Reluctantly Willing

Gu Jun said that he would think about it and put down the phone. His resolve began to waver

Nan Qiang was right. He could not just look at the moment; he had to think about An Xiaoyan’s future.

If he could really protect An Xiaoyan for a lifetime, it may be worthwhile to be cruel just this once.

By the time Gu Jun returned, it had been more than half an hour. In not even a few dozen minutes, he had made several important decisions.

“You go and help me decorate the main bedroom of the villa. Make it a perfect backdrop for a confession. I want it to look the best it can possibly be.”

“If you want to confess to An Xiaoyan, you should not do it in the villa. If he happens to see it, he will not be surprised.”

“Just do as I said. On the day before the final shareholders’ meeting, An Xiaoyan will not be there, so you can get someone to decorate. Be it roses or colored lights, as long as it looks nice, just use it. I’ll reimburse you the money after that. Make sure it looks romantic.”

“Okay, I’ll finish it on time, and then I’ll have to address the sister-in-law.”

Only Gu Jun knew that the word “sister-in-law” would be hard-won. An Xiaoyan must forgive me this time.

…

When Gu Jun returned to the villa, it was already evening. Gu Jun went to take a bath first to ensure that there was no smell of alcohol on his body before he stepped into the bedroom.

“Still awake?”

An Xiaoyan sat by the side of the bed, holding a book about the growth of kittens, while Wonton was curled up into a ball resembling the Eight Diagram and lying on the bed.

After putting Wonton on the floor, An Xiaoyan put the book back on the shelf and stood beside it.

“Cats always shed their fur. Don’t keep it on the bed.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure not to do that anymore.”

Gu Jun lay beside An Xiaoyan and flipped through the book that An Xiaoyan had put down. “Tomorrow, we will be going to the Forest Park. Have you packed the things you want to bring along?”

“Yes, it’s all packed up.”

“Xiaoyan, don’t be so timid.”

You are always neither friendly nor aloof. I can’t understand you at all. There is no way for me to get close to your heart.

“I won’t hurt you, rest assured. Sleep. Tomorrow will be a very tiring day.”

After hearing Gu Jun’s words, An Xiaoyan’s tense nerves relaxed and he carefully covered himself with the quilt.

The two of them gradually fell asleep. Gu Jun did not force him to do anything against his wishes and his vigilance decreased day by day.

A City’s Forest Park covered a large area and had a natural wetland in it. In early April, the weather was gradually turning hotter and many people had made their way down to the park for a walk.

Gu Jun stopped his car and took the supplies out of the trunk. There was a family tent, pots and pans, etc. They found their spot.

In the Forest Park, there was a special place for cooking over a fire, which was not allowed in other places. If the fire were to spread, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“Daddy, let Guo Guo hold the small stool.”

Gu Jun placed the three small plastic stools into Guo Guo’s hands and let him hug the stools in his arms.

An Xiaoyan followed closely with a pile of food and a small pet carrier on his back. Wonton was inside the pet carrier staring out into the outside world with its big eyes.

Initially, they did not plan to bring Wonton along, but Guo Guo refused to let go of it. Thus, they had to bring it along with the cat leash and some cans of food.

“Mr. Gu, let me carry the tent.” An Xiaoyan grabbed over the tent once he met Gu Jun. Maybe because he was guilty or…

“I will do it. There are already so many things in your hand.”

There weren’t too many people in the Forest Park. Most of them were parents who brought their children. Every family chose to gather under a big tree.

An Xiaoyan picked a tree not too far away, which was full of branches and leaves. Every good site nearby had already been taken.

Stepping their pace up to the tree, someone appeared out of nowhere and knocked down An Xiaoyan. Everything in An Xiaoyan’s hands had scattered everywhere. Wonton let out a meow after it was accidentally pressed upon by An Xiaoyan.

“Are you blind? If you are blind, don’t run around!”

Loud swearing could be heard and a strong pungent smell was in the air.

An Xiaoyan looked up. She was the same woman with the big wavy hair whom he’d seen before.

“Gosh, I’m so unlucky. The last time, I took your clothes, so what should it be this time? Don’t come to such a place if you have no money.”

Tightly biting his lower lip, An Xiaoyan picked up the things off the ground. He held Wonton in his arms and combed its fur so that it would not be afraid.

After being pacified by An Xiaoyan, the kitten lay on An Xiaoyan’s shoulder with a pitiful look.

“What breed is this cat? Why haven’t I seen one like it before? Precious, bring your puppy here.”

A fat boy walked over with a big dog. An Xiaoyan was not afraid, but Wonton went straight into An Xiaoyan’s clothes to hide.

Gu Jun looked from afar and sensed that something was not right. He hurried over and saw An Xiaoyan holding the cat, with everything else placed at his feet.

He recognized this woman. She was the same woman whom An Xiaoyan had encountered at the kindergarten.

“You are? Gu Jun, why are you here?”

“I can’t bring my child here?”

She was only a mistress who had given birth to a son but behaved as if she were in power. Gu Jun’s disgust for this woman was directly reflected on his face.

“And this is your driver?”

“You don’t need to care about who he is!”

“I don’t wish to care who he is, but I notice that he looks like the man who was on the news last year. Is his surname An, the male vixen who bewitches others?”

