RES Chapter 76

The torrential rain outside the window slammed on the glass window frantically, clattering, as if countless stones were smashing the glass recklessly.

The noisy sound was disturbing and the thoughts were like a paper that was crumpled into a ball, falling lightly on the ground and being swept up by the rapid wind. Even if it was flattened, it was full of folds.

Everything looked messy.

Chi Qiu sat on the sofa sluggishly, not even noticing that his phone was vibrating.

His heart knew very well that he should not hide. As Lu Ming’s partner, he should have walked into the office openly and asked for clarification face to face. He should also trust Lu Ming more; if Lu Ming hadn’t said it to him personally, then everything might have been a misunderstanding and it could have been excusable.

After all, Lu Ming loved him so much that he had to come back after ten years to propose to him, so how could Lu Ming have deceived him?

He had to ask for clarification himself. Across the wall, everything would turn sour.

Until now, Chi Qiu would be willing to believe Lu Ming.

It was just that he was now dizzy for no reason and couldn’t stand up at all. Even if it was a lie, those few words had hit him hard enough.

Chi Qiu tried hard to calm himself down, constantly forcing himself to take deep breaths to relax as he pitifully and shakily regulated his emotions.

But his mind went back and forth, remembering all the conversations between Lu Ming and Lu Fengshen. He couldn’t get rid of them.

In an instant, Lu Ming’s indifference, Lu Ming’s respect for each other, Lu Ming’s lack of interest…The scenes seemed to form a clear movie, all presented in front of him. Every scene seemed to have the best explanation.

So, what if, what if, it’s true?

What to do then?

Afraid of his own thoughts, Chi Qiy closed his eyes in agony. What flashed through his mind was the property promised by Elder Lu.

The three words ‘use’, ‘purpose’ and ‘marriage’ became so conspicuous and piercing that they scorched Chi Qiu’s heart like lava, causing him to be in pain.

There was an assumption that he was most afraid of ——if Lu Ming did not love him, then his own value to Lu Ming would be nothing but seventy percent of his property.

This kind of thought was too absurd, but the slightest mention of it in his heart could make Chi Qiu’s lips and teeth tremble.

“Impossible…” he muttered. Like every time before, he was eager to find endless excuses to convince himself.

Obviously, ten years ago, Lu Ming had said that he didn’t want to be involved with his family anymore and didn’t need his grandfather’s side of the property. So ten years later, how could Lu Ming go back on his word?

At the beginning, it was Lu Ming who said to him personally that he wanted him to regain his sight and wanted to take him to many places.

However, now, Lu Ming’s words ‘If he could see, I wouldn’t marry him’ kept hitting him. His once upon a time overly nostalgic voice was so cold.

The heavy rain fell like a curtain, and at the same time, Chi Qiu clenched his hands tightly, his fingernails had sunk into his palms that there were traces drawn. He did not even dare to breathe loudly, for fear of attracting bystanders and Lu Ming and Lu Fengshen would find his wretched state.

His eyes were overflowing with tears and his helplessness took over more than his sadness.

Chi Qiu actually cried very easily, but he didn’t like crying in front of others. The Chi family and Ji family rarely saw him cry, only Lu Ming had seen him crying again and again.

Chi Qiu loved him, so he handed over his most vulnerable side to Lu Ming.

And his worries about gain and loss were caused by low self-esteem and loneliness since childhood. It was a cowardice that Lu Ming can’t touch deeply now.

 

After a long time, Chi Qiu was still sitting tensely in his seat, feeling uneasy.

Outside the door, he couldn’t hear anyone coming and going, which meant that Lu Fengshen was still in the office. No one knew whether they were still arguing or having a peaceful conversation.

Chi Qiu waited anxiously, time passed minute by minute, and every second was endlessly devastating for him.

The most ironic thing was that Chi Qiu was just about to follow Ji Yanchen’s advice and muster up the courage to tell Lu Ming about his eyes when he heard such words.

This almost killed his courage.

Chi Qiu felt very uncomfortable and his heart was numb. The sudden blow frustrated his confidence and he received so much information at once that he simply could not handle them properly.

“Buzz—”

The phone vibrated again at such an untimely time and Chi Qiu, who was tripping over the past, finally woke up with a layer of goosebumps stirring on his arms.

He saw the name on the caller ID: Ji Feining.

Chi Qiu picked up the phone in a panic and tried to pick it up, but his hands kept shaking. He put the phone down in defeat, unable to pick up the phone at this moment. His throat was so sore that he couldn’t even spit out a complete sentence.

But Ji Feining’s phone call came again and again.

In desperation, after Chi Qiu tried his best to calm down several times, he pressed the answer button.

Before he could speak, Ji Feining’s first sentence was: “Where are you now and with whom?”

Chi Qiu’s throat was as hard as gravel and his nasal voice was heavy. He said tremblingly: “I’m outside, by myself.”

Ji Feining heard something wrong with his voice and picked up the car key at hand: “Are you crying?”

“No…I have a cold.” Chi Qiu denied.

“Where are you, I want to see you.”

“See me?” Chi Qiu mumbled, his brain now was very slow to react to most questions.

Ji Feining said seriously, “There’s a problem with Chi Xia. I’ve now asked someone to send her back to the Chi family first. If you’re not at home, don’t go back for now.”

