Su Jingming could find no words to describe the sensation of hearing those words from Wen Yan’s father. His fingers, resting beside his laptop, curled slightly. He replied calmly, "And how are you feeling right now?"
The elder Wen looked up at him. Those eyes, which bore a striking resemblance to Wen Yan’s, seemed to slowly consume Su Jingming’s composure.
Su Jingming squeezed his palm tightly; he had nearly allowed himself to sink into that gaze.
"I want to know," Wen Yan’s father said, "if it were your mother, Dr. Su, what would she do?"
Su Jingming smiled faintly. "My mother kicked me out of the house, yet she blesses me in her own contradictory way."
In Su Jingming’s eyes, Cheng Hui’s methods were indeed paradoxical—disapproving on one hand, yet offering blessings on the other. He figured it might still be a long time before she truly came around.
"For the past few years, his mother and I have been wondering if we went too far back then. But we couldn't find a proper reason to convince ourselves otherwise. My son is excellent; he never gave his parents cause for worry. He has his own thoughts, his own opinions—on everything." Wen Yan’s father sighed softly, withdrawing his gaze from Su Jingming. "It’s precisely because he is so filial and sensible that, sometimes, we feel even more guilty. We wanted to give him the best."
Two years ago, Wen Yan had presented the legal regulations recognizing same-sex marriage to his parents.
"Now even the state recognizes us. Can you accept it now?" Wen Yan’s expression had been indifferent, his tone devoid of any superfluous emotion.
It had taken Wen Yan’s mother a long time to accept the drastic change in her son’s temperament, and then he had used such a matter to provoke her again.
Before she could speak, the elder Wen’s anger had already flared. He slammed his hand on the table. "Who are you doing this for?"
Wen Yan kept his eyes half-cast, offering no answer.
"Liking men is already straying from the path!" his father shouted. "And now you want to double down on your mistake? Su Jingming has been gone for years—can you still not forget him?"
"I can't," Wen Yan said. "How would I dare forget?"
The elder Wen no longer wished to recall how their communication had proceeded after that. Every discussion ended in an argument. Not long after, Wen Yan moved out of the Wen family home and into an apartment he had purchased with a mortgage.
By all rights, the father should have been proud; his son had such capability relying solely on himself. Whenever people spoke of his son, it was invariably with praise.
"Old Wen, having a son like that is truly a blessing."
"To achieve so much at such a young age... it makes me envious. That brat of mine only knows how to drink and go clubbing all day; he doesn't do a lick of honest work."
The elder Wen would listen to his friends' banter. Though they spoke ill of their own sons, their brows were bright with spirit. Long ago, he had looked the same way when mentioning Wen Yan.
Even when Wen Yan bought his house, they only found out after all the procedures were finished and the renovations were complete.
Their intermittent communication lasted for two years, until the elder Wen heard from others about a very talented doctor at a psychological counseling studio who was skilled at treating mental distress—and one didn't even need to go to a hospital.
He grew curious and found the studio online, only to see Su Jingming’s profile as the lead counselor.
He hadn't felt angry. For a fleeting moment, his only thought was that this child was doing well, too.
The elder Wen took a deep breath. Su Jingming was just as he had been years ago, listening to others speak with quiet attention. He was patient, his face showing not a hint of irritation. At the right moments, Su Jingming would nod slightly, a faint smile on his lips, encouraging him to continue.
"My relationship with my son hasn't been pleasant these past two years. Even though we're in the same city, it feels like there's a great distance between us. It’s not just me; even his mother is starting to regret it." He pursed his lips. "Starting to regret whether our decision back then was wrong."
Whether it was Wen Yan’s parents or Su Jingming himself, none of them had found the answer to that question even now.
Was his decision to let go back then right or wrong?
He couldn't say for sure now.
Wen Yan’s parents couldn't say, and even Cheng Hui couldn't figure it out.
Back then, they had caused such a stir to force the two children apart, and their own desires were satisfied. But what about the children’s desires? In the end, no one had asked them, had they?
The elder Wen thought: *Don't parents just want their children to be happy?*
Suddenly, he didn't want to dwell on these five years anymore. He simply asked, "Dr. Su, is my son happy now?"
Su Jingming hadn't expected such a question. He remained silent for a moment, then looked at the elder Wen with gentle eyes. "He is very happy now."
The elder Wen let out a long breath and downed the tea beside him. In an instant, he seemed to age decades. "How much longer can we really control him, Xiao Su?"
Then, he took some bills from his wallet and placed them on the table.
