Chapter 89
November 22nd was Chi Aibei’s birthday. A week prior, Chi Wendong had called him to ask how he wanted to celebrate.
Last year at this time, Chi Aibei had used exam revision as an excuse to skip it. This year, he still intended to pass.
Chi Wendong said, “You’re turning eighteen; we have to do something. Mom and Dad wanted to throw a banquet, but I figured you wouldn’t want that, so I didn’t agree. Do you want to take your classmates out for dinner, or should I arrange a party villa for you to invite people over?”
Chi Aibei asked curiously, “Brother, you’ve never really had a proper birthday yourself, right? How do you even know about party villas?”
Chi Wendong replied, “I haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen a pig run? I asked around.”
To have his brother put aside work specifically to look into such things moved Chi Aibei quite a bit. “Thanks, Brother.”
As soon as he hung up, he told Lin Xiu about it and then began to worry. “Brother, who should I invite? I don’t feel like I’ve made any particularly close friends over the past six months.”
Lin Xiu fell silent for a moment. “I’ll help you invite people.”
Chi Aibei suddenly looked at Lin Xiu. “Invite who?”
Lin Xiu shot him a glance. The boy was clearly a social butterfly, so why was he struggling to think of guests now? “Zhuang Yuan, Wu Yue.”
Chi Aibei quickly added, “I’ll be the one to talk to Wu Yue.” They still hadn’t spoken to each other to this day; if Lin Xiu were to invite him, Chi Aibei feared Wu Yue would be traumatized.
Lin Xiu didn’t insist. “Meng Huaiqing. Didn’t he invite you to his house last time?”
Chi Aibei snorted. “He didn’t invite me to play; he clearly wanted me to bring you along.”
Lin Xiu let out a small laugh. This kid really wasn’t just normally dense in certain areas; it had taken him this long to realize he was being utilized.
Lin Xiu took over the task of inviting guests. Chi Aibei didn’t ask who else was coming. By the evening of his birthday, as the guest of honor, he had already been brought to the villa by Chi Wendong.
The villa was fully staffed with a butler and chefs, offering everything from Western cuisine to outdoor barbecue. As night fell, the guests invited by Lin Xiu began to arrive one by one.
Wang Yunmiao and Li Chun arrived and immediately handed Chi Aibei gifts. “Happy Birthday.”
Chi Aibei hadn’t expected Lin Xiu to invite them too. “Thank you.”
Zhuang Yuan and Wu Yue were personally invited by Chi Aibei. He felt that if Lin Xiu had asked, Wu Yue might not have come, and since Lin Xiu didn’t like Zhuang Yuan, he probably would have “conveniently” forgotten him.
Meng Huaiqing got out of his car. Just as Chi Aibei was about to wave, he saw Di Zuo pop out from the passenger seat, followed by Meng Ying and He Youyou from the back.
As Meng Huaiqing handed over a birthday gift, Chi Aibei whispered, “Brother Wheelchair, why did you bring him?”
Meng Huaiqing looked surprised. “Weren’t you the one who invited him?”
Chi Aibei’s eyes widened, looking at Meng Huaiqing with a “Have I gone mad?” expression.
Meng Huaiqing was confused for a moment before he suddenly realized what was happening. He smiled. “Lin Xiu must have invited him.”
Chi Aibei frowned. Why would Lin Xiu invite Di Zuo?
Just as he was thinking this, Di Zuo’s dissatisfied voice came from behind. “What are you doing here?”
He Chenjiang held a gift for Chi Aibei. “I’m here for the same reason you are.”
Chi Aibei: “…” What on earth? How did He Chenjiang end up here too?
Meng Huaiqing watched the two who had started bickering the moment they arrived. He raised an eyebrow and asked Chi Aibei, “Where’s Lin Xiu?” The man had invited his love rivals, yet he hadn’t shown his face.
Chi Aibei said, “Brother said he had things to do and would come later.”
Meng Huaiqing narrowed his eyes. To invite both these guys and then feel comfortable enough not to be here—that really didn’t seem like Lin Xiu’s style.
Lin Yang walked in and exclaimed, “Whoa, as expected of Chi Aibei. A birthday on such a grand scale.”
It had been a long time since Chi Aibei had seen Lin Yang and Jiang Yu. He ran over. “You guys came too!”
Lin Yang: “Nonsense. How could we not show up for your birthday?”
Jiang Yu looked at He Chenjiang, who was still arguing with Di Zuo. “Why is he here?”
Chi Aibei shrugged. “No idea.”
Seeing he was still as eccentric as ever after a while apart, Jiang Yu said, “It’s your birthday and you don’t know?”
Chi Aibei truly didn’t know. If he had, he never would have let him come!
