White Lines, Black Lines - 白线条，黑边(An Are You Addicted? Fanfic)

05: Riding One Boat

Chapter Five - Riding One Boat

When school ended, Gu Hai got into his car and started the engine. When he lifted his head, he caught a glimpse of Bai Luoyin and Yang Meng boarding a cab together.

Where are they both going? He pondered.

Carefully, he followed the taxi.

The taxi drove into a shabby looking neighborhood and after turning right once, turned left once, then stopped. Both of its passengers came down, chatted for a few seconds, and then went their separate ways.

With no hesitation, Gu Hai pulled over and followed Bai Luoyin closely. This was particularly easy since Bai Luoyin, unaware of his surroundings, didn't turn around once during his walk.

Since Gu Hai was alert and aware of his surroundings all the time, he thought it strange and careless. He could easily have been a kidnapper.

The thought of kidnapping Bai Luoyin and asking Jiang Yuan to divorce Gu Weiting as ransom crossed his mind for a split second. It was one of those ideas that crossed your mind which you immediately dismiss because of how silly they are.

When he saw Bai Luoyin entering a house, he stopped and hid behind a building that hid him well without blocking his vision or impairing his hearing.

Those years spent at Military Camp growing up were not a waste at all.

He inspected the house. It was a simple apartment. The bottom of the walls was persistently damp, and the original yellow paint was washed up and barely recognizable.

Where is this? He pondered.

"Ba," Bai Luoyin called out to Bai Hanqi who looked pleasantly surprised to see him.

A couple of days ago, the sight of Bai Hanqi was enough to give Luoyin a headache. Looking at him now, Bai Luoyin has the urge to hug him and never let him go. However, he restrained himself. He was a man after all.

Gu Hai watched them closely. That's Bai Luoyin's pa. He wasn't bad looking, but it was clear Bai Luoyin got his looks from Jiang Yuan.

The oval shape of his face, his milky complexion, his pointed nose, small mouth, and big round eyes. It felt strange that he had taken note of these little things.

"Yin Zi, you came," Bai Hanqi grinned from ear to ear like someone who had just won a lottery, igniting a feeling of warmth in Bai Luoyin's heart.

"I was worried. Came to see how you, grandma and grandpa are doing," This was true, but absurd because, in retrospect, Bai Luoyin had been away from home for less than 48 hours.

"We're fine," Bai Hanqi was still grinning like an idiot.

"You look... Sharp," Bai Hanqi added, unable to ignore how well-dressed Bai Luoyin was. His heart skipped a beat. Jiang Yuan finally got what she wanted after all.

"Give me your phone," Bai Luoyin requested, ignoring his compliment.

When Bai Hanqi gave the phone to Bai Luoyin, Bai Luoyin put it in his pocket, then announced, "I'm taking it with me."

"But... But then, I won't have a phone myself," Bai Hanqi stammered in protest. At this point, Bai Luoyin bullying him was commonplace.

Gu Hai scrunched his face in confusion. Why was the father and son pair fighting over such a lousy phone when Bai Luoyin could get a much better one anytime?

"If there's an emergency and I don't have a phone, how will you reach me?" Bai Luoyin asked.

Ban Hanqi sighed, "Everything won't fall apart because you're not here during the weekdays. We'll be fine."

Knowing his father, Bai Luoyin wasn't very convinced. Everything could fall apart the moment he walked out the door. Bai Hanqi was a ticking time bomb like that, "Who takes care of grandma and grandpa when you have to go to work?"

"Your aunt Zhou," Bai Hanqi said reluctantly. The way Bai Luoyin reacted whenever he said something about her made him shy. As shy as a teenager whose parent was overly interested in their love life.

Bai Luoyin's lips curved up in a small smile, "And you still insist nothing is going on with you two?"

The memory of Bai Hanqi sobbing quietly to himself three months ago when Jiang Yuan finally requested for a divorce haunted Bai Luoyin.

He needed for something to happen between his dad and Aunt Zhou so he would know Bai Hanqi was finally over Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan had left ten years ago, why did she only divorce him before she remarried, why did Bai Hanqi not get over her that whole time? Was he hoping she'd come back one day?

After leaving him for ten years, if she came back, would he have accepted her readily?

Love was such a confusing thing to Bai Luoyin. Perhaps, when you fall in love with someone, they can't do any wrong in your eyes so you can't see the evident flaw in their ways.

Unluckily for Jiang Yuan, Bai Luoyin hated her, perhaps as much as Bai Hanqi seemed to love her. She's the only reason his dad had ever cried, everything she did made him annoyed.

"There isn't," Bai Hanqi interjected.

Bai Luoyin ignored him.

"What did you cook?" he asked.

"Nothing yet," Bai Hanqi replied, uneasy.

If he knew Bai Luoyin was coming, he would have prepared something in advance.

"I'm hungry," Bai Luoyin complained, "You have to cook something for me, I have nowhere else to eat."

Such a spoilt brat, Gu Hai muttered to himself.

Bai Hanqi sighed.

He didn't have a problem cooking for his son, he only felt sympathetic towards Jiang Yuan.

In a low coaxing tone, he said, "Yin Zi, don't give your mum any problems."

Typically, this tone would make Bai Luoyin listen to whatever his dad had to say. However, not this time, "She can force me to live with her, but she can't force me to accept anything from her, ba."

That was enough information for Gu Hai.

It was enough to let him understand that Bai Luoyin wasn't living with them of his own free will.

Bai Luoyin wasn't his enemy at all, in fact, they were on the same boat.

He suddenly felt deeply connected to Bai Luoyin, he was suddenly very protective of Bai Luoyin.

With an irregular heartbeat, he sighed and turned to walk away.