Chapter 65: Leaving, Breaking Down
Xu Muzhou was restless all night. Whenever he calmed down, he felt a sense of panic, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet. He kept dialing Fang Chuning’s number, even though it constantly showed as powered off.
Xu Muzhou curled up on the sofa, wearing a bunny ear pajama. Ever since he learned that Fang Chuning liked this style, he had collected various plush animal ear pajamas and loungewear.
He thought that after this incident, they would live together.
Xu Muzhou stared blankly out the window. This state of complete disconnection left his heart adrift, as if he were in the middle of the ocean where any wave could overturn him, leaving only despair.
Finally unable to bear it any longer, he quickly got up to change his clothes and went out.
He took a car to the Fang family villa. It was now 11 pm in the evening.
Xu Muzhou didn’t understand what he could do here, but he felt closer to her, and his drifting heart settled a bit.
Summer nights were never without mosquitoes. After standing for just a moment, there were mosquito bite marks on his fair arms. Xu Muzhou returned to the car, his deep gaze fixed on the villa walls that separated him from seeing her.
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror, not knowing what this young master was doing here so late at night. As someone who just earned a salary, she didn’t feel it was her place to ask, so she just waited for him to speak.
The car stopped for an entire night, until 5 am. The driver, who had been dozing off, suddenly heard the young man’s voice from the back seat, as clear as dewdrops: “Let’s go back.”
Xu Muzhou thought he should go back first to prepare their first lunch after reconciliation. Even if she was still angry, she wouldn’t disregard his efforts after he explained.
However, what he didn’t know was that as soon as he left, the villa gate opened. A car drove out of the villa, with Fang Chuning sitting inside, looking down at her phone. Countless messages popped up, which she deleted one by one without a second glance.
Driver Liu glanced at her through the rearview mirror, “Miss, isn’t it good to study here? You’ll be all alone abroad.”
Fang Chuning looked up, paused for a moment, and slowly said, “It’s all the same everywhere.”
…
Xu Muzhou was the first to arrive in the classroom. With each person entering the classroom, his anxiety grew a little more, and he became increasingly afraid. What if Ning Ning didn’t want to reconcile?
The boy’s unsettled appearance was noticed by Lin Yuechan. She was a bit worried, “Xu classmate, are you alright?”
Xu Muzhou didn’t respond to her. At this moment, he couldn’t hear anything beyond the sound of his own heartbeat.
Until the class bell rang, Fang Chuning still hadn’t come.
Why? Was she skipping class because she didn’t want to see him?
The unease and fear deep in his heart were amplifying. His agitated state was even noticed by the teacher, “Xu classmate, is there any problem?”
All eyes in the class were drawn to him. Everyone was still processing yesterday’s “big event” – the couple they thought were meant to be had broken up, and in front of everyone.
While one of the protagonists of the incident came to school, the other didn’t. Everyone speculated whether the two were really over.
Whether he heard or not, Xu Muzhou didn’t make a sound, just writing with his pen.
Lin Yuechan peeked over and found that he was writing “Fang Chuning” all over the paper, leaving her with mixed feelings.
After class, Xu Muzhou stopped Gao Qiong in the corridor, “Why didn’t Ning Ning come?”
Gao Qiong looked at him. This delicately handsome boy was the most popular male student in the school, even she had once been interested in him. “Why are you asking me? You should know better, Vice President.”
She wasn’t clear about the origin of all this, but seeing the boy’s dejected and sad appearance, she couldn’t help but say, “Since you’ve already broken up, don’t look for her anymore. It’s better for both of you this way.”
These words were too strange. The unease in his heart nearly erupted, “Are you all hiding something from me?”
At this point, Gao Qiong felt there was nothing she couldn’t say, “Ning Ning has already left Z City. As for where she went, don’t ask me because I don’t know either. She didn’t tell me.”
Left… the city?
Xu Muzhou looked at her coldly, “You’re lying to me.”
“I have no reason to lie to you. Aunt Fang knew about your relationship long ago. Even before school started, she planned to send Ning Ning abroad to study, but Ning Ning wouldn’t agree.” Gao Qiong looked at him, “Because she couldn’t bear to leave you.”