Once everyone arrived, everyone who was supposed to be there—except for Lin Xiu—was present. Chi Aibei’s gifts were piled like a small mountain by the sofa. Not wanting to dampen their spirits, Chi Wendong stayed for a while before leaving first.
After eating and drinking their fill, everyone headed to the karaoke room on the first floor. Chi Aibei was looking distractedly toward the door. Lin Yang suddenly sat down next to him with a glass of alcohol, shouting, “The birthday boy has to have a drink today!”
Zhuang Yuan joined in the heckling. “Exactly. You’re eighteen now, a legal adult. What’s with you always holding a soft drink?”
Caught between Zhuang Yuan and Lin Yang, Chi Aibei was forced to gulp down half a glass of beer.
On the previous two occasions, Chi Aibei had only reached a state of being “tipsy” before going to sleep. This time, half a glass of beer sent him straight into a high. He didn’t even know where he’d tossed the phone he’d been clutching to text Lin Xiu.
When Lin Xiu arrived, he saw Chi Aibei standing on the table with a microphone, directing those who lost games to perform punishments.
Lin Yang was the first to spot Lin Xiu. He’d had quite a bit to drink and was swaying. Seeing Lin Xiu, he blurted out, “Lin Xiu, why are you only getting here now?”
Chi Aibei looked toward the door. Seeing Lin Xiu standing there in his coat, holding a bouquet of red roses, Chi Aibei took a large stride to step off the coffee table. Meng Huaiqing quickly reached out to steady him. Chi Aibei stumbled slightly, but once his feet hit the ground, he pushed Meng Huaiqing’s hand away and walked toward Lin Xiu.
He asked unhappily, “Where did you go?”
The microphone was still in Chi Aibei’s hand. With this shout, the entire room was instantly filled with the sound of his complaint.
Lin Xiu: “To prepare a gift for you.”
Chi Aibei glanced at the flowers in his hand. “This?”
“This isn’t the gift.” Lin Xiu handed him the flowers. Seeing his glazed eyes, Lin Xiu asked, “Have you been drinking?”
“I have. It’s because you didn’t come.” Chi Aibei clutched the flowers and reached out a hand. “Where’s my gift?”
Lin Xiu gripped his hand. “Right here.”
Chi Aibei looked at Lin Xiu’s hand muzzily. “Where?”
Lin Xiu: “Right in front of you.”
Chi Aibei looked up blankly.
Lin Xiu asked with a smile, “Do you want a boyfriend as a gift?”
Having drunk quite a bit, Chi Aibei’s brain was a little slow. He looked at Lin Xiu; today, Lin Xiu was exceptionally handsome. Chi Aibei swallowed. “…Boyfriend? Who?”
Lin Xiu was relieved the boy hadn’t drunk himself into a stupor, otherwise all his preparations would have been for nothing. He squeezed Chi Aibei’s hand firmly. “Me.”
Chi Aibei was still holding the microphone. Lin Xiu’s words were heard clearly by everyone.
Lin Yang felt he really had drunk too much. He kept nudging Jiang Yu with his elbow. “Am I hallucinating?”
Jiang Yu frowned. “Has Lin Xiu gone mad?”
Looking at Jiang Yu’s expression, Lin Yang was certain he wasn’t hallucinating. Lin Yang actually wasn’t that surprised; after all, back in high school, he’d felt these two were acting ambiguous.
Wang Yunmiao wouldn’t miss a single source of sugar. She immediately took out her phone to record a documentary.
Li Chun, wearing a full “Auntie Smile,” said, “Remember to send me a copy when you’re done recording.”
He Youyou glanced at Di Zuo. “What did I tell you?”
Di Zuo gritted his teeth and snorted. “He hasn’t agreed yet.”
Chi Aibei didn’t know if it was the alcohol kicking in, but his head felt dizzy. Seeing him staring blankly, Lin Xiu patiently asked again, “Do you want it?”
As if afraid he would run away, Chi Aibei grabbed his hand tightly. “I want!”
Lin Xiu smiled. “If you want it, you can’t go back on your word.”
Chi Aibei stared at him without blinking, shaking his head. “No going back.”
Lin Xiu: “We have to seal it with a stamp for it to count.”
Chi Aibei felt like he was floating. Just as he was about to ask what kind of stamp, Lin Xiu suddenly leaned in. Then, he felt a coolness on the corner of his lips…
Clatter!
A piercing screech of feedback came from the speakers.
The microphone in Chi Aibei’s hand had slipped and hit the floor. Zhuang Yuan covered his ears with a hiss. “Why didn’t he drop his flowers instead!”
