Chapter 43 – Seeking Refuge
Novel Title: 我们已经分手了 (We Have Broken Up)
Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 刘帆 (Liu Fan -MC), 陈谦 (Chen Qian -ML)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Chen Qian was mostly absent from the company. Liu Fan wasn’t clingy by nature, and he had his own tasks to attend to. After organising the new copy, he made all the necessary changes to the external promotional materials once, and then created detailed PPTs and brochures for the new product separately. This was a bit unfamiliar to him since he had only been responsible for the text before. Fortunately, Liu Mengjiao provided a lot of advice and materials outside of the official channels.
The new colleagues were all very enthusiastic towards him. Liu Fan didn’t know what Chen Qian had said to others about him. But he felt that most people were aware of their relationship. Although Chen Qian didn’t act openly intimate in public, he didn’t try to conceal the atmosphere of intimacy between them either. Anyone observant could see it at a glance.
Liu Fan sighed. It felt different when the boss was your partner, even if you were gay. The chances of gossip were significantly reduced. At least people would be more cautious when gossiping, less likely to let him overhear. Everyone seemed natural on the surface, except for Li Yu.
Apart from necessary work matters, Li Yu still avoided dealing with him and would even avoid eye contact when passing by face-to-face. Every time Liu Fan accidentally caught sight of him, there would be a moment of panic before Li Yu resumed his cold demeanour, like a highly vigilant rabbit.
Liu Fan found it quite amusing. Didn’t Li Yu feel awkward acting like this all the time?
People who are awkward sometimes look a bit silly and cute. But Li Yu was not Chen Qian, and Liu Fan had no interest in flirting with him.
After spending some time at Fanyu, Liu Fan learned that many people had left earlier. But those who remained in the company were full of vitality, focused on their work without slackening. The atmosphere was relatively good. Perhaps it was because Liu Fan had transferred here to work, or perhaps things were going smoothly. Chen Qian had briefed him on some financial matters, and the process was halfway done. But it would still take another month or two for the loan to be approved.
Liu Fan vaguely knew that for these months, Chen Qian had been covering the company’s payroll and sales commissions himself, while the other shareholders had not taken any salary or commission. This was probably why the rest of the company was stable. After all, if they couldn’t even guarantee timely payment of salaries, how many people could work with peace of mind?
***
“Ayi?!”
Liu Fan hadn’t fully woken up early in the morning. He was dressed casually and was completely stunned when he opened the door and saw Zhao Rou.
Zhao Rou seemed a bit surprised too. “Were you still asleep? I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Chen Qian said you were at home. So I came over directly. He said he would call you…”
On a rare weekend, Liu Fan had gotten up at six in the morning to see Chen Qian off for his flight. When he returned to bed, he slept quite deeply. He felt a bit embarrassed to appear so relaxed in front of Zhao Rou. “Maybe I didn’t hear his call… Ayi, please come in.”
Liu Fan keenly noticed that Zhao Rou was carrying a luggage, which puzzled him inwardly, though he didn’t show it. “Chen Qian went on a business trip to City S today. Did he tell you?”
There’s a big deal in City C. If it goes through, it will be their new media’s first big income. But the office here said the budget is managed by the headquarters, and the headquarters are in City S. The salesperson couldn’t close the deal. So the CEO Chen Qian had to fly over to negotiate with the headquarters.
“Yeah, he told me.” Zhao Rou smiled slightly uneasily, seeming uncomfortable being alone with Liu Fan. “I just wanted to let him know… He said he’d be back on Tuesday.”
“Right. But he might come back earlier. Ayi, let me go change clothes first.” Liu Fan hurriedly washed up, changed clothes, checked his phone, and found several missed calls from Chen Qian. Since he hadn’t answered, he sent a text instead.
Chen Qian: Mom wants to stay at our place for a few days. Take care of her and find out what’s going on. Is it something to do with that old bastard?
Liu Fan also found it strange. Since Zhao Rou had come alone, it should be something related to Chen Chong. After tidying himself up, he came down to entertain Zhao Rou. “Ayi, would you like a cup of tea?”
