Love in Cthulhu

Chapter 23 Beware of Your Parents
The night was as dark as ink, and a chilly wind blew outside. The weather, which had been calm for a few days, began to snow again. Through the lamplight by the window, the black shadows of the snowflakes drifted and swirled.

The underfloor heating in the room is so warm and cozy, and the set-top box is playing "My Own Swordsman," with the catchy tune of "Hurry up, mantou slices!" being incredibly addictive.

This once-popular TV series was a taboo subject for Zhou Nan, because his old-fashioned and serious teacher father thought the show was devoid of any substance and was full of bizarre and crazy scenes. He couldn't understand the meaning of the episode about the God of Gamblers, and he also felt that as a thief, Lao Bai had no right to talk about washing his hands of the crime. The crimes he committed would follow him for life, and he could never clear his name.

So Zhou Nan, who really liked the show, never actually finished watching it. When it was airing when he was a kid, he could only watch it together at Jian Xi's house.

Now no one can hinder his freedom. He can truly enjoy hot pot and sing songs. The beef slices stewing in the pot are carefully selected from the supermarket, along with mushrooms, cabbage, radishes, and green onions. The delicious soup is tasty even on its own. At this time, it would be even better with a bowl of fine rice.

Across from him was a stunningly beautiful girl wearing a bodycon sweater and a coat. Jian Xi was drinking a can of Snow Beer. Neither of them spoke, their chopsticks moving up and down as they devoured the food. It was truly a wonderful night when one is well-fed and warm and thinks of lustful desires.

Jian Xi has a habit of occasionally drinking a little beer, which is really not a good habit for a sixteen-year-old girl. It sounds like she's some kind of old man.

This habit was passed down to her by her chubby father. Jianxi's father was a man who looked very rich and round, with a fat head and big ears. It is said that he was a handsome and dashing man when he was young, otherwise he would not have been able to win over such a beautiful mother as Jianxi.

But in Zhou Nan's memory, there was never a time when Jian Xi's father was young; he always seemed to be that fat.

This guy especially loves drinking beer. Whenever Zhou Nan came to their house for dinner, he would persuade him to drink a little bit. The kids would easily get the effects of alcohol and their cheeks would turn red. Whenever this happened, Jian Xi's dad would smile very happily and pat the two kids' heads.

So this family-inherited habit ended up in Jian Xi's hands. As a serious person, Zhou Nan naturally hoped that Jian Xi would not drink alcohol, but every time she drank, her fair face would turn a little rosy, making her look even more adorable. He could only swallow his words of comfort.

Indeed, when faced with beauty, all talk of being law-abiding and obedient is meaningless.

"Speaking of which, are your parents coming back soon?" As the date scrolled across the TV screen and drew closer, Zhou Nan suddenly remembered to ask this crucial question.

"I won't be home until the morning of New Year's Eve, they already told me that." Jian Xi looked at him, puzzled. "Why are you suddenly concerned about this?"

"Two things." Zhou Nan held up two fingers. "First, what if Mom and Dad find out you're not what you advertised?"

He couldn't help but care about this. He was able to discover Jian Xi's secret because of another corpse, plus the fact that he happened to see it with his own eyes that night. But no matter how long they spent together, he was still an outsider. Outsiders can't compare to one's own parents. They just haven't come back as often in recent years. How could they not know their own daughter?

Jianxi's father was alright; he was chubby and never seemed to get angry, and everyone who saw him thought he was a kind person.

But Jianxi's mother was really no good. She was a real little woman. She was in a dance troupe when she was young. She was famous for her beauty, but she was extremely timid. If a mouse crawled across her foot, she would scream and faint. Zhou Nan had seen it with his own eyes.

If this kind of person were to discover her daughter's problems... he didn't even want to think about what would happen. Would that woman be hysterical and demand her life? Or would she promptly call the police and treat her like a monster? And what about his childhood sweetheart, who was secretly associating with monsters? Would the woman treat him like a traitor and get rid of him as soon as possible?
"Don't worry, do you think I don't know how to deal with my own parents?"

