When Qi Feng returned to Pei Yan’s house, Pei Wenwen had just gotten home from school.
The little girl calculated Qi Feng’s return time and bought a pile of takeout to bring home – hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries, and two cups of hot milk tea, filling up the entire table with the tempting smell of junk food.
Seeing Qi Feng return, the little girl greeted him with a happy face: “Ah, my dream life, living together with my idol. Waiting for my idol to come home and have dinner together.”
Qi Feng: “…”
Fang Cheng: “…”
Qi Feng: “Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Just joking around.”
Pei Wenwen circled around him: “Xiao Feng-gege, I bought dinner. Let’s eat together, okay?”
Qi Feng saw the pile of junk food and thought that she didn’t eat well in the morning either. He frowned: “You’re still growing. You can’t always eat like this. I’ll go make you a bowl of noodles.”
Pei Wenwen was about to say she would only eat this meal. When she heard Qi Feng would cook for her, her eyes lit up, and she said happily: “Okay! I’ll help you.”
Yesterday, Pei Yan bought a lot of ingredients. The half-wall refrigerator was stuffed full. He could make a meal just by taking out a few items.
Qi Feng took out two eggs, a strip of bacon, some bok choy, and green onions. He swiftly washed the vegetables, chopped them, boiled water in a pot, and soon a pot of clear noodle soup was cooked.
Pei Wenwen poured the fried chicken and french fries she bought onto the plate, placed the chairs, arranged the chopsticks, and then helped Qi Feng to scoop out two bowls of hot clear noodle soup.
The two sat across from each other, picked up their chopsticks, and started eating.
Pei Wenwen suddenly said: “Xiao Feng-gege, this feels like we’re family.”
“Is that so?” Qi Feng chuckled lightly and reminded her, “Eat slower, don’t burn yourself.”
Pei Wenwen uttered an “Mm”, and said: “The first time I saw you on the livestream, I felt you were very familiar, as if we had known each other for a long time.”
“Even when I talked about you with my dad, he had a very good impression of you. After you marry my brother, we’ll be a real family.”
Qi Feng’s hand stirring the noodles paused. He looked back towards the bedroom. Fang Cheng was in there packing his luggage, making sounds of moving things.
Pei Wenwen continued: “Actually…my dad is not an unreasonable person. Over the years, he should have accepted my brother’s orientation in his heart. When my dad comes back, I’ll try to persuade him first…”
“Wenwen,” Qi Feng interrupted her words, “I’m moving back today. Don’t say anything to Uncle Pei.”
Pei Wenwen was startled. Surprised, she asked: “Why are you moving back? Did my brother upset you?”
“No.” Qi Feng vaguely explained to her: “Pei Yan has his own career. And I have things to do too. We can’t always be together.”
Pei Wenwen was silent for a good while. In a small voice, she asked: “Are you and my brother breaking up?”
Qi Feng: “…I guess so.”
Pei Wenwen instantly lost her appetite. She put down her chopsticks angrily: “It must be my brother’s fault. With his temper, who can stand it? But I…”
Pei Wenwen’s eyes reddened. She didn’t understand adult matters and didn’t know what to say either. She was just reluctant for Qi Feng to leave, yet she couldn’t selfishly ask him to stay.
“Then in the future…can I only see you online? When I get first in my grade, will you still take me to the amusement park? I don’t have your autograph or photos yet.”
Qi Feng: “This is my phone number. Tell me when your grades come out, and I’ll take you to play. But don’t let your brother know.”
Pei Wenwen wiped her tears and said reluctantly: “Then it’s a deal between us.”
Qi Feng smiled and coaxed her: “Mm, it’s a deal.”
Fang Cheng came out from the bedroom, holding two large suitcases and two guqin cases. He asked, “Xiao Feng, everything is packed. Shall we go home now?”
Pei Wenwen completely put down her chopsticks and sat gloomily on the side.
Qi Feng hid his heaviness. He picked up the milk tea Pei Wenwen had bought and said with a smile: “Wenwen, next time I’ll treat you to milk tea.”
“Goodbye.”
—
At night.
Pei Yan drove on the way home.
On the passenger seat was a large bouquet of red roses in full bloom, burning like fire. Under the bouquet was a black brocade box.
