After standing by the window for a while, Ji Minglun heard a knock on the door behind him.
The waiter opened the door and respectfully invited Jiang Jianchen in.
Jiang Jianchen's complexion looked better than that day. Ji Minglun stood up, politely invited him to sit down, and poured him a cup of freshly brewed Pu'er tea.
Jiang Jianchen didn't touch the teacup. He just turned around and said to the waiter who followed in, "Order later." He turned to Ji Minglun only after the waiter closed the door of the private room.
"Uncle Jiang."
After Ji Minglun called him, he sat down. As soon as his butt touched the chair, he heard him ask, "Is Jiang Lin still living with you?"
"Yes." Ji Minglun admitted frankly.
Jiang Jianchen leaned back in his chair, crossed his right leg over his left leg, and looked over with a hint of oppression in his eyes.
"You two are not making sense, are you?"
"Uncle Jiang, I know what you are worried about." Ji Minglun didn't want to waste time, so he just opened up and said, "The only problem between Jiang Lin and I is gender. You are also worried that it will affect our work and life if we make it public. I have actually considered all of this."
"I respect Jiang Lin's idea. Whether he wants to make it public or keep it a secret from me, I have no problem with it. Besides, the current environment is not as closed as before. I have more than one friend who likes the same sex. Jiang Lin and I have been independent since childhood. We will think carefully before making any decision."
Ji Minglun spoke sincerely, but as expected, Jiang Jianchen still didn't understand. He didn't control his tone when he spoke, and tapped the table with his index finger: "What about the child? Do you think your parents will allow you to do this?"
"I'm going to graduate next year," Ji Minglun calmly retorted, "To put it bluntly, they haven't taken care of me in any other way except giving me money over the years. Do they think they will have the right to interfere with my choices when I become an adult?"
But with just a few words, Ji Minglun blocked Jiang Jianchen's unfinished words of rebuke back into his throat.
Ji Minglun seemed to be blaming Ji Zhuosheng and Cheng Yu for not caring about him, but in fact he was also dragging Jiang Jianchen into the discussion.
Jiang Jianchen and Ji Zhuosheng have known each other for more than ten years. Although they started to meet because their children went to the same kindergarten, he and Ji Zhuosheng had similar experiences in terms of family problems. Both of them lost their love for each other early and barely maintained their family relationship for the sake of their children. When the children were in junior high school, Ji Zhuosheng divorced Cheng Yu first, and Tang Ying died of illness not long after that.
Although Jiang Lin and Ji Minglun were not brothers, they had been living together like a family since childhood. During the time when Tang Ying passed away, Ji Minglun stayed with Jiang Lin all the time. Jiang Jianchen saw all of this, but at that time he never thought that such a family relationship might develop into the current relationship that caught people off guard and could not be faced.
"Jiang Lin told me what he talked about that day with you," Ji Minglun clasped his hands on the table and looked earnestly at Jiang Jianchen, who was staring at an abstract painting on the wall with an unhappy expression. "He didn't say that on impulse. He has been feeling wronged all these years. His life is not as easy as you think."
"You have a remarried wife and daughter, and a complete new home, but Jiang Lin has nothing. He has lived alone in that old house for nine years. Aunt Tang's door has always been locked, and even I have only been in a few times."
"Uncle Jiang, even if your original intention is really for Jiang Lin's own good, isn't it too late to care about him now?"
Ji Minglun picked up the teacup in front of him and drank the cold tea in one gulp.
As a junior, it was not appropriate for him to say these words, not to mention that he now had another identity - Jiang Lin's boyfriend. But as a boyfriend, he had to say a few words for Jiang Lin.
Because only if he said these words could Jiang Jianchen understand that he was involved in all of those things in the past. Compared to Jiang Jianchen's absence, he was the one who was with Jiang Lin from beginning to end.
Jiang Jianchen's face was very gloomy, his eyes still fixed on the painting whose specific features could not be seen. Although he said nothing, Ji Minglun did not sense that he was angry. He also did not know whether he really heard what he said and felt guilty, or was thinking of other reasons to break them up.
Having said that, Ji Minglun felt that it was enough, so he mentioned the situation of his family.
"My parents, like you, have remarried for many years. If they knew about this, it would be normal for them to have an emotional reaction, but I believe they will feel guilty after thinking it through."
"Jiang Lin and I are together, and other than not being able to have children, everything else is not a problem. I also believe that for my parents, the most important thing is that their children are happy, not imprisoned by formalism."
After he finished speaking, Jiang Jianchen took action.
He moved his eyes horizontally to Ji Minglun's face, and his sideways movement did not change. He was still leaning back, with his right hand on the top of the chair back, and his eyes showed no emotion. Ji Minglun let him look, his eyes were fearless and sincere, and after a moment he retracted his gaze, moved the hand on the table to the teacup, held it, turned it around, picked it up and drank it, then stood up and left.
Jiang Jianchen didn't say a word during the whole process, but when he reached the door, he stopped again, looked back at Ji Minglun and said, "You and Jiang Lin are still too young. When you enter the society, you will know that the feelings you value now are the least worth mentioning."
Ji Minglun did not refute, but just watched Jiang Jianchen's back disappear behind the door, then turned to greet the bright summer sunshine outside the glass window.
Everyone has different pursuits. He would not completely deny Jiang Jianchen's point of view, but it was also difficult for him to imagine that he could live like Jiang Jianchen.
Raising the corner of his mouth, Ji Minglun took out his mobile phone from his pocket and called Jiang Lin.
