48 Chapter 48- Every Mountain has a Valley (2/2)
”Mei will never put up with your smelly feet.” The table roared at Li Qiang's quip.
”His feet smell worse than mine; he doesn't even wash his socks.” Ban Shan tried to defend himself but Yong Hou was quick to shoot him down.
”Your feet smell even worse.”
”Do they know how frequently you don't wear underwear because of your aversion to doing laundry?” Hot breath in his ear made the hair on the nape of Mei's neck stand on end. He dug an elbow backwards but the perverted hacker dodged it easily.
”Eh, eh, eh... That's enough. that's enough.” He directed those words at KO as well as his bickering friends. ”We're all friends so I really can't choose anyone. Why don't you talk about it and let me now your decision? Okay?”
From the corner of his eye he could see the corner of KO's mouth twitch before his face smoothed once more.
Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei slipped away as everyone gathered in front of the karaoke machine. Sure, Wei Wei had to make it back to the dorm in time for curfew but did no one else realise that Xiao Nai had allowed a full hour to take her ten minutes down the road? Mei smirked to himself and filed it away for future teasing. Of Wei Wei, not Xiao Nai... he didn't need to give Laosanfurther excuse for his sandstorm effect!
He was contemplating getting well and truly drunk and dragging KO home with him, when his phone rang. Seeing who it was, he grabbed a just-opened bottle of wine off the table before heading outside. No one in that room needed to overhear the conversation that he knew was going to happen; and he was going to need the wine afterwards.
”Father”
”When are you coming home?”
”For mother's birthday.”
”You know that's not what I mean. When are you going to stop wasting your time with those stupid little computer games and come home? Learn to do a real job.”
”I do a real job, Father.” Mei sighed and wondered if it would be rude to start drinking this early in the conversation. He'd taken his conversation to the alley behind the restaurant and leaned against the wall. Through a gap between the buildings he could see a smattering of stars and the faintest glow from the full moon.
”Playing games is not a real job.”The derision in his father's voice made him decide that this early in the conversation was exactly the right time to start drinking.
”Yes Father.”
”So you can see sense. I expect you home in time for work on Monday...”
”No, Father.”
”What did you say?”
”I said: No, Father. I am already home and I already have work. I will not be leaving either behind to return to the family home and work for the family business.” Knowing what was about to come, Mei held the phone away from his ear. He couldn't make out the words but could still hear enough for the general gist. Meanwhile, he'd forgotten to grab a glass. Oh well. He wasn't planning on sharing his wine with anyone so drinking straight from the bottle was going to have to do. A shrill female voice joined his father's baritone and Mei knew his mother had joined the party.
”Hello, Mother.”
”Don't you 'hello' me. Such an unfilial boy... what did I do to deserve such a troublesome son?”
”I'm sorry, Mother.” And he was sorry; he was also terribly tired.
”If you're sorry then come home tonight and we'll forget about all of this. Your father has been good to you and let you run loose through your university years but it's time for all that to stop. You need to come home. Learnt the business. Marry and raise an heir.”
Mei choked. Maybe drinking straight from the bottle wasn't the best of ideas.
”I am sorry. But that's not going to happen.” It was too late now to tell them he had planned on returning... when he was ready. His parents' attempts to control his life had deadened any desire to return home and if he was going to use his Business Major then he had more interest in support Laosan than his power hungry father. ”I have work, a place of my own, and someone I intend to settle down with.”
His mother gasped and he heard his father take over the phone. The background noise told him it was on speaker so holding the phone didn't actually mean anything, but that was what his father was like- if you held something, you owned it.
”You don't get to chose who you settle down with. She's not suitable. Leave her behind. As for your place, it sold yesterday. You have nowhere to go tonight.”Self-satisfaction oozed through the phone and Mei dramatically, but silently, gagged. Smarmy old man.
”You're behind the times. I moved in to my new place twelve days ago. Admittedly, work has been so busy that I have been using it as a changeroom rather than sleeping there, but I do have somewhere to go for tonight. Thank you for your concern. As for the person I intend to live with...”
”I said she isn't suitable. It's all very well and good for you to sow your wild oats when you're young, but at least sow them where it doesn't matter if they bloom.”
Head almost as heavy as his heart, Mei felt his filter disappear into the cool wind that swept down the street.
”Don't worry... I haven't been sowing my seeds where they could bloom. In fact, I haven't been sowing them at all. If any seeds were to bloom, I would be the ploughed field.”
One breath.
Two breaths.
Thre...
”Did he just say what I thought he said?” Mei closed his eyes and held the phone away from his ear once more. ”Did he just say.... Oh my! That.. That....”
Rather than wait for the inevitable disgust, Mei hung up on his parents. Turning the phone off he slipped it into his pocket and ran his hands over his face. That wasn't exactly how he'd planned to tell them.
”Shit. I need to give Laosan a head's up.” He hailed a taxi as he pulled his phone back out and rang the familiar number.
”I just dropped Wei Wei off... You're lucky you didn't ring five minutes earlier.”
”Laosan...”
”What's wrong?”
”I did something stupid...” He sniffed and wiped his eyes with the hand that was holding the nearly empty bottle of wine. Where had it gone?
”What did you do?”
”I told my parents.”
”Go home and sleep. We prepared for this, just like we prepared for the demo... remember? We're okay. You'll be okay. Go home and sleep it off. I'll see you at work on Monday; don't spend the weekend stressing.”
”Yes.” He hiccoughed. ”Xiao Nai?”
”Yes, Mei-ge?”
”Thank you.”
”You're my family. Family looks out for each other.”
Text to: KO
[It happened ahead of schedule. Sent him home to sleep it off.Look after him tomorrow.]
Text from: KO
[Not just tomorrow.]
Text to: KO
[After tonight, it will be my permission you need to court him.]
Text from: KO
[The only permission I need is his.]
Letting himself into his quiet house, Xiao Nai smiled down at his phone. At least he didn't need to worry about Hao Mei in the future... he'd never be without support with KO around. Rather than going to bed, Xiao Nai turned his laptop on. He'd reassured Mei, but it wouldn't hurt to double check everything himself.