Mother Ling was so warm that Li Cangyu felt flattered.

  After all, Ling Xuefeng’s nature was cold and severe. Before coming to the Ling home, Li Cangyu always thought that Ling Xuefeng’s parents would also be very serious and difficult to please. He hadn’t expected Mother Ling to be so enthusiastic before even receiving the gifts. He was pulled into the house.

  Li Cangyu recovered his spirit and immediately handed the gifts to Mother Ling. He smiled politely and said, “Auntie, I brought you and Uncle some small gifts. Happy holidays.”

  Mother Ling took it with a smile. “Why are you so polite? You should treat my house like your own house. Bringing gifts is too much. You aren’t allowed to bring them in the future.”

  “Cough.” Ling Xuefeng coughed and said, “Mom, let’s eat first.”

  “Yes, eat first. Xiao Li, come in and sit down. I’ll serve you!” Mother Ling placed Li Cangyu’s gifts to the side and brought out plates from the kitchen. It was a full table of gourmet dishes.

  Such a sumptuous table of food was definitely the standard for entertaining guests.

  Li Cangyu was puzzled and couldn’t help asking Ling Xuefeng, “You told your mother I was coming over?”

  “Yes.” Ling Xuefeng calmly nodded.

  “Auntie is too enthusiastic. She made so many delicious dishes.” Li Cangyu smiled at Mother Ling who was busy in the kitchen. Then he looked at Ling Xuefeng’s expressionless face and couldn’t help laughing. “It seems like your personality is more like your father’s?”

  He just said this when somebody opened the door and entered. Li Cangyu looked up and saw a middle-aged man with deep eyes. This man was 70% similar to Ling Xuefeng. He was tall and looked more stable than Ling Xuefeng. His expression was cold and serious. He looked very difficult to handle.

  This should be Father Ling right?

  Li Cangyu immediately took the initiative to stand up and politely greeted him. “Uncle is well.”

  “Yes.” Ling Boyan replied softly. He looked carefully at Li Cangyu and saw that this man’s smile was straightforward and bright, making people feel that he was very sincere. He didn’t look like an impetuous young person. Rather, he gave off a decent first impression.

  Ling Boyan changed into slippers and saw that his wife was busy in the kitchen. He sat down at the table and asked Li Cangyu, “Are you Xiao Li?”

  Li Cangyu nodded. “Yes, Uncle. My name is Li Cangyu. You can call me Xiao Li.”

  “How long have you known Xuefeng?”

  “More than six years. We met when we were 17 and 18.”

  “Oh.” Ling Boyan nodded. “Xuefeng has never brought a friend home for dinner. You are the first.”

  Li Cangyu glanced at Ling Xuefeng and smiled. “Is that so? The two of us have a good relationship, like brothers.”

  Ling Xuefeng, “…”

  This guy really had first-class acting. The person who secretly kissed him last night was now acting like ‘good brothers’ in front of the family?

  Li Cangyu thought he had covered it up very well. He continued to chat with Uncle Ling in order to build up a good relationship.

  “What do your parents do?” Ling Boyan asked.

  “My parents are doctors. They are a Western doctor and Chinese doctor. My sister is also a doctor.” Li Cangyy answered seriously.

  “Then how did you run to play e-sports?” Ling Boyan’s face was filled with doubts.

  “It is because I’m not very interested in studying medicine. I feel that playing the game is more suitable for me.” Li Cangyu said with a smile.

  \r \r \r

  “Dad, is this checking an account?” Ling Xuefeng interrupted the strange conversation with a displeased expression.

  Ling Boyan stated gravely, “I am just understanding your friend’s basic situation. What’s wrong with it?”

  Li Cangyu agreed. “Yes, Uncle is right. He just wants to understand your friends. This is him caring about you.”

  Ling Boyan suddenly felt that the young man in front of him was very interesting and polite to his elders. Ling Boyan stared at Li Cangyu and saw his bright smile. Ling Boyan stopped asking questions. He believed in the look in this person’s eyes. The person brought back by his son should be a good person.

