Chapter 69: Jiang Liannan
On XX Gay Forum, a long-suffering veteran ID finally tasting sweetness had been posting a lot lately.
Sure enough, at a little past six in the evening, right on the dot before seven, he updated again.
Title: About to come out to my boyfriend’s dad and my sworn brothers, anything you all want to say to me?
Photo ①: The restaurant setting.
Photo ②: Two hands clasped: one fair and delicate, the other long-fingered and broad. A textbook “beautiful shou + strong gong” pairing.
Shous with good looks didn’t really get jealous; with their conditions, if they took the initiative, they could still find quality gongs. But for shous under a five on the looks scale, seeing a photo like this was a 10,000-point crit to the heart.
User A: “Tsk tsk tsk, I can tell just from that handholding you’re super flirty. Didn’t think you were this flirty, OP.”
User B: “Can’t help doubting you tbh. You used to pine day and night, saying how much you loved him, but you never made a move. Now you meet a high-quality baby gong more than ten years younger and you’re instantly licking boots.”
User C: “+1 to OP boot-licking.”
User D: “At his age, if he doesn’t lick, who’d want him…”
User E: “Don’t be so harsh. What if it’s true love? Or what if OP is really, really good-looking?”
User F: “Sending upstairs a laugh reaction. Even with a perfect face, at that age you’re loose already, ok?”
If-You-Come-Back replied to User B: “You can tell I’m licking boots from a photo that doesn’t even show my face? You got heavenly sight or what?”
If-You-Come-Back replied to User F: “You’re the loose one. You came out of the womb loose.”
Right now, Jiang Liannan snorted. The plastic-flower friendships in the circle were like this: when you’re living worse than death, everyone sincerely comforts you, “You’ll definitely meet the right person.” Fine. When you really do meet a tall, handsome, boyfriend-energy, top-tier partner, those same comforters flip in a second. No more truth, goodness, and beauty, only sourness and envy.
“Uncle Yin is here, put your phone away,” his little boyfriend’s gentle voice murmured at his ear.
“Okay.” Jiang Liannan obediently pocketed his phone.
“Lao Si, Can-can…” Fu Changyin opened the private room door. “Sigh…” The sight of the two sitting close tugged him straight back to why they’d gathered.
Coming out.
“Uncle Yin, please, have a seat.” Li Dong stood.
“Third Brother.” Jiang Liannan rose with his boyfriend.
“Alright.” Fu Changyin was about to close the door when, “Hey, hey, don’t close it, I’m here too!”
It was Second Bro, Feng Mantang. “Wow, you two got here early…” He froze just like Old Yin had at the sight of Lao Si and the big nephew together.
Right, Laosi and big nephew had gotten together.
As their uncle, his feelings were as complex as being screwed by a dog.
“Uncle Man/Second Brother…” The two greeted him, sincere with a dash of nerves.
“Mm…” Feng Mantang wasn’t made of stone. He waved a hand. “Sit.” It was just… awkward. What even was the seniority now?
Brothers, yet also a nephew’s spouse. Sigh, chaos.
“Everyone here?” Chen Wuhou appeared at the door. “Why’re you all standing there? Sit and order.”
“Old Wu/Dad/Wu-ge…” After greetings, silence arrived with a thick layer of awkward.
“Uncle Lian, you order.” Li Dong handed the menu to his big uncle like it was any other meal. “I’ll pour tea.” As the junior, he took over the tea-pouring.
“Ahem…” The uncles looked grim.
“Uncles,” Li Dong set down the pot, “I’m really sorry for calling you out on such short notice because of me and Uncle Lian.”
Second and Third nodded without comment.
Jiang Liannan had no mind for the menu. All his attention was on his boyfriend, eyes full of admiration.
“Uncle Lian and I were love at first sight.” First meeting, they’d ended up in bed. “Then love at second sight.” Second meeting, same thing. “After that, feelings heated up fast. We couldn’t help it.” Li Dong sighed. “We know it’s shocking, but we still chose to be together.”
“I hope you all can understand me and Can-can,” Jiang Liannan said, eyes pleading.
Aside from family, he only had these few brothers. Of course he didn’t want to break with them for love.
But if asked whether love or friendship was more important, nonsense, of course choose love. You could live without friendship, but without your boyfriend you’d wither.
“Uh…” Second and Third looked to Chen Wuhou. Let Old Wu speak first.
“If this is your firm decision, what else can I say?” Chen Wuhou’s face was black. “I have two conditions.”
“Say it,” Li Dong looked at him.
“First, you immediately arrange for a surrogate,” Chen Wuhou said. “Second, I will not allow you to make this public.”
“First one’s fine,” Li Dong had discussed it with his big uncle just now; he didn’t mind. “But the second is our freedom.” Whether they went public wasn’t anyone else’s call.
“You…” Chen Wuhou said through gritted teeth.
This brat wouldn’t give him a face at all.
“Old Wu, breathe,” said Fu Changyin, refilling his cup. “Here, have tea, talk slow.”
