Chapter 154. Eating Pomelo

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Arc 8: I am a dead bird.

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TN:- I was being stubborn and wanted to upload 3 chapters altogether. So updates  got delayed.

!!!Warning!!! This chapter can make you uncomfortable.

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Passersby on the street saw a strikingly handsome man take out a tissue rubbing in front of him. They were curious. What was he wiping? He was wiping so diligently, with a frown on his face. There didn’t seem to be anything to wipe, right?

Chang Qin wiped the blackbird’s butt clean and said with a slight movement of his thin lips, “The feathers on the tail need to be trimmed.”

Chen You turned around, facing the man, look at your idea of taking my tail down? I’ll fight you to death, “da da da da da.”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to trim it,” Chang Qin raised an eyebrow, brooking no refusal, “Starting tomorrow, you’ll eat your feed honestly, and won’t eat the same food as me anymore.”

Chen You died.

Chang Qin stood up from the bench and threw the tissue into the trash can, “You’re losing too many feathers. If you don’t want to become a bald bird, just behave.”

Chen You squatted listlessly on the man’s shoulder, his bird head drooping, pecking at the windbreaker from time to time. Autumn is the season for falling leaves, so why is he also shedding a handful by handful in winter? It’s so abnormal.

A cold wind blew in from the street, moving recklessly through the streets, shamelessly lifting the girls’ skirts and ruffling the people’s carefully combed hair, causing men, women, young and old to look terrified.

The wind passed by the big black bird, carrying away a few of its feathers.

Inside the restaurant, Cheng Mingxing sat with her head propped up in a daze. The young man from that time hadn’t appeared in months. Logically, the two of them had separated, but she had looked around repeatedly and found no trace of depression or loss on the boss’s face.

Could it be that his love was not deep enough?

No, Cheng Mingxing denied herself. The look in the boss’s eyes when he looked at that person could no longer be summed up by the word “affection”. It was a kind of possession of private property, a declaration to the world——This is mine.

The coffee beside her was knocked over, and Cheng Mingxing came to her senses when she heard the employees shouting. She frowned and said she would clean it up.

She has been getting more and more absent-minded lately.

Cheng Mingxing cleaned up the bar and wiped away all the coffee. As she walked through the hallway, she heard whispers in the staff lounge.

“That good-looking young man hasn’t appeared in a while. You guys say, does the boss look like he’s heartbroken, hmm?”

“Doesn’t seem so. If you want to say who seems to be, it’s someone who acts like everyone owes her money all day long. Isn’t there a blunder? She even has an ugly face and a fake smile when she’s talking to customers. So unprofessional. It’s just a heartbreak, right? Who hasn’t been through a breakup these days?”

“Keep your voice down, don’t let her hear.”

“What is there to be afraid of? When we called her Lady Boss, she was just hoping we’d be louder, wasn’t she? Shameless, really thinks of herself as Lady Boss.”

“Ms. Mingxing is quite good and capable. Since I came to the restaurant, I’ve seen many people pursuing her. I don’t understand why she’s still single. Gradually left on the shelf.”

“Hehe, her standards are very high and she wants to meet someone like the boss, but how is that possible?”

“That’s right. There are those who are worthy but not good-looking, or those who are good-looking but not worthy. But those who are both are as rare as phoenix feather and unicorn horn. There are many people who covet them, but can’t get it no matter how hard they try. If it’s not yours, it’s not yours.”

“Let me tell you a story. That time, the boss had a reaction for some reason. Even I, a seasoned veteran, was horrified when I saw it. In my entire life, I’ve never seen anything bigger than that.”

“Hurry, hurry, hurry, tell your story!”

The whispers in the lounge turned into laughter and banter. Cheng Mingxing didn’t push the door open, but turned and left.

On her way home from work, Cheng Mingxing received a call from her family. She felt a surge of resentment and wanted to hang up, but she answered it anyway. It was her mother’s voice on the other end, “Are you off work?”

Cheng Mingxing drove the car, “Yeah, just left the restaurant.”

Mother Cheng was watching TV over there, the background noise blaring, “Mingxing, it’s almost nine o’clock. You always come home so late, and your boss hasn’t mentioned a raise yet?”

