"The main pipe was blocked, that's why the water couldn't go through. We removed the obstacle and cleaned the drainage, now everything is fine," the man explained when they finished.
"Thank you so much, please have some coffee," Zheng Hao gave each one of them a cup, then chit-chatted with them for a while before sending them. Although Xiao Yang was standing next to him the whole time, he was immersed in his own world, thinking about the earlier incident.
"Your coffee got cold."
Zheng Hao's words snapped Xiao Yang out of his reverie. He looked around and saw they were alone in the street, the team already left. "I will call aunty to say thanks," he mumbled and fished out his phone from his pocket. In order to help, Zheng Hao got his cup off his hand and went in.
Two minutes later, Xiao Yang joined him inside and closed the door behind him. He stood in front of the counter and looked his husband in the eye, "what was that?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean," Xiao Yang huffed, then added "I thought you were on her side."
Zheng Hao shook his head, "she always had a peculiar way of acting, so I thought you just exaggerated. But today, I saw you were right. I called you childish and rude, yet you were mature enough to come here for help, let alone defending me against her. I know I am being an ass all the time, but I am sincerely so sorry for misjudging you."
Not believing his ears, Xiao Yang stared at his husband in awe for a few seconds. When he believed his ears, his heart and mind went into a fight and the mind gained the right to compose a reply.
"You always do the same, then apologise. I am sorry, but this time, it is not that easy."
"I am aware of that, no worries," Zheng Hao smiled understandingly, "I will earn your forgiveness."
"Hmm-umm, I have to go," Xiao Yang mumbled and ran away for dear heart. Geez, what got into ge?! He thought of a logical answer, but this time his mind was silent.
Apparently, what got inside Zheng Hao didn't leave his body as at the very same night, Xiao Yang witnessed him cooking diligently. It was funny how it became their tradition; Xiao Yang claiming something, Zheng Hao breaking his heart, then apologising through food and Xiao Yang forgiving him.
Well, not this time. Zheng Hao had to endeavour a bit more.
"The food is ready, let's eat while it is hot."
Okay, he could endeavour more during dinner. Helpless in front of those mesmerising eyes, Xiao Yang slumped on the chair, couldn't even bring himself to say no. He must have loved his husband more than he thought.
Although Xiao Yang gave in silently and sat down, he kept his silence. He even avoided eye contact, making Zheng Hao realise how much the younger usually strived to fill the silence.
"How is your leg?"
"Hmm?" Xiao Yang instinctively raised his head to look at his husband.
"Yang Zi kicked you pretty hard, sorry I couldn't prevent it."
Xiao Yang almost dropped his chopsticks, was he for real? Raising his eyebrows with suspicion, he just said "it is okay."
"It is not," Zheng Hao said and heaved a sigh, "I didn't know you were that uncomfortable around women. You let her kick you and almost slap you."
His remark irritated Xiao Yang. Putting his chopsticks on the table, he coldly listed "you didn't know? Didn't I tell you many times? Didn't you see the previous time how serious my condition was? Did you think I did those scratches to deceive you?
Zheng Hao gave himself a mental slap for the wrong word choice. He wasn't an eloquent man, let alone he was highly unable to initiate a nice conversation.
"I didn't mean it like that, I am sorry, I screwed it again," the older man apologised softly.
Seeing he was genuinely sorry, Xiao Yang was agape. He took a sip of water to gain some time, then repeated "it is okay."
With that, silence reigned in the kitchen again.
Well, until Zheng Hao broke it again. After receiving so much from Xiao Yang, he wanted to give him something in return. As he was bad with his words, maybe he could help him with something else.
"Why do you feel uncomfortable around women?" was the only thing he could think of.
Xiao Yang looked at him as if he grew two heads, "why are you asking?"
"Because I am curious," Zheng Hao said, then added "sorry, is it a sensitive topic?"
Exhaling loudly, Xiao Yang pushed the bowl forward and propped his elbows on the table before burying his head on his palms. He remained like that for a few seconds, then leaned back again. Wetting his lips, he said "please don't."
"Don't what?"
"Act as if you are curious about me, as if you care," the sad man answered, "it gives me pious hope and crashes my heart."
"I am sorry," Zheng Hao repeated his mantra with sadness emitting through his words, "I don't want to give you false hope about love, but I really care about you. Maybe you find it hypocritical, but I really want us to get along well and understand each other... even though love is out of the question..."
The last part of the sentence stabbed Xiao Yang in the heart like a knife, but he appreciated his honesty. Also, he still believed that there was a certain level of hope. Think about it, at first, Zheng Hao didn't even want to see his face, but now he was cooking for him willingly and wanted to learn more about him. As his hate turned into liking, why not love in time? If he opened up to his husband more and let him lower his barriers, then love could find a place to bloom between them.
"When I was a child, my four-year older cousin molested me."
"What?!"
"Luckily, my mother caught her before it got too serious and a big fight broke in the summer house. While our families were yelling at each other, she looked at me and grinned. It crept me out so much that I started to avoid being around girls. Maybe that's why I turned out to be a gay or maybe it triggered my already existed feelings."
"That's terrible," Zheng Hao mumbled, his heart drowning in pity, "what happened to her?"
"Nothing," Xiao Yang shrugged, "now she is a married woman and lives in another city. Funny though, she is still my father's favourite niece."
Zheng Hao's heart jumped out of pity and landed on an anger's boiling waters. His father's favourite? Really? The whole family was weird for sure.
"Now you think my family is a bunch of weirdos, right?" Xiao Yang declared with a bitter smile, reading through his husband's expression.
"No," Zheng Hao shook his head in denial, "I was just thinking how nice it would be to give your pervy cousin a good beating."
Damn it, he is doing it again... my poor heart, Xiao Yang said inwardly, feeling all defenceless in front of his complex husband.
YOU ARE READING
Utter Defeat
Romance[Completed] A one-sided love... an unwanted marriage... a bunch of misunderstandings... a lot of resistance... "You can resist all you want, but in the end, you will be mine." "Never." Never? That's too bold, isn't it?
