Chapter 37
The next morning, Wei Yuhuan drove with Xie Xiaojiang to the public cemetery on the outskirts of town. The two of them bought fruit, cakes, candles, and twice as much ghost money as usual.
But just as they were about to reach the entrance of the cemetery, Xie Xiaojiang had a change of heart.
He thought to himself, “Wei Yuhuan is a man. What am I doing? His grandparents were so conservative. They probably never even heard of the words ‘homosexuality’ during their lifetime. If I suddenly bring up this topic, it might shock them. What if they get angry?”
Besides, no one knows for sure if two people will be together forever. Xie Xiaojiang still had some doubts after what Li Xiuya said to him before she resigned. Indeed, nothing in this world is absolute. Xie Xiaojiang was afraid that Wei Yuhuan was only acting on impulse.
“No, you can’t come up,” Xie Xiaojiang said calmly.
“What’s wrong?” Wei Yuhuan asked unhappily.
Xie Xiaojiang lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers. “I think it’s too abrupt this time. Why don’t I tell my grandparents that we’re together first, and then we can come back next time?”
Wei Yuhuan was speechless. He didn’t expect there to be so much psychological drama just to visit a grave.
Xie Xiaojiang looked at him with pleading eyes. “Don’t be angry. Just wait in the car for me. I’ll be down in half an hour, okay?”
Wei Yuhuan couldn’t resist Xie Xiaojiang’s cute begging. What could he do to him? Xie Xiaojiang was his weakness.
Xie Xiaojiang took the ghost money and offerings and went up to the grave. Wei Yuhuan leaned against the car and lit a cigarette. He thought it over and realized that it wasn’t right. Half of the ghost money was paid for by himself, and now that they were at the entrance of the “home” of Xie Xiaojiang’s grandparents, it was only right to go up and say hello. Besides, Xie Xiaojiang was his person for the rest of his life. His grandparents would find out sooner or later. Being timid was not Wei Yuhuan’s style!
Wei Yuhuan threw away his cigarette butt and quickly followed, walking along the neat rows of graves in the cemetery until he spotted the figure of Xie Xiaojiang.
However, Xie Xiaojiang had his back turned and didn’t see Wei Yuhuan approach. He respectfully lit some incense, placed offerings, and then knelt on the ground to kowtow three times, saying, “Grandpa and grandma, I came to visit you.”
After a brief greeting, Xie Xiaojiang squatted on the ground and began to talk to the elderly about his sister’s recent situation. Xie Xiaoxi had come for Tomb Sweeping Day, but hadn’t come along today.
After talking for a while, Xie Xiaojiang finally summoned the courage to mention Wei Yuhuan. But he didn’t know where to start. Last year, when he came to visit, he hadn’t dared to mention the fact that Wei Yuhuan was pursuing him. He had only said that he had met a good boss.
Xie Xiaojiang fell silent for a long time before finally saying, “Grandpa and grandma, I’m sorry…I became an MB.”
Just then, Wei Yuhuan crept closer and heard the words. He almost spewed out a mouthful of old blood!
MB? This little brat thinks he’s an MB?
Wei Yuhuan stared at Xie Xiaojiang’s back, nearly exploding on the spot!
He was about to step forward and question him when Xie Xiaojiang suddenly said, “But he’s really good to me. He buys me clothes, takes me to eat good food, gives me a place to live, gives me plenty of money to spend, and even pays for me to go to school…I know you probably can’t understand, and no matter who I tell, few people will understand. Others will just ridicule and look down on me. I know it’s wrong to get something for nothing. You should go out and fight for what you want. But he’s given me so much that I can’t handle it all…But, Grandpa and grandma, I can’t live without him. I love him.” Xie Xiaojiang spoke and nearly choked up.
Wei Yuhuan’s emotions were greatly shaken. He felt angry, happy, and sympathetic all at once. It was as if his heart was being held by Xie Xiaojiang and he was at his mercy.
“He’s not only my benefactor now, but also my lover, and he’s like an elder brother who loves and cares for me. Grandpa and grandma, I’m in university now and it’s great. There are excellent professors and a great library, and I’ve made a good friend…” Xie Xiaojiang wiped the corner of his eye and took a deep breath, calming himself down. “Even if he stops loving me one day, I’ll still repay him. I’ll work hard to become a successful person, because the knowledge I’ve gained cannot be taken away from me. It’s the foundation of my existence.”
Yes, he was a man and he couldn’t rely on another man for the rest of his life. If Wei Yuhuan continued to love and dote on him, it would be his good fortune. If not, the time he spent with Wei Yuhuan would still be the greatest stroke of luck that changed his life and fate.
He had thought about it. If Wei Yuhuan abandoned him, he would definitely be very sad, but he wouldn’t blame anyone. After all, love is something that cannot be forced. Li Xiuya liked Wei Yuhuan so much, but Wei Yuhuan didn’t like him back.
On the contrary, he would still be grateful, because when this man was with him, he was so good to him. Instead of worrying about gains and losses, it was better to try one’s best and cherish what one had while making efforts and accepting fate.
Therefore, Xie Xiaojiang believed that he wouldn’t end up like Li Xiuya.
Thinking like this, Xie Xiaojiang smiled with hope again and stood up. “Grandpa and grandma, I’m very happy now. Don’t worry. If I have the chance next year, I’ll bring him to see you.”
