The news about Shu Ran and Xu Shen was too big. The reporters who were lucky enough to get first-hand information rushed to write their articles overnight, in an effort to publish them before others.
But that was obviously impossible. They could only work hard on choosing the most ambiguous photos, hoping they’ll end up publishing the one that will attract the most attention.
The next morning, when everyone saw the compilation photos of Shu Ran and Xu Shen holding hands in different newspapers, they were all so shocked that they couldn’t recover.
Whether they were Shu Ran’s book fans, people who simply followed the two of them or the vast number of passers-by, it was a major event that caused a stir in everyone’s hearts.
For a time, Shu Ran and Xu Shen stood at the forefront of the storm, becoming the target of public criticism.
After all, in the minds of most people, it was still unacceptable. How could two men be together?! It was truly perverted! And they still had the nerve to openly show their love, a blatant provocation to the entire society’s bottom line!
Most of the accusations focused on Shu Ran, because he was more famous, more active, and had always been regarded as the idol of many teenagers. After that day, a large number of people hated him while gnashing their teeth.
Based on some people’s prejudice, the sin of being homosexual was enough to erase all the good things he had done in the past. And it was not just prejudice, but also resentment. They hated Shu Ran for ruining the perfect idol they pictured in their minds.
And so, as much as people liked him in the past, it was hard to mention his name now. Even the sarcastic remarks from those around made some former fans feel as if they themselves became dirty along with them.
In the end, it seemed like the only way people could restore their dignity was to yell at Shu Ran, showing their firm position against him.
That kind of hatred was terrible, as if Shu Ran owed them his life…
…And if someone had a knife in their hands, they might actually dare.
Fortunately, by the time spirits were fully ignited, Shu Ran was on vacation on the other side of the warm earth, busy enjoying time with his lover, and completely unable to understand the emotional ups and downs of others.
Xu Shen asked him to not look at any newspaper, so he didn’t. However, Xu Shen himself looked. Not because he cared what others said about him, but because he wanted to know… Whether Shu Ran, the one who dared to openly have a relationship with him, had become an outcast in the eyes of the public.
And the hard truth was that, in the few days after leaving the country, the domestic response to the exposure of their romance had evolved into a book-burning campaign. A full-blown boycott of Shu Ran’s works.
Because so many people protested, even bookstores couldn’t resist the pressure and had to remove Shu Ran’s books from the shelves. His documentary was also temporarily forgotten.
Xu Shen frowned. After seeing the news, he quickly picked up the phone and called those who participated in the filming of the documentary to apologize. After all, it was not Shu Ran’s personal credit, but the result of everyone’s hard work.
“It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter!” President Wu said. “Anyway, it was broadcasted so many times, and everyone watched everything they should watch.” He also comforted: “Anyway, it was suspended for the time being. Maybe everything will go back to being fine after this period of limelight.”
“Thank you.” Xu Shen said.
“Is Shu Ran okay?” President Wu asked with concern.
“It’s okay… He doesn’t know yet.” Xu Shen said. “I wanted to check the situation first.”
“Hey…” President Wu sighed, feeling worried for them both.
Xu Shen was usually a very calm person so why was he acting so impulsive now?! However, President Wu didn’t say anything. He was not involved and couldn’t understand the courage of those two young people… Knowing that they would be shattered to pieces but still risking everything to show their love.
That day, Xu Shen made a lot of phone calls. What made him feel gratified was that those who worked with Shu Ran were all treating them with respect, without adding insult to injury.
And their career was also not affected. Businessmen did business, regardless of whether they were gay or not. All that mattered was making a profit.
Therefore, Shu Ran was the only one who was affected.
As a businessman who had always been low-key, Xu Shen was not mentioned much, and it looked like everyone still had some little sentiments toward him. Thinking about it, the crowd seemed to be unable to do anything to him other than scolding a few times.
Xu Shen was gone for a day and when he came back, he asked the bodyguards to go and play on the beach. However, Shu Ran knew what he was going to do.
They must have gone behind his back to gather information.
After a tiring day of playing, Shu Ran returned to the luxurious and spacious suite. He smiled and asked Xu Shen on the sofa: “How’s the situation?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Xu Shen was startled, wanting to pretend.
“Stop pretending.” Shu Ran walked over, sat on him, and hugged his neck: “Be honest, is it a big storm?”
