Full Cup of Water - Chap 28
Why?
Why?
Maybe from the beginning, the first sentence of their reunion should have been this.
Xin Qianyu’s heart was packed with a hundred thousand whys.
Why did you come back?
Why are you unhappy?
Why have you changed?
Why are you trying to get close to me?
Why aren’t you giving up on helping me?
……
Each of these sentences both vaguely and clearly pointed to a chilling answer: Su Zhong wanted to reunite with him.
It was not that Xin Qianyu had not thought about this possibility. Even if he tried to control himself not to think about it, the people around him reminded him from time to time: Su Zhong seems to want to get back together with you, right?
Seems to be the case, right?
Even Xin Qianyu could not hide this thought: Does he want to get back together with me?
But Xin Qianyu always pretended to be calm and avoided related topics very cautiously.
He did not want to know the answer.
He was afraid that the answer was this.
He was also afraid the answer was not this.
Therefore, when Xin Qianyu asked him “why”, he already felt slightly regretful.
“Because I want to be with you.” Su Zhong replied.
His voice was not loud, but it was loud enough on this silent night. So loud that even Xin Qianyu’s soul shook with it.
It was throbbing with excitement and panic.
Xin Qianyu took a step back. “That’s impossible.”
These words fell into the wind, and as soon as Xin Qianyu looked up, he saw Su Zhong’s disappointed and sad expression.
But Su Zhong quickly adjusted again and asked, “Why can’t we be together?”
“Why?” Xin Qianyu remembered what happened before. At that time, Xin Qianyu was full of resentment. But this resentment was like a pebble falling into a stream and gradually flattening under the baptism of time, becoming smooth and harmless. Xin Qianyu was able to calm down. “Everyone thinks I don’t deserve you. I’m afraid even you think so.”
Su Zhong was taken aback. “I have never thought that.”
Xin Qianyu was always unable to be seriously angry with Su Zhong because he knew that Su Zhong was probably telling the truth. Su Zhong’s true intentions were harmless, but his words and deeds could hurt people.
“Maybe you’ve never realized that when I’m with you, you always ignore me. It’s all because I’m clinging to you.” Xin Qianyu shook his head and smiled bitterly. “I don’t want to be this way anymore.”
Su Zhong was taken aback and nodded after a while. “Then don’t be this way anymore.” Hearing Su Zhong’s words, Xin Qianyu’s heart felt like he had missed his footing. “It’s my turn to cling to you instead,” Su Zhong said. Xin Qianyu was stunned. Su Zhong said, “Can I hug you?” Xin Qianyu unconsciously shook his head, and after seeing the loss that flashed in Su Zhongs eyes, he softened a little.
Su Zhong said, “Then…can you hug me?”
Xin Qianyu never thought that Su Zhong would say such a thing. He was stunned for a moment but was a little worn down by his soft-heartedness, so he stretched out his hand and hugged Su Zhong’s shoulder, then intended to stop. Unexpectedly, when he was about to leave, he was hugged tightly by Su Zhong.
Su Zhong’s arms coiled tightly around Xin Qianyu’s thin waist like an iron hoop, making Xin Qianyu feel like he would suffocate at any second.
“Let go.” Xin Qianyu’s tone was harsh.
Immediately, Su Zhong obediently let go.
Xin Qianyu said, “Why did you use so much strength?”
Su Zhong said, “Because I’m clinging.”
Xin Qianyu was speechless.
Thinking about it later on, Xin Qianyu regretted hugging Su Zhong.
His first step was rejecting the other party, and his second was hugging him. No matter how you looked at it, it was not good behaviour.
What’s more, this hug also brought him trouble.
The next day, photos of them were posted on the Internet, and Xin Qianyu also had a taste of being a hot search.
Su Zhong became popular two days ago because of his “unfortunate billions”. Before the heat could subside, a photo of him and the CEO of Yuzhuo Group hugging each other late at night was circulated. Could it not be hot news?
The public did not really buy it. Wasn’t it just a hug? Could two men hugging be on the hot search? Let us know when they go to bed, ok?
Unexpectedly, the follow-up news broke quickly, and rumours of Su Zhong and Xin Qianyu living together for many years broke out. Moreover, these materials were the ones released by Kevin previously.
When Su Zhong was on the show as a star fund manager, Kevin broke the news that he was gay. Now Su Zhong was on the hot search again, the old materials had been taken out to stir up the situation. It turned out that “Su Zhong’s cohabiting lover” who was exposed that year was Xin Qianyu.
This was really igniting a powder keg.
