The long, quiet corridor was somewhat dim, and Zhou Xundu’s words received no response.
The youth standing in his pajamas possessed cold, fierce eyes, his countenance so calm that it remained entirely devoid of waves. He resembled a lake surface covered in a thick layer of ice; even if objects crashed onto it, no cracks would appear.
He was so serene that he lacked any trace of emotion, which was altogether unlike how a normal person should exist.
Or rather, he completely viewed the Zhou Xundu before him as a dead object, showing absolute unconcern for his words.
If a person could remain calm to a certain degree, they were either putting on a front or they were an absolute madman.
Xu Wangzhi made it impossible for anyone to decipher which side he belonged to; perhaps he existed somewhere between the two.
Zhou Xundu’s gaze involuntarily shifted from initial surprise to a deep, calculating intrigue.
To be ignored like this would surely cause someone like Han Tian to turn irritable and impulsive, but he would not. He merely let out a low laugh, speaking a phrase of seeming praise: “You are highly interesting.”
Xu Wangzhi paid him no heed, slowly rolling up his sleeves. His face was cold and detached, his aura elegant and refined, and every single movement appeared as aesthetically pleasing as a figure in a painting.
Exposing his cold, pale wrists, Xu Wangzhi finally fixed his gaze upon Zhou Xundu, speaking in a flat tone devoid of any rise or fall: “Will you leave on your own, or shall I ‘request’ your departure?”
Zhou Xundu clutched his forehead and lost his smile. His voice remained thoroughly tender, yet it carried a subtle trace of contempt, giving off an illusion that the disdain in his voice was merely a figment of one’s imagination.
“Classmate, I am not such a brutish person. I only came here because I want to take Ningning away, so please do not cause unnecessary trouble. You do not possess the qualification to prevent it, nor do you possess the qualification to refuse.”
“You are merely an ordinary classmate, so why must you insist on placing yourself in an improper position?” As he spoke, he loosened his tie, his features low and gentle, yet filled entirely with warning.
Xu Wangzhi countered with a question instead of answering: “In what capacity are you taking him away?”
“A friend, an older brother, or perhaps a future boyfriend, you can view it as whichever you like. No matter what is said today, he is leaving with me.” A soft arc curled the corners of Zhou Xundu’s lips. “Do you understand?”
The air seemed to turn cramped and suffocating. Xu Wangzhi lowered his eyes slightly, staring at Zhou Xundu’s hand propping open the door, before stepping out of the room.
Seeing his action, Zhou Xundu paused slightly, smiling as he retracted his hand from the door frame.
The two men engaged in no conversation, yet an invisible transaction seemed to be reached between them.
The front door was closed gently, and the sensor lights in the corridor extinguished, plunging the surroundings into absolute darkness.
Before long, the sensor lights illuminated once more, and various sounds echoed through the corridor.
Cheng Shuoning’s consciousness returned abruptly, discovering that he had drifted from the far right side of the bed to the far left.
He switched on the lamp, finding himself entirely alone in the room. Xu Wangzhi had vanished to some unknown location.
The blanket still retained warmth, indicating he had only departed a short moment ago.
Amidst the absolute silence, Cheng Shuoning caught a strange noise, so faint that he couldn’t be certain whether it was real.
He exited the bedroom, discovering that the living room lights were illuminated, yet the space was entirely deserted.
The noise issued from outside the front door. Cheng Shuoning walked over and pulled the door open, and two bruised faces entered his line of sight.
Never expecting to see Zhou Xundu here, Cheng Shuoning paused, and he was even more astonished to find that the two men had engaged in a physical fight.
At this moment they had already separated, displaying no signs of the altercation outside of the bruises on their faces.
Zhou Xundu’s glasses were askew. Removing his glasses, he offered a gentle smile to Cheng Shuoning. “Ningning, I came to fetch you. Leave with me.”
“No need,” Cheng Shuoning said, casting a glance toward Xu Wangzhi before his gaze landed on the broken skin beside the youth’s lip. “I will stay here for the night and head straight to school tomorrow.”
“You can stay at my place instead,” Zhou Xundu said after a brief pause, clearly caught off guard by the immediate refusal. “You can stay at my apartment until you wish to return home.”
Hearing his tone, it was obvious he knew a falling out had occurred between him and his family.
Cheng Shuoning pressed his lips together, refusing once more: “Truly, there is no need, Brother Zhou. Thank you for making the effort to rush over so late, but I am perfectly fine here.”
“You have already imposed upon your classmate for so long, is that truly alright?” Zhou Xundu let out a sigh, replacing his glasses as he yielded, “If you truly do not wish to leave, then I will head back.”
