(any k-pop fans...?)
Because the call broke off halfway, when Wu called back Shuai's phone is unreachable, Wu's heart clenched, he threw the blueprints into the architect's arms and rushed to the clinic. There were times where he couldn't contact Shuai too, but he wasn't as anxious as he was this time, it's almost as if he sensed something wrong, he needed to make sure that Shuai was safe.
Finally, he made it to the clinic, Wu closed his car door and walked in.
Shuai was sitting beside his desk, all limbs attached, his head hung low, not sure what's he's doing.
Wu was relieved but angry at the same time, then he flared up, 'Why didn't you pick up my calls? I thought something happened to you! Fuck, I'm worried to death! Next time you...'
When Shuai lifted up his head, Wu saw his face, he couldn't continue his sentence anymore. He has never seen Shuai this dispirited before, his eyes looked as if they were covered by thick fog, making Wu feel depressed for no reason.
'What's wrong?' Wu probed carefully.
Shuai tried hard to regain his old self, 'Nothing!'
Wu walked over to his side slowly, he sat in front of Shuai and looked right into his eyes, 'Shuai, you can't do this to me, when we just met, I told you all of my dark histories.'
Shuai said, 'Then tell me your safe's password.'
Wu chocked, he spoke after a while.
'That's a different matter.'
Some happiness finally crept back to Shuai's face.
Under Wu's persistent questioning, Shuai's defensive fencing was being torn down, he finally confessed.
'He came to find me again.'
He? Wu thought for a while, 'The person you're saying, don't tell me, it's the...Li Tao?'
'Meng Tao,' Shuai corrected.
'Yes yes, Meng Tao,' Wu looked shocked, 'It's really him?'
Shuai mentioned this person to Wu before, he also told Wu their past, not in detailed and Wu has forgotten most of it already, he just remembered this man betrayed Shuai.
'That's great!' Wu slammed the desk, then said excitedly, 'Didn't you say in the past? One day, you will have your revenge. Now you finally got your chance! What are you waiting for? You have...'
Seeing Shuai's expression getting worse, Wu was forced to keep his mouth shut.
After a moment of silence, Shuai simply said, 'Those people whom you can talk with great anger at their backs, normally, are those who you're most vulnerable in front of.'
'You don't still have feelings for him, right?' Wu couldn't fathom, 'He treated you like that!'
Shuai chortled bitterly, 'They're long gone.'
'Then why are you so miserable over this matter?'
Shuai replied, 'I don't know, I'm just upset with myself.'
Not sure why seeing Shuai in this state, the first thing that Wu was reminded of is Chi.
'I just don't understand, what are you guys thinking? Look at me, how deep Yue Yue hurt me in the past, but now? Didn't she just jump right into the grave she dug!'
Shuai then finally realized, Wu is really an unbreakable rock, his strength is remarkable.
Wu then added, 'How did you educate me back then? Egg, it's a food if you break into it from the outside, but it's life when you break out from the inside. I have broke and walked out from the shell, are you going to let someone else cook you alive?'
As expected from this teacher-apprentice pair, what Wu has said have penetrated deeply into Shuai's heart.
'Okay, I know, you should go back to work,' Shuai's tone has been lifted.
Wu refused to leave, 'I need to be by your side until you have overcome this problem!'
'Don't!' Shuai immediately turned down that idea, 'I'm afraid that another problem will arise before I can solve this one, you really need to leave, I will just struggle for just a while, just a while...'
He was pushing Wu out as he was talking.
Who knew, Wu pulled Shuai in for a hug, a tight one.
'Shuai, when I'm having difficulties, you're the one encouraging me by my side. Now that you have a crisis, how can I leave you behind? Don't say anything anymore, I'll always be by your side!'
Guo went out for a while, he bumped into this situation when he was back.
Two handsome men hugging each other, Wu's hand was constantly rubbing the back of his Shuai's head.
'Thank you for taking care of him, you can return him back to me now.'
Guo stretched his hand out to Wu, hinting that he should return Shuai into his arms.
Wu looked at Guo with high alert, 'I don't think I should hand Shuai over to you.'
'Trust me, he's better with me than with you,' he lifted his chin hinting Wu should really let Shuai go.
Wu didn't want to let go, 'Why is that so?'
'Your butt is too soft,' Guo suddenly blurted out.
Wu was stunned, don't tell me Guo saw my butt when Shuai was examining it? Fuck me, is it? Isn't that in a restaurant? Uh...that's Guo's restaurant...
