WHI – Chapter 44

Chapter 44

At the entrance of the Gu family’s house, Su Li was directing movers as they repeatedly carried boxes out of the house. Lin Ting and Wen Lan approached, but Su Li hadn’t noticed them from behind.

“Auntie, hello,” Wen Lan said first, glancing at Lin Ting.

Su Li turned at the sound, her gaze falling first on Wen Lan, then on Lin Ting, who was closer.

Wen Lan walked a few steps away and leaned against the corner of the courtyard wall, taking out his phone to wait.

Lin Ting thought Su Li looked much more haggard.

“Are you… moving?”

“Yes, divorced. You were right, I don’t have a good eye for men,” Su Li said with a forced smile.

Lin Ting had almost forgotten that statement, but recalling it now felt like time was rewinding to that evening.

“You and Gu Jiang… what happened?”

“Gu Jiang, he can be too arrogant sometimes… While he’s truly capable, the world isn’t lacking in capable people, is it?” As Su Li spoke, she seemed to remember something. She suddenly climbed into the back of the moving truck, found a cardboard box, tore open the tape, and pulled out a file bag. After searching for a while, she took out a green piece of paper.

Su Li stood before Lin Ting, unfolded the paper, and handed it to him. “A few months late, happy birthday.”

Lin Ting took the paper, which read ‘Certificate of Birth,’ and stared at the birth date before folding it and putting it in his pocket.

“I think people should rely on themselves,” Su Li said, sitting in the passenger seat of the moving company’s van. She closed the door and rested her arms on the window frame. “Whether it’s the Su family, Lin Fang, or Gu Jiang, none of them are reliable. I want to leave for a while to find myself. You’ll bless me, won’t you?”

“Yes, and when you find yourself, tell me,” Lin Ting replied.

“Okay.” Su Li waved, then looked at Wen Lan, who was leaning against the wall watching them from afar. “Your boyfriend? He has good taste, better than mine.”

Lin Ting didn’t deny it, nodding slightly, his eyes already moist.

“Don’t cry, you’re all grown up. I’m not going away forever. We’ve made up, haven’t we?” Su Li smiled, then lowered her head and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I’m leaving!” With that, she turned and told the driver to go, never looking back.

Seeing the car drive away, Lin Ting still stood in the distance, his back to Wen Lan, watching the direction the car had gone. Wen Lan quickly caught up.

“My mom, she’s never really grown up,” Lin Ting said, knowing Wen Lan was behind him. “She lived a life of luxury from childhood, doted on by her parents, but right after graduation, she was forced into an arranged marriage with someone she didn’t like. She ran away from home when she refused.”

Wen Lan was surprised. He had never heard Lin Ting share these details about his mother, only knowing that Su Li came from a good family.

“Mmm, go on, I’m listening.”

“She felt that as a graduate of a prestigious university and having studied abroad, she had her own ideas. The men her family introduced were all in their thirties or forties. My mom was furious and went to work alone in Yuzhou, not returning home for years.”

“But working wasn’t that smooth. She always said she worked overtime every day, her boss always yelled at her, and her salary was all deducted. One month, she couldn’t pay her rent and called her parents. All she got from them was gloating laughter, saying she didn’t know how cruel the outside world was and that she should come home and follow their arrangements for marriage…”

“I have a younger uncle, born the year my mom went abroad. I don’t remember him much. My mom always talked about him, saying if it weren’t for my uncle, maybe the family would have helped her. Not the kind of help that arranged her to marry an old man, but the kind that provided support, a solid foundation, allowing her to run forward wholeheartedly.”

“Later, my mom faced reality and knew that everything from the Su family was irrelevant to her, unless she was willing to become a ‘brick’ to solidify the Su family’s interests… When I was little, my mom took me back a few times. After that, I guess we weren’t welcome, so we never went back.”

“Oh, the time she couldn’t pay rent, Lin Fang helped her out. My mom was sharing a four-person apartment then, and Lin Fang lived across the hall. If it weren’t for Lin Fang during that period, my mom might have starved to death on the street with no one to care… After that, they became close.”

“Su Li spent her whole life relying on others, first the Su family, then the company, then men. In the end, she found none of them reliable. Perhaps this is fate. For others, good parents, a good job, a good husband, they’ll encounter at least one…”

“Perhaps her fate is to earn it herself,” Wen Lan said after listening. He put his arm around Lin Ting’s shoulders and led him towards the Wen family’s place.

Lin Ting smiled. “That’s why I say she’s never really grown up. Before she could find herself, she became a mother. She’s neither a good mother nor a filial daughter in the conventional sense, but it doesn’t matter. Her life is just beginning, isn’t it? When she finds herself, we’ll meet again.”

On New Year’s Eve, Wen Lan and Lin Ting arrived at the Wanye Club early. It wasn’t just for their group’s New Year’s Eve party, but also a bit of a desire to revisit old places.

“How come it feels like you’re walking into my room so casually now?” Wen Lan led the way down the corridor to his ‘exclusive room’ and unlocked it with his fingerprint.

Lin Ting followed and closed the door. “We’re like an old married couple, what more do you want?”

