Prev | Table of Contents | Next
Chapter 90: It was a whim.
Half an hour later, Huo Niansheng climbed up to the attic. He came to call Chen Wengang, “What phone call hasn’t finished yet?”
Chen Wengang said, “Wait a moment.”
Jiang Cai was alert: “Who else is there?”
She chattered away, pulling Chen Wengang for a long time. Before going abroad, she didn’t necessarily regard him highly, but now it’s different. After going through hardships, she finally had someone she could communicate with in her mother tongue whom she could trust. Suddenly, she found him as precious as a giant panda.
Jiang Cai’s mind was in chaos, and her speech was disjointed. Chen Wengang couldn’t get a word in edgewise, just listening to her vent.
It wasn’t until Huo Niansheng’s face appeared on the other side that she awkwardly stopped, saying, “That’s it, I won’t talk anymore, hanging up.”
Huo Niansheng sneered.
Chen Wengang grabbed his hand and followed behind him, walking downstairs step by step.
Yu Shanding sent a set of tea sets as a congratulatory gift, unpacked them, boiled water, and brewed his own high-end tea leaves.
The television was on, blaring loudly. Lu Chenlong was watching cartoons with his younger brother, pointing at the screen to show him. Yu Shanding handed him a teacup and invited others to taste it. Zheng Baoqiu and Qi Tongzhou were playing chess downstairs, and Qi Tongzhou also received a cup from Yu Shanding. But he couldn’t tell if it was good or bad. He was used to drinking coffee and just felt it was okay—quite fragrant.
Zheng Baoqiu also showed no interest in tea, propping her chin and waving her hand to decline.
With so many people crowded in the room, it felt a bit cramped, and turning around wasn’t easy, but it was lively. That’s why a housewarming needed many people; the more people there were, the more lively the atmosphere became. Only with a full house could the cold old building come alive, providing shelter for those living inside from the wind and rain.
Excitedly, Zheng Baoqiu called out to Chen Wengang, “Come on, I’m about to win! Next round, let’s play with three players.”
Without a word, Chen Wengang was dragged into the game.
Huo Niansheng also took a teacup, sipping slowly, and sat behind him to observe, with one hand always on his waist.
Only Qi Tongzhou was restless. He couldn’t help but sneak glances at that hand and the waist it rested on, becoming increasingly flustered after a few looks.
The colorful glass marbles rolled into a blur before his eyes, mirroring the chaotic state of his mind like a chessboard.
Qi Tongzhou couldn’t help but speculate, what leverage did this person have over Chen Wengang? Was it really leverage?
If others didn’t accept him, he could let it go. But could he let Huo Niansheng off so easily?
This was not right; it was morally wrong!
Amid his turmoil, Qi Tongzhou accepted Xiao Bao’s gesture of goodwill. He stumbled over and offered what he held in his hand.
Qi Tongzhou reached out to take it, and Xiao Bao handed him a crab leg that had already been eaten.
Behind the scenes, Zheng Baoqiu seized an opportunity to tell Chen Wengang, “I know where Mu Qing’s new place is.”
“How do you know? Did you ask him?”
“No. It’s just that when he was moving his stuff, Uncle Lin brought someone to help pack, and I took a peek.”
Chen Wengang wasn’t surprised that he couldn’t handle these things himself. It wasn’t uncommon for a wealthy young man to be so inept that it was almost shocking. He knew many people like that, growing up in large mansions with servants around. They had never experienced communal living. Even if they went to boarding school, they didn’t have to wash their own socks or make their own beds; the school had people to do that for them.
Chen Wengang still remembered that when he first transferred to Zheng Yucheng’s School in elementary school, some classmates didn’t know how to eat boiled eggs—they had only seen soft-boiled eggs at home, so discovering they needed to crack and peel them themselves posed quite a challenge to their understanding.
Zheng Baoqiu mentioned Mu Qing, “He seems to be enjoying himself. He rented a hotel-style apartment and seems to be living pretty comfortably.”
She added, “But it’s definitely not as good as here. He’s all alone now; who would bother with him?”
Chen Wengang smiled, “What’s so good about here?”
Zheng Baoqiu teased him, “I can see it clearly. Wherever you go, Cousin follows. What else are you dissatisfied with?”
By evening, after dinner, each guest who had come to visit began to bid farewell. Before leaving, everyone helped tidy up the trash. Chen Wengang carried a black garbage bag filled with golden crab shells. Yu Shanding reached out to him, saying, “Give it to me. We’ll pass by the garbage station on our way and toss it.”
As people left and the tea cooled, the house finally quieted down. As the evening lights came on, nearby households were still having dinner, with the sound of dishes clattering as they were cooked.
Chen Wengang linked arms with Huo Niansheng, and the two went for a walk, like an ordinary couple, along the cobblestone path to the riverbank. This area was all familiar to him.