After talking with Jiang Jianchen, Ji Minglun stayed at home with Jiang Lin for a few more days.
idiot
Jiang Lin didn't like socializing, and as long as he was with Jiang Lin, he lost the desire to socialize. He rejected all the calls that invited him to play ball, swim, or hang out in bars. Jiang Lin was afraid that he would be bored, so he asked him to go out and meet friends several times, but he blocked his mouth every time.
Although Ji Minglun didn't say it, Jiang Lin knew in his heart that it was because the time they had left to spend together was getting less and less, so Ji Minglun was reluctant to go out.
But how could he be willing to do that
The feeling of separation was like a dark cloud hanging over their heads. No matter how many times they entangled with each other, they could not fill this sadness. Fortunately, Jiang Jianchen stopped talking for the time being. I don't know if he thought it through or what, but he didn't call again. Even Ji Minglun's parents didn't make any movement.
Without the disturbance from the outside world, they lived quite comfortably these days. The day before leaving, Ji Minglun accompanied Jiang Lin for a walk.
They did not walk far, but just drove to the Ring Island Road for a ride, and then stood on the viewing platform of Yanwu Bridge for a while.
This is one of the best places to see the sea in downtown Xiamen, but what is obviously different from other beaches is that behind the Yanwu Bridge is the famous landmark, the Straits Tower. The two skyscrapers stand on the coastline like inverted sails. Jiang Lin and Ji Minglun came here when it was first built, and also went to the Cloud Observation Hall on the 55th floor to overlook the beautiful scenery of Xiamen University, which they had not yet been admitted to at that time.
After leaning against the guardrail of Yanwu Bridge for a while, the summer midday sun was really strong, so Jiang Lin quickly hid in a rest chair under the bridge pier. Ji Minglun went to a milk tea shop not far away and bought two cups of taro ball milk jelly. The two sat in the shade, watching the sea and chatting. After drinking, they got up and changed places, and went to Baicheng Beach to walk on the beautiful plank road.
The high temperature on the ground was dissipated a lot by the cool sea breeze here. Many tourists stopped to take pictures in this area. Although the two of them walked among them and could not hold hands openly, they stopped and walked along the way and took many intimate photos.
After sitting facing the sea among the fine sand and rocks for half an hour, Ji Minglun accompanied Jiang Lin to get his hair cut.
The summer vacation was only more than two months long, but Jiang Lin's hair was already longer than when he came back. Ji Minglun thought he wanted to trim it slightly, but unexpectedly, while sitting in the chair, Jiang Lin told the hairdresser that he wanted a short cut.
His hair has always been long since he entered college. Ji Minglun was used to seeing him tie his hair into a ponytail, so he asked him why he suddenly wanted to cut it. He touched the small braid behind his head and said that he wanted to change his look, and that it would not be convenient to keep this hairstyle after graduating next year.
After listening to them, the hairstylist next to them gave some advice, saying that Jiang Lin's face shape was not suitable for too short hair, and he could consider just cutting it shorter and then dyeing it a certain color.
Jiang Lin's hair color has always been black, and he has never dyed or permed it. Ji Minglun thought this was a good suggestion, but Jiang Lin was worried that dyeing his hair would be too exaggerated, so Ji Minglun helped him pick a chocolate color that was only obvious in the sun, and looked very natural under indoor light and lights. Jiang Lin was a little hesitant at first, but when he saw it was dyed, the effect was really great. The new hair color made his skin look whiter, and the hairstyle looked very refreshing, but it made him look younger, so much so that when they went to the supermarket later, Ji Minglun would touch his head to tease him.
In the past, when he had his hair braided, Ji Minglun would often touch his hair. He had no idea what to do with this childish habit of his, so he simply ignored him and concentrated on picking out the things he needed.
As he walked from the third floor to the first floor, the cart gradually filled up with food and supplies, but there were not many things he could take away, as they were all picked by him for Ji Minglun.
When checking out, Ji Minglun glanced at the condoms on the cabinet next to him, and whispered something to Jiang Lin's ear. Jiang Lin couldn't help it anymore and stomped on his instep. Ji Minglun howled twice, exaggeratedly touched his untouched knee, and looked at Jiang Lin's red ears and uncomfortable look with satisfaction, and smiled, and the corners of his mouth turned down again.
When they got home at night, Ji Minglun took Jiang Lin to a more indulgent environment. They hugged each other passionately on the carpet in front of the sofa in the living room. Ji Minglun was so mean that he didn't lock Cheese back into the second bedroom, but let Cheese watch from the side and harass Jiang Lin, watching Jiang Lin feel so ashamed, but couldn't control his voice and tremble.
In the middle of the night, Jiang Lin finally fell asleep due to exhaustion, while Ji Minglun couldn't sleep until dawn, and went to the balcony several times to smoke to relieve his fatigue.
This feeling of having his time taken away bit by bit is more difficult to bear than the sudden loss of Jiang Lin last year, but no matter what, they will only be separated for another year. If he really misses him during this year, he can just take a leave and fly over to see him. Jiang Lin will also come back during the winter vacation, the New Year, and the spring vacation.
Comforting himself like this, Ji Minglun was finally able to sleep for a while next to Jiang Lin. When the alarm rang at ten o'clock, he first called Jiang Lin to get up, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast. When everything was ready, he dragged his and Jiang Lin's two suitcases of the same style but different colors out of the house, and Jiang Lin followed behind with cheese in his arms, and they took a car to Gaoqi Airport together.