The Long Road Ahead

Chapter 29

The next morning, Xiao Ning was awakened by the sound of his doorbell. Xiaohei didn't sleep in his nest, choosing to lie at the bottom end of Xiao Ning's bed to sleep. So upon being woken up by its owner, Xiaohei ignored Xiao Ning, shifting to another spot before curling back into a ball and again falling asleep.

In the end, all parents were essentially the same. Xiao Ning had been replying to Lu Anguo and Chen Shuyun for so long that when facing Wu Yi he thought that no matter how much of a beauty she is, or how she was the Mrs. Shan, at the end of the day, she was still just Shan Haiming's mother, so it wouldn't be too difficult. "I'll ask him when I get home, but I don't know if he has any plans at work."

Xiao Ning felt a bit closer to Shan Haiming again, so he couldn't help from adding, "What's more, there's something I've been wanting to say to you for a while now. It's happened several times already, but you do know I'm older than you, right? Doesn't it weigh on your conscienceT/n: He's trying to imply Shan Haiming should feel bad for treating an senior like a junior when you rub my head like that?"

To himself, Xiao Ning let out a laugh. "What I feared most of all wasn't that Lu Yan would like other people or even marry someone else, but that he wouldn't pay attention to me. He was the only person I was the closest to from since I was little, and I invest far too much into being at his side—it was just like you said: a fantasy. What's more, with all the energy and years I spent, if he ignores me, I'd feel as if I'd return to that time where no one could actually see me."

But Xiao Ning thought they were exaggerating to much. His natural body temperature leaned on the colder side, so even if it was the height of summer, as long as he didn't expose himself to the direct heat of the blazing sun for a long time or partake in any intense physical activities, his skin would always remain cool. So the weather now was the kind where wearing two thin shirts was still doable.

Turning back around, he rinsed the suds off the bowls until they were clean. "The way I like someone really is strange, so that's why you would treat it that way."

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

Having not being able to sleep well last night, Xiao Ning groggily climbed out of bed, his stamina still yet to recover as he pulled on his slippers and went to open the door. "Who is it?"

Xiao Ning: "..."

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

"I was planning to take a trip back to my home town." When there was any breaks, Xiao Ning's first thought was to head back to visit Lu Anguo and Chen Shuyun. But, obviously, the two elders had the most hopes in having their own son return for a visit. Xiao Ning had no control over Lu Yan, so all he could do was offer his own portion of filial piety towards them. "There are two elder in the family."

Last night, we were on bad terms, were we not?

Xiao Ning laughed, not mentioning the filial respect he was giving was to another person's parents.

When the door opened, Shan Haiming's grand form stood there, seeming refreshed and relaxed as he said, "I came to boil noodles."

"But I already bit into it..." Xiao Ning said surprised.

After washing up, Xiao Ning fixed Xiaohei her cat-food and a fresh set of water, then walked over to the other side of the kitchen with his face as usual. He wasn't planning on bringing up that matter with Shan Haiming again, anyhow, not wanting what had happened to again cause them discomfort and friction.

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

Packing the bowls in the cupboard, Xiao Ning used a towel to dry his hands. "That kind of feeling is honestly rather terrifying. I don't want to ever go through it again. But after all these years, I haven't made any progress at all. I... I really am quite weakT/N: the word used here also expresses incompetence T_T."

With these tangled thoughts in mind, Xiao Ning ate his noodles until the bowl was cleaned, then volunteered himself to do the dishes. There was still a half an hour before it was nine o'clock, and the distance from his place and Rihua was close, so he still had time to spare.

But it was only curiosity and nothing more.

"You really are..." Xiao Ning's mouth moved, his eyes carefully, and straightforwardly, locking on to Shan Haiming's, "...too perfunctory."

"...noodles?" Xiao Ning's face was a blank slate, the cogs in his brain struggling to turn. "Boil noodles?"

But... that guy, why is that guy acting as though nothing had happened?

Shan Haiming hummed in response. "I got used to it in the few years I spent out of the country. Whenever I ate too many things outside, they all start to taste the same. So if I have any ingredients, it was better for me to just casually toss together whatever."

When the door opened, Shan Haiming's grand form stood there, seeming refreshed and relaxed as he said, "I came to boil noodles."

"Chicken soup, and boiled noodles." Shan Haiming pronounced each words slowly as he stared at Xiao Ning's sleepy and haze covered face, his hand then reaching out to pinch the drowsy man's cheeks. "Breakfast."

"For the things I said to you last night." Even when he apologises, Shan Haiming was frank. "When I got back last night, I thought it over for a while and I realised I was being to one-sided."

The warm weather made the employees a bit more carefree, and Chen He approached Xiao Ning and asked, "Xiao-ge, are you planning to go anywhere on May DayT/N: May 1st, is International Workers Day or Labour Day?"