Cheng Mingxing didn’t answer but asked instead, her tone already filled with resistance, “Ma, is there something you want to talk to me about?”

“You kid, can’t I call you if I have nothing?”

After saying this in a bad mood, Mother Cheng’s next words were, “Well, this Friday night, get off work early. One of your eldest JiuMa’s students just returned to China. He’s a rich second-generation, good-looking, from a good family, single, and has no bad habits. I’ve discussed it with your eldest JiuMa, and have already made an appointment for you. It’s at xxx. Go have dinner with him and have a good chat.”

(*JiuMa= maternal uncle’s wife)

With a sudden slam on the brakes, Cheng Mingxing narrowly avoided an oncoming truck. Her heartbeat raced, and she leaned halfway over the steering wheel, sweat oozing from her palms. Her breathing became irregular.

At that moment, Cheng Mingxing’s pupils dilated. She felt as if she saw the gates of hell opening and closing again.

This was the first time she realized that death could be so close to her, so close that it could touch her in the next second.

Cheng Mingxing reached for her bag with trembling hands, fished out her cigarette case and lighter, and tremblingly took out a cigarette and put it between her teeth. She pressed the lighter several times before it clicked.

A cluster of orange flames leaped into the beautiful woman’s eyes, illuminating her panic.

On the other end of the line, Mother Cheng also heard the sudden braking sound. She stood up from the sofa and asked, “What happened, Mingxing? Are you okay?”

In the driver’s seat, Cheng Mingxing puffed on her cigarette for a while before speaking, her voice still trembling, “Ma, sooner or later, I will be forced to death by you.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few moments. Mother Cheng angrily said, “What nonsense are you talking about? Bah, bah, bah, you crow’s mouth! Isn’t it just for you to go on a blind date? Big deal! You have to be so melodramatic? You’re almost thirty years old or a child, hmm?”

Cheng Mingxing closed her eyes, the look of terror still lingering on her face. She rolled down the left window, flicked the cigarette out the window, and watched as a pinch of ash fell and was blown away by the wind.

“Ma, you know I’m almost 30. Can you please stop controlling me? Just live a good life with ba.”

“What’s the point of that? If your lifelong issue remains unresolved, then whoever passes away first, your ba or I, will die unhappy.”

Perhaps realizing her words had been harsh, Mother Cheng softened her tone and sighed, “Mingxing, you’re a girl. You should prioritize your family. You don’t need to invest too much energy in your career. Do you understand what I mean?”

Cheng Mingxing leaned back in her chair, smoke lingering on her face, “Ma, I don’t want to argue with you.”

Mother Cheng was nagging, saying, “Do you think I called you so late at night to argue with you? I’m just worried about you. It’s not just me, your ba can’t sleep because of this either.”

Cheng Mingxing smoked a cigarette, her eyes scanning the night outside the car window, silent.

“Your boss accepted the rice dumplings last time, which means he really likes them. I’ll make some in a couple of days, so you can take them,” Mother Cheng said, “Build a good relationship with your boss, and it’ll be easier for you to ask for leave if you need to.”

Cheng Mingxing’s face remained pale. The image of the man surfaced in her mind. She pursed her lips and said, “Forget it.”

“Okay, if you don’t want me to, I’ll make less and save some for the family.” Mother Cheng said, “By the way, your Didi got into a fight and is half-dead in the hospital. You should go see him sometime.”

Cheng Mingxing frowned, “When did it happen?”

Mother Cheng said it happened today, “His roommate took him to the hospital. We don’t know what happened. Your Shushu wouldn’t tell us exactly where he was injured.”

Cheng Mingxing didn’t ask any more questions, “I understand. That’s all.”

Before hanging up, Mother Cheng reminded her, “Don’t forget to have dinner with the person this Friday night!”

Cheng Mingxing sat in the car, finishing the last puff of her cigarette, stubbed it out, and got out, throwing it into a nearby trash can. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her red jacket, suddenly feeling exhausted. Her love for this city had faded without her knowing when, leaving only a tiny sliver of it, stubbornly dangling, ready to break at any moment.

If it’s not hers, wait for another ten years, the result will be the same.

