Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Extra 1 — Study Abroad Chronicles (II): “Didn’t baby say he wanted to have my baby last night?”

The sheer curtains in the master bedroom were originally a dark shade.

But Chen Kongqing didn’t like them; he found them gloomy and felt a bit oppressed while sleeping. So, they were replaced with light-colored ones. While they were much brighter, the light-blocking effect wasn’t as good. The “rabbit” who hadn’t finished sleeping in the morning would get grumpy when hit by the sunlight. To fix this, Xu Jingmo had added an extra blackout layer to the window.

Today, they actually had a plane to catch. Although the flight was in the evening, Chen Kongqing had originally planned to get up early and have one last bowl of rice noodles downstairs.

Now, those plans were completely ruined.

His consciousness remained blurred. Several times he tried to grit his teeth and open his eyes, only to be defeated by exhaustion.

“Xiaoman, it’s time to get up.”

After an unknown amount of time, a lingering, gentle voice sounded in his ear. Chen Kongqing knit his brows, wanting to turn over and continue sleeping, but he was pinned firmly in a warm embrace and couldn’t move at all. His cheek was pinched lightly.

“Nng…” Chen Kongqing frowned, twisted his face away, and finally opened a slit of an eye.

“Get up. Eat something and then we have to go to the airport,” Xu Jingmo coaxed softly. “Shall I dress you?”

The moment Chen Kongqing opened his eyes, the memories of last night came rushing back into his mind along with his returning consciousness. Like those… messy things he had said. And the heavy breathing and sticky sensations when Xu Jingmo pinned him down.

Chen Kongqing’s ears turned red instantly. He grabbed Xu Jingmo’s hand that was resting on his belly.

Xu Jingmo let him hold it. “What’s wrong?”

In the next second, the man’s large hand was pushed away. Chen Kongqing mumbled, “Don’t press on me…”

He still felt a bloated sensation in his lower abdomen—a very full feeling, but it wasn’t his stomach that was full.

“I…” The rabbit stammered, touching his own belly. “Did you… clean it out last night?”

He remembered bits and pieces, but it wasn’t a complete picture. He remembered being carried to the bathtub. The tiles were hard and uncomfortable, and he hadn’t wanted to wash. It wasn’t until Xu Jingmo held him and let him lie against his chest that he cooperated and stayed in the tub.

Xu Jingmo reached out again, covering Chen Kongqing’s hand with his own on the boy’s belly. “What is it? Uncomfortable?”

“It feels very full…” Chen Kongqing said, feeling a bit embarrassed. It was all because he drank too much yesterday; why did he always make a fool of himself when drunk?

“Then maybe you really are pregnant,” Xu Jingmo said, his tone carrying a hint of mischief.

Chen Kongqing was both embarrassed and annoyed. “Xu Jingmo!”

“Didn’t baby say he wanted to have my baby last night?” Xu Jingmo didn’t back down, letting out a light chuckle.

Chen Kongqing squirmed under the covers. “Don’t you dare say another word.”

“Alright, I won’t say it.” Xu Jingmo was still smiling, but he slowly sat up. “I’ll get your clothes. Once you’re changed, we need to get ready to leave.”

“Oh,” Chen Kongqing replied testily.

He had cured himself of his willful streak a long time ago, but in the past two years, in front of Xu Jingmo, this little habit had suddenly relapsed and was getting worse. The man dressed him piece by piece—shirt, pants—then squeezed his toothpaste and wrung out his towel, looking after him like a three-year-old.

After they finished packing, Chen Kongqing hugged Black Cat Sheriff, reluctant to let go. “Mi, Uncle Gao will come over to feed you. We’ve added plenty of water; don’t go drinking from the toilet, okay?”

Like a mother about to go on a trip, he had endless instructions. “I won’t be back for a while… when I video call, don’t hide from the camera…”

The overweight cat in his arms, now a round ball of black fur, twitched its pointed ears. “Meow~” It rubbed its head against Chen Kongqing’s neck, as if it were also reluctant to see him go.

After feeding him one last cat treat, Chen Kongqing finally walked out of the apartment with heavy steps. Xu Jingmo kept an arm around him, staying close. “Don’t worry, he’s safe here. If you miss him, I’ll take videos for you.”

Chen Kongqing nodded, composed himself, and looked ahead.

From Kun City to California, even a direct flight took eleven hours, across a distance of exactly 9,600 kilometers. When the plane landed, it was still night in California. With a fifteen-hour time difference, adjusting was going to be difficult.

They arrived at the small apartment building they had rented in advance. It wasn’t very large, and the facilities and decor were a bit dated, but it was fully equipped and close to the university.

“It’s a bit small. How about I look around the neighborhood to see if there’s anything better?” Xu Jingmo wasn’t satisfied, pacing across the wooden floor.

Chen Kongqing shook his head. “It’s great. It’s a bit old, but don’t you think it looks just like the houses in foreign movies?” He flopped onto the dark green leather sofa.

“Are you worried about money?” Xu Jingmo knit his brows slightly. “I’ll handle the arrangements, just be a good boy and listen.”

