Love Late

Chapter Twenty Part Two

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Translator: dairytea

Proofreaders: ayszhang, Marcia, Kai

Vol. 2
Surprise! I just had to release this early in celebration of the in Taiwan~<3 >
As a Taiwanese, I"m extremely proud of Taiwan for making such a big step to becoming the first Asian country to legalize same-s.e.x marriage! ; u ; /
Chapter Twenty Part Two

When I returned home, I b.u.mped into Shu Nian just as he wasopening the door. Wearing thick clothes,he appeared to be going out. After hesaw me, he gave a sigh of relief and said, “Thank goodness. I was just worrying that there’s no one tolook after Xiao Jia. If I don’t make itback in time, give him warm milk at eight thirty. Later, after watching a half an hour of TV, puthim to bed. I’m going out.”
This no-good, poor old husband.
Xiao Jia beside us said, “Daddy, I can warm milk by myself.”
I patted his head and looked at Shu Nian, “Where are you going?”
“Oh, Xie Yan’s father asked me to stop over at his place. He said he has something he wanted to discusswith me. It’s still early in the dayanyway, so I’ll be back soon.”
“What does he have to talk about that he can’t do it over thephone?”
Shu Nian shook his head, “I’m not sure, either. It must have something to do with XieYan.” He then laughed. “Well, I’ll know once I get there.” His laughter was a little forced. He probably had a sense of foreboding.
“Brother,” said Shu Nian.
“Yeah?”
“Can h.o.m.os.e.xuality be cured?”
I laughingly said, “What are you talking about? How do you treat something that was never adisease to begin with?”
He looked at me. “Xie Yanliked girls from the start. It was becauseI liked him so much that he gradually…” He hesitated. “Maybe it’s notimpossible…for him to revert back.”
I really wanted to thump my chest and rea.s.sure him. But when I recalled the scene in therestaurant earlier, I didn’t know what to say for a moment, so I wrapped my armaround his scrawny shoulders. “I’lldrive you there.”

When Xie Feng and his wife saw that besides Shu Nian there wasme, an outsider, they were a little taken aback. The four of us sat face to face with a coffeetable in between. They felt slightlyawkward, and Shu Nian was nervous, yet I was perfectly calm.Xie Feng gave out a cough. “Actually, it’s really nothing of importance. Why don’t we discuss this another day?”
Shu Nian looked at me and said, “It’s okay. He’s my brother. I tell him everything, so please go ahead.”
An idiot with no secrets.
Xie Feng considered it for a moment and said, “I know you’llblame us for being old-fashioned. ButXie Yan liked women from the very beginning. He wasn’t born a h.o.m.os.e.xual. Itwas entirely because of you that he became one.”
I knew it.
Mrs. Xie continued, “You’re a good child, and we’re at ease thatXie Yan is with you. You look after himmore thoroughly than a young lady of any household, but in spite of everything,you’re a man. How are we to introduceyou in public? A daughter-in-law can’tbe a man. Try to show some understandingfor the elderly.”
“…”
“Don’t you love Xie Yan very much? This being the case, you should think ofhim. He’s under a lot of pressure likethis, and you know he’s a filial child. How can he bear to hurt us? Sincehe already has a child, he’s only short of a wife. Besides, you two can’t get married. It’s not much of a big deal to let someoneelse have the t.i.tle.”
“…”
“We’re not asking you two to break up. We’re not against you two being togetheranymore. We just hope you could be alittle more generous and accept a woman. She will make a good wife and is easy to get along with. She doesn’t mind that there is Xiao Xi. She doesn’t even mind that you are there. You should know, a woman wouldn’t have thatgreat of a hostility towards a man. Andit would be best if you could be a bit more tolerant like her.”
The back, which Shu Nian often has hunched, completelystraightened at that moment. It was sotaut that the veins on his neck surfaced. It pained me a little to watch.
“Her? Who is she?”
“You don’t know? Xie Yan has been dating. The lady has liked him for so many years.”
Shu Nian suddenly quieted down. Anyone who has kept too much bottled up would be speechless like this.
“Xie Yan didn’t tell you because he couldn’t. He was afraid you’d be hurt. So as parents, we’re not afraid to be the badguys and explain the situation in his place.”

