Chapter 57 Fu the Big Dog

Chapter 57: Fu the Big Dog

Winter had arrived, bringing two snowfalls to Beijing.

The dry winter air, combined with prolonged indoor heating, left Gu Shiying—a southerner—feeling a bit parched and overheated. He woke up this morning with a pimple on his chin.

Today was the Winter Solstice, marking his first visit to Fu Huan’s home.

Just after brushing his teeth, moving his mouth sent a jolt of pain through his chin.

Gu Shiying winced, baring his teeth: "Ouch, Fu Huan, I don’t think I can face anyone today."

Fu Huan, who had just pulled on a shirt, asked, "Why?"

Gu Shiying pointed pitifully at his chin: "I’ve got a pimple, and it hurts so much."

Fu Huan stepped closer and kissed his chin: "A pimple doesn’t diminish your handsomeness. How about a pimple patch?"

Gu Shiying was surprised: "There’s such a thing?"

Fu Huan cupped his face, examining it from both sides: "The girls in my class often got them. I’ve seen them use patches—they seem to work. We can stop by a pharmacy on our way out."

The thought of heading to Fu Huan’s house soon made Gu Shiying nervous again. He even put his sweater on inside out. If Fu Huan hadn’t noticed in time, he would’ve been thoroughly embarrassed today.

Seeing him so flustered he forgot to button his jeans, Fu Huan fastened them for him, saying, "Don’t be nervous. It’s just my parents, my brother, and the two of us today. You’ve met my mom; my dad is just a bit stern, and my brother knows about you."

Gu Shiying suddenly remembered something: "They haven’t all seen that video of us, have they?"

Fu Huan paused for a second, then nodded: "Yes, but it’s no big deal. What couple doesn’t kiss?"

Gu Shiying: "But they’re your parents. Elders and friends are different."

Fu Huan: "Think of actors in idol dramas—they kiss a different girl in every series. Everyone watches, and it’s fine."

Gu Shiying said weakly: "They’re actors."

Fu Huan could only pat his head: "It’s alright. If they make you uncomfortable, we’ll just come back."

Gu Shiying figured since he’d already promised Fu Huan, he might as well go along. It wouldn’t be good to keep others waiting.

After breakfast, Fu Huan drove to a pharmacy. Gu Shiying got out and bought the pimple patches, and Fu Huan opened the package to apply one for him.

Perhaps it was psychological, but Gu Shiying felt the pimple hurt less.

Weekend traffic in Beijing was heavy. Fu Huan usually took an hour to drive home; today, with the congestion, it took even longer. They arrived around 11:30 a.m., just in time for lunch.

The Fu family villa was in a prime location in Beijing but not overly conspicuous, surrounded by similar homes—a testament to the family’s rather low-key style.

They drove straight into the garage. After getting out, they could take the elevator upstairs from the underground level, but Fu Huan didn’t head up immediately.

To ease Gu Shiying’s nerves about meeting his parents, Fu Huan asked, "Want to check out our basement?"

"Sure." Gu Shiying was already captivated by the cars in the garage. He spotted the car Fu Huan usually drove—probably the least expensive of the lot. The collection included sports cars and even a jaw-droppingly expensive Rolls-Royce.

Fu Huan asked him, "See any you like?" He knew that rather than an expensive car, Gu Shiying would prefer a high-performance drone.

Gu Shiying smiled: "I like them all. This is like a high-end auto show."

Fu Huan explained: "The sports cars are all bought by my brother—he loves collecting them. My dad prefers cars like the Rolls-Royce—spacious and comfortable for resting."

Gu Shiying: "What about you?"

Fu Huan pointed to the rows of tougher-looking vehicles at the back: "I like SUVs—sturdy and good-looking."

Gu Shiying walked over and touched the impeccably clean body of one: "I don’t know much about cars, but compared to the others, I like these more."

Fu Huan: "Then pick one later, and we’ll drive it back."

Gu Shiying’s eyes lit up: "Really?"

Fu Huan almost suggested he get a driver’s license but then thought better of it—if Gu Shiying got his license, they’d have less time together. So he dropped it.

"Yeah, we can take it out for trips, shoot some footage along the way."

Gu Shiying got excited at the idea: "Then I’ll include the car in the shots. Next time we go to the grasslands, we can plan a theme."

Fu Huan: "A travel theme?"

Gu Shiying shook his head: "Isn’t that a bit ordinary?"

Fu Huan: "We can think about it later."

Just then, the garage door opened, and a conventional black sedan drove in. The person inside parked and got out.

Fu Huan told Gu Shiying: "That’s my brother. He must have had business today; otherwise, he’d be out in a sports car on the weekend."

Gu Shiying: "I see."

Fu Qin spotted them and immediately put Gu Shiying at ease: "You’re back? This must be Shiying, right? Just call me big brother."