  Ling Xuefeng’s mother, Yuan Xin, quickly brought out the last dish, which was fragrant braised fish.

  She placed the fish next to Li Cangyu and smiled. “I heard from Xuefeng that you love fish. I made braised fish for you. Come and try it.”

  “Thank you Auntie.” Li Cangyu stood up and pulled the chair next to him out in a gentlemanly manner. “Auntie, come and sit down. We have to eat together or the food will become cold.”

  Yuan Xin, who had her chair pulled out for her, laughed and sat down. “Xiao Li is sensible.”

  Ling Xuefeng watched this scene and couldn’t help the raising the corners of his mouth slightly.

  It seemed that his parents were very satisfied with Li Cangyu?

  ***

  The meal was delicious. Li Cangyu was straightforward and his desire to curry favour with Ling Xuefeng’s parents had him politely giving the two elders dishes at dinner. Yuan Xin was full of smiles.

  After dinner, Li Cangyu got up and took the initiative to help clean up the dishes but was blocked by Yuan Xin. “You are a guest. How can I let you clean up? I will clean up! Xuefeng, you accompany Xiao Li to eat fruit.”

  Ling Xuefeng agreed and took Li Cangyu to the living room. He brought over a plate of fruit and asked, “Do you want to eat?”

  “I won’t eat, I’m full.” Li Cangyu just ate a lot of food and more than half the fish. He touched his belly and sat on the sofa to accompany Uncle Ling in watching TV.

  Ling Boyan was watching a basketball game. Li Cangyu actively brought up the topic. “Uncle, do you like to watch basketball games?”

  “Yes.”

  “Which team do you like?”

  “I don’t have a favourite. I just watch casually when I have time.”

  Li Cangyu smiled. “I am the same. I haven’t been closely following this season’s NBA games. I always miss the live matches and will sometimes watch the replays. I particularly like to play basketball.” Ling Boyan looked at him. “You can play? How about playing a match one day?”

  “Is there a basketball at home?”

  “Of course.”

  “Why don’t we play tomorrow?”

  “Yes.”

  Li Cangyu’s cheerful and straightforward personality was easy to please the elders. He and Father Ling talked happily, the always serious Father Ling showing a rare smile.

  Ling Xuefeng sat next to them but was more like a guest of this family.

  ***

  In fact, Ling Xuefeng’s parents knew about Li Cangyu’s existence a long time ago.

  It was the year that Li Cangyu led his team to leave Miracle. In order to persuade him to stay, Ling Xuefeng bought an expensive ticket and went all the way to New York. At that time, Ling Boyan and Yuan Xin had come to Shanghai to visit him at the club. They found it empty and learnt that their son had flown to New York to find someone. The two of them returned home in a confused manner.

  Ling Xuefeng hated lying. After returning home, he simply confessed to his parents that he liked this person.

  His parents naturally couldn’t accept it and Ling Boyan almost beat him up.

  Ling Xuefeng talked to his parents for a long time before they realized that liking the same sex wasn’t a disease and many countries had actually passed the same-sex marriage law.

  As long as two people loved each other, they could grow old together, even if they were the same gender. On the other hand, the marriages without love between a man and woman could end up in divorce despite being together for many years and having children.

  Ling Xuefeng’s father, Ling Boyan was a businessman. He travelled a lot and was well-informed in the last few years. He was sad about his son’s love of men but Ling Xuefeng was determined from an early age. As long as he made up his mind, he wouldn’t regret it, even if his head ended up bleeding.

  Ling Boyan knew that his son wouldn’t change. He could only hope that his son would calm down as time passed. But after so many years, Ling Xuefeng still stubbornly liked that person.

  Ling Boyan helplessly adopted the ‘Do whatever you want. I am too lazy to care about you’ attitude.

  Yuan Xin was a gentle housewife but she felt distressed for her son. She saw that Ling Xuefeng liked this person so much and gradually accepted it, hoping her son could be sincere. He should chase after the person called Li Cangyu and take him home to show them one day.

