My Wife Is Going To Great Lengths/Putting In A Lot Of Effort To Turn Me Gay - Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Getaway

Qi Yaoyao didn’t deliberately avoid changing the “pat” content; she was suddenly called away by her mother.

She knew that her mother’s mood hadn’t improved after the gaokao; instead, it had gotten worse.

But she had been going to the gym every day, and in the evenings, she would eat out with Zhi Zhi before going home. Her time with her mother was short—sometimes they didn’t even see each other all day. Plus, with the “in love” buffer, her mindset had shifted, and she didn’t feel the related atmosphere as acutely.

But her mother’s condition was definitely problematic, and most likely related to Aunt Xiang Xiang.

Qi Yaoyao was actually confused.

This matter should be very simple to handle.

Her mother, as the loved one, had every advantage—timing, location, and popular support. As long as she gave Aunt Xiang Xiang a positive emotional response, Aunt Xiang Xiang would definitely stop resisting and return to her side.

After all, Auntie had liked her mother since college. After all these years, she was willing to be with her mother even when her mother didn’t remember her.

If that wasn’t true love, what was?

As long as her mother “turned over a new leaf,” she believed Auntie would be willing to give her mother and herself another chance.

After so many years of feelings, who would want them to end without closure if a good ending was possible?

When her mother was rich, beautiful, and also became devoted.

Wouldn’t she be just like her?

She was able to win over Zhi Zhi, and Aunt Xiang Xiang was so much easier to woo than Zhi Zhi. How could her mother fail?

So, since the reasoning was so simple, why couldn’t her very intelligent mother understand it?

Perhaps it was a case of “the players are confused, but the bystanders are clear”…?

Fortunately, she was going abroad with Zhi Zhi soon, which would give her mother and Auntie enough time and space.

She hoped that during this time, her mother could drop her pretenses and seriously woo Aunt Xiang Xiang back.

Then, their family of four could have a happy reunion!

Thinking this, even though her mother had called her over but hadn’t spoken to her immediately, continuing to focus on work, Qi Yaoyao’s mood brightened.

Qi Nan temporarily finished the work in her hands and asked, “Are you going abroad with Xu Zhi tomorrow?”

Qi Yaoyao immediately snapped back and replied, “Yes!”

“What did you tell Xu Zhi? That you’re visiting your maternal grandfather?”

Qi Yaoyao’s face felt hot. She was a little embarrassed, looking down and fiddling with her fingers. “Mom, how did you know…”

Qi Nan was about to reach for the second document. She paused, looked at her daughter, and said, “If you truly want to be together, don’t deceive her.”

Qi Yaoyao was stunned, then asked excitedly, “Mom! You agree to me being with Zhi Zhi?!”

“When have I ever opposed it?” Qi Nan countered.

Qi Yaoyao thought for a moment, refusing to be led by her mother’s logic. She said, “Although you didn’t, didn’t you used to tell me not to be serious? And said I should just play around…”

Qi Nan interrupted, “Did you listen to me when I said that?”

Qi Yaoyao looked at her blankly.

Qi Nan then silently sighed, looked down, and opened the document. “Since you knew that was wrong, you wouldn’t listen. I won’t say it again.”

Qi Yaoyao whispered, “Mom?”

She had never seen her mother admit fault before. Suddenly, she felt a little sorry for her mother, which softened her heart.

After all, they were the closest relatives in the world.

Qi Yaoyao moved closer, wanting to be affectionate: “Mommy~~”

As a mother, Qi Nan heard the shift in her daughter’s tone and interrupted her beforehand: “Don’t be dramatic, and don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m only giving you one chance to be with Xu Zhi.”

This sounded inexplicably intimidating.

Qi Yaoyao didn’t understand. “One chance?”

Qi Nan opened the document, lowered her eyes, and continued to explain, “Once you break up with Xu Zhi, there will be no chance of getting back together.”

Qi Yaoyao’s expression changed, and she immediately questioned, “Why?!”

Although Qi Yaoyao didn’t think she would break up with Zhi Zhi, it was normal for young couples to argue and break up and get back together, right? What if it happened?

Qi Nan, however, said coldly and forcefully, “You don’t need to ask why.”

