Why Does First Love Feel This Sweet? - Chapter 11

Chapter: 11 The Night Guard and the Family Feast

Many close family friends had been invited to Elder Rong’s 80th birthday banquet; rows of luxury cars filled the brightly lit courtyard. Sheng Yi, who had slept the whole way there, shook off his drowsiness and surveyed the grand scene.

His sleepiness vanished instantly. He leaned toward Rong Yu’s ear and whispered nervously, “Does Grandpa know about our marriage too?” On such a happy day, he was terrified of giving the old man a heart attack.

“He knows,” Rong Yu replied, adjusting Sheng Yi’s tie. Seeing Sheng Yi taking deep breaths, Rong Yu suppressed a smile. “Don’t be nervous. It’s just a family dinner.”

Just then, several foreign chefs in black uniforms passed by carrying fresh salmon. Not far away, a relative was stepping off a private helicopter holding a child.

“…” Sheng Yi blinked. A “family dinner”?

“Are you sure your father knows I’m coming?” Sheng Yi asked with a strained smile. “He won’t give me a punch the moment he sees me, will he?” He patted Rong Yu’s arm. “Be honest with me so I can prepare my reflexes.”

“Don’t worry, they like you very much,” Rong Yu said, taking his hand and leading him inside. “They even want you to move in with us.”

“Ah.” Sheng Yi breathed a sigh of relief, then froze. “Wait, what?” He felt he had vastly underestimated the trajectory of this “fake marriage.” If things kept going like this, would he ever be able to retreat?

…

Since the dining hall was still being prepared, Rong Yu led Sheng Yi to the upstairs conservatory observatory instead of the crowded drawing room.

Under the clear glass dome, the night sky was spectacular. Sheng Yi spotted his constellation, Gemini, immediately. Rong Yu settled him onto a lounger covered in soft fur and lit the central glass-enclosed fire pit. The crackling of the wood created a warm, safe barrier against the outside world.

“Shouldn’t we go see your parents first?” Sheng Yi asked.

“No need,” Rong Yu replied. The banquet would last a long time; he didn’t want Sheng Yi to exhaust his social energy beforehand.

“What kind of boyfriend should I play today?”

Rong Yu looked at him, hands in his black coat pockets. “You don’t need to do anything. Just stay by my…”

“Just stay by your side, I know,” Sheng Yi laughed. “Are you raising a kid? Am I your husband or your son?”

Rong Yu sat on the adjacent lounger, the firelight reflecting in his dark, mesmerizing eyes. He curled his lips slightly. “What do you think?”

“I think you just want to take advantage of me.”

Rong Yu tilted his head. “You wanted me to call you ‘Brother’ before,” Sheng Yi teased, lightly tapping Rong Yu’s hand. “Now you want me to call you ‘Dad’? In your dreams.”

Seeing that Sheng Yi had fully regained his old spirit, Rong Yu let out a soft laugh. “Then… would asking you to call me ‘Hubby’ count as bullying you?”

Sheng Yi scoffed, sprawling back into his chair. “Young man, you certainly have high ambitions.”

…

Rong Yu stepped out onto the open-air terrace for a moment. Through the glass, Sheng Yi watched him lean against the railing and light a cigarette.

Sheng Yi was stunned. Since when did Rong Yu start smoking? He had never smelled even a hint of tobacco on him.

Against the night sky, Rong Yu looked mysterious—like a “Night Watchman” in a world of eternal darkness. He looked the same, yet it felt as if he had undergone countless rebirths on a side Sheng Yi couldn’t see.

As Sheng Yi pondered what Rong Yu was thinking, drowsiness claimed him, and he drifted off.

…

On the terrace, Rong Yu finished his cigarette. As the smell dissipated in the cold wind, he heard footsteps.

It was his cousin, Rong Kun, five years his senior and a Oxford PhD in Theology. He had heard the “scandal”—that his star cousin had burned his Harvard offer and married a man. He was dying to see the “spectacle” up close.

“Brother,” Rong Kun said, clapping Rong Yu’s shoulder. “I admire your courage. Where’s the boyfriend?”

“Resting,” Rong Yu replied coldly, stepping away from the touch.

When Rong Kun tried to enter the conservatory, Rong Yu blocked him. “If it’s not urgent, wait until later.”

