Chapter 22

On a weekend afternoon, Qin Weihang went to visit Zhong Jing in Lantian County. When he arrived, Zhong Jing’s wife, Mu Dan, was walking out of the villa. She opened the door with her shoulders, holding a large cardboard box with difficulty. Mu Dan looked up and saw him. She was a little surprised, laughed, and said: “Isn’t it too early?”

Qin Weihang quickly put the motorcycle key into the pocket of his denim jacket and took a few steps forward to take the box. When Mu Dan gave it to him, she said: “Be careful, it’s heavy.”

Qin Weihang took it. It was not too heavy for him and he picked it up easily. He turned around and asked Mu Dan, who was no taller than his shoulder: “Where to put it?”

Mu Dan took him to the garage. There were piles of unused things in the garage. Qin Weihang saw Zhong Jing’s climbing equipment and placed the cardboard box in the corner without saying a word.

Mu Dan was still panting, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and looked around the garage that served as half a warehouse, then said: “It’s all unnecessary things, but it’s a pity to throw them.”

Qin Weihang just listened like a young and silent bodyguard, trying to make himself non-existent.

When the two of them walked out, Mu Dan suddenly said, “Ah.” Qin Weihang stopped to look at her. Mu Dan’s gaze fell on his chest and said: “Your clothes are dirty.”

Qin Weihang was wearing a denim jacket, but it was a very special short-sleeved style. Inside was a white long-sleeved T-shirt. The cardboard box smeared his T-shirt with dust. Mu Dan stared at the dust and frowned. The child looked like he was walking out of a poster, so she felt sorry for getting him dirty.

Qin Weihang lowered his head to glance at his chest, raised his hand to pat it off, and said: “It’s fine.”

Mu Dan pointed at his elbow: “There are also some on the sleeve.”

Qin Weihang raised his arm to look at his elbow. Mu Dan patted it off for him, but it wasn’t clean enough, so she said: “Go to the bathroom and wipe it.”

Qin Weihang said no need, next time he will come wearing black clothes. Mu Dan laughed at what he said: “No need for it to be black. Or I can give you a pair of sleeves cover next time. I have a pair of pink ones, you can try them to see if you can handle this color~”

When she deliberately teased him, Qin Weihang smiled lightly.

Mu Dan felt that Qin Weihang couldn’t be at ease when in front of her. Moreover, he would restrain himself from smiling. He had always stayed as the young man who had made a mistake.

Standing in the hallway, she watched Qin Weihang lower his head to change shoes. It was still different. She thought about when she first met Qin Weihang. Back then, he was only 15 years old and was less than 1.8 meters tall. It could be said that he was a beautiful boy. Now, he was really too tall and handsome. Especially looking from the back, it seemed like a different person. He has a very powerful appearance, but he doesn’t use it. Sometimes, when she looks at him, it was inevitable that an old mother like herself to be overwhelmed; wanting to ask him what kind of girls he liked.

Qin Weihang silently walked in after changing shoes. He was always a little unable to face his teacher’s wife. Mu Dan didn’t blame him for Zhong Jing’s rock climbing accident. Every time he wanted to apologize, Mu Dan would say “I know, it’s not your fault.” It made him unable to say anything. Maybe Zhong Jing told her the truth, or maybe Zhong Jing concealed it for him.

Zhong Jing was still optimistic after the incident. He always felt that he was faking it for him, but one sentence was definitely true. The day before he was discharged from the hospital, he went to the hospital to see Zhong Jing. He saw Mu Dan come out of the ward to take Zhong Jing’s clothes to wash. She did not see him, nor did he stop her. He pushed the door and went into the ward by himself, but saw Zhong Jing lying on the bed while facing the direction of the door; his eyes were red. He only recovered after seeing Qin Weihang coming in, sighing with a smile: “Oh, the most unlucky thing in my life was falling from up there. The luckiest thing is probably meeting Xiao Dan.” After speaking, he leaned back on the pillow, looked out the window for a while, and said: “This kind of thought is pretty selfish, isn’t it?”

Zhong Jing asked him this, but he didn’t know how to answer.

Zhong Jing smiled, stretched out his hand to pat his arm. He was very weak, and the pat was light. He then said: “When you meet someone you like in the future, you have to do more for her. Don’t wait until you have no chance to make an effort, that’s too unfair.”

When he knew he no longer could walk anymore, he didn’t even shed a tear. Yet, it was when he said this sentence that Qin Weihang saw him tearing up.

He said: “Qin Weihang, when you meet someone worthy, you have to madly treat her well.”

