Chapter 81 (1/2)

Deep in the Act

Translator: Kotoni

Editor: Isalee

First Published on Chaleuria

Chapter 81

At sevenChi dialed the nu in bed

”hello?” It was Zuo Linlin who answered the call He sighed ”Is Gao Zhun there? He hasn't been answering his phone”

”What happened between the two of you?” she asked, a note of complaint in her voice

”There were soitated ”It's been teeks since his last treatment Pass the phone to him, will you?”

She left to look for Gao Zhun Silence dragged out on the other end of the line until it went dead severalChi felt as if his head was about to explode fro his eain ”Linlin? Tell him that I need to have a ith hi with the both of you!” she exclai off to look for Gao Zhun again

Fang Chi stared intently at the clock on the wall and watched the seconds tick by - thirty seconds, a ht he heard someone pick up the phone on the other end ”Mr Gao?” he asked inized the fragile, wispy breath on the other end of the line He was listening, Fang Chi knew ”Mr Gao”

At the sound of his na alan ”Perhaps you will never want ain, but I… I just want to let you know that ever since our first , I have been e we experienced together Please never doubt the sincerity ofup It had beenChi knew that Gao Zhun must have missed the sound of his voice He decided to push his luck further with the emotive approach ”How have you been… all this while?”

The line died instantly The dial-tone rang with an e for a brieffor a long time before Zuo Linlin finally answered the call ”Charles, stop calling He… I think he is crying”

He knew it ”How has he been for the past teeks?”

”Terrible He hasn't been sleeping - he would stay awake night after night - and he hasn't really been going to work either… We stay in separate roo, yes, he's been drinking way too htly into fists It was all his fault; he was solely responsible He al Zuo Linlin's request for help in the first place ”Try to convince hi Chi held on to the receiver for a very long tiain distractedly, as if he had completely lost his wits Over the years, he had treated led with their illnesses for prolonged periods, and soerous crises as a result of unsuitable treatments - but none had ever made him feel so ill at ease He did not understand himself, did not knohy he felt or acted this way Was this because of the sense ofGao Zhun? Was his interest piqued by Gao Zhun's unwillingness to confide in hie to be overcome? Or was he simply fascinated because Gao Zhun was the man whom Zuo Linlin had chosen?

He recalled the sound of Gao Zhun's breathing on the phone - so frail and helpless - and the sht of those luxurious suits, expensive shoes and bags, and that tiny waist… He slapped hiht to rush at him this very minute and drown him in admonishment for what he had done When he lifted his head, however, he was greeted by nothing but the profound silence of his e his brow as he slid down his bed

He slept poorly that night In his dreams, he was hounded by countless indistinct voices that called out to him Some pleaded for help, so through the cacophony was his ringtone: ”Almost Lover”1 by A Fine Frenzy

Well, I never want to see you unhappy,

I thought you'd want the same for me,

Goodbye my almost lover,