Chapter 11

After dinner, the two took a mandarin duck bath, after which, Lu Yichen happily took Ji Yan to bed.

After tossing for a long time, Ji Yan reluctantly sat up and leaned against the head of the bed to wipe the sweat off his body.

Lu Yichen changed his posture, leaning on Ji Yan’s lap sideways and looking up at him.

Ji Yan looked at the night sky outside their bedroom window and his hand subconsciously went to stroke Lu Yichen’s hair

“Tell me something, why won’t you go live in your school’s dormitory? Do you want to keep living alone in this house?”

Lu Yichen turned over and stared at the ceiling: “Because…”

He grabbed Ji Yan’s hand and continued in a serious tone: “I think of this place as my home.

Although the house is rented but we have lived here together for three years. It is our home so I am reluctant to leave it.”

“Brother Yan, I want to have a home with you, I want us to be family” Lu Yichen said.

Ji Yan looked at the shining tears in the young man’s eyes and his nose turned sour.

He was moved by his words.

“You know what, my dad wants to see you.”

…

On the second weekend of September, Ji Yan took Lu Yichen to meet his father.

It was his first time meeting his father-in-law, so Lu Yichen was very cautious and went online to search for tips and advice on how to get along with your father-in-law.

In fact, this was not necessary at all, but Ji Yan finds it amusing to watch the always serious Lu Yichen fret about how to make a good first impression on his father.

In the living room, Lu Yichen handed a cup of tea to Ji Yan’s father: “Uncle, this is for you.”

Ji Yan felt comfortable leaving these two people together and went to the kitchen to prepare their meal.

When he came out again, he heard his dad say:”Oh my, how are you so studious? You ranked on the top fifty in your province? That son of mine stopped studying at junior high school; he had to learn some skill so he went to a culinary school. The lacking child has managed to bring such a good kid like you!”

Ji Yan:? ? ?

“No, it’s not; I’m the one who does not deserve of him.”

“No way, don’t defend him; wouldn’t I know best how my son’s like?” The old man gave him a kind look.

Lu Yichen: “…”

“Little Lu, where do you plan to develop your career after graduation?”

“Suzhou.”

“You would be in a different place…” The old father said and got lost in thoughts.

“It’s only temporary for the time being, but…”

Ji Yan was about to go back to the kitchen but immediately stopped, he hid behind the door and continued to listen.

“I plan to develop in Suzhou for two years and then come to Changchun. If we keep being apart, the two of us will get eventually very tired. But there must always be someone to make sacrifices. Brother Yan has compromised for my sake for three years, and it should be me… …”

“Good boy!”

Ji Yan lowered his eyes and silently returned to the cutting board and cut his vegetables.

In fact, he didn’t want Lu Yichen to make sacrifices for his sake. If there was a better and wider world for him, he hoped that Lu Yichen would fight for it and go. He is still young and there are many possibilities ahead of him.

He did not want Lu Yichen to become like how he once was.

After dinner, Ji Yan and Lu Yichen were sitting in the garden downstairs relaxing with the wind blowing on their hair.

Ji Yan thought about it and said: “I heard what you said to my dad earlier, do you really want that?”

Lu Yichen nodded.

“If there is a better and more suitable place for your development, I hope you…”

Lu Yichen suddenly hugged Ji Yan: “Brother Yan, we can’t be in different places all the time. Since you choose to stand still, then I will come to you. I am not sacrificing my career; I am just making the most reasonable choice. Brother Yan, do you believe in me? Here, I can also develop.”

Ji Yan was persuaded by Lu Yichen in the end: “Well yes,…I believe in you.”

A year later, Lu Yichen graduated and returned to Suzhou.

His family, mostly his sick mother resided there.

In fact, the main reason he has decided to return to Suzhou was because of her. She needed him to take care of her.

However, this hasn’t changed the situation with Ji Yan.

It’s still considered as aimlessly relocating.

Having lived apart for such a long time, the two got accustomed to this kind of relationship.

Throughout the year, their combined flight and train tickets would sum up to 100.

Lu Yichen seldom talked to Ji Yan about his work because Ji Yan did not understand mechanical things, he only knew that the development was not bad.

In the third year, Lu Yichen bought a house near Ji Yan’s residence and brought his mother there.

Ji Yan had already met Lu Yichen’s mother back when he was still Lu Yichen’s boss in Suzhou, but it was the first time he met her as Lu Yichen’s boyfriend.

After greeting Ji Yan, Mother Lu sat quietly on the sofa and presented Ji Yan with some fruit.

After a while, Mother Lu chased Lu Yichen away and said to Ji Yan: “He said in this life, it can only be you. I am not an open minded mother, but I am still a mother, so I compromised. I am not sure how long I can live in this body; I want you two to live well.”

Ji Yan didn’t know what to say. He griped his hands firmly and said in a serious tone: “We will.”

Three days later, Lu Yichen moved into Ji Yan’s house.

” Why are you living in mine when you have your own house?”

“Brother Yan’s cooking is the best.”

When Lu Yichen was twenty-four and Ji Yan was twenty-nine, the two finally had their own home and lived as a family.

Lu Yichen became a university professor and continued to do his favorite research.

Work was stable, occasionally publishing a paper and causing a lot of sensation in the academic world.