Gu Jun grabbed the woman’s hand. “Who did you refer to as the male vixen?”

“Who else could it be?”

An Xiaoyan gave Wonton to Guo Guo, walked to Gu Jun and whispered, “Let it go. We are out here today to have a good time.”

Gu Jun loosened his grip on the woman and warned her, “I’d better not see you again.”

“Hmph! He’s only a man who depends on his powerful family; what’s there to show off? Precious, let’s go.” The fat boy nodded and led the dog to follow the woman toward another direction.

“Are you alright? Anything wrong?”

An Xiaoyan shook his head and picked up the things on the ground. “Come on, let’s get over there quickly or it will be too late to cook lunch.”

So indifferent, so calm… An Xiaoyan had always been like this. No matter how big a storm in his heart, it would not even cause half a ripple.

If he had great power, no one would dare to compete with him in A City. And who would dare to bully An Xiaoyan?

The final decision had been made.

Gu Jun put up a tent under the shade of a tree and put on a cat leash on Wonton. Wonton started to walk around carefully on the ground while Guo Guo played with it. An Xiaoyan was setting up a shelf for the cooking supplies.

The entire Forest Park was peaceful, and every family was enjoying the spring breeze.

With only a small pot, An Xiaoyan fried vegetables and then cooked rice. He was accustomed to doing such chores and had no feelings about it. However, Gu Jun, who was looking on from the side, felt heartache seeing that.

Though they were both men, Gu Jun managed his business while An Xiaoyan cooked at home. This arrangement was not by choice.

“Daddy, it smells so good!”

Guo Guo carried Wonton and looked at the vegetables in the small pot. His saliva was almost dripping out of his mouth.

“Guo Guo, come here. Don’t disturb Uncle An.”

“Alright.” Guo Guo went into the tent with the kitten in his arms. Wonton sat on the mat to cool itself while Gu Jun placed Guo Guo on his chest.

“Daddy is going to tell you something and you have to answer me seriously.”

“Okay.”

Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan, who was cooking seriously, and let Guo Guo face himself. “Would you like it if Uncle An became Daddy An?”

“Of course.”

“Then you will not have a mother in the future. If you look at other people’s family, it consists of a father and a mother. But, from now on, our family will consist of two fathers and this will not change.”

“What’s the difference between a mother and a father?” Guo Guo never had an idea of what a mother was supposed to be. His world consisted mostly of men. Thus, in his eyes, a mother and a father were the same.

“It’s no different, just different from others. You have to accept the difference.”

“Okay, I accept. When will Daddy marry Uncle An? Uncle Gu Jing had married not long ago.”

“It will happen after some time.”

This son of his was too good and Gu Jun was really glad to have such a son. With a boy like him, he did not have to worry much.

With his son’s permission, Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan in the distance. For the first time in his life, he felt an urgent need to be with another person.

“It’s time to eat.” An Xiaoyan brought the food to the tent.

“Don’t bother, I’ll go and bring the rest of the food over.”

It was this kind of concern that made An Xiaoyan feel at a loss for what to do.

“That’s alright. It will be ready in a minute.”

He would rather be the one who suffered in the end.

Guo Guo held a small bowl and handed it to An Xiaoyan. “Uncle An, come and eat your meal. Later on, we will take a nap together.”

An Xiaoyan took a look at Gu Jun and sat down to eat.

The spring breeze was blowing and many mandarin ducks were swimming in the river not too far away. It was a very pleasant view. Many families already had their meals and were playing on the grass. Those who brought along their pets were playing happily playing with them.

Gu Jun had a warm feeling in the bottom of his heart. It would be so good if An Xiaoyan could accompany him for his entire life.

After Guo Guo finished eating and played with Wonton for a while, he felt tired. He slept in the tent while An Xiaoyan packed up the cooking utensils he’d just used.

An Xiaoyan was like a nanny, serving them. Gu Jun’s intention was to let An Xiaoyan enjoy himself, but it was different from what he had imagined.

“Come in and have a rest. It’s hot at noon.”

An Xiaoyan put all the pots, bowls and ladles into his luggage bag and sat in the tent with a fan to cool Guo Guo. Wonton was lying in the tent and licking its paws.

In the eyes of outsiders, this was an image of family harmony.

“In two days’ time, you need to make a trip out. I need your help to do something for me.”

“Okay, Mr. Gu, you just need to tell me what to do in advance.”

Gu Jun did not dare to look at An Xiaoyan’s expression and looked away.

Sometimes, it was a kind of love. Sometimes, it was a kind of reluctance. But now it was a kind of helplessness.

Even if he loved An Xiaoyan, he had to put their future into consideration.

“No matter what happens in the future, you must trust me, and never hate me.”

Gu Jun said this to An Xiaoyan for the second time. An Xiaoyan did not know what was going to happen. Perhaps it was a very unfavorable thing for him. However, he had already experienced so much torment, what’s a little more?

“Mr. Gu, I will never hate you.”

With no idea of what was going to happen, An Xiaoyan could say the sentence so easily. However, Gu Jun knew that if An Xiaoyan were to know what was being arranged, he would not easily forgive him.

Like himself, it took so much time for him to let it go.