WTA Chapter 32

Chapter 32 – Boundaries

Novel Title: 谁把谁当真 (Winner Takes All)

Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 黎朔 (Li Shuo -MC), 赵锦辛 (Zhao Jinxin -ML)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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After getting into the car, Li Shuo dialled the number back.

Zhao Jinxin answered almost immediately, “Li Shushu, are you coming over?”

“Be honest, are you just making an excuse?”

“No,” Zhao Jinxin said hesitantly. “I’m really afraid of the dark. If no one is with me at night, I have to sleep with a light on.”

Li Shuo had heard that many people have this habit and wasn’t sure if Zhao Jinxin was serious. If he was, Zhao Jinxin must be scared right now. Li Shuo sighed, “Wait for me. I’ll come over right now. Do you have emergency lights or candles at home?”

“Yes,” Zhao Jinxin said softly. “But the light source is too small. It makes things even scarier.”

Li Shuo started to believe that Zhao Jinxin was truly afraid of the dark. He reassured him, “Don’t worry. I’ll be there soon.” As he drove, he thought about how Zhao Jinxin had been so fierce and powerful when dealing with those three robbers, yet he often showed such childlike vulnerability. And in bed, he could be possessed like a demon. Zhao Jinxin’s multifaceted nature—dangerous, yet uniquely sexy and adorable—made him incomparable to anyone Li Shuo had ever been with. Zhao Jinxin could bring him both physical and emotional joy like no other.

Li Shuo couldn’t help but imagine Zhao Jinxin wrapped in a blanket, hiding in the pitch-black house, waiting for him to come and comfort him. A smile was displayed on his lips.

Li Shuo arrived at Zhao Jinxin’s home as quickly as possible. The entire building was indeed dark, indicating a power outage was not a lie. 

The luxury apartment building had a generator for emergency power, so the elevator was still operational. Li Shuo went upstairs and after just two knocks, the door swung open like a whirlwind. A tall figure lunged out of the darkness and tightly embraced him.

Li Shuo felt a surge of tenderness. He gently patted Zhao Jinxin’s back and softly said, “There, there. Don’t be scared. Li Shushu is here.”

Zhao Jinxin licked the love bites he had left on Li Shuo and smiled smugly, “You took so long to get here.”

“Really? I almost ran a red light to get here.”

Zhao Jinxin didn’t let go. He continued to hug Li Shuo as they moved back into the apartment.

This duplex apartment had a single-floor area of over 200 square metres. The living room was vast and now completely dark. Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, the view outside was just a deep blue night sky with clouds obscuring the moon, making it seem even scarier.

Li Shuo ruffled Zhao Jinxin’s hair vigorously. “Alright? I’m here now. No need to be scared anymore.”

Zhao Jinxin finally looked up, gazing at Li Shuo plaintively. “Did you have a good time on your date?”

“Seeing an old friend doing well, why wouldn’t I be happy?” Li Shuo didn’t want to discuss Han Feiye with Zhao Jinxin. He suddenly remembered something, “When did you change my caller ID picture? That’s so improper. What if my parents saw it?”

Zhao Jinxin shrugged as he was unafraid, “I wanted you to think about me all the time.”

Li Shuo deleted the picture in front of him. “Don’t do that again.” He pointed to his neck. “And this too. I’m serious. If you do it again, I’ll be really mad.”

Zhao Jinxin wrapped his arms around Li Shuo’s neck. “What? Is it affecting your relationship with your ex?” He emphasised the word ‘ex’.

“It’s not about who I’m meeting. It’s inappropriate to go out with these marks on my neck.”

“Then you do it to me too. And we’ll be even.” Zhao Jinxin tilted his neck as he moved closer.

Li Shuo pushed his head away. “I have no interest in doing that.” He noticed the emergency light on the table and turned it on. “Isn’t this bright enough?”

“Not enough. I need you to stay with me.”

Li Shuo sighed, “Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“I’ll make you something to eat then.” Li Shuo took the emergency light into the kitchen and pulled a few ingredients out of the fridge.

Zhao Jinxin hugged him from behind, pressing his head against Li Shuo’s neck like a giant koala bear. 

