Chapter 162. Depression

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Arc 9: Real World.

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TN: Sorry for delaying the update. No excuse!!! I was using my free time in watching some adapted drama and series after reading their respective novels. Still waiting for To My Shore series to finished releasing, so I can watch it start to end in one go.

Now some points to consider while you read this arc.

1. Chen You called his three dorm friends Sanbao which means three treasure of buddhism.
2. Chen You’s friends called him Youzi which means Pomelo. Character ‘You’ is different in both name. Only his three dormmates called him by this name.
3. Chen You’s father and other called him Youyou.
4. As you know word ‘Old’ is used with name for endearment, so sometime it is used with last name and other time with first name. Don’t get confused.

Posting 6 chapters in one go.

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It was the height of summer, and it was already past four in the morning when it was already dawn.

On the street behind the university campus, there were seven or eight internet cafes. Students were coming out one after another, their faces strangely haggard, as if they had been drained of their life force by thousands of demons overnight.

In one of the internet cafes, on the second floor, on the left side, sat four teenagers. The handsome guy with the earring was chatting with several girls, coughing incessantly—he was busy. His name was Zheng Shuai, and true to his name, he was really handsome, ranking second in the class in terms of charm.

However, he has a peculiar habit, he only flirts, but never talks about love.

The fat guy next to Zheng Shuai is named Wang Yao. His two layers of belly fat seem to have a deep affection for him, something he just can’t shake off. He’s a gaming god, but a loser in real life. Right now, bored, he’s playing a friendly match with a little girl in the open space in front of the city gate, and incidentally, flirting with her.

Wang Yao was afraid he might accidentally kill the cute little girl, and in a fit of anger, she would ignore him. So, he not only specially acquired a set of really bad equipment to wear, but also didn’t use his powerful skills—it was quite a feat.

Wang Yao’s side was a boy with a buzz cut named Pang Yilong. He has a twin meimei. The first thought at home was that a dragon(long) and a phoenix(feng) were born, so they named him that. That’s how he got his name.

They were all around the same age, but Pang Yilong exuded the most youthful vigor. He had a tough appearance, acted rather roughly, and was unmatched in his narcissism. He was a forward on the school basketball team, played basketball very well, worked in the student council, was loyal, and had many friends. He was only a sophomore, but had already changed girlfriends three times.

Because Pang Yilong touched the steering wheel very early, he is the best driver in the dormitory. His driving skills are so amazing that he can make the other three people dizzy with foam at the mouth and paralyzed on one side, just by talking.

Right now, Pang Yilong is watching an action movie with headphones on, his eyes wide open like light bulbs, completely absorbed in the film, as if he’s in a surreal state.

Sitting at the very back was a handsome young man. He had one hand clutching a wisp of black hair across his forehead, while the other hand held two silver rings. His expression was somewhat bewildered.

The next second, a tear rolled down the corner of the young man’s eye, slid across his beauty mark, and left a faint watermark on his face, a blend of childishness and sorrow. It was dried by the air in the blink of an eye.

“Youzi, do you want to go to the lavatory?”

Seeing that the person was sitting motionless and in a daze, Pang Yilong reached out and nudged him, “Muddleheaded? Hey, where did this ring come from? I’ve never seen you take it out before.”

Hearing Pang Yilong’s scream, Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao craned their necks to look, but even from a few seats away, they couldn’t see it. They stood up and walked over to Chen You, where their eyes widened in disbelief. Holy crap, these were a couple rings!

The three exchanged furtive glances, finally confirming one thing, their Youzi had someone he liked, had bought a ring but hadn’t given it to the other person yet, and they knew absolutely nothing about it.

A minute or two later, Chen You, who had been sitting in the chair, suddenly grabbed Wang Yao and started cursing, repeating the same few words over and over, “Fatty…you dare hit me…Fatty…”

When did I hit you? Wang Yao was dumbfounded, unsure whether to push him away or hug him, he was completely at a loss.

Pang Yilong pulled the person to his side, “Youzi, explain yourself clearly. When did Fatty hit you? Was it in the bathroom last night? You…Youzi?”

The person in his arms choked back a sob. Pang Yilong stopped speaking, his playful smile vanished, and his brows furrowed in confusion.

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao exchanged bewildered glances.

Youzi cried, and cried very hard. The problem was, they didn’t know why Youzi was so sad. Could it be that he was rejected after giving the ring? But that doesn’t seem likely. He is crying so hard, as if he has a lot of grievances and seems to be in great pain.

Wang Yao was glared at by Pang Yilong and Zheng Shuai. Feeling wronged, he shook his head and said he really didn’t hit Youzi, even holding up four fingers to swear.

