Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: “Thank you, Cousin.”

Chen Kongqing felt his throat tighten; the tissue in his palm was being squeezed so hard it was becoming as dense as a compressed biscuit.

The air turned into a cool breeze, brushing past his knuckles and the back of his hand.

A hand with faintly prominent veins reached past him and plucked a tissue from the wooden box by the youth’s side. “Thanks.”

The man wiped his mouth with a fluid, natural motion, his gaze falling casually onto the table. Nearby, Old Wu was still shouting: “Ah, ah! He doesn’t have his Flash up! Chase him!…”

The noisier it was over there, the more… parched the atmosphere felt on their side.

Chen Kongqing coughed twice. He wanted to say something, but he truly didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, this state didn’t last long; Xu Jingmo seemed to have received a message and was looking down, typing.

The others on the sofa had finished their game and were clamoring to move to the next venue.

“Let’s go to KTV! I’ll sing you a birthday song,” Gao Tianyou said with a grin. “I was one of the Top Ten Singers on campus.”

Gu Chengjing smirked. “Top Ten Most Ear-Piercing Singers, maybe.”

Listening to them, Chen Kongqing checked his watch. It was getting late. He had planned to go back and finish his assignment, which was due tomorrow, but saying he wouldn’t go felt like a bit of a buzzkill.

Thinking this, he cast his gaze toward Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao had very striking features. His eyebrows weren’t deliberately groomed, yet they looked perfect. He was currently relaxed, saying to Gu Chengjing, “You should ride in my car.”

Perhaps because Chen Kongqing’s stare was too obvious, Ling Xiao soon looked up. For once, his eyes didn’t hold that usual indifference; instead, they carried a flicker of airy awkwardness. “What is it?”

“Ah… I… it’s nothing.” Chen Kongqing didn’t know how to explain himself, especially since it was Ling Xiao’s birthday.

The awkwardness in Ling Xiao’s eyes didn’t fade much.

Xu Jingmo had just put down his phone. “I still have work to do. You guys have fun; I’ll be heading back first.”

While the others tried to persuade him to stay, Ling Xiao also said hurriedly, “Don’t go yet, come with us.”

The man wore a polite smile. He stood up, straightened his shirt, and put on the autumn trench coat hanging from the rack. “You guys enjoy. I really do have some work to handle.”

Ling Xiao didn’t push further. “Alright then. Drive safe, Cousin. Let’s hang out in a few days.”

“Okay.” Xu Jingmo smoothed his cuffs and lowered his eyes.

The youth sitting at the table was looking up at him. Those willow-leaf eyes, usually as soft as spring water, should have been gentle and without edges, yet at the bottom of his gaze, there was a faint, long-rooted chill.

“Goodbye, Dr. Xu,” Chen Kongqing said, blinking as he bid him farewell.

The man gave a polite nod and replied, “Goodbye.”

…

As soon as Xu Jingmo left, the others began packing up. Chen Kongqing didn’t walk with Ling Xiao; he had spent the day soaked in the scent of herbs and didn’t want Ling Xiao to get upset if he smelled it.

Ling Xiao came back from the restroom with Gu Chengjing.

“Kongqing, why don’t you head back first?” Ling Xiao suddenly approached him.

Chen Kongqing’s eyes widened slightly. Even Gao Tianyou beside him was puzzled. “Why are you letting Kongqing go back?”

Ling Xiao remained focused on Chen Kongqing. “Don’t you go to bed early every day? No need for an early night tonight? I’m afraid that if we aren’t done having fun later, you’ll want to leave again.”

It sounded like he was worried Chen Kongqing would be a killjoy mid-way. Or rather… it felt like he didn’t want him there. Would his presence ruin Ling Xiao’s fun?

That suffocating feeling from the dinner table surged back into his chest.

“Wait, Old Ling, that’s a bit much…” Gao Tianyou frowned, unable to listen further.

Gu Chengjing stepped in to smooth things over. “Ling Xiao is just worried Kongqing wants to rest. He’s just bad with words.”

The group had almost reached the front desk. Chen Kongqing kept his head down, his mind overflowing to the point of a system crash. “Then… maybe I should head back. I happen to have an assignment to catch up on. You guys have a great time.”

Ling Xiao opened his mouth to speak immediately, but it wasn’t to him: “Cousin, why did you pay the bill secretly? It’s my birthday; I should be the one treating everyone.”

