Orange Storm chapter 87
Mother
The living room fell into silence once again.
In the darkness, Zhou Ling remained silent. Fang Xing took a deep breath and spoke.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
Zhou Ling’s voice trembled slightly, “Sorry for what?”
Fang Xing paused for a moment, then remained silent.
Was he sorry for being gay, for liking men, or… for dating Jiang Zhijin?
Before Zhou Ling could get an answer, her tone became more agitated, “What’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me—”
She paused, suddenly remembering the chaotic events in the family over the past year.
Fang Chenglin’s affair and illegitimate child, Zhai Wan’s tantrum at school, Fang Xing’s forced transfer…
“I didn’t find the opportunity, and I didn’t know how to say it.”
Fang Xing paused again, then slowly continued, “Mom, I’ve always felt… sorry for you.”
Zhou Ling was stunned, looking up at him. In the dim light, Fang Xing looked at her and managed a slight smile.
“When I was young, I wasn’t close to you. I thought you were too busy, too preoccupied to care about me. I never thought about how hard it was for you. Later, when I could understand, and there were troubles at home, I couldn’t be by your side and went to Shaojiang.”
“At that time, Fang Chenglin and Zhai Wan were both acting out, and I left on my own. It made me feel… cowardly.”
“How could you think like that?!” Zhou Ling’s face showed clear astonishment, then Fang Xing saw her eyes slowly turn red.
“I was planning to take you to Shaojiang. Those were adult matters, what does it have to do with you?”
“Many people told me it was none of my business, that I should focus on studying… but as long as I am your and Fang Chenglin’s son, I can never say ‘that’s your business’. At that time, I really couldn’t be there for you.”
As Fang Xing said this, he exhaled deeply, and his eyes suddenly felt hot.
“So I’ve always wanted you to divorce and stop suffering, I wanted to study hard and excel in the college entrance examination, so you wouldn’t worry. Finally, after the exams, you divorced, finally freed from a heap of troubles…”
Fang Xing’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, trying to suppress the choked-up voice, his voice becoming hoarse and low.
“And now I’ve caused you trouble again.”
He didn’t apologize for being gay, but he felt he had caused trouble for Zhou Ling.
From childhood to adulthood, whenever others praised him in front of Zhou Ling, they would say he was sensible, obedient, and worry-free…
But he still made Zhou Ling sad.
Zhou Ling looked at Fang Xing standing in front of her, her eighteen-year-old son was already so tall, handsome, intelligent, independent, and diligent, as if he didn’t need her to worry about him from childhood to adulthood.
She always thought that if she faced Fang Chenglin and Zhai Wan upfront, and sent Fang Xing to Shaojiang, Fang Xing would be unaffected and able to concentrate on his college entrance exam. She had never thought that he had so much pressure and suffering in his heart.
Zhou Ling’s nose tingled, and tears unexpectedly rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t want her son to see, so she turned her head and wiped her eyes randomly, her voice still choked up.
“When did this happen? How did you know that you like men…”
Fang Xing took a deep breath, raised his head as if making a final decision, and looked at Zhou Ling as he answered, “It happened during this year in Shaojiang.”
“How could…”
As Zhou Ling looked at him, she suddenly remembered something and her words stopped abruptly, her mind thundering.
The wallpaper set as the screensaver, occasional calls and messages, Fang Xing’s reaction when he returned to Chaocheng…
She trembled uncontrollably, staring at Fang Xing, her words filled with astonishment and hoarseness.
“Are you—is it—are you in love?”
Fang Xing hadn’t had a chance to speak yet when Zhou Ling looked at him and continued, “Are you with…”
Her voice trembled, and she didn’t finish the sentence.
Fang Xing closed his eyes, feeling as if the huge stone that had been hanging in mid-air from the beginning had finally rolled down and landed heavily on his heart—
“Jiang Zhijin,” he said. “I’m dating Jiang Zhijin.”
Bang—
The world seemed to shatter into pieces.
Zhou Ling closed her eyes and took a trembling breath.
“I liked him first and then pursued him. At that time, he wanted to avoid me and even wanted to punch me…”
Fang Xing’s throat tightened. “But I still like him.”