Among these people, some were surprised, some were delighted, and some had guessed Lin Xiu’s intentions and were smiling calmly. Only He Chenjiang’s face was ashen, with defiance and resentment written all over it.
Lin Xiu didn’t look at those people at all. He looked at Chi Aibei, whose lips were pursed and whose face was red—either from the alcohol or some other reason. “There’s another gift in the room upstairs. Want to go see?”
Hearing there was another gift, Chi Aibei’s eyes lit up. He nodded quickly. “Yes.”
Even though he was the last to arrive, he now put an arm around the little birthday boy’s shoulder and spoke to the others like the master of the house. “Suit yourselves. There are several rooms here; if you’re tired, make your own arrangements. He’s drunk, so I’ll take him to rest first.”
Lin Yang quickly waved them off. “Go, go, go. Stop spreading ‘dog food’ here; nobody wants to eat it.”
Seeing Lin Xiu take him away, He Chenjiang instinctively wanted to follow. Just as he lifted a foot, Di Zuo suddenly blocked him with an arm. “Where do you think you’re going?”
He Chenjiang frowned and glared at him. “Move.”
Di Zuo lowered his hand. “I suggest you save your breath. You looked down on him when he was chasing you; now you want to act deep and affectionate? Who are you performing for?”
He Chenjiang wouldn’t back down an inch when arguing with Di Zuo, but now he couldn’t find a single word to refute him.
He stood there with his head lowered, his hands slowly tightening into fists… Doesn’t everyone say there’s no greater virtue than correcting one’s mistakes? Even criminals get a chance to turn over a new leaf; why is it that for him, it’s a direct death sentence?
Seeing him looking like a stray dog, Di Zuo couldn’t be bothered with him. He turned and sat down next to Meng Huaiqing, picking up a glass of alcohol and draining it. “Damn. Is Lin Xiu really your Xiao Shu’s son? Why is he such a dog? I was wondering why he’d invite me to Chi Aibei’s birthday—turns out he just wanted me to give up!”
Meng Huaiqing smiled. “Then have you given up?”
Di Zuo glanced at him. “Don’t talk to me about ‘the pot calling the kettle black.’ You think I don’t know? You’re interested in that brat too.”
Meng Huaiqing shrugged, not denying it. “Either way, he’s part of our family now. It’s better to keep the fertile water in one’s own field.”
Di Zuo lit a cigarette and tossed the lighter onto the coffee table cluttered with bottles. “Stop being so perverse with that ‘fertile water’ talk. With how full of schemes Lin Xiu is, you’d better be careful.”
“I’m not particularly worried. At most, the Meng family will give him half; I was already worried the pressure of handling it alone was too much.” Meng Huaiqing looked at Di Zuo. “What about you? Why did you stop He Chenjiang just now? Looking at your attitude, does this mean you’ve given up?”
Di Zuo leaned against the sofa and exhaled a puff of smoke. “What if I don’t? You know my family’s situation. I’m not like you. You find the pressure too much and are willing to split the company; I’m the one who has to fight for it.”
During the period after the school anniversary, Di Zuo hadn’t looked for Chi Aibei because his grandfather had been admitted to the hospital. To secure the will, he had to stay by the old man’s side. It was during those days that he finally realized he simply wasn’t fit to like Chi Aibei.
If he wanted the family inheritance, his family would never allow him to be with a man. Marriage and children were his only path.
Di Zuo looked at Meng Huaiqing. “Compared to me, your family is more suitable for him. After all, your family doesn’t have all that nonsense about having to produce an heir to inherit the estate.”
Meng Huaiqing: “Is your family forcing you to get married?”
Di Zuo stubbed out his cigarette. “They’ve arranged one. We’ll get engaged early next year.”
Meng Huaiqing frowned. “Does that girl know you…”
“She knows.” Di Zuo said, “I told her the first time we met. She doesn’t care. She said it’s a business marriage anyway, and after the wedding, we can both play however we want.”
Accustomed to his joking and laughing, seeing him turn serious made Meng Huaiqing feel a bit out of sorts. “Is that really okay?”
Di Zuo stretched his arms and gave a smile. “What’s not okay? At the very least, we’re like-minded.”
Translator’s Note: “Dog food” (撒狗粮 – sā gǒuliáng) is Chinese slang for public displays of affection (PDA). Single people are called “single dogs,” and watching a couple be sweet is like being “fed dog food.” “Fertile water doesn’t flow into outsiders’ fields” (肥水不流外人田 – féishuǐ bù liú wàirén tián) is a common saying meaning you should keep benefits within the family. Here, Meng Huaiqing is joking that even if he doesn’t get Aibei, Lin Xiu (his cousin) getting him still keeps Aibei “in the family.”
Recommended Reads
