Mistaken Canary Chapter 44 (Part 2)
Chapter 44.2
The Zhuo family sat scattered around the living room, each absorbed in their own activities. When Zhuo Shu walked in, he casually greeted everyone before floating his way to the second-floor study.
Zhuo Zi stared after him, dumbfounded. "What's going on with him?"
Zhuo Fu, with a knowing look, said, "He's in love. Totally smitten."
"So this is what he's like when he's in love? I really want to meet Mr. Ying's brother now. I wonder who's more handsome," Zhuo Zi mused, picking up an apple and taking a bite. "You know, I used to think ge was completely immune to romance."
"He was," Mu Qing put down her PSP, unusually invested in her son's love life. "We were so worried about him before. We even thought he might end up alone for the rest of his life."
"It couldn't have been as bad as that, right?" Zhuo Zi said earnestly. "My ge does have some charm, after all."
"Charm doesn't mean much," Mu Qing sighed. "The problem was that he was too afraid to even try."
"Why?" Zhuo Zi's ears perked up at the scent of gossip.
"You remember how he moved out on his own when he was just eighteen, right? Well, that was because he felt embarrassed," Mu Qing recalled. "Back then, there was a really pretty girl who pursued him—tall, slim, fair-skinned, with big eyes and long, fluttering eyelashes. They dated for a while, but she was very innocent, so the most he got to do was hold her hand."
"And then?" Zhuo Zi asked eagerly.
Mu Qing continued, "Then, his classmates dragged him to a comic con. While he was in the men's restroom, he accidentally ran into his 'girlfriend'..."
Zhuo Zi was stunned. "Wait, what...?"
"After that, they broke up, but your brother started questioning himself—did he like boys or girls?" Mu Qing explained. "Not long after, he developed a bit of a crush on a good-looking boy, fair-skinned and very refined. Encouraged by his classmates, he went and confessed to him."
"Did it work out?" Zhuo Zi asked, leaning forward.
Mu Qing: "Not at all. The boy slapped him twice and said he was actually a woman and already had a girlfriend."
Zhuo Zi was so shocked that the apple in her hand fell to the floor: "What the... That's just too tragic!"
Mu Qing sighed: "Yeah, I suspect that during that time, he not only questioned his sexual orientation but also started to blur the lines of gender. At such a young age, he learned not to believe in love."
"After that, he just threw himself into work and has been like that ever since," Zhuo Fu added. "Speaking of which, we should invite his partner to dinner. They're practically a saint."
"You're right!" Mu Qing slapped her thigh, then suddenly looked worried. "But our eldest has never been in a relationship before, and his temper is also unpredictable. What if he scares this saint away?"
Zhuo Zi: "I think that's highly possible!"
Zhuo Fu: "Same here."
"No, we can't let that happen. If he goes through another breakup, he might really give up on love for good," Mu Qing said, standing up and heading toward the stairs. "I need to go find out for myself."
Zhuo Shu was busy working on some documents when he looked up at the door: "Mom, what's up?"
"It's the weekend. Aren't you going out on a date?" Mu Qing walked in and asked.
"Date? With whom?" Zhuo Shu flipped through his files.
"Your boyfriend, of course."
Zhuo Shu paused, finally remembering the situation. He was about to come up with an excuse when Mu Qing scolded him, "Are you planning to ruin this relationship too?"
"Of course not."
"Then let me ask you, do you talk to him often?"
Zhuo Shu shook his head. "Only when there's something to discuss."
"So you're just treating him like a tool!" Mu Qing said, exasperated. "If you keep being this cold, he'll eventually grow cold too. Once the novelty wears off, he'll naturally break up with you."
"He wouldn't dare." Zhuo Shu hesitated, "Well... actually, he probably would."
"Hurry up, even if there's nothing important, you need to keep in touch and nurture the relationship," Mu Qing said, pointing at his phone. "Don't worry, I'll help you. There's no way I'll let him slip away."
"..."
Under Mu Qing's watchful eye, Zhuo Shu reluctantly opened WeChat.
