The author has something to say:
I saw a reader asking this, and I was also thinking about this question, because Li Tang’s extra chapter was initially expected to be finished after writing a few chapters, but now it suddenly feels like it won’t be finished for a while. I’m thinking about writing the prison extra chapter in advance. Okay, that one shouldn’t be long, and readers who don’t want to follow Li Tang’s side story don’t need to do it anymore. Let me ask for your opinions.
I made a mistake… I also left a chapter in the manuscript before this chapter, and forgot – –
After going out to relax with Li Tang, Hong Minhang no longer insisted on going against Hong Xiangfeng because of the previous matter.
Hong Xiangfeng said to Li Tang, “Talk to Minhang more when you have time. This child has always listened to you since he was a kid.”
Li Tang nodded. “I understand.”
Hong Minhang said to Li Tang, “Li-ge, why don’t you become my assistant?”
Li Tang was a little surprised.
Hong Minhang continued, “You don’t have a temporary job at Dihong anyway. I usually have a lot of work matters that I want to ask you for. With you by my side, I won’t do anything that would make my father unhappy.”
Li Tang didn’t refuse when he heard what he said. He even felt that the Hong Minhang, who always relied on him, was back.
However, it wasn’t easy to be Hong Minhang’s assistant. Hong Minhang would work overtime in the company until seven or eight o’clock every day, and Li Tang had to accompany him. From time to time, Hong Minhang would ask him some things about the company’s operations. Li Tang had kept these in mind and would blurt out an answer casually.
But most of the time, Hong Minhang was immersed in reading documents, with Li Tang watching over him.
Although he was said to be an assistant, he still had no temporary job. Li Tang didn’t even have his own office. Hong Minhang asked him to stay in his office and did not restrict him from coming in and out freely. However, Li Tang had no other place to go. So while Hong Minhang was sitting with his head buried in his own business, Li Tang was sitting on the sofa.
At first, Li Tang would go out to smoke, but later on, Hong Minhang allowed him to smoke in the office. He didn’t mind, so Li Tang simply didn’t bother to move, lying on the sofa with a cigarette in his mouth and looking at the ceiling.
Li Tang got off work late in the afternoon and felt tired, so he lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.
When he woke up, he saw Hong Minhang sitting next to him, looking at him.
Li Tang quickly sat up, wiped his face, and asked, “Are you done?”
Hong Minhang muttered softly, “If you’re sleepy, then just sleep a little longer.”
Li Tang shook his head. “I’ll take you back.”
Until Hong Minhang got his driver’s license, Li Tang simply took on the role of driver.
Hong Minhang stood up and said, “Let’s go eat first.”
Li Tang nodded. “Alright.”
The two people came down from Dihong’s Building and took the elevator to the parking lot to pick up the car. As soon as Li Tang got in the car, he received a call from Bai Xiaoqi, asking him if he had eaten.
Li Tang had not seen Bai Xiaoqi for several days. He couldn’t help but rub his forehead. Just as he was about to say sorry, Hong Minhang suddenly said, “Is she your girlfriend? Ask her to have dinner with us.”
Li Tang covered the phone and said, “No need.”
Hong Minhang smiled and said, “What’s wrong? Can’t I meet your girlfriend? She will be my sister-in-law from now on. Of course we must find an opportunity to have a meal together.”
Li Tang hesitated.
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.
Hong Minhang said, “Nevermind. If you don’t want to tell her, then I will tell her myself.”
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On the way, Hong Minhang asked, “Li-ge, why didn’t you say anything about your girlfriend? Dad doesn’t know, right?”
Li Tang smiled and said, “It hasn’t been long yet, and we’re still getting closer. I want to wait until it stabilizes.”
Hong Minhang lowered his gaze and asked, “Do you want this to be stabilized?”
Li Tang was silent for a moment. He seemed to have thought about it seriously before replying, “If she’s suitable, then I want to.”
Hong Minhang tapped his fingers on the seat twice, suddenly tightened it, smiled, and then said, “Then I have to help you check to see if she’s suitable.”
When the car was about to arrive, Li Tang called Bai Xiaoqi and asked her to come downstairs now.