“Don’t blame him, it’s all my fault.”
After a long while, Zhou Ling slowly got up from the sofa.
She had probably been sitting for too long. When she stood up, she swayed slightly. Fang Xing wanted to reach out to support her, but she waved her hand, stood up straight, and slowly walked upstairs in the darkness.
“I don’t blame anyone, I blame myself.”
If she hadn’t insisted on sending Fang Xing to Shaojiang and entrusted Jiang Zhijin to take care of him, if she had thought that Fang Xing was fine, and unilaterally made the decision, she never thought about whether Fang Xing was really okay…
Fang Xing followed behind her, watching her go upstairs and then into her room. Just before she closed the door, Fang Xing gently called out, “Mom.”
Zhou Ling’s hand hesitated slightly as she closed the door. With red eyes, she looked up at Fang Xing at the door for a long time before slowly closing it.
Fang Xing stood at the door for who knows how long. In the end, he leaned his forehead against the door and closed his eyes.
He had hardly slept all night. It wasn’t until the sky was almost bright that he closed his eyes for a few minutes, then got up and took a shower.
Zhou Ling’s door was tightly closed. She didn’t go to work and didn’t come out. Fang Xing hesitated for a moment, but didn’t knock on the door. He turned around and went downstairs to prepare breakfast.
It was only then that he noticed the dinner prepared by the housekeeper in the fridge was untouched. Zhou Ling probably didn’t even eat last night when she came home.
Fang Xing sighed and toasted two slices of bread, and fried an egg. Remembering that Zhou Ling didn’t like milk much, he put back the milk he had just taken out and instead scooped half a bowl of millet and red dates, adding water to cook porridge.
After everything was ready, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In the past, he could barely cook instant noodles, worrying about adding too much water. He learned all this after going to Shaojiang and being influenced by Jiang Zhijin.
Fang Xing felt like laughing, but couldn’t find it in himself to do so.
He missed Jiang Zhijin so much, yet he didn’t dare to call him. That man was too perceptive; if Fang Xing’s emotions were off, he would definitely notice.
But Fang Xing was also worried that Zhou Ling would go find Jiang Zhijin.
By then, Jiang Zhijin’s pressure would be heavier than his last night.
After thinking about this mess for a long time, Jiang Zhijin suddenly called first.
When Fang Xing saw the caller ID, his heart jumped, and he immediately answered the phone. Jiang Zhijin on the other end sounded quite normal, greeting as soon as the call connected, “I guess you’re awake. What are you doing?”
Fang Xing’s heart relaxed, “Cooking porridge, millet porridge.”
“So impressive, you didn’t even know how much water to add when cooking rice back then—”
“It’s about the same,” Fang Xing’s mood improved slightly and asked, “Why are you up so early?”
“I wanted to sleep, but your little brother was howling at my door at six o’clock.” Jiang Zhijin poured cat food for Tang Yuan and then petted its back.
Fang Xing immediately felt a bit sorry and said softly, “Go back to sleep for a while.”
“Forget it, I have to go out later.” Jiang Zhijin’s voice sounded relaxed, seemingly in a good mood. “The weather forecast says there will be a typhoon passing through Shaojiang these two days, so I’m going out to buy some things.”
When Fang Xing first went to Shaojiang, he happened to encounter a typhoon passing through. It had been almost a year since then.
“Stay safe.”
“Yeah,” Jiang Zhijin said. “You too, I’ll hang up.”
As the call was about to end, Fang Xing suddenly shouted, “Jiang Zhijin.”
Jiang Zhijin was stunned for a moment and then asked, “What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing.” Fang Xing was silent for a few seconds before speaking again, “Don’t let Tang Yuan sleep on my bed, it sheds fur.”
“Oh my god.” Jiang Zhijin almost laughed, cleared his throat, and said, “Got it, I didn’t pay attention and let it climb over once, just teasing you.”
He paused for a moment and said, “I’ll sleep in your room.”
Fang Xing was suddenly stunned.
Jiang Zhijin missed him too.
