Chapter 45: A Lover Kept by Wenxu Jiang? (1/2)
Translator: Claire.KK
Perhaps there was such kind of departure in the secular world, without farewell or hysterical break; even when it came over, unexpectedly, it was so peaceful that you could not feel the sadness in an instant.
It seemed as if a sudden rainstorm came on a sunny day; as if your precious vase suddenly fell onto the ground when you wiped it. In face of that, you could only feel bewildered and endless silence.
Wenxu Jiang stood in the living room alone, feeling at a loss about how to handle such situation. His mind was still in confusion. He didn’t understand why Zhishu He left, and where that man could go himself.
He just stood there, suddenly a feeling of helplessness struck him. Wenxu Jiang had never felt so lonely and desolate like now. Neither did he when he became a stranger to his family for the love with Zhishu He, when he was so poor that a bowl of wonton was eaten for two meals, or when he had been away from home for a dozen of days with kinds of reasons. But now he did, because Zhishu He was no longer behind him to give him support.
Ziyu Ai arrived at the rest stop. The farther they went southward, the warmer it got. At least it was already more than ten degrees Celsius warmer than Beijing.
Ziyu Ai suggested that Zhishu He should get out of the car to have a stretch, because it was tired for both driving and taking the car. He handed the dog’s leash to Zhishu He and said, “Will you hold it and walk the dog?”
Zhishu He said nothing, but he still took the rope and walked the dog carefully, with some hidden vitality and brightness on his face, which was rare to see.
“Why don’t you keep one by yourself since you like dogs so much?” Ziyu Ai followed beside Zhishu He, smiling.
Zhishu He shook his head and replied, “My family doesn’t like it.”
Ziyu Ai was sure to understand his meaning, and he was jealous of Wenxu Jiang more or less in his heart. For a moment, he did not know what to say.
Ziyu Ai turned up the warm wind of the air conditioner the moment they got in the car. Seeing Zhishu He folding the overcoat, he could not help but blurt out the thing which he deeply cared about, “...You don’t have to be serious if he’s just seeking for fun. Zhishu, I know that kind of man very well. They always have more than one lover at the same time, and know how to sweet-talk the one he is particularly interested in. You’re not a kid anymore. You should have a plan for your future.”
Hearing that, unexpectedly, Zhishu He laughed. Not out of malicious sarcasm instead, it was just because those words sounded funny to him. Zhishu He tilted his head and turned his eye to Ziyu Ai, his black pupils shining. He asked, “You think I am a lover kept by him?”
That was not a pretty word to put on a man. Ziyu Ai slightly frowned, “I'm afraid you'll be cheated.”
Zhishu He looked out of the window, the reflective stripes on the highway twinkling. Ziyu Ai drove too fast. Zhishu He frowned, “Doctor, what would you like to know?”