My Boss Always Flirts With Me - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Unbearable

The meeting was sudden, but the customary gifts were not neglected. He Chi had prepared everything, from expensive tech gadgets to everyday fruit baskets. Fang Ci even saw him consult his assistant about etiquette, making sure every detail was covered.

Yet, none of this could dispel the confusion and fear in his heart. As they were about to leave, He Chi saw him hesitating, standing still in the hallway, and stopped as well.

“Fang Ci.”

Hearing his name, Fang Ci looked up. He Chi held out his hand and said, “Come here.”

Fang Ci shuffled slowly towards him.

He Chi pulled him into his arms with a large, gentle yet firm motion. His body was much taller and broader, and he wrapped Fang Ci up completely.

Fang Ci buried his head in He Chi’s neck and hugged him back.

“Don’t be afraid,” He Chi said.

Fang Ci rubbed his forehead against his shoulder. “I’m going to get yelled at.”

He Chi asked, “You won’t. I’m here.”

“Your parents won’t scold you. They’ll probably want to scold me more.”

After saying that, Fang Ci couldn’t help but laugh. Oh right, Teacher He was the one who lured him first. It was a big crime to lure an adult into marriage.

He Chi hugged him for a while longer before letting go. He looked down and saw Fang Ci’s eyes were red. He rubbed them with his thumb, and a small drop of water landed on his fingertip, softening his heart.

He Chi held Fang Ci’s hand and pushed open the door.

Their houses were not far from each other, but every second felt agonizing. The familiar road and the suffocating feeling made Fang Ci experience a genuine case of “homesickness before arriving home.”

After parking the car, Fang Ci only carried one bag, while He Chi held the rest of the packages, large and small. They walked toward the house one after the other.

Before they even entered the building, Fang Ci spotted a familiar figure and his steps immediately froze.

“Dad?”

The middle-aged man under the tree was smoking. He turned his head at the sound, threw away the cigarette butt, and only spoke when they got closer. Fang Ci’s dad glanced at He Chi, his face stern, but he managed to control his tone, only saying, “You’re back?”

Fang Ci nodded. He Chi’s posture was very humble. He called out “Uncle.” Fang Ci’s dad grunted, a clear sign that he was not in a good mood.

“Your mom is waiting for you at home. I came out for some fresh air.”

Fang Ci hesitated and asked, “Dad, is Mom okay?” The unspoken meaning was that he had messed up big time and wanted to test the waters first.

Fang Ci’s dad gave him a glare and didn’t say anything. Fang Ci meekly shut up.

But when he stepped through the door, all his worst fears were overturned.

The living room was empty, but the kitchen was brightly lit. His mom was cooking. When he realized this, Fang Ci stood in the entryway, stunned.

His dad said, “Your mom and I discussed it. For the first meeting, it’s better to eat at home. You…”

He looked at the person next to Fang Ci. He Chi noticed his gaze and said, “Hello, you can just call me He Chi.”

Fang Ci’s dad nodded. “Let Mr. He try some home-cooked food, too.”

Just like every time he had a fight with his parents as a child, no matter how angry they were, they would always pull him out to eat. There was no problem that a meal couldn’t solve. Fang Ci pursed his lips, composed himself, and in the comfort of a home-cooked meal, he found new courage.

Their family’s dinner time was very fixed. Dinner was served at 6 PM sharp, with fish and meat. He Chi and Fang Ci were responsible for bringing the dishes to the table. During this time, Fang Ci’s mom didn’t look at them or say anything else. She would occasionally point to the location of the chopsticks and spoons and tell them to get a bowl and serve themselves.

He Chi was very polite and obedient. When he saw Fang Ci’s mom was about to clean up the stove without taking off her apron, he said, “Please leave it. I’ll do the dishes.”

Fang Ci’s mom didn’t stand on ceremony and actually left it for him.

The four of them sat at the table and ate. Fang Ci’s dad didn’t want the atmosphere to be awkward and took the initiative to ask He Chi about his work. When he found out that they worked at the same company and that He Chi was his son’s superior, he felt a sense of relief that his son was being looked after. “That’s wonderful,” he said, but his wife poked him in the ribs with a cold glare.

He muttered, “What’s wrong with being colleagues?”

He Chi knew when to stop. As usual, he peeled the shrimp and removed the fish bones for Fang Ci, putting them on a plate. Fang Ci’s peripheral vision was always on his mom. When he saw she only had vegetables in her bowl, he picked up a piece of meat and put it in front of her.