The phrase “imposed upon” caused Cheng Shuoning to fall into deep thought, wondering whether Xu Wangzhi felt he was imposing.
Witnessing his expression, Zhou Xundu’s smile deepened, enticing him smoothly, “Let us leave, Ningning. It is already very late, and it isn’t good to impose upon others.”
He deliberately emphasized the words “impose upon others.”
Xu Wangzhi remained silent from beginning to end, half of his face concealed within the dimness, making it impossible to read his emotions.
The question Cheng Shuoning intended to ask died in his throat because of his silence, unable to be voiced.
“Ningning?” Zhou Xundu called his name once more.
The youth, harboring a final shred of hesitation, reached his decision and offered an answering sound: “I understand.”
He changed out of Xu Wangzhi’s clothes, putting on his own garments which had been washed and dried previously. Before departing, he stopped beside Xu Wangzhi, speaking in a soft voice, “Thank you for today, see you at school tomorrow. I am sorry for imposing upon you.”
The figures departed quickly. The sensor lights in the corridor extinguished as the footsteps faded into silence, leaving Xu Wangzhi entirely bathed in darkness.
He walked over to the window, staring down at the sedan parked below, his gaze cold and fierce. Moving the corners of his lips, he uttered a silent phrase: “You aren’t imposing, see you tomorrow.”
The movement tugged at the wound beside his lip, inviting a sharp throb of pain.
Zhou Xundu had landed a punch there, breaking the skin slightly and causing it to bleed. However, he hadn’t let Zhou Xundu off easy either, returning a heavier blow that caused the gentleness on Zhou Xundu’s face to vanish completely.
The car didn’t leave for a long while. Suddenly catching the sound of rapid, hurried footsteps, Xu Wangzhi lifted his head to look over.
The lights illuminated once more, and Cheng Shuoning ran up to stop right before him. Bending down to catch his breath, he extended his hand, a blue band-aid resting in his palm.
Xu Wangzhi froze, staring down at the band-aid in his palm, feeling his throat grow dry.
Cheng Shuoning gathered himself for half a minute until his breathing steadied a fraction. Seeing that Xu Wangzhi didn’t reach out to accept it, he took the initiative to peel the band-aid open, approached Xu Wangzhi, and stood on his tiptoes slightly to apply it to his face.
The person before him acted with extreme caution, his fair face filled entirely with seriousness, appearing terrified of aggravating the injury, daring not relax in the slightest.
“Good night,” Cheng Shuoning said with a smile after finishing, turning around to depart.
Running back so quickly, solely to deliver a band-aid to him.
Xu Wangzhi raised his hand to touch the band-aid gently, a ripple flaring through his heart, and a slight smile curled the corners of his lips.
Zhou Xundu waited in the car for five minutes before Cheng Shuoning finally climbed back into the passenger seat.
“Where did you go?” he asked, knowing the answer full well.
“Just went to buy something,” Cheng Shuoning replied vaguely. Turning something over in his mind, he asked, “Why did you engage in a fight with him just now?”
“Ah, that,” Zhou Xundu let out a low laugh. “I mentioned I was worried about your safety and wanted to take you away. Your classmate appeared rather agitated, refusing to let me take you, so he raised his hands against me. Ningning, where is my band-aid?”
Cheng Shuoning turned his gaze toward him. “Huh?”
“I am injured too,” Zhou Xundu said, pointing to the bruises on his face.
His injury hadn’t broken the skin or bled, so Cheng Shuoning hadn’t purchased a band-aid for him. Hearing his words, he explained, “Your injury doesn’t require a band-aid, Brother Zhou.”
“But I want one too,” Zhou Xundu interrupted his words, saying, “It isn’t fair for you to grant one to your classmate but ignore me, Ningning.”
Cheng Shuoning felt somewhat helpless, finding Zhou Xundu to be acting like a child for the first time. Pausing for a brief moment, he asked, “Then, shall I make up for it next time?”
“I want it right now,” Zhou Xundu let out a sigh. “Ningning isn’t as concerned or anxious about me as before. I am injured so severely, yet you didn’t even inquire about me, choosing to focus your concern on your classmate instead. Could it be that I am less important than that classmate in your heart, Ningning?”
These words left Cheng Shuoning feeling somewhat awkward and self-conscious. Fearing that Zhou Xundu would refuse to let the matter drop, he stepped out of the car to purchase another band-aid from the shop, climbed back inside, and handed it to him.
