Chapter 36
He continued to think about what happened at noon during their meal, showing little interest in the exquisite dishes.
Fan Yu noticed and asked, “You seem a bit distracted today. Is the food here not to your liking?”
Fu Yu came back to his senses and replied, “No, I’m just thinking about something.”
Xiao Yi smiled and asked, “Have you been busy with work these days? Are you going back to the office this afternoon?”
Fu Yu said, “Not really. I’ll be going home in the afternoon. It’s been a few weeks since I saw my parents.”
Xiao Yi immediately offered, “I’ll take you there. I haven’t seen them in a while either.”
After considering for a moment, Fu Yu thought it would be a good idea for Xiao Yi to get to know his parents sooner, making it easier to confess about their relationship in the future. So he agreed, “Okay.”
On the way back home, Xiao Yi was initially confident and composed, but as they approached their destination, he became increasingly nervous.
“Will your parents still recognize me?” Xiao Yi asked.
Fu Yu turned to look at him and, apart from a more mature and handsome appearance, saw little change. “They should recognize you. They used to ask why you hadn’t visited.”
This statement brought a sense of nostalgia to both of them.
Xiao Yi sighed and then changed the topic to a lighter one, “Should I buy some gifts for them?”
“No need. You’ve been to my house before,” Fu Yu replied.
“But things are different now!” Xiao Yi’s lips curled up. “When I see them this time, should I call them ‘mom and dad’?”
After he said this, he received no response for a long time. He turned to look at Fu Yu, who seemed displeased and was furrowing his brows.
Xiao Yi’s smile gradually faded. “I was just kidding. Don’t take it seriously.”
Fu Yu finally spoke, as if he had thought for a long time, “Don’t mention our relationship to my parents.”
“I know, I was just joking,” Xiao Yi’s tone became somewhat anxious.
However, Fu Yu simply replied with a faint “Hmm.”
The silence lingered in the car, making Xiao Yi feel suffocated. Trying to lighten the mood, he jokingly said, “Why? Don’t want your parents to know you’re dating a guy?”
He knew his joke was ill-timed, but he couldn’t help asking. They had been together for some time now, and he was eager to know how much he meant to Fu Yu.
“Well, they have more traditional views, so it might be difficult for them to accept,” Fu Yu explained.
Xiao Yi’s hope was shattered with that one sentence. “Have you seriously considered our relationship?”
Fu Yu didn’t understand: “Of course, I have.” Since they started dating, he had been thinking about Xiao Yi almost every day.
“What’s the result of your consideration? You initially said we should give it a try, but it’s been several months. Are you still just ‘trying’?” Xiao Yi’s tone was becoming impatient.
“For you, it may just be a new experiment, but for me, I’ve been suffering for six or seven years,” Xiao Yi continued, his eyes filled with weariness. “How much longer do you expect me to wait?”
Fu Yu was stunned. He suddenly remembered what Xiao Yongqing had said:
“Everyone’s patience has limits. Don’t assume that Xiao Yi will wait for you indefinitely.”
Xiao Yi was right; no one should expect someone to wait forever. Xiao Yi had endured so much pain over the years without a clear answer. It was understandable if he was now feeling disheartened.
Perhaps he shouldn’t keep stringing him along like this.
“You don’t have to wait for me…” Fu Yu wanted to say more, like how much he liked him, but he didn’t get a chance. As soon as he said the first half of the sentence, he saw the disappointment and pain in Xiao Yi’s eyes.
He immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing. He was about to make amends, but Xiao Yi coldly interrupted, “Okay, then. You can go. You probably want me to leave you, right?”
“No, I…”
“Get out, I don’t want to see you,” Xiao Yi turned his head coldly, staring ahead and refusing to communicate.
Fu Yu opened his mouth but ultimately didn’t say anything. He opened the car door and got out. He watched as Xiao Yi’s car drove away, leaving him standing there, feeling lost.