The Internet water army began to seize Xin Qianyu’s identity. It was revealed that when he was living with Su Zhong, Xin Qianyu was a teacher in Yuzhuo’s kindergarten. Now Xin Qianyu was the head of Yuzhuo Education. One might ask, was a gay man suitable to be a kindergarten teacher? Was he suitable to be the head of an education group?
Netizens also began to swear:
Gays get out of education!
Do you have to teach the next generation to be gay to make you feel at ease?
Those who say they support homosexuality have lost their minds, right? I’m a parent, and I’ll definitely not send my children to a school run by a gay person!
I do not discriminate against gays, but I cannot accept gays as teachers. With so many occupations in this world, why do gays have to be teachers? Who knows what intentions he has?
The teacher is facing a minor and must lead by example. How can a gay person be a teacher?
……
Of course, public opinion was not one-sided. Not everyone was a conservative. Many people supported Xin Qianyu:
What’s wrong with being gay? Can’t you be a teacher if you’re gay?
Heterosexuality and homosexuality are just different sexual orientations. Why can’t they be teachers?
Homosexuality is not the same as being a paedophile. Are some netizens too sensitive?……
Worried about gay teachers teaching children to be gay? I’m more worried that parents with intellectual disabilities will teach their children to be mentally handicapped.
……
Back then, Kevin had attempted to expose Xin Qianyu’s sexuality so that he could not stay a teacher, but this plan was not implemented. Instead, someone later helped him fulfil this “long-cherished wish”. However, the social atmosphere was becoming increasingly open in addition to Xin Qianyu having the money to buy Internet water armies. Public opinion was not completely biased towards one side.
However, in the afternoon, new material came out: Xin Mu’s sex scandal.
Xin Mu was also the director of Yuzhuo and Xin Qianyu’s mother. She had a scandal, which naturally affected Xin Qianyu’s reputation.
Everyone felt “like mother, like son”. The mother was so arrogant and luxurious, and the son was not much better… In passing, everyone also questioned the Yuzhuo Group and even exposed issues about parents demanding refunds and dropping out of the school.
In fact, Su Zhong wanted to personally quell this storm. But he remembered the lesson of the AA Association. Two years ago, he helped Xin Qianyu settle the AA Association matter without Xin Qianyu’s consent. With good intentions, he did bad things, which aroused Xin Qianyu’s disgust and caused them to have differences and disputes.
This time, Su Zhong did not dare to take the initiative, so he first asked Xin Qianyu’s opinion. Xin Qianyu said that he did not need help, so Su Zhong chose to “stand idly by” and not intervene.
When there was such a big mess just as they were preparing to go public, Yuzhuo Group naturally held an emergency meeting to deal with it.
Uncle Xin had long been displeased with Xin Qianyu, so he naturally took the lead in making trouble, angrily accusing Xin Qianyu and his mother of an indiscriminate private life, which damaged the group’s reputation and affected the listing process.
And Xin Simu habitually tried to be the good person. “No one wants such a thing to happen. The most important thing for a family is to be in good order.”
The board of directors of Yuzhuo was different from a general board of directors. They had close ties and were more humane. They would not just curse from the start. Instead, they would try to smooth things over by saying, Yes, yes, everyone, let’s speak nicely. Children don’t know any better.
The atmosphere was alright, but Uncle Xin changed the topic of discussion. “When Xiaoyu persuaded everyone to accept M-global’s investment previously, why didn’t you explain that the boss of M-global was your lover?”
Xin Qianyu raised his eyebrows. “Because he’s not my lover. We broke up a long time ago.”
“Then it’s your old lover.” Uncle Xin spoke very unceremoniously. “Xiaoyu, since we are all family, why didn’t you tell us? Or did you want him to take 10% of the company’s equity and put it in your pocket?”
When everyone heard this, they all started muttering quietly.
“Also, I heard that you rejected two shell companies one after another. Did you deliberately delay it just to make the group’s situation unbearable so we have to accept M-global’s conditions?” Uncle Xin’s tone became sharper and sharper. “Are you colluding?”
Xin Qianyu said coldly, “I broke up with Su Zhong a long time ago, and I’m committed to the group with all my heart, absolutely selflessly.”
“No selfish motives?” Uncle Xin smiled. “If not, just do what you said. Just take 1% of the equity and distribute the rest to everyone. How about that?”
Previously, Xin Qianyu used profits to tempt the board of directors to support him. He did not expect Uncle Xin to learn it, and now, he also used profits to induce the board of directors.