Qi Yaoyao was very unhappy! This concerned her lifelong happiness. Why couldn’t she ask why?

She knew this was her mother’s personality.

But this wasn’t a good habit!

Qi Yaoyao couldn’t help but say something hurtful: “Mom, it’s because of things like this that Aunt Xiang Xiang isn’t willing to be with you!”

Qi Nan paused. She looked up, her gaze cold toward her daughter. “What did you say?”

Qi Yaoyao felt a bit intimidated, but for the sake of her own happiness, and her mother’s…

She bravely said, “Mom always hides everything in her heart! But if you don’t speak clearly, others aren’t worms in your stomach; how could they guess what you’re thinking?”

Qi Yaoyao said, “Although there are indeed many people in this world who say one thing and mean another, if you are honest and exchange sincerity for sincerity, over time, others won’t deceive you anymore!”

Qi Nan held her gaze for a moment, sighed inwardly, and withdrew her gaze, choosing not to explain further to her simple, innocent daughter. She said, “Go to sleep. Don’t you have a flight to catch tomorrow?”

If it were in the past, Qi Yaoyao might have actually left.

But now, seeing her mother retreat into her shell again when discussing this topic, she couldn’t help but persuade her: “Mom, I’m serious. Aunt Xiang Xiang is a very simple and gentle person. Do you know why she could secretly like you for so long, but quickly broke up with you after you got together?”

The pen Qi Nan was using to sign a document unconsciously stopped, and the prolonged pause caused a small ink stain from the fountain pen tip.

Qi Yaoyao continued, “That’s because Aunt Xiang Xiang never held out hope of being with you from the start. She could survive on that beautiful expectation. But after you were together, you were always so cold and self-willed towards her, extinguishing her beautiful expectation. Even the hottest fire will go out!”

“Mom, how can you expect a bonfire to constantly warm you in a dark forest without adding firewood, without building a small shelter to shield it from the wind and rain, and even constantly pouring cold water on it?”

Qi Yaoyao said a lot in one breath. Seeing that her mother hadn’t gotten angry and chased her away, a small, selfish thought struck her.

Qi Yaoyao cautiously encouraged her: “Mom, you can show Aunt Xiang Xiang your sincerity first, for example… by paying off the debt her family owes?”

That way, Zhi Zhi wouldn’t constantly think about working part-time to repay the money, and Aunt Xiang Xiang wouldn’t have to set up a stall at a night market to get bitten by mosquitoes!

Qi Nan looked at her daughter.

Qi Yaoyao thought she was being perfectly discreet and eloquently fabricated: “I read a passage in a book before—’Only when people are fed and clothed without worry will they consider spiritual pursuits. Otherwise, when living is already exhausting, who has the time and energy for romance?'”

Qi Yaoyao said, “Aunt Xiang Xiang’s family owes so much debt, and our family has more money than we know what to do with. Isn’t this something you can solve with just a wave of your hand, Mom?”

Qi Nan, without showing if she had listened, said without inflection, “You are quite clever.”

“Right!!” Qi Yaoyao thought her strategy had succeeded and was internally excited and happy, but her mother casually followed up with: “Then why don’t you help Xu Zhi repay her debt? Do you not have money?”

Qi Yaoyao: “…”

Qi Nan sneered, “Asking me to do it. I think you believe the situation isn’t bad enough!”

Qi Yaoyao awkwardly rubbed her nose and whispered, “Then what should we do? If you don’t help, Aunt Xiang Xiang will have to go to the night market to get bitten by mosquitoes…”

Qi Nan’s beautiful, imposing eyebrows furrowed. “Night market? Bitten by mosquitoes?”

Seeing her mother ask, Qi Yaoyao immediately grew bolder, raising her voice slightly: “Yes! Don’t you know, Mom? Her school canceled the summer care program due to reduced burden policies, so Auntie lost a huge source of income and had to find other work. So she plans to sell pancakes at the night market in the evenings.”

Qi Nan was silent.

