Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Uncovering the Affair

The door was pushed open.

In front of the long sofa in the locker room, two figures were locked in an embrace.

Chen Kongqing saw it.

He saw Ling Xiao with his back turned, kissing someone else.

The two were kissing passionately, their clothes wrinkled. Ling Xiao’s hand was inside the other person’s tracksuit.

And the person in Ling Xiao’s arms had their eyes open.

Chen Kongqing knew who it was; he had met him before. Gu Chengjing. It really was Gu Chengjing.

The youth’s eyelashes trembled, and his breathing began to shake. It turned out that even when something with so many clues finally happened before his eyes, he still found it… unbearable.

Unbearable.

Gu Chengjing kept his clear eyes open and narrowed them slightly, as if on purpose. He wanted to be caught, to be discovered.

So, in the next instant, he pushed Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao slowly stopped the intense kiss, his hand still lingering possessively on Gu Chengjing’s waist. He spoke ambiguous words: “We still have time, don’t we? Or… do you want to do something else?”

Gu Chengjing pushed him again, gesturing toward the door.

Ling Xiao turned around impatiently.

Standing at the door of the locker room was a thin, familiar figure.

The lust instantly drained from Ling Xiao’s face, replaced by panic and confusion. Even his voice became halting: “Kong… Kongqing, how did you…”

The youth stood in the doorframe. Outside was the brightly lit corridor; inside was the unlit locker room. Standing at the junction of light and shadow, he looked at Ling Xiao in the dimness without speaking.

In those willow-leaf eyes, there was no anger, no pain. It was as if a massive block of ice had frozen all his emotions.

Ling Xiao didn’t dare look into those eyes. He let out a long breath and tried to move forward.

But his hand was suddenly grabbed by Gu Chengjing.

Ling Xiao looked over and met Gu Chengjing’s eyes, which were filled with resentment.

Gu Chengjing spoke up suddenly: “Chen Kongqing, I’m sorry, but the truth is exactly what you see.”

Chen Kongqing felt like he couldn’t hear anything clearly. For several seconds, his brain couldn’t process the situation, as if a component inside his body had broken and he was about to collapse entirely.

When he regained his senses, he saw Ling Xiao shake off Gu Chengjing and walk toward him.

“Kongqing, you… wait for me to finish the game first, and then I’ll explain…”

“No… no…” Chen Kongqing instinctively wanted to leave; he didn’t want any more contact with the person in front of him. “Don’t come over!”

He shouted it loudly, almost a roar.

Ling Xiao was stunned, his footsteps frozen in place.

“Don’t come over anymore.” Chen Kongqing’s voice dropped, his eyes hollow.

“Kongqing…” Ling Xiao stepped forward again.

Chen Kongqing originally wanted to back away, but the suppressed sense of collapse and suffocation made his feet feel heavy.

In that very instant…

A tall body suddenly blocked his view.

Xu Jingmo stepped forward, shielding Chen Kongqing and facing Ling Xiao directly. His cold gaze and expression instantly pinned Ling Xiao in place.

Xu Jingmo turned back, hiding the coldness in his expression. “Wait for me at the door for a moment.”

Chen Kongqing’s expression was numb. He didn’t speak, only gave a very, very light nod and retreated into the hallway.

The door was gently closed by Xu Jingmo.

The room fell into darkness.

Xu Jingmo turned back around, no longer hiding the sharpness in his eyes, which pierced toward the other two like ice blades.

Ling Xiao had lost all his momentum and was clearly caught off guard by Xu Jingmo’s presence. He opened his mouth helplessly: “Cousin…”

Before he could finish, a punch landed on his left cheek—a solid, heavy blow.

Ling Xiao slumped from the momentum and couldn’t stand straight for a long time, nor could he react.

“Ling Xiao!” Gu Chengjing rushed forward to support the staggering Ling Xiao.

Xu Jingmo’s usual image was one of humility and politeness; even that day at the bar, his behavior had been gentlemanly. No one expected such a man to raise his fist.

Gu Chengjing was angry. Even though Ling Xiao had just pushed him, the game was about to start, and Ling Xiao had been injured. He looked up, his gaze tightening.

However, when he met the man’s eyes—colder and sharper than a knife’s edge—he was defeated without question.

“Get out,” the man said flatly, without any emotional fluctuation. “Do not go near Chen Kongqing again.”

