After lying in the hospital for a week, Pei Hao's hands could finally eat normally. During this time, Pei Yi Xin only visited him once, and that was because Song Wanqin forcibly dragged him there.
When Song Wanqin went out to find the doctor, the father and son sat in the hospital room, awkwardly staring at each other. Later, when the doctor came in to examine the leg injury, Song Wanqin deliberately asked Pei Yi Xin to help support Pei Hao's leg. Reluctantly, Pei Yi Xin touched Pei Hao lightly.
Pei Hao understood his old man's stubbornness very well. If he didn't provide an opportunity for him to save face, the old man would never willingly back down. So, while his father was helping support his leg, Pei Hao softly said, "Thank you."
In an instant, the old man released Pei Hao's leg, which was encased in a cast. He snorted disdainfully but his expression seemed to soften a bit.
Afterward, Pei Yi Xin got busy with some company matters. He was flying around to meet clients and hadn't been at the hospital for a long time.
However, others who heard about Pei Hao being in the hospital came to visit. Pei Hao turned away those he wasn't close to, but for those like Egg Brother with whom he had a rapport, he shared the hospital's address.
On the day that Fu Yan came, it was drizzling rain outside. Pei Hao looked through the window at the gloomy sky. Raindrops fell steadily from the eaves, interweaving into a gray web that enveloped the hospital. The central avenue of the hospital was deserted, and with closed eyes, he could hear the rhythmic tapping of raindrops on the window glass, like percussion instruments, somewhat muffled. Pei Hao was about to fall asleep when he saw Fu Yan, dressed casually, holding a bouquet of flowers, knocking on the door and entering.
Fu Yan had always been good-looking, different from Pei Hao's sharp and rebellious demeanor. He carried an air of humility and grace, like a gentleman, exuding an aura of elegance. No matter how jealous people were of him, once they saw him smile, they had to admit that he was so gentle that you couldn't bring yourself to hate him.
In middle school, Pei Hao was a bit of a rebel. He didn't listen to teachers and didn't like interacting with others. Coupled with having a face that attracted girls, many people didn't like him. Fu Yan appeared during his rebellious phase, being the mediator who hung out with him and his classmates, covering for him when things went wrong.
Pei Hao was lazy; he didn't care about what others thought and didn't bother with other people's affairs. However, he was willing to do a lot for Fu Yan. Undoubtedly, Fu Yan held a special place in his heart.
But he didn't know when Mo Xi gradually entered his sight – a silly-looking boy who wasn't into basketball but wanted to join the basketball team, didn't like Japanese yet signed up for Japanese classes, and often stared straight at Pei Hao for a long time, not hiding his affection.
His fearless approach to liking someone, crashing into you with enthusiasm, appearing in front of you every two to three days – it was impossible for Pei Hao not to notice.
The day Mo Xi confessed, Pei Hao had an important basketball game. There were hundreds of spectators at the scene, and he spotted Mo Xi in the crowd – wearing their team uniform, with a white headband that read "Victor," a typical display of teenage exuberance. Every time Pei Hao scored, Mo Xi danced with excitement, even happier than if he had won himself. After the game, they won by two points, and Pei Hao's teammates invited him to dinner to celebrate. Pei Hao looked at Mo Xi, who had been unable to approach him, and said, "I'll catch up with you later, go ahead."
When Mo Xi confessed, Pei Hao's heart blossomed with happiness. If he traced back to when he started having feelings for Mo Xi, it was probably around that time. It was a hot day, and Mo Xi's skin had a thin layer of sweat. Sunlight gently reflected off the tiny hairs on his face, creating a white sheen. His eyelashes fluttered, and without thinking, Pei Hao pulled him into an embrace. Mo Xi blushed shyly.
Later, a guy named Xu showed interest in Mo Xi. Pei Hao saw Xu placing his hand on Mo Xi, and a surge of jealousy overcame him. Every pore on his body was exuding jealousy. He wished he could break that guy's hand.
He had been drawn to Mo Xi for a long time, but his brain was probably being chased by a car at the time.
