The meal was cheerful and harmonious. Zeng Chong had a sweet tongue and knew how to make people comfortable, and Wu Yan clearly liked him. By comparison, Yang Shuyi seemed much clumsier. Whatever Wu Yan asked, he answered, and that was all.
Shao Wu could tell Yang Shuyi wasn’t in the best mood. If he had a pair of fluffy dog ears on his head, they would probably be drooping right now.
Shao Wu felt sorry for him, but with so many people there he couldn’t say anything.
After they finished eating, Zeng Chong was the first to start clearing the table. Yang Shuyi’s eyes wandered around the dining area, then he stood. “I’ll mop the floor.”
“Hey, hey, sit down, Xiao Yang!” Zeng Chong pressed him back into his seat. “I’ll do it!”
Yang Shuyi: “Let me…”
“Really, I’ve got it!” Zeng Chong tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa with a flourish, looking every inch the hardworking, willing helper. “You all sit and relax!”
Yang Shuyi murmured, “Mm,” and had no choice but to sit still.
Shao Wu and Wang Yujun exchanged a look behind the others’ backs.
Your boyfriend’s a little over the top, Shao Wu thought.
He had no idea what Wang Yujun was thinking.
Wu Yan was taking photographs of her bracelet to post on WeChat Moments, turning her phone and wrist this way and that to find a good angle. Taking advantage of the distraction, Shao Wu secretly caught Yang Shuyi’s hand beneath the dining table.
Yang Shuyi looked over. Shao Wu didn’t meet his eyes. He just stroked a fingertip over Yang Shuyi’s palm, and Yang Shuyi closed his hand around Shao Wu’s.
A little while later, Zeng Chong had cleared the dining table and mopped the dining-room floor.
“Xiao Zeng,” Wu Yan called with a smile, “come rest a bit.”
“Coming!” Zeng Chong answered, but instead of sitting down he walked into the living room. Shao Wu watched him pick up two gift boxes.
Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes. Shao Wu wondered whether they’d have to help count the gold bars. Couldn’t he and Yang Shuyi just leave first?
Wu Yan picked up her teacup, took a leisurely sip, and set it down again.
Wang Yujun stared at the two boxes, looking thoroughly confused.
Shao Wu and Yang Shuyi chose to keep quiet.
Zeng Chong stopped in front of everyone and suddenly called out, loudly, “Mom!”
Shao Wu gave a little internal shudder. Wasn’t that a bit quick to start calling her Mom?
“Xiao Zeng,” Wu Yan said with a smile, “what’s all this…?”
“Mom, I think you’ve probably already figured it out.” Zeng Chong’s voice rang out forcefully. “I’ve come here today to ask a favor!”
Wu Yan: “Oh?”
“In front of everyone, I’d like to ask for your blessing.” Zeng Chong looked at Wang Yujun with tender eyes. “I’d like your permission to marry Yujun. I promise I’ll take good care of him, love him, and give him a warm home!”
Shao Wu: “…”
Wang Yujun was clearly just as shocked. “Zeng Chong, what are you talking about? We—”
“Hey.” Wu Yan cut him off. “Let Xiao Zeng finish.”
“I’m not much of a romantic. And because we’re both men, we can’t get a marriage certificate… Mom, this is the only way I can show you how sincere I am. I hope you won’t think I’m being vulgar.” Zeng Chong bent down, took the gift boxes from their bags, and set them heavily on the table.
Shao Wu’s heart sank. Both boxes were quite large.
How many gold bars could they hold…?
“Mom, we might not be able to register a marriage, but I’m not skipping any of the proper steps. Whatever Yujun ought to receive, I intend to give him,” Zeng Chong said solemnly. “These are the betrothal gifts I’m bringing for Yujun. Would you like to look?”
Wu Yan was still smiling. “Yujun, these are for you. Open them yourself.”
Wang Yujun looked utterly lost. “I…”
With shaking hands, he reached out and lifted the lid of the first box.
Gold glittered inside. Sure enough, a box full of gold bars.
Eight of them.
Shao Wu suddenly realized how ignorant he was. He couldn’t even imagine what eight gold bars were worth.
And there was another box?! Would that make sixteen bars?!
Wu Yan was stunned too. “Xiao Zeng, this… this is far too valuable…”
“Mom.” Zeng Chong shook his head. “From now on, whatever I earn belongs to Yujun.”
Wang Yujun’s face reddened.
He opened the second box.
Hm? There weren’t any gold bars inside?