Next came Rong Qi, another cousin the same age as Rong Yu, currently a graduate student in Buddhist Studies. “You’ve done something huge, Rong Yu,” Rong Qi smirked, trying to peek inside. “Is he in there?”

“Go back down,” Rong Yu said flatly.

Finally, his 18-year-old mixed-race cousin, Yang Yue, came running up in a pink gown. “Brother! Where is he? Let me see!”

Rong Yu sighed. “You’ll see him soon. Go back to Grandpa.”

“I’m so curious! Is he as handsome as you?” she squealed.

Rong Yu leaned against the glass door, tired of the interruptions. “He’s more handsome than me,” he said dismissively.

Yang Yue nearly fainted. More handsome than her god-like cousin?! Was he even human?!

…

When the banquet began, Rong Yu led a refreshed Sheng Yi downstairs. Hearing the traditional lutes and zithers, Sheng Yi’s nerves returned. He squeezed Rong Yu’s hand tightly. “Actually, Xiao Yu, maybe I shouldn’t go in…”

Rong Yu stopped and rubbed the back of Sheng Yi’s hand with his thumb. “Don’t be afraid. Everyone will love you.”

“Really?” Sheng Yi asked anxiously. “Why would they? Give me some bullet points so I can emphasize my good traits.”

Softened by the question, Rong Yu looked him over from head to toe. Sheng Yi stood up straight like a product being inspected.

Rong Yu’s gaze settled into his eyes. “Every part of you is lovable.”

Sheng Yi laughed, his tension finally breaking. He hooked an arm around Rong Yu’s neck. “Fine, I’ll just wing it then.”

…

Inside, the long mahogany table was laden with delicacies. Elder Rong, looking dignified in a traditional suit, sat at the head of the table.

Rong Kun and Rong Qi offered their blessings first. When the Elder tried to nudge them toward marriage, Rong Kun claimed he “belonged to the Lord,” while Rong Qi claimed he hadn’t “fully grasped the essence of Buddha” yet.

The Elder clutched his chest and scanned the room. “Where is my Xiao Yu?”

Rong Yu and Sheng Yi appeared at the door. The room went silent. Yang Yue craned her neck, finally seeing the mysterious “sister-in-law.”

She gasped. This… this fresh-faced beauty! Sheng Yi looked like he walked out of a beam of light. Though shorter than Rong Yu, his proportions were perfect, and his eyes carried a natural, sunny warmth that made people instinctively want to be near him. She quickly snapped a secret photo. This ship is delicious!

Rong Yu led Sheng Yi to the head of the table. “Grandpa, this is my partner, Sheng Yi.”

Sheng Yi bowed respectfully. “Hello, Grandpa. I wish you longevity as vast as the Eastern Sea.”

Elder Rong, a retired Air Force General, scrutinized him with an intimidating aura. Sheng Yi felt tiny. He wondered if the Elder’s “blessing” would be a slap that put him back in a coma for another three years. He instinctively stepped closer to Rong Yu, who gripped his hand tighter.

After a long silence, the Elder murmured, “The Sheng family’s son.”

“He’s my son now,” Rong Junhui (Rong Yu’s father) cut in with a smile. Tang Yun took Sheng Yi’s other arm, flanking him with warmth. “Dad, you have another grandson now. It’s a blessing.”

Sheng Yi looked at them in shock. Rong Yu rested a reassuring hand on his waist.

The Elder’s face finally softened. He beckoned Sheng Yi closer and pulled him into a brief, firm hug. “Child,” he whispered, “the past is in the past. The living must look forward. From now on, we are your family.”

Sheng Yi’s nose prickled with sudden emotion.

As they sat down to eat, surrounded by the genuine warmth of the Rong family, Sheng Yi felt a pang of “imposter syndrome.” He felt like he didn’t belong in this perfect picture.

Just then, Rong Yu leaned in. “From now on, they are your family, too.”

Sheng Yi turned to him. They were so close their breaths mingled. Rong Yu nudged his head closer and whispered, “Also, I wasn’t just ‘comforting’ you earlier.”

He pulled back slightly, a faint smile on his lips. “Just be yourself. You don’t have to ‘do’ anything to be lovable.”