Home's Haven
Time possesses a gentle yet steadfast power; it can wash away the initial intensity and sharpness, smooth out the edges, and allow understanding to quietly grow in the cracks. The Spring Festival of my sophomore year became the most prominent testament to this power.
Winter break began, and Su An returned home with his luggage. The atmosphere at home was different from the tense night he came out a year and a half ago. His mother took his luggage, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, a complex yet no longer repulsive gentleness in her eyes, and softly asked, "Are you tired from the journey? When is Jiang Qi... coming home?"
This natural question warmed Su An's heart. "He'll be back in a couple of days," he replied, his voice carrying a barely perceptible ease.
The father, sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, looked up at Su An upon hearing the sound. He glanced at her but said nothing. His gaze, however, no longer held the scrutiny and melancholy of before. Instead, he turned to the television news, as if it were just a casual question. But this "no longer mentioning" was itself a tacit acceptance of progress.
The signs of change were evident in many details. His mother would occasionally ask if Jiang Qi was stressed about his studies at University A, and when they video-chatted, she would subtly move around, sometimes even placing a plate of cut fruit beside him. His father, though still a man of few words, paused slightly and nodded almost imperceptibly when Su An mentioned that a project Jiang Qi had participated in had won a university-level award during a family dinner.
The real turning point came on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. During a thorough house cleaning, Su An accidentally knocked over a heavy ornament while wiping the bookshelf. Just as it was about to hit his foot, he instinctively closed his eyes, but the expected pain did not come.
A long, strong hand steadily caught the ornament.
Su An looked up in surprise and saw Jiang Qi standing beside him at some point, calmly putting the ornament back in its place.
"You... how did you get here?" Su An asked in surprise.
"I'm back ahead of schedule." Jiang Qi said succinctly, her gaze sweeping over the slightly messy living room before turning to Su An's parents, who had come out of the kitchen after hearing the commotion. "Uncle, Aunt."
Su's mother was taken aback for a moment, then quickly greeted, "It's Jiang Qi, come in and sit down. An'an, you really are something, not even saying a word when your classmate comes."
Su's father also came out of the study. When he saw Jiang Qi, his eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded as a greeting. His attitude was not particularly warm, but it was no longer as cold and hard as before.
Jiang Qi did not come empty-handed. He brought not expensive gifts, but several boxes of famous pastries from City A, and a carefully packaged collection of the latest lectures by a certain master of Chinese studies—something that Su An's father had always wanted to buy but had not been able to.
"I heard from Su An that Uncle likes this gentleman's lectures." Jiang Qi handed over the book, her tone respectful but not humble.
Su's father took the book, glanced through it, and a genuine look of surprise and fondness flashed in his eyes. He looked up at Jiang Qi and, for the first time, spoke in an almost equal tone, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."
That day, Jiang Qi stayed for dinner. During the meal, he remained quiet, but his demeanor was impeccable and his speech measured. When Su's father occasionally inquired about the academic atmosphere at University A and the prospects of his major, Jiang Qi's answers were clear, insightful, and neither boastful nor timid, demonstrating a composure and vision far beyond his years.
Su's mother was more concerned about his life, asking him if he had adapted to the northern climate and if he was used to the food. Jiang Qi answered each question calmly. When Su's mother served him food, he would politely thank her and naturally push the dishes that Su An liked toward him.
This subtle movement was noticed by Su's mother. Her eyes softened, and she sighed softly. In that sigh, the last bit of resentment and worry seemed to have dissipated with the wind.
After the meal, Jiang Qi did not linger and politely took his leave. Su An saw him downstairs.
"Thank you," Su An said softly at the entrance of the building.
Jiang Qi looked at him and took his hand in the dim light: "It's my duty."
On the eve of the Spring Festival, a subtle change also occurred in the Jiang family. Jiang's mother began to casually mention during family gatherings: "Xiao Qi's classmate, Su An, I heard that he writes very well and is highly regarded by the teachers at B University."
Chiang's father usually remained silent, but no longer immediately frowned or interrupted as he used to.
On New Year's Eve, the Jiang family mansion was brightly lit for a family gathering. Jiang Qi remained aloof, but showed impeccable manners. During the meal, a distant relative, unaware of the situation, asked Jiang Qi with a smile, "Little Qi is so outstanding, you must have many girls chasing after you at school, right? When are you going to bring a girlfriend home for your uncle to meet?"
The atmosphere at the dinner table momentarily froze. Mr. Jiang's hand, holding his wine glass, paused.
Jiang Qi remained expressionless, put down her chopsticks, and said calmly, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle. I already have a stable boyfriend named Su An, who is a student at B University. We are doing very well."
He didn't raise his voice or flinch at all; he just spoke frankly.
The room fell silent. Several close relatives who knew the inside story exchanged bewildered glances, while the distant relative looked utterly astonished.
Just when everyone thought that Mr. Jiang would have another outburst, he simply snorted heavily, tilted his head back, and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. And then... that was it. He didn't refute, didn't rebuke, and didn't even look at Jiang Qi again.
In this context, such silence is almost tantamount to a helpless acquiescence.
Jiang's mother quickly smiled and changed the subject. But at that moment, everyone understood that the thorn that had been lodged in this family, though not completely removed, had at least had its sharpest tip smoothed out.
The most dramatic scene occurred at the end of the Spring Festival holiday. Su An's parents and Jiang Qi's parents unexpectedly met at the hotel entrance because of the wedding of a mutual friend's child.
The atmosphere was initially unavoidably awkward. Su An's parents were somewhat uneasy, Jiang's father's expression was stiff, and only Jiang's mother tried her best to maintain a polite smile.
It was Jiang Qi who broke the deadlock. He stepped forward and greeted Su An's parents with a calm expression: "Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year."
Su An also quickly greeted Jiang Qi's parents.
Looking at the two young men standing side by side, one handsome and composed, the other gentle and clean-cut, they seemed an indescribably harmonious and well-matched pair. Su's mother was the first to react, smiling and responding, and then initiating a conversation with Jiang's mother, naturally transitioning the topic from the weather to the children's studies.
Mr. Jiang and Mr. Su remained silent, but their gazes occasionally fell on each other's children. Mr. Su saw Jiang Qi's composure and excellence beyond her years, while Mr. Jiang saw the purity and tranquility in Su An's eyes.
Ultimately, this unexpected encounter did not escalate into conflict, but ended in a slightly awkward yet relatively peaceful atmosphere. Before parting, Jiang's mother even said to Su's mother, "Let's have tea together sometime."
On the way back, Su An and Jiang Qi sat in the back seat, their hands secretly clasped together, hidden behind their sleeves.
"It doesn't seem... that difficult," Su An said softly, looking at the lights flickering outside the window.
"Mmm," Jiang Qi responded, tightening her grip on his hand slightly.
Home, a place that once brought them immense pressure, has gradually revealed its gentle essence as a haven through the passage of time and their mutual perseverance. It may not fully understand all their choices, but when it sees its children become better and more resilient as a result, that blood-rooted love ultimately transcends the barriers of conventional thinking, choosing to embrace and accept them. This is not compromise, but a deeper level of reconciliation and growth.
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