Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: “I Broke Up, Actually. I Initiated It.”

The heavy, slightly fractured voice traveled through the phone and into Chen Kongqing’s ear.

He couldn’t tell if Dr. Xu was joking. The man’s tone carried a hint of a jest, but his voice was also very hoarse and deep. He couldn’t quite distinguish the intent.

But whether it was a joke or not, he felt the need to clarify.

The rabbit held the phone, the receiver close to his lips. “No, it’s not that. I just didn’t expect… I didn’t expect it would be you, Dr. Xu.”

The line went quiet. Chen Kongqing pulled the phone away slightly to check the screen, confirming the call was still active.

He then continued, “Dr. Xu, I have my follow-up appointment tomorrow. After the appointment, let me treat you to dinner. I still haven’t made up for the meal I owe you.”

Dr. Xu had truly helped him too much. He thought that previously, Dr. Xu might have looked out for him because of his relationship with Ling Xiao. Yet, in the end, he had gotten into a conflict with Ling Xiao for Chen Kongqing’s sake.

Moreover, the doctor had never been biased. He had consistently and selflessly advised him to break up. He was truly an upright and kind person.

The more Chen Kongqing thought about it, the more he felt he owed a great debt. He decided he had to book a top-tier, expensive restaurant for tomorrow!

Finally, a male voice emerged from the long-silent receiver: “Alright. Are you… at home now?”

Xu Jingmo was sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest room where Chen Kongqing had slept the night before. A very, very faint medicinal fragrance lingered in the air—almost gone. One had to breathe in deeply and carefully to catch it. But even that tiny trace of scent was enough to soothe his anxious heart.

For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to ask the rabbit directly if he had broken up yet. If the answer was “no,” he didn’t know what he would do. He didn’t know how he would act to stop this silly rabbit from being hurt over and over again.

He was even more worried that he might lose control and do something extreme. For example, tying the rabbit to his side. That would surely terrify him.

So, he only asked this indirect question. He knew Chen Kongqing lived with Ling Xiao; if Chen Kongqing was “home”…

“Yes, I just got back,” Chen Kongqing lied, rubbing his nose.

He knew Dr. Xu was a good person. If the doctor knew he was planning to make do and sleep in the lab, he would definitely offer to help again. He didn’t want to trouble the man any further.

Another silence followed over the line. It was so quiet that Chen Kongqing began to doubt the signal.

Five seconds later, a sentence finally emerged: “Alright. Then get some rest early.”

The voice was very hoarse again, tinged with a sense of gloom.

Chen Kongqing pursed his lips, thinking that Dr. Xu must be exhausted from work—his voice sounded tired and raspy. He replied quickly, “Okay, goodnight Dr. Xu.”

The call was disconnected a second later.

In the guest bedroom, only a dim floor lamp was on. The faint yellow light hit Xu Jingmo’s profile. It didn’t look like light; it looked like a layer of cold frost.

After a long while, the man pulled a cigarette from his pack. Seconds later, the lighter clicked. The flame flickered out, but the cigarette wasn’t lit. The smell of tobacco was too strong; it would cover up that last lingering scent of herbs.

Forget it. He wouldn’t smoke.

…

“I’m quitting! If I smoke again, I’m a dog!” Du Song wailed. He had spent the whole night playing a gacha game and didn’t get a single card he wanted. “If the data doesn’t come out today either, I really don’t want to live anymore.”

“Senior, you’re being too loud,” the youngest member of the group, Xiao Zhou, whispered, gesturing toward Chen Kongqing.

Chen Kongqing was tinkering with the final set of data, paying no attention to the murmurs of the other two in the lab. Once he entered the last set into the computer, Du Song drifted over like a ghost.

Chen Kongqing flinched in surprise. “Senior… do you… need something?”

“Kongqing-er, about that… I just heard.” Du Song scratched his head. “Are you okay?”

Chen Kongqing felt that “Are you okay?” was the phrase he had heard most in the last two days. Thinking about it, he actually had a lot of people who cared about him.

“I’m fine, Senior. Really.” And “I’m fine” seemed to be his most-used phrase as well.

“Xiao Zhou said he saw you sleeping in the lab this morning. Why don’t you crash at my place for a couple of days? I rent a place not far from school…” Du Song offered warmly.

“No thanks, Senior. You’re too kind.” Chen Kongqing waved him off, glancing at the time on the monitor. It was 2:00 PM; he had to rush to the hospital for his follow-up.

Du Song persisted: “Why are you being so polite with me? My place is small, but it’s definitely more comfortable than here.”

Chen Kongqing stood up and unbuttoned his white lab coat. “It’s fine. It’s just because of finals. Sleeping in the lab makes it easier to keep up with the data and reports. I’ll come crash at your place in a few days when I’m done.”

With that, the youth ran toward the door. “I’m heading out. Bye, Senior!”

Du Song sighed. “Sigh… that kid.”

