Little Meteor Chapter 37
byChapter 37: “Is This Approval?”
Even if Shen Mu’s father was slow, he wasn’t stupid. Jiang Chengxuan wasn’t a salesman, but he carried a pile of high-end nutritional supplements, was around the same age as Shen Mu, and Shen Mu’s mother treated him with a certain attitude. It didn’t take long for him to figure things out.
Shen Mu’s father was educated. Although he didn’t pass the college entrance exam back then, he took the adult college entrance exam after working for a few years. The adult college entrance exam in that era was quite valuable. Before he resigned, he was a senior technical talent. If it weren’t for his family, he wouldn’t have chosen to stay in this small town.
His father was a respectable man. The reason he would hit Shen Mu was because Shen Mu was his son. In the past, whenever Shen Mu got into an argument, his father would always scold him first, regardless of who was right or wrong, to show his family discipline. Therefore, no matter how much he resented Jiang Chengxuan now, he wouldn’t lay a hand on him. He just sat on the sofa, watching him silently. Jiang Chengxuan remained standing; even when Shen Mu’s mother told him to sit, he didn’t. The first thing Shen Mu’s father said to him was: “Where is Xiao Mu right now?”
This opening was within Jiang Chengxuan’s expectations. Jiang Chengxuan replied, “At a hotel. He doesn’t dare come home right now.”
“What does he have to be afraid of?” Shen Mu’s father scoffed. “Tell him to get his butt back here!”
“That might not be possible right now,” Jiang Chengxuan smiled. “He just took sleeping pills, so he won’t wake up immediately. Let’s wait until he wakes up.”
“Sleeping pills?” Shen Mu’s father was stunned. “Why is he taking sleeping pills?”
Jiang Chengxuan didn’t speak. Shen Mu’s father stood up, ready to leave. “Is his anxiety disorder acting up again?”
Jiang Chengxuan stopped him and reassured him, “It’s fine. He just has some somatic symptoms, nothing too serious. He’ll be okay with proper adjustment.”
Shen Mu’s father looked at him, then closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. He pointed to the sofa: “Sit down. Let’s talk.”
Jiang Chengxuan finally sat down. Shen Mu’s father poured him a glass of water, his voice weary: “How did you two meet?”
Jiang Chengxuan smiled: “College classmates.”
“College classmates?” Shen Mu’s father was surprised at first, then his expression immediately darkened. “You’ve known each other that long? Then you two started back in college, didn’t you? I wondered why he suddenly said he wanted to study abroad. Could it be that back then…”
“Uncle, Uncle,” Jiang Chengxuan quickly interrupted him. If he let him continue speculating, he might imagine something else entirely. “No, really. We only reconnected recently, less than half a year ago. If you don’t believe me, I can show you my diploma. I was in the College of Medicine, not the same major as Shen Mu, and I studied at the main campus. I didn’t go abroad.”
“College of Medicine?” Shen Mu’s father’s expression softened slightly. “A doctor? Then you must have a high degree? What is your degree?”
“Clinical Doctorate.”
“Oh,” Shen Mu’s father nodded. “A man of culture.”
His education didn’t increase Shen Mu’s father’s goodwill; instead, it made him more confused: “Since you are both educated men, how did you contract this kind of affliction? I’m old, and I don’t understand what young people are thinking, but a man living with a man—I probably won’t understand it even when I die. People from our generation think this is abnormal. You insist I must acknowledge it as normal, but I truly cannot do it, and I cannot accept it.”
Shen Mu’s father’s attitude remained firm. Jiang Chengxuan nodded gently: “I understand. You don’t have to force yourself to accept it.”
Shen Mu’s father clearly hadn’t expected this response. He paused, his brow furrowing deeper. “Then why are you here today? Aren’t you here to persuade me?”
“No.” Jiang Chengxuan gently placed the water glass on the coffee table and smiled. “If I tried to persuade you, you wouldn’t listen right now. I understand that principle. You won’t listen, but I can’t let Shen Mu bear this alone. He has held on long enough. I know he cares about you very much. However painful this is for you to hear, it is equally painful for him—maybe even more so. If you keep ignoring him like this, he will break down.”
Shen Mu’s father was silent for a moment before speaking again: “He told you everything about our family?”
Shen Mu’s father finally smiled, but the smile held no warmth: “I know my own son best. He’s been sensitive about his self-esteem since he was a child. Not only did his brother make us unable to hold our heads high, but when he was little, none of the surrounding children wanted anything to do with him. Later, when those children grew up and started to mature, realizing they were wrong, they actively tried to befriend him, but he never responded. Then, he finally brought a classmate home, and that classmate saw his brother and spread rumors in his class the next day. Everyone mocked him for having a mentally ill brother. Since then, he stopped making friends. He has always been very guarded. Since he was willing to tell you all this, it means he has decided on you. I won’t be able to break you up. Did you two just assume I would compromise? Should I thank you for not letting an outsider tell me about this?”
