Throughout their entire trip in Sanya, Gu Yuanbai and Xue Yuan didn’t argue even once.
They approached everything with mutual understanding and consideration, traveling light with minimal luggage burden. This trip was incredibly enjoyable; even on the return journey, they were still full of spirits, whispering sweet nothings to each other.
Only upon disembarking did they finally release each other’s tightly held hands and walked side by side from the exit.
Gu Yuanbai turned on his phone and noticed messages from home, inviting him for dinner tonight.
“I can’t join you for dinner tonight,” Gu Yuanbai looked apologetically at Xue Yuan. “How about tomorrow?”
Xue Yuan sighed, “Baby, can we video call tonight?”
Gu Yuanbai smiled, “Sure.”
6:00 PM, Gu’s residence.
Gu Yuanbai’s parents were busy with work. At just over thirty, they hadn’t planned on having children yet, so they adopted a child from relatives whose parents had divorced and couldn’t care for them. Gu’s mother became pregnant with Gu Yuanbai at thirty-five, and after careful consideration with Gu’s father about their physical ability to handle childbirth, they decided to have the child.
Thus, Gu Yuanbai also had a cousin living at home.
This was the main reason why Gu Yuanbai dared to engage in various extreme sports in his previous life.
The older brother had a stable personality, and he was over ten years older than Gu Yuanbai. The parents treated Gu Yuanbai like their own son, and the older brother also treated Gu Yuanbai like his own son. Although everyone in the family was busy with work and rarely gathered to experience the warmth of an ordinary family, they cared deeply for each other.
Soon, Gu Yuanbai’s family discovered that he was in love.
Both Gu’s father and mother were stable and relatively open-minded. However, they never expected their youngest son to like men. Gu’s father frowned tightly, relaxing only slightly when he saw Gu Yuanbai.
“Dad, Mom,” Gu Yuanbai stepped forward to hug his elderly parents and hugged his older brother, “I miss you so much.”
Their sincere emotions made all three smile.
Gu Yuanbai sat on the sofa, and his mother sat down beside him, patting his arm. “Dinner isn’t ready yet. Would you like to rest for a while?”
“Okay,” Gu Yuanbai said, “I’ll take a shower first.”
Standing up, he looked at his older brother and raised his eyebrows. “Big brother, come over and talk.”
Older brother obediently stood up. “Okay.”
After the two brothers walked away, Gu’s father smiled. “Look at the older brother, so obedient in front of the younger brother than in front of his leader.”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Gu’s mother glared at him, “I’ll go see if the nanny has made the soup. When the eldest comes out, you can talk to him.”
Gu Yuanbai brought his elder brother back to his room and looked for pajamas in the wardrobe. “Did you tell them?”
His older brother immediately explained, “No, it was Uncle’s friend who saw you going to the hotel with that person.”
“Don’t be nervous,” Gu Yuanbai looked back at him amusedly, “I didn’t blame you. Why is your courage decreasing as you climb higher in ranks?”
The elder brother choked, “Why are you becoming more mischievous?”
Gu Yuanbai had a good relationship with his older brother. When he was young, his parents were busy, and his older brother was afraid that the nanny would not be diligent, so every day after school, he returned with a serious face to wash his hands, personally inspecting his younger brother’s diapers and milk bottles. Over the years, his older brother had not yet married, but he already treated Gu Yuanbai as his own son.
Because this older brother was so good to him, Gu Yuanbai had high expectations for Heqin Wang when he first traveled to this world. He hoped that, as fellow adopted brothers, Heqin Wang would help him deal with Lu Feng. However, despite enduring great hardships to send a confidential letter, it seemed to sink without a trace, receiving no response. At that point, Gu Yuanbai’s feelings towards Heqin Wang turned completely cold.
This is also why, when he discovered Heqin Wang’s vile intentions towards him, he became so furious. The combination of the young emperor’s emotions and his memories of his brother almost made him sick with disgust.
“Uncle should want to talk to you later,” his older brother said anxiously. “Little brother, are you really in a relationship with a man?”
“Absolutely,” Gu Yuanbai said, taking his clothes and sitting down at the table. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to his brother. “Want one?”
His older brother looked at him disapprovingly. “Why are you smoking at such a young age?”
Gu Yuanbai chuckled. “It’s not a real cigarette; it’s candy shaped like a cigarette. My partner got it for me. Want to try?”
When he mentioned “partner,” his eyes nearly sparkled.
His older brother felt even more troubled. After tasting the candy, he couldn’t detect any sweetness, only feeling that his hard-raised son, who hadn’t yet made a move on someone else’s cabbage, was already being courted by someone else.
