Paper Lover At Old Town Bookstore Chapter 44

marriage deal

Lying on the desk, his forehead was pressed against the cool documents, and the tightness in his chest was so heavy that he couldn’t breathe.Just as he was about to calm down, his phone vibrated violently and the screen lit up. They were all messages from Song Zhili, one after another, filling the entire screen.

“Qiu Sheng, the marriage was not my original intention. It was decided privately by my grandfather and the old man of the Xing family. I had no knowledge of it at all.”

“I have already quarreled with my grandfather. Even if I try my best, I will not marry Xing Qingru – I only have you in my heart, how can I marry someone else?”

“I know you are still blaming me, blaming me for being coercive that day, blaming me for disrupting your life. But I really like you, from the first moment I saw you, and I can’t control myself.”

“It doesn’t matter that you are straight. I can wait, wait for you to slowly let go of your grudge, and wait for you to try to accept me. But I can’t lose you, let alone let us become complete strangers because of a ridiculous marriage.”

“Give me a little more time, I will handle everything, convince grandpa, and make the Xing family give up the marriage. Qiu Sheng, don’t ignore me, don’t let me lose sight of you, okay?”

Every message is filled with eager justifications and humble prayers, and the paranoia and affection between the lines almost overflows through the screen.I looked at those words, and my fingertips unconsciously crossed the screen. My heart seemed to be blocked by something, and it was so dull that it ached.

His explanation and his promise were like a double-edged sword.On the one hand, I was disgusted by his coercion and entanglement, and I wished I could get rid of this ridiculous relationship immediately; but on the other hand, watching him resist the family for me, and put down his status as CEO for me and humble himself, I felt an inexplicable complex emotion in my heart.

I am a straight man, this is the knowledge engraved in my bones.But this sudden love affair, this unexplained forced love, and his persistence at this moment, all broke my inherent understanding little by little, leaving me in unprecedented confusion.

The phone was still vibrating, and he sent another message, with only five short words: “I really want to see you.”

I suddenly turned off the phone screen, threw the phone aside, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.The news about Song Zhili came like a flood, leaving me with nowhere to escape.This whirlpool involving family interests, hidden emotions and struggles with sexual orientation seems to be getting deeper and deeper, and where should I go?After get off work, I deliberately avoided the main road that I usually walked on, and detoured through three alleys before walking towards the community.The evening breeze carries the heat of early summer, making people feel more and more irritable, and the briefcase in my hand is tightened – I just want to go home quickly, hide in my own little world, and escape from all the troubles caused by Song Zhili.

But when the familiar gate of the community appeared in view, my steps suddenly stopped.

Under the streetlight, the black Maybach parked quietly on the side of the road, its license plate number piercingly familiar.Song Zhili was sitting in the driver’s seat with the window down. He was wearing a dark shirt with a slightly open collar. His eyes were bloodshot. He had obviously been waiting for a long time.Seeing me appear, he immediately opened the door and got out of the car, his movements so eager that he even staggered a little.

“Qiu Sheng.” His voice was extremely hoarse, and his eyes were locked on mine, with a hint of ecstasy of regaining something, but also deep exhaustion and uneasiness, “I’ve finally waited for you.”

I subconsciously wanted to turn around and leave, but my steps seemed to be stuck in place.He walked quickly in front of me and blocked my way. His tone was urgent and humble: “I know you don’t want to see me, but I have to wait for you. I have already had a showdown with grandpa about the marriage. I said that I will only recognize you in this life. Even if I am expelled from the Song family, I will not marry Xing Qingru.”

His eyes were red, and he reached out to touch my arm, but he was afraid of being pushed away by me. In the end, he just stopped stiffly in mid-air: “I’ve taken care of it, Qiu Sheng, I won’t let anyone force us. Can you… give me another chance?”

The evening breeze blew by, carrying with it the familiar cold scent of cedar on his body. The smell had once made me extremely resistant, but now it made my heart tense inexplicably.Seeing the red bloodshot eyes in his eyes, seeing his determination to give up his family’s interests for me, seeing him put down all his humility, the disgust and resistance in my heart were gradually replaced by a more complex emotion – irritability, confusion, and a trace of emotion that even I didn’t want to admit.

I am a straight man, but everything he has done for me has made it impossible for me to push him away as cruelly as before.This absurd entanglement seemed to have deviated from the original track, and I, unknowingly, fell into a dilemma.Song Zhili’s fingertips were still hanging in the air when his cell phone suddenly rang, and the words “Xing Qingru” danced on the screen, breaking the stagnant atmosphere between the two.

He frowned, answered the phone, and his tone instantly returned to the coldness of a president: “What’s the matter?”

“Song Zhili, let’s go out for dinner tonight.” Xing Qingru’s voice came through the receiver, cold and crisp, without any sloppiness, “Let’s talk about marriage.”

Song Zhili’s eyes fell on me subconsciously, a trace of vigilance flashed in his eyes, and then he said in a deep voice: “There is no need to talk, I will not agree to the marriage.”

“Whether it’s necessary or not is not your decision.” Xing Qingru chuckled, with an undeniable force in his tone, “I’ll send you the address on your mobile phone. At seven o’clock, you have to come if you don’t want to come – after all, this matter also involves the cooperation of the Xing and Song families. You don’t want the old men to break up, right?”

The voice on the other end of the phone paused and added something meaningful: “By the way, I also want to talk to you about Song Qiusheng.”

“How dare you touch him!” Song Zhili’s voice instantly cooled down, with strong possessiveness and warning, “Xing Qingru, if you have anything to do with me, come to me, don’t involve him.”

“Don’t worry, I have no interest in touching your people.” Xing Qingru’s tone returned to calmness, “I just want to make a deal with you. I’ll wait for you at seven o’clock.”

After saying that, she hung up the phone directly.

Song Zhili held the phone, his knuckles turning white from exertion, and his eyes were filled with anger and worry.He turned to look at me and said in an urgent tone: “Qiu Sheng, don’t worry, I will go see her and won’t let her hurt you.”

I looked at his tense profile and felt mixed emotions in my heart.Xing Qingru’s call undoubtedly pushed this game involving family interests and personal emotions to a new climax.She wants to negotiate a deal with Song Zhili?What will be the bargaining chip in this transaction?And what role will I play in this transaction?