On My Way - Chapter 68

Chapter 68 - I Am Dongxue’s Lover

Because I had been drinking heavily for several days, and on the last day I mixed several different types of alcohol, I ended up completely hammered. It was one of the few times I had ever lost control like that. When I stumbled out of Sister Shen’s private club, I felt as if the ground were tilting with every step; my hands wouldn’t stop shaking while I hailed a taxi, and the world was just a blur of double images.

I had brought that young top student out with me, and he was sensible enough to support me, asking, “Sister, where do you live? Should I send you back?”

I said, “No need... go back to school... remember this: if anyone asks, just say you took me back to the hotel tonight, okay?”

He nodded. He was indeed a smart kid; no unnecessary chatter was needed.

I knew the rules of this world all too well: sometimes you have to let go of your inhibitions to enter certain circles.

For instance, if I had "enjoyed" that handsome young man tonight, my relationship with Sister Shen would have advanced a step further.

Because we would have shared a secret, as well as a philosophy of seizing the moment.

But I still didn’t want to be that way.

I remembered when I was a rookie, watching the way those in power looked at me. I had to use every last brain cell to mask the revulsion and disdain I felt deep inside.

Cheng Xia once told me, "You struggle against them for so long, only to eventually become just like them. No ideal in this world is worth such a downfall."

I hadn’t read the book he was quoting, but I knew it must have been written by someone wise; they were always able to write down the feelings I couldn't express.

At any time, I never wanted to become the kind of person I found disgusting.

I stumbled out of the taxi and nearly fell on the hotel steps. Before I knew it, someone appeared out of nowhere, caught me, and asked, “How much did you drink? Are you trying to kill yourself?”

I tried hard to focus my blurry, drunken eyes. Oh, it was that student. Hadn’t he left? Why was he back?

“None of your business... go away, go—” I muttered incoherently, trying to shoo him off.

He didn’t leave. He dragged me directly into the hotel. I struggled for a moment, but I was no match for the dizziness in my brain, so I squeezed my eyes shut.

When I opened them again, I was already in a hotel room.

The student was in the middle of taking off my shoes.

“What are you doing!” I kicked him away. “I’m telling you, don’t you come any closer! I, I have a husband!”

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting!” He sounded surprisingly indignant for some reason, shouting, “Lie down!”

I wasn’t going to waste breath on a criminal. I immediately picked up my phone to call the police. “Hello, police? I was taken to a hotel by a strange man, and he’s taking off my clothes!”

He just stood there on the other side of the room watching me call, making no move to stop me.

After a long time, I realized my phone was dead; the screen had been black the whole time.

I had to put the phone down, sullenly, while a hundred airplanes seemed to be roaring in my brain.

He came over again, bringing a glass of water for me to rinse my mouth, and a wet towel for me to wipe my face. It was ice-cold, making me wince in discomfort.

By then, my phone had finally charged enough to turn on. I picked it up but forgot what I wanted to do, just aimlessly scrolling until I stumbled upon a photo of Zhou Ting and me together.

It was from a trip we had taken, and he had used my phone to snap it.

I held it up to show the student. “This is my husband, you still don’t believe me... let me tell you, he’s known as the ‘Wolf of the Northeast.’ Guys like you? He could take ten of you with one punch!”

For some reason, he stood there silently for a long time before saying, “Do you really love him?”

“Of course.”

I held the phone to my chest like a treasure and even kissed it. “He said he’s liked me for a long time... someone like me, and someone actually likes me...”

“I like you, too.” He gave a bitter smile. “I like you so much it’s made me crazy. Can’t you try looking at me again?”

I squinted at him. His image finally came into focus in my vision: jet-black hair, a camel-colored sweater, a face that was gentle and clean. He was clearly smiling, yet he carried such sorrow.

I smiled. That was a face I had loved for so many, many years.

“Being together would only hurt us. It would be the same no matter how many times we tried,” I said, enunciating each word with sincerity. “Because we are people from two different worlds.”

I closed my eyes, and a single, physiological tear leaked from the corner of my eye.

The world swayed, and finally, I fell into a gentle darkness.

——

When I woke up the next day, it was already noon.

My head was pounding, my mouth was dry, and I blindly reached for water with my eyes closed, but found none.