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

For a long time, he stared at Xiao Ning with a complicated expression, the thoughts running through as he did was unclear. He then walked over to Xiao Ning and hugged him, the way a good friend would, and after releasing him, he ruffled Xiao Ning's hair and said, "Alright, alright. Do you want me to praise you? Liking someone for such a long time is really an accomplishment, you're really awesome."

"Oh my. Xiao Ning-ah." Wu Yi giggled like a girl on the on the other end of the line. "You're usually quite shy, but you still mustn't let yourself be bullied to death by Haiming."

"Ow..." Xiao Ning didn't even remember how to dodge, his slowly returning reactions prompting him to unconsciously nod. "Okay..."

This made Xiao Ning upset. It would a lie to say Xiao Ning didn't have a knot in his heart because of the things Shan Haiming had said to him. He didn't understand the situation completely at all, yet he went on to make such excessively judgemental statements. It honestly made Xiao Ning unable to stand it. Isn't it just to much to pretend nothing had happened?

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

"Oh my. Xiao Ning-ah." Wu Yi giggled like a girl on the on the other end of the line. "You're usually quite shy, but you still mustn't let yourself be bullied to death by Haiming."

Xiao Ning honestly didn't feel there was anyone n the Shan family that was easy to get along with. Their personalities are far too distinct—too bright; and the issues in their family are far too obvious. The harmony in their family is even the result of precise calculations. Any outsider entering this kind of balanced peaceful facade would be very uncomfortable. "Haiming should have the free time."

Shan Haiming entered first, and only then did Xiao Ning's senses fully return.

There was a phrase passed around that perfectly described this situation: I like you, but I don't want anything to do with you.T/n: You could also think of it a I like you, but I don't want a relationship with you. It describes a "pure love" or a crush where an actual relationship isn't the aim.

Xiao Ning remained silent, he had thought about bringing up the matter earlier, but he never expected Shan Haiming to formerly apologise. But instead of feeling angry, what he actually felt more that anything was sadness and loss. "It's fine. Actually... what you said wasn't entirely wrong either."

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

Shan Haiming looked at him, his expression not at all pleased. "I already said I'm sorry."

◈◇◈

Last night, we were on bad terms, were we not?

T/n: Just for clarification, Shan Haiming was upset with how how self-deprecatingly Xiao Ning spoke of himself, not Xiao Ning himself. []

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

"If I waited for you to come cook it, we'd run out of time." Shan Haiming blew a cooling breath then slurped up some noodles. "Do you not usually eat breakfast at home?"

That Second Young Master Shan never gave a person the time to prepare their heart by giving them a heads up. It was a sentence that had practically dropped out from the sky, and one that made Xiao Ning's hands pause before the the shock he received made him turn his head to look at Shan Haiming and ask, "What?"

◈◇◈

Filial piety coming first was a reason no one could refute, so Chen He no longer asked him. "Alright then, I'll go tell the others. And Xiao-ge, you're such a filial son."

"For the things I said to you last night." Even when he apologises, Shan Haiming was frank. "When I got back last night, I thought it over for a while and I realised I was being to one-sided."

But... that guy, why is that guy acting as though nothing had happened?

Turning back around, he rinsed the suds off the bowls until they were clean. "The way I like someone really is strange, so that's why you would treat it that way."

The entire room was filled with the fragrant aroma of the chicken soup, and as an extreme early glutton, Xiao Ning walked over to the dining table and sat down. Shan Haiming was already eating.

"For the things I said to you last night." Even when he apologises, Shan Haiming was frank. "When I got back last night, I thought it over for a while and I realised I was being to one-sided."

"You really are..." Xiao Ning's mouth moved, his eyes carefully, and straightforwardly, locking on to Shan Haiming's, "...too perfunctory."

But these indignant thoughts only surfaced and nothing more. Thinking about all the things Shan Haiming had done for him without saying a word, things that were no small matter, Xiao Ning felt as though those kind of uncomfortable feelings were nothing in comparison. When someone as kind to him, he had the easiest time not losing his temper. What happened last night was already a special case.

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

Xiao Ning: "..."

"...noodles?" Xiao Ning's face was a blank slate, the cogs in his brain struggling to turn. "Boil noodles?"

In fact, he rarely lost his temper in front of others, and he has done so to Shan Haiming twice.

Filial piety coming first was a reason no one could refute, so Chen He no longer asked him. "Alright then, I'll go tell the others. And Xiao-ge, you're such a filial son."

"You really are..." Xiao Ning's mouth moved, his eyes carefully, and straightforwardly, locking on to Shan Haiming's, "...too perfunctory."

