Orange Storm chapter 75

People in Love Are Like This

Fang Chenglin was originally taking off his coat at the entrance. When he saw Fang Xing, he stopped and walked a few steps into the living room, smiling at Fang Xing.

“Xiao Xing, haven’t you slept yet at this late hour?”

Fang Xing stared at Fang Chenglin for a while without answering. Fang Chenglin smiled awkwardly and continued, “I heard you came back, so I came to see you… and your mom.”

“Oh,” Fang Xing said.

He really didn’t know what to say to Fang Chenglin. In the past, Fang Chenglin could be considered a good dad. He was even gentler than Zhou Ling and willing to communicate with him. But now, seeing Fang Chenglin made his mood somewhat complicated.

Irritation, discomfort, anger… and disappointment.

Fang Chenglin walked a few steps upstairs. When Fang Xing was two or three steps away from the stairs, Fang Chenglin stopped and asked gently, “Still studying? It’s okay to take a few days off after returning home.”

“I’ve been back for three days,” Fang Xing said.

Fang Chenglin felt awkward for a few seconds and then explained, “I should have come back earlier, but I’ve been too busy lately…”

After saying that, he remembered something and explained self-righteously, “I’ve been staying at the school recently, working on several students’ graduation theses.”

Fang Xing chuckled lightly, suddenly saying, “The smell of disinfectant.”

The unique smell of disinfectant in hospitals. Even if it was several steps away, Fang Xing could still smell the pungent odor. He didn’t want to say it initially, but Fang Chenglin’s attempt to cover it up just now ignited his anger.

“It’s all over your coat.”

Fang Chenglin immediately looked a bit flustered, hurriedly explaining, “I just spent an hour after work, and today the situation was a bit bad—”

Fang Xing actually wanted to tell Fang Chenglin that he didn’t need to explain these things. He didn’t want to know whether Fang Chenglin had been to the hospital, how long he stayed, and other details. However, after Fang Chenglin said those words that tried to cover up, Fang Xing’s anger flared up.

“Do you want to talk to Dad, catch up?”

“I don’t want to,” Fang Xing immediately said, “It’s too late, and I don’t want to argue with you.”

“We’re not arguing. Can’t we have a calm and peaceful conversation?” Fang Chenglin asked, still trying.

“Do you think that’s possible?” Fang Xing looked at Fang Chenglin and asked.

Fang Chenglin fell silent. After a while, he spoke, “Rest early. It’s too late; don’t study too late in the night.”

Fang Xing didn’t say anything, turned around, and went back to his room.

Fang Chenglin didn’t go upstairs. After a while, Fang Xing heard the sound of the door closing downstairs, indicating that Fang Chenglin had gone into the guest room.

Fang Xing flopped onto the bed, burying himself under the covers.

The good mood he had while chatting with Jiang Zhijin just now vanished at this moment. He took out his phone and glanced at the screen. There was a picture of Jiang Zhijin holding a cat, looking clean and comfortable, with a slight smile.

Fang Xing looked at it for about five or six minutes, finally put down his phone, and closed his eyes.

He wanted to go back to Shaojiang, and wanted to see Jiang Zhijin.

Thinking of this, he smiled self-deprecatingly again—once again wanting to be a deserter, Fang Xing.

He knew it was impossible. Regardless of running away to other places, the pile of issues at home would still affect him constantly. Fang Chenglin was still his father, there was still a child in the hospital waiting for a bone marrow transplant, Zhai Wan might still chase after him to Shaojiang, waiting for him at the school gate.

Growing up and facing it was the only solution.

Just like Jiang Zhijin, never afraid of any problems or troubles, calm and a bit arrogant, as if everything could be handled. The only time he didn’t know what to do was probably when he found out that Fang Xing liked him…

Fang Xing couldn’t help but laugh and then sighed.

Thinking of Jiang Zhijin.

In the next few days, Fang Chenglin would often come back for dinner.

The part-time house help usually left after cooking and setting the table. With the family sitting around a relatively large round table, Fang Xing, Fang Chenglin, and Zhou Ling could spend an entire meal without saying a word. Zhou Ling and Fang Chenglin wouldn’t even make eye contact. Fang Xing sometimes felt that he might be the only one who could see both of them at the same time, but they probably couldn’t see each other.

It felt suffocating.

So, he didn’t like to stay downstairs too much. He would usually study and read in his room, occasionally exchanging messages and calls with Jiang Zhijin.

In the middle of studying, someone knocked on the door from outside and then entered.

Fang Xing turned around and saw Zhou Ling walking to the desk holding a plate of strawberries.

