Ruan Wenhong had a bad feeling. Once Chen Qianqing had finished saying those words, he turned around, left and started looking for Lu Zhengfei, who was still at the pool.
Only after two minutes did Ruan Wenhong react, hurriedly following Chen Qianqing. He rushed up and shouted at his back, “Chen Qianqing, don’t be impulsive!”
Chen Qianqing didn’t say a word, completely ignoring Ruan Wenhong.
When Lu Zhengfei saw Chen Qianqing, he was in the middle of talking business with Jin Huanyu. He and Jin Huanyu understood each other well: they weren't interested in each other, at most being friends and transaction partners.
(1.)
However, even though Lu Zhengfei didn’t have any ghosts in his heart(1.), he still panicked. He crawled out of the swimming pool and faced Chen Qianqing. “Qianqing, why are you here?”
Chen Qianqing didn’t answer, but after a minute, when he saw Ruan Wenhong behind him, Lu Zhengfei got the picture.
Lu Zhengfei, “Ruan Wenhong, how can you treat me like this? Didn’t I tell you not to bother him?!”
Truth be told, when Lu Zhengfei saw Ruan Wenhong he truly got mad. He even felt the impulse to punch his cousin.
Ruan Wenhong couldn't justify himself; he could only look in Chen Qianqing’s direction and frown.
Chen Qianqing’s expression was blank, like usual. It was as if the person who lost control of his emotions just before wasn’t him, but someone else.
Lu Zhengfei faced Chen Qianqing. “Qianqing, let me explain. Ms. Jin is a business partner…”
Halfway through his sentence, Jin Huanyu - who was previously swimming - got out of the pool, wrapped herself around his arm and asked in a coquettish tone, “Zhengfei, who’s this?”
Lu Zhengfei, “...”
(2.)
Jin Huanyu laughed. “What happened to you guys? Why do you look so pale? Mr.(2.) Chen, what business do you have with Zhengfei?”
Although Lu Zhengfei immediately shook off Jin Huanyu’s hands, it was as if she was feigning ignorance; she continued to speak, “Zhengfei, you’re not planning on breaking our promise(3.),
(3.)
right? Didn't you say that after our swim you’d come with me to pick out a wedding dress?”
A fire was raging inside Lu Zhengfei’s heart. He fiercely glared at Jin Huanyu. “Don’t make me raise a hand against a woman.”
Jin Huanyu shivered under Lu Zhengfei’s glare and reacted very quickly. She and Ruan Wenhong shared a look, then she whispered, “Sorry.” After speaking, she turned and left.
Lu Zhengfei, “Qianqing, listen to me, there’s nothing between us. We just came here today to talk business!! Ruan Wenhong, you better explain this clearly!!”
Ruan Wenhong wasn’t afraid when Lu Zhengfei called his name and merely laughed. “Explain what? Explain why you’re here?”
Lu Zhengfei, “Don’t you dare tell me that you didn’t take advantage of your connections with Jin Huanyu!”
Ruan Wenhong, “Of course I have connections with Jin Huanyu, I really like that sister-in-law.” – he did not hold back at all when pouring oil on the flames.
Lu Zhengfei nearly punched Ruan Wenhong’s face. He took in deep breaths, then forced himself to calm down. He faced the deathly pale and silent Chen Qianqing and said, “Qianqing, believe me. There’s really nothing going on between me and her.”
Chen Qianqing looked indifferently at Lu Zhengfei. He felt like he was merely witnessing a joke play out. In this world, how many people believed that Lu Zhengfei truly loved Chen Qianqing? Besides himself, there seemed to be none. If other people couldn’t see Lu Zhengfei’s love, then it was even more unlikely for the real Chen Qianqing to have seen it.
Chen Qianqing stood unmovingly for a while. “Stop making a fuss here.”
After speaking, he walked towards the dressing room. It appeared that he wanted to sort things out with Lu Zhengfei.
Lu Zhengfei looked at Chen Qianqing’s back, then furiously shook his fist at Ruan Wenhong. “You better hope he believes my words.”
Ruan Wenhong spread out his arms and shrugged his shoulders. “Wish you luck.”
Lu Zhengfei threw his swimming goggles to the ground and left without turning back.
Chen Qianqing was sitting on a chair inside the dressing room, expressionlessly looking at Lu Zhengfei.
Lu Zhengfei’s upper half was naked and water was still dripping off him. He said softly to Chen Qianqing, “Qianqing, I really don’t like that girl…please believe me.”
Chen Qianqing ignored his words, giving the person in front of him a blank and strange look. The Lu Zhengfei in front of him was young, talented, rich, and appeared as if everything would go smoothly for him.
But here Chen Qianqing hit a snag.
Lu Zhengfei felt that the look Chen Qianqing was giving him was scathing. “Qianqing, don’t look at me like that…believe me, alright?”
Chen Qianqing, “Come here.”
Lu Zhengfei cautiously took two steps forward. He felt that the Chen Qianqing right now was a bit fearsome - an adjective he had never felt could pertain to Chen Qianqing before.
Chen Qianqing saw Lu Zhengfei hesitate and frowned. “Come closer.”
Lu Zhengfei took two more steps forward, finally facing the seated Chen Qianqing.
Chen Qianqing said nothing, merely crooking his finger and beckoning him over.
Lu Zhengfei looked at Chen Qianqing. After being caught in the act, he felt indescribably guilty. He said, “Qianqing, don’t be angry anymore. The only one I really love is you.”
As he said this, he bent forward.
Chen Qianqing grabbed Lu Zhengfei’s hair. Lu Zhengfei endured the pain and frowned. “Qianqing?”