So when they finally arrived, Hong Minhang saw a woman in a white skirt already standing at the gate of a community in the distance. The woman was around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a good figure and appearance.
Li Tang stopped the car on the side of the road. Bai Xiaoqi probably wanted to get into the driver’s seat, but when she looked in, she realized that there was another person. She was stunned for a moment.
Li Tang quickly introduced, “Xiaoqi, this is Hong Minhang, the son of Boss Hong. Minhang, this is Bai Xiaoqi.”
Hong Minhang pressed down the car window and reached out to shake hands with her. “Hello.”
Bai Xiaoqi quickly reached out and said, “Hello, Boss Hong used to come to our place for dinner, and he’s quite familiar with me.”
Hong Minhang smiled and said, “I saw you last time we had dinner, maybe you didn’t notice me.”
Li Tang had already gotten out of the car, opened the back door for Bai Xiaoqi, and asked, “Don’t you have to go to work today?”
“Mmn.” Bai Xiaoqi sat inside. “I have a day off today.”
Li Tang closed the car door, returned to the driver’s seat, and asked, “What do you want to eat?”
Bai Xiaoqi said, “I’m fine with anything.”
Hong Minhang said, “Let me make the decision. I heard that there’s a pickled fish restaurant on Xingnan Road that tastes pretty good. Let’s go and give it a try.”
Bai Xiaoqi agreed quickly, “That’s good.”
Li Tang started the car and asked Hong Minhang, “When did you hear about it?”
Hong Minhang held his head with one hand and said with a smile, “I asked a lot about it after returning to China. I plan to go eat and see them all. It’s rare that I have someone to accompany me today.”
Li Tang also smiled slightly when he heard this.
The three of them ate together, and most of the time it was Hong Minhang and Bai Xiaoqi who talked. Li Tang didn’t talk much, he just listened to them and smoked a cigarette from time to time.
Hong Minhang seemed to be in a good mood. He kept praising the delicious food here and asked the waiter to open a few bottles of beer for him.
Hong Minhang said to Li Tang, “Li-ge, come drink with me.”
Li Tang replied, “You drink, ba. I still have to drive you back later.”
Hong Minhang said, “It doesn’t matter, just drink a little bit.”
Li Tang waved his hand. “You drink, ba.”
Hong Minhang complained softly, “What’s the point of drinking alone?”
When Bai Xiaoqi heard this, she also urged Li Tang, “You should drink with Minhang, even just a little bit.”
Both of them persuaded him, so Li Tang couldn’t refuse anymore and asked Hong Minhang to pour him a glass of beer. He drank slowly and didn’t drink much in one meal, but Hong Minhang was different. It seemed as though he was really excited, even drinking a lot of bottles all by himself.
When they left, Hong Minhang was a little drunk, so Li Tang could only help him into the back seat, and then drive Bai Xiaoqi home first.
When Bai Xiaoqi got out of the car near their house, she said to Li Tang, “Be careful.”
Li Tang nodded. “Go back and rest early.”
Bai Xiaoqi looked at him with a smile, suddenly reached over, and kissed him on the face, saying, “Good night.”
Li Tang smiled and waved to her. “Good night.”
Hong Minhang was half lying and half sitting when he saw this scene from the back seat.
After sending Bai Xiaoqi there, Li Tang sent Hong Minhang back to the Hong family’s house.
When they got home, Sister Hua came out of the house to welcome them.
Li Tang asked, “Where’s Gandie?”
Sister Hua answered, “Mr. Hong hasn’t come back yet, so he probably won’t come back anymore.”
Sister Hua helped him carry Hong Minhang in and let Hong Minhang lie on the sofa.
Sister Hua said, “Last time you were dragged back by Minhang because you were drunk and he didn’t know what to do. This time, it’s Minhang again. You young people should still exercise some restraint and drink less.”
Li Tang apologized, “I understand.”
He asked Sister Hua to help Hong Minhang lie on his back and then carried Hong Minhang to the room on the second floor.
Sister Hua poured water and said to Li Tang, “Please help him clean up. If I do it for him, he might feel embarrassed tomorrow.”