Gu Shiying obediently greeted: "Big brother."

Fu Qin: "What are you two doing here? It’s warmer upstairs than in the garage."

Fu Huan: "Picking a car to drive back."

Fu Qin: "Can Shiying drive? Feel free to take any of my sports cars."

Gu Shiying shook his head: "I can’t drive."

Fu Qin: "Then once you get your license, pick one to take."

Gu Shiying was almost startled by his generosity: "Huh?" Big brother is quite generous.

Fu Huan: "Bro, get him a new one."

Fu Qin: "Tch, fine, fine. After you graduate, I’ll get each of you one."

Gu Shiying: "I really don’t need one."

No merit, no reward.

Fu Huan: "My brother’s loaded, it’s fine."

Just like that, the gift was settled without Gu Shiying having a chance to refuse.

Upstairs, Gu Shiying met Fu Huan’s father and the lady he’d seen at school—Ms. He Qi.

He Qi asked with a smile: "Remember me?"

Gu Shiying quickly said, "Auntie, hello, I didn't know about that the other day."

"My fault, I should've mentioned it. Come, have a seat," He Qi greeted Gu Shiying warmly.

Fu Yuandong asked Gu Shiying, "Young Gu, would you like some tea?"

Fu Yuandong felt even more guilty toward Fu Huan and was very friendly toward Gu Shiying, who didn’t find him stern at all.

Seeing Fu Yuandong making tea, Gu Shiying seized the chance to say, "Thank you, Uncle. Tea would be fine."

Fu Qin asked, "Shiying, do you know how to make tea?"

Gu Shiying shook his head, "Not really, no."

Fu Yuandong said, "You should learn; it’ll come in handy when you start working."

Fu Qin remarked, "Dad, young people nowadays aren't really into tea—they prefer coffee. None of the employees at our company drink tea."

Fu Huan added, "That’s because they work overtime a lot and need coffee to stay awake."

Fu Qin retorted, "It was just two days of overtime, and you’re still holding a grudge."

As the brothers were talking, He Qi noticed something on Gu Shiying’s face. "Shiying, what’s that on your chin?"

Gu Shiying touched his chin and felt the pimple that had appeared that morning; it was still quite sore.

He said, "I woke up with a pimple this morning."

He Qi suggested, "Take off the pimple patch, let me see?"

Gu Shiying had almost forgotten about the patch and removed it.

He Qi observed, "Looks like you’re overheated. I’ll ask the housekeeper to make you an herbal soup to cool you down. Remember to turn on the humidifier when you sleep tonight."

Gu Shiying, suddenly cared for by an elder, replied, "Okay."

He Qi stood up and headed to the kitchen, presumably to instruct the housekeeper about the soup.

Soon, it was time for lunch. Several plates of dumplings were on the table, and Fu Yuandong and his wife encouraged Gu Shiying to dig in.

It was the Winter Solstice, and in the north, dumplings were a must, though it wasn't a tradition in Gu Shiying’s family.

As Gu Shiying warmed up to them, he became more talkative. The Fu family had no rule against talking at the table, and by the end of the meal, Gu Shiying felt much closer to them. Everyone also had a bit of alcohol during the meal.

Fu Huan had originally planned to take Gu Shiying out in the afternoon, but since one couldn’t drive and the other seemed a bit tipsy, they stayed home to rest.

Gu Shiying took a nap in Fu Huan’s room—Fu Yuandong’s liquor had quite a kick.

Fu Huan had been working late at his brother’s place the past few days and slept soundly after drinking. Gu Shiying woke up, but Fu Huan was still asleep.

Thirsty after waking, Gu Shiying went downstairs to find water since his floor wasn’t stocked with water. Seeing Fu Huan still asleep, he went down alone.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, He Qi was talking to the housekeeper. She noticed Gu Shiying and waved him over.

He Qi said, "Shiying, come here."

Gu Shiying walked over, "Auntie."

He Qi told him, "The cooling soup is ready. I’ve asked the housekeeper to get you a bowl. Have it in the dining room."

Gu Shiying nodded obediently, "Okay, thank you, Auntie."

He Qi patted his arm, "Don’t mention it. From now on, you’re part of our family."

Gu Shiying smiled, feeling their kindness but also surprised at how quickly they’d accepted him.

However, a thought suddenly crossed his mind: "Being gay" was also a social topic—maybe he could make a video later about bringing a gay boyfriend home for the holidays.

Gu Shiying drank the cooling soup, which had a chicken broth and herbal taste, slightly bitter but not unpleasant.

As he was appreciating the soup, he heard commotion outside, as if many people had arrived.

Gu Shiying thought it was just as well he was in the dining room and didn’t have to interact with strangers.

The aroma of the soup seemed to attract the guests’ attention.

A woman piped up, "Sister-in-law, what soup are you brewing? Can you pour a bowl for our little Lin too?"

