Chapter 1347: THIS WAS LIFE

WHILE the younger ones were enjoying themselves in the entertainment room, the adults were having a serious discussion in the study.

"Are you certain your family won’t try to damage my son’s reputation?" Luo Wei Tian asked Shen Yi Mu.

"Don’t worry, Brother Luo," Shen Yi Mu said with a wry smile. "My family would rather pretend none of this ever happened than bring it out into the open. If the public found out that two members of the main family are gay, it would hurt their political image. So no, they won’t use the media to go after the kids."

"Are you saying they’d go after them through other means?" Bai Chen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shen Yi Mu’s expression turned serious. "They could try to make things difficult for Ji Yun within the family. Cut him off completely, refuse to acknowledge him, pressure him to end the relationship." He paused. "But honestly, Ji Yun doesn’t really care. Being cut off or pressured wouldn’t be much different from how they already treat him. He’s used to it. They might also try to reach out to Brother Luo directly or through connections, to make him see this relationship as a problem for his family’s standing."

Luo Wei Tian frowned as he took in what Shen Yi Mu had just said. The idea that Shen Ji Yun was so used to being mistreated by his family that he didn’t even care anymore was unsettling. It made him think back to what Shen Ji Yun had said earlier, about only caring about his uncle and grandmother from that side of the family. At the time, Luo Wei Tian had been too focused on Luo Yan to really dwell on it. But now, hearing it again, it gave him pause. What kind of family made someone feel that way?

He might not be fond of Shen Ji Yun at the moment, not with him being his son’s boyfriend and all. But that didn’t mean he was glad to hear he had been mistreated by the people who were supposed to care for him. No child deserved that, no matter what.

"Your family is really..." Xiulan trailed off, shaking her head sadly. Then she let out a short sigh. "Well, I suppose them being such conservative assholes works in our favor."

Shen Yi Mu let out a short laugh. "That’s one way of looking at it."

The conversation continued for a while. They talked about what the Shen family might do and how to handle it. Shen Yi Mu said his brother would probably try to contact Luo Wei Tian to complain. Bai Chen suggested they wait and see before reacting. They also talked about how to support the two young men moving forward. By the end, everyone had a better idea of what to expect.

Xiulan got to her feet. "Alright, since we’re finished here, I think it’s time we all had lunch." She turned to Shen Yi Mu and Jiang Yue. "Of course you’ll join us."

Jiang Yue offered a small smile. "We’d be happy to stay for lunch."

***

The dining table was full when they all sat down. Spread across it were dishes of braised pork belly, steamed fish, stir-fried greens, cold sliced chicken, a large bowl of hot soup, and smaller plates of pickled vegetables and tofu. Sun Xiulan had made sure there was enough for everyone.

"I hope you both like the food," she said to Shen Yi Mu and Jiang Yue with a warm smile. "I wasn’t sure what you preferred, so I made a bit of everything."

Shen Yi Mu gave her a polite nod. "It looks wonderful."

Jiang Yue smiled back as if to agree.

They all began eating, passing dishes around and filling their bowls. Luo Wei Tian noticed how Shen Yi Mu casually picked up a piece of fish, checked it for bones, and placed it onto Jiang Yue’s plate without a word. Jiang Yue didn’t thank him or even look up. He just ate it like it was the most natural thing in the world. It was just a small action, but it spoke volumes.

Luo Wei Tian turned his gaze to Luo Yan and Shen Ji Yun. Sure enough, Shen Ji Yun was doing the same thing. He had already placed a piece of the pork belly onto Luo Yan’s rice, and now he was ladling soup into a smaller bowl and setting it next to Luo Yan’s hand. Luo Yan glanced at Shen Ji Yun as the latter did all that, his gaze filled with endless affection.

This uncle and nephew really are alike, Luo Wei Tian thought. He didn’t know if he found it amusing or irritating. Maybe a bit of both.

Across the table, Bai Ze leaned toward Bai Ye and whispered something that made the boy’s eyes go wide. Bai Ye immediately reached for the last piece of chicken on a platter, but Bai Ze’s chopsticks were faster. He snatched it up and ate it with a satisfied smirk.

"Hey!" Bai Ye cried out.

"Ah Ze," Bai Chen said, not harshly, just with a tired shake of his head.

Bai Ze shrugged and grinned, unapologetic. Bai Ye pouted but went back to eating, already eyeing the next dish.

Luo Ren was quietly eating his meal, looking all elegant like he’s eating at some five-star hotel. Luo Jin had his phone face up next to his bowl, glancing at it every few minutes. Luo Yan caught him smiling at the screen once and raised an eyebrow, but Luo Jin just shrugged and put the phone face down.

Luo Yan looked around the table. Everyone was eating and talking, the usual noise of a family meal filling the room. A quiet sense of peace settled over him. He didn’t even realize he was smiling until he felt a warm hand slip into his under the table.

He looked up. Shen Ji Yun was watching him, his blue eyes soft. He gave a small smile, and Luo Yan smiled back. No words needed.

Ah, this was life. Or at least, the kind Luo Yan had always wanted.

***

Unbeknownst to everyone enjoying lunch at the Bai family mansion, a small commotion was unfolding in the main house of the Shen family.

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