Distorted Fairy Tale - Chapter 18

On the first day after Fu Yuhang and Song Zhen returned from F City, the observant housekeeper noticed that Song Zhen’s movements seemed a bit. Specifically, his legs appeared to tremble slightly when he walked, and his gait was noticeably awkward.

“Did you hurt your leg, Mr. Song? Should I call Dr. Zhou to take a look?” the housekeeper asked kindly.

Song Zhen’s face turned an eerie shade of red. He waved his hands frantically. “No… no need!”

Fu Yuhang, overhearing the exchange, glanced toward Song Zhen’s legs. The moment Song Zhen locked eyes with the culprit, Fu Yuhang spoke in a calm, detached voice: “If you’re uncomfortable, have Dr. Zhou come over.”

“I really don’t need him!” Song Zhen blurted out, his face flushing even deeper.

He felt certain Fu Yuhang was doing this on purpose. If he actually called the doctor and was asked how he’d sustained the “injury,” what was he supposed to say? Point at Fu Yuhang and say he did it?

Suddenly, Fu Yuhang’s phone chimed. He checked the message and looked up. “Zhou Zhining is opening an art gallery tomorrow. He’s asking if you want to go.”

“An art gallery?” Song Zhen blinked, startled. “I don’t really understand that kind of stuff. I think I’ll pass.”

Fu Yuhang didn’t push. He lowered his head to type a reply, presumably to Zhou Zhining. Almost the second the message was sent, his phone rang. Fu Yuhang answered it, and even without the speakerphone on, Song Zhen could hear Zhou Zhining wailing from the other end:

“I don’t care! I want my sister-in-law to come!”

Fu Yuhang frowned. “Don’t howl at me. Tell him yourself.” He rubbed his tortured left ear and handed the phone to Song Zhen. “It’s Zhou Zhining.”

Song Zhen took the phone. “Hello?”

“Sister-in-law, please come! Please, please!” Zhou Zhining pleaded.

“But I don’t really get art,” Song Zhen replied. “I’m afraid I’ll just be a wet blanket.”

“No way! Fu Yuhang doesn’t understand a thing either, and he still has the nerve to criticize my work. Just come together tomorrow. Please, please, please! I really want to hang out with you.”

After a few more rounds of Zhou Zhining’s dramatic begging, Song Zhen relented with a helpless smile. “Alright, I’ll be there.”

The gallery was packed. Zhou Zhining knew many people were only there because of his parents or his family name, but he liked to believe the rest were drawn by the “call of art.”

When Song Zhen arrived, he was taken aback by the crowd. “This is incredible. I can’t believe so many people came to see your paintings,” he remarked.

Standing beside him, Fu Yuhang revealed the cold truth: “Half of them are paid extras I hired.”

“What?”

“The only time Zhining is ever quiet is when he’s painting. I’m very invested in him keeping up this hobby,” Fu Yuhang said flatly. “For life. After all, he saved me when he was a kid and got some ‘water on the brain’ in the process. Since the symptoms have persisted into adulthood, I feel responsible.”

“Well.  that’s very ‘grateful’ of you,” Song Zhen managed.

Zhou Zhining spotted them from across the room and came sprinting over. “Sister-in-law! Long time no see!” He planted a quick peck on Song Zhen’s cheek.

“Long time no see.” Song Zhen stuttered. He still wasn’t used to Zhou Zhining’s physical affection; even his ears turned red.

Fu Yuhang, anticipating the social explosion, had already slipped away to find their friend Ji Xiuyuan.

Zhou Zhining dragged Song Zhen along to view his work. The walls were lined with surreal, bizarre pieces bold colors and avant-garde styles. Song Zhen didn’t know much about art, but he felt a sense of raw wildness in them. It was hard to reconcile these paintings with the elegant, refined image Zhou Zhining usually projected.

“What do you think?” Zhou Zhining asked expectantly.

Song Zhen chose his words carefully. “I don’t know much about this, but I feel a lot of vitality in them. It makes me think of a vast prairie, and a… wild horse?” He looked at Zhou Zhining earnestly. “Maybe you have a wilderness of your own inside your heart.”

Before he could finish, he noticed Zhou Zhining was already tearing up.

“Waaaah! This is the first time I’ve met someone who truly understands my art!”

“Sister. no, Soulmate!” Zhou Zhining gave Song Zhen a massive hug, overwhelmed with emotion. “Zhen-zhen, if Fu Yuhang ever dares to bully you, come to me. I have the dirt I need to handle him.”

Song Zhen was still reeling from the jump from “Sister-in-law” to “Soulmate” and now “Zhen-zhen.” He was left stunned and slightly amused. It was the first time anyone had called him by such an affectionate nickname.

They continued through the gallery until Song Zhen stopped in front of a painting of flowers burning on a dark sea. He stared at it for a long time.

“It’s beautiful.” he whispered.

“What do you think it represents?” Zhou Zhining asked.

Song Zhen watched the canvas for a moment before saying softly, “Is it… Someone struggling in the ocean?”

“The flowers represent life, and the fire is the burning of that life. A flower burning on the sea is a person. The harder they struggle, the faster they drown. If the sea represents life itself. I think those who struggle the most are often the ones who sink. Those who stay numb and just drift might survive, but it’s only the life that struggles that gets to bloom brilliantly like these flowers.”

Zhou Zhining burst into tears again. He didn’t say a word, just hugged Song Zhen tightly.