"Our team wants to go somewhere together, so would you like to come along?" Possibly thanks to Xiao Ning, their sales group members had gotten along quite well with one another, never fighting each other over sales to get commissions, so they weren't just colleagues, but also friends.

"Ow..." Xiao Ning didn't even remember how to dodge, his slowly returning reactions prompting him to unconsciously nod. "Okay..."

Xiao Ning shook his head.

The entire room was filled with the fragrant aroma of the chicken soup, and as an extreme early glutton, Xiao Ning walked over to the dining table and sat down. Shan Haiming was already eating.

Having not being able to sleep well last night, Xiao Ning groggily climbed out of bed, his stamina still yet to recover as he pulled on his slippers and went to open the door. "Who is it?"

T/n: Just for clarification, Shan Haiming was upset with how how self-deprecatingly Xiao Ning spoke of himself, not Xiao Ning himself. []

Watching him lower his head to eat, the cloud of unhappiness in left in Xiao Ning's heart from the prior night gradually dispersed.

Taking a bowl of soup that had a few vegetables floating on top of it, Xiao Ning swallowed back his saliva. "Why didn't you call me to come make it?"

"If I waited for you to come cook it, we'd run out of time." Shan Haiming blew a cooling breath then slurped up some noodles. "Do you not usually eat breakfast at home?"

"It doesn't matter if he doesn't have the time, if you have the time just come over." Wu Yi chuckled. "Relax, alright. Yisong and I are very easy to get along with."

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

In the afternoon, Wu Yi gave Xiao Ning a call. She first asked them if they ate the chicken noodle soup for breakfast, then she mentioned that given the hot weather they should eat duck stewT/N: In Traditional Chinese Medicine certain foods are categorised as being hot or cool, having a heating of cooling effect on your body. Duck is cooling food. to repair their health. Then following all this, she later asked if they were coming over for dinner that weekend; stressing that Shan Yisong had nothing against the idea.

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

"...noodles?" Xiao Ning's face was a blank slate, the cogs in his brain struggling to turn. "Boil noodles?"

"It's too much trouble, so I usually go out to eat." Xiao Ning lowered his head to eat a bite of noodles, and also scooped up a poached egg, taking a bite. It was also soft boiled. Xiao Ning was never fond of eating raw or half-cooked things—including eggs. So his brows crinkled as he thought about how my bites it would take for him to eat it. But just as he was a few seconds into his hesitation, Shan Haiming reached out his soup spoon and said, "Give it to me."

"If I waited for you to come cook it, we'd run out of time." Shan Haiming blew a cooling breath then slurped up some noodles. "Do you not usually eat breakfast at home?"

Shan Haiming entered first, and only then did Xiao Ning's senses fully return.

"But I already bit into it..." Xiao Ning said surprised.

Shan Haiming stared at Xiao Ning's lips that were curled and neatly pressed into a sincere smile, his eyebrow lifting.

This strange feeling lingered with Xiao Ning for the rest of the day, until, that is, he saw Lu Yan standing at the entrance of his company.

A bit irritated at this answer of his, Xiao Ning looked at Shan Haiming's shoulder, briefly making an estimation before seriously asking, "But you're not that much taller than me, are you?"

Every other thought that had occupied Xiao Ning's mind was tossed aside in that moment, and only one had filled every gap in his mind: Why did he come here?

Seeing his seriously calculating face, Shan Haiming couldn't stop the laugh from finally escaping him. Reaching out, he pulled Xiao Ning by the shoulders into his arms and led him out the door. "It's time for us to head to work now."

"I saw that." Shan Haiming then asked, "Are you sick?"

Turning back around, he rinsed the suds off the bowls until they were clean. "The way I like someone really is strange, so that's why you would treat it that way."

Shan Haiming looked at him, his expression not at all pleased. "I already said I'm sorry."

Perhaps, even from the start, Xiao Ning never truly wanted to be a Lu Yan's match.

The temperature was a few degrees higher that day, and the scent of summer lingering in the air was even more more pronounced. Because on the number of computers in the office, someone had already proposed for the air-conditioners to be turned on.

Xiao Ning: "..."

This question reminded Xiao Ning there was a short holiday approaching.

Xiao Ning shook his head.

But Shan Haiming simply stated, "If the person is shorter than me, I don't."

Shan Haiming then took the poached egg up with his spoon.

Watching him lower his head to eat, the cloud of unhappiness in left in Xiao Ning's heart from the prior night gradually dispersed.

Last night, we were on bad terms, were we not?

But it was only curiosity and nothing more.

"For the things I said to you last night." Even when he apologises, Shan Haiming was frank. "When I got back last night, I thought it over for a while and I realised I was being to one-sided."

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

This guy never concerns himself with the things other people are usually concerned over, anyhow. Xiao Ning picked up a chopstick of noodles. "Do you normally make your own breakfast at home?"