Pang Yilong and Zheng Shuai believed that although Youzi had repeated a year of high school, he had started school earlier than the rest of them, and was several months younger than them. He had never been aggressive, let alone fought with them. Most importantly, he had a good personality, was a cheerful person, and no one disliked him.

So, what exactly happened?

A while later, Chen You had cried enough. His eyes were swollen. He sat back down, slumped onto the table, buried his face in his arms, and remained motionless.

Pang Yilong’s t-shirt, bought by his girlfriend, was covered in snot and tears, but he didn’t pay much attention. He was worried about his friend’s unusual behavior, which was really too abnormal.

They’ve known him since they met, and have never seen him shed a tear before. Whether it was when he was drunk and hit his head and bled, or when he was hit and broke his leg while saving a classmate on the street, he never had a red eye. This time, he cried like this, even though nothing happened at home. Around 7 o’clock, he called home and was all smiles.

Has staying up all night for several days in a row damaged your brain?

The atmosphere was tense. Pang Yilong joked, “Youzi, did someone beat you up in the game? Tell your Long Gege, and your Long Gege will bring your Shuai Gege and Yao Gege to go and kill that bastard!”

Two Gege Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao, were both eager to get started.

In the past, Chen You would chuckle and boast that no one in the game, except the server, dared to bully him. Now, he just lay there, muttering incoherently to himself, “I thought I would have to go through two more worlds. I didn’t expect so much time to pass. In this world, it’s just a second. What about him? Did he follow me? What if he can’t find me? No, I gave him my address. He has the Golden Man. He’ll definitely find me. Yes, he definitely will.”

Pang Yilong and the other two were speechless. “…” What movie is this script from?

Shoot! Youzi’s brain has really broken.

They figured that leaving the smoky internet cafe and getting some fresh air would make the person feel better, so they briefly reached an agreement to forcibly drag and pull the person outside.

At this time, there’s a slight chill in the wind, which feels like being patted by a drizzle when it hits you.

Chen You put the ring back into his pants pocket, pressed it in, and nervously made sure it was safe before taking his hand out. He looked up at the Sanbao of the dormitory, and slowly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

Long time no see! I’m back.

The guy smiled, as sunny and bright as ever. Pang Yilong, Zheng Shuai, and Wang Yao all breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like everything was alright. These days, it’s unbelievable that no one has ever experienced heartbreak. That thing is agonizing, and it takes time and a new relationship to heal. It’s okay, there are so many beautiful girls in this world, can’t even keep up with them all.

Chen You kicked away a pebble at his feet, “Does anyone have cigarettes on them?”

“I just opened a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes.” Pang Yilong patted his pockets, only to find them empty. He slapped his forehead, “Damn it, I left it at the internet cafe. Wait, I’ll go back and get it.”

When he ran out of the internet cafe, his three buddies were squatting in a row, heads drooping, puffing on cigarettes, looking like idiots, “……”

Zheng Shuai exhaled a smoke ring, “The Zhonghua cigarettes weren’t taken? Tsk tsk,  Old Pang, you’re lucky. It would be a shame not to treat us, right, Youzi? Old Wang? If you ask me, we don’t need anything fancy. Just breakfast later will do. A bowl of porridge, a few steamed buns, and a plate of pickled vegetables for each of us. It’ll cost less than ten yuan.”

“You stingy guy, I’ve never seen you treat anyone even once.” Pang Yilong kicked him, “Move aside and make room for your Pang DaYe.”

“Pooh——”

Zheng Shuai spat, shifted his feet back and forth, and half-squatted up, making room between himself and Chen You.

Pang Yilong went over there. He was tall and strong, weighing over 180 pounds. He couldn’t move his arms and legs much in such a small space, “Go a little further over there.”

Zheng Shuai flicked his cigarette ash onto the ground, “Your butt is bigger than mine and Youzi’s combined.”

Wang Yao said, “Count me in.”

Pang Yilong flicked the cigarettes out of the pack, picked one out with his teeth, and said, “Envious, aren’t you?”

Wang Yao and Zheng Shuai rolled their eyes at him.

Pang Yilong squatted down next to Chen You, lit a cigarette with a snap, and coolly flaunted the lighter—one of his flirting skills, “Youzi, Ge will treat you to breakfast later, order whatever you like.”

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao, with their sharp ears, heard it all. The two shamelessly came over, grinning like dried flowers, “Old Pang.”

Pang Yilong grinned at his two buddies, giving them a look that said, “You two are really something.”

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao nodded in unison toward the suddenly depressed teenager. They had only learned the basics from him, they were still far from mastering the essence.

