The art exams went smoothly. Cheng Yue came out bouncing with energy after each exam, and each time he was full of enthusiasm.
Ji Xu found it amusing and took the opportunity to explore the city with Cheng Yue for several days.
Cheng Yue was indeed very happy. Doing well in the exams was one reason, but he also particularly enjoyed the time spent alone with Ji Xu.
However, Cheng Yue clearly noticed that Ji Xu had been acting oddly over the past few days, though he couldn’t pinpoint why, as Ji Xu seemed outwardly the same as ever.
Ji Xu would still wake him up for being lazy, scold him for eating too much ice cream, and laugh together during movies.
Everything seemed unchanged, and Ji Xu was even kinder than before.
It was just that Ji Xu’s frequent silence and lack of presence made Cheng Yue a bit worried.
But with Ji Xu’s efforts to hide it, Cheng Yue ended up thinking he might be overreacting.
After returning home, Cheng Yue only rested one afternoon because he had to go to school the next day, so he went to bed early that night.
After feeling Cheng Yue fall asleep beside him, Ji Xu quietly got up and went to the living room.
Watching Cheng Yue interact and make friends with so many peers recently, Ji Xu’s thoughts had become somewhat laughable, even to himself.
After finishing a cigarette, Ji Xu no longer found his thoughts amusing.
The thoughts he had were quite pitiable.
The next morning, Ji Xu almost stumbled when he got out of bed, feeling a bit dizzy. He shook his head and stood still for a moment before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.
After washing up, he intended to go downstairs for a run, but something felt off as soon as he changed his clothes. He touched his forehead and felt it was slightly warm but wasn’t sure, so he took out a thermometer to check.
Ji Xu also took this time to cover Cheng Yue with a blanket.
Cheng Yue had a habit of kicking off the blanket while sleeping. Although he didn’t kick it off at night, he liked to throw it off in the early morning.
After covering Cheng Yue with the blanket, Ji Xu checked the thermometer. It wasn’t too high, just slightly above 37 degrees Celsius.
Seeing that it wasn’t a big issue, Ji Xu took some cold medicine and went downstairs for his run as usual.
When Cheng Yue groggily got up, he ran into Ji Xu coming out of the bathroom. Seeing Ji Xu’s still damp hair, Cheng Yue quickly grabbed a towel and placed it on his head, saying, “You said I don’t dry my hair.”
“Just finished running, so I’m feeling hot.” Ji Xu looked at him with amusement as Cheng Yue brushed his teeth in front of the mirror, “Why are you up so early today?”
“Because…” Cheng Yue had a mouthful of foam and couldn’t speak clearly, “Because I’m hungry…”
Ji Xu clicked his tongue, rubbed his head with one hand, and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast from the previous run.
When Cheng Yue sat at the dining table after washing up, he noticed Ji Xu’s pale face and furrowed his brow. But seeing Ji Xu was busy replying to messages, he didn’t say much.
After Ji Xu put down his phone, Cheng Yue asked while eating his porridge, “What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong?” Ji Xu asked.
Cheng Yue reached out to feel his forehead.
Ji Xu stayed still, letting him touch.
“It’s not hot.” Cheng Yue was puzzled, “Why does your face look like that?”
“Probably from running too fast earlier.” Ji Xu smiled, “Hurry up and eat. If you dawdle, you’ll be late.”
After Cheng Yue finished breakfast, Ji Xu drove him to school.
“Get out.” Ji Xu looked at Cheng Yue, who hadn’t moved.
“Are you not feeling well?” Cheng Yue looked at him with concern.
“I’m really fine,” Ji Xu sighed, “Maybe it’s because I haven’t slept well these past few days, but sweetheart, you really need to go or you’ll be late.”
Cheng Yue wanted to say something more but was stunned by Ji Xu’s words. His face turned red, even the tips of his ears flushed.
Seeing this, Ji Xu found it amusing and pinched Cheng Yue’s face, “Don’t be shy. Go to class.”