Qi Yaoyao saw her mother’s frown was so tight. An idea came to her, and she immediately sighed with a furrowed brow, “Alas! But Aunt Xiang Xiang’s family situation is also very complicated. How about this, Mom, there are plenty of fish in the sea; why focus on a single flower…”

She retreated to advance, holding up her phone. “I have many pretty girls on my WeChat. Don’t be stubborn, Mom. Just find another partner. It’ll be good for both you and Aunt Xiang Xiang.”

Qi Nan gave her a cold glance. “Do you not want this phone anymore?”

The implication was that she would smash it if Qi Yaoyao didn’t want it.

Qi Yaoyao shrank back, quickly retrieving and protecting her phone. She thought, That’s enough, enough. A beautiful woman with such a bad temper.

I’m done dealing with it.

I’m going to have a beautiful “honeymoon” with Zhi Zhi anyway!!

Goodbye!!

The next day, the temperature was thirty-nine degrees Celsius.

Lihai City had been sunny for days. By eight or nine in the morning, the scorching summer heat was already unbearable.

But this did not dampen Qi Yaoyao’s good mood. She woke up early to do her makeup beautifully, then took the driver’s car to the residential area to pick up Xu Zhi.

Since it was Saturday, Zhou Weixiang didn’t have to teach at school and came along to send her daughter to the airport.

This was the first time the mother and daughter were separating. Zhou Weixiang was very worried, giving earnest instructions and repeated reminders.

Xu Zhi obediently agreed to everything.

While boarding, Qi Yaoyao told Xu Zhi, “Zhi Zhi, I envy you. Look, you’re going on a trip, and your mother came to see you off. My mother? If I were lost, she would only ask her assistant to post a missing person notice and then continue working at the company.”

Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned, about to say something.

Qi Yaoyao, however, had already reached out and looped her arm through Xu Zhi’s, saying with a bright smile, “But it’s okay now~ Your mother is my mother, so her seeing you off is the same as her seeing me off~”

Xu Zhi was amused. “Does that ‘equate’?”

Qi Yaoyao argued, “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

Xu Zhi didn’t refute but asked, “Did you change your ‘pat’ content?”

Qi Yaoyao: “…”

Xu Zhi saw her guilty look and reached out, “Give me your phone.”

Qi Yaoyao replied with an “Oh,” and honestly handed her phone over.

Qi Yaoyao hadn’t replied last night, so Xu Zhi had figured out where the useless feature was by herself. She tapped to edit it, only to find the content had already changed to “Praising you as Zhi Zhi’s good baby.”

That is to say, if someone patted Yaoyao.

The content would display: I patted “YaoYao” praising you as Zhi Zhi’s good baby.

Xu Zhi: …

Qi Yaoyao immediately dropped her wronged expression from moments ago and leaned in front of Xu Zhi with a beaming smile. “How about that? Is this change okay?”

Xu Zhi hid the smile in her eyes and looked at her: “Are you planning to come out to everyone?”

“It doesn’t matter anyway~” Qi Yaoyao happily took her phone back, thinking, My mother agreed, so who do I need to fear? I am fearless!

Ah! How lonely it is to be invincible!!

Qi Yaoyao enthusiastically led Xu Zhi to first class. After sitting down, she said, “Zhi Zhi, let’s make a promise.”

Xu Zhi: “What promise?”

Qi Yaoyao: “You have to agree first~”

Xu Zhi smiled. “So bossy?”

Xu Zhi was about to agree when she saw Qi Yaoyao slightly wrinkle her nose and say, “No matter what happens in the future, please don’t break up with me, okay? If I do something wrong, just point it out, and I’ll consider changing!”

Xu Zhi’s smile faded slightly. She looked at her. “We’ve only been together for a few days, and you’re already thinking about breaking up?”

“It’s not me!” Qi Yaoyao said angrily. “It’s my mother, that big devil! She said she doesn’t object to us being together, but she’s only giving us one chance. If we break up once, she will never let us get back together.”

Xu Zhi frowned in confusion. “Why?”

Qi Yaoyao pouted, “She didn’t say.”

Xu Zhi looked at her.

“But…” Qi Yaoyao crossed her arms, rubbing her chin, and seriously analyzed, “I’m very sure recently that whenever my mother acts strange, it means she has relationship problems.”