His embrace was short and light, while earnestly transmitting the strength and warmth that was unique to those who are youth, the kind of youthful spirit of closeness and friendliness that was so infectious it even left Xiao Ning in a daze. At once, all the ashes in his heart were blown away, and for a moment, the entire sky was filled with dust.

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

T/n: Just for clarification, Shan Haiming was upset with how how self-deprecatingly Xiao Ning spoke of himself, not Xiao Ning himself. []

Xiao Ning: "..."

Last night, we were on bad terms, were we not?

Xiao Ning shook his head.

Wu Yi really does regard me as a daughter-in-law, doesn't she...

Wu Yi's enthusiasm made Xiao Ning feel as though he was riding a tiger—leaving him no easy way to climb off. It seemed as though the Shan family had accepted Shan Haiming's sexuality, responding quite well. Shan Haihong was also satisfied. So the only issue that was left was when he would retire after his successful performance.

Xiao Ning also gained a new insight, when Shan Haiming said casually toss together whatever, he really did possess only average skills. Even with this bowl of noodles, the deliciousness was still because of the leftover soup. Could the only dish Shan Haiming is quite proficient at be making squirrel-tailed fish?

A bit irritated at this answer of his, Xiao Ning looked at Shan Haiming's shoulder, briefly making an estimation before seriously asking, "But you're not that much taller than me, are you?"

N/A

"You really are..." Xiao Ning's mouth moved, his eyes carefully, and straightforwardly, locking on to Shan Haiming's, "...too perfunctory."

"If I waited for you to come cook it, we'd run out of time." Shan Haiming blew a cooling breath then slurped up some noodles. "Do you not usually eat breakfast at home?"

Shan Haiming stared at Xiao Ning's lips that were curled and neatly pressed into a sincere smile, his eyebrow lifting.

Leaning on the frame of the kitchen door, Shan Haiming looked on at Xiao Ning as he did the dishes. "I'm sorry."

Shan Haiming looked at him, his expression not at all pleased. "I already said I'm sorry."

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

Xiao Ning laughed, not mentioning the filial respect he was giving was to another person's parents.

Shan Haiming stared at Xiao Ning's lips that were curled and neatly pressed into a sincere smile, his eyebrow lifting.

"It doesn't matter if he doesn't have the time, if you have the time just come over." Wu Yi chuckled. "Relax, alright. Yisong and I are very easy to get along with."

N/A

"For the things I said to you last night." Even when he apologises, Shan Haiming was frank. "When I got back last night, I thought it over for a while and I realised I was being to one-sided."

"Ow..." Xiao Ning didn't even remember how to dodge, his slowly returning reactions prompting him to unconsciously nod. "Okay..."

In fact, he rarely lost his temper in front of others, and he has done so to Shan Haiming twice.

"For the things I said to you last night." Even when he apologises, Shan Haiming was frank. "When I got back last night, I thought it over for a while and I realised I was being to one-sided."

The entire room was filled with the fragrant aroma of the chicken soup, and as an extreme early glutton, Xiao Ning walked over to the dining table and sat down. Shan Haiming was already eating.

In fact, he rarely lost his temper in front of others, and he has done so to Shan Haiming twice.

When the door opened, Shan Haiming's grand form stood there, seeming refreshed and relaxed as he said, "I came to boil noodles."

Last night, we were on bad terms, were we not?

But it was only curiosity and nothing more.

Leaning on the frame of the kitchen door, Shan Haiming looked on at Xiao Ning as he did the dishes. "I'm sorry."

Turning back around, he rinsed the suds off the bowls until they were clean. "The way I like someone really is strange, so that's why you would treat it that way."

Would I have to stick around until Shan Haiming found a real partner so that cheap brother of his doesn't act up again?

"But I already bit into it..." Xiao Ning said surprised.

Shan Haiming entered first, and only then did Xiao Ning's senses fully return.

Xiao Ning laughed, a carefree laugh. This guy, at this point, is acting quite childish, isn't he? "And I said that it was fine, it's alright."

"...noodles?" Xiao Ning's face was a blank slate, the cogs in his brain struggling to turn. "Boil noodles?"

Having not being able to sleep well last night, Xiao Ning groggily climbed out of bed, his stamina still yet to recover as he pulled on his slippers and went to open the door. "Who is it?"

Perhaps, even from the start, Xiao Ning never truly wanted to be a Lu Yan's match.

"You really are..." Xiao Ning's mouth moved, his eyes carefully, and straightforwardly, locking on to Shan Haiming's, "...too perfunctory."

One in a while, but only once in a while, Xiao Ning would be curious, curious about where in this world that mother, whose appearance he could barely remember, could be. Does she even remember the son she tossed over to relatives to care for?