Chapter 21
Jiang Chaochao’s ears were actually ringing now.
If he hadn’t turned off the lights in his bedroom, he might have seen the world spinning before his eyes.
How could Xiang Ye just say that?
How could he just casually blurt it out?
Knowing about the Weibo comment was one thing, but why did he have to say it?!
Jiang Chaochao’s throat was so dry he didn’t know what to say, but he also didn’t want to say anything.
“What’s wrong?”
Probably because Jiang Chaochao hadn’t spoken for a while, Xiang Ye asked from the other end.
Only then did Jiang Chaochao realize that his breathing was shallow.
So he slowly took a deep breath, then exhaled.
So awkward, he wanted to hang up.
Indeed.
“Can I hang up for a bit?” Jiang Chaochao said directly.
Xiang Ye seemed to pause on the other end: “That serious?”
Jiang Chaochao closed his eyes: “You don’t understand.”
Xiang Ye: “Okay.”
Beep…
He said he would hang up, and he hung up.
Jiang Chaochao threw his phone away and burrowed under the covers.
Now it was even quieter, as if the only sounds in the world were his own breathing and heartbeat.
Jiang Chaochao thought he would overthink a lot during this alone time, but in reality, his mind was completely blank from beginning to end.
Blank to the point of emotional stability, blank to the point where he could face Xiang Ye again.
Picking up his phone again, Xiang Ye had sent him two messages on WeChat.
XY: “I think I messed up.”
XY: “Sorry.”
Looking at these two messages, Jiang Chaochao smiled.
Jiang Chaochao: “Messed up my ass, sorry.”
After sending this message, Jiang Chaochao’s phone rang again. It was Xiang Ye.
At the same time, Xiang Ye also sent a message: “You can hang up if you don’t want to answer.”
How interesting. He was still feeling awkward just now, but because of these few words from Xiang Ye, his heart felt warm and fuzzy.
Jiang Chaochao, oh Jiang Chaochao.
Of course, Jiang Chaochao answered the call.
The ringtone stopped abruptly as he answered, and the dark bedroom fell silent again.
The seconds ticked by on the screen, but neither of them spoke.
Jiang Chaochao shifted to a prone position, resting his head on the pillow, his chin on the back of his hand, watching the seconds tick by under Xiang Ye’s profile picture.
From 10 to 15, then from 15 to 20.
At 25 seconds, the person on the other end couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Mm-hmm?” Xiang Ye made a soft sound.
The corners of Jiang Chaochao’s eyes curved upwards, he also: “Mm-hmm?”
Xiang Ye’s voice also carried a hint of laughter: “Not talking?”
Jiang Chaochao: “You didn’t talk either.”
Xiang Ye asked: “Are you angry?”
Jiang Chaochao’s eyes curved even more, but his tone was normal: “Huh? Angry about what?”
Xiang Ye’s voice seemed to be laced with laughter: “Yes, angry about what?”
Since Xiang Ye said that, Jiang Chaochao acted angry: “Why did you bring up my comment?”
Xiang Ye actually laughed this time, and he also said: “Sorry.”
Jiang Chaochao originally wanted to argue a bit more, but was instantly disarmed by Xiang Ye’s apology: “Fine then, I accept your apology.”
Xiang Ye: “Mr. Jiang is so magnanimous.”
Jiang Chaochao: “I am.”
Xiang Ye: “Mm-hmm~”
Really, his “mm-hmm” sounded quite pleasant.
Jiang Chaochao suppressed the inexplicable flutter in his heart and started to explain: “That comment, I saw everyone saying it, so I joined in.”
Xiang Ye: “I know.”
Jiang Chaochao: “I can’t just look without commenting, I have to say something.”
Xiang Ye: “I know.”
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
You know my ass.
Whatever I say is right?
Jiang Chaochao: “Your friend really is a good photographer.”
Xiang Ye asked: “Just because he’s a good photographer?”
Jiang Chaochao smiled secretly: “Why do I feel like someone wants to be complimented?”
Xiang Ye: “Then will you compliment me?”
“Then I will,” Jiang Chaochao casually said, “Gege, you’re super handsome.”
Xiang Ye’s laughter was evident on the other end: “Damn, I’m a bit happy.”