With his eyelids drooping, Chen You smoked. Perhaps the smoke went down his throat too fast, because he choked and coughed incessantly. He had choked and cried while in prison, and even after returning, he still hadn’t mastered the technique.

Pang Yilong snatched the cigarette from Chen You’s hand, threw it on the ground, and stomped it out with his shoe, “Forget it, Youzi, if you can’t learn to smoke, then don’t smoke.”

Chen You stood up, dusted off the cigarette ash, and brought himself back to reality, “I’m hungry, let’s go get breakfast. You said you’d treat me.”

Pang Yilong stood up and put his arm around Chen You’s shoulder. “I said you can eat whatever you want. Just don’t try to save your Ge’s money, or Ge will be unhappy.”

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao walked behind, rubbing their arms and legs, unable to bear Pang Yilong’s incessant chatter.

Zheng Shuai, “How could Old Pang, that scumbag, have a girlfriend?”

Wang Yao, “It’s a society that judges people by their looks, huh? No, you’re way more handsome than him, how come you’ve never had a girlfriend?”

Zheng Shuai, “Let me correct you on one point. It’s not that I don’t have it, it’s that I don’t want to have it, understand?”

Wang Yao, “Bad habit.”

All the food options are across the bridge – restaurants, noodle shops, hotels, you name it, they have it all. There are several schools nearby, and students flock here every day. Instead of lingering around, most young couples will head straight to a nightclub, which is affordable and convenient.

Just after crossing the bridge, Pang Yilong’s phone rang. It was his girlfriend calling. He stood to the side and answered, “Why are you awake so early? Me? Yes, I’m not in the dorm. I came out and played games all night with Youzi and the others. Really, why would I lie to you? Okay, Jie, I obey you more than anyone else. Just wait.”

Pang Yilong handed his phone to Chen You and mouthed, “My girlfriend is checking up on me.”

This wasn’t the first time Chen You had done this. He cleared his throat and spoke into the phone, “Good morning, Saozi.”

“Yeah, a few of us stayed up all night at xxx internet cafe.”

Pang Yilong took the phone away, “Is that alright now? Go back to sleep. Okay, I got it.”

He hung up the call and muttered to himself, this is weird. All the girlfriends I’ve dated have one thing in common, they like to check up on me, and they only believe Chen You. They don’t believe anything Zheng Shuai or Wang Yao say.

In terms of looks, Zheng Shuai is no less handsome than Chen You. Perhaps it’s a woman’s intuition that’s making them think Chen You wouldn’t lie.

Zheng Shuai yawned, “Old Pang, do you know why your girlfriend always checks up on you?”

Pang Yilong said, “Aren’t all women like that?”

“That’s really not it.”

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao said in unison, “It’s because you have the qualities of a scumbag.”

Pang Yilong touched his face, quite surprised, “Really? I’m that handsome?”

A handsome guy isn’t necessarily a scumbag, but a scumbag is definitely a handsome guy—that’s his personal understanding.

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao had nothing to say anymore.

Chen You, who was a few steps behind, suddenly blurted out, “That scumbag played with Qi Rui. He was so immoral. The day after he saw me at the company, he died in a car accident.”

Pang Yilong and the other two didn’t hear clearly, they were chatting and laughing, otherwise they would have been scared to death.

Chen You stopped, his brow furrowing. In one world, to prevent Xiaoming from going to the battlefield, he separated his soul from his body for a period of time. The system had told him that he would be affected to some extent when he returned to the real world.

It seems he has lost his mind.

He was talking nonsense and couldn’t control himself at all.

Chen You patted his face. Cheer up, you idiot! You died suddenly, and you’ve been reborn here. That’s incredible luck that most people wouldn’t even dare to dream of. Don’t be gloomy. Think positively. You’re back now, aren’t you? As long as you keep praying every day, the Almighty will bless you and your man.

He was terrified of forgetting everything, of having no memory of anyone or anything in the mission world. This was Chen You’s biggest worry after returning, and it seemed to have caused him mental problems.

No one knows if anything will change tomorrow.

Chen You took out his phone and found it was out of battery. He borrowed Pang Yilong’s phone to call his father, but no one answered. He was probably still fast asleep and had no idea that his son had died once.

Four teenagers were eating breakfast inside a small shop. They had crab roe buns, porridge, pickled vegetables, spring rolls, glutinous rice cakes, and fried dough sticks.

Zheng Shuai is stingy and incredibly cheap. Wang Yao is genuinely poor. Chen You occasionally treats people to meals, but it can’t compare to the frequency of Pang Yilong’s treats. Pang Yilong is the wealthiest and most generous. He puts a lot of thought into every girlfriend he dates.

