Come out of the closet?

No, not possible.

At least, not right then.

It was a rare chance that his parents could make a trip home, and Pei Zhen didn’t want them to leave all upset.

Trying hard to suppress more coughing, Pei Zhen lightly scratched Fu Sichen’s palm with his little finger, and whispered, “Boyfriend, don’t stir trouble now.”

Fu Sichen understood Pei Zhen’s difficulties. He was ill-at-ease too when he saw the tinge of guilt on Pei Zhen’s face.

Leaning towards Pei Zhen, he quickly and lightly brushed his face against Pei Zhen’s and said, “Just kidding. Don’t take it to heart.”

It was a light and gentle contact, but Fu Sichen’s heart-warming gesture touched Pei Zhen so much that he almost held Fu Sichen’s hand impulsively to make the important announcement of them being together.

He was his boyfriend, and it was a serious relationship.

Fu Sichen was exceptionally good, and he loved Fu Sichen!

“Pei Pei, Sichen…” From a distance, they could hear voices chattering happily. Then the voices grew nearer, and before Pei Zhen and Fu Sichen could untangle their hands, a well-dressed middle-aged man appeared at the doorway.

Horrifyingly, he even saw the two men holding hands!

“Big brother!” Pei Zhen’s father exclaimed as he looked up and recognized his old friend with the same elated expression. “Hey, you are here!”

“No formalities, please!” The middle-aged man was more jovial than he looked. “We are all family, and from now on even closer!”

Pei Zhen and Fu Sichen stared at each other speechlessly.

Pei Zhen’s parents were surprised.

The well-heeled lady following close behind the middle-aged man pinched him on his waist, and said with a tight smile, “Pei Pei and Sichen are close like brothers. Of course that makes our families even closer, isn’t that so?”

“Yes.” If it weren’t for any special circumstance, Fu Sichen wouldn’t have let go of Pei Zhen’s hand. He looked at his parents in a relaxed manner. “Pei Zhen and I are close like brothers.”

“Hahaha.” Fu Sichen’s father was an astute person and caught on. He laughed and parroted Fu Sichen’s words. “Yes, that’s right. They are close like brothers—it’s a firm socialist brotherhood.

Fu Sichen’s father was a legendary personality.

Fu Sichen’s mother, on the other hand, was a bit of a troublemaker.

The more their son asked them to stay away from home, the more they would want to turn up. His trouble-seeking mum coaxed his indecisive dad, and they immediately checked out of the hotel to return home.

Given the situation, Fu Sichen had to control his temper.

Pei Zhen’s father poured Fu Sichen’s father a glass of soy milk in lieu of wine. “Old buddy, aren’t you on a business trip?”

Daddy Fu gulped down his glass of organic soy milk and said regretfully, “I missed you, dear brother, so I immediately bought plane tickets to return from America.”

“Oh, that was quick?”

“… Cough, cough… we hurried and took the fastest non-stop route.”

Daddy Fu’s lie was lame, but fortunately, he was quick-witted and managed to convince Daddy Pei. After breakfast, there was no longer any excuse to keep Fu Sichen as he finally had the keys to return to his own home.

How infuriating!

The moment Fu Sichen stepped into the house with his parents, his expression turned icy. “Why did you come home?”

Mummy Fu smiled like flowers in bloom. “Son, we miss you. We can only see you on the TV screen every day, your mummy’s heart aches.”

Seeing Mummy Fu play the sympathy card, Daddy Fu once again caught on quickly and followed suit. “Yes, yes, Big Brother Sichen, I miss you too.”

“Scram.” Meanness was a trait in the genes of the Fu family, and Fu Sichen said with a sneer, “You have no right to call me big brother.”

Daddy Fu laughed and didn’t take it seriously. He was concerned about something else. “Son, you’ve snagged Pei Pei? But you two haven’t come out of the closet?”

“Scandals about the two of you are spreading like wildfire.” Mummy Fu looked worried. “I’m even your Couple Support Group leader.”

It was indeed hard work having to organize internet trollers to post comments!