Spoiled - Chapter 14

Fang Baijing automatically categorized Fu Feng’s words as a transaction. If he branded himself with the “Fu Feng” label, then Fu Feng would protect him and keep him safe. This seemed like the only path left to take, but Fang Baijing couldn’t bring himself to say “yes.” He couldn’t accept it deep down, and he couldn’t resist pulling away from Fu Feng again. His arrogance was subdued, but his reluctance was written all over his face.

“F-forget it,” Fang Baijing stammered. “You might as well let him beat me to death.”

Just thinking about being subservient to a man made him shiver with disgust. Fang Baijing absolutely could not accept it.

Fu Feng didn’t get angry. He picked up the overcoat that had just been on Fang Baijing’s body and was now on the floor. The coat hung draped over his arm. Fu Feng showed no sign of distress.

He took a business card out of the coat pocket and handed it to Fang Baijing with his distinct, jointed fingers. Fu Feng said, “If you need help, you can find me.”

The business card still carried the scent of fresh ink. As if by a momentary lapse of judgment, Fang Baijing reached out and took it. It only had Fu Feng’s name and his phone number on it. Fang Baijing clutched the card and quietly asked, “Can I go to the hospital to see him?”

Fu Feng glanced at him and denied: “No need.” He took it upon himself to make the decision for Fang Baijing: “Rest here for the night. I’ll have your agent come pick you up tomorrow.”

Fang Baijing looked confused, but the worst part was that he realized he actually trusted Fu Feng. This damnable sense of trust.

But he still didn’t listen to Fu Feng. His feet stuck close behind him. Fang Baijing reached out and cautiously tugged at Fu Feng: “Just take me to the hospital, alright… okay?”

Fang Baijing still wanted to see Mishu with his own eyes.

“Stay here and be safe.” Fu Feng never changed his mind once it was made. Perhaps sensing his tone was too harsh, he softened his voice: “Don’t be afraid.”

Fang Baijing had no choice. He had no money, and his phone was broken. Fu Feng was merciful enough to lend him his phone: “If you’re worried, you can call Xiao Jing.”

“—Hello?” Xiao Jing’s voice sounded tired. “Young Master Fu, why are you calling me?”

“It’s me.” Fang Baijing dropped his gaze and apologized first: “I ruined your birthday… sorry. Is that person alright?”

“My birthday is fine, you can make it up to me next time.” Xiao Jing leaned against the hospital wall, also looking troubled. “His injury wasn’t too serious. He’s getting stitches now. But… you might really be in trouble now. I suggest you get out of town for a bit.”

The words Fang Baijing hadn’t finished were caught in his throat. He had no choice but to return the phone to Fu Feng, even managing a polite thank you. Fu Feng hummed in response.

Fang Baijing stood rooted in place, feeling helpless, realizing he had no choice but to grasp at straws. Fu Feng started to walk out again, and Fang Baijing instinctively followed him like a shadow. “Where are you going?” His mouth was faster than his brain.

Fu Feng stopped and looked back at him: “I’m going to the hospital.”

“Don’t be afraid.” Fu Feng had lost count of how many times he had said this tonight. He would never be like this normally, but whenever Fang Baijing stood before him, Fu Feng was incredibly patient. Fu Feng said, “You rest well here.”

Fang Baijing was still the face-saving Fang Baijing. He couldn’t bring himself to ask Fu Feng to stay with him. After all, he had said some very nasty things to Fu Feng just hours ago.

He sat alone on the sofa, hugging his legs. It was strange. Fu Feng’s goal was clearly the same as Mishu’s. Was it simply because Fu Feng was half his savior that he trusted him so implicitly?

Fang Baijing frowned with annoyance. But why did he feel that Fu Feng was different from Mishu? Fu Feng was the one who pulled him out of the pool, and Fu Feng was the one comforting him now.

He decided to consider all the unpleasantness with Fu Feng to be wiped clean.

Fu Feng told him to rest well, but Fang Baijing certainly couldn’t sleep.

The club had beds, but he just rested his head on the sofa, dozing in and out all night, until dawn broke. Fang Baijing finally drifted into a deep sleep.

Fang Baijing was woken by Sister Cai, who had rushed over. When he woke up again, he found he had slumped sideways on the sofa, his legs slightly numb. In addition to that—there was an overcoat draped over him like a blanket. The coat was still imbued with a cold men’s cologne. After being there for so long, only the lingering base notes remained.

Fang Baijing clumsily got up from the sofa. The coat inevitably slid off. He hesitated, then bent down, picked up the coat, neatly folded it, and placed it beside him. “Sister Cai…” Fang Baijing’s voice was sleepy.

Sister Cai was usually a strong, elegantly dressed businesswoman, but today she had rushed over in a hurry, with no makeup on her face, and still wearing slippers on her feet.

She anxiously pulled Fang Baijing closer, checked him up and down, and only after making sure he was fine did Sister Cai finally let out a sigh of relief: “Baijing, are you okay?”

Fang Baijing shook his head and whispered, “…I’m fine.” He glanced at the coat next to the sofa and asked knowingly, “Did you… put that coat on me?”

“No,” Sister Cai said. “I saw you wearing this when I first arrived.”

Fang Baijing froze. He couldn’t help but connect the coat to its owner. Did Fu Feng come back just to cover him with his coat?

“Never mind,” Fang Baijing mumbled almost to himself. He then spoke normally: “Sister Cai, please take me home first.”

Fang Baijing slid into the back seat of Sister Cai’s car. He unconsciously grabbed the pillow next to him, his thoughts a tangled mess. Like someone with a difficult decision, he rummaged in his pocket for a long time. His fingers hit the sharp edge of the business card, and Fang Baijing finally pulled it out.

—Fu Feng. His name was printed on it, along with his phone number.

