No Ghosting Allowed

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Zhou Shusheng was over eighty years old, but he was still quite strong. He preferred solitude and didn’t like to spend time with his children and grandchildren. As a result, he continued to live alone in the small courtyard, the size of a palm, in the old alley.

When Zhou Qingbo and Jiang Man arrived, the old man was reclining on a lounge chair in the courtyard, listening to a radio. Upon seeing them, he lazily opened his eyes and glanced at them.

“You’re here?” Zhou Shusheng pointed with his cigarette at the small house nearby and said, “Qingbo, go inside and relax. We’ll have dinner later. I want to have a word with your sister-in-law.”

Zhou Qingbo didn’t know what Zhou Jianguo had told Zhou Shusheng or how much he knew about his situation. He had suddenly disturbed the old man’s peace, and although he had prepared himself to be lectured, he found that his prepared words weren’t needed. He could only hesitantly enter the house.

After he closed the door, Zhou Shusheng sat up from the lounge chair and absentmindedly tapped the ash off his cigarette.

“Qingbo’s  matter, Liang Ying has already talked to me about it.” Zhou Shusheng got straight to the point, “Your dad is acting up just because he’s well-off now and has too much time on his hands. Tell him, it’s what I said. He should mind his own business instead of being so nosy. If he has that much free time, he might as well join a folk dance.”

Jiang Man: “…”

Zhou Qingbo, who was eavesdropping behind the door: “…”

The old house had poor sound insulation. In just a few steps, Zhou Qingbo, who had closed the door, could clearly hear Zhou Shusheng and Jiang Man’s conversation.

“Grandfather, Grandpa—” Jiang Man awkwardly chuckled twice and said, “Um…”

“No need to stammer. I’ve lived for so many years; I’ve seen it all,” Zhou Shusheng coldly snorted and said, “Back in the day, our village was so poor that we could hardly make ends meet. Not many could afford to marry, and there were plenty like Qingbo who lived together. He meddles in everything, including who his son likes.

“Let him be.” Zhou Shusheng said, “If he likes a man, you can’t stop him; if he’s not sincere and just doing it for fun, he’ll get tired of it after a while.”

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Jiang Man nodded vigorously in her heart, thinking that Zhou Shusheng was much more open-minded than Zhou Jianguo.

But while agreeing, she couldn’t just go along with Zhou Shusheng’s criticism of the elders so she smiled and said politely, “Dad probably feels it’s wrong and not suitable.”

“Wrong and not suitable? Who is he to judge right from wrong?” Zhou Shusheng narrowed his eyes and said, “Your grandmother was a wealthy young lady back then. I was just a worker in her family. There was so much difference between us not to mention the different backgrounds and social status. With so much difference between us, we didn’t care if we were suitable or not because all that mattered was that we were in love. If we cared so much about everything else, your father wouldn’t even exist.”

“Besides, whether it’s suitable or not, that’s something you decide for yourselves, not what others say.” Zhou Shusheng got a bit agitated as he spoke, tapping his cigarette on the table, making a clanging sound. “Back then, your grandmother’s family didn’t approve of me due to my low status. When she was young, so many people advised me to distance myself from her and our child. Did I listen in the end?”

This was something Zhou Qingbo knew. He had heard his parents mention it countless times when he was a child. Zhou Shusheng came from poverty as a young man, coming out of the countryside. At the time, Qingbo’s grandmother was a well-known wealthy merchant’s daughter in the City. By chance, she got to know Zhou Shusheng, who was working as a laborer in her family. They somehow developed feelings for each other, and against the family’s wishes, they got married.

On the day of their marriage, Zhou Shusheng vowed to treat her well for a lifetime. And indeed, he followed through on his promise.

Over the decades of their marriage, even through changes in dynasties and the decline of her family’s status, Zhou Shusheng still treated her as a wealthy young lady, taking care of all household chores himself. He never let her do any housework or cook a meal.

“Life is for us to enjoy on our own terms, whether the experiences are good or bad, just let it be.” Zhou Shusheng concluded firmly, saying, “Tell your father this is what I said.”

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The courtyard was small, and Zhou Qingbo knew that Zhou Shusheng’s words might be directed at him. So, he straightened up, returned to the bed, took out his phone, and sent a WeChat message to Pei You.

“My mom found you a good ally.” Zhou Qingbo exclaimed, “We should be in the clear now.”

His sentence was quite brief, with only “in the clear” standing out. Pei You’s eyes brightened, and he immediately replied.

“Are you okay now?” Pei You asked.

During the days Zhou Qingbo was confined at home, Pei You wasn’t completely at ease either. Having spent so much time together, suddenly being apart for several days left him feeling restless.

He missed Zhou Qingbo so much and was worried that the coming out process might not be going smoothly. This uneasiness had him tossing and turning every night and struggling to focus on his work.

