OFBL Chapter 17

T.N: Hello lovely people! Starting tomorrow, I’ll update this novel twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I know I haven’t paid it too much attention, but I’ve been quite mentally unwell in the past couple of months and my head just wasn’t on it. However, I would like to thank all of those who read it every week, and if you like this novel just as much as I do, please consider heading over to Novel Updates and give it a good rating. I know is quite a simple, laid back novel, but I still feel it deserves a lot of love and a 4 stars rating 😉 Thank you and have a lovely week!

 

 

Zhang Yuze held up his phone, pushed open the glass doors of the balcony, and walked outside. Downstairs in the community, Xu Li was battling the sleet, with his face looking up and one arm hanging from his neck, dressed only in his poor leather jacket that was now more than half wet.

 

“What are you going to do?” Zhang Yuze asked.

 

Xu Li looked at him and said with a smile: “Don’t stand outside on the balcony. It’s cold and windy. Go sit back on the sofa and listen to me.”

 

Zhang Yuze’s heart moved slightly, and he suddenly didn’t know what to say. Xu Li, with his dog’s brain, still managed to remember one thing. Zhang Yuze was afraid of the cold.

 

He closed the balcony door, sat back in the warm living room, and said: “What’s the matter with you?”

 

After a few seconds on the phone, Xu Li seemed to be lost for words. It took him a long time to finally say: “I want to apologize to you. I shouldn’t have made you worry or humiliated you. It’s all my fault today.”

 

However, Zhang Yuze wasn’t in the mood to say anything.

 

Xu Li continued: “I promise that I’ll deal with the matter today and never let those people disturb you again… Really. I swear that I’ve never taken the initiative to provoke anyone else since we started dating.”

 

In the cold winter of the twelfth lunar month, Xu Li’s voice came a little intermittent through the receiver. Zhang Yuze was stunned and said: “Is it still necessary for us to talk about the future?”

 

When his words came out, both sides went silent at the same time, leaving only the sound of the wind and each other’s soft breathing.

 

Zhang Yuze felt strange.

 

For Xu Li, what was the need to run downstairs to his apartment and apologize in the middle of the night, promising a future as soon as he opened his mouth?

 

Neither one of them knew how much time passed. In the end, Xu Li broke the silence, and his voice was a little hoarse and low. “Dr. Zhang, as you said, others might truly see me as a scumbag. But in reality, I often don’t do anything with the people I hang out with. My only mistake is not believing in the so-called true love. However, I’m serious about dating you and trying to fall in love with you. That never changed from the beginning.”

 

Zhang Yuze got up and stood behind the curtain, looking down. Xu Li was still standing where he left him, for who knows how long. Anyway, there was no snow under his feet. His hair was all wet and stuck to the corner of his forehead, reminding Zhang Yuze of what he looked like that day when he helped him take a shower.

 

Obedient and sincere. Just a wet dog abandoned outside.

 

“So no matter what you think, I still have to apologize and give you a promise for the future.” Xu Li raised his eyes and saw the figure by the window through the curtain. “I don’t want to be so headless with you.”

 

Zhang Yuze lowered his eyes and said indifferently: “You’re quite good at saying beautiful words.”

 

Xu Li smiled softly, and his voice brushed past Zhang Yuze’s ear. You don’t know, but if someone told me half a month ago that I would run downstairs to wait for you for two hours in the wind and snow, just to coax you back to me… I might have beaten them to death.”

 

Zhang Yuze hummed.

 

Xu Li restrained his smile and continued seriously: “Dr. Zhang, if you think I’m a scumbag who’s not worthy of you, you can leave me at any time. I’ll never force you or knowingly upset you, but if you still have a little desire to talk to me, I promise that what happened today will never happen in the future.”

 

Zhang Yuze always felt that he was a cold-blooded person. He thought that after two years of giving his all only to be cheated on by Shen Mo, without even a word of explanation or apology… There was no way that he could let anyone else come close to him.

 

And he still didn’t know why Xu Li was so fixated on falling in love with him. But in the end, why think about it?

 

Anyway, it was just a love game. However, the game hasn’t been played to the end yet, so it didn’t have to end so quickly.

