ABOES 85: I Have a Feeling

Chi Yunxing had already stepped one foot into the living room, but the moment he saw that scene, all he wanted was to turn right around and flee.

Unfortunately, Duan Zhiyan behind him wasn’t about to let him escape. Chi Yunxing backed straight into his chest, and Duan Zhiyan’s voice, not lowered in the slightest, rang out, “Why aren’t you going in?”

The moment Duan Zhiyan finished speaking, all three people in the room turned to look at them in unison.

Chi Yunxing: “…”

Was it still possible to make a run for it?

Of course not.

Grandma was the first to get up. She paused the TV and walked over with a big smile. “Yunxing’s home and Zhiyan came too!”

Duan Zhiyan glanced at the screen, his expression calm as ever. He even smiled as he greeted, “Hi, Grandma.”

Grandma, never one to shy away from shocking words, remarked casually, “I was just watching you two kissing on TV, and now here you are, stepping right out of the screen.”

Chi Yunxing promptly choked on his own saliva, covering his mouth and coughing uncontrollably.

Startled, Duan Zhiyan immediately pulled him into his arms and patted his back anxiously. “What’s wrong?”

Tan Yao and Chi Ling also rushed over in a panic. “What happened? Yunxing, are you sick?”

Chi Yunxing coughed so hard his face and neck flushed red but he still remembered not to alarm them, so he shook his head mid-cough.

Duan Zhiyan held his hand and led him inside, while Tan Yao quickly poured a glass of warm water.

“Yunxing, have a sip.” Tan Yao handed it over.

Duan Zhiyan reached out naturally. “I got it.”

He took the glass and brought it to Chi Yunxing’s lips, his voice soft. “Yunxing, drink some water.”

Chi Yunxing had been spending time with Duan Zhiyan almost every day recently. Zhiyan always looked after him so attentively that Chi Yunxing was used to not lifting a finger for small things. So without thinking much of it, he leaned in and took a sip.

What he didn’t realize was how incredibly intimate the gesture looked to everyone else.

Tan Yao’s expression instantly shifted.

Grandma, however, acted like she didn’t notice a thing. She sat beside Chi Yunxing and held his hand. “Feeling better now?”

After drinking the water, Chi Yunxing had mostly recovered and stopped coughing. He shook his head. “I’m fine now. Just swallowed wrong… cough…”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help glancing at the TV. Why on earth was it still frozen on the kissing scene?!

Duan Zhiyan followed his gaze, a quick smile flashing through his eyes.

“Want another sip?” he asked.

Chi Yunxing didn’t want water, he just wanted to get the hell out of there!

“No,” he said quickly.

Duan Zhiyan put the cup down.

“Feeling better now?” Grandma asked.

Chi Yunxing avoided looking at the TV. “Much.”

Chi Ling, still concerned, asked, “How did you manage to choke so badly?”

Chi Yunxing: “…”

Dad, you’re my actual dad. Can we not keep discussing this?

Just as he was scrambling for a decent excuse, Tan Yao cut in. “Alright, alright. As long as you’re fine. Yunxing, are you hungry? I’ll go check the food.”

Chi Yunxing’s eyes lit up. Finally, an excuse! He jumped up. “Mom, I’ll help you.”

As he followed her into the kitchen, Grandma chuckled and shook her head.

“Too easily flustered,” Grandma chuckled, turning to Duan Zhiyan. “Don’t you think so?”

Duan Zhiyan met her clear gaze. He looked briefly surprised, then understood.

“Yes,” he said with a soft laugh. “He’s always been shy.”

Grandma’s smile widened. “That’s why, as his gege, you’ve got to give in to him a little more.”

“Of course,” Duan Zhiyan replied, without hesitation.

Grandma nodded approvingly.

Chi Ling, watching their cryptic exchange, looked baffled. “What are you two talking about?”

Duan Zhiyan said nothing.

Grandma shot her son a glare, sighing. “You’re just like your father, you’re hopeless!”

Chi Ling had no idea how he’d offended her this time, but since both Grandma and Duan Zhiyan looked perfectly pleased, he assumed it was nothing serious and let it go.