Qi Yaoyao still remembered not to let Xu Zhi know about their mothers’ situation, so she told Xu Zhi, “She’s very slow when it comes to relationships and very stubborn, so she takes many detours. Her way of thinking is completely different from ours.”

Xu Zhi acknowledged this, but understood inwardly that this matter seemed to be related to her mother.

She filed that away, planning to find a chance to ask her mother.

Seven or eight hours later.

The plane landed smoothly at the destination airport.

Due to the time difference, the small island nation was experiencing midday.

Qi Yaoyao had been excited, chatting and talking to Xu Zhi throughout the flight. They even took a photo together with a heart-shaped cloud they spotted mid-flight.

Upon getting off the plane, she felt sleepy instead.

The two went to the hotel, dropped off their luggage, and took a nap.

Then, Xu Zhi was kissed awake by Qi Yaoyao.

Qi Yaoyao was sprawled on her, like a koala, but her fair, beautiful cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were sparkling.

She was the most beautiful koala in the world.

Xu Zhi instinctively flipped them over, pinning her down. Without worrying about brushing their teeth after the nap, she stroked Qi Yaoyao’s waist and kissed her until they were both satisfied.

Qi Yaoyao was no longer sleepy~

The sun outside was no longer so hot.

She changed into a beautiful, cool sundress, applied sunscreen for Xu Zhi, and then they went tide pooling together!

Qi Yaoyao bought a set of tide-pooling tools and earnestly led Xu Zhi to dig in the sand.

Xu Zhi carried the bucket, wearing a large sun hat, following behind her. She was initially worried that Qi Yaoyao’s sandals had thin soles and that there might be sharp rocks on the beach, but seeing many children at the seaside doing the same, she relaxed considerably.

They had a tacit understanding; from morning until now, no one had mentioned the “studying” from last night.

“Zhi Zhi, come quickly, look! A colorful conch!!”

Xu Zhi immediately quickened her pace.

The water around the island was beautiful and clear.

Midway, they even found a beautiful starfish, but when the starfish moved, Qi Yaoyao was so startled that she immediately let go and threw it away.

Carefree time always passed quickly.

The seawater reflected the colors of the sunset, rolled up the foam of the waves, and gently hit their feet, layer by layer. Looking into the distance, the sky and the azure sea met.

It was as if every step they took was on the reflection of the clouds.

When the sun wasn’t so strong and the sand wasn’t so hot, Qi Yaoyao took off her sandals and went tide pooling barefoot on the beach.

Xu Zhi carried her sandals, sometimes following behind, sometimes holding her hand.

When they got tired of walking, Qi Yaoyao leaned in Xu Zhi’s arms on a lounge chair.

When everything was quiet, the sound of the waves rushing onto the fine sand and quietly retreating was excellent white noise.

Qi Yaoyao lay in Xu Zhi’s embrace, fiddling with the drawstring on her dress, and asked, “Zhi Zhi, aren’t you going to ask me why I’m not visiting my maternal grandfather?”

Xu Zhi smiled. “Your maternal grandfather shouldn’t be here.”

Qi Yaoyao immediately let out a giggling laugh, hugged Xu Zhi tightly, and buried her head in her neck.

In a foreign country, this intimate posture between two girls didn’t draw any strange looks, even though there were quite a few Asians vacationing here.

Qi Yaoyao remembered her mother’s words from last night, so after enough hugging, she confessed to Xu Zhi, “Actually, my maternal grandfather died a long time ago.”

Xu Zhi slightly raised an eyebrow, a little surprised.

Qi Yaoyao said, “My maternal grandfather was an experienced extreme sports enthusiast. My grandmother hated his hobby, always thinking it was too dangerous. Later, because of extreme weather, my grandfather passed away. My grandmother often said he deserved it, that his death was not regrettable at all, and it was bound to happen eventually. But later, my grandmother took his ashes and traveled across mountains, rivers, and seas, and never came back.”

Xu Zhi rested her chin gently on Qi Yaoyao’s forehead, stroking her hair, quietly listening to her speak.

Qi Yaoyao continued softly, “My mother probably hates love because of this incident. She thinks love is a demon that possesses people, makes them unlike themselves, and can destroy a person.”

