Faced with the woman's sudden initiative, Xie Cheng found himself unexpectedly stirred, a secret thrill fluttering in his chest. He gazed at her bowed head, at the cascade of dark hair and the fringe that obscured her features. His slender fingertips hooked a lock of her silky strands, idly toying with it.
"You brought this upon yourself…" Fu Ziyang muttered, his voice low and husky.
"What did you say?" Xie Cheng asked, not quite catching it.
Fu Ziyang's lips curled into a mischievous smirk. In a crisp tone, he commanded, "Close your eyes."
Obediently, Xie Cheng complied.
Only then did Fu Ziyang lift his head, biting down on his lip with determination. Since Xie Cheng had first burned the bridge and then sought to exploit him, he would show no mercy in return.
"Open your eyes."
A potent scent of alcohol wafted toward him, and Xie Cheng had already sensed what might await him: a pair of seductive red lips.
However—
"Holy shit!"
Xie Cheng recoiled in shock as he was met with a familiar face now absurdly adorned with a woman's wig. His entire body shuddered involuntarily.
Fu Ziyang's lips, painted in exaggerated lipstick, surged toward him like a barrage.
"Come on! Give me a kiss!"
"Didn't you say you loved kisses?"
"Little wooden horse!"
"Let's get one more over here!"
Cold sweat streamed down Xie Cheng's forehead as he desperately gripped Fu Ziyang's face, furiously cursing, "Get the hell away from me, dammit… ugh… scram… don't f**king kiss me… ugh…"
Just thinking of the flirtatious remarks he'd said earlier, along with the physical contact they'd shared, left Xie Cheng in pure agony.
"Ew, Xie-ge, that's not what you were saying just now. You're still missing a lipstick mark on your forehead—come on, one more!"
The two wrestled wildly, completely unaware of Su Wanwan and Fu Liangmu stifling laughter behind a nearby pillar.
Su Wanwan was laughing so hard she doubled over, accidentally bumping her head into Fu Liangmu's chest. She looked up and discovered he was holding up his phone, apparently recording the entire farce.
"You're filming this?"
Fu Liangmu nodded and opened the family group chat. With one tap, he sent it off.
Su Wanwan exclaimed, "You're evil!"
Now there was no need for Fu Liangmu to lift another finger—surely Fu Ziyang's parents would deliver a "mixed doubles" punishment of their own.
Satisfied, Fu Liangmu put his phone away and led Su Wanwan home, paying no mind to the chaos they left behind.
Ten minutes later, Fu Ziyang's phone was bombarded with messages. He ignored them at first, but eventually had no choice but to answer.
His father's thunderous voice roared on the other end: "You little bastard! Worthless disgrace! Get your ass home in ten minutes!"
"Huh?" Fu Ziyang scratched his head, confused. He didn't think he'd done anything wrong… lately.
Hurriedly promising to return, he spared Xie Cheng and staggered away.
Xie Cheng collapsed to the floor, drenched in cold sweat. Once he'd regained his composure, he fled the scene in utter embarrassment.
Back home, the atmosphere felt vaguely off.
Xie Cheng dashed upstairs and, upon seeing his reflection in the mirror—his face smeared with vivid red lipstick—he trembled with rage.
He rushed to shower, scrubbing his face three times with cleanser, and changed into fresh clothes before heading downstairs.
Mother Xie held the remote, her vacant eyes fixed on the television where an advertisement had looped for ten minutes.
Gray streaks marred her temples, and her face bore the fragile pallor of illness. She coughed lightly now and then.
Xie Cheng poured her a cup of hot water, sat beside her, and began peeling a tangerine from the fruit plate at a leisurely pace.
Only then did Mother Xie stir, casting him a weary glance. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then fell silent.
The idol drama began shortly after.
The male lead, radiant and handsome in his early twenties, seemed to gleam just by standing there.
"Do you think this boy is good-looking?" she asked.
Xie Cheng gave a cursory glance and handed her the peeled tangerine. "Yeah, pretty handsome."
A pang struck Mother Xie's heart. The tangerine's tartness echoed within her chest.
"Oh… Cheng, you're not getting any younger. Even Liangmu's already married. When will you bring a girlfriend home for me to meet?"
The mere mention of women triggered a visceral memory—Fu Ziyang's disturbingly vivid face. Even the fleeting thought turned Xie Cheng's expression green.
Suppressing his gag reflex, he muttered, "I haven't really thought about it yet."
Mother Xie studied his pale face and reluctant tone, recalling the video she'd received from Fu Ziyang's mother. Her sigh carried both the weight of years and sorrow.
"What's wrong, Mom?" Xie Cheng noticed something was off.
She shook her head gently and took his hand. Her fingers were icy to the touch.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice low, yet resolute.
"All these years… it must've been hard, hiding it from us."
"Huh?" Xie Cheng looked utterly baffled.
But to her, that expression was just another form of denial.
"No wonder you've never had a girlfriend all this time."
"Don't worry. I haven't told your father."
"I'm afraid… he wouldn't be able to take it."
"I thought about it carefully before you came back."
"Ziyang is a good kid—just a bit mischievous."
"But he's still young, it's natural to be playful…"
"I've made up my mind. You're my only child."
"Whoever you're with, I'll support you."
The more she said, the more alarmed Xie Cheng became.
"Wait, what exactly are you talking about?"
Her expression screamed Don't pretend—I've known all along.
"Alright then. Bring Ziyang home next time, introduce him properly."
Xie Cheng twitched violently. "Mom, are you serious?"
"Oh, stop denying it! The video says it all!"
She handed him her phone.
The moment Xie Cheng clicked play, he shot up like a spring. His face twisted in disbelief.
"Damn it! It was Su Wanwan and Fu Liangmu! Those bastards—what kind of nonsense is this?!"
"Mom, it's not what you think! Let me explain!"
Mother Xie merely shook her head. "A grown son can't be held back—try to keep him, and he'll only grow to resent you…"
Xie Cheng: "..."
Compared to Xie Cheng's relatively peaceful household, Fu Ziyang was enduring a calamity tenfold worse.
The moment he stepped through the door, his parents dragged him into a ferocious parental beatdown.
After the storm of fists, they made him delete all contact with Xie Cheng.
"I knew something was up between you and that Xie Cheng kid!"
"You two are never to speak again!"
"And just look at how you're dressed! Have you no shame? You're a disgrace to the Fu family!"
Tears streamed down Fu Ziyang's face. "Waaah! Mom, Dad—it's not like that! I swear… waaah…"
Desperate, he cast a pleading glance at Grandpa Fu.
"Grandpa, save me… your beloved grandson is being murdered…"
Grandpa Fu was silent for a long moment, then said, "Don't hit the child like this."
Fu Ziyang's parents paused mid-swing.
"Einstein once said," Grandpa Fu began solemnly, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The pain you inflict on the child, you too shall feel."
Fu Ziyang sobbed, correcting him, "Grandpa, that was Lu Xun…"
His parents exchanged a glance.
"So… what you mean is, hurting the child is like hurting ourselves?"
Grandpa Fu handed over his cane.
"No. What I mean is—"
"Use this. Saves energy."
Fu Ziyang: "..."