Gu Shiying turned around and saw a woman in a sparkling dress leading a boy of about eight or nine into the room.

He Qi walked over, her expression cool. "This soup isn’t suitable for children; it’s to cool down."

The woman asked, "Oh? And who is this?"

Gu Shiying felt a bit awkward; his identity wasn’t easy to explain.

Just as he was feeling uncomfortable, He Qi calmly said, "This is Shiying, Huan’s partner. He’s here for the Winter Solstice and had some internal heat, so I asked the housekeeper to make him soup."

When Gu Shiying looked up, he caught a flicker of disdain in the woman’s eyes.

He Qi placed a hand on his shoulder, "Shiying, this is Third Aunt."

Gu Shiying put down his spoon, "Third Aunt."

He Qi said, "Finish your soup and head upstairs and chill. I’ll have the housekeeper make Hangzhou dishes for dinner."

Gu Shiying replied obediently, "Okay."

Not having to deal with Fu Huan’s relatives was a relief.

After He Qi came to his rescue, he took the elevator upstairs and ran into Fu Huan at the stairway, who was coming down to look for him.

Fu Huan still looked worried, "Why didn’t you bring your phone?"

Gu Shiying explained, "I just came down for water, but Auntie had me drink the cooling soup. Then your Third Aunt came, so she told me to go upstairs."

Fu Huan frowned, "Third Aunt and Third Uncle? Don’t bother with them."

Gu Shiying sensed some gossip, "What’s up? Is there some rich family drama?"

Fu Huan shook his head, put an arm around him, and led him back to the room. Once inside, he said, "Liang Qi mentioned that educator who got jailed, right?"

Gu Shiying said, "Yeah, it’s a shame I couldn’t punch him."

Fu Huan revealed, "That person was introduced to my dad by my Third Uncle."

Gu Shiying exclaimed, "...That’s just malicious."

Fu Huan concluded, "That’s why our family doesn’t welcome them."

Gu Shiying hugged Fu Huan tightly: "Then I'll follow your lead and can't stand them either."

Fu Huan: "If you marry a chicken, share the coop; if you marry a dog, share the kennel."

Gu Shiying pinched his waist: "Are you a chicken or a dog?"

Fu Huan, surprised by the comeback, planted a firm kiss on Gu Shiying’s forehead: "Can’t win against you. If I have to choose, I’ll be Gu Shiying’s dog."

Gu Shiying gently tugged his ear: "Starting today, your name is Fu Big Dog."

Fu Huan scooped him up around the waist: "Then Big Dog is going to eat his master."

Gu Shiying let out a startled gasp: "Fu Huan, we’re at your house!"

Fu Huan’s eyes lit up with excitement: "What’s there to be afraid of? We’ll definitely be done before dinner."

Gu Shiying: "...You really are a dog!"

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Author’s Note: Fu Huan: Time to eat! [dog head emoji][dog head emoji][dog head emoji]

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Next Story: "From the Republic of China to Here" — Please bookmark and check it out, dear readers! This is a story about a protagonist from the Republic of China who travels to the modern era and meets his love interest. Arranged marriage first, love later.

Jiang Yicen was born into a feudal family in the late Qing Dynasty. He studied eight-legged essays and the Four Books and Five Classics with his grandfather and was engaged to a young lady from another family since childhood. However, his fiancée, who had studied abroad and embraced progressive ideas, broke off the engagement, politely said he was too rigid, old-fashioned, and dull, and that she would never be happy with him.

Later, he endured the turmoil of war, spent his entire fortune to rescue people from hardship.

Later still, he joined the army and died amid the chaos of war.

He thought death was the end, but little did he know it was a new beginning—only, he found himself in a family that was both traditional and open-minded.

Feudal, because he was sent into an arranged marriage by his family; open-minded, because his arranged marriage partner was a man.

-

Nan Shuyi was unruly, freedom-loving, and did as he pleased. He constantly made headlines for his scandals—one might even call him a playboy.

To reel in Nan Shuyi’s wild side, the Nan family forced an arranged marriage on him.

The day before the wedding, he scoffed to his friends: "Tch, there’s no way in hell I’m ever sleeping with a man."

On the wedding day, his arranged marriage partner sat before him like a young master from the Republic of China period, his lips curved into a subtle, proper smile.

He addressed Nan Shuyi softly: "Sir."

Nan Shuyi paused slightly, then straightened his tie—which he had tugged askew in his impatience—and stood upright and proper.

Jiang Yicen thought, since he'd finally arrived in a peaceful era, where he could live safely and soundly, he was willing to accept anything—what harm was there in addressing his arranged marriage partner as "sir"?

He had traveled a very, very long way to get here from the Republic of China.

Many years later, Jiang Yicen realized his ex-fiancée had been wrong—his life hadn't been so boring after all.