LCFM Chapter 17

Jiang Xinghuai leaned against the door, fists clenched tight. With each breath, tears streamed down in streaks. He raised his hand and coldly wiped them away.

He would not shed a single tear for this heartless man, Fu Yan.

But more streaks of tears came streaming down.

“Damn it!” Jiang Xinghuai lowered his head, yanked up the hem of his shirt, and pressed hard against his eyes.

“Jiang Xinghuai.” Fu Yan knocked on the door outside.

Jiang Xinghuai sniffled, gritted his teeth, and stayed silent. Mainly because he was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would bawl out loud in one cry.

Being cast aside was one thing, but he couldn’t lose face on top of it.

“Let me in, let’s talk.” Fu Yan’s voice came again from beyond the door.

Talk your damn ball.

Talk about what! What’s there to talk about! Talk about how he’d once again been tossed aside like something disposable!

Furious, Jiang Xinghuai kicked at the door, and a sharp, tearing pain shot through his knee.

“Ah—” A cold sweat instantly broke out across Jiang Xinghuai’s forehead. Hugging his leg, he crouched down.

Damn! He’d kicked with the wrong leg!

“Jiang Xinghuai!” Fu Yan’s voice now carried anger and sternness. “I’m coming in.”

Jiang Xinghuai hurriedly reached out to hold the door shut.

But it was useless. Fu Yan, with just one hand, easily pushed the door open.

Jiang Xinghuai sat on the ground, looking utterly disheveled. When he saw Fu Yan looking over, he immediately turned his head away, refusing to look at him.

“How’s your leg?” Fu Yan frowned, squatting in front of him.

“What’s it got to do with you?” Jiang Xinghuai hugged his leg tightly, not letting him see.

Fu Yan said nothing. He stood up, turned around, and walked out the door.

Jiang Xinghuai was dumbfounded. After realizing, he clenched his teeth so hard they ached, then got up limping and sat on the edge of the bed.

He was wearing Zhu Gaofei’s big pair of shorts, the kind that ended above the knees.

At this moment, it was clear that the bandaged area on his knee was already seeping blood.

He tried lifting his leg. He immediately grimaced and clenched his teeth in pain.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

Jiang Xinghuai recognized Fu Yan’s footsteps and quickly tightened his expression.

Fu Yan appeared at the doorway carrying a small medical kit.

“I’m not going to talk to you anymore.” Jiang Xinghuai turned his body aside, not giving him even a glance. “Hurry up and leave.”

Fu Yan squatted down in front of him, reaching out to press lightly on his wound: “Does it hurt?”

“It hurts, hurts, hurts!” Jiang Xinghuai shouted in rapid succession.

Right after shouting, he realized and quickly clamped his mouth shut.

Fu Yan sighed, then pulled something warm from his chest. He very gently pressed it against Jiang Xinghuai’s cheek.

“What?” Jiang Xinghuai stiffly asked.

“A rice ball.” Fu Yan said, “I just made it.”

“I won’t eat your stuff.” Jiang Xinghuai said with backbone.

Fu Yan withdrew the rice ball and tucked it back into his pocket. After thinking for a moment, he spoke: “That friend I want to find once spent some time at a research institute under my name. Later… later, he and I had a disagreement. After that, he went to another research institute. I haven’t seen him for more than a year.”

“Then your relationship with him isn’t that good either. And yet you’re so eager to go look for him. Don’t end up with him not even recognizing you.” Jiang Xinghuai snorted coldly.

Lowering his head while treating the wound, Fu Yan continued in a soft voice: “But before this virus fully broke out, I got a call from him. He said he was forced to participate in a specific type of genetic research, and that the research eventually got out of control. He didn’t tell me much—or maybe he didn’t dare to say much. So we agreed to meet at my villa in the suburbs. I must find him. Only he can give an explanation for this viral outbreak.”

Jiang Xinghuai’s eyes widened.

This was too unbelievable. Wasn’t this like playing through a Resident Evil scenario?

And Fu Yan? After Fu Yan found that friend, was he going to develop a vaccine against the virus? Was Fu Yan going to save the world?

“Eat.” Fu Yan finished tending to the wound, split open the rice ball, and held it to his lips.

Jiang Xinghuai took a bite. The still-warm rice ball clogged his throat, and his nose instantly turned sore. Fu Yan’s gentleness made him feel especially wronged.

Because Fu Yan had to save so many people, he had to leave him.

Then what about him?

“Why are you crying?” Fu Yan frowned, reaching out to cup half of his face, the pad of his finger brushing across his soft cheek, wiping away the tears.