Zhou Xundu didn’t accept it, merely leaning his face closer, his soft eyes staring at Cheng Shuoning without blinking.
The meaning was thoroughly obvious, making Cheng Shuoning suspect that when he went to find Xu Wangzhi just now, Zhou Xundu had followed behind him and witnessed him applying the band-aid for Xu Wangzhi.
He wanted to mention that applying a band-aid to his bruises was entirely useless, but meeting those eyes, he suppressed all his words. Peeling open the band-aid, he selected a spot that appeared a fraction more severe to apply it quickly, before moving further away from him. “There, it is done.”
“Do you not trust me right now, Ningning?” Zhou Xundu finally expressed satisfaction, straightening his body after he suddenly asked a question.
Cheng Shuoning: “Why do you say that?”
“You are much more cold and detached toward me than before. I know Han Tian and the others have left you with some psychological shadow, but Ningning, I am entirely trustworthy. I am completely different from them.”
Only a dim light illuminated the interior of the car, and Zhou Xundu’s voice carried a low warmth that could easily cause someone to sink into it.
Because of Han Tian and Li Shengfei, Cheng Shuoning did indeed intend to distance himself, daring not share all his private thoughts with Zhou Xundu as he had done previously.
He fell into a brief silence, staring out the window as he spoke in a soft voice, “I understand, Brother Zhou.”
The ambiguous phrasing could hardly count as a proper answer, but Zhou Xundu said nothing further, starting the car to depart.
Twenty minutes later, the vehicle came to a halt. Cheng Shuoning returned to his allocated room, closing the door to lie upon the bed.
He caught three soft knocks on the door, indicating Zhou Xundu desired to enter.
Cheng Shuoning was too exhausted to rise and open it. Turning his body over, he replied in a small murmur, “I have already laid down, Brother Zhou. Let us talk about anything tomorrow.”
Zhou Xundu offered a soft word of agreement, his hand testing the door handle gently. As expected, the door had been locked securely from the inside, something that had never occurred previously.
Retracting his hand, he sat upon the sofa in the living room and lit a cigarette.
Amidst the swirling smoke, a trace of an unfeeling smile appeared upon that gentle, close to perfect face.
Zhou Xundu crushed the cigarette butt violently, switching off the living room lights.
The youth who used to revolve around him, draw close to him, and smile at him with brilliant warmth was gradually disappearing.
This sensation resembled a possession he rarely focused upon suddenly hovering on the brink of no longer belonging to him, leaving him thoroughly disgruntled.
The following day, Cheng Shuoning woke up to find his phone had automatically shut down due to a drained battery. Once he connected it to the charger, a succession of text alerts notified him of numerous missed calls.
Even his father, who rarely conversed with him on ordinary days, had called. Li Shengfei had called the most, attempting thirty-two times before the phone fell silent.
Worse, not long after the phone activated, Li Shengfei called once more.
The ringing phone invited a sharp headache, and Cheng Shuoning rejected it quickly, sending a message to his father instead: “Dad, I am fine. My phone died yesterday, do not worry about me.”
Li Shengfei refused to give up, calling yet again. Cheng Shuoning didn’t hesitate, blocking his number directly.
A few minutes later, a text message arrived from an unfamiliar number: “Ningning, where did you go yesterday night? Your mother was highly worried about you, and so was I. I searched for you the entire night. If you are fine, could you please reply to my message? I am truly exceptionally worried about you, please stop making me live in constant anxiety, alright?”
The humble tone only received a flat reply from the youth: “.”
On the other end of the line, Li Shengfei was left thoroughly speechless. Requesting a reply truly only yielded a period, with absolutely no words spoken.
He was truly asking for trouble, calling incessantly for so long and being too worried to sleep, yet the other party didn’t appreciate his concern at all.
“Where are you? Are you coming to school today?” This message received no response, and Li Shengfei guessed he had been blocked once more, grinding his teeth in frustration.
To act this cruelly? Completely disregarding their years of affection over a few unpleasant words? Was there truly a need to be this petty?
The more he turned it over in his mind, the more enraged he became, smashing his phone down violently before collapsing onto the bed. He completely failed to consider that he hadn’t guarded their years of acquaintance either when he uttered words that caused deep injury to Cheng Shuoning.
In the living room, Zhou Xundu had already prepared breakfast.
Cheng Shuoning consumed a boiled egg and a glass of soy milk, but as he rose to depart, Zhou Xundu called out to stop him, “Wait.”
Watching the man extend his hand over, Cheng Shuoning’s eyelids twitched, and he dodged away reflexively. Snatching a tissue to wipe the corner of his mouth, he asked, “Is there something on my face?”
