The Husband From the Original Pairing is Now Divorced - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Bold and Confident – Being Able to Throw Little Tantrums with Zhou Zifei…

Sheng Qianlong’s verdict came out quickly: twelve years for large-scale fraud and intentional assault.

On the day of the trial, Sheng Jia went alone.

As he sat there watching Sheng Qianlong kneel on the floor wailing and shouting, “It’s not my fault, it’s all because of my son! It’s all his fault!”, at that moment, Sheng Jia suddenly stopped hating him. It wasn’t because he had forgiven him, but because he felt the man was no longer worth a single drop of his emotional energy.

When he was a child, Sheng Jia always wondered if he had done something wrong. He thought if he acted better, worked harder to be obedient, the father who once loved and cherished him would come back. Later, as an adult, hate took root. He hated Sheng Qianlong for hurting him when they were kin, for dealing him the deepest wounds of his life.

Yu Xianghang’s appearance had intensified that hate in a different way. Yu protected him, but as Sheng Jia began to sense Yu’s growing impatience and exhaustion, he hated Sheng Qianlong even more for being the obstacle that forever blocked his path to happiness.

But now, the hate was gone. He finally understood that there was no “reason” for the abuse. He realized that his hate was merely a mourning for a father-son bond that meant nothing to Sheng Qianlong—a longing for the father in his memories who once spun him around and bought him ice cream.

In a way, Sheng Jia hated his own powerlessness to change these losses more than he hated the man himself.

When the judge pronounced the verdict and struck the gavel, Sheng Jia wept. The conviction became his closure. It wasn’t his fault; it was Sheng Qianlong’s. It wasn’t that he was “unlovable,” but rather that only someone who didn’t love him could ever inflict such pain.

The moment betrayal happens, past love ceases to be valid. Trying to find reasons or change the outcome is just locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Sheng Jia walked out of the courthouse and down the steps. His thin frame was upright, his pace light. As the wind brushed his hair, he looked at the vast, bright blue sky, and his watery eyes curved into a smile.

“It really is a beautiful day today.”

His silent thought coincided with a familiar male voice. Sheng Jia looked down the steps to see Zhou Zifei standing there, looking up at him with a grin.

…

“What are you doing here?”

“Picking up Teacher Sheng, of course. I know you said you didn’t need a ride, but I happened to have business nearby, so I thought I’d swing by.”

“What… business?”

Sheng Jia tightened his grip on his seatbelt, stealing a glance at the man in the driver’s seat. Zhou Zifei was wearing a grey-and-black plaid shirt over a white T-shirt—casual enough that it really didn’t look like he’d made a special trip.

Lately, Sheng Jia had been looking for a way to let Zhou Zifei down clearly, but Zhou was much more tactful. He always steered the conversation away, leaving Sheng Jia with no opening to reject him.

“Training. I have a match coming up soon. Would Teacher Sheng like to come watch?”

Zhou Zifei parked the car at the bottom of Sheng Jia’s apartment building and turned to ask. Sheng Jia looked away and remained silent.

Having been monitored by Zhou Zifei to eat three meals a day—supplemented with soups and desserts—Sheng Jia’s cheeks had filled out slightly, and his complexion had improved. His fair skin now carried a healthy pink glow, a clear sign of someone being meticulously cared for.

As he turned his face away and pursed his lips, his cheeks puffed out slightly like a sulking child. Zhou Zifei’s gaze lingered on that little bit of cheek; he was completely charmed. Softening his voice to a coaxing tone, he said, “Please come, Teacher Sheng. This match is very important. If you’re not there, I won’t have any energy. Please? Just say yes, okay?”

“Teacher Sheng—I’m begging you—”

Zhou Zifei was well aware of Sheng Jia’s recent hesitation and his desire to say no. But Zhou was determined to play the fool and stay by his side. Right now, Sheng Jia was desperate to maintain distance, so Zhou knew he couldn’t play hard to get or be cold.

He had already decided: since he had launched his “offensive” to win Sheng Jia over, he had to throw shame out the window. How could he chase his husband if he was worried about being embarrassed?

“Teacher Sheng—the best Teacher Sheng in the world—please—”

Sheng Jia saw Zhou Zifei leaning closer and closer, even tugging at his sleeve. His ears turned hot. He stammered a goodbye and tried to get out of the car, only to be jerked back by the seatbelt he hadn’t unbuckled, falling clumsily back into his seat.

Zhou Zifei couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Flushed with embarrassment, Sheng Jia gave him a rare, indignant glare.

The glare had no bite. Sheng Jia’s eyes were naturally affectionate; even his attempts at looking “mean” felt like flirting to Zhou Zifei—a soft hook that made his heart race.

“Wh-what are you laughing at? Stop it!”