  As a result, this day really arrived.

  Yuan Xin received a text message from her son this morning, stating that he was bringing someone home. She was so excited that she shed tears and immediately went to the nearby supermarket to buy many ingredients. She wanted to cook a table full of delicious food because she was afraid to be rude to Li Cangyu.

  She treated Li Cangyu as a VIP.

  As a mother, she hoped that the person her son liked could be good for her son. The male or female aspect was no longer so important. It was fine since her son liked this person.

  Ling Boyan wasn’t as excited as Yuan Xin and he looked at the person his son brought with questioning eyes. However, Li Cangyu gave a good first impression, not the feminine type that Ling Boyan expected. He was very sunny, handsome and was as good as their son.

  The last layer of concern in their hearts were dispelled and Ling Boyan’s attitude towards Li Cangyu was a lot softer.

  ***

  Li Cangyu originally came to Ling Xuefeng’s house to please his future parents-in-laws. The result was that Father Ling and Mother Ling already knew about his existence and had a look of ‘watching the daughter-in-law’. They evaluated him and were very satisfied. He already got the elders’ approval without knowing.

  That evening, the unwitting Li Cangyu took the initiative to set up the massage foot bath that he bought, explaining to Ling Boyan, “Uncle, this massage basin is very easy to use. It automatically heats the water and the intensity of the massage can be adjusted. The disinfection function also means that two people can use it with no problems. You and auntie should use this to wash and massage your feet before going to sleep. It will make your sleep better!”

  “Yes, thank you.” Ling Boyan received the gift and felt very appreciative of this young man who knew how to be filial to his elders.

  Then Li Cangyu gave a set of valuable jewelry to Yuan Xin. Yuan Xin tried it on and Li Cangyu spoke seriously, “Auntie, you are beautiful when wearing this. You look really young!”

  Yuan Xin smiled and looked at herself in the mirror while praising Li Cangyu. “Our Xiao Li is sensible. My Xuefeng never bought me things like this. He probably thinks his mother is old.”

  Ling Xuefeng, “…”

  Li Cangyu is your son isn’t he? Did you get bought by the gift?

  “By the way, I have something for you.” Yuan Xin went to her bedroom and grabbed a box. “This is the first time you came to our house and you brought us so many gifts. Auntie didn’t prepare anything so I’ll just give you this.

  She placed the delicate box in Li Cangyu’s hands as she spoke.

  Li Cangyu opened it and saw a piece of jade inside. Although he lacked knowledge about jade, the jade was warm and smooth in his hand. It was crystal clear under the light. At first glance, it was a valuable jade attached to a simple red rope, meaning it could be worn as a necklace. It was simple and stylish, making it suitable for both men and women.

  Li Cangyu was surprised. “Auntie, this is too expensive…”

  Yuan Xin smiled. “It isn’t expensive. It contains a bit of my heart. Accept it.”

  Li Cangyu wanted to refuse but Ling Xuefeng said calmly, “Since my mother is giving it to you, take it.”

  He placed the piece of jade into Li Cangyu’s pocket as he spoke. Li Cangyu smiled brightly. “Thank you, Auntie.”

  Yuan Xin replied happily, “You’re welcome! This is a talisman that can bring good luck. You should wear it often in the future!”

  “Then I will wear it.”

  Li Cangyu placed the jade around his neck, thinking it was just an ordinary jade necklace.

  Ling Xuefeng didn’t have time to tell him that this was the jade that his mother bought him when he was born. He wore it for a while when he was a child. Later, he didn’t want to wear it and his mother said, “Then Mother will help you store it. Give it to your wife when you grow up.”

  She gave the jade to Li Cangyu, showing that she approved of the man her son brought home.

  Li Cangyu didn’t know and put on the jade, taking the initiative to wear the mark of the Ling family.

  Ling Xuefeng smiled slightly and gently placed an arm around his mother’s shoulders. “Thank you Mom.”

  Yuan Xin smiled but her eyes were shining with tears. ‘What thanks? As long as you are happy, Mother is very content!’