Bad luck often comes in waves, Zhao Ziqiang thought to himself. People really shouldn’t take things too seriously or hold grudges. He realized that he couldn’t dare to seek revenge in the future, but then again, didn’t he just take a small win with his words?

That night, after being silently pestered by Sun Wan for several days, Zhao Ziqiang could no longer bear it and decided to escape to a bar to unwind.

Unexpectedly, instead of encountering any romantic prospects, he unknowingly attracted the attention of a group of thugs with his careless actions. They kept passing by him, deliberately trying to trip him up. He sincerely didn’t want any trouble, so he quickly grabbed his jacket and headed for the bar’s exit. This time, he had entered an ordinary bar, with only a few acquaintances. Naturally, he didn’t dare to make a scene, but they had no intention of letting him off easily.

A few of them followed him for several blocks, and finally, unable to contain themselves any longer, they surrounded him and dragged him into a nearby park.

The young man leading the group, despite looking mature, was barely in his twenties, and the others with him seemed to be about the same age. Although Zhao Ziqiang was significantly older than them, he couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty as he watched their hands digging into their pockets, unsure if they were reaching for weapons. This made him didn’t dare to charge at them.

After a tense standstill, he finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Hey, um, what do you guys want?”

Zhao Ziqiang was sincerely trying to buy time, but those few people had no intention of giving him any leeway and quickly said…

“Think about what kind of debts you owe!” And then they all rushed to him, throwing punches and kicks.

Zhao Ziqiang had just had a few drinks, and he already felt dizzy and weak. At this moment, his body was limp, and he couldn’t muster any strength to resist, becoming nothing more than fish meat for them. On the verge of tears, just before losing consciousness, he couldn’t help but ponder, “What could I possibly owe them? I’m at least a gay, for heaven’s sake—how is this even connected?”

After the group of people had their fill of beating him, they immediately dispersed. Zhao Ziqiang was shaken awake by a passerby, but before he could thank them, he fainted again.

In the end, an ambulance came roaring in and then left. When Zhao Ziqiang woke up, he had to comfort himself by thinking that at least he had someone familiar in the hospital—his mom.

---

Zhao Mother could stay in the hospital for an extended period, as long as the Zhao family could afford the bed fees and the costs of nutrition and medicine; the hospital would certainly not force her out.

But Professor Qian was different. After all, he held the title of a professor, and having taken sick leave for quite some time, he had even blocked visitors. It wasn’t that the school was particularly concerned, but he himself felt uncomfortable with the situation.

So, Qian Wang reluctantly discharged himself from the hospital. His colleagues and students used this as an excuse to throw him a welcome party. In reality, everyone knew it was just a way to get him to treat them to a meal.

Qian Wang used to be meticulous about these gatherings, always making sure to groom himself well before going out. He would carefully choose the most suitable outfit from the neatly arranged rows of clothes and accessories in his wardrobe, tossing any worn clothes onto the floor.

But now, things are different. Ever since Zhao Ziqiang left and he had driven Sun kan away too, his room had become a complete mess, and there was hardly anything left in the closet that he could wear.

He ran his fingers through his neatly styled hair, feeling an overwhelming sense of weakness washed over him.

After sitting on the sofa for quite a while, he remembered that during his last business trip, there might still be a few clean clothes left in his suitcase, which could work in a pinch.

Just as he was hurriedly putting on some clothes, Zhao Mother called.

Zhao Mother seemed like an ordinary housewife, but whenever she spoke, she always had a slow, almost dreamy quality to her words. Every time Qian Wang talked to her, he felt as if he were conversing with someone from a previous generation, creating a sense of distance and awkwardness in his heart.

This time, however, he couldn’t think about that much. He heard that Zhao Ziqiang had gotten into trouble with someone, resulting in a broken rib. Without hesitating, he hung up the phone and rushed to the hospital.

The hospital looked the same as always. It was mainly because Qian Wang had become so familiar with the place lately that he effortlessly found the bruised and battered Zhao Ziqiang in a temporary ward next to the emergency room.

Zhao Ziqiang thought about not making things difficult for this person anymore, but in such an unstable emotional state, who would want to deal with someone who could very well be the reason for his current predicament?

He shot a disdainful glance at Qian Wang and pretended to be casually flipping to the side. However, he didn’t pay attention and ended up pressing against his injured rib, causing him to wince in pain and tears to spring to his eyes. In the end, it was Qian Wang who hurriedly adjusted him back into position.

Zhao Ziqiang held back his emotions but couldn’t suppress the strong urge to vent his anger on Qian Wang. He didn’t know how to curse effectively, so he could only glare fiercely at the man standing helplessly by the bedside, feeling angry that Qian Wang couldn’t even say a single caring word!

Sun Wanjue was the next to arrive at the hospital, and this time it was Zhao Ziqiang who notified him personally. He was afraid that if he kept it a secret, Sun Wanjue would come to his sister to demand an explanation.

However, when the boy arrived, he stood silently by the bedside. Although the atmosphere between the two standing there felt somewhat off, Zhao Ziqiang angrily decided to pretend he didn’t notice.

His face, which usually resembled that of a teacher, was now swollen and wrapped in bandages, making him look quite ridiculous. He kept glancing at his phone, laughing and chuckling to himself, while the people around him were not in the mood to share in his humor.

Sun Wanjue stood there ominously for a long time before snatching Zhao Ziqiang’s phone and turning to walk out.

“Let me make a call.”

Zhao Ziqiang watched the boy’s back thoughtfully while pressing on the bruises on his face, each press causing a sharp pain that made him hiss, yet it seemed as if he didn’t even notice it himself.