The door was suddenly pushed open again.

Xu Jingmo thought it was Chen Kongqing, so he quickly pressed his tongue against his tense cheek to suppress the rawness in his eyes.

“What are you doing here… almost time…” It wasn’t Chen Kongqing who walked in, but Xiao Bao.

Xiao Bao turned on the lights and saw the injured Ling Xiao, Gu Chengjing supporting him, and Xu Jingmo standing opposite them.

Xiao Bao was completely confused: “This… what’s…”

As he spoke, Xu Jingmo had already turned and left.

Xiao Bao wailed behind him: “What happened?…”

Yes, what had happened?

Chen Kongqing walked aimlessly, looking like he had lost his soul. He didn’t want to be there. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. He just wanted to leave, anywhere.

His pale yellow cotton jacket wasn’t thick. Standing at the back entrance of the arena, the cold wind blew incessantly. He was so cold he huddled into a ball on the ground.

Why did I wear such a thin jacket on the coldest day in Kunming? he asked himself.

It was because yellow was today’s lucky color. And he had sought that luck for Ling Xiao. He had come today to cheer for Ling Xiao’s game.

He buried his head in his knees, wanting to hide for a while. It was better to hide.

He didn’t actually want to cry, and he knew he shouldn’t shed another tear for Ling Xiao. But for some reason, his face had become wet without him realizing it.

“Chen Kongqing.” A male voice reached him through the wind.

Xu Jingmo had left the locker room and couldn’t find Chen Kongqing. After searching around the arena, he finally saw the “rabbit” huddled on the steps at a secluded back entrance.

The rabbit was curled in a ball, and he couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or because he was wounded and trying to protect himself.

Chen Kongqing slowly raised his face just as a gust of cold wind swept over him. It felt like it was going to freeze the water and tears on his face into ice shards. It hurt. The more it hurt, the wetter his eyes became.

He turned his head. Behind him, as expected, was Xu Jingmo.

The rabbit was crying. His face was wet, and the ice in those willow-leaf eyes seemed to have melted into a stream of tears.

Xu Jingmo wanted to move forward, but he was afraid the wounded rabbit wouldn’t accept his approach or might have a stress response. So he stayed still.

Chen Kongqing sat on the lower stone step. His vision first filled with a pair of casual leather shoes, then straight, well-formed legs, and the hem of a coat dancing in the cold wind.

The rabbit dazed. His eyes grew redder from the wind.

Xu Jingmo had systematically studied Emotion Regulation Strategies and Meaning Reconstruction. He knew so much professional psychological knowledge, yet he couldn’t put any of it into practice right now. His rabbit was crying, and he didn’t know what to do. He only felt that the punch he just delivered was far too light.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, finally forcing out a sentence: “It’s too cold here. How about we go home and see Black Cat Detective? You haven’t seen him in a long time.”

They couldn’t stay here. It was too cold, and Chen Kongqing’s wet face was turning bright red from the wind.

The rabbit on the steps suddenly stood up. The cotton jacket he wore was very thin, making his whole being seem light and airy. He wobbled as he stood, looking as if he might fall.

Xu Jingmo’s heart tightened.

Chen Kongqing spoke very, very softly on the stone steps: “It’s such cold weather.”

“Yes… it is.” Xu Jingmo didn’t expect those to be the first words out of his mouth. “So let’s go. It’s too cold here.”

The man tentatively stepped down to the next stone step.

The rabbit, with eyes red from either crying or the wind, called out to the man: “Dr. Xu.”

“I’m listening.”

The man’s voice still held that faint magnetic quality, and his tone was gentle—softer than moonlight.

Chen Kongqing looked at him and suddenly curled his lips into a smile, though a tear rolled down his cheek: “I never want to wear this jacket again.”

Yes, never again.

…

The cold wind outside the arena seemed to strike Ling Xiao’s face through the thick walls. It wasn’t just Ling Xiao; it was the entire Kunming University team.

“Ling Xiao, take a rest. Let the substitute play tomorrow.” The coach let out a sigh, left only that sentence, and walked out of the locker room.

“I have to say, Ling Xiao… your performance today was truly below standard. You even threw an own goal?” Xiao Bao was furious. “If your head isn’t in the game, you should have said so earlier! You shouldn’t have played. Why did you insist on playing if you weren’t going to do it right?”

