Chapter 72: Yu Fan, et al.

Yu Kaiming is really scared.

The older a man gets, the more he's afraid to die. When he was young he was willing to die with the world, now he's old and all that's left is his foul mouth.

But Yu Fan is young now, and he doesn't want to end up with the world, he just wants to kill himself. Though they were not close, Yu Kaiming knew that he had always been able to do what he said he would do, even though they had grown up together.

This was the calmest conversation Yu Fan had ever had with him. Yu Fan used to be defiantly scolding and fighting back against him when he was beaten up when he was just a little kid, but today not only did he not do anything, even his voice seemed to have no rise and fall.

Yu Kaiming sat on the sofa and watched Yu Fan look through his cell phone with apprehension. His eyes darted around, but he couldn't find anything handy, so he became even more panicked.

Yu Fan deleted all the photos of Chen Jingshen, then went through Yu Kaiming's text messages to Ji Lianyi.

After reading it he stared down somewhere for a long time in silence, telling himself over and over again that it couldn't be done, that it couldn't be done, that it wasn't worth it.

Yu Fan sat on the sofa all night, and Yu Kaiming sat next to him all night. Yu Fan clearly did not say anything, but Yu Kaiming felt that he had been standing on a steep cliff all night, and would be kicked off at any time. He was so tense that when the person next to him made a move, he immediately moved to the side with a jolt.

Good thing Yu Fan didn't give him a second glance.

It was almost dawn. Yu Fan got up and went to call Ji Lianyi, who answered a long time later, his voice haggard: "Didn't I tell you not to call me--"

"It's me." Yu Fan said, "I'm taking him to turn himself in."

Ji Lianyi reacted sluggishly for a few seconds, and then hysterically shouted, "No way! You can't go!!!"

The sound of glass breaking came from the other end of the phone, muffled and harsh. Ji Lianyi restrained her voice, every word trembled: "You want the whole world to know that you're--" She couldn't say the next words, she opened the drawer to get the pills, and threw two of them into her mouth.

"It will be kept secret over there."

"No way! No way!!! No one else can know, do you understand? Do you understand?" Ji Lianyi asks, "How much do you want?"

Yu Fan heard the sound of the pillbox and he clenched his fists before speaking after a long time, "You gave me a bank account number."

The only good thing about this is that Yu Kaiming didn't spend much of that money. He initially asked for a few thousand, until he realized the value of the car Ji Lianyi was driving, and then he asked for 800,000 dollars. The money arrived two days ago, and the game started last night, so Yu Kaiming hasn't had a chance to gamble with the money.

After calling back the money, Ji Lianyi got scared again and called again to ask him sensitively what he meant.

"The thirty thousand dollars he took before will be credited to your card one after another." Yu Fan said, "I've deleted all the photos, so I'll be fine in the future."

Ji Lianyi froze for a moment, as if reacting to the fact that this might not be all about the boy, "Then would your father--"

"I'll take him."

Yu Fan took the contents of the black bag out one by one and put them into the suitcase in front of him, "This won't get out. Don't let Chen Jingshen transfer to another school."

There was silence on the other end of the line. Just when Yu Fan thought Ji Lianyi had already hung up, he heard her say, "As soon as possible, contact me if you need help with travel expenses or other procedures. And ...... before you leave, don't let Jingshen know."

Ji Lianyi clearly sensed that her son was drifting out of her control, and she could not afford any more changes.

Yu Kaiming, like a dream of wealth and prosperity, suddenly woke up and dared not speak out in anger after the money was transferred.

He did knock this one a little too hard, though, and after a tense night, he instead had a feeling of having been robbed of his life.

Yu Fan went into the bathroom to wash his face and came out to go back to his room, Yu Kaiming hurriedly said, "How long are you going to take my cell phone? This is called misappropriation of other people's property, don't you know?"

"Oh, then you call the police on me."

"......"

"There's a limit to my patience, Yu Kaiming. you go looking for someone you shouldn't, and we're done for." Yu Fan said coldly, "Pack up your things and you'll get them back when you leave."

-

The third hour after not receiving Yu Fan's reply, Chen Jingshen went out to look for someone. But he was stopped at the door.

