Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: He called him with a sob in his voice: “Dr. Xu…”

The mechanical watch on his left wrist emitted a rhythmic ticking sound.

Tick. Tock.

“Yes, it’s here.” Xu Jingmo responded calmly, flipping the camera. A decent-sized blue-green stone appeared on the screen. In reality, many mineral-based medicines are blue-green; Azurite is, and so is Chalcanthite. One can only make a rough judgment based on appearance alone.

“Mm… Dr. Xu, try tapping it. Is it hollow?” The youth stared at the screen, asking seriously.

A hand with prominent veins appeared in the frame, slender knuckles tapping against the blue stone.

Dong. Dong.

Chen Kongqing could tell it wasn’t solid. His tone couldn’t help but sound a bit excited: “It sounds like it’s not solid.”

“Yes, it’s hollow,” Xu Jingmo answered.

“Then… I suspect it’s Azurite (Kongqing).” The youth gave his answer but cautiously added, “However… I’d still need to confirm it in person. Generally, with this color and a hollow center, there’s a high probability it’s Azurite.”

Azurite is a rare mineral medicine, typically found in Henan and the Guanzhong area; it’s rarely seen in modern society. He had only seen it once or twice in the department lab.

The screen remained focused on the blue stone. The camera was steady, but there was no reply for a long time. Chen Kongqing looked at the lens with confusion.

He couldn’t see. He couldn’t see the phoenix eyes hidden behind the lens, which hadn’t spent a single second looking at the precious stone.

“Dr. Xu?” He waited a few more seconds, still hearing no response.

Two seconds later, an explanation came through the phone: “Sorry, the signal lagged on my end.”

Chen Kongqing found it odd—there hadn’t been any notification of a poor connection. “Then, did you hear what I just said, Dr. Xu?”

“I heard. So… when are you free? I’ll bring it over for you to look at.” The male voice on the phone seemed somewhat troubled. “I know absolutely nothing about this field.”

“I’m free!” Finally, there was something he could help Dr. Xu with; he was naturally more than willing.

Xu Jingmo suddenly shifted the topic: “Your name is the same as this stone.”

“Yes, my family chose it from the pharmacopoeia,” Chen Kongqing replied. Feeling a bit thirsty, he set his phone down on the dining table, the camera pointing toward the ceiling. Then, he leaned his body to reach for the water pitcher at the corner of the table.

Consequently, he completely failed to notice that during these few seconds, the phone camera was pointed directly at his collar and collarbone.

Chen Kongqing was very thin, and his skin was translucent white, like polished jade. The elegant curve of his collarbone looked like a natural carving left by nature on white jade. Xu Jingmo’s gaze seared into this spot. One second, two seconds, three seconds.

The veins on the man’s forehead throbbed. He pursed his lips tightly and silently looked away. His throat felt as if it were parched.

Chen Kongqing also felt a bit hot, especially around his neck. He thought the medicine might be wearing off, and his body was starting to feel uncomfortable again. Holding a glass of water, the youth sat back down.

Xu Jingmo looked at the screen—the bright white light from the ceiling lamp. He heard the glug-glug of drinking, followed by the faint sound of a swallow as the Adam’s apple bobbed.

Chen Kongqing drank refreshingly. After finishing, as if thinking of something, he lowered his head to look at the screen again: “Actually, Dr. Xu’s name is also a type of medicine.”

Into the screen burst those pupils that looked like melting ice, appearing much more vibrant than before.

Xu Jingmo stared intently at those eyes through the screen: “Is that so?”

“Mm. ‘Jingmo’ actually refers to the ink used in ancient traditional calligraphy. Once ground into liquid, it can be used as medicine; it has analgesic effects.” Whenever the youth talked about herbs, he involuntarily became more talkative.

Xu Jingmo: “I didn’t know that.”

