Contractual Marriage: We’re Meant to Be Together

135. We Are Nothing to Each Other

Translator: Bryan

In Wei Qing’s eyes, the competition Yan Chuyang had worked so hard for so long turned out to be just a “petty thing”.

“Chuyang?”

A low voice was suddenly heard from behind. Yan Chuyang clenched his fists and wanted to look back, but all his strength seemed to have been drained from him and he couldn’t even swivel his head back.

“What’s wrong with you?” Having noticed that the boy’s body was swaying slightly, Song Huaiqi hastened to the boy’s side and looked at his face which was so white as though it were becoming transparent.

Yan Chuyang looked as if he had suddenly been jerked back to his senses. His eyelashes quivered and he looked up at the person in front of him.

“Yes, it’s me.” Holding Yan Chuyang’s wrist, Song Huaiqi took the boy’s phone from his grip and said, “What happened? Things didn’t go well during the competition?”

“It’s not that.” Yan Chuyang shook his head and said weakly, “Everything went well. I’m fine.”

But the moment he said this, the boy’s knees buckled and he dropped to a sqaut.

“What’s going on?” Song Huaiqi hurriedly held the boy’s shoulders in an attempt to heave him to his feet. “Are you not feeling well? I’ll take you to a hospital.”

“Senior, I’m fine.” Yan Chuyang shook off the man’s arms, buried his face in his knees and said in a dull voice, “Don’t worry about me. I’m just a little tired from the competition. I need a break.”

Song Huaiqi’s shoulders relaxed slightly and he hunkered down as well.

The boy curled up, his face buried tightly in his arms. His slender shoulder blades made him look both pitiful and helpless, like a child abandoned by his parents.

Song Huaiqi subdued his urge to hold Yan Chuyang in his arms and said in a hoarse voice, “Can’t you just tell me what happened?”

Yan Chuyang remained silent.

All the participants had left.

The venue was deserted but for the two of them.

Song Huaiqi sighed, raised his hand and stroked the boy’s soft hair. He said quietly, “If it’s just because of the competition, then you’re too stupid. In my eyes, you’re the best whether you get eliminated or you advance to the next round.”

“You don’t think this is a petty thing?” the boy suddenly interrupted him, jerking his head up, his eyes red.

Song Huaiqi’s insides tightened momentarily and he was shocked by the disappointment in the boy’s eyes. “What are you talking about? How could the competition be a petty thing?”

After two seconds’ silence, the boy blinked, let out a long sigh and said with a shake of his head, “I’m sorry. My mind was wandering just now. I was lying.”

With that, Yan Chuyang pushed himself up from the ground.

Song Huaiqi hurriedly leaned closer to him and held him on the shoulder. “You really don’t have to go to the hospital? You look very pale.”

“No need,” the boy smiled. “The competition went too smoothly. I was too excited.”

Song Huaiqi’s heart sank. Yan Chuyang obviously had something on his mind, but in front of him, even if he was in pain, he still didn’t want to confide it.

Was the distance between them really so long?

“Senior.” Yan Chuyang breathed a sigh of relief, collected himself and smiled, “I’ll treat you to dinner. I kept saying I would treat you to dinner, but I was too busy with the competition to do it. Now that the competition is over, I’ll stand you a decent meal.”

Song Huaiqi concealed the disappointment in his eyes and chuckled, “The competition went well?”

“Yeah!” Yan Chuyang nodded heavily and said confidently, “I’m positive I’ll make it to the top three in the final.”

“Impressive.” Song Huaiqi raised his voice and his eyes were tinged with amusement. “That means we’ll be able to go to Japan together.”

Yan Chuyang replied, “It might be a little cocky of me to say this, but I think I can book the tickets right now.”

Song Huaiqi grinned, rubbed the boy’s soft head and said softly, “I’m so happy for you.”

Yan Chuyang froze and avoided Song Huaiqi’s hand in embarrassment. He was a little unused to anybody other than Wei Qing being so close to him.

“Senior.” The boy changed the topic. “It’s getting late. Let’s get out of here first.”

Song Huaiqi nodded and the two of them walked out side by side.

Outside the field were two rows of narrow paths with sycamore trees by their sides. The sunlight in June was very warm, lengthening the shadows of the two people shoulder to shoulder.

A figure flashed past from behind the building.

Wei Qing, standing in the corner, stared at their receding backs, a distant and apathetic look in his eyes.

He had been standing here since the start of the competition. Having stood for too long, he had a layer of sweat over his forehead and the back of his neck was red from the scorching sun.

Wei Qing didn’t know what he was thinking. He just stood there until the front door of the venue closed.

As evening approached, the guards ran over to clean up and told him to leave immediately. Wei Qing turned around and walked to the garage as if he had come back to his senses. After walking for two steps, he paused, took out his phone and dialed a number in a way that suggested he had dialed it many times before.

“Hello? Mr. Yuan?…Yes, I’m Wei Qing.

…Well, I need a favor from you…

That’s right. I heard about Song City’s Comic Show. You’re one of those in charge. I’d like to ask…”

It was already four in the afternoon after Yan Chuyang had dinner with Song Huaiqi.

As he didn’t have classes at night, Yan Chuyang didn’t go back to school and directly took a cab home.

When they got home, Wei Qing was still not back from work.

Initially, Yan Chuyang thought that after eating a meal, he would be in a better mood, but the moment he stepped into the house, Yan Chuyang knew it was wrong.

At the sight of the sofa, the hurtful words Wei Qing had said to him over the phone in the morning came floating out of his memory.

“Mr. Yan, we’re nothing to each other.

We’re just working together. We are not even friends.

Don’t be too self-righteous. I’m a very busy man. Why should I waste my time on such petty things of yours?”

Aargh! ! !

The boy cover his ears with his hands in disappointment, threw himself onto the sofa with a thud, grabbed the blanket and wrapped his head in it.

It was as though he could shelter himself from those harsh words by burying his face in the blanket.

But memory is cruel. The more you want to get rid of it, the more often it gets out to prickle your heart.