He stood frozen, staring straight at the doorway.
Moments later, Tao Zhi stepped out.
He had been psyching himself up outside and now mustered the courage to enter and greet Fu Zheng: “Hey, Fu Zheng……”
The moment he spoke, Fu Zheng’s eyes instantly reddened.
His entire eye sockets turned red, like an abandoned puppy who had finally found its owner during a desperate escape.
Joy, anger, grievance.
Every emotion was there.
Extremely aggrieved.
Fu Si Heng: “……”
Six.
He was addicted to the act.
Fu Si Heng’s lips twitched expressionlessly.
–
The bodyguards were all sent out, leaving just the three of them in the apartment.
Tao Zhi and Fu Zheng sat on separate single sofas, with Fu Si Heng in the middle.
That was his requirement, in case Fu Zheng flipped out suddenly.
Fu Zheng flipped him the bird at Fu Si Heng.
Defiant, but with his leg still in a cast, he couldn’t take on Fu Si Heng directly, so he sat down opposite Tao Zhi.
Then, silence reigned for about two minutes.
Before seeing Tao Zhi, Fu Zheng had a million questions he wanted to ask, things he wanted to say, everything he wanted to know about what had happened.
But now that the person was right in front of him, Fu Zheng didn’t know how to start.
He wanted to speak but didn’t know where to begin.
Tao Zhi broke the silence first.
“Does your hand need tending to?” He had heard Fu Zheng punch the wall from outside—a heavy thud that startled him.
Now, looking at Fu Zheng’s hand, he saw the knuckles were scraped.
Tao Zhi was very worried about Fu Zheng.
Fu Zheng glanced down.
It was just a minor injury; he instinctively wanted to say no need, but then he remembered the doctor’s instructions and changed his mind, muttering lowly: “Okay……”
“Where’s your family’s first aid kit?” Tao Zhi stood up immediately.
“No need, I’ll get it.” Fu Si Heng stood too.
Before Fu Zheng could react, Fu Si Heng passed by Tao Zhi, gave him a gentle pat, and went straight to fetch Fu Zheng’s first aid kit like it was his own home.
But when he brought it out, Fu Zheng rejected it.
His tone was stiff, face cold: “It doesn’t hurt.”
Predictable. Fu Si Heng didn’t bother arguing, just placed the kit on the coffee table and resumed sitting between them.
“Are you really together with Fu Si Heng?” Fu Zheng blurted out suddenly, zero hesitation.
Tao Zhi, who had been pondering how to broach it, froze briefly before recovering: “Yeah, we are……”
Fu Zheng: “……”
“I don’t believe it.” Fu Zheng stuck to his script.
He even made excuses for Tao Zhi: “Did Fu Si Heng threaten you?”
Tao Zhi: “……No.”
“No way!” Fu Zheng lost it instantly: “I don’t believe you’re together. He must’ve threatened you!”
Compared to the first time he caught them kissing, when he flew into a mad rage and foolishly fought Fu Si Heng at the school gate, this time Fu Zheng was clearly much calmer.
He didn’t lash out physically, but his fists clenched so tight they trembled.
His eyes were bloodshot red, and beyond the anger in his gaze, there was mostly panic.
Fu Zheng even tried to remind Tao Zhi: “You said you were straight.”
“I did say that……” Tao Zhi licked his lips: “But things change.”
“I was straight back then, but not anymore……”
“Fu Zheng, I’m really sorry.”
“No need to apologize.” Fu Si Heng interrupted Tao Zhi.
He looked at Fu Zheng: “I pursued him. I’m the one who bent him.”
“He doesn’t owe you any explanations, but he insisted on coming to clear things up with you. We’re in love—no coercion.”
Fu Si Heng’s voice was even as he told his brother word by word: “You were the one who delivered him to me. You should’ve seen this coming. Just because you fell for him and called off the plan doesn’t mean you can pretend nothing happened.”
“There’s no such childish nonsense, Fu Zheng.” Fu Si Heng rarely spoke so much to him.
This time, he even showed some patience.
Though not much.
“I’m not here to lecture you. In life, you pay for your mistakes—whether it’s your stupidity in sending him my way or only realizing you needed money to save the person you like after I cut your cards.”
“Starting to try hard now? You’ve already lost.”
“……”
“But at least I’m trying.” With his leg still in plaster, it hampered Fu Zheng’s momentum.
Normally, he would’ve already thrown hands with Fu Si Heng.
But now.
Fu Zheng took a deep breath, refusing to yield: “If it weren’t for you……”
If not for being provoked back then into going independent, making Tao Zhi look at him differently, he would’ve chased Tao Zhi too.
He could’ve won Tao Zhi too.
It would’ve been him who got Tao Zhi.
They lived in the same dorm, right under his nose, seeing each other every day.
……
Right.
Right under his nose, seeing each other every day.
How did it end up like this?
