Chapter 116 N-Asuka
Chu Beiling felt unwell. Despite not having done anything, he suddenly felt like his battery was depleted, which was a symptom of somatization.
Seeing Xing Yu's worried expression and his hesitant gaze, Chu Beiling smiled instead.
He raised an eyebrow: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Xing Yu did not answer immediately, his deep gaze sweeping over him inch by inch, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he looked at the forced smile on Xing Yu's face.
At this moment, he was very angry, very angry, very angry.
Xing Yu wanted to question Chu Beiling: Couldn't he just admit he was in pain? Why did he have to pretend everything was fine? Why did he have to put on such a brave face in front of him?
They had clearly signed a guardianship agreement with each other, taking responsibility for each other.
This is simply their duty and obligation.
Why can't we rely on him without any burden? What's the point of signing a guardianship agreement then?!
But reason prevailed, and Xing Yu didn't blurt it out so easily.
Chu Beiling was braver and stronger than him. Like bamboo, she had great resilience. She was proud and strong-willed. His carefulness, comfort and care, and the words he had just failed to say.
This will only hasten the decay and rot of Chu Beiling.
Aside from noticing his discomfort, trying to cheer him up, diverting his attention, and preventing him from getting stuck in a rut, Xing Yu only regretted that he could do so little.
Ultimately, he was still angry with himself.
Taking a breath, Xing Yu stepped forward and brushed his pale lips with his fingertip: "I'm thinking about how to make him so that he has no energy to think about anything else and only think about me."
Chu Beiling: "?"
Xing Yu glanced at him and said, "Mrs. Xing, on the first day of our marriage, your reaction makes me think you want to call off the wedding."
"Xing Yu, you really are..."
Chu Beiling smiled wearily but with a sense of relief. If he couldn't process it all now, he would be a complete idiot. To some extent, Xing Yu might have really done it on purpose, though it's also possible that he was genuinely taking advantage of the situation.
Making him happy and getting a good deal at the same time—that's the true nature of black sesame glutinous rice balls, the unscrupulous and wicked merchants, the sly and mischievous ones.
Even though he was exhausted and didn't even have the strength to walk, he didn't want Xing Yu to gain the upper hand verbally.
Chu Beiling tugged at his sleeve: "I can't walk anymore, wife, carry me."
Xing Yu took a step forward, half-squatted in front of him, turned his face, and said quietly, "Come up, Mrs. Xing."
Chu Beiling pressed his advantage: "You should say 'King Fanfan, please.'"
"Great King Fanfan, please." Xing Yuyi said.
Chu Beiling smiled contentedly, leaned on Xing Yu's back, and didn't forget to grab his chin to take advantage of him: "Thank you, wife."
Xing Yu stood up with his back to him, adjusted his posture, and then slapped his butt hard.
A loud "smack!" echoed in the corridor. Chu Beiling's face turned green, and she was so angry she wanted to bite someone: "Xing Yu!"
He looked around, and thankfully no one was there.
"I'm here!" Xing Yu turned around: "Mrs. Xing."
Chu Beiling: "I feel that our future is in grave danger."
“Be confident,” Xing Yu said. “It’s already a pile of ruins, okay?”
Chu Beiling lay on Xing Yu's broad back, wrapped his arms around his neck, and chuckled softly. After a while, he stopped laughing abruptly and fell back into an endless vacuum of loneliness. He actually hated this fragile and somewhat uncertain state of his.
Even though it rarely happens now, I can't control myself, especially when I lose control in front of Xing Yu. It's really annoying.
Chu Beiling leaned her head on his shoulder, and Xing Yu's breathing was a little unsteady, probably because he was carrying him.
"Xing Yu".
"I am here."
"Xing Yu, Xing Yu."
"I'm here, I'm here."
"Xing Yu, Xing Yu, Xing Yu."
"I'm here, I'm here, I'm here."
Chu Beiling raised her hand and played with his earlobe: "I want to eat you up, bite by bite."
Xing Yu dodged for a moment: "Don't start any fires outside."
Even when told not to do it, he does it anyway.
Chu Beiling raised her head slightly, leaned in and bit Xing Yu's earlobe, her voice low: "You've already set it on fire? Then hold on tight, be careful..."
