WP Chapter 62

On New Year’s Eve, Jiang Yibai carried a pile of bags and borrowed Li Xun’s car. He and Si Shaorong set out together for the Si family home.

Si Shaorong wasn’t from the city, but fortunately the drive was just under four hours, not too far.

For larger items, Jiang Yibai had already shipped them to the Si family in advance. For smaller things, he insisted on bringing them himself. Si Shaorong was secretly thankful that courier services were about to go on holiday. If they weren’t, there would be no end to his boyfriend’s buying spree.

As they brought everything downstairs, Si Shaorong stood in the misty morning light and watched Jiang Yibai walk out from the quiet residential complex.

Jiang Yibai usually dressed very casually. In summer, it was T-shirts and jeans. In winter, sweaters under a down jacket. But today was different. The day before, he had gone for a haircut. Last night, he used a face mask. This morning, he had applied serum and lotion and even spritzed on a subtle, elegant cologne.

Right now, he looked like a high-level office worker from a central business district. He wore a white shirt with a tie, a pale suit, and a dark overcoat on top. A matching scarf peeked just slightly from the collar, more decorative than functional. His black leather shoes were polished to a mirror shine.

He was clearly nervous, face set and expression stiff as he marched forward with his bags, carrying a rare sort of pressure with him. Si Shaorong leaned casually against the car door, watching him approach, and suddenly his heart began to race. It felt just like falling in love all over again.

Jiang Yibai glared at him. “Are you going to help or not?”

Si Shaorong laughed and walked over. Seeing that the street was still empty in the early morning light, he couldn’t resist leaning in and stealing a kiss.

Jiang Yibai stared at him in disbelief.

Once they were on the highway, Jiang Yibai grew increasingly restless. He kept pulling down the mirror to inspect his hair and outfit, mumbling to himself under his breath.

“My skin looks off today. Shit, is that a pimple on my forehead?”

“I knew I shouldn’t have used that face mask. Why is my face so oily?”

Si Shaorong listened to the steady stream of grumbling beside him, and all he felt was a deep, quiet joy. As he focused on the road, he said, “No matter how you look, my parents are going to like you.” After a pause, he added, “You look especially handsome today. I think I just fell for you all over again.”

Jiang Yibai blinked, then broke into laughter. “Baby, that kind of sappy line really doesn’t suit you at all. It’s ridiculous coming out of your mouth.”

Si Shaorong: “…”

They continued chatting while listening to the radio, and little by little, Jiang Yibai began to relax again. Just before they exited the highway, the nervousness crept back in. He pulled down the mirror once more, checking his reflection from every angle, grumbling about how sitting too long had creased his clothes.

After entering the city, Si Shaorong deliberately tried to shift his boyfriend’s focus by chatting about the place. “I don’t come back here often—once a year, maybe twice if I’m lucky. This city changes quickly. Look to the right… that used to be a sports center, not a wetland park. And up ahead, none of those buildings were there. It was all farmland back then.”

Sure enough, Jiang Yibai’s attention turned. Watching the scenery pass by outside the window, he said, “They’re building everywhere now. Block after block… but this park looks nice.”

“That intersection up ahead,” Si Shaorong said, “I used to pass it every day after school. If I was taking the bus, I’d always come through here. If I had extra time, I’d get off early and head into the underground arcade with my classmates.”

“Underground arcade?”

“There’s an underpass beneath the intersection,” Si Shaorong explained. “It’s pretty big. They sell clothes, shoes, snacks… there’s even a little game center.”

Jiang Yibai looked at him in surprise. “You used to go to arcades? I thought people like you were those emotionless top-of-the-class types.”

Si Shaorong laughed. “Who wasn’t a little mischievous as a kid? I even got in trouble with the teacher once because I played too long and got home late. Made me late for school all the time.”

Jiang Yibai was even more surprised now. He forgot all about being nervous and leaned in, listening with growing interest. “You were that playful? What did you play? Tell me more.”

“It wasn’t anything special,” Si Shaorong said as he turned on the blinker and carefully kept an eye on the road. “Sometimes I didn’t feel like taking the bus, so I’d just walk. There was no one at home watching me, so I had to learn to keep myself entertained.”

“I’d wander around a toy store, then stop at a bookstall, then loiter in front of a snack shop.” Si Shaorong smiled faintly at the memory. “I didn’t really do anything. But by the time I was done, I always ended up running late.”

Jiang Yibai listened with both amusement and a trace of heartache. He couldn’t help but picture a younger version of his cool, reserved Male God, still wearing a serious face, a little schoolbag on his back, walking alone down the street with a quiet curiosity about the world. Stopping to peer into shops, muttering to himself while fiddling with toys or flipping through books. No one to talk to, no one to call him home, just a small figure wandering aimlessly until he was late again.

Jiang Yibai’s eyes softened with deep affection. He suddenly wanted to reach over and squeeze that soft hand of his. “So what happened after your teacher called your parents?”

“They went with me to apologize to the teacher. Afterward, they asked me what happened.” Si Shaorong kept his tone even. “I’ve told you before, they’ve always been rational. They never show emotion, and they always speak calmly no matter the situation. It’s like… they were never built with extra feelings in the first place. Once they heard my explanation, they made me a schedule.”

Speaking of it, Si Shaorong couldn’t help but laugh. “They scheduled two days each week to spend with me. Whether it was to play or just to take me to and from school, it didn’t matter. Two days a week, one of them would be with me.”

“It felt just like clocking in for work,” he said. “After that, I was never late again.”

Jiang Yibai had never heard anything like it. After the initial surprise, he laughed. “They did care about you. They just showed it in their own way.”

