Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: “Can You Hold Me Tighter?”

Chen Kongqing was still struggling.

His dry, nearly withered body was surrounded by a circle of warmth.

“Still… not enough.”

The “rabbit” in his arms spoke with a slurry mumble; he was clearly drunk. Slumped in the man’s embrace, he stretched out his arm, still trying to reach for the liquor bottle.

For a moment, Xu Jingmo’s mind went blank.

It happened the second something soft brushed against his neck. In his brain, all theoretical systems, ethics, and social norms were wiped clean.

The palm that had been resting loosely on the rabbit’s waist suddenly gripped tight. Through the fabric, he felt as if he were touching fine porcelain. He squeezed a bit of soft flesh between his fingers.

Chen Kongqing’s eyes were fixed only on that bottle of foreign liquor just out of reach. He hummed, trying to stretch his waist to grab it. But his waist was pinned by something, and he couldn’t move.

Xu Jingmo used one hand to secure the scrambling rabbit while leaning back to lift the bottle high, out of reach. His entire stability relied on his core strength to keep the person in his arms fixed.

“Mm…” Chen Kongqing was a bit annoyed. Why was the thing right in front of him… always just out of reach?

“I want to drink!”

This was the first time since reaching adulthood that the rabbit had shouted at him.

“You can’t drink anymore; you’ve had too much,” Xu Jingmo said. He loosened his grip slightly and slowly moved his hand up, stroking the rabbit’s thin back. “You shouldn’t drink this kind of liquor like that.”

The man spoke words of guidance, trying to sound stern, but in the end, he couldn’t help it—his voice softened.

Black Cat Detective meowed twice by the rug, though it was unclear whose side he was on.

The youth in his arms panted heavily as if exhausted. His stiff neck finally lost its strength, resting against a warm, solid place.

So comfortable.

How could there be such a warm and safe place? Every restless cell calmed down at this moment. It was as if a lonely rabbit, having wandered far from its nest for so long, had finally returned to a safe harbor.

Chen Kongqing squinted, his lips moving, but he couldn’t say a word.

Xu Jingmo didn’t speak either. He just looked down at the rabbit who was gradually settling in his arms. Those deep phoenix eyes reflected in Chen Kongqing’s hazy vision.

So familiar. So much like Ling Xiao, yet more like… those eyes in his dreams.

“Who… who are you?”

The rabbit opened his lips to ask who he was.

Xu Jingmo looked into the hazy willow-leaf eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Who do you think I am?”

What he actually wanted to ask was: Who do you want me to be?

Chen Kongqing pursed his lips, clutching the fabric of the man’s shoulder. It was a gray, tight-fitting sweater; the fabric was soft and didn’t prickle his hands.

“Are you…” the rabbit tested in a tiny voice, “…Ling Xiao?”

Xu Jingmo: “…”

“Is it… is it you?” the rabbit asked again. His red, alcohol-flushed face tilted up, seemingly hopeful for an answer.

Xu Jingmo: “…”

Chen Kongqing stared with blurred vision, seeing that handsome face split into multiple overlapping images, unable to see clearly at all. Suddenly, he felt that this wasn’t a safe place anymore. No matter how warm or comfortable it was.

The rabbit forced his completely surrendered body to prop itself up, attempting to escape a little. Suddenly, he felt a pinch on his waist.

The pain made him twist a few times, his delicate brows furrowing.

“You’re leaving just because it’s not him?” the man’s voice was deep, and his expression was terrifyingly dark.

The frowning Chen Kongqing seemed unable to process things properly. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes slightly and shook his head.

“Open your eyes and look properly. Am I him?” Xu Jingmo couldn’t quite suppress the darkness in his heart. The restraint he had maintained for so long was disintegrating under the rabbit’s few words.

His palm rested on that slender waist he could encircle with one hand. At this moment, he wanted to move his hand lower. His gaze stayed fixed on the rabbit’s thin lips. They were still stained with a bit of liquor, making the surface look glistening and wet.

Chen Kongqing was obedient; he really tried his best to open his eyes. But it had nothing to do with how wide he opened them… he simply couldn’t see clearly. He was a bit distressed and dejectedly lowered his eyes again. “Just tell me quickly…”

As he spoke, he gripped the fabric in his palm even tighter.

Xu Jingmo’s face was tense, his molars aching from clenching. “I am not him.”

While speaking, his palm more powerfully encompassed the soft flesh on the rabbit’s waist.

“You’re not?” Chen Kongqing murmured.

The man said almost through gritted teeth, “Are you going to leave?”

One second, two seconds. Only the second hand of the mechanical watch on his left wrist continued to rotate rationally.

The rabbit in his arms gave a small, slight shake of his head. “No…”

He was thinking that if it were Ling Xiao, he would leave. Not just leave—he would give that face a punch. No matter how good-looking the face was, he’d punch it.

Xu Jingmo’s aching jaw suddenly relaxed upon hearing that simple syllable.

“Not leaving?”

“Not leaving.”

Simultaneously, the restless rabbit in his arms became very docile, pressing against his shoulder, his thin arms wrapping around his neck.

Chen Kongqing murmured, “I have a sickness…”

“I know.” Every drop of blood in Xu Jingmo’s body surged at that moment.