The next day, Cheng Mingxing drove to the hospital.

After asking the nurse, Cheng Mingxing found the ward. As she pushed the door open, she heard a slight noise from inside. Suspicious, her expression changed.

Through the door, Cheng Mingtian was forcibly held in Zhang Zhi’s arms and nibbled.

Yesterday, Cheng Mingtian ran into a foreign man at a bar who looked a bit like Chang Qin. He flirted with him and soon half-embraced him to get a room. Little did he know that Zhang Zhi would catch him red-handed.

After the foreign man had been kicked half to death, Zhang Zhi carried Cheng Mingtian onto his back and forcibly took him to his rented apartment. As soon as they entered, a fight ensued between the two men.

Cheng Mingtian was pinned to the ground and forced to have sex by Zhang Zhi, who didn’t clean up after the deed. He developed a fever when he returned to the dormitory and was carried to the hospital by his roommates. He protested and refused to have his wounds examined, only receiving an IV drip to reduce his fever.

“MF……”

Cheng Mingtian forcefully pushed Zhang Zhi away, roaring, “Scram for LaoZi!”

“Scram, what for? I came here just for you.” Zhang Zhi sneered, his rough hand gripping the boy’s fair chin, “Not satisfy you and let you hook up with others again, I won’t stand for that.”

Cheng Mingtian’s eyes were bloodshot, “We’re already over him!”

“Over? Who said that? You said it?” Zhang Zhi patted Cheng Mingtian’s face and smiled, “You wish!”

Cheng Mingtian was trembling all over. He had finally seen this man’s true face. He was a dog. He would bite him and couldn’t be kicked away, “What do you want?”

Zhang Zhi leaned over, smiled, and whispered something into the boy’s ear.

Cheng Mingtian raged in a low voice, “Zhang Zhi, SOB, why don’t you just die?!”

“Baby, if I die, who will be able to take care of you?”

Zhang Zhi bent his back, pinning the boy between the hospital bed and his chest. He brushed against the boy’s lips, which were always spitting out harsh words, and rubbed them with his thumb, sneering, “Heartless little thing.”

The entire corridor was deserted. Cheng Mingxing stood still, silent, and the sounds in the ward became even clearer. She could faintly hear Cheng Mingtian crying, and suddenly she pushed the door open.

This sudden happening left both Cheng Mingtian and Zhang Zhi somewhat bewildered. The former’s cheeks flushed, while the latter stepped back, tilting his head to one side, then back again, standing there as if nothing had happened.

Cheng Mingxing glanced at the stranger.

Zhang Zhi’s lips curled up, and he casually dropped a bombshell, “Mingxing Jie, right? I’m Zhang Zhi, Mingtian’s boyfriend.”

The ward was dead silent.

Cheng Mingtian’s face twisted for a second, “Get lost, you bastard! What nonsense are you talking about? Jie, Zhang Zhi and I aren’t like that. We’re just…”

Interrupting him, Cheng Mingxing said to the man, “Mr. Zhang, I want to talk to my Didi alone for a moment.”

Zhang Zhi remained calm, raised his chin towards the young man, and said with a grin, “Take good care of your injuries. I’ll come see you next time.”

After the outsider left, the sibling remained silent.

Cheng Mingxing was not a heavy smoker and had bought very few cigarettes in recent years, but she smoked a pack last night and now wants to smoke another one. She put the pack on the table and said, “Mingtian, I think I just figured out something.”

Cheng Mingtian’s expression changed slightly, and he looked puzzled, “What?”

“You suddenly changed your mind and didn’t go to City A with your classmates. Instead, you came to the restaurant. It wasn’t because of your family, but because of boss.”

Cheng Mingxing pulled out a chair and sat down, saying calmly, “Mingtian, I’ve never doubted your sexual orientation. It’s just that I haven’t paid enough attention to you.”

Without waiting for the boy to argue, she said, “Jie saw you hugging that man just now.”

“So what?” At this point, Cheng Mingtian gave up, his lips curled up, “Jie, you’re a graduate of a prestigious university and a restaurant manager. You’re well-informed and experienced. Unlike my parents and their generation, you can’t be so conservative, right?”