Xu Shen had no idea what to do with him, so he hugged him back, kissed him, and said: “Some people reacted violently, so… Your work may be removed from the shelves for a while…”
“Guessed it.” Shu Ran said while nestling in Xu Shen’s arms.
“Are you feeling uncomfortable?” Xu Shen lowered his eyes and looked at him tenderly, stroking his hair with distressed eyes.
Shu Ran shook his head: “I thought about the consequences before doing this.”
Even so, Xu Shen still felt distressed after his wife fell off the altar overnight: “Isn’t it really uncomfortable?”
“Well, there’s nothing important besides life and death. I don’t live for fame and fortune. These are all within easy reach.” Shu Ran raised his head and looked at Xu Shen affectionately: “Apart from you, everything else I do is done casually. If I have to force it, there’s no need to be persistent.”
After he finished speaking, Xu Shen kissed him silently, pinching his chin with his fingers extra hard. He didn’t know how to comfort Shu Ran. Although his wife had a great consciousness, he also didn’t care at all about the worldly things that others cared about. He almost didn’t even need his comfort.
“I’m your only obsession, right?” Xu Shen held Shu Ran’s chin with one hand and his waist with the other.
“Yes…” Shu Ran was made a little dizzy by that overbearing and fierce kiss.
“Then I’ll give it to you.” Xu Shen murmured.
He could only use his body to comfort the other person.
In fact, it didn’t matter. They had nothing at the beginning… No, they had everything from the very beginning. All that came after was just the icing on the cake, not as good as their love.
And so, the luxurious suite became a mess. The two of them stayed inside all day long, never coming out. As for Shu Ran, he was naked all day long. When he was hungry, Xu Shen gave him food and water. The rest of the time, he worked tirelessly with his husband, having as much fun as possible.
At first, Shu Ran was still competitive, thinking that Xu Shen was in his thirties after all so he, who was four years younger, couldn’t lose… If he worked hard, he might even be able to drain Xu Shen, but the result was…
He was still defeated by Xu Shen. Completely exhausted and crying while asking for a break.
“That’s all you’ve got.” Xu Shen lightly slapped his behind and scolded with a smile.
As a wife, in order to avoid suffering, he always begged for mercy very smoothly and had no backbone at all when he admitted defeat. Xu Shen kinda wanted and hoped for Shu Ran to be more stubborn… Otherwise, how could he give full play to his extensive potential?!
As soon as the other party begged for mercy aggrievedly, he had to retreat.
“It’s not like I’m young anymore, I can’t bear it.” Shu Ran said. When he enjoyed it, he was happy. But what about the soreness and back pain the next day?!
“If you can’t stand it, let me see.” Xu Shen said and actually went to check it.
“It doesn’t hurt there.” However, Shu Ran was no longer shy, showing it openly to his husband.
“It’s nothing.” Xu Shen smiled and kissed his knee. “I’m raising you well.”
If it wasn’t for all that medicine, care, and effort, Xu Shen wouldn’t have dared to be so pretentious.
“Don’t be proud, keep up the good work.” Shu Ran smiled and lightly kicked his man’s shoulder, but Xu Shen immediately grabbed him and pretended to give him a bite, causing a sweet protest in the room.
“You’re screaming before I even started.” Xu Shen teased.
“Hmph…” Shu Ran kicked his hand off with his other foot, regaining his freedom.
……….
A week later, Xu Shen’s vacation was over, and he slowly returned to China, carrying his radiant and fully nourished wife.
Before getting off the plane, Xu Shen asked: “Ran Ran, do you want to wear a mask or hat?”
“No need.” Shu Ran said. “You won’t wear it, so why should I?”
Xu Shen chuckled, feeling that his wife’s rebellious psychology was aroused, acting like a little fighter.
“Are you afraid of being hit by rotten eggs?”
“Then you help me block it.”
“OK.”
Shu Ran took Xu Shen’s arm and arrived at the exit, really afraid of rotten eggs. However, it seemed that he might have overthought it. There were not many people watching them, and those who were watching were actually more attracted to the large number of bodyguards surrounding them.
“Brother Shen…” Shu Ran touched his nose. “We overestimated our popularity.”
It looked quite pretentious!
“Keep holding on to me.” Xu Shen took Shu Ran’s hand back and put it on his arm: “Your Brother Shen is very happy now.”
