Outside of Xianghe Garden, there is a large open-air garden. In the summer, there’s a fountain in the center pool that flashes with colorful lights. Now that the weather is cold, the fountain has been turned off to prevent the water from freezing.
A mother and her son sat on a bench in the garden. The winter garden seems lonely. The mother said the men inside had started drinking, lacking manners, smoking at the dinner table, creating a haze of smoke, so she came out.
Mai Dong kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, his mind filled with whether his mother heard him talking on the phone.
Unexpectedly, the topic his mother chatted about was his grandparents.
“I remember clearly, when your father and I were dating, and our parents met for the first time, Grandma cried when she heard I was a doctor. Mai-zi they say mother-in-law relationships are hard to get along with, but I got along well with Grandma. I once asked her what it felt like to be a housewife, and the first word she gave me was ‘happiness,’ and the second word was ‘regret.’”
Mai Dong listened in confusion, “Happiness and regret can be put together?”
The mother nodded, “Perhaps they can. Life always has many regrets, but the best regret is one that can be accompanied by happiness. What do you think?”
Mai Dong, ignorant of worldly affairs and clueless about relationships, nodded with half-understanding, unsure if he truly grasped his mother’s meaning.
The mother wrapped her arm around Mai Dong’s shoulder. “Sometimes, Mom also feels it’s unfair. Why must girls choose between family and career, between emotion and reason, as if they have to pick one as their identity? But time isn’t shaped by one person, nor is it formed in a day. Since we’re living in this era, all we can do is follow our hearts and do things that make us happy. So, Mai-zi, what’s making you happy lately?”
It was then that Mai Dong realized that he had gone around in a big circle to ask himself.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be honest with his family, he just felt there should be a more appropriate time. It wasn’t a trivial matter, not in any family. He fell silent for a moment. “Mom, I’m in a relationship.”
His mother smiled beautifully, dimples forming on her cheeks. “Oh, let me guess, is it Yan Xuming?”
Mai Dong nodded. “Could you tell?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
When he got home in the evening, Mai Dong leaned on his desk, writing in his diary, feeling like he had a lot to say.
Ajcejgs 18, 2024. Veccs
Yc atf kjs tbwf, P xfqa atlcxlcu jybea kts Zbw rjlv atbrf atlcur ab wf. Pa kjrc’a ecali P uba tbwf atja P ecvfgrabbv atf rluclolmjcmf bo atf abqlm bo “gfugfa.”
P’w j ues, jcv rb lr tf. Cgf kf “jmmfqafv” ys rbmlfas jr tbwbrfzejir? Ktfgf klii yf wjcs rfayjmxr jcv ragjcuf ibbxr lo kf kjca ab yf abufatfg. Ufgtjqr bcf vjs, bcf bo er klii yjmx vbkc yfmjerf bo atlr, mgfjalcu rbwf xlcv bo gfugfa. Dea atf qgfwlrf bo atlr gfugfa lr atja kf rtbeiv ygjnfis yf abufatfg cbk, rb atlr gfugfa yfmbwfr tjqqlcfrr.
I’ve never thought about this question before. Thinking about it now, I realize I’ve been somewhat naive. And maybe I’ve been quite arrogant. Since high school, when I started liking him, I’ve never felt inferior or sensitive because of liking a guy. But Mom is right, even if I don’t care now, someday I will. I should consider this issue in advance because we’re not just playing house together on a whim; we’re really in love, preparing to spend the rest of our lives together.
Does he think the same way?
En! Definitely. He’s always been braver than me. I haven’t dared to tell anyone I’m in a relationship. I’ve lied about it twice, but he’s already told his family about us. But it seems I’ve made a mistake. I hung up on his call and forgot to ask about his family’s attitude. Will they make things difficult for him? Will they scold him? Will they hit him?
Mai Dong, Mai Dong, you’re really a relationship dummy!
On the first day of winter vacation, the relationship dummy Mai Dong went to the antique market with his father.
It was a deal the father and son had already arranged. On Christmas Eve, Mai Dong asked his father for the pile of untouched red wine at home. Old Mai, having dabbled in antiques for the past few years, had become quite shrewd. Even with his own son, he wouldn’t let himself be taken advantage of. He said he could give him the red wine and asked him to help out at the store during the holidays.
Mai Dong’s home was a bit more northern than the school. Wrapped in a white down jacket, scarf, and hat, he stood out in the antique market, clearly not fitting in with the locals.
Old Mai didn’t know about Mai Dong’s relationship. Madam Du, Mai Dong’s mother, had a strong sense of boundaries and discretion. Even though they were family, if Mai Dong confided his secrets to her, she wouldn’t secretly tell her husband. She believed that it should be Mai Dong who spoke about it himself.
Old Mai walked ahead, muttering about Uncle Li’s daughter from the neighboring shop, saying she had started her holiday a week earlier than Mai Dong and had already come to the shop to help out, “She’s two years older than you and she’s so beautiful. How about it, should I introduce you? Your grandfather is right, you’re too introverted. When are you going to find a partner on your own?”