Without realizing it, Chen You broke the crab roe bun in half, blew on it, and handed it to the other person.

Pang Yilong, sitting opposite him, blinked, his face twitching, “Youzi, are you alright?”

Chen You seemed to realize the abnormality, and said it was nothing, just that his arm was sore, and then he did two stretching exercises.

Pang Yilong exaggeratedly wiped his forehead, “Holy crap, that scared me to death! I thought you were going to feed me.”

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao were also scared half to death.

Chen You thought to himself, fuck, I was even more frightened than you guys, okay? It’s so annoying, I’m afraid this kind of thing will only happen more often in the future.

The inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy indicates a serious condition.

All four of them have computers, but they still maintain the habit of going out all night every Saturday. The dormitory lights go out on time, so they have no choice but to go to internet cafes to play Arena.

The feeling of staying up all night is complicated. Before going, you’re excited and thinking about how to make the most of the night—playing games, watching movies. But when you get sleepy in the middle of the night, you go out to pee and smoke a cigarette, forcing yourself to stay awake. It’s such a waste of money! If you want to sleep, go back to sleep. When you come out the next morning, you’re completely out of it.

Back in his dorm, Chen You couldn’t sleep. He kept calling the system the whole way, but there was no response. He felt like an idiot. If it weren’t for the ring in his pocket, he would have thought it was all just a dream.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a dream.

He could wait with anticipation for that man to appear, or hope that one day at some point, he would bump into him on the street or in a shop, and that they would recognize each other, hug, kiss, have sex, and then find a good day to come out to his father.

There are plenty of obstacles, but they’ll get through them.

There are only four people in the dorm. Two bunk beds are placed together on the right side of the entrance. Opposite them are a row of wardrobes and computer desks, also four. The balcony is next to the toilet. The space is not big. The chairs and beds are piled with clothes, pants, smelly sneakers, basketballs stuffed under the beds, and smelly socks that someone else has abandoned. It’s an eyesore.

Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao were the first to arrive at the dormitory and occupied two lower bunks. Chen You and Pang Yilong were on the upper bunks. There were two boards separating the two beds, and there was room to put some things on the boards.

On Chen You’s side of the partition, there was a short, chubby piggy bank, a small handful of gold coin chocolates, half a pack of Old Beijing crispy noodles (rolled up and stuffed in a corner for later), and a bag of spicy strips to keep him awake at night when he felt sleepy.

In comparison, Pang Yilong’s bedside table was much emptier, with only a couple’s cup and a roll of toilet paper. He didn’t like eating snacks, and he especially didn’t like eating before bed because it made his mouth feel uncomfortable.

He wasn’t planning to sleep, he’d promised to go shopping with his girlfriend, and if he slept, he wouldn’t be able to get up.

As Pang Yilong climbed the ladder to get his cup down and pour himself some water, he was startled when he poked his head out, “Why are you keeping your eyes so wide open instead of sleeping?”

Chen You’s eyes were opened, his view blocked by Pang Yilong’s face, “Move aside, don’t block my view of the spider.”

Pang Yi followed Chen You’s gaze and saw a small spider with a piece of thread hanging down. Without saying a word, he grabbed a piece of toilet paper and crushed the spider to death.

Well, that’s it. Chen You could only stare at the white ceiling.

Pang Yilong said, “Youzi, your eyes are very bloodshot. Don’t stay up all night again this month, or you might die suddenly.”

Chen You, “…”

He sighed, “I know, I won’t do that again.”

Pfft, Pang Yilong burst out laughing, “You are more diligent than a female classmate’s aunt Flo, several times a month.”

Chen You rolled his eyes, “Scrammm, stop spitting on LaoZi’s face. You haven’t even brushed your teeth, stink to death.”

Pang Yilong blushed, it’s as if you brushed it. What right does someone who eats snacks and stuffs chocolate in their mouth while sleeping have to criticize others?

“Hey, do you have cavities?”

“……”

Chen You turned over, pulling the thin blanket over himself, ignoring him.

Pang Yilong took the cup down and filled it with more than half a cup of water from the water dispenser. Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao went back to sleep without taking a shower or brushing their teeth, they wanted to get some rest first.

After stripping off his t-shirt, which was covered in the smell of smoke, snot, and tears, Pang Yilong went to the bathroom to shower, changed into clean clothes, admired himself in front of the mirror for a while, and then went out to meet his girlfriend.

The dormitory quieted down, with only the whirring of the electric fan.