“Zhen-zhen, we are officially best friends!” he declared. “Not because of Fu Yuhang, but because you’re the only person who truly sees my work! I’m giving this painting to you!”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” Song Zhen said, waving his hands.

“Take it! It’s a friendship gift. Once you accept it, we’re besties for life!”

“But”

“Unless.” Zhou Zhining pouted piteously, “You don’t actually want to be my friend?”

“No, no! Okay, thank you then,” Song Zhen smiled gently. “Xiao Ning.”

“Xiao Ning.”

A second voice echoed Song Zhen’s words from behind. Song Zhen turned to see an incredibly striking Omega. Their features were remarkably similar to Zhou Zhining’s, but where Zhining was delicate and bright, this person had a chilling, somber aura. Even though they were smiling, the warmth didn’t reach their eyes.

“You,” Zhou Zhining looked like he’d seen a ghost. He scrambled behind Song Zhen, peeking out from over his shoulder. “When did you get back?!”

“I just stepped off the plane. I heard you were having an exhibition and rushed straight here.” The Omega tilted their head. “Aren’t you touched?”

Zhou Zhining was clearly too terrified to be “touched.”

The Omega scanned the room. “Where’s Fu Yuhang? I know he’s here.”

“Zhou Zhiran, don’t you dare do anything crazy!” Zhining barked. “If you ruin my gallery, I’ll… I’ll never forgive you!”

Zhou Zhiran? Song Zhen realized this must be Zhining’s brother.

“Xiao Ning,” Zhou Zhiran’s smile faded, his gaze darkening. “I’ll ask one more time. Where is Fu Yuhang?”

Song Zhen felt Zhining shudder. “How should I know? Go find him yourself!” With that, Zhining grabbed Song Zhen’s hand and bolted.

They moved so fast they were practically running, as if escaping a natural disaster. Once they were clear, Zhining whipped out his phone and called Fu Yuhang. “Zhou Zhiran is back! He’s at the gallery looking for you!”

There was a brief silence on the other end. “Take Song Zhen and leave first,” Fu Yuhang said.

“I’m already taking him home,” Zhining panted. “Zhou Zhiran is a rabid dog; once he bites, he doesn’t let go. Good luck!”

He hung up. Song Zhen asked breathlessly, “What is going on?”

“I’ll tell you in the car.”

Once inside the car, Zhou Zhining downed some water and caught his breath.

“Zhou Zhiran. From the name, you can tell we’re related. He’s my half-brother. Simply put? He’s insane.”

“He’s been obsessed with Fu Yuhang since we were kids. It’s not even ‘liking’ him anymore; it’s. fanatical. He’s like a dog with a bone, a cat with a mouse. I’m not exaggerating.”

“When we were little, Fu Yuhang got bitten by a dog. The next day, that dog was found dead and disemboweled. Zhou Zhiran did it,” Zhining said, watching Song Zhen’s reaction.

“In school, if anyone said a bad word about Fu Yuhang, Zhiran would pick a fight. He’s an Omega, but he’d beat up Betas and Alphas until everyone was a bloody mess, all while screaming that no one in the world loves Fu Yuhang more than he does.”

“When he grew up, he wanted to marry him. My grandfather even went to Fu Yuhang’s grandfather to talk about an engagement. Do you know what Fu Yuhang did?” Zhining rolled his eyes in disgust. “He claimed that because I saved him as a kid, he’d been secretly in love with me all these years.”

“But I’m f***ing gay! I only like Omegas!” Zhining shouted in frustration. “And Fu Yuhang had the audacity to say being gay is ‘curable’ and that he’d wait for me to get ‘better’ so he could marry me. He used me as a human shield! It was a total low blow!”

“You. like Omegas?” Song Zhen blinked, surprised.

“That’s not the point! The point is the rumor spread, and now everyone thinks I’m Fu Yuhang’s ‘unreachable white moonlight.’ So now, instead of bothering Fu Yuhang, Zhou Zhiran spends his time tormenting me! He looks at me like he wants to murder me.”

Song Zhen went quiet. It explained why Fu Yuhang and Zhining never actually seemed like a romantic couple; they behaved more like bickering friends.

“He let me take the heat from that psycho for years. Is he even human?” Zhining complained. “Maybe he feels guilty, because he sends me incredibly expensive birthday gifts every year which Zhou Zhiran promptly burns! He targets me at every turn.”

“So, whatever you do, do not let Zhou Zhiran notice you. Getting bitten by that rabid dog is no joke,” Zhining said seriously. “Keep your relationship with Fu Yuhang low-profile. If he finds out, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”

Song Zhen listened, then realized a major problem. “But. Fu Yuhang and I are already married. Even if he used a different ID to register, someone with connections could probably find out, right?”

“WHAT?! When did you get married?!”

“It’s a long story.”

“It doesn’t matter when!” Zhining looked like he was turning to stone. “Zhen-zhen, you need to go abroad. I’m serious. Go hide in another country.”

“I can’t really do that,” Song Zhen said softly. “Fu Yuhang has work and  I’m pregnant. I need his pheromones. I can’t be away from him for long.”

“PREGNANT!” Zhou Zhining stared at Song Zhen’s stomach, his heart sinking into his shoes. He clutched his hair in total despair.

“We’re dead. If that maniac finds out you’re carrying Fu Yuhang’s child, he’s going to lose his mind!”

Support Distorted Fairy Tale