Chapter 73

Chapter 73

In October, he was working on a project with his advisor. To graduate early, the pressure on his studies was already immense. Coupled with the project running non-stop for nearly a month, even the best body couldn’t withstand such abuse. So, at the end of the month, he fell ill, something that rarely happened to him. This time, the illness came on fiercely, with a fever spiking to 40 degrees Celsius.

Jiang Jian picked him up from the school clinic while he was on an IV drip. Jiang’s mother found out and immediately got him a leave of absence, took him back, and had him hospitalized directly. He drifted in and out of consciousness, sleeping and waking, for two days before the fever finally broke, and he became a little clearer. On the third day, he was incredibly bored in the hospital. Yan Huan somehow heard he was sick and rushed to the hospital to see him but was stopped by the bodyguard outside.

Jiang’s father was very strict about preventing anyone who might have contact with Ling Sheng from seeing him. Later, Lu Sheng found out and negotiated, and Yan Huan was finally allowed in to see him.

He didn’t really remember what Yan Huan said at the time, but Lu Sheng was listening to Yan Huan the whole time. He looked intently, and whenever Yan Huan straightened up, wanting something, he always knew. He peeled an apple for him, then peeled an orange, eating quite a bit of the fruit intended for the patient.

People are always particularly vulnerable when sick. After Yan Huan and Lu Sheng left, he suddenly didn’t want to see anyone, closing the door and shutting everything out.

He heard Jiang’s mother outside, worriedly asking how he was, but he didn’t open the door and didn’t let them open it either.

He didn’t want anyone to see him crying.

He used to have someone like that by his side, someone mature, gentle, indulgent, allowing him to be wild. Ling Sheng said he was his ideal type. They cooked together, walked the dog together, and even went on dates, sharing intimate kisses in hidden corners. When Ling Sheng smiled at him, his eyes seemed to bloom with flowers.

He couldn’t really blame his parents. He had a family, so he could only blame himself for being too naive, too reckless, and too useless, unable to protect the person he wanted to protect.

He was discharged on the fifth day. Back home, he had a poor appetite, eating very little, but he took his medicine on time. Then, he returned to his room and started studying, continuing to do his own thing as if the illness never happened, as if nothing had ever happened.

Jiang Jian couldn’t bear to watch anymore and knocked on his door, asking if he wanted to go out for a walk.

Jiang Chen thought for a moment and asked if he could take him to Jiang beach.

So the next day, Jiang Jian took him to Jiang beach. He didn’t do anything, not even bring the dog, just sat on the bench where he and Ling Sheng had sat together before, all day long.

He replayed every detail of their visit to Jiang beach that day. The feeling of his fingers touching his lips, that furtive kiss, he remembered the scent of his hair that day, the warmth of his cheek, even the gentle look in his eyes when he looked at his sister, he remembered it all so clearly.

The sun rose, hung high, and then slowly set. When the evening breeze picked up, Jiang Jian reminded him that his cold hadn’t healed and not to catch a chill. He said calmly, “Then let’s go back.”

Jiang Jian asked him, “Do you want to ask something?”

Jiang Chen shook his head, not asking anything. Then everything returned to normal, back on track.

All of this should only be known to his family, and only Jiang Jian should know about his trip to Jiang beach. How did Ling Sheng know?

“How do you know?” Jiang Chen’s eyes were red. He was already so close, but he still wanted to get even closer. “What else do you know?”

Ling Sheng touched his forehead with his own, his breath lightly brushing his face as he spoke: “I know you were sick and hospitalized for five days, I know you went to Jiang beach to watch the sun all day, I know you often eat at Tianshang Shui, I know you had Lu Sheng secretly rent the apartment where I used to live, I know you knocked on the doors of all the seniors’ dorms since your first year to graduate early, I know you had Xiao Ya hide from her parents to find information for you, I know you haven’t walked the dog lately, I know you haven’t had a single sip of chicken soup…”

He actually knew everything. Jiang’s father wouldn’t let them contact each other, not even allowing Fang Xing to contact Jiang Chen anymore. But if you really want to know someone’s news, so strongly, like a fish thirsting for water, there’s always a way.

Zhou Jiayan, Lu Sheng, and later He Xiaoyun, they were all giving him information.

They couldn’t meet, couldn’t talk, but everyone around them seemed to tacitly agree to tell him every bit of news they knew.

He pieced these fragments together, one by one. For 835 days, he slowly pieced together his life.

He saw his longing, his pain, his patience, his eagerness, his trepidation, his hesitation.

“Baby, sorry to keep you waiting.” Ling Sheng raised his chin slightly and was pressed into the soft pillow.

The eager kiss was mixed with a salty, wet taste, swirling and crushing chaotically between their lips. Ling Sheng could always easily see through him, could easily soothe him. In Ling Sheng’s rapid breathing and the mingling of soft and deep sounds, Jiang Chen wished he could meld him into his own body.

When he woke up again, it was already early the next morning.

The joy of reuniting always muddled the mind. It was only now that Ling Sheng remembered Jiang Chen’s job. He turned over, facing Jiang Chen: “Don’t you have to go to the law firm?”

Jiang Chen lazily and contentedly held him, nuzzling him, like a little lion that had eaten its fill, basked in the sun, and was soft: “I haven’t even started working yet, no need to go.”

