His Addiction - Chapter 40
One’s upbringing leaves a lasting impact. If Xu He Ping hadn’t been such a patriarchal father, Xu Zhi might not be so submissive.
But Liang Mushi couldn’t imagine Xu Zhi being any other way.
He was used to her obedience and docility, which he now found boring. But his words had hurt her. She said she didn’t care, but did she really?
Even he felt his words had been cruel.
It was past 3 p.m. They chose the slope closest to the hotel.
Because of its proximity to the hotel, it was quite crowded.
Out of politeness, Xu Zhi didn’t contact Yang Xue immediately. She planned to spend some time with Liang Mushi and Chen Jing, then find an excuse to leave.
However, Chen Jing couldn’t ski.
As soon as she put on her skis, she fell, thankfully with Liang Mushi there to catch her.
Chen Jing wasn’t embarrassed at all. She clung to Liang Mushi. “Ah, that scared me! It’s so slippery! I can’t even stand!”
Liang Mushi teased her. “You have to use your ski poles. Don’t lock your knees. Skiing looks easy, but there’s a technique to it…”
Liang Mushi explained the basics of skiing to Chen Jing.
Chen Jing didn’t let go, clinging tightly to him.
Xu Zhi looked away. “You guys chat. I’m going to take a run.”
She turned and skied towards the distant slope.
With Chen Jing and Liang Mushi so lovey-dovey, she couldn’t even pretend to enjoy their company.
She skied a long distance before stopping, taking out her waterproofed phone and calling Yang Xue.
Unfortunately, Yang Xue wasn’t at this slope and was busy with work.
Xu Zhi hung up, feeling disappointed, and stood there for a while, lost in thought.
Liang Mushi was probably still cuddling with Chen Jing… Chen Jing was good at acting spoiled, and Liang Mushi seemed to enjoy it.
She didn’t know how to act spoiled. She had never acted spoiled, not even with her parents.
Surrounded by people, she felt lonely.
Whenever she felt lonely, she thought of Liang Jinmo.
During the years they were at the same school, he had always been a loner. She had never seen him with any friends.
So, when he was bullied by Liang Mushi and his gang, no one stood up for him.
Despite being bullied, he always held his head high and never skipped school.
She couldn’t have done that. She wasn’t that strong.
Xu Zhi quietly thought about Liang Jinmo, her mind eventually drifting to that night at his apartment, when he had been on top of her, his hand on her waist…
Her face flushed. She couldn’t think about it anymore. She turned and skied back towards the entrance of the slope.
Because he was with Chen Jing, Liang Mushi hadn’t gone far. Xu Zhi easily spotted them, still clinging to each other.
She skied over to them. Liang Mushi was looking exasperated. “Chen Jing, you’ll never learn to ski if you keep clinging to me like this. I’ve told you what to do. You have to use your ski poles to maintain balance.”
“I don’t want to,” Chen Jing whined. “I’ve already fallen twice!”
Xu Zhi was thinking of an excuse to leave when Liang Mushi saw her, his eyes lighting up.
“Xiao Zhi Zi, come help! This girl can’t use her ski poles, and now she’s refusing to let go of me.”
Xu Zhi: “…”
Reluctantly, she skied over to them. Liang Mushi said to Chen Jing, “How about this? Let go of my right hand and hold onto Xiao Zhi Zi’s hand. Find your balance. At least try to stand up.”
He coaxed her, and Chen Jing reluctantly agreed, reaching for Xu Zhi’s hand with trembling fingers.
Xu Zhi held out her hand, letting her use it for support.
“Now take a few steps forward. Get used to the feeling,” Liang Mushi instructed.
Chen Jing took two or three steps, then refused to move any further, despite Liang Mushi’s encouragement.
She slowly let go of Liang Mushi’s hand. “I know you’re annoyed with me. Go ahead and take a run. I’ll learn from Xiao Zhi Zi.”
Liang Mushi looked at her doubtfully. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“Yes.” Chen Jing grabbed both of Xu Zhi’s arms. “Xiao Zhi Zi, can you two take turns teaching me? When he comes back, you can go ski.”
Xu Zhi felt uncomfortable with Chen Jing holding her arms, that familiar feeling of someone invading her personal space, but she endured it.
She thought, Consider this part of appeasing Liang Mushi. She said to Liang Mushi, “It’s fine. I’ll help her get used to it. You go ahead and have some fun.”
Liang Mushi said, “Be careful, then. Or just stand here for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
He put on his goggles and skied off. Xu Zhi glanced at his retreating figure, then said to Chen Jing, “I saw that you can hire ski instructors here. Should I ask about it?”
Chen Jing shook her head. “Instructors make me nervous.”
Xu Zhi didn’t say anything more.
Chen Jing: “It’s okay. Let’s take a few steps. I think I can do it.”
She let go of one of Xu Zhi’s arms, holding her ski pole and shuffling it against the snow. “I’ll practice walking with the poles first.”
Xu Zhi patiently guided Chen Jing, moving forward at a snail’s pace.
After a while, Chen Jing stopped, panting. “I’m so nervous I’m sweating.”
Xu Zhi remained silent.
Chen Jing took off her goggles and looked at her. “Xiao Zhi Zi, are you unhappy?”
Xu Zhi: “No.”
“I think you are,” Chen Jing’s gaze turned scrutinizing. “Is it because of what Mu Zhi said at the restaurant?”
Xu Zhi didn’t answer.
She sensed a change in Chen Jing’s demeanor now that Liang Mushi was gone. She didn’t want to continue this conversation, but she couldn’t just leave Chen Jing standing there with a slope behind her.
Chen Jing smiled. “You don’t have to take his words to heart. You know how Mu Zhi is. He’s too good to his friends, so good that it makes me envious. That time you went to the bar and didn’t answer his calls, he looked for you all night…”
Xu Zhi felt a hidden meaning in her words and frowned.
Chen Jing suddenly asked, “Do you know how important Mu Zhi is to me?”
Xu Zhi looked at her, confused.
“I was living like a zombie, but he brought me back to life,” Chen Jing’s eyes burned with an almost fanatical intensity. “So, I can’t lose him. I have to be with him forever.”
Xu Zhi was about to speak when Chen Jing added, “Don’t blame me.”
Before Xu Zhi could react, Chen Jing suddenly let go of her arms.
Xu Zhi was completely stunned.
She hadn’t been holding onto Chen Jing. It had been the other way around. Chen Jing had been gripping her arms tightly. She had only been offering support. Now that Chen Jing had let go, the weight on her arms suddenly disappeared.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, yet it was also chaotic. Chen Jing’s body slid backwards, down the slope. She lost her grip on her ski poles, her skis slipping on the snow. She quickly lost her balance and fell.
Her body tumbled down the slope, finally colliding with a fir tree.
People around them screamed. Some rushed over to check on Chen Jing.
Xu Zhi stared at Chen Jing’s motionless form in the distance, as if unable to comprehend what had just happened.