NASAY CH 62

Wu Suyan never got angry with her two sisters-in-law. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford to, but rather that she didn’t want to stoop to their level. She endured whatever she could.

Whatever they said behind her back—whether it was about currying favor with the elders or the chaos of the entertainment industry—she pretended not to know. She did this to spare the two elders from embarrassment.

Every time they met, Wu Suyan brought gifts for her two sisters-in-law, ranging from jewelry and luxury handbags to other expensive items. She never cared about money; she simply believed in the old saying: A harmonious family brings prosperity.

The elders were getting old, and their biggest wish was to see their children get along. Whether the harmony was real or just for show, at least it comforted them.

The Huo family was not an extraordinarily wealthy household. The only inheritance the elders could offer their children was a single house. But greed is endless—Huo Yansheng’s uncles and their families always felt that his success was due to the favoritism of the elders, believing that all the money had been given to him and that was why his family could now live in a luxurious hillside villa, effortlessly “showering” them with extravagant gifts.

They never considered that when Wu Suyan first married Huo Yansheng, he had nothing—just the stubborn pride of a scholar, spending his days writing books with a pen in hand.

At that time, they had been struggling. Wu Suyan had just taken over the most chaotic and problematic sector of the entertainment industry, working alongside the then-blacklisted and controversial Best Actor, Ji Chang’an. Step by step, they climbed to where they were today.

The hardships they endured, the tears they swallowed—no one knew, because they had never spoken about it.

Their aunt, sensing the tension, tried to ease the situation when she noticed Wu Suyan turning pale. She said awkwardly.
“Second sister-in-law, why speak so harshly? Don’t let your anger over Xingzhou and Jiazhou’s fight make you say things you don’t mean. They’re just kids in love, and you—”

“What did I say? Did I say anything wrong?”
Second Aunt interrupted.
“A good boy should not be liking men. I didn’t say anything untrue.”

Their aunt frowned, glancing at the family members and the two boys kneeling on the ground. With a sigh, she said,
“Even so, you shouldn’t say things like that. Think about how polite and considerate our eldest sister-in-law has always been. Every time we meet, she brings gifts. Shouldn’t we at least appreciate—”

Before she could finish, Second Aunt picked up her handbag and hurled it at her, hitting her face. A decorative charm on the bag left a thin scratch, making her wince in pain and instinctively step back.

“Trying to buy us off with gifts? Do you think we can’t afford these luxuries ourselves? When Father said we were using money to control people, wasn’t she doing the same? Just because she has some money, does she think she’s superior to us?”
Second Aunt grew more agitated as she spoke. She angrily yanked off the latest model of a bracelet from her wrist and flung it toward Wu Suyan.

“Take it back!”

Wu Suyan took a deep breath. Only now did she truly understand that the in-laws she had always been cautious around harbored such deep resentment toward her. They despised and rejected the gifts she had given them all these years.

“Grandma, what are they doing?”
Little Yanyan, frightened, clung to his grandmother and sobbed as he asked in his soft, childish voice.

Grandmother gently covered his ears and whispered,
“They’re just having a discussion. Come, let’s go outside and find some dumplings to eat, okay?”

Yanyan shook his head, looking at his mother, who was covering her face while leaning against his father. Confused, he asked,
“Did Mommy get hit by Second Aunt? Is she crying? Grandma… I want to go hug Mommy.”

“Be a good boy, Yanyan. Mommy is just talking. Let’s be patient, and we’ll go to her soon, okay?”
Grandmother coaxed him gently, afraid that the scene would scare him even more.

She knew very well that among her three daughters-in-law, only the eldest was truly filial to her and her husband. No matter how busy she was, she always made time to visit them. She never missed a single holiday, sending boxes upon boxes of supplements and health products, carefully explaining how they should be used.

The other two? They were only concerned about their share of the inheritance.

“Big Auntie,”
Yanyan called softly.

Wu Suyan had just come back from outside, carrying a kitchen knife. Startled by Yanyan’s voice, she quickly hid the knife behind her back and forced a gentle smile.

“What is it, Yanyan? Are you hungry?”

