For the current Chen Qianqing, knowing the truth was the most tragic thing.
He had pursued his lover for a decade, the lover he imprisoned for ten years; only after destroying you did you finally found out that he had tried to accept you——Was there anything more tragic than this? No, there never will be.
After the end of their sexual engagement, Chen Qianqing crawled out of bed to take a shower. Marks and bruises covered his body, and a white fluid was still flowing out from between his legs. But compared to the alarm he felt the first time he was violated by Lu Zhengfei, he could now be considered to be fully indifferent to it.
Lu Zhengfei felt that something was very wrong with Chen Qianqing. He watched his back as he walked away, but in the end, he still could not say anything.
Chen Qianqing entered the bathroom and turned the water on.
Mist rose up from the hot water, and fogged up the mirror in front of him; the face that appeared on the mirror was also slowly turning into a blur.
Chen Qianqing reached out to wipe the vapours away from the mirror bit by bit, and stared at his own face in the mirror.
After a moment, he slowly started to rub over that image in the mirror with his fingers, as if he was stroking that pallid face. He said: “Chen Qianqing, I’m sorry.”
No one responded.
He pressed his forehead onto the mirror, and small sobs started to break out from his lips. He thought he was strong now, strong enough to face this strange situation, but when he found out the truth, he had only then realized that he was unable to accept it at all, he could not handle the weight of the truth.
“Qianqing, I’m sorry.” Chen Qianqing closed his eyes. In his trance, he saw him again, that man laying in bed, and watched him with eyes so filled with hate. That person told him, Lu Zhengfei, if I die, wouldn’t that be my best revenge against you?
Chen Qianqing’s death was not the best revenge against Lu Zhengfei, his best revenge was to see Lu Zhengfei become Chen Qianqing, so that Lu Zhengfei could see with his own eyes how he had destroyed Chen Qianqing with his own hands.
Chen Qianqing squatted down on the floor and buried his face between his arms as hot water splashed down the top of his head, but it made him feel even colder instead.
Knock knock, a noise sounded at the bathroom door. Lu Zhengfei’s voice could be heard coming from outside: “Qianqing, are you okay?”
Only then did Chen Qianqing come back to his senses, only then did he realize that the water in the heater had long gone cold.
“I’m fine.” Chen Qianqing’s voice was a little hoarse. He reignited the heater and said: “I’ll be out soon.”
Lu Zhengfei did not ask any other questions.
Chen Qianqing washed away the marks on his body in a hurry, wrapped a towel around himself, and left the bathroom. He looked at Lu Zhengfei and said: “You should go shower, mom is coming home soon.”
Lu Zhengfei thought that Chen Qianqing would throw a tantrum, but he never would have thought that he would actually be this calm.
Lu Zhengfei agreed, and headed into the bathroom.
Chen Qianqing sat down on a chair, bearing the pain of his aching waist and back. He had the urge to smoke again, and after suppressing that urge for a while, he could endure it no longer, and still took out a cigarette from Lu Zhengfei’s pocket before bringing it up to his nose to sniff on to his satisfaction.
After ten minutes, Lu Zhengfei had finished his quick shower, and was walking out while he wiped his dripping hair dry.
Chen Qianqing did not even raise his head: “Go wash the bed sheets, don’t let my mom see it.”
Lu Zhengfei: “…” Sometimes, it felt very sad to face such a cold lover.
Chen Qianqing raised a brow: “What? You want me to wash it?”
Without saying anything in response, Lu Zhengfei pulled off the bed sheets and headed back into the bathroom.
Chen Qianqing knew that even if it was him, the chances of him escaping Lu Zhengfei’s grasp was very small. First of all, this was an unequal contest; Chen Qianqing was an ordinary person, while Lu Zhengfei had a lot of resources he could use. Secondly, if he failed to escape, then he would have to pay a huge price if he was caught. He knew that Lu Zhengfei could tolerate anything, but the only thing he could not was… for Chen Qianqing to leave him. Finally, if he did not end up with Lu Zhengfei, how could this be considered a form of torture? This was all what he deserved.
Chen Qianqing chuffed. He threw the cigarette into the bin and turned on his laptop.
Those who bullied Chen Qianqing in his past lifetime were too many, it didn’t matter whether it was Liu Jingyang who had already dropped out from school, or Lu Zhengfei’s sister, Lu Yiqin, they could all hurt Chen Qianqing very easily; but it was different now. Chen Qianqing could guarantee that if anyone dared to raise a hand against him again, he would definitely grant them a terrible death.
After watching off the marks from the bed sheets with much difficulty, Lu Zhengfei came out to see Chen Qianqing nestled in his chair and playing mahjong. He spoke up quietly: “Qianqing, where’s the washing machine?”
Without turning his head, Chen Qianqing responded: “Check the balcony.” Actually, even he did not know where it was, he was just making a casual suggestion.
After checking, Lu Zhengfei returned: “It’s not on the balcony…”
Chen Qianqing: “Check the kitchen.”
After heading there, Lu Zhengfei returned again: “It’s not there either…”
Chen Qianqing: “Oh, then it should be in the toilet.”
Lu Zhengfei: “…”
Fortunately, the washing machine was indeed in the toilet. Lu Zhengfei put the bed sheets that he had hand washed into the washing machine for another spin. Just when he was prepared to bring it out to dry, he heard Chen Qianqing say: “You should wash your clothes as well.”