“If you need anything, remember to tell me. I can take leave to stay with you.” Cheng Yue still seemed worried before getting out of the car.
“Got it.” Ji Xu, a bit helpless, tapped Cheng Yue’s forehead, “When did you become so chatty lately?”
“I’m not chatty… I only talk this much to you…” Cheng Yue mumbled as he got out of the car.
After Cheng Yue entered the school, Ji Xu sighed deeply and leaned on the steering wheel, feeling a bit drowsy.
He hadn’t slept for ten minutes when he was startled awake.
Someone was knocking on his window.
Coming to his senses, Ji Xu turned his head and rolled down the window.
“You can’t park here today; the cars in front can’t maneuver.”
Ji Xu looked at the congested traffic outside and nodded. He then slowly drove away.
At the office, shortly after Ji Xu arrived, Tang Jing came in, tossing several documents onto his desk.
“Your face doesn’t look too good,” Tang Jing joked, “It’s just taking the kid to an exam next door, and you’re this exhausted. You’re in your mid-life and have to admit defeat.”
Ji Xu was hit hard by this remark and darkened his expression, unusually refraining from retorting.
“By the way, about the leave you asked for last time, when do you want me to approve it?” Tang Jing, smiling, sighed, “Must be to take your kid out for fun. As a lonely single person, I’ll just have to stick around here…”
“No need.” Ji Xu interrupted him and calmly flipped through the case files.
Tang Jing was taken aback by this response and widened his eyes exaggeratedly, “No need? Didn’t you work yourself to the bone to finish everything for this vacation? Now you suddenly say you don’t need it? Are you playing tricks on yourself?”
Ji Xu remained silent for a moment, placed the file on the table, and slowly said, “The client’s reasons for the lawsuit in this case are insufficiently clear…”
“Who mentioned the case?” Tang Jing snatched the document from Ji Xu’s hands, “What’s wrong with you? Did something happen?”
Ji Xu frowned, a sudden burst of anger rising within him, and he snapped the pen he was holding.
The sharp plastic splinters piercing into Ji Xu’s hand caused his already frenzied mind to explode.
Ji Xu abruptly stood up, and before he could fully stand, Tang Jing jumped back in fright. Ji Xu wobbled and nearly collapsed to the floor.
Fortunately, Ji Xu managed to catch himself on a chair halfway down, barely ending up kneeling on the ground.
“Hey!” Tang Jing was greatly alarmed and quickly helped him up, “What’s going on?”
After the darkness in front of his eyes cleared, Ji Xu, still frowning, waved his hand, “It’s nothing. I just stood up too fast.”
“Stood up too fast, my ass!” Tang Jing supported him and felt that Ji Xu’s temperature was off, immediately reaching out to check his forehead, “You’re running a fever and don’t even know it!”
After school, Cheng Yue immediately rushed outside when he received Ji Xu’s message saying he was there to pick him up. However, he was stopped by Chen Zong, who had a grin on his face. Chen Zong hooked his arm around Cheng Yue’s shoulder, “What’s the rush? Look at you, so eager. Are you rushing to meet your girlfriend?”
“None of your business.” Cheng Yue laughed and kicked Chen Zong in the butt.
“Hey!” Chen Zong laughed, holding his butt and starting to complain, “See! He forgets about his old man as soon as he gets a girlfriend!”
Cheng Yue didn’t want to engage with him. He was eager to leave the school gate but was continuously entangled by Chen Zong.
So, the two of them finally managed to leave the school gate while laughing and exchanging playful insults.
As Ji Xu watched Cheng Yue playing with his classmates through the car window, he suddenly felt like the old Cheng Yue had returned.
The current Cheng Yue was like a lively little tree breaking through the mist.
There was no more caution, no more uncertainty, no more confusion.
What remained was confidence, bravery, and the spirited enthusiasm of youth facing a long future.
The things that had happened to him were slowly fading away, becoming just part of his life without affecting him anymore.
But…
Ji Xu selfishly began to miss the old Cheng Yue, the one who was always by his side and couldn’t live without him.
