“You’re already planning to bring him home?” At the bar, Qiu Zheyan finished his drink.
The bartender, wiping glasses while listening, asked in surprise, “Haven’t you not figured him out yet?”
Qiu Zheyan, tipsy not from alcohol but from thoughts of his lover, rubbed his face and said, “He can’t possibly be a bad person. He’s incredibly cute, exactly my type. Obedient, sweet, very accepting of me, and speaks so gently. I’m just happy when I’m with him. The day after we slept together, I wanted to take him home and propose! But I’ve held back for so long, afraid of scaring him off… I’m planning to propose after meeting the parents. That shouldn’t frighten him, right?”
“Hard to say,” the bartender replied pragmatically. “For you, this is indeed restraint. But haven’t you only been dating for a little over a month? It seems…”
Qiu Zheyan specified precisely, “One month and twenty-three days. In a week, it’ll be two months.”
The bartender, as a friend, worriedly said, “Marriage is a big step. Shouldn’t you think it over more? Besides, from what you’ve described, this Mr. Zhuang… doesn’t seem very reliable. In his thirties, yet idle and aimless. Didn’t you say he’s never dated men before, only women?”
He sincerely advised, “Falling for straight men ends badly 99% of the time.”
“With just a crook of a woman’s finger, he’ll change his tune, claiming he’s ‘reformed’ and actually likes women, then walk away. I’ve seen it countless times.”
Qiu Zheyan insisted, “He’s not like that.”
The bartender suggested, “Then why don’t you bring him to meet us sometime?”
Qiu Zheyan immediately bristled, “He’s such a homebody, shy, hates going out, can’t socialize, clumsy, and so adorable. I don’t want to bring him for you all to see. What if you try to steal him from me?”
The others were speechless. A 34-year-old man, neither young nor particularly outstanding, and work-shy – only you would like him. Who would try to steal him?
As the alcohol hit, Qiu Zheyan whined, “I found him. I’ve cared for and nurtured him. He’s mine alone!”
His friends all knew Qiu Zheyan’s faults.
He had his first boyfriend as a teenager, and less than a month into the relationship, he proposed as soon as he came of age, scaring the man off and getting dumped on the spot. In every relationship, he rushed into cohabitation and marriage, always getting abandoned for being too hasty.
When in love, he’d invest himself completely, oblivious to everything else, energetically clinging to his partner, wanting to be together every moment. It sounded romantic but was actually burdensome and troublesome.
“Didn’t T City pass a same-sex marriage law? But only about 400 male couples registered, just 20% of all same-sex couples who registered.”
“Even if he’s completely gay, the chance he’d be willing to come out publicly and marry you is only 20%.”
“Parents’ opinions, society’s views, career prospects – there’s a lot to consider. Not everyone is as love-brained as you.”
Many in their circle lacked a concept of chastity, and changing partners was commonplace. Social disapproval was one thing, but their own reluctance to settle down was another. Not everyone was happy to spend a lifetime with just one man.
Qiu Zheyan said dejectedly, “That’s why I’ve held back for so long, only tentatively asking if he wants to come home to meet my parents.”
But remembering how readily Zhuang Hanxue agreed to come home with him, Qiu Zheyan cheered up again. “If he’s willing to meet my parents, we’re halfway to marriage already.”
He checked his watch. “Ah, it’s past midnight. Is it that late already? I should head home.”
His friend clicked his tongue. “Tsk, the night’s just beginning. Do you like him that much?”
Qiu Zheyan replied matter-of-factly, “I do like him. But if I don’t go home and urge him to sleep, he’ll definitely stay up all night gaming. His health isn’t great to begin with.”
His friend muttered, “Is he a middle schooler? Staying up all night gaming while dad’s away? Isn’t he in his thirties? He still does this?”
Qiu Zheyan laughed, somewhat proudly saying, “That’s just how he is. He couldn’t survive without me.”
It was nearly 1 a.m. when Qiu Zheyan got home.
Surprisingly, Zhuang Hanxue was already asleep.
At first, Qiu Zheyan thought he had genuinely gone to bed early. He felt the sheets – barely warm, clearly just recently occupied. After washing up, he checked the game’s login records on the computer. Logged off just three minutes ago.
Amused and exasperated, Qiu Zheyan deliberately didn’t warm his hands and feet. Slipping into bed, he pressed his icy hands against Zhuang Hanxue’s back. “Pretending to sleep?”
The cold, slightly damp hands from washing felt like a snake slithering up, making Zhuang Hanxue shudder. He couldn’t keep up the act. “Your hands are freezing…”
He was a bit rushed, wanting to prepare more.
But Zhuang Hanxue was impatient, saying, “It’s not like I’ll get pregnant anyway,” urging him on.
So he obliged Zhuang Hanxue.
In truth, he enjoyed entering before full preparation, relishing the slight pain in the voice of this man seven years his senior.
