Chapter 79: I Pursued Him, but He Didn’t Agree
Chi Wang was curious and wanted to ask whom she was looking for, but then he thought it was someone else’s private matter—not appropriate to inquire. People should have boundaries and not be nosy all the time. So, Chi Wang said, “I see. Well then, Auntie, we’ll leave you to it—we’re going to walk the dog.”
Chu Qing: “…”
Why doesn’t he ask whom I’m looking for?
Chu Qing asked, “What is the relationship between you two?”
Chi Wang was taken aback for a moment, then naturally smiled. “He’s my senior; we’re both studying at H University.”
Chu Qing looked at Xie Sicheng. Even though he saw her, he didn’t call her “Mom.” He calmly averted his gaze, looking at the sky and the ground but not at her.
Chu Qing: “…”
What on earth is going on???
Is Chi Wang the “beauty hidden in the golden house”1 that Xie is hiding?
Xie Sicheng reached out and placed his hand on Chi Wang’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Chi Wang waved to Chu Qing, “Goodbye, Auntie.”
As he spoke, he revealed a sunny and cheerful smile that could melt anyone’s heart.
Chu Qing watched them walk away, not stopping them.
The secretary whispered to her, “Should we still go to Young Master Xie’s place?”
Chu Qing snapped out of her thoughts and said, “Let’s not go for now.”
After walking some distance, Xie unscrewed the lid of a water bottle and brought it to Chi Wang’s lips.
Chi Wang held it and slowly drank the nutritional supplement inside.
Xie’s voice was cold and indifferent: “What if you fell while walking that distance?”
Chi Wang said, “I won’t. I’m very careful now.”
He felt a bit exasperated and amused, thinking Xie was being overly anxious. Although he was unlucky, as long as he focused on his feet and walked carefully, he wouldn’t easily trip.
“…” Xie asked, “How did you meet her?”
Chi Wang didn’t think much of it and replied, “I attended a banquet with Xiao Fu before—that’s when I met her. Her ring fell into the sink, and I retrieved it for her.”
Xie didn’t say anything.
So they had already met before.
Xie asked, “What do you think of her?”
Chi Wang was a bit puzzled by his question but still answered honestly, “She’s quite nice—seems very kind and has a good temper.”
Xie lowered his eyes, his long lashes like crow feathers hiding the emotions in his gaze.
They had been caught; it seemed there was no hiding it anymore.
Even if Xie didn’t want them to know.
Not long after they returned from walking the dog, Chu Qing’s call came as expected.
Xie answered the phone, and Chu Qing’s barrage of questions came immediately, “That boy just now—isn’t he Xiao Fu’s younger brother? What’s your relationship with him?”
Xie’s voice was cold as he said, “Didn’t he tell you? We’re both studying at H University; I’m his senior.”
“Senior? Just a simple senior-junior relationship? It didn’t look like that to me,” Chu Qing said.
Xie asked, “Then what answer do you want?”
Chu Qing: “…”
She sighed and said, “So you’ve been hiding this from us because of this? You’re dating a boy—that doesn’t matter at all. As long as you’re happy, would we force you to break up?”
In fact, Chu Qing had been brainstorming for a long time, shocked that she hadn’t realized Xie was gay. This was a bit of a blow to her. She recalled for a long time but couldn’t find any clues that Xie liked men.
From childhood to adulthood, many girls surrounded Xie—many were beautiful and excellent. Although he wasn’t interested in any of them and rejected everyone, he treated boys the same way!
Only Zuo Qianxing had a better relationship with him, but Zuo had a girlfriend—it was impossible for anything to be between him and Xie.
In short, Chu Qing racked her brain but couldn’t figure out how Xie suddenly became gay.
However, she quickly thought of Chi Wang’s face.
From the first moment she saw Chi Wang, she found him very likable. Liking this child was a simple matter; she had no reason not to like him.
She believed that many people probably liked this child, but his eyes remained clear and bright, with a pure heart. Beauty and prosperity were fleeting to him.
She couldn’t imagine that Xiao Fu would have such a brother, as precious as pearls and jade.
Chu Qing couldn’t help but think that Xie might have deceived him.
Chi Wang was young; she remembered he was only nineteen by nominal age2, having just become an adult last summer. Xie was about to graduate, four years older—a generation gap that was frighteningly large.
Chu Qing was one hundred percent sure that Xie had tricked him.
Chi Wang was so young—did he understand what liking someone meant? What love was?
His worldview might not even be fully formed, yet her son had tricked him into his hands.
Chu Qing hadn’t expected Xie to be like this—taking advantage of such a young child. Fortunately, he had some sense of responsibility and didn’t deceive him and then go abroad.
On one hand, Chu Qing was relieved that her son hadn’t gone astray and become a scoundrel. On the other hand, she couldn’t help but reprimand Xie, “But if you’re going to date someone, find someone your own age. Why are you pursuing a child? Do you know how old he is? He just turned eighteen. And how old are you? You’re turning twenty-three after the New Year—you’re five or six years older than him in nominal age. How can you have the nerve?”