White houses lined up along the water’s edge, some tall, some short, creating a varied and uneven skyline. Most households had plants and flowers tended to, their branches and leaves reaching out from window grilles. Some homes had back doors facing the riverbank. Chen Wengang pointed out to Huo Niansheng that many years ago, some families used to wash clothes in the river, using wooden washboards to scrub them smooth, while housewives would tread on them barefoot in wooden tubs.
Huo Niansheng lowered his head and kissed him softly, a cool and gentle touch on his lips, like a transparent raindrop in the river breeze.
As they walked back, almost home, it actually started to rain. Chen Wengang grabbed Huo Niansheng’s hand and ran a few steps.
They were lucky; as soon as they closed the door, the rain poured down heavily, accompanied by a chilly chill—a cold autumn rain.
Chen Wengang fumbled in the dark for the switch, while Huo Niansheng leisurely followed behind him, holding his coat.
Soft light filled the room, and as he turned around, he collided with a pair of deep eyes.
Chen Wengang’s heart skipped a beat. He thought, you can avoid something once, but not twice.
Huo Niansheng motioned for him to sit on the sofa, taking out the jewelry box from his coat pocket again. They still hadn’t discussed what happened in the afternoon.
What was originally a surprise turned into a shock. In reality, it was Huo Niansheng’s fault from the beginning—what right did he have to take someone else’s things without permission? Yet, Chen Wengang’s reaction made it seem like he was the guilty one.
He once again wore that hesitant and guarded expression in front of Huo Niansheng, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
Huo Niansheng hoped that what he wanted to confess wasn’t just about the two rings, but all the secrets hidden in his heart. He knew there must be some.
The fragmented memories were like a jigsaw puzzle; he found a few pieces, but most were scattered on the ground in pieces. He didn’t know how much Chen Wengang had grasped, but looking at his expression, he softened. He wasn’t determined to force Chen Wengang to say anything; he could do as he pleased.
Huo Niansheng patted his back. “Are they really not for me? I thought these were for a proposal.”
Chen Wengang didn’t want to deceive him. “It was a whim. I hadn’t thought about whether you would accept it or not.”
Huo Niansheng asked, “So what now? You’ve brought them; aren’t you going to put them on me?”
Chen Wengang took the box, and inside lay two silver rings, exquisitely crafted, just the style he wanted.
In fact, this design was somewhat similar to the one Huo Niansheng had brought from his previous life, which might have been the reason it had captivated him at first glance. But whether it truly resembled it or not, specifically what those two rings looked like, he had no way to compare anymore; only vague and blurred impressions remained.
It wasn’t like he didn’t regret it, or even feel remorseful. He had once worn it with his own hands—less than a minute in total.
The more Huo Niansheng wanted to put the ring on him, the more Chen Wengang hurriedly took it off and tossed it back, as if holding onto it for even a moment longer would burn his hand.
Now that Chen Wengang himself was preparing the ring, he finally understood a bit of empathy. He didn’t dare to look back at how hurtful his actions had been. If Huo Niansheng had retaliated immediately by throwing the ring back at him, it might have been somewhat comforting.
He grasped Huo Niansheng’s hand and slowly slid the ring onto his finger, his breath uneven and his heart trembling. But Huo Niansheng was oblivious and not so eager.
Chen Wengang lowered his eyes, watching as Huo Niansheng placed the other ring on his ring finger.
Indeed, fate had given him a second chance, but he didn’t feel particularly relieved. It was just luck.
Chen Wengang forced a smile, straddling Huo Niansheng’s legs, burying his face in his neck, and eagerly kissing his throat and neck. Huo Niansheng was confused. He found his lips and kissed him passionately. They entered the bedroom, and Huo Niansheng pushed him onto the bed.
The bedding was dry and soft, carrying the scent of sunlight.
Outside the window, the rain poured down.
……
Men tend to talk nonsense after intimacy. Suddenly, Huo Niansheng said, “Since we’ve both put on the rings, what’s the next step, marriage?”
Chen Wengang stared at him wide-eyed, looking confused and blank, not yet fully grasping the meaning behind his words.
Huo Niansheng rolled over, playing with his fingers, pinching the ring on his finger, and asked again, “Do you want to get married?”
Chen Wengang finally understood, feeling inexplicably dazed, and asked in a daze, “How do we get married?”
Huo Niansheng, seized by a sudden impulse, enthusiastically talked about it, “We could go to Las Vegas or somewhere else. There must be places where we can hold ceremonies. Whether it’s recognized domestically or not, it’s still a commitment. What do you think?”
Chen Wengang felt like he was joking. But this joke seemed too serious, and he didn’t dare to answer for a moment.