Shao Wu peered closer.
A property ownership certificate.
“Mom, the name on this deed is Yujun’s,” Zeng Chong said. “It’s a 170-square-meter place in Chengdu. Come stay there when you have time. We can take you around Chengdu too.”
“This… goodness, this is so sudden…” Wu Yan sighed. “You two are both men. You didn’t need to go to these lengths. I wasn’t prepared at all.”
Zeng Chong looked at Wang Yujun and said softly, “I know it’s sudden… but I couldn’t wait any longer.”
Then he unexpectedly dropped to one knee.
Are you ever going to be done?! Shao Wu thought.
Zeng Chong pulled a very small sky-blue square box from his pocket. Inside, when he opened it, were two matching platinum rings.
“Yujun,” he said, enunciating each word, “will you spend the rest of your life with me?”
…
It was after two in the afternoon when Wang Yujun and Zeng Chong drove back to Chengdu. Both had to work the next day and needed to return that evening. Wu Yan was worried about them driving at night, so she’d sent them off early.
From the passenger seat Wang Yujun waved. “Mom, I’ll buy you a ticket in a few days. Come visit us in Chengdu!”
The silver-colored ring was already on his ring finger.
The Land Rover drove away. Shao Wu, Wu Yan, and Yang Shuyi stood together outside the stairwell. A gust of wind swept past, leaving Shao Wu with a rush of complicated feelings.
That meal had been much too eventful.
“Xiao Yang,” Wu Yan said gently, “I’d like some blueberries. Would you go to the supermarket and buy me some?”
“Oh, sure.” Yang Shuyi agreed at once. “I’ll go now.”
“Mm, thank you. Shao Wu and I will go upstairs and wait for you.”
“O-okay.” Yang Shuyi glanced at Shao Wu, looking a little bewildered.
Shao Wu was puzzled too.
He’d expected his mom to say something about the proposal. Why did she suddenly want blueberries?
Wait. Shao Wu suddenly understood.
She’d just come up with an excuse to send Yang Shuyi away, hadn’t she?
Shao Wu followed Wu Yan up the stairs, suddenly nervous. When they came in, the gold bars and property deed were still on the table, but Wu Yan didn’t even glance at them. She walked straight into the study. “Shao Wu. Come here.”
She’d used his full name.
Shao Wu followed her in, involuntarily drawing in his shoulders and softening his voice. “Mom.”
“Come. Sit down.” Wu Yan had already stopped smiling.
Shao Wu sat obediently opposite her.
“I’ll say it straight. Zeng Chong has been pursuing your brother for quite a long time, almost two years now. Your brother’s told me plenty about the two of them, so I’m reasonably reassured about their relationship.”
“…Mm.”
“But as for you and Xiao Yang, I know absolutely nothing. The last time he came to see me in the hospital, he said he was getting married. How long ago was that?”
True. Not long at all. It hadn’t even been three months.
“He’s divorced,” Shao Wu said without much conviction. “He and his… ex-wife, it’s complicated… There aren’t any feelings left between them now.”
But Wu Yan shook her head. Several seconds later she asked, “Xiao Yang went to university in Chongqing, didn’t he? He said so himself at lunch.”
Shao Wu felt a jolt in his chest. He slowly raised his head and looked at her.
“Yes… he went to university in Chongqing.”
“Then tell me something.” In the quiet afternoon, a few distant birdcalls sounded outside the window. Before he could think, Shao Wu saw that his mother’s eyes were red. “Tell me the truth. Don’t hide it from me anymore. Back then, did you change your university applications because of him?”
Oh.
Back then.
That back then was so very far away.
Couldn’t they just leave it alone now?
“Yes.” Shao Wu couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes. “It was because of him. I started loving him in my second year of high school.”
Wu Yan said nothing.
After a moment, Shao Wu worked up the courage to look at her. Tears were slipping down her cheeks. She held her lips tightly together, as though struggling desperately to maintain control.
“Mom…” Shao Wu stood, sat beside her, and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Mom, I’m sorry…”
“Sorry?” Wu Yan asked hoarsely. “Who have you wronged? Why are you apologizing to me?”
“…”
“You wouldn’t go abroad either. Was that because of him?”
“…Mm.” Shao Wu gave a faint smile and murmured almost to himself, “I did so many stupid things. But now, I suppose… I suppose I’ve finally gotten something in return?”
“My boy…” Wu Yan’s tears came even faster. “Do you know what it means when the cost outweighs the gain?”