Does An Inferior Omega Also Have To Marry First, Then Fall In Love? - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: As Soon As I Returned To Jing City, Sure Enough…

As soon as he returned to Jing City, sure enough, he still couldn’t get used to it. The winter was bitterly cold, a chill that cut to the bone.

What exactly was the meaning of Ji Ran’s phone call? Was there some hidden card he hadn’t played yet? Ji Qingyu racked his brain but couldn’t figure it out. Eventually, he even came up with the ridiculous thought that perhaps the other party was just trying to reminisce with him.

On the eve of his surgery, Ji Qingyu still went to see Ji Ran.

The prison was in a very remote location, surrounded by small mountains. Ji Qingyu walked for a long time before he saw the prison’s fence.

The visiting time was only fifteen minutes. The prison guard’s eyes widened when he saw Ji Qingyu. Ji Qingyu looked back with some vigilance, but the next second, a piece of paper and a marker pen were extended towards him. The guard said excitedly, “Teacher, I’m your fan.”

Ji Qingyu didn’t react for a moment—did he actually have fans now? He took the pen, amused and flattered, and signed his name for the guard.

Songshan (Pine Mountain), as its name suggested, was a cold place covered in pine trees. Ji Qingyu walked inside under the guard’s lead and stopped at the iron bars of the visiting room.

Ji Ran was still the same. This kind of dazzling, beautiful flower had withered after its peak. He was wearing handcuffs, his eyes staring coldly at Ji Qingyu, but the spirit he once had was hard to find.

Ji Qingyu pulled out a chair and sat across from Ji Ran.

“Got a cigarette?” That was his very first sentence.

“I don’t smoke,” Ji Qingyu replied.

“The guard next to you has one. He doesn’t like me and never gives me cigarettes. Ask him for one for me.” Ji Ran seemed genuinely desperate for nicotine. Ji Qingyu thought for a moment, then stood up to ask for one for him. Through the bars, he helped Ji Ran light it.

Smoke curled up, the white plumes scattering irregularly in the air. Only then did Ji Qingyu realize he had a child now and shouldn’t be around smoke. He stood up and took two steps back. Ji Ran saw his reaction, confirming his long-held suspicion, and stared at Ji Qingyu’s lower abdomen twice more, knowing everything he needed to know.

He let out a sneer. “You actually dared to come.”

“What’s there to be afraid of?”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll harm you?”

“How would you harm me?” Ji Qingyu asked. “By strangling me with your handcuffs?”

“That’s not impossible.” Ji Ran smoked violently and quickly, as if he wanted to chew up the tobacco leaves. The look in his eyes held a cruel intensity.

“Ji Qingyu, you know what? After doing all those things to you, I haven’t regretted it for a single moment.”

“Is that so?” The cigarette had burned two-thirds down. Ji Qingyu moved closer to the window. “I actually still miss when we were in high school, when you would call me out during breaks and share the candies you made with me.”

“Those were just poorly made rejects. I only did it to make you trust me.” The ash fell onto the smooth metal table, a dull gray, just like the surrounding environment.

“Is that so? I thought they were quite delicious.” Ji Qingyu started to feel cold. He had worn thin cashmere socks when he left today, and the lightest scarf. It was a poor choice.

Ji Ran fell silent, his hand clenching and then relaxing. The last bit of the cigarette burned out. He looked at the ash on the table and sank into silence.

“Why did you call me here? To let me admire your defeat?” Ji Qingyu asked.

“Ji Qingyu, you’ve won now. How does it feel?” Ji Ran forced a smile.

“I never set out to win.” Ji Qingyu sighed inwardly, feeling a bit surprised. “So, you really did just call me here to reminisce.”

A person’s words are kind when they are about to die. This phrase suddenly came to Ji Qingyu’s mind, perhaps it was the same for a villain like Ji Ran. But Ji Qingyu didn’t want to waste any more time with him, so he turned to leave.

“Wait!” A grating sound came from Ji Ran’s throat, as if he had made a huge decision, and he called out to Ji Qingyu. “It wasn’t me who did your mother’s surgery. I never intended to tamper with her operation.”

“Does it still matter?” Ji Qingyu continued walking towards the door. In the end, only Ji Ran was left behind.

Ji Ran said from behind him, “Hey, you know what? Only you would play that kind of one-sided friendship game.”

“Who are you looking down on? Who are you trying to show pity to with that demeanor? I’m telling you, you just got lucky. If it weren’t for Fu Han, you would have lost everything by now!”

“Is that so?” Ji Qingyu still didn’t get angry. A white scarf was too easy to get dusty in a place like this. He didn’t want to be stained with Ji Ran’s ash again. He no longer cared where all that malice and negative emotion came from, or why Ji Ran had inflicted so much evil upon him.

The guard opened the door and asked Ji Qingyu, “Fifteen minutes haven’t passed yet. Are you leaving?”

“Yes, we’ve said everything there is to say.” Ji Qingyu smiled and then, as if an afterthought, added, “Don’t forget to give him a few more cigarettes later.”

As he was leaving, he noticed a familiar car parked at the foot of the mountain. As soon as he got in, Fu Han gripped Ji Qingyu’s hand and wrapped his arms around him from the side.