Chen You, with his eyes still closed, mumbled, “It’s so hot, Chang Qin, turn the air conditioner down a bit.”

He opened his eyes, his breathing a little rapid. Damn it… it’s insane.

After a while, a cacophony of sounds filled the corridor, people walking in slippers, talking, closing doors, making phone calls—it was a constant stream of noise. This was what it felt like to be alive.

Chen You was lying flat when he suddenly sat up in bed, grabbed the bed railing and jumped to the ground. He quickly took out paper and pen from the drawer, then, as if remembering something, tossed them aside and went to turn on the computer.

Doing the same thing a second time brings completely different feelings.

Chen You’s fingers tapped on the keyboard, sorting through the memories in his mind and writing them down before his mental illness became uncontrollable.

This isn’t a mission world, so the system can’t interfere. As long as he writes it down, even if he forgets it or it’s all jumbled up, accidentally discovering this might awaken something.

Hearing the clattering of the keyboard, Zheng Shuai thought he was still in an internet cafe. It wasn’t until he felt that his legs could straighten without feeling uncomfortable that he realized he was in his dormitory and lying on his bed.

Yawning, Zheng Shuai scratched his head. His eyelids would turn double when he first woke up, then slowly revert to single eyelids—it was quite magical, “Youzi, what are you busy with?”

The people behind him leaned closer, and Chen You’s finger paused. He clicked on a webpage and said, “Can’t sleep, got up and played for a while.”

“Still playing? You’re amazing, I don’t know where you get so much energy.”

Without looking for long, Zheng Shuai went to the sink on the balcony, got some toothpaste and a toothbrush, and quickly washed up, “I’m going to the cafeteria to buy food. What do you want me to bring?”

Chen You said he didn’t want to eat.

Zheng Shuai tossed the towel onto the rack. Heartbreak = poor appetite = not wanting to eat, which is understandable. He put on his sneakers and said, “How about I bring you corn, two tea eggs, and a pancake? It can last until the afternoon, so you can eat it when you’re hungry.”

Chen You said okay, “Shuaishuai, thank you.”

Zheng Shuai’s face darkened. He wondered if he had misheard. He usually called him Shuai Ge but today he was using a reduplicated form? “What did you call me?”

Instead of answering, Chen You asked, “Aren’t you Shuai?”

Zheng Shuai raised an eyebrow, “I’m Shuai.”

Chen You said, “You think you’re Shuai and I think you’re Shuai too. Together there’re two Shuai, so I call you Shuaishuai.”

Zheng Shuai gave a thumbs up, “Awesome.”

He grabbed a handful of change, opened the door, and went out, telling Chen You that he might be late because he needed to talk to a fellow villager about something.

Chen You didn’t care, he really wasn’t hungry.

The deafening snoring came from the bed closest to the toilet. Wang Yao was still asleep. He was the fattest and weakest. Staying up all night would ruin him, and he needed a whole day to recover.

No one bothered him, so Chen You continued typing. When he stopped, his fingers cramped up a bit. He couldn’t keep up with the fast typing speed.

After thinking for a while, Chen You logged in to cloud drive, put the eight text files into it, and after finishing, he was still not at ease, so he took screenshots and saved them. In the past, he was careless and sloppy, but he was unusually careful about this matter.

It was so hot in the summer. When Chen You got up from the chair, his butt was soaking wet. He took his toiletries to the bathroom and was a little uncomfortable with the cramped space when he first entered.

A showerhead and a squat toilet – if someone slips and falls while showering, they might end up with their face in the pit.

The water heater wasn’t provided by the school, it was bought by the dormitories pooling their money. It was based on their wishes. Students don’t have much money, and not many families are like Pang Yilong’s. Chen You and his friends discussed it several times before deciding to get a water heater, which was expensive because it used a lot of water and electricity.

Summer is fine, but winter is troublesome.

However, after Chen You discovered that he was a little perverted, he stopped showering in the dormitory during the winter and would go to the public bathhouse even in the wind and snow.

Stopping his random thoughts, Chen You rinsed himself under the showerhead. It wasn’t until he heard Zheng Shuai’s voice that he realized he hadn’t applied any shower gel or shampoo, as he was used to the man applying them for him.

“Look what you’ve raised me into! You have to take responsibility!”

Chen You muttered to the air, “You promised to walk with me, don’t make me wait too long. At the latest, after graduating from university. If it’s any later, I’m afraid I’ll forget you. Even if I still remember you, Dad will still force me to get married.”

“You don’t know Dad. He’s even harder to deal with than Mom. He’s got so many tricks up his sleeve. He’s always coming up with a number, and you can never win an argument with him.”