The girl’s words hit him like a heavy punch, shattering all his delusions. In an instant, Xu Muzhou felt like he couldn’t breathe. His heart ached as if it was about to be crushed. Tears uncontrollably spilled from his eyes, falling in large drops.
Gao Qiong felt a bit sorry for him. Before she could say anything more, the boy suddenly turned and ran downstairs.
“Where are you going?” Gao Qiong chased after him, guessing his intention, “It’s too late to go to her house now!”
Xu Muzhou suddenly turned back, his beautiful eyes now filled with a manic look, “She wouldn’t do this to me! If you dare lie to me, I’ll never let you off!”
Gao Qiong stood stunned, watching his figure disappear around the corner of the stairwell.
In the car, Xu Muzhou’s chest heaved rapidly. With trembling hands, he dialed Fang Chuning’s number, but was met with the same hopeless “powered off” message. “It can’t be, it can’t be, Ning Ning wouldn’t do this to me…”
Tear after tear fell on the screen. The main screen wallpaper was the photo taken in the photo booth when Fang Chuning sneakily kissed Xu Muzhou.
Arriving at the Fang family villa again, Xu Muzhou suddenly felt more afraid. He stood blankly in the center of the gate, hesitating to press the doorbell.
Suddenly, the gate opened from the inside. Fang Tianli, who was about to go out, unexpectedly saw the person he disliked most, and his expression immediately soured, “What are you doing standing at my family’s gate!?”
Xu Muzhou, pale-faced, looked behind him. Besides the servants trimming plants in the yard, he could faintly see the main door of the villa. He seemed to see the young girl standing at the door waving to him. Xu Muzhou smiled happily and was about to rush over, heedless of everything else.
Fang Tianli grabbed him and pushed him hard. The dazed Xu Muzhou fell to the ground, his delicate palm scraped by the fine sand, oozing blood.
The young man frowned slightly but said nothing.
Fang Tianli angrily said, “What are you doing here again! Have you no shame!”
Hearing the commotion, Housekeeper Ye hurried over, “What’s wrong, young master?”
“Aunt Ye, quickly get rid of this person!”
Housekeeper Ye’s gaze fell on the young man, quickly recognizing him, “Isn’t this child the classmate of the young miss?”
She had a good memory. She remembered Xu Muzhou’s appearance after he came once, but didn’t know he was Fang Chuning’s boyfriend.
Housekeeper Ye stepped forward to help him up, but heard the young man say softly, “No need, I’ll do it myself.” With that, he slowly stood up.
The young man looked in bad shape, his face as white as paper, without a hint of color.
“Young master, do you have some business here?”
Xu Muzhou’s eyelashes, as dense as black feathers, trembled slightly. He raised his eyes to look at the villa entrance, but the young girl was no longer there, as if the earlier moment had been just his illusion. “I’m here to see Ning Ning…”
Fang Tianli became even more angry, “You still have the nerve to come looking for my sister! If it wasn’t for you, she wouldn’t have had to go abroad!”
The words “go abroad” stimulated his nerves. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Xu Muzhou, feeling unwell, parted his lips slightly to breathe, helplessly reaching out to grab the boy’s arm, “Where did she go?”
Fang Tianli impatiently shook off his hand, “Where she went is none of your business. You’ll never see her again, so leave quickly!”
Xu Muzhou covered his forehead with trembling hands. His whole body was cold, his voice barely audible, “Tell me…”
Housekeeper Ye noticed something was wrong with him and asked worriedly, “Are you alright, young master from another family?”
Xu Muzhou shook his head, pleading with tear-filled eyes, “Can you tell me where she went?”
Housekeeper Ye was in a difficult position, “Only the head of the family knows where the young miss went.”
“Why are you telling him so much? Get out quickly, you’re not welcome in our home!” Fang Tianli pushed him.
As the gate closed behind him, Xu Muzhou felt as if his whole body had plunged into an ice cellar. He stiffly walked a few steps out, his vision becoming increasingly blurry, the air he could breathe becoming increasingly thin. Finally, he couldn’t support himself and collapsed on the ground.
His honey-colored eyes lost all their luster, his pale, colorless lips moving slightly.
