CH 53.2

Chapter 53 Part 2

His heavy, hot breath fell on her neck.

Zhang Man couldn’t hold back any longer.

When she heard his helpless admission, she could no longer pretend.

She raised her hand, put them around the youth’s back, and blinked as a stream of hot tears came from the corner of her eyes.

“So, do you choose the second option?”

She had to confirm it again cautiously.

The youth’s head rubbed against her neck and helplessly replied, “Yes, the second option.”

Never leave her again.

Zhang Man’s lips finally curved into a smile.

She suddenly relaxed after being tense for so long. At this moment, she actually felt the soreness of her calf muscles, as well as the itching frostbite on her ears from the blowing wind in the past couple of days.

She was really afraid just now—afraid that he would say that he still wanted to leave her.

It’s not easy to put up with him sometimes.

“Yes, what I want, as long as you still choose me, is you.”

She nodded her head anxiously out of fear that he would go back on his words.

The youth raised his head. Although there was still confusion and trepidation about the future in his eyes, there was still a flash of bliss after she nodded.

Zhang Man hugged him and faithfully fulfilled the promise of the second option.

First, she kissed his eyes gently. She wiped the tears with her lips. Then, she lifted his chin, came closer to him, and paused tentatively on his lips.

His lips trembled slightly. He was soft and honest, and couldn’t hide his feelings.

After the extremely short pause, the youth began to return the action and responded to her eagerly and warmly.

He wanted to receive his reward for his selection without reservation.

…

When they finally remembered to eat, the noodles had already become soft and stuck together. It tasted pretty bad.

The light seafood flavor of instant noodles, and the included vegetables were barely passable. It was probably the worst New Year’s dinner Zhang Man had ever eaten.

But she had traveled too much today, and climbed a mountain. Just now, she had walked around with him for a long time, so she was hungry. Zhang Man frowned and finished the whole bowl before putting down the chopsticks.

She looked up at the youth who was still eating his noodles.

He ate at a steady pace. He never frowned, and it seemed like he didn’t have any likes or dislikes for what he was eating.

Zhang Man opened the bag he had just put on the table. In addition to the bag of instant noodles he just took out, there are two other big bags of instant noodles. Each had five packets.

He had 15 packets of instant noodles. She didn’t know how long he was going to eat them for.

She put down her chopsticks and leaned over to hold his hand. “Li Wei, how long have you been eating instant noodles?”

The youth looked at her carefully, but he didn’t lie anymore.

“Ten days.”

It’s pretty much what she expected.

“How about the first few days? Did you eat outside? Or… did you starve?”

“… Yeah.”

He starved. A few days after leaving her, just the thought of the hand he put on her neck that night made him feel sick to the point of throwing up. He couldn’t eat anything.

Zhang Man’s heart felt messed up. She sat closer to him. “Why don’t you order delivery?”

“… I couldn’t turn on my cell phone.”

Zhang Man listened to this answer, and became angry and anxious. “Were you afraid that I would find you?”

The youth shook his head.

In fact, he was not afraid that she would find him, but that he was afraid of himself.

When the phone was on, he couldn’t stop the urge to call her.

“What have you been doing these days?”

He didn’t have a TV in his home. He might not even have any Internet connection. So what was he doing for so many days?

“… Thinking of you.”

As long as he was awake, he would think of her all the time.

Zhang Man looked at how he was acting and suddenly lost her temper.

“Do you know how many phone calls I’ve made to you these days? 163. I’ve sent you a lot of text messages, but you haven’t returned any. Li Wei, if you say you are leaving, then leave. To put it directly, you’re so cruel.”

He was cruel to her, and even more cruel to himself.

After the youth heard this, the veins on his temple began to throb again.

He put down his chopsticks and hugged her in pain. He didn’t know what to do or say to comfort her.

He had never thought that she could be so persistent.

“Man Man, you have lost weight…”

He carressed her shoulder and neck, and pinched her cheek. It was very painful. She was already thin, but now she didn’t have much else but skin. Her chin was sharp, and baby fat on her face was gone.

Her face was small, and now that she had lost weight, it made her eyes bigger.

How could this happen… Based on his first thoughts, a girl her age would be sad, resentful, and have complaints after receiving such an email.

But how could she be like that? She wanted to find him anyway, and thought of him all the time. And even after she found him… she wanted him.

Zhang Man looked at him. His eyes showed that was processing too much information. He was distressed, puzzled, and confused.

He hesitated to ask, but she could read through him at this moment.

Zhang Man turned her head angrily and bit him hard on the cheek until she left a deep tooth mark.

The youth grunted, but didn’t escape. He held her and allowed her to vent.

Still frustrated, Zhang Man clenched her fist and hammered him fiercely. She avoided his face, but hammered his head, shoulders and chest at random.

Hit after hit. It was hard for both of them.

—”Li Wei, you have known me for so long, but you don’t know me at all.”