Unexpected Incident : Extra Part 2

As Xiao Teng had estimated, the Xiao family population did indeed grow after this.

Rong Liu dragged over large and small bags of luggage, bringing Rong Si along, plus two nannies. He looked like a widower with an orphan daughter, with nowhere else to turn, and asked for shelter with perfect confidence and justification.

This was no big deal. Xiao Teng did not mind a few extra pairs of chopsticks at the dinner table.

However, not long after, Tan Mi came too.

Tan Mi used his likable face to state pitifully, “I’m the youngest at home, so I get bullied the most. I usually rely on my brother in law to take care of me…”

Xiao Teng: “…”

“Now that even my brother in law isn’t around, I can only come here…”

“…”

Under everyone’s sympathetic gaze, Xiao Teng was speechless.

However, besides him, everyone else in the Xiao family had quite a good impression of this smiling young man. Huang Ma, Wang Jing, and the others were especially fond of him. Tan Mi thus moved in quite openly and naturally.

Of course, Xiao Teng did not mind either. It was just one more pair of chopsticks. As long as he was not bothered, he did not care much about what guests were in the house or how long they stayed.

But Tan Mi kept popping up in front of him every few days, dressed up in dazzling and flashy clothes.

This behavior seemed very familiar.

That day, Tan Mi came to borrow some books from him, showing an attitude of wanting to study hard and improve himself. Xiao Teng lent them to him.

He would be glad if Tan Mi could stay in some corner and read for a whole day.

Tan Mi took the books but did not leave. He just looked at him with those captivating eyes and suddenly smiled. “You’re very good looking.”

“…”

Xiao Teng said, “Thank you.”

Tan Mi still did not leave. Xiao Teng asked, “Is there something else?”

“You’re good looking, so I want to look at you more.”

Xiao Teng said, “Isn’t Rong Liu better looking?”

If he wanted to appreciate beauty, he should go bother Rong Liu. After all, their personalities were somewhat similar. They would get along much more harmoniously than with him.

Tan Mi showed disdain. “I think he’s not even as good looking as me.”

“…”

Young people were quite confident.

The young man moved closer to Xiao Teng, who stood by the bookshelf, and smiled. “I was thinking…”

Just then, Rong Liu came in the door. Originally all smiles, the moment he saw Tan Mi, his smile vanished. Without a word, he grabbed Tan Mi by the collar, threw him out the door, and shut it.

“…”

He had never seen Rong Liu so brutal.

Xiao Teng said, “What’s wrong?”

After all, Tan Mi was his former brother in law, and Rong Liu was known for his smiling face and gentle kindness. He did not know what this brutality was about.

Rong Liu said, “Nothing. Just, from now on, don’t be alone with him.”

Xiao Teng said, “Hmm?”

“He’s a young kid who hasn’t even grown all his fur. He can’t even win an argument against me. What’s there to fear?”

Rong Liu started to speak but stopped, and could only sigh. “Fine, it’s my problem. I’m a bit annoyed by him.”

Xiao Teng said curiously, “If you’re annoyed by him, why did you bring him around before?”

Rong Liu said, “He wasn’t this annoying before. He’s changed recently.”

Xiao Teng made a sound of acknowledgment and stopped asking. He did not care about this kind of personal preference and interpersonal trivia.

While things were calm on this side, when Rong Liu and Tan Mi were alone together, it was not so peaceful and friendly.

Rong Liu warned him, “If you keep fooling around, I’ll have to kick you out.”

Tan Mi smiled. “What did I do? Besides, this isn’t your place. Is it appropriate for you to kick me out?”

Rong Liu got straight to the point. “You’re not allowed to set your sights on Xiao Teng.”

Tan Mi said, “What’s wrong with that? He’s not yours.”

Rong Liu said, “How is he not mine?”

“How is he yours?”

“…”

Thinking of Xiao Teng’s expression that said “I don’t belong to anyone,” Rong Liu was speechless.

Rong Liu could only say, “Anyway, he’s not interested in you.”

Tan Mi smiled again. “Oh, that’s hard to say.”

Rong Liu said, “Given his attitude toward you, do you think you have a chance?”

Tan Mi laughed again. “But he’s not much better to you either.”

“…”

“I think he treats you about the same as me, right? He’s equally cold to both of us.”

Rong Liu said, “Hmph.”

Xiao Teng sat expressionlessly in the living room reading, as he always did. Besides anger and indifference, he seemed to have no third emotion.

If one deliberately provoked him and forced public displays of affection, it was not impossible, but Rong Liu knew Xiao Teng did not like that, and he himself did not want to use Xiao Teng to put on a show for others.