Yanyan shook his head.
“Why are you holding a knife? And Second Aunt and Third Aunt, are they… are they going to hit Brother Xingzhou and the Handsome Brother? Yanyan is scared.”

Wu Suyan crouched down, gently stroked Yanyan’s little face, and smiled warmly.
“Don’t be afraid, Yanyan. Auntie will tell you a secret—yesterday, your brother hid a fun toy in his room. Why don’t you let Grandma take you to find it, okay?”

Yanyan hesitated and looked at her.

“If you can find it, Auntie will make Brother give it to you.”
Wu Suyan winked and added,
“But if you can’t, then we’ll have to give it to the Handsome Brother instead.”

Yanyan struggled with the choice for a moment but, still a child at heart, finally nodded.

Wu Suyan exchanged a glance with the grandmother and reassured her,
“Take the child away. It’s okay.”

Grandmother sighed, picked up the child, and left. Wu Suyan turned back, wordlessly picked up the limited-edition handbag from the ground, raised the kitchen knife high, and slashed it down hard—ruining it on the spot.

“What are you doing?!”
Second Aunt shrieked.

Wu Suyan lifted her gaze and sneered. “Charity?”

She then took out a jade bracelet and slammed it onto the ground. It instantly shattered into pieces, beyond repair.

“What a pity for you,”
she said as she reached out toward Huo Yansheng and, without looking back, said,
“Sir, lend me a pen.”

Huo Yansheng had always indulged his wife. Now that things had escalated to this point, he couldn’t lower himself to argue with his younger siblings, but he could certainly let Wu Suyan retaliate. Without hesitation, he pulled a pen from his pocket and handed it to her.

Wu Suyan tore a piece of paper and swiftly wrote down an address before slapping it in front of Second Aunt.
“All the luxury goods I once donated to you—please send them to this address. Cash on delivery.”

Second Aunt glanced down. Jiangcheng Waste Management Facility?

“You—!”
She stared at the paper, so furious she was speechless. Gritting her teeth, she plopped down on a chair and burst into tears.
“Look at this! I knew it! I always wondered why she was so kind to give me things back then. Turns out she was just waiting for this day to humiliate me!”

“You’re so manipulative! Just because we aren’t as sharp-tongued as you, you take advantage and trample us like this! I might as well be dead!”

Wu Suyan sneered.
“Spare me. You’re not saying this because you want to die—you just want someone else to.”

She looked at Second Aunt coldly.
“In front of our parents, I tolerated your insults toward me as their daughter. But you dared to humiliate two children? Your heart is so small you can’t even allow others to exist?”

Seeing Huo Yansheng let his wife have free rein, Second Uncle finally stepped in, his voice heavy.
“Big Brother, are you really going to let Sister-in-law bully Xiuyun like this?”

Huo Yansheng lifted his gaze and gave him a chilly look.
“Each of us is just indulging our own.”

“You—!”

Wu Suyan scoffed, stepping over the ruined luxury goods, and looked Second Aunt in the eye.
“Even if Luo Xing were to end up with Huo Xingzhou, he is our family’s child. What right do you have to object?” She smirked.

“Stop flattering yourself. What are you to him? The fact that he even calls you Second Aunt is just out of respect for Xingzhou. And yet, you dare to call him a freak and abnormal?”

Silence.

Wu Suyan delivered her final words: “Do you even deserve to judge him?”

Second Aunt and Third Aunt turned red with fury, their faces contorted in anger, but they couldn’t utter a word. Compared to their crude insults, Wu Suyan’s sharp words were like a knife—elegant, yet lethal.

Huo Jiazhou, however, snorted.
“What’s so great about being gay? Not afraid of being laughed at?”

Wu Suyan looked down at him with a faint smile and then turned to Xiuyun.
“Xiuyun, my son is kind, responsible, and affectionate. Even after all your relentless insults toward him and Luo Xing, he hasn’t retaliated once.
Unlike your son, who is rude to his elders, greedy, violent, and spews nothing but filth from his mouth.”

She glanced at her son and Luo Xing, her eyes soft with warmth.
“My son is excellent. There’s nothing he needs to be educated on.”