Jian Xi waved her hand dismissively, "To deal with my dad, all I have to do is be sweet-talk him. Dad~ I missed you so much! Dad~ Did you bring me any gifts? Humph! If not, I won't talk to you anymore! Then he'll obediently pull out something to please me, plus a big red envelope."

She struck various poses, sometimes with starry eyes, sometimes leaning forward, her voice sweet and soft, making Zhou Nan feel weak in the knees. She was truly a born actress.

He thought about it seriously. Her father was a doting father, and Jian Xi could just be a close and loving daughter. Even if something seemed off, her father would probably just tell him that it had been too long since they last met. He was very oblivious.

"What about your mother?" But he was still a little worried. "Although your mother is not very brave, she is very meticulous."

I vividly remember when we were kids, the two of us got into some trouble. The main thing we did was tie a few boxes of firecrackers under some unlucky old man's farm machinery.

The old man didn't check before getting in the car. As soon as he turned the key, the tires started spinning and suddenly made a loud cracking noise under the seat. The old man's rheumatism almost flared up, and he angrily went to find the brat.

Logically speaking, if neither of them speaks up, there's no way they could discover this without eyewitnesses.

But Jianxi's mother could smell the tension right next to the sink in her own home. When Jianxi refused to admit it, she questioned her about the allowance she had taken out that day and even went door-to-door to check the accounts with the merchants. In an instant, Jianxi's lie was exposed, and Jianxi received a double beating for both committing a crime and lying.

"What could she possibly see? She can't see anything." Jian Xi said confidently. "I'm not bragging, but if I were to enter the film industry, no one else could win Best Actress at the Oscars. Besides, if anything happens, you're here to cover for me, aren't you?"

“That’s the second point I wanted to make,” Zhou Nan said. “I don’t want to stay in your house, really.”

"why?"

"No reason."

"Stop talking nonsense, okay? What have you been telling me? We're together! Even if we don't mention that relationship, in my parents' eyes, what's the difference between you and their own son? To be honest, I've always felt that they treat you better than they treat me. Sometimes I even wonder if you're my dad's illegitimate child! The way he looks at you is so weird!"

"Get lost!" Zhou Nan said irritably. Once Jian Xi started talking nonsense, she would sometimes say things without thinking. She was like a rabbit hopping around, it was hard to tell if it was seduction, mischief, or just being cheeky.

"Is it really that hard to stay and celebrate the New Year together? Is it really that hard? You're not planning to go back anyway, are you really going to stay alone in an empty house?" Jian Xi was still trying to persuade him.

The chopsticks that were picking up food between his fingers slowly came to a stop. Zhou Nan lowered his head and stared at the empty bowl in front of him. He didn't know how to explain it to her.

Emotionally, he felt he had let her parents down.

Knowing full well that such a huge change had happened to Jian Xi, he not only kept quiet about it, but even started dating a monster. To those two adults who treated him like their own son, he not only felt indebted, but could even be described as a complete betrayal.

Logically, it's because his pride started acting up again.

This is like visiting a relative and being warmly invited to stay for dinner or overnight. Do you really expect that? They're just being polite. Would you actually accept that?

Please, this isn't a normal day, it's Chinese New Year! When families are reunited, when the three of you are happy and content, when you haven't seen each other for a year and have so much to say, what are you doing here, an outsider? Are you trying to be a third wheel? Do you think your bald head or your dragon drill will bring discordant light to the room?
"Stop trying to persuade me, really," he said softly. "There are some things... that I can't explain to you so clearly."

His dejected appearance became increasingly irritating to her. She disliked him like this—girlish, delicate, sensitive, and sentimental. If he were born into a wealthy family in ancient times, he would surely live the life of a Jia Baoyu. Fortunately, she understood him well enough not to truly fall out over trivial matters. In terms of the relationship, she was a guiding lover, the one in control. Dealing with someone as emotionally reserved as him was a piece of cake for her.
"I'm asking you one last time, are you staying or not?" she said aggressively.