However, Rong Liu truly suffered in his heart.

Over here, Xiao Yin held Rong Si and told her stories, played house with her, his smile gentle, infinitely patient, endlessly doting.

Watching his daughter receive such completely different treatment from himself, like the difference between clouds and mud, Rong Liu could not help but say sourly, “Oh, Xiao Yin, you aren’t trying to win my daughter as your wife, are you?”

The young man actually replied, “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Rong Liu was shocked. “You brat, you’re more than ten years apart!”

The young man replied, “So are you and my dad.”

Rong Liu spat out a mouthful of tea. Just as he was about to speak again, he heard Xiao Teng say seriously, “We are friends. There is no age limit on friendship.”

Xiao Yin said, “Hmph.”

When Xiao Teng got up to go rest in his room, Rong Liu silently followed him upstairs. He did not speak, only after entering the room, silently hugging him from behind.

Xiao Teng asked, “What’s wrong?”

He did not like being clingy or having too intimate physical contact. But the young man’s body temperature and scent were comforting, and together with that embrace, they immediately brought a warm feeling to his heart.

The young man did not speak, only held him tightly and placed a light, warm kiss on his ear. Xiao Teng shuddered and quickly turned his head away.

This touch was too sensitive, carrying a flame that could set a person ablaze, too capable of making him lose control. And he was not yet used to this loss of control.

His evasion seemed to disappoint Rong Liu greatly. The young man’s arms around him immediately loosened. With this loosening, Xiao Teng also felt a sudden sense of loss.

Xiao Teng turned around. The two looked at each other. The young man’s eyes seemed to hold a thousand words.

Xiao Teng asked again, “What’s wrong?”

Rong Liu suddenly grabbed his hand.

Xiao Teng: “???”

“I love you.”

Xiao Teng was caught off guard and froze for a moment, then coughed.

“I love you I love you I love you!”

“…”

“Do you love me?”

Xiao Teng pressed his lips together and did not speak.

Rong Liu lowered his head and looked at him. “Just yes or no. Can’t you answer me directly?”

“…”

Rong Liu knew in his heart that if he could say yes, he would not be Xiao Teng.

Perhaps for this man, not refusing was already a very, very strong wanting.

Even so, he still hoped that one day he could get some promise from this cold faced, cold hearted man that would set his mind more at ease.

Rong Liu cupped the man’s face in both hands, gazed at him, and sighed. “Ah, sometimes I really want to tear that mask off your face.”

“…”

“How about this,” Rong Liu lowered his voice and said pleadingly, “I know you don’t want to say it. Then, if you love me, close your eyes, okay?”

Xiao Teng remained expressionless. The more shaken he was at times like this, the more he instinctively activated his automatic defense system, stubbornly holding his ground.

Rong Liu sighed and leaned in to kiss him.

Xiao Teng seemed uneasy. Perhaps because of the light, his eyelids trembled a few times, and finally he could only close them.

When their lips touched, it was like oil splashed with sparks, igniting at the slightest contact.

This was also what made Xiao Teng slightly afraid. It was just a simple kiss, yet Rong Liu could so easily make his heart collapse and crumble, utterly defeated.

He involuntarily, as if abandoning all his defenses, placed his hands on Rong Liu’s shoulders and back, gradually tightening.

Just as he was about to wrap his arms around Rong Liu’s neck, a child’s tender voice called from outside the door, “Papa!”

“…”

“…”

Xiao Teng spoke first. “You need to go coax Sisi to sleep.”

Rong Liu was extremely frustrated. “Yes.”

Xiao Teng stroked the soft black hair on top of the young man’s head. “Go on.”

Because of Rong Si’s existence, life had become somewhat different. Rong Liu had to accompany her to bed every night and soothe her to sleep. The nannies could help during the day, but at night, a child of this age instinctively needed her parents. With a mother’s love missing, Rong Liu had to doubly fulfill his duty as a father.

Rong Liu suffered greatly. In a way, he and Xiao Teng seemed even more distant than before. Back then they could at least sleep in the same room, even if it was on the sofa!

He had thought he had finally achieved the right result, but now it seemed far from it. Even that moment of wild joy and tears on the island now seemed laughable and excessive.

Rong Liu had been downcast these past few days. He had no heart to fight back against Tan Mi’s provocations. His depression was obvious to everyone.

After all, he did not smile anymore. He was preoccupied with worries. He even put Rong Si’s diaper on backwards.

Xiao Teng was also somewhat uneasy about this.

