WTCM 17. The Fool Isn’t Really a Fool

The braised fish turned out pretty well, at least for a beginner. Qi Haiyang was a quick learner. The reason last night’s food had been nearly inedible was because he had never set foot in a kitchen in his twenty-one years of life.

“You’re such a bragger. You kept saying you could cook. That dinner last night? I’ve never eaten anything that bad in my life.” Chen Tianxiang shot him a playful glare. It had only been one night since, but their relationship had already grown so close that he didn’t bother holding back anymore. He’d kept quiet out of politeness yesterday, but now the teasing came naturally.

Qi Haiyang sat there with his mouth hanging open and a bit of rice falling out. “Xiang-ge, your smile’s really good-looking!”

Chen Tianxiang purposely put on a stern face and tapped his bowl with the chopsticks. “You being dumb again? Eat.”

“I am the second child at home, you know…” Qi Haiyang blinked, then grinned as he stuffed two spoonfuls of rice into his mouth. Then he added, “I wasn’t trying to brag, really. I’ve never cooked, but I’ve seen my mom do it. I thought it looked simple, but turns out it’s not like that at all. Sigh, it’s all her fault. Cooking is her lifelong passion. She never let any of us help. My brother, my sister, even my dad can’t cook. In our house, all we get to do is wash dishes after meals.”

“Oh… so there are three siblings in your family?” Chen Tianxiang kept his expression neutral as he picked up a piece of fish, but deep inside, a subtle jolt hit him. These past few days had been so happy that he’d overlooked something important. He had come out to his parents long ago and never intended to marry. If he found someone, great. If not, he was fine being alone. But Qi Haiyang had a whole big family. Could he handle the pressure? Would he really be able to come out, live openly, and spend his life with another man? He was still so young. Who knew if he was just chasing a new experience? Who knew if, a few years later, he might decide women were better after all?

“Xiang-ge?” Qi Haiyang noticed his silence and suddenly smacked his forehead like he’d figured it out. “Wait, you guys don’t go after people for having more kids, right? My family lives in a county town. They’re not strict there, and we paid all the fines anyway.”

“Idiot.” Chen Tianxiang let out a weak laugh. This guy’s brain really didn’t work that far ahead. So there was no point in overthinking things either. At least for now… happiness was enough.

Chen Tianxiang knew deep down that he was still scared, still wounded from what Sun Mo did to him. He didn’t dare to imagine a long, beautiful future with someone he truly loved. All he could do was suppress those anxious thoughts and focus on enjoying this delicious lunch.

Once they were full, Qi Haiyang’s mind naturally drifted right back to sex. He stuck his ass out and twisted his waist as he circled Chen Tianxiang a few times. When he saw it wasn’t working to get the man’s attention, he grabbed his arm and started pulling him toward the bed.

Chen Tianxiang gave his butt a light smack. “No sex during the day.”

“This is your first day off since we got together…” Qi Haiyang whined pitifully, though the way he rubbed his hands together and grinned like a pervert made it anything but convincing. He didn’t look pitiful at all, just ridiculous.

So Chen Tianxiang laughed and smacked him again. “Take a proper nap. If you behave… I’ll let you sleep in my arms.”

Qi Haiyang immediately snuggled into his chest, only to grumble about the heat and shift away again. He turned over with a long sigh. “Sigh… you’re so busy with work, and your break time is so limited. Yet you don’t even know how to make the most of it.”

Chen Tianxiang sighed to himself too. He’s always clinging to me for sex… I really wonder if he loves me, or just loves my body.

But even with those doubts in his heart, he still reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the remote control. With a soft beep, the air conditioner started blowing cool air across the room.

“Better now?”

“You’re the best, Xiang-ge!” Before he could even lift his arm, Qi Haiyang had already burrowed back into his arms, hugging his waist tight.

The big guy in his arms felt heavy and warm. Chen Tianxiang gently rubbed his short, stiff hair, then paused for a moment before asking hesitantly, “Summer break’s coming up for you soon, right? How long are you staying at home?”

“Two more weeks. I won’t be staying home long though. Our team has training camp during the break.” Qi Haiyang answered with a satisfied look as he lay against his chest. Then something came to mind, and he suddenly sat up, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Xiang-ge! Can you come home with me? It’s not far! Just a four-hour bus ride!”

Chen Tianxiang stared at him in disbelief. “Why would I go to your house?”

“To meet my parents, of course! We’re dating now, right? I have to introduce you to them!” Qi Haiyang got all riled up again. Afraid Chen Tianxiang might refuse, he quickly started listing all the perks of visiting his family.

“My mom’s cooking is amazing, I swear! And my dad’s a great guy. He wanted to be a cop when he was younger but never made it, so if he sees you, he’ll definitely love you. And my brother… well… he’s the real idiot in the family. Forget about him. My little sister, though, she just loves handsome guys—”

“Wait, wait, hold on.” Chen Tianxiang cut him off and pointed at his own face. “You want to introduce me to your family? As your boyfriend?”

Qi Haiyang blinked like it was obvious. “Yeah? What else would you be?”

Chen Tianxiang pointed at him again. “Do your parents know you’re gay?”

“Ah!” Qi Haiyang clapped his hands like he just remembered. “I forgot! I never told them!”

What an idiot. Chen Tianxiang sighed and pinched his cheek. “Don’t be stupid. You’re going to scare the hell out of them.”

“It’s fine. They won’t be scared. I’ll tell them this time when we go back.” Qi Haiyang said it so casually, like it was no big deal. He happily flopped down again and wrapped his arms around Chen Tianxiang, rubbing against his chest. “I didn’t tell them before because I hadn’t met you. Now that I have such an amazing boyfriend, of course I want them to know. Whether they’re happy or pissed off, I’ve made up my mind. I’m serious. I mean it. I have a brother and a sister. They don’t need me to carry on the family line.”

“Haiyang…” Chen Tianxiang held him tighter. So he wasn’t a fool after all. He had seriously thought about their future. He was carefree because he was braver than Chen, never seeing those obstacles as anything worth fearing. The real fool… was him.

“Alright. I’ll request some time off and go with you. We’ll stay a few days.” Chen Tianxiang made up his mind. Coming out to family wasn’t a small thing. He had to stand by Qi Haiyang all the way through. After all, he had gone through this himself three years ago. He already had a good idea of how it might turn out. Whether it was shouting, hitting, or getting kicked out, he would be right there with Qi Haiyang, no matter what.