The retreating street lights through the car window illuminated the man’s handsome face, alternating between brightness and darkness, while his dark eyes shone with eagerness.
In the backseat, Song Zhe pounded his thigh and complained: “From five o’clock until now, I accompanied you shopping through ten luxury stores without a single bite! Ge, neither my mother nor I have gone shopping for so long.”
Pei Yan’s voice was taut with tension and anticipation: “If he agrees, I’ll treat you to a year’s worth of meals.”
Song Zhe: “You’re really going to propose to Qi Feng?”
Pei Yan corrected him: “Ask him to officially date.”
Song Zhe: “Going through so much trouble picking out couple rings, if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought you were getting married!”
Pei Yan’s voice was hoarse: “…It’s different.”
His current relationship with Qi Feng was unequal. Qi Feng still said he didn’t like him and could leave at any time.
Last night in the study, he thought over things the whole night before finally realizing something.
Starting off on the wrong path would never lead to the destination. He could only go back to the starting point now and begin anew.
He had to pursue Qi Feng again with the status of a lover.
At first, Song Zhe thought Pei Yan’s attitude towards Qi Feng was just a passing whim, missing an old love and would eventually separate. But unexpectedly after the ‘old love’ returned, Pei Yan didn’t even meet him and adamantly denied ever having feelings for Su Qiao.
Seeing how, in just the last two days, Pei Yan became dejected, furious, and decadent all because of one ‘I don’t like you’ from Qi Feng, plus his attitude in picking out the couple rings, Song Zhe understood just how serious his brother’s feelings were for Qi Feng.
He asked Pei Yan, “What about Uncle Pei’s side? How do you plan to handle it?”
Pei Yan: “When Qi Feng and I get married, I’ll notify him.”
“Awesome!” Song Zhe gave him a thumbs up. “If Uncle Pei disowns you guys in the future and you end up wandering desperately, I will help you, Ge.”
Pei Yan scoffed. “He can’t do anything to me. And I absolutely won’t let him do anything to Qi Feng either.”
Song Zhe: “Alright, then let me be the first to congratulate brother on finding true love. May you grow old happily together.”
He thought to himself, it was good too. No matter what would happen between Pei Yan and Qi Feng later, being able to find someone you truly like was an extremely rare thing to begin with. And Qi Feng was a good kid, too. Looking at them, they did resemble a family.
Pei Yan laughed and scolded him. “Save those words for when Qi Feng and I get married.”
Perhaps it was seeing how utterly devoted his brother was. Song Zhe felt rather moved and said, “I should do something serious, too. Otherwise, when you guys get married, I won’t even have gift money to hand out.”
As the two chatted, Pei Yan drove the car into the residential area. He suddenly became nervous and said, “Little bro, I’m a bit…afraid.”
Song Zhe: ???
“What are you afraid of?”
Pei Yan: “What if he…doesn’t agree to date me?”
Song Zhe: …..
“Do you know what you look like right now?”
Pei Yan: “What do I look like?”
Song Zhe: “You’re obviously the big bad wolf, yet you have such a shy, innocent, maiden-like heart like Little Red Riding Hood.”
Pei Yan: …..
If he wasn’t driving right now, he really wanted to kick Song Zhe and send him flying.
But he truly was nervous. The closer he got home, the faster his heart raced. His palms sweated a little holding the steering wheel, and his face was somewhat flushed.
He hoped Qi Feng would agree. That they could start anew in this relationship. Yet also vaguely feared Qi Feng would reject him.
He should…not, right?
Song Zhe suddenly saw a familiar car through the window and asked: “Isn’t that Cheng Yu’s car? Your garages are pretty close huh.”
Pei Yan paid it no mind, preoccupied with how he would confess to Qi Feng when he got home.
Song Zhe curiously said: “I heard that Su Qiao often hung out with Cheng Yu after he came back? How do you think they became friends?”
Pei Yan clicked his tongue: “Cheng Yu is currently the director of the advertising department. He thinks highly of himself. He intentionally invited Su Qiao to be the clothing designer to set up a meeting between us because he thought I liked Su Qiao.”
Just the mention of Su Qiao’s name annoyed Pei Yan. If it wasn’t for Su Qiao’s appearance, Qi Feng wouldn’t have gotten angry at him either.