“It’s alright. Just plain water is fine.” Zhao Rou sat somewhat nervously on the sofa. Her gaze shifted between Liu Fan and the coffee table. She explained, “I’m just staying for a few days. I haven’t taken care of Chen Qian in so many years, so I wanted to come and take a look…”
This logic was a bit forced. But Liu Fan didn’t expose it. He bent down to open the cupboard. Because of him, Chen Qian loved to bring snacks and fruits home. So there was no shortage of those. Zhao Rou watched him busy around and immediately said, “You don’t have to go to such trouble… Have you had breakfast?”
“I’ll just have some fruit. Ayi, you haven’t had lunch yet, right?” Liu Fan peeled two apples and halved a dragon fruit, pairing them with two slices of toast to tide them over until lunch. “If you don’t mind, let’s just have some homemade dishes for lunch. There’s a place with delicious clay pot porridge nearby. We can go there for dinner.”
After setting hot water and fruit in front of Zhao Rou, Liu Fan still felt a bit unnatural. But seeing Zhao Rou not knowing what to say or do, he had to suppress that feeling. “Ayi, have some dragon fruit. This red one is very sweet.”
He gave her half of it along with a small spoon. Zhao Rou, feeling unable to refuse his hospitality, hesitantly took it but asked, “I haven’t… caused any trouble for you by coming here, have I?”
“Not at all. Chen Qian is definitely very happy.” Liu Fan said cheerfully, “He always misses you. But you know his temper—too proud to admit it. Even if he misses you, he wouldn’t say so.”
Talking about her son always piqued a mother’s interest. Zhao Rou smiled slightly, “He’s very much like his father in that way, so…”
Whatever she thought of made her smile turn a bit sad.
Liu Fan said, “Ayi, I’ve been with Chen Qian for a long time, so I know some things. Regardless of the current situation, Chen Qian loves you very much. As for Shushu… I think his feelings are quite complex. But no matter how much father and son argue or fight, they’re still family.”
These words struck a chord with Zhao Rou. Holding the dragon fruit, she sighed and looked at Liu Fan, “You and Chen Qian are so close, it makes me very happy. In any case, I fully support you two.”
Liu Fan’s heart skipped a beat. Was it because of this?
On second thought, there didn’t seem to be any other reason. Zhao Rou came to seek refuge with Chen Qian, bringing luggage and giving such a weak excuse. If it was because of a quarrel with Chen Chong over Chen Qian’s sexual orientation, it made sense.
So… she ran away from home?
Liu Fan quickly finished his breakfast and took Zhao Rou to the master bedroom. The secondary bedroom and guest room in this house had been remodelled by Chen Qian, leaving only a small maid’s room upstairs. It had just enough space for a bed and a combination desk-cabinet. Chen Qian usually used it to store miscellaneous items. It was certainly not suitable for Zhao Rou.
“I can stay anywhere. This is your and Chen Qian’s…-” Zhao Rou kept refusing. But Liu Fan smiled and said, “Chen Qian instructed me to take good care of you. You’re Chen Qian’s mom, so you’re my family too. No need to be polite.”
When it came to persistence, Zhao Rou was no match for Liu Fan. In the end, she stayed in the master bedroom. Her expression remained complicated as she watched Liu Fan make the bed for her, heat up dishes for lunch, serve her the meal, and then clean up afterward.
He seemed quite dependable.
“Chen Qian’s cooking is pretty good, right?” Liu Fan smiled as he chatted with Zhao Rou in the living room. “Fortunately, he made extra last night. This is your first time trying it, isn’t it, Ayi?”
After this conversation, Zhao Rou seemed more relaxed and smiled, “Yes… it’s even better than mine. Does he usually cook?”
“He can’t beat you, Ayi.” Liu Fan scratched his nose. “I’m not very talented in this area. I can handle simple dishes. But I can’t make anything special… If he has time, he cooks. If not, we just have something simple.”
Zhao Rou wasn’t displeased. She sighed and said, “In this regard, Chen Qian is like his father. He was quite caring. But…”
She glanced at Liu Fan and continued, “He expresses himself better than his father. Maybe it’s because of you. When he was a child, he kept everything to himself.”
