How To Deal With A Tsundere Gong

Chapter 41 - Congratulations and I Love You

Cheng Xu’s hand suddenly clenched into a fist. The sword hanging above his head was finally dropping down to behead him.

At this instant, the person leaning on the bed suddenly moved and the jacket on his body slid off. The two of them let go at once and retreated.

Xu Bai Chuan quickly awakened. As soon as he faced the bed, he realized Tang Jin’s cold eyes were staring behind him. Hence, he warily turned around and locked eyes with Cheng Xu.

After parting on bad terms last time, they haven’t come across each other in a while. But Cheng Xu’s parents are quite famous. As long as one paid attention to the business circle, they would more or less be informed of their family circumstances. In fact, Cheng Xu was absent for those three months back then because of his older brother’s recent health problems. Due to this, he was no longer able to live the dissolute and unruly lifestyle of a rich young master, and began taking over the family matters step by step. Moreover, his family suddenly stressed on settling him down with a marriage.

Yet he still found the time to visit Tang Jin in such a tense period and neglected the messy things that were arising recently. It seems that many things were the same as seven years ago and haven’t changed.

Cheng Xu didn’t speak. He bent down to pick up the jacket on the floor and draped it over Xu Bai Chuan’s shoulders once again. At that moment, Xu Bai Chuan’s sharp senses felt the icy-cold atmosphere.

Tang Jin suddenly came closer and pulled off the jacket on Xu Bai Chuan’s body. He grabbed his own jacket and shook it out. “That’s dirty, wear this one.”

Even though Xu Bai Chuan didn’t think that he could no longer wear the jacket that fell on the ground, Tang Jin was stubborn. His persistent nature of not giving up until he gets his way has surfaced. Going along with him, Xu Bai Chuan slipped his arms through the sleeves. In the end, Tang Jin deliberately hugged him from behind while pulling up the zipper.

From beginning to end, Cheng Xu didn’t say a word as he silently watched this movie that had started long ago. He faintly smiled.

Being very observant, Xu Bai Chuan quickly freed himself from Tang Jin’s hold and said, “I’m buying food”, before directly leaving the hospital room.

Only two people remained in the single patient room. In one smooth motion, Tang Jin wore the remaining jacket, left the bed, walked over to the door and closed it. He turned around and asked, “Are you deaf? I asked what you were doing just now!”

Now that the critical moment has come, Cheng Xu felt strangely relaxed. After sneaking around for who knows how many years, he finally has a chance to declare his feelings in the face of others. “As you can see, I like someone who shouldn’t be liked.”

***

While carrying three servings of pumpkin congee as he walked down from the end of the hallway, Xu Bai Chuan saw two nurses pushing a pulley filled with infusion bags stopped in front of Tang Jin’s hospital room. After quickening his pace and standing before them, he heard their whispers—

“Are they fighting?”

“Should we get Doctor Tian?”

Once he heard these outrageous words, Xu Bai Chuan hurriedly pushed open the door and stared at the scene before him—Tang Jin stood by the window while Cheng Xu sat on the bed. As if it had been pushed by something, the bed was clearly angled.

When they heard the door open, both of them looked over at the same time. At once, Xu Bai Chuan realized that Cheng Xu had a bloodstain at the corner of his mouth. He was taken aback: ‘Did they really fight?’

“You guys…” Xu Bai Chuan quickly entered the room and shut the door behind him. Cheng Xu cut him off the moment he spoke—

“Xu Bai Chuan, I might be getting engaged.”

Xu Bai Chuan’s gaze swept back and forth between Tang Jin and Cheng Xu several times. Tang Jin’s body was taut and he appeared somewhat nervous. Beyond that, he could not make out the reason why. He chose a reply which couldn’t be faulted: “Congratulations.”

Cheng Xu froze. The stuffy feeling in his chest suffocated him. He slowly raised a hand to cover his eyes and let out a sound of laughter. Then he lifted his head once again. Although the corner of his lips was injured, it didn’t stop him from showing that usual grinning expression. “I said it wrong, it’s not ‘might’”. After a pause, he continued, “I am getting engaged.”

Xu Bai Chuan faintly sensed the hidden meaning between his two shifts in persona. But there was nothing he could do. His love was reserved for someone else, and not a trace of it can be poured onto others. There was naturally no need to be conceited nor self-satisfied about receiving privileges from a person who likes him. If Cheng Xu wants to seriously bid farewell, all he could do was a goodbye that was devoid of apologetic self-righteousness, condescending pity, and not mixed with any sympathy nor reminiscence.

Once again, he replied, “Congratulations.”

Tang Jin looked as if he was relaxedly standing by the window, but he had in fact, clenched his fist so tight that it had gone numb. When he heard Xu Bai Chuan’s words, his body, like a taut bowstring, slowly loosened up and his heart throbbed. A warm feeling backflowed from his stomach to his chest. It was like a jelly was settled inside his chest as it trembled and was on the verge of bursting out.

When Cheng Xu heard this congratulations, he became unusually silent. He sat idly for a while. By the time he stood up with his hands inside his pockets, he was already no different from the past. He suddenly stopped in his steps when he walked past Xu Bai Chuan. “I’ve received your blessings. Don’t come on my wedding day.” After those words, he waved his hand, bid goodbye to Tang Jin and left the room without turning his head.

Tang Jin could no longer bear the throbbing that was almost choking up his throat. In a few strides, he walked over and his burning eyes seemed to be looking at a recovered treasure that was once lost. Unable to control himself, he spread open his arms and embraced him. His low voice murmured, “Xu Bai Chuan.” He buried his head in Xu Bai Chuan’s shoulder. “Thank-you.”

Both of them were well aware what this “thank-you” was for. As his fingers unconsciously curled up, Xu Bai Chuan thought: ‘The inevitable has finally happened.’

Both he and Cheng Xu are truly in the same sinking boat. He turned down Cheng Xu’s hidden feelings with a congratulations. Meanwhile, Tang Jin exposed his with a thank-you. Needless to say, both had similar effects.

Xu Bai Chuan objectively said, “I should be the one thanking you.”

Tang Jin had seen the phrase “thank-you” countless times on this one night. A single “thank-you” concealed endless self-loathing, unwillingness and negativity. These sentiments were struggling as they consumed Xu Bai Chuan’s thoughts, yet he forcibly suppressed it.

Tang Jin felt heartache. Dissatisfied, he pulled Xu Bai Chuan tightly into his embrace once again. He said, “You shouldn’t thank me. Scold me, or hit me. That is what I deserve.”

Knitting his brows, Xu Bai Chuan refuted him. “I have no right—”

“You do!”

“I…”

Xu Bai Chuan felt that this kind of conversation was extremely meaningless like the chase they had on the streets last night. In a flash, he lost the will to continue. He raised his brows and shifted the topic, “The congee is getting cold.”

The hand on his back suddenly tightened and he stopped speaking. Still, it was not enough. Tang Jin reached out and snatched the bag from his hands. After that, he tossed it directly into the rubbish bin.

Xu Bai Chuan’s first reaction was to be dumbfounded. Then he raged and was about to flare up: ‘If you want to talk, then let’s talk. What does if have to do with the congee?’

But Tang Jin had no interest in explaining his actions at this moment. Suddenly pressing down on Xu Bai Chuan’s shoulders, his burning gaze locked onto him as he said, “Xu Bai Chuan, I don’t like you, I love you.”

Xu Bai Chuan’s eyes instantly widened. He was blank.