Chen Qianqing didn’t let go. He purposefully grabbed at Lu Zhengfei until it hurt. Lu Zhengfei’s hair was short and very wet; it was like clumps of damp waterweed in between Chen Qianqing’s fingers.
Before Lu Zhengfei could react, Chen Qianqing pulled on his hair, forcing him to face the mirror.
In front of the dressing room mirror there were two young men.
With equally handsome facial features, one was full of life, while the other’s complexion was like that of an ugly sea monster crawling out of the water.
Chen Qianqing’s right hand was holding Lu Zhengfei’s hair, while his left was caressing his own reflection.
If at that moment Lu Zhengfei had still thought Chen Qianqing to be normal, it would have been strange.
Actually, it would have been really easy to break free from him; but seeing Chen Qianqing’s expression and his glare, he felt a little scared. Scared that after breaking free, some things would get out of his control.
Both of them fell into a strange silence. When Lu Zhengfei decided to ask what exactly was going on, Chen Qianqing spat out coldly, “Lu Zhengfei, no one wants your love.”
The next instant, Lu Zhengfei’s head was smashed against the mirror. Lu Zhengfei had just finished swimming and wasn’t wearing shoes: his soles were still wet and he was unable to resist. With just one push, he directly hit the mirror. The mirror that was inset in the wall was smashed into pieces and crashed to the ground.
Lu Zhengfei screamed. He never thought that Chen Qianqing would be this daring!
Lu Zhengfei’s head was badly bruised, so much that he felt dizzy. Ruan Wenhong, who had been listening outside, started knocking on the door to the dressing room.
After being injured like this by Chen Qianqing, even Buddha would feel a little angry. After Lu Zhengfei slowly collected himself, he was ready to fly into a rage; but when he focused on what was going on in front of him, none of the words he planned to say came out.
Chen Qianqing, who smashed his head against the mirror, was silently squatting on the floor, moving around the broken fragments with shaky hands — he wanted to put the mirror back together again.
Lu Zhengfei let out a muffled groan as he touched the part of his forehead that was wounded. “Chen Qianqing, what the hell are you doing?”
Chen Qianqing ignored Lu Zhengfei. He was like a small kid who had done something wrong. He pursed his lips; with a panicked and flustered look, he pieced together the mirror shards. That scene made a chill go down Lu Zhengfei’s spine.
Lu Zhengfei grabbed Chen Qianqing. “Chen Qianqing, what the hell are you doing!?”
Chen Qianqing suddenly shook off Lu Zhengfei’s hand and squeezed out a few words, “Qianqing…broken.”
Lu Zhengfei remained silent. He had just noticed that Chen Qianqing’s hands had been slit by the shards in several places and were now dripping bright red blood.
If earlier on Lu Zhengfei was angry, now he was just worried.
Lu Zhengfei hugged Chen Qianqing from behind and said in a low voice, “Qianqing, I’m sorry, please don’t be like this anymore.”
Chen Qianqing ignored him and just thought of wiggling out of his embrace.
Lu Zhengfei had a terrible headache. He knew that he himself couldn’t control Chen Qianqing; he could only stagger towards the door, open it and have Ruan Wenhong help him.
At first, Ruan Wenhong thought that at most Lu Zhengfei and Chen Qianqing would be arguing. He didn’t expect it to be this bloody. The moment he saw Lu Zhengfei’s face, he even thought Chen Qianqing had grabbed a knife and stabbed Lu Zhengfei.
Lu Zhengfei, “What are you looking at? Hurry up and help!”
Ruan Wenhong, “You guys love each other too much.”
Lu Zhengfei glared at him and said hatefully, “It’s your fucking fault.”
Ruan Wenhong laughed awkwardly but didn’t refute it. How could he have predicted that Chen Qianqing, who appeared to be so polite, would act so drastically?
They both entered the room and pulled Chen Qianqing up from the floor. Lu Zhengfei saw that Chen Qianqing was still fiercely struggling, so he tied him up with clothes; then he used a towel to stop Chen Qianqing’s hands from bleeding.
Ruan Wenhong, “You’re going to become stupid soon; yet you’re not treating yourself first, but instead your little sweetheart?”
Lu Zhengfei didn’t even raise his head. “What would you know of love?”
The moment he saw the wounds on Chen Qianqing’s hands, he became incredibly worried. He was so scared of the repercussions that, for a moment, the wound on his head stopped hurting. Only once Ruan Wenhong pointed it out, did he start feeling dizzy again.
Ruan Wenhong, “True; even if I fell in love, it wouldn’t be this difficult.”
(4.)
Lu Zhengfei, “I, your father(4.), would rather be with an animal than fall in love with you. Speak less nonsense, go call the doctor.”
Ruan Wenhong shrugged his shoulders and fished out his phone, dialed a number and roughly explained the events.
Lu Zhengfei embraced Chen Qianqing and said reassuringly, “Qianqing, don’t worry, the doctor is coming.”
Chen Qianqing didn’t say anything, he just stared at the mirror shards with dead eyes.
He vaguely glimpsed a gentle smile as it appeared on the face of the Chen Qianqing in the mirror.
Footnotes:
‘Have any ghosts in his heart’ - feel guilty
‘Mr.’ - 小哥 ‘xiao ge’ is like xiansheng, but less respectful; it’s usually used when referring to someone of a similar age. It is also the male variant of 小姐 ‘xiao jie’ (translated here as Ms. when referring to Jin Huanyu)
‘Breaking our promise’ - this is an idiom, literally translated it would be ‘releasing the pigeons’
‘I, your father’ - 老子 ‘laozi’ is usually used out of anger, contempt, or arrogance. It's essentially a more arrogant way to say ‘I’