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墨書 Inktalez
The work situation stirred up a commotion because of Lu Ming, but I wouldn't compromise. I had to do my job and show up for my shifts; I needed to support myself. I couldn't just stay home and live off others.
To ensure everything was running smoothly at work, I first went to the company to submit my resignation report to Dong Lu. She looked at me with interest and said, "Zhuang Jun, you know what I'm responsible for and what I'm not."
I was well aware of that, but I couldn't understand why she found it difficult to grasp my point. She rejected my request and pushed me into a difficult position, but I had no choice but to comply with her wishes.
Fortunately, Lu Ming wasn't there that day, which allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. However, I didn't intend to use this as an excuse to avoid facing reality; I had heard that phrase countless times before.
Since I hadn't resigned yet and there was no news from Zhang Ju, I could only let the situation remain stagnant. Feeling bored, my parents noticed I was idle at home but didn't say anything. They often prepared my favorite dishes and didn't ask about my job situation during our conversations.
At nine in the evening, as usual, I had no entertainment activities planned. I took an early shower, changed into my pajamas, and lay in bed watching a boring soap opera. I dozed off and was awakened by the sound of my phone ringing. It was half past twelve, and the caller was Lu Ming.
I really didn't want to answer Lu Ming's call, but whether it was my own anxiety or the prolonged ringing that made it feel urgent, it became a hot potato in my hand.
In the end, I answered the call, but it wasn't Lu Ming's voice on the other end.
"Shuangshuang?"
"Aunt Zhuang."
"Shuangshuang, why are you still awake so late? Is there something you need from Aunt Zhuang?"
"Dad is drunk."
Having encountered Lu Ming at a few drinking parties before, I had never seen him drunk. Now that Lu Shuang was calling me, it must be serious.
"What about Dad? Didn't he say anything? Is there anyone else at home? Just you and Dad?" I remembered seeing servants at Lu Ming's house; they should be live-in staff. If something were wrong with Lu Ming, they would prevent any major issues.
"It's just me and Dad. He's asleep on the sofa."
"Shuangshuang, don't be afraid. Aunt Zhuang will come over right away."
Feeling sorry for Lu Shuang and cursing Lu Ming in my mind for being irresponsible, I put on a coat over my pajamas, grabbed my wallet and keys, and headed to Lu Ming's house.
Finding his house based on memory, I communicated with Lu Shuang to wait for me at the door. The familiar entrance illuminated by the streetlights made me feel relieved when I saw Lu Shuang's figure. I hurried over, took her hand, and asked about the situation.
As we walked, Lu Shuang told me that Lu Ming had come home reeking of alcohol, chased away all the servants, and then collapsed on the sofa to sleep.
I suspected that Lu Ming had indeed drunk too much, but that was manageable. My main concern was encountering other issues. After thinking it over, I decided to take Lu Shuang back to her room to sleep first.
As we passed through the living room, I glanced at Lu Ming lying sideways on the sofa. He looked more disheveled than usual, and I could smell the alcohol from a distance. I led Lu Shuang into her room, helped her settle down, and reminded her not to stay up so late next time.
"Next time your dad does this, just ignore him. He'll be fine the next day, okay?"
Lu Shuang nodded understandingly and then asked me, "Can I still call you next time?"
I tucked her in before casually asking, "What made you think of calling Aunt Zhuang today?"
"Dad suggested it."
"…"
Watching Lu Shuang close her eyes and fall asleep, I quietly left the room and went back to check on Lu Ming in the living room. I let out a long sigh.
Wang Xu is my nemesis, while Lu Ming is my creditor—one is willing to fight while the other is impossible to shake off.
Both are equally troublesome.
Lu Ming seemed to be in a deep sleep, breathing heavily with a flushed face. Having previously taken care of a drunken Wang Xu, I decided to follow the same method and used a warm towel to wipe Lu Ming's face. However, being such a tall and robust man, I couldn't carry him upstairs; instead, I grabbed a blanket from the second-floor room to cover him.
Throughout this process, Lu Ming showed no signs of waking up; he slept soundly. If there was one positive trait I could attribute to him, it would be his good drinking habits—when drunk, he remained quiet and didn't cause a fuss; otherwise, who knows how long it would take me.
After a while, I checked again and noticed that one of Lu Ming's hands was sticking out from under the blanket. It felt too hot to touch. Growing suspicious, I reached out to feel his forehead—it was already warmer than what would be expected after drinking.
Could it be that Lu Ming has a fever?
I compared his cheek with my own, and the conclusion became clearer.