This avoidance seemed to wound Zhou Xundu. His hand froze in midair, his eyes carrying a trace of helplessness and disappointment.
“Ningning, why do you dodge away from me at every turn? Am I truly that terrifying? You never acted this way previously, what happened suddenly?”
“I am sorry,” Cheng Shuoning said, unsure of what to say, offering a belated apology while evading Zhou Xundu’s question. “I am heading to class, thank you for taking me in, Brother Zhou.”
“No need for thanks, I will drive you,” Zhou Xundu said, retrieving his jacket to drape it over Cheng Shuoning’s shoulders. “It is cold outside, wear my jacket.”
Cheng Shuoning’s words of refusal died in his throat upon recalling Zhou Xundu’s expression just now. Refusing further would likely appear highly ungracious, so he held the jacket in his hand instead of wearing it, offering a slight smile. “Thank you, Brother Zhou.”
“Why utter thanks to me?” Zhou Xundu’s gaze landed on the jacket draped over his arm, letting out a low laugh before driving Cheng Shuoning to school.
The sky remained heavily overcast, blanketed by massive dark clouds, and thunder rumbled indistinctly, as if announcing to everyone that another downpour would arrive shortly.
J City was exceptionally rainy this summer.
As Cheng Shuoning stepped out of the vehicle, another car happened to park beside them. A few seconds later, Cheng Meng stepped out, dressed in his school uniform and bearing a lazy expression.
Their gazes crossed, and upon identifying who he was, Cheng Meng furrowed his brows, averting his gaze in disgust to look at the man beside Cheng Shuoning with an entirely different expression.
Regrettably, the man didn’t spare a single glance at him, failing to grant even a sliver of attention, displaying an absolute unfeeling coldness that left him feeling thoroughly heartbroken.
Cheng Meng curled the corners of his lips, unable to restrain himself from stabbing at Cheng Shuoning: “Failing to return for the entire night, I thought you had died outside. It appears your luck is quite good to remain alive.”
Only then did Zhou Xundu look at him, his gaze cold and detached, entirely different from his gentleness toward Cheng Shuoning, sending a sharp chill through one’s heart.
Cheng Shuoning could clearly perceive that the expectant light in Cheng Meng’s eyes extinguished instantly. Tilting his head to glance at Zhou Xundu, he delivered a flat counterattack to Cheng Meng: “What a pity, I failed to conform to your wishes.”
Zhou Xundu clearly had no desire to continue looking at Cheng Meng, reminding Cheng Shuoning with a smile, “Ningning, ignore him. Hurry into the school.”
“Then I am heading inside, goodbye Brother Zhou, thank you for driving me to school.” Cheng Shuoning waved his hand, walking toward the school gates.
As he bypassed Cheng Meng, he caught Cheng Meng grinding his teeth to utter a sentence: “Cheng Shuoning, do not be smug. Every single thing around you will be slowly snatched away by me. Yesterday was merely an appetizer, yet it managed to make you run away from home, a complete mess.”
Cheng Shuoning offered Cheng Meng a smile entirely devoid of emotion. “You possess that much confidence in yourself? Does your house lack mirrors or glass windows?”
By the time Cheng Meng comprehended the underlying meaning of his words, Cheng Shuoning had already vanished from sight.
Cheng Meng felt a wave of resentment, and his gaze fixed unscrupulously upon Zhou Xundu. Seeing the man climb straight back into the car to depart, he couldn’t restrain himself, walking over to block the vehicle while revealing a sweet smile: “Brother Zhou, what happened to the injury on your face? Who caused you to get hurt? That is truly too much.”
He had never witnessed an injury on Zhou Xundu’s face before.
Zhou Xundu rolled up the car window expressionlessly, blocking Cheng Meng’s burning gaze, and drove away directly.
Only when the vehicle vanished from sight did Cheng Meng reluctantly withdraw his gaze.
It didn’t matter, he thought to himself. He would slowly replace Cheng Shuoning sooner or later, and the person standing beside Zhou Xundu in the future would only be him.
Turning his head to spot Li Shengfei walking over while carrying his backpack and letting out a yawn, Cheng Meng walked quickly to his side, smiling as he asked, “Didn’t sleep well? Have you eaten breakfast yet? If not, shall we go eat together?”
Seeing him, Li Shengfei’s eyes lit up, clearly expressing immense joy, yet the words issuing from his mouth were entirely unrelated to him: “Did Ningning return home? Where did he go yesterday? Do you know?”
The smile on Cheng Meng’s face froze instantly.