“Why are you doing that for me? He peeled that for you,” his mom said, and then she put the shrimp back on his plate.

She turned and glared at his dad. His dad finally got the hint and also started to remove the bones.

After this back-and-forth, Fang Ci felt a lot more relaxed, and a smile finally appeared on his face.

After dinner, He Chi cleaned up the kitchen. Fang Ci’s parents were already waiting for him in the living room with tea. He Chi wiped his hands and sat down next to them.

Fang Ci’s dad, who usually didn’t talk much, was the peacemaker today. There were many topics men could chat about. His dad, who came from a science background, had a lot in common with He Chi. He liked to research tech industries and stock trading, which happened to be He Chi’s area of expertise. Within a few sentences, He Chi had his dad’s eyes gleaming. Especially when He Chi brought up the development of tech stocks and gave him a lot of advice, his dad almost slapped his thigh in excitement.

It wasn’t until Fang Ci’s mom cleared her throat, interrupting their conversation, that his dad reined it in. Fang Ci knew his mom was about to start her inquisition. He quickly sat up straight and tugged on He Chi’s sleeve under the table.

He Chi squeezed his fingers.

“When did you get married?”

Fang Ci was about to speak, but his mom said, “Let Mr. He speak.”

It was like being called on in class. Fang Ci’s heart was in his throat.

“Three months ago,” He Chi answered honestly.

His mom: “Three months?”

Fang Ci tensed up again.

He Chi said, “We’ve known each other for two years, but we haven’t been together for long. The marriage was a bit rushed, and that’s my fault.”

This timeline was something Fang Ci had mentioned, so it roughly matched up. His mom didn’t dwell on this and went straight to the heavy topic. “I can understand young people getting married quickly, but why did you sign an agreement?”

He Chi said, “Before getting married, I asked a friend about it. There are a lot of public notary procedures, and the process is quite complicated. I wanted to simplify things, so I drafted a contract.”

His mom was clearly not satisfied with that answer. She put on her glasses, took out the contract, and read through it line by line. Her face grew darker with each line. Finally, she put the papers on the table and said, “I don’t care about the other things. You two explain this. What does ‘giving each other space’ mean? What does ‘can be separated through negotiation’ mean?”

He Chi answered quickly. “Those have been removed.”

Fang Ci’s parents were stunned. Fang Ci picked up the papers and saw that those lines were clearly labeled “Article 15.” He had to admit that He Chi’s unintentional action had come in handy.

“Mom, we did change the contract. This one is no longer valid.”

His mom’s face was cold. “What? Did you move in together? You’re living together and changing the contract as you go?”

Fang Ci was speechless. His mom knew she was right.

Even though she rarely got angry, this news still made her bl00d rush. She rolled up the contract and hit Fang Ci with it. It wasn’t hard, and it didn’t hurt, but the force was intimidating. Fang Ci flinched.

He Chi held Fang Ci’s arm, and the paper roll hit his hand.

Fang Ci looked at him, his eyes filled with a bit of grievance.

His mom took two breaths. His dad poured her a glass of water. “Xiao Ci is an adult. Don’t be mad at him.”

His mom: “Because I’m a normal parent! I can’t accept an agreement that’s illogical and unreasonable! According to this, is there even a point to this marriage? What would change if you weren’t married?”

He Chi’s lips were pressed into a tight line. Fang Ci was stunned.

His dad was afraid she would get sick from anger, so he quickly said, “It’s enough as long as they live well. Isn’t that right, Xiao Ci?”

Fang Ci caught on and quickly said, “Teacher He is very good to me.”

Perhaps the affectionate nickname softened her expression. His dad continued to persuade her, saying things like, “You blamed me for talking too much when Xiao Ci was dating a boyfriend, and look at you now,” and “Marriage is a matter for two people. The deed is done, and bringing up old things won’t change reality.” His mom got annoyed with his nagging.

“Go sit over there and leave me alone!”

His dad sighed and gave He Chi a look.

He Chi understood.

“I apologize. I should have come to visit sooner and explained things to you both. I was the one who proposed the marriage, so this isn’t Fang Ci’s fault.”

Fang Ci’s parents looked at him. Fang Ci also looked at him, his heart rate slightly accelerating. He Chi’s tone was gentle and firm, and he spoke sincerely, with no trace of a CEO’s arrogance in front of his parents.

After chatting for a while, they all understood that his parents only wanted an attitude and didn’t want to break them up. The agreement seemed intimidating at first glance, but a closer look showed that the dozens of clauses were all in his favor. His parents felt sorry for him.