“What did he say to you?” His voice was a mumble, with a somewhat clingy lilt. Fu Han’s breath tickled Ji Qingyu’s ear. Ji Qingyu turned his head uncomfortably and pushed Fu Han away.

“He said a lot.” Ji Qingyu tried to push Fu Han’s face away. He felt Fu Han was like some kind of large canine, or maybe it was because winter had arrived, but he was becoming increasingly clingy.

“Did he say bad things about me?” Fu Han asked.

“Yes, he said you’re treacherous, ruthless, and vindictive,” Ji Qingyu said expressionlessly after several failed attempts to push him away.

Honestly, he thought Ji Ran had some other trick up his sleeve. His surgery was less than a week away, and perhaps his life only had less than a week left, yet he had the leisure to waste half a day on Ji Ran.

He once viewed Ji Ran as his best friend. Ji Ran was like a passionate, somewhat dazzling sun that burst into his dull, boring, and even miserable high school life. But now, he realized the so-called sun was just a cluster of toxic substances mixed together. When it truly burned, it produced black smoke, harmed the environment, and the spent materials would scatter with a breeze, leaving only a handful of ashes.

He didn’t want to pursue what kind of feelings Ji Ran harbored towards him—hate, disgust, jealousy, or something else… In any case, at the foot of this pine-covered mountain, Ji Qingyu took one last look up. In that gray building hidden in the forest, they had just concluded their final goodbye in this lifetime.

It only lasted a short fifteen minutes.

And now, there were more important things waiting for him to deal with.

“You know I’m only like that to people I hate,” Fu Han whispered. “I don’t hate you. I hope you don’t hate me either, okay?”

Ji Qingyu didn’t answer.

He wondered what he would do if he only had less than seven days left to live. Ji Qingyu didn’t know; he just spoke instinctively.

“I want to take you to see someone… oh, wait, I should say two people.”

The cemetery in the Eastern City was neatly maintained. Ji Qingyu hadn’t expected to climb two mountains in one day. The caretaker of the cemetery was the same person he had met before. Upon seeing Ji Qingyu, he asked if he wanted to buy flowers.

Ji Qingyu nodded. Sure enough, the flowers in front of the tombstone had withered again, falling dryly to the ground, which made his mood low as well.

Ji Qingyu cleared away the less-than-beautiful withered bouquets and looked at the two gravestones in front of him.

Fu Han seemed to understand and his voice lowered. “Which one is our child?”

“This one.” Ji Qingyu pointed to the smaller one. “The other is my mother.”

“Aren’t you curious how I knew about all this? About the first child, and everything else?” Fu Han gently reached for Ji Qingyu’s hand.

“It was Ji Ran who told you, right? As long as there’s a single clue, you’ll dig up everything. And someone like Ji Ran… whoever causes him pain, he’ll repay them twofold. In that respect, you’re quite alike.” Ji Qingyu smiled. He was wearing a black trench coat today, with a white scarf around his neck. He reached up, grasping the scarf, burying his chin in it, and shrugging with a laugh.

“You need to remember this place. If you have time later, please come and see them often.” Ji Qingyu didn’t want to make the atmosphere so heavy.

Sure enough, when Fu Han heard this, he pulled Ji Qingyu entirely into his arms. His kisses fell lightly and densely on Ji Qingyu’s cheek. “You have to come with me.”

Hopefully.

Ji Qingyu didn’t know if he would still have that chance. He didn’t reply. Fu Han placed the flowers in front of the tombstones and promised, “The flowers here will never wither again.”

Ji Qingyu felt reassured. Fu Han was a man of his word.

A week had never passed so quickly.

Ji Qingyu lay in bed, his eyes fixed on the bright light on the ceiling. The cold air of the hospital made him feel a bit unwell. He understood why so many people experienced sudden depression this season.

Luo Sheng and Nannan were both there. Ji Qingyu hadn’t told anyone else to avoid unnecessary sadness, but even so, everyone’s demeanor truly looked like a farewell between life and death.

Ji Qingyu spoke to Luo Sheng the most. He told Luo Sheng the location of the tombstones, hoping he could visit them when he had time.

Nannan’s eyes were red. Ji Qingyu couldn’t bear to see this, so he smiled gently at her and wiped her tears. “Don’t cry. Our Nannan won’t look pretty if she cries. If you cry for so long, your eyes will hurt.”

Fu Han watched him from the side. Ji Qingyu suddenly wanted to say something, but he could only feel Fu Han holding his hand.

Forget it. What is there left to say?

Ji Qingyu remained silent, looking back at the ceiling. He thought that if he said anything now, Fu Han would have an even harder time coping if he left.

He knew the taste of heartbreak too well. A person’s words are kind when they are about to die. This sentence didn’t just apply to Ji Ran; it also applied to himself.

Consequently, Fu Han’s eyes grew even dimmer. His trembling hand gripped Ji Qingyu’s, and he still struggled to ask, “You’ve said everything you wanted to say to them. What about me? Don’t you have anything to say? Not a single word?”

Hadn’t this person always been able to hold everyone in the palm of his hand? These past few days, Ji Qingyu barely recognized Fu Han.

Ji Qingyu shook his head, closed his eyes. The doctor began pushing the bed. Creeeaaak, creeeaaak went the wheels. Down the elevator, he was pushed into the operating room. The light turned on, and the operating room door slowly closed in front of Fu Han.