MNL Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Prelude – For My Little Young Master.

Chapter 96: Prelude – For My Little Young Master.

Gu Qianqian was hospitalized due to excessive grief. Liang Ge stayed by her bedside for three whole days. During those three days, Gu Qianqian neither ate nor drank, and didn’t say a single word. Eventually, Liang Ge couldn’t take it anymore and called Xu Jing.

At that time, Xu Jing was returning from the supermarket after buying soy sauce. He was used to keeping his phone on silent, and when he got home, he saw his screen flooded with unfamiliar numbers. He initially thought he was being targeted by some pyramid scheme.

Then, the same number called again.

Xu Jing answered the phone, impatiently saying, “Who is this?”

“It’s me,” a heavy voice came from the other end of the phone, completely different from Liang Ge’s usual tone. “Do you have time right now?”

Xu Jing hummed in acknowledgement, “Speak.”

Liang Ge leaned against the wall in the corridor, his tone weary. “Xu Jing, something happened to Gu Qianqian’s family. She looks really bad right now. What do you think I should do?”

Xu Jing frowned slightly and said, “You’re asking me?”

Liang Ge didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. Instead, he explained logically, “I’ve been with her in the hospital for three days, and her condition is really terrible. I originally wanted to ask Cha Fei’ang, but I think you might understand what Gu Qianqian is thinking better.”

Xu Jing couldn’t understand how Liang Ge came to that conclusion. Could it be just because of the two words he casually said during that one evening self-study session? Not to mention Gu Qianqian, he was so attentive to Shen Yan, yet he often couldn’t even guess what he was thinking.

But considering how anxious Liang Ge seemed, Xu Jing didn’t hang up the phone and asked, “Her grandmother passed away?”

“Yeah, she committed suicide by drinking pesticide. And her dad also…” Liang Ge’s voice suddenly changed, “Her dad really deserved to die, but her grandmother’s matter is too much of a blow for Gu Qianqian.”

Xu Jing said very bluntly, “But there’s nothing you can do.”

Liang Ge sighed and replied, “I understand, but I still want to do what I can, as long as she can be a little happier.”

Xu Jing was quiet for a moment and said, “You can continue to stay with her, but keep silent.”

Liang Ge was stunned for a moment, confused, “Why?”

“When people are extremely sad, they enter a state of self-preservation. Anything you do now is futile. Not only will it not comfort her, but it will also interfere with her.”

Liang Ge on the other end of the phone turned to look at Gu Qianqian on the hospital bed, her expression dull and her eyes empty. His voice became even heavier, “I understand.”

“Leave it to time.”

“That’s all I can do. Thank you.”

“Mm.”

After hanging up the phone, Xu Jing was briefly lost in thought. So far, even Xu Huaiyang and Qin Xin’s parents were still alive. He was lucky; he had never experienced the feeling of a loved one passing away.

But the reason he was able to say so much just now, Xu Jing thought, was because this incident reminded him of another person.

Whether it was Gu Qianqian or Shen Yan, the sadness of losing a loved one wouldn’t completely swallow them, but it wouldn’t fade with time either. It was like a chronic disease that quietly seeped into the bones, suddenly flaring up at some point.

So the old wounds were hard to heal, repeating endlessly, and never ceasing.

Xu Jing felt that he had never had much empathy. When thinking about problems, he was always very rational and objective. But when it came to matters related to Shen Yan, he found himself unconsciously starting to use his emotions to think.

Qin Xin poked her head out of the kitchen and gave Xu Jing, who was standing motionless at the door, a task, “Don’t just stand there! Go and paste the ‘Fu’ characters.”

Xu Huaiyang walked over and put a stack of ‘Fu’ characters on top of Xu Jing’s head, chuckling, “Good luck, son.”

Qin Xin was a woman who valued ritual very much. Every year during the New Year, she would decorate the house especially festively, pasting Spring Festival couplets, cutting paper-cut window decorations, hanging lanterns, buying New Year’s goods… Everyone would participate together, doing everything themselves. Now that Xu Huaiyang had also returned, and with both families’ parents still alive, this year’s New Year was especially lively.

But the livelier it was, the easier it was for Xu Jing to think of Shen Yan, who was far away in Linhe City. On such a day when every household was brightly lit, his boyfriend could only be alone in a dark room, watching the heavy snow outside the window, and then sitting on the sofa from late at night until dawn.

Xu Jing was so engrossed in his imagination that he had already broken three of the ‘Fu’ characters that Qin Xin had given him in less than ten minutes.

Xu Huaiyang, who was mopping the floor nearby, couldn’t stand it anymore and ruthlessly complained, “Son, are your eyes blind or are your hands covered in warts?”

