"Have breakfast first," Zheng Hao said, blocking Xiao Yang's path to the door. How ironic it was; usually it was Xiao Yang who used to do that, but now the roles were reversed.
"You don't have to act as if you care," Xiao Yang snorted, "by the way, why did you patch me up? Don't tell me you felt guilty?"
"Yes, I did," Zheng Hao replied with 100% honesty, "now go to the kitchen, breakfast is ready."
Xiao Yang squinted his eyes, "you are so confusing," he said and wanted to push Zheng Hao out of his way, but the latter was faster. Suddenly, he grabbed his uninjured arm and dragged him to the kitchen, not minding his objection.
"You can't force me!" Xiao Yang shouted as he was forced to sit on the chair.
"I can," Zheng Hao said, squeezing his shoulder, "you did the same to me, remember? Now it is my turn. Now eat while it is hot."
"Why are you doing it? Why do you act as if you care, ge?" Xiao Yang asked calmly without making eye contact.
"Because I care," Zheng Hao confessed, "you are my junior and I don't want you to get hurt. Now, before your problematic stomach rebels against you, eat your porridge."
There was a brief silence before Xiao Yang raised his spoon and started to eat the beef porridge. Smiling contentedly, Zheng Hao followed his example. Although the younger one didn't say a word, at least his stomach was full.
"Don't say things like that."
Putting the empty bowls into the sink, Zheng Hao murmured "like what?"
"Caring," Xiao Yang walked to the kitchen door, "because I believe you every time and it gets harder and harder not to feel hurt," he said softly and left the area.
.
.
"Okay, I will be there," Zheng Hao said and hung up. Throwing the phone on the counter, he buried his head on his palms. After his father, now his aunt was sick and his cousin was calling him to his hometown. Well, it was luckily only two and half hours of driving, but he didn't know what to do with Xiao Yang. He would surely want to accompany him, yet his family didn't even know he was married. As Xiao Yang was still on the outs with him, he didn't want another drama because of the issue.
Well, there was nothing to do.
As usual, he set the table and Xiao Yang joined him after his shower. Silently, he sat down across from him and started to eat without looking at Zheng Hao as he did for the last few days.
"Um, Xiao Yang," Zheng Hao broke the silence, "I have to go back to my hometown for a day."
Xiao Yang raised his head and looked at him with his lustreless ones, "I believe you don't want me there, so have a safe journey," he said and continued eating.
His reaction startled Zheng Hao. Xiao Yang must have still very resented him as he didn't even ask about the reason. Well, it was what he wanted, right? Then why he was burning with the itch to tell him the reason, trying to comfort him that it wasn't about him.
"My aunt is sick, so my cousin wants me there to help her with hospital work." Okay, he felt better.
Xiao Yang nodded, "I hope she gets better."
It was cold and distant. What else did he expect?
"I will go tomorrow morning and return at night."
Another nod. Geez, it was getting on Zheng Hao's nerves. He would never guess, but Xiao Yang's cold attitude was more annoying than his bubbly attitude.
Like that, Zheng Hao left the house early in the morning while Xiao Yang was still sleeping. As if matching his mood, it rained throughout the ride. Still, thanks to the rain, Xiao Yang gave him a call and told him to be careful on the road. Cute. Zheng Hao hoped that it was the end of his sulking.
Luckily, when he arrived, the dark clouds were nowhere to be found. He rested and chatted with his cousin, Na La, and then they took his aunt to the hospital.
.
.
Xiao Yang paced back and forward nervously with his phone in his hand. "Why don't you answer it, ge?!" he shouted in the empty house as he pressed on the call icon again. Since morning, it was raining and now it was a downpour. As he talked with Zheng Hao more than two hours ago, he was concerned about him.
"Why do you always-" Suddenly, he halted his steps alongside his words as he remembered something.
The store!
The dry cleaning store was three steps down on the pavement and uncle Zheng used to tell him about the store being flooded in downpours!
"Damn it!" Xiao Yang exclaimed with tenfold anxiety and called Zheng Hao again while searching for the store keys. Luckily, his husband left them in the drawer at the hall. Grabbing the keys as well as his car key, Xiao Yang wore a flip flop and rushed out with his tracksuit.
Driving as fast and safe as he could, he arrived at the store and saw he was right. Water was indeed pouring down at the store under the door!
Panicking, Xiao Yang left the car and rushed to the store, not minding the rain washing him or the cold water coming to his ankles. He climbed down the now invisible stairs and opened the door slightly to pass, then shut it down immediately. Luckily, the machines were three steps higher than the entrance, so only the hangers and the furniture were in contact with water yet. Creating a swish swish sound in the water as he moved, he found a thick curtain in one of the boxes. He used it as a tampon to cover the open area under the door, then he moved the lower-hanger clothes onto the top of the counter and got the dustpan and the cleaning bucket to evacuate the water inside the store.
.
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"Why don't you answer?! Damn it!" Zheng Hao tossed his phone on the passenger seat as Xiao Yang didn't answer for the twentieth time. He was getting ready to leave the hospital when he saw the missing calls from Xiao Yang, but before he could call him back, Li Hong called him. He told him about the downpour in the city and apologised as he wasn't able to leave the house to check his store as the buses and taxis stopped working and he had no car.
Hearing it, Zheng Hao's soul left his body. Because of the fact that other than Li Hong, he had only Xiao Yang around, he called him to ask him to go to the store, but the latter was not answering.
Cursing and hoping... cursing and begging, Zheng Hao drove back to the city with his heart in his mouth. If the store flooded, he would have no other choice but to close it for a very long time.
When the store came into his vision, Zheng Hao left the car on the roadside and ran to the store under the heavy rain. He was about to curse himself when he realised the keys were not with him, but then he saw a black figure inside through the glass panel of the door.
XIAO YANG?!!!!
YOU ARE READING
Utter Defeat
Romance[Completed] A one-sided love... an unwanted marriage... a bunch of misunderstandings... a lot of resistance... "You can resist all you want, but in the end, you will be mine." "Never." Never? That's too bold, isn't it?
