(FENG LIXONG)
I am looking forward to seeing my family soon. ZhuTuan and his wife will come back from a business trip to Japan two days from now and as my son promised, he will give me a chance to make things right for our family.
I want to see Yu again, my grandson. Living alone in our home is not ideal for me. I finally learned something new, that I don't want to live my remaining time here on Earth alone, with my son feeling disappointed at me and with Yu feeling hurt.
My son and grandson...they are precious to me. And I hope I can make everything right tomorrow so things can go back to normal, with my son and his wife living with me and we will get to see Yu every weekend to have meals with him.
It will happen. I will make sure that I will have my family again, intact and loving to each other.
But for now, I have an appointment. Guan asked to meet me in his private office. I am not sure what he wants but he said this has something to do with his grandson. I should say I couldn't care less about Wang Guan's grandson but my words might spread around and Yu will hear about it. I don't want my grandson to think that I really don't care about the man he chose to love.
I have to play nice until I got ZhuTuan's forgiveness and until Yu looked at me like I am his loving grandfather again.
So I agreed to meet Guan. I resolved myself to staying calm and be civil to my enemy, for Yu's sake.
But seeing Guan's face, his smug smile and stance, makes me want to throw away my resolve and put him in his rightful place, subservient and subdued.
"I find it a novelty that I can summon you now and you have no choice but to follow my orders," Guan said.
"It's hardly an order. You requested a meeting and I graciously accept it. If you want to banter insults, just say so, Guan. Stop wasting my time and tell me what you want," I drawled boredly as I sat on the seat opposite from his chair.
"All these times I only want one thing, LiXong. To get my grandson away from yours," Guan threw an envelope across the table. It stopped in front of me so I took and opened to see what's inside it.
Pictures...of my grandson. In garbs meant for a woman.
I felt my whole body going cold as I gazed at my Yu in long hairs, pretty dresses, skinny pants and colorful blouses. His face painted with makeups, his lips shaded and his lashes curled.
My Yu...and his secrets. In photos...
"You..." I look up at Guan. "How dare you...?"
"How dare you?" Guan gave me a cold glare. "You know about this, right? Your grandson being like this..."
I didn't answer, and my silence proved Guan's point.
"Take your grandson away from my Qing before I destroy him and your name using those photos..."
"You won't dare," I called his threat a bluff. "Your grandson..."
"Qing will get the same warning, LiXong." Guan replied in a hard tone. "He will leave that boy or I will start circulating those photos to humiliate his lover and the Fengs. It's time for Qing to heed my command. He had his fun, that is enough. Ever since your grandson came into our lives, my family has been divided. And it will continue to be divided as long as Feng Jian Yu stays in Qing's side. My daughter in law doesn't approve of Feng Jian Yu for Qing. In my part, I don't like your grandson or any Feng. And with this latest discovery of your grandson being a crossdresser is just unacceptable. Don't poise your shame on my family, LiXong. I will never accept someone like that in my family. This must end..."
"Yu is not my shame. This..." I waved the photos in my hand. "Is not my grandson. Yu has issues..."
"I don't care if he has issues, as long as those issues won't touch my family. Won't touch my Qing. My patience can accept my grandson being homosexual. But for him to have a crossdresser, a man in drag, as a lover...you are all asking for too much. Qing will learn that they are limits to what I can accept for him...and your makeup wearing and skirt dressing grandson is not one of those limits. Feng Jian Yu won't do at all..." Guan has made up his mind if his tone will be the indication.
I stared at the photos again. The pictures were taken in secret, some are closing up on Yu's face, some are showing his whole body. But there is one thing common in every picture, Yu's face looks content and happy. As he smiles at his lover or tending to his front yard plants, Yu has a smile or a content look on his face.
My grandson is happy while living with his lover.
But Guan doesn't see that. What he sees is my Yu in skirts and dresses, with Yu's long hair and made up face. A shame...a disgrace...
Yu is not my shame or disgrace. He is my grandson. And Guan is threatening to destroy my Yu.
"I am right," I said as I slid the pictures back to the envelope. "Of course your family cannot withstand having someone like Yu in your care, your name is weak. Unlike mine, we can withstand any scandal that may come because of these photos. And sure, your grandson won't be able to protect my Yu, weak that he is..."
Guan scowled at me, "Qing is not weak. He can compete even against you. Don't you know, Qing was the one who countered your blasted interview revealing about my slave status before. My grandson beat you in your own game, he is that good," Guan sounded proud.
I laughed at his face, "Of course, I should have known that it was not your doings. You cannot think of any strategy to beat me. Yu did great in choosing his lover, my grandson has an eye for talent and strength. But even so, your grandson will prove to me how weak he is once he agreed to let my Yu go. Go on, Guan, blackmail your grandson. Show him these pictures and let me watch as you destroy each other." I stood up, "You don't have to worry about Yu, I will protect him. I can do it. I can protect my grandson. I won't need Wang Qing to do it."
"We will see, LiXong. I gave you a warning...take your grandson away..."
"I will take Yu away!" I shouted at Guan. My patience finally snapping. "How dare you threaten my grandson when you are just someone who used to scrape at my feet. You and your whole destitute family..."
"I am not that boy anymore, LiXong!" Guan shouted back at me. "I have not been that boy a long long time now, LiXong. You are not my master anymore..."
