No. 28 Man and Boy

  On Sunday, Han Qi got up early. He took a bath, washed his hair and brushed his teeth carefully.

  Then stood by the bed and looked at a bed of clothes worried. White shirt casual pants? Too formal. T-shirt jeans? Too casual. School uniform? Embarrassing.

  Couldn't help it, sent a text message to ask Xiao Mi, although I don't know if she's awake or not.

  Unexpectedly, she quickly replied with a string of "hahaha" plus two words - whatever. Equivalent to not saying anything.

  Whatever, just go as you normally would, it's not like he's proposing. He picked out a T-shirt that he thought looked the best from the pile and then found a pair of slightly more fitted jeans to change into.

  Black V-neck short-sleeved T-shirt, water washed denim, canvas boat shoes.

  Yeah, pretty spirited. Han Qi took a look at himself in the mirror and was fairly satisfied, then headed out the door.

  Standing in front of Xiaomi's building, I feel a little uneasy in my heart.

  Meet the parents, it's his first time, he never thought about it. He felt that should be something people who are about to get married would do. But since Xiao Mi wanted him to meet them, he'll meet them. He was also curious, what kind of family raised a little monster like Tong Xiao Mi.

  Taking a deep breath, just about to knock on the door, it opened instead.

  Xiaomi was wearing a light yellow dress, smiling and standing at the door. She looked him up and down with a hint of meaning, then smiled and said: "Come in, I just saw you upstairs."

  Han Qi followed into the hall, caught up with Xiao Mi, and whispered in her ear: "Is Your Highness still satisfied?"

  Xiaomi unexpectedly turned around and kissed him, made an "OK" gesture with her hand, then pulled his hand and entered the living room.

  "Grandfather, grandmother, aunt, father and mother, this is Han Qi." Xiaomi introduced generously.

  "Hello grandpa and grandma, auntie, uncle." Han Qi followed with a greeting. His heart was sweating, so many parents!

  Before he had even finished speaking, he felt something pounce onto his leg.

  A yellow little dog wagging its tail, a chubby body with fluffy and smooth fur shaking back and forth. Is it happiness?

  "Hehe, it still remembers you." Xiaomi grabbed the dog's collar and gently pulled it open.

  "Sit down quickly." Little Mi's grandma smiled and pulled Han Qi to sit on the sofa, "We've finally met, we've wanted to see you for a long time!"

  Han Qigang smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond. What had Tong Xiaomi said at home?

  "Hmm, this young fellow looks good, has a good face and a good figure." said Grandma Xiaomi while peeling an apple.

  "Haha, I didn't brag, did I? How come none of you believed me?" Xiaomi sat down beside him with a pleased expression and asked with a smile, "Want some fruit?", then without waiting for his response, started peeling an orange.

  "Is is, you're really something." Xiaomi's dad replied perfunctorily, then smiled at the two of them, "Who knows how you cheated someone else."

  "He chased me first!" Xiao Mi handed a peeled and halved orange to Han Qi, "Don't believe me? Ask him."

  "Good boy, you have a good eye for things, I like that." Little Uncle Xiaomi took the apple that Little Auntie Xiaomi had peeled and nodded in approval at him.

  "It's quite noisy at our home on the first visit, but it's casual, just like being in your own home." Xiaomi's mom handed him a cup of juice.

  "Thank you, Auntie." It had taken him half a day to get the chance to say his second sentence. However, he no longer felt awkward and constrained.

  A very harmonious family.

  He initially thought there would be a feast of Hongmen, or face-to-face questioning by serious parents. The best case scenario was that the parents would respond politely and entertain him for a while. After all, high school students are infatuated with love, and not many parents would be happy about it. But Xiao Mi's family seemed to have no objection to her falling in love at all. No wonder she casually invited him over to play.

  "Let me take you home and show you around!" Little Rice finished eating the tangerine in her hand, giggled and took his hand, starting to wander around the house.

  The living room is connected to the study, and the four walls of the study are lined with bookshelves that stretch from the floor to the high ceiling. In the middle of the study, two old wooden desks face each other, on which are placed a light yellow ivory globe, sheepskin maps, ancient books, magnifying glasses, and so on, all in a messy heap.

  "Are you going treasure hunting?" Han Qi looked at this full table and was a bit speechless, what's the use of these exaggerated things on the table?

  "No, it's just that a film crew borrowed our house to shoot a movie for a while, and it's been like this ever since. Anyway, this study is also just for show, nobody comes here often." Xiao Mi shrugged her shoulders.

  The study is connected to a small room, and the small room has a wooden velvet recliner, with a small tea table next to it, which looks like a good place for an afternoon nap.

  As she walked out of the living room, through the foyer by the front door, Xiao Mi pushed open one of the double wooden doors facing the living room, and the strong scent of wood flooring immediately wafted over.

