Life and Death Insurance – EXTRA 2.2

Strategy Two: Feigning Indifference

Because of Ling Zhengzhong’s covert counterattack plan, their seemingly peaceful and sweet little world was actually rife with undercurrents. Unfortunately, Xiang Tian was completely unaware of Ling Zhengzhong’s scheming.

Because of Ling Zhengzhong’s previous jealousy, Xiang Tian originally wanted to quit his job at the gym, but Ling Zhengzhong strongly stopped him. Of course, he wouldn’t actually be jealous. Since fabricated jealousy didn’t work, he wouldn’t do the same pointless thing again.

However, the stubborn Xiang Tian wouldn’t listen to his advice, leaving Ling Zhengzhong with no choice but to write a guarantee and post it on the wall, promising that no matter what happened, he would never be jealous. Only then did Xiang Tian give up. This made Ling Zhengzhong feel as if his plan had completely backfired.

“Zhengzhong, the trainers at the gym invited me to play ball. Do you want to come along?”

Although the gym didn’t assign male members to Xiang Tian, ​​he had become friends with many of the trainers. People working at the gym were all naturally athletic, and with shared interests, they quickly became acquainted. They often invited Xiang Tian to their daily workouts, and Xiang Tian would always ask Ling Zhengzhong’s opinion before doing anything, which gave Ling Zhengzhong a sense of pride as the head of the household.

In the past, Ling Zhengzhong would absolutely not have wanted Xiang Tian to hang out with other men, but he was currently implementing a strategy of playing hard to get, so he could only pretend to be magnanimous.

“Go ahead, have fun.”

“Aren’t you coming? Brother Li and the others are nice guys. Don’t think all fitness instructors are all brawn and no brains. Some of them are even drama school students who work as instructors at the gym in their spare time. I’ve seen their rehearsals; they are quite interesting.”

“I never thought that way. Just look at you—brave as you are. But I still have some work to finish, so I won’t go. Don’t worry about the time; play as long as you want.”

Having received Ling Zhengzhong’s regal order, Xiang Tian not only went and didn’t return all day, but he didn’t even call once, infuriating Ling Zhengzhong.

The essence of the “feigned indifference” tactic was to first lower his guard, then seize him in one fell swoop. So now, he must be patient, patient, and patient again!!

Ling Zhengzhong ate the bento he bought, his anger surging as he tried to bolster his spirits.

Because he harbored this ulterior motive, in the following weeks, Ling Zhengzhong would urge Xiang Tian to go out on his days off. At first, Xiang Tian was a little worried about leaving Ling Zhengzhong alone at home, but after receiving Ling Zhengzhong’s generous permission, he readily went out whenever he had time.

Although Xiang Tian returned home on time most of the time, Ling Zhengzhong’s unhappiness grew to the point that he rejected the other’s advances several times. He had initially thought Xiang Tian would show some reaction due to unsatisfied desire, but to his surprise, the other completely disregarded it, simply asking with concern, “Zhengzhong, you’ve been having headaches and stomachaches lately. Is it because you’re too tired? You should probably go to the hospital to get it checked out.”

These words nearly made Ling Zhengzhong faint with anger. He wasn’t truly in pain; he had thought that after being rejected repeatedly, Xiang Tian would persist in begging him, allowing him to feign interest and make some demands. But Xiang Tian wouldn’t play along; instead, he didn’t express his affections to him again for a while.

Watching Xiang Tian run out almost every evening after dinner lately, Ling Zhengzhong couldn’t help but worry. Had he gone too far with his indulgence? It was like flying a kite; if you could fly it far and high, you’d be happy, but if you let it fly too far and couldn’t pull it back, that would be bad…

One weekend afternoon, after receiving another call from Xiang Tian saying he wouldn’t be coming home for dinner, Ling Zhengzhong’s pent-up anger finally exploded.

This was too much! What did he take him for? What did he take this place for? This wasn’t a hotel, where you could come and go as you pleased.

Filled with rage, Ling Zhengzhong completely forgot his ongoing plan of playing hard to get. He changed his clothes and headed straight for the gym’s recreation room, ready to wreak havoc.

The recreation room was the gym’s staff activity center, equipped with various fitness equipment, games, and a swimming pool. After learning that Xiang Tian was in the break room, Ling Zhengzhong rushed over.

The break room door was ajar. Just as Ling Zhengzhong was about to push it open, he heard a loud voice inside say, “You’re my heaven; I’ll always love you!”

Who was this? Why confess so loudly? Weren’t they afraid of being overheard?

Ling Zhengzhong’s slightly amused thought was quickly followed by the familiar voice saying shyly, “I love you too…”

A wave of dizziness washed over him. Instead of going in to catch the adulterers, Ling Zhengzhong turned and fled without looking back.

As the sun set, the once calm sea became turbulent and gloomy due to the rising tide. The surging waves crashed against the protruding rocks, instantly splashing into tiny bubbles before disappearing back into the dark water. The sound of the tide constantly reached his ears, gradually calming Ling Zhengzhong’s previously depressed mood.