“When can I see you?” Pei You’s messages kept coming rapidly: “Should I pick you up?”

Clearly, these days had been tough for him as well. His messages arrived one after the other, showing a sense of impatience that was unlike his usual self. Zhou Qingbo smiled slightly, sending him a cat rolling emoji.

“Not yet.” Zhou Qingbo replied, “I’ll be in touch.”

Even though both he and Zhou Jianguo knew that the visit to Zhou Shusheng was just an excuse to let him out, Zhou Qingbo couldn’t just leave right away. So, he patiently spent the afternoon playing chess with his grandfather, had dinner, and waited for Zhou Shusheng to go back to his room and turn off the lights before stealthily opening the door and sending another message to Pei You.

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He didn’t explain much but simply sent Pei You his location. Pei You looked at the message, realizing that it was near Wudaoying.

The location was simply displayed in the chat without any explanation or commonly used emojis from Zhou Qingbo. Pei You wasn’t sure what it meant, but after a moment’s thought, he closed his computer, grabbed his car keys, and headed in the direction indicated.

The old alleys twisted and turned, and cars couldn’t easily pass through. So, Pei You had to park on the side of the road and walk toward the destination following the location on his phone.

He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, walked through the old bicycles and hung out old clothes, looking a bit out of place against the surroundings.

He walked according to the navigation without knowing how long he had been walking until he finally approached the destination. His Bluetooth earbuds signaled the end of navigation, and Pei You put away his phone. He was about to look around when he heard someone above him call his name.

Instinctively, Pei You raised his head and noticed Zhou Qingbo sitting on a wall not far behind him, looking at him with a smile.

Zhou Qingbo had been waiting there for a while. He was seated high up and could see far ahead. He had seen Pei You struggling to find his way through the twisting alley with his phone. Zhou Qingbo had thought about calling out to him but then changed his mind, wickedly waiting to see if Pei You could find his way on his own.

The unfamiliar and intricate path didn’t matter; Zhou Qingbo could tell from the direction Pei You was walking that they would eventually cross paths at a certain point. There was no need to rush.

The old brick wall was over three meters high. Zhou Qingbo’s legs dangled off the wall while he supported his arm with the other leg, giving him a good vantage point. He lowered his head with a smile, and his gaze met Pei You’s.

“This lost tourist.” Zhou Qingbo smiled as he asked, “Is your golden house ready yet?”

Perhaps because he was sitting high up, his tone was light and carefree, almost as if he was casual about it. Yet, there was a hint of control in his demeanor, as if he had the upper hand. But his laughter revealed a touch of playfulness, which somewhat softened the sharpness, thanks to the smile at the end.

Pei You looked up at Zhou Qingbo and suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.

The cold moonlight fell on him, and even the smile at the corner of his lips carried a slightly enigmatic meaning. Zhou Qingbo looked down at Pei You, his gaze carrying a hint of seriousness, as if he was waiting for an answer.

“… It’s done.” Pei You’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he softly said, “You’re the only missing piece.”

“Is that so?” Zhou Qingbo chuckled and said, “Then I’ll give you a chance to hide me in your ‘golden house’.”

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As he spoke, he exerted force on his feet and unexpectedly jumped straight down from the wall. Instinctively, Pei You reached out to catch him, but Zhou Qingbo skillfully pressed him against the wall.

With a playful gleam in his eyes and an uncontrollable excitement in his tone, Zhou Qingbo, almost overflowing with intimacy and joy, closed the distance that had been present a moment ago. Pei You felt as if he, too, was filled with Zhou Qingbo’s emotions. He was about to say something when Zhou Qingbo suddenly lowered his head and kissed him.

“Qingb—”

“shhh,” Zhou Qingbo whispered softly, “My grandfather is sleeping inside. He’s a light sleeper, don’t wake him up.”

Pei You had always been well-behaved and had never been this intimate with someone in front of his elders. Even though there was a wall between them, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.

His back tensed up, feeling a mix of embarrassment and restlessness in this passionate and hasty kiss. He subconsciously wanted to push Zhou Qingbo away but also felt a slight reluctance.

Seeing Pei You’s hesitation, Zhou Qingbo intensified the kiss, pressing Pei You against the wall, taking control and leading the pace.

This kiss, infused with the excitement of their reunion, entwined their tongues. After a while, Zhou Qingbo gradually realized that Pei You had switched to a new mouthwash during these few days.

The familiar peppermint scent had been replaced by a softer lemon fragrance. Zhou Qingbo’s gaze deepened, and he gently bit Pei You’s lip.

“I missed you so much,” Zhou Qingbo said, “Did you miss me?”

“…I did.” Pei You finished speaking but felt it wasn’t enough, so he added, “so much.”