Chapter 41

Summer is always rainy. One day, Aunt Chun went out to pick vegetables and accidentally tripped, twisting her ankle. With her age, the fall caused her more trouble than it might have for a younger person, and she had to rest at home for recovery.

Aunt Chun seemed unremarkable in the Yan family, but she was an indispensable part of the household. After she left, everything became chaotic. The old lady wanted to hire a temporary maid to take over her duties, but Qi Liangqin stopped her.

"Having a stranger come into the house suddenly will make everyone uneasy. How about I take over Aunt Chun's tasks? If I can't finish everything, we can hire someone."

Qi Liangqin wanted to show off his diligence, and the old lady was curious to see how hardworking he really was, so she allowed him to take over Aunt Chun's chores.

Actually, it wasn't that bad. Qi Liangqin was naturally a diligent person, and the household tasks weren't much—picking up laundry to send for cleaning, cooking, and cleaning that was already handled by a regular housekeeping service. Nothing too physically demanding, just a bit tedious.

But Qi Liangqin managed everything in an orderly fashion, impressing the old lady. Particularly with his cooking, he put a lot of thought into it.

Aunt Chun had been cooking for a lifetime, and her skills were naturally excellent. Though Qi Liangqin couldn't compare to her in terms of culinary expertise, he was young, had many ideas, and wasn't as traditional as Aunt Chun. He often searched for new recipes online, trying different dishes. After a few days, there was no repeat on the dining table.

The food made by the chefs outside was certainly delicious, but the homemade meals had a special flavor. The old lady was very pleased, and she became more and more satisfied with Qi Liangqin, often using him as a role model for Yan's three children: "You're not as considerate as Xiao Qin," "Look how hardworking Xiao Qin is," "He told me to eat more of this, it's good for my health," "With Xiao Qin around, I'm happy."

Yan Yuan and Yan Songwei formally took a step back.

Yan Songwei watched all of this, his emotions very complicated.

When Qi Liangqin first came to the Yan family, it was to pave the way for his marriage with Tan Qingqing, but in hindsight, that idea had been terribly foolish. Qi Liangqin had become more like his wife, while he and Tan Qingqing had drifted apart.

Yan Songwei felt quite ashamed. When love comes, it burns intensely, but when it goes, it leaves nothing but the traces of the receding tide. After Madam Yan had humiliated Tan Qingqing at the hotel, Tan Qingqing began to feel uneasy. Naturally, she started pressuring Yan Songwei for an explanation. And she was disappointed. Although she had known that Yan Songwei was afraid of his mother, she was still disillusioned when Yan Songwei firmly stood by his mother in their confrontation.

But she couldn't let go. Yan Songwei was a hot commodity, and she couldn't accept just letting him slip away.

The result of her unwillingness to let go was growing anxiety and fear, so she clung tighter and pressured harder, wanting Yan Songwei to give her a formal commitment as soon as possible.

But the wrong decision had already been made, and now that Madam Yan disliked Tan Qingqing so much, Yan Songwei couldn't think of a way to turn things around. So, he kept dragging it on, postponing again and again, until Tan Qingqing was on the verge of a breakdown.

Tan Qingqing decided to call Qi Liangqin, asking him to meet.

Qi Liangqin asked Yan Songwei for his opinion, and Yan Songwei replied, "Don't mind her."

"I didn't answer her calls yesterday, and she bombarded me with texts. I'm afraid she'll be upset."

Regarding the text bombardment, Qi Liangqin wasn't the only one suffering. Yan Songwei had been overwhelmed by Tan Qingqing's text bombings to the point of being annoyed. He said, "Just block her, then."

Qi Liangqin asked, "Are you really going to break up with her?"

Yan Songwei sighed, saying, "I don't know. I just feel really tired."

He had once loved her deeply, so how could his love for her just disappear so suddenly? Qi Liangqin felt sorrowful for the fleeting nature of love in this world.

He thought that such matters depended on the person. His love was intense, and he wouldn't be fickle, switching from one person to another.

