Chapter 111

Fu Xingyun felt his chest fill with bitterness for a moment, then he raised his hand and tremblingly rubbed Lin Qiong's cheek with his fingers, just like they usually do at home.

But the touch from his fingertips was dry and rough. The man looked at the wound on the corner of the man's mouth with heartache, but dared not touch it for fear of hurting him.

No one was more heartbroken than him at that moment.

Lin Qiong didn't question their relationship, but rather whether he had a future. Fu Xingyun's throat tightened, but he forced a lighthearted laugh and said, "How could there not be?"

Lin Qiong's lips trembled slightly upon hearing this. "Really?"

"Of course."

After the other person spoke, Lin Qiong stared at him in a daze, then quickly looked him up and down. He was wearing a shirt and trousers, had a handsome face, and exuded an air of authority in every gesture.

He could never even get in touch with someone like that, how could she possibly be his lover?

Lin Qiong snapped out of his daze, his mind regaining its rationality; he clearly didn't believe what the other person was saying.

He's fallen so low, what future does he have?

She then prepared to get up and leave, but the man grabbed her arm, asking, "Where are you going?"

Lin Qiong stiffly pulled her hand away, "It's none of your business."

“How is this none of my business?” Fu Xingyun stood up.

The man was tall and imposing, standing before me like a human wall, exuding a strong sense of intimidation. "I am your lover."

Lin Qiong took a step back and swallowed. "I don't believe it."

The other person's eyes were filled with fear and defensiveness. Lin Qiong had seen that look before when they were getting a divorce. They wrapped themselves in a hard shell, thinking they wouldn't have any flaws, but it shattered easily and ended up riddled with holes.

As if driving away a plague, she quickly distanced herself, saying as she left, "You should leave now. I have nothing on me that you can lie to me about. I have nothing."

Fu Xingyun felt a sharp pain in his chest. "Everything I said before was from the heart."

Lin Qiong looked up at him timidly, "I know you're really lying to me."

"..."

As Lin Qiong turned to leave, Fu Xingyun noticed the holes in her shoes, strode forward, and grabbed her arm.

Lin Qiong's eyes widened in fright. "If you... if you don't leave, I'm going to scream for help!"

To everyone's surprise, the man didn't say a word, but instead bent down and gave him his own shoes.

Lin Qiong panicked immediately, trying to kick her slightly oversized shoes, "What...what are you doing?!"

Fu Xingyun: "Wearings".

Lin Qiong wanted to return them to the other person, but said, "Put them back on quickly, I've ruined these shoes."

Fu Xingyun felt a sharp pain in his chest. In his eyes, Lin Qiong deserved the best things in the world. "How could she have wasted them?!"

Lin Qiong shrank back when she saw the man's unpleasant expression. "These shoes are so nice, what if I get them dirty?"

Fu Xingyun took a deep breath. "It's okay."

He lowered his head and cupped Lin Qiong's face, saying, "It's okay, my things are yours, you can use them as you please."

Lin Qiong was provoked by these words and took two steps back, momentarily wondering what the swindler in front of him was after.

He has neither money nor women now.

Are scammers now all about paying people to join them?

Fu Xingyun looked at the doubtful look in the other person's eyes and said, "It's okay if you don't believe me, but don't worry, I will never hurt you."

Lin Qiong pursed his lips and looked at the other person without saying a word. A piece of charcoal in the snow always makes people waver. This is the first time since he fell on hard times that someone has extended a helping hand to him.

Lin Qiong didn't say anything more, turned around and started walking. Fu Xingyun didn't say anything either, just silently followed behind her.

Soon they arrived at a pedestrian overpass. Lin Qiong went down the slope by the roadside to the underpass and then slowly walked into the sheltered area under the bridge.

There was a small house made of cardboard and old newspapers.

Fu Xingyun gasped for breath upon seeing this. "You live here?"

Lin Qiong glanced back at him and said, "Mm."

He continued, "Look, I really don't have anything, there's nothing to lie about. You should go home in the dark, otherwise you'll suffer here when the temperature drops."

Fu Xingyun gritted his teeth and remained silent. He took out the money from selling the watch from his pocket, thinking about what to buy for Lin Qiong. He wanted to take Lin Qiong to a hotel, but neither of them had an ID card.

Just as Fu Xingyun was about to buy some food and blankets, he spotted an old figure not far away. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a lame old man, covered in dirt, with a pained expression on his face.

"Uncle Li!" Lin Qiong, who had been about to lie in bed, got up and looked at the old man in surprise. She then quickly went to his side and asked, "Uncle Li, what's wrong?"

"Xiao Lin." The old man glanced at her with a miserable expression, then handed Lin Qiong the money in his hand, exactly thirty yuan.

Lin Qiong refused, "I don't want to."

"Xiao Lin, take this. I don't have long to live. My legs won't hold up."

Lin Qiong's hands were trembling with fear. "Uncle Li, what nonsense are you talking about?!"

"Uncle knows you're a good kid, thank you." He said, and started to leave.

Fu Xingyun watched from the side; one of the old man's legs was clearly deformed.

Without waiting for Lin Qiong to stop him, he said first, "Let's go to the hospital."

Lin Qiong stared at the other person with wide eyes.

Fu Xingyun patted the person's head reassuringly, "I have money."

Although the elderly man repeatedly declined, he was eventually taken to the hospital by the two young men.