When he said this, there was also a kind of madness in his eyes—it was called regret. Qin Weihang’s Adam’s apple rolled, and he did not say anything. He felt that day was too far away, and he had no idea what the standard for being worthy was. He might not even meet such a person in his entire life.

After Zhong Jing’s legs could not walk anymore, the company transferred him to A City, and Mu Dan quit her job to follow him there. At first, when there was no assistant, Mu Dan would push Zhong Jing to the company every day. Later, the company got on the right track, and part of Zhong Jing’s work can be done at home. That was when Mu Dan was able to go to an affiliated theater troupe, to which she now belongs to. They don’t have children, and they most likely won’t be able to. Although Zhong Jing’s annual salary as an executive was not low, and he does not need Mu Dan to work, he still wanted Mu Dan to work. His reason was something like, “Facing each other at home every day for a long time, it will lead to getting tired of each other. The feelings will also not be strong.” Mu Dan said, “I was tired of you a long time ago. It’s not like it only started recently.” But she still went to work at her theater troupe. They understood each other well; what was said out loud wasn’t the same as what was in their hearts. They won’t believe what was said out loud, but were the type that could see through each other’s thoughts.

In the past, Mu Dan drove Zhong Jing to the hospital. After Qin Weihang came to A University, he was basically the one driving Zhong Jing to rehabilitation, just like today.

Every time he took Zhong Jing to rehab and helps him in the car, Qin Weihang has to overcome a psychological obstacle. He still couldn’t get out of that sense of gap. In the past, Zhong Jing was a conqueror of the rock walls, but now he has reached the point where he needs help even in a car.

When he arrived at the side of the car, Zhong Jing stood up from his wheelchair. He deserved to be a rock climber, his hand strength was still there. He smiled and said to Qin Weihang: “Do you believe that I can climb a 5.12 with these hands right now?”

Qin Weihang believed this because it was only 5.12. Zhong Jing was able to climb a 5.15 before.

Zhong Jing propped up his body and moved onto the co-driver seat. Qin Weihang helped him lift his leg up. After putting it down, Zhong Jing lowered his head and said “Thank you” to him.

Qin Weihang did not look up at him. From beginning to end, he only sternly showed him a head and scalp. Zhong Jing smiled helplessly. The hair on both sides of Qin Weihang’s temples was always pushed a little indifferently behind his ears, it looked prickly. The scalp was also the same way.

“Do you remember the first time you took me to rehabilitation?” Zhong Jing asked jokingly.

Qin Weihang certainly remembered. That time he was coming back from the hospital. When he was getting in the car, he suddenly failed to hold himself up. He slipped off the wheelchair and fell directly onto the ground. Qin Weihang, who had just turned 18, stood by his side, stunned. He had never seen Zhong Jing so embarrassed. That was his teacher, who was originally stronger and more mature than him. He was able to guide him, care for him, and take care of him. He was the man who guided him in life until he was 18 years old. Zhong Jing was a teacher, an older brother, and a presence that was more like a father than his actual father. However, now he has become too unfamiliar.

However, in the next moment, he immediately reacted. Qin Weihang stepped forward, crouched down, and carried Zhong Jing, He put him in the co-driver seat, quickly fastened his seat belt, and closed the door. He didn’t know how long Zhong Jing had been sitting on the ground when he was in a trance, and what kind of eyes the people in the hospital were looking at Zhong Jing with. He regretted his slowness and incompetence.

Qin Weihang thought he couldn’t hold Zhong Jing, the man who, in his eyes, was as reliable as a mountain. Yet, when his arm touched Zhong Jing’s weak legs, he exploded with unexpected power. He not only was able to carry Zhong Jing, but it seemed like it wasn’t even a bit difficult at all. He once secretly envied everything about Zhong Jing, but now it was nothing to him. He has already doubled what he possessed.

Zhong Jing did not lose his cool because of the fall and from being picked up by others, but sighed with emotion: “You really have grown up. You were just this tall when I first meet you.”

Qin Weihang pretended to drive calmly and said: “That was how many years ago.”

At the time, I was not 1.8 meters tall. My whole world was seven or eight centimeters shorter. In such a world, I looked up to you and had never thought about growing up.

Qin Weihang pulled open the door from the other side and got into the car. The sound of the door closing and Zhong Jing’s voice brought him back from his thoughts.

“At the time, you shaved your head to a flattop. I thought, wasn’t this kid suppose to go to the law department, so why did it look like he was going to the gym to play basketball? Or do you think you’re too handsome, so you have to try everything? So, why did you shave your head?”