He took a deep breath. The sea breeze, carrying a faint, salty scent, blew against his face, ruffling his hair and stirring his already pounding heart.

No wonder Yu Shenglin used to come here to see the sea when he was feeling down. Watching the sea was truly soothing. Who knew if the sea’s vastness made it mysterious, or if its mystery was what made it seem vast? And was the human heart as unpredictable as the sea?

Ling Zhengzhong had been sitting on the stone bench watching the sea for over an hour. He didn’t know where to go, so he could only sit there, listlessly watching the tides ebb and flow.

He had flown the kite too far this time and accidentally let it escape. But he couldn’t blame himself; if the kite really wanted to go, no amount of pulling on the string would change its mind.

Thinking that Xiang Tian had never confessed to him so loudly before. It seemed he wasn’t much in his heart after all. Honestly, breaking up was breaking up—Ling Zhengzhong didn’t feel much about it. But if he’d fallen for someone else, why not just tell him plainly? Why keep him in the dark like a fool?

He desperately wanted to storm in and beat them up, but considering Xiang Tian’s fighting skills, he knew he wouldn’t come out on top. Fine, he’d be the bigger man and let it go.

But if he had a new lover, why should he remain chaste? Why shouldn’t he find someone, too?

With that thought, Ling Zhengzhong lost all hesitation. He stood up immediately, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the bar he and Yang Yiqing used to frequent.

It had been a few months since he’d last been there, and the bar had changed quite a bit. Not only were there many more hostesses, but even the bartenders had all been replaced by handsome young men. This immediately made Ling Zhengzhong forget his unpleasantness. He ordered a drink and quickly immersed himself in the bar’s frenetic music and decadent atmosphere.

After a while, Ling Zhengzhong’s phone started ringing incessantly, but he was engrossed in a conversation with a girl next to him and paid no attention. Finally, the girl couldn’t help but ask Ling Zhengzhong with a smile, “Is your phone ringing? Is it your wife calling?”

Remembering Xiang Tian’s recent outrageous behavior, Ling Zhengzhong immediately said angrily, “Tell him to get as far away as possible!”

The time spent in this decadent lifestyle always passed quickly. Ling Zhengzhong gulped down his drink, watching the dance show in the center of the stage, and felt that life was quite enjoyable. What was that little hamster? He didn’t care at all.

The phone rang again at an inopportune moment, irritating the already heavily intoxicated Ling Zhengzhong. He pulled out his phone and yelled, “Who is it?”

Yang Yiqing’s voice came from the other end. “Zhengzhong, where are you? Why is it so noisy?”

“Jinlun Bar, the one we always go to…”

Hearing Ling Zhengzhong’s drunken voice, Yang Yiqing exclaimed, “You went to the bar without saying a word! Xiang Tian has been looking for you like crazy! Why didn’t you answer his calls?”

“Xiang Tian?…Why should I answer his calls? Why should I report to him what I want to do? Isn’t he out having fun all day? Why would he think of contacting me?…”

The other end of the line was now Xiang Tian’s anxious voice. “Zhengzhong, what’s wrong? What happened?”

That clear voice made Ling Zhengzhong’s heart ache. He slowly moved the phone away and turned it off.

“Waiter, another whiskey, please.”

Ling Zhengzhong, sipping his drink, started chatting with the girl again. Soon, she was close to him, smiling sweetly.

“I see you seem quite lonely. Why don’t we go to the back and rest together?”

There were private rooms in the back of the bar for customers to relax in. Of course, no one went there simply to rest. Hearing the suggestion, Ling Zhengzhong hesitated. He usually accepted one-night stands without hesitation, but today, for some reason, he hesitated.

“Okay, let’s go together.”

That fleeting hesitation couldn’t overcome his angry desire for revenge, and Ling Zhengzhong immediately agreed. The two stood up to leave when someone rushed in and grabbed Ling Zhengzhong’s arm.

Already too drunk to stand, Ling Zhengzhong slumped into the person’s arms. It was a familiar scent. He looked up and immediately saw Xiang Tian’s anxious and angry face.

“Go back!”

Without allowing Ling Zhengzhong to argue, Xiang Tian grabbed his arm and dragged him away. The girl, seeing Xiang Tian’s aggressive demeanor and not knowing what was wrong, dared not speak and simply watched as Ling Zhengzhong was pulled away.

Xiang Tian pulled Ling Zhengzhong out, then shoved him into a car parked by the roadside, closed the door, and got in himself. His actions were swift and decisive, leaving Ling Zhengzhong no chance to resist.

“You bastard!”

Anger, fueled by alcohol, raged. Without thinking, Ling Zhengzhong threw a punch, but a drunkard’s fist posed no threat to Xiang Tian. He easily caught the incoming fist, pulled Ling Zhengzhong into his arms, and started the car.

With too much alcohol in his stomach, Ling Zhengzhong felt uncomfortable in his curled-up position. He shifted restlessly, and Xiang Tian quickly and gently rubbed his back, asking, “How are you feeling?”