Since childhood, Fu Yu had never been one to get close to people. Xiao Yi was the closest person to him outside of his family, the most intimate, his first confidant, and his first love. Their relationship was too unique to compare to anything else.
Since they started dating, he had tried to treat Xiao Yi with more intimacy and indulgence than when they were just friends, but it seemed far from enough. It couldn’t compare to the deep affection Xiao Yi had for him.
This left him feeling helpless. How could he truly be worthy of Xiao Yi?
Fu Yu walked aimlessly on the street for a few minutes, feeling a jumble of emotions inside.
Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling out, “Cousin!”
Fu Yu looked up and saw his cousin, Ling Tian, sitting in an outdoor café not far away, waving at him. As he approached, he noticed another handsome young man beside Ling Tian.
Fu Yu was taken aback, as he had no idea that Ling Tian’s crush turned out to be a guy. Hesitatingly, he asked, “And what about your parents?”
“They know, and they approve,” Ling Tian replied.
Fu Yu felt a pang of envy. If only his parents could accept his relationship with Xiao Yi as well…
Lin Feng, the young man beside Ling Tian, stood up and reached out his hand warmly, saying, “Hello, I’m Lin Feng.”
“Hello,” Fu Yu politely shook his hand.
Ling Tian asked, “Cousin, are you here shopping too? Do you want to sit together for a while?”
At that moment, Fu Yu thought he heard Xiao Yi’s voice approaching from behind. He quickly said, “No, I have something to do. I’ll be on my way. You two enjoy your chat.”
Before Ling Tian could understand why Fu Yu was in such a hurry, Xiao Yi’s voice rang out from nearby.
“Fu Yu!”
Fu Yu’s expression changed, and he turned to leave. However, Xiao Yi grabbed his hand without a word, dragging him back towards the path they came from. Xiao Yi’s grip was strong, and it hurt Fu Yu’s wrist.
Ling Tian stepped in to stop Xiao Yi, asking, “What are you doing?”
Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow, “Who are you? This is our business.”
Fu Yu, caught in the middle, sighed and said, “Ling Tian, don’t worry about me. I need to talk to him. I’ll go now.”
Taking advantage of Ling Tian’s momentary confusion, Xiao Yi tightened his grip on Fu Yu’s hand and pulled him back along the path they had taken.
Fu Yu was pushed back into the car, and Xiao Yi sat in the driver’s seat without a word. The atmosphere inside the car was tense, and neither of them spoke. Fortunately, they weren’t far from Fu Yu’s home, and they arrived in about ten minutes.
Xiao Yi unlocked the car door and didn’t say anything. He showed no intention of getting out.
“Aren’t you going in?” Fu Yu asked.
“I’m not going in,” Xiao Yi replied curtly.
Fu Yu thought for a moment and then leaned closer, saying, “Are you still angry?”
Xiao Yi gave a cold snort. “Do you care whether I’m angry or not?”
“I do,” Fu Yu said, looking into Xiao Yi’s clear eyes. “I care about you a lot.” He wasn’t sure how much he loved him, but he was certain he cared deeply.
Xiao Yi suddenly felt a burst of anger, but it quickly dissipated, leaving him feeling frustrated. “Then why did you get out of the car earlier? Couldn’t you see that I was angry?”
“I…,” Fu Yu bit his lip. “I didn’t know how to face you. I was afraid you would lose patience with me.”
Xiao Yi was at a loss for words. “I don’t even know what to say to you.”
Fu Yu looked at him, his eyes seemingly a little downcast and uncomfortable. Xiao Yi couldn’t stand seeing him look so distressed, so he said, “Alright, I’m not angry anymore. You can go inside, and I’ll text you when I get home.”
“Okay,” Fu Yu responded and got out of the car. He watched as Xiao Yi drove away.
At least, Xiao Yi was still patient and gentle with him. If only he could make Xiao Yi feel the same warmth.
