Chapter 17: A Family Affair

Before Xie Xu could say anything, Guan Qing hung up the phone.

He glanced at some documents for a moment. As he signed them, he noticed his hand trembling uncontrollably. He tried to steady his right hand with his left, only to realize it wasn’t just his hand, but his entire body that was shaking.

The sweetness, relief, and ease of recent days were merely the sunlight of daytime. As soon as night fell, however, terrifying shadows would surge from the darkness, never truly disappearing. The real-life dilemmas he faced and the fears he harbored projected themselves into his bizarre dreams, continuing to deeply torment him.

For instance, he still hadn’t re-downloaded Weibo, fearing the taunts and sarcasm from Xie Xu’s fans. He also dared not contemplate how Jiang Lu, Xie Xu’s mother, or anyone else, would truly perceive him.

He hadn’t truly progressed from his past self. He was still the same timid and incompetent Guan Qing; it was just that Xie Xu’s constant care and companionship had almost made him forget this fact.

What if they reconciled in the future? What if, after reconciling, Xie Xu became busy once more?

Would he endure it until he could no longer bear it, only to break up again?

A broken mirror, even if mended, would inevitably crack again for the same reason. Moreover, they weren’t truly mending anything at all.

They were merely lost in the romantic atmosphere they had created for themselves, utterly oblivious. He had been dreaming for so long that he almost believed it was real.

The phone kept ringing, so Guan Qing simply turned it off.

Clutching his stomach, he curled into a ball, then rushed to the bathroom, writhing in spasms of dry heaving.

****

As Guan Qing descended the stairs after work, he spotted a debonair and handsome older gentleman.

Though his age was evident, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were not unnoticeable, he exuded an aura of charm and maturity, brimming with charisma. He held a small bouquet of flowers.

Upon seeing Guan Qing approach, he smiled warmly and offered a gentleman’s bow, extending the flowers to him.

Guan Qing replied, “…Hello?”

The receptionist watched them with a knowing, ambiguous gaze.

The gentleman chuckled and asked, “Handsome, may I invite you to dinner?”

“Uh,” Guan Qing stammered, feeling extremely awkward. “I, that…”

“You’re not going to reject me again, are you?” the gentleman said dramatically, feigning a heartbroken expression.

“No, not at all.” Given his elder status, Guan Qing quickly responded.

‘Again’? He paused.

“You are…?” Guan Qing studied the man’s face, trying to discern a familiar resemblance. When the gentleman tilted his head, a realization struck Guan Qing. “You’re Xie Xu’s father?”

The gentleman nodded, smiling broadly. “I am Xie Qing. My foolish son has caused you much trouble.”

Xie Xu’s father was quite different from the stern, serious, and deeply furrowed middle-aged man Guan Qing had imagined. The world suddenly felt fantastical again, making Guan Qing a little lightheaded.

“Dad,” Xie Xu exclaimed, rushing in. “Don’t—”

His remaining words caught in his throat as he saw Guan Qing. Guan Qing also froze, meeting Xie Xu’s gaze.

The last time they met was upon returning from Hawaii. Both had been considerably tanned, and Xie Xu had driven him home. Still battling jet lag, they were both incredibly excited late into the night.

They spoke of the Hawaiian sunrise, of the Indian couple staying in the room next door, and of their extraordinary trip. They even shared a natural kiss when Guan Qing got out of the car.

But this reunion felt as if they were strangers.

Xie Xu grabbed his father’s arm, gritting his teeth. “Mr. Xie, may we have a word in private?”

“No, I won’t.” Xie Qing stubbornly pulled Guan Qing closer. “I want to have dinner with Qingqing.”

Guan Qing was speechless.

Xie Xu’s frown deepened.

Sensing that things would only worsen if this continued, Guan Qing hastily said, “Alright, Uncle Xie, let’s go.”

“Only Uncle Xie?” Xie Xu grumbled again. “Then you two go eat. I’m going home first.”

Guan Qing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Xie Xu and Xie Qing were less like father and son and more like two overgrown children. He could only say, “Alright, alright, Uncle Xie, Xie Xu, let’s go, okay?”

Only then did Xie Xu nod.

Stepping out of the matchmaking agency, Guan Qing was astonished once more. Several bodyguards stood outside, following them all the way to the parking area. This dilapidated residential neighborhood was filled with curious older women, marveling at the luxury cars they had never seen before.

The bodyguards worked efficiently, with half clearing a path and the other half surrounding Xie Qing, carving a route through the crowd to the car. The car door opened, and a fair hand extended from within. Xie Qing’s father reverently kissed that hand before getting into the car.

Guan Qing was incredibly surprised. Once inside, he saw a blond, blue-eyed man, a Beta. This man was also past his youth, yet he exuded a timeless, gender-neutral beauty.

After exchanging a long kiss with Xie Xu’s father, he offered Guan Qing an apologetic smile and said in broken Chinese, “Hello, I’m Chris. Thank you for taking care of Xie Xu.”

Guan Qing suddenly remembered. Xie Xu had mentioned that his parents had an arranged business marriage and divorced when he was two. However, his mother had retained her status as the Xie family matriarch, a situation entangled with numerous interests.