Xie: “…”
Xie’s voice was deep as he said, “I haven’t succeeded yet.”
Chu Qing: “…”
Chu Qing: “????”
Wait, Chu Qing was shocked. “What do you mean you haven’t succeeded yet?”
Xie said, “I’ve pursued him, but he didn’t agree.”
“…” Chu Qing said, “Then what’s the situation between you two now?”
Xie said, “I’m working on it.”
Chu Qing: “…”
Alright, so he’s still just a lovesick puppy.
No way—how could her son be in such a state??
Chu Qing didn’t want to see him messing around with a young boy, but upon hearing that he hadn’t even won him over, she felt a bit disdainful. She said, hating iron for not becoming steel3, “You don’t even know how to pursue someone?”
Xie didn’t respond.
Chu Qing: “…”
Alright, so he really doesn’t know?
Chu Qing didn’t know what to say for a moment.
After a while, she asked, “Is he living with you now?”
Xie: “Mm.”
Chu Qing: “…You’re doing things out of order, aren’t you?”
Chu Qing was a very traditional person; every step had to be followed properly, so she didn’t approve of Xie’s approach.
Chu Qing said seriously, “If you’re going to pursue him, do it properly, step by step. Is he straight? If he is, forcing it won’t be sweet; don’t waste his time.”
Xie recalled Chi Wang’s blushing face and evasive eyes. The corners of his mouth lifted, and his cold voice carried a hint of a smile. “I believe he’s not.”
At least, not entirely straight.
Chu Qing breathed a sigh of relief—that’s good. Then she realized that Xie had just laughed.
Chu Qing: “…”
She fell silent.
After a while, she asked, “Do you know he’s Xiao Fu’s younger brother?”
Xie: “…Mm.”
Chu Qing asked, “Does Xiao Fu know you’re pursuing his brother?”
Xie said, “He should know.”
Chu Qing said incredulously, “And he hasn’t caused any trouble?”
In the end, Xie didn’t tell Chu Qing the whole truth.
Their family was very traditional; premarital pregnancy and cohabitation were strictly forbidden.
If they found out that Chi Wang was pregnant, it would be hard for Chi Wang to avoid facing them.
At least, let them have a good New Year first.
Chu Qing hung up the phone and called Xie Yunting, telling him about Xie’s situation.
Yunting: “…”
He hadn’t expected Xie to be so inept—not even able to win someone over.
As for the other party being so young, he didn’t have much of a reaction. Even if they’re young, they’re adults now; dating isn’t a big deal.
Chu Qing kept chattering on the phone, “It’s such a coincidence—the boy is the same one I told you about before, who retrieved our wedding ring. He’s Xiao Fu’s younger brother. Someone who would kneel down to get my ring—how could that child be bad?”
Yunting remembered. That day, Chu Qing had told him about the boy with a radiant smile, saying that if he were her son, she couldn’t imagine how happy she’d be.
Yunting said, “Then that’s a good thing. If it works out, he’d be your son too.”
Although he was starting to worry about the heir issue, he had no say in it, so he let it go—no point in saying things that would dampen Chu Qing’s mood.
Chu Qing laughed. Although Xie was gay and couldn’t give her grandchildren, as long as he was happy, she could let go of the idea of holding grandchildren. Moreover, Xie liked Chi Wang, who was very much to her liking.
She liked Chi Wang, but she had to admit one thing. It had been several months since Xie had called her to say he was giving up going abroad. If he had liked Chi Wang back then, at least two months had passed, and he was still pursuing him—the progress was too slow!
Xie wasn’t lacking in appearance, inheriting their best traits. He looked good, was tall, and had excellent conditions, yet he hadn’t won the person over—that was too strange and embarrassing!
Chu Qing said to Yunting, “Give him a call and teach him how to pursue someone. I remember you were good at courting me back then.”
Yunting: “…”
Back then, he just took Chu Qing to a movie, and after dating for a month, they got together—how difficult could it be?
Soon, Xie received a message from Yunting: “Invite him to a movie—a horror movie. Increase physical contact, showcase your boyfriend power4. I’ve given you my ultimate secret. Good luck, son.”
Even though there wouldn’t be an heir, Xie was still young and could live another fifty or sixty years—that was acceptable.
Yunting had already resigned himself.
“…” Xie looked at the message, lifted his eyelids dismissively, and lazily tapped his phone screen, replying, “Mm.”
- “Beauty hidden in the golden house” (J?n w? cáng ji?o): An idiom meaning to keep one’s lover or mistress in a luxurious place, secretly.
- “Nominal age” (X? suì): In Chinese culture, the nominal age adds one or two years to the actual age, counting the time in the womb and considering age increments at the Lunar New Year.
- “Hating iron for not becoming steel” (Hèn ti? bù chéng g?ng): A Chinese idiom meaning to be impatient or resentful that someone is not living up to expectations.
- “Boyfriend power” (Nán y?u lì): A slang term referring to qualities that make someone an ideal or attractive boyfriend, often showcasing strength, protectiveness, or reliability.