Liu Fan laughed, “That’s true. Unlike you, Ayi, I’m not very understanding. I’m often careless. If he doesn’t say something, I definitely won’t notice, which makes him anxious…”
Zhao Rou laughed at this. It was as if she could perfectly picture the scene. After laughing, she looked at Liu Fan with increasing gentleness. “I think you two can be together for a lifetime.”
Talking about this topic, Liu Fan couldn’t help but sit up straight. Zhao Rou’s words seemed more like seeking a promise than making an evaluation. Liu Fan looked at her seriously, “Chen Qian and I both hope for that. But things in life are unpredictable, Ayi. All I can say is that no matter what happens, I will never easily give up on our relationship. I will do my utmost to solve any problems that arise.”
This wasn’t exactly what Zhao Rou wanted to hear. But it was much more sincere than a perfunctory assurance. After a moment of silence, Zhao Rou said earnestly, “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, you two just need to live your lives well.”
Her words, which had a deeper meaning, made Liu Fan imagine a lot. Subtle hints were not his forte. He preferred to lay things out clearly. Misunderstandings could arise even when things were spoken openly, let alone when guessing each other’s thoughts. Many tragedies happened because of this, as seen in novels—and sometimes real life could be even more dramatic.
Liu Fan asked directly, “Ayi, please don’t blame me for being nosy. But… Chen Qian specifically asked me to inquire if something happened between you and Shushu?”
“…Nothing major.” Zhao Rou, possibly not used to Liu Fan’s straightforward nature, looked uncomfortable and shook her head. Seeing Liu Fan’s focused and concerned expression, she was taken aback and slowly gave him a reassuring smile. “Indeed… nothing major.”
Perhaps moved by Liu Fan’s earlier honesty or gaining more understanding of his nature, Zhao Rou carefully said, “Since you ask, Ayi won’t hide it from you. Your Shushu and I have some disagreements about you two. I thought it might be best to separate for a while to let him cool down. Can you keep this from Chen Qian? If he knows we’re having a quarrel, I’m afraid he’ll…-“
“-Yes, I understand,” Liu Fan agreed, knowing Zhao Rou was worried that Chen Qian might confront his father if he thought she was being mistreated. However, Zhao Rou didn’t understand Chen Qian as well as Liu Fan did. Compared to being deceived, it was better to lay everything out clearly for Chen Qian. Otherwise, his single-track mind might conjure up all sorts of misunderstandings.
Liu Fan immediately sent a text to Chen Qian.
Liu Fan: Your mom and dad are playing mind games! Seeing how confident Ayi is, our situation with your dad might improve soon!
It wasn’t until evening that Chen Qian had a chance to reply: Did you find out? That old fool didn’t bully her, right? Make sure to spend more time with Mom while she’s staying at home. She hates to trouble others. So even if she’s uncomfortable, she won’t say anything.
It really is true that birds of a feather flock together. They’re all like pressure cookers, keeping everything inside to ferment. Liu Fan turned over and over on the small bed: Don’t worry, I’ve got it planned. My mom has gatherings with friends every weekend, so tomorrow I’ll take Ayi to meet her. You know how my mom is—great at chatting and very open-minded. Talking to her will be good for Ayi’s mood and mindset.
Sun Yiyi’s personality was indeed much more cheerful than Zhao Rou’s. Zhao Rou didn’t have many friends and spent her retirement doing housework, which inevitably made her more melancholic. Chen Qian thought this was a good idea and agreed to it.
The two of them chatted about various topics for a long time, saying goodnight, sleeping, and then continuing to chat several times. They didn’t even know what they were talking about, just unwilling to stop. In the end, Liu Fan got so sleepy that he fell asleep holding his phone, halfway through typing a message.
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*Translator’s Note: Chen Chong is unsalvageable. I hoped he’d come around. But from what I remember of my reading of this novel, I don’t think he came around in the end. He’s still the stubborn old him. It’s funny because I can imagine CQ like this in the future. Stubbornly deciding to be with LF until the end even in their old age. Hehe. -K
Next update: 2024.10.18
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