Grandma finally picked up the remote and hit play. Just in case Chi Yunxing could still hear, she raised her voice on purpose, “We’re going to keep watching now. If Tan Yao misses anything, she can rewatch it later!”

In the kitchen, Chi Yunxing was helping trim vegetables, clueless that Grandma’s words were meant for him. He listened carefully for sounds from the living room. Hearing that the kiss scene must have ended, he finally relaxed.

Tan Yao glanced at his relieved face, her emotions mixed and a bit guilty.

Over the past few months, she and Chi Ling had rekindled their relationship and grown closer. As a result, she hadn’t been spending as much time with Yunxing. Even though she checked in often, Grandma always made excuses to give the couple more alone time, so their face-to-face moments had grown fewer.

She had assumed Yunxing was being considerate, trying not to intrude.

Yet now, seeing all this, it was clear that there was more going on.

Tan Yao sneaked another glance toward the living room, where Duan Zhiyan was chatting easily with Grandma. Duan Zhiyan must have noticed her gaze, because he smiled back at her gently.

To pick up on her glance so quickly, he must’ve been paying close attention.

Tan Yao smiled in return, then looked away.

After Yunxing finished prepping the veggies, he turned and asked, “Mom, anything else I can help with?”

Tan Yao shook her head with a smile. “No, it’s okay. Go keep Zhiyan company. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Yunxing nodded and left the kitchen. 

Watching his retreating back, Tan Yao frowned again.

Were they already together? Or was this just a mutual crush, still in the ambiguous phase?

Yunxing didn’t seem like he disliked Zhiyan… And Zhiyan—he clearly liked Yunxing too.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be personally feeding him water.

Tan Yao didn’t know what expression to wear.

If they were together, as parents, they’d actually feel quite reassured. After all, they’d watched Duan Zhiyan grow up. He was solid, trustworthy.

What she feared was not who—it was how.

Were they in it for real? Or just temporarily drawn to each other? If it was the latter… Tan Yao paused her hands.

Then it might be better not to start at all.

She had to find a gentle way to talk to Yunxing about this.

…

While they were eating, Duan Zhiyan suddenly remembered something and asked, “Grandma, didn’t Secret Crush only update up to episode twelve this week? How come you’re already watching episode thirteen?”

Chi Yunxing, mid-bite, immediately looked up. He was wondering the same thing.

If the schedule was correct, the last scene should’ve been Ning Chu kissing the drunk Xu Li. How had it gotten to that kiss?

His cheeks flushed again.

Thinking about how he walked into the living room to find his family watching him kiss Duan Zhiyan on screen… He wanted to die.

By now, he’d practically dug out an entire castle with his curled-up toes.

Grandma laughed. “What, you two haven’t checked Weibo today?”

“Huh?” Chi Yunxing blinked. “Weibo?”

Duan Zhiyan put down his chopsticks, pulled out his phone, and opened the app.

He didn’t even have to search. Right at the top of trending: #SecretCrushExtraEpisode

Chi Yunxing leaned in close to look.

The moment he saw it, he grabbed Duan Zhiyan’s phone, all fired up. “They dropped an extra episode? When?!”

From Tan Yao’s angle, the way Chi Yunxing leaned over made it look like he was draping himself all over Duan Zhiyan.

Her grip on her chopsticks tightened.

If she had any doubts before, now she was certain. They were together.

Grandma chuckled. “Just now. I finished the three new episodes and happened to catch the bonus. It was sweet.”

From that, it was obvious she’d been online a lot lately.

Chi Yunxing scrolled through the phone. Right next to the bonus tag was another one: #NingChuKissesXuLi

The fans had been waiting nearly a month for a confession and kiss scene—and now it was like Chinese New Year on Weibo.