Xu Zhi: “Does she still think so now?”

Qi Yaoyao shook her head.

Before, when she was unaware of her two mothers’ relationship, she had said a lot of bad things about her mother to Zhi Zhi. Now, she had to make amends based on the facts and her discretion.

Qi Yaoyao said, “I think she’s already changing, because she’s been very distressed lately. A person only feels distressed when they are pulling away and struggling internally. If she had consistently insisted on hating love and thinking it was bad, she wouldn’t have this emotion at all.”

Xu Zhi looked out at the boundless ocean, feeling Qi Yaoyao’s sand-covered feet gently rubbing against her leg.

She thought for a moment before saying, “After pulling away and struggling, there are only two results. One is realizing that all conflicts are a waste of time and becoming even more hard-hearted. The second is a sudden enlightenment, overturning all previous perceptions, and establishing new views. If it’s the second, Yaoyao, your mother will be even more distressed.”

Qi Yaoyao’s perspective was different from Xu Zhi’s. She said, “But she will be very happy after the distress! Isn’t breaking the cocoon to become a butterfly always sweet after the suffering? In life, even if you have endless wealth, fame, and status—you can’t take them with you when you die. If you haven’t lived happily and enjoyed life, what difference is there between you and the tools used to accumulate wealth?”

Xu Zhi looked down at her. “Do you think your mother is a tool for accumulating wealth?”

Qi Yaoyao shook her head. “It’s not that I think so, but my mother has always lived this kind of life. Actually…”

Xu Zhi: “Mm?”

Qi Yaoyao sighed. She was conflicted now. Zhi Zhi was so smart, a little more might expose everything, but if she didn’t say it, keeping it inside was also difficult.

Qi Yaoyao said, “Zhi Zhi, let’s play rock-paper-scissors!”

Xu Zhi: “?”

“Come on, come on.”

“Okay.”

They played the game.

Xu Zhi threw paper, and Qi Yaoyao threw rock.

Qi Yaoyao immediately said, “I lost, so I have to tell you something!”

Xu Zhi thought, If you won, you would definitely tell me something too…

Xu Zhi smiled and replied, “Mm, go ahead.”

Qi Yaoyao said, “I’ve seen my mother when she was very happy. At that time, she was kissing someone and really liked the food that person cooked by hand. Except for that time, I’ve rarely seen my mother smile since I was little.”

“She usually acts cold, distant, never smiles, and is not friendly. That’s because she’s the CEO of Junzhou Group. She can’t be vulnerable, she can’t be hesitant. She puts up a hard shell, making herself into an invincible strong woman, like a robot.”

“But in front of that auntie, she would smile, speak gently, and sometimes even appear helpless and be overly cautious. She gained a lot of emotions; maybe she didn’t realize it herself, but she became a person with flesh, blood, and warmth.”

Xu Zhi listened quietly, without interrupting.

Qi Yaoyao hugged her, hiding her eyes, which betrayed too much emotion and sadness. She muffled, “I like that kind of mother. She works too hard. I really want her to be happy…”

Xu Zhi lightly stroked her hair in comfort.

Qi Yaoyao quickly organized her emotional spill. She looked up and said, “It would be great if she could figure things out sooner. Love isn’t some demon or monster; it’s candy—it’s sweet! Although getting to it might be a bit tough, no pain, no gain. Sometimes, to chase your wife, you have to be a little shameless. Don’t you agree, Zhi Zhi?”

Xu Zhi, whose mood had been slightly heavy, couldn’t help but smile upon hearing this. She looked at her and said, “Are you calling yourself shameless?”

“Of course!” Qi Yaoyao didn’t mind, even sounding proud. “If I hadn’t been thick-skinned enough to confess to you after failing the third mock exam and forcefully taken you, you would have already flown away like a cooked duck, and you wouldn’t be here holding me, would you?”

Xu Zhi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You ‘forcefully took’ me? Do you know what that entails?”

Qi Yaoyao mumbled, “That’s not the point.”

Xu Zhi said, “Fine, that’s not the point. But did you ever consider that even if you didn’t ‘forcefully take’ me, I might have gotten together with you anyway?”