He originally wanted to start working as soon as possible, to have independent capabilities, so he could convince his father and find Ling Sheng as soon as possible. But that day, when he said he wanted to move out, his father actually agreed. Later, after calling and finding out about Ling Sheng’s return, he decided not to start working yet. Before finding Ling Sheng, he couldn’t focus on anything, not wanting to delay others’ time or hold them back in the firm.

“Are you hungry? I’ll order something up.” Jiang Chen clearly didn’t want to leave the hotel yet.

They hadn’t left since they arrived the day before yesterday afternoon. Besides eating, the rest of the time was spent in bed, either sleeping or sleeping.

One day and two nights, it wasn’t until now that he had the real feeling that the other person had truly come back.

He was really hungry, but not to mention that he couldn’t eat anything filling right now, even if he ate a lot, he couldn’t withstand this much tossing around.

Ling Sheng wasn’t in a hurry, concentrating all the work into two days to free up time to find Jiang Chen. The foundation hadn’t been established for long, especially the domestic affairs, which had just started. The office had just been renovated and was still being decorated. The matters requiring his decision had been mostly handled before returning to the country and in these two days. The rest were some trivial matters from the early stages, which Fang Wen could handle.

Moreover, Zhou Jiayan wasn’t running this foundation for profit, without that much utilitarianism, so other things weren’t urgent. He could handle them later.

The two ate something simple and then went to change clothes.

Jiang Chen’s clothes had been taken to the laundry by room service yesterday, and they had been delivered this morning. He had washed his underwear himself, and it was now dry. Ling Sheng, on the other hand, had a whole wardrobe.

Ling Sheng knew he was okay, so he said, “If you don’t have anything to do, come back with me.”

“Sure.” Jiang Chen was putting on his clothes, agreeing before asking, “Go back where? I’ll ask my brother to borrow a car.”

Ling Sheng walked over to straighten his collar and smiled: “Home, to see my mom.”

Before returning, he had called his mother in advance. He hadn’t been back for two years. In the first year, he was indeed busy, and they had just separated, so he was afraid of Jiang’s father reacting. In the second year, Ling’s mother knew he was doing well in the United States and wasn’t so worried. After all, since Ling Sheng went to college, they hadn’t seen each other more than a few times a year. Ling’s mother happened to be traveling with some friends, so she said forget it.

When Jiang Chen heard this, the relaxed person suddenly froze, and after a long time, he said, “Ah… see your mom?”

Actually, the year before they separated, Ling Sheng had said he would take him back. At that time, he was nervous and excited, with a kind of agitation like going to visit his wife’s family. But after experiencing these things, hearing that he was going to see Ling’s mother again, Jiang Chen’s feelings were completely different.

After all, his parents had done such outrageous things to Ling Sheng, causing him to hide abroad for more than two years before returning. When you really got down to it, the originator was still him.

He suddenly panicked and felt at a loss: “Or… or wait a bit?”

At least wait until things calmed down a bit. They had just reconciled, and his heart, which had only just come alive, couldn’t withstand another blow.

Ling Sheng soothingly kissed his lips and said, “Her birthday is in two days. I’m going back to celebrate her birthday and take you to meet her.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chen was embarrassed not to go, but he was really worried in his heart, so he could only hesitate, “Then let’s go… What does Auntie like? I’ll go buy some gifts for Auntie.”

Ling Sheng patted the back of his head soothingly. The hair there was shorter than it had been two years ago but was still fluffy, a little stiff, slightly prickly, but very nice to touch.

Like soothing a ruffled animal cub.

“Don’t worry, I mentioned you to her before. It’s just to meet her. In another half month, she’s going to Dali, and we might not see her again until the New Year.”

“Okay.” Jiang Chen nodded and then seemed to suddenly remember something, letting go of Ling Sheng and touching the shirt and pants he was wearing, frowning: “I should go back and change my clothes first. I wore these clothes the day before yesterday, and they don’t seem very nice, or I should just buy a new set. You should know what your mom likes, you pick out a set for me…”

“It doesn’t matter what my mom likes.” Ling Sheng looked at his nervous expression and found it amusing, touching his forehead with his own. Neither of them needed to go to work, and neither of them had used hair gel. Their hair fell down, covering their foreheads. Ling Sheng smiled gently in his apprehensive eyes: “I just like it.”

In the end, Jiang Chen didn’t change. This outfit looked more mature than the hoodies and jeans he wore to school. He wanted his image to look more reliable.

Jiang Jian knew he was going to see Ling Sheng’s mother and prepared to find him a better car, but Ling Sheng said an ordinary business car would do. Jiang Jian personally brought the car over and even bought the things for Jiang Chen on the way.

In the trunk were five or six boxes of supplements suitable for the elderly, such as red ginseng. Knowing that Ling’s mother liked to travel, there were also two boxes: a very beautiful silk scarf and a set of fine tea sets. Knowing that Ling’s mother’s birthday was coming up, he also prepared a green jade bracelet with very good clarity.

“Mom specifically asked me to bring these over.” Jiang Jian patted Jiang Chen’s shoulder: “Go on.”

Jiang Chen carefully put the gifts away and went to check the car. Jiang Jian walked around to Ling Sheng, who was standing on the other side. He only glanced at Ling Sheng briefly and said with a bit of emotion: “It’s been more than two years, Director Ling.”