“Are you going to save all living beings, uncle?” Jiang Xinghuai cried as he chewed the white rice in his mouth. The more he thought about it, the more wronged he felt. “But you haven’t even healed my leg yet…”

In that instant, a thousand-pound weight pressed down on Fu Yan’s heart. Jiang Xinghuai’s tears left him unable to catch his breath.

Before he even realized it himself, he had pulled Jiang Xinghuai into his arms.

“Don’t hug me.” Jiang Xinghuai said through sobs.

“Just for a while.” Fu Yan said.

“I don’t want you to hug me.” Jiang Xinghuai said.

Fu Yan patted his back and sighed beside his ear: “I’m sorry.”

Jiang Xinghuai lowered his head, wiping his eyes on Fu Yan’s shoulder. His throat burned with pain, but he still forced the question out: “…Why won’t you take me with you?”

“It’ll be very dangerous.” Fu Yan said.

“I’m not afraid.” Jiang Xinghuai answered firmly.

“I am.” Fu Yan cupped his face, frowning as he looked at him. “Jiang Xinghuai, I’m very afraid.”

“But… but…” Jiang Xinghuai wanted to say something to refute him, but under that gaze, he couldn’t get a single word out.

Fu Yan was worried about him.

He knew.

“I’m sorry.” Fu Yan said again.

Jiang Xinghuai froze. After a while, he pushed Fu Yan away and turned his head aside: “I want to be alone for a bit.”

Fu Yan nodded, stood up, and stepped back.

“I mean, when I say I want to be alone, I don’t mean me sitting on the edge of the bed crying while you stand by the door watching.” Jiang Xinghuai suddenly said.

Fu Yan frowned. Jiang Xinghuai’s personality did have an extreme side. He was just worried.

“Go out, thank you.” Jiang Xinghuai lay down, pulled the blanket over his head.

Fu Yan, helpless, could only push the door open and leave.

He knew how much Jiang Xinghuai depended on him. But he hadn’t expected Jiang Xinghuai to be this sad.

So sad that it made his heart ache.

He suddenly began to regret the decision he had made.

“Xiao Fu! What are you doing, sticking your butt against Xingxing’s door, listening in!” Teacher Geng suddenly shouted from downstairs.

Fu Yan: “…………”

Fu Yan slowly straightened his back, patted his suit, and turned to go downstairs.

“Is he still unhappy?” Teacher Geng came over, asking quietly, then frowned with a sigh. “Well, of course, anyone would be upset running into that kind of hooligan. Oh, right.” Teacher Geng said as he pulled a crumpled little notebook from his waistband.

“This is a booklet I’ve recently handwritten, compiling the key and difficult points in math. Give it to him. You have to tell him that just because the virus is rampant now doesn’t mean he can skip studying. No, the country will definitely develop a vaccine. When that time comes, the very first thing to resume will be the college entrance exam. He must study hard. Maybe by then he can even win the top spot in one go. As a student, learning is something that can never be put aside at any time!”

Fu Yan looked at that exercise book. After a moment of silence, he suddenly let out a very light laugh: “You’re right. After the virus is wiped out, he’ll still have to take the college entrance exam. But, you’d better give it to him yourself.”

“What’s wrong?” Teacher Geng asked in confusion.

“I’m leaving tomorrow.” Fu Yan said.

“Leaving? Leaving where?” Geng Manhong froze, then grabbed his arm anxiously. “It’s so dangerous outside. How can you still run off into it!”

Fu Yan chuckled softly: “I have some things I must do…”

Jiang Xinghuai had fallen asleep. At first, he had only pulled the blanket over himself, wanting to hide from this self who couldn’t stop crying. But unexpectedly, the moment he shut his eyes, it was as if someone had punched him square in the face. He blacked out.

But his sleep was restless. He kept startling awake, only to quickly drift off again.

He didn’t know how long he had slept. During that time, he heard Zhu Gaofei knocking on his door, Teacher Geng knocking on his door, and even the blond boy coming to knock on his door.

Only Fu Yan never came.

So he dreamed of Fu Yan. Fu Yan waved to him with his back turned, then walked into a stretch of darkness.

Jiang Xinghuai woke up in fright once more.

The soundproofing in this house was poor. Downstairs, the warehouse was in an uproar.

Jiang Xinghuai got up and pushed open the window. The sky already looked late. It should be afternoon by now.

He reached out and grabbed the steel bar outside the window. He bent his waist, stepped onto the window ledge, and, with a push, using the force, leapt out of the room.

