face clearly, only the firecrackers in the background were making loud noises.
He wrapped himself tightly in a blanket, hoping to find some warmth inside, but it was still very cold, and he shivered all over, his limbs stiff.
Shu Yi came in with a cup of milk. Seeing him burying his head under the covers, he noticed a seemingly broken phone lying at the foot of the bed, which he had heard earlier.
He walked over and patted him, “Qu Di, are you okay?”
Qu Di didn’t say anything, but Shu Yi felt him trembling, as if someone were shivering in the dead of winter. He frowned, trying to lift the blanket off him, but Qu Di held onto it tightly, refusing to let go.
“Qu Di, you’ll suffocate like this.”
Qu Di’s voice was muffled, “I’m very cold… I’m really, really cold.”
He kept repeating this sentence, and his voice gradually faded, even though he tried to conceal it. Shu Yi could still hear his sobbing, small, like a little dog licking its wounds and occasionally crying out in pain.
Shu Yi sat down, used a bit of force to uncover the blanket, and indeed, he saw Qu Di curled up, shivering. He looked at him, his eyes conveying a sense of helplessness, as if he were a desperate person clutching at the last straw, begging for help. Qu Di was pleading with his eyes, and his tears fell freely, as if they didn’t cost a thing.
Shu Yi reached out and brushed Qu Di’s hair away from his forehead, asking, “What’s wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?”
Qu Di avoided his eyes, pulling the blanket to hide himself again, but Shu Yi wasn’t going to let him have his way. The two of them struggled over the blanket.
Shu Yi assumed he was struggling because of the recent case and tried to comfort him, “Don’t worry, everything will get better.”
But Qu Di suddenly asked, “Shu Yi, should I even be alive?”
“…” Shu Yi didn’t know how to respond to that question for a moment, but he lowered himself and pulled Qu Di into his arms. “No one should or shouldn’t be alive. There’s no ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t,’ only ‘want’ or ‘don’t want.'”
“Why… why doesn’t anyone want me?” Qu Di’s voice sounded helpless and lost. He couldn’t understand why, if no one expected him, he had been brought into this world.
“Qu Di, you’re not living for others; you’re living for yourself.” Shu Yi paused, holding him tighter. “And you still have me…”
Upon hearing these words, Qu Di finally calmed down completely. He leaned against Shu Yi’s chest, and the two of them didn’t say another word. But Qu Di felt comforted, and that bone-chilling feeling gradually faded.
With the calmness came awkwardness. Shu Yi didn’t mind, though. He felt that Qu Di had regained his composure, and he said, half-jokingly, “Are you feeling better now? If you don’t get better soon, my back will break.”
Qu Di quickly moved away from his embrace. His eyes were still a little red, but even more noticeable were his ears, which were blushing so much they looked ready to drip blood. Those heated ears were giving away their owner’s thoughts without mercy.
Shu Yi didn’t put Qu Di on the spot; he didn’t mention what had just happened. He simply reminded him, “Remember to drink your milk,” and left, closing the door behind him.
Qu Di patted his cheeks. His eyes were sore, and his head ached. He took a sip of the warm milk. It was just regular milk, but he could taste a hint of something special in it. What that was, Qu Di dared not think.
The next afternoon, Qu Di received good news from Shu Yi. The police had found the mastermind of the recent case and had enough evidence to arrest him.
“Yang… Yang Ji?” Qu Di looked at the official police announcement in surprise. How was Yang Ji involved?
He flipped through the news. Yang Ji had apparently contacted a drug dealer named Guo the night before and conducted a transaction without meeting in person. Guo had left the goods at a certain location the previous night, Yang Ji had paid online, and then gone to pick up the drugs. Now, there were records of their transactions, along with drug matching reports, which all pointed to Yang Ji as the culprit.
—
Don’t Drink Strawberry Milk: What a twist! The road takes an unexpected turn! Where are all those fans who were jumping around saying this and that? Aren’t you going to face the music?
High Fly Will Kill Me: Shouldn’t some of the “privileged” fans apologize? Now that they’re all quiet? I heard his parents got fired because of this!?
I’m Just Here for the Food: Really? I heard some people sat outside the police station. It’s a stinking fan circle, true to its name.
Wow, the King: Isn’t it funny how they were so enthusiastic before, and now they don’t even say a word? I heard someone sat in front of the police station. A smelly fan circle indeed.
I Apologize: We, fans of Wenguo, hereby apologize to Mr. Qu. This time, it was our mistake, and we caused harm. We will reflect on ourselves and be more reasonable in the future. Please keep an eye on us.
Living in a Seashell: Shu Fei Lei also apologizes for his previous excessive behavior. In the future, he will be more mature in his actions.
Gentle but Explosive: Is this really what humans say? All those marketing accounts are all over the place. They think they’re internet police? Do they still have brains?
Little Rabbit Kid: This thing isn’t his doing. It doesn’t mean all those stories are false.
Just Ignoring You: Are the comments above human words? With a change of leadership at the top, didn’t they almost get sent to the guillotine?
Mickey Mouse 123: You’ve lost your account. [Dab]
Loyal Fans: Go check the water meter.
TRACY: Your account is gone. [Dab]
Eat a Good Meal: It’s a shame to meet you in this way.
How Did You Fail Again: Haven’t you heard there’s been a change in leadership up top? They almost sacrificed him to the gods!
Mi Ershu 123: Your account is gone. [Dab]
Kind Explosive Anger: Your account, please check the water meter.
I apologize on behalf of the Warmth Fans: The Warmth fans sincerely apologize to Mr. Qu. We made a mistake this time, and we caused harm. We will reflect on ourselves and be more rational in the future. Please supervise us.
This entire exchange leaves Qu Di startled. His fans seem to have turned against him, and he can’t help but feel overwhelmed.
“Would you like me to call Siyi to drive you home?”
“No, it’s fine. I can manage on my own. Don’t worry; I’m okay now.” Qu Di smiled and then added, “Thank you for this. I don’t have much to offer you, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to treat you to a meal sometime.”
Shu Yi’s expression suddenly became serious, “Is that your way of offering payment? Well, that might not be enough. After all, I’m a highly priced leading actor. What do you think?”
“You’re right… What do you want, then? I’ll do my best to fulfill your request. How about I write you an IOU… Huh?”
Shu Yi leaned down and stole a kiss, revealing a satisfied smile, “This is your payment. For me, it’s priceless.”
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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