Someone lifted me up and pressed a cup to my lips. It was cool, refreshing Longjing tea.

“Than—who the fuck are you!” I shrieked in surprise, my voice sounding like a rooster’s crow.

“Who am I, you ask?”

I finally came to my senses. Standing before me was Cheng Xia, alive and well, wearing a white tracksuit and drinking tea with calm composure.

And I—under the covers, I was only wearing a camisole!

“How are you here!” I was so shocked my eyes almost popped out of my head.

Cheng Xia said grumpily, “I messaged you yesterday, and you gave me the address, so I came over. Good heavens, your phone was unreachable the whole time!”

“So...”

“So I just waited at the door until I finally saw you, the drunkard, come back.” He said, “Why did you drink so much?”

He was genuinely angry. I felt guilty, but this was hardly the time for guilt!

A double room, a booze-induced blackout, no clothes on...

Although I didn't feel like anything had happened, well, better safe than sorry...

“You, you must have helped me take off my clothes because I threw up, right? Nothing happened—nothing that would end up on the news, right?”

“Why wouldn't something happen?” he said through gritted teeth. “A man and a woman alone, and you were passed out—it would have been perfectly normal if something had happened.”

“You!”

I was so startled I nearly coughed up a lung.

He hurriedly poured me water, saying impatiently, “Just be thankful it was me today. If it had been any other man yesterday, what would you be doing now?”

I finally exhaled, slowly recovering from the shattering reality of the situation.

When I was drinking, I had received a WeChat message from Cheng Xia asking which hotel I was staying at. I had been so annoyed and flustered that I just replied casually, never thinking he would actually come.

While I washed up, I asked, “So, why are you here?”

“There’s an academic conference here.”

“Such a coincidence?”

“Yeah. Or else I’d say it’s because I was genuinely worried about you.” He leaned against the doorway and laughed. “Does that make you uncomfortable?”

It really did...

While I tied up my hair, I changed the subject. “I have an acquaintance here who introduced me to a bunch of construction company bosses. This circle really runs on alcohol. My stomach is killing me.”

Cheng Xia frowned. “What kind of acquaintance? Don’t ever go alone to these things again.”

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

Actually, this time I had indeed gone too far. I had kept myself sober until I got into the taxi, but after that, I completely blacked out. If a strange man had dragged me into that room, I would have truly been in danger.

I asked half-jokingly, “So you really didn’t take advantage of me—no forced intimacy or anything?”

His character was usually trustworthy.

But I still remembered his frantic side back then—on that boat, we did nothing but eat and have sex until I felt like I was going to die in that bed.

“Don’t you worry.” Cheng Xia chuckled and walked over to me. “If I wanted to do something to you, would I need to take advantage of your vulnerability? Besides, you... you’re not exactly someone who can resist temptation in that department.”

“Me?” I wanted to say that I had just turned down a fresh, delicious college student, but the words died on my lips when I realized how close we were at that moment.

He placed both hands on the vanity, encircling me from behind. We met each other's gaze in the mirror, his breath brushing against the back of my neck.

“There was a time we were like this in front of a mirror, and you cried, begging me...” he whispered softly in my ear. “Do you remember?”

Those absurd, indulgent images surfaced in my mind involuntarily. I should have pushed him away immediately and told him to stop mentioning them, but as if under a spell, I stood there, unable to move, letting the circle of his arms grow tighter and tighter.

It’s just hormones, I thought sadly. I really hadn’t done this for too long.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

I pushed Cheng Xia away and scrambled to the door as if my life depended on it.

It was Sister Shen. She walked in and said, “Yo, you look pretty good! That little boy yesterday must have been quite well-behaved. I told you, women need to enjoy themselves more. Today, I’ll take you to try something new.”

Her words cut off abruptly because Cheng Xia stepped out from the bathroom. He had clearly heard her and understood everything perfectly. Still, he greeted her with unruffled composure. “Hello, General Manager Shen.”

“Uh...”

Sister Shen looked at him, then at me, her usually sharp face wearing an expression of bewilderment.

Just as I was wondering how to explain, Cheng Xia walked to my side, gently draped an arm around my waist, and said, “I am Dongxue’s lover. My name is Cheng Xia. I just arrived yesterday.”