During their years together, Mo Xi had treated him too well. He believed that no matter how unreasonable he acted, Mo Xi wouldn't leave. So, he often acted recklessly and thoughtlessly.
But people have feelings. He had taken Mo Xi's sincere heart and reduced it to dust. When he hit rock bottom, he finally realized he should have cherished and treasured that person. Unfortunately, that person had vanished without a trace.
The rain outside gradually stopped, and the sky cleared up. Pei Hao withdrew his absent gaze and turned to Fu Yan at the door. He offered a simple greeting, "You're here?"
If this had happened a few years ago, knowing that Fu Yan had come to visit him would have excited Pei Hao for hours in advance. But today, he had forgotten that Fu Yan was coming to see him, just like how he had forgotten about Fu Yan's marriage half a month ago.
"Are you okay?" Fu Yan looked at Pei Hao standing by the window, lost in thought. He placed the flowers on the table in the hospital room and found a chair to sit down.
"I'm alright." Pei Hao struggled to sit up from the bed, but he winced when the movement strained his injured leg, emitting a soft hiss.
Seeing this, Fu Yan quickly stepped forward and supported Pei Hao, asking carefully, "Why did Uncle hit you so hard?"
"I came out of the closet, and he forced me to." Pei Hao shrugged indifferently, his eyes holding a hint of exhaustion. "Thanks to Miss Zhao."
"Coming out? Miss Zhao?" Fu Yan was surprised. He
had heard that Pei Hao had been beaten into the hospital by his father, but he knew nothing about the circumstances. Learning that it was related to Zhao's family made him even more confused.
Pei Hao rubbed his temples and said in a heavy tone, "I'll explain later. My head hurts now."
"Should I call the doctor?"
"No need, I just don't want to talk about that person right now." Pei Hao waved his hand. If it weren't for Zhao Yixuan, none of this would have happened. Just mentioning her name still irked him. If the other party were a guy, he'd have gone to give him a beating when he was better, but the other party happened to be a woman.
This was the first time in his life he had a quarrel with a woman. He hadn't figured out how to handle it.
Fu Yan knew Pei Yi Xin, and he had known from a young age that this uncle was not easy to deal with. The fact that Pei Hao had been forced out of the closet meant that his days wouldn't be easy going forward. He looked concerned and asked, "What are you planning to do next?"
"Next? I'll just take it as it comes." Pei Hao let out a self-deprecating cold laugh. After a pause, his voice gradually grew clearer. "First, stabilize the old man and make sure he doesn't bother Mo Xi. Then, I'll find a way to leave the company, even leave X City if I have to." He pondered for a moment, a peculiar gleam flashing in his eyes, and he asserted, "I must break free from the old man's control no matter what."
"Is this still related to Mo Xi?" Fu Yan was taken aback. If he remembered correctly, they had broken up almost two years ago.
"Uh, yeah. It's mainly me. I shamelessly fly to the U.S. to secretly see him. My dad found out about it."
Fu Yan was slightly stunned, momentarily unable to find the right words. He knew that Pei Hao used to like Mo Xi, but flying over to see him even two years after their breakup was beyond his understanding of Pei Hao.
Pei Hao was usually aloof, doing things without considering others' thoughts. To put it nicely, he had his own ideas; to put it bluntly, he was incredibly self-centered. Back in high school, Pei Hao had jokingly confessed to him once, got rejected, and then that person never brought it up again or showed any further interest. It was hard for him to imagine that someone like Pei Hao, who was so proud and carefree, would actually care so much about someone for so many years.
"Is it because this doesn't seem like me?" Pei Hao sat on the edge of the bed, smiling with a touch of desolation. As he smiled, his eyes seemed to mist over. "I probably won't forget him in my lifetime."
Fu Yan sat in his chair, unsure of how to respond. No wonder Egg Brother had been constantly lamenting that Pei Hao was beyond saving. Today, he finally understood that Pei Hao was indeed head over heels for Mo Xi.
