Gu Chen couldn't tell whether the other person didn't care or was suppressing their emotions.
Her facial expressions and breathing rhythm were flawless.
When the car arrived at Xinyuan, Sun Xiaoli did not drive in; instead, she parked the car on the side of the road.
“Outside vehicles can’t get in, so we send them here.”
Sun Xiaoli glanced at her watch; it was a little past eight.
Seeing that Gu Chen had not moved, she added, "Let's go home. We can talk about other things later."
Gu Chen wanted to make things clear now, but just as he opened his mouth, his sleeve was tugged.
He had remained silent the whole way, and only now did he speak.
She advised, "You should go back first." Then she handed the paper bag containing the heart-shaped chocolates to Gu Chen.
"Okay." Gu Chen nodded, then looked at Sun Xiaoli and said, "Goodbye, Auntie."
Sun Xiaoli said, "Goodbye."
Gu Chen turned back every three steps after getting out of the car. Everyone in the car saw him, but remained silent. Sun Xiaoli drove home.
Even though she and her son were the only ones in the car, they remained silent the entire way.
The atmosphere was oppressive.
Sun Xiaoli turned on the car's music system for the first time and found several songs of different styles too noisy.
Q: "Do you have any favorite songs?"
"No." Xiang Yu shook her head, and the next second Sun Xiaoli turned off the music.
A moment later, Sun Xiaoli suddenly asked, "Do you know what I'm thinking?"
His tone was neutral, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Xiang Yu answered truthfully, "I don't know."
Seeing how honest her son was, Sun Xiaoli thought of the past, and a gentle look appeared in her eyes, but she returned to her original expression when she looked at the rearview mirror in the corner of the car.
Tenderness is fleeting.
Sun Xiaoli said, "I think it's because your father and I haven't been caring enough for you."
Xiang Yu shook his head again and said, "I'm fine the way I am now."
After that, there was an endless silence between the mother and son, which was only broken when they opened the door upon returning home.
Grandma Hou went to open the door to greet them when she heard the sound of the keys, and was stunned to see Sun Xiaoli and Xiang Yu returning home together.
"Oh, why are you all coming back together today?" Grandma Hou watched Sun Xiaoli and Xiang Yu enter the door together, and even looked back to see that it was empty and there was no one else there.
He asked Xiang Yu, "Xiao Yu, didn't you say Xiao Chen was coming over for dinner?"
Grandma Hou cooked two more dishes than usual, and they were both Gu Chen's favorites.
Sun Xiaoli's appearance was so sudden that Xiang Yu had forgotten that Gu Chen had come to her house for dinner, and she guessed that Gu Chen had forgotten about it as well.
"Yeah." Xiang Yu told a half-lie, "Something happened this afternoon, so he went home first."
"Something came up at home." Grandma Hou felt sorry for him, but she didn't say much. "Then you tell Xiao Chen for me that there's no rush, Grandma will wait for him to come next time."
"good."
Sun Xiaoli helped serve the rice and set out the chopsticks, then said, "Wash your hands and eat."
Sun Xiaona and her husband were on vacation, and the three of them cooked at home and didn't come over for a meal.
Four people sat around the table. The atmosphere was the same as before—not exactly joyful, but still harmonious.
Grandma Hou placed a piece of succulent fish belly on Xiang Yu's plate, saying, "Grandma makes a lot, eat more tonight."
"Xiaoli, Jun, you two eat more, especially Xiaoli." Grandma Hou served the three of them food in turn, and put a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs on Sun Xiaoli's plate. "You're usually so busy that you don't eat on time, and you've gotten thinner."
"Thank you, Mom." Sun Xiaoli smiled, picked up a piece of stewed beef brisket that was tender and put it in Grandma Hou's bowl: "You should eat too."
Grandma Hou has poor digestion, so she eats less in the evening. She ate a piece of beef brisket and then stopped eating. She watched Xiang Yu eat half a bowl of rice and was very happy.
"Since Xiaoyu came to X City, she seems to have a better appetite than before." Grandma Hou said, expressing her gratitude to Gu Chen. "We also have to thank Xiao Chen. He probably keeps a close eye on Xiaoyu all the time."
Xiang Jun peeled a shrimp for each of the three of them, and upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "That child is so nice."
Grandma Hou said, "That's right, during the National Day holiday, Xiao Chen took care of Xiao Yu in everything."
Xiang Jun laughed and said, "Then I must invite him over for a meal next time. I have to thank this kid."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu looked up and glanced at Sun Xiaoli sitting opposite him.
The other person chewed their food, their expression completely unchanged, remaining silent.