“Yeah,” Si Shaorong said, glancing at him during a red light. His smile was soft. “I know.”

Before long, the car pulled into a large residential district. The road was narrow, but the greenery all around made it feel peaceful and quiet.

“There’s a top-ranked high school nearby. The best elementary school too. The hospital’s just two blocks away,” Si Shaorong explained. “This area’s full of large residential compounds. There are a lot of students and quite a few professionals. I heard the highest concentration is people in finance.”

Both of Si Shaorong’s parents worked in finance, so it was common to bump into someone they knew in the area.

Jiang Yibai leaned close to the window, peering out. The street looked like it had been planned all at once. Every shopfront painted in the same tones, giving the entire block a cohesive look. The buildings were brushed in a warm, retro red, and the storefronts all had black-framed doors and windows. It looked clean and orderly without feeling old.

They turned into a quiet complex at the far end of the side road. Though the buildings had stood for more than a decade, the place was well-maintained. The pathways were clean and spacious, the lighting bright. Just then, a group of children had gathered to set off firecrackers.

Since so many people were home for the New Year, parking spots were hard to find. After circling twice, Si Shaorong finally managed to pull into a space. In the passenger seat, Jiang Yibai hunched his shoulders and took a deep breath, whispering under his breath to psych himself up.

“Hello Uncle, Auntie, I’m Jiang Yibai… no, wait, I should greet them for New Year’s first. Uncle, Auntie, Happy New Year. These are just small gifts, nothing special… that sounds weird. Uncle, Auntie, Happy New Year. I’m Jiang Yibai, I’m Si Shaorong’s boyf—boyf—”

For some reason, even though he had already come out long ago, Jiang Yibai found himself embarrassed to say the word “boyfriend” out loud.

He was still mumbling to himself when Si Shaorong came back from the trunk with bags in both hands. He walked over to the window and tapped on the glass.

“Yibai? What are you thinking about in there?”

Jiang Yibai sucked in a deep breath and climbed out of the car. His calf cramped up the moment he straightened his legs. Still, he braced himself and sang in a trembling voice, “I wish you wealth and cheer, I wish your life’s premiere, the best things draw near, bad vibes disappear, oh, good manners are never wrong…”

Si Shaorong: “…”

Inside the elevator, Jiang Yibai was still absentmindedly humming “Gongxi Facai” with a blank look in his eyes. Si Shaorong was trying so hard not to laugh that his face was turning red. When the elevator doors opened, he took Jiang Yibai’s hand and led him down the hallway. Jiang Yibai was so nervous he was walking almost in sync with both hands and feet.

Si Shaorong whispered, “I didn’t think you’d get this nervous. Where did all that boldness go, the kind you had when we first met?”

Jiang Yibai rolled his eyes. In his head he thought, how could that be the same? Back then, who would have guessed things would come this far?

They stopped in front of the door. Si Shaorong said quietly, “My parents are really easy to get along with. They might not seem very warm, but that’s just how they are. I already told you, don’t take it personally.”

Jiang Yibai made a sound of acknowledgment, eyes fixed on the security door in front of them.

Si Shaorong looked at him for a moment. His heart softened. Then he hesitated and said, “Maybe I rushed this. If you’re not ready, we don’t have to do it today. I can go in alone. You could wait for me at the hotel next door…”

Jiang Yibai froze, then reached out and pinched his boyfriend’s arm with a frown. “What are you talking about? I’m nervous because I care. I care about how your parents see me. You think this is something I can prep for, like studying for a test? No matter how long I prepare, it won’t make it easier.”

He swallowed hard, his neck stiff, putting on a look of grim resolve. “Either way, it’s the same blade, whether you stretch out your neck or not. Let’s do it. I’m not scared.”

Si Shaorong was just starting to smile, his heart aching with affection. He reached out and held Jiang Yibai’s hand, only to hear him start whispering again in a wobbly little voice.

“Repeat after me. You are amazing. Say it again. You are amazing.”

Si Shaorong stared at him, speechless.

Then he lost it. He couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into laughter. Just as he laughed, the security door swung open, and the sound of the television mixed with the aroma of food spilled out from the living room.

Hearing noise at the door, Mother Si had come over to check. She wasn’t expecting to see her always-composed, quiet son doubled over laughing. His face was red, and he looked lively, full of energy, completely unlike the way he usually appeared.

Jiang Yibai panicked and instinctively reached out to cover his boyfriend’s mouth, but then realized that doing so in front of an elder was probably rude. He quickly pulled his hand back, grabbed Si Shaorong’s hand instead, and bowed deeply. “Hello Auntie! Happy New Year!”

Si Shaorong was still laughing, nearly in tears. He helped him up and handed the bags to his mother. “Mom, Happy New Year. These are gifts from Yibai.”

Mother Si had already hidden the flicker of surprise in her eyes. Her gaze swept over the young man beside her son, whose face and neck had flushed completely red. She accepted the bags and said, “You already sent so many things ahead. Why bring even more? Thank you.”

“No need to thank me! It’s the least I could do!” Jiang Yibai said quickly. “I, um, I’m Jiang Yibai.”

Mother Si gave a faint smile and turned to head inside. “I know. Shaorong already told me. Come in, both of you.”

Jiang Yibai’s heart had been thudding like a drum, but the moment he caught what looked like a smile from Mother Si, the panic began to ease.

He thought to himself, no wonder his boyfriend looked like his mother. That faint smile just now was exactly the same.

He remembered when Si Shaorong first met him. There had been that same polite restraint, the same quietly careful smile.