So, he blocked Tan Qingqing's number. He felt that Tan Qingqing must hate both of them, hating Yan Songwei for abandoning her, and hating him for betraying her. But he didn't want to leave the Yan family. He didn't know how to comfort Tan Qingqing. People were probably all selfish, and he had no feelings for Tan Qingqing. He wouldn't sacrifice his own happiness for this pitiful woman.

On Tuesday, Qi Liangqin went with Madam Yan to visit Aunt Chun. When they were on their way back, they saw the security guard at the gate blocking a woman, who was in the middle of an argument. Madam Yan's face changed as soon as she saw the woman.

It was none other than Tan Qingqing.

She had finally come to cause trouble.

However, she had restrained herself and didn't cause a scene. When she saw the car approaching, she stepped to the side, and the car stopped in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing the old lady's impatient face.

There's a saying that women shouldn't make things difficult for other women, which suggests that women should empathize with each other. But even though they were both women, their stances were different, and it's hard to say who was right and who was wrong—everyone had their own reasons. The old lady spoke coldly: "You're here at the doorstep now."

Tan Qingqing bowed slightly, her face also cold: "Hello, Auntie. I'm here to find Songwei."

"Didn't I make myself clear last time?" Madam Yan said. "You're a nice girl, good-looking, but why don't you learn to be sensible? Some things aren't meant to be yours, and no matter how much you try to force it, it's useless. The Yan family door? You'll never step inside it in your lifetime."

When Tan Qingqing saw the car window roll up, she immediately shouted, "Yan Songwei, come out here! … Don't push me to the edge!"

Madam Yan said with disgust, "Don't mind her!"

"I'll get out and talk to her. It won't look good if she causes a scene. I know about her relationship with Songwei, I also know her…" She turned to the driver, "Stop the car."

Without comment, the driver stopped. Qi Liangqin opened the car door, but before he could step out, Madam Yan said, "Xiao Qin, remember, be firm when you need to be. Don't soften up, or you'll regret it. Got it?"

"Mm."

Qi Liangqin got out of the car, watched it drive in through the gate, and then turned to look at Tan Qingqing.

Tan Qingqing had a rose-red bag hanging on her shoulder, her hair a bit messy, and she was crying as she looked at him.

Tan Qingqing, the typical cannon fodder female character in a yaoi story, also had her own sadness and pain.

Qi Liangqin walked over, and Tan Qingqing said, "Look at you! Betraying me with Yan Songwei, not answering my calls, not replying to my messages?!"

"About you and Songwei, I'm stuck in the middle and don't know what to do… Let's go somewhere else to talk. There's a small teahouse ahead…"

"If you don't explain everything to me today, I won't let you off!" Tan Qingqing said as she stomped forward in her high heels. Qi Liangqin followed her, secretly sending a message to Yan Songwei. Just as he sent it, his phone rang, and Tan Qingqing immediately turned around. Qi Liangqin held his phone and said, "Mm… yes… it's just me with you…"

"Is that Songwei?" Tan Qingqing grabbed his phone from his hand and began crying into it. "You heartless man, come out here and talk to me!"

On the other end of the phone, Yan Songwei shouted, "Stop making a scene, how did you end up at my house?"

"If you weren't avoiding me, how would I have ended up at your house?!" Tan Qingqing wiped her tears. "If you don't explain yourself today, I'll smash my head against your door and die right here!"

These were the kinds of lines Qi Liangqin thought only appeared in novels or TV shows, yet they came out of Tan Qingqing's mouth. He awkwardly stood aside, listening to them argue on the phone for a long while.

Finally, Tan Qingqing angrily threw the phone into the nearby green area. Qi Liangqin quickly ran over to pick it up, saying, "Don't be angry."

"Stop pretending in front of me," Tan Qingqing said, no longer planning to go to the teahouse. She wiped the tears from her face and said, "Is being the Yan family's daughter-in-law addictive for you?"

Qi Liangqin felt a bit ashamed and didn't know what to say. Tan Qingqing continued, "Does Madam Yan know that your marriage to Yan Songwei is fake? If she knew, would she still keep you around?"

Qi Liangqin shook his head. This was the reason he got out of the car. He was afraid Tan Qingqing would go all out in a destructive manner. He shook his head again. "I don't know."