Just as Su Jingming was about to refuse, the elder Wen tapped the table with his finger. "When you have time, come over to the house for a meal."
Having said his piece, he stood up and departed.
Before Su Jingming could even process the words, the man had disappeared from the teahouse.
With trembling hands, Su Jingming lifted his water glass, his eyes fixed on the cash on the table. Before the rim could touch his lips, water spilled onto his collar.
He hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe it away, an indescribable emotion suddenly swelling in his chest.
He realized that Wen Yan’s parents must not have had an easy time these past five years either. It had taken five years to reach this ultimate compromise.
In the end, time had been the greatest mediator.
The moment the elder Wen saw Su Jingming, he had to admit he saw traces of Wen Yan in him. In that instant, he finally understood: even if the two were separated, these two children were using their own ways to remember each other.
What was the point of separation then? It was better to grant them their wish, if only to make up for the mistakes of the past.
***
Wen Yan hadn't received a WeChat message from Su Jingming saying he was finished, so he drove to the teahouse first. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he saw Su Jingming through the glass window, sitting there like a fool, seemingly lost in a daze.
Wen Yan raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open.
Seeing the cold teacup and the stack of cash on the table, Wen Yan sat down opposite him and lightly tapped the tabletop.
"What are you still thinking about? Come back to earth."
For a split second, Su Jingming thought it was still the elder Wen sitting there. The water stain on his chest hadn't even dried yet.
Wen Yan pulled out a tissue, leaned over, and wiped it for him. With only a few centimeters between them, Su Jingming’s breathing became cautious.
"Weren't you seeing a patient? You look like it was a tough case."
Su Jingming shook his head, still unsure how to tell him.
"Then why are you dazing off? You didn't reply to my message, so I had to come and catch you myself." Wen Yan glanced at the stack of cash and joked, "It seems being a psychologist is quite lucrative. I'm thinking of studying it myself."
Su Jingming pursed his lips, looking as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
"What is it?" Since Su Jingming’s return, Wen Yan had rarely seen him like this. "Did this patient make you remember something unpleasant?"
Though Wen Yan supported Su Jingming unconditionally, he often worried that Su Jingming would be reminded of Su Qicheng.
He opened his mouth to offer comfort, but Su Jingming interrupted him. "The patient this afternoon... you know him. It was your father." He paused. "He told us to come back for dinner when we have time."
Wen Yan was momentarily stunned. Then, he suddenly began to laugh. "Then when will you be free to go meet the parents?"
Su Jingming packed up his laptop and took a deep breath, handing the money on the table to Wen Yan. "I'll go once I've saved up enough for the betrothal gift. After all, a lawyer like Mr. Wen doesn't come cheap."
This consultation was one that Su Jingming returned from with great satisfaction.
Just as he said, he truly intended to save up enough for a "bride price" before going back to the Wen house with Wen Yan.
Wen Yan, who usually never cared about how much savings the other had, couldn't help but ask that day, "Dr. Su, how much do you plan to spend to marry me into your family?"
Dr. Su looked down at a medical record and answered without lifting his head, "It’s still early."
Thinking that sounded a bit inappropriate, he immediately corrected himself: "Soon."
Lawyer Wen was very dissatisfied with this answer. He began to slowly calculate an account. "Dr. Su, you charge by the hour for one patient, not to mention the follow-up treatments. For a full course, it would be at least this many digits."
Su Jingming finally looked up at him. Wen Yan was wearing a white shirt; whether intentionally or not, the top few buttons were undone, revealing faint, suspicious red marks on his chest.
Su Jingming instinctively looked away. Lawyer Wen continued, "You work six days a week, four patients a day. Based on current market rates, Dr. Su, I'm afraid you'll have to save for quite a while."
"Mm, that makes sense."
"How about we sign a contract?" Lawyer Wen pulled a document from the side table.
Su Jingming raised an eyebrow. He had come prepared.
Lawyer Wen walked over to him, leisurely buttoned his shirt, and naturally sat in the chair beside Su Jingming. He said softly, "I drafted this contract a while ago. It’s a good time for you to look it over."
Su Jingming flipped through it briefly. Wen Yan explained from the side, "According to marriage law, pre-marital property belongs to the individual."
"And?" Su Jingming flipped to the last page. Before Wen Yan could answer, his eyes widened.
Wen Yan was very satisfied with this reaction. His well-defined fingers tapped on the contract as he spoke slowly, "So, I—along with all my money—belong to you as your pre-marital property. Dr. Su, is that enough for a betrothal gift?"
***
