Chew Slowly Chapter 3

Chen Zongqian’s father was a law professor and his mother was a high school teacher. Before starting work, he had lived almost entirely within the confines of academia. That environment was vastly different from where he currently stood, and he had never experienced anything like what had happened to Xu Qiaochuan.

Of course, the world is complex and ever-changing, and for every beautiful thing, there is an extreme contrast. If some people in this world live happily, then others must be enduring suffering.

Comparing himself to Xu Qiaochuan was both arrogant and absurd.

He used to study criminal law. Following his parents’ wishes, after obtaining his doctorate, he might have chosen to teach at a university or conduct research at an institute. But he later chose to specialize in civil and commercial law, becoming a lawyer after graduation—still dealing with the law for a lifetime.

After starting work, unless in a specific, special setting, Chen Zongqian rarely spoke about faith or belief. It wasn’t because he was inherently indifferent, but because he felt such pursuits didn’t need to be constantly voiced.

Although he couldn’t be a selfless, impartial saint, Chen Zongqian hoped to achieve balance, so he always disciplined himself with reason.

But reason was now completely gone. His mood fluctuated wildly; the overwhelming longing he felt moments ago quickly turned distorted. Chen Zongqian developed another selfish desire: he desperately hoped the person before him was absolutely not Xiao Ran. He hoped Xiao Ran would never have to endure this kind of pain.

Xu Qiaochuan quickly rinsed off with cold water. After putting on clean clothes, he finally looked presentable.

He washed his clothes quickly too, but those two garments couldn’t be hung on the indoor balcony. Xu Qiaochuan’s designated clothesline had been removed—it was the nylon rope that had just been tied around his hands. There was a metal drying rack outside the corridor. Seeing Xu Qiaochuan standing still, Chen Zongqian thought he was blocking the way and proactively moved aside for him.

Xu Qiaochuan still didn’t move. He stood there, holding the two wet garments, lost in thought.

“You can’t go outside?” Eight people lived in Dorm 601, but only seven clotheslines remained. Chen Zongqian felt a pang in his heart. “Will clothes hung outside be taken?”

Xu Qiaochuan heard the broadcast coming from the sports field. The electronic voice was hoarse and muffled, making Chen Zongqian’s voice sound exceptionally clear and gentle. He met Chen Zongqian’s gaze for a moment, then corrected him: “Not taken, but thrown away.”

“Do your teachers know?” Chen Zongqian asked very seriously.

Xu Qiaochuan didn’t answer the question, instead asking, “Are you a leader?”

Chen Zongqian sighed, “So many people have asked me that today. Why doesn’t anyone think I’m a parent?”

The other person fell silent again. If Lawyer Yao were here, he would surely mock him mercilessly—the star litigator of Shengda Law Firm managed to kill the conversation. Chen Zongqian understood the answer from the young man’s indifferent expression. If he were a parent like Chen Zongqian, even if the child’s grades were poor, they would have a better place to go than here.

“Then your child wouldn’t be assigned to the same dorm as me,” Xu Qiaochuan said, wringing the clothes until no water dripped out. He temporarily hung them by his bed, waiting until he could buy a new clothesline.

He gestured with his hand, indicating Chen Zongqian should move further away and not obstruct his bed. Xu Qiaochuan then went outside to the water dispenser to clean up the instant noodles on the floor. He didn’t throw them away but scooped all the contents back into the plastic bowl. Chen Zongqian said they couldn’t be eaten, and Xu Qiaochuan wondered how this person knew everything.

Xu Qiaochuan had been called “crazy” for years because his words and actions were never understood by others. Eventually, Xu Qiaochuan himself began to feel that he was different from normal people.

“This is my dinner.” He just needed to wash the dust off with water. He ate quickly, swallowing a few mouthfuls to fill his stomach. The taste and texture weren’t worth caring about.

Chen Zongqian couldn’t bear to watch and walked over to pull him up. Concerned about the injury to his wrist bone, Chen Zongqian didn’t use much force, but Xu Qiaochuan was so light that he was lifted up instantly.

“Our Law Firm received a commission from your mother, Lu Xiaoyun…”

Before he could finish, the broadcast blared, “Some criminals steal personal privacy data and use this information to impersonate your friends and family to commit fraud. It’s impossible to guard against!”

Silence fell between the two. Xu Qiaochuan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and his hand lost all strength. His mind went blank as he watched the bowl slip from his grasp, about to crash onto the floor, splattering soup everywhere and creating a mess.

Chen Zongqian was startled and barely managed to catch the bowl, using the opportunity to switch it to his own hand. He freed one hand to retrieve his lawyer’s license. Xu Qiaochuan stared blankly at it, then looked up at Chen Zongqian. His heart felt squeezed: “These things shouldn’t be happening to you. You don’t need to endure it.”

Xu Qiaochuan remained expressionless, showing no sadness or distress, yet tears fell without warning. He seemed completely unaware of them. “I’m graduating. I won’t be here next month.”