While Wu was busy blanking out, Guo forcefully pulled Shuai out of Wu's embrace.
'I can protect Shuai, don't sweat it, you should worry about yourself!'
Wu lashed back, 'What should I worry about? It's just an examination, I'm proud of my butt! You can tell Chi all you want! Aren't you very good at sowing discord? Let me tell you what, you can break the two of us apart, you can be with Chi and I'll pair up with Shuai.'
Shuai's head is exploding, what is what? I can't even be sad in peace!
Guo pinned the enemy down with a move.
'If I were to make up stories about you and Yue Yue, I might succeed in that.'
Wu's expression changed, 'What...what do you mean?'
Before he even hears the answer, he retreated three steps back.
Bang!
The door was shut before him.
What else could it mean? Isn't that obvious! It's broad daylight, what is a lightbulb doing here?
(lightbulb in Chinese can also be used to describe third wheelers)
After the door was shut, Shuai tried to free himself from Guo's embrace but failed.
Guo looked at him angrily, 'You can let him hug you, but not me?'
'Yes!'
Guo isn't angry and he doesn't let go, he let out a smirk, 'From now on, I'll move into here.'
Shuai glared at him, 'You...'
Guo dunked his head in for a peck on Shuai's cheek, then he gladly receives a slap in his face.
........
Wu's blood was still blooding when he was driving back! It was caused by his nervousness, not sure if he's mad at someone kicking him out, or he's worried about Guo knowing his stuff. Then he remembered how discouraged Shuai was, then it linked to Chi and Shuo, then Wu was again dispirited.
After returning to his office, he found out that while he was gone for a while, there are more things for him to do, then by the time he finishes, it's already dark outside. When Wu saw the hour hand on the wall clock pointing at 7, he then remembered he was supposed to pick Chi from work.
When Wu finally rushed to Chi's company, he was just walking out of the building, and beside him were an old man and a woman. The woman looks at his early 20's, she looks rather mundane, lucky her, based on Wu's current mood, if she were to look pretty he might accelerate and drive right into her.
The other two went into a car, Chi walked towards Wu's car.
Just as he stepped into the car, he saw Wu resting the upper part of his body on the steering wheel, fatigue can be spotted all over his face.
'Let's change seats, I'll drive.'
Wu drifted down the car like a soul, swung open the passenger door, set his butt on the seat, he arched his head back and shut his eyes, not talking at all.
Normally when Chi drives, he would drive at a very high speed, but seeing Wu so tired today, he deliberately slowed down, really slowing down, he could even drive around a small pebble on the road.
After a moment of silence in the car, Wu finally spoke.
'You say, are things which you can't own and those you lost are the best?'
Chi simply replied, 'I guess so.'
Wu's heart dropped, I'm so done for, I got none of them.
Chi peeked a glance at Wu, although it's quite dark in the car, Chi can tell that Wu is really depressed. Ever since he got into the car, he can feel something amiss about Wu, but he didn't make it very obvious.
Actually, what Wu was worrying about is his place in Chi's heart.
Seeing Wu acting like this, there's an indescribable feeling in Chi's heart. His emotions hardly ever sway because of human behaviour, even when his family cries in front of him he will just feel annoyed for a second. But for every single facial expression that Wu does, it feels like a small needle pricking at his heart. He doesn't really care how ignorant Wu acts usually, but he can't tolerate Wu looking anywhere near miserable.
He searched for an empty space, then stopped the vehicle.
Wu's body shot forward, he didn't have the chance to hold onto something, Chi's huge arms have already wrapped around him, Wu's cheeks were stinging from the pinching.
'What are you thinking about?' Chi asked.
Wu wanted to free his face from Chi's claws, but ended up getting pinched once again, he has no energy to vent his anger anymore so he grimly replied, 'Nothing.'
Chi asked, 'Then why are you acting so lethargically?'
Wu stretched his eye lids, 'I'm tired.'
After saying that, he didn't only not receive something heart-warming, his balls are being pinched by the claws, then came another undeniable command, 'Don't be like this, cheer up!'
Wu's cried out of pain, 'I'm tired!'
'I don't care if you're tired, straighten your back, open your eyes wide!'
Wu was gritting his teeth in anger, who does things like this? He's forcing me to be energetic even after I've said I am tired!
There's just this 'amazing' person, called Chi, just to let himself feel better inside, he forced someone else to look happy from outside.