It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 55

 

ITOTIABSAM | Landlord Tenant | 55

To like is to like.

But the cost of this liking is a bit high.

The perfectly fine sweater got thoroughly dirty. Although it didn't unravel, it was somewhat stretched and deformed. The next day, when Gu Cong woke up, he dutifully carried a basin of water to the bathroom and meticulously washed it by hand. 

He hung it on the balcony to bask in the sun all day long. When it was dry, he carefully ironed and arranged it back to its original state. Only then did Xie Ye stop himself from nearly forbidding himself from entering the master bedroom.

Despite all this, Xie Ye never wore the sweater again. Instead, he deeply buried it in the closet.

With the arrival of winter vacation and the approach of the New Year, to be honest, Xie Ye didn't have much experience interacting with elders—or rather, with normal elders. 

After all, most of the setups in various original works where the villains are cannon fodder involve orphans. Even if there were elders, they would be the kind of cold, blood-sucking, and abnormal extremes, with no real sense of family affection.

But Gu Cong was clearly different. After living together, he occasionally heard the other person talking to his family on the phone. Although it didn't reach the level of "precious son" like in novels, they were still very close.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Xie Ye agreed to Gu Cong's request. As New Year's Eve approached, Xie Ye became increasingly anxious, but with his personality, he would never do anything out of fear of backing out.

So, in the past few days, Xie Ye seemingly casually steered the conversation a few times during chats, successfully coaxing Gu Cong into revealing the preferences of his parents, and then meticulously made a strategy guide.

1101 was both amused and exasperated, "How come you weren't this serious when you were strategizing for the main protagonists before?"

The favored child of fortune, a target many sought to please.

Xie Ye calmly tucked away the small note listing the gifts, "It's just a matter of etiquette."

1101: Just a matter of etiquette? I think you're just trying to save face.

Of course, it didn't dare say this out loud. Some things were best left unspoken, mutually understood, breaking the silence forcefully would only spoil the fun.

...and also because it's easy to get beaten up.

Gu Cong probably thought the same. If he were to say that he didn't notice Xie Ye's probing, that would definitely be a lie. But if he really took over and handled the task of choosing gifts all by himself, a certain little cat would definitely not be pleased.

So, he could only diligently serve as Xie Ye's adviser while also giving his own parents a heads-up, ensuring that no matter what Xie Ye brought over on that day, there would be a flawless outcome.

In the days before meeting Gu Cong, Xie Ye didn't have much real feeling for the New Year festival and didn't care much about it. But whether in the previous life or in this one, Gu Cong was someone with a lively spirit. 

Starting from the 24th of the twelfth month, he would be busy cleaning and buying New Year goods. And in Xie Ye's update list, there was also an entry that seemed out of place compared to the other series—a video about making Laba Congee.

This kind of content was relatively simple, and there were many topics covered by other content creators, so it wouldn't attract much attention. It was something that could be casually recorded to fit the festive atmosphere. 

However, Xie Ye took it very seriously. He even conducted experiments beforehand to carefully determine the best timing for adding each type of dried fruit, apart from brown sugar and glutinous rice.

Of course, there were also Laba garlic pickles, which Xie Ye absolutely wouldn't eat raw. In the end, without any surprises, everything ended up in Gu Cong's stomach.

One of Xie Ye's familiar fans left a direct comment under the video: "Very delicious, but the toothpaste consumption has skyrocketed."

[Advice: Reach out to Dami next year.]

The reply to this comment was particularly playful:

[Haha, the increase in toothpaste consumption cracked me up. I can feel the disdain from Fanfan even through the screen.]

[Am I the only one with such a wild imagination? Isn't the increase in toothpaste usage because there's always kissing going on]

[Who doesn't know that Fanfan and his roommate are boyfriends?]

[Here's the pen! You write!]

Thanks to the help of the Quick Transmigration System 1101, Gu Cong's identity had been carefully concealed all this time, without being exposed. 

Although some fellow students in the same major occasionally had suspicions, because graduation was approaching and the lips of the senior members were sealed tight enough, ultimately, they lacked concrete evidence and the matter was dropped.

As the change of weather approached, on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, it was a bit cloudy but the most suitable day for Xie Ye to go out. 

He had already posted a leave notice on his Y station account for the Spring Festival period. Together with Gu Cong, he boarded a bus and headed to the neighboring city.

According to Gu Cong himself, his family is in business. However, it's not the kind of prominent family business depicted in novels or idol dramas where the entire industry would change with a single decision. 

They run a reasonably successful ordinary enterprise, and his parents don't have a strong determination to pass on the business. That's why they allowed him to study computer science and pursue his own interests.

Moreover, on regular days, Gu Cong himself isn't particularly interested in luxury brands and doesn't spend lavishly. Apart from his roommate in the same dormitory, few people know about this.

"I'm lucky that I've always been diligent and frugal. I even thought about renting a place when I came out to prepare for exams. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you," Gu Cong said as he dragged a large suitcase with one hand and held Xie Ye's hand with the other. "The driver and the maid at home are both on vacation. Should we take a taxi back?"

Xie Ye nodded in agreement, not having any objections. After all, he couldn't imagine Gu Cong being addressed as "Young Master" by a butler in a tailcoat like in some of the aristocratic novels he had crossed paths with.