He tilted his head back, letting the warm water wash over him, blurring his features.

While getting dressed, Chen You glanced at the cinnabar mole on both wrists. He was a little worried, when it got cold and he wore long sleeves, the two marks would be covered. His head started to hurt again, damn it.

A sudden ringing sound rang in his mind, and Chen You almost slipped. He steadied himself and asked, “Old 4, is that you?”

The mechanical voice said, “I am not 444.”

Chen You’s face changed. Are you kidding me? “Then who are you?”

The mechanical voice said, “You don’t need to worry about it. I’m just here to tell you something. Just listen.”

“A crucial piece of code has been leaked from above, infiltrating the main system and destroying all system code. The virus KM has escaped and its whereabouts are currently unknown. Due to a work error, 444 has been ordered to retrieve it and completely eliminate it.”

For some reason, Chen You blurted out, “You, you are Mr. Wu?”

His feeling was strange, without any basis, but at this moment, what appeared before his eyes was the man in the long robe.

Unfortunately, there was no sound left in his head.

Chen You was overwhelmed with emotion, experiencing both great sorrow and joy in an instant. Suddenly, everything went black before his eyes, and he lost consciousness.

When Chen You woke up, he was lying in the school clinic. He rolled his eyes and saw that all three of his dorm mates were there, none missing. They were really loyal.

Zheng Shuai was doing his hair in front of the mirror when he heard a loud bang. He kicked the door, and then Wang Yao, the “dead pig,” was woken up by the other person’s howling. The two of them panicked and were completely at a loss. They hurriedly called Pang Yilong and said that Youzi had fainted and asked what to do.

As a result, Pang Yilong scolded the two of them. Of course, they sent him to the infirmary. He also told his girlfriend and rushed back to school.

Above Chen You’s head was Pang Yilong’s frantic voice, “Damn it, a hypoglycemic episode, fainting, isn’t that something that only happens to girls? Old Zheng, Youzi isn’t eating, why didn’t you talk to him about it?”

“I talked about it, and I even brought him food. How was I supposed to know he’d faint in the bathroom?”

“Yes, you don’t know, when you and Old Wang sat down for breakfast this morning, you just buried your heads in your food. Youzi only ate two bites of the bun. He didn’t eat anything for lunch either. He has been staying up all night. Can his body handle it?”

“Is it my fault? If you care about him so much, then stay by his bedside and don’t go out and play with women.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? When we swore brotherhood, we promised to be XiongDi for life and treat Youzi like a Didi. Have you lost your memory, or is your brain filled with shit?”

Wang Yao yawned repeatedly, clearly not having had enough sleep, “I said, can you two stop arguing?”

Pang Yilong and Zheng Shuai looked fierce and menacing, “Shut up!”

After a long pause, Wang Yao finally managed to utter his catchphrase, “Bad habit.”

He wiped away the tears that streamed down his face from yawning, “Keep arguing. The nurses outside will be here soon and tell us to get lost, and take Youzi with us.”

Pang Yilong and Zheng Shuai instantly fell silent, like two roosters having their necks choked.

A voice came from the bed, “I’m sorry.”

Pang Yilong and the other two were stunned. They saw the young man sit up, his face even whiter than the white t-shirt he was wearing.

“I brought this on myself.”

Chen You clicked his tongue, “I really can’t stay up all night for several days in a row. I feel like I’m just too weak right now.”

He stretched and grinned, “Let’s go back. If the other classmates see me fainting due to low blood sugar, it’ll damage my image as a man.”

Pang Yilong and the other two exchanged glances. Their Youzi is really doing well this time. He’s still a warm little sun, completely free of the inexplicable depression and sadness he had shown in the morning. It seemed that he had just been dizzy and his mind had cleared up, and he had come out of his heartbreak.

Pang Yilong said, “Can you walk? If not, let Old Wang carry you.”

Wang Yao: “…Yes, I’ll carry.”

Chen You’s lips twitched. He stood up straight, taller than Wang Yao, and patted him on the shoulder, “Good buddy, carry me back to the dorm. Half an hour to an hour, I don’t mind.”

Wang Yao kicked him, saying, “You wish!”

Chen You dodged away, hooking his arms around Zheng Shuai and Wang Yao, one on each side, saying, “What happened to me today fully illustrates one point, eating on time is very important.”

Pang Yilong walked behind, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, “Aiyo, this is incredible! Our Youzi is about to make some heartwarming chicken soup for the soul! Quick, quick, let’s clap our hands and welcome!”

Chen You’s eye twitched, and he stretched his leg back, leaving a shoe print accurately on Pang Yilong’s pants.

