Happy times are always brief. After the tranquility, the gale and torrential rain inevitably strike. Chi Hanqing had long been prepared for this.
On Monday evening, as Chi Hanqing returned to the Chi residence, he felt a moment of trance while looking at the luxury and opulence before him. He wondered if this were really his home or if it were truly a home at all. Unfortunately, some questions would never be answered because some things are destined from the moment of birth. There was no solution.
As soon as he changed his shoes, the butler approached with a smile and noted respectfully that the Mistress was waiting for him in the study. Chi Hanqing nodded and walked upstairs. He placed his backpack in his room before heading toward the study.
Inside, Mother Chi sat behind the desk in a bright red dressing gown with her wavy hair flowing down. Although she was over forty, she looked barely thirty due to careful maintenance. She was elegant and poised. Chi Hanqing had inherited much of his beauty from her. As he entered, she raised her eyes while her manicured fingers tapped lightly on the desk. She told him to take a look.
Confusion flickered in the heart of Chi Hanqing as he stepped forward and picked up the photos. When he saw the contents, his mind went blank and his legs felt weak. It felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. The photos showed him and Zhou Fan sitting side by side at the window bar of Little Cloud. Zhou Fan was turned toward him while speaking, and Chi Hanqing was smiling into his eyes. They were sitting so close that the ambiguity between them was palpable even through a photograph.
Mother Chi told him to explain. The single word hit the floor like ice. Chi Hanqing heard her, but he could not think. His ears rang, and fear caused his heart to race. He tried to breathe, but it was in vain. Fear was all he felt. He seemed to have plunged into a frozen sea with his throat constricted.
He realized they had found out and wondered what he should do. He told himself to be calm. He knew this could happen but had chosen to approach Zhou Fan anyway. Since that was the case, he had to take responsibility. Taking a deep breath, he thought of the warmth and happiness he had felt with Zhou Fan. That courage allowed him to finally speak.
He noted that the boy was his classmate and added that he was tutoring him while trying to keep his voice from shaking. Mother Chi let out a light laugh and asked if it was the kind of tutoring where they embraced each other.
Chi Hanqing looked up sharply with disbelief in his eyes and asked if she were spying on him. She noted that he really should not have expected her to let him stay out and fool around with people of low status. She swept her hand across the desk and sent the rest of the photos scattering to the floor.
Chi Hanqing knelt to pick them up, but his fingers were so weak he struggled to grab them. He eventually knelt on the floor entirely. The photos showed them entering the science classroom together, embracing in the coffee shop lounge, and holding hands under the building of the violin teacher. There were many photos of him with the Zhou family at the amusement park.
Chi Hanqing felt a sudden surge of nausea. He trembled while covering his mouth. He realized he had been living under surveillance with no freedom in any of his words or actions.
Mother Chi told him to stand up. Her voice rose sharply with an unquestionable authority as she slammed her palm onto the desk. She asked him what he thought he looked like and if he had any trace of the Chi family left in him. She noted that when he requested to transfer back, she knew his heart was not in the right place, but she had stayed silent because he accepted his father’s proposal. She yelled that he had degraded himself by getting involved with a hoodlum. She insulted the Zhou family for allowing their son to be with a man and for helping to deceive other parents. She called them a low class family and asked if he thought the reputation of the Chi family was not clean enough already.
Chi Hanqing closed his eyes at the insult. He thought of the warm comfort from the mother of Zhou Fan, the hearty laughter of the father, Miaomiao holding his hand, and Zhou Fan whispering that he was treasure. Tears fell uncontrollably. He looked up at his mother through misty eyes.
He noted with a faint smile that it was her family and not his. Mother Chi stood up, rushed toward him, and slapped him hard across the face. After the blow, she seemed to regain her composure. She looked down at her son kneeling on the floor with his face covered in tears and told him coldly that his selfishness ended here. She told him to go to his room and pack his bags.
As soon as Zhou Fan entered the house, he heard the laughter of his parents. He looked over and was shocked to see a teddy bear nearly as large as himself in the living room. Miaomiao was lying in its arms and looked tiny. He asked what it was.
His father was taking photos of Miaomiao and noted it was a gift from his aunt. He added that from tomorrow until Friday, Zhou Fan would be home alone while the parents took Miaomiao to visit the aunt for a few days. Zhou Fan touched the face of Miaomiao and asked if they were really leaving him alone to watch the house.
His mother was eating chips and noted that he was a senior in high school. She added that she was afraid Teacher Jiang would scold her if she asked for more leave for him. She rubbed her arms as if remembering the last parent teacher meeting. Zhou Fan noted they should have a good time.
His mother told him not to be discouraged and pointed to his room to mention his gift was inside. Zhou Fan went inside and found a pair of brand new designer sneakers. Beneath the shoes was a thick stack of study materials. He twitched his mouth and thought his aunt was truly thoughtful. He took out his phone and sent a message to Chi Hanqing.
He mentioned the giant teddy bear and asked what the other boy was doing and if he had eaten. Zhou Fan put his phone away. He knew Chi Hanqing would not reply quickly and was used to waiting patiently. He did not receive a reply until before bed.
Chi Hanqing sent a message stating he just saw the text and added that he liked Zhou Fan. Zhou Fan frowned and felt that the mood of the other boy was off. He wanted to call but was afraid of getting the boy in trouble, so he sent a text asking what was wrong and if he were being treated unfairly. Chi Hanqing asked if Zhou Fan were willing to wait for him. Zhou Fan asked what he meant and where he was going.
After another wait, Chi Hanqing called him directly. Zhou Fan answered immediately and asked what was wrong. The voice of Chi Hanqing was hoarse and carried the sound of crying. He whispered that he might be going abroad. Zhou Fan froze.
Chi Hanqing asked if he were willing to wait. His voice trembled as he promised he would come back as soon as he had the chance. Zhou Fan asked if the family had found out about their relationship. There was only a choked silence on the other end, so the answer was obvious. Zhou Fan sat on his bed and felt a sense of loss. Only yesterday they were wrapped in a blanket enjoying their holiday. Even this morning they had kissed in the lounge of Little Cloud. He knew a secret could not be kept forever, but he did not expect this day to come so soon or to feel so helpless.
He comforted the boy dryly by telling him it was okay. Chi Hanqing began with soft sobs that gradually grew louder. He spoke incoherently about how he liked Zhou Fan and wanted to be with him. Finally he asked in a small and pleading voice if Zhou Fan could wait for him to return.
Zhou Fan felt as if his heart were breaking. His treasure was curled up in a cold iron cage asking if he would wait. Logic told Zhou Fan that they could never be together given their family backgrounds and the nature of the parents. He thought of his own parents too. But hearing the crying, the eyes of Zhou Fan also turned red. He told the boy it was okay and promised to wait for him because he liked him too. He told the boy not to cry and promised that this would pass.