Mistaken Canary Chapter 73 (Part 2)
Chapter 73.2
As Ying Tongchen approached, the aloof facade he had carefully maintained finally cracked—just a little. His lips twitched upward. “Why are you here? This is England, not next door.”
Zhuo Shu smiled and replied, “Mom told me to come pick you up for Chinese New Year’s, or she’d disown me.”
Ying Tongchen laughed.
The two looked at each other for a moment before Ying Tongchen remarked, “Have you eaten? Let me introduce you to my seniors.”
“Sure,” Zhuo Shu happily agreed and followed him to the dining table.
Only up close did Lu Zongcai get a good look at Zhuo Shu’s face. She gasped, muttering, “F*ck, he’s so handsome, way outclassing anyone I’ve introduced before. I lose.”
Gao Da watched them standing side by side, his mind flooded with captions flashing like live comments—
Perfect match
WTF, absolute eye candy, I can get gay for this
Bro, PEAK!
Ying Tongchen introduced them to each other, and Lu Zongcai and Gao Da both nodded in greeting, but froze for a moment when Zhuo Shu reached out his hand.
That dazzling ring! It’s f*cking blinding!
This guy might have even flipped the bird just to show off that ring!
Ugh, he forgot his ring. Game over before it even started.
After shaking Zhuo Shu’s hand, Gao Da whispered to his wife, “This one seems even more punchable.”
Lu Zongcai watched as Zhuo Shu went around shaking their hands, then reached out to Ying Tongchen. Ying Tongchen rolled his eyes at first—but then! Actually! Shook! It!
This royal display of PDA was just unbearable!
Lu Zongcai gritted her teeth and muttered, “He’s so f*cking punchable, punchable to the point of sending it a coffin because I’m about to punch him to death.”
…
Dinner concluded, and Zhuo Shu, rather pleased with himself, joined Ying Tongchen in walking them to the car, casually proposing they meet again once back in China.
Lu Zongcai shook her head, chuckling, “No thanks. Old couples like us don’t deserve to crash your lovefest!”
But Gao Da surprised everyone by saying, “Sure, after the baby’s born*, we’ll come back to mooch a meal.”
(TLN: This should be alluding to the baby's 100th day celebration, a traditional Chinese custom marking a baby's first 100 days of life. It signifies a milestone, as the first few months are considered a vulnerable period for newborns. The celebration often involves a banquet with family and friends.)
Zhuo Shu’s face immediately froze.
Defeated!
After seeing them off, Ying Tongchen turned back to the hotel. He walked a few steps, then noticed no one beside him. Turning around, he caught Zhuo Shu’s gaze fixed strangely on his stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Ying Tongchen lightly touched the area where Zhuo Shu was staring—no (baby) bump (yet).
“Flat as a board.” Zhuo Shu stepped forward and poked it. “Not cooperating at all.”
“?”
“Come on, let’s head back to your room.” Zhuo Shu hurriedly grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
“Why the rush?” Ying Tongchen wanted to enjoy a slow walk.
“It’s urgent! We have to work hard to get that belly growing!”
“...” Ying Tongchen gave him a kick.
…
The next morning dawned cold and snowy.
Ying Tongchen got up early to rush to his last meeting. As he reached the door, he rubbed his hands together. Suddenly, he felt warmth around his neck—Zhuo Shu silently wrapped a scarf around him.
“A New Year’s gift,” Zhuo Shu said.
Ying Tongchen stroked the fabric. “Pretty warm. Thanks.”
“We’re already at this point, there’s no need to be polite.”
“...”
Zhuo Shu watched him take up his briefcase, a trace of reluctance surfacing. Fishing for something to say, he added, “That New Year’s gift—suits you well, doesn’t it? Warm and good-looking too.”
“Right, right, right.” Ying Tongchen hurried out and left him behind.
In the corridor, waiting for the elevator, he glanced down at the scarf again, a slight smile curling his lips.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure. Ying Tongchen quickly hid his smile and asked in feigned indifference, “Where are you going?”
“Just seeing you off, nothing else to do anyway,” Zhuo Shu replied.
“The meeting will last a long time. Might as well rest at the hotel,” Ying Tongchen said.
“I’m fine, I’ll just wander around.”
“Alright.”
The meeting didn’t end until afternoon. As soon as it concluded, Ying Tongchen called Zhuo Shu. “It’s done. Where are you?”
After a brief silence, the other side asked, “Want to register our marriage? I’ve managed to book a good time slot.”
“...” Ying Tongchen glanced around, smiled at the others, and quickly made his way to the elevator. “Give me a bit, I’m going back to the hotel to get my passport.”
“I already brought it,” Zhuo Shu said, “and made the reservation ahead. Now it’s just you and your presence."
Ying Tongchen: “...”
Picking him up to go home was just a pretense—it was all part of the plan.
Zhuo Shu waited a long time for a reply so he asked, “You’re not going to stand me up, are you?”
“I’m coming.”
Zhuo Shu looked up, saw Ying Tongchen holding his phone just a couple meters away. Smiling, he reached out his hand. “Let’s go.”
Ying Tongchen first rolled his eyes, then took his hand.
…
On the flight back home, Zhuo Shu looked over the marriage certificate[1] again and again, practically wanting to analyze every single character.
He flipped it open and saw that the word suffused the legal document throughout: “lovers”.
“Stop laughing already,” Ying Tongchen remarked helplessly, resting his head on his hand. “The people across from us probably think you’ve lost it.”