He ignored the bowl of instant noodles, the activity on the sports field, and the legal education broadcast. Xu Qiaochuan couldn’t make sense of anything. He suddenly squatted against the wall, clutching his head, which felt like it was splitting open from the pain.

After silently shedding some tears, Xu Qiaochuan quickly calmed down. He had just learned the man’s name from the lawyer’s license. Xu Qiaochuan wasn’t stupid and quickly understood the situation’s context.

“She won’t get a divorce, you don’t need to ask me… I won’t need them to support me once I turn eighteen.” Xu Qiaochuan lowered his head, muttering, “You don’t need to ask me, you don’t need to worry about me, you don’t need to look for me…”

“I didn’t come for those reasons.” Chen Zongqian sighed. The case belonged to Lawyer Yao; he had come purely out of personal interest, wanting to see the child who looked so much like Xiao Ran.

After leaving the Garment Factory yesterday, Chen Zongqian had scheduled a visit to Xu Qiaochuan’s school. At the time, he only wanted to see how similar they looked, not whether the person actually was Xiao Ran. Chen Zongqian might have watched from afar or exchanged a few words, but none of it would have become as tricky as it was now.

“Then why did you come?” Xu Qiaochuan shed many tears, like the water he had been drenched in earlier that evening, finally finding a chance to pour out.

Chen Zongqian squatted in front of him. He initially wanted to pat his head but felt it might be intrusive, so he finally patted his shoulder: “I came for you.”

“Having a normal school life is your legal right. Being tied to a water pipe, being bullied and humiliated—you were violated. It’s not that you did anything wrong, and you don’t need to tolerate this.” Chen Zongqian said softly, “Parents and teachers should protect you. If they fail to fulfill these duties, you can use the law to protect yourself.”

Xu Qiaochuan finally looked up, and Chen Zongqian saw his tear-streaked face. He suddenly wished all the lights would turn on so he could see this person clearly and completely. When Xu Qiaochuan raised his eyes, the corners drooped slightly, making his eyes appear very round. His pupils were submerged in tears, reflecting a weak, pitiful light.

“I don’t have money. I can’t afford you.” Xu Qiaochuan didn’t understand the specific meaning of the text on the lawyer’s license, but he could tell at a glance that Chen Zongqian was expensive.

“Campus disputes are not my specialty. I can help you apply for legal aid, and a more professional lawyer will help you defend your rights. The law is the best weapon the weak can wield. Don’t think of it as too much trouble…”

After descending to the sixth floor, Chen Zongqian didn’t see the class monitor, who must have left him behind earlier. The legal awareness event was nearing its end, and the students on the sports field were becoming restless.

The commotion on the field seemed completely unrelated to Xu Qiaochuan. Chen Zongqian’s peripheral vision caught him, and he thought, why is he so stubborn and isolated? Why doesn’t he speak up when he’s bullied? Doesn’t that just encourage more violence? But considering Xu Qiaochuan’s background, it wasn’t surprising that he developed the same silent, tolerant personality as Lu Xiaoyun in that environment.

Chen Zongqian said a lot, but the only thing that finally persuaded the young man was the simple statement, “I haven’t had dinner either.” He had followed him to the school in the afternoon and missed dinner. He wasn’t exactly starving, but seeing Xu Qiaochuan with a face so similar to his own, looking so pitiful, he couldn’t bear it.

After passing the sports field, the noise faded. Chen Zongqian could clearly feel that Xu Qiaochuan was less tense than before. At nine o’clock in the evening, the school cafeteria was long closed. Going to the convenience store meant eating instant noodles, and Chen Zongqian was afraid of touching on his painful memories again, lest those eyes start flowing with seemingly endless tears.

“Your hand is dislocated. Let’s go to the hospital to have it checked.” Chen Zongqian said.

“No… it’s not necessary,” Xu Qiaochuan replied, walking half a step behind Chen Zongqian. Since childhood, the most important rule Lu Xiaoyun had instilled in him was: be obedient, be sensible, and don’t trouble others.

When he was in the dorm, covered in bruises and self-loathing, Xu Qiaochuan hadn’t been so polite. But now, walking out with Chen Zongqian, the evening breeze dried his tears and cleared his head. He began to feel guilty for the trouble he was causing.

Chen Zongqian sensed his awkwardness and tension and smiled to reassure him: “Don’t overthink it. The real trouble is back in the office.”

Xu Qiaochuan remembered Chen Zongqian’s purpose for coming tonight and felt he was disrupting the other man’s work, slowing his pace even more.

Fortunately, Chen Zongqian was naturally perceptive and good-tempered. He looked at Xu Qiaochuan and said helplessly, “Once you leave the office, it’s not trouble anymore. In fact, I should thank you.”

Xu Qiaochuan was suddenly terrified and dared not say another word. Chen Zongqian brought the conversation back to the main topic: “How do you ask the teacher for leave?”

He answered, “I don’t. I just climb over the wall and leave.”