Ex-Husband's CallChapter 5

While their last meeting might have been mere coincidence, Huo Zhixing’s presence this time around was wholly deliberate.

His Tong-laoshi was beautiful and fair, with a slim waist and long, slender legs. Huo Zhixing knew very well that Tong Qiu had many admirers but wasn’t this still a bit too fast? Tong Qiu had moved out only yesterday and from the looks of it, he had already found a new flame. pTdc8k

Huo Zhixing was a man too and knew what men wanted. He understood that when it came to their particular species, the majority were incapable of subduing their physiological desires. And given that Tong Qiu had restrained himself for so long, he was unlikely to be an exception.

He knew Tong Qiu had been repressing his passions and also knew that, after keeping up the pretense for so long, Tong Qiu was sure to let loose the moment he gained his freedom.

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Huo Zhixing was fine with Tong Qiu letting loose, but he couldn’t let him run too wild, lest he slipped out of Huo Zhixing’s grasp again. Huo Zhixing had thought Tong Qiu would need at least a few days to get over him after their divorce. As it turns out, the guy was wilder than Huo Zhixing had imagined.

Huo Zhixing had to quickly repair the red string in his hands before it was too late. ZUQkXE

When he decided to return to that same bar, Huo Zhixing couldn’t be sure if Tong Qiu would still be there. As soon as the investigation was finished, he changed out of his uniform and rushed over with the thought that he should at least try his luck.

If luck was on his side, he might be able to block any potential suitors. And if it wasn’t, his Tong-laoshi might end up giving ‘private lessons’ in someone else’s bed that night.

Thankfully, Mistress Fortune was smiling upon Officer Huo that night.

“Casual clothes?” Chu Yao asked. Her brows furrowed and she couldn’t help but feel that something was off. “Maybe he didn’t manage to catch the culprit just now? Should I go warn my friends to be careful of what they drink?”

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“He’s probably just here to hang out.” Tong Qiu could tell from a single glance whether or not Huo Zhixing was in ‘police officer’ mode. “But you should still go tell those friends of yours to watch out for themselves when they’re out drinking.”

“Of course, one must always follow Tong-laoshi’s teachings.” However, Chu Yao made no move to leave and remained seated beside Tong Qiu. Eyes bright with interest, she watched as Huo Zhixing found a seat not too far away from them. “If he’s here to hang out, why isn’t he hanging out with you then? Sorry, I meant, why isn’t he looking for you?”

Tong Qiu glared at her. “It’s not like there’s anything going on between us. Why would he look for me?”

“You’re not strangers so what’s wrong with having a few drinks with someone you know?” Chu Yao drained the rest of her drink in one gulp. “I’ll go bring him over.” 3zZlIy

“Sis!” Tong Qiu yelled and grabbed hold of her. “Have mercy.”

Chu Yao grinned. She tapped Tong Qiu on the chin and said, “Oh, are you shy or just playing hard-to-get?”

“There’s not much difference between the two but the answer is neither,” Tong Qiu replied. “Seriously, there’s nothing between us anymore so we should just keep to ourselves and leave each other alone.”

Chu Yao thought over it for a moment, then sat back down. yRtTDr

Huo Zhixing had been watching the whole thing from the corner of his eye. After entering the bar, he had found a good spot with a view of the booth that Tong Qiu was currently occupying, but not too close.

He ordered a soda and then took a few sips, looking perfectly at ease. On the other side of the room, Tong Qiu kept sneaking glances in his direction and if one didn’t know better, one would think Huo Zhixing had caught his eye.

Tong Qiu had a feeling that something fishy was going on. Huo Zhixing had to be plotting something – he had already seen Tong Qiu here when he was inspecting the place so he must have come back deliberately. Even a fool could have figured that out.

But why had he come back? Pkcyjh

It couldn’t be because of Chu Yao. And it most definitely wasn’t because of Fang Baicheng.