He blew a breath into his ear and then licked it: "The fire burns even brighter."
Xing Yu tightened his arms around his knees, lifting him up and pressing him closer to him.
"Remember to run fast in a bit, or you'll be the first one burned to a crisp. It's no use yelling, saying you're no good, or begging for mercy."
Xing Yu tilted his head slightly, and his warm lips almost brushed against his sensitive area. A tingling current surged up his spine and tailbone, rushing straight to his forehead.
Chu Beiling gripped his neck with her elbow: "You don't know who's in your hands right now!"
Xing Yu released one hand.
"Holy shit—" Chu Beiling cursed, quickly grabbing his shoulder to scramble back and steady himself, then angrily slapped him: "Xing Yu, are you trying to die?!"
Xing Yu helped him back and warned, "Mr. Chu, behave yourself."
"..."
After provoking Xing Yu, Chu Beiling felt much better. He hummed twice and reluctantly gave up.
The afternoon sun was shining brightly. A breeze blew by, and the peach blossoms on both sides of the corridor rustled. Xing Yu carried him through the corridor and walked to the outside of the sanatorium.
Chu Beiling only found out recently.
The nursing home that Xing Yu chose, which mainly offers one-on-one or several-to-one premium services, is more like a sanatorium. In addition to the elderly, there are also some young people about his age, and even some children.
The sanatorium primarily treats and cures mental illnesses.
It was right after lunchtime, and there were caregivers pushing wheelchairs and taking patients for walks, letting them bask in the sun, look at the flowers, and play games near the garden in the hospital.
Chu Beiling asked, "Xing Yu, do you think the people who stay here are like birds trapped in a cage? Even if the cage is made of gold, they are still not free, neither in body nor mind, they are trapped."
“No,” Xing Yu said earnestly, lifting him up and steadying the man who was about to slip. “On the contrary, they are very comfortable and free.”
"Why?" Chu Beiling asked, puzzled.
Xing Yu carried him on his back and walked steadily towards the parking lot: "Look at those birds."
Chu Beiling looked in the direction Xing Yu was looking up. There was a small shed built specifically for birds in the yard. Several magpies were taking off and landing freely, circling in the sky before returning to their nests.
"For birds with broken wings, this seemingly bounded yard is the only place where they can survive. Once they have recovered, the sky will still be theirs. This is not a golden cage, but a nest for birds to roost in."
He paused for a moment, glanced at the person on his back, and looked ahead again, his voice low and slow: "And some birds, even with injured wings, never try to stop flying."
"Chu Beiling, this bird is wonderful, isn't it?!"
Xing Yu's deep voice drifted to Chu Beiling's ears on the wind, making Chu Beiling's eyes sting and feel sore.
Everyone was afraid of stepping on his landmines, but Xing Yu was different, unlike anyone else.
They didn't treat him as a patient, but they also didn't let him off the hook.
Chu Beiling hugged Xing Yu tightly, pressed her face against his shoulder, looked at the people moving around in the sunlight, chuckled softly, and then said, "Bastard."
Xing Yu, unusually, did not correct his rather vulgar remarks.
Chu Beiling nuzzled against his neck: "Xing Yu."
"I am here."
It seems that every time he called Xing Yu's name after meeting Fu Xingzhou, he heard these two words.
Realizing his intention, Chu Beiling's heart felt as if it had been wrapped in a soft ball of cotton, nothing but softness.
He simply couldn't bring himself to continue painting, even with Xing Yu by his side.
However, it can make up for another nightmare.
Chu Beiling: "Xing Yu, I want to take the college entrance examination next year."
Xing Yu was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Go ahead, I'll pick you up after the exam."
Chu Beiling lowered her gaze, a relieved and relaxed smile spreading across her face: "Mm."
He casually remarked, "It's a bit of a pity that we can't take another graduation photo with that bunch of idiots from Class 13."
Xing Yu laughed: "That's a real shame."
Chu Beiling patted him lightly and gave a muffled "hmm": "It's a pity."
Chu Beiling had a meeting in the afternoon, so the two didn't have much time to linger before returning to the company. Before leaving ECho, Xing Yu told him to contact him if he needed anything.
Chu Beiling nodded vigorously, and Xing Yu scoffed lightly, poking his chest: "I'll keep it in mind."