 

Xu Li asked him: “So… Shall we talk about the future?” His tone was still extremely cautious.

 

“Just come upstairs first.” Zhang Yuze sighed from the bottom of his heart. “I’ll be the one who’d have to collect your body if you froze to death.”

 

…………

 

The wet dog who was abandoned in the harsh winter came upstairs. Zhang Yuze opened the door, and Xu Li smiled at him in a simple and flattering way, looking stupid.

 

“Take off your clothes, change your shoes, and come in. Don’t step on the ground.” Zhang Yuze didn’t give him a good face. However, Xu Li did what he was told to do honestly, much more disciplined than when he was back in his own home.

 

Zhang Yuze threw his coat and trousers into the washing machine for him, found a towel to wipe his hair, and finally disinfected his hands before even considering letting him into the living room.

 

“Are you still angry?” Xu Li chased after his back, still wearing that stupid smile.

 

As for Zhang Yuze, he could only roll his eyes and say: “I’m angry with your mother. Don’t be sentimental.”

 

Xu Li smiled silently and pulled him to sit on the sofa. Zhang Yuze asked: “So, how did you deal with today’s matter?”

 

Xu Li took out his mobile phone and replied: “Yes, I was just about to tell you, that person really isn’t my lover. I either never saw him before, or I have seen him, but I have no impression of him. Anyway, he can’t be my lover. You’re the only one I can call my lover.”

 

Zhang Yuze raised his eyebrows slightly and found that Xu Li’s demeanor was relaxed when he said that, not looking like he just said a very fancy and serious word at all.

 

Still holding his mobile phone, Xu Li showed him the chat records, saying: “I’ve asked someone to help me find out. Although that boy said that I had promised to help his mother find a doctor after a one-night stand, no matter how much I think about it, I still feel that something is wrong.”

 

“Do you think he’s trying to scam you?” Zhang Yuze took his mobile phone and looked through his messages back and forth. Xu Li never intended to stop him, letting his newly coaxed back boyfriend read most of his chat records.

 

“Probably. Anyway, those things happen frequently in the bar. I used to be on guard, but last time Ah Huo was drunk on his birthday, so I forgot.” Xu Li felt annoyed when he said that.

 

“Ah Huo?” Zhang Yuze asked.

 

“The one who approached you in the bar before.” Xu Li quickly explained. “Don’t worry, he and I are purely good friends, with no romantic history or any other sort of relationship between us.”

 

Zhang Yuze sneered and said: “Why are you so nervous? Do I look like I care?”

 

Xu Li said firmly: “No, you have to care.”

 

“…”

 

Swiping down Xu Li’s chat records, Zhang Yuze was surprised to find that his WeChat was quite clean. Except for a few drinking buddies who often contacted him, there were not so many flirts.

 

Zhang Yuze couldn’t help saying: “You really only have one-night stands. You may not remember the names of those little boys.”

 

“Yeah, remembering their names is so troublesome.” Xu Li leaned on the sofa, clung to Zhang Yuze, and continued: “If I wanted to flirt, I’d have to remember their name, their birthday, all of their preferences, and things that they like. It’s too troublesome. It’s like falling in love. I hate all troublesome things.”

 

Zhang Yuze actually agreed with him. He nodded but still wasn’t at ease. “So, how do you plan to solve it now?” Zhang Yuze returned his mobile phone and continued: “Did the scammer let you go?”

 

“No.” Xu Li frowned slightly and looked distressed. “He took his mother to beg for a doctor in the middle of the winter. There’s really no place for them to go. I felt sorry for the old lady, so I let them live in my house. I was packing up all day today.”

 

“What about you?” Zhang Yuze was stunned. “Where will you live now?”

 

“I’m looking for a hotel to put my things in. Let’s figure it out tomorrow. My house only has one bedroom, and I can’t live with those two.” Xu Li turned his face and looked at him.

 

“…”

 

Zhang Yuze: “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t want you to live in my house.”

 

Xu Li blinked: “No, it’s just that my eyes are a little dry and the wound on my arm hurts a little. I don’t mean anything else. Don’t be nervous.”