The relatives of the board of directors were all fooled into it, and they supported Uncle Xin. “Yes, Xiaoyu, if you’re really not selfish, just hand over the equity! Everyone is a family. What are you afraid of?”
“All right!” The old man spoke.
Everyone calmed down and looked at the old man in succession.
The old man looked at Xin Qianyu seriously. “Are you and Su Zhong really a couple?”
Xin Qianyu said, “We have broken up for two years, and we have not contacted each other during this period. The reconnection this time is entirely because of the listing project. It’s strictly business and not personal. Grandpa, you must believe me!”
The old man smiled and said, “Of course, I believe you, but now that the group is at the forefront with so many eyes fixed on it. You should consider the overall situation and step back first. Let Xiao Mu take the lead.”
Hearing what the old man said, Xin Qianyu’s face paled in an instant. “Grandpa…”
“You don’t have to say more. Let’s do this first,” The old man said. “The meeting is adjourned.”
The old man’s words were a decree, and as soon as the decree was issued, no one could violate it.
The president of the listing project changed from Xin Qianyu to Xin Simu. Xin Simu regained power again.
After the appointment was changed, Xin Simu immediately asked the group to issue an announcement saying that Xin Qianyu had been removed as the president of the listing project, and at the same time, Xin Mu’s position as vice president was removed. It also explained that Xin Qianyu had not taught for many years, and he would not be allowed to teach in the group in the future. It was a short-lived calm of the storm.
Xin Simu was once again in power, and she was very spirited. Xin Qianyu could not help but ask her, “Did you find someone to take the photo? Did you create the hot search?”
Xin Simu was noncommittal. “Flies do not bite seamless eggs, and as educators, we must pay attention to our way of life. You shouldn’t have acted so erratically from the beginning.”
Hearing what Xin Simu said, Xin Qianyu finally realised that his and Xin Mu’s private life had always been the card that Xin Simu hid in her hand. She would have taken it out at some point.
However, even if he knew beforehand that Xin Simu had such a trick, Xin Qianyu might not have been able to prevent it.
It was impossible for Xin Qianyu to conceal his sexuality by hiding in the closet and not coming out for the rest of his life because of this.
Moreover, he did not think that his having a boyfriend was a “lifestyle problem”.
Xin Qianyu gritted his teeth and gave an ugly smile. “Oh? So you rely on these unorthodox ways…”
“What unorthodox ways?” Xin Simu said coldly. “Was it fair and just when you beat me in the listing plan?”
Xin Qianyu choked.
Xin Simu said, “In the beginning, my plan was more professional than yours, but it still failed. The old man reminded me that I lost because I didn’t know how to deal with relatives.”
“Is that what he said?” Xin Qianyu was taken aback.
“Correct. He woke me up. In the beginning, my plan was more professional than yours, but I lost the listing project because I lost the support of my relatives.” Xin Simu smiled. “Now, your listing plan is professionally complete, but you were also kicked out because you didn’t have the support of your relatives. This is the situation of our company. I used to be confused about the situation. Now it’s your turn to be confused about the situation?”
Xin Qianyu could not say anything to refute it. He became more and more aware of why all the professionals, including Su Zhong, said that Yu Zhuo had to break the kinship entanglement in order to go further.
Like stepping into thin air, Xin Qianyu fell from height. But he also fell with a clear understanding.
In an instant, he seemed to understand something, something that he could not see clearly before.
On the other hand, although Xin Mu was removed from the position of vice president, she was still a director and still enjoyed a high salary. When she became the vice president of this listing project, it was originally for Xin Qianyu. Now that Xin Qianyu was off the project, there was no point for her to bear the responsibility, so she stepped back at the same time.
Her age and experience were there. The malicious words on the Internet could not hurt her. The only thing she worried about was whether her son would be unhappy.
However, she really did not know how to communicate with her child and treated Xin Qianyu as a man. So she asked Xin Qianyu to go to the club to drink and relieve his worries.
“Do you want me to call a handsome guy to help you relax?” Xin Mu asked.
Xin Qianyu was really speechless. Is my mother encouraging me to call a male prostitute?
“Don’t worry, they are very clean and have physical examinations. And their attitudes are very professional. It’s definitely the best choice.” Xin Mu patted him. “All your expenses in the club will be put on my tab. You can call as many as you want and play whatever you want. You don’t have to help me save money. Mom loves you.”
Xin Qianyu was shocked. Xin Mu said that she did not care about Xin Qianyu, but it was just that she did not know how to care for her child properly. Xin Qianyu did not believe it before, but now he believed it.
How could there be such a mother?!