…

Chen Kongqing hurried and finally arrived at the hospital. It had been over a month since his last visit. He wasn’t as nervous as before; rather, he had a sense of confidence—the confidence that comes from having “followed doctor’s orders.”

He pushed open the door to the consultation room and walked in. Before him was the same simple desk, and behind it sat Dr. Xu in his white coat.

The man was wearing gold-rimmed glasses today, and his hair was styled slightly differently—it looked freshly trimmed. The longer black hair on top was swept back, revealing his clean forehead and deep, resolute brow. The style emphasized the superior bridge of his nose. Under the clean white coat, he wore a formal shirt.

“Take a seat.” As Xu Jingmo spoke, he reached up to adjust the frames on his nose.

Chen Kongqing’s gaze was drawn to the man’s large hand, where the knuckles showed an unusual, angry red. It looked as though they had been bruised by an impact.

The youth sat down. At the same time, the man quickly lowered his hand—too quickly, making it seem abnormal.

Is he intentionally trying to hide it?

Chen Kongqing couldn’t help but frown. “Dr. Xu, what happened to your hand?”

The man across the desk smiled, avoiding a direct answer. “It’s nothing. Tell me about your recent symptoms.”

Chen Kongqing’s frown deepened. He felt Dr. Xu was deliberately hiding something. Was it from the conflict with Ling Xiao two days ago? Is that why he won’t say?

He knew Ling Xiao; his temper was far from good, and his patience was limited. Ling Xiao likely wouldn’t accept being hit without fighting back, even if the other person was an elder. In the heat of the moment, he probably retaliated.

The rabbit’s gentle brows knit tighter. So, Dr. Xu was likely injured as well. Ultimately, it was an injury sustained for him.

Xu Jingmo looked at the rabbit. He wasn’t wearing that thin yellow cotton coat anymore; instead, he was in a thick, long black down jacket. His slender body was buried in the coat, leaving only his round head visible. The rabbit’s head was round, but there was little flesh on his cheeks, and his handsome brows were pinched together. He looked lost in thought.

He must be thinking about the injury on my hand, the man thought.

The man pursed his lips. The gloom that had clouded his eyes all day finally dissipated at this moment. The corners of his mouth twitched upward, unable to hide a smile. “What are you thinking about? Why are you so quiet?”

“Nothing,” Chen Kongqing snapped back to reality, shaking his head.

He figured if Dr. Xu didn’t want to tell him, he wouldn’t press it. When they went to dinner later, he would buy some ointment for the doctor.

The rabbit kept his eyes down, completely failing to see the “Czechoslovakian Wolfdog” opposite him, whose ears were dejectedly drooping.

“Regarding my condition… there’s been that… kind of development. You know, Dr. Xu.” Chen Kongqing moved past the previous topic to answer the medical questions. “It has happened when my mood was poor. Twice so far.”

The gloom in Xu Jingmo’s eyes began to regroup. But his tone remained as flat as ever. “Are there any other symptoms you haven’t had before?”

The rabbit thought for a while and shook his head. “No.”

Xu Jingmo: “When it happens, is it resolved once you… release, or is it persistent without a refractory period?”

Chen Kongqing understood this wasn’t “dirty talk” but a standard medical inquiry, and Dr. Xu asked it with a face full of professional integrity. Regardless, the tips of his ears began to burn uncontrollably.

“Mm… it’s very… very hard to release. I usually take a shower. I feel a bit better after that.”

Xu Jingmo nodded without changing his expression. “Is it fine after the shower, or does it come back after a while? Also, is the medication effective after an episode?”

Chen Kongqing answered softly, “It might recur after the shower… and the usual medicine helps me feel better normally, but if an episode starts, the medicine… isn’t very useful.”

“Alright. I’ll add another medication for you. Take this only when you experience a sexual impulse; you don’t need it daily.” As the man spoke, his fingers tapped lightly on the keyboard.

Chen Kongqing nodded, his right hand starting to pick at the dry skin around his left fingernails. “Does that mean my condition is getting worse?”

“There’s progression. Skin hunger is essentially a psychological illness. As you’ve felt, the frequency and intensity are related to your emotions. Therefore, if you can maintain a stable and positive mood, these symptoms will improve.” Xu Jingmo spoke calmly, his phoenix eyes behind the thin lenses slowly landing on the face before him. “Of course, your fundamental problem is that your emotional state is very poor. Lacking a healthy romantic relationship has led to instability and even worsening of the condition.”

As Chen Kongqing listened, he realized Dr. Xu was referring to Ling Xiao. He then remembered that he hadn’t formally told Dr. Xu that he had broken up.

The rabbit looked up with bright, willow-leaf eyes, meeting those phoenix eyes with full confidence for the first time. “I forgot to tell you, Dr. Xu.”

Xu Jingmo felt his throat go dry and swallowed. “What?”

“I broke up, actually. I initiated it.” Chen Kongqing’s tone was light and airy.