He Jin found his mother illogical. Who would enter one’s place immediately after dating? It’d just be too rush. Also, if he brought anything over, it would look as if He Jin wanted her to invite him over again, it’s just not appropriate. He Jin had already made up his mind to make it clear to Duan Shurong, there’s no way he would enter her apartment!
Obviously, He Jin didn’t dare tell the truth to his mother, instead, he said, “what if she invites me for a movie or something after dinner? Do you think it’s appropriate for me to bring these two big bags?’
Mother He looked pissed off, here it goes again.
“Okay, okay, I’ll take it with me.” He Jin raised his hands to show surrender, mother He finally showed a smile.
Suddenly, He Jin recalled about something, and he asked, “mom, do you still remember that someone wrote me a love letter when I was in middle school?”
Mother He took a plastic flower, and while she was making it, she said, “love letter? What love letter? I don’t remember anymore.”
Making plastic flowers has become an interest of mother He recently. Two years ago, He Jin found out that his mother had a lot of outdated and narrow-minded ideas, and he started to accompany her to attend some public online classes about psychology and education. And after consulting a psychologist, there were a lot of compliments about what He Jin had been doing as well. The psychologist also suggested He Jin to develop some hobbies for his mother.
At first, his mother was unwilling. Patients with depression like to keep themselves in a dark place, and they’re very arrogant about their learning ability. Since they are afraid of being hurt, they are afraid of getting into contact with other people. He Jin was like an adult bringing up a child. Every weekend, he had to bring his mother to classes. In fact, it’s not a good thing for old people to stay at home and to drill into their own thoughts. After having some hobbies, mother He managed to make some friends in the class too, and she became much happier and open-minded.
“Since you were a child, girls have been fond of you. If I didn’t call your class teacher to ask about you often, you’d have been taken away long time ago.” When mother He said this, she felt a bit complicated. She had always perceived herself as doing the right thing, but once she realized that her son is gay, she really hoped that time could turn back, and she would never do anything to interfere in his love matters anymore. Now, she would do anything as long as her son could date normally with a girl, no matter what “conditions” that girl has.
He Jin said, “Duan Shurong was my classmate from another class. She even wrote me a love letter and later you discovered it.”
Mother He looked stunned, “oh, really?”
He Jin glanced at Mother He with a smile, and said, “you got her number from the teacher, called her, and scolded her severely. Have you forgotten it all?”
Mother He stopped what she’s doing, and she asked nervously, “really? What should I do? Does the girl remember that? Does she have a bad impression on me?”
He Jin lowered his eyes, “well, she told me when we had dinner together on Saturday. That’s why I found it weird when you told me that she still wanted to keep in touch with me. I remember how much she hated me after that incident.”
Mother He’s facial expression changed dramatically, “this happened when both of you were kids, how come she’s still taking it seriously? How about I call her and apologize?”
“No, there’s no need,” He Jin grabbed his mother’s hand, he rubbed his face and whispered, “she just mentioned it jokingly. And I was just telling you casually. I know that you wanted me to study hard and not to be distracted. It’s in the past now. We don’t mind anymore.” He Jin comforted his mother and he sighed, “but I still can’t say for sure whether we can be a couple.” —Sorry, mom.
At night, when they were about to go to bed, father He was a bit worried, “are you trying to make He Jin and that girl together?”
Mother He turned off the lights and said, “yes. What if we make it?” She didn’t want to let go of this chance.
However, the conversation with He Jin made her think of what she’d done when he was younger, and it was the first time mother He felt guilty, “hey, tell me if I’ve done this to He Jin...”
“What are you thinking about again?” Father He was a bit annoyed.
After thinking for a while, mother He replied, “I didn’t let him date early and I tried to control him. Is it because of me, he came abnormal...he once showed me the lesson of that Professor Lu, and he said that we have to infiltrate correct values of relationship to our children without suppressing them. I think I’ve done it poorly.”
Father He patted her, “don’t think about it anymore. In any case, this is our destiny. Just like you, you got married with me and you end up not having fortunate days. That’s destiny too. We just have to accept it.”
Mother He, “...”
The next day, He Jin brought the two gift boxes to the office. When he entered, everyone looked at him.
Xiao Li was surprised, “oh, brother Jin, who gave you this?”
He Jin smiled bitterly, “don’t be silly. How dare I accept others’ gifts. It’s just...I need to meet a senior person tonight.”
Xiao Li squinted, “are you going to meet your future mother-in-law?”
He Jin, “...”
Xiao Li touched his cheeks and asked, “hey, brother Jin, you’re so handsome and you’re not that young anymore. You really don’t have a girlfriend?”
He Jin shook his head. After putting down his things and sorted out the documents to be reviewed that day, “no, and I don’t intend to look for one either.”
“No way! Wouldn’t your parents be urging you to? I’ve just graduated for one year and my parents are already pushing me! So annoying!” When Xiao Li was talking, he handed the list of the investigation of director Xu to He Jin, and he whispered, “look at this, something is really wrong!”
He Jin frowned, he took out the approval list that had been there since last week, put the “Rejected” stamp on it and annotated, “insufficient conditions for application.” Then, he handed it to Xiao Li, “send this to director Xu.”
When he was having lunch, He Jin’s bracelet suddenly vibrated. There was a message from an unfamiliar number. He Jin almost thought that it’s from Qin Yang. After checking it more carefully, he saw that it wasn’t him.