Ling Xiao kept his eyes down. The injury on his cheek had already turned a deep purple-red, and the skin was swollen.

Xiao Bao: “It’s lucky this is just a school league. What if it were a city, provincial, or national competition? That would be too embarrassing.”

Another teammate whispered: “The league is embarrassing too…”

“Enough, it’s not like Ling Xiao did it on purpose…” Gu Chengjing brought an ice pack from somewhere and handed it to Ling Xiao.

“There’s another game tomorrow. Everyone should head out and rest early,” said Zhang Cheng, who had been silent. “Ling Xiao, what happened to your face?”

Ling Xiao remained silent, not even reaching out for the ice pack. Gu Chengjing’s expression changed, but he didn’t speak either.

“I want to know too. Why did your cousin hit you? He hit you right before the game?” Xiao Bao’s mouth was always fast. “And I saw Kongqing running away on the way here. What did you do, Ling Xiao?”

Zhang Cheng understood instantly. He put his hands on his hips, laughing out of sheer anger.

“What are you laughing at?” Xiao Bao was puzzled.

“Ling Xiao, with a brother like you…” Zhang Cheng laughed helplessly and pressed his tongue against his cheek. “Good luck to you. Just stop hurting Kongqing.”

With that, Zhang Cheng also left. The others looked stunned.

“What’s going on…” Xiao Bao was confused.

Ling Xiao stood up abruptly and left without saying a word. Gu Chengjing chased after him: “Ling Xiao!”

The man seemed not to hear him and walked straight ahead. Today’s games were over, and only the cleaning staff remained in the arena.

“Ling Xiao, where are you going?” Gu Chengjing rushed forward and blocked his path.

The man looked at him. Gu Chengjing’s breath hitched; Ling Xiao had never looked at him with that kind of gaze.

“You did it on purpose. You clearly saw them at the door,” Ling Xiao questioned coldly.

“Yes, I saw them.” Gu Chengjing admitted it with a nod, his eyes filled with determination. ” I just wanted Chen Kongqing to know. So what?”

“I just wanted to make a clean break. What’s the problem?” Gu Chengjing seemed to have reached his limit of patience. “Ling Xiao, what the hell did you tell me back then? You said there was nothing between you and him, that you didn’t like him at all. And now? Now you’re blaming me?”

“Why did you choose today?” Ling Xiao asked back coldly. “You knew I had a game today.”

“If you didn’t care, the game wouldn’t have been affected! You do care!” Gu Chengjing shouted at him. “You clearly care! You don’t want to break up with him at all!”

Yes, he clearly cared.

Ling Xiao suddenly felt like a piece of glass had shattered in his heart. This glass was so thick it prevented him from seeing or hearing his own heart. It turned out he did care. He cared about that sponge. The sponge was so good, so obedient… surely he would come back, right?

“Ling Xiao, I’ve had enough too. Figure it out yourself. I won’t force you anymore.” Gu Chengjing seemed completely disappointed and turned to walk away.

Ling Xiao watched his back. He had chased this back for many years. So, out of habit, he instinctively took a step to follow, but he quickly pulled back.

This was the first time he hadn’t chased after Gu Chengjing.

Suddenly, a phone rang abruptly. Ling Xiao answered it with a frown.

“Is this Mr. Ling? You have a delivery.”

Ling Xiao: “Speaking. What delivery?”

“Are you…” A delivery person holding a bouquet suddenly appeared in the arena and walked toward him. “Hey, you’re Mr. Ling, right?”

Ling Xiao let go of his phone: “I am.”

The delivery person handed him the flowers. “A friend sent these to you. Please take them.”

Ling Xiao took the flowers. He didn’t recognize many of them, but he recognized one: the Trumpet Creeper. Chen Kongqing grew two pots of them at home. He remembered that those two pots were bought by him and Chen Kongqing together at a flower and bird market.

There was a card in the flowers. It read: [Wishing you a smooth game. No matter the result, I am proud of you!]

The man pressed the card to his chest, his mind in a complete mess. This sponge will definitely come back, right? No, he had to make sure the sponge came back.

The cold wind lashed the windshield with increasing fury. Unexpectedly, white flakes began to fall.

It was snowing.

Xu Jingmo, driving the car, suddenly realized it was actually snowing in Kunming. Given its geographical and climatic conditions, it almost never snowed in Kunming.

