Chapter 40
The words “tomb-sweeping” laid the painful truth bare in the air, carrying a heavy weight that pierced straight into Ti Xiao’s heart, stealing away the good mood he’d had on the way home.
Although Xiao Yao hadn’t said anything to Ti Xiao about it, Ti Xiao guessed right.
But instead of feeling relieved, his heart tightened. Instinctively, he gripped Xiao Yao’s hand as if that would offer some comfort.
Xiao Yao squeezed back, pressing his lips together without a word. His usual gentle expression was replaced by a cold hardness as he stared fiercely at the man not far off — his father.
Xiao Zhou was tall and well-built, with a high nose and thin lips. He looked quite commanding, with little trace of wear or hardship on his face, appearing somewhat younger than Ti Xiao’s parents.
Xiao Yao not only bore some resemblance to him — their faces shared a four or five-point similarity — but he also clearly inherited the tall genes.
The two stood there, less than five meters apart, but the distance felt like an uncrossable chasm, a tense standoff.
“Bro!” Xiao Yu, sitting in the car, spotted Xiao Yao and eagerly waved from the lowered window.
Beside Xiao Yu was a woman with short, light blonde hair. Her face was hard to see clearly, but she wasn’t Naomi. Ti Xiao guessed she was Xiao Yu’s biological mother—Xiao Yao’s stepmother.
The woman caught Ti Xiao’s gaze, turned her head slightly, and smiled at him and Xiao Yao.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yao nodded back at her.
“You must be Ti Xiao,” Xiao Zhou stepped forward.
“Yes, hello,” Ti Xiao replied quickly, surprised the man addressed him directly.
At the same time, he felt Xiao Yao’s hand tighten on his.
Before Xiao Zhou could continue, Xiao Yao cut him off coldly, “If you have something to say, say it to me, not to Ti Xiao.”
Xiao Zhou looked a bit embarrassed. “I… just heard from your grandparents that you found a boyfriend, and I wanted to see what kind of kid he is. Looks like I don’t need to worry if you like him.”
Xiao Yao said nothing further, and Ti Xiao didn’t either.
It was clear the father and son relationship was still quite hostile.
“You don’t have to be like this,” Xiao Zhou spoke again after a pause. “So many years have passed, and you still won’t talk to me. Ever since you went abroad…”
His voice lowered, contrasting sharply with his strong outward demeanor.
“I was underage then and listened to you,” Xiao Yao said with a hint of restraint in his voice. “Now I’ve been back from abroad for a long time and an adult for years. What else do you have to say?”
Ti Xiao was stunned, feeling completely lost.
The atmosphere was unbearably tense, on the verge of exploding, when Xiao Yu suddenly ran out at the worst moment and hugged Xiao Yao’s leg, looking up with his usual plea: “Bro, hug.”
Xiao Yao glanced down, frowning slightly.
Worried about Xiao Yao’s mood, Ti Xiao was about to squat down and pick the little guy up, but the woman from the car came out, called Xiao Yu by his English name, and carried him back inside.
“Sorry,” Xiao Zhou lit another cigarette. “I should’ve gone to see your mother off back then.”
“You say that more than once every year,” Xiao Yao sneered.
“Go ahead inside first,” Xiao Yao handed the keys to Ti Xiao, pinched his cheek, and smiled, “I’ll be home soon.”
Ti Xiao obediently went upstairs but couldn’t stop worrying about Xiao Yao downstairs, feeling both curious and sad.
What exactly happened…?
From his bedroom window, Ti Xiao could see downstairs. Carefully, he pulled it open and peeked out—but as soon as he stuck his head out, he was spotted.
Xiao Yao looked up and gave him a reassuring smile.
Thanks to Ti Xiao’s 2.0-level eyesight, he quickly pulled his head back like a groundhog hit by a hammer.
“You’ve changed a lot,” Xiao Zhou took a drag on his cigarette, trying to lighten the mood. “You used to never smile or talk much. Was it because of him?”
“What do you mean?” Xiao Yao snapped back without sparing him a glance. “I haven’t changed much. You just don’t know.”
He glanced down at the watch on his wrist. “I’m going to cook now. Tomorrow… I don’t want—”
He paused, then added, “Aunt Rachel said she’s pregnant, so stop smoking.”
Ti Xiao sat at home, restless. He waited and waited but Xiao Yao didn’t return. Peeking out the window again, the car and people were gone.
“Did Xiao Yao get into a fight with his dad?” he muttered, just as the doorbell rang.
Xiao Yao was pressing the doorbell at Ti Xiao’s place. When Ti Xiao opened the door and saw him, Xiao Yao paused, wiped away his bad mood, and pressed his lips together, unsure what to say.
“You gave me your keys. Of course, I’m waiting at your place,” Ti Xiao smiled.
“I’m such an idiot.” As soon as he walked in, Xiao Yao hugged Ti Xiao tightly, burying his face in his neck. “I thought you weren’t here.”
