Chapter 20

Song Ling stepped on the accelerator and the car sped forward like it was flying.

The sun had already set and a thin layer of clouds lingered in the sky, reflecting and forming a pink glow.

Someone was outside taking pictures of the sky, enjoying the beauty of nature.

The roar of the sports car, the whizzing streets, and the soothing piano music being played… What echoed in Zhou Qingluo’s mind was Song Ling’s words—

Were you hiding from me these past two days?

Zhou Qingluo bent his fingers subconsciously and the plastic wrapped crumpled, making a slight noise.

Song Ling: “Seems like you really are avoiding me.”

Zhou Qingluo loosened his grip, and the plastic made another sound.

He turned his head and looked at Song Ling: “Why would I need to avoid you?”

Song Ling shook his head, “I don’t know either.”

Zhou Qingluo didn’t want to continue this topic. It wasn’t like he could say that they were from two different worlds. I am afraid of death but you aren’t; I don’t want to have any relationship with you; I don’t want to be Jiang Shiyan’s substitute.

The best way to end a topic was to start another one.

“Let’s not talk about whether I’m avoiding you or not. Why did you show up at my house today?”

When Zhou Qingluo said this, Song Ling’s hands tightened on the steering wheel: “Passed by.”

Zhou Qingluo imitated his half-believing and half-sardonic tone, “Is that so?”

Song Ling added strength to his voice, “Yes, just passing by. Why? Does passing by your house require a toll?”

“…” Sure enough, the less sure you were, the louder you got.

In the spirit of ‘everyone needs face to live’, Zhou Qingluo didn’t expose that Song Ling waited under the tree in front of his house for over two hours. He leaned lazily against the seat and watched the sunset through the window.

Song Ling glanced at the person who was still ignoring him. He sighed, “I came to make sure you weren’t kidnapped.”

He didn’t even realize how much he was compromising with this sigh.

Zhou Qingluo: “What do you mean?”

A certain person justified himself, “Not replying after so many messages, I was afraid you ran into trouble.”

Zhou Qingluo laughed but didn’t expose him. He actually felt in a good mood seeing that this person felt so wronged from him distancing himself. It was rush hour and the car would start and stop frequently, yet even this didn’t make him irritable.

Seeing that he was indifferent, Song Ling said helplessly: “Fine, I’ll reluctantly agree to not use such bloody pictures in the future.”

This person liked to fake it until he got what he wanted. Zhou Qingluo watched the way Song Ling tried to get him to talk and wanted to talk even less. It was like a hypocritical prank.

Who told him to always tease him to make himself happy?

Song Ling frowned and looked at him, wishing that he could simply beat this person up, but he would probably really leave him if he did so he scrapped that idea.

He patted the wheel angrily, “Zhou Qingluo, are you a mute?”

Zhou Qingluo turned his head towards the window, acting as a mute.

Song Ling gritted his teeth and didn’t speak.

Of course, he knew what Zhou Qingluo was angry about. People that worked hard to live every day hated people like him who never took life seriously the most.

Song Ling never cared how others saw him. People called him crazy and paranoid, but he always did whatever he wanted.

And Jiang Shiyan, Song Jinyi’s pawn, in order to protect his interests, conscientiously played the role of a caregiver, giving him warmth and caring for his emotions. He always believed that Jiang Shiyan wouldn’t hate him, so he dug out his heart and lungs for him.

However, Jiang Shiyan revealed his true colors and his only hope of life was strangled. As if he was betrayed, he was angry, lost, and sad. He wanted to die along with this world, but there were no feelings of fear.

But at this moment, he knew clearly that he was scared of Zhou Qingluo hating him.

“I won’t take my life as a joke in the future.”

Zhou Qingluo was taken aback by the words, turning around and staring at him.

Song Ling gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands. He seemed to be using too much strength, because the veins on the back of his hand and arm were slightly raised, as if he was very nervous.