“No, Uncle, absolutely not.”
Seeing his emotions starting to escalate again, Jiang Chengxuan moved closer and pressed a few acupoints on him. “If separating us is the only way to make you happy, I believe Shen Mu would choose to separate from me, and I would respect his choice.”
Shen Mu’s father calmed down slightly, though his eyes were still red. “Respect his choice, and then what? Neither of you will find anyone else, and you’ll live alone? Life is so long. Who can guarantee that? I’m old, and I don’t believe in eternal vows. Those things are too abstract for me. Even a man and a woman getting married can’t guarantee it, let alone two men?”
Jiang Chengxuan didn’t argue: “Yes, no one can guarantee anything. A marriage certificate can’t guarantee it either.”
“Then what are you hoping to gain?”
“Uncle, I’m not here to demand a result, nor am I here to give you a guarantee,” Jiang Chengxuan’s voice was soft. “Just like when you gave up better career opportunities for your family, it wasn’t because you were guaranteed some future reward. It was simply because, at that moment, you felt it was worth it. Maybe we really won’t last, or maybe when your hair is completely white, you’ll find that this person is still around.”
Shen Mu’s father remained silent for a long time, then sighed. “Alright, you know I won’t listen to any of this right now. Don’t expect me to understand you. You should go back and stay with Xiao Mu. When he wakes up, tell him to come home. Staying outside isn’t a solution. Problems must be solved. He said he wouldn’t cut ties with us, and no matter what, we can’t disown our son.”
“Okay, please take care of your health.” He stood up and nodded slightly to Shen Mu’s mother. “Auntie, I’ll be going now.”
Shen Mu’s mother hadn’t spoken until now. She walked Jiang Chengxuan to the door, then went to the kitchen and brought out a thermos flask. “Take this to Xiao Mu. It’s soup I made. Tell him to drink it. He probably hasn’t eaten anything these past few days.”
“Don’t worry, Auntie, I’ll make sure he finishes it,” Jiang Chengxuan smiled. “Please go inside quickly, the wind is strong out here.”
Shen Mu’s mother nodded, then spoke in the tone of an elder instructing a junior: “You two should eat less takeout. It’s unhealthy.”
“I know.”
Shen Mu’s mother suddenly grasped his hand and lowered her voice: “Give his father some time. This isn’t something he can accept overnight. Tell Xiao Mu not to feel burdened, and not to overthink things all day. He will compromise. It’s only a matter of time.”
Jiang Chengxuan patted her hand: “I understand, Auntie. You should also take care of yourself.”
It was because she loved Shen Mu that she chose to compromise, but for Shen Mu, this wasn’t necessarily a cause for joy; it would likely make him feel even worse.
When Jiang Chengxuan returned, Shen Mu was still asleep. Jiang Chengxuan was also very tired. Though he appeared calm, he had been tense and anxious the whole time. He took off his jacket and shoes, lifted a corner of the blanket, and lay down.
The mattress dipped slightly. Shen Mu rolled over and hugged him, resting his forehead in Jiang Chengxuan’s shoulder hollow. Jiang Chengxuan placed a kiss on his slightly furrowed brow, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.
When he woke up again, Shen Mu was already drinking soup. Jiang Chengxuan propped himself up, his voice still carrying the laziness of just waking up: “Isn’t that cold now? Don’t drink it. I’ll go borrow the kitchen from the owner to heat it up for you.”
Shen Mu looked up, a little soup stain on the corner of his mouth. He shook the thermos flask in his hand: “Did my mom come by?”
Jiang Chengxuan threw off the blanket and got out of bed, walking toward him: “No. I went to your house.”
Shen Mu choked on a mouthful: “What?”
Jiang Chengxuan pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, speaking calmly: “Yes.”
Shen Mu cupped his face and examined him for a moment, only letting go when he confirmed Jiang Chengxuan hadn’t been beaten. He picked at the edge of the thermos flask: “So… what did my parents say to you?”
Jiang Chengxuan took his hand and held it: “Your dad said I was a man of culture.”
“…And?”
Jiang Chengxuan said, “He approves of us.”
“Approves?” Shen Mu was startled. “Where exactly did you hear that?”
Jiang Chengxuan looked at him, serious: “He said, ‘I must thank you for not letting an outsider tell me about this.'”
Shen Mu blinked, his expression even more confused: “That… that is approval?”
Jiang Chengxuan nodded earnestly: “Of course.”