 

“…”

 

“Fuck you!” Zhang Yuze stood up, half knelt on the sofa, and held up a pillow to slap him. No one pretended to be pitiful in front of their boyfriend, asking to get adopted after groveling in the snow for hours, crying that he had nowhere to go!

 

This time around, Xu Li did not resist. He just shrunk weakly on the sofa, continued to look at him affectionately, and said: “You’re angry. If beating me helps you calm down, then you can hit at will.”

 

“Fuck you…” Zhang Yuze almost choked to death in a single breath.

 

“Okay, okay.” Xu Li took the pillow from his hands and stretched out his arms to hug him. After being pushed away by Zhang Yuze impatiently, he still acted shamelessly. “Don’t be angry, Dr. Zhang. I know you’re a clean freak and don’t like others to live with you. I’ll go back to my mother’s place tomorrow. I won’t bother you.”

 

OK. Good. Very good!

 

Retreating in order to advance!

 

Zhang Yuze stared at him, only to realize that he was not at all equipped to deal with that slick fox.

 

“Fuck, stay here, stay, stay!” Zhang Yuze finally gave up resistance. “You’re the one who’s guilty, but I still have to deal with you for the next three chapters.”

 

Xu Li, who finally got adopted, was the best at pretending to be both obedient and stupid. He nodded and said sincerely: “Don’t say three chapters, even ten chapters are not enough. You say it, boyfriend, I’ll listen to you.”

 

“First of all, you can live with me but don’t mess up my place. If I see you eating everywhere when I come back from work, I’ll drown you in the bathtub.”

 

Xu Li hissed exaggeratedly: “Wo, bathtub play, I’m so scared…”

 

Zhang Yuze: “…”

 

“Secondly, during this period of living in my house, you’re not allowed to go out for a drink, let alone bring people back. I don’t want my house to become a gathering place for drunkards and loose people, understand?”

 

Xu Li was serious this time. He nodded and said: “I promise that.”

 

“And finally,” Zhang Yuze looked at Xu Li’s eyes, “You can solve all of your affairs by yourself, and please clean up today’s mess. Don’t show those kinds of things in front of me again. I’m upset.”

 

“I already promised that, what are you saying now?” Xu Li was rarely well-behaved and continued with a smile: “That’s decided. In this case, today’s story is over. You’ll no longer be upset with me and you won’t break up with me, okay?”

 

Zhang Yuze was stunned. “You’re quite afraid that I’ll break up with you.”

 

Xu Li regained his guts and said: “You’re my long-term meal ticket now. If I lose you, where should I go and live?”

 

Zhang Yuze: “Get out of here!”

 

Xu Li had the supernatural ability to instantly wash away all of his tender feelings.

 

In the end, after tossing and turning long into the night, Xu Li relaxed his mind and finally fell asleep. Zhang Yuze came out after washing his face, finding his group of friends sending an alarming number of messages. He sat by the bed and took a look.

 

Li Chenghong: @Zhang Yuze, what’s the matter over there? Broke up?

 

Han Jinhang: It’s time to break up. With our Second Bro’s temper, it’s not like he can forgive Xu Li.

 

Zhang Yuze: Oh, I forgave him.

 

Soon enough, there was a rain of question marks in the group.

 

Li Chenghong: Don’t you regret it?! Do you really want such a scumbag?!

 

Zhang Yuze turned his face and glanced at Xu Li, who was sleeping beside him. Inside someone else’s bedroom and covered in the dim yellow light of the bedside lamp, he slept particularly soundly, with long eyelashes that trembled gently.

 

Zhang Yuze replied on WeChat: I don’t know if I’ll regret it or not. Let’s wait and see.

 

Maybe his eyes were disturbed by the bedside lamp, but Xu Li turned over, hid his head deeper into the quilt, and muttered: “Boyfriend, I have a hand warmer in my bag for you. Remember to take it when you go to work tomorrow. Save your hands from being cold.” After saying that, he fell asleep again without waiting for Zhang Yuze’s answer.

 

Zhang Yuze looked at his back and let it go.

 

After a while, he picked up his mobile phone again and replied: I should not regret it.