Mai Dong licked his lips; apart from doing business, Old Mai was always absent-minded. Madam Du had long noticed that he liked Yan Xuming, and this time she could tell at a glance that he was with Yan Xuming. Old Mai was still here thinking about “blind dates,” thinking that Mai Dong was a straight guy.
Mai Dong weakly replied, “No need, Dad, I don’t like girls.”
Old Mai continued, “Oh, okay, then I…” Old Mai suddenly stopped, surprised, and turned to look at Mai Dong. Just when Mai Dong thought he was about to get angry, Old Mai then silently turned his head back and muttered softly, “Ai? Don’t like girls? Since when?”
Mai Dong cleared his throat, “High school…”
Old Mai immediately apologized, “Aiya, look at this matter, does your mother know?”
Mai Dong replied, “…Mom knew since high school.”
Old Mai awkwardly smiled, “Look, uh, sorry ha son, Dad really didn’t care about you as much as your Mom did, it’s Dad’s fault. No, why is she like this ah, knowing for so long and not telling me!” He paused awkwardly here and then offered a constructive suggestion, “It’s easier to deal with liking boys ah. It’s more in line with your profession. I don’t know many girls, but I know plenty of boys. Shall Dad find one for you ah?”
Mai Dong’s voice grew even lower, “I’m not single anymore.”
Old Mai was truly stunned this time, “No, didn’t we just discuss it at the dinner table last night?”
Mai Dong felt guilty, “Last night… I didn’t dare to say, I lied.”
Old Mai narrowed his eyes, “Good ah, learning to lie now, huh.”
As they chatted, they walked into the shop and pulled down the rolling shutter. Suddenly, a dusty smell wafted from inside, making Mai Dong almost cough. He waved his hand, dispersing the flying dust in front of him, “Dad, should I help you clean up a bit?”
Old Mai was so frightened that he immediately pressed his son’s hand, “No, don’t. You don’t understand, this is the essence of an antique shop.” He threw the keys on the table, switched on the water dispenser, and knocked on the table, “Where’s your boyfriend? Call him out, let me see.”
Mai Dong was startled, “Why… why are you suddenly calling him out like this?”
Old Mai snorted coldly, “Can’t handle such a small matter? Do you know how difficult it was for me to pursue your mom in the beginning? Your grandmother wasn’t satisfied with my job. I went to their house four or five times in a row and got the cold shoulder every time. I went there every day with gifts, but couldn’t see anyone. I just left the gifts at the door. It even took a week before your grandmother agreed to see me.”
Mai Dong felt he was being unreasonable, “That’s different, we’re in a relationship by choice now, why do you have to make things difficult for him?”
Old Mai didn’t like hearing this, “You’re already protecting him now, huh.”
Mai Dong clutched his phone, he didn’t want to message or call Yan Xuming, while Old Mai sat in front of the old desk at the front counter, tapping the tabletop repeatedly.
This was completely unexpected for Mai Dong. He didn’t expect Old Mai to be angry not because he was gay, or because he lied last night about being in a relationship, but because he didn’t want to call Yan Xuming over now.
He felt touched and anxious, “Can we arrange a time later? I’ll tell him in advance, he should be mentally prepared.”
Old Mai’s tone was firm, “Is there something unseemly about him?”
Old Mai, this person, was stubborn at certain moments, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to succeed in the antique business.
What he said about pursuing Madam Du was all true. This matter was also a well-known topic of conversation in Mai Dong’s family. At that time, Grandma was dissatisfied with Old Mai’s job, considering it unstable. He held back his frustration, bought a house and a car with his own ability, and then went to propose.
Mai Dong understood Old Mai’s mindset. Liking boys wasn’t easy. Although Old Mai wasn’t good with words, he worried about things that Mom would worry about too. He wanted to know if Yan Xuming was a good person, a suitable person.
In other words, Mai Dong knew he was a child surrounded by love, even though he was already an adult, even twenty years old. In his parents’ eyes, he was still a child. The love his parents gave him was too much, and now there was another person loving him. Old Mai wanted to know if this person’s love was worthy.
Mai Dong compromised and went out with his phone to call Yan Xuming. It was a little after nine in the morning, so according to his biological clock, Yan Xuming should be awake, but he didn’t know if he would sleep in during the holiday.
The call was answered after just a few rings, and Yan Xuming’s voice came through the receiver, “Hmm? Good morning.”
Mai Dong hesitated for a moment, “Good morning, are you… free today ah?”
!!! Meeting the parents stage now 😀
Thank you for the chapter!🫶
Thank you for the chapter ♡♡
Wow, strange intolerance range, dad))
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
Hehe relationship dummy mai dong finally took another big step~ i have a feeling yan xuming will get along with Dad Mai just fine 🤭
The Mai parents are really amazing! ♡(> ਊ <)♡
Thank You for the new chapter (๑˙❥˙๑)