Chapter 84: Exclusive on Jinjiang 1/2

Shi Zhang had never experienced such a tormenting moment in his life.

Professor Song was breathing heavily in front of him, but not because of him.

Shi Zhang struggled in a difficult internal conflict. He wanted to continue watching, but he also wanted to break free and personally take care of the situation.

What intensified his emotions even more was that Professor Song obviously discovered something and knew something.

Allowed only to watch, Shi Zhang knew this was a form of lenient punishment, but Song Fuzhi probably didn’t even realize how deadly this move was.

Professor Shi was usually very composed, but when it came to matters related to Song Fuzhi, he repeatedly lost control.

Shi Zhang willingly accepted the punishment, his eyes turning dark red with restraint.

Although Song Fuzhi was now kneeling in front of him with flushed cheeks, like a sacred and merciful deity, willing to forgive the sins of mankind, Shi Zhang felt like he was about to boil over.

In the midst of the primitive impulse and torment, Shi Zhang confessed to his sins, laying everything bare. It was a confession and a complete surrender.

Song Fuzhi didn’t expect to hear more than what was in the notebook, learning about more unknown past events.

Shi Zhang would silently follow him, observing from a distance, engraving every detail about him in his heart.

Undoubtedly, these were behaviors that couldn’t be condoned, but the passage of time had diluted the horror of these actions, and Shi Zhang had never caused any harm to him. Song Fuzhi knew that, if possible, Shi Zhang probably would never let him know about these things.

With a hoarse voice, Shi Zhang apologized for things he had done many years ago, as well as for his current evasion and concealment.

Song Fuzhi didn’t say forgiveness or let him off; he just raised his hand and wiped away the sweat beads on Shi Zhang’s forehead.

“Look at me,” Song Fuzhi said coldly and calmly. “Look at me like you used to.”

Like the countless silent gazes twenty years ago, Shi Zhang continued to watch as Song Fuzhi completed his own actions.

In the end, Song Fuzhi’s voice couldn’t be suppressed anymore, and Shi Zhang was almost jealous. He envied that purple little piece of technology and Song Fuzhi’s knuckles. Professor Shi had never felt so desperate; he almost bit his own lips until they bled.

Until, who knows, how long later, Song Fuzhi, with unstable breath, approached and gently kissed open Shi Zhang’s clenched teeth, finally mercifully releasing his bound wrists.

“Before is before, now is now,” Song Fuzhi’s hand slipped into Shi Zhang’s palm, fingers interlocking.

Shi Zhang was released by Song Fuzhi, not just from his hands but also from his stubborn obsession, all embraced in warm hands.

“The future is the future—Shi Zhang, come.”

Shi Zhang used the little reason he had left to interpret the meaning of Song Fuzhi’s words. He was probably saying that, regardless of the past, they had each other in the future, which was the best thing.

The night wind was particularly turbulent, and someone was particularly crazy.

Shi Zhang used to call “Fuzhi” or “Teacher” in a low voice, but today it changed to repeated confirmations. At first, it sounded domineering, but with a little thought, one could sense the anxiety and restlessness hidden in Professor Shi’s tone.

He urgently needed to prove his irreplaceability and that technology could never triumph over humanity.

Song Fuzhi was originally inclined to laugh, so he made a random comment like “not bad,” which stimulated the old man enough that he couldn’t speak afterward.

If he had to force Song Fuzhi to cry out loud, Professor Shi finally felt that he had won a round.

After all, cold technology couldn’t achieve this.

In the rest that took several hours to come, Song Fuzhi asked Shi Zhang if, in the past, he had approached him, extending their interaction beyond the time they caught each other smoking during duty, they could have walked a better path together.

.

Shi Zhang perhaps didn’t need to struggle alone in the quagmire of his family background, and Song Fuzhi might have dared to experience a more exciting high school life like other students.

Shi Zhang soon smiled and shook his head, saying he was too pathetic back then, and he probably would have dragged Song Fuzhi down. Moreover, the past couldn’t be changed, and now they had each other, which was the best thing.

The two of them tossed and turned, tormenting each other. Song Fuzhi, trapped in bed, didn’t feel like moving, and half of his bangs were wet.

He hooked his finger, asking Shi Zhang to bring the cigarettes and lighter from the bedside table.

Shi Zhang reached out and took them out but held them in his palm without giving them to Song Fuzhi, asking, “Mr. Duty Officer, how come you started smoking after catching me smoking back then?”

“Because I’ve grown up.” Song Fuzhi lazily propped himself up, leaning on Shi Zhang’s back to reach for the cigarette box.

Chest against the back, both of their skin temperatures were high.

Shi Zhang reached his hand farther, saying in a low voice, “Quit.”

“Anyway, I’m not addicted.” Song Fuzhi looked at him. “I don’t usually smoke.”

“So you feel like smoking every time after we’re done?”

Song Fuzhi unconsciously moistened his dry lips, saying, “It’s a habit.”

Shi Zhang still didn’t give him a cigarette.

So Song Fuzhi didn’t insist and asked instead, “Zhong Ziyan mentioned that you quit smoking after high school graduation?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?” Song Fuzhi asked.

Shi Zhang replied in a matter-of-fact tone, “Because it’s harmful to health. The incidence of lung cancer is ten to twenty times higher than that of non-smokers.”

“Oh.” Song Fuzhi paused for a few seconds, his gaze sweeping over the light purple dragon lying on the bed corner. “Do you want to watch me play by myself next time?”

As soon as he heard this, Shi Zhang’s face instantly darkened. He really couldn’t recall that scene at all.

Shi Zhang could only tell the truth: “Because you caught me smoking, so I quit.”

“Actually, I started smoking just because I used to be alone,” Song Fuzhi said, looking at Shi Zhang with a meaningful glance. “Smoking helps to kill boredom.”

Shi Zhang threw the cigarette box to the floor with a “pop” and kissed Song Fuzhi, clasping the back of his damp head with one hand.

After the kiss, Shi Zhang said, “From now on, I’ll occupy the position of the cigarettes.”

–

Teacher Song was physically exhausted, allowing himself to lie down for the last half of the day. The first thing he did when he got up was to quickly prepare for the next semester’s classes and various other tasks.

Having been a good student all his life, Song Fuzhi experienced the frenzy of rushing assignments before returning to school for the first time.

The courses themselves were not a problem; the main issue was that the students in the class had already spent half of their high school years, and the remaining time, short or not, was definitely not long. It was time for them to start getting moderately nervous, so figuring out how to motivate their learning enthusiasm was something that needed careful consideration.