However, his face was indifferent, staring straight ahead carelessly: “So don’t be angry anymore.”

For some reason, Song Ling’s tone seemed to be compromising, like a proud child cautiously admitting his mistakes.

Zhou Qingluo thought that perhaps Song Ling already regarded him as Jiang Shiyan’s substitute. That was why he cared so much about whether he was angry or not.

He suddenly understood the original owner’s mentality a little. Being taken care of meticulously by a rich and handsome man who also cared for his feelings would certainly move anyone.

Crazy and apathetic in front of others, but willing to compromise and apologize when alone. At such a tender age, how could blood not rush to their heads and make them act recklessly?

If he hadn’t known that he was a substitute in advance, he would probably walk down the same path as the original.

He wasn’t too sure either.

Zhou Qingluo withdrew his gaze and fiddled with the medicine packet in his arms, laughing silently, “Sure.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Song Ling let out a sigh of relief and lazily lean against the seat. One hand held the steering wheel while one rested on the window, going back to his ‘call me granddady’ state.

For some reason, the atmosphere seemed to be like their problems were resolved and there wasn’t that many complications between the two—just two ordinary friends.

Perhaps the sunset was too beautiful and prone to cause illusions.

“Zhou Qingluo, you’d still look better paler.”

Zhou Qingluo: “I don’t think so.”

Of course you’d think that. Whiter would be like your white moonlight.

“A sheet of white covers a thousand blemishes.”

Seeing a certain person hold the steering wheel with one hand and looking far away, Zhou Qingluo suddenly felt the urge to poke his eyes blind.

“Please shut your mouth and drive civilly with both hands on the steering wheel, thank you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not bad at driving.”

Although he said so, he still obediently held the wheel with both hands.

“By the way, how much was this? I’ll pay you back.”

“Guan Minglang’s treat.”

Zhou Qingluo discovered for the first time that you could ‘treat’ someone this way.

“Cut your bs, how much?”

Song Ling glanced at him and pulled out his phone to call Guan Minglang, “How much was the medicine?”

Guan Minglang was silent for a moment, “I think you’d better hospitalize yourself sooner. You don’t seem far from going crazy.”

“Cut your bs, how much? Insurance discounted.”

“40 yuan and 35 cents.”

Song Ling hung up but Zhou Qingluo couldn’t hear what the other said. Seems like his phone really leaked volume.

Song Ling: “40 yuan and 35 cents.”

Zhou Qingluo nodded and transferred the amount to him.

Song Ling picked up the phone when it rang and saw that Zhou Qingluo gave him 41 yuan.

He clicked accept and smiled, “Quite generous.”

Zhou Qingluo: “Don’t transfer me money for no reason in the future.”

“I’m helpless. Some people’s nicknames are too domineering.”

“You’re quite truthful.”

“I said before that I’m an honest person.”

“…”

“How about you replace your profile pic with a payment QR code instead?”

Zhou Qingluo gave him a thumbs up.

Song Ling moved his gaze down and up quickly, saying with a half-smile: “Hm, but I’m not as honest as you.”

“?”

“It’s just a body check, but you actually want to take off your pants too.”

“…”

“Others might think you have some hidden disease.”

Zhou Qingluo thought to himself that Jiang Shiyan really was a Bodhisattva amongst mortals, accepting this man whose mouth should’ve been sealed off long ago.

The illusion that their former hatreds were wiped clean was all bubbles, bubbles, bubbles…

Some people were more suited to being cool guys that barely spat out a ‘hm’. This chattering appearance was really annoying.

“Doctor Guan calls you Duke Huan of Qi,” Zhou Qingluo enunciated word by word, “I’m afraid you are the one with a hidden disease.”

Song Ling suddenly let out a laugh—a cold and amused one.

As if he really had some hidden disease.

Zhou Qingluo cautiously probed: “You really have one?”

Song Ling curled his lips, “Last time I was kicked by you, the root cause of my illness.”

“……”