Sheng Jia was truly flustered. He grumbled internally: It’s all Zhou Zifei’s fault. Why did he have to confess? Couldn’t we have just stayed friends? Now he didn’t know how to act, while Zhou Zifei was as bold as ever—no, even more confident, even making fun of him!

Sheng Jia forcefully unclipped his seatbelt and turned to leave. He didn’t realize that Zhou Zifei wasn’t the only one feeling “bold.” He was too. In the past, Sheng Jia was always guarded and formal, afraid to show emotion because he felt indebted to Zhou’s kindness. Now, he felt safe enough to throw these little tantrums.

“Wait, Teacher Sheng! Don’t go! My bad, I’m sorry!”

Zhou Zifei quickly grabbed Sheng Jia’s arm to pull him back. Sheng Jia struggled for a second before giving in and sitting back down.

“Don’t be mad, Teacher Sheng. I shouldn’t have laughed. It’s just that you’re so much fun to be with; I can’t help but be happy over the little things when I’m with you. I was wrong, I’ll be careful next time.”

Sheng Jia’s heart felt warm and fuzzy at the sincere apology, but hearing “I’ll be careful next time” made him feel a sudden drop of disappointment. He felt he was a dull person—clumsy and uninteresting. It was rare for someone to say they were happy with him, and here he was…

He felt like a cat tangled in a ball of yarn, frustrated and confused. He wasn’t good at this; he felt like an idiot who ruined good relationships. Just as he was about to give up and tell Zhou Zifei to stop coming around, Zhou spoke again.

“To make up for my mistake, and to ensure I can keep finding joy with you, I’m inviting you to my match.” He pressed something into Sheng Jia’s hand. It was a red-and-gold ticket.

“It’s a backstage pass. Come find me when you arrive, okay? Zhou Jiayi will be there too; he’ll be even happier to see you than I am.”

Zhou Zifei leaned one arm on the back of Sheng Jia’s seat and the other on the dashboard, smiling as if he had no idea about the storm of worry inside Sheng Jia’s head. Looking into those focused eyes, Sheng Jia completely deflated. He nodded helplessly.

Just this once, he thought. I’ll accept just this once, then I have to make things clear.

Seeing the nod, Zhou Zifei’s joy was palpable. He jumped out of the car to open Sheng Jia’s door and walked him all the way to his apartment before finally leaving. Watching Zhou Zifei skip down the stairs three steps at a time, Sheng Jia shook his head with a small smile. Only at times like this did Zhou Zifei look like a twenty-something kid.

Just as he walked into his living room, a familiar voice boomed from downstairs:

“Teacher Sheng!”

Sheng Jia’s mind raced. What is he doing? Why is he yelling? Is he going to do one of those cliché movie confessions in the street?

Finally, one thought took over: Is he an idiot? He can’t just shout in the neighborhood!

Sheng Jia rushed to the balcony and threw open the window. He looked down to see the red-haired young man standing there, hands cupped around his mouth.

“What do you want?” Sheng Jia whispered, his heart pounding. He watched Zhou Zifei take a deep breath.

“Teacher Sheng! See you this weekend!”

That was all. Zhou Zifei waved vigorously, a bright, dashing smile on his face. For a split second, a similar smile flashed through Sheng Jia’s memory—not on a sunny day, but on a rainy night. Before he could grasp the memory, Zhou Zifei gestured to his phone.

Sheng Jia opened his phone to a text: “Teacher Sheng, you’ll come this weekend, right?”

Just as he was about to reply, a chat box that had been silent for a long time popped up. Sheng Jia swiped it away without looking. He carefully typed back to Zhou Zifei: “I will. I promised you.”

Zhou Zifei immediately replied with a sticker of a puppy dancing to music. Sheng Jia, who rarely used stickers, chuckled and saved it to his favorites. He replied: “This puppy kind of looks like you.”

Zhou Zifei sent a frowning puppy, followed by a puppy puffing out its chest and wagging its tail proudly. They chatted back and forth until the dinner Zhou Zifei had ordered for him arrived. Only then did Zhou end the chat, urging him to eat.

Sheng Jia remembered the other message then. He opened the chat box to see: “Is the thing with Sheng Qianlong resolved?”

Sheng Jia hesitated before typing a simple “Yes.”

The other side went quiet, as if the conversation had hit a wall. Sheng Jia put his phone down. After dinner and a shower, the phone buzzed again. This time, the message made him freeze.

He looked out the window at night. Every window in the complex was lit. After the divorce, those lights used to make him feel lonely and envious—one of those lights used to be his. Now, even with his lights on, he felt cold and dark.

The messages kept coming. Sheng Jia watched them in silence before typing a few words.

“No. We are divorced.”

That sentence ended with messages from Yu Xianghang. There was not another sound for the rest of the night.