But when Lin Qiong saw the pristine white floor tiles in the hospital, she hesitated.

Fu Xingyun felt sorry for the person and pulled them inside, saying, "It's alright."

After a series of examinations, it was discovered that the old man had a fracture in his left leg. Fu Xingyun took the money to pay for the medical expenses, and the subsequent medication costs almost exhausted all the money he had earned from selling watches. Fortunately, he was able to afford the old man's hospitalization and the cost of hiring a caregiver.

After settling the old man in, Fu Xingyun emerged from the hospital completely penniless.

Lin Qiong stood beside the person with her head down, "Thank you, I will pay you back as soon as possible."

"unnecessary."

Lin Qiong looked up at him in surprise.

Fu Xingyun glanced at her and smiled, "My money is your money."

He touched Lin Qiong's face with eyes full of love, saying, "This is what you will say to me in the future."

Once back under the overpass, Fu Xingyun naturally snuggled up in the small space with Lin Qiong, holding her tightly and trying to warm her with his body heat.

Lin Qiong was a little unaccustomed to it at first, then looked up at the man's face and hesitated before asking, "Are you really my future lover?"

Fu Xingyun: "Mm."

Lin Qiong was silent for a moment, then... then do you love me?

Fu Xingyun whispered in someone's ear, "I love you. You are the one I love most in this world."

"Really...really?" Lin Qiong's eyes were like those of an innocent little animal; in all his years, this was the first time someone had ever said they loved him.

"Yes, I love you."

Lin Qiong felt his arms tighten around her waist; they were strong, sturdy, and made her feel very safe. Lin Qiong glanced at him, then tentatively pressed her face against his chest, being extremely careful in everything she did.

Fu Xingyun whispered comforting words in the other person's ear, but the person in his arms was so thin that he felt extremely uncomfortable.

The two relied on each other until late at night when Lin Qiong slowly opened up to him and told him about her childhood.

Fu Xingyun said with a bitter expression, "You've never celebrated your birthday?"

Lin Qiong shook her head. "I don't know when my birthday is. When I was little, I was so envious of other people's birthdays. Once, my elementary school classmate invited us to his birthday party. His birthday cake had three layers."

Finally, drowsiness overcame her, and as she spoke, Lin Qiong's voice grew softer and softer until she fell asleep in someone's arms.

Fu Xingyun held the person tightly in his arms, as if afraid that if he let go, the person in his arms would disappear.

Time passed slowly, and Fu Xingyun looked at the person in his arms with red eyes, listening to the words Lin Qiong had told him earlier.

When Lin Qiong woke up the next morning, she found that the man from the previous night was gone, with only five yuan left under the newspaper.

Lin Qiong froze for a moment, then gave a self-deprecating laugh.

He was indeed lying to him.

How could someone like him have a future?

But having already weathered many storms, Lin Qiong quickly composed herself and prepared for another day of rummaging through the trash.

However, when Lin Qiong returned that evening with a lot of food, she was surprised to find a boxed lunch in his room.

Lin Qiong stared wide-eyed, looked around, and found no one there.

On the third day at noon, he came back to his room and there was a boxed lunch.

Lin Qiong didn't know where the food came from, but to him it was already considered a delicacy.

On the third night, when he returned home, he unexpectedly spotted that familiar figure under the overpass.

The man was different now than he had been three days ago. His once neat clothes were now dirty and disheveled, with tears in places on his arms. His once long and perfect hands were now gray and dry, even bearing several cuts and scratches.

When the man saw him return, his face regained its deep affection, and he smiled, saying, "You're back."

Lin Qiong looked at the other person in surprise and said "Oh" in a daze.

Fu Xingyun leaned down to look at him. "I brought you a gift."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and touched his cheek, just like when they first met a few days ago.

Before Lin Qiong could recover, the man pulled out a quilt and a rather large cake box from the corner.

He bought this with the money he earned from carrying bricks these past few days. He doesn't have an ID card, so he can't find other work. Besides, no other work is as lucrative as carrying bricks.

Looking at the other person's surprised face, Fu Xingyun smiled and said, "Open it and take a look."

The young man looked flustered as he opened the cake box, revealing a three-tiered cake filled with fresh fruit and chocolate.

Tears welled up in Lin Qiong's eyes instantly, and her lips trembled. "You...you...why did you buy this for me?"

"Didn't you want it? I can't bear to see you without what others have." He said with a smile, "Why are you crying?"

Overwhelmed with guilt and emotion, Lin Qiong suddenly threw herself into someone's arms and burst into tears, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Lin Qiong muttered to himself, apologizing for his assumptions about the other person and for not believing their words. He knew how ugly his defensive mindset was after his downfall, and he had despised himself countless times.

But he had no choice; he really had no choice.

That night, Fu Xingyun celebrated someone's birthday with his off-key singing. They ate cake and snuggled together under a newly bought quilt.

The two shared their feelings for each other, and Lin Qiong also laid bare all her defenses, telling them things she couldn't say aloud.

At this moment, a glimmer of light appeared on the horizon. Before falling into a deep sleep, Lin Qiong murmured, "Fu Xingyun, it's so good that you are my lover. If you are really by my side in the future, I will live passionately and desperately forever."

Fu Xingyun held the sleeping person in his arms and watched the sun rise slowly on the horizon.

He then lowered his head and placed a kiss on her lips, saying, "I'll be waiting for you in the future."