Huo Niansheng leaned his forehead against his, “Well, do you want to find someone else then? I thought that when ordinary people get to this point, they tie themselves down. You see, everyone thinks I won’t get married, but I think trying out marriage wouldn’t hurt.”
Chen Wengang smiled faintly, tightening his arms around his neck. “Okay, but ordinary people don’t tie themselves down.”
Huo Niansheng joked with Li Hongqiong that marriage was like tying a rope around your neck, and now he had walked into the trap himself. “I’ll explain it to you later.”
Chen Wengang still gazed at him gently and dreamily, lying on the pillow, his face illuminated by the light of the table lamp, shy and tender.
Huo Niansheng thought of a saying—all empty talk, all catching wind.
In his chest surged a restless longing for something unattainable. He was catching the wind, and so was Chen Wengang, because humans are inherently confused creatures, never quite knowing what they want. But in order to hold onto something, they relentlessly chase after it.
The rain continued to fall, its sound lulling them to sleep.
Chen Wengang’s eyelids gradually grew heavy.
The next day, as he opened his eyes and everything came back to him, he lay still for a moment, extending his hand in front of him.
The sky was still dark, and the ring was still there. He wondered if everything else was just a fleeting dream.
Huo Niansheng was awakened by his movements. He rolled over lazily and pulled him back into his arms. “Why are you up so early?”
Chen Wengang mumbled a response and turned his head to ask him, “Do you remember what you said yesterday?”
“What? Oh. Of course, I remember.” Huo Niansheng’s consciousness became clearer. “Are you having second thoughts?”
“No.” Chen Wengang propped himself up halfway, tenderly kissing his eyelids. “I love you.”
***
Amanda brought Jiang Cai back to the country a week later, and Chen Wengang personally drove to the airport to pick them up.
After receiving Jiang Cai’s call that day, Chen Wengang mentioned to Huo Niansheng, “You’re her brother. What do you think?”
Huo Niansheng still maintained a detached attitude. “Life, aging, sickness, and death, each to their own fate. Let her mourn.”
Jiang Cai seemed to have lost a bit of weight, but it wasn’t very noticeable. With her pointed chin and a face not much bigger than a palm, it seemed like there were only two eyes left on her face.
Chen Wengang took her suitcase and teased, “Did you not get enough to eat abroad?”
Jiang Cai complained about being exhausted but finally understood a bit about social etiquette. Suddenly remembering something, she proudly mentioned that she brought durian candy, coconut candy, and other local specialties, with a portion for Chen Wengang in her suitcase.
She was completely inept at social niceties; her pleasantries felt forced, and Chen Wengang wondered who had taught her.
Back in the city center by 8 p.m., the three of them decided to grab something to eat at a hotpot restaurant.
Jiang Cai had calmed down emotionally and even felt a bit embarrassed about her behavior that day.
She shrugged it off, saying, “It’s actually fine. At least I got to see her one last time. In the end, I was the one taking care of her in the hospital. Luo-jie let me and my mom have a heart-to-heart conversation. We said everything we needed to say, the good and the bad. I have no regrets.”
Chen Wengang glanced at the menu. “In this lifetime, there are only a few people close to us, especially our parents. We should cherish them.”
Jiang Cai replied with a simple “Oh” and placed her hands on the table.
Chen Wengang asked, “What are your plans now?”
Jiang Cai let out another “Ah,” this time with a rising intonation, and looked back at him blankly.
Chen Wengang could tell she had no clue. “You need to understand that you’re on your own now. Your mother is gone, and it’s up to you to plan for yourself. How you’ll live from now on, and how Huo Zhenfei will arrange things for you, you need to discuss all of that with him.”
Jiang Cai felt a strong resistance to the idea. “Why should I listen to him? At the very least, once I come of age, he can’t control me anymore, right?”
Chen Wengang regretfully informed her, “If he wants to control you, he’ll find a way. Trust me, you can feel it yourself. Your current situation is like being in a sandwich. The Huo family may have accepted you, but there aren’t many people who genuinely care about you. Once you’re in, you won’t have freedom anymore. That’s for sure.”
He poured her a cup of tea. “Did your mom explain this to you as well?”
Jiang Cai looked embarrassed.
In her final days, Jiang Wanxia did indeed constantly remind her of these things, holding her hand and urging her to please Chen Wengang to improve their relationship. Being a woman who hadn’t been treated kindly by life, she was very aware of who she could use to her advantage.
But Jiang Cai didn’t see it that way—her recent experiences made her think about things differently. Chen Wengang was undeniably a good person, and if she wanted to improve her relationship with him, it would come from genuine feelings. She wasn’t trying to please anyone or seeking sympathy.
Prev | Table of Contents | Next
For every Ko-fi received for a perticular novel, I will release a new chapter!