In fact, Gu Cong's home wasn't as extravagant as he had imagined. Though it was called a villa, it was more like a two-story townhouse, without excessively large pools or gardens. As they entered the gate, someone came out to greet them.

It was a gentle-looking middle-aged woman, whose eye shape and color were almost identical to Gu Cong's. Her skin was well maintained, but her temperament had the sediment of years. 

She looked at Xie Ye with a soft gaze and smiled, "So, you must be Xiao Xie. It's nice to finally meet you. Come on in, it's cold outside."

Gu Cong exaggeratedly pretended to fight for attention, "Oh, come on, Mom, didn't you see me?" Then he boasted proudly, "My boyfriend, isn't he handsome? And his personality is even better."

—Suddenly, Xie Ye, who could witness the world collapse without flinching, felt a bit nervous. In the eyes of ordinary people, same-sex relationships might seem unconventional. Being so overt, especially in front of parents, was it really okay?

"He's handsome, even more handsome than the stars on TV," seeming to sense Xie Ye's subtle concern, Gu Cong's mother stepped forward, taking the cold hand of the young man. "He's a good kid. Come on, let's go inside and sit."

Xie Ye would typically reject physical contact with strangers, but today was different. With one hand held by Gu Cong's mother and the other holding Gu Cong's hand, he was led into the house.

In the kitchen, Gu Cong's father, who was also tall, was cooking—or more accurately, he was peeling shrimp. 

Gu Cong's handsome features and occasional assertiveness were clearly inherited from him, but lacking the softening effect of his amber dog-like eyes. Even when he wasn't speaking, he seemed serious.

Fortunately, this serious facade didn't last long. As soon as Gu Cong's mother called out, he leaned out of the kitchen, forgetting to even wipe his hands. "Got it, tea."

1101: Got it.

It seems that the tendency to dote on loved ones is inherited from Dad.

"Relax, we don't have many rules in our house," Gu Cong's mother said, pressing down on Xie Ye, who seemed to want to get up. "Whoever is in the kitchen grabs it, no fuss."

Gu Cong's father, carrying the tea tray, nodded in agreement. "Hmm."

Xie Ye could only greet respectfully, "Hello, Uncle."

Compared to Gu Cong's mother and Gu Cong, Gu Cong's father spoke less, but his aura was completely harmless. Before this, Xie Ye, who was usually sensitive to emotions, hadn't expected to feel comfortable in what could be considered a stranger's home.

Today was only the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, but Gu's mother had meticulously prepared a table full of dishes and didn't let Xie Ye lift a finger throughout the meal. 

The overall flavors were light, with hardly any greasy dishes apart from the braised pork that Gu Cong's father liked. It was obvious that they had considered Xie Ye's stomach preferences after getting to know him.

"I wasn't being willful. It was Mom who asked voluntarily," Gu Cong said as he took on the task of washing dishes, turning on the faucet with a rush of water. "She really likes you. Since I was little, I've always followed my dad around, causing her headaches."

"Now that we have you and I've gained a son, she's happy."

Xie Ye: "Follow Uncle?"

"Yeah, my dad. Don't be fooled by his current demeanor. He's developed his calm demeanor after starting the company," Gu Cong lifted the lid on his father's past without hesitation, smiling as he squeezed out the dish soap. "They've known each other since childhood, went to elementary, middle, and high school together, even college. They know each other inside out."

"But don't worry, I have no interest in being a CEO. I'll definitely be like this even when I'm old."

Mwah.

Unexpectedly, Gu Cong planted a kiss on Xie Ye's cheek. "Like this."

To be honest, Xie Ye wasn't uncomfortable with intimate contact with someone he liked, but this was Gu Cong's parents' home after all. His eyelashes instinctively fluttered nervously, and visibly, a blush spread across the young man's cheeks.

"Stop messing around," Xie Ye said.

Gu Cong was unapologetic. "What's wrong with kissing my own boyfriend? Don't worry, Mom definitely prepared a room for us."

And he wasn't wrong.

Although Gu Cong attended university in the city and was away for several months at a time, his bedroom seemed regularly maintained. A pot of thriving cacti sat by the window, and the bookshelf showed no sign of dust. It was clear that it wasn't just a temporary arrangement.

"I got that during high school," Gu Cong explained enthusiastically, following Xie Ye's gaze. "My mom said spending too much time looking at screens requires some greenery, so I chose this."

"You have a strong vitality, so I don't let me spoil you," Gu Cong joked.

But Xie Ye couldn't help but feel that someone like Gu Cong could nurture anything well.

Since he was taller than his peers from a young age, Gu Cong's bed was large. Two newly exchanged pillows were snugly pressed together, and the toothbrushes in the bathroom were all paired up. Deliberately squeezing next to each other at the sink to brush their teeth, Gu Cong couldn't resist leaning in and planting a kiss on Xie Ye's cheek, leaving a small pile of foam.

"It's really nice," he said.

Xie Ye's deep phoenix eyes flickered up, then down again when he saw Gu Cong's silly smile. 

He reached up and pushed the other's chin, prompting him to face the mirror again. Xie Ye spat out the water from his mouth, his lips subtly curled. "I know."

"Brush your teeth."

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