Due to his handsome appearance and young age, he was considered a warm Suzhou native and is very popular with the female students in the North.

Ji Yan trusted Lu Yichen and was not afraid of him socializing with other girls and boys at school.

Actually, he did not expect Lu Yichen to be so down to earth and mature for his age, after all, he was still in his early twenties, society is too impetuous, and there are so many temptations around him.

Even friends who have been dating for seven years can break up, let alone Lu Yichen who is still so young.

But the truth is that Lu Yichen has really settled down.

When he went out with his friends, he usually boasted about Ji Yan to them, he would say that Ji Yan is the best, the most wonderful and the best looking person man in the world.

Is Ji Yan really that good? Certainly not.

This was the so-called lover’s eyes, you see your lover through a rosy filter.

The two were very satisfied with their current state of life.

Ji Yan quit his job as a hotel’s chef and with a few apprentices, he decided to open a small shop.

He would open his restaurant when he is in a good mood and close it when he is in a bad mood, but he can still make enough money to live by.

Lu Yichen has many working vacations. As soon as the winter and summer vacations start, the two will travel around to play.

They will often post some of the videos they took on Weibo. It was both a record of their travel journey and daily show of affection.

The videos soon got a lot of attention online and the two found themselves becoming internet celebrities with their own on growing fan base.

Another year was coming to an end.

Today was Ji Yan’s 30th birthday; the two were wearing heavy clothes and taking a walk under the heavy snow.

Lu Yichen took the initiative to pull Ji Yan’s hand into his pocket.

Ji Yan smiled and looked at the reliable young man next to him with some emotions.

They have been together for seven years already.

“Brother Yan, do you want to go for hot pot later?”

Ji Yan shook his head: “No, I want to keep fit.”

“What do you want to eat then?”

” Whatever.”

Lu Yichen’s eyes narrowed with a smile: “Whatever, so eating shit is also fine?”

“…”

Sure enough, Lu Yichen was not the same Lu Yichen who didn’t even dare say a swear word when they first got together.

Now, he just farted and burped as he pleased and wouldn’t take the trouble to conduct himself.

Ji Yan pulled him along and said: “Let’s go, let’s go eat shit!”

Then, the two came to a barbecue restaurant. They had some skewers with beer.

Lu Yichen looked at ji Yan who was eating to his heart content and said helplessly: “Who just said that they worry about their health? Is this considered healthy?”

“Yes ah.”

“……”

Lu Yichen learned to never argue with what Ji Yan says. For one, he doesn’t want to anger Ji Yan, and two, it’s always him the one to admit defeat and say he is wrong in the end.

The barbecue shop played an old song which made for a nostalgic atmosphere.

Half an hour later, Lu Yichen was drunk.

Ji Yan stared at Lu Yichen, who was sitting across the road holding the wine bottle and shaking it.

After paying the bill, he helped him up and prepared to take him home.

On the way back, Lu Yichen’s face was red, lying on Ji Yan’s body, he suddenly said: “Brother Yan… Don’t break up with me again.”

Ji Yan didn’t expect Lu Yichen to bring up such old matters.

“That day I went to your fast-food shop to look for you but you weren’t there… Aunt Lee said you left…….I came back home alone… I didn’t dare call you for fear that you’d find it annoying and change your number, then I wouldn’t be able to find you…”

Ji Yan eyes got a little teary, he patted Lu Yichen’s face and said:” Well, come on, sober up, I’m right here, aren’t I? I am already at this age, can you stop being this sentimental?”

“I worked very hard to buy you that pair of shoes and I kept holding them in case they got lost and stolen. The bus was extremely crowded, there were no seats, and I stood for almost thirty hours.”

Lu Yichen’s tears flowed down as he continued: “I… got off the bus, and I was looking in the wrong place, I thought your cousin had lied to me, I couldn’t find you. I called you and couldn’t get through… Fortunately… Fortunately, I finally found you in the end.”

Ji Yan wiped away Lu Yichen’s tears and sighed, his voice trembling: “Yes, I see that you have felt wronged. I am not this grieving even though I was the one who got the fake shoes.”

“I was wrong, don’t break up with me” Lu Yichen hugged Ji Yan almost to death.

Ji Yan was almost strangled and didn’t know how he was going to take Lu Yichen home.

Back home, Ji Yan undressed Lu Yichen and stuffed him into his bed.

He was tired and panting heavily, he planned to take a shower but just when he was about to get up, Lu Yichen grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the bed.

“Brother Yan…”

“I’m here, I am not breaking up with you, just go to sleep.”

Lu Yichen rolled over with Ji Yan between his legs: “Mmm…”

“Brother Yan, you’re so nice.”

“You are also very nice.”

“Brother Yan, I love you.”

“Me too.”

“Brother Yan…”

“Lu Yichen! Can you just go to sleep!”

“Can…”

A few minutes later…

“Brother Yan, how good you are!”

Ji Yan: “…”

“Brother Yan…”

The following words were completely swallowed as Ji Yan blocked Lu Yichen’s mouth with his lips.

Actually, Ji Yan still feels like a frog, still trapped in that pot of warm waters, only the water never gets hot and it has also grown green grass and lotus flowers turning it into a sheltered home for the frog.”

The end