Chapter 17
Yue Qianwen returned the next day.
After all, I didn't bring any change of clothes, which was inconvenient in many ways.
This time, Lin Yu didn't try to stop them. He didn't press them about meeting up with their online friends, and Yue Qianwen didn't define their relationship either. The two paused briefly at the door as they parted, each lost in their own thoughts.
After Yue Qianwen left, the house felt empty. Lin Yu curled up on the sofa, drew the curtains, glanced subconsciously at the door, and then started watching a short film—a film about two men.
I can't bear to watch it; I can't empathize with any of the characters.
I then opened the European and American section, and it was even more unbearable to look at.
Lin Yu suddenly stopped turning the page when he saw an Asian face that looked a lot like Yue Qianwen. He stared at the screen for a long time, his thoughts drifting away, and his vision gradually blurred.
He didn't know how much time had passed when a clap of thunder suddenly came from outside the window, startling him so much that he almost threw his phone away. Just then, he received a call from Yue Qianwen, asking if he had closed the doors and windows properly. He said that it was windy and thundering outside, so he should stay at home and not go out.
He didn't say anything. Yue Qianwen asked him what he planned to eat for dinner. He casually said he wanted to eat seafood with a sauce. Yue Qianwen said, "Then we can't eat that today. It's raining outside and it's evening. We can't buy fresh seafood. Just order some takeout yourself."
He responded with "uh-huhs," enjoying Yue Qianwen's nagging.
My heart was pounding as it filled up.
In the 24 hours that followed, he checked with himself three times and finally came to the conclusion that he had indeed fallen for Yue Qianwen.
It feels amazing.
Setting aside the initial anxiety, unease, confusion, and frustration, the emotions belatedly transformed into a sense of melancholy and sigh.
It's hard to say whether it's good or bad; perhaps it's a combination of both.
He messaged a friend: "If you've only recently broken up with someone and you already miss them terribly, wanting them back immediately, wouldn't you say that's what it means to like someone?"
My friend is very perceptive: [Who?]
Lin Yu: [Never mind that, answer my question first.]
My friend has had quite a few relationships, so I'd call myself a strategist, and I quickly replied: "Yes, and I really like them."
Lin Yu pursed his lips and asked again, "Do you have any gay friends around you?"
Friend: [No.]
Lin Yu: [Can you accept that your friend is gay?]
Friend: [It's alright. There are quite a few people in this group now, and I won't break off our friendship because of it, as long as you're not one of them.]
Lin Yu: [I might be pregnant.]
Friend: [What? You? With whom? Your rich, handsome colleague?]
Lin Yu: [How did you know?]
Friend: [You mention him every three sentences or so, either saying he's handsome or amazing. At the last class reunion, you'd been drinking, and when he came to pick you up, I knew something was off. As soon as he helped you up, you hugged him tightly—like a couple deeply in love.]
Lin Yu: 【…Why didn’t you tell me?】
Friend: [I'm afraid if I say anything, I might really lead you astray. What happened that suddenly made you see the light?]
Lin Yu wrote and deleted repeatedly, hesitating for a long time.
A few minutes later, I sent the message: "[It's just... I can't accept him being with other people. I'm thinking that if they're just friends, I don't have the right to stop it, unless I reserve my spot.]"
Friend: Have you made up your mind?
Lin Yu: [Yes, but I haven't expressed it to him yet.]
Friend: [You're turning so fast? Are you sure you don't want to hesitate any longer? This road isn't easy to travel.]
Lin Yu: [I'm scared too, but when I think about it, if he's not there for me in the future, I definitely won't be able to walk this path alone.]
He spoiled her, and he spoiled her too.
Lin Yu leaned against the window, waiting for the rain to stop.
Fortunately, it was just a sudden storm that stopped after half an hour. He quickly tidied himself up and went to the supermarket.
First, I went to the mall and bought a black tie with thin stripes. Then I went to a high-quality supermarket that I would never normally go to and bought some ingredients that Yue Qianwen would like, a bottle of red wine, and a few daily necessities. When I was about to pay, I turned back and bought two bottles of windshield washer fluid for Xiao Pa.
This trip cost him half a month's salary, but he didn't feel bad about it. He carried big bags and small bags and took the bus to Yue Qianwen's house.
But Yue Qianwen was not there.
I knocked on the door, but no one answered.
Lin Yu panicked and called Yue Qianwen, too embarrassed to say that he was at Yue Qianwen's door, and only asked what Yue Qianwen was doing.
Yue Qianwen said he was at home.
Lin Yu's heart sank suddenly.
He rang the doorbell, but no one answered.
He found a clean, open space in front of Yue Qianwen's house and sat down, pondering how complicated relationships really are.
My friends used to say he was a single-celled organism, and that apart from going to school and playing, he was surprisingly clueless about romance. Even when girls handed him love letters, he would just stand there dumbfounded and say, "I'm not the group leader, don't give me the homework."
Now that the lies are laid bare before him, he can't even ask a single question: "I'm standing right outside your house, why are you lying to me?"