Tan Qingqing sneered and looked at Qi Liangqin sideways, "Is it really Yan Songwei who has changed his mind, or have you used some kind of trick to manipulate him? We were fine before, so why is he becoming more and more distant from me? Could it be that you two are getting together? Let me tell you, a straight guy is still a straight guy. Even if something did happen between you, it's just a fling. Once the novelty wears off, he'll still be longing for your ass."

"Why do you have to speak so harshly? You've misunderstood. I haven't done anything with him. I've even said a lot of good things about you, but he doesn't like you anymore. What can I do? Don't be so anxious. I don't want to argue with you either. If you're willing, I can help you reconnect with him. I also think it's not right for him to keep avoiding you. But you need to think carefully. Are you really going to cause a scene here? If you do, then your relationship with him is really over. He doesn't want to face you, but he hasn't said anything about breaking up, which means he still doesn't intend to end things. Give each other some space and time, and try to work things out slowly. Do you think that's okay?"

"Call him over right now. I want to clarify everything with him today."

"Then you really need to think this through. If you confront him today, it's really over."

"Liang Qin," Tan Qingqing suddenly grabbed his arm, "We've grown up together. When your mother passed away, who was by your side? You've forgotten, haven't you? You even stayed at my house for more than half a year. I've been good to you, right? Now that there's trouble between Yan Songwei and me, you should help me. If you help me, you're helping yourself. You won't lose out."

Qi Liangqin awkwardly nodded, saying, "If I can help, I will. I really don't want you two to break up."

"Yan Songwei doesn't know what's going on. He doesn't know how we ended up like this. Is there someone else outside? Have you noticed anything strange about him?"

Qi Liangqin shook his head. "No, nothing's strange."

He was about to take Tan Qingqing to another place when he saw a car coming from the front. It was Yan Bozong's car.

"You should go back for now. This thing can't be rushed. I'll definitely tell Yan Songwei for you. Don't worry, causing a scene won't be good for anyone, don't you think?"

The car came toward them. Qi Liangqin half-bowed to the car, greeting. Yan Bozong nodded in the car but didn't stop, continuing to drive past.

Finally, Tan Qingqing was calmed down. Qi Liangqin sighed, then returned home. When he entered the front yard, he saw Yan Bozong standing there, seemingly waiting for him.

"Has she left?"

Qi Liangqin nodded. "Yes, she's gone."

"Do you know who she is?"

Qi Liangqin nodded again.

Yan Bozong sighed, saying, "I thought you were unaware."

Qi Liangqin gave an awkward smile, but Yan Bozong continued, "Since you know, why do nothing about it? You're wrong."

Qi Liangqin was stunned. He then saw Yan Bozong look at him seriously and say, "If it's not yours, you shouldn't care. But if it's yours, you need to defend it. If someone's trying to take it from you, you should fight back. Don't let others steal what belongs to you."

Qi Liangqin didn't know what to say. He didn't expect Yan Bozong to say these things to him.

Yan Bozong said, "Go inside, it's hot out here."

Qi Liangqin followed Yan Bozong into the house. Suddenly, he spoke up, "Big Brother, don't you want me to leave the Yan family soon?"

Yan Bozong stopped walking and turned to look at him. Under the scorching summer sun, he seemed even more real, with a flesh-and-blood presence.

"I... I thought you would think Tan Qingqing is better than me."

Yan Bozong said, "You have your flaws, but you also have your good sides. Since you're married to Yan Songwei, you're part of the family. Everyone makes mistakes and deserves a chance. The past is the past. As long as you're willing to change, I won't punish you for what happened before. I don't know what you were thinking back then or why you did those things, but the person standing in front of me now—I'm willing to give you a chance and accept you again. Qi Liangqin, marriage isn't just about sharing a pillow for a hundred years. There's also law and morality. Don't rush into it, and don't give up easily."

Qi Liangqin was almost moved to tears. Yan Bozong's goodness lay in his uprightness—cold but not heartless, restrained but not cruel, distant but not lacking in humanity. Qi Liangqin looked at him and thought, "Yan Bozong is so good. Everything about him is perfect and matches my heart's desires." It seemed like Yan Bozong was startled by his passionate gaze and quickly turned to walk inside. Qi Liangqin snapped out of his thoughts and followed him into the room.

