Awkward Chapter 87

Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!

Ye Mu stayed in that position without moving.

As the clock slowly ticked towards 3 a.m., his skin turned red and sore, his limbs had gone numb from the cold, but he stubbornly refused to go back inside.

Yes, he was afraid. Afraid that he might, just like before, lose control and rush out the door.

Even though he was blinded by the anger of being deceived, he still liked that person. Whether it was his handsome young face or his proud, bad temper, Ye Mu found himself deeply attached to both.

When he opened his eyes, all he saw was darkness; even with his eyes closed, it was the same. His heart felt empty, like there was a hole, leaking cold air.

Ye Mu buried his face in his knees, desperately telling himself not to be weak, to be strong, but the salty tears still spilled out from the corners of his eyes.

The cold wind blew harshly, causing his sleeves to sway with the wind, adding to the overwhelming sense of desolation. For some reason, in just a few short hours, he suddenly found himself missing him so much.

Chen Mo, if it were possible, I would love to sweep away everything and love you with all I have, whether it was for desire or to resolve the misunderstandings of the past. I’d bear it all alone. But sadly, I’ve long passed the age where I could love recklessly. I’m afraid of being let down, of being abandoned, of making the same mistakes, so all I can do is cowardly choose to step back.

Ye Mu touched his forehead, pain and helplessness filling his eyes. Finally, when his body couldn’t take it anymore, he slowly moved his stiff legs and stumbled back into the living room.

Maybe because of the coffee he drank in the morning, he still didn’t feel sleepy at this hour.

To keep himself occupied, he walked into the kitchen and made a dish of fried fish fillet, which was the other party’s favorite.

The aroma quickly filled the room, making the entire place smell appetizing. 

Ye Mu didn’t have much of an appetite, so after bringing the plate to the coffee table in the living room and eating a few bites, he didn’t touch it again.

Leaning half-heartedly against the couch cushion, he stared blankly at the ceiling, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

The night was unusually quiet.

The thought of being alone from now on caused a flicker of loneliness to appear in Ye Mu’s eyes.

In the silent solitude, his energy gradually wore out, and his consciousness became less clear. In a daze, he finally fell asleep.

It was unclear how much time had passed when a faint vibration suddenly came from his pocket. If one listened closely, they could tell it was the sound of an incoming call.

Ye Mu, a light sleeper, was quickly awakened by the noise. After hesitating for a moment, his red and swollen fingers moved slightly, and he took out his phone.

Because his joints were too stiff from the cold, he accidentally swiped the call button.

The indicator light blinked, and soon a low, harsh voice came from the other end.

“Hey, are you asleep?”

Although the speakerphone wasn’t on, the quiet night made it easy to hear.

Ye Mu lowered his thin eyelids and didn’t reply, just silently staring at the glowing screen.

The man on the other end gritted his teeth in frustration. Seeing that Ye Mu didn’t respond, his tone became even more sharp and fierce. “I’m talking to you, did you go mute?”

Ye Mu kept his gaze down and, after a brief pause, blandly replied, “I’m asleep.”

The man’s high, straight nose showed traces of anger. “We just broke up, and you can still sleep?”

Ye Mu’s expression was indifferent. He didn’t really understand why Chen Mo was calling, “Do you need something?”

Chen Mo rolled his eyes, his face stern and cold. “Come here and open the door for me!”

Ye Mu wiped his face, trying to calm his emotions, and replied in a hoarse voice, “Didn’t you leave?”

Chen Mo’s face looked as bad as a broken stone in a sewer as he stood there stiffly. After a long pause, he finally spoke, “I was going to leave, but the more I thought about it, the more something felt wrong.”

Ye Mu’s thin, pale face showed confusion as his red, dry eyes moved slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Chen Mo’s long, deep eyes narrowed slightly. “Who do you think you are? Just because you say ‘get lost,’ I have to leave?”

Ye Mu hesitated, his voice strained, “We broke up, Chen Mo.”

Chen Mo’s expression remained stoic. “I know.”

Ye Mu, feeling chilled and a bit unwell, his stomach uncomfortable, replied with dead eyes, “Then why are you back?”

Chen Mo took a deep breath, “I never even left the door.”

Ye Mu’s face was thin and pale, filled with confusion. “Why not?”

Chen Mo, gripping the handle of his suitcase, found it difficult to respond to the questioning, so he furrowed his brows and replied harshly, “It’s too late to find a hotel to stay at. You don’t expect me to say I was waiting like a fool, hoping you’d chase after me, do you?”

Ye Mu rubbed his forehead, his words tinged with weariness and fatigue, “I have a friend nearby. I’ll call and get you a room.”

Chen Mo’s brow furrowed tightly, his expression darkening. “No need. It’s too much trouble.”

Ye Mu shook his head, pressing his nearly cracked lips together, “It’s no trouble. He’s a hotel manager.”

Chen Mo’s face turned black, “I said it’s trouble, so it’s trouble. Are you pretending to be dumb, or are you just that emotionally dense?”

Ye Mu, chilled by the wind, his voice thick with congestion, replied, “It’s fine. I’ll send you the address; you can follow the route to get there.”

Chen Mo cursed quietly, “D*mn it, haven’t you seen the recent news? Major five-star hotels in the country have been exposed for their dirty practices, with cleaners using the same cloth to wipe toilets, cups, and floors. Are you trying to disgust me to death?”

