Everyday Life of a Dom Boyfriend

Part Ten: The “Bromances” of Life (7)

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Ye Qia saw Xia Zhi’s flustered look and said in amusement, “Why are you so nervous?”

“My mom is calling right now, at this very moment!” Xia Zhi said angrily, “Isn’t it obvious why? My mom! What do you want me to say to her? What should I say? Should I tell her or not?”

“Calm down.” Ye Qia set the basket down and looked at the ringing phone. “Do you want me to answer?”

Xia Zhi was completely dumbstruck by this sudden ambush. He could only nod.

Without hesitation, Ye Qia declined the call.

“…”

He watched Ye Qia leave with the laundry basket, looked at his phone screen for a few seconds, then suddenly erupted with an angry roar, “Ye Qia! What are you doing! You hung up on my m-m-m-m-mom’s call! Are you crazy? My mom’s going to pass out! Ye Qia! Ye Qia!”

He rushed towards the laundry room and discovered the door was locked. The loud rumble of the laundry machine came from within. No matter how he kicked the door, there was no sign of movement.

Of course, Ye Qia heard the pounding on the door but he did not answer. He leaned against the machine and unhurriedly pulled out his phone to send Gourmand a message: [Xia Zhi’s mom is probably coming.]

Who knew what Gourmand was up to. It took him a long while to respond: [Are you going to meet your mother-in-law?]

[Probably.]

[It’s rare for you to be uncertain.]

[I think we might be moving too fast.]

[Well, you have nothing to lose.]

[I do, emotionally.]

His phone rang and Ye Qia picked up. Gourmand hurriedly cursed and hung up, then continued to message him.

[Why is it so noisy over there?]

[I’m in the laundry room.]

[Shit, you’re even doing his laundry? Are you really in deep?]

[I’m in deep. I do laundry once in a while. His behavior yesterday wasn’t bad.]

[Have you admitted it?]

[Probably half of it. I don’t dare tell him too much.]

[Yes, don’t tell him. The kid’s temper is too much. Wear him down.]

[I think he’s alright.]

[Not going to argue with you, you’re in love right now and there’s something wrong with your IQ.]

Ye Qia thought about it, fingers flying: [I’ve decided not to let Xia Zhi come out of the closet to his mom for now in case I’m unprepared when his mom comes. Hurry up and deal with Bai Min for me.]

[Why should I help you? He’s so infatuated with you, it’s too much of a hassle.]

[Because his protector is Wang Ke.]

[Fuck.]

When the conversation ended, he put down his phone. Ye Qia saw the laundry machine was starting the drying cycle and thus opened the door. Xia Zhi was tired after pounding incessantly at the door. He laid on the table in the laundry room in a daze. Seeing Ye Qia emerge, he jumped up wanting to say something but was rebuffed, “You have to come out to your mom.”

Xia Zhi glared and said angrily, “Why?”

“It’s become such a big deal, you still want to conceal it?”

“It’s doable, completely doable!” Xia Zhi didn’t even think twice before charging straight into Ye Qia’s trap. “Newspapers can’t be trusted, and my mom doesn’t go online. At most she’ll look at the news on tv. I’ll tell her it’s bullshit. I just need to think of a way to explain what happened!”

Ye Qia thought for a moment as if in serious contemplation and said, “You could say you were helping me out and that we’re good friends.”

“Helping you out?”

“I became involved with a crazy person…”

“Oh right! I haven’t seen the video yet!”

In the blink of an eye, the laundry room was vacated. Ye Qia sighed and shook his head.

Xia Zhi attentively watched the video and saw that Ye Qia was indeed the victim of a sneak attack. Bai Min, who was about to leave, suddenly caught him off guard, turning his head to kiss Ye Qia. Luckily Ye Qia had quick reflexes, moving a hand to block his mouth. Bai Min ended up kissing his palm which was the very moment Xia Zhi arrived.

Xia Zhi was almost remorseful. Ye Qia had taught him countless times to remain calm, but he was unable to put it into practice once something actually happened. He couldn’t bring himself to watch the next part with the “flash breakdancing” and skipped over it. Watching on, he suddenly realized: Ye Qia was blocking him, angrily scolding a reporter and driving Bai Min away.

He had never seen a lover this angry before. Ye Qia had always been cold and aloof, composed in every situation, and never would he yell or kick up a fuss. But his anger in the video was evident to anyone, and in the last frame when the reporter was leaving, Ye Qia had come close and squatted beside him, brows knitted, looking solemn and cautious.

Xia Zhi suddenly felt regretful. At the time he’d been “blinded” and was unable to see the rare display of Ye Qia’s emotions. He watched this part of the video several times and the more he watched, the better it was. Xia Zhi looked positively thrilled.

After Ye Qia returned with the dried laundry and saw Xia Zhi sitting at the computer with a dumb grin, he asked, “What are you smiling about?”

“You actually love me a lot, don’t you?” Xia Zhi turned, looking pleased with himself as he said this.

Startled, Ye Qia said impatiently, “Get to the point.”

“I did.” Xia Zhi was still grinning from ear to ear. “I’ve decided to do as you say. I’m going to come out to my mom! Her life is going pretty well now, she should be able to accept it, right? What do you think?”

Like hell!

Ye Qia cursed on the inside. He stared at Xia Zhi’s smiling face and calmly said, “You’re not afraid of your mom fainting?”

“She won’t.” Xia Zhi patted the table as he continued, “After all, mothers love their sons. And she probably already has a feeling about it anyway.”

Ye Qia said nothing, wordlessly handing over the phone.

Xia Zhi didn’t think any further about it either, calling his mom as soon as he took the phone, excitedly saying, “Mom, it’s me. Yes, Xiao Zhi. Are you home? Mhm, I’m doing great. Yes, it’s me in the video. Actually, it’s like this…mom, mom? Ah, hi auntie1. Mhm, okay.”

1Specifically paternal aunt

After a few seconds, he hung up and was silent for a moment, then said in a small voice, “My aunt said my mom fainted.”

Ye Qia looked up to the sky and sighed. “Is she okay?”

“She’s awake,” Xia Zhi answered, looking pitiful. “How about you tell me your plan.”

Ye Qia rolled his eyes. “What did I just say earlier?”

“Well that’s because I watched the video too many times and got a little too excited.”

Ye Qia didn’t quite understand. “Excited about what?”

“You’ve never protected me like that before.” Xia Zhi said dejectedly, “That is, you’re a little too reserved.”

Ye Qia was even more confused. “What does this have anything to do with the video?”

“The way you looked when you drove away the reporter to protect me was really cool.”

“That was me being angry.”

Xia Zhi was stunned. “Angry?”

“Because you didn’t listen to me, so I was fuming at the time.”

Xia Zhi stammered, “But afterwards the way you looked at me was really tender.”

Ye Qia said nothing else, only looking over expressionlessly until he silently lowered his head, when the phone rang again. Xia Zhi answered and after humming into the phone several times, he said forlornly, “My mom is coming to see me.”

Ye Qia sighed and cursed inwardly: Fuck.