Mistaken Canary Chapter 18
Chapter 18
The alarm went off at 9am the next morning. Ying Tongchen sat up in bed, his eyes still half-closed, clearly not fully awake.
Last night, for some unknown reason, the compatibility between them had been noticeably higher than the previous times. Things had started to fall into a smoother rhythm, and they were becoming more familiar with each other's bodies.
Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, he wasn’t sure.
"Your alarm’s been going off for a while now," Zhuo Shu said, blinking as he finally opened his eyes.
"Yeah, I know." Ying Tongchen rubbed his neck.
Zhuo Shu lazily sat up, took his hand off Ying Tongchen's neck, and casually began massaging his shoulders.
"You’re actually pretty good at this?" Ying Tongchen looked at him in surprise before lazily lying back on the bed. "Why don’t you massage my back while you’re at it?"
"Getting greedy again, are we?"
Ying Tongchen let out a satisfied sound. “If it weren't for you, would I be this sore? Hurry up, I’ll only stay for another half hour.”
“Half an hour!?” Zhuo Shu sat on top of him, pressing his hand against Ying Tongchen’s back. “That’s an extra fee. Half an hour’s quite expensive.”
“Mm, I’ll pay, of course.” Ying Tongchen closed his eyes again, clearly enjoying the moment.
Around 9:30, Ying Tongchen finally got up, feeling totally refreshed, and quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. He then placed 392 yuan on Zhuo Shu’s bedside.
“This is all the spare change I’ve got,” he said.
Zhuo Shu counted the money, grumbling, “I feel like a bargain-basement gigolo.”
“You’re not ‘bargain-basement’ at all.” Ying Tongchen glanced at the small amount of cash, then added, “I gave you everything, even my fortune.”
“Pauper,” Zhuo Shu snorted. He finished counting the money and put it in his wallet before suddenly asking, “Oh right, your car’s been sent for repairs. How are you getting back?”
"I just called a cab." Ying Tongchen washed his hands, and started packing his stuff.
Zhuo Shu watched his figure, spontaneously inquiring, "Do you have any favorite cars?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Zhuo Shu yawned, his gaze lingering on the pitiful 392 yuan. "Every guy likes cars, no? What model catches your eye?"
Ying Tongchen casually replied, "The car you were driving last night was pretty cool."
"Hmm." Zhuo Shu nodded, acknowledging the hint.
The cab arrived downstairs, and Ying Tongchen grabbed his bag, stepping out. He stopped for a second, turned around, and looked back at Zhuo Shu. "Hey, happy Mid-Autumn Festival."
"First off, I’m not 'hey,' I’m Zhuo Shu."
"… Farewell."
Ying Tongchen returned to his apartment, bringing along a few days' worth of clothes, plus the new outfits he bought for the old man. The school had sent two boxes of mooncakes, which he brought along as well.
The old man had prepared lunch, and when he heard the door open, he immediately looked up with a warm smile. Seeing Ying Tongchen come in with his arms full of bags, he said, "I was worried you weren't coming."
"How could I not?" Ying Tongchen said, setting down the bags. "I was just craving your cooking."
Throughout the meal, the old man's eyes kept drifting to him. Ying Tongchen, noticing his gaze, shifted uncomfortably, saying, "Don't look at me like that. I feel like you're about to start quizzing me again."
The old man let out a hearty laugh. "Haha, I still remember your student days. You always had great grades, but you never said a word in class or made a single friend. You were like a mushroom growing in the corner."
Ying Tongchen laughed along, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. Perhaps it was age, but the things he once buried deep were now lighthearted dinner anecdotes.
The two of them chatted for a while, and then the old man suddenly paused. While Ying Tongchen was reaching for his food, he sneakily lifted the collar of his shirt.
Sure enough, a faint mark of intimacy was visible along the neckline.
Ying Tongchen froze, awkwardly covering the spot with his hand.
His old man grinned mischievously. "Going steady?"
"..." This question was going to be the death of him.
Ying Tongchen knew the mention of a casual fling would send the old man into a fit, and he’d be out the door for good. It wasn't about having a boyfriend; it was about the lack of commitment that mattered.
This stemmed from his old man's stubborn, old-fashioned mindset, common to their generation. For him, love meant a lifetime commitment, a principle he'd lived by. This made it incredibly difficult for Ying Tongchen to speak his mind.
"Well... it’s not exactly like that, I guess." Ying Tongchen stammered.
"Isn't he your boyfriend after all this?" The old man smiled meaningfully. "Going steady is a good thing, why hide it?"
Ying Tongchen nodded, agreeing to let the conversation pass.
"Bring him over for a meal sometime, I’ll vet him for you," the old man added, placing a piece of meat on his plate. His smile grew even wider. "I'm good at judging people, especially men."