Toward Rong Liu, he was absolutely not as cold and heartless as his face suggested. It was just that Rong Liu understood him and tolerated him, so he could do as he pleased and never had to make any deliberately comforting or accommodating gestures.

But he worried that Rong Liu might be unhappy. No, rather, Rong Liu was already unhappy.

So Xiao Teng, who most feared discussing emotional matters, finally asked Rong Liu to sit down and have a good talk.

Xiao Teng carefully began, “The reason I said that to Xiao Yin that day was because in front of the child…”

Rong Liu interrupted him. “I understand that.”

“Yes…”

Rong Liu was very troubled. “It’s precisely because I understand everything that I don’t know what to do. On one hand I know I can’t force things, on the other hand I really want to force things.”

“…”

“I know you can’t say sweet nothings. That’s just how you are. I don’t expect to hear anything nice from you anymore.”

“…”

“But understanding alone is not enough. You haven’t given me enough security. Do you understand?”

Xiao Teng said, “Security?”

“Yes.”

Xiao Teng said, “What do you mean?”

Rong Liu had the frustration of playing the lute to a cow. “Ah, you… you’re always like this. I don’t even know what’s different between me and everyone else.”

“…”

“That day you said I could spend my old age here with you. At the time I thought that was the best promise I could get from you. With that one sentence I was complete. But now, sometimes I really wonder if I’m overreading things, if I’m being self indulgent.”

“…”

“Have you truly thought this through and decided to accept me?” Rong Liu said. “Not just the kind where you give me a place to grow old, not like Wang Jing, but rather, rather…”

“…”

Rong Liu said, “The kind where we’re together for life. Do you understand?”

Xiao Teng said expressionlessly, “I understand.”

“…”

Rong Liu stared at him nervously, but could get no further response from him.

Xiao Teng asked, “And then?”

Rong Liu had long lost his usual smiley, carefree manner. He could only say in frustration, “Xiao Teng! I know what kind of person you are. I don’t ask for too much, but I need some guarantee too, do you understand? I need something to make me feel different from everyone else. It’s like, it’s like, how do I put it, if you’re going to provide for Wang Jing in his old age, you’d at least give him a contract, right?”

Xiao Teng said, “Wang Jing doesn’t have a contract.”

Rong Liu looked to the heavens in despair. “No, I, I was just giving an example…”

Xiao Teng asked again, “So you want a contract?”

Rong Liu looked like he was in agony, holding his head. “That’s not it! Ah…”

He let out a desperate wail and collapsed onto the table.

Xiao Teng thought for a while and said, “Oh, I think I understand.”

Rong Liu lay slumped on the table like a fish stranded on shore, moving his eyes woodenly, his face dry as he watched the man’s every move. He basically had no hope for Xiao Teng’s so called “understanding.”

What could this man possibly understand?

His original intention was completely different from Xiao Teng’s.

Perhaps Xiao Teng had a unique, irreplaceable feeling for him, but this man had never truly, properly loved someone.

Xiao Teng could never understand his feelings, just as a person could not imagine a color they had never seen.

In the end, this was just his own chasing game.

Though he would not regret it and would not stop, ultimately, inevitably, he still felt something missing.

Xiao Teng thought for a moment, used a key to open a drawer, and searched through it, taking something out from deep inside.

Rong Liu was still lying there, like a stranded fish, moving his eyes dully, watching the man’s actions with a dry expression.

When Xiao Teng took out that object, he blew on it lightly, as if to brush away dust that did not exist.

“When Tong Shu left, she left this behind.”

“…”

Xiao Teng placed the object on the table and slowly pushed it toward Rong Liu with his finger.

“It’s old. It might not be very good. But this is the only one I have on hand. Do you want to take it for now?”

Rong Liu was dumbstruck.

Sunlight filtered through the screen window and shone in, reflecting an exceptionally brilliant light off the perfectly cut stone, a light that had not faded with time.

In the long, strange silence, Xiao Teng also slightly frowned and asked in puzzlement, “Oh, this isn’t what you wanted?”

He was also puzzled. After all, when it came to promises and guarantees, what form of expression in the secular world could surpass this?

Rong Liu came to his senses as if from a dream and snatched the box, letting out a mad howl. “Ahhh!! I need to make a call! To Ren Ningyuan, and Ye Xiutuo! No!! I want to show it to them in person! Show it off to them! Ahhh!”

Xiao Teng watched him run out the door shouting meaninglessly, looking crazed, and could not help but be quite baffled.

But no matter what, Rong Liu looked very happy.

That was enough.

He too would feel somewhat happy because of the young man’s happiness.

He would ultimately learn to puzzle over a new color he had never seen, for the sake of one person.

THE END