Tong Qiu looked over at Fang Baicheng, who was heading in their direction with a drink in hand. Alarm bells sounded in Tong Qiu’s head – could Huo Zhixing really have taken an interest in Fang Baicheng?

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He turned his head towards Huo Zhixing and realized that there was now someone sitting across from him. That someone was a long-haired woman in a miniskirt with a great figure and beautiful profile to match.

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Tong Qiu honestly couldn’t stand this Fang Baicheng. It was obvious that the two of them weren’t close but the man kept yammering on and even brought up personal topics with no tact at all.

Although Tong Qiu wasn’t a judgmental type of person, ultimately he still felt that there were certain boundaries between two parties. The boundaries dictated how close the other party could get, and what kind of words they could say within the space they occupied. There were hard lines that shouldn’t be crossed and at the very least, private matters were off limits at the beginning of an acquaintanceship.

It was very obvious that Fang Baicheng was unaware of these boundaries. Ifqt21

“He can do whatever he likes,” Tong Qiu said. “And it’s not like I own this bar; I can’t stop him from coming here.” Tong Qiu took a large gulp of his drink with the intent of heading home once his cup was empty.

However, the time it took to drain the rest of his drink didn’t pass as easily as he had anticipated. Once the woman chatting with Huo Zhixing had left, he was approached by a boy in a revealing shirt. Tong Qiu suddenly felt as if this place was Pansi Cave and Huo Zhixing was the Tang Seng that everyone wanted to devour.

There was no end in sight on Huo Zhixing’s side and no end in sight for Tong Qiu either, with the way Fang Baicheng continued to talk his ear off. Tong Qiu finally understood just how terrible he was at judging someone’s character.

When he first met Fang Baicheng, he had taken in Fang Baicheng’s glasses and neat appearance and assumed he was a reserved, stoic academic dedicated to his research. Tong Qiu had no idea he’d be such a gossipy busybody. r8JZ5R

Tong Qiu didn’t respond when Fang Baicheng probed him about personal topics, and merely brushed him off with a small laugh here and there. He finally couldn’t take it anymore and decided to leave as soon as he finished his drink.

But his butt didn’t even manage to leave his seat before he saw Huo Zhixing walking towards him with his glass in hand. Tong Qiu couldn’t stand up so he remained glued to the sofa.

“I just noticed you’re still here.”

Tong Qiu mentally let out a grim laugh. ‘Stop pretending, bro. You saw me as soon as you came in.’ CMvPsJ

“Mind if I join you?”

Tong Qiu hurriedly scooted over to the far side, making room so that Huo Zhixing could sit down in the spot between him and Fang Baicheng.

However, Huo Zhixing didn’t take the hint and sat down on Tong Qiu’s other side.

Tong Qiu had a feeling that Huo Zhixing misunderstood the whole situation and still believed there was something going on between him and Fang Baicheng. iRkfVr

“Why did you come back?” Tong Qiu asked awkwardly, searching for a conversation starter. He reached for his cup and realized it was already empty.

Fang Baicheng offered Tong Qiu his own drink but Tong Qiu didn’t take it.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

“Want to give this a try?” Huo Zhixing held up the cup of soda in his hand in front of Tong Qiu. “It tastes alright.”

“Only you would come to a bar to drink soda.” Tong Qiu already had four drinks and while he wasn’t drunk, he was getting tipsy. Based on past experience, he knew that another two drinks would get him plastered and he still had to go to work tomorrow. 3E01Mx

His mouth was dry and a bit sour from the alcohol so some soda actually sounded pretty good. Despite his earlier teasing, Tong Qiu ended up leaning forward and sniffed at the contents of the cup. “Is it sweet?”

“It’s not too sweet. Give it a try.”

Fang Baicheng stared at the two of them and noted that Tong Qiu was basically leaning right up against Huo Zhixing’s body. He forced out a small laugh and said, “Tong Qiu, let me order another one for you.”