His eyes suddenly welled up with tears, but his tone remained the same as usual, “Okay”
After hanging up the phone, Fang Xing waited for a while, until the aroma of the millet porridge slowly wafted out. He switched it to “keep warm,” went upstairs, and knocked on Zhou Ling’s door twice.
“Mom, let’s eat first.”
After a while, Zhou Ling’s voice came through the door.
“You eat, I’m not hungry.”
Fang Xing put down his hand and stood still.
Zhou Ling should also know that he hadn’t left. With one inside the room and the other outside, neither of them spoke first.
It was too stifling.
Just then, the doorbell rang downstairs.
The doorbell rang incessantly, urgently pressed. Fang Xing had no choice but to turn around and go downstairs to open the door. Just as he reached the living room, the person outside had already come in.
It was actually Fang Chenglin.
Fang Chenglin also looked like he hadn’t slept all night, his clothes were disheveled. When he saw Fang Xing, he immediately walked over with an unpleasant expression.
“Why didn’t you answer my phone call yesterday? What did you mean by what you said yesterday? Explain it to me!”
Early in the morning, Fang Xing didn’t want to argue with him. He frowned and said, “Just what I said.”
Fang Chenglin took a deep breath, looking extremely angry but trying to suppress his emotions.
“How come you didn’t have this problem before? Just because you went to study in another city for a year, is it because of that guy named Jiang Zhijin—”
Fang Xing suddenly raised his eyes and stared at Fang Chenglin.
“It has nothing to do with him. Don’t mention his name.”
Fang Chenglin was first stunned, then raised his voice, “I knew it! Who would be so kind as to support you for half a year for no reason! You immediately cut ties with him and move back to Chaocheng!”
“Does this matter have anything to do with you?”
“I’m your father!”
“My legal guardian now is my mother.”
Fang Chenglin was so angry that his lips trembled, pointing at Fang Xing furiously, “You deliberately came to provoke me and your mother because of my affairs, right!”
“I never thought of using this matter to provoke anyone.” Fang Xing stared back at Fang Chenglin, his gaze cold, his tone stubborn.
“I’m in a relationship with whoever I want because I like him.”
He apologized to Zhou Ling because he had hurt her, never because he liked Jiang Zhijin.
Fang Chenglin had called Fang Xing several times last night, but no one answered. He also consulted a psychologist he knew, and didn’t sleep all night, thinking about how to “clean up” Fang Xing. Now, hearing Fang Xing’s words, he was furious, unable to say a word. He raised his hand and was about to slap Fang Xing across the face.
At that moment, a shout came from upstairs, “Fang Chenglin!”
The shout almost cracked, with a hoarse and piercing tone. Fang Chenglin paused with his hand raised, and both of them subconsciously looked up towards the stairs.
Zhou Ling didn’t know when she had come out. She held a small fruit knife in her hand, standing at the top of the stairs, pointing it directly at Fang Chenglin.
Fang Xing’s throat tightened, feeling a little panicked. He subconsciously called out, “Mom.”
Zhou Ling didn’t respond. She was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, somewhat wrinkled, looking like she hadn’t changed out of them. Her hair was still tied up, but it was already messy. Perhaps she didn’t have time, she wasn’t even wearing shoes.
She stared at Fang Chenglin, her eyes red and swollen, looking disheveled. But her back was straight and upright. It wasn’t until she walked in front of Fang Chenglin, throwing down the fruit knife in her hand.
The next moment, she raised her hand and slapped Fang Chenglin hard across the face!
Smack—
This slap was hard and heavy, echoing throughout the living room.
Even when she found out about Zhai Wan’s situation, when they argued and smashed everything in the house, or on New Year’s Eve when Zhai Wan came to the house and caused trouble… Zhou Ling never raised her hand.
She had never looked so disheveled before.
She had always been an elegant, strong, and intellectual woman. Only now, she was a mother protecting her child.
Fang Chenglin was caught off guard, looking at her with a face full of astonishment and anger. Zhou Ling also looked at him, her voice hoarse but calm and steady.
“We are divorced now. Fang Xing is under me. Whether he is gay has nothing to do with you. What are you, to even dare lay a hand on my son?”
“Now, get out, or I’ll call the police.”