At that moment, a familiar and cold breath mixed with a chilly air suddenly attacked him from behind, and Xie Xiaojiang was embraced tightly by someone!
“You don’t need to wait until next year,” Wei Yuhuan held him tightly and whispered in his ear. “I’m here now.” Every time Wei Yuhuan thought he loved this person so much, the other person always had the ability to make him love even more, as if there were no limits.
Xie Xiaojiang’s expression froze, his nerves tightened and relaxed, and he felt a bit stunned. “You…”
Wei Yuhuan interrupted him. “Xie Xiaojiang, I love you very much too. I swear in front of your grandpa and grandma that I’ll always be good to you, and from now on, I’ll only love you.”
This treasure is hard to find in the world, and he has been searching for more than ten years without finding anything better. How could he bear to let it go?
The confession caught him off guard, and Xie Xiaojiang was a bit confused. The words he was about to say were still stuck in his throat. With a red face, he finally managed to utter, “How did you overhear that?”
Wei Yuhuan smiled and gently explained, “Xie Xiaojiang, I never saw you as an MB. At first, maybe I just thought you were cute and that your type was special. But as we got to know each other, I was attracted to your character and inner qualities. You have many, many strengths, and of course, some weaknesses, but those weaknesses are also part of what attracts me to you… You have conquered me, Xie Xiaojiang, don’t doubt it, don’t be uneasy, just believe that I love you, okay?”
Xie Xiaojiang’s heart was beating fast, both sweet and shy. When he felt Wei Yuhuan leaning in to kiss his ear, he quickly pushed him away with his elbow and awkwardly said, “Don’t get handsy here, even our ancestors would be ashamed to see it…”
Wei Yuhuan chuckled and gave Xie Xiaojiang’s grandparents a bow and burned three incense sticks before leading him back.
As they drove back to the town center, Wei Yuhuan remembered Xie Xiaojiang describing him as an MB, and his heart sank. He didn’t realize that the public opinion violence incident had caused such a big psychological shadow on the young man. He was afraid that Xie Xiaojiang might still hold a grudge or misunderstand him, so he repeatedly explained the difference between their relationship and a sugar daddy arrangement. He spoke until his mouth was dry, but Xie Xiaojiang just kept nodding, and he didn’t know if he had really heard him.
Xie Xiaojiang smiled foolishly, still immersed in the happiness brought by Wei Yuhuan’s confession. The only bit of unease in his heart had been washed away by those words.
In fact, whether he was an MB or not didn’t matter at all; it was just a label. Xie Xiaojiang thought it would be good to start by being honest with his grandparents about this. Wei Yuhuan was too serious about it. They were much more exaggerated when they were in bed together, using all kinds of ridiculous and provocative nicknames. It was unbearable to listen to.
People who think they are high in the sky are always as fragile as paper. But Xie Xiaojiang saw himself as a mud crab, rolling in mud and dirt. Even if someone stepped on him and threw him into a mud puddle, he could dig a hole and continue to survive. This was the difference between him and Cong Yuan, and between him and Li Xiuya.
While driving, Xie Xiaojiang suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!” and sat up straight to look out the window.
“What’s wrong?” Wei Yuhuan turned to ask.
“Stop the car, stop the car! I think I saw an enemy!” Xie Xiaojiang slapped his thigh excitedly.
Just a moment ago, he had a silly and innocent look on his face, but now he was eagerly looking out the window like a cat spotting a mouse in its sleep.
Wei Yuhuan parked the car on the side of the road and frowned, asking, “Who is your enemy?”
Xie Xiaojiang unbuckled his seatbelt and pointed to the slightly hunched gray-clothed man not far away, saying as he opened the car door, “It’s him! That fellow villager who cheated me out of money!”
Wei Yuhuan’s face darkened, and he got out of the car to chase after him.
The man turned around when he heard the commotion and saw the fierce and menacing Xie Xiaojiang. Feeling guilty, he ran away, but there was a girl by his side, who he didn’t know if she was his girlfriend or relative, and she was asking, “Wang Daxiang? What’s going on?”
Wang Daxiang was stunned, and he was quickly grabbed by Xie Xiaojiang, who had rushed up to him. The two quickly twisted into a ball. Wei Yuhuan was worried that Xie Xiaojiang would suffer, so he quickly intervened. With two against one, and Wei Yuhuan’s previous training, Wang Daxiang was no match for them. He was soon pressed down to the ground, begging for mercy, “Please stop, please stop!”
The girl beside them was also screaming in shock, trying to pull them apart, “What’s wrong with you! Why did you start fighting as soon as you got here! I’m going to call the police!”
Wang Daxiang gasped weakly, “Xie Xiaojiang, I’ll pay you back the money, I’ll pay you back…”
Wei Yuhuan gave the woman a sideways glance and said, “What are you shouting for? Can’t you hear that this man owes my younger brother money?”
The woman asked Wang Daxiang incredulously, “You owe someone money? Didn’t you say you had over 300,000 yuan in savings now?”
Sure enough, he was still cheating people everywhere! Xie Xiaojiang glared at him through gritted teeth and loudly questioned, “Wang Daxiang! I trusted you so much! I never did anything to harm you! Why did you lie to me?!”