"No, you are right. You are no longer that servant boy, Guan. You blackmail people now." I smirked at him. "Just when I thought you cannot stoop any lower, you've proven me wrong yet again. And just as you are utterly stupid, you just handed me a weapon to completely destroy your relationship with your grandson. What will Wang Qing feels if he learned you photographed his lover and will use them to destroy my Yu?"
"He will be mad," Guan shrugged. "But my son and Qing's brother will finally realize that I am right to oppose Qing's relationship to your grandson. We will be united in preventing Qing to move forward with your grandson. And if Qing won't see reason, we will really test your bravado, LiXong. Let's see how well you can protect your abominable grandson from his own shameful tendency of dressing up like a woman. If I won't have Qing back, I will make sure that you won't have your grandson as well, LiXong. I will destroy him utterly."
I stared at Guan in wonder. "You hated me that much? You will destroy us all..."
"Why not? I won't let you and your blood take more from me, LiXong. ShiAn is enough, you won't have Qing as well..."
"ShiAn is never worth more than our grandsons' happiness, Guan. She..."
"She was a weakness," Guan cut my words. "I admit that now. But as much as I want to forget everything LiXong, your grandson is making it hard for all of us to move past this. We can go on circles, but the truth remains, I don't want any of your family touching mine. I don't want a reminder of that past, LiXong. But you remind me of that, and your grandson reminds me of you. So take him away, before we all got more hurt." Guan said before sitting back down on his chair. Guan closed his eyes like he is tired.
I sighed, "I think I won't be able to say anything that will change your mind about this. Just give me time and I will take Yu away."
"Do that," Guan said in a dismissive tone.
I nodded before taking my leave, taking the Yu's photos with me.
Guan has made up his mind...and I have made up mine.
I will protect Yu, no matter what. Even if my whole family hates me. Yu is who matters in the end.
................................
(DAYU)
"Achoo!" I sneezed hard while covering my mouth with a face towel. I am also wearing a face mask to cover the lower part of my face. I am sniffing and sneezing since yesterday, I know I am developing cold. That is why Qing is pouting too, I put kissing me on a time out.
"Why?" Qing whined one morning when I refused to bestow a goodbye kiss on him.
"I don't want to pass my virus to you. Just stay away," I sniffed loudly after arguing with him.
"It's okay, I am healthy..." Qing continued to debate. "I won't get sick."
Yeah...no. I shook my head adamantly and Qing went to his work without any goodbye kiss. LiYan called me in distress yesterday to tell me to get well soon.
"He is grumpy as hell. Scowling and snarling. Dayu, I will resign if he continued like this, he is stressing me out. Get well soon and give this stupid gorilla his goodbye kisses." She pleaded to me.
Wang Qing can be unreasonable at times.
Still, today, Qing also didn't get any goodbye kiss but I sure gave him a lecture.
"Be nice to LiYan. Don't be grouchy at work. I will give you lots of kisses once I get well," I cajoled him.
Qing nodded reluctantly and went to work like a good boy. So far, LiYan hasn't called again to whine about Qing. It looks like my lover is behaving accordingly.
I continued writing, tapping my fingers on the keyboard of my laptop while sniffing and sneezing on some tissue. I want to finish two chapters of my book today because tomorrow, I will have a lunch date with my family. Baba and Mama are bound to come back from their trip to Japan and I am excited to see them and my Grampy as well.
I wish my Baba and Grampy will finally say sorry to each other and forgive everything. I don't like the thought of my parents living in a hotel while my Grampy is alone in the huge mansion. Even though family can live apart there should never be bad feelings towards each other and the gap should always be shortened. Misunderstandings should be resolved and harmony must always be present.
That's why I feel sad that my relationship with Qing caused some gaps in our families. That is why I am trying so hard to keep peace within our families.
And I work hard to achieve all my dreams so I can say that everything Qing and I had gone through will be worth it.
After finishing the two chapters on my story, I shut down my laptop properly and decided to go down on the first floor while thinking of what I can serve Qing for dinner when I heard a car driving inside our garage.
My eyes automatically went to the wall clock, "It's only 5 pm, what the hell? Why is he home already?" I raced down the remaining steps to get to the living room just in time for our main door to open and Qing entering our home. He is holding some paper bags. "Why are you early? And what are those things in the bags?" I asked him.
"Chicken soup, cold medicines and vitamins. Let's kiss tonight." Qing gave me a look of pure determination.
"What?" Those two sentences' connection just got lost along the way.
Qing sighed before putting his hands on my shoulder. He looked me straight into my eyes, "I will take the vitamins. You eat the chicken soup and drink your cold medicines. Then let's kiss. This is ridiculous, Dayu...why won't you let me kiss you? I promise, I won't get sick."
"I think we are too late to worry about that," I said with a resigned sigh. Qing is sick already. Lovesickness? I cannot with him.
"So...can we do this? The vitamins will surely protect me from the virus while you will start getting better with the soup and medicines. It will be fine," Qing smiled at me.
He is...so cute.
I nodded, "Okay." Because what else can I say aside from that? It looks like Qing took some precious moments to think about this. He puts efforts too.
Qing's smile brightened a notch, "Wonderful. Let's eat early so we can rest early and then we can kiss. Good, let me heat up this chicken soup. It's from that restaurant you like." Qing took the bag as he walks towards the kitchen.
I followed him with a small smile in my lips.
Has anyone ever put this much effort just to get a kiss? Qing is really too cute.