"I'm not feeling well." Ji Lianyi said to him, "I've contacted Dr. Xu, so I'll go there now, and it just so happens that tomorrow and the next two days are weekends, so you can accompany Mom."

Dr. Xu is Ji Lianyi's psychiatrist, who once helped Ji Lianyi out of the pain of a failed marriage, and now has to go to the next city because of work scheduling.

"You go first. I've got an appointment, I'll take the high-speed train to catch up after the meeting." Chen Jingshen said.

He had just taken a step out when his shirt was pulled.

"Come with me first, and I'll see you when you get back." Ji Lianyi looked at him with a pale face and said frankly, "Jingshen, mom is in pain now."

Chen Jingshen did not say anything, after a period of silence in the entrance hall, he stepped out of the door on one side, the sentence "I will go over as soon as possible" has reached the edge of his mouth, the cell phone suddenly vibrated.

[-: Fell asleep. What's the point of sending so many messages, hypnotizing?]

Chen Jingshen didn't know when his taut nerves had loosened up. He lowered his head and returned a message, briefly talking about his trip out of town for the next two days before looking up to the people in the room, "Let's go."

This time, he left suddenly, and Chen Jingshen spent almost the whole night on the highway. In the middle of the journey, he took out his cell phone a few times, and Ji Lianyi would sensitively look towards him: "Can you put it away? It's too bright, I can't sleep."

It was already dawn when we arrived at our destination. After arriving at the hotel room, Chen Jingshen washed his face in the bathroom and suddenly heard Ji Lianyi's voice from next door. The soundproofing of the hotel was so good that he could only vaguely hear the phrase "no".

Chen Jingshen's movement was a beat, without even drying his face, he went to the next door and rang the doorbell. There was no response from inside the room. Chen Jingshen waited for two minutes, then turned around, intending to ask the receptionist to bring a spare room card, when the door opened with a click.

Ji Lianyi walked out bloodless, somehow she seemed to be in worse shape this time than before.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Heard a little noise." Chen Jingshen swept his eyes down to the cell phone she held, "On the phone?"

"No." Ji Lianyi denied almost subconsciously, then whispered, "Had a video conference. It's been too busy to go to the company, and there's been a bit of a mess over there."

6:00 a.m. Videoconferencing?

Chen Jingshen didn't say anything, just lowered his eyes and looked at her quietly. Ji Lianyi's heart palpitating feeling came up again, reached out and put her hand on his back, "Let's go, the driver is waiting downstairs."

The clinic was only hosting Ji Lianyi's one guest today. Chen Jingshen sat alone on the bench outside the clinic, his hands hanging casually between his legs, lost in thought.

The last time Ji Lianyi was sick was when she found out her husband was cheating on her. She is a perfectionist and being in control of others is what gives her a sense of security. She couldn't accept her failed marriage and bad husband, and for a long time after that, her control over Chen Jingshen had reached a horrible level.

She has to make sure that Chen Jingshen is in her sight at all times, and whatever Chen Jingshen touches and whatever happens has to be done under her nose.

This didn't get better until after she underwent lengthy counseling and was finally able to return to work.

Why has it suddenly gotten worse again in the last few days?

Chen Jingshen staring somewhere, not finding a clue.

He took out his cell phone and looked at the time, eight o'clock, someone should still be dreaming. Consultation time would be a while away, Chen Jingshen clicked on the only entertainment software, intending to brace his spirit.

Instead, I see Gluttony online friend 1 with the nickname "-".

Chen Jingshen paused, and withdrew to send a message.

[s:?

It took about ten minutes for the other end to return.

[ -: Don't bother. In broken record.]

[S: Go back and break it for you.]

[-: ...... roll.]

[-: Playing a game, don't send messages to disturb me.]

Chen Jingshen finally smiled and cut back to the game to watch the battle.

It was already Monday afternoon when I returned to South City. After two consecutive days of psychotherapy, Ji Lianyi's condition had not improved significantly.

Ji Lianyi told the driver to drive the car directly to the school, before Chen Jingshen got off the car, Ji Lianyi called out to him and said that she had to go back to the company to deal with something that had been dragging on for a long time, so she might not be able to come to the school, and told him to go home on time.