Zhuo Shu simply turned his back, admiring the certificate on his own, letting out the occasional giggle.
Ying Tongchen’s lips curved faintly. He reached out and ruffled the other’s hair. “Are you dumb or what.”
…
By the time the plane landed, it was already Chinese New Year’s Eve—8:15 p.m. sharp.
The driver was waiting outside. The two of them got in and headed straight to the Zhuo residence.
“They’re playing Fight the Landlord (card game) online,” Zhuo Shu said as he opened the photos Zhuo Zi had sent. He flipped through them one by one. “The dishes are all ready too—just waiting for us now.”
“Mm.” Ying Tongchen stared at the photos for a good while.
…
When the car came to a stop, he stepped out and stood in the courtyard, gazing at the brightly lit villa bathed in festive red. Inside, the laughter of the three elders drifted outward.
The aroma of the Chinese New Year’s feast lingered in the air, the scent of celebration thick and warm. The whole family was gathered.
Ying Tongchen stood there, a little dazed, lost in the moment.
Now that he thought about it, this kind of scene… had never once existed in his memories.
His parents had spent over a decade constantly at odds, and their relationship with relatives had always been distant at best.
Every Chinese New Year’s Eve, while other children eagerly looked forward to receiving lucky money, all he wanted was to escape as soon as possible.
Year after year, his only wish had been: Hurry up and grow up, hurry up and grow up. Once I’m grown, everything will be okay.
Looking at things now, that wish had indeed come true.
He’d grown up. And everything was slowly getting better. Life was finally starting to feel good.
“Ge! Saozi*! You’re finally back! I’m starving to death over here!” Zhuo Zi suddenly shouted.
(TLN: Saozi is the term one would use to respectfully address an older brother’s wife.)
The two men turned to see her squatting under a tree, holding a handful of sparklers. One was feebly burning out, its glow flickering and dim.
“Aren’t you a bit old to still be playing with those?” Zhuo Shu scolded sternly, then promptly confiscated the rest of her sparklers—only to turn around and hand them to Ying Tongchen. “Here, for you.”
Ying Tongchen: “……”
“Ahhh! You asshole!” Zhuo Zi howled in outrage at his shameless act, but at the same time, couldn’t help thinking that Ying Tongchen would probably look adorable playing with sparklers. She quickly urged him, “Saozi, you should try it too! You can make wishes with them! I was just wishing for you two to hurry back—and look! It came true!”
Ying Tongchen chuckled softly, just about to decline when Zhuo Shu had already lit one for him.
“Make a wish.”
The three elders in the house, having heard the commotion, came out laughing and chatting, making their way toward them.
Ying Tongchen looked at the colorful sparklers in his hand, then turned to glance at Zhuo Shu and Zhuo Zi. In that moment, the siblings looked strikingly alike, wearing matching bright smiles.
Then his gaze shifted to the Zhuo family elders and his own teacher—and the scarves they wore around their necks.
Tei Cher followed his line of sight, then looked down and smiled. “Looks nice, right? Chinese New Year’s gift from Zhuo Shu. Said he picked them out specially.”
“Very nice.” Ying Tongchen laughed under his breath. “Can I wish for our marriage certificate to be void? I think I want a different husband.”
“No way,” Zhuo Shu said smugly. “We’re already legally tied together—no returns or exchanges. You’ll just have to make do.”
Ying Tongchen let out a quiet laugh, eyes dropping to the sparkler in his hand as it neared its end. With a trace of helplessness, he made his wish. “Then I guess I’ll just… make do.”
“Alright, time to head in for dinner. It’s freezing out here,” Mu Qing called out.
The whole family turned and made their way back into the warm house.
Ying Tongchen trailed behind, casting another glance at the scarves around everyone’s necks, still quietly miffed.
He muttered under his breath, “How many of those scarves did you actually buy?”
Zhuo Shu replied casually, “About ten, I think? I gave some to friends too. Teacher Zhen and Meng Gong each got one. Why?”
Ying Tongchen: “……”
Can I take back my Chinese New Year’s wish?
I don’t want to spend my life with this man anymore!
.
.
.
TL Note: Ahahaha just when I thought ZS finally pulled through and got a decent gift, he screwed up once more.
Anyways, that’s the end of the main story, the next 11 chapters will be the extras, stay tuned!
Footnotes:
[1] The author is using artistic license—While it is possible to obtain a same-day marriage certificate in China, it is not possible in England; it is a long, drawnout process which can take several weeks. First comes registering for the marriage license[2] which is specific to your wedding venue, then after 29 days you can hold your ceremony. Then the registrar/minister/vicar (fyi Church of England does not do same-sex marriage) must enter your marriage into the district’s marriage register within 21 days. Then to get a marriage certificate, you will need to order one from the register office of the district you married in. Good news! you can order one on the same day that you register your marriage. The certificate will be sent to you by post within 10 working days of payment being received. So the fastest turnaround to get a marriage certificate in England is 30-40 days (probably).[3]
[2] there is no “marriage license” in England. “The term 'marriage licence' is actually American; in the UK, we 'give notice' to get married.”
[3] international visitors must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa[4] to be eligible to get married in England. The visa application centre may keep your passport and documents while processing your application. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/marriage-visa
Zhuo Shu could apply for $$$ ‘priority service’ (5 working days) or $$$$ ‘super priority service’ (2 working days) (if he’s eligible).
Source: https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement
[4] the Marriage Visitor visa is for 6 months. tl;dr - author is deploying a lot of artistic license to allow two non-Brits/-EU people to get a marriage certificate quickly.