“He has to want to talk!” Chen Wuhou gulped it. “What parent wouldn’t be chilled by this? You two are parents too.”
“True.” They both were.
“Sigh…” He put himself squarely in the victim’s seat.
Jiang Liannan kept his head down, not daring to speak.
“It’s 20-something now,” Li Dong said. “You’ve heard of DINK, right? Not marrying and DINK are common. I can find someone I love and have a child. What regrets would I even have?”
Implied: be grateful I’m even willing to have a child.
In previous worlds, he’d never taken that step.
“Lao Si!” Unable to win against Li Dong, Chen Wuhou redirected fire. “You know your situation. Do you really think you can be with Can-can?”
Where did that confidence come from? Didn’t he fear being thrown away when he was old and left to rot?
“My situation’s great.” Jiang Liannan lifted his head, face smooth and fair.
“Don’t bully Uncle Lian,” Li Dong said. “If you’ve got something to say, say it to me.”
That fiercely protective stance made the uncles involuntarily shiver.
“Absurd…” Chen Wuhou’s voice went darker. “You two take pride in this so-called love. I think it’s shameful.”
Everyone here knew Lao Si had once liked him.
Second and Third instantly shut their mouths, swearing never to mention that history again.
“Honestly, Old Wu, if Can-can treats Lao Si seriously, it could be a good thing…” Feng Mantang said, hand on heart.
After all, the big nephew had said he was willing to arrange a child.
“Right,” said Fu Changyin. “Lao Si’s had it rough for years. As older brothers, isn’t his happiness what matters?”
Since getting together with Chen Can, Lao Si had looked several years younger.
“Yeah, yeah.” Feng blurted, “Didn’t you see Lao Si acts like a kid around the big nephew…” Ahem… something felt off about that?
“The key is that Uncle Jiang also approves,” Fu added, nodding.
“…” Old Wu thought, sure, Lao Si was happy. What about me?
Another suspicious point: Second and Third were clearly taking one side. It was hard not to suspect they’d coordinated this from the start and this “coming out” dinner was fully planned.
“Thanks, you two,” Jiang Liannan was overwhelmed. It had been too long since people spoke up for him. Facing Chen Wuhou, he’d always retreated step by step. Today, the slave finally stood tall. “I promise I’ll live a good life with Can-can.”
“Uncle Lian,” Li Dong handed him a tissue, gentle and attentive. “And I promise, I’ll take care of your second half of life.”
Tears spilled. In his heart he kept thanking fate for letting him meet someone so good.
“Alright, alright,” said Fu Changyin. “We all just want you to be well, right, Old Wu?” He pivoted. “But to be fair, Old Wu has taken a hit. You two should make amends.”
“Pour him tea and apologize,” Feng said.
“Of course.” Collecting his tears, Jiang Liannan briskly poured a fresh cup and personally brought it to Chen Wuhou. “Wu-ge, I’m sorry.”
He didn’t take it.
“Old Wu,” Fu and Feng pressed him.
“…Fine.” He accepted the tea and downed it in one go.
On the way back, Jiang Liannan cried his fill on Li Dong’s shoulder. He just couldn’t stop.
Li Dong didn’t say much, only lifted a hand now and then to smooth him down.
“So many things I thought were impossible for life,” he whispered, “became so simple with you.” Admiration wasn’t enough anymore, this was faith.
“Nothing in life is truly hard, love included,” Li Dong said. “Most ‘hard things’ are fears people make up in their heads.”
“Mm.” He asked, almost absentmindedly, “Old Third said I act like a kid in front of you. Is that true?”
Li Dong opened his mouth. The words “fertilized egg” came to mind. He chose silence.
His mood floated like this for another two days before he finally felt grounded in real life.
#Came out with my husband successfully. This is probably my last post here. Time to start a new life#
On a sun-bright afternoon, after over a decade on that forum, Jiang Liannan posted this farewell and said goodbye to his old self.
User A: “Go on, go on. People always move from one circle to another.”
User B: “I want to say ‘bless you.’ I’m happy for you, but weirdly melancholy too.”
User C: “Goodbye, OP. I hope you never come back.”
Whenever they saw posts like this, the shous who were left behind would feel down for days.
Really, to find a lifelong person to lean on, and leave this circle with a smile, that was happiness.
If-You-Come-Back: “One last reply, replying to everyone at once: thank you, my cute and beautiful folks. Goodbye.”
“Uncle Lian?” Li Dong opened the door after school and saw him.
“Welcome home!” In a breezy bunny outfit, Jiang Liannan pounced into his dear husband’s arms. “Hubby!”
“…” F*ck…
A very eye-pleasing elder bunny.
Author’s Note:
【Sorry everyone, my period completely knocked me out. I’ll fight another three hundred rounds once I’m back on my feet!】
PS: The next chapter will be a brand-new story:【Utterly Unredeemable Demon King Shou × The World’s Most Beautiful Gong】
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