How could such a big man have a fever? This thought kept swirling in my mind and wouldn't go away.
After feeling a bit inexplicably frustrated, I honestly went to Lu Ming's kitchen to find something useful. In the end, I found a bottle of white liquor that I had never seen before. It looked unopened, but since I couldn't find anything else at the moment, I took the liberty of opening it.
I soaked a towel in the white liquor and wiped his forehead and palms, trying to observe Lu Ming's changes while applying some tips I had heard. After a series of efforts, it took me almost three hours.
It was almost morning, and Lu Ming's fever gradually subsided. Thinking that I should do my best, I went to the kitchen to put some rice in the rice cooker, set the timer, and figured that by the time Lu Ming woke up, he would be able to eat. It was also time for me to leave.
Afraid he wouldn't see it, I left a note on the coffee table in the living room. Suddenly remembering that Zhang Ju had asked me to leave my phone number, I impulsively wrote down my number as a prank.
Lu Ming was so smart; he would definitely understand my intentions. Compared to the anger from that day, recalling it now brought a hint of amusement. Past events turn into joyful memories. Although this heartwarming sentiment had almost boiled away, it still provided enough nourishment.
As I left Lu Ming's house, it was still dark outside. I called for a taxi using an app and was so tired that I nearly fell asleep in the cab. The driver called me twice before I woke up. After paying and getting out of the car, I sleepily saw Wang Xu standing at the entrance of the community.
Since seeing him appear several times, his status in my heart had gradually shifted from someone close to a stranger. Every action he took now left me confused about his intentions; he was no longer the Wang Xu I once loved.
Seeing him now made me feel uneasy. Coupled with a sleepless night, my mood was already bad. I wanted to bypass him and head straight home, but he stepped forward to block my way.
"Zhuang Jun, where have you been? You just got home early in the morning? Did you stay out all night?" Wang Xu's expression shifted from worry to suspicion as he slowly took control of the situation to interrogate me.
"Yeah, I've been out all night. I've been staying out these past few nights too. Do you want to hire someone to investigate me and use evidence to sue me for divorce?" I sarcastically replied. He wouldn't show any signs for me to catch him in a short time, but I could proactively provide proof of my "infidelity" for him to use against me.
Wang Xu's face darkened: "Zhuang Jun, why are you speaking like this? I'm just concerned about you. Your eyes are red; you've been staying up late, right? Are you working? You're taking care of your Big Boss's child; you're not working right now?"
"You don't need to worry about it." I pushed past him and continued walking towards the alley, wanting to go home and shut him out so I could get some sleep.
Suddenly, he grabbed my arm forcefully. The grip was too tight and painful enough for me to wince. Turning back to glare at him made him panic slightly, but he didn't hide all his dissatisfaction: "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here so early instead of at work waiting for you?"
What Wang Xu said was worth pondering over but wasn't what I wanted to know right now. Irritatedly shaking off his hand, I replied: "Even if you were hit by a car right here at my doorstep this early in the morning, I'd consider it your just desserts."
Wang Xu's face darkened, and finally, unable to hold back, he announced loudly, "I quit."
"What did you say?"
It seemed that my attention had finally been captured. Wang Xu relaxed a bit and replied proudly, "Before, I was too busy with work to spend time with you. I've thought it through now; family is more important than work. So I plan to quit and take you and your parents on a trip wherever you want. You don't have to work either; just take a break."
My drowsiness was mostly dispelled by Wang Xu's reasoning, and I looked at him in disbelief, amused by his certainty. "Wang Xu, do you really think that's possible? Is that realistic?"
"Of course," Wang Xu nodded. "Now I have plenty of time to be with you. I came over to share this good news right after quitting. I actually wanted to wait downstairs until you woke up, but I didn't expect you to come back from outside."
Wang Xu's rambling made my heart stop for a few seconds.
Back in college, when all my roommates had left and there were only a few people left on campus, I stayed behind to work on my thesis materials, and Wang Xu kept me company.
I spent every day with Wang Xu from morning till night. One day, I suddenly asked him why he knew when I would come down without calling me every morning. He smiled at me indulgently.
"Silly, I didn't want to bother you with a call. I've been waiting downstairs; as soon as you come down, you'll see me. Every morning is a surprise for you. How about that? Happy?"
Happy—I was genuinely happy. Perhaps I had never thought of it before, but this memory remained in my heart and was not forgotten. That was the perfect version of me and Wang Xu during our passionate love affair. It was marriage that brought us to where we are now, unable to maintain a beautiful love.
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