He now wanted to hear He Chi’s thoughts. Besides the apology, did he have anything else to say? Like his views on marriage, his views on him as a long-term partner. He couldn’t ask himself, but maybe his parents could help him.

“Did you say you were single before you got married?” His dad seemed to have heard his inner thoughts.

Fang Ci stared at He Chi’s profile without blinking.

He Chi paused slightly and said, “My family introduced me to some blind dates, but I was busy with work and didn’t meet them.”

His dad nodded. “That’s normal. We also introduced some to Xiao Ci, but he didn’t like any of them. You have to choose the right person to get married.”

He Chi glanced at Fang Ci and said softly, “Yes, I’m lucky to have met him. I hope we can continue to walk this path together.”

Fang Ci’s lips curled up. What was this? It sounded like a wedding vow.

He Chi looked very reliable, and his words were pleasant. His mom’s expression improved a lot.

Fang Ci quietly reached out to try and hook the contract, but his mom slapped his hand away and glared at him. Fang Ci gave her a fawning smile and sat still.

He Chi was still talking to his dad. The topics were similar, but the content was more specific, like where they lived and if they commuted to work together. Fang Ci listened intently, silently giving Teacher He extra points, until his dad brought up his family situation.

He Chi said, “…Whether it’s as a business partner or a family member, Xiao Ci is my only option.”

Fang Ci’s mental scorecard stopped.

“To me, he is a very important family member.”

When he said this, He Chi’s eyes were gentle, and a faint smile was on his lips. Fang Ci knew that these words came from his genuine thoughts. The smile on his face almost fell.

Afraid that others would notice, he mechanically turned his head and lowered his eyes. Only his heart was repeating in a daze:

Family?

So it’s family.

These two words were as heavy as a thousand pounds, occupying all of his mental and emotional capacity. The conversation continued, but it couldn’t penetrate his ears anymore.

Fang Ci didn’t remember how he left the house. He was still holding the marriage agreement they had signed.

He should have felt more at ease than when he arrived, but he couldn’t feel happy.

His parents packed some cooked food for them to take back, which meant they had accepted their relationship. Before they left, his mom said, “You two have to live your own lives. Only when you’ve overcome this mental hurdle will the marriage have meaning.”

This was probably meant for him, as he felt his expression falter for a split second. There was no mirror in the living room, so he couldn’t see it.

On the way home, the bad mood that had been locked away in a corner broke free, drowning him completely. The only lights in the car were from the dashboard. Fang Ci huddled in his seat, feeling cold and miserable.

An emotion more intense than ever before consumed him.

The agreement and the not-so-serious argument tonight became unimportant. At least, they weren’t as important as He Chi’s thoughts.

Fang Ci had always thought he was easy to appease, and even when he was in a bad mood, it wouldn’t last too long. But as Shen Liu had said, there’s no goal without a deadline, and if a bug exists, the system will never run.

He Chi had finally, gently and slowly, pushed him to a dead end.

He was only willing to treat him as a family member. This word trapped both of them.

A long time ago, back in college, he had a vague idea of what his future partner would be like. He had to be handsome, very capable, and they would get along well. It didn’t matter if there wasn’t much love, since love was something you couldn’t force. Shen Liu used to tease him about his low standards, saying he was suited for blind dates because it was a fast way to filter.

When did he start to have expectations and feel dissatisfied?

Fang Ci closed his eyes and remembered the moment he signed the agreement three months ago. He Chi had reminded him that feelings were troublesome and advised him not to get involved.

He had crossed the line. The person who crossed the line first had to bear the risk.

He was so, so sad.

He thought: Teacher He, you can’t bully me again and again.

Streetlights flashed by, swept away by the night wind. He counted them, but lost track at the thirteenth one. He had just realized how many lights were on this road.

Good, it’s not too late.

He opened WeChat and sent a message. A reply came back, and the screen returned to darkness.

He leaned against the cold car window, his breathing light, and sank into the silence. He Chi occasionally glanced at him in the rearview mirror, thinking he was asleep. At a red light, he even put a pillow behind his back.

Fang Ci was as quiet as a lifeless puppet.

After a long time, the car turned into their residential area. Fang Ci finally opened his eyes. The headlights illuminated their house. He looked at the front door and suddenly asked, “Can the person for the business trip be changed?”

He Chi: “What?”

“Cheng Wen called in sick and can’t make it on Monday.”

“I’ll go in his place.”