Evil Love Appears chapter 106
Xu Jiale felt like he needed to take it slow.
Last night, he had trouble sleeping again. After finishing the task schedule, he held Xia’an for a while, but he couldn’t fall asleep until past three in the morning. When he was shaving in the morning, he looked at himself in the mirror and, for some reason, recalled the scene from last night in the car, with Fu Xiaoyu wearing pajamas and getting close to sniff his neck.
His hand twitched.
The skin on the back of his neck felt warm, and that warmth traveled down his body, making him feel out of sorts.
This is getting ridiculous so early in the morning.
Due to the awkward breakup, the thought of sex, even if just in his thoughts, shouldn’t be easily entertained.
Even though he had completely overturned that foolish decision, until he resolved the issues and obtained the forgiveness of Fu Xiaoyu, even imagining intimacy between the two of them felt inappropriate.
But, of course, he thought about Fu Xiaoyu. How could he not?
When he held Xia’an and lay on the bed, he would secretly flip through the only photo he had of them together.
Seeing Fu Xiaoyu in his white sweater made his heart race, but he had to stop himself from thinking further.
Yet, he was controlling this switch so cautiously and reservedly.
However, Fu Xiaoyu last night was practically dancing on the switch without a care in the world, while Xu Jiale was thrown into confusion. He wavered between losing himself and regaining his composure. It was an experience unlike any other.
His switch was malfunctioning, his mind was in disarray.
…
Xu Jiale tossed the razor aside, rinsed his face with cold water, and thought that he really needed to slow down.
As for why he should slow down and how to do it specifically, Xu Jiale hadn’t thought it through yet.
Before leaving, he sent a message to Fu Xiaoyu: “If you’re feeling unwell, let me know.”
He thought this message was reasonable. Yes, it was still him taking the initiative to care, but it felt like he had some authority. After all, the topic and scope of their next conversation had been restricted.
So, unlike usual, he didn’t send multiple messages to update Fu Xiaoyu on his activities.
That day, he was indeed quite busy. In the morning, he drove to pick up Nanyi from Junya.
Amon’s cute and adorable child, Ruo, was celebrating his birthday that day, and Nanyi liked Ruo. He had prepared a birthday gift for him and was going to play at Amon’s house for the day.
Xu Jiale also had many miscellaneous tasks to complete in the next two days because he was leaving for Thailand soon.
That morning, he had arranged to have lunch with his friends and celebrate Ruo’s birthday. He had booked a buffet restaurant in a large hotel.
Jin Chu came along as well.
Since their last argument at the hospital, Xu Jiale and Jin Chu had limited contact with each other.
After greeting Amon, Ningzi, and some others he was familiar with, Jin Chu sat at a table, eating slowly. Maybe it was because the entire restaurant was full of people who, while numerous, weren’t very familiar to him. If he didn’t eat, he would appear idle and out of place.
“It’s suddenly raining,” someone said with a smile. “Xu Ge, come back inside.”
The rain fell abruptly, although the sun was still shining outside. Raindrops splattered down like beads.
Xu Jiale returned inside with a group of children. Raindrops clung to his glasses and face, but he still had a smile on his face.
“Wipe your glasses,” Jin Chu handed a warm towel over.
“Thank you,” Xu Jiale took off his glasses and looked at him with his narrow eyes. He took the towel but didn’t use it on himself. Instead, he knelt down and carefully wiped the faces of Nanyi and Ruo.
After wiping them, he casually set the towel aside.
Standing up, he took Nanyi’s hand and pointed outside, “Look, it’s a sunshower!”
“Wow!” Nanyi’s attention was immediately captured, and he ran outside to press himself against the glass door. “Aiden, look, it’s so pretty!”
Jin Chu smiled at Nanyi and said softly, “Yes, it is.”
In the autumn sunshine, the sunshower bathed the world in a shimmering golden light, magnificent and splendid.
He looked at it for a long time.
After finishing lunch, Amon called a car to take several of the children back to his house to continue playing. The remaining adults chatted for a while before going their separate ways.
“I’ve called a driver; he’s on his way to pick you up to Junya,” Xu Jiale said, sending off his friends and returning to the table. After looking at his watch, he said softly, “I have some business to attend to this afternoon.”
“Okay,” Jin Chu replied. He then looked up, his voice barely audible. “Jiale, it’s stuffy in here. Let’s go wait outside. I also have some things to discuss with you.”
“Sure.”
Xu Jiale nodded but didn’t say much. They went together to the elevator and into the hotel lobby.