“No need.” Tong Qiu didn’t plan on drinking Huo Zhixing’s drink but after hearing Fang Baicheng’s suggestion, he instantly changed his mind. “I’ll just drink this.” mkuhdB

He grabbed Huo Zhixing’s cup and took a large gulp, then declared, “Mm, it’s good!”

Huo Zhixing smiled as he gazed at Tong Qiu. “I told you it was good but you didn’t believe me.”

Tong Qiu drank another large mouthful and felt a bit better. He gave the cup back to Huo Zhixing then lifted his hand to glance at his watch.

Fang Baicheng’s gaze shifted from Tong Qiu’s wrist to Huo Zhixing’s wrist and realized the two were actually wearing matching watches. Fang Baicheng hated it when his targets showed any signs that they were intimate with someone else, and it always irked him, whether it was intentional or unintentional. SCpN5a

“I’m going to head back.” Tong Qiu stood and stretched, then hollered at Chu Yao, who had gone off to play some dice. “Yao-jie, I’m heading home now.”

Chu Yao turned when she heard his voice, and when she saw that Huo Zhixing standing beside Tong Qiu, the dice she was holding flew out of her hand.

“Yao-Yao, what are you doing?” the friend next to her grumbled.

“Ai, you guys keep playing,” Chu Yao forced her way through the crowd and came over, then beamed at Huo Zhixing. “Officer Huo, when did you get here?” BjNwix

“I just arrived,” Huo Zhixing said to her politely.

“So what’s happening now?” she asked Tong Qiu. “Are the two of you leaving together?’

Everyone was fully aware of the implications when two people left a bar together. The majority of the time, their guess was right on the money.

“Stop overthinking.” Tong Qiu muttered to her, then turned towards Huo Zhixing and asked, “Are you going to stay for a bit?” mc5ugI

“No, it’s been a long day. I’m going to head home too and catch some sleep.” Huo Zhixing replied. Tong Qiu was the only reason he was here so if Tong Qiu was leaving, there was no point sticking around.

“Tong Qiu, let me see you off,” Fang Baicheng said and also rose to his feet.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Tong Qiu laughed. “No need to see me off, I’m in my thirties already. Besides, I’m a man, not some little girl who’s too afraid to walk alone at night.”

Fang Baicheng forced a smile, obviously reluctant. At his defeated expression, a victorious cannon sounded in Huo Zhixing’s heart. Huo Zhixing turned and passed Tong Qiu his coat. “Let’s go then?” pumP9r

“Aright.” Tong Qiu put on his coat and said his goodbyes to Chu Yao.

Chu Yao pulled him aside and murmured, “Are you going to sleep with him?”

“Sleep my ass,” Tong Qiu whispered. “The two of us aren’t capable of sleeping together.”

“I’m telling you, he’s definitely up to something. Watch yourself and don’t forget condoms and lube.” BNs1PT

“Enough already. Who knows him better, me or you?” Tong Qiu patted Chu Yao on the shoulder. “Friends, we’re done for the night. Carry on.”

The bar had been dimly lit and packed with all sorts of people so when they stepped outside, the night wind felt refreshing against Tong Qiu’s face.

“It’s hard hailing a cab here. Let’s walk forward a bit,” Huo Zhixing suggested.

Tong Qiu hummed in agreement and walked together with Huo Zhixing towards the main street to their right. ikYWs

They walked in silence for a while and after mulling it over, Tong Qiu decided to give an explanation.

“I’m actually not very familiar with the man in the glasses,” Tong Qiu said. “We only just met today.”

Huo Zhixing nodded his head but didn’t reply.

Tong Qiu shot him a sideways glance and continued. “He’s the type that acts friendly right from the start, so please don’t be offended if he said anything that shouldn’t have been said.” eH8m34

“Did he say anything that shouldn’t have been said?” Huo Zhixing asked with a faint smile.

Tong Qiu tried to recall what Fang Baicheng had said but realized that he couldn’t remember a thing. The man had droned on and on but there was no substance to his words. How did he even get his doctorate degree? Or had all that research rotted his brain?