“Tsk, I think you don’t love me anymore,” Wen Lan said, placing his luggage on the shelf. He hugged Lin Ting, then unconsciously lifted a corner of his shirt and rubbed Lin Ting’s waist.

Lin Ting pulled his hand away and said teasingly, “Behave yourself. Song Mi and the others will be here soon, I don’t have time to cater to you.”

“That’s a hurtful thing to say,” Wen Lan released Lin Ting and lay down on the bed, pulling out his phone to send a message in the group chat.

“They’re stuck in traffic,” Wen Lan said, looking up at Lin Ting, who was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. “It’ll probably be a while. Come give me a hug.”

Lin Ting turned around and smiled at the man with his arms open on the bed, then leaned over and hugged him, burying his head in Wen Lan’s neck and sniffing. “You smell so good. Did you put on perfume again today?”

Ever since they went to the Capital City, the sandalwood scent on Wen Lan had been fading day by day. Lin Ting hadn’t thought much of it until one night during intimacy when he inadvertently said, “You don’t smell as strong as before.” The next day, Wen Lan dragged Lin Ting to a department store to pick out a bottle of perfume.

“Just a little. Do you like it?” Wen Lan’s hand played with a strand of hair on the back of Lin Ting’s head.

“Mmm, I like it,” Lin Ting sniffed deeply again. ” haven’t you noticed I don’t smoke anymore? You’re enough for me.”

Since their sophomore year, they had agreed to quit smoking. Lin Ting didn’t have a strong addiction, only smoking one or two cigarettes when stressed. But since Wen Lan started wearing perfume, Lin Ting found Wen Lan more relaxing than nicotine.

As for Wen Lan, his long-standing habit wasn’t easy to break, but he had stabilized at about one cigarette a day.

“Kiss me,” Wen Lan’s voice brushed against Lin Ting’s ear.

Lin Ting turned his head, nose to nose, rubbing them together before planting a loud kiss on Wen Lan’s lips.

“Not right.”

Lin Ting pretended not to understand. “What’s not right? I kissed you.”

Wen Lan knew Lin Ting was being deliberately obtuse, but thinking that any further kissing would delay things, he kissed Lin Ting’s hair and held him tighter.

Once, this bed had held shared understanding, and at other times, passionate intimacy. Now, it held a steady companionship.

In the largest KTV room at the club, over thirty people were gathered. In the center of the room, several large tables were laden with beer, drinks, fruit platters, and more. Some people hadn’t arrived yet, and those who couldn’t wait had already started eating and singing.

Wen Lan and Lin Ting were the earliest arrivals. They had been sitting on the sofa, drinking, when a few newcomers, unceremoniously dropped off by a taxi driver dozens of meters away from the club, were navigating their way over using GPS. Worried they might get lost, Wen Lan and Lin Ting went downstairs to wait for them in the lobby.

“Hey, don’t you think,” Wen Lan leaned in, “we look like what?”

Lin Ting knew what Wen Lan was thinking and deliberately asked instead of answering, “Like what?”

“Like welcoming guests at a wedding! Don’t you think so? I see it on TV all the time.”

Lin Ting put on a stern face. “That’s a shame. Men can’t marry men, so you’ll never get to do that. Maybe you should find a different partner?”

“Tsk, what are you saying? It’s the New Year, be auspicious,” Wen Lan reached out to pat the back of Lin Ting’s head. “Quick, spit, spit.”

“No.”

“Quick!”

“Hiss… Spit, spit, spit, there. Happy now?” Lin Ting found him incredibly childish.

Wen Lan then perked up, sticking his head out to look. “Hey! Over here!” He turned back to Lin Ting. “They’ve arrived.”

Qin Wan and Fang Ran, along with a man Lin Ting didn’t recognize, were waiting across the street for the light to change, waving at them.

Soon, the light turned green. Qin Wan, arm in arm with Fang Ran, ran over and stood before them, looking them up and down. “You two standing here, it really looks like wedding reception hosts…”

Lin Ting knew Wen Lan was shaking his head vigorously without even turning around.

“Brother Wen, you’re getting more delicate,” the unfamiliar man said from behind at the opportune moment.

Wen Lan’s face instantly darkened.

Lin Ting couldn’t stop laughing and pulled Wen Lan upstairs.

Fortunately, they had announced it in the group chat a few days prior. Otherwise, in front of more than thirty people, if Wen Lan were to have a public coming out on the spot, Lin Ting might have had to disown him.

Even so, when Wen Lan fed Lin Ting fruit for the third time, Lin Ting couldn’t take it anymore.

“Brother, you weren’t like this before,” Lin Ting said, snatching a cherry tomato from Wen Lan’s hand. “I can eat myself, I have hands.”

Wen Lan didn’t know what was happening to him. Their interactions had been normal before, but ever since he had come out to these younger guys, his behavior had been odd. If he called it showing off, it felt like more than that. For example, when Lin Ting put a piece of watermelon in his mouth, and Qin Wan and Fang Ran saw it, the two girls giggled, and he wasn’t particularly pleased.

But feeding Lin Ting felt very satisfying.

