Gu Bai looked at his wife's teary-eyed confession; he looked pitiful. Gu Bai disregarded his headache and helplessness, rus.h.i.+ng forward to pull him up. That thud had sounded really loud. His wife's knees must have been bruised.

Mother Qi quickly snapped out of it. Her son had always been obedient since childhood and made good progress in his studies. Over the years, everything was satisfactory except for his health. She had never thought that her son would kneel down to her one day and was scared silly. Her mind was blank and she couldn't even hear what he said. She pulled her son over, feeling extremely distressed. “What are you doing all of a sudden? If you have something to say, can't we talk about it instead?" She paused slightly, reacted to his words and asked in surprise, “Do you… do you know that Xiao Ying doesn't like you?”

“I've known for a long time.” Qi Le sobbed and wiped away his tears, his shoulders trembling as he heaved. “Don't go looking for her. She's so gentle and beautiful. There are certainly many people who like her. In the future, she will definitely meet a good man who treats her sincerely. Just let her have a good life.”

“Mmm, mmm. I won't.” Mother Qi quickly replied, pulling him to the sofa with her eyes aglow. “I actually knew her heart wasn't on you a long time ago, but I didn't dare to tell you for fear that you would be sad after finding out. These past few days, I heard that you wanted to look for her but I didn't tell you because I was worried you would be hurt. That's why I bought you those books.”

Gu Bai couldn't help sighing inside. It was exactly as he had thought.

“…” Qi Le looked at his mother and took a few seconds to respond. “…Whaa?”

f.u.c.k! So this was what happened! Did he just confess for nothing? Why were things so dramatic? What should he do now ah?!

Mother Qi stroked his face and asked anxiously, “Son, are you really alright? Why did you say you don't like her? What do you mean?”

Qi Le was dumbstruck. He blinked and blinked again, then said wistfully, “Ever since I found out the truth, I stopped liking her. My heart has been seriously injured.”

Mother Qi looked surprised and patiently advised, “Son, don't be like that. Read the books I gave you. If you're free, go out and relax. Look at beautiful things and you'll slowly get better. Setbacks in life will surely pa.s.s.”

“Mom, don't worry. Although this heartbreak was hard to get over, I still tenaciously survived!” Qi Le sniffled and wiped away his tears. “But after this shock, a shadow has been left in my heart. From now on, I don't believe in girls any more, and I don't like girls any more!”

Gu Bai, “…”

“Huh?” Mother Qi was even more worried. “Xiao Le, listen to your mother. You can't generalize just because of one girl. Your life is just beginning. You will meet a girl who really likes you. You can't stop believing in love because of this.”

“I do believe in love,” Qi Le choked. “I just don't believe in girls.”

“Isn't that the same thing?”

“It's different.” Qi Le looked at her. “Mom, I've been hit too hard. I don't want to find a woman in my life. I want a man!”

Gu Bai, “…”

Mother Qi gasped and nearly fainted when she heard that. She quickly calmed down and remembered her son's last cry. She said, “You asked me to bless you. Who are you talking about?”

"Erquan and I." Qi Le shuffled into Gu Bai's arms and looked up pitifully. “I've been playing with him since I was a child. He's good to me and will never betray me. I want to live with him for the rest of my life.”

Mother Qi almost fainted. She looked at the two people in front of her, her face filled with shock. She had watched them grow up and knew that their relations.h.i.+p was very good. She also knew that Gu Bai had always been good to her son and took care and doted on him as if he were a brother… She turned her gaze to her son, moved her lips, but couldn't say a word.

Gu Bai was worried that she couldn't accept it. He asked tentatively, “Auntie?”

“Ai,” sighed Mother Qi, looking at her son silently. “Xiao Le, go take a bath and sleep. I'll talk to Xiao Bai.”

Qi Le asked anxiously, “Do you agree to our relations.h.i.+p?”

“Yes.” Mother Qi comforted and rubbed her son's head. “Go on.”

Qi Le was shocked, tears filling up his eyes instantly. He felt that his life was close to perfect because his mother's agreement was equivalent to his father's. Then, as long as Gu Bai's parents didn't object, they could be together openly. He wiped away his tears. “Really?”

Looking at her son's happy tears, Mother Qi felt even more sad. “Really. Go take a bath and I'll talk to him.”

Qi Le nodded obediently and threw himself into Gu Bai's arms. Only then did get up and leave. From the back, he looked particularly excited. Mother Qi watched her son go into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She immediately grabbed Gu Bai's hand and said sadly, “Xiao Bai, you have suffered.”

Gu Bai, “…”

Gu Bai only felt a headache coming on. His wife had described himself too miserably by saying he was traumatized and no longer believed in women. According to this line of thought, it was natural for her to misunderstand that he couldn't withstand the blow and had psychological or emotional issues.