“You’ve always had your own mind. Once you’re determined about something, no one can dissuade you. Our family situation is complicated, but as long as you’re not doing anything criminal, I support you,” his older brother said sadly. “But others are not us, and we don’t know how they will view you.”
Gu Yuanbai held the candy between his fingers, slowly peeling off the wrapper. “Don’t worry.”
He appeared calm and confident, and this demeanor easily reassured his brother. “I have my ways.”
His older brother did indeed calm down. “Alright then, get some rest.”
Once his brother left, Gu Yuanbai entered the bathroom. As soon as the shower head was turned on, Xue Yuan sent a video call.
Gu Yuanbai glanced at himself, suddenly curved his lips into a smile, leisurely turned off the shower head, and began to fill the bathtub with water.
Xue Yuan was eating when his video call connected. He choked on calling out “baby” as he saw Gu Yuanbai stepping into the bathtub, hands resting on the sides, sighing contentedly with his eyes closed. “Why aren’t you talking?” Gu Yuanbai asked.
Xue Yuan couldn’t eat anymore. He jumped up, covered the phone screen, and rushed to the bathroom. When he picked up the phone again, he looked around cautiously, trying to appear serious. “Why are you taking a bath so early?”
“Tired,” Gu Yuanbai sank into the water, exposing his neck above the surface. “Are you still in the studio?”
“Yeah…” Xue Yuan cleared his throat, leaning against the wall and undoing his belt. “Baby, you shouldn’t soak like this. Sit up a bit.”
Gu Yuanbai seemed convinced by his words and sat up slightly, revealing his collarbones. “This way is more comfortable.”
On the tiny screen of his phone, Xue Yuan’s face came closer, his voice lowered. “Yuanbai, lift your legs up, let me see.”
A smile flickered across Gu Yuanbai’s lips, satisfied with his own allure. “No, I’m taking a bath.”
Xue Yuan was teased, not for the first time. His ‘little emperor’ always started fires but never put them out, enjoying seeing him in this half-agitated state.
Gu Yuanbai’s phone chimed, and he wiped his hands to check it. Xue Yuan had sent him a 520 red envelope with a note: “Baby, sit up.”
Gu Yuanbai pocketed the five hundred yuan as ‘body fee’ playfully, sitting up. Xue Yuan followed with ten more 520s, finally seeing his beloved’s full appearance.
By the end of just this one bath, Gu Yuanbai had earned nearly ten thousand yuan. Xue Yuan was itching, the remaining money all ending up in his wife’s hands, narrowly avoiding another embarrassing situation.
As the bath wound down, Gu Yuanbai dressed and chatted with him. “Find some time, I’ll take you to meet my parents.”
Xue Yuan was startled, any improper thoughts scared off. “When? I’ll go buy gifts now.”
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but laugh. “Not so soon. Even an ugly bride meeting the in-laws needs to take it step by step. Not yet, maybe around Chinese New Year.”
“Alright,” Xue Yuan gently agreed. “I’ll listen to you.”
Reluctantly ending the video call, Gu Yuanbai straightened his sleeves and calmly knocked on the study door, taking the initiative to find his father.
Father Gu had aged quickly in politics. While his 30s looked like his 40s or 50s, as he neared his 50s, he seemed more spirited. His face held a stern dignity from long-held experience, making his subordinates fear his serious face, but it didn’t work with his youngest son.
Father Gu and Gu Yuanbai chatted for a while. By the time their mother called them upstairs for dinner, Father Gu realized how much time had passed.
Removing his glasses, he looked at his youngest son with a mixture of appreciation and regret. “Yuanbai, have you thought this through?”
Gu Yuanbai smiled. “You’ve asked me three times already.”
Regretful, Father Gu saw his youngest son had grown much since their last meeting. Originally leading the conversation, he didn’t know when his youngest had taken control. Now that they’d paused, he realized he’d been tense for the whole hour, even sweating behind his back.
His growth rate was amazing, but he wasn’t willing to follow this path.
Father Gu sighed repeatedly in regret. “Forget it. I won’t force you, but our background is special. You can’t bring me any scandals. Otherwise, you and your boyfriend will be expecting a breakup.”
“You’re exaggerating,” Gu Yuanbai exposed his father’s bottom without any reservations. “You’re so severe on the surface, but didn’t you secretly inquire about the ‘same-sex marriage law’ proposal?”
Father Gu’s face changed color. “Nonsense!”
Gu Yuanbai chuckled, standing up and speaking softly. “Come on, Dad. We finally gathered to have a meal together. Let’s have a drink.”
Father Gu grunted heavily, getting up and walking out with him. “How’s the other family? Let me tell you, the other family must not have any stains.”
“He’s pitiful too, like our eldest,” Gu Yuanbai said familiarly. “Single-parent family, his mother raised him until 18 and then remarried. Now he’s the only one in his family, clean and without any political stains.”