They stood on the side of the road and waited for a cab. It was a while before an empty cab pulled up in front of them.

“You go first,” Huo Zhixing said, pulling open the door. “It’s cold and your jacket’s too thin.” 8tiRWg

Tong Qiu wanted to retort that Huo Zhixing’s own jacket wasn’t all that thick but decided that the polite back-and-forth would be too pretentious and figured he might as well get in the car.

“I’ll leave first then.”

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Huo Zhixing gave him a wave. The driver turned and asked where Tong Qiu was headed and Tong Qiu gave him the address.

Suddenly, Tong Qiu opened the car window and called out to Huo Zhixing. Huo Zhixing was already walking towards the bus stop to take shelter from the wind, but came running back when he heard Tong Qiu calling his name. tJ8dBM

“What’s wrong? Do you not have any cash on you?”

Tong Qiu smiled. “It’s not that. I just wanted to tell you that there’s nothing going on between me and that man, so don’t misinterpret things.”

Huo Zhixing gazed at him with a meaningful smile. “What did I misinterpret?”

It was the kind of smile that suggested that Huo Zhixing was up to no good and for some reason, it made Tong Qiu’s heart beat a little faster than usual. “If you didn’t misunderstand anything then all the better. I’m off, then.” 51lOR4

He closed the window before Huo Zhixing could reply and asked the driver to start driving. Once there was some distance between them, Tong Qiu turned his head to look back at Huo Zhixing. Huo Zhixing stood on the side of the empty street, wrapped in his coat with a newly lit cigarette at his lips.

He looked a bit lonely, but incredibly mesmerizing.

The cab drove out of sight but Huo Zhixing continued to stand on the side of the road, cigarette dangling from his mouth. Huo Zhixing was in an excellent mood and when he gazed down at the wedding band resting on his ring finger, he wondered idly if Tong Qiu had noticed it.

  IJc2s6

 

The author has something to say:

Tong Qiu: Sorry, didn’t see it. kU082p

Translator's Note

teacher

Translator's Note

Tang Seng is the monk from the ‘Journey of the West’ story who was constantly being kidnapped by demons that wanted to eat him. Pansi Cave, literally ‘Cave of Silken Webs’, is the place where the beautiful, seductive spider demons trapped Tang Seng

Translator's Note

older sister

Leave a Comment

19 comments

  1. Fsgsgysveushiegwysub Huo Zhixing, refuel!! 💪🥰😁

    Thanks for the chapter ❤

  2. So TQ will correct his friend about HZX being an EX-husband, but when they’re alone, he’ll still explain himself.. Too bad he’s still holding back. Almost talked back to him about the jacket thing.. Mr. Policeman you’ll have to probe harder than keeping your wedding ring on in a dark club.

  3. Eeeee… These two.

    Still unable to keep yourself from each other, huh? Tsk, tsk. Well, at least Tong Qiu is honest.

    Thank you for the update ❤️

  4. Thank you for the chapter! I really like this novel, I don’t know why… It’s just too good?

  5. Hehehe. Tong Qiu had to clarify twice Just because. Right? He’s so transparent sometimes!

    Thanks for the chapter!

  6. Fine….feelings are in place…now they just have to make it clear. You can take it slowly, enjoy the thrill.

    Thanks for the chapter.

  7. Just as I thought. It’s not really just Huo Zhixing’s fault. Excited to see them get back together.

  8. The second hand embarrassment when Huo Zhixing approach and said “I just noticed blah blah” MY GOOD OFFICER SIR, PLEASE, WHY ARE YOU SO AWKWARD SHJDHFJFBFNCN and also that Baicheng should go F off himself or else I will do it myself.

    Thank you for the chapter! 🌺❤

  9. HZX actually said I JUST NOTICED YOU’RE STILL HERE even though he had already been looking in theyre direction the moment he came in, so embarassing! Too bad TQ didnt see the ring.

    Thanks for the chapter!