The Husband From the Original Pairing is Now Divorced - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Taking You Away — “Today, You Are the Princess.”

When the doorbell rang, Sheng Jia was trapped in a dark, damp, and cold dreamscape. Though his mind had awakened, he couldn’t force his eyes open, and his limbs felt numb and stiff.

Who could be behind the door?

He thought of Yu Xianghang knocking before, and for a moment, he felt a surge of fear and rejection.

“Teacher Sheng, are you home?”

That familiar male voice pierced through the darkness. In his mind’s eye, Sheng Jia saw a flash of red. Red hair—looking soft, but feeling somewhat coarse and prickly to the touch. He also saw an arm reaching out to him through the surface of water; in his memory, that would be a very warm embrace, one that made him feel safe.

…

Sheng Jia took a deep breath and snapped his eyes open, a stray tear sliding from the corner of his eye. It felt as if someone had pulled him from the bottom of a pool; following that strength, he sat bolt upright.

“Teacher Sheng, it’s Zhou Zifei. Are you okay?”

The voice outside remained steady, though the frequency of the knocking had quickened slightly. Sheng Jia finally came to his senses, hurriedly put on his shoes, and went to open the door.

Zhou Zifei was standing there. He was holding a thermal container, his brow furrowed and his expression grim. But the moment he saw Sheng Jia, his brow relaxed, replaced by a look of stunned realization.

“Sorry, I just fell asleep and didn’t hear you,” Sheng Jia apologized sheepishly. Seeing Zhou Zifei standing motionless, he asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Zifei suddenly raised his hand, his knuckle gently brushing against the reddened corner of Sheng Jia’s eye. First came a distinct warmth, followed by the cold trail of a tear being wiped away.

Sheng Jia instinctively touched his face and realized he was still crying. Startled, he quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

“That… I just had a nightmare, so I’m a little…”

Sheng Jia stammered an explanation. Zhou Zifei shook his head ever so slightly, his voice low and slow: “It’s okay.”

After entering the apartment, Zhou Zifei didn’t ask what the nightmare was about, and Sheng Jia didn’t ask why Zhou Zifei had brought him dinner. They tacitly ignored the undercurrents between them, chatting only about trivial matters, as if that could mask the subtle shift in their relationship.

However, Sheng Jia had to admit that having someone to talk to during dinner made the tightly wound strings in his heart loosen a fraction.

“Teacher Sheng, you still look a bit pale. Why don’t you take a few more days off?”

“No need, I’m physically fine now.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zifei let out a helpless sigh with a faint smile. Sitting at the dining table, he spoke softly: “Teacher Sheng, I wasn’t referring to your body. I meant… here.”

Sheng Jia watched as Zhou Zifei tapped his finger against his own heart. Unconsciously, Sheng Jia raised his hand to press against his own chest.

“Here…?”

“Yes. A doctor can help with physical problems, but for this place, a doctor is powerless.”

Sheng Jia understood his meaning. He lowered his head, feeling the heart beating within him. How could he explain it? It wasn’t that he hadn’t escaped his self-destructive mood; he had simply been pushed to another breakdown by his biological father. Even with a lover he had been with for years, Sheng Jia found these things hard to voice, let alone to Zhou Zifei, whom he had only known for a few months.

“I—”

Just as Sheng Jia was about to force a smile and say he was truly fine, Zhou Zifei suddenly spoke again: “Teacher Sheng, you mentioned before that you’d take Jiayi to the aquarium. Why not fulfill that promise now?”

“But Jiayi wants to go to the amusement park more now. It’ll be crowded on the weekend, so it’s better to go on a weekday.”

Zhou Zifei talked on and on. Sheng Jia sat there dazed, not quite following. But then, he heard Zhou Zifei say:

“Teacher Sheng, if you’re willing, I’ll take you away.”

“Away? Where… to where?” Sheng Jia asked, bewildered. His mind couldn’t quite process it; the phrase “I’ll take you away” made his heart skip a beat.

“To the amusement park.”

“We’ll go to a place that only has cotton candy, ice cream, and laughter. We’ll forget about work, cooking, that damn ex-husband… we’ll forget every single terrible thing.”

Zhou Zifei’s tone was so gentle it was like a secret whisper, as if they were two “bad kids” who had agreed to run away from home to have fun behind their parents’ backs.

Sheng Jia felt genuinely bewitched. Or more accurately, he was drawn to Zhou Zifei’s carefree “as long as you’re happy, nothing else matters” attitude.

Is it really that simple? Could one trip to a place with cotton candy and laughter really make him forget everything terrible?

“Okay.”

Amidst his lingering hesitation, Sheng Jia finally heard himself say “okay.”

…

Under the clear autumn sky, a roller coaster plunged down a high track. People let out desperate screams and laughter from the sheer thrill.

At the exit stood two men. One was bent over, practically hugging a trash can, while the other looked on with deep concern, stroking the man’s back and offering a bottle of mineral water.

“Zi… Zifei, are you okay?”