“How could I let you kids pay?”

Hearing the voice, Chen Kongqing paused and looked up. Xu Jingmo was standing by the front desk, the hem of his dark trench coat fluttering slightly in the draft, tracing the shape of the wind.

Ling Xiao: “You’re being too polite, Cousin.” Gao Tianyou: “Thanks for the treat, Cousin!”

The rest of the group started laughing and offering their thanks. Everyone except Chen Kongqing. He looked up, his lips twitching slightly, unable to find the words.

“Is Mr. Chen leaving first?” The man raised his gaze, bypassing the others to look directly at the youth.

The draft blew through again, lifting the stray hairs on Chen Kongqing’s head. They were a slight chestnut color—not looking like they were from a hair dye kit, just a natural, subtle tint.

The youth widened his willow-leaf eyes, his lips trembling.

“Calling him ‘Mr. Chen’ is too formal, Cousin. He’s your ‘cousin-in-law’!” Gao Tianyou chimed in, laughing loudly after his teasing.

After Gao Tianyou and his buddy Fu Yihang finished laughing, he suddenly realized… why was no one else laughing? Besides Little Kongqing’s face turning red—a normal reaction—everyone else looked like they were suffering from severe constipation. Especially that “Cousin.” He was tall and sturdy to begin with, and when his face went cold, it was actually quite terrifying.

“Heh… cough.” Gao Tianyou began to cough amidst the silence.

Chen Kongqing spoke through the coughing, his cheeks a strange shade of pink, not daring to look at Xu Jingmo. “Yes, I want to go back first.”

“Perfect. Take these gifts back for me first then.” Ling Xiao handed all the gift bags in his and Gu Chengjing’s hands over to the youth.

There were quite a few gifts. Chen Kongqing’s hands were full. “Okay. Don’t drink too much. Remember to find a designated driver if you do.”

“I know,” the man replied with a hint of impatience, then exchanged a few words with Xu Jingmo.

Gao Tianyou looked at the pile of things in the youth’s hands. “Kongqing, can you carry all that? It’s a lot. Maybe I should—”

“I can. It’s not heavy,” Chen Kongqing smiled, his eyes curving at the corners.

Gao Tianyou sighed. “Alright then. We’re off.”

The group headed toward the underground garage. In the vast lobby, only he and Dr. Xu remained.

Xu Jingmo looked at the thin figure before him. The youth looked so slight, as if he weighed less than the pile of gifts in his hands. The man’s brow furrowed as he stepped forward. “Let me carry them.”

“No need… they aren’t heavy. I can manage.” Chen Kongqing tried to refuse, but he couldn’t stop the man’s movements.

The pile of gift boxes ended up in the man’s hands. Despite carrying so much, Xu Jingmo was still able to free a hand to use his phone.

Chen Kongqing: “Don’t you have things to do, Dr. Xu? It’s no trouble, I can—”

“I do have things to do, so I can’t drive you. I’ve already called a car for you,” Xu Jingmo said, his fingers tapping the screen. “The driver will be here in one minute.”

“No—” Before he could say “no need,” he was interrupted.

“You’re welcome,” the man said, his lips curving slightly, a hint of a smile reaching his phoenix eyes. “Send me a message when you get home.”

“Okay,” Chen Kongqing nodded in agreement, then suddenly realized something. “Dr. Xu, I don’t think we have each other’s contact info.”

“It seems so.” The man appeared to have just remembered as well. He opened a QR code on a green messaging app and held it out to the youth.

Chen Kongqing hurriedly fumbled for his phone and scanned it.

“By the way, there are some questionnaires. I’ll send them to you later; you can do them when you have time.” Xu Jingmo turned off his screen, lowering his face as his lips suppressed an uncontrollable curve. He looked toward the roadside. “The car is here.”

Xu Jingmo escorted the youth to the car and saw him in. He leaned down, looking at Chen Kongqing, who was huddled obediently in the seat clutching the gift boxes. His knuckles rested against the car door, holding it open.

“Thank you… Xu…” Chen Kongqing tilted his chin up to look at the man. He suddenly remembered Gao Tianyou’s joke and felt that it wasn’t entirely a joke. Shouldn’t he also call him “Cousin” to sound less distant? Especially since Dr. Xu looked after him so much. It was probably because of Ling Xiao, too.

And so, he stammered out the rest of the sentence:

“Thank you… thank you, Cousin.”