Mother Qi's eyes were red as she sighed in a low voice. “If it were someone else, he would've called for an ambulance. Xiao Le received a setback emotionally. He only became like this because of some psychological problems. Does he know who Xiao Ying really likes?”

Gu Bai nodded silently.

Mother Qi asked tentatively, “Do you know?”

“Mmm.”

“That must be it.” Mother Qi was even sadder. “I think he subconsciously wanted to take revenge on Xiao Ying, so he chose you.”

“…” Gu Bai said, “Xiao Le will not do this.”

“Don't say anymore. You'll have to endure for a few more days.” Mother Qi patted the back of his hand and patiently said, “I'll try to advise him. If it doesn't work, I'll consult a psychologist.”

Gu Bai, “…”

Gu Bai observed her state, thinking that she had been stimulated by a certain someone, time and again, in such a short period. He was afraid she couldn't stand it if he stimulated her again. Anyway, things had already become like this now. She would surely contact Father Qi. According to the character of the man who dotes on Xiao Le, he would probably would fly back tomorrow or the day after. Then, they could solve it together.

Qi Le was still a little uneasy. He took a quick shower and came out in his pajamas. “Mom, go wash up.”

Mother Qi muttered an "Mmm", got up and went to the bathroom.

Qi Le immediately threw himself into Gu Bai's arms and looked up at him, his eyes a little wet. “What did my mother tell you?”

Gu Bai looked at his wife helplessly and rubbed his head. “She asked me to take good care of you in the future.”

Qi Le was happy at once. Before he could say anything, he heard the bathroom door open. Mother Qi had walked in subconsciously earlier and forgotten about her clothes until she went in, so she came out again. At this moment, she happened to hear Gu Bai's words and immediately looked at him with grat.i.tude and guilt. Only then did she go into the bedroom.

Gu Bai, “…”

Qi Le had finally come out of the closet and was in a good mood. He jumped into his arms. Gu Bai reached out and held his wife, reminding him in a low voice. “Strike while the iron is hot. Go and tell your mother later that you want to sleep with me tonight.”

“Mmm!”

After Mother Qi exited the bathroom, she saw her psychologically disturbed son happily announce that he would sleep with Gu Bai. He even said that they had been sleeping together this whole time. She looked at Gu Bai and saw that the latter's expression was cool. She immediately felt that the child had suffered too much. She stood in the living room and silently watched them go into their bedroom. Then, she hurried back to Qi Le's bedroom to call his father.

“Erquan,” Qi Le plunged into his man's arms and kissed him. “I succeeded!”

Gu Bai muttered an "Mmm", holding his wife in his arms. He turned over, pinned him onto the bed, held his chin and kissed him. Qi Le had finally solved a huge problem. Just as he started to get excited, Gu Bai hooked his neck and kissed him back. Feeling his enthusiasm, Gu Bai breathed heavily and withdrew in time, patting Qi Le on the face. “Don't tease me. Do you want your mother to listen to your moans?”

Qi Le cheeks flushed red as he lay back down obediently, leaning into Gu Bai's arms. Gu Bai was worried about Qi Le's knees, so he got up and looked at them. After he found that they were alright, he turned off the light and held him to sleep. The night was peaceful. Qi Le got up early the next day. After a simple meal, he happily held Gu Bai's hand and went to school. Now, he could finally be with him openly. 

Gu Bai looked at him affectionately and let him do as he pleased. He drove Qi Le to school and shared a lingering kiss with him before leaving. Qi Le was smiling and was in high spirits as he skipped into the cla.s.sroom. Wan Lei looked at him and froze. His first reaction was that he had switched to another personality. He watched carefully and soon saw Ning Xiao come over and ask, “You're in a good mood today?”

“Mmm! Especially good!”

Ning Xiao glanced at Wan Lei, who turned away silently and continued reading. It turned out that he was overthinking it. Ning Xiao sat down beside a certain someone and casually asked, “Why?”

Qi Le was in a good mood and didn't mind telling him the truth. “I successfully came out.”

“Didn't you come out early on?”

“…” Qi Le said, “I did it again. What do you care?”

Ning Xiao saw that he was about to lose his temper. In order to get along well with him, he changed the subject in time. Qi Le was in a good mood today and wasn't annoyed by him. He occasionally said with a few words and began to concentrate on cla.s.s. He didn't have any cla.s.s in the second quarter and was going to go home after cla.s.s. At this moment, he heard his cellphone suddenly ring. He took it out, looked at it and found that it was a strange number, but the number was a little familiar. He answered, “h.e.l.lo?”