Chapter 21: Huo Zong Drunk and Being Stubborn

Chapter 21: Huo Zong Drunk and Being Stubborn

Jiang Fengmian clutched his phone, tears streaming down his face again. He said with grievance, "Why didn't Huo Zong tell me? He must think I'm annoying."

"Fengmian, the outside world is more dangerous than you think. Think about what happened that day. Huo Zong contacted me very late."

Jiang Fengmian's ears turned red. He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and said hoarsely, "Huo Qilin hit my waist with his knee. Huo Zong didn't understand, so I demonstrated."

What a beast!

No wonder Huo Zong couldn't sleep and had to call him over. Jiang Fengmian was clueless and didn't realize it was sexual harassment.

"Fengmian, these are very dangerous things. Here, watch this video."

Dr. Li played a documentary about sexual harassment cases, covering both verbal and physical aspects.

Jiang Fengmian's face stiffened. He suddenly felt like a sexual harasser.

Help, Huo Zong wouldn't misunderstand, would he?

"Fengmian, do you understand now?"

"Uh-huh."

Dr. Li breathed a sigh of relief, wiping away nonexistent cold sweat. If he couldn't teach this properly, his reputation would be ruined.

"Good, when Huo Zong comes back, talk to him. He will protect you."

After seeing Dr. Li off, Jiang Fengmian's mood sank even lower.

Huo Zong already had emotional apathy. His clinging must have been very troubling for him.

Jiang Fengmian curled up among a pile of stuffed animals, silently crying. No matter how much he liked Huo Zong, he couldn't act like that.

The shirt that carried Huo Zong's scent had also been sent away. He rubbed his forehead, trying to draw the cold woody fragrance from the white kitten plush.

But there was nothing.

***

"Sir, the little master hasn't come down from his bedroom."

Huo Zong paused while adjusting his cufflinks. He acknowledged and walked to Jiang Fengmian's bedroom door.

He knocked three times, but there was no response from inside.

Huo Zong tentatively tried the door. It wasn't locked. He walked in quietly. Jiang Fengmian was curled up on the bed without a blanket, clutching the mechanical butterfly he had given him.

His eyelids were slightly swollen, and there seemed to be tear stains at the corners of his eyes.

[Huo Zong: Dr. Li, did you come to the house?]

[Dr. Li: Yes, Fengmian was very upset, crying and asking if I hated you. I showed him our chat records. He wasn't crying when I left.]

He wasn't crying? He had cried himself to sleep.

[Huo Zong: Understood.]

"Aunt Wang, make some porridge and keep it warm."

Huo Zong didn't touch the full table of dishes. He drank some water, opened the first page of "Desire Restraint," and touched the words "restraint."

As the book closed, a strand of hair seemed to flash by.

***

Jiang Fengmian woke up rubbing his head, the window was gloomy, with no glimpse of daylight, the oppressive weather made him feel suffocated.

The dark clouds pressed down, and he seemed to return to that dilapidated hut, where his uncle casually tossed him a moldy bun, which was his food for the entire day.

It was 8:17, he had slept for almost a full day and night.

His stomach was screaming in pain, Jiang Fengmian bit his lip, curled up and pressed hard on his belly.

It hurt so much, he missed Huo Zong, wanted Huo Zong to rub it for him.

After a long while, Jiang Fengmian laughed at himself, Huo Zong probably wouldn't care for him anymore.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Little master, are you up?"

With the knocking, a few colorful paper flowers fell at the door, Aunt Wang glanced at them, they seemed to be from some packaging, not noticed during cleaning, and casually threw them into the nearby trash bin.

"I'm up."

"Little master, you haven't eaten all day, the master ordered porridge to be made for you, have some."

Jiang Fengmian hummed in response, eating small bites, almost forcing himself to swallow.

He put down the bowl, somewhat puzzled when the blanket was turned out, did he have a blanket when he fell asleep yesterday, it seemed not.

Jiang Fengmian suddenly got up, turned back and forth, and found a few more sticky notes on the bedside table.

Still stick figures, the taller one holding something in hand, blurred.

The abruptly appearing arrow didn't know what it was for, there was a wall in front of the arrow, Jiang Fengmian studied it for a long time but still didn't understand.

"Aunt Wang, has Huo Zong gone to work?"

"He went back to the old house, today is the day to offer incense to the madam."

April seventh, Sheng Lan's birthday, every year at this time, Huo Qing would celebrate for her, even though she has been gone for more than twenty years, everything remains the same.

Crack.

A muffled thunder sounded outside.

Jiang Fengmian shivered all over, he sat cross-legged on the sofa, silently tightened his arms, and curled up into a ball.

Old house.

The door of the memorial hall was slightly ajar, the Huo family was neatly offering incense in the room, except for Huo Zong.

Enveloped in sandalwood, Huo Zong lowered his gaze, his mind echoing with Huo Qing's extremely cold words.

"You only bring her disaster, if you dare to step into this room, she will never rest in peace."

A blunt knife cut into the flesh, the heart ached.

His gaze passed through the gap of the door, fell on the memorial tablet, his throat moved, but he did not move half a step.

"Huo Zong, you only bring unrest to this family, you are not qualified to offer her incense, if she knew, she wouldn't like you."

He had always known that no one in this world truly liked him.

Huo Zong remained silent in front of her memorial altar, unwilling to get angry, stubbornly standing there for a long time, enduring Huo Qing's insults.

As the last bit of incense ash fell, Huo Zong moved his feet, kowtowing through the door.

The wine glass was filled with red wine prepared for her, and from Huo Qing's words, Huo Zong pieced together her image.

She loved wearing sharp business suits, enjoyed red wine, and was a strong woman.

Huo Zong held the wine glass, downing the full glass of red wine in one gulp, brushing past Huo Qing, and whispered, "All these years, it's you who never let her go."

A loud thunderclap.

Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating Huo Zong's ambiguous expression.

The rain poured down, and Huo Zong's head grew increasingly heavy. He stepped into the puddles, his heart chillingly cold.

The clock ticked away, and Jiang Fengmian looked up for the fifth time before there was any movement at the door.

He ran barefoot to the door, and what met his eyes was a drenched Huo Zong.

In Huo Zong's eyes were emotions Jiang Fengmian couldn't understand, a mix of grievance and confusion. The water droplets hanging from his eyelashes fell like crystal-clear tears, directly into Jiang Fengmian's heart.

"Huo Zong."

The next moment, Huo Zong raised his hand and tightly embraced Jiang Fengmian, his chin resting on Jiang Fengmian's shoulder, his warm breath spraying on his neck, scaldingly intense.

"Jiang Fengmian."

"Yes."

In an instant, Jiang Fengmian caught a whiff of strong alcohol, and the arm around his waist tightened even more, almost pressing Jiang Fengmian into his very bones.

Huo Zong was drunk.