Hearing those words, Qingqing finally couldn’t hold back anymore. He clenched his fists and said in a low voice, “Young Master Cheng, we have nothing to do with each other anymore! What I do is none of your business!” He glanced behind the man. “Your wife is coming over, are you sure you want to make a scene?”
Cheng Yanzhou’s face turned cold, knowing that this was not the right place to cause trouble. Qingqing quickly turned around and grabbed Wen Shu’s wrist. “Let’s go.”
Wen Shu stared at Qingqing for a moment but let himself be led away. Watching them walk off together, Cheng Yanzhou felt a surge of anger and jealousy. He quickly stepped in front of them and whispered in Wen Shu’s ear, “He was my kept pet, carefully trained and very expensive. If you don’t have the money, you’d better leave him.”
Seeing Qingqing’s eyes devoid of the love they once held for him infuriated Cheng Yanzhou.
He smugly expected Wen Shu to react with shock or despair, but instead, Wen Shu’s fist came crashing into his face.
The sound of the punch echoed around them, drawing gasps from the surrounding crowd.
Despite his usual gentle demeanor, Wen Shu turned into a different person when he fought—powerful and fierce. His punch was precise and heavy, causing blood to trickle from Cheng Yanzhou’s mouth.
Qingqing was stunned. Before anyone else could react, he grabbed Wen Shu’s wrist and hurriedly pulled him away, urging, “Let’s go quickly!”
Cheng Yanzhou staggered and fell, dazed and unable to react for a long time. By the time he wanted to call for help, Qingqing had already led Wen Shu far away.
After the movie and shopping, the sky had turned dark, and the air was filled with the aroma of food, indicating dinner time.
Qingqing, lacking stamina, was panting heavily by the time they reached the ground floor, his body drenched in sweat. Wen Shu, on the other hand, seemed relaxed, not even out of breath. He pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Qingqing to wipe his sweat.
The handkerchief, clean and fragrant, showed how much Wen Shu valued cleanliness.
Qingqing stared at his outstretched hand but didn’t take the handkerchief. Instead, he summoned the courage to look Wen Shu in the eyes. “Do you like me?”
Wen Shu’s features weren’t exceptionally striking, but his clear eyes gave him a comforting look. He answered, “Yes.”
Qingqing let out a bitter smile. “I’m not worthy of your affection.”
Wen Shu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he remained silent.
Qingqing spoke in a hoarse voice, “The man just now… his name is Cheng Yanzhou. He kept me for two years.”
Although Wen Shu had suspected it, hearing it confirmed still made his eyes widen. He had never dealt with such a situation before. For the past few years, he had been either training or on missions in the military, never having dated. Qingqing was the first person to make his heart race.
Despite his disappointment, Wen Shu struggled to remain calm. “Was there… some reason for it?”
Qingqing, feeling a mix of self-loathing and defiance, replied, “No, there wasn’t. It was for money. You know my family’s situation. The Heitu Mountains are remote and poor. My parents worked hard to send me to the central city to study, scraping together living expenses. They gave me enough to get by if I lived frugally, maybe even taking a part-time job to earn extra. But…” Qingqing clenched his fists, his body tensing as he faced his flaws in front of this man, “I was dazzled by the big city, all the beautiful things, clothes, accessories that I couldn’t afford. I was vain. I wanted to be like the other young people in the city, so I sold myself.”
“My money didn’t come from winning the lottery like I told my parents. It came from sleeping with men!” Qingqing hadn’t intended to cry or show vulnerability, knowing it was a choice he made and he had no one to blame. Yet, tears streamed down his face.
If he could, he would give anything to undo that decision, preferring hardship over what he did.
He wished he could have met Wen Shu as a clean, pure person.
Wen Shu was stunned, watching the tears roll down Qingqing’s cheeks. After a moment, he couldn’t help but use his handkerchief to wipe them away.
Qingqing stepped back, avoiding his gentle touch, and gritted his teeth. “This is who I am. I’m not as perfect or pure as you think, so please don’t look for me anymore. I don’t deserve you.” He took the bags from Wen Shu, wiped away his tears, and forced a bright smile. “Thank you for watching the movie and shopping with me, and for helping me. I feel lucky to know you, but… we shouldn’t see each other anymore.”
“Qingqing…”
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