He only dared to open his social media app, find the netizen who had introduced Yue Qianwen to a potential partner, and casually posted: "Sorry, I didn't mean to get involved. I was really struggling with this for a long time. I apologize for bothering you and your friends."
More than half an hour later, the netizen named "Pidan Solo Congee" finally came online and sent him a smiley face.
A grinning face.
Lin Yu was puzzled by this.
He then tentatively asked, "How is your friend? Is he unhappy?"
Century Egg Solo Congee: [Let Mr. A tell you himself.]
Lin Yu was even more confused.
What's the meaning?
He went back to Yue Qianwen's chat page, hovered his finger over the screen for a while, typed a line: "Where did you go? I'm at your door." and then deleted it.
Actually, Yue Qianwen didn't say it explicitly, did he?
They didn't force me to be gay, so if I shamelessly cling to them, won't it seem cheap?
Am I really sure I want to take this step?
But... he had already arrived at Yue Qianwen's doorstep, and there was no turning back. It was too late to take back what had been done.
So, he tapped the screen again and dialed Yue Qianwen's number directly.
After ringing for a few seconds, Yue Qianwen answered the call.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Yu cut to the chase, "Where are you?"
"I am here--"
Before Yue Qian could finish speaking, Lin Yu shouted, "You're not home? I'm right at your doorstep!"
Yue Qianwen was taken aback for a moment, then asked with a smile, "What are you doing at my house?"
"What are you laughing at?" Lin Yu said, getting angrier as he spoke. "You still have the nerve to ask me? You should reflect on why you lied. Didn't you tell me you were at home? Where are you? Don't tell me you went to meet up with someone you met online. If you did, I'd really wish you both well!"
"What blessings will you give us?"
May your love at first sight last a long and lasting relationship!
Yue Qianwen was still laughing. His voice came out from the enclosed space, mixed with human noise, and then entered another enclosed space. Lin Yu could vaguely hear the sound of the elevator going up.
A moment later, the elevator doors opened, and Yue Qianwen walked out, carrying two bags of fresh seafood that were still jumping around in the water. He was soaked by the rain, and the shoulders of his light gray shirt were stained dark. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead.
"Have you been waiting for me long?"
Lin Yu stared at him blankly.
"I suddenly remembered I have a friend who runs a seafood business in Taipei, so I asked him to save some for me—"
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Yu had already walked over and hugged him.
With her chin resting on Yue Qianwen's shoulder, warmth seeped through her damp shirt and onto Yue Qianwen's skin.
Since Yue Qianwen was carrying a bag and couldn't free his hands, Lin Yu hugged him even tighter, pressing his entire body against his chest.
"It's not that I want to eat seafood with gravy, it's that I want you to stay," Lin Yu said in a deep voice, pressing his face against Yue Qianwen's neck.
“I know,” Yue Qianwen chuckled, “I didn’t want to leave either, I just wanted to come out and buy you seafood.”
He lowered his head slightly and spoke into Lin Yu's ear.
On the fourth try, Lin Yu confirmed again that he was gay.
The two entered the house, and Yue Qianwen sent the door code to Lin Yu's phone.
Lin Yu then slowly took his things out of several large shopping bags.
“Steak, chuck, lamb chops, red wine…” Lin Yu took out the items one by one. “Last time I came, I saw that your toothpaste was almost finished, so I bought two tubes. When I bought the toothpaste, I saw that this brand of men’s skincare set was on sale, two sets for 20% off, let’s each take one set. This brand should be good, I remember it. If you don’t want to use it, I can take it back with me? And this blanket, I saw that you’re still using that double-sided winter blanket in your office, this is an air conditioning blanket, I specially picked out a dark blue one…”
This time, before he could finish speaking, Yue Qianwen took his hand along the carpet, pulled him into his arms, and leaned down to kiss his lips. Lin Yu's half-spoken words were forced back down his throat, leaving only soft moans in the air.
As they parted, Yue Qianwen pursed Lin Yu's lower lip and asked him, "What's the meaning of buying these?"
Before Lin Yu could speak, Yue Qianwen said again, "Mu Mu, I don't want to hear words of thanks."
Lin Yu was speechless.
“I don’t know either, I just wanted to buy it. You’ve left so many marks on my life, and I want to… leave a mark on you too.”
Yue Qianwen's breathing became noticeably more rapid.
“I’m not as rich as you, and you know my spending habits, but I won’t mistreat you,” Lin Yu said to Yue Qianwen, as if he had made up his mind. He raised his head, his lips red and swollen from being kissed, and said, “I will learn to treat you better.”
Yue Qianwen pulled him into her arms.
Lin Yu continued, "Give me some time to adjust. After being straight for over twenty years, suddenly becoming gay... I'm not fully prepared yet."
“But,” he emphasized, “no matter how long it takes me to adjust, you can’t consider anyone else.”
"You still need to continue to treat me well."
"Don't use any of those random social media apps."
"I don't feel at home in Europe or America. I'll settle down here from now on."
That's how trees are; once they're planted, they don't easily move, so I'll always stay with you.
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