Mu ‘Love Expert’ Qing: "Start by sending a cute sticker and ask if he's had dinner yet."
Ying Tongchen was in the middle of eating when his phone lit up. Seeing it was a message from Zhuo Shu, he glanced at the old man before picking up the phone, instinctively shielding it from view.
[Zhuo Shu]: Have you eaten? kitty shaking legs.jpg
He put the phone back on the table.
"Why aren't you replying?" the old man chuckled. "Should I give you some privacy?"
"No, it's not that."
"What do you mean 'no'? Isn't it a message from your boyfriend? Did you two have a fight?"
"No."
"You're far too aloof," the old man remarked, placing his chopsticks down and speaking with sincere concern. "I didn’t want to nag you before because I thought you were still young. But after that incident, I’ve been anxious that you might be afraid of love. Now that you’ve finally got a boyfriend, how can you approach things like this? Communication, no matter the fight, is essential."
"We're really not fighting."
"Then what is it?"
"It's just..." Ying Tongchen poked at his bowl. "I don't know how to reply."
"Oh, are you shy?"
"Of course not!" Ying Tongchen immediately snapped, his expression turning fierce.
"Then just reply. Trust me, he'll be happy no matter what you say," the old man said. "It's been so long. You should really try to open up to someone."
Ying Tongchen stayed silent.
"You have to seize the opportunity when it comes, or do you want to end up like me?" The old man chuckled.
Hearing this, Ying Tongchen's expression softened slightly, and he hesitated before asking, "Are you going to keep waiting like this?"
"Of course. This is the one thing I've held onto my whole life, and I've never regretted it," the old man responded gently. "No matter the consequences, as long as you've been happy, the memories will always be sweet. But if you keep resisting like this, what will you have left by the time you're my age? Regrets? Resentment? You've finally met someone you like, and you're really going to let him go?"
Ying Tongchen muttered, "It's not like I like him that much."
"Come on, I know you're just being stubborn," the old man said, pointing at the phone. "Hurry up and reply. Don't keep them waiting—waiting is torture. Otherwise, I might just kick you out of the house."
Ying Tongchen: "..."
Zhuo Shu's phone buzzed, and he immediately showed it to his mom. "See? I told you he's crazy about me."
Mu Qing leaned over to take a look.
[Ying]: I've eaten. What about you?
"This is bad! He waited a full five minutes to reply, and his tone is so cold. He's clearly not happy with your behavior," Mu Qing remarked.
Zhuo Shu's smile stiffened. "Really?"
"Of course! He didn't even send you a sticker back. There's definitely a problem. Give it here, I'll reply for you," Mu ‘Love Expert’ Qing said, grabbing his phone and typing furiously.
A moment later, Ying Tongchen looked at the new message and his lips could only quiver.
"What's wrong?" the old man leaned over to take a look.
[Zhuo Shu]: I haven't eaten. I miss you so much that I can't eat or sleep, and you're all I can think about. My darling, could we talk on the phone to ease this longing?
Ying Tongchen shuddered, his skin crawling, and quickly tossed the phone back onto the table.
"Haiya, this guy sure knows how to talk," the old man chuckled. "If you're too shy, I'll reply for you."
[Ying]: What a coincidence, I was thinking about you too. But a phone call might be a bit inconvenient. How about we meet up tomorrow instead?
"See! I still got it," Mu Qing said proudly. "He even suggested a date!"
Zhuo Shu: "..."
[Zhuo Shu]: Sure, let's meet tomorrow. Goodnight, darling. [lotus good night.jpg]
[Ying]: Goodnight 😘👋
"Get ready, you two are going on a date tomorrow," Mu Qing said, putting the phone down with a satisfied smile. "I've already thought about how to dress you up."
Zhuo Shu: "..."
"It's settled, you're going on a date tomorrow," the old man ‘Cupid’ remarked. "If you didn't bring any clothes, I have plenty of new ones here."
Ying Tongchen: "..."
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TL Note: These parents got game 🤣🤣