It was really enjoyable.
—— This was exactly the kind of person Zhuang Hanxue was.
Weak-willed, indecisive, lazy, work-shy, gullible, easily addicted once he got a taste of something good, lacking self-control – be it gaming or sex. He’d even actively invite pleasure-seeking. Their first time, Qiu Zheyan was exceptionally patient, making it very enjoyable for him, so he naturally accepted doing this with a man.
Zhuang Hanxue was also prone to nonsensical talk and lies. Qiu Zheyan felt he didn’t lie deliberately; some lie with purpose, others for fun, lying unintentionally.
Their first time was somewhat engineered by him – a drunken encounter. Zhuang Hanxue simply didn’t resist strongly, going with the flow.
The next morning, Qiu Zheyan apologized and confessed while embracing him. Zhuang Hanxue casually replied, “It’s fine. At my age, sleeping with men is less trouble than women, and there’s no risk of pregnancy. I enjoyed it too. Haha!”
His laughter trailed off as if something occurred to him. He paused, then said blankly, “Wait, I might get pregnant. Should I take a morning-after pill?”
Then he quite seriously mentioned knowing a man who got pregnant from a one-night stand with another man, leading to an unfortunate marriage.①
Men getting pregnant? What a joke.
Of course, Qiu Zheyan took this as Zhuang Hanxue’s quirky humor. Even this fickleness and unpredictability seemed adorable to him.
Zhuang Hanxue exhibited traits of an older lover, like gentleness and tolerance, yet sometimes seemed childlike. Qiu Zheyan still hadn’t figured him out.
Qiu Zheyan held him close. Zhuang Hanxue was thin, with little flesh to the touch. His lack of exercise made his body softer than most men’s.
Rather than gay, Zhuang Hanxue was simply a man without shame, not rejecting any pleasure, be it with women or men.
After finishing, both were warm from exertion, their heated hands and feet pressed together.
Zhuang Hanxue hugged him, saying, “Kiss me again.”
He kissed him like one would a small animal.
Zhuang Hanxue loved embraces, always needing to cuddle while sleeping. Qiu Zheyan remembered when Zhuang Hanxue first came, while he was still figuring out how to deceive this fool. That night, tired, they casually slept in the same bed. Zhuang Hanxue showed no wariness, but Qiu Zheyan wanted to seduce him gradually. Waking up at midnight, he found himself in Zhuang Hanxue’s embrace.
It was just a simple hug; Zhuang Hanxue liked sleeping while holding something, be it a person, dog, or pillow.
As they kissed, Zhuang Hanxue fell asleep.
Qiu Zheyan chuckled softly, kissing his forehead.
This man seemed carefree, always sleeping soundly. Once asleep, nothing could wake him.
Qiu Zheyan loved this about him. Embracing someone who slept so peacefully seemed to improve his own sleep quality.
While Zhuang Hanxue slept, Qiu Zheyan carefully measured his left ring finger with a ring sizer.
He wanted to order a ring in advance. After meeting the parents and solidifying their relationship, he’d start laying the groundwork for a proposal.
They were meeting the parents next week. Didn’t Mr. Zhuang worry at all? Qiu Zheyan thought this guy would probably rush to prepare gifts the day before. Maybe he should prepare them instead.
The next day.
Zhuang Hanxue woke unusually early.
Typically, he’d sleep until around 10 a.m. after Qiu Zheyan left, but today he was up at 8 a.m.
Qiu Zheyan asked, “Is there an esports livestream at 8 a.m.? …Are you going out?”
Zhuang Hanxue put on a down jacket from the closet, wrapped a scarf around his neck, and mussed his hair. Yawning, he said, “My brother’s flight is at 10. I’m going to pick him up at the airport.”
Qiu Zheyan was stunned. “Your brother’s coming?!”
Zhuang Hanxue nodded.
“The brother you mentioned before, who eloped abroad with a man?”
“Yes. He’s my only older brother. Oh, and I have a second older sister.”
“Why didn’t you tell me your brother was coming?”
Zhuang Hanxue scratched his head, eyes wide then curving, speaking slowly like a sloth, “I think I forgot…”
Qiu Zheyan thought for a minute, found a decent gift box in storage, put in a brand new Gucci tie, grabbed his car keys, and said decisively, “Let’s go. I’ll drive you to pick up your brother.”
Huh? Bring Xiao Qiu to meet his big brother?
Zhuang Hanxue started to worry.
But he was always easily led. Compared to public transport, Qiu Zheyan driving was certainly more comfortable.
——————–
- Referencing the neighboring “Peach Blossom Flood,” where Xiao Zhuang was a supporting character. I casually paired him with a partner for an extra chapter back then. Recently, I found this pairing interesting and expanded on it.
Raine: Peach Blossom Flood is translated as Blooming Romance and is available on NovelUpdates.
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