I’ll Still Love You Even if You’re a Man 2 《你是男的我也爱》Ni Shi Nan De Wo Ye Ai
I’ll Still Love You Even if You’re a Man 2, Chapter 133: A status in the family
It was three days before New Year's Eve and when he opened his eyes, the clock was already pointing to ten o'clock, having slept very little last night and very little at all. The air-conditioned room was so warm that Mai Ding stood barefoot on the floor, staring at the closet and it was ten minutes before he could find a black suit and put it on. He was alone in the empty room, the sound of brushing his teeth and the sound of water running was very distinctive and after a few moments in front of the mirror, he turned off the air conditioning and grabbed his keys and went out.
It was cold outside, the wind was blowing but Mai Ding didn't bundle up, as he usually did and ignored the cold. He bought a bouquet of white flowers in a florist's store, unable to distinguish their name or their language arrangement and got on a bus, which was crowded but with few people who had the same destination as Mai Ding. The gravestones in the cemetery were lonely, the dead and the living reacted to the New Year differently.
An-Ziyan stood in front of his grandfather's tombstone, his hands in his jacket, he didn't say anything, just looked at the picture on the tombstone. Mai Ding stopped not far away, he believed that his grandfather and grandmother were doing well on the other side, he had let go of his grandfather and was relieved that he had left him but would that make him look heartless? Had An-Ziyan let go? Mai Ding tried to catch something in his expression but in the end, there was nothing.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now.” Mai Ding took a few steps forward, placing the flowers in front of the tombstone: “Grandpa, I came to see you, to see if I look handsome, even more handsome than An-Ziyan.” He crouched back, “What did you say to Grandpa?” What did you tell grandpa?”
“Nothing.”
“Why?”
“I told you, it's stupid to talk to a rock.”
But you get up early in the morning in the winter to see a rock,” Mai Ding thought but he didn't say it, he smiled mischievously at An-Ziyan, “I like doing stupid things in your eyes anyway, it doesn't matter, I have a lot to tell Grandpa.”
When he got tired of squatting, he just sat down, thinking that he could hear him. He didn't interrupt him, nor did he scold him for his stupid words. One after another, An-Su, An Xun, Wu Xin and the others came and the tombstone became crowded.
“Come and stay with us for a few days. You didn't spend much time with your parents last year. I've just asked someone to bring you over too.” It was none other than Wu Xin who said such a thoughtful thing. Mai Ding waved his hand: “Don't worry about us, it's too much trouble.”
“What's the trouble, we're family.” Her kindness warmed Mai Ding in the winter and Mai Ding didn't postpone: “All right then.” An-Ziyan looked at Wu Xin but said nothing. They went straight from the cemetery to their grandfather's house, where they had their New Year's reunion this year and the spacious house was kept as neat and tidy as it had always been when someone lived there and Mai Ding was full of nostalgia. Soon afterwards, Mai Ding's mother and father arrived and their parents chatted with each other and Mai Ding sat next to An-Ziyan, who tried to pretend to be a good daughter-in-law.
“I'll peel some apples for you.” Mai Ding took the apple, smiled strangely virtuous smile and An-Ziyan pushed his face away: “Be careful or I'll cut you.”
“I've got to show off, so I can get a status in the family.”
“What can you do with status?”
“You can do a lot of things, gaining respect makes family togetherness better,” Mai Ding sneaked a glance at Wu Xin, bumping his elbow against An-Ziyan's arm: “Ask you a question, you can't laugh at me.”
“Mmmh.”
“Have I become more attractive since I started working?” he trailed off clearly hearing the sound of shameful laughter and Mai Ding scrunched up his face, “Said you wouldn't laugh at me!”
“I'm just saying.”
“I'm not kidding, really, I think auntie likes me more and more.”
An-Ziyan just looked deeply at Mai Ding but didn't say anything, because Mai Ding didn't understand An-Ziyan's attitude every time the subject of Wu Xin came up. An-Ziyan stood up and held out his hand to Mai Ding: “Let's go out.”
He wasn't inviting, as if he was sure he would follow him but Mai Ding clapped away An-Ziyan's hand: “It's not proper to hold hands in front of your elders.”
“I'll hit you in front of your elders.” An-Ziyan pushed Mai Ding's forehead lightly, then went out the door and Mai Ding followed him in exasperation, not because he wanted to follow him but because, if he pushed himself, he'd have to push him later.
Mai Ding's parents, An-Ziyan's parents, were in the same room, talking about the same things, years and it was cozy enough for him, just like any other family, doing the most mundane things, eating, drinking, playing cards. Other people might not agree with him but he felt that the more ordinary he was, the more he lived. He was just an ordinary Mai Ding and the world was full of ordinary people and he felt safe in it.
As Mai Ding stood behind Mai Ding's mother, high on melon seeds and watching them play mahjong, Wu Xin smiled at him and said, "Don't just help your mother watch, Come help auntie out too, can't let your mom win all the money can you." Mai Ding's mom laughed along with him: “He has bad luck, taking your side will only make you lose money.”
“Mother, don't you slander me!” protested Mai Ding unsatisfied, stealing behind Wu Xing to prove his luck to his mother, Wu Xing's attitude towards him had changed so dramatically it gave him a feeling of unreality but he didn't want to believe it was false, Wu Xing had accepted him, he could feel it not because of this change of time, before the change was much earlier.
“Where's Shuai, where's he at?”
“I think he's still sleeping.” Mai Ding nodded as Wu Xin tried to control her tone of disdain, “It is good to sleep more, no wonder the little handsome is so tall.” Mai Ding's mom isn't just doting on him, she's spoiling him, what do you mean, sleep more, it's almost noon!
~ I’ll Still Love You Even if You’re a Man 2 (Sequel) ~
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Chapter 132: A dirty boss. 《
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Chapter 134: Now and then
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