“Many people use Chinese medicine as names now. ‘Ling Xiao’ is also a Chinese medicine.” Chen Kongqing didn’t know why he suddenly thought of Ling Xiao again. Perhaps it was from the first moment he learned Ling Xiao’s name. He had imagined that since both their names came from the pharmacopoeia, it was as if Li Shizhen himself was playing matchmaker. It felt like he and Ling Xiao were destined.

At this thought, he dazed for a few seconds. There was no response from the phone, only the constantly increasing call duration.

“Indeed. Kongqing is one, and Jingmo is another.”

The male voice on the phone carried a magnetic tone, sounding through the speaker with its own layer of attraction. At that moment, the camera flipped back, facing Xu Jingmo directly.

Chen Kongqing froze, meeting those phoenix eyes in the video. They were about fifty percent similar to Ling Xiao’s, but even more similar to the eyes in his dreams. Within the narrow, deep sockets were pupils as dark as ink. Even through a screen, Xu Jingmo’s eyes seemed capable of pinning someone in place.

Chen Kongqing stared at the screen in a daze for a few seconds.

Xu Jingmo spoke naturally: “Are you free tomorrow? Shall I come find you?”

Chen Kongqing snapped back to reality, nodding like a chick pecking at grain: “Yes! Dr. Xu, come to the herb shop where I work part-time. It’s not far, quite close to Kun University. If I can’t be sure, I can ask my senior to help look at it.”

The man on the screen curved his lips slightly: “Alright. Sorry for the trouble.”

He didn’t know Xu Jingmo’s exact age; looking at his face, he couldn’t see much of a difference. The only place he felt Dr. Xu was more mature than them was his demeanor. He had never heard Dr. Xu raise his voice, nor seen him make any exaggerated expressions or gestures. He was always composed, as if there was nothing he couldn’t handle.

“It’s no trouble.” Chen Kongqing rubbed his eyes.

Xu Jingmo looked at the rabbit whose eyes were still a bit swollen: “Sleepy?”

“I feel a bit lightheaded after eating.” He had only recently learned about “carb coma.”

“Go to sleep then. See you tomorrow.” The male voice from the speaker was very gentle, as was his expression.

Actually, Chen Kongqing didn’t really want to hang up. But he couldn’t exactly tell Dr. Xu not to. “Okay. You should sleep early too, Dr. Xu,” he replied with a smile.

With a beep, he ended the video call. In the large apartment, only silence remained. Chen Kongqing looked at the clock on the wall; it was nearly ten o’clock. There was still no reply from Ling Xiao.

…

Around five or six in the morning, while he was still drifting in sleep, he suddenly heard his phone ringing. He answered in a daze; it was Ling Xiao’s voice.

“Hey, Kongqing.” The man’s voice was raspy, as if he had just woken up. “I didn’t see the messages yesterday.”

Hearing Ling Xiao’s voice, Chen Kongqing remembered the pains that had been briefly forgotten in sleep. He didn’t know what to say.

“You were looking for me… for what?” Ling Xiao coughed a few times over the phone.

“Where did you go?” Chen Kongqing spoke softly. It wasn’t an interrogation, just a normal conversational tone.

“I…” The male voice faltered. “No… nowhere. Just training.”

Chen Kongqing rolled over, staring at the empty ceiling. “I went to the gym yesterday. You weren’t there.”

Ling Xiao: “What time… then I probably just left. We’re about to start closed-door training, so I thought about going for one last barbecue. Then I drank too much and slept until now.”

“I see.” Chen Kongqing blinked, asking nothing more.

Ling Xiao suddenly said, “Mm… you don’t believe me?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t believe you,” Chen Kongqing replied gently. “Ling Xiao, train hard.”

“Okay. When I compete, you have to come. Sit in the front row and watch me play.” There was a hint of expectation in the male voice.

“Okay,” Chen Kongqing promised.

After hanging up, he couldn’t describe how he felt. He didn’t know if Ling Xiao was lying; he could only make himself care less and less. But why did his heart still ache with a twisting pain?