“Tsk…” Shu Ran smiled.
The two people who caused an uproar just a few days before were now openly showing off their affection at the airport. If others didn’t report it, who would?! That group of people who hated them were so angry, feeling like their livers ached.
However, there seemed to be nothing they could do about it.
Even if Shu Ran’s works were pulled off the market, look at this! He was still living a good life!
And they all forgot one thing. The royalties from Shu Ran’s works had always been used for charity. That money was regularly remitted to charity organizations in various places. But now that his works were no longer for sale, that huge income was gone.
If Writer Shu stopped doing business, he would have no money to donate, and many people would not receive his help.
Those who were madly boycotting Shu Ran’s works had no idea how important that money was to those in need.
The various units that were waiting for Shu Ran to allocate funds saw that the situation was dire, making them feel anxious. Not a single one of them cared whether Shu Ran was gay or straight. They only knew that the charity money allocated by Shu Ran every year could help thousands of people…
As such, they needed to help. They could also shout slogans. Even louder than the others.
There was a group of people who firmly disagreed, but there were also people who supported Shu Ran. And their number was quite large, many of whom were intellectuals. Generally speaking, they were relatively rational and peaceful, without too intense emotions, so they did not express their stance immediately.
After all, everything was a mess at that time, and it would be useless to express one’s position on the spur of the moment.
It wasn’t that they were afraid of trouble, but since they were rational, they were also naturally organized and disciplined.
Everyone was busy looking for information, writing articles, connecting with comrades, and fighting a beautiful battle of defense together. They were not fighting for a specific person’s freedom of love but for everyone’s freedom.
And so, on a very ordinary morning, many writers seemed to have made an appointment to publish articles in newspapers and periodicals from various places. The content was very rich, but it always revolved around the events that caused a lot of commotion in recent days.
Some of them compiled a list of Shu Ran’s donations over the years, presenting the facts and discussing merits. Others simply defended Shu Ran and called for his works to return to the public eye. Some even calmly explained that if Shu Ran retired, there were dire consequences.
The most eye-catching article was undoubtedly that list of donations accumulated over the past ten years. One by one, it was a horrifying amount of data, requiring an entire page.
As well as the changes his donations brought to those in need… Every statistic was completely mind-numbing to read.
The author wrote: “I learned that there is not a penny in the account under Shu’s name, and all his income has gone to various places as charity. In my opinion, Writer Shu can leave the noisy crowd at any time. It’s not that he needs us, but that we need him.”
At the same time, the book fans who had always supported Shu Ran gathered in bookstores, demanding his works be re-listed. He was not wrong and also didn’t commit a crime, so he shouldn’t be treated so unfairly!
That donation list that took up an entire page was so shocking that it made many people feel that the words they said so lightly were weightless and embarrassing.
At that point, the boycott ended in a flash, and Shu Ran’s works continued to sell well. After so many grand introductions by other authors, he became even more famous. As Xu Shen said before, no one could still hate him after learning about his deeds.
The book fans who were proud of Shu Ran were also very happy to be able to protect him…
…However, when will Writer Shu write a new book?!
After his love affair was exposed, he made no serious appearance. Instead, he had been photographed by reporters going on sweet dates with his lover, quite a few of them in fact.
His fans could only see his figure in miscellaneous tabloids!
Watching two handsome guys together, everyone was quite impressed by them, to the point when they gradually started to accept that their idol had a boyfriend.
The main thing was that Xu Shen had very good personal conditions, a very good temper, and also treated their idol exceptionally well!
When the two of them went out, they always held hands. Writer Shu, who appeared as gentle as jade to others, had even been photographed losing his temper at Boss Xu, glaring and poking him in the forehead.
And so, during the second month of Shu Ran’s self-imposed retirement at home, the weather was getting warmer, so he went out to visit the market with Xu Shen over the weekend. One reporter who was waiting on the street even managed to photograph the two of them buying and reading their own tabloids… And Boss Xu’s hand was always around Shu Ran’s waist, looking so intimate.
In order to hear clearly what they were saying, the reporter carefully moved closer… Even so, Xu Shen still saw him, but did not ask the bodyguards to remove him. Instead, he waved and greeted him, looking to be in a good mood.
The reporter got closer and bolder, finally hearing what they were talking about.