He wanted to tell Chen Kongqing, but the youth in the passenger seat was huddled in a ball, eyes closed and seemingly asleep.

Chen Kongqing didn’t know how he had fallen asleep. He just felt so tired, so sleepy, with no strength left. So he fell into a deep, muddled sleep in the car.

When he woke up, he almost thought he was still in a dream because he saw many tiny “snow grains” hitting the car window.

How could it snow in Kunming? It never snowed there.

Suddenly, he heard a crisp click. He moved slightly, and the faint smell of tobacco filled his nose. In his hazy vision, Xu Jingmo in the driver’s seat was lighting a cigarette with a red-hot car lighter.

The cigarette was lit, and wisps of smoke drifted up. The man put the filter between his lips and looked down to push the lighter back. At that moment, he saw the “rabbit” had woken up.

Xu Jingmo froze, his breathing hitched, and he was immediately choked by the smoke, letting out a few coughs.

“Cough, cough…” The man hurriedly took the cigarette from his mouth, opened the window, and held his hand with the cigarette outside. “You’re awake. Did the smoke wake you?”

The youth’s consciousness gradually became clear as he tried to sit up. With that movement, a familiar Earl Grey tea scent filled his nose. It turned out he was wrapped in Dr. Xu’s overcoat.

“Mm…” Chen Kongqing carefully hugged the coat and sat up a little straighter. “No… I woke up on my own.”

Having woken up, Chen Kongqing didn’t look at the snow. Instead, he turned to look at the cigarette emitting white smoke at Xu Jingmo’s side. He was a bit surprised. Surprised that Dr. Xu smoked. In his impression, Dr. Xu was the definition of elegant, mature, humble, and polite. He had instinctively assumed Dr. Xu didn’t smoke or drink.

But it was only surprise, not dislike. In fact, he suddenly wanted to smoke too. When he was at school, he had heard classmates say, “A cigarette makes you feel like an immortal.” He had been curious then, being young, but his allowance was tight and he had no extra money for such things. Later, knowing it was bad for his health, he never tried it. However, many of his classmates would smoke whenever they were stressed, went through a breakup, or failed a class, using it to drown their sorrows.

So… could it really drown sorrows?

The youth’s eyes were somewhat unfocused and glazed. Xu Jingmo thought the rabbit was sensitive to the smoke, so he brought the cigarette back into the car to extinguish it in the car’s ashtray.

The man had just popped the ashtray lid open when the cigarette was suddenly taken from between his fingers.

Chen Kongqing followed the man’s example, holding the cigarette with his fingers and then putting the filter to his lips. He didn’t know how to smoke, so he took a deep drag.

Xu Jingmo froze the moment the cigarette was taken, his dark pupils suddenly constricting. When he regained his senses, the rabbit was already coughing with his cigarette in his mouth.

That’s right. It was the cigarette he had smoked. A deep flush suddenly rose to the man’s ears.

Chen Kongqing’s drag was too strong. His throat felt like it had been sprayed with chili water, making him cough and gasp, his fingers holding the cigarette trembling violently.

Suddenly, the cigarette was taken from his fingers.

Xu Jingmo suppressed the flush on his face and calmly extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray. His tone was a bit stern, but his palm patted the youth’s back gently as he hunched over coughing. “That’s not how you smoke.”

“Cough, cough, cough…” Chen Kongqing finally caught his breath. The stinging in his throat hadn’t faded, but he still wanted to try. “Then how do you do it?”

Xu Jingmo’s brow furrowed slightly. “Why learn this? You’re not allowed to learn.”

“Why not?” Chen Kongqing lowered his eyes, looking at nothing in particular. His voice was very soft, like a kitten’s cry. “I feel so terrible.”

Xu Jingmo’s hand on the youth’s back paused. “Where does it feel terrible?”

The rabbit’s eyes, which had finally lost some of their redness, were suddenly flooded again. Chen Kongqing straightened his back, and the overcoat slid down. He reached out and pointed to his own chest for Xu Jingmo: “Here. It hurts so much here.”

Xu Jingmo felt his own heart was about to die of pain at that moment.