Cheng Mingxing said calmly, “Mingtian, I think your Jie, I, is ridiculous?”

Cheng Mingtian’s fake smile froze.

“The other day in the office, you told me that ‘if you like someone, you should take the initiative to say something and do something’.” Cheng Mingxing said, ” Mingtian, Jie must have disappointed you.”

“It’s normal for children to enjoy the hustle and bustle, but if you watch a show and it’s on your Jie’s head, that’s not very nice, what do you say?”

Cheng Mingtian gritted his teeth, his handsome face turning pale.

Cheng Mingxing said, “I won’t mention what I just saw to your parents. You’re an adult now and can take responsibility for your own actions. But I hope you can successfully complete your final year of college. You’ve been smart since childhood, and you still have a long way to go in life. Don’t make mistakes.”

“Heh.”

Cheng Mingtian smiled, “Jie, thank you for making the trip.”

Cheng Mingxing frowned. If she stayed any longer, she’d lose control of her emotions. So she stood up, grabbed her bag, and said, “Take care of yourself.”

“Jie, you know what? My ma calls me every day, and nine times out of ten she mentions you, telling me how amazing you are, how you’re a restaurant manager, how much you earn, what car you drive, and how many properties you own.”

Cheng Mingtian said, “She asked me to take you as a role model.”

“But Jie, besides these, it seems like you don’t have anything else. You’ve had a crush on someone for over ten years, and you didn’t even dare to confess. I’m not like that. If I like someone, I won’t stand in the corner and peep on them. I’ll just go up to them and get them by any means necessary.”

He smiled and said, “Jie, how about we make a bet?”

Cheng Mingxing guessed what the boy was about to say. She wanted to stop him, but a voice deep in her heart, tinged with a twisted mentality, kept her silent.

“Chang Qin has no one else around him right now, so let’s make a bet on who can get him.”

Cheng Mingxing looked at the boy and said, “You’re still too young.”

“What’s wrong with being young?” Cheng Mingtian smiled, “Sorry, Jie, I forgot. Chang Qin doesn’t like women. He likes men, especially the young one you mentioned.”

The implication is that you don’t even qualify to participate. How pitiful.

Cheng Mingxing’s expression was ugly.

Cheng Mingtian uttered an ah, as if he had just remembered, “There’s something I didn’t tell you. The first time I met Chang Qin was at the xx Teahouse. When he saw me, he eagerly grabbed my arm with such force that the mark still remains.”

Cheng Mingxing gripped the strap of her bag tightly, calming herself down, “Really?”

“My parents, and XiaoShu were all there.” Cheng Mingtian shrugged, “That was my first time meeting Chang Qin. Jie has been with him for over a decade, and knows him better than I do. Do you know what he meant by doing that?”

(*XiaoShu= Little Uncle)

Cheng Mingxing said, “I’m not sure.”

Cheng Mingtian said it was a shame. He blinked and said, “Jie, leave Chang Qin to me. I’ll work hard to make him a member of the Cheng family. I’ll invite you over when the time comes, and we’ll all have a meal together to celebrate.”

Cheng Mingxing smiled and said, “Then Jie will wait and see.”

As soon as the door closed, Cheng Mingtian threw the water cup off the cabinet. He gasped angrily, “Fuck it!”

Today’s events were unexpected. There’s no point in pretending now.

Having said that, Cheng Mingtian felt a little regretful. He had been completely pretentious. Chang Qin wasn’t interested in him and refused to let anyone get close to him. How could he possibly get him so easily?

Thinking of Zhang Zhi, Cheng Mingtian’s butt hurt. He was about to smash something again, and when he picked up a watch, he remembered the price and put it back with a painful heart.

The young man Chang Qin had brought to the restaurant was gone, which was a good thing. Cheng Mingtian lay back in bed, thinking about something.

The weather changes suddenly, from sunny to cloudy, and then to windy and rainy, and the process often catches people off guard.

There was thunder outside as a man and a bird prepared to eat hot pot.

Chen You didn’t dare fly around, fearing that bird feathers would fall into the pot and ruin the soup. He was even more afraid that he would accidentally fall into the pot himself, which would then ruin more than just the soup.