Lu Zhengfei: “…Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Chen Qianqing turned around to shoot a look at him, and his eyes were filled with contempt: “If you’re not going to wash it yourself, are you expecting my mom to wash it for you?”
Lu Zhengfei: “…” Forget it, don’t say anything, just wash your clothes like a good boy.
But this time, Lu Zhengfei had really wisened up; he took Chen Qianqing’s clothes and washed them together as well. But halfway through washing them, Chen Qianqing’s mother, Liu Huamei, returned.
As soon as she entered the toilet, the first thing Liu Huamei saw was Lu Zhengfei who was putting his back into washing the clothes. She spoke in surprise: “Xiao Lu, why are you washing the clothes? Just leave them I can just wash yours together with the rest tomorrow.”
Lu Zhengfei put on an ingenuous smile: “Don’t worry auntie, it’s no trouble to wash them.”
Liu Huamei turned and headed towards the bedroom. Facing Chen Qianqing who was still playing mahjong, she said: “Goodness, my child, how could you let a guest wash the clothes?”
Chen Qianqing did not even raise his head: “I asked him to use the washing machine, I didn’t know he was going to wash them by hand”——Actually, he could already guess that Lu Zhengfei was definitely washing them by hand when he had not returned to the room in such a long time. Some of Lu Zhengfei’s clothes could not be washed by machine, and it was his maids who usually washed them, but he could only rely on himself here. But this was definitely not the main reason why Lu Zhengfei chose not to use the washing machine. Chen Qianqing looked at the red-faced Liu Huamei, and instantly, he knew that that bastard Lu Zhengfei was thinking of doing.
Liu Huamei spoke in an angry tone: “But you still can’t just sit here and play games.”
Chen Qianqing played the pity card: “Mom, my leg still hurts, I can’t stand for too long.”
As soon as he mentioned his leg, Liu Huamei didn’t give him any more problems. She sighed: “Tell Xiao Lu not to wash them next time, I can just wash them all together tomorrow. Sigh, he’s helped you so much, how could we trouble him even more?”
Chen Qianqing could not be bothered to say anything, and continued to play his games.
Liu Huamei reached out to pat Chen Qianqing’s head softly, then she turned to leave.
Chen Qianqing sighed again, and following that, he shut down the mahjong interface and opened up a movie to watch.
After washing all the clothes, Lu Zhengfei set them out to dry. Just then, Chen Qianqing was halfway through his movie.
“Qianqing.” Lu Zhengfei entered and brought in a plate of fresh hawthorns that Liu Huamei had just bought: “Your mom bought fruits.”
Chen Qianqing shot a look at the hawthorns, and showed no interest: “You eat them.”
Lu Zhengfei: “Weren’s hawthorns your favourite in the past? Why don’t you take some?”
Chen Qianqing responded lazily: “My butt hurts.”
Lu Zhengfei: “…Alright then.”
And so, Chen Qianqing continued with his movie while Lu Zhengfei sat on the edge of the bed, munching on the hawthorns; there was a strange sense of harmony between the two.
After munching on the hawthorns for a while, Lu Zhengfei suddenly spoke: “Qianqing, come home with me for the Spring Festival this year.”
Chen Qianqing suddenly paused in his movements. He turned his head towards Lu Zhengfei and stared at him: “Are you sure?”
Lu Zhengfei spat out the hawthorn seed and looked at Chen Qianqing: “Are you not willing?”
Chen Qianqing laughed: “Sure.”——Would he not know what happened after Lu Zhengfei came out the closet? Lu Zhengfei’s legs were nearly broken by his father and he was shut inside his house for half a year. Then, he was monitored strictly by both his parents until Chen Qianqing was nearing his graduation; only then did Lu Zhengfei succeed in counterattacking, and regained his chances of continuing his scourge against Chen Qianqing.
Well, on the thought that he would not have to see Lu Zhengfei for almost three whole years, Chen Qianqing’s mood suddenly cleared up.
Lu Zhengfei had originally thought that with Chen Qianqing’s character, he would definitely reject him strictly, but he never would have thought that he would actually agree to it this easily, and even smiled so wonderfully.
Inexplicably, Lu Zhengfei could feel a chill on his spine. He said: “Qianqing, do you really agree do it?”
Chen Qianqing nodded in a nonchalant manner: “Why not?”It’s not like he’s the one coming out the closet, Lu Zhengfei can do anything he wants as long as he doesn’t have to get involved in it.
Lu Zhengfei: “…Qianqing, are you really willing to go back with me?”
Chen Qianqing looked at Lu Zhengfei with eyes filled with disdain: “Lu Zhengfei, do you really have to act like this?”
Lu Zhengfei stared at Chen Qianqing in confusion.
Chen Qianqing spoke to him seriously: “As long as you don’t reveal our relationship to my family, whatever you do is none of my business, got it?”
Stiffly, Lu Zhengfei nodded like a good boy.
Seeing Lu Zhengfei act like this, Chen Qianqing was satisfied. While he was at it, he hit the space bar on his laptop, and continued his movie.
Lu Zhengfei had thought that his proposal would definitely be met with strong opposition from Chen Qianqing, but he did not expect that he would actually agree with such ease. But not only that, Chen Qianqing even seemed rather happy to accept it.
Lu Zhengfei was not dumb enough to think that Chen Qianqing was happy because their relationship would finally be made known. He looked at Chen Qianqing who was currently watching movies with great joy, and suddenly felt that he probably had to make some careful considerations about actually bringing Chen Qianqing back home…