A President's Out-of-Body Experience

Gu Xiaoshan also understood the concept of “stopping at the right time” very well. He would not leave a senior without his dignity, and so replied, “However, I was really blind to not have seen that He Jun was such a vile person. I believe this is all a misunderstanding, nonsense that he created. At the very least, our Renzi isn’t gay.”

Hearing this, Renzi who had remained silent for a long while suddenly raised his hand and piped up, “I am! I am!”

Gu Xiaoshan’s jaw nearly dropped. “Huh?”

When Gu Xiaoshan heard about this He Jun incident, he did not treat it seriously. He believed that the reason things turned out so ugly was because He Jun wanted to drag Renzi down. Only now did he really start to consider the possibility that Renzi might be gay, but it seemed very difficult for him to accept it, and he was struck dumb. Old Mister Yu also confirmed that Renzi was gay, “You’re admitting to this even now?! Do you think I’m not angry enough?”

In that moment, Gu Xiaoshan was unable to react. His eyes widened even more, from their original willow leaf-shape they stretched to looking just like almonds.

Gu Xiaoshan’s reaction was like an innocent child going to Disneyland, but took a wrong turn into Jurassic Park instead, with a look as though he was questioning his entire life — Snow White could not be this beady-eyed, bucktoothed creature with tiny, short arms! Seeing that Gu Xiaoshan’s reaction was not good, Renzi immediately panicked. His head hurt, and holding onto it, he spoke embarrassedly, “Yes, it’s true.”

Old Mister Yu was a little stunned. Actually, the reason why he devised this play of hitting his foolish son was to create an opportunity for Renzi and Gu Xiaoshan. After all, according to previous experiences, every time he started using violence on Renzi to the point where he could no longer take it, Gu Xiaoshan would take in Renzi for a period of time. For this objective, Old Mister Yu contemplated for a moment then said, “Ugh, I don’t know what else to say anymore. I’ll just beat you to death!” He raised his cane again.

Gu Xiaoshan finally reacted, he dragged Renzi off and ran away.

Sitting in Gu Xiaoshan’s car, Renzi observed Gu Xiaoshan cautiously. His expression was back to normal, as though nothing had happened, and he drove his car calmly. Instead, it was Renzi who was somewhat anxious, and also did not dare to make a sound, despite finding the silence in the car a little frightening. Gu Xiaoshan must have thought so as well, and so turned on the radio. As a popular melody played, the atmosphere was no longer as tense.

Gu Xiaoshan sent him to his apartment in the city. “You should hide at my place for a few days.”

Renzi nodded his head, then Gu Xiaoshan continued. “I’ll go to work first, just go up by yourself. Don’t bring the dog here this time, I have to leave in two days.”

Hearing that, Renzi’s eyes rounded. “Where are you going?”

Gu Xiaoshan seemed to be amused by this. “A business trip. I’m very busy, you know?”

This was the truth. Gu Xiaoshan was truly busy with work. Renzi replied, “It’s fine if the dog comes! I can take care of it.”

“If you can take care of yourself, I’ll thank the gods already.” Gu Xiaoshan laughed before driving off.

Renzi again returned to Gu Xiaoshan’s apartment, his feelings fluctuating. He was delighted that he had finally managed to state his sexual orientation clearly to Gu Xiaoshan, but he was also very worried about it. Vaguely, he felt that Gu Xiaoshan was not very happy about it, but he had no concrete evidence for it.

When night fell, Gu Xiaoshan had yet to return home. Like a resentful wife, Renzi sent Gu Xiaoshan a text. “Brother Xiaoshan, why aren’t you back to cook dinner yet?”

Gu Xiaoshan did not reply. This was unprecedented! Renzi waited anxiously, his phone did not ring, but the doorbell rang instead. Food delivery was here. Gu Xiaoshan had ordered the delivery for Renzi, informing him that he would be working overtime that night. This time, Renzi really became a resentful wife, Brother Xiaoshan is ignoring me now, why?!

While eating instant noodles for supper at midnight, Renzi called Gu Xiaoshan a few times. Finally, Gu Xiaoshan answered his calls. “What’s up?”

“Eh, you’re finally answering your phone? I thought you were dead! It’s so late at night already, where are you fooling around now?”

“Didn’t I say I had to work overtime?”

Renzi felt that this sounded a little dubious. “Whenever I called you, you used to always answer the phone.”

“Fine, Second Young Master. Any commands?”

Renzi choked, and took some time before he replied. “No-nothing much, it’s just that there was no news from you, and I was worried that something might have happened to you.”

Gu Xiaoshan was silent for a few seconds. “I’m dealing with the incident about He Jun and you.”

Renzi got scared. “Ah... Is it difficult to deal with it?”

“It’s not difficult.”

Renzi replied nervously, “Are you together with He Jun now?”

“Why would I be with him in the middle of the night?”

That sounded reasonable. Renzi laughed awkwardly. “Yes, yes. He Jun’s not around?”

Gu Xiaoshan’s tone rose slightly. “You want to see him?”

Renzi hurriedly denied it. “No, I don’t. It’s better if I don’t see him ever again.”

Gu Xiaoshan spoke decisively, “Then he’ll never appear in front of you ever again.”

Gu Xiaoshan really kept his words, and Renzi truly never saw this person ever again, and gradually forgot about him. Later, out of the blue, he suddenly recalled the incident, and even suspiciously asked Gu Xiaoshan, “Did you get someone to silence him?”

Mockery could be heard in his voice, “You think we’re acting in a mafia movie?”

Exactly what Gu Xiaoshan was busy with, Renzi was also unable to know. He remembered that as a child, his father was always very busy. Now that he was older, his brother was also very busy. He would occasionally grumble about it, but they would say that he was thoughtless. “You think I like to work overtime? Since there’s a person at home who doesn’t like to work, then someone else has to work harder.”

The one at home who did not like to work was clearly Renzi.

The idle Renzi was idling at home, waiting for Gu Xiaoshan to return. Of course, while waiting, he would not just sit there passively, but would constantly send Gu Xiaoshan messages. Today, when Gu Xiaoshan woke up in his lounge located in his office, he took out his phone only to see Renzi’s messages.

“Are you there?”

“Are you not there?”

“If you’re not there then I guess you’re not there.”

“I’m eating breakfast at home.”

“The cereal Brother Xiaoshan bought is so yummy.”

“Ah, I don’t think I know how to wash the dishes.”

“It’s fine, I threw the dishes out with the trash.”

“I’ll buy you new ones.”

Gu Xiaoshan was helpless against this barrage, thinking, this prodigal fellow.

Seeing that Gu Xiaoshan did not reply, Renzi also could not keep “harassing” him. Off he went to the KTV, and selected <Home Again Without You>1.