Before they even got to the dorm, Pang Yilong and Zheng Shuai were already fine. Between bros, things are straightforward, if there’s something to say, say it. Once it’s said, don’t keep it bottled up. You have to get rid of the trash that needs to be thrown out.

Chen You needed to go home, but he didn’t have enough money, so he borrowed from Pang Yilong, as was his habit.

Pang Yilong was used to lending him money. Without saying anything, he rummaged through his wallet and said, “Is five hundred enough? If not, I’ll take you to the ATM to withdraw a thousand.”

Chen You said he didn’t need that much, and took out two hundred from Pang Yilong’s wallet, saying, “I’ll pay you back when I get back.”

Pang Yilong was about to go back to his dorm when, for some reason, he turned around and caught up with Chen You. He’s a straightforward person who doesn’t mince words, trying to put things in a tactful way is much harder than taking the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4).

“Youzi, although I’m a few months older than you, I had a girlfriend back in middle school, so I have a lot of experience. When it comes to relationships, it’s all about feeling and fate, don’t force it.”

Chen You’s eyes twitched, “Old Pang, go back, wash up, and go to sleep.”

Pang Yilong stared blankly, thinking, damn it, god knows how hard it was for LaoZi to say that? And this is your attitude?

Chen You knew what he was thinking, “I’m really fine.”

Pang Yilong didn’t believe him, “What about the pair of rings?”

Chen You laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners, “Of course, I bought it for my future wife.”

Pang Yilong clicked his tongue twice, “You’re quite romantic, aren’t you? Do you know the meaning of a ring? All the girlfriends I’ve dated, they all intentionally or unintentionally wanted me to buy them one to wear. I’m fine with necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anything, but not rings.”

Chen You thought to himself, I bought it precisely because I knew about it.

“I took a size estimate of the ring by wrapping it around your finger. Try it on and see if it fits…”

Unconsciously uttering a sentence, Chen You’s expression changed. He glanced at Pang Yilong, but thankfully the other was lost in thought and didn’t hear it.

In the community square, middle-aged women were dancing to little apple. Among them was a tall, middle-aged man standing at the front, dancing very seriously. He had a robust appearance and was clearly the focus of the group.

An older woman walked over and said, “Old Chen, I saw your Youyou at the entrance of the community.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Weidong stopped jumping, greeted the women, and went home to open the door for his son.

Chen You went to the door and saw it was open. He opened it and went inside. Seeing the middle-aged man arranging fruit in the living room, his nose suddenly stung with tears, “Dad.”

Chen Weidong dropped the apple from his hand, picked it up and put it back in the fruit bowl. He turned to look at his son and noticed his eyes were red, “What’s wrong? Were you bullied at school?”

Chen You shook his head and did something childish, he hugged his father.

To be honest, Chen Weidong was a little scared. His son didn’t cry often, but his current aggrieved look seemed really off. Had he broken up with his girlfriend? That was a real shame, since he hadn’t even seen her.

“Youyou, you suddenly came back from school, are you really okay?”

“Isn’t this Saturday? There are no classes tomorrow.”

Chen You changed out of his sneakers and walked barefoot into the living room.

Chen Weidong, who was behind him, quickly grabbed the slippers on the ground and said, “Put your slipper on, the floor tiles are cold.”

Chen You felt a warmth in his heart as he heard the commanding voice in his ear. When he was on a mission, he always thought about what it would be like when he returned. He was afraid that his father had been lying in the hospital for many years, that his health was failing, and that he was getting old.

Thank goodness.

He woke up in an internet cafe, and everything was fine.

Chen Weidong sat next to his son, repeating the same old things over and over again, “Youyou, play fewer games and spend more time with your classmates, especially the girls.”

Chen You took a bite of the apple. He had run all the way back from school just to torture his ears.

“By the way, that Pang Dalong in your dorm, when Dad went to your school last time, he was chatting and laughing with a female classmate, not the one I saw the time before last.”

Chen Weidong’s implication was, look, you’re all in the same dorm, how come you’re so different from everyone else?

Son, give it your all. Even if you don’t surpass others, you can’t fall behind by a large margin.

Chen You’s voice was muffled, “Dad, I’m not getting married.”

Chen Weidong said, “Go become a monk?”

Chen You said no.

Chen Weidong said, “That means you felt your mom is lonely underground and wanted your dad to keep her company.”

Chen You, “…”

He put the apple on the coffee table, “Dad, I’m serious.”

Chen Weidong said, “I’m serious about this too.”

Chen You had a headache. Life was already so hard, why did men have to make things harder for each other? He had been reborn and could no longer live according to his original path.