Despite the ongoing rain outside, Jin Chu insisted on going outdoors. Xu Jiale had to get two umbrellas from the front desk, handing one to Jin Chu. This simple act, so ordinary yet so unfamiliar, left Jin Chu momentarily stunned. Only after Xu Jiale had already walked outside, holding an umbrella, did he realize and hurriedly opened his own umbrella to follow.
“Xu Jiale, about the wedding…” Raindrops pattered on the umbrella, and Jin Chu had to raise his voice a bit. “I’ve reconsidered. The plane tickets and schedule are already arranged, and Nanyi knows we’re going to the beach for Wen Ke’s wedding before school starts. It might be awkward to change our plans suddenly.”
“…Alright,” Xu Jiale nodded in agreement. He didn’t question Jin Chu’s reason for this change of heart.
Earlier plans had been for them to spend a few days in Thailand, attend Wen Ke’s wedding, and then have Jin Chu and Nanyi directly fly to the United States. Xu Jiale had some loose ends to tie up, so he would return to China with Wen Ke and Han Jiangque, and then leave for the U.S. a few days later.
Things changed faster than anyone expected, but Xu Jiale understood that sometimes life’s unpredictability was part of the journey.
“About that person of yours…” Jin Chu couldn’t help but ask, “Is Mr. Fu attending the wedding too? Have you… reunited?”
“He is,” Xu Jiale paused, then continued, “I’m still pursuing him.”
As Xu Jiale spoke, he suddenly looked up at the sky. “Wait—”
He gazed at the sky, which had a faint rainbow amid the clouds. For a moment, it seemed he remembered something, hastily taking out his phone and snapping a photo. His intense concentration while taking the picture left Jin Chu feeling a sudden pang.
Jin Chu lowered his head, staring at a small puddle at his feet. The sunlight broke through the raindrops, creating a glittering effect, yet it seemed to disturb the tranquility of that small pool.
“Xu Jiale, I’m scared. Was it really my fault for bringing up the divorce? I…” In the rain’s rhythmic symphony, Jin Chu’s voice began to tremble. “Throughout our marriage, I know you’ve been the one protecting and accommodating me. I’ve never gotten wet as long as I’m by your side. But now…”
Beneath the drumming rain, Jin Chu’s voice quivered, and he said, “From now on, you won’t be there to protect me. All the shelter and love will belong to Mr. Fu, right?”
Every question Jin Chu asked was followed by “right?” It was almost as if he already had the answers.
Jin Chu was deeply immersed in his own world, wrestling with the question that had been looming over him. He had never realized that life could be so steep and treacherous. He had been under the umbrella for so long, finding comfort in its warmth, and now that he had taken a step outside, he felt like he was in the midst of a storm.
In this brief pause, Jin Chu realized the irony: he had once embraced this quote about “walking through storms” with such enthusiasm when he was younger, but now he was haunted by it.
“Jin Chu, do you remember why you wanted a divorce in the first place? Did you want to find a new umbrella, or did you want to get drenched?” Xu Jiale’s voice was low.
“What?” Jin Chu raised his head.
“When you’ve walked through a storm, you’re no longer the same person,” Xu Jiale said softly.
“…’Kafka on the Shore,’ right?”
That was a book he had read during his university years. Jin Chu pondered for a moment. In his youth, he might have indeed liked the sentiment expressed in that phrase. Yet now, he wondered why he had become increasingly timid.
“Jin Chu, do you know who we need to hold the umbrella for the most?”
Xu Jiale suddenly gripped the car door. “It’s Nanyi. No matter what happens between us, Nanyi is our child, and he’s still young. He’s the one who needs us to shelter him from the rain and wind.”
“I won’t run away anymore,” Xu Jiale continued. “After Wen Ke’s wedding, whether you’re ready or not, I’ve decided to fly to the U.S. and tell him the truth. I’ve also found a child psychologist to prepare for any psychological issues Nanyi might face. But the problem is, it’s unhealthy for only me to tell him. It’s possible for us to get divorced, but we can still be his alpha and omega daddies separately. If we can firmly tell him that, at least he won’t be so scared and anxious.”
Xu Jiale’s eyes remained focused on Jin Chu but also seemed to look beyond him into the distance, as though he was seeing something far off. He sighed. “Jin Chu, I’ll forever be grateful to you for giving birth to Nanyi. You’ve worked hard to bring a little life into this world, something I, as an alpha, could never do. It’s the greatest part of your omega nature. So, for Nanyi’s sake, please consider being strong. Can you do that?”