Xie Xu had grown up abroad with his father and his father’s partner, regretting that he hadn’t had time to visit them since returning to China for acting and other commitments. Therefore, Chris was Xie Xu’s other father, playing a role that might even be more significant than his biological mother’s.

Guan Qing quickly extended his hand to shake Chris’s, saying, “Not at all. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Chris.”

Chris seemed to take a liking to him, holding his hand and chatting about Xie Xu in a mix of English and Chinese. “Randall, when he was little, he loved… snow? Yeah, snow. Every winter, we’d build snowmen together. His dad even buried him in the snow once, and he cried for a long time after we dug him out.”

Guan Qing was fascinated by this glimpse into Xie Xu’s childhood, but Xie Xu had never spoken of it before. Of course, no one wants their partner to know their embarrassing diaper-wearing stories.

“Dad,” Xie Xu said helplessly, “at least save me some face in front of him.”

Chris shrugged, indicating he didn’t understand. He even asked Guan Qing in English what Xie Xu was saying.

Chris and Xie Qing were both delightful, completely devoid of typical parental formality. Unconsciously, Guan Qing’s initial worries and reservations melted away. Filled with amusement, he replied to Chris in English, “He said to tell me more stories about his childhood.”

Xie Xu sighed. ‘Oh well, as long as you’re happy.’ He leaned back, giving up on any attempt to salvage his dignity.

So Chris continued, recounting how Xie Xu named his snowman, befriended it, greeted it first thing after school every day, and cried for a long time when it finally melted. He also told a story about Xie Xu hiding under the bed during hide-and-seek to scare them, only to get scared of the dark himself and crawl out crying.

They chatted all the way to the restaurant. Chris tied on an apron, saying he wanted to check on the kitchen, and only then did Guan Qing suddenly realize. How many Michelin stars did this place have? Was this Chris’s branch restaurant in S City?

He truly wondered what kind of family the person he had been dating came from.

Guan Qing was utterly astounded.

Suddenly, Chris poked his head out and called, “Randall, come here! Didn’t you say you wanted to learn—”

Xie Xu cast a cautious glance at Guan Qing, then sprang up and rushed to Chris, shushing him with a finger to his lips as he ushered him into the kitchen and closed the door.

Guan Qing wasn’t particularly fond of Western food. He and Xie Xu usually opted for hot pot or various Chinese cuisines. However, since he was dining with elders, he decided to adapt to their customs.

While Chris and Xie Xu were in the kitchen, Xie Qing chatted casually with Guan Qing. Their conversation topics were lighthearted, ranging from Xie Xu himself to current events, finance, popular movies, and even the World Cup, which Xie Qing watched purely for entertainment after his favored team was eliminated early.

Midway through, Chris emerged. Xie Qing and Guan Qing were watching a beauty pageant on TV. A particularly stunning Omega with a fiery figure appeared on screen, prompting Xie Qing to let out a lewd whistle.

Chris glanced at the TV and commented, “That girl is hot.”

“Indeed,” Xie Qing agreed, and they continued their discussion, concluding with, “Still, Jennifer Lawrence is the hottest.”

Guan Qing looked at them with an incredulous expression.

Xie Qing smiled. “What’s wrong?”

“Uh,” Guan Qing hesitated, “You two wouldn’t…”

Xie Qing understood what he was implying. “Oh, you mean, jealous?”

He laughed, his wrinkles adding to his charm. “Jealousy is a kind of playful affection, of course we get jealous, but it never causes any real harm. He and I are only attracted to each other. Seeing beautiful women or handsome young men on the street is actually the same as looking at a beautiful statue in a museum—you appreciate the statue, but you don’t fall in love with it.”

From any worldly perspective, both of them were exceptionally accomplished.

‘This is different from Xie Xu and me,’ Guan Qing thought.

But Xie Qing seemed to read his mind. “Child, this has nothing to do with our wealth, appearance, or social status.”

‘That’s easy for him to say,’ Guan Qing thought.

Just then, the dishes began to arrive, and Xie Qing smiled, saying no more.

Unexpectedly, the dinner table presented a delightful fusion of East and West. Amidst a spread of Western cold appetizers sat a steaming bowl of Mao Xuewang, while a plate of steak accompanied the Cantonese dishes.

“Our family has always been like this,” Chris said with a smile, handing his apron to a server. “Xie Xu’s dad loves Chinese food, and I love Western food. Eating is a personal matter, so as long as we’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

This was Guan Qing’s first time encountering a couple like Chris and Xie Qing. In his line of work, he had witnessed countless relationships.

There were couples in the throes of passionate love, inseparable for a moment; those in the mundane tranquility of a stable, stagnant period; and finally, those in the numb stage of mutual aversion and torment.

He had grown up in a family with an unhealthy view of love. Did his parents not love each other? No, that wasn’t it. People who could abandon everything and bravely elope weren’t devoid of love; they simply loved incorrectly. Consequently, when the love that bound them dissipated, nothing remained.

But Chris and Xie Qing’s love—how to describe it? It felt… healthy, free, unburdened by mutual restraint, yet always vibrant with passion.

It was a relationship built on profound mutual trust and respect, sustained by an inexhaustible wellspring of affection. Like a lush, sun-facing plant, it received ample sunlight and water, growing straight and healthy without needing special care.

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