Chapter 28: “I Really Don’t Mind Forced Love.”
Huo Chen was silent for a moment, then spoke truthfully: “I don’t know what counts as like.”
Growing up, he had never wanted anything. Some things seemed okay to have, okay not to have. People around him came and went, and he never felt anyone was indispensable.
Also, no one had ever told him they liked him.
Except Lin Huaizhi.
He truly didn’t know what kind of emotion “like” should be, or what kind of reaction it would produce.
Sister-in-law Wu clapped her hands again.
“Great! So you kid are still a rookie!”
It was fortunate Lin Huaizhi took the camera with him when he left; otherwise, if these words were transmitted to the livestream, who knew how big a storm they would cause.
“Talking about like or dislike, explaining it in detail is really cringe-worthy. Simply put, it’s how Little Lin treats you. He’s happy seeing you, thinks of you everywhere, wants to save good things for you, and is unhappy when others are intimate with you.”
“That’s about it.”
“So do you have such thoughts about Little Lin?”
“Can’t say.”
Huo Chen really couldn’t say. It seemed to have a bit of that flavor, but upon close examination, it seemed not quite right.
“That’s fine. A young man as good as Little Lin, you’ll definitely like him before long. If you don’t like his gentle and considerate type, but like that guy surnamed Fang’s fake style, then you’re blind.”
Without waiting for Huo Chen to speak, Sister-in-law Wu went back into the room and took out a thermos bottle, two insulated buckets, and a cup.
“A cold is very uncomfortable. You go back and mix medicine for Little Lin. Let him drink some hot water, and eat something by the way. I packed quite a lot in these two insulated buckets; it should be enough for you two to eat.”
Guests had to solve their own meal problems.
The money earned from selling goods before was not only their accommodation fee but also their food expenses.
The food at the Village Chief’s house should be good; a meal cost fifteen. Lin Huaizhi didn’t take the money; he gave it all to Huo Chen. When Huo Chen prepared to pay, he suddenly understood Sister-in-law Wu’s words about Lin Huaizhi thinking of him everywhere.
Perhaps Lin Huaizhi had thought of it long ago.
Thought that even if they teamed up, they might have conflicts and wouldn’t be together all the time. So when separated, what if he was hungry?
He knew habitual command sentences, and he knew how to offend people, but he couldn’t do soft-spoken gentleness.
With his face and way of speaking, probably few farmers would be willing to let him in. But not the Village Chief’s house. The Village Chief was tactful, and Sister-in-law Wu was cold-faced but warm-hearted. He would definitely have food to eat at the Village Chief’s house.
He also wasn’t afraid of having no money to pay.
Because the seventy-five yuan Lin Huaizhi gave him was his confidence.
“What’s the money for?” Sister-in-law Wu pushed Huo Chen’s hand away. “If you and Little Lin hadn’t helped our family sell goods, who knows how ruined the stall would have been by the guy surnamed Fang. Consider this meal a treat from your sister-in-law.”
The woman pushed Huo Chen.
“Hurry back to the mud house and see how Little Lin is doing. If he feels terrible, he still needs to see a doctor. Also, if you really can’t sleep warmly at night, you two come to my house to sleep. We have plenty of beds and quilts!”
Huo Chen didn’t insist on paying.
He could read many people, and he could read Sister-in-law Wu. Sister-in-law Wu offered help partly because she knew the truth about the filming and didn’t want problems to happen here, and the rest was gratitude towards Lin Huaizhi.
As for him, Huo Chen, he was just a negligible small part of it.
simply put, Sister-in-law Wu wouldn’t take the money. Pulling back and forth here was meaningless, and he didn’t want to pull back and forth. He just wanted to see Lin Huaizhi.
Huo Chen said a dry “thank you,” then returned to the mud house.
Perhaps it was the timidity of approaching home; the closer he got to the mud house, the faster his breathing became. Until he saw the heaving figure wrapped in the cotton quilt lying on the bamboo bed board, his rapid breathing suddenly slowed down.
Like his heart finally landed on solid ground.
regarding such an emotion, Huo Chen was stunned at first, then relieved.
No matter from which angle, Lin Huaizhi was his first. The first to approach actively, the first to confess, the first to pursue.
Lin Huaizhi was indeed special.
And he was indeed relying on this specialness to attract his attention.
Huo Chen wasn’t afraid.
On the contrary, he looked forward to it, looking forward to what earth-shaking changes Lin Huaizhi would bring to his calm and boring life.
Huo Chen wanted to touch Lin Huaizhi’s forehead.
However, just as he reached out, the person who seemed to be in a deep sleep suddenly startled awake, clasping his wrist like a conditioned reflex.
Huo Chen didn’t miss the extreme aggression in those eyes.
Seeing clearly who came, Lin Huaizhi’s tense back finally relaxed. He released Huo Chen, and the vigilance and hostility in his eyes were all put away when he closed them.
“What are you doing here?”
Huo Chen withdrew his hand: “Today’s task is over. Where else would I go if not back here?”
Lin Huaizhi laughed at that, his mouth not polite either: “You could go have a deep late-night talk with Fang Mo, talk about specifically what ‘don’t care’ means.”
Pretty aggressive words, but unfortunately the voice was low and hoarse.
It sounded like acting spoiled.
Huo Chen didn’t even realize it himself; his eyes were instantly dyed with gentleness. He imitated what Lin Huaizhi had said before: “Even a condemned prisoner gets a last meal. Should I also have a chance to explain?”
Lin Huaizhi truly hadn’t expected Huo Chen to have this attitude, to say words that looked so much like showing weakness.
People who hadn’t been coaxed were actually easy to coax. A sentence that looked like showing weakness but wasn’t quite it could make him much happier.
“Fine, I give you this chance.”
“I didn’t say anything to Fang Mo. No matter what he said, it couldn’t possibly affect me.”
“That’s it?”
Huo Chen nodded: “That’s it.”
Lin Huaizhi felt a sense of powerlessness, wanting to curse but unable to, regarding this explanation: “Then your explanation is truly great. Do you want me to applaud you?”
Huo Chen naturally heard the unhappiness in his words.
“You aren’t satisfied?”
Satisfied? What was he supposed to be satisfied with? Because Huo Chen was forced by him to have no choice, giving an explanation beyond endurance, just to satisfy him?
He indeed wanted to be satisfied.
But he didn’t want this kind of satisfaction!
Lin Huaizhi wanted to scold, but seeing Huo Chen’s cold face and the trace of confusion about love in his eyes, all his dissatisfaction instantly deflated.
“You know I like you, right?”
Huo Chen didn’t know why he brought this up, but still nodded: “I know.”
Lin Huaizhi: “The emotion of liking is awkward and affected, and full of possessiveness and jealousy. I just don’t like seeing Fang Mo talking to you, nor do I like seeing you talk to him.”
“Especially when you say ‘don’t care’ to him. Don’t care about what? Don’t care about the things I did, the ‘like’ I said, or don’t care about me as a person?”
Lin Huaizhi got more agitated as he spoke.
He coughed twice, then suddenly got up and grabbed Huo Chen’s collar, dragging the person forcibly to him: “You asked me to prove my liking to you. I have proved it and am still proving it. But since you said you’d consider me, show me what considering me looks like!”
The young man’s hostility returned.
“Huo Chen, I am a person who takes things seriously. I can’t tolerate sand in my eyes. Don’t say one thing and do another. If you push me too hard, I can do anything.”
The young man pulled the man closer. Hot breath circulated between the two. The young man’s beautiful eyes were filled with madness.
“I really don’t mind forced love.”
“Nor do I mind using those dirty, shameful means to make you mine.”
Recommended Reads