Li Shuo couldn’t help but laugh, “Are you planning to let me cook like this?”

“You cook. I’ll just hold you,” Zhao Jinxin said, showing no intention of letting go.

Li Shuo had no choice but to let Zhao Jinxin hang on him as he efficiently washed and chopped the vegetables under the emergency light.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Jinxin asked, “What kind of person is your ex-boyfriend?”

Li Shuo paused, “He’s a very good person.”

“How good? In what way?”

“Well… he’s very mature, very smart, hardworking, with sharp and detailed thinking, and a calm personality. I was with him for three years and never heard him speak ill of anyone behind their back.”

“Oh. That good, huh?” Zhao Jinxin’s tone had a hint of mockery, “Then how did he become your ex?”

Li Shuo felt a bit uncomfortable with Zhao Jinxin’s sarcastic tone but didn’t say anything. “After I graduated from university, I went to Africa to teach. And he didn’t come with me, so we broke up.”

“He’s the one who agreed to go but then backed out because of work, right?”

Li Shuo stopped what he was doing, “I already told you last time. He had his reasons.”

“No matter what his reasons were, he still went back on his word.”

“His family wasn’t well-off. He finally found a good job. I only thought about myself back then. I didn’t care about money, so I assumed others didn’t have to either. It was too selfish of me.”

Zhao Jinxin chuckled, “If he really cared about money, he wouldn’t have broken up with you. As long as he stayed with you, he’d never lack money in his life. The truth is, he didn’t trust you.”

Li Shuo slammed the knife down, his voice turning serious, “Jinxin, this is between me and him. I don’t need or like you analysing it. What do you know? Even if he didn’t trust me, it’s because I was too immature and didn’t give him enough sense of security.”

Zhao Jinxin unconsciously let go, raising his voice, “So, is it all your fault that you two broke up? You must be full of guilt. Are you planning to rekindle the old flame now?”

Li Shuo turned around, staring directly into Zhao Jinxin’s eyes. He said seriously, “Feelings that have passed are just that. They’re in the past. No matter how regretful or sad it was, it’s over. I have no intention of rekindling anything.” His affection for Han Feiye was deeply intertwined with his nostalgia for his youth. No matter how beautiful or worth reminiscing those times were, they were only memories. He had always admired Han Feiye’s character, personality, and soul. But he had long stopped loving him.

Zhao Jinxin raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

“Really.”

“What if he still likes you? What if he wants to get back together?”

Li Shuo was momentarily stunned. He had never considered this possibility. He did not want to seem too self-absorbed.

Zhao Jinxin narrowed his eyes, “Could you refuse him?”

“I…-” Li Shuo hesitated, cautiously saying, “I don’t know. I don’t know if our thoughts, views, and principles would still align after twelve years.”

“What if they do? Could you fall for him again?”

Li Shuo stared straight into Zhao Jinxin’s eyes, “I can’t predict the future. What’s the point of discussing this? Shouldn’t there be boundaries between us?” He was annoyed by Zhao Jinxin’s aggressive questioning. Why should he answer? He had never asked Zhao Jinxin how many people he had slept with. What right did Zhao Jinxin have to interrogate him like this?

“Boundaries,” Zhao Jinxin repeated the word as if he was chewing on it. He then scoffed, “Of course. So, did I cross the line today?”

Li Shuo lowered his gaze. “Yes. Let this be the last time.”

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Jinxin’s eyes as he chuckled. “Li Shushu, you’re really heartless. I suddenly understand why you have so many ex-boyfriends.”

This comment hit Li Shuo’s sore spot. He could tolerate being teased by his own father. But being mocked by a boy nearly a decade younger about his failed relationships was too much. He frowned. “I have treated every person with sincerity. If we couldn’t stay together, it was because fate wasn’t on our side. Don’t you think your comment is a bit too much?”

“Am I wrong? You always act like a great romantic. But you’re actually more heartless than anyone. Take Li Chengxiu for example. My brother went through hell and back for him. And you? Were you really heartbroken?”

