TSTFTR Chapter 22

“I…” Yu Qiu cleared his throat and said, “I’m staying in the north…”

“I’ll pack up and take a trip to see you tomorrow,” Yu Qiu’s mother said. He thought her voice sounded much older now, even though it had only been four years.

“You are such a troublesome child,” Yu Qiu’s mother said, “You were like this before, and now, if it wasn’t for our neighbor Li telling me, I wouldn’t have known how long you were hiding things from me!”

“No need, Mom…” Yu Qiu said, “Don’t come. I’ll handle things first. I…”

“I’m going home.”

“Mom is worried!” Yu Qiu’s mother sighed heavily, “Tell me, did you plagiarize or not?”

“I didn’t,” Yu Qiu repeated in a low voice, “I didn’t.”

“I knew it!” Yu Qiu’s mother turned her head, “Husband! Are you listening? Don’t eavesdrop! Our son said he didn’t plagiarize. I knew it, our son can do anything. Why would he copy others? With our son’s words, my heart is at ease!”

They talked for a long time. Yu Qiu mentioned wanting to talk to his father, but Yu Qiu’s father kept refusing to come over, and Yu Qiu’s mother said he was too shy.

“Back then, your father regretted kicking you out!” Yu Qiu’s mother whispered, “He just can’t lower his pride.”

After four years of not seeing each other, Yu Qiu’s mother recounted everything that had changed around her as if she were carefully listing precious treasures. Yu Qiu thought that he used to find this very annoying, thinking his mom was naive and talkative.

But now, he wished he could engrave every word into his mind, to squeeze out the water of that year when he left home.

Looking at the dense night outside, Yu Qiu whispered, “Mom, I miss you. I want to go home.”

Young people often believe that their passion alone can make them conquer the world. They can’t listen to advice and can’t stand unpleasant truths. They have to be injured all over, soaked in blood and scars, before they can believe the truth from their primary school textbooks—”home is a harbor.”

“Okay, okay,” Yu Qiu’s mother said, “You can come back for the New Year! I’ll have your father prepare more for you!”

…

After hanging up the phone, Yu Qiu took a deep breath, as if he was slowly releasing all the pent-up emotions inside him. Xuan Yun knocked on the door and entered the room, frowning as he looked at Yu Qiu’s red eyes. He held Yu Qiu’s hand and said, “Come on, let’s wash your face.”

Yu Qiu’s body slumped, and he didn’t want to move. He whispered, “I don’t want to go.”

Xuan Yun stared at him for a while, then turned around and left. After a moment, he returned with a white towel and a small basin. “Lie down on the bed,” he said.

Yu Qiu laid down, quietly watching him.

Xuan Yun’s Adam’s apple moved.

Yu Qiu’s posture of being at the mercy of others really made it easy for him to misunderstand.

Xuan Yun soaked the towel in warm water, wrung it dry, and half-knelt on the bed, leaning down to gently wipe his cheeks.

Tears streaked Yu Qiu’s face. He closed his eyes, and the redness at the corners of his eyes looked like the best rouge. Xuan Yun felt like he was sick for thinking that even in this state, Yu Qiu looked incredibly attractive.

Yu Qiu had good skin, and Xuan Yun was very gentle in his movements, afraid of hurting him.

It wasn’t until Xuan Yun heard laughter from Yu Qiu’s side that he stopped.

“What are you doing, treating an antique?” Yu Qiu said with a smile.

Xuan Yun glared at him and said fiercely, “No talking. Just enjoy.”

“Today, I feel like I’m not even human,” Yu Qiu opened his eyes and looked at him. Suddenly, he said, “My parents are at home, thinking about me, missing me. I’m too selfish.”

Xuan Yun didn’t know what to say, and the warm towel paused.

“I want to go back home for the New Year, see them,” Yu Qiu said, “And by the way, you can meet them too.”

Xuan Yun had a whole bunch of comforting words stuck in his throat, but they were strangled before they could come out. He stood there in shock.

“What? Meet, meet your parents?!”