“Dad, listen to me. This is what I’m thinking. After graduation, I’ll find a job in this city so I can take good care of you and let you enjoy dancing with all DaMa in the square every day.”

“That’s not important.”

Chen Weidong’s eyes shone brightly, “Son, your dad is easy to talk about in other ways, but what I want most is to hold my grandson.”

The conversation couldn’t continue.

Chen You grabbed his backpack, “Let’s leave this topic for now and continue next time.”

Chen Weidong ate the apple his son had left over, and his head started to hurt. He brought up that topic as soon as he got back. Could it be that he really doesn’t want to get married? That won’t do.

The Chen family only has this one son, and the family line must continue.

Chen Weidong went to his son’s bedroom door, knocked, and said, “Youyou, call your classmates and tell them to contact you if anything comes up.”

A reply came from inside the room, “I know.”

Lying in his room, Chen You still couldn’t fall asleep. He thought he might need sleeping pills, he couldn’t stay awake any longer.

His mind was in turmoil, but two things were very clear, a pair of sharp, cold phoenix eyes, and a face with blurred features and a mole.

Before he knew it, dawn had broken.

Chen You took out the two rings, opened his palm to look at them. Many novels describe a powerful being’s soul residing within an object, could Chang Qin…?

Damn it, Chen You, you’re hopeless.

Chen You sat on the floor, lost in thought, thinking about all sorts of things. He only got up when he heard a noise outside, his legs were numb.

Chen Weidong, outside, assumed his son was still asleep and moved about quietly, wanting him to sleep a little longer.

Chen You opened the door and went out, “Dad, what do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”

“Scallion oil noodles”.

Chen Weidong was cleaning and didn’t notice the sudden change in his son’s expression.

Chen You went to the kitchen, turned on the tap and let the water run for about a minute before filling a pot with water. While waiting for it to boil, he chopped scallions and prepared the seasonings.

Scallion oil noodles—that’s the dish he’s made the most times. He could make it with his eyes closed.

Chen You couldn’t concentrate, he braced himself on the table with both hands, feeling like he was going to die.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Weidong, who was on the balcony, smelled something burning, “Youyou, the pot’s burnt!”

Chen You suddenly woke up with a start. He looked at the blackened noodles and realized that the water had boiled away right in front of him. Damn, mental derangement is terrifying.

After soaking the pot in water, Chen You composed himself and said, “Dad, let’s go out to eat.”

Chen Weidong glanced at his son and said, “That’s what I wanted to say too. Don’t waste the noodles, it breaks my heart to see them go to waste.”

The father and son went to a noodle shop outside their residential compound and ordered two bowls of wontons.

No one knows a son better than his father. Chen Weidong noticed his son’s unusual behavior over the course of a bowl of wontons. His son was not only saying strange things but also doing strange things.

The more he thinks about it, the more restless he becomes. He needs to go to the hospital for a checkup to see if it’s a complication caused by ADHD.

In the morning, Chen Weidong took Chen You to see a doctor.

When he heard the diagnosis from the doctor, he was about to fly into a rage. What nonsense! His son was so outgoing and cheerful, always laughing and joking. How could he possibly have depression? Wasn’t that just a lie?

Chen You forcibly dragged his father out of the consultation room and apologized to the doctor, saying sorry.

After leaving the hospital, Chen You sighed by the roadside, “Dad, I might really have depression.”

Chen Weidong was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses, “Son, what did you say?”

Chen You pulled up his collar and wiped his sweaty chin, “It’s just like the doctor said.”

He had heard of depression before, but this was the first time he had experienced it himself. He never imagined that he would get it one day.

Life is just so damn messed up.

Having already faced death once, depression wouldn’t frighten Chen You, he knew the cause of his illness.

“Dad, depression isn’t that scary.”

“…” Chen Weidong waved his hand, his strong body bending slightly, “Son, don’t say any more, let your dad take a break.”

Chen You asked, “How long should it take? Is half an hour enough?”

Chen Weidong remained silent.

That’s not enough, Chen You said, “I’ll go to KFC and get a hamburger.”

Chen Weidong stopped his son, “At a time like this, you still have the appetite to eat a hamburger?”

Chen You twitched his lips. Otherwise, dad, what can I do? I can’t help it. It’s really your son’s fate to have depression. Medication can only suppress it. This illness won’t get better until your son’s man appears.

“Forget it, you should just go eat a hamburger. It’s making me dizzy by you flashing in front of me right now.”

Chen Weidong squatted down on the steps, his expression solemn.

Chen You rubbed the soles of his shoes on the grass, “Dad, I’ll go buy you a cup of herbal tea.”

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