After dinner, the family went about their own business, but Xiang Yu was uneasy in his bedroom. He knew this matter wouldn't be easily resolved.
Sun Xiaoli will tell Xiang Jun, but she won't let Grandma Hou know.
I don't know the old lady's attitude towards this, and besides, Grandma Hou is old and can't handle any shocks.
Grandma Hou is like the weight that keeps the family's balance.
Both sides cannot do without her.
He's been home for so long, and Gu Chen has only sent him one message.
?寒@鸽@尔@争@狸
Gu Chen: Don't be afraid, I'm here.
I received it shortly after Xiangyu arrived home, and there have been no further messages.
-Xiangyu: I'm fine, don't worry.
The elderly woman's biological clock is always accurate. These past few days, Grandma Hou has been going to bed around 10 o'clock. Xiang Yu glanced at the time in the upper left corner of his phone and saw that it was already past 10 o'clock.
As expected, Grandma Hou should be asleep by now.
Xiang Yu held his phone, watching the time increase by one minute.
'Bang bang'
There was a knock on the door.
"Come to the study." It was Sun Xiaoli's voice outside the door. After saying that, she went to the study without lingering outside.
Xiang Yu, wearing pajamas, casually put his phone into his pocket.
The living room lights were off, and Grandma Hou's bedroom door was tightly closed, with no light coming out through any gaps, so she looked like she was already asleep.
Xiang Yu walked to the study. The door was ajar. Just as he was about to knock, a sound came from inside.
"Come in."
This time it's Xiang Jun.
Xiang Yu went into the study and closed the door behind him to prevent the noise from waking Grandma Hou.
Two swivel chairs were placed in front of the table, and Xiang Jun and Sun Xiaoli sat on one side of the table.
Xiang Yu stood opposite, her hands hanging naturally at her sides, her head slightly lowered. She didn't look at her parents or speak, waiting quietly for the other party to speak first.
"Xiaoyu, I just heard about your situation from your mother."
Over the past six months, Xiang Jun has met many gay people while living abroad.
He is not discriminatory but respectful.
But if someone tells him that his son is kissing another boy in the street, he still finds it hard to accept.
"Xiaoyu, Dad doesn't know if it's because of curiosity or something else..."
“It’s not out of curiosity, I’m not that kind of person,” Xiang Yu interrupted Xiang Jun, expressing her own thoughts, “I like him.”
"Then do you even know what 'liking' means?" Xiang Jun wasn't annoyed at being interrupted, but instead kept asking him, "Do you know how society views 'people like you' these days? Do you know what you'll face in the future?"
After speaking, both father and son fell silent. Xiang Jun was not the kind of rigid and inflexible parent, nor was Sun Xiaoli.
While pursuing their careers, the couple also cherished their family.
The couple usually supported their son's choices, but this time...
They all chose to reserve their opinions.
“Your mother and I don’t object to you dating, but the other person is a boy. Your current decision may just be that young people can’t distinguish the nature of their feelings. You are still young, and your future has unlimited possibilities. Many people who have had same-sex partners when they are young will later choose to marry and have children with the opposite sex.”
Xiang Jun sighed and said earnestly, "Xiao Yu, this is not the right way."
Sun Xiaoli remained silent for a long time. When Xiang Jun finished speaking, she sighed and continued his words.
"Separating you now will save you from taking unnecessary detours in the future... Kosumi, let's separate."
Instead of resorting to force, the couple chose to gently persuade each other.
It has always been this way: when people are oppressed by powerful forces, they will rise up in resistance, but when faced with sincere advice, even the most steadfast heart cannot remain unbreakable.
"Dad, Mom," Xiang Yu said, bowing deeply to them. "I'm sorry."
Their attitudes were clear, and Xiang Jun and Sun Xiaoli exchanged a glance.
Sun Xiaoli changed her tone and said firmly, "Then have you considered the milk..."
"Buzz—Buzz—"
The sudden vibration of an incoming call interrupted Sun Xiaoli's speech.
The voice came from Xiangyu Pocket. At this hour, the call must be about something important.
Xiang Yu was still bowing when Sun Xiaoli spoke.
"You answer the phone first."
Xiang Yu straightened up, took out his phone, and saw that it was Gu Chen.
As soon as the call connected, I heard panting on the other end of the phone.
"Whoosh—, deskmate, open the door."
The study was completely silent. Even though Xiang Yu's phone wasn't on speakerphone, the two of them still overheard the conversation.
The couple looked at each other, Xiang Yu's eyes flickered slightly, he grabbed his phone and rushed out of the study, to the entrance hall where he opened the front door.