  A very large ballroom. The dark red floor reflects a dull sheen, and the heavy velvet curtains hang on the floor-to-ceiling windows of the outer wall. The old wooden walls are covered with oil paintings. The high ceiling is filled with colorful glazed tiles, depicting fairies, flowers, small animals, and colored clouds, changing luster with the light. Branch-shaped crystal chandeliers hang in order from the magnificent ceiling, lined up along the ridge of the roof, sparkling.

  "How beautiful..." Han Qi gazed up at the roof and softly sighed.

  "Hehe, I like it too." Xiao Mi also looked up at the roof with him.

  "Miss, may I have the pleasure of this dance?" The gentleman bowed down.

  "Hehe, okay." The lady stretched out her hand.

  In the empty ballroom, Han Qi hugged Xiao Mi, who was sometimes screaming and sometimes laughing, under the beautiful ceiling, spinning without rhythm or melody.

  Outside the dance hall, Xiaomi Dad looked at the two laughing children and smiled knowingly.

  It was almost noon when Xiaomi was called by her mother to help in the kitchen.

  Xiaomi's dad called out to Han Qi who was sitting idly on the sofa, hooked his shoulder and walked to the balcony outside the living room to chat.

  He lit a cigarette himself, and Xiaomi's dad smiled and handed one to Han Qi. Seeing that Han Qi didn't take it immediately, he laughed and said, "People who smoke are very sensitive to the smell of smoke."

  Han Qi didn't pretend to decline, and readily accepted the cigarette. Even if he had washed up thoroughly in the morning, brushing his teeth and all, he could still smell it. Besides, even if he couldn't smell it, Xiao Mi always came home reeking of his smoke anyway.

  "When I see you and Xiaomi, it reminds me of when I was in love with her mother." Xiaomi's father laughed heartily, opening the conversation with a cliché, "At that time, all I could think about every day was how to win over her mother." Xiaomi's father winked mischievously and continued:

  Later, I was deceived into having a child, and it was done in one go. We had the crystal of love, which is Xiaomi. However, at that time we were both studying for our Ph.D.s in the United States. Xiaomi's mom was pregnant while attending classes, rushing to finish her reports, and dealing with exams. The most impressive thing was that her thesis defense was two days before her due date." When he said this, Xiaomi's dad made a wry face.

  "With her not being in the same school as me, my studies were very heavy, and I could only occasionally take out time to take care of her. Watching her walk around with a big belly in the crowd, alone buying daily necessities and carrying them back in big bags, it was really heartbreaking. At that time, I thought to myself, I shouldn't love her, my love is so selfish, only thinking about satisfying myself, but letting her bear this unnecessary hardship. If it weren't for me, she should have easily completed her studies, enjoyed her youth, instead of becoming a mother in such a sorry state."

  "And I, the culprit, have no ability to protect her. I'm just a PhD student, my only income is a scholarship. Even if there's no economic problem, I still don't know where my future will be. Will I graduate smoothly? Can I find a job in which city? Am I capable of supporting her and living together? After the child is born, how will we live, where will we live?" Xiaomiao's dad took a deep drag on his cigarette,

  "At that time, I was very confused and lost. Also very helpless. Every day thinking about these problems, there was no joy to speak of. But Xiao Mi couldn't wait for her dad to come up with a solution, so she arrived with a splash." Xiao Mi's dad smiled, as if he saw the scene when Xiao Mi was born.

  "I was at my wit's end and had no choice but to seek help from home. My grandparents, who were originally retired in Australia, were extremely angry with me for being irresponsible, but they still came to help us out. So, in fact, it was my grandparents who raised Xiaomi. I'm a pretty useless dad." Xiaomi's father smiled wryly at Han Qi.

  "I'm not opposed to you two dating, I just want what's best for you. It's clear that you both really like each other. I only hope that your relationship with Xiaomi is happy, fulfilling, and without regrets." After finishing his last puff of smoke, Dad put his arm around the silent Han Qi's shoulder.

  "This isn't just for you, Xiaomi. Enjoy your childhood while you still can, kiddo! When you grow up to be a man, it's all suffering!" Xiaomi's dad said with a hearty laugh.

  Han Qi looked at Xiaomi Dad's sincere face and nodded sincerely. This must be what a father should say to his son, right? And what had his own father poured out to him?

  Xiaomi, is really very happy.

  "Dad! Hanqi~, dinner is ready!!" Xiao Mi's voice came from inside the house.

  At the sound, the man hooked his arm around the boy's shoulder and walked into the house.

  "Dad, you're the one who's really familiar with this place!"

  "What's wrong, are you jealous? Don't worry, Daddy loves you the most!"

  "Everyone sit down and eat, Xiao Mi, hurry up and invite Han Qi to have dinner."

  "I don't know if the dish suits your taste."

  “……”

  A flock of sparrows, flying over the trees in front of the high-rise building, landed on the dark roof, chirping and tweeting, as if thanking the sunshine and air for giving them a happy life.

  Thank you for your patience, if you like it, don't forget to vote/collection oh~