“I’m… I… uugh…”

Zhou Zifei dry-heaved again, his face deathly pale, his meticulously styled hair now a messy bird’s nest. Although he was a racing driver who loved adrenaline and the G-force of high speeds, he had never been able to stomach roller coasters. He had only gotten on because Sheng Jia wanted to play, but he hadn’t expected to be this incapacitated.

After rinsing his mouth, Zhou Zifei was weakly supported by Sheng Jia to a bench. He felt terrible—partly because of the ride, but mostly because he had completely lost face in front of Sheng Jia. His legs had turned to jelly the moment he hit the ground; if Sheng Jia hadn’t caught him, he would have definitely ended up on his knees.

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have suggested this if I knew,” Sheng Jia said guiltily. He saw that Zhou Zifei was fine with the drop tower, so he assumed the roller coaster would be no different.

“It’s fine… as long as you keep it a secret. Don’t tell Jiayi I’m scared of coasters or that I threw up. Otherwise, my reputation…”

Zhou Zifei didn’t mind the discomfort, he was just relieved that Jiayi and Auntie Zhang were off buying ice cream.

To make this trip happen, Sheng Jia had taken a leave of absence last night. Zhou Zifei, wanting some alone time with Sheng Jia, had brought the family nanny along so they could drop Jiayi off with her whenever needed.

“Okay, I won’t tell. Do you need more water?” Sheng Jia felt relieved seeing that Zhou Zifei was still well enough to worry about his pride.

Just then, music began to play down the street. Several staff members approached wearing mascot costumes. One was a red-haired doll with button eyes. Seeing Zhou Zifei’s red hair, it ran over excitedly, grabbing his hand as if wanting a hug.

Zhou Zifei remained expressionless and unmoved. His aesthetic sensibilities simply could not accept such an “ugly” thing.

Sheng Jia, however, found it amusing. He cleared his throat and whispered an encouragement: “Zifei, go on, give it a hug. Look how sad it looks. Go on—”

Zhou Zifei tried to read the mascot’s face, but aside from a polite sewn-on smile, he couldn’t see any emotion. But since Teacher Sheng had spoken, he chose to obey.

Sheng Jia watched them hug with a beaming smile. Catching sight of a staff member with a Polaroid camera, he thought for a moment and proactively walked over.

“There, the hug is done. Teacher Sheng doesn’t have to worry about a ‘sad kid’ anymore.”

Zhou Zifei returned to Sheng Jia’s side to “report in” after the hug, only to find Sheng Jia crouching by the bench, petting a small stray cat, seemingly ignoring the mascot interaction.

Hearing his voice, Sheng Jia looked up and said with a sense of wonder, “I just saw someone dressed as Snow White. The resemblance was incredible.”

He was smiling sweetly for some reason, his small dimple catching the sunlight.

“Teacher Sheng is smiling so happily, do you want to play princess too?”

“That’s not what I meant!” Sheng Jia interrupted his teasing, then shot back, “Besides, I don’t meet the requirements for being a princess.”

Zhou Zifei crouched down beside him, raising an eyebrow with a smile. “How do you not meet the requirements?”

“How do I meet them?” Sheng Jia furrowed his brows, retorting like they were in a playful spat.

Zhou Zifei pointed to the kitten rolling around at Sheng Jia’s feet. Then, he gently tugged the hair tie at the back of Sheng Jia’s head.

“Popular with small animals.” “Long black hair.” “Pale skin.” “Kind and beautiful.”

Zhou Zifei laughed and continued, “Teacher Sheng, aren’t you exactly a princess?”

Sheng Jia’s face flushed hot. He stared at Zhou Zifei blankly, his lips fluttering for a long time before he managed to squeeze out: “But I’m a man.”

The early autumn weather wasn’t exactly cool, and added to the lingering heat from the roller coaster, Sheng Jia’s cheeks were flushed crimson. To Zhou Zifei, he looked more like the red apple held in a princess’s hand.

“So what if you’re a man? Can’t Teacher Sheng just be a princess for one day here?”

Sheng Jia watched as Zhou Zifei pulled a deep blue headband out of his pocket, topped with a small fabric crown. He winked mischievously at Sheng Jia; the playful expression looked almost comical on his usually cold, handsome face.

Sheng Jia didn’t know when he had bought it or how he had managed to hide it in his pocket…

He couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Taking it to inspect, he asked, “Was this premeditated?”

“You caught me. Today, Jiayi is the little prince, I am the knight, so Teacher Sheng has no choice but to play the princess.”

Zhou Zifei pointed to a knight emblem on his jacket, then signaled for Sheng Jia to lower his head so he could put on the crown.

“How is it?” Sheng Jia asked with a squinty-eyed smile after it was on. With his red lips, white teeth, and dark hair, he looked radiant in front of Zhou Zifei.

How is it? Perfect, of course.

Sheng Jia was the most beautiful princess in the world, and Zhou Zifei was willing to be the knight of his kingdom forever, guarding the peace and joy of his territory every single day.