Xu Jing handed over the ‘Fu’ characters, “If you can do it, you do it.”

This goading instantly hooked Xu Huaiyang. He immediately threw down the mop, walked forward, took the ‘Fu’ characters, and said disdainfully, “Go, go, go, and see how your wise and mighty father pastes them.”

Two minutes later, Xu Jing glanced and said, “It’s crooked.”

Xu Huaiyang said confidently, “Impossible, my eyes are rulers!”

Xu Jing’s tone was mocking, “It’s really crooked.”

They stared at each other, and Xu Huaiyang took a few steps back, half-believing, half-doubting. The result was devastating. It was almost crooked all the way to America!

He instantly shifted the blame, “Why didn’t you remind me?”

Xu Jing clicked his tongue and said, “Did you give me a chance?”

He came up and slapped it onto the door with a “pa” sound. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought the ‘Fu’ character had a magnet on it.

Xu Huaiyang tore off the ‘Fu’ character while muttering, “It’s over, it’s over. If your mother sees this, we’re both in for it.”

“I saw it.” Facing the two physically inept layabouts, Qin Xin commented helplessly, “You two really are father and son, aren’t you? Do you have feet for hands?”

The father and son silently took the scolding beside her.

“Alright, Lao Xu, you go hang the lanterns. Xiao Jing, you just… go play.”

Xu Huaiyang was very unbalanced and muttered, “It’s so good to be a son.”

Hearing this, Xu Jing said very impolitely, “Then you be one.”

Xu Huaiyang: “?”

In Xu Huaiyang’s envious gaze, Xu Jing withdrew from this large-scale Spring Festival decorating activity and returned to his bedroom. As a result, he almost broke the water glass in his house for the fourth time, but he caught it with quick eyes and hands.

He had recently seemed to be shrouded in bad luck, and things never went smoothly. He either broke a cup or knocked over a bowl. And whenever this happened, Qin Xin and Xu Huaiyang would give him very subtle looks. In the process, he smelled a strong gossipy aura coming from his own parents.

Xu Jing felt that Shen Yan was the culprit. Since coming here, the messages he received from that person were either “okay” or emoji responses, and he never proactively initiated a conversation. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought he was a shameless pursuer.

Xu Jing held back and sent a message with a very good temper.

[Boy]: Video call later?

Two minutes later.

[SY]: Okay

Xu Jing had a sense of powerlessness, like he couldn’t punch the person on the other side of the phone.

[Boy]: Are you a freaking robot?

Perhaps sensing that Xu Jing was clearly a little angry, this time Shen Yan quickly called.

Shen Yan’s extremely striking face slowly appeared on the screen. Xu Jing looked at it twice, turned his head away, and coldly snorted.

Shen Yan’s lips curved upwards, “Are you angry?”

Xu Jing turned the camera away, put the phone on the table, and coldly said, “What have you been doing lately?”

Shen Yan said lazily, “Sleeping, working out, missing you.”

Xu Jing wasn’t buying it and said, “Don’t lie.”

Replying with only a few words, or simply disappearing, that’s what he calls missing him?

“Really missing you.” Shen Yan dragged out his voice and said in a low voice, “Missing you so much that I can’t sleep at night.”

Xu Jing didn’t react.

“Can you not make me stand in the corner and reflect? I want to see you.”

“…”

Xu Jing picked up the phone, pointed it at his own face, and said, “See me?”

“Mm.” Shen Yan said, “So good-looking.”

Tsk.

How has this person’s skin gotten even thicker in just a few days?

The two looked at each other, Shen Yan’s face occupying the entire screen. Xu Jing asked, “Where are you now?”

Shen Yan replied, “Gym.”

Xu Jing said, “Turn the camera around.”

Shen Yan did as he was told, and various gym equipment and sweaty men and women immediately appeared on the screen.

Xu Jing didn’t say anything.

Shen Yan smiled, “Don’t believe me that much?”

Xu Jing asked rhetorically, “What do you think?”

Shen Yan knew that these kinds of topics were not in his favor, so he stopped while he was ahead and said sincerely, “I think everything my deskmate says is right.”

Seeing that his attitude was good, Xu Jing didn’t choose to dwell on it.

“You just said you miss me so much you can’t sleep, tell me, how much do you miss me?”

Shen Yan said with ill intentions, “Are you sure you want me to answer now?”

Xu Jing didn’t take it seriously, thinking, what kind of scandalous things could this person say in public? He raised his eyebrows and said, “What’s the problem?”

“No problem.” Shen Yan followed suit and said, “I use your photos every day, three times a day, once before showering, once before bed, and once after waking up.”