“Dr. Xu, can you cure it?” Chen Kongqing sniffled, his nose beginning to sting. He knew his brain was muddled and his words and actions lacked logic, so after speaking, he rubbed his eyes, trying to rub away the moisture. “I’m sorry, Dr. Xu. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry.” Xu Jingmo also wished he had the medical skill to heal this rabbit. “It’s snowing outside. Want to go down and play for a bit?” He could only try to distract the rabbit.

Chen Kongqing looked out the window. The snow wasn’t heavy—just fine, tiny “snow grains.” They fell densely from the sky, looking a bit like table salt.

In all his years, he had almost never seen snow. He might have seen it when living with his grandmother as a child, but he had forgotten. So this was essentially his first time seeing it. In many winters, he had prayed for it to snow in Kunming, no matter how much.

But now that the snow had finally come, it had arrived alongside such a cruel truth. He wanted to blame the heavens, but it felt more like he was just lashing out. He didn’t want to be like that. So instead of resenting it, he opened the car door.

Chen Kongqing stepped out into the white snow. He reached out to catch the flakes. The tiny snow particles floated in the air and landed slowly on his palm. Then, in almost a second, they turned into transparent water stains on his hand.

Xu Jingmo also got out of the car and slowly approached Chen Kongqing. “The snow is too light right now. I just checked the forecast; it says it will get heavier tonight. If it accumulates, we can come out and build a snowman.”

Chen Kongqing nodded and slowly relaxed his hand, but he kept his head tilted up to watch the snow. He was watching the snow to stop himself from crying. He didn’t want to cry anymore. Why am I still crying? He wanted to sew his eyes shut so they would stop.

“I… I want to see Black Cat Detective.” Chen Kongqing let out a long breath, finally forcing back the tears that shouldn’t fall.

A shadow fell over Xu Jingmo’s pupils. “Okay, let’s go upstairs.”

The two of them went upstairs and entered the apartment. The heater seemed to have been on the whole time; it was warm as soon as they entered. Xu Jingmo handed him slippers. Chen Kongqing leaned over to put them on. They were a perfect fit.

He remembered that the slippers he wore last time at Dr. Xu’s house were far too large, but these were a perfect match. And very comfortable. Chen Kongqing lowered his head and looked at the slippers on his feet.

Only a proper fit can be comfortable. Otherwise, if you bruise your feet, you’re the one who ends up crying.

“We’re home,” the man beside him said in his naturally attractive, magnetic voice. “Cry if you want to. You don’t have to hold it in in front of me.”

Chen Kongqing hadn’t intended to cry. No, he never wanted to cry. But for some reason—perhaps his tear ducts were too active—tears just kept secreting themselves. He had been worried that his emotional upheaval would trigger another episode, and he didn’t want to lose face too much in front of Dr. Xu. Although he had already lost plenty. He had been trying to restrain himself, to suppress that emotion, but it still leaked out.

But… but… that one sentence from the man broke his control completely.

Chen Kongqing cried. It wasn’t the loud wailing or hysterical sobbing Xu Jingmo had expected. Instead, he huddled in a ball, sobbing and gasping for breath.

Xu Jingmo waited quietly for the rabbit to finish one phase of crying before settling the sad rabbit on the sofa. Huddling on the sofa to cry would probably be a bit more comfortable.

The rabbit had shed so many tears that his lips were cracked from crying. The man was about to turn toward the kitchen to get a glass of warm water. But the rabbit huddled on the sofa with his hands around his knees suddenly became anxious. He reached out a thin arm and grabbed the man’s finger.

“Dr. Xu… where are you going?” Chen Kongqing raised his head, his eyes red and swollen like walnuts. The warmth of the man’s palm pressed against his own, providing a layer of coarse warmth.

“Nowhere.” Xu Jingmo stood still, that arm completely frozen, his steps also stayed.

This seemed to be the first time Chen Kongqing had proactively initiated physical contact with him while conscious. The rabbit’s fingers were thin and soft, the temperature of his palm was low, and it was slightly damp. It took almost everything he had to restrain himself from gripping the hand back firmly.

“I’m going to get you a glass of water,” Xu Jingmo finished after a pause of several seconds.

The alert and insecure rabbit finally relaxed slightly, slowly letting go of the man and nodding mechanically. “Thank you.”

Soon, a glass of warm honey water was placed before Chen Kongqing.

Xu Jingmo said: “Drink some water to soothe your throat.”