Ye Mu pursed his lips, “That’s just an isolated case, not all hotels are like that.”

Chen Mo couldn’t stand his dawdling any longer and snapped, “You’re so annoying! I told you to open the door, so just open it! Why so much nonsense?”

Ye Mu frowned. “I have no reason to let you in. First, we’re over and have nothing to do with each other. Second, just a few hours ago, you were so indignant, saying you hated me and that this was the end.”

He said this calmly, without any malice, but to Chen Mo, it sounded like Ye Mu was sitting there with his legs crossed, full of disdain, saying: “Chen, don’t you feel ashamed?”

Chen Mo was so furious he felt like his heart was about to explode. It was driving him crazy; he wanted to kick down that d*mn door. “D*mn it! You think I want to stay here and make a fool of myself? If I wasn’t worried you’d do something stupid, I wouldn’t bother with you.”

Ye Mu’s face remained indifferent. “Don’t worry, I’m eating well and sleeping soundly.”

That was true—he had just eaten fried fish and really did fall asleep.

Chen Mo took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger boiling in his chest. “Enough. Stop talking nonsense and open the door. I’ve been standing out here all night, freezing to death.”

Ye Mu couldn’t help but frown. “What do you mean? Are you planning to let bygones be bygones? Don’t forget what I did to you!”

Chen Mo’s sharp features were cold. “You don’t need to remind me. I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to.”

Ye Mu bit his lip. “Then why don’t you leave?”

Chen Mo turned his head, his angular face giving him a tough appearance. “You think I don’t want to? I’d love to get as far away from you as possible, but it’s like my legs are filled with lead, and I can’t move. What am I supposed to do?”

Ye Mu spoke in a low voice, “Are you joking, or did you get hit on the head? If you want to leave, there’s no way you can’t move.”

Chen Mo ran a hand through his hair in frustration and cursed under his breath. “How the h*ll should I know?”

D*mn it, he regretted it the moment he stepped out the door.

He knew perfectly well that Ye Mu was the accomplice from back then, knew that this person was malicious and selfish, knew that he already hated him so much. But somehow, he still couldn’t help but want to be with this d*mned person. He was afraid that if he left, he’d never see him again. It’s so messed up!

Ye Mu was getting angry too and didn’t want to argue any longer. “Then go ask a ghost! Stop bothering me! Chen Mo, I always thought you were childish, but now I see you’re just missing a screw. You’re the first person I’ve ever seen who tries to cling to someone else’s house right after a breakup.”

Chen Mo ground his teeth. “Give you an inch, and you take a mile. Watch your mouth, or karma will get you!”

Ye Mu, feeling irritated, shot back, “You’re right. My biggest karma was ever meeting you!”

With that, he hung up the call without hesitation.

Chen Mo was nearly furious to death. He kicked the door several times and yelled, “D*mn it! Are you going to open the door or not? Don’t force me to climb up your balcony in the middle of the night!”

Ye Mu knew he was capable of doing it, so, frustrated, he got up and walked to the door, unlocking it. “You’re so annoying!”

As the door clicked open, the two of them came face to face. The man inside looked pale and upset, with red, puffy eyes—obvious signs of crying. Yet, he still stood there stubbornly, trying to act tough.

Chen Mo locked eyes with him, and before his brain could catch up, his body acted on its own. He suddenly opened his arms and pulled Ye Mu into a tight embrace.

The hug was forceful, accompanied by a blast of cold wind, catching Ye Mu off guard. He was momentarily stunned and found himself pressed against Chen Mo’s firm chest.

Chen Mo, still holding onto his anger, shouted, “If you don’t want me to leave, just say it! Stop being so damn pretentious—it’s so infuriating!”

Ye Mu frowned slightly and pushed against Chen Mo’s shoulders in resistance. “I don’t know what kind of delusion you’re under, but it’s over between us! Do you even understand what ‘breakup’ means, you stubborn idiot?”

Chen Mo held him tightly, refusing to let go. “Nope, I failed my Chinese essay in the entrance exam, don’t even recognize many Chinese characters, so everything I just said on the balcony doesn’t count!”

Ye Mu was so angry that he felt a sharp pain in his liver, and he couldn’t help but curse, “You’re crazy!”

Chen Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he buried his face in Ye Mu’s neck, greedily inhaling his scent. His dry lips murmured, “If I’m crazy, then you’re an idiot—the dumbest kind!”

Ye Mu was fed up and kneed him in the stomach, his voice stern, “I don’t want to have to call security. If you don’t want to embarrass yourself, you’d better leave now.”

Chen Mo pulled him tighter into his arms, “Enough. It’s only been a few hours since I last saw you, and I’m already going crazy. If this keeps up, are you trying to torture me to death?”

Ye Mu, struggling against his strength, was tightly restrained and managed to gasp, “I don’t know if you’ll die, but if you keep squeezing me like this, I might suffocate first.”

Chen Mo’s young face was stubborn. “How about we make a deal? I’ll let go if you agree to let me stay.”

Ye Mu’s neck was flushed from lack of oxygen, and after a long moment, he squeezed out a reluctant, “Fine.”

Chen Mo’s tense expression softened as he unconsciously loosened his grip. Just as he was about to say something, Ye Mu suddenly pushed him far away and, with lightning speed, slammed the door shut with a sharp “bang!”

The hallway fell into a deathly silence.

After what felt like an eternity, the young man outside the door, full of resentment, yelled, “Ye Mu, you big liar!”