"I finished my work early and got bored, so came here," Lu Feng replied casually.
Jiang Yang got up and sat on the sofa and asked, "Did you have dinner?"
"No."
"Let me order something. I am starving." Saying, Jiang Yang picked up the phone from the center table. He acted as if he was okay, and it hurt Lu Feng even more.
"What will you eat?" Jiang Yang asked.
"Anything," Lu Feng replied as he stared at his stubborn friend who didn’t want to show how hurt he was.
Once he ordered the food, Lu Feng commented, "Will you keep pretending to be fine?"
"Then, do you expect me to cry?" Jiang Yang countered as he looked at his friend.
"Hmm!" Lu Feng nodded.
"Are you here to offer me your shoulder," Jiang Yang asked. He tried to be funny, which turned into his failed attempt.
Lu Feng sat beside him and patted his own shoulder, "Here, you can use this."
"F.u.c.k off," Jiang Yang frowned.
"If you are hurt, then you should show it," Lu Feng commented.
"It’s nothing compared to how much my sister is hurt, so I have no right to cry over the things," Jiang Yang replied as he added, "I just feel bad for my sister for what she had to go through at such a young age, and it’s all because of the people who loved her and whom she loved dearly. She doesn’t need enemies to hurt her when her own people are there to do so."
His words made sense to Lu Feng, and he was aware of it too, but they already had enough, and he didn’t want anyone to suffer anymore.
"I just want one thing from you. Though we all are going through a tough phase, don’t lose yourself. Yuyan still needs us," said Lu Feng.
Jiang Yang nodded as he lowered his head down, which showed how disappointed he was. "I know, but I can’t dare to go in front of her after knowing everything. How can I face her?"
"Trust me; she doesn’t blame you," Lu Feng assured.
Jiang Yang agreed, "I know, and even if I am at fault, she would never say anything to me."
"I will say time is the only medicine now, so let it pass by," Lu Feng suggested.
"Hmm! Anyways, there is nothing more we can do."
"You and Nicky can be together in the future when everything settles down, and things won’t be hurting this much," Lu Feng proposed.
"There won’t be such a future. Nicky and I can’t be together ever," Jiang Yang declared.
"Don’t say this...."
Jiang Yang turned his face to look at his friend, who was sitting beside him. "I am serious, Lu Feng. Nicky also knows this. Why do you think she chose to go away, huh? She is aware of this fact, and she didn’t want things to hurt and turn awkward if we treat each other like strangers. As I can’t go away, she chose to do so."
Lu Feng gave out a deep sigh. "Both of you...."
"Even if we try to be together, we won’t be happy as it will always remind us what happened with Lu Qiang. I can’t see the future with the reason that turned into my sister’s pain."
"Hmm! I have nothing to say now. Maybe you are right in your place," said Lu Feng.
Pausing for a while, Jiang Yang said, "By going away, she saved me from the pain that you are feeling till now, Lu Feng."
Lu Feng gave him a questioning look.
"The pain of seeing the woman you love, but you can’t be with her," Jiang Yang answered, and Lu Feng understood what he meant.
"One day, Nicky would be back from...."
"Don’t tell me where she went," Jiang Yang interrupted Lu Feng.
"What will you do when she is back?" Lu Feng asked.
"Till then, things might change, and she would be happy with someone else," Jiang Yang answered.
"And you?"
Jiang Yang left out a soft chuckle. "I have you. I have my darling," Jiang Yang replied as he smiled a bit. It was the only way to stop this hurting topic.
"F.u.c.k off!" Frowning, Lu Feng sat in the other chair to get away from Jiang Yang.
"We both are lonely so we can share our pain. How about we start dating," Jiang teased again, and Lu Feng threw a pillow at him.
"Asshole! I was here to console you thinking you must be hurt, but I guess I made a mistake."
His anger didn’t affect Jiang Yang. "You are allowed to make such mistakes often."
Lu Feng gave him a narrowed eyes look. "I will tolerate this bullshit just because....." Lu Feng stopped.
"What?"
"Because I am tired to fight with you," Lu Feng replied as he changed his words.
He wanted to say just because Jiang Yang was hurt, but he didn’t. He knew Jiang Yang turned to his funny self to suppress how hurt he was, and he didn’t want to fail his attempts.
Lu Feng stared at his friend, and he could see, underneath that smile, there was an immense pain his friend was feeling at the moment, whether it was about his sister or his woman.
-----
The next day Jiang Yang went to his sister in the evening once she finished her work. Jiang Yuyan was waiting for her brother, knowing why he would be coming to see her.
When Jiang Yang entered the office, Xiao Min left them alone. She was standing near the window, and Jiang Yang stepped towards her as she looked at him.
"Are you still exhausting yourself by working till late?" Jiang Yang asked, feeling worried about his sister.
Not answering his question, she said, "I know why you are here, brother."
Jiang Yang didn’t know how to start, but as his sister finally jumped to the topic, he spoke. "I know it won’t make a difference, but I am sorry. Brother is sorry to cause you such pain. You can punish me the way you want."
He spoke everything in one go before he could feel it was difficult to say it all if emotions will take over him and interrupt his words.
======
Glimpse Of a.d.u.l.t Lu Lijun. (Teaser)
A handsome man wearing just a short as his well-toned bare body bathed in early morning sunlight while standing in the gallery of his room and drawing something on the canvas in front of him which hung to the wooden stand.
Lines of sweat appeared on his back as it faced the sun and his black hair turned moist with the sweat. His focus was on the portrayed he was drawing forgetting about the world around him.
Suddenly two young men came to the gallery.
"Not again man! You must be drawing the same woman again. Jake what should we do with him."
"Don’t ask me, Noah."
"Hey Lijun, who is the woman, you should tell us today."
"Nobody," came the reply from Lu Lijun.
Noah frowned, "The same answer. Today either you answer me or I won’t talk to you ever. Answer just this once and I promise, I won’t ask you again."
Giving out the deep sigh, Li Lijun pulled out the drawing sheet, crunched it in a ball, and threw it in the trash bin as he said.
"The person I hate the most."