It made Jiang Chaochao want to laugh too: “Shouldn’t you be used to this kind of compliment?”
Xiang Ye: “No one’s ever complimented me before.”
Jiang Chaochao clicked his tongue: “I believe you.”
Xiang Ye asked again: “Do you comment like that on other people’s posts?”
Jiang Chaochao: “What?”
Xiang Ye: “Nothing.”
Reaching this point in the conversation, a knock suddenly came from the door, followed by his stepmother’s voice: “Chaochao, are you asleep?”
“Hold on,” Jiang Chaochao said to Xiang Ye. “Someone’s at the door.”
Xiang Ye: “Mm-hmm.”
Jiang Chaochao sat up and called out, “What’s up?”
His stepmother’s voice came from the door: “Are you asleep?”
Jiang Chaochao: “No.”
Jiang Chaochao said to Xiang Ye, “Wait for me,” then turned on the light and went to open the door.
It turned out Jiang Zhiyan had gotten into an argument with her mother and run away without eating dinner, and she still hadn’t returned. Her mother couldn’t reach her, and her father wasn’t home yet as he was out socializing.
“I had my friend call her, but she didn’t answer. I thought she usually listens to you,” his stepmother looked worried. “Can you call her for me?”
Jiang Chaochao nodded and said he could, and also comforted her, “She’s probably fine, she might still be angry.”
His stepmother sighed: “She’s just spoiled.”
Jiang Chaochao pursed his lips.
To make the call, he naturally needed his phone, but Jiang Chaochao didn’t want to hang up on Xiang Ye, so he transferred the call to his tablet.
Should he mute the microphone?
No, he wouldn’t. It wasn’t a big deal.
As expected, Jiang Zhiyan answered Jiang Chaochao’s call. She was indeed fine and currently playing games at her friend’s house.
Jiang Chaochao didn’t say much, just asked if she could come home within half an hour. After she agreed, he hung up.
His stepmother, who had been listening the whole time, said after the call ended, “Thank you, that child is really infuriating.”
Jiang Chaochao gave a dry laugh: “Mm-hmm.”
Stepmother: “Alright then, you should go to bed early, sorry to disturb you.”
Jiang Chaochao: “It’s fine.”
After his stepmother left, Jiang Chaochao turned off the light again and returned to bed.
“I’m back,” Jiang Chaochao said, then realized his tone when talking to his stepmother was completely different from his tone with Xiang Ye.
“Okay,” Xiang Ye said.
Jiang Chaochao briefly explained that his sister had an argument with her mother and wasn’t home yet.
“You have a younger sister?” Xiang Ye asked after listening.
Jiang Chaochao gave an “mm-hmm”: “My stepmother’s daughter.”
Xiang Ye asked: “How old is she?”
Jiang Chaochao thought for a moment: “17, second year of high school.”
Xiang Ye: “The age where they’re prone to throwing tantrums.”
Jiang Chaochao laughed: “Yes.”
Xiang Ye asked: “Did you throw tantrums at that age?”
Jiang Chaochao thought for a moment: “No.”
Xiang Ye said again: “Very well-behaved.”
Jiang Chaochao said: “Not well-behaved, I just didn’t have anyone to throw tantrums at.”
After saying this, Jiang Chaochao felt like he had said a bit too much.
He rarely said these things to outsiders, let alone the person on the other end of the phone, whom he had only known for a few days.
The “because my mom also cut steak for other kids” that slipped out during their last steak dinner, and now the “didn’t have anyone to throw tantrums at.”
Jiang Chaochao always hid his true self. Objectively speaking, he had hidden himself to the point of being unreadable.
Perhaps that’s why people said he was aloof and hard to approach.
So the familiarity Xiang Ye gave him made Jiang Chaochao feel a bit scared. At the same time, a ridiculous word popped into his mind, hopelessly in love.
Jiang Chaochao never considered himself to be hopelessly in love, but he couldn’t deny that after meeting Xiang Ye, he kept doing things that defied logic.
He felt that his heart was relying on Xiang Ye, and he didn’t think this was entirely a good thing.
Being hopelessly in love with someone he had only known for a few days was too ridiculous.
And the next second…
“Were your parents not around at the time?” Xiang Ye asked.