Second Aunt’s face twisted with rage, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe. She clutched her chest, her hand trembling as she pointed at Wu Suyan.
“You—you! How dare you—! Jiazhou even calls you Big Mom—!”

Wu Suyan let out a cold laugh.

Meanwhile, Luo Xing knelt silently on the ground. Huo Xingzhou refused to let him turn around, so he didn’t. He couldn’t make out the words behind him, only the sound of the argument. His heart clenched, afraid that Huo Yansheng and his wife were suffering because of him.

He was on edge, so anxious that he wanted to cry.

Facing the old master, he didn’t dare let him see his weakness. Instead, he dug his fingers into his palms, gripping so hard that his hands turned red.

Huo Xingzhou could hardly suppress his laughter as he listened to his mother’s words. They had never seen her lose her temper like this before, and they really thought she was some kind of pushover, allowing them to insult her as they pleased?

More importantly, the one they had hurt was her precious Luo Xing.

If she didn’t tear them apart for this, it would be a disgrace to everything she had endured in the entertainment industry.

Huo Xingzhou lowered his gaze and squeezed Luo Xing’s hand, silently asking, Are you afraid?

Luo Xing shook his head. He wasn’t afraid of upsetting Grandpa—he was just worried that Huo Xingzhou’s parents would be wronged because of him. He didn’t want them to be blamed on his account.

“Then that’s good.”
Huo Xingzhou held his hand tightly, refusing to let go no matter how much Luo Xing tried to pull away.

Luo Xing closed his eyes briefly and then looked down at Huo Xingzhou’s hand. His warm palm pressed against his own, as if transferring an endless stream of strength, making him unafraid to face any storm ahead.

Huo Xingzhou treated him so well—if he continued to retreat, then he truly wouldn’t deserve him.

Luo Xing flipped his hand over and grasped Huo Xingzhou’s wrist, his voice low but firm.
“I’m not afraid. I want to be with you for a lifetime.”

Huo Xingzhou was momentarily stunned before he smiled.
“Alright, a lifetime.”

The old man had been watching this chaotic dispute unfold. His two daughters-in-law had been throwing veiled barbs at the children and at his eldest son’s wife, their words sharp and laced with hidden needles.

“Enough!”

He slammed his palm on the table, his face dark, and turned toward Huo Yansheng and his wife. His voice was weary as he asked,
“What do you two have to say?”

Wu Suyan stepped forward and helped the two children up.
“Stop kneeling, get up now.”

Because they had been kneeling for so long, their knees were weak, and they nearly collapsed again as they tried to stand. The old man instinctively reached out to steady them.

Luo Xing flinched.
“Grandpa, I’m fine…”

The old man let out a faint hum and then turned his gaze to Wu Suyan, waiting for her to speak.

Wu Suyan said,
“Dad, Yansheng and I both like Luo Xing. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have brought him home for the New Year. As for his gender, it doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t change the fact that he’s a good child.”

Huo Yansheng sighed and added,
“Yes, he’s obedient, kind, and lovable. When I first found out, I was just as shocked as you. I thought I couldn’t accept it. But Xingzhou told me that he had chased Luo Xing down with great effort. He said that Luo Xing was intelligent, gentle, hardworking, and accomplished, and that he considered himself lucky to have won him over.”

Huo Xingzhou had never worried about his parents’ stance on this, but Luo Xing hadn’t known that. This was the first time he realized that they were even better at lying than Huo Xingzhou himself. He was utterly stunned.

The old man looked at the two boys and asked,
“Do his parents know about this? Can Xingzhou take responsibility for his future? This road isn’t easy—can he promise that he won’t bow to reality one day?”

“His parents have no objections,”
Wu Suyan said. She didn’t bring up Luo Xing’s messy family situation—since they were irrelevant now, there was no need to mention them. After a pause, she added,
“I trust Xingzhou.”

“Xingzhou, what do you say?”
The old man turned to his grandson. His already aged face looked even older at that moment, his eyes red with exhaustion.