“Teacher Sheng, it would be perfect with a princess dress,” Zhou Zifei replied with a grin.

Sheng Jia let out a muffled laugh and touched the headband. “That won’t do. You’re just a knight—how can you critique the princess’s attire?”

“The princess is right. It was my intrusion. I shall mind my words and actions from now on.” Zhou Zifei feigned terror, pressing his fist to his heart and bowing his head in apology.

Delighted, Sheng Jia patted Zhou Zifei on the shoulder. “It’s alright. The princess forgives you.”

When they stood up, Zhou Zifei moved to support him. Sheng Jia leaned into him, his voice full of laughter. “I didn’t expect this knight to be so loyal.”

Zhou Zifei affirmed without hesitation: “Of course.”

If you ordered me to conquer any city, I would be invincible and unstoppable for you.

As they chatted, Jiayi and Auntie Zhang returned with the ice cream, and the group continued toward the other sections of the park. Jiayi was extremely pleased with Sheng Jia’s crown. He demanded to hold Sheng Jia’s hand, insisting that as a prince, he had to protect the princess.

“The knight is the one who protects the princess. Get your facts straight, Zhou Jiayi,” Zhou Zifei countered.

“The prince is! The prince gets to marry the princess later! I’m going to marry Teacher Sheng!”

“You! Zhou Jiayi, have you been looking for a beating lately?”

Incensed, Zhou Zifei scooped Jiayi up and tucked him under his arm. Jiayi wailed in mock terror, shouting, “Teacher Sheng, look at him! Look at my uncle!”

Sheng Jia laughed heartily, walking with Auntie Zhang and holding out a hand just in case Jiayi slipped. Zhou Zifei felt even more emboldened to tease the boy. Only after Jiayi kicked a few times, leaving dusty footprints on Zifei’s jacket and promising “never to mention marrying Teacher Sheng again,” was he finally set down.

For the rest of the day, Sheng Jia had a bright smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. He held hands with Jiayi, occasionally jogging ahead or cheering—looking very much like a playful child himself.

Following behind them, Zhou Zifei kept his eyes fixed on Sheng Jia’s back, unable to stop his lips from curving upward.

“How is the progress between the Young Master and Mr. Sheng?” Auntie Zhang walked beside Zhou Zifei, whispering the question.

Zhou Zifei didn’t turn his head; his focus remained on Sheng Jia. “What, did my sister ask you to scout?”

“No such thing. You’ve been looking for this person for so long, I’m just curious myself.” Auntie Zhang’s tone was kind. She had been with the Zhou family since Zifei was twelve. After Sheng Jia saved him at fifteen, almost the entire family knew he was searching for him.

Facing the woman who had cared for him for ten years, Zhou Zifei let his guard down. “Getting together won’t be that fast. But… I don’t think he hates me. I think… he might even like me a little.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! I can see Mr. Sheng is a good person. You must seize the opportunity!”

Zhou Zifei finally turned his head. He gave Auntie Zhang a spirited smile. “I know. He is a very, very good person. In this lifetime, he’s the only one I want to be with.”

…

The sun gradually dipped in the west, and as the sky darkened, the crowds began to gather slowly toward the plaza near the castle.

“Uncle, why is everyone going over there?” Jiayi had been running all day and was now so tired he refused to take another step, relying on Auntie Zhang to carry him.

Zhou Zifei checked his phone. “The fireworks are starting soon. We should go grab a good spot.”

At the central plaza, Jiayi clamored to go to the very front. A line of people had already formed; Zhou Zifei didn’t want to squeeze in, and Sheng Jia felt it wouldn’t be right to leave Zhou Zifei alone at the back. Eventually, Jiayi and Auntie Zhang went to the front while Sheng Jia and Zhou Zifei stayed on the outer edge of the crowd.

Night fell quickly. Amidst the noisy chatter of the crowd, the two of them fell silent. A cool early autumn breeze drifted by, bringing a slight chill. Zhou Zifei was the first to break the silence.

“Teacher Sheng, are you cold? The temperature seems to have dropped.”

Sheng Jia shook his head, looking at Zhou Zifei’s profile, though he couldn’t see much in the dark. They stood very close, their arms touching through their jackets. Sheng Jia could still feel the heat radiating from him. This man always had such a powerful presence.

Inexplicably, Sheng Jia thought of the few intimate moments they’d shared. This man’s hand was always warm when it touched his cheek. His cologne was faint but unforgettable. He was strong, yet his touch was always so gentle.

Zhou Zifei’s eyes were sharp, but every time Sheng Jia looked at them, the gaze was soft—just like now…

Sheng Jia sensed that Zhou Zifei’s peripheral vision was fixed on him—lightly, tenderly, impossible to ignore.

“Zifei… why did you want to bring me here?” “What… what are your thoughts?”

Sheng Jia finally asked the question, meeting Zhou Zifei’s eyes as the younger man looked down at him. He knew Zhou Zifei understood what he really meant:

Why are you being so good to me?