Chen Kongqing still looked dazed, but he had stopped crying. His nose was bright red, standing out prominently on his pale face. He reached for the water and took small sips, the sweet honey water soothing his dry throat.

Xu Jingmo sat down slowly beside Chen Kongqing. The only sound was the faint noise of the youth swallowing. Black Cat Detective was still sleeping in his bed; otherwise, he would have definitely run out to play with Chen Kongqing. Precisely because the kitten was asleep, the living room was quiet and somewhat stagnant.

At that moment, the phone in his pocket vibrated again and again. Chen Kongqing, holding the glass, pulled it out. The caller ID clearly displayed [Ling Xiao (Pink Heart)]. That pink heart looked particularly glaring at that moment. It was like a sharp silver needle stabbing straight into Chen Kongqing’s heart. It also stabbed into Xu Jingmo’s vision.

Chen Kongqing looked at the screen. After a two-second daze, he pressed the end-call button with some urgency, his fingertips trembling. But the phone, which had just fallen silent, quickly began to vibrate again.

The youth pressed the power-off button with trembling fingers. Finally, the world was quiet again. He threw the phone onto the coffee table.

His body, which had been cooperative and hadn’t acted up, seemed to be provoked by those two calls. Yes. He vaguely felt like he was about to have an episode. Every pore opened, his hair stood on end, and the warm air from the vent felt burning and indistinct against him. He gripped the glass in his hand tightly, still trying to control his body.

“Are you alright?” Xu Jingmo noticed the rabbit’s abnormality. His expression was unnatural, and his entire body seemed to be in a high-pressure state of tension.

Chen Kongqing pursed his lips, his voice trembling: “I…”

“Are you feeling unwell?” Xu Jingmo guessed. “Did you bring your medicine?”

“I… took it before leaving today,” Chen Kongqing shook his head helplessly. “It hasn’t been that many hours.”

“Dr. Xu… can I have a pillow?” Holding a pillow would make the discomfort ease slightly.

“Of course.” Xu Jingmo took a soft pillow from the armchair nearby and handed it to the youth.

Chen Kongqing hugged the appropriately sized pillow with both hands. Another wave of rich Earl Grey tea scent filled his nose. Under the influence of the tea scent and the proximity of the pillow, his restless cells found temporary relief.

But quickly, his body realized it was just a pillow and not human skin—no temperature, no such tactile sensation. Thus, a new wave of intense sensation was triggered. Chen Kongqing hugged the pillow tightly, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

“Try holding my hand to see if it makes you feel better,” Xu Jingmo moved closer to him.

The distance between them closed inch by inch. Chen Kongqing could already feel the man’s body temperature. He wanted to reach out immediately. No, not just reach out; he wanted… he wanted to hug the person in front of him.

But his reason hadn’t completely checked out. He couldn’t help but think: What about next time? What do I do when I have an episode next time? Come find Dr. Xu again?

Dr. Xu wasn’t his medicine; he wasn’t something you could buy with money. What right did he have to ask Dr. Xu for help every time? Besides, Dr. Xu was Ling Xiao’s cousin. Much of his care was likely due to that reason. But he and Ling Xiao… they were definitely breaking up. After the breakup, Dr. Xu would just be his psychiatrist. What psychiatrist helps a patient to this extent?

He would have to face the episodes alone sooner or later. Dr. Xu would leave sooner or later.

Thinking of this, Chen Kongqing felt a huge void in his heart, and the itchiness and restless sensation on his skin intensified. In the next instant, he suddenly perceived something.

The youth’s pale face suddenly turned bright red, like a ripe tomato. He quickly moved the pillow down from his chest toward his lap, as if covering something.

Xu Jingmo looked at the rabbit’s earlobes—so red they looked ready to drip blood—and his strange behavior. His brow twitched. “Your face is very red. Don’t hold it in anymore. It’s just holding hands, it’s nothing.”

The rabbit only shrank to the other side, pinning the pillow firmly over his legs and shaking his head. Xu Jingmo’s gaze fell toward the youth’s knees, his brow furrowing deeply.

The man reached out a hand and placed it on top of the pillow. Xu Jingmo’s palm was broad, with thick, straight veins visible on the back of his hand.

Chen Kongqing saw that hand, which clearly looked powerful, and instinctively gripped the pillow harder. The man’s hand was already exerting force on the pillow: “Let me see.”