Still resentful of Xiang Tian’s affair, Ling Zhengzhong kept his mouth shut, but he wasn’t about to push away the comforting gesture. So he obediently lay on his side, enjoying the rubbing.

They soon arrived home. Xiang Tian carried Ling Zhengzhong to the room. The man, who had been feeling sleepy, woke up and pushed away the tea Xiang Tian had poured for him, yelling, “Get away!”

Xiang Tian put the glass aside and sat down next to Ling Zhengzhong, asking, “What happened? Why did you go to the bar, get drunk, and fool around with women?”

“Mind your own business!”

“Zhengzhong! You aren’t going to sleep until you explain yourself! Let me tell you, my patience has its limits!”

Ling Zhengzhong’s curt attitude infuriated Xiang Tian. He was already furious when he saw Ling Zhengzhong talking with the girl; if Ling Zhengzhong hadn’t been so drunk, he probably would have punched him. No matter how good-tempered he was, he couldn’t possibly remain calm when he saw his lover with another woman.

Rarely seeing Xiang Tian so angry, Ling Zhengzhong sobered up considerably, but his temper flared up again. He immediately yelled, “You bastard! You’re allowed to fool around outside, but I’m not allowed to climb the wall? Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“Zhengzhong, what are you saying?!”

“Don’t you know what I’m saying? Expressing your love so loudly to someone else at the gym, what do you take me for? If you don’t like me, get out right now…”

“…”

“Stop pretending! I heard it with my own ears. You said you love someone else, you bastard…”

His angry and aggrieved voice abruptly stopped, because Xiang Tian had sealed Ling Zhengzhong’s lips tightly. He could barely breathe, let alone curse.

The long-awaited kiss instantly extinguished the anger in Ling Zhengzhong’s heart. He wanted to refuse the kiss with dignity, but his hands, as if disobeying his will, clung to Xiang Tian’s neck and began to thirstily lick those slightly cool lips. He sucked on the other’s soft, elastic tongue, wanting to punish him with a bite, but the tongue gently moved slowly in his mouth, as if trying to calm his anger, licking and soothing him little by little.

After a passionate kiss, Ling Zhengzhong felt somewhat resentful. He snorted, “Don’t think that’ll make me forgive you!”

Xiang Tian had already pulled Ling Zhengzhong into his arms. He stroked Ling Zhengzhong’s hair and said helplessly, “Zhengzhong, you’ve misunderstood.”

“I haven’t misunderstood at all! I heard it with my own ears! You’ve never spoken to me so loudly before!”

At this point, Ling Zhengzhong felt a pang of sadness, and anger surged up again.

“Zhengzhong, it’s those drama school students rehearsing today. Someone had to leave unexpectedly, so I was reading their lines for them. Since you heard it, why didn’t you go in and watch? Do you think anyone would confess their feelings so loudly?”

What he said seemed to make some sense. Meeting Xiang Tian’s helpless eyes, Ling Zhengzhong began to believe him a little.

“Then why haven’t you spent any time with me lately? You even go to the gym on your days off!”

“Didn’t you tell me to go out more? And you always say you’re busy. I didn’t want to bother you, so I went out. How could I not want to spend time with you? But every time you say you aren’t feeling well, I think it’s probably because you’re too tired from work, so I didn’t dare to add to your burden. I’ve felt you’ve been acting strange lately. I’ve been wanting to find a chance to talk to you, but you just left without a word, not even answering your phone. Do you know how worried I was? Zhengzhong, tell me what’s wrong with you lately?”

“What do you know? This is called playing hard to get! Who knew that as soon as I let go, you little hamster would disappear without a trace? I couldn’t catch you!”

The misunderstanding seemed to have been cleared up, but Ling Zhengzhong still grumbled resentfully. Only after he said it did he realize that he shouldn’t tell Xiang Tian about the “playing hard to get” tactic.

Xiang Tian’s expression at this moment was beyond helplessness. He asked with amusement, “What do you mean by playing hard to get? We are already together; what else do you want to catch?”

Fortunately, Ling Zhengzhong had sobered up considerably. Worried that he might blurt out anything else, he shut his mouth and just kept shaking his head.

“Zhengzhong…”

Without giving Xiang Tian a chance to answer, Ling Zhengzhong quickly embraced him and began his passionate offensive. Xiang Tian’s kiss had ignited his desire, and of course, he wanted Xiang Tian to extinguish it. The strategy of playing hard to get had long been forgotten with the burning passion in Ling Zhengzhong. Only after Xiang Tian entered him did he remember his initial purpose. But whatever, it felt good now; he could deal with the counterattack later.

Perhaps because they hadn’t done it in a long time, this passionate entanglement lasted from late at night until dawn. After another release, the two finally lay in each other’s arms. Looking at the red marks on Xiang Tian’s neck from his kisses, Ling Zhengzhong couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. This counterattack plan had not only failed but had also hurt him physically and emotionally—a complete loss. He resolved to remember next time: any plan, no matter how good, must never be like this “kite plan” again. Who knew if the string would be pulled too far, and the little hamster might actually end up spinning someone else’s wheel?