Fang Baijing took a few deep breaths, leaned forward, and asked: “Sister Cai, where is your phone? Can I borrow it?”

“There,” Sister Cai lifted her chin and pointed to the magnetic phone holder. “See? The password is six ones.”

Fang Baijing unlocked the phone as Sister Cai instructed.

He took a deep breath and typed in Fu Feng’s number, but he couldn’t bring himself to press the call button. What could he say to Fu Feng? Ask if he had come back to check on him, or ask about Mishu’s condition?

Fang Baijing wrestled with the decision for twenty minutes, so long that even the fingers holding the phone started to cramp.

“Baijing!” Sister Cai’s hurried voice suddenly rang out.

Fang Baijing instinctively said, “Huh?” but when he looked up, he saw Sister Cai’s expression wasn’t right. Her lips were tightly pursed. Her usually composed and calm expression was inevitably flustered, but Sister Cai was an ace manager who had weathered many storms.

She glanced at the rearview mirror and spoke quickly: “There’s a car following us. It doesn’t look like a paparazzi car.”

Fang Baijing instantly sat up straight. He turned his head back and saw an SUV.

The body of the car seemed to have been modified, flashing a cold, stark light. The SUV followed them like a shadow. The road was wide but sparsely populated. Sister Cai’s speed was slow, but the car behind them kept sticking to their rear bumper.

A layer of cold sweat unknowingly coated Fang Baijing’s back. Seeing the SUV getting closer and closer, it had already passed the safe distance for normal driving. As soon as Sister Cai braked, the car behind could slam right into them, but the driver was just teasing them, not doing anything, just tailing their car from beginning to end.

Fang Baijing held his breath. He immediately thought of what Fu Feng had said yesterday. If he were alone in the car, Fang Baijing might be able to calm down, but Sister Cai was in the car, too.

His trembling finger finally pressed the call button.

Calling the police would be more reliable in this situation, but Fang Baijing called Fu Feng.

“Fang Baijing?” Fu Feng seemed to know who was on the other end of the line. He paused and asked, “What is it?”

“There’s a car… a car is following me.” Fang Baijing’s tone sounded somewhat unnatural.

Silence on the other end for a moment.

Fang Baijing thought he heard the sound of a lighter. Fu Feng said, “Got it.” Quickly, he added, “Don’t be afraid.”

Fang Baijing held his wrist, which was gripping the phone. He didn’t respond, but after a moment of silence, the car behind quietly backed off.

Sister Cai slumped in the front seat, trying to calm down.

Fang Baijing heard Fu Feng’s voice again: “Where are you?” Fang Baijing’s palm was already covered in sweat. He instinctively reported the location.

Fu Feng arrived quickly, by himself. In the sub-zero weather, Fu Feng wasn’t even wearing a coat, just a white knit sweater.  This was the first time Fang Baijing had seen Fu Feng wear this color.

Ignoring Sister Cai’s surprised gaze, he opened the back car door. Fang Baijing’s wrist was pulled, and he uncontrollably moved his feet, being led by Fu Feng into his car.

Fu Feng’s fingers were cold like ice. Fang Baijing couldn’t stop shivering.

He tried to pull his hand back, hesitated, and then allowed Fu Feng to hold it. Fang Baijing suddenly noticed that Fu Feng’s cuff was a little dirty, damp, with stains that wouldn’t wash out, looking like blood.

He was momentarily dazed and quietly asked, “Do you… does what you said yesterday still count?” The recent event left Fang Baijing feeling intensely scared. Today it’s a threat, what about tomorrow? Will they really crash into him tomorrow? He decided to take the risk. Fang Baijing simply closed his eyes, hardened his heart, and asked, “You said if I was with you, you would—”

Fang Baijing didn’t have time to finish the rest of his sentence. Fu Feng interrupted him: “It counts.” In Fang Baijing’s stunned gaze, he lowered his head and kissed the corner of his mouth. Fu Feng’s lips were also cold. “You can’t go back on your word once you nod.”

They maintained this relationship for the next six months.

Fang Baijing was initially a little afraid of Fu Feng and was even obedient in front of him, but as time went on, Fang Baijing realized the situation wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Fu Feng’s possessiveness was all-encompassing, like he wanted to fill every corner around him. Even what Fang Baijing wore the next day seemed to be under Fu Feng’s jurisdiction.

Fang Baijing couldn’t stand it. One day, he finally decided to go back on his word. It was then that he understood what Fu Feng’s phrase, “You can’t go back on your word once you nod,” meant.

Fu Feng’s meaning was: If you agree, I won’t let you leave.

Fu Feng was particularly merciless that night. Strictly speaking, it was more than one night.

Fang Baijing was like a fish on a chopping board, unable to even twitch his tail. His body was forced open, inside and out. Fang Baijing’s voice was hoarse as if he had traveled through a desert, and his eyes were sore. He couldn’t remember how many teeth marks he left on Fu Feng’s shoulder. Fang Baijing’s last memory of it was Fu Feng lowering his head to kiss him.

The lesson was too profound. From then on, Fang Baijing never dared to talk about breaking up again.

But this feeling suffocated Fang Baijing. After Fang Baijing’s first hysterical outburst, their previously stable relationship was broken. Their relationship grew increasingly stiff, especially when Fu Feng started interfering in his acting career, even rewriting his scripts or rejecting his collaborations without his consent.

Fu Feng would always give him a string of reasons, but Fang Baijing couldn’t hear a single word. He simply didn’t know how to interact with Fu Feng. Should he be coquettish with his patron like other small lovers, or sweet and affectionate like a normal couple? Fang Baijing couldn’t do either. Whether it was because of his insignificant pride or his terribly stubborn temper, Fang Baijing couldn’t soften up. All he was good at was making the relationship more strained.