When Li Tang heard this, he found it somewhat funny.
Sister Hua said, “This kid has been thin-skinned since he was a child, you know.”
After saying that, Sister Hua went downstairs to sleep.
Li Tang looked at Hong Minhang lying on the bed with his eyes closed and thought to himself that Hong Minhang would definitely not be thin-skinned now. Compared with when he was a child, he seemed to be a different person.
Li Tang went to the bathroom to get a towel, wet it with hot water, and wiped it on his face.
At this time, Hong Minhang groaned and half-opened his eyes in confusion.
Li Tang asked, “Are you awake?”
Hong Minhang looked at Li Tang, but his eyes were unfocused.
Li Tang took away the towel and was about to stand up when Hong Minhang suddenly hugged his waist.
Li Tang was stunned for a moment, feeling that Hong Minhang was very strong. He turned over and pressed himself on the bed, suddenly kissing him heavily.
Hong Minhang’s mouth reeked of alcohol.
Li Tang reacted quickly, pushed Hong Minhang away, and said, “Minhang?”
However, Hong Minhang kissed him again. The passionate kiss made Li Tang retreat again and again. Finally, he turned away and gasped, “Minhang, you’re drunk.”
Hong Minhang stared at Li Tang for a long time, then turned over and lay on the bed, raising his hands to cover his eyes. “I’m sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”
Li Tang’s body suddenly froze. After a moment, he turned to look at Hong Minhang, who was lying next to him. “How could you mistake me for a woman?”
Hong Minhang still covered his eyes with his hands and said quietly, “I didn’t mistake you for a woman.”
Li Tang sat up and asked, “What did you say?”
Hong Minhang said, “I don’t like women.”
Li Tang looked at him and called out with a hint of uncertainty, “Minhang?”
Hong Minhang moved his hand away and looked at Li Tang. “I can still remember that I told you about this before, but you didn’t believe it.”
Li Tang shook his head. “You were still a child at that time.”
Hong Minhang laughed. “I was almost eighteen years old at that time.”
Li Tang still shook his head. “No, you still haven’t figured it out.”
Hong Minhang sat up from the bed. “Forget it, let’s not talk about this.”
“Minhang.” Li Tang took his arm. “It shouldn’t be like this.”
Hong Minhang turned back to look at him. “What should it be like then? I remember you saying that once I enter college, I will see many beautiful girls, and that I will change my mind by then. I did enter college, and there are indeed many beautiful girls around me. But I wasn’t tempted. I searched online and went to the library to look up information. I realized that I inherently liked men. There’s no way to change this. It can’t be done easily by just looking at a few more women. There’s no turning back anymore. Even when I masturbate, I only think about men. What do you think I should do then?”
Li Tang took a deep breath and shook his head.
Hong Minhang gently pushed his hand away. “Li-ge, I’ve already figured it out. Since you don’t accept me, then forget it. I won’t pester you anymore. I have a lover now, and our relationship is very stable. He will return to China in two months. I’m not asking you to bless me, I just hope you won’t stop me.”
After speaking, Hong Minhang went to the bathroom. He closed the door, gently leaned his back on it, and listened to the movement outside expressionlessly.
Li Tang seemed to have not moved for a long time, still sitting on Hong Minhang’s bed.
Hong Minhang stood for a while, walked to the sink, splashed cold water on his face, then opened the door and came out.
When Li Tang saw him coming out, he stood up and said, “Go to bed early. I’ll leave first.”
Hong Minhang nodded. “Good night, stay safe.”
Li Tang walked out and closed the door for him. When he went downstairs, Li Tang suddenly felt a little tired. He sat down on the stairs and raised his hands to cover his face. He suddenly wondered if he had done something wrong. He wasn’t willing to accept Hong Minhang. His goal was just to let Hong Minhang grow up healthily and happily like an ordinary young man, not to push him toward another man like this.
Li Tang felt uncomfortable whenever he thought of the soft, silent, yet stubborn young man being with another man. He grabbed the handrail of the stairs with one hand, rested his forehead on his arm, and exhaled deeply in one breath. No, it shouldn’t be like this.