Li Shuo’s anger was rising. “Do you have to make a fool of yourself to be considered genuine? How ridiculous is that? I’m not a child like you. Heartless? Me? Then what does that make you, with your well-known exploits in the North American gay scene? A man of great passion and love for mature men?”

Zhao Jinxin’s face darkened as he let out a cold laugh. “Who told you that?”

“Does it matter who told me?” Li Shuo made a gesture to stop. “This argument is completely nonsensical. Your past is yours. Mine is mine. We shouldn’t pry or criticise each other—that’s what boundaries are.”

Zhao Jinxin crossed his arms. “I’m young, unmarried, and I make no promises. So what’s wrong with consensual hookups?”

“Nothing at all!” Li Shuo suddenly erupted in anger. “Not a single thing is wrong with that. It’s your freedom. So how many exes I have, whether I’m passionate or heartless, who I date, and who I’ll be with in the future are also my damn business. Can we stop this pointless discussion now?” Li Shuo felt foolish arguing about this with Zhao Jinxin. Today, Zhao Jinxin seemed to have a short fuse and he couldn’t understand why they were fighting.

Although he was usually composed, Zhao Jinxin often managed to provoke him to the point of anger.

Zhao Jinxin lowered his head. He was silent for a moment, before chuckling softly. “Okay, I was wrong. I crossed the line. Li Shushu, don’t be mad at me.”

Li Shuo could hear the sarcasm in Zhao Jinxin’s voice. The insincere apology made him even more uncomfortable. He turned on the tap and rinsed his hands. “We’re not in the right state to get along and communicate today. I’m going to leave now.”

Zhao Jinxin immediately wrapped his arms around Li Shuo’s waist. “I won’t let you go.”

Li Shuo frowned. “Let go. I’m serious.”

Zhao Jinxin remained silent for a moment. “I’m afraid of the dark.”

Li Shuo felt all his energy drain from his body. He was overwhelmed by helplessness. He had lost count of how many times Zhao Jinxin would provoke him with words and then act as if nothing happened, using sweet talk to make up. Sometimes, Li Shuo wondered if it was his own overly tolerant nature that made Zhao Jinxin’s behaviour effective every time. He sighed. “Jinxin, I hope you can maintain respect for each other in the future and stop questioning my life and feelings. I’m serious. If you can’t do that…” He wanted to say they should part ways. But for some reason, he couldn’t get the words out. They weren’t really ‘together’. But at least in the past, they had shared good times. The thought of separating from Zhao Jinxin made his chest feel tight.

What was Zhao Jinxin thinking? He agreed to their casual relationship, yet he seemed overly jealous. Even Li Shuo, who had been through many relationships, couldn’t figure him out. He decided to observe for a while longer before deciding whether to have a candid conversation, even if it meant risking embarrassment. It would be better than wasting time.

His relationship with Zhao Jinxin was the first to feel like a game of strategy. In all his previous relationships, he had always been in control. Maybe subconsciously, he was drawn to the excitement and novelty of this dynamic. Yet he was wary of these unfamiliar feelings. In any case, he needed to manage his relationship with Zhao Jinxin with the same rational control he applied to all aspects of his life. He couldn’t afford to mess up emotionally.

Zhao Jinxin kissed Li Shuo’s cheek with warm lips. His voice sounded soft yet slightly chilling. “Fine. With you, it’s best to keep communication strictly in the bedroom.”

Li Shuo narrowed his eyes, pushing away his irritation.

After all, they were just bed partners. Zhao Jinxin hadn’t suggested anything wrong.

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*Translator’s Note: I’m really pissed off at ZJX right now. -K

*Proofread by 2024.08.12* I’m currently in the middle of the proofreading stage of my first ever translation; ‘Winner Takes All’. Lots of changes will be made especially to titles such as ‘Brother’ will be changed to ‘Ge’ and ‘Uncle’ will be changed to ‘Shushu’. I will proofread these chapters slowly when I’m free so please understand if there are any delays or discrepancies. TQ.

Proofread version of the rest of the novel will only be available on Novels Space.space while Mature Chapters will be released on Wattpad.

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