PMWAIAAPM Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Abdominal Pain

A dreamless night.

Early in the morning, Tan Zhiyu needed to catch an early flight to Hai Cheng, and Xing Yang prepared breakfast and packed it in a lunch box for him to take along.

“The airport and the filming crew have food, there’s no need for you to make this,” Tan Zhiyu said, propping his elbow on the bar while watching his busy boss with a sulky tone, full of the complaints of waking up early.

Xing Yang took off his apron and filled the lunch box with curry: “Last time, someone complained about the airplane food being terrible.”

Once, on a night some time ago, they talked about things they disliked, and Tan Zhiyu mentioned that he hated flying because airplane meals were hard to eat.

Having lived alone for a long time, Xing Yang was used to takeout; even the frozen instant meals he kept in the fridge to maintain his figure tasted acceptable. Airplane food was mostly mediocre, and occasionally, when something was good, his stomach couldn’t handle it, leading to stomachache. Eventually, he stopped eating on flights altogether in order to stay in good condition.

But he had long forgotten which day they discussed this.

Such trivial matters only Xing Yang would remember.

Still, he felt a little unhappy; because he made breakfast for him, they had cuddled less that morning.

He didn’t care.

He wanted to cuddle.

“Hey—” Xing Yang shrugged helplessly and smiled, his voice deep, “I’m cutting food here, don’t let me cut you.”

Tan Zhiyu clung to him completely, hugging him from behind and burying his head in Xing Yang’s shoulder, rubbing his nose against the back of his neck, muffling a complaint: “Your knife skills aren’t that bad.”

“Don’t forget the documents are in the outside pocket of the bag; this layer is for food. It’ll be a six-hour flight, you can eat half of those lychees, and the rest can be given to Yue Jie. Eating too much will cause heat. Also, the tea in the thermos is a bit hot, be careful when you open it.”

They had only been apart for a week, but Tan Zhiyu felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart, a sour feeling.

If only he didn’t have to work, or if his boss didn’t have to go on business trips, they could stick together.

But this kind of separation was excruciating for them, a newly married couple still in the throes of romance.

“It’s not my first time going out to shoot; you make it sound like I don’t know how to do anything. I did fine before you came along.”

Tan Zhiyu wanted to say he didn’t need to be busy, that they could just sit quietly on the sofa for a while, but the words twisted in his mouth and felt off. His mood sank; it was the first time the typically professional Tan Zhiyu thought about slacking off from work.

Xing Yang sealed the lunch box and ruffled Tan Zhiyu’s long, unkempt curls: “That’s because I wasn’t with you before. It’s my first time participating in your business trip; it can’t be careless. You need to get used to it too.”

Tan Zhiyu was stunned; it was so strange.

Every time Boss Xing spoke, it calmed his heart, like a quiet and warm basement on a stormy day, always reassuring.

So he would have to get used to it in the future…

That meant he would be involved in every one of Tan Zhiyu’s future business trips.

That sounded nice.

“Alright then,” he accepted readily, satisfied with the prospect of many more opportunities in the future. Suddenly, his heart didn’t feel so sour anymore.

Tan Zhiyu hugged him, his cheeks slightly red, as if every moment spent beside Boss Xing made him realize how wonderful love was.

He hadn’t thought about love before, but most people cared more about his looks and were scared off by his sharp tongue.

But true love was when even if you spoke bitter words, you would still savor the sweetness.

Once love begins, the process of ambiguous expectations becomes unavoidable. When they were just in a contractual marriage, it didn’t matter if they marked each other many times in one night; there was only the natural beastly instinct and fervor.

Once the layer of love was pierced, it became as embarrassing as Adam and Eve realizing they were naked after Satan’s temptation, where any intimate gesture became incredibly sweet and flushed.

Breakfast was ready, and just about time. After much coaxing, Xing Yang finally got Tan Zhiyu into the car and drove him to the airport.

Tan Zhiyu packed a big bag of popcorn in his tote, intending to eat it even though it was a bit stale.

It seemed that in the days when Boss Xing wasn’t around, he could only rely on other things to alleviate his sadness.

He really was no different from a child.

Li Yue had been waiting at the airport. To prevent other media from finding out, the crew had already flown out early. Tan Zhiyu’s itinerary was kept secret, maximizing their chances of keeping their relationship under wraps.

Li Yue believed that Tan Zhiyu’s current mindset was nearing a peak of love-brain; in the future, if any media asked him about his relationship experiences, he’d readily acknowledge Boss Xing’s existence.

The major awards would be judged next month; if Tan Zhiyu had ties with investors, even if he won an award, he would still be criticized, significantly impacting his reputation in the industry.

So, she had to control Tan Zhiyu at all costs!

It definitely wasn’t because Boss Xing was using money to bribe her, but purely because she wanted Tan Zhiyu to have a brilliant career.

Upon arriving at the airport, Tan Zhiyu, the little puppy, didn’t want to get out of the car.

Li Yue took the luggage to check in and returned, finding Tan Zhiyu still sitting in the car.

She desperately opened the car door and got into the back seat to remind him to hurry up and check in when Xing Yang turned to signal her to be quiet. She then witnessed just how completely Boss Xing could manipulate Tan Zhiyu at home.

“The plane is leaving, and when it flies back we’ll see each other again, okay?” Xing Yang rubbed his fingertip against Tan Zhiyu’s palm.

Tan Zhiyu sighed lightly: “I understand, but it’s not time yet, right?”

There were still ten minutes left; he just wanted to stay for a while longer.

