A Tooth For a Tooth – Chapter 13

In the evening, Jiang Heng brought over fruits.

It was a beautiful fruit basket with colorful grapes, apples, oranges, and star fruits.

Xu Qing Nuo smiled.

Jiang Heng looked at the apron he was wearing and laughed, saying, “Are you seducing me with this uniform? It is good to wear only an apron. There are too many unnecessary clothes at home.”

Xu Qing Nuo gave him a blank look, “Change your shoes and come in.”

Jiang Heng looked at a pair of slippers on the shoe rack and at Xu Qing Nuo’s feet. They were of the same type, but different colors. Then he looked at another pair, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Which pair do I wear?”

Xu Qing Nuo casually grabbed a pair for guests and threw them on the floor.

He made his specialty of four dishes and one soup.

Jiang Heng said in awe, “Wow, out of the hall and into the kitchen. You can get married~.”

“Why do you talk so much? Eat.” Xu Qing Nuo smiled and handed him a pair of chopsticks.

Jiang Heng took a slice of pork belly, tasted it, and gave it a thumbs up. “It’s delicious.”

He showed respect and ate everything on his plate.

After dinner, he offered to do the dishes. Xu Qing Nuo glanced at the messy table and said, “No, I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Heng didn’t ask him why; he touched his stomach and sat on the sofa to watch TV.

Xu Qing Nuo washed the two large bunches of red grapes in the basket and put them on the coffee table. They were eating and watching TV together.

At the hotel, they had often watched together TV afterward, usually late-night talk shows or melodramatic soap operas.

However, the atmosphere now was completely different from before. It had an eerily cozy feeling.

Xu Qing Nuo found it strange. He did not know why, but even when they never said a word, they didn’t feel embarrassed or uncomfortable when they were together.

The dog-blood soap opera episode was over. After the ending song, Jiang Heng turned to look at Xu Qing Nuo, asking, “Are the grapes sweet?”

“Um,” Xu Qing Nuo nodded.

Grapes were his favorite fruits.

“I’ll try some.”

When Xu Qing Nuo threw a grape into his mouth, Jiang Heng leaned over, pressed him on the sofa, and kissed him on the mouth.

After being entangled for a long time, Jiang Heng got up, spat out the grape skin, then licked his lips and smiled, “They’re really sweet.”

Xu Qing Nuo looked up at him. “I suddenly remembered a tongue twister. Guess what is it?”

“Eating grapes without spitting out the grape skin, and spitting out the grape skin when not eating grapes?” Jiang Heng smiled and carried him up, straight to the bedroom.

Knowing he would have sex with Jiang Heng in the bedroom that belonged to him and Mai Yao, Xu Qing Nuo’s feelings were very complicated.

When Jiang Heng turned off the light, he couldn’t help crying.

He let Mai Yao fall step by step into the pain he had suffered, and he was about to deliver the final and heaviest blow, but suddenly he got tired of it all.

He was disgusted with himself for being so vindictive and twisted in his heart.

Jiang Heng didn’t speak. He did nothing except hold him in his arms and kiss his tearful eyes.

His movements were so gentle and careful, as if Xu Qing Nuo were a porcelain doll that would shatter with a touch.

He suddenly understood that Jiang Heng knew everything.

He knew his feelings were hurt.

He also knew he was using him.

Why was he so gentle to him?

Why did he give him what he wanted?

Why didn’t he mind being used?

What did he think of him?

…

Xu Qing Nuo didn’t have the energy to think about the countless whys circling in his mind and fell asleep in Jiang Heng’s gentle kiss.

In his dream, he went back to his parents.

The three of them went to the seaside again.

The sky was so blue, and the sea was so blue.

He took off his shoes, opened his arms, laughed and screamed, and ran into the sea. The cool sea breeze and water were so comfortable. He looked back and saw his parents sitting on the beach smiling and waving at him…

Jiang Heng had already left when he woke up the following day.

Just as Xu Qing Nuo expected, Mai Yao had come back early from the business trip. He was sitting on the sofa, smoking, and looking coldly at the dirty dishes on the table.

Xu Qing Nuo leaned against the bedroom door and looked at him quietly.

Mai Yao’s eyes were red, and his voice was a little choked, “I know you have someone.”

Xu Qing Nuo looked at him calmly.

“I found out a long time ago, but I didn’t tell you, hoping I was wrong. Even if I saw you together later, I told myself you were just confused for a while. As long as you still love me, no matter what you do, I will forgive you … I never thought you would bring him home!” Mai Yao ran over excitedly and grabbed his shoulders with a painful expression on his face. “Qing Nuo, why?! Tell me, why are you doing this to me?”

If it were last night, seeing him like this, Xu Qing Nuo would feel very vengeful, but now, he no longer felt anything.

There is a saying that goes like this: the opposite of love is not hated; it’s indifference—what a great quote.

Breaking away from Mai Yao’s restraint, Xu Qing Nuo went back to the bedroom to put on his jacket. He picked up his already packed luggage, and under his shocked gaze, he walked to the hallway to put on his shoes.

“I’m just returning the favor.”

You loved me, but you pierced my heart with a knife.

I just stabbed your heart with a knife applying the same depth.

We’re even.

It’s over.