A Modern Love [mxm] [✔]

Chapter 16

Yunlan and Wei were now officially dating; Wei showered him with love and Yunlan didn't feel so insecure anymore.

Whenever Wei talked of his work or about something he liked, Yunlan wasn't bored anymore because now he knew that he could freely comment without fearing that Wei would look down on him if his answers weren't educated enough.

He felt at ease with him as he had felt talking to WeiLin, he often joked and never lied to him, the truth was so much easier and comfortable, and whenever something happened at work, he talked about it knowing that Wei liked to listen to everything he said.

Yunlan would sometimes visit him at the university, and he was always surprised at how Wei’s colleagues treated them both with something like reverence.

That wasn’t what he had expected.

He had approached the subject tactfully, letting Wei know that if he wanted their relationship to stay ‘private’ he would understand, the last thing he wanted was to cause trouble to the man that he loved more and more every day.

After all, Yunlan knew how difficult it could be to face close-minded people like his cousin, but Wei had dismissed the idea without a second thought, refusing anything other than an open, serious relationship; he assured Yunlan that it was alright, that most people at work would have accepted them - well, if not really ‘accepted’ he was sure at least that they would be civil about it - and also assured him that no matter what others might say or do, he was ready to face whatever came their way to have him at his side.

Sometimes Yunlan felt overwhelmed by the love that Wei showed him every day.

After four months, they spent most of the time at Wei’s apartment, where they could also take care of DaQing.

DaQing had accepted Yunlan incredibly easily, but this wouldn’t have surprised Wei had he known that Yunlan secretly gave the cat extra portions of food when Wei wasn’t looking.

One day, Wei was in his office and Yunlan had come visiting. There was a knock on the door and a shy Mei came in. She looked embarrassed, and she told them that her parents had told her to invite them both to lunch at her house that weekend.

Wei looked at Yunlan, unsure of what to say, but Yunlan only shrugged and accepted. Mei walked out quickly.

This was the reason why Wei was now so nervous. What should he wear? What would he say to them?

The rest of the world was one thing, Yunlan's family was another. He wouldn’t let them get in the way of his relationship, but he also hoped to make a good impression, he wanted them to like him, they were Yunlan's only blood relatives and he didn’t want to be the cause of any fight between them.

Yunlan laughed at his anxiousness, and ended up picking his clothes for him and almost dragged him out of the house.

~~~~~

Yunlan had stopped noticing the many mentions of ‘your daughter’s teacher’ that ChinChin kept throwing at her husband’s direction; he was happy knowing that his cousin wouldn’t make any nasty remark about his life for at least a few years.

Not just for himself, but also for Wei. He had never before introduced a boyfriend to Jun, knowing that he would have made them feel uncomfortable. Even if he didn't say a word to be polite to a guest, he would have inevitably looked at them with that disapproving look of his, as if they were doing some terrible thing.

Thanks to Wei's position, that was no more a risk. ChinChin loved her only daughter so much that she would never forgive him if his own intolerant view of life caused any trouble for her future.

Wei had laughed when Yunlan had told him of how things had developed in his cousin's house, but had also reassured him that he never intended to really be an obstacle for Mei's success at school.
Letting her parents know that he might be was enough.

So Yunlan had no trouble at all introducing Wei to his cousin.
Actually, he rather enjoyed showing off his elegant, almost aristocratic boyfriend.

Wei talked to Yunlan's family in an extremely polite way, a gentleman towards ChinChin and a benevolent teacher towards Mei.

While talking to Jun, his words were just as polite, but his voice was tougher.

When he mentioned Yunlan's name to the women, his voice was sweet as if every ‘Yunlan’ was hiding a ‘I love you’, but when he mentioned it to Jun, there was possessiveness instead, as if challenging him to take Yunlan away from him.

Yunlan was enjoying this day tremendously.

After lunch, they all sat on the couch to chat and watch tv. Yunlan watched Wei chatting with ChinChin and thought that things were going really well, and Wei seemed already part of the family, ‘one of us’ he thought with happiness filling his heart.

Jun asked Wei about his family: Yunlan only knew that he had lost his grandparents. He had loved them a lot and often talked about them, not so much about his parents. He only knew that they travelled a lot so he didn’t see them as much as he'd like to.

Wei said as much answering Jun’s question, but Jun inquired further. Where were they now, what were they doing, what was his father’s name and position?

Yunlan stiffened at the interrogation, he wanted to say something to stop him, but Wei didn't take it badly. He reasoned that in every similar circumstances, a family was allowed to be curious about the boyfriend's background.

When one day Mei will introduce her own boyfriend, it will be only natural for Jun to inquire about his past, right?

So Wei maintained his composure and answered very calmly.

"My father is Shen Yong."

Everyone’s eyes were on him, and he went on, very politely.

"He’s the Chinese Ambassador in France."

"......"

Yunlan laughed, one of us indeed!

He was sure now that he was free from Jun’s remarks for the rest of his life.

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