Shen Donghai's words pierced Su Jinning's heart like ice needles, and he admitted that his hands trembled.
But when he felt the burning heat of Shen Moyu's hand, he still spoke up: "Love is never bound by rules. There's nothing shameful about loving each other. Uncle, if you truly love your son, you should respect his choice instead of slandering and abusing him."
Su Jinning's words were firm and resolute, and he met Shen Donghai's gaze without flinching. He never let go of Shen Moyu's hand from beginning to end, which gave Shen Donghai the illusion that he was the one who was wrong.
He grimaced like a clown exposed to the public and yelled, "Shut up! What kind of love can two grown men have? What kind of love could there be! You're not normal, you're perverts! You have no humanity!"
Shen Moyu's hand trembled slightly, and Su Jinning gripped it even tighter. He looked up, his brows sharp with youthful innocence. "Uncle, I don't think homosexuals are inhumane. On the contrary, it's a man who lacks responsibility, treating his son like an accessory, discarding him at will and picking him up again at will, and then recklessly jeopardizing his future as a father. That's the kind of person who is inhumane."
"You!" Shen Donghai pointed at him, but couldn't utter a word. He seemed genuinely unable to understand how a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy could be so sharp-tongued that he had no words to refute him.
"Let's go, stop talking!" Zhou Xingqi forcefully pushed Shen Donghai into the house, and the door slammed shut with a "bang." Su Jinning frowned and let out a long sigh.
Shen Donghai had no idea how heavy his words were, so heavy that it felt like a mountain had been placed directly on their heads, rendering them immobile and suffocating them instantly.
Chapter 90 New Year's Eve
In the following days, Shen Moyu went out more and more often, sometimes even staying out all night. Shen Donghai knew perfectly well that he was going to see Su Jinning, and several times he wanted to get angry, but Zhou Xingqi stopped him. He kept enduring it, trying to persuade him with kind words, but each time it ended badly, and Shen Moyu's attitude towards him was much worse than before. This oppressive atmosphere lasted for several days until New Year's Eve.
"Going out again?" Shen Donghai looked at Shen Moyu, who was putting on his coat, with a grim expression. He had already guessed what Shen Moyu was going to do.
"Going out with friends." Shen Moyu zipped up her shoes and went to the entrance to put them on.
“You’ve been going out a lot lately, and I haven’t said anything to you. But today is New Year’s Eve. Can you stay home and spend some time with your parents?” Shen Donghai tried to use a conciliatory tone.
Shen Moyu showed no sign of stopping. He subconsciously touched Dou, but couldn't find his phone, so he went back to get it and said, "I have something to do."
Shen Donghai finally realized that Shen Moyu didn't take him seriously at all, stubborn as a mule. In a fit of anger, he blurted out, "Shen Moyu, you still don't want to break up with him, do you?"
Shen Moyu put her phone away and glanced at him: "Why should I break up with him?"
He used an affirmative tone.
"Dad has said it many times: you can want to date, there are plenty of good girls in this world. Why do you have to like a man? You can like anyone else, right?"
Shen Moyu leaned against the door frame and looked at his nominal father. One was earnestly advising, while the other was calm and composed: "I never look at the price of the things I like, so the people I like are not limited by gender."
Hey you!
Shen Moyu slammed the door and left. Even though it was colder outside, as soon as he stepped out of the room, he felt like he had been reborn.
The two arranged to take a walk along the cherry blossom path, but there were hardly any cherry blossoms at this time of year, and only withered trees with rough branches and rotten leaves along the roadside, which was not very romantic.
However, there were quite a few people strolling around here today, Lunar New Year's Eve. Many food vendors chose to set up stalls here, perhaps because there are many people on Lunar New Year's Eve, or perhaps because there are too many "kids" like Shen Moyu who can't resist cotton candy.
Su Jinning looked at his slightly envious eyes and asked, "Want to eat?"
Shen Moyu answered quickly: "Eat."
Su Jinning couldn't help but laugh. She really wanted to ask him where his reserve from when they first got together had gone, but his longing gaze was too dazzling, so she quickly turned around and bought him one.
Shen Moyu held Su Jinning's hand and strolled along the quiet lakeside. He ate as he walked and laughed happily.
Su Jinning patted his head and said with a smile, "You're so happy just from buying a cotton candy? You're too easy to fool!"
Shen Moyu tore off another piece of cotton candy: "That depends on who bought it." He turned to look at him with a smile: "I wouldn't eat it if it were someone else."
Su Jinning raised an eyebrow in agreement: "Yes, yes, how can a dignified and aloof senior eat sweets? That would ruin his image."
Shen Moyu smiled but didn't say anything. Yes, only in front of him could she play so freely without any worries.
"Hey, I'll show you something fun." Shen Moyu was still in a daze when Su Jinning's voice suddenly pulled him back to his senses, and then he was led to the lakeside.
"Slow down, or people will think you're going to throw me off." Shen Moyu moved a little further away.
The ice on the lake had melted, and the temperature had risen rapidly in the past two days. Winters in Shanghai are usually short, and after January, there wouldn't be any very cold weather. Su Jinning bent down, picked up a stone, and gently flicked it across the lake. The stone created ripples on the surface, then spun several times before settling several meters away, floating three times before finally sinking.
Shen Moyu watched his actions with admiration, and even the cotton candy in her hand no longer tasted so good.
Su Jinning chuckled smugly twice: "How was it? Was it fun?"
Shen Moyu stared at the ripples on the lake that had not yet faded, and vaguely remembered that when he was very young, Shen Donghai would often play like this when he came fishing. He had tried to learn it for a long time but could not.
"This, is it skipping stones?" Shen Moyu asked uncertainly.
"Hey, do you want to try?" Su Jinning said, throwing another one. This one flew even further than the last one, and he clapped his hands excitedly.
Shen Moyu turned around and saw Su Jinning's excited expression. He suddenly remembered the time he ate snow with his head tilted back like a fool. He laughed and said, "Your happiness is so simple."
Su Jinning raised an eyebrow and tossed him a stone: "Whoever plays with this thing will have fun."
Shen Moyu looked at the stone in his hand and became interested. He tried to throw it like the other man, but it sank and splashed a lot of water.
"Hahaha, top student, you're being a bit stingy with your methods."
"Bullshit, I clearly followed your instructions." Shen Moyu threw another piece in protest, but it still sank. Unconvinced, he bent his waist even lower, almost touching the ground.
Seeing his blank expression, Su Jinning walked over and taught him step by step, "You can't skip stones by bending over."
I noticed you bent over.
"It's just a personal habit. Come on, lower your hand a little." Su Jinning grabbed his hand and was about to throw it when Shen Moyu's phone suddenly rang, startling the two of them.
Su Jinning clicked her tongue, thinking, "What a ruiner of romance."
"Hello?"
"Brother, Dad wants you to come home."
There were only the two of them by the lake, and they could hear each other clearly on the phone. Su Jinning glanced at him, then walked away as if nothing had happened. She picked up a stone and threw it into the lake, but she was filled with resentment.