It was class time, and there were only a few classes in the playground that had gym class.

Chen Jingshen Hefted the shoulder strap of his school bag and was just about to walk towards the school building when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.

He frowned as he took a step.

-

Yu Fan leaned against the railing of the rooftop of the library and looked down. The library wasn't built high, but it was in a good location, so you could see all of South City's seven middle schools at a glance.

He purposely picked class time to come over, and once he came, he went up to the rooftop. The original intention was that it was far away, the senior teaching building couldn't be seen, he could wait here for Zhuang Fangqin to finish his class without fear, but when he really stood here, he couldn't help but look toward the sixth floor of the senior teaching building.

You're back today, aren't you? Are you taking lessons? Or studying for a test? Or taking a test?

Just as he was lost in thought, a sharp whistle suddenly sounded downstairs, Yu Fan thought he had been discovered and immediately turned around and crouched down.

After waiting for a while with no movement, he half crouched up to see that it was just the gym teacher calling back the students who had skipped class to go to the cafeteria.

This gym teacher also took their class, and this whistle was often blown for him.

Yu Fan let out a breath and simply sat down with his back against the wall, reaching into his pocket to pull out a cigarette, then stopped immediately when he heard the "creak" of the rooftop iron door.

Thinking it was a campus police patrol, he lazily looked up to see.

And then saw the man whose name he couldn't even think of.

Yu Fan's legs were bent over, and he hadn't even sat down yet. Full of stunned faces, he looked at the other party walking over.

Before he could make any reaction, Chen Jingshen had already walked up to him and squatted down, reaching out to forcefully break his jaw upwards.

Chen Jingshen's fingers touched the edges of a few Band-Aids on his neck, and Yu Fan snapped back to his senses, reaching out to block them.

Chen Jingshen didn't pull the band-aid off, and feeling the low temperature of Yu Fan's fingertips, he asked, "How did it hurt."

"...... cat scratched." Yu Fan opened her mouth only to realize that her voice was excessively muffled, probably because she hadn't spoken much in the past two days.

"Why here? Skipped class?" Chen Jingshen asked.

"Just got back from a rabies shot."

How can someone who usually fights and gets full of injuries and doesn't want to go to the hospital get vaccinated for being scratched by a cat.

Yu Fan had always preferred to look elsewhere when he usually made up lies, but his gaze had been on his face when he said these few nonsense words.

Chen Jingshen was silent for a few seconds, pressing the edge of the band-aid he had picked up back down. Then he raised his hand and pushed Yu Fan's hair back, sweeping it across his face.

"Did you do it again?" Chen Jingshen asked in a low voice.

"......"

Emotions nearly broke the bank. Yu Fan clenched his teeth for a moment, tensing his jaws so much that they bulged. He finally spoke the truth: "No, there was a couple arguments."

Chen Jingshen hmmm'd and rubbed his fingers in his hair, "Bear with me a little longer, it's the last two semesters."

"......"

Her throat was so dry and sore, Yu Fan was glad that after two days, the swelling in her eyes had gone down, "When did you get back, why don't you go to class?"

"Just came to school." Making sure there were no other injuries on his body, Chen Jingshen let out a tired sigh of relief, "I accompanied my mom to the clinic in the past two days."

"Is ...... serious?"

"It was much better when I got back, I just have to go regularly."

Yu Fan's throat rolled, and it took a long time before he let out an oh.

Chen Jingshen frowned at him for a moment. Yu Fan didn't usually talk much, but he was rarely like this, his face pale and lifeless.

He touched his forehead and reached up to twist his ear.

"What are you doing?" Yu Fan went to grab his wrist.

"See if you have a fever." Chen Jingshen said.

"......"

On a normal day, Yu Fan would have already thrown his hand away, but not today, he held Chen Jingshen's wrist and put it back on his head.

Chen Jingshen was stunned and smoothly reached in to rub him, suddenly in a better mood.

He smelled the faint odor of tobacco on Yu Fan and asked, "Why are you smoking."

"Can't help it." Yu Fan looked at him, "Don't smoke when it's in front of you."

"Don't smoke it even if I'm not there."

