Zheng Hao looked at the three men who entered his store with a frown. They were all bulky as well as serious-looking, and they were wearing identical black two-piece suits.
"Can I help you?"
"Mr. Zheng Hao?"
"Yes, and you?" Zheng Hao tried again, but he got no reply.
"You need to come with us," one of the men said with a tone showing 'no' wasn't an answer.
"To where?" the dry-cleaning owner took a step back, considering the back exit.
"Mr. Xiao Yang is already in the car, Mr. Sun invites you for dinner," the same man said as if to know what he was thinking.
His words or rather his threat puzzled Zheng Hao. Xiao Yang didn't inform him about the dinner, but they said he was already in the car. Also, what kind of an invitation was that? Three bulky men looked more like gangsters than employees.
"So shall we?"
"I will first call my husband," Zheng Hao replied and reached for his phone, but the second man snatched it with a speed of light.
"Please, we are going to be late, Mr. Xiao Yang is already in the car as I said before."
Helpless, Zheng Hao was directed to the mentioned black vito car and he saw his husband was indeed in. When the door was closed after him, the older man wanted to ask what was happening, but seeing the ashen face of Xiao Yang, he knew by heart that nothing good was waiting for them.
In a sense of impending doom, they reached a mansion by the lake.
"Is this your house?" Zheng Hao asked, holding his husband cold-as-ice hand.
Xiao Yang gulped and nodded. He was barely standing due to the fear, so he didn't trust his voice. He rather grabbed the warm hand tighter and let his father's men lead them in.
The heavy oak door closed behind them, sealing their way out.
"Finally!" a man around his sixties appeared from the dining room and greeted the couple coldly before Mrs. Sun came to the hall as well with a tense expression. Zheng Hao noticed that she opted to stand away from the man.
"Good evening, Mr. Sun," Zheng Hao greeted the man nonchalantly. As Xiao Yang exactly looked like the man's younger version, he didn't need any introduction.
Mr. Sun threw him a cold glance and made a hand gesture to them to follow him to the dining room.
"I am so sorry, he didn't tell me that he was coming," Mrs. Sun apologised with apparent sadness before following her husband hurriedly.
Here comes the trouble, Zheng Hao said inwardly and put his hand on Xiao Yang's back to give him some reassurance, and then gently pushed him to the dining room.
Although the host seemed highly unpleasant with their existence, there was a feast on the rectangular table. Five different salads, seven different appetisers, a huge bowl of fruits...
"It looks amazing," Zheng Hao commented politely as Xiao Yang seemed to lose his tongue, rather fidgeting next to him uncomfortably. Why the hell was he afraid of his father to that extent? Not only him but Mrs. Sun too. Indeed, after hearing the incident with the damn cousin, Zheng Hao inferred that Mr. Sun wouldn't be the best father, but still... Was there more to the story?
"Sit," Mr. Sun ordered palpably while Mrs. Sun gave him a tense smile in return for the compliment.
Helpless, Zheng Hao and Xiao Yang sat side by side with Mr. and Mrs. Sun across from them. Not wanting to talk more than necessary, Zheng Hao channelled his focus on the table and cursed inwardly when he saw there were no chopsticks, but three different sets of forks, knives and spoons. With concern, he looked at Xiao Yang's injured hand and hoped that none of the dishes required a knife.
While his mind was preoccupied by his husband's hand, Mr. Sun clicked his fingers rudely and two maids started to serve the tomato soup.
With a slight nudge from his husband brought Zheng Hao's wandering soul back and he looked at the bowl alienly. Why the fuck everything is European? He thought while stealing a glance towards his husband to see which spoon to choose.
"So you are married... like real?" Mr. Sun asked with apparent contempt after a few minutes of soup-digging.
Xiao Yang tensed next to his husband, who was staring at his father with a frown.
"Yes, officially," Zheng Hao declared nonchalantly, showing his wedding ring proudly.
Even though the atmosphere was dire, the younger man's heart didn't fail to jolt with love and pride. Right now, Zheng Hao was like his shining-armoured prince fighting with the monster for their love.
"Two men," Mr. Sun snorted with a grimace.
Angrily, Xiao Yang opened his mouth to snap at his father, but Zheng Hao squeezed his knee and shushed him effortlessly.
"Is there something wrong, Mr. Sun? You know in our country gay marriages are legal and they are not different from what you would called normal marriages," Zheng Hao said respectfully yet coldly.
Mr. Sun's hand around the spoon tightened as he gritted his teeth and Mrs. Sun shifted her gaze between them nervously. Luckily, before Mr. Sun could say anything, the maids entered the room once again with the main dish.
As luck wasn't on their side that day, the main dishes were smashed potatoes and steak. Zheng Hao let out an irritated sigh while Xiao Yang wasn't bothered as he had no appetite left.
"Why don't you eat? Don't tell me you also became vegetarian as if being gay wasn't enough?"
"His hand is injured," Zheng Hao jumped in coldly, then looked at his husband with a smile, "sorry darling, let me help," he said nicely and pulled his plate in front of himself to cut the steak into pieces.
"Such an embarrassment..." Mr. Sun mumbled, but only Zheng Hao heard it because the mother and the son were busy appreciating the kind gesture.
After the second tension, a short silence reigned, but as Mr. Sun was highly disgusted and disappointed by the weird couple in front of him, he decided to drop the act all together and corner them explicitly. Otherwise, that Zheng... Zhang, whatever guy, wouldn't reveal his true self easily.
"What did they pay you to marry this weird son of mine?"
The fork fell from of Mrs. Sun's hand and created a small thud as it hit the porcelain plate.
Mr. Sun smiled triumphantly.
I knew it wasn't a simple stupid love story... now I got you...
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?