Qin Weihang drove the Mercedes out of the garage: “Wasn’t it because you told me it was hot over here?”

After Zhong Jing heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and the next second he burst into laughter. He stared at Qin Weihang who was driving seriously, with tears in his eyes. No way, this kid was too innocent. Previously, Mu Dan, Yu Ran, and himself had always wanted to see Qin Weihang fall in love, because the image must be beautiful. Now, he suddenly changed his mind. This kid better not fall in love. Zhong Jing was afraid that he will be tricked by other girls!

As the Mercedes-Benz drove out of the villa, Zhong Jing glanced at Qin Weihang who was driving, and said thoughtfully: “I’m wondering, are you so idle every day? You’re not going to school?”

Qin Weihang frowned and said: “Today is a weekend.”

Zhong Jing glanced at him. Qin Weihang’s impatience was this strong, especially in front of him. His expression looked like he was having a difficult life—as if he was going to fight his father, but also needed to remember his duty as the son. He said: “When it’s not the weekend you are still pretty idle, boy.”

Qin Weihang said: “University is originally very idle.”

Zhong Jing wanted to say something, but then he suddenly saw Qin Weihang look at the roadside, so he asked him: “What are you looking at?”

Qin Weihang didn’t expect to see An Ning in Lantian County. He was walking out of a mansion and the owner of the mansion walked An Ning to the door. The two talked for a while, and An Ning lowered his head and pushed his glasses with embarrassment. Qin Weihang felt inexplicably uncomfortable. The owner was laughing, and then gave him a paper bag for clothes. An Ning even took it and left.

Qin Weihang frowned unconsciously. Zhong Jing followed Qin Weihang’s line of sight and saw Qian Fei. He smiled understandingly: “A great beauty~”

Qin Weihang ignored him, changed gears, picked up speed, and quickly passed by An Ning who was walking on the sidewalk. He swept a glance at him with the corner of his eye.

“But the person is already married,” Zhong Jing said while leaning back in his chair. “Even has a child already. Her husband is the boss of a listed company. He passed away two years ago, so it wasn’t easy to raise the child alone.” He said this and glanced at Qin Weihang, but it’s impossible that this is your ideal type. Don’t tell me, Qin Weihang has an Oedipus complex? Just thinking about it was really a little terrifying.

Qin Weihang turned the steering wheel and said: “I just took a look, you can really be long-winded for a whole day.”

“Someone who can make you take a look isn’t easy. I’m just excited.”

Qin Weihang suddenly asked: “Then do you know who that boy is?”

Zhong Jing looked back at the boy who was left behind by the car; he was a pretty studious-looking boy. He shrugged: “I don’t know. Maybe it’s a relative, little brother, cousin, nephew, or something else. It’s all possible.”

Qin Weihang said: “They don’t look alike, how could they be relatives.”

Zhong Jing was surprised: “You can see that they don’t look alike from this far away? Why are you asking about others?”

Qin Weihang said he was casually asking. The car moved forward and drove across a puddle. Since the speed was too fast, the water splashed pretty high on both sides of the car.

Zhong Jing saw that he was distractedly driving the car very fast, so he reminded him: “Don’t drive so wildly, it only just rained at noon…” Qin Weihang didn’t respond, and Zhong Jing began to mutter, “Xiao Dan thought you were reliable enough to take care of me. She doesn’t even know that you’re taking me to rehab, so I’m constantly worried. Tell me, how many points were deducted the first time you took me to rehab…”

He didn’t even know how Qin Weihang was able to get a driver’s license. When Qin Weihang drove him, he was unable to sleep at ease. No one could sleep at ease. One time he fell asleep, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Qin Weihang changing two lanes to overtake the cars. He was so shocked that he sat up and shouted: “Hey, you can’t drive like this!” At the time, Qin Weihang even innocently asked him why. Zhong Jing couldn’t stand it and said: “Didn’t your driving school teacher teach you, why do you need me to tell you this?” After a long time, Qin Weihang said “I forgot.” He sighed and said: “You can’t forget this. This is the rule of survival in this world.” He thought to himself that this child’s world was too simple. He was a person who walked against gravity and wanted to challenge the rules. Using so many rules to restrain him, how can he remember.

Later, he learned that although Qin Weihang had gotten a driver’s license, he hadn’t driven for a long time. Qin Weihang said that he had a vehicle, but it was a motorcycle. He took a driver’s license test again to take care of Zhong Jing. After knowing this, Zhong Jing couldn’t bear to blame him anymore, but he had to watch him every time. He was really afraid that he would break the driving rules.