“The strawberries from the supermarket are quite fresh; I bought some,” Zhou Ling put the fruit plate on the table. “How’s your studying going?”

“It’s okay.”

“If you have time, go out and have some fun. It’s essential to strike a balance between work and play.”

“Yeah,” Fang Xing smiled, “Qi Xiang invited me to go out this afternoon.”

“That’s great, go out and have fun,” Zhou Ling patted Fang Xing’s shoulder. “In previous winter vacations, I used to take you to pay respects at your grandparents’ graves. This year, time is running out. Wait until after the college entrance examination, okay?”

“Sure,” Fang Xing said.

When Zhou Ling came in, she didn’t close the door. Faint sounds and voices from downstairs could be heard. It seemed that Fang Chenglin and the hourly house help were talking. Fang Chenglin was telling the house help not to put ginger shreds in the stir-fry because Fang Xing didn’t like it.

The room was quiet for a while, and Zhou Ling spoke softly, “Feeling tired of staying at home?”

“No,” Fang Xing said.

“He insisted on coming back to spend the New Year with you. After all, you’ve spent the last eighteen years together. This time, you still have the college entrance exams—”

“I think since he said he wants to be with you, let him come back. It’s better than not knowing where he is.”

“When are you planning to divorce?” Fang Xing asked.

Zhou Ling didn’t expect him to ask so directly. She hesitated for a moment before answering, “After you finish the college entrance exam. The lawyer suggested that I sue him.”

By then, it would be another protracted legal battle, a mess.

Fang Xing nodded and didn’t say anything more. His phone on the side lit up, indicating a new message. It was Qi Xiang asking if it was okay to meet at the gym at 2 p.m.

As the message popped up, the screen lit up, revealing a sudden appearance of a photo of Jiang Zhijin and Tang Yuan.

Fang Xing’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly reached for his phone.

The next second, he heard Zhou Ling speaking behind him, “Hey, is that Zhijin?.”

Fang Xing’s hand holding the phone paused for a moment, then slowly let go.

“Ah,” he spoke only to realize his throat was a bit hoarse. He coughed before continuing, “Yes, it’s him, and his cat.”

Zhou Ling was taken aback for a moment before smiling and saying, “He looks quite handsome, and the cat is cute too.”

She laughed again and asked, “Why did you set it as your wallpaper?”

Fang Xing felt his heart pounding but maintained a calm expression.

“Just set it casually.”

“Really,” Zhou Ling smiled, patting him on the shoulder. “Don’t tease your brother Zhijin too much.”

“I know,” Fang Xing replied with a tone as calm as possible. His heart slowly returned to a normal rhythm after Zhou Ling left. When she was gone, he let out a slow breath, feeling a bit relaxed. Only then did he realize he was sweating a little.

He replied to Qi Xiang’s message first and then opened Jiang Zhijin’s chat to send a message.

“I used your photo as wallpaper, and my mom saw it.”

On the other side, Jiang Zhijin replied immediately, “What did your mom say?”

“Nothing much, just praised how handsome you are,” Fang Xing said.

“Is that it?”

“That’s it.”

After a while, Jiang Zhijin replied with a teasing tone, “Fang Xing, that’s a bit silly.”

“A bit, I guess,” Fang Xing found it amusing himself. “We won’t see each other for a while. I wanted to set it as wallpaper—”

It was indeed a bit silly.

“Change it,” Jiang Zhijin said.

Fang Xing was taken aback for a moment, replying, “Okay.”

Jiang Zhijin didn’t say anything more. Fang Xing opened the phone’s built-in wallpaper gallery, randomly selected a landscape image, and prepared to change the wallpaper.

Jiang Zhijin was straightforward, and Fang Xing wasn’t angry. After all, using someone’s picture as a wallpaper was a bit childish. Today’s incident probably made Jiang Zhijin nervous too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have replied so quickly.

Before he could finish his thoughts, Jiang Zhijin sent another photo.

It was a silhouette of him and Tang Yuan, sitting on the balcony, backlit. People and the cat were indistinct, with the sunset outside. It was a beautiful silhouette. If Fang Xing wasn’t so familiar, he wouldn’t be able to recognize them at first glance, let alone others.

“Use this one.”

Before Fang Xing could say anything, Jiang Zhijin sent another voice message. “Send me a photo.”

Fang Xing replied with a “?” and Jiang Zhijin quickly responded.

“To set it as the wallpaper.”

“No,” Fang Xing laughed and repeated Jiang Zhijin’s words, “that’s a bit silly.”

“People in love are like this,” Jiang Zhijin laughed and said.