“Everyone is calling for you to get back to writing. You have been idle for several months. Do you really want to stop working?” Xu Shen asked, squeezing Shu Ran’s waist.
“There’s nothing I can do if I don’t have inspiration.” Shu Ran answered while flipping through the newspaper.
“Is it lack of inspiration or laziness?” Xu Shen asked exactly what Comrade Reporter also wanted to ask!
“I really have no inspiration.” The two of them walked towards the market, and Shu Ran’s voice came faintly: “How about I publish an album with photos of us and write a story for each of them?”
No matter how hard he wanted to get back to work, he just mentioned it casually. There was no guarantee that it could even be done.
But Comrade Reported heard about it, and the next day it was revealed that Writer Shu was going to publish an album.
Shu Ran: “…”
Shu Ran looked confused: “Why, even something that I mention in my sleep can find its way into the newspaper?!”
After looking at the accompanying picture, Xu Shen said: “Because there were reporters that day.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?!” Shu Ran pinched Xu Shen’s neck and shook him angrily: “Such an important thing! What if I said something that I shouldn’t say…”
“Ahem, on the streets, what can you say that shouldn’t be said…” Xu Shen didn’t resist at all, allowing his wife to toss him.
“That’s it! Now I have to publish it even if I don’t know how to do it!” Shu Ran really just mentioned it casually. After all, such an album was too challenging for the public’s nerves. He guessed that it wouldn’t make any money even if he published it… Right?!
“Let’s do it, just think of it as a souvenir.” Xu Shen was quite supportive. After all, Shu Ran took so many beautiful photos for him, and he wanted to let everyone see himself from Shu Ran’s perspective and experience what it felt like to be loved by Shu Ran… Wouldn’t that make people jealous?
Well, then go ahead and be jealous!
“Then let me… Sort it out.” Shu Ran finally said. There were way too many photos of them, from very old photos to recent ones. Way too many indeed. While sorting everything out, Shu Ran recalled each of the photo’s little stories, writing it down in a notebook. Some of them happened such a long time ago that he had to ask Xu Shen about it.
Fortunately, his man had a good memory and actually remembered everything. Shu Ran spent a few days putting everything together, realizing that it ended up looking like a love diary in disguise.
He still remembered how, at the beginning of their relationship, they discussed publishing a testament of their love… Who would have thought that they could now fulfill that wish.
Looking through the arranged photos, the person changed from youthful to mature in appearance and temperament, and the story between the two of them also went from being ignorant and tentative to real and stable.
Now they were both in a state of complete contentment.
And so, after much consideration, Shu Ran waved his hand and actually dared to publish the compiled album. It was still possible to achieve it now, before the restrictions that were about to be imposed in a few years.
As for sales, he sincerely thought it would be average.
And after publishing so many books, he gradually stopped paying attention to that… All the way until the staff called to report that the sales were very, very good. Shu Ran still thought it was a consolation, but upon hearing that more printing was in the works, he finally believed that the sales were very good indeed…
…Well of course. That album was full of handsome guys. Even if one didn’t pay attention to romance and just focused on appearance, it was still worth collecting it!
And Xu Shen not only collected one book, but he simply collected too many! Shu Ran even suspected his husband contributed a lot to the sales volume!
The truth was that Xu Shen heard that the publication of homosexual themes would be restricted in the future, but many readers still wanted to read it, so he was worried for those who were not able to see it…
“What, so you’re going to open an exhibition hall in the future?!” Shu Ran asked.
“Why not? I’ll build an exhibition hall for us.” Xu Shen smiled and continued seriously: “And make it free to visit.”
“You really… Think too much all the time” Shu Ran was speechless.
But thinking about it, that operation was both cool and sweet, so he laughed as well. He just hoped that people in the future would not be traumatized by his husband’s show of affection!
…………
Half a year after their relationship was exposed, they dared to publish that album that challenged everyone’s nerves. However, there were not many scoldings, only scattered ones. Xu Shen and the surrounding relatives and friends deliberately blocked any bad words, preventing them from appearing in front of Shu Ran.
So Writer Shu and Boss Xu, after that final fight, were now like two wild horses that could no longer be pulled back.
They were in and out of each other wantonly, showing off their affection. No matter where reporters photographed them, their fingers were locked together, or they were arm-in-arm, making everyone feel envious of their feelings.
