MYA | Chapter 5

Feng Qingzhu got out of the car with a sullen face, and Han Qianshan sprang to attention at once when he heard him.

“Feng ge…” The instant Han Qianshan saw Feng Qingzhu’s expression and his rumpled clothes, his mind exploded. “Sis… sister-in-law… and you… why are you alone…”

Why had there been no sound from sister-in-law?!

Feng Qingzhu walked up beside Han Qianshan and said with a tight frown, “Cigarettes.”

Han Qianshan hastily handed over the cigarette case. “Feng ge, you don’t usually smoke. Are you worried about sister-in-law? If you’re worried about him, take him to the hospital… no, wait, how do we even say that? It’ll sound like domestic violence… cough cough…”

Han Qianshan nearly choked on his own saliva.

Domestic violence, did that count?

Han Qianshan was a little confused too.

Sister-in-law had gone into the car of his own free will, but Feng ge’s actions did sound a little less than gentle…

Ah, what a mess this was!

Meanwhile, Feng Qingzhu seemed to have fallen into a trance. He bit the cigarette in his mouth but didn’t light it, just standing stiffly under the streetlamp. The moths above his head battered themselves frantically against the lampshade, as if they meant to throw themselves into the fire in the dim darkness before dawn.

“Take him to have a look.” After a long while, Feng Qingzhu finally spoke. “No, bring the doctor to the house.”

“Feng ge, did you really hurt sister-in-law?” Han Qianshan was shocked.

Feng Qingzhu flicked the ash from his cigarette. As if something had come to mind, his expression sharpened. “Don’t call him sister-in-law.”

That was also the first sentence Luo Zhiwen, waking from his stupor, heard.

He blankly hugged the suit draped over him, smelled Feng Qingzhu’s scent, and then his nose stung and tears welled up.

He knew Feng Qingzhu didn’t like him, but he liked Feng Qingzhu!

During the three years of their marriage, Luo Zhiwen had foolishly maintained this nominally dead marriage, because he really did treat Feng Qingzhu like his husband.

At that, Han Qianshan grew anxious. “Feng ge, I don’t know who the person you like is, but sister-in-law has been with you for three years. No matter how much you dislike him, now that something like this has happened, you can’t act like nothing did!”

“...Do you know? When sister-in-law heard you’d been drugged, he didn’t hesitate at all. He just pushed the door open and went in!”

“I’ll take responsibility for him.” Feng Qingzhu clenched his knuckles until they creaked. In the chaos of his mind, fragments of memory surged up, Luo Zhiwen crying, and Luo Zhiwen moaning.

Every word that followed seemed to be forced out from between Feng Qingzhu’s teeth. “I’m sorry to him, but…”

“It’s fine.” Luo Zhiwen suddenly pushed open the car door.

He was draped in an ill-fitting suit, his face bloodless, that face crawling with scars and frightful beyond measure.

Only his voice was still gentle. He said calmly, “You don’t owe me anything, and I don’t owe you anything either. What I just did for you… was of my own volition. You don’t need to take responsibility for me over something like this.”

“What are you getting out of the car for?” Feng Qingzhu caught sight of the dark marks on Luo Zhiwen’s neck, his heart giving a faint jolt, and blurted out, “Get back in.”

Luo Zhiwen only thought he was bothering him, and gave a miserable little laugh. He not only left the car door open, but also extended one leg outside, bracing himself on the door and barely managing to stand steady. “Get back in? Back in where? Feng Qingzhu, take a look at this car. Is there anywhere left for me to put my feet?”

Feng Qingzhu choked, his jaw snapping taut, his expression growing even colder.

Luo Zhiwen no longer cared.

He liked Feng Qingzhu, liked him to the point where he could tolerate his husband vanishing without a trace and never coming home, liked him to the point where he could forget his own original self for him, but his pride would not let him go on like this anymore.

He was a person too. Even if his face was scarred, he was still someone who had solemnly and properly registered a marriage with Feng Qingzhu.

And yet, in the end, Feng Qingzhu didn’t even want to acknowledge his identity.

Thinking of that, Luo Zhiwen’s nose stung again.

“I, Luo Zhiwen, do like you, very much. I admit it! But I won’t force someone who doesn’t like me to like me.” He swallowed down the bitterness in his chest and said each word slowly and distinctly, “Feng Qingzhu, let’s get divorced.”

As soon as he said it, the first one to cry out was Han Qianshan. “Sister-in-law, don’t! Let me explain, Feng ge is just… he’s just what? Feng ge, hurry up and explain it yourself!”

What could Feng Qingzhu say?

When Luo Zhiwen said divorce, his vision suddenly blurred, as if a layer of mist had fallen over everything, and that young man in the qipao was getting farther and farther away from him.

“Feng Qingzhu, let’s get divorced.” He had also said that to him.

Author’s note:

Sorry, something came up… This was supposed to update at 8 o’clock o(╥﹏╥)o This chapter will probably be every other day, or two days in a row and then one day off! Thanks for following along with the story_(:з」∠)_