Huo Xingzhou lifted his head and looked steadily at his grandfather. He said,
“I can. Luo Xing is my life. The only thing I will ever bow to is him.”

His words were audacious. Under normal circumstances, he shouldn’t have spoken to his elders like that. But he made it clear that he was addressing his grandfather, while also giving Luo Xing a solemn promise in front of his family. He was reassuring him.

Luo Xing’s eyes trembled, and in an instant, they turned red.

“And you, Luo Xing?”
The old man gripped the table edge, staring at him.
“Can you guarantee that you’ll stay with Xingzhou? He has a bad temper and is incapable of many things. From what I’ve heard, you’re outstanding in every way. Won’t you ever resent him for dragging you down?”

Luo Xing understood—the old man appeared to be speaking as if he pitied him, but in reality, he was testing him.

He raised his head and looked at the old man with utmost sincerity. Then, with a deep bow, he said,
“I love Huo Xingzhou. I know his temper is better than anyone else’s, that he can play basketball, take care of others, and is loyal and kind. Compared to him, I’m the one who is lacking. As for whether he will drag me down…”

Luo Xing turned to look at Huo Xingzhou, his eyes rimmed red but filled with pure joy.
“I’m grateful that he once ‘dragged me down.’ He saved me. Without the kindness he showed me back then, there wouldn’t be a Luo Xing today. I love him. And unless I die, I will never leave him.”

The old man listened to them and realized—they weren’t answering his questions at all. They were confessing to each other.

He almost choked on his breath, closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths just to steady himself.

Huo Xingzhou didn’t care whether his grandfather could accept it or not. Since he had already started talking, he didn’t hold back his confession.
“I know I have a lot of flaws, but I hope that one day, I can become someone worthy of him—someone he can trust and be proud of. I want people to say, ‘They’re two outstanding individuals,’ not ‘Look, a pair of abnormal freaks.’”

Wu Suyan and Huo Yansheng didn’t stop their son from speaking. Instead, they felt proud—proud that their son was so responsible and mature.

The old man, having caught his breath, looked at the two boys. Despite their sincerity, he still felt uneasy. These were just two young kids—what did they know about “a lifetime”?

Even between a man and a woman, lifelong commitment was hard to guarantee. What made these two boys think they could promise a lifetime together?

His gaze swept over both their faces as he said,
“What if I ask you to break up? If I make you choose between him and me—who will you choose?”

Luo Xing’s heart sank. His grip on Huo Xingzhou’s hand tightened instantly. How was he supposed to answer such a question? It felt like being handed a knife and forced to choose whether to stab himself or Huo Xingzhou.

He didn’t want to hurt anyone—he just wanted everyone to be happy.

Just as Huo Xingzhou was about to speak, Luo Xing pressed down on his hand to stop him. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a ring, and held it in both hands while looking steadily at the old man.
“Grandpa, no matter how you ask the question, whether it’s me or Huo Xingzhou, we would always choose you. He’s not a selfish person, and he’s more filial than anyone else. I understand if you can’t accept me, but that won’t change the fact that I love him.”

“My heart belongs to him—my whole being belongs to him. Whether we’re together or not, that has never changed.” Luo Xing’s voice was calm but firm. After speaking, he placed the ring gently on the table and added, “Thank you for your kindness.”

The old man stared at the ring, then at Luo Xing, and didn’t speak for a full three minutes.

The room was deathly quiet. Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound. Even Second Aunt and Third Aunt, who had been watching coldly and waiting for drama, were stunned into silence as they clung to their children.

Wu Suyan, on the other hand, didn’t mind the silence. The more she looked at the two boys, the more satisfied she felt—they were such a perfect match.

Without a word, Huo Xingzhou grasped Luo Xing’s hand tightly. In front of his grandfather, Luo Xing had given him absolute trust and dignity. Huo Xingzhou could see that Luo Xing had completely discarded his old insecurities and fears. What remained was a courageous heart that could withstand any storm.

The way he openly embraced their love, despite the judgment of others, was the most beautiful sight in the world.

The old man eventually stood up and left the room. After a while, he returned with a stack of red envelopes and handed them out to his grandchildren one by one.