“I’m unable to accept it.” When Shu Nian finally spoke, his voice was soft as ever, no screaming orshouting. “I don’t mind that he has ason seeing that we can’t continue the family line. It’s a good thing to give everyone Xie Yan’sown child with the help of a surrogate mother. Everyone is happy that there’s a child who resembles Xie Yan. That has nothing to do with betrayal.“But as long as I’m here, he can’t marry someone else. Even if we don’t have the t.i.tle, we shouldstill be devoted to each other. He is myspouse.”
He has never spoken in a loud voice. Being gentle is not equivalent to being weak,and you don’t have to be tough to be strong.
“If it’s Xie Yan’s intention to marry, then please have himpersonally tell me.
“He can choose himself whether to be with me or marry awoman. Regardless of how it’ll turn out,so long as it’s his decision, I will definitely accept it. I won’t force him.”
The two elderly people were probably surprised by hisreaction. They looked at each other’sface for a while and then said, “How about this. Don’t lose your temper. If you leave Xie Yan, Xie Yan will undoubtedlysuffer. Are you willing to have himsuffer? If the Xie household failed youin any way, we’ll make it up to you from here on out—whatever you want.”
Shu Nian’s eyes reddened, yet he didn’t utter another word.
I believe I had misunderstood him in the past. Even though he’d probably accept reality nomatter what, always in silence and never making a fuss, that doesn’t mean hewould stay put and bear with it.

On the way home, Shu Nian kept quiet, only occasionally lettingout a couple irrepressible coughs. Icould imagine how much pain he was feeling. I wished I could rip Xie Yan apart.That b.a.s.t.a.r.d had the nerve to bully my brother. See ifI don’t twist his head off and kick it like a ball. When I had left home to make my way in thisworld, that brat, Xie Yan, was still in kindergarten. However, my main concern now was to cheer up ShuNian.
“Don’t be sad. Athree-legged toad isn’t easy to find, but there are plenty of two-legged men!”
I thought about it for a moment. That’s notright. So I corrected myself, “Thereare plenty of men who like men, too. Andeven more who are better than Xie Yan. Don’t worry.”
Upon seeing his pale face, even though I felt slightly awkward,I still blurted out, “Besides, you still have Ke Luo.”
Shu Nian looked at me and bitterly laughed.
I said, “Really, think it over. Ke Luo really is a pretty good guy.”
It wouldn’t be as worrying and troublesomewith Ke Luo as it was with Xie Yan. He’smadly in love with Shu Nian. If a G.o.dgets in his way, he’d kill a G.o.d. If theBuddha is in the way, he’d kill Him. What’smore, he comes from a family of gays, and Lu Feng loves him dearly. So long as Shu Nian chooses him, what followscan be said to be perfect.
Where would you find anyone better?
I was lost in thought as I drove; only feeling a littleirritated.
I sighed, what bad luck. I had originally thought Xie Yan could beconsidered a good man, yet in the end he was unreliable. I couldn’t protect Shu Nian all my life, but becausehe looked so d.a.m.n easy to bully, I wouldn’t be able to set my mind at rest at allif I traveled around the world. I had toentrust him to someone before I could enjoy my life.