"I remember."
Xing Yu knew that Chu Beiling would definitely not remember it.
But he had a way to make him remember. However, Chu Beiling's condition was still unstable, so Xing Yu let him off the hook for now and wrote him down in his little notebook.
May has arrived in the blink of an eye, the end of spring and the beginning of summer.
Hangzhou has passed the rainy season of spring and has not yet ushered in the sweltering summer. It is lush with greenery, the temperature is moderate, and everything is just right.
For the past two months, Xing Yu and he have been immersed in their respective busy projects, so busy that they have lost track of time and are unaware of the world around them. Apart from the necessary meetings for "Sword Song Beyond the Clouds", they would also take time out of their busy schedules to have lunch together.
Of course, most of the time, it was General Manager Xing who would cross the Qiantang River to come and find him every noon.
Zhu Qing'an exclaimed, "Who is as dedicated as your CEO Xing?"
"Envious?" Chu Beiling teased him mischievously, offering a bad suggestion: "You can also fly back to Singapore for dinner tonight, and then fly back early the next morning."
Zhu Qing'an slapped her thigh: "Great! How come I didn't think of that?"
Chu Beiling: "..."
Zhu Qing'an looked through her phone, truly intending to do just that.
"Several projects are underway at the same time right now. If you really want to do that, you'd better be available whenever I call you, or you'll see what I do to you."
"I will definitely complete the project on time. As for being late or leaving early, just turn a blind eye and don't make a fuss."
Don't even think about it.
"Heh~"
There was a knock on the office door, and Zhu Qing'an stood up and said, "It should be your Cao."
"?"
Zhu Qing'an turned and left: "I'm making room for you. I'm really afraid of your man. Every time he sees me, he looks like he wants to eat me alive. I can't take it anymore."
Chu Beiling chuckled softly: "You deserve it."
Xing Yu and Zhu Qing'an walked past each other, exchanging a perfunctory greeting before turning away without paying any attention to each other.
Two seconds later, Zhu Qing'an returned.
He grinned and said in a very affectionate tone, "Honey, don't miss me too much, okay? It's been so many years since we last met, I've missed you terribly!" Then he blew him a kiss: "Mua~Mua~"
"..." Chu Beiling's pupils dilated in shock. He grabbed a tissue from the table and threw it at her: "Thirteen o'clock."
If he hadn't already run away, he would have killed Zhu Qing'an on the spot. That idiot, he went crazy so suddenly, dropping a bombshell and just ran away, ran away—
He was left standing there, bewildered in the wind, staring blankly at Xing Yu.
Fuck it.
Xing Yu unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and slowly walked in. Chu Beiling realized something was wrong and immediately tried to escape, but he caught her and brought her back.
He was so close, he practically encircled him, pressed tightly against him.
Xing Yu reached out and turned his face towards him, his fingertips slowly caressing his lips.
Chu Beiling felt his heart skip a beat, his throat went dry, and he swallowed hard. He explained, "Zhu Qing'an is taking revenge, naked revenge."
"Oh," Xing Yu said slowly, "Why?"
Chu Beiling quickly summarized what had just happened.
Xing Yu gazed at him intently, unsure whether he believed him or not. He pinched Xing Yu's chin, leaned down, and kissed him with focused and passionate intensity.
Just as he was about to respond, Xing Yu bit his lip in dissatisfaction.
Chu Beiling opened his mouth in pain, and Xing Yu seized the opportunity to enter, conquering and taking his soft tongue into his mouth, pulling it out and gently sucking on it, as if he were tasting a fresh and juicy peach.
Feeling dizzy from the kisses, Chu Beiling unconsciously grabbed his collar, and with each inch deeper, he couldn't help but exert more force.
The flames spread like wildfire, engulfing their entire bodies in a carpet-like manner, and both of them reacted simultaneously.
Xing Yu wasn't about to let him go. He moved his kiss to the neck and then bit the collarbone hard.
Chu Beiling gasped, patted him in annoyance, and tried to push him away, but couldn't budge him.
Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting a soft, skin-like glow on Xing Yu's profile and shoulders, creating a dreamlike scene.
