The door opened and closed again, letting in a draft; the early spring night was still cool.

Fu Wenzhou stood calmly in front of Song Qingyou, took off his coat and draped it over her body. With his slender fingers, he casually pulled the zipper up to its highest point, covering her fair and slender swan neck.

Song Qingyou adjusted her sleeves, lowered her eyes, and smiled.

Xu Zezhan found this scene utterly jarring. They were both human, so how come Fu Wenzhou was able to win the heart of the beauty, while he...

Even now, the thought of Gu Bai still makes his mouth hurt.

Xu Zezhan scoffed, but this scoff completely enraged Old Master Xu.

Grandpa Xu slammed his cane heavily on the ground: "You still have the nerve to scoff? Xu Zezhan, let me tell you, starting tomorrow, you have to go on blind dates every day. You must get married within two months! I don't care who you choose, or what their social standing is, as long as it's a woman! Don't even think about bringing that vixen into our home, or else... or else I'll disown you as my grandson!"

Grandpa Xu seemed genuinely furious, breathing heavily. Qin Yi tried to calm him down, saying, "Dad, don't take it to heart. He was just confused for a moment; he'll correct himself sooner or later. You..."

“There’s no going back.” Xu Zezhan suddenly spoke up: “My genes are such that I like men, so I can never change. Grandpa, I will never get married, so please stop trying.”

"You scoundrel!" Old Master Xu, disregarding the presence of outsiders, roared, "You wretched child, kneel down before me!"

Qin Yi hurriedly said, "Dad, please don't be angry. Your health is the most important thing."

Xu Zezhan pressed his tongue hard against the ground and actually knelt down: "Grandpa, Mom, it's my fault for being unfilial, but there's nothing wrong with liking someone. You're forcing me to get married now, which is irresponsible to the woman. I can tell you clearly that even in ten or twenty years, I will not like women. Even if you're angry now, I beg you to stop wasting your time. I won't go on blind dates, and I won't get married. If you want to see me settle down, you'll see when the country enacts laws allowing same-sex marriage."

Xu Zezhan said these words without changing his expression, which made Old Master Xu so angry that he almost fainted.

He was furious, pointing at Xu Zezhan kneeling on the ground, unable to utter a single word for a long time, clearly confused with rage.

Xu Zezhan's expression was gloomy. He didn't want to anger Old Master Xu, but things had already come to this point, and sooner or later the Xu family would find out about this. It was better to end it now than to suffer for a long time. He wanted to be honest with his grandfather while his health was still relatively good these past two years, so that he wouldn't be so angry that he would die if he told him when his health deteriorated in a few years.

Fu Wenzhou looked relaxed, arms crossed, watching his brother's mishap with a leisurely air.

Grandpa Xu still doesn't know who Xu Zezhan likes. If he found out that his grandson likes his godson, he would be so angry that he would collapse on his sickbed.

Fu Wenzhou chuckled lightly. Xu Zezhan should have used a roundabout tactic, subtly informing the Xu family of the truth. People always need time to adapt.

It's a pity that Xu Zezhan isn't very bright; he's not even half as smart as him.

To start something like this, it would be strange if Old Master Xu, who is self-disciplined and values ​​etiquette, wasn't angry that his grandson was so unconventional.

"Xu Zezhan, you never learn anything good but bad. The Xu family has only had one son for three generations. Are we going to have our line end with you?" Old Master Xu said angrily. "That brat from the Fu family does nothing but rotten things all day long. He's a notorious troublemaker in Beijing's social circles. What kind of crazy things hasn't he done besides murder and arson? Even such a scoundrel has better judgment than you!"

Fu Wenzhou, who was originally gloating, was speechless.

"Pfft." Song Qingyou couldn't help but cover her mouth and whispered to Fu Wenzhou, "You little rascal, are you being talked about?"

"..." Fu Wenzhou's gaze was cool: "Sister, laugh if you want to, don't hold it in."

"Hahaha..." Song Qingyou's shoulders shrugged as she buried her head in Fu Wenzhou's arms, trying not to stop laughing.

Fu Wenzhou rolled his eyes and twitched his lips, saying, "Grandpa Xu, if you're going to scold your own grandson, just scold your own grandson. Don't drag me into it. I haven't done anything to offend you."

Grandpa Xu wasn't intentionally trying to slander Fu Wenzhou. He genuinely felt that Xu Zezhan, Gu Bai, Fu Wenzhou, and his three rascals had done so many despicable things under his nose since they were young. How come none of his brothers who were with him every day had become gay, but his own grandson had?

Old Master Xu was truly disappointed in Fu Wenzhou, and in his anger, he brought him up in a fit of rage.

He was still angry and glared at Fu Wenzhou: "Did you smash those two walnuts I've been playing with for decades? And didn't you cut down that peach tree in the yard? When you were eight, you went to raid bird nests, learned to raise birds like others, and even encouraged the bird to poop on my head. I could list all the bastard things you've done in a year or two. What, you have a problem with me scolding you?"

Fu Wenzhou: "...No, no objection, please continue."

Xu Zezhan's lips curled up slightly, a very small movement, but it was still noticed by Old Master Xu. His anger intensified, and he said to the servant beside him, "Go and bring the horsewhip from the house."

Qin Yi panicked as soon as she heard this. After all, he was the child she had carried for ten months and the only son of the Xu family. No matter how troublesome he was, she couldn't bear to see him actually get beaten.

If the old man really lashed him with that riding whip, that would be terrible!

Qin Yi hurriedly pleaded for Xu Zezhan: "Dad, please calm down. Even if Zezhan made a mistake, it doesn't warrant being whipped! I promise you, he will change, he will change..."

“I don’t know how,” Xu Zezhan interrupted.

Qin Yi was so angry she wanted to kick Xu Zezhan out: "You unfilial son, if you like men, just like men, why are you making such a fuss? From childhood to adulthood, what have you ever done that you expected us to understand? Why do you insist on our understanding for this one thing?"

Although Qin Yi did not accept that her son liked men, she was not an old-fashioned person who insisted on forcing her son to get married.

But she couldn't disobey the old man's wishes, especially since Xu Zezhan wouldn't yield at all.

Old Master Xu roared again, "Bring me the whip!"

Fu Wenzhou frowned slightly when he saw the servant approaching with the whip, which was over a meter long.

A horsewhip is very resilient and hurts the most when it hits someone.

If the fight really continues, Xu Zezhan will probably be crippled.

He glanced at Xu Zezhan, then looked at Old Master Xu: "Grandpa Xu..."

"Shut up!" Old Master Xu said in a deep voice, "You and Zezhan, you two are in cahoots!"

Fu Wenzhou: "..."

He shrugged at Xu Zezhan, who was kneeling on the ground, meaning:

Sorry, bro, I tried my best.

Xu Zezhan had never counted on Fu Wenzhou. He looked at Song Qingyou with deep eyes and a pleading look in them.