However, as an outsider, there was nothing he could do. He could only offer some comforting words to Pei Hao. Whether Pei Hao and Mo Xi had a future together depended on fate.
After chatting for a while, Fu Yan's wife called, saying there was a gathering in the evening. Seeing that it was getting late, Fu Yan bid farewell to Pei Hao.
As he stepped out into the corridor, he spotted Song Wanqin sitting in a chair, wearing a smiling expression, waiting for him. She waved at him, "Xiao Yan, come here, Auntie has a few questions for you."
They had been neighbors when he and Pei Hao were in school, and because of his good relationship with Pei Hao, Song Wanqin had always treated him with special care.
Fu Yan pondered that Song Wanqin probably wanted to ask about Pei Hao coming out of the closet. He didn't know how much Pei Hao had revealed, so he wasn't too keen on discussing it with her. Besides, he might have been Pei Hao's first confession target, which made him even more hesitant to talk.
"Auntie!" Despite his reluctance, Fu Yan still forced himself to walk over to Song Wanqin, sitting down beside her and saying, "You have questions?"
Song Wanqin pulled him to sit next to her. This time, she didn't make small talk but went straight to the point, "Pei Hao has grown up like this. His dad and I have been busy with this and that, and we haven't properly taken care of him. Hey, you're already married, and he's never brought a girlfriend home. We're really worried."
Fu Yan listened and nodded, indicating his understanding.
"Actually, maybe his dad and I don't understand Pei Hao as well as you do. Many times, we don't know what he's thinking. It's our fault for not spending enough time on him before."
"Don't say that, he's doing fine."
You've never let him worry about money, sent him to the best schools, the best hospitals, and supported whatever he wanted to do. Besides, his sexual orientation is something you can't change no matter how hard you try.
Fu Yan thought this in his heart but didn't dare to say it aloud.
"You grew up playing together. Do you know what kind of girl Pei Hao likes?" Song Wanqin persisted. She couldn't believe that her son had never liked girls.
This generation held onto certain values that they had maintained for decades, making it hard for them to suddenly accept that their children could be gay.
Fu Yan sighed inwardly but continued to play along, pretending to contemplate, "I'm not really sure. He doesn't seem to have had a girlfriend."
Song Wanqin's face fell as she listened, and Fu Yan couldn't make out the expression in her eyes.
"Then... is Pei Hao close to a guy named Mo Xi in college? What's this person like?"
Actually, this was the purpose of Song Wanqin's talk with him today. She was curious about the kind of person that her son had fallen so deeply in love with, someone who made him like he was under a spell for so many years and continued flying to the U.S. to see even after breaking up.
And Fu Yan was someone she had seen grow up, so his words were naturally more reliable than those of outsiders.
"Mo Xi," Fu Yan hesitated slightly, feeling a bit awkward, then said, "Although we haven't interacted much, from what I've seen, he's a pretty straightforward guy. He doesn't seem to have ulterior motives and is considerate of others."
Song Wanqin listened attentively, and after Fu Yan finished, she sat there contemplating for a moment. Then she raised her head and asked, "Did Pei Hao initiate...," halfway through her sentence, she seemed to realize something, stopped, and looked at Fu Yan. "I mean, how did they meet?"
"I'm not really sure about that." Fu Yan pretended to scratch his head in confusion, shaking his head.
"Oh, I see." Song Wanqin patted Fu Yan's shoulder and finally showed a hint of a smile. She then asked about Fu Yan's family life, "You just got married. Are you adjusting well?"
"It's good. It's just that in the first week, we've been visiting relatives all over the place," Fu Yan raised his hand to check his watch, "and later I have to go to her uncle's place."
"Ah, don't let me keep you." Song Wanqin stood up hastily, pointing towards the hospital exit. "Go on, go on!"
"Okay, Auntie. I'll take my leave then." Fu Yan sighed in relief internally, stood up, and gave a slight bow to Song Wanqin before leaving quickly.
As he walked, he sighed: Oh Pei Hao, this is all I can do to help you.