NB Chapter89

Yu Fuchao was on vacation at home, completely bored out of his mind.

Life now was not much different from before, except there was one more person in the house; someone who left early and returned late, sometimes even living on a completely reversed day-and-night schedule.

Aunt Liu and the elderly butler had been rehired by Zhang Mingsheng for a generous sum to cook meals, look after the flowers and plants, and casually serve as dependable adults who would immediately appear to comfort Keke whenever she couldn’t find them during a game of hide-and-seek.

Zhang Mingsheng always loved to cheat. He would say he was hidden, but in reality, he would quietly slip out the door with his coat and only return after dark.

When Keke couldn’t find him, she neither cried nor threw a tantrum, though it was hard to tell whether that was simply because she had long since grown used to it. What did it matter if her daddy vanished? She could still curl up on the sofa and read her picture books.

Aside from that, she had also become very strong-willed.

When Zhang Mingsheng brought home toys in the evening to coax her, the little girl didn’t even lift her eyelids.

Yu Fuchao asked curiously, “Is this how you spent your time over the past few years when it was just the two of you?”

Zhang Mingsheng let out a sigh and said, “I thought it wouldn’t be that difficult.”

So, there was actually something in this world that could trouble him.

Yu Fuchao felt a bit of schadenfreude.

Keke was very independent now and didn’t really cling to adults.

Yu Fuchao had always been curious about why she had been crying and calling for “Mommy” back then and why she had happened to crash right into his arms.

Zhang Mingsheng provided the answer after coming home that evening: it was because he had always told Keke that Mommy was working in a very distant place and he missed her very much, so every time Keke went to a new place, she had to send a photo to Mommy.

“What does that have to do with my question?” Yu Fuchao exposed him mercilessly.

Zhang Mingsheng said, “Am I not even allowed to take credit? You really have a heart of stone now.”

Yu Fuchao couldn’t be bothered with him, so he turned off the light and went to bed.

The moment the room went dark, he noticed a pair of large hands sneaking over from his side. Chilly fingertips lifted the hem of his pajamas and slid straight inside.

Yu Fuchao kept his eyes closed and endured it for a few seconds before suddenly grabbing Zhang Mingsheng’s wrist. “Hey,” he said impatiently, “Aren’t you tired? What did you just tell your precious daughter?”

“My energy distribution is perfectly balanced,” Zhang Mingsheng said. Hearing the person beside him speak and confirming he hadn’t immediately fallen asleep, he pushed his luck further. He threw his entire body over to wrap his partner tightly in his warm embrace. His large hands slowly explored as his lips pressed against the other party’s ear. “…A small fraction for family, a small fraction for work, and half… for…”

His voice was low and deep, his words unhurried, accompanied by breaths that gradually grew heavier.

He never said aloud who the largest portion was meant for, but his hands and actions had already given him away.

Yu Fuchao’s ears grew hot. He had no choice but to open his eyes and turn his head, seeking out those eyes that shone even in the dark, and hit the nail right on the head, “Am I not a part of your family?”

“A wife is the one who is part of my family.”

His focus was entirely elsewhere as he lowered his head to nuzzle and bite, leaving Yu Fuchao’s shoulder damp.

Taking advantage of the gaps, he whispered in a low voice:

“To be honest, my wife isn’t very lovable. He has to take care of the kids and work to support the family. I heard he chased a thief down an entire street a few days ago. Wow, with so much free time, and yet he still won’t come home to have a meal with his husband.”

Yu Fuchao was left speechless.

Being a police officer was indeed a very busy job. Even if he had free time, he would spend it on communicating with Keke and Xiao Yuan. Once, Xiao Yuan specifically took a photo of his report card to show him, and Yu Fuchao sat in his car studying it for a long time. When a child is used to being excellent, a parent’s words of praise tend to run dry after just a few years. Children look forward to encouragement, so one always has to think of ways to innovate.

In this way, his position rose, his ideals and ambitions gradually came to fruition, and the children were well cared for; but the time left for Zhang Mingsheng dwindled considerably.

Yu Fuchao felt a bit guilty, but he couldn’t help comforting himself:

Most families in the world are like this. Besides, Zhang Mingsheng has already taken up too much of my life; he has no right to cry that it was unfair.

The two of them had known each other for so long and been through so much; reasonably speaking, the most intense emotions and feelings should have evaporated a long time ago. It was like watching a gripping film; you laughed, you cried, you swore at it. But when it finally ended, the credits rolled and the theater lights came on, you still had to pick up your empty drink and leave with the crowd, carrying with you a strange feeling of both emptiness and fulfillment.

Of all the feasts in the world, his meal with Zhang Mingsheng had been eaten particularly unpleasantly, yet weren’t they still lying in the same bed?

While grumbling inwardly, Yu Fuchao braced himself to lecture this insatiable man. “Most relationships in the world are like this; they go from passionate to plain. A peaceful, plain life is what’s real, after all.”

“Were we ever passionate?” Zhang Mingsheng stopped his movements, nuzzling over to kiss the corner of his mouth lightly.

Yu Fuchao was stumped by the question.

He flipped frantically through his mind, trying to find a scene full of fiery passion. Helplessly, all he got in return was gloom and oppression.

“We must have been passionate.” He could only stubbornly insist.

“Actually, I can understand why you can’t accept me,” Zhang Mingsheng suddenly began to speak like a reasonable human being. “If you want, I can leave right now.”

Yu Fuchao was silent for a moment, then asked, “Really?”

“Of course it’s a lie.” Zhang Mingsheng’s arms tightened once more. This time his movements were a bit more aggressive as he was using his knee to pry apart the officer’s legs directly.

The officer wasn’t frightened in the least; on the contrary, he really wanted to laugh.

“I knew it, you can’t pretend for long.” He pressed his legs together and, with some effort, struggled free before cupping Zhang Mingsheng’s face in his hands, making him lift his head to look at him.

With a sharp click, Zhang Mingsheng switched on the bedside lamp.

He had just showered, and his hair was still a bit damp.

“Do you really want me to leave?” He asked.

Yu Fuchao froze for a second while looking into those pitch-black eyes in confusion.

Compared to his previous sinister, psychopathic behavior, the current Zhang Mingsheng was purely throwing a hilarious, childish tantrum.

(One thousand words omitted here)

He patted Zhang Mingsheng’s arm.

“Hold me for one more minute.” Zhang Mingsheng said muffledly.

“I need to shower.” He coldly avoided any post-coital verbal lingering.

“Got it, Laopo.” Zhang Mingsheng didn’t let go.

As expected, he was doing it on purpose.

Yu Fuchao gritted his teeth. He suddenly broke free from Zhang Mingsheng’s embrace before slowly climbing up, stepped out of bed barefoot, and walked toward the bathroom with slightly unsteady steps.

“Laopo.” Zhang Mingsheng called out to him.

“What is it?” His resentment was still fresh, so he didn’t want to turn his head.

“Can we shower together?” It was a sincere invitation.

“No.” This was a decisive rejection.

“Then… can you let me shower first?”

He actually had the nerve to say that out loud.

Yu Fuchao instantly flared up with rage. He walked into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

He was going to sleep in the bathtub tonight.