Ti Xiao leaned back under the weight, holding his back. “Are you tired?”
“Not really,” Xiao Yao muttered.
“All day ‘not really,’ huh?” Ti Xiao patted his back. They stood there hugging by the door.
“You kind of zen about everything, huh?”
“What Buddha?” Xiao Yao didn’t know about those internet memes.
“I mean your laid-back way of life,” Ti Xiao teased. “Short for ‘Buddha-style guy.’”
Xiao Yao chuckled lightly. “I’m not that—I still want to eat meat.”
Then he kissed him, letting his actions answer the question once and for all.
It was completely different from the gloomy, troubled expression from earlier. Suddenly, he became dominant, no longer lingering just on the lips. He hooked his tongue with Ti Xiao’s, and for the first time, his hand quietly slid around to Ti Xiao’s waist, moving downward just a bit.
Ti Xiao felt a little overwhelmed by the kiss, his body heating up, and just as he was about to get a bit flustered, Xiao Yao pulled back smoothly, retreating with his dignity intact.
“You get what kind I am now?” Xiao Yao whispered breathlessly in his ear, holding him close.
“Got it, got it…” Ti Xiao grabbed Xiao Yao’s shirt, shaking his head like a rattle.
Though teasing felt fun, he wasn’t going to push his luck any further…
Xiao Yao went into the kitchen to prepare food. The rhythmic sound of knife hitting cutting board slowly eased Ti Xiao’s worried heart.
“Did you take tomorrow off?” Ti Xiao asked cautiously, knowing tomorrow was a regular Wednesday workday.
“Already did,” Xiao Yao replied briskly as he poured cooking wine into a bowl.
Before Ti Xiao could say anything, Xiao Yao smiled and added, “I was going to tell you about the tomb-sweeping tonight, but I’ll explain more when we get back tomorrow.”
He reached to pinch Ti Xiao’s cheek but found his hands covered in seasoning, so he withdrew.
While Xiao Yao cooked, Ti Xiao sneakily opened his laptop to search: “What flowers to bring when visiting your boyfriend’s family’s grave? What to wear? Any taboos?” If he had to wear a suit, that’d be a problem.
Xiao Yao didn’t say anything as he came up behind him, squinting at the screen. “Just wear what you usually wear. I already ordered the flowers.”
He startled Ti Xiao, who quickly closed the page. “When did you get here?”
“Just now,” Xiao Yao shrugged innocently. “I called you a few times, but no answer, so I came in.”
“Okay, let’s eat then.” Ti Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his sore shoulders—only to be suddenly pulled into a hug.
This nearly six-foot-tall guy wrapped a 5’7” Ti Xiao completely in his arms, burying his face in the crook of his neck. The warm breath gently brushed against his skin. “Thank you, Xiao Xiao.”
Ti Xiao’s eyes widened. They’d been together almost two months, and Xiao Yao usually called him “Ti Xiao” or “Little Jiu Jiu.” This was the first time he’d combined the two into a nickname.
“What for?” Ti Xiao reached up to ruffle his hair. “Let’s eat—I’m starving.”
He wasn’t the overly sentimental type. In this relationship, though he seemed proactive, he was actually a little passive—mostly just able to hug or kiss Xiao Yao. Like now.
After washing up, Ti Xiao pulled out a plain outfit to hang by the bed for tomorrow. “Will there be a lot of people?”
“Not really,” said Buddha-style Xiao Yao. “You, me, grandparents, and three friends. Plus that… nasty antagonist you saw when we had dinner.”
Ti Xiao had already complained to his boyfriend about Li Yi’s first impression.
“How about…” Ti Xiao thought aloud, “You tell me now?”
“Tomorrow,” Xiao Yao’s tone was firm. “I don’t want you upset tonight. Crying would be bad, even though I could comfort you… so be good.”
“Who says I’ll cry…” Ti Xiao muttered quietly, though just thinking about Xiao Yao’s late mother made his nose sting.
Xiao Yao flicked his forehead. Since his hair was cut short, no more flicking his little pigtail—he had to find new targets.
“You have to tell me when you get back tomorrow,” Ti Xiao said, planting a kiss with a bit of a whiny tone.
As spring approached, temperatures rose. The floor heating had been off for a while, and the night breeze was chilly but not biting. Opening the window, a faint floral scent drifted in—subtle, like the moonlight on a spring night.
The unknown flower fragrance stirred Xiao Yao’s thoughts. Suddenly moved, he grabbed Ti Xiao tightly and kissed him hard, one hand cupping the back of his head, the other boldly slipping beneath his shirt to trace his shape.
All of Ti Xiao’s sounds were swallowed in the kiss.
After a while, when only their breathing filled the air, Ti Xiao melted like honey in Xiao Yao’s arms.
Xiao Yao’s fingers brushed Ti Xiao’s lips as he suddenly said, “Xiao Xiao, do you remember what you told me before…”
“That when spring comes, you want to work out together?”