It's hard. Yu Fan thought.

I wasn't addicted to it, but I've been like crazy for the past two days, and I want to touch it whenever I'm free.

The bell rang, and Yu Fan woke up as if in a dream: "Physics next period, you can go back."

"Memorized my class schedule?" Chen Jingshen asked.

"Maybe? Only remember this section."

"You."

"Going to make a trip to the Visitor's Qin office ...... went out Friday afternoon to surf the net and she caught me."

"I'll walk you there."

"No need." Yu Fan licked her lips, "Next gym class, going to the office now is also a punishment. I'll sit for a while and then go."

Chen Jingshen said, "Then I'll wait for you."

"Don't." Yu Fan brushed his hand away, "It's not like it's on the way."

Chen Jingshen was silent for a long time and compromised, "Then you go early."

Yu Fan nodded his head. In the next second, the back of a warm hand was pressed against the side of his face, testing his body temperature one last time.

Determining that his temperature was normal, Chen Jingshen said, "I'm not in a hurry to go back today, I'll meet you in the classroom later."

Next to the rooftop was a large stereo, and the class bell boomed so loudly it could numb the ears of those around it.

Yu Fan blinked and suddenly whispered over the jarring music, "Chen Jingshen."

"Hmm?"

Let's elope.

"...... Kiss me."

The music played for ten seconds. Yu Fan was held by his face and kissed quietly for ten seconds. He smelled the minty scent of Chen Jingshen's body. It was clear that he hadn't seen Chen Jingshen for only two days, but he felt that there was a long, long distance between them.

Yu Fan propped his hand on his side, his nails dug into his flesh. His mind had been a mess for the past two days, and in this moment it seemed to have all emptied out.

He was kissed and released, and in a trance he heard Chen Jingshen whisper to him, "Wait for me after school."

-

Class 1 always finishes later than the other classes. In the last class, Chen Jingshen looks out frequently.

No one at the railing, no one at the wall, no one at the door.

He took out his cell phone and sent a message to the person at the top: [Drag class. You do your homework first.]

There was a delay in replying.

Chen Jingshen's temples were throbbing for a while, he always felt that something was not right, and it was difficult to concentrate on the questions. The time of procrastination has been extended to twenty minutes, and when Chen Jingshen was looking at his cell phone for the third time, his heart jumped, he suddenly picked up his bag and got up, and went out of the classroom in the eyes of the whole class and the teacher's questioning voice.

He finally reacted to what went wrong. The moment he appeared on the rooftop, Yu Fan's reaction was completely off, shocked, bewildered, as if he hadn't expected to see himself at all.

There were a lot of people who stayed for study hall at noon, but basically none in the afternoon. Everyone rushes to eat and shower before returning to class to study.

So when Chen Jingshen arrived at the classroom of class seven, it was empty, only silence remained.

This kind of scene Chen Jingshen is not unheard of. But today seems to be emptier than ever.

He walked to the last table in the classroom and quietly lowered his eyes to it.

Usually this desktop is covered with textbooks from the last class, half-done papers, and a pen that I often forget to cap. The belly of the table is also a mess, papers and exercise books are mixed together, every time the class or hand in homework to turn over half a day.

But at this moment, the desk is empty.

Chen Jingshen stood motionless beside the desk for an unknown amount of time before pulling out the chair next to him and sitting down. He drew a random paper from his book bag, lifted his pen and began to make a rough draft.

Occasionally take out your cell phone to look at it and dial a call. Put it down again and keep doing it.

The setting sun beat down on his stiff, straight back and stayed silent with him.

There was a voice from the back door, and Chen Jingshen turned back with a lurch of his pen.

Zhuang Fangqin stood there with a complicated expression. They looked at each other for a long time before Zhuang Fangqin spoke out, "Why don't you go home?"

"Wait for Yu Fan," Chen Jingshen said.

Zhuang Fangqin has a tired face after a day of class. The cheeks seem to have water stains that have not dried.

She looked at the stubborn and cold expression on the teenager's face, gripping the textbook in her hand with such difficulty that she continued to speak.

"...... Go back, no need to wait."

"Yu Fan has dropped out of school."