“Then… then can you hold me tight?” The drunken rabbit’s tongue was a bit heavy, yet he was finally able to express his needs freely. “I… feel so miserable…”

Xu Jingmo felt he had no reason to refuse. “I can.”

The man placed his other hand on the youth’s lower back. He held this injured, thin rabbit tightly in his arms.

From a moral standpoint, perhaps what he was doing was biased and wrong. But he couldn’t care anymore. If he had to choose, he would admit he was a low-morality creature.

The watch on his wrist kept ticking; time was uncontrollable, slipping away second by second. The youth lay in his arms, pressed tightly against him without a single gap.

He selfishly wanted time to stop at this very moment.

Chen Kongqing fled from Dr. Xu’s house.

When he woke up, he was lying on a large bed, his clothes neatly arranged. He could guess that he had drunk too much and Dr. Xu had settled him on the bed to sleep.

But he didn’t know… what kind of drunk he was. After drinking… had he done anything out of line? Or said something he shouldn’t have?

When he had thought of drinking as a last resort, he hadn’t considered the side effects. Looking back now, he felt immense regret. Fortunately, he had woken up early, and the master bedroom door was still tightly shut. He wouldn’t have to face him the moment he got up.

Before “fleeing,” he left a message for Dr. Xu.

Azurite: [Dr. Xu, I’m heading to class first.] Azurite: [Thank you, Dr. Xu. Sorry for troubling you again. /[scratching head][scratching head]] Azurite: [I’ll wash the pajamas and return them to you. :)]

After leaving the message, he tiptoed out the door. His head felt okay—none of the heavy, painful sensation of a hangover; in fact, his mind was clearer than yesterday. It was just that his eyes were quite swollen, and his waist…

When he changed clothes, he noticed several red marks on his waist. It was a bit strange. Where could he have bumped to get marks on his waist?

But before he could think deeply, he was bombarded by messages on his phone after turning it on. They were almost all messages and missed calls from Ling Xiao. There were also a few calls from Gao Tianyou.

Ling Xiao [Pink Heart]: [Chen Kongqing, can we talk properly?] Ling Xiao [Pink Heart]: [Don’t keep your phone off.] Ling Xiao [Pink Heart]: [This matter is my fault, I apologize to you.] Ling Xiao [Pink Heart]: [Pick up the phone.] Ling Xiao [Pink Heart]: [-Missed Call-] Ling Xiao [Pink Heart]: [You won’t even talk?]

Chen Kongqing looked at the lines of messages expressionlessly and still didn’t reply. He silently deleted that glaring pink heart from the contact name and removed him from his pinned chats.

Gao Tianyou, on the other hand, sent messages to comfort him, though he didn’t know how Tianyou had found out.

Tianyou: [Damn it.] Tianyou: [I heard, Kongqing. Ling Xiao is a real piece of work.] Tianyou: [Are you okay? Want to go grab a few drinks?]

Azurite: [I’m fine, Tianyou.] Azurite: [I’m okay.] Azurite: [I’m going to class first, I’m really okay.]

Tianyou: [Alright.] Tianyou: [Let me know if you need anything.]

Chen Kongqing put his phone down and focused on class. He planned to finish his classes, skip the lab in the afternoon, and take leave from the pharmacy. He was ready to have a proper talk with Ling Xiao. To be precise, he was going to make a clean break.

Right as class ended, Ling Xiao’s call came through. This time, he didn’t hang up.

The male voice on the phone sounded exhausted, with a hint of disbelief. “You… you finally picked up.”

“Are you at school?” Chen Kongqing’s tone was flat.

“Yes… I’m at the entrance of your department building,” Ling Xiao replied urgently. “Can we talk in person?”

Chen Kongqing: “Then go wait for me at the coffee shop nearby.”

Ling Xiao: “I’ll wait for you downstairs. Can’t we walk together?”

“You go there first,” Chen Kongqing replied in the same ordinary tone.

Ling Xiao: “Why?”

He remembered in the past, Chen Kongqing would always wait for him at the gym entrance, wanting to go home together. And he… had always been unwilling to walk with Chen Kongqing. He didn’t want too many people to know he wasn’t single. Gradually, Chen Kongqing stopped coming to wait for him.

At this moment, the youth’s indifferent voice came through his ear: “Because I don’t want to walk with you. I don’t want others to see.”

Ling Xiao felt as if a sharp boomerang had pierced his chest. His throat was so dry he couldn’t say a word. By the time he recovered, the call had already been disconnected.

Chen Kongqing hung up the phone without mercy, his heart suddenly feeling lighter. He suddenly felt that yesterday’s crying wasn’t for nothing; he felt much better today after getting it out. There was very little sadness, replaced by a sense of determination. The determination to end everything.

His phone vibrated twice again. It was a message from Xu Jingmo.

Lnk: [I should have driven you back to school.]

Azurite: [No need, your house is very close to school, Dr. Xu.]

Lnk: [Does your head hurt?]

Azurite: [It doesn’t. I slept quite well. /[Hehe]]

Lnk: [That’s good.] Lnk: [Are you in class?]

Azurite: [Just finished, I’m on my way now.]

Lnk: [Going to eat?]

Chen Kongqing thought for a moment and typed: [Going to find Ling Xiao.]

After several seconds, Xu Jingmo replied: [Are you going to make up?]

Lnk: [As your attending physician, based on your condition, I would like to suggest again that you consider breaking up.]