Hearing Chi Xia’s name, all of Chi Qiu’s thoughts were on pause. He stood up abruptly and froze in place; his face growing paler and paler: “What happened to Xiao Xia?”

Ji Feining had already walked to the front of his garage and opened the car door: “It’s not convenient to talk about this matter over the phone.” He asked once again where Chi Qiu was, “I’m coming over to look for you.”

Chi Qiu had never seen such an anxious Ji Feining. In a panic, he suddenly thought of many not very good things and was at a loss for words: “Ning ge, I…”

“The matter is related to Lu Ming, I must tell you now. Chi Qiu, where the hell are you?” Ji Feining, even if he had enough patience with Chi Qiu, couldn’t help but rush up at this moment, “Chi Qiu?”

Chi Qiu hurriedly stopped him, “Ning ge, don’t come here. I’m going to your house, I’m going there now!” After saying that, he immediately hung up the phone.

Chi Qiu wiped away his tears and hurriedly picked up the insulation box on the ground. Before Lu Fengshen left, he first left Lu Ming’s office floor.

Fortunately, he came late today. The employees had already gotten off the work. Except for Xu Ling, no one knew he had been here.

In the empty elevator, Chi Qiu was the only one. He shrank in the corner, nervously holding the insulation box, standing motionlessly, as if trying to minimize his presence.

Unfortunately, when the elevator door was on the 22nd floor, it suddenly opened.

Standing outside the door waiting, was Xu Ling, who was just about to go downstairs to buy coffee. He was surprised to see Chi Qiu: “Mr. Chi?” His gaze fell on the insulation box in Chi Qiu’s hand and asked curiously, “Has Mr. Lu finished eating so soon?”

Chi Qiu’s face was not good, and he rarely said nothing.

Xu Ling didn’t ask much, just standing aside awkwardly. Out of concern, Xu Ling followed Chi Qiu to the basement.

He took the initiative to support Chi Qiu and walked all the way to the car. Before he could say anything, Chi Qiu pulled his wrist and said earnestly, “Secretary Xu, don’t tell Lu Ming about my visit today yet.”

Xu Ling didn’t understand, letting out an ‘Ah?’ in surprise.

Chi Qiu’s eyes were red and his voice was muffled: “I have some family matters; it is not convenient to say. Thank you for sending me here.” As soon as he finished, he followed Xiao Yan’s movement to open the door and sat down wearily in the car, “Go to Yanchen’s house.”

“Sir?”

“Hurry up.” Chi Qiu didn’t have the extra strength to speak.

On the way, no matter how Xiao Yan talked to him, he did not respond. At most, he only barked the same words as Xiao Yan, putting the word ‘family matter’ into full effect.

For the so-called family matters, the employees should not meddle. Xiao Yan belatedly realized the seriousness of the matter and finally stopped talking and drove at ease.

The road was surprisingly empty on a rainy day. Because there were no other cars, they soon arrived at Ji’s house.

Because he had talked to him before, Ji Feining was standing in front of the villa waiting. From a distance, Ji Feining’s posture was as sturdy as a pine, standing under the eaves of the villa, serious and steady.

Seeing the car approaching, he took a small step back.

Xiao Yan got out of the car and held up the umbrella, brought out Chi Qiu in the back seat, and under the lead of Ji Feining, he entered the Ji family’s villa together. However, what Xiao Yan didn’t expect was that he had only been inside for a short time before he was told by Chi Qiu that he could leave work.

Confused, he stood in place awkwardly: “Sir, I, I have to take you home ah.”

It was Ji Yanchen who answered: “If he wants to go back later, I will send him, but if he doesn’t want to go back, he will stay here overnight.” Just like ‘hurrying up a customer’, Ji Yanchen asked Xiao Yan to leave Ji’s house without any explanation.

Sitting on the sofa, Chi Qiu’s face was miserable; his gaze was full of uneasiness, waiting in a daze for what Ji Feining was about to say.

But when Ji Feining saw him like this, he didn’t say a word and instead went to pour him a cup of hot water himself. As usual, Ji Feining was a reliable brother. He handed the cup of water to Chi Qiu and touched Chi Qiu’s fingertips in a decent manner: “Your hands are very cold, drink some hot water first.”

But how could Chi Qiu drink it?

He shook his head anxiously, opening his mouth but his voice was hoarse to the point of unpleasant: “I’m not cold…”

“Drink some water first.” Ji Feining insisted.

Chi Qiu had no choice but to drink half a cup of hot water with his head tilted up. His heart was still cold. He did not know what Ji Feining was going to say to him, he did not even dare to take the initiative to ask, he was afraid.

Ji Feining sighed, guessed a thing or two and asked him, “Do you already know something?”

Cho Qiu’s fingertips hurt slightly, and in his head, he now had a very scary guess. But his lips and teeth were still dry. His eyes had lost focus, staring blankly at the ground.

Today’s downpour was about to wash his thoughts away.

Chi Qiu struggled to speak, using a lot of strength: “Ning ge, just say what you have to say.” He slowly lifted his head, and in his clear right eye was a fire that was about to be extinguished by the heavy rain.

 

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T/N: Right now, update might be irregular. Update won’t be only on Monday and Wednesday as I’m trying to make up for all those previous update

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