Ning Ning… save me…
At the same time, Fang Chuning, who had been napping on the plane, opened her eyes. She stared at the plane ceiling for a while, took a few seconds to react, and twisted her neck a bit uncomfortably.
She adjusted the sleeping chair to a sitting position, turned on the TV in front, picked up the chips beside her, and continued eating while watching.
Suddenly, Fang Chuning felt a strong gaze. She frowned uncomfortably but didn’t take her eyes off the small TV.
That gaze not only grew stronger but also seemed to be right beside her. Fang Chuning turned her head and saw a blonde, blue-eyed boy crouching next to her seat, staring unblinkingly at the TV.
Fang Chuning didn’t understand why he was watching like this when he couldn’t hear the sound, and he could see from his own seat, so why was he crouching here so uncomfortably.
“What are you doing?” Fang Chuning took off her earphones and asked him.
The blonde boy moved his gaze from the TV to her face, his expression showing he didn’t understand.
With no choice, Fang Chuning asked again in English.
The blonde boy paused for a moment, then said in perfect German: “What are you watching?” Fang Chuning replied in German as well, “If you want to watch, you can ask someone to adjust it for you.” The blonde boy thought for a moment, then said seriously: “No, I’ll watch here with you.” …
When Xu Muzhou woke up, he was, unsurprisingly, in the hospital.
“Xu classmate, you’re awake!”
Qin Shaoqing sat by the bed, saying with lingering fear: “Muzhou, do you know you almost got into trouble? The doctor said your attack this time was very severe. Luckily you were sent to the hospital in time. You scared me to death!” Lin Yuechan also followed up: “Xu classmate, you should take good care of yourself. This kind of illness is not a joke.”
Xu Muzhou stared fixedly at the snow-white ceiling. To their shock, he pulled out the IV needle and got up to walk out.
“Xu classmate!” Lin Yuechan blocked him, her face showing anger as she reproached: “No matter how sad you are, Fang Chuning has already left Z City. Since she could leave you behind without care, why do you need to torture yourself for her? It’s not worth it at all!”
“Shut up.”
The young man’s voice was light and airy, without any intimidation, but instead made people uncontrollably attracted to him.
“Xu classmate…”
Xu Muzhou slightly raised his eyes, using the gentlest tone to say the most vicious words, “You sewer maggot, shut your mouth.”
Lin Yuechan’s expression froze. There wasn’t a ripple in the young man’s eyes, but that coldness penetrated to the bone.
Xu Muzhou slowly continued: “You’re just a maggot trying to crawl out of the sewer onto the main road. You have no right to judge her.” “Never.”
Century Building
The receptionist looked at the sickly young man in front of her who seemed about to collapse at any moment, and swallowed hard, “Little brother, are you alright?”
“I want to see Hong Jie.”
“Uh, do you have an appointment?”
Xu Muzhou lowered his eyes, “Brother, can you help me?”
No one could resist softening their heart when faced with such a beautiful and frail boy, but this wasn’t something he could decide whether to help with or not. “I’m sorry…” Before he could finish speaking, a woman dressed in elite attire walked over and said to the young man: “Please come with me.” It was as if those above had anticipated this.
Xu Muzhou didn’t hesitate and followed her into the elevator.
He was led to an office. The office was large, but he didn’t look around. His eyes went straight to the woman who was working.
Hong Jie pulled out a piece of paper from the side, which contained all of the young man’s information. “Xu Muzhou.” It was as if she was calling him, yet also simply reading the name on the document.
Xu Muzhou pursed his lips, his mind focused on only one thing. “Ning Ning…” He had just started to speak when Hong Jie interrupted him, saying: “You don’t need to ask me, and don’t think about trying to find her.”
Xu Muzhou lowered his gaze.
“However, I can give you both a chance.”
The fleeting light in the young man’s eyes didn’t escape Hong Jie’s notice. She curved her lips slightly, “Five years. If your feelings remain unchanged, I won’t interfere anymore.”
Five years…
“Separate… for five years?”
“Yes.”
Xu Muzhou shook his head, his eyes reddening. No, he didn’t want to be apart for five years.
If he didn’t see her for five years, he would die.
“I’m not asking for your opinion. You don’t have a choice,” Hong Jie said cruelly. “During this time, you won’t be able to contact her by any means.”