Ying Tongchen chuckled lightly. "Of course, of course, your taste is flawless."
After finishing his meal, Ying Tongchen noticed a surge of Mid-Autumn Festival greetings and gifs flooding his group chats. He immediately dove into each one to offer his well wishes.
The parent group was a whirlwind of activity. The moment he joined, he saw parents debating the finer points of child rearing.
Then, to his utter disbelief, Big Brother Zhuo also showed up in the group, even enthusiastically endorsing one parent's stance: "Hot violence[1] solves everything."
Ying Tongchen: “......”
He quickly shared a couple of articles about adolescent mental health, which helped to steer the conversation away from their current topic.
This Big Brother Zhuo was simply a ticking time bomb!
[Homeroom Teacher]: Father Zhuo, please be a bit gentler to the children 😊
Zhuo Shu: “......”
As soon as he saw the Homeroom Teacher mention him, he felt a little nervous and scared. He didn’t want to chat with him at all.
[Zhuo Zi’s Parent]: Hello, teacher, we’re about to eat lunch 👋
"Ge, stop playing with your phone, we're here," Zhuo Zi said, taking his hand and leading him toward the buffet entrance of Wimbledon Hotel.
Since Zhuo Zi had insisted on seafood for lunch, the family had settled on eating here.
As they approached the dining area’s entrance, they noticed a crowd gathered around, looking at something with interest.
Zhuo Zi couldn’t resist running over to take a look, and it turned out to be a promotional poster.
The buffet had held a free event, choosing a couple to be the best CP (couple pairing) and offering them a complimentary meal. The poster showcased numerous pictures—various culinary delights, and also photos of the best CP...
Zhuo Zi: "OMG!"
"Ge! Mom! Dad! Come look!" Zhuo Zi called out, turning to her family. "Doesn’t this person look exactly like my brother!"
Before Zhuo Shu could react, their parents had already pushed their way to the front of the crowd, eagerly looking at the two men in the photo wearing sunglasses.
"Can’t argue with that, it really does look like our eldest," Zhuo Fu said, examining it closely.
Mu Qing asked in surprise: "Then who’s the person next to him? Our eldest’s boyfriend?"
Zhuo Shu: "......"
Zhuo Shu silently added another mark to his mental scorecard against the dining area manager, then casually replied, "Let’s eat. It's just a coincidence. With sunglasses on, who could recognize anyone? Or are you suggesting I’d do something like that? For a small prize?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuo Fu nodded. "True, that man in sunglasses looks less and less like you, way more handsome and stylish."
Mu Qing added: "Right, it can’t be you. I birthed you, I know you inside and out, down to the last hair. Someone who'd make a spectacle of themselves out for a free meal? Never you!"
Zhuo Shu: "......"
Sorry to disappoint you.
Zhuo Zi, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly snapped her fingers. "Eureka! I’ve found a noteworthy point! The prize is a free meal and hairy crabs. I remember you bringing back half a box of them that night."
Zhuo Fu and Mu Qing both turned to look at Zhuo Shu, their eyes saying a lot.
Zhuo Shu: "......"
Mu Qing: "You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in court."
Zhuo Shu began to defend himself, "That was a gift from a client."
"Then why is there only half?" Zhuo Zi pointed to the photo of the other man in sunglasses. "Did you give him the other half?"
"No..." Zhuo Shu's eyes wandered. "The client only gave me half a box."
Case solved.
Mu Qing summed it up, "Which client only gives half a gift? No need to say more, that man in sunglasses is definitely you. You almost managed to fool us."
Zhuo Shu: No, I’m more suspicious you don’t even recognize your own son.
“We’ll eat first, and later, I’ll make you confess everything honestly.” Zhuo Fu was the first to enter the dining area.
Zhuo Zi lagged behind, still thinking that the other man in sunglasses looked extremely familiar. She couldn't help turning back for another look. Just as she was about to match the blurry figure with someone she recognized, Zhuo Shu shoved her into the buffet.
Zhuo Shu: “It’s all your fault for looking around like that. Do it again and I’ll knock your head crooked. Don’t make me use ‘hot violence’ methods, even if your homeroom teacher comes, he wouldn’t be able to stop me.”
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Footnote:
[1] Hot violence (热暴力) - In interpersonal relationships, cold violence(冷暴力) and hot violence are two common psychological tactics. Cold violence usually manifests as deliberate indifference, distancing, or even silent neglect. On the other hand, hot violence involves directly expressing dissatisfaction or anger through emotional outbursts or verbal attacks. Both of these behavior patterns not only affect an individual's mental health but also severely damage the harmony of interpersonal relationships.