Lin Ting didn’t know what Wen Lan was thinking. “You don’t want watermelon? How about orange?” He then picked up a slice of orange and put it in Wen Lan’s mouth.

It wasn’t about watermelon or oranges, Wen Lan thought.

After much hesitation, Wen Lan took an apple cut into the shape of a little rabbit and put it into Lin Ting’s mouth. “Stop feeding me, you eat it.”

“I’ll do it myself, you don’t need to feed me…”

As they nudged each other, more than half of the fruit platter was cleared.

“What are you two doing? Are you going to let other people eat the fruit platter?” Wang Xingzhi’s voice cut in at the right moment. “Warning! Stop showing off, it’s enough. We’ve been eating dog food for half the night. Give us some breathing room, brothers. It’s New Year’s Eve, not a wedding banquet.”

“Ahem…” Lin Ting realized they had gone a bit too far, but ultimately, Wen Lan had started it. “Talking to you, stop feeding me.”

Wen Lan sheepishly withdrew his hand and picked up his beer to drink.

“Do you remember when we all got together like this before?” Lin Ting also picked up his beer bottle and clinked it with Wen Lan’s. “We used to play stupid games like Truth or Dare.”

“I remember, but back then I was wondering if you liked me or were just playing around. After I probed and we finally got together… you actually dumped me. Thinking about it still makes me angry,” Wen Lan said, placing his beer bottle on the table. He propped his arms on his legs and turned his head to look at Lin Ting, his gaze clearly indicating he was about to bring up old grievances.

Over the past few years, Wen Lan had become increasingly skilled at bringing up old grievances, always finding an excuse to mention this matter.

“It’s the New Year, behave yourself,” Lin Ting said. “If you want to bring up old grievances, I’ll report you for trespassing in the middle of the night with the intention of…”

Before he could finish, Wen Lan quickly covered Lin Ting’s mouth, but Song Mi still overheard.

“Brother Lin, who trespassed? I have someone I know who works in the police station. Tell me, I’ll help you sue him!”

Wen Lan gave him a look. Lin Ting pulled away the hand covering his mouth. “No one, you misheard.”

Suddenly, the lights went out. They both looked up to see Li Ziyao had turned them off, leaving only a few dim lights.

Wen Lan and Lin Ting exchanged a look, a bad premonition rising in both their hearts.

As expected, Yu Zhile grabbed the microphone and shouted, “Let’s play Truth or Dare!”

“Shit.”

“Fuck.”

They both sighed in unison.

As the lights of the city brightened, and it was the festive Lunar New Year, the center of S City was always lively. The large red characters congratulating the New Year on the LED screen outside the floor-to-ceiling window cast a particularly festive glow on the glass.

“It’s Brother Lin again!! My turn to ask this time! Remember that time we went to the haunted house, and you wore Brother Wen’s clothes the next day? What happened? What exactly happened that night!?” Song Mi, clearly enjoying the drama, asked with wide, eager eyes.

“A defining moment, understand?” Wen Lan answered quickly.

A chorus of cheers erupted around them. Lin Ting shook his head and took a gulp of his wine.

Lin Ting wished there was no such thing as Truth or Dare in the world.

Whizz!—Bang!—

Suddenly, the sound of fireworks erupted outside the window. Everyone abandoned the game and rushed to the window to watch.

Wen Lan and Lin Ting lagged behind the others. They looked out the window, below them the dazzling neon lights, and above, fireworks blooming like golden flowers and silver threads on the dark canvas.

On the distant LED screen, the final countdown was underway.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1—

“0!”

“Happy New Year!” The atmosphere reached its peak as the countdown hit zero. Some were cheering with their faces pressed against the glass, others excitedly lifted the person next to them, and some, drunk, clung to their companions’ arms, proposing another toast.

Wen Lan tugged at Lin Ting’s sleeve. As Lin Ting leaned in, Wen Lan placed a kiss on his forehead. “Happy New Year.”

Lin Ting smiled at him and took something out of his pocket.

“Hold out your hand.”

Ever since Li Ziyao turned off the lights, the room had been dim. Wen Lan couldn’t see very clearly, but he already had an idea of what it was.

Lin Ting took Wen Lan’s left hand and slid a simple silver ring onto his ring finger. “Do you like it?”

Wen Lan’s expression froze. He stared at the ring on his hand for a long time before seeming to realize, then he also took a simple ring from his pocket and placed it on Lin Ting’s left ring finger. “How did you know I would…”

“I didn’t,” Lin Ting said, looking at the ring on his hand in the dim light. “But we have chemistry, didn’t you notice I didn’t plan on buying one for myself, and neither did you?”

Wen Lan smiled, reached out, and pulled Lin Ting’s hand, taking a photo of the two rings. He posted it on his social media with the caption ‘Happy New Year.’

Su Li liked it almost instantly: “Happy New Year, son-in-law.”

The second like was from Wen Tan: “Eat and drink plenty, it’s all on my tab.”

Around them, the boisterous laughter of the crowd, the warm body beside him, the two of them leaning shoulder to shoulder, chatting idly.

“I love you.”

“Mmm.”

“Mmm?”

“I know, you love me.”

“Hiss…”

“I love you too.”

—The End—