He had taken such good care of Cheng Yue that he now regretted it.
Ji Xu had never regretted anything he had done or any decision he had made throughout his life. He confidently and resolutely took each step.
But for the first time, he found himself uncertain. Like the old Cheng Yue, he was also afraid of being left far behind by the current Cheng Yue.
Even though it’s not obvious now, time would only widen these gaps.
Even though Ji Xu had many ways to keep Cheng Yue by his side, making him never grow up and always rely on him,
But… no matter what kind of Cheng Yue, he liked all of them immensely. It wasn’t that Cheng Yue wasn’t good enough.
It was that he wasn’t good enough.
“Alright, my uncle is picking me up. I’m leaving now.” Cheng Yue forcefully kicked Chen Zong away, “Why are you so fat?”
“Hey, don’t make it personal.” Chen Zong laughed it off, not bothered, and then looked around, poking Cheng Yue in the waist with his arm, “No girlfriend, huh?”
“Nope.” Cheng Yue sighed helplessly, giving Chen Zong a couple of hard pats on the back, “I’m leaving.”
After bidding farewell to Chen Zong, Cheng Yue dashed to Ji Xu’s car, running three steps and walking one.
Cheng Yue opened the door, and as he sat down, his smile faded immediately upon seeing Ji Xu’s much worse complexion compared to the morning. “Why does your face still look like this? Did you go to the hospital?”
“It’s nothing.” Ji Xu smiled, “What should we eat today? Hurry and decide; you still have evening classes later.”
“I’m not eating.” Cheng Yue wasn’t thinking about food now. He reached up to feel Ji Xu’s forehead, “It seems a bit hot. Let’s go to the hospital.”
“Talking nonsense with your eyes wide open.” Ji Xu chuckled, having just come out of the hospital after recovering from a fever. How could he still be hot? He laughed and swatted Cheng Yue’s hand away, “Quickly, what do you want to eat?”
Seeing Ji Xu like this, Cheng Yue could only casually name a restaurant. He continued to persuade Ji Xu to go to the hospital.
On the way, Ji Xu couldn’t hold back and slapped Cheng Yue on the back, “Annoying.”
Cheng Yue pouted, feeling wronged for a while but said nothing.
But soon, he bravely began to advise, “Let’s still go to the hospital. Even though you’re not feverish now, what if you get a fever later? We still need to go to the hospital. Are you afraid of the hospital…”
Ji Xu frowned, listening to him while pulling over the car. He saw the closed restaurant and thought about the fever medicine he took today and the dream he had after falling asleep, making his expression darken further.
“You see,” Cheng Yue continued, subtly mixing in his own thoughts, hoping Ji Xu would understand, “If I get sick in the future, you would definitely take me to the hospital. In the long run, you can’t always make me persuade you to go to the hospital every time you’re sick.”
“Life is so long. There is no ‘always’ or ‘forever.’ You can’t even predict what will happen in the next second.” Ji Xu suddenly turned his head and looked at Cheng Yue with an indifferent expression, “See, the restaurant you wanted to eat at today is closed.”
“What do you mean…” Cheng Yue’s heart raced at Ji Xu’s cold gaze, and his face turned pale.
He felt that Ji Xu’s words were meant to convey something more.
He didn’t understand what Ji Xu meant. He thought they had a tacit understanding, just short of saying it out loud.
But now it seemed like it wasn’t just a matter of saying it.
Cheng Yue looked at Ji Xu, who remained silent, his heart pounding with worry, his eyes reddening but not daring to speak more. Still, he was concerned about Ji Xu’s poor condition, “Are you feeling sick? I… I won’t eat at this restaurant…”
“Cheng Yue.” Ji Xu sighed, interrupting him.
Seeing Ji Xu like this, Cheng Yue suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. His first instinct told him that Ji Xu was about to say something he didn’t want to hear.
He didn’t want to hear it.
Cheng Yue turned his head abruptly, his clenched fist whitening from the force.