“I’m not worried about money. I don’t need to worry about that anymore,” Chen Kongqing shook his head, not exaggerating. “The CSC scholarship includes a housing allowance, and I have a grant from the college. Plus, the prize money from those competitions… I really don’t lack money. I just think this place is small but comfortable. I’m just one person; I don’t need a huge place.”

Living in a large place alone felt a bit insecure anyway. He hugged a pillow. “Besides, a lot of Chinese students live in this building, including some from our university. It’s safer if we’re all together.”

This reason actually moved Xu Jingmo. “Alright. If you’re ever uncomfortable, you must change it. I can fly over to help you move.”

Chen Kongqing nodded. He had been on the plane for so long and slept most of the way, but now his head felt a bit dizzy again.

“Tired?” Xu Jingmo checked his watch. “It’s a bit early to sleep. Let’s make the bed together, and then you can sleep.”

“Okay.” Chen Kongqing got up obediently. After making the bed, he lay down and didn’t move. Xu Jingmo opened the suitcases, categorizing and organizing everything piece by piece.

Listening to the noise, Chen Kongqing felt a sense of peace and soon fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up again, the suitcases were put away, everything was clean and tidy, and the two plush carrots he had insisted on bringing were lying on the sofa. Beside him was Xu Jingmo’s steady breathing.

It was deep in the night in a foreign land. The moonlight crawled gently through the window.

…

In the following days, before classes officially started, they toured various attractions and visited famous restaurants found online. Without exception, the food was terrible. Chen Kongqing finally realized the true value of that large bag of beef jerky and cured sausages.

By the third day, he no longer wanted to eat “white people food” outside. So, the two of them went to a Chinese supermarket, bought rice and some Chinese seasonings, and decided to make Sausage Claypot Rice at home.

The fragrance of rice mixed with the aroma of sausages drifted out of the window.

Xu Jingmo was chopping scallions when there was a knock on the apartment door. Chen Kongqing, curled up on the sofa, heard it and ran to the door. Through the peephole was a Chinese face. He opened the door a crack. “Is there something I can help you with?” (in Chinese)

“He… hello.” A man who looked about his age scratched the back of his head and looked down. “Excuse me, are you making sausages? Could I buy some from you?”

“Oh…” Chen Kongqing blinked, not reacting immediately. The man had a bit of a Hong Kong/Taiwanese accent. When he raised his black eyes, his expression shifted slightly. “Hello, are you here for the Master’s program at W University too? So am I. You can call me Jen. What’s your name?”

“Ah… I—” Before Chen Kongqing could say his name, his waist was suddenly pulled tight.

Xu Jingmo had walked over from the kitchen at some point. He stood at the door, his hand naturally resting on Chen Kongqing’s side. Taking advantage of his height, he looked down at the man outside. He didn’t rush to speak, pausing for several seconds before opening his mouth. “Hello.”

Although he said “Hello,” the atmosphere… Chen Kongqing couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something was off. It was just a bit strange.

Jen’s expression also shifted slightly.

Chen Kongqing cleared his throat. “Hello, Jen. My name is Chen Kongqing, or you can call me Azurite.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the grip on his waist tightened further. Chen Kongqing was a bit confused and looked up at Xu Jingmo. Xu Jingmo remained silent.

“Mmh… this is my boyfriend, you can call him Kohl.” Seeing that Xu Jingmo wasn’t speaking, he introduced him himself.

Only after he said this did Xu Jingmo reach out his hand, a polite smile touching his lips. “Hello, Jen.”

“Hello.” Jen shrugged and reached out to shake hands. However, they hadn’t even shaken for half a second before their hands quickly separated.

“Azurite, your English name is very special,” Jen said, smiling at Chen Kongqing. “See you later.” With that, he turned to leave.

Chen Kongqing nodded. He had originally wanted to ask if Jen still needed the sausages, but he decided against it. Those sausages were made by his mother and packed by Xu Jingmo; he was a bit reluctant to part with them.

As soon as Jen left, Xu Jingmo reached out and closed the door firmly. Click. The door was locked.

Xu Jingmo released him abruptly, turning back to open the rice cooker that had already jumped to the “keep warm” setting. The fragrance of sausage and rice filled the apartment.

Chen Kongqing followed him, looking at the oily rice. “It smells so good.”

“Mmh,” Xu Jingmo replied flatly, his back to Chen Kongqing as he prepared to serve the food.

Chen Kongqing felt that Xu Jingmo’s reaction was strange. Even his back looked a bit stiff. He hugged the man’s lean waist from behind. “What’s wrong?”

Xu Jingmo’s waist was very firm—standard “greyhound waist.” Every time he hugged him like this, he felt a sense of satisfaction.

Xu Jingmo, feeling the warmth from behind, paused for a moment. A shadow flickered in his deep eyes. “I don’t want others getting close to you. They are so annoying.”

Before Chen Kongqing could even process what he meant, Xu Jingmo suddenly added: “I think I should just stay here after all.”