Chu Beiling was breathing lightly when Xing Yu kissed him while warning, "Mrs. Xing, you're not allowed to let him call you that."
His voice was hoarse: "Wait, I'll deal with him."
Xing Yu stopped, put a little distance between them, and looked down at him. "Call me."
Chu Beiling raised her hand to stroke his cheek and said in a soft Wu dialect, "Wife, I love you so much!"
Xing Yu replied, "Ying~ Dada, oh well, what do you know? You're just being unreasonable like this, trying to get yourself into trouble. Hurry up!" (Mrs. Xing, you can't do this. You know what I want to hear most. You can't be unreasonable like this. Hurry up and call your husband.)
Chu Beiling refused.
He pinched his head, but Xing Yu turned it back.
The two argued for a while, but neither of them gained the upper hand verbally.
Of course, that's how it ends. Black sesame dumplings don't live up to their name. Chu Beiling was groped several times by Xing Yu, who took full advantage of her before finally letting her go and heading to a nearby restaurant.
Xing Yu handed him the tablet for ordering food. Chu Beiling didn't even look at it. While replying to work messages, he took the tablet and, without noticing, knocked over the water glass that was on the table.
Xing Yu was quick-witted and nimble-fingered, but he was still a step too slow.
"Clatter—" The glass fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Chu Beiling's heart stopped for a moment. When she came to her senses, her heart started pounding again, and she began to feel palpitations and panic.
His palms were sweaty and trembling uncontrollably; the more he tried to control them, the more violently they shook.
Chu Beiling bent down to pick up the glass shards, but Xing Yu stopped him and held his hand in his palm: "Don't pick them up."
He waved and called over a waiter to handle the situation.
Chu Beiling's throat tightened, and cold sweat poured from his forehead. Xing Yu came to his side, pulled him into his arms, and handed him a glass of warm water.
Chu Beiling took the water glass and nestled in his arms to drink.
"It's okay, it's just a cup, it's okay, it's okay." Xing Yu gently stroked his cheek and neck with his calloused hands, calming his restless emotions.
Chu Beiling took a couple of sips of water and responded softly.
This does happen. Even though he tries his best to control it, he can lose control if there is any unexpected movement. But this doesn't happen suddenly. He has been living a stable and good life recently, without anything that makes him sad or in pain.
Logically, this shouldn't happen; it's the first time it's occurred so inexplicably.
Chu Beiling wondered if it was because she had been exposed to too much painting-related material lately that she had another panic attack.
He took a deep breath, looked up at Xing Yu, and smiled wryly: "Am I being particularly neurotic right now?"
Just as he was about to speak, Xing Yu's cell phone rang in his pocket.
The sudden ringing of the bell caused Chu Beiling's previously calmed emotions to tense up again. He trembled and his breathing became heavy.
Xing Yu's expression changed instantly.
A nursing home caregiver called.
They generally won't contact me unless it's something important.
Xing Yu glanced worriedly at Chu Beiling, who was gripping his collar tightly, and then answered the phone.
After saying a few words to the person on the other end, he took a long breath, suppressed his emotions, and said, "I'll be right there."
"Grandma Chen is gone," Xing Yu said softly, his eyes lowered.
Chu Beiling experienced a moment of ringing in his ears; his mind was still reeling from the shock, and he didn't react in time: "Go? Where are we going?"
Xing Yu's expression wasn't particularly good either, and he managed to squeeze out the words with difficulty: "Gone."
Chu Beiling's heart grew colder and colder.
Xing Yu was also about to break down, but he couldn't let himself get over his sadness; he had to hold on.
Moreover, Chu Beiling's condition was already visibly bad.
Xing Yu gently pinched the back of his neck and said softly, "If you're feeling unwell, you should go back to the company first. I'll go and take care of it."
"I'm fine, let's go pick up Grandma Chen." Ignoring Xing Yu's presence, Chu Beiling took out a medicine box from her pocket and popped two voroxetine pills into her mouth.
Xing Yu looked at him and was speechless for a moment. A feeling of powerlessness, both sore and bitter, welled up from his chest and ribs.
Xing Yu pursed his lips, clenched his fists inwardly until the veins bulged, then relaxed them.
He pulled Chu Beiling, who was like a marionette, and hurried towards the sanatorium.
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