Others talked about the seven-year itch, but those two were still so sticky even after fourteen years, making it a big show for the public.
Around the middle of the year, in June, Zhou Hui called from back home, saying that Zhou Guodong was ill, asking Shu Ran if he could go back and see him.
Shu Ran was fine with that, so he decided to go for a visit. And how could Xu Shen let him go by himself?
When the two of them arrived back in Nanshi to take a look, they quickly realized that the only illness Zhou Guodong was suffering from was… Fatness.
He had become very fat over the years, enjoying his retirement to the fullest, and only claimed to be sick because he wanted Shu Ran to come and see him…
…When a man got old, he turned into a child. Sometimes he would even become a little bit agitated, needing to be coaxed by his children before he could feel at ease.
“It’s not a big problem.” Zhou Guodong said. “I asked Xiao Hui not to bother you, but she still called you.”
Normally, they only saw each other once a year, and the time was always short-lived.
“I’ve read the physical examination report, and it’s really not a big problem.” Shu Ran said. “In the future, pay more attention to your diet. It’s best to eat lighter.”
“Hey.” Zhou Guodong felt relieved.
“Don’t skimp on where you should spend money.” Shu Ran estimated that by now, they also knew what was going on between him and Xu Shen, so he pointed directly at his husband and said: “Although all the money in my name has been donated, Brother Shen is rich. He can be considered half your son.”
Of course, Zhou Guodong knew about it, but he still had a complicated expression on his face, choosing to say nothing.
“Yes, Shu Ran is my wife.” Xu Shen no longer hid it, openly calling Shu Ran his wife in front of everyone, even admiring Zhou Guodong’s wonderful expression with malice.
He wanted the Zhou family to know that Shu Ran remained unmarried all those years because he had been staying with him.
But Zhou Guodong still remained silent. How could he dare mention anything?! What if those two never came back in a fit of anger?! Wouldn’t he be the one to suffer then?!
However, Xu Shen was quite regretful. If only Zhou Guodong had caused trouble, then he could have monopolized Shu Ran openly, never talking to those people again!
In fact, when the incident first happened, the Zhou family also received some gossip. For example, Zhou Qiang, who was still living back in the village, often scolded Shu Ran for causing disasters.
Later, things turned around and people began to say that Shu Ran was a good person again, but the good words still didn’t reach Zhou Qiang who remained extremely angry.
But fortunately, his mother always regarded him as her son in her heart, helping spread the good words from time to time.
…………
When Shu Ran and Xu Shen returned to their hometown that time, they went back to their old courtyard. Having been uninhabited for a long time, the home that held many of their memories was now old and dusty.
“The house will break down quickly if no one lives in it…” Shu Ran sighed.
“Without the support of others, it’s indeed easy to fail.” Xu Shen nodded.
However, they didn’t mind it and continued to clean it up conscientiously.
In Shu Ran’s eyes, Xu Shen’s young figure was everywhere. Chopping firewood in the yard, decoction medicine, fetching water from the well, killing fish, cooking in the kitchen, and holding him while waiting for the fire to warm them.
Of course, the bedroom was the place he remembered the most. Thinking about it made him want to laugh out loud.
And in Xu Shen’s eyes, Shu Ran’s youthful figure was also everywhere. Standing under the pomegranate tree and peeking at himself, sitting at the round table while talking and laughing, lying on the balcony railing waiting for breakfast, and standing straight with his back to him while writing on the bed.
Even though he was by his side, he still missed him very much.
“Brother Shen?” When Shu Ran was suddenly hugged, his expression startled. However, he soon also hugged Xu Shen’s back, and the two stood there quietly, hugging each other in the yard.
“I miss you so much.” Xu Shen said in a low voice.
Five simple words, but Shu Ran seemed to understand what Xu Shen was feeling at the moment. He smiled and said: “Me too.”
I miss the twenty-two-year-old Brother Shen.
I also miss my eighteen-year-old self.
However, I’m glad to have met you at the right time.
(End of main text)
T.N: I’m not crying, you’re the one who’s crying! This is our final chapter, there are still 2 extras to go, but this still feels like goodbye to me. Thank you very much for accompanying me on this journey, and I’m extremely glad I picked Shu Ran’s and Xu Shen’s story as my first translation project. I hope you enjoyed this beautiful novel and my work, and thank you once again. See you soon!