At night, I clumsily coaxed Xiao Jia into bed and thenaccompanied Shu Nian. After he was completelyasleep, I climbed into my own bed without taking off my clothes or bathing andlay down smoking.(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});I thought of Ke Luo: his serious expression, the way his cheeksslightly blushed when he’s bashful, the way his smile would suddenly brighten upmy vision.
How great it would be if he could be mine.
I’m not one bit generous. I’m as stingy as h.e.l.l. If he tookXie Yan’s place, even just imagining it, I wouldn’t be able to stand it.
He was actually like me. Just like me who hadn’t been able to control my body’s reaction when I hadseen him in the water, he, to this day, was still unable to free himself fromShu Nian.
I had already given up, yet he hadn’t.
No matter what, I could never obtain him. So why should I attempt to hide him? Hiding him would only let his youth graduallywither away in vain, left to rot in the end.
When I was young, I never thought of others. And now, when I was already at an age where Icouldn’t wait anymore, I was thinking that I couldn’t bear to let him becomelike me after all.

The next day, I finally called Ke Luo. He was actually obedient and rushed over. He didn’t make me wait long.Xiao Jia went to attend his drawing cla.s.s. It was adult time, so it was only right tosend him off. Shu Nian was in thekitchen preparing dinner for us. I hadKe Luo sit in the living room for now and then considered my wording.
Ke Luo watched me and smilingly said, “Were you okay lastnight?”
“Huh?” I followed hisgaze and looked down. I couldn’t helpfeeling embarra.s.sed. There were some burntholes in my shirt. Last night I had smokedtoo many cigarettes while lying down. Strange enough I hadn’t felt the heat from the cigarette ashes.
He reached over to help straighten my shirt and smiled as hesaid, “This guy, don’t smoke in bed. Remember to change into your pajamas before getting into bed. You’re no better than Xiao Jia.”
I stared at his downcast, charmingly long eyelashes. In fact, as of late, Ke Luo no longerresembled a boy as much. He seemedkindhearted, like a gentleman, and very masculine. When he smiled, there was still a tiny bit ofyouthful innocence.
He was no longer th cute, bright kid. He was actually reliable.
“Ke Luo, let me tell you something.”
“Mm-hm,” he said compliantly.
“Shu Nian and Xie Yan are at odds with each other.” I thought for a moment. “No, it’s more severe than that. They’ll most likely break up. Anyway, this is a good opportunity for you.”

Ke Luo gave me a questioning look.

“If you want to get Shu Nian, there’s no better time than rightnow. Get it?”

Ke Luo suddenly widened his eyes. He actually seemed more stunned thandelighted. “You want me…to pursue ShuNian?”

“No kidding.”

“…” He still had his eyeswide open. He looked as if he was choking.

Hmph, you’re shocked, right? I can have an unquestionable integrity and astrong sense of righteousness when I want to. Switch the unqualified Xie Yan with him, and I wouldn’t have to worryabout Shu Nian anymore. Besides, I couldalso pick up a Good Samaritan award served to me on a platter. How great is that?

Ke Luo stared at me for a while and then hesitatingly said, “Areyou joking?”

“Hey, don’t be like this. Trust me. You don’t think I’mtrying to frame you, do you? I don’thave feelings for you anymore, and I’m also your senior. Of course, it’s for your own good that I’m advisingyou to make a move.”

Ke Luo thought about it and shook his head. “This isn’t good.”

I became slightly angry all of a sudden. “What’s with the act? You have the nerve tosay that you’ve never dreamed this day would come? Hey, don’t tell me you’re all talk and noaction! Don’t make me beat the h.e.l.l outof you.”

Ke Luo still sat there looking dazed until I dragged himup. “What are you blanking out for? When it’s time for you to make a move, make amove. If you’re late, you’ll lose yourshare! I’ll eat it myself if you don’twant it! Come on!”

I gritted my teeth and towed Ke Luo into the kitchen. Shu Nian was cutting vegetables, and when heheard the noise, he looked up at us with his hands dripping wet.

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Dairytea: I"m so glad Shu Nian stood up to Xie Yan"s parents. Now we just need Xie Yan to come and explain himself to Shu Nian! A-and what is Lee thinking pushing Ke Luo towards Shu Nian?!

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Chapter 20c

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