“Eat first before you take it up to him.” Zhu Gaofei stopped Fu Yan, who was carrying a bowl of soup and a bowl of buns, from heading upstairs. “At noon, I brought him food too, and he didn’t open the door.”

“I’ll go up first.” Fu Yan frowned, adding another bun to the bowl.

Today, Jiang Xinghuai had only eaten half a rice ball. Since closing the door, he hadn’t opened it again.

“Talk to him nicely.” Zhu Gaofei patted his back. “Explain things properly. He’ll understand.”

Fu Yan went upstairs. Seeing the tightly closed door, he knocked first: “Jiang Xinghuai.”

No sound came from inside.

Fu Yan waited a while, then knocked twice more, but there was still no response from the room.

Fu Yan furrowed his brows, a sudden unease rising in his heart. He reached out and directly pushed the door open.

The small room was plain at a glance—completely empty. No sign of Jiang Xinghuai. The blanket was messily piled at the corner of the bed.

The skateboard on the cabinet was gone as well.

Fu Yan’s pupils shrank. Before he even realized it himself, a wave of panic instantly swept through his entire being.

Did Jiang Xinghuai run off in anger?

Where did he go? Did he run outside alone? When did he leave?

Fu Yan admitted that in that instant, he regretted it.

“He wouldn’t sneak off. Looks sloppy, but actually pretty sensible.” Zhu Gaofei had somehow come over, glanced twice into the room. “Go check the rooftop. Every time he’s upset, he goes up there to play.”

Fu Yan stood there, unresponsive.

“Mr. Fu?” Zhu Gaofei tilted his head and called to him.

Only then did Fu Yan come back to his senses. He nodded in thanks, stepped back, frowned, and turned toward the stairs leading up to the rooftop.

“Hey! Don’t hit him!” Seeing his expression wasn’t right, Zhu Gaofei quickly called out to persuade him. “At most, scold him a couple of times, alright!”

Jiang Xinghuai stood at the edge of the rooftop, arms spread, feeling the wind slip through the gaps between his fingers.

When his parents were in court fighting lawsuits, he often climbed onto the roof of his dad’s company building, keeping this same posture.

He wanted to jump down, but didn’t dare. So later, he learned parkour.

He enjoyed the freedom of soaring up into the air. He fantasized about the release of falling to his death.

He clenched his hands tight, grabbing hold of the wind.

Only in the instant he leapt could he feel indulgence that belonged to him alone.

Fu Yan’s footsteps stopped. He looked at Jiang Xinghuai standing at the edge of the rooftop.

This kind of flat-roofed building had no barrier at the edge. Half a step forward, and one would fall.

“Come here.” Fu Yan called to him.

Jiang Xinghuai gave him not the slightest reaction.

“Jiang Xinghuai.” Fu Yan walked over to his side, stern. “Come here, right now.”

Jiang Xinghuai turned his head and glanced at him, shrugged, then took a step back and walked over.

“Eat.” Fu Yan handed over two bowls.

“I’m not eating.” Jiang Xinghuai said in defiance.

In truth, he was already very hungry. His stomach had growled several times.

Fu Yan looked at him with a steady, stern face.

Jiang Xinghuai was a little afraid of this version of Fu Yan. Holding his breath, puffing up his cheeks, in the end, he still took the bowls.

But he didn’t hold them in his hands. He turned around and put them on the ground, showing his backbone: “I’m not hungry.”

Fu Yan took a step forward: “You—”

Boom, boom, boom!

In the distance, the earth suddenly let out heavy, muffled rumbles, like dry thunder pounding down in the desert, deafening.

“What’s that sound?” Jiang Xinghuai turned his head to look into the distance. When he saw clearly, his whole body instantly tensed, his face turning pale with fright.

Here, the terrain was flat, mostly low rice fields ahead. Standing from the high point, the road stretched wide open to the view.

A bus was speeding, like it had lost control, swaying unsteadily from side to side as it charged forward. Behind the bus surged an overwhelming, pitch-black mass of countless infected, running in a frenzy!

The distance was closing at breakneck speed. The army of infected was heading straight toward this fragile fortress with only a single layer of iron fencing as its barrier!

“Go! Get down, quick!” Fu Yan’s face changed in an instant. He immediately grabbed Jiang Xinghuai’s arm, ready to run down. “Take the buns!”

At his words, Jiang Xinghuai hurried to grab the food from the ground, then got up and followed Fu Yan in a fast sprint.

Halfway down, Fu Yan pulled him along. Taking advantage of a turn in the stairwell, he was about to give a quick word of instruction.

But when he turned his head and saw, the veins in his forehead jumped with anger: “Forget the soup already!”

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