When Dr. Xu said “Kongqing is one, and Jingmo is another” last night, he realized something late. He realized that maybe there wasn’t that much “destiny.” More likely, it was just one-sided wishful thinking.

Chen Kongqing stopped thinking about it. Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, he got up early. His schedule for today was packed: class first, then the lab, then the pharmacy in the afternoon to help Dr. Xu look at the stone.

…

Xu Jingmo was also very busy today. He hadn’t expected the department meeting to be moved to today. After finishing the morning outpatient clinic, he didn’t have time to organize the inpatient records before the meeting started.

“Tsk, if this goes on any longer, my hemorrhoids are going to flare up.” Zhou Mujun couldn’t help but shift his numb backside.

Xu Jingmo glanced down at the mechanical watch on his wrist. It was already 4:00 PM. He had come in a hurry and didn’t think the meeting would last so long; his phone was left in his office.

“What, you have a date?” Zhou Mujun whispered, rarely seeing Xu Jingmo look so restless.

Xu Jingmo: “I have something to do.”

Zhou Mujun laughed, seeing through him but not calling it out: “No wonder you even styled your hair today.”

Xu Jingmo didn’t speak, his expression very serious. Zhou Mujun thought they had been spotted by the Director who was currently speaking, so he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

Suddenly, the serious-faced guy beside him whispered: “Does it not look good?”

Zhou Mujun: “…” An old house catching fire is truly terrifying. (A metaphor for an older person falling in love intensely).

He curled his lip and made something up: “It looks better with glasses.”

Xu Jingmo remained earnest: “Won’t it make me look old?”

“What, are you an old cow wanting to eat tender grass?” Zhou Mujun laughed again.

This time, Xu Jingmo really stopped talking. His face was so sour that Zhou Mujun didn’t dare look. “Not old… Dr. Xu, you are the youngest returnee doctor in our department.”

Well, Xu Jingmo still ignored him, turning his gaze slightly toward the window. Outside, it was raining.

…

Chen Kongqing was staring out the window. He watched the fine, dense mist of rain gradually roll into droplets that crashed down. He had finished all his work at the pharmacy and had sent Dr. Xu the location. But after waiting for hours, there was no reply.

Was he busy? Doctors usually were. He silently left a message for him.

Azurite: [Dr. Xu, if you’re busy, let’s reschedule for another day.] Azurite: [I’m heading back now.]

With the rain, no customers came to the pharmacy. It was another moment where it was so quiet only his breathing remained. After waiting ten minutes with his chin in his hand, the youth began packing his bag. If he didn’t leave now, he worried the rain would get heavier.

Sure enough, as soon as he stepped out of the alley, the rain intensified. Droplets drummed against his umbrella, soaking his pant legs and the toes of his shoes. At first, he carefully avoided the puddles, but now he didn’t bother. The sky was grey, and the rain seemed endless. This was the only path from the pharmacy to the subway station; he had walked it alone countless times.

Perhaps it was because of the rain. Today, the more he walked, the more stifled his heart felt. Why was the road so long when walking alone? It felt like it would never end.

Whether it was because he was dazed or because the road was too slippery in the rain, Chen Kongqing felt his foot slip. His umbrella fell, and he landed miserably on the rain-soaked stone path.

Clutching his aching waist, he felt like crying.

…

Zhou Mujun also clutched his waist as he stood up, sighing that the long, boring meeting was finally over. When he turned his head, Xu Jingmo had already bolted out the door.

Xu Jingmo didn’t waste a second, returning to his office to grab his phone. The moment he saw Chen Kongqing’s unread messages, he felt a surge of relief. It didn’t matter what the youth sent, as long as there was something.

He was about to reply when his phone rang. The caller ID showed “Carrot [emoji].”

The man answered immediately. Through the receiver came the noisy sound of rain. Within the rain, the youth called him with a sob in his voice:

“Dr. Xu…”