【They kissed they kissed!!】
【AHHHHH I love Director Li! He’s a legend!!】
【Thank you, director! Thank you, producers! For not playing us!】
【My god. Finally!】
【Ning Chu’s been holding this in for SEVEN years!】
【This kiss is so intense!】
【Wait—is this Duan Zhiyan’s first onscreen kiss?!】
【Confirmed: after 9 years since his debut, this is his very first on-screen kiss.】

【Even if it’s with a guy, I’m loving it!!!】
【I’ve rewatched that scene like 15 times already. It’s perfect.】

Chi Yunxing felt his face getting hotter the more he read.

Even though he’d braced for fans teasing him once the kiss aired, actually reading the comments was something else. Some of them were straight-up feral.

Just as he was about to scroll more, a hand reached out and took the phone from his grasp.

“Eat first,” Duan Zhiyan said gently.

Chi Yunxing protested, “Let me finish—”

“No.”

Chi Yunxing pouted, unconsciously.

He didn’t even realize it but everyone else at the table—except for Chi Ling—definitely did.

Tan Yao sighed quietly in her heart.

If she had doubts earlier, they were gone now.

Those two were definitely together and if they were going to keep it secret, couldn’t they at least try acting?

Even a casual observer could tell something was going on.

Despite herself, a smile tugged at her lips.

Chi Ling glanced at her, confused. “What are you smiling about?”

She gave him a look and picked up some ribs for his bowl. “Eat.”

Chi Ling looked at the ribs, feeling pleased. He forgot all about the question.

Grandma looked around the table—from Yunxing and Zhiyan to Tan Yao and Chi Ling—and her eyes curved with joy.

This was good. Very good.

Now, everyone in the family had a partner… except Chi Xiwen.

Thinking of him, she sighed again.

When was that brat going to bring someone home?

…

After lunch, Chi Yunxing volunteered to do the dishes.

Duan Zhiyan followed him into the kitchen.

Chi Ling had work to finish, so he went to the study.

In the now quiet living room, only Grandma and Tan Yao remained.

Grandma brought episode thirteen back on screen, but Tan Yao’s mind was elsewhere. Every few minutes, she glanced toward the kitchen, where bursts of laughter occasionally floated out.

“You noticed too,” Grandma said suddenly.

Tan Yao blinked, then turned. “Mom, you—”

“I noticed earlier than you,” Grandma said, smiling.

Tan Yao was surprised. “When?”

Grandma gave her a date.

Tan Yao was stunned. “That early?”

“Shh—” Grandma put a finger to her lips. “Keep your voice down!”

Tan Yao quickly covered her mouth. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“They hadn’t decided if they were going to say anything yet. How could I tell you first?” Grandma whispered. “If you hadn’t figured it out today, I still wouldn’t have said a thing.”

Tan Yao chuckled helplessly. “Fair.”

Grandma scooted closer. “So… what do you think?”

Right then, another burst of laughter came from the kitchen. Chi Yunxing’s voice, soft but distinct, “Zhiyan Ge—”

Tan Yao smiled despite herself. “You mean Zhiyan?”

Grandma nodded. “That boy grew up in our house, sure, but as he got older, he barely came by. Not like now. Ever since Yunxing came back, he’s been here all the time. You noticed that, right?”

Tan Yao thought about it.

Come to think of it… she hadn’t paid attention before, but it was true.

Zhiyan visited more in the last few months than he had in the past year and the timing lined up exactly with Yunxing’s return.

“I think…” Tan Yao started.

Grandma nodded. “He liked him for a long time. Otherwise it wouldn’t have happened so fast.”

Tan Yao fell silent.

After a while, Grandma asked, “So? What do you think?”

“Zhiyan’s someone we’ve watched grow up. I trust him,” Tan Yao said quietly. “And honestly, it doesn’t matter who—as long as Yunxing’s happy.”

Grandma’s smile was warm. “That’s exactly what I think too.”

“Our Yunxing’s suffered enough already. Now, he deserves to just be happy.”

Tan Yao’s nose stung. She nodded firmly.

That was their only wish as parents.

As long as Duan Zhiyan could make that happen, they were willing to entrust Yunxing to him.

“Let’s wait until they tell us themselves,” Grandma said. “I have a feeling it’ll be soon.”

Tan Yao nodded. “Yeah.”