Zhou Qishen leaned against the wall, sliding down little by little. He lowered his head, his shoulder blades stiffening into a silent arc.
A gust of wind blew, and tears fell to the ground.
Chapter 57 Youthful Glory Wasted (3)
He sat there listlessly for a long time. As closing time approached, a waiter came to check on things as usual. When he turned on the light, the waiter screamed in fright. Zhou Qishen, wearing a thin wool sweater, sat on the cold floor, slowly raised his head, and said an apology in a hoarse voice.
He tried to get up, but couldn't manage it for a long time.
A waiter came over and helped him up. "Sir, are you alright?"
Standing up straight, Zhou Qishen felt a wave of dizziness and staggered out the door.
At the end of December, the temperature dropped below zero.
It's going to snow in Beijing soon.
The road home wasn't far, but Zhou Qishen didn't know how he drove, taking one wrong turn after another. He even forgot to go into the parking garage, parking directly at the guard post, giving the keys to the security guard, and then walking towards the residential area.
The security guard was young and very professional, calling out to him, "Mr. Zhou, you forgot your coat."
Zhou Qishen stood in the wind, seemingly not feeling the cold at all.
The place he had lived in for three years now resembled a maze. He wandered around, completely disoriented, until he reached the building, where he heard a clear voice: "Zhou Qishen!"
Zhao Xiyin stood outside, wrapped in a cotton-padded coat and scarf, rubbing her hands together in exasperation. "What's wrong with you! You didn't answer my calls or reply to my texts. I've been waiting here for an hour, I'm freezing!"
Her voice was bright, and when she was angry, her already clear eyes seemed to shine.
Zhou Qishen stood rooted to the spot, staring intently, somewhat unable to distinguish between reality and dream.
Zhao Xiyin ran over and waved her hand in front of him, "Are you stupid?"
He didn't speak.
Zhao Xiyin leaned closer and sniffed the clothes again. "There's no smell of alcohol. Wait, why aren't you wearing a coat in the middle of winter?"
He quickly turned his head away, hummed in response, and after controlling his emotions, asked in a hoarse voice, "Is there something you need?"
"Teacher Zhao can't download the Chinese reference book video you sent him on his phone. I just happened to be passing by and thought I'd download it from you so my dad can watch it." Zhao Xiyin has beautiful eyes; when she's telling the truth, she looks at you without blinking. When she's thinking, she'll cleverly look left and right.
For example, right now, her thoughts are written all over her face.
Zhou Qishen felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his heart; he couldn't even bear to look her in the eye. As they brushed past each other, Zhao Xiyin was still dazed, staring blankly at his retreating figure. "Aren't you going to invite me up for a bit?"
The person had walked a distance, but her steps hadn't stopped. Zhao Xiyin raised her voice: "Zhou Qishen! I'm too cold to walk anymore!"
He didn't turn around until the elevator doors closed.
Zhao Xiyin felt a little disappointed and confused. The west wind blew, stinging her cheeks. She kicked pebbles and walked to the guard post with a heavy heart. The security guard saluted her and said, "Miss Zhao, please wait a moment. Mr. Zhou has arranged a car for you."
Zhao Xiyin couldn't describe the feeling in her heart. She subconsciously looked back and saw a pitch-black sky with only the dim yellow light of low lamps.
The living room lights were automatic; the moment the door opened, the room was instantly brightly lit. The brightness stung his eyes, and Zhou Qishen remained motionless in the entryway for a long time.
How long did it take him to regret it?
Perhaps it was the lingering sense of loss after each argument, or perhaps it was the bewildered heartache of pushing Zhao Xiyin to the ground. They certainly had good times. When they first started dating, Zhao Xiyin was interning at a training institution. Changing careers was difficult for her, and she was constantly busy, like a spinning top. Back then, she was very clingy, sending text messages every few minutes.
"There are still many forms to be completed."
"There are still many words to sign."
"There are still so many things to do."
Any word with a reduplicated character is used to describe someone acting cute or coquettish.
Zhou Qishen was in a high-level meeting at the time, and the chief engineer was reporting on technical parameters. Everyone in the room was completely silent and focused. He replied to her message during the meeting, as if he was afraid of disappointing her if he didn't reply for even a second longer.
Have you eaten yet?
Mimicking her tone perfectly, Zhao Xiyin sent a string of "hahaha" in response, "Why are you imitating my voice?"
Zhou Qishen's lips unconsciously curled up, causing the attendees to exchange bewildered glances. It was only after Xu Jin whispered a reminder that he composed himself.
Their first time making love was in their bridal chamber, where floor-to-ceiling windows offered an unobstructed view of the CBD under the moonlight. Zhao Xiyin was wearing his white shirt, loose and oversized, her fair legs faintly visible, like a fairy descended from the moon. They were completely at ease, and as Zhou Qishen was held tightly in her arms, he heard her say, "Husband, I love you too."
There were so many wonderful moments, that now, looking back, they feel like knife points stabbing into my heart.
Zhou Qishen was still clutching his car keys, a metal ornament adorning the keychain. The edges were polished smooth, but the corners remained sharp. He was lost in thought, oblivious to his surroundings, unconsciously picking at the ornament, biting it repeatedly, without realizing it.
Zhou Qishen didn't feel any pain; he was only brought back to his senses by a slight itch on his wrist. He looked down and saw that his left palm was covered in bloody welts from self-inflicted torture. The skin was torn and the flesh was exposed, the bright red blood a stark sight.
He gripped his car keys and swayed as he went out the door again. The Land Rover sped through the night in Beijing.
"Put this on the left. Who's scheduled for 10 AM tomorrow? Okay, follow up again." Lin Yi was still in the consultation room, finishing up her last bit of work for the day. She changed into high heels, and even took off one sleeve of her white coat—
With a loud "bang!"
The sound of banging on the door.
Lin Yi remained calm, glanced at the webcam on the computer, and immediately went to open the door. Zhou Qishen stood motionless, his hands on the door frame, head bowed, back bent, like a piece of wood.
Dr. Lin exclaimed in alarm, "What's wrong with you?"
Zhou Qishen slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his deep voice choked with sobs, and said, "Dr. Lin... save me..."
In her ten years in the industry, Lin Yi had never seen a man so distraught.