Chapter 4
Edward Quan ·
"Xiao Cun, you can hear me, can't you?"
I stopped and turned.
For an instant, tiny cracks seemed to appear in his expression.
He clenched his teeth.
9.
Saying I could hear wasn't entirely accurate.
I was simply much better than at first.
Sometimes, I could make out a faint sound.
The doctor said my hearing would gradually return.
Ji Anyan looked at me.
His expression couldn't have been worse.
I turned to my friend.
"Let's move my things out first."
He asked immediately, "Move what?"
This time, he didn't type.
I coldly pulled his hand from my wrist and spoke to him for the first time in days.
"We've broken up. Of course I'm moving out."
"I haven't agreed to break up."
I turned away.
I didn't want to say more.
I went to my friend and said quietly, "Let's go."
"Xiao Cun!"
He called after me.
My friend drove me to his apartment.
He followed at once.
As soon as I entered, I began packing methodically.
Ji Anyan kept hovering.
I threw the pink frame holding our photograph into a trash bag.
He snatched it out immediately and put it back, his face dark.
I looked at him, puzzled.
I left the necklace he'd given me for Valentine's Day in the cupboard.
He stubbornly took it out and put it in my suitcase.
I frowned.
I gathered all the clothes I'd bought for his Arctic trip and went to throw them away.
He grabbed them.
At last, I lost my temper and looked up.
His face was rigid.
"These are mine. I'm wearing them to the Arctic."
No.
I would still go to the Arctic.
But not with him.
I didn't say it.
He seemed to read it in my eyes anyway.
His grip tightened on the clothes.
He said stiffly, "I'm sorry I lied about the holiday. It was my fault."
"I'll postpone everything next week."
"Let's go to the Arctic."
"Not just next week. Whenever you want. For as long as you want. Anywhere!"
I gave an indifferent laugh and ignored him.
I pulled my suitcase into the living room.
Something caught beneath my foot.
I looked down.
The ring.
I paused.
Ji Anyan picked it up before I could.
Our initials were engraved inside.
The design was the one I'd shown him, inspired by an animated film.
I'd pointed at a scene and said that if I ever proposed to him, I'd use a ring like that.
He turned it over and over in his hand.
Then looked at me stiffly.
"Xiao Cun, what's this?"
I frowned.
I'd thrown it into the bin.
How had it ended up here?
"Trash."
He suddenly trembled.
10.
I went back to my own apartment.
Early the next morning, heavy rain fell.
I woke groggily and picked up my phone.
The first thing I saw was his message.
"It's raining. Have you run out of snacks?"
"I bought breakfast. I'm waiting outside."
Sent an hour earlier.
I ignored it and went to wash.
When I took my umbrella to go out, I startled.
Ji Anyan was leaning against my door.
His usually cold face softened as soon as he saw me.
He smiled.
"Did you sleep well?"
"The porridge is cold. Shall I get you another bowl?"
I ignored him, locked up, and walked past.
He caught me immediately.
He couldn't hide the exhaustion in his eyes.
"Xiao Cun, I've apologized…"
"What is it that makes you insist on taking this so far?"
"Talk to me. Tell me what you're unhappy about."
"That I didn't protect you first? The Arctic? Or something else?"
He looked bewildered.
Each question came more forcefully than the last.
A buzzing filled my ears, countless confused sounds echoing over one another.
I pulled free and covered my ears.
"You're too loud."
"Ji Anyan, stop making so much noise."
He froze, his hand still hanging in the air.
After a long while, he said uncertainly, "…Sorry."
I frowned hard.
"Ji Anyan, why do you keep doing this?"
"You stopped loving me a long time ago. Don't you realize?"
He gritted his teeth.
"No! When did I ever say I didn't love you?"
"What have I done for you to suddenly condemn me like this?"
"What aren't you happy with?"
His voice dropped.
"Xiao Cun, you have to tell me before I can know."
I sighed.
"I've told you too much already. Enough to make you sick of me."
"No!"
He denied it again, his eyes anxious.
"Then tell me now. Whatever you say, I'll listen."
I laughed.