Chang Qin was washing enoki mushrooms in the kitchen. He liked eating them and always had them with hot pot, with an inexplicable obsession.

Standing on the table, Chen You smelled the aroma from the pot and asked the man if it was ready, “da da da?”

Chang Qin shook the water off the enoki mushrooms and brought the plate over, “You can’t eat it.”

Chen You didn’t care and just wanted to eat.

Chang Qin pushed the black bird away and said, “Move aside, be careful not to get splashed with hot soup.”

Chen You flew onto his shoulder, calling out, “da da.”

“This thing has a layer of red chili oil floating on it. It’s strong and will give you a sore throat.” Chang Qin divided the enoki mushrooms into three portions and put one in first, “You’ve been feeling internal heat lately. Do you still want your butt?”

Chen You rolled his eyes, Gege, can we just not play like this? We’re eating hot pot, and you’re talking about butt. It’s really ruining my appetite.

Chang Qin held the dead bird in his arms every day, falling asleep and waking up to the stench, cleaning up its droppings, combing the bird’s feathers, and following it like a top, picking up fallen feathers. Now nothing could bother him.

The soup in the pot was boiling. Chang Qin picked up a piece of mutton and blew on it.

Chen You opened his mouth unconsciously.

Chang Qin glanced at the black bird and threw the mutton into his own mouth.

Chen You, “…”

He flew up to the man’s legs in anger and scratched him with his claws. I’m going to break up with you for the duration of a hot pot meal.

Chang Qin asked not to make trouble and jokingly said, “If you do, I’ll lose control and do something to a bird.”

Chen You continued to scratch. Come on! Who’s afraid of who? I’m cast aside, you think you can get unscathed? Dream on! When the time comes, you’ll see a white light, a sign of the end of the world.

Unable to bear it, Chang Qin blew on a piece of dried tofu and placed it in a small bowl, “Come up and eat.”

Chen You was immediately delighted. He excitedly flew over to the table and pecked at the dried tofu in his bowl. After taking a bite, he called out “da da” to the man who was willing to give him the dried tofu.

The enoki mushrooms cooked quickly. Chang Qin scooped some out and ate them. They had been cooked in the broth and tasted delicious. He ate with a great appetite and went to get some wine. As he turned around, he froze, “You…”

Chen You was stealing a piece of mutton from the man’s bowl. He responded unconsciously, “Hmm?”

It wasn’t bird language, it was human speech. Chen You was stunned for a moment and looked down. Oh my god, Chang Qin, look! I’ve become a human again!

Chang Qin calmed himself down and turned to turn on the air conditioner.

It wasn’t a black bird, and the fluffy bird feathers were gone. Chen You almost reached for the steaming hot pot. He hugged his arms, shivering, twisting his neck and yelling, “Where are the clothes, Chang Qin? Go get me some first! The temperature of the air conditioner will take a while to reach my level!”

Chang Qin walked quickly and turned on the air conditioner. He didn’t take any clothes, but just took a blanket, wrapped the person in it, and carried him into the bedroom.

Chen You’s dark head emerged from the blanket, two bright eyes emerging. Time was running out, and wasting it was shameful.

Chang Qin kicked the door shut. He lowered his head, his breath thick and heavy. The next second, he pressed forward, kissing the person in his arms passionately and fiercely.

Chen You smacked his lips. The taste of enoki mushrooms and mutton, delicious. He grabbed the man’s short hair. Quickly, quickly, make haste, promise me, don’t dawdle, okay? Hurry up.

Chang Qin was not tormented by Chen You’s appearance of being unable to bear in his embrace, which was very alluring. This time, the other party kept scratching him, but he was still slow and measured.

Chen You kicked the man, but without much force. When he kicked again, his foot was grabbed and he was kissed until he felt dizzy.

For a long time, the two of them stayed in the room, eating pomelo instead of hot pot.

Pomelo is highly nutritious and won’t cause internal heat, but rather can reduce it. However, the pomelo that Chang Qin ate was different. The more he ate, the hotter he became. He peeled the thick-skinned pomelo, broke it in half, and ate it all by himself.

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