“Weird.” Song Zhe didn’t understand. “Cheng Yu always tried to compete with you about everything in the past. Why’s he meddling in your dating affairs now?”
Pei Yan: ???
“He always tried to compete with me? When was this?”
Song Zhe: “Back then you were first in your grade, basketball team captain, and steadily held the title of school heartthrob.”
“Cheng Yu’s grades were always below yours. His basketball skills didn’t compare either. You were class president, and he was vice president. Even his dad has always been your dad’s deputy. No matter how hard he tried, he was always below you.”
“People like you who have always stood at the peak can’t see the efforts and unwillingness of the runner-up.”
“His efforts?” Pei Yan didn’t think much of it and scoffed. “Do you know how leisurely he has lived abroad these past years?”
Just then, Pei Yan parked the car in the garage but saw Qi Feng’s parking spot was empty.
Qi Feng’s car wasn’t here? He hasn’t come home yet? Or did his assistant drive his car away?
Pei Yan’s heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly felt uneasy, as if something beyond his control was about to happen.
Even his complexion changed. Still hugging the flowers in one hand and holding the small gift box with couple rings in the other, he got out of the car and said, “Let’s go home.”
Song Zhe chased after Pei Yan from behind: “Why are you in such a hurry? Hey, wait for me!”
He casually looked around the empty parking lot and suddenly saw a figure walking past in the distance.
“Who’s over there?” Song Zhe looked curiously and said, “Pei Yan, isn’t this your family’s private parking? I seem to see someone walking past.”
Pei Yan only thought about rushing back home to confess to Qi Feng and didn’t hear him.
Song Zhe frowned again, sweeping his gaze around. The underground garage was empty without a single person.
Did I see wrong? He thought, quickly catching up to Pei Yan.
—
Pei Yan walked in a hurry. Once in the elevator, his eyes kept staring at the ascending numbers. He felt strangely nervous in his heart as if he would miss something if he slowed down for just a second.
The elevator door dinged open. Pei Yan strode out and went to the door of his house, hurriedly punching in the passcode. He even entered it wrongly once in his haste.
Song Zhe helplessly said: “We’re home already. Why are you still in such a hurry?”
The moment the door opened, Pei Yan called out: “Qi Feng!”
The living room was empty without a single person. The sound of dishes being washed came from the kitchen.
He’s in the kitchen.
Pei Yan heaved a long sigh of relief, even laughing at himself.
Qi Feng was at home after all.
Just what had he been so nervous about?!
Pei Yan tidied himself in front of the mirror in the entrance hall before hugging the flowers towards the kitchen. As he neared, he couldn’t help the smile surfacing and softly called out: “Qi Feng.”
“Ge?” Pei Wenwen poked her disgruntled head out from the kitchen. “You’re finally back! Xiao Feng-gege just left and took all his luggage! Did you two fight?”
“What…did you say?” The smile on Pei Yan’s face suddenly froze, and his voice became low and gradually trembled. “Qi Feng left?!”
Song Zhe was also shocked. “He moved out? For real?”
Pei Wenwen greeted him. “Song Zhe-ge, you came too?”
Song Zhe: “I got asked to witness his confession. But…Qi Feng really left?”
Pei Wenwen nodded.
While they spoke, Pei Yan had already rushed into the bedroom.
The bedroom was clean and tidy with a very faint scent of orchids. As if someone had passed by leaving a wisp of fragrance behind.
“Qi Feng.” Pei Yan squeezed out from his throat. Hands shaking, he yanked open the closet, kicked the bathroom door, and shoved the balcony door…
Half the closet space was empty. Only a set of toiletries remained in the bathroom.
On the balcony, the guqin stand the boy always sat at playing was gone. Even that pot of orchid grass disappeared.
“…Qi Feng.” Pei Yan breathed out this name.
The bouquet of red roses he had clutched tightly to his chest this whole time crashed onto the floor. The lush flowers shook upon impact with the wooden floor.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you want to show your support, you can buy me a coffee. It would make my day! For every five coffees I get, I will release a bonus chapter. You can also follow me on Ko-fi to get the latest updates on my translation progress and new projects. I appreciate your love and feedback.