Xu Jing’s lips twitched and he said, “You really are energetic, aren’t you afraid of overdoing it?”

Shen Yan’s tone was generous, “Don’t worry, I’ll save some for you.”

Xu Jing smiled, “I thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Shen Yan said forcefully, “You save some for me too.”

Xu Jing laughed when he heard this, “You even control this?”

“Of course, after all, I’ve tasted its flavor.”

Xu Jing: “?”

Did this person just say it like that?

Just said it like that in public?

“Shen Yan, you really… after three days apart, you make me look at you with new eyes.”

Seeing Xu Jing’s embarrassed expression, Shen Yan couldn’t stop laughing.

Afterward, the two finally chatted about some more presentable topics. Because they hadn’t been separated for long, they kept going back and forth talking about recent events. Until Xu Jing brought up a topic he had mentioned half an hour ago for the third time, Shen Yan didn’t remind him, but instead sat on the bench press and listened patiently again.

Finally, the sound of Qin Xin calling for dinner came from outside. Xu Jing waved at the screen, “Begone.”

Shen Yan cooperated very well, “Emperor, when will the court convene tomorrow?”

Xu Jing said, “I’ll summon you later.”

Shen Yan: “Your subject obeys.”

The call ended, and the phone accidentally went to a black screen. Shen Yan clicked it and glanced at the time, then was attracted by the screensaver above. This was a photo he had secretly taken of Xu Jing looking at the sea the last time they went to Sanya. Because it was a candid shot, it was a side profile, and the picture was a bit blurry.

But he could vaguely see the boy inside, with delicate features. His entire face was dazzlingly white under the sunlight, and his eyes held a shallow smile, so vivid and beautiful that the entire bright sea behind him paled in comparison.

Shen Yan remembered very clearly that at that moment, Xu Jing smiled because he saw a sea turtle lying upside down on the beach and was about to turn around and share it with him.

Unknowingly, he stared at it for ten minutes before going to the locker room to change into his training clothes. Then he left the gym and went to the boxing training hall downstairs.

At this time, Zhou Yuan was training new students, his face as black as if someone owed him eight million. Shen Yan waited on the side. Finally, during the mid-session break, Zhou Yuan shook his head and walked over, grumbling, “This group of elementary school chickens are either stupid or lazy, they’re driving me crazy. They’re simply far worse than you were back then.”

Shen Yan glanced at the rest area and said, “Don’t compare me to people with underdeveloped brains.”

Zhou Yuan: “…Nicely said.”

He should have had Shen Yan stand next to him and scold them for him, so he wouldn’t be at a loss for words every day scolding this group of pigs.

“By the way, I haven’t asked you yet, why did you suddenly come back to train?” Zhou Yuan sized up Shen Yan and smiled, “Is it because your grades aren’t good, so you’re choosing to box? I’ve said long ago that this industry is good, and you might be more successful than studying.”

Shen Yan’s tone was calm, “It’s alright, I just took first place in the city.”

“First place in the city? Holy shit.” A few moments of embarrassment flashed across Zhou Yuan’s face. “I can’t tell that you’re so good at reading. Then why aren’t you at home obediently doing your homework? Why are you running back here to train?”

Shen Yan’s tone was lazy, “To boost your performance at the end of the year, so you don’t become an unemployed bum one day.”

Zhou Yuan was stunned for a moment, then smiled, “Damn, you’re right. Only when I was training you did I get bonuses that made my hands cramp. Now this group of kids are all like sick chickens. Last year, I almost couldn’t afford milk powder money to raise my kids.”

He had always been very accurate at judging people. When he saw Shen Yan for the first time, he felt that this kid had talent. After training him for two weeks, his thoughts became even more certain. The facts also proved that he wasn’t wrong. No matter what competition it was, as long as Shen Yan was on the field, the championship was a sure thing. He originally thought that his luck had turned around and he had met such a money tree, and he even started looking at villas and suites in the city center. But then Shen Yan suddenly told him that he was going back to school and wouldn’t be training anymore.

More tears were shed than words could describe. Zhou Yuan sighed repeatedly in his heart.

“Alright, tell me the truth, is it for this year’s provincial championship?”

Shen Yan hummed in acknowledgement.

Zhou Yuan was suddenly a little curious, “I didn’t see you interested in so many events last year, could it be that this competition is very important to you?”

Shen Yan’s expression was calm and said, “Important, I will win the championship.”

He said “will” and not “want to,” he was really confident.

Zhou Yuan stood still, smiling and saying, “And then?”

Shen Yan deliberately kept him in suspense, paused for a moment, until he turned his head and met Zhou Yuan’s questioning gaze, smiled slightly, and continued the sentence.

“Then, for my little young master.”