“Alright, go on.” Xing Yang wiggled his pinky at him: “When you finish your popcorn, we’ll meet again. Okay?”

As he released his grip, Tan Zhiyu suddenly found a butterfly pendant in his palm, the same as the tattoo on Boss Xing’s chest, made of platinum.

Tan Zhiyu squeezed the hard material in his palm, the corners of his lips curving slightly, locking eyes with Xing Yang’s dark irises, which appeared deep under the glow of the car’s lights, almost shadowy.

“Then I’ll go.”

“Mm, go ahead.”

Clearly not saying any sweet words of love, just a few casual remarks and a little gift, but the gentle tone and coaxing made Li Yue, who was sitting in the back, feel enchanted. Who invented the husband-wife dynamic? No one mentioned it would feel so delightful to talk about!!

“Go on, ancestor—” Li Yue saw him turning back multiple times and hurriedly dragged him away.

Tan Zhiyu put on his mask, hat, and sunglasses, heading to board the plane. Before the security check, he was already recognized and signed for a few enthusiastic fans.

“Zhiyu, Zhiyu!! That pendant looks so good!! Is it your new favorite??” a fan eagerly asked.

Longtime fans knew that Tan Zhiyu never liked unnecessary things like pendants or phone cases.

“Yes.” Tan Zhiyu smiled, holding the butterfly pendant in his palm.

Within five minutes, Tan Zhiyu’s Weibo was updated.

【Departed, looking forward to ending early~】 Accompanied by a picture of that little butterfly pendant.

The comments section quickly filled with various anticipations for Tan Zhiyu’s new film, etc.

He rarely posted on Weibo, mostly only about filming progress, and there was little about his private life.

Sharp-eyed fans commented: 【Isn’t that the iris butterfly? This kind of butterfly is also the Cupid butterfly; could Zhiyu be in a situation??】

【That pendant looks amazing!! Why can’t I find a similar one online?】

【What Tan Zhiyu uses must be a custom version… but I guess various small product sellers are probably preparing to mass produce it?】

【Looking forward!! I want one!! Will it be like before when he gives out gifts to fans? I’ve never won.】

Every time Tan Zhiyu posted on Weibo, he would draw fans to share a red envelope and other goodies that they liked.

But unfortunately, this time it wouldn’t happen.

This was a unique gift from Boss Xing.

Before the airplane took off, Qiu Jing called him, but the flight attendant reminded him to disconnect for a while, and he ignored it.

Since receiving his diploma and returning to the country, Qiu Jing had been hired as the head of the gland department at Beijing Hospital. This flunky son had actually turned into a shift worker, but he had plenty of social entertainment. It was usual for him to call just to ask to go out and play.

He was busy with love and work; when would he have time to look at his childhood friend acting crazy?

—

Xing Yang did not go home; he told Tan Zhiyu he had an afternoon flight. After sending him off, he waited at the airport for a while, and when Song Tian came back from checking baggage, he said, “Mr. Xing, everything has been arranged.”

“Good, did you bring enough clothes?”

“Mm-mm!” Song Tian nodded, his face a bit red.

Before boarding, Xing Yang’s phone rang: “How did you feel yesterday? Are you sure it’s a recurrence?”

“Yeah.” Xing Yang was on the phone as he passed through security, not avoiding Song Tian: “My fingers are numb, the response returns after about 70 seconds, and pain sensation is delayed. I need gland repair, how long will it take?”

“You need to be checked before we can determine. Your glands could have allowed you to live for several more decades; it’s hard for me to judge with you behaving this way. How about today?”

Xing Yang: “Not yet today.”

He remained extremely calm; there was a hint of ice in his eyes: “If the glands are removed, can we clear the blood clots in the skull? And then re-implant…”

“Xing Yang? Are you crazy?” The other party was clearly taken aback: “You can’t use anesthesia for surgery, and the implantation alone has already made your nerves extremely sensitive. Do you want to die?”

Xing Yang’s throat tightened for the first time: “Forget it, I’ll see you later. I’m too anxious.”

If his illness relapsed…

This was not the life he wanted; he just wanted to have some intersection with Tan Zhiyu, to stop him from being lonely, to fulfill his lifelong dream, instead of being madly in love with Tan Zhiyu over and over again after their marriage.

Once you fall in love with someone, he no longer cared about anything.

Hanging up the phone, Xing Yang fell silent as he progressed in line, while Song Tian timidly followed behind him. At the smoking area, Xing Yang stopped and took the bag from Song Tian’s hands: “Give it to me.”

“I, I can carry it…”

They were both omegas; in fact, Song Tian didn’t think he was delicate at all.

He thought Mr. Xing was the one who should be pampered.

Xing Yang lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply, and as the smoke swirled around, he asked, “When did your grandfather get sick?”

“Around sixty.”

“How many years did he lie in bed?”

Song Tian’s heart skipped a beat as he recalled the painful expression on his grandfather’s face while lying in bed, the sourness spreading; he answered in a quiet voice: “Thirteen years…”

Xing Yang chuckled lightly, patting his shoulder: “You’ve really had a hard time, that’s pretty impressive.”

An omega, managing to take care of an ALS patient for over ten years.

“Let’s go, the view over there is nice; you’ll like it.”

“Mm.” Song Tian bit his lip and caught up with his pace.

Xing Yang’s steps weren’t as hurried as before; he frowned slightly, causing Song Tian to sense something was wrong, and asked, “Mr. Xing, what’s wrong?”

Xing Yang touched his abdomen and pressed upward uncertainly: “Maybe I ate something bad…”

His lower abdomen felt a bit painful.