Yan Bozong's words, of course, weren't entirely sincere. He had been shocked and deeply affected by Qi Liangqin's shocking and decadent behavior, so it was impossible for him to fully accept or completely trust him right away. His words were like giving Qi Liangqin a piece of candy. As an operator of a large company, he understood the importance of giving sugar at the right moment. Sometimes, excessive praise wasn't flattery or boasting, but a warning.

He was using kind words to set a standard for Qi Liangqin. Sometimes, flattering words are also a kind of cage. He was elevating Qi Liangqin to a high position, and from then on, whatever Qi Liangqin did would be weighed carefully.

When they arrived home, Madam Yan was sitting in the living room. "Did she leave?"

Qi Liangqin nodded. "She left."

"Where's the second one? Call him and tell him to come back."

Qi Liangqin said, "I already called him. He said he's busy, but he'll be back once he's done."

"Don't worry about this," Madam Yan said. "He made his own mess, let him clean it up. Don't worry, if he doesn't fix it, I'll be the first to not let him off!"

Qi Liangqin nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

"You must be tired. Go rest in your room."

Qi Liangqin went back to his room, turned on the air conditioner, took a shower, and then stretched out his body, standing naked in the room.

Recently, he had been learning yoga from Yan Yuan. After practicing, he felt his flexibility had improved significantly. He'd heard that practicing yoga was good for little bottoms, not only for shaping the body and improving skin, but also for unlocking various poses that would benefit bedroom activities. When in front of Yan Yuan, he always pretended to learn half-heartedly, but when he was alone, he practiced intensely.

There were so many poses he wanted to try. Sometimes, when practicing, he would imagine doing these poses with Yan Bozong, and just the thought would make his body feel hot. Some feelings were hard to control.

Perhaps because he had been practicing for a while, when he looked in the mirror, he noticed that his posture had become more upright. After spending time shopping with Madam Yan and the others, he'd seen so many different outfits, and his fashion sense had improved as well. After trying different styles, he finally settled on a high-cold, ethereal look. He thought the literary and fresh style suited him best.

In short, he wanted to distance himself from being associated with vulgarity.

Now, he didn't bother picking small flowers from the garden to put in a vase. Instead, he had lilies pre-ordered from a flower shop, delivered regularly. The lily leaves were fresh and graceful, the stems tall and elegant. Each delivery was of a different color and variety, but his favorite was the Casablanca lily—white flowers with green stamens. They were delicate and looked especially beautiful in a vase.

His preference for lilies also stemmed from a TV drama he used to love—The Golden World. The female lead, Leng Qingqiu, adored lilies to the point that she seemed one with the flowers. He believed that a cold, ethereal person like him should be like a lily. He had nurtured these flowers, and over time, they subtly influenced how others saw him.

It seemed that over time, everyone in the Yan family had come to know about his love for lilies. Sometimes, when Yan Songwei came back from outside, he didn't bring roses but lilies for him. Madam Yan once said, "These flowers suit him."

Although it was just a simple sentence, it felt like a verdict—Qi Liangqin was like a lily. This verdict greatly helped him shed the image of a seductive and vulgar character, which was incredibly beneficial for him.

So, public relations were no small matter. Qi Liangqin stood naked in front of the window, his fingers brushing the leaves of the lilies. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating one half of his chest, while the other half remained in the shadows, surrounded by a halo of light. He had gained a bit of weight recently, but his limbs were more evenly proportioned, and his body had become more polished. His buttocks were fuller now. He stood more upright than the lilies, looking better and better—perhaps nourished by love.

But it wasn't enough. He needed more love to nourish him, more care to make him bloom, and release a stronger fragrance. Through the Casablanca lilies, he gazed at the room across from his.

There were many stories about the origin of lilies. The most popular one was that after Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit under the serpent's temptation and were banished from Eden, Eve shed tears of regret. These tears fell to the ground and broke into pieces, turning into pure and fragrant lilies.

This pure flower, too, came from the entanglement of love and desire. What is dirty? What is pure? Blossoming in the dark night, it's all just part of human nature.