Jiang Chaochao’s self-reflection seemed to have failed, he even started telling himself that it wasn’t a big deal.
“They were divorced,” Jiang Chaochao said. “After the divorce, my mom left home, and not long after, my dad married my stepmother and brought home my sister, who was already in elementary school.”
Xiang Ye paused for a few seconds. Just as Jiang Chaochao was about to regret saying so much, Xiang Ye said, “Then you must have been very free.”
Jiang Chaochao suddenly laughed.
Another important reason Jiang Chaochao was reluctant to talk about these things with others was that whoever heard them, from their expression to their body language to their words, would sympathize with him.
He didn’t like this. People are easily influenced by emotions. Years ago, after being sympathized with, Jiang Chaochao would easily start sympathizing with himself.
It wasn’t until much later that he realized that the essence of this matter, for him, was…
“Yes, I was indeed very free.”
Xiang Ye sighed, “In high school, I had to tell my parents if I came home after ten.”
Since that was the case, Jiang Chaochao added, “I once spent three days and two nights at an internet cafe in high school, didn’t go home, just played games.”
He rarely heard surprise in Xiang Ye’s voice: “So crazy, so cool.”
Jiang Chaochao laughed: “Yes.”
Xiang Ye: “And then?”
“Cool and not cool,” Jiang Chaochao recalled. “It was my rebellious phase, and no one cared about me, my rebelliousness had nowhere to go, so I did what I considered to be a very rebellious thing just for myself.”
Xiang Ye chuckled on the other end, “How did it feel?”
Jiang Chaochao also laughed: “Hard to say. Thinking back, it was pretty silly. I couldn’t sleep or eat well, got sick of playing games after a while, didn’t know what I was doing. I became obedient after that, and went back to being a good high school student.”
Xiang Ye commented calmly, “So well-behaved.”
Jiang Chaochao: “That’s considered well-behaved?”
Xiang Ye: “Extremely well-behaved.”
“What about your mother? Where did she go?” Xiang Ye asked, then added, “May I ask?”
“Sure,” Jiang Chaochao said. “She went into business, making big bucks.”
Xiang Ye: “Very impressive.”
Jiang Chaochao laughed: “Yes.”
“My mother,” Jiang Chaochao added, “She was actually running a small business before she got married, but because my family was very traditional, they didn’t let her do it. So she reluctantly got married and gave up everything to take care of the family.”
Many people said that Jiang Chaochao’s mother was irresponsible and heartless, that she left without looking back after the divorce, abandoning Jiang Chaochao. Jiang Chaochao might have thought that way when he was young, but not anymore. He hoped that his mother would live a good life, love herself, and be herself.
Jiang Chaochao said: “She’s living a good life now, very happy.”
Hearing this, Xiang Ye asked: “Do you feel sad because she doesn’t show you much care?”
Jiang Chaochao said: “Steak.”
Xiang Ye: “Yes.”
Jiang Chaochao fell silent.
Silent because he suddenly calmed down again, suddenly feeling like he had said too much.
Also silent because even though he hadn’t said much, Xiang Ye managed to accurately pinpoint his feelings.
“Actually, I’m a bit conflicted,” Jiang Chaochao finally said.
Xiang Ye: “But you’ve come to terms with it.”
Jiang Chaochao chuckled: “Yes.”
Xiang Ye said: “Your thinking is also very free.”
Jiang Chaochao felt this was a novel observation: “Really?”
Xiang Ye: “Very much so.”
Very much so.
Such an affirmative phrase.
Such a relieving conversation.
Even more relaxing than when he talked about this with Xu Hengzhi.
This person, still a stranger, yet seemed to understand him so well.
Xiang Ye: “I understand you a little better now.”
Although Jiang Chaochao felt that was true, he still said: “Really?”
Xiang Ye: “Very much so.”
Very much so again.
Then very much so it was.
“Oh no.”
After a moment of silence, Xiang Ye suddenly said this.
Then he continued, “Did I make things a bit too serious?”
Jiang Chaochao made a noncommittal sound.
Xiang Ye: “What to do?”
Jiang Chaochao also said: “What to do?”
Xiang Ye said: “Punish me.”
Jiang Chaochao was stunned: “What?”