Gu Yuanbai used all his skills and finally amused the whole family. Mother Gu opened her mouth, “Then bring him back for the New Year’s Eve, so this child won’t be alone and make people feel sorry for him.”
The next day, Gu Yuanbai brought this news to Xue Yuan. It didn’t matter to others whether they approved of it, but for Gu Yuanbai’s family, Xue Yuan devoted 120% of his energy. That day, he took Gu Yuanbai to buy clothes and gifts for meeting his parents at the end of the year.
Gu Yuanbai was infected by his solemn attitude, even seriously picking out clothes for the end of the year with him in September. When they walked out of the mall, he realized something was wrong. “…”
Isn’t this too early?
Xue Yuan maintained this excited state for a whole week. Sometimes when Gu Yuanbai got up at night to use the bathroom, he could see him doing push-ups at the bedside, groaning to release energy.
Xue Yuan was sexiest when he was holding back his desire or covered in sweat, and Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but tease him every time he saw him like that.
And without exception, he was devoured from head to toe by this energetic beast.
Before Christmas arrived, Xue Yuan rented a small apartment and began shamelessly cohabiting with Gu Yuanbai. Living together as a modern couple was too convenient—they did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. On weekends, they would sit on the sofa and watch movies together, but often they ended up hugging each other, igniting like dry firewood, with constant crackling noises.
Gu Yuanbai sometimes felt inadequate. At this rate, he would inevitably suffer from kidney deficiency sooner or later. Xue Yuan deliberately whispered in his ear, “Darling, don’t you want to do it on top of a snowy mountain? Or on a plane, or on the sea? The more we do now, the more endurance we’ll build up. It’ll be great in the future.”
Gu Yuanbai rolled his eyes in response.
“D*mn it.”
Time passed slowly, and finally, it was time to visit their parents at the end of the year.
Xue Yuan woke up at five in the morning, showered, and shaved. At seven o’clock, he carried his sleepy wife to the bathroom, softly coaxing, “Darling, it’s seven o’clock, time to wake up.”
Gu Yuanbai mechanically held the toothbrush in his hand, brushing his teeth absentmindedly.
Xue Yuan found him cute no matter what, leaned over, and playfully nibbled at his cheek before heading out to make breakfast.
They set off at eight o’clock, dressed neatly, to meet their parents at ten in the morning. Gu Yuanbai drove the car, glancing at the closed shops along the road. “During these two days every year, you can’t see anyone on the streets.”
Xue Yuan stood straight, still adjusting his tie. “Yes, everyone’s gone home for the New Year.”
Gu Yuanbai glanced at him and teased, “Stop fussing with that pitiful tie of yours. It’s already quite neat.”
Xue Yuan didn’t believe him. “Really?”
“Really,” Gu Yuanbai whistled at him, flashing a dashing smile that made Xue Yuan want to kiss him right there. “My man is really handsome.”
Xue Yuan suppressed his excitement, remembering driving etiquette. “Thank you, baby.”
They parked the car in the strict access-controlled community where Gu Yuanbai’s parents lived. After the military personnel checked their identities and belongings, they could proceed on foot to Gu Yuanbai’s home.
After completing all the formalities, Xue Yuan felt relieved. “Good thing we came early.”
Gu Yuanbai smiled, about to tease him about his nervousness earlier, but his forehead suddenly felt cold. He looked up and saw white snowflakes drifting in the air.
It was snowing.
The winter air was chilly and fresh, with snowflakes swirling in various sizes with the wind.
Feeling warmth on his neck, Gu Yuanbai snapped back to reality. Xue Yuan was putting a bright red festive scarf around his neck.
“You actually bought it,” Gu Yuanbai murmured, “This color looks too old-fashioned.”
“Not at all,” Xue Yuan earnestly retorted, putting a red scarf around his own neck as well. “It looks good.”
Gu Yuanbai looked at him with a smile, appreciating his festive appearance.
Xue Yuan lightly touched his lips, “Actually… I bought something else too.”
Gu Yuanbai sensed something, nervously licking his lips. “What?”
Suddenly, a cool object slipped onto his left ring finger.
Xue Yuan leaned in, whispering between their lips, “First an engagement ring, then a wedding ring.”
Gu Yuanbai kept touching the ring, unable to hold back his laughter. “Okay.”
Xue Yuan kept repeating, “Yuanbai, I love you.”
Gu Yuanbai hugged his head, forehead against forehead. “Hmm, I know.”
His smile widened, brushing against his head. “I do too.”
Not far away, Father Gu and older brother arrived together, worried about Gu Yuanbai:
“… “
Their expressions slightly twisted.
Author’s note: The gaze of two fathers who have passed away—
End of the modern extra!