Huo Jiazhou and the others accepted their envelopes with sour faces and murmured a reluctant “Thank you, Grandpa.”

When all the envelopes were distributed, only one remained. The old man glanced past Huo Xingzhou and looked at Luo Xing.
“I didn’t know you’d be here, so I didn’t prepare one for you. Take Xingzhou’s on my behalf—next time, I’ll give you your own.”

Luo Xing nodded quietly.

He hadn’t expected anything… Wait, what did Grandpa mean by that?

Huo Xingzhou, sensing the shift, smiled playfully.
“Grandpa, what do you mean by this? If you’re against us being together, why are you still handing out gifts?”

“Stop joking around!”
The old man grabbed the ring box and, in mock anger, tossed it at Huo Xingzhou. The entire family froze in shock. Then, in a cold tone, he said,
“You two had better remember the promises you made today. If either of you goes back on your word, I’ll deal with you myself.”

Huo Xingzhou knew right away—his grandfather had accepted them, or at the very least, softened his stance. Lowering his gaze, he smiled to himself. He had to give credit to Luo Xing’s chess-playing skills—it seemed Grandpa couldn’t bear to lose such a worthy “opponent.”

Without hesitation, Huo Xingzhou opened the ring box, pulled out the old ring inside, grabbed Luo Xing’s hand, and slipped it onto his finger. Grinning, he said,
“Well, it’s official now. Whoever backs out is the loser.”

“Watch your mouth!”
The old man glared at him.
“You’re an adult now—you need to act more responsibly!”

Immediately, Huo Xingzhou straightened his expression and replied seriously,
“Yes, Grandpa.”

Luo Xing stared blankly at the ring on his finger—Huo Xingzhou had put it on his wedding finger. His face turned bright red as the realization sank in.

---

The old man snorted, trying to cover his emotions.
“Yesterday, you told me you had a girlfriend. I thought I’d lose my chess partner—turns out, you two were just playing me!”

Luo Xing blushed, feeling the cool touch of the ring against his skin. Yet, beneath that coolness was a warmth that seeped into his heart like syrup—sweet and comforting.

The Huo family… they were so kind.

For the first time, he felt a heavy burden lift from his heart. His smile was genuine—this time, it came from deep within. The fog that had surrounded him for seventeen years seemed to clear away, replaced by endless sunshine—warm and bright, banishing the shadows.

Seeing that the drama had ended, Second Aunt and Third Aunt found it boring and left without even staying for the New Year’s Day dumplings.

At the dinner table, Huo Xingzhou’s aunt teased,
“I’ve only got one red envelope left, but I’m not giving it to Xingzhou. It’s for Luo Xing. In our family, handing over your salary is tradition, after all.”

Resting one arm casually on the back of his chair, Huo Xingzhou sighed dramatically.
“So, if I want to buy limited-edition sneakers in the future, I’ll have to beg the head of the household for approval?”

Under the table, Luo Xing pinched his hand. Blushing, he accepted the red envelope politely.
“Thank you, Auntie.”

In the car ride back to Jiangcheng that afternoon, Wu Suyan sat in the front passenger seat, smiling as she pulled out a red envelope she had yet to give. Just as Huo Xingzhou reached for it, she slapped his hand away.

“Hands off.”

“Wait, why do I feel like I’m losing my place in this family? I’m still your biological son, right? Shouldn’t I get a share of the red envelopes?”

Wu Suyan shot him a glance and said sweetly,
“Darling, call me ‘Mom’ and I’ll think about it.”

Luo Xing froze, his fingertips going cold.

Sensing his tension, Huo Xingzhou immediately softened his tone.
“Mom, no problem—hand it over.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,”
Wu Suyan said, eyeing the flustered Luo Xing. She decided that since everything was out in the open, she might as well go all the way.

“If you’re not ready, there’s no rush,” she added softly.
“I’ll hear you call me ‘Mom’ someday—there’s no hurry.”

After a long pause, Luo Xing, his face burning red, finally whispered, “Mom.”

At that, Wu Suyan’s heart swelled with warmth, and tears pricked her eyes. “Good boy.”