Zhou Nan looked up in surprise. She was leaning over half the table, her brows furrowed and her eyes wide. He wondered if she was planning to use violence. After all, she was a monster; it wasn't impossible for her to play some kind of forced love or imprisonment game.

"I want to be alone." But he still didn't give up. Just thinking about how the three of them were having a great time during the New Year while he stood awkwardly watching and laughing, that feeling of being dependent on others really killed him.

“My name is Jingjing!” Jian Xi was furious. She sat back down, grabbed her new phone, and dialed a number in front of Zhou Nan.

After a few busy tones, the call connected. She deliberately put the speakerphone on the table and used a sweet, cloying voice, "Hello~ Mom!"

"What's wrong, honey?" It really was Jianxi's mother's voice on the other end of the phone.

"I want to discuss something with you!"

"Oh, you mean 'discuss'? When have you ever really discussed things with me? You just do whatever you want." Her mother found it amusing. Such a serious word was not something Jian Xi would use. If Jian Xi were serious, she would definitely be up to something.

"Can I invite Zhou Nan to our home for Chinese New Year this year?"

"Sure, why not? It'll be more fun with more people. But will their families agree?"

"What a joke, he wouldn't dare disobey me. If I say east, he wouldn't dare go west, okay?" Jian Xi glanced at Zhou Nan triumphantly.

"Then why don't you go and discuss it with him?"

"No need to discuss it, he's right here with me!"

As she spoke, she handed over her phone. Zhou Nan was taken aback by her sudden change of tactics. He hurriedly took the phone, but was at a loss for words. He was usually so quick to think, but at this moment his mind went blank. He could only manage a dry "Hello, Auntie."

"Did you have a fight with your dad?" A gentle voice on the other end of the phone chuckled softly.

Zhou Nan was taken aback. "How did Auntie know?"

"Isn't it easy to guess? Your personality is just like your dad's; you're very stubborn."

“I’m not like him at all. He doesn’t even like to talk.” Zhou Nan felt that these words were insulting and made him feel uncomfortable.

"That's because you're always with Jian Xi, and she's corrupting you."

"Hey, don't talk bad about me behind my back! The handset's on! I can hear you!" Jian Xi yelled.

“He doesn’t talk much because he’s a man, and you’re still a boy,” the aunt said, ignoring Jianxi.

"What do you mean?" Zhou Nan thought for a moment but didn't understand the meaning of the sentence.

"It's normal for boys not to like men. When you're little, you think your dad is the best dad in the world. When you grow up, you'll feel like your dad is always pointing fingers at you and you'll start to hate him. By the time you can be called a man, you'll have started your own family and have your own children. Eventually, you'll become him."

“I could never become like him.” Zhou Nan firmly rejected the idea, as being told he was like him was the last thing he wanted.

"Really?" the aunt smiled. "Do you know that your father used to be quite talkative and loved to laugh?"

“Him? How could that be?” In his memory, Zhou Peng would tinker with his computer in his room every day after get off work. He never took his family out to play. He just did his own thing and always slept in a separate bed from his mother.

The melodramatic TV shows often depict this kind of relationship. Sometimes Zhou Nan even wonders if his parents have lost their love for each other and are only staying together because they have a son and a daughter.

"Why would I lie to you? We used to visit each other a lot when you were little. He loved to play 'pulling the radish' with you, the kind where he holds your chin with both hands and lifts you up off the ground. You would always scream and yell. You didn't like him holding you either because his beard would prick you and make you uncomfortable. I saw him smiling quite happily during those times."

Zhou Nan remained silent and did not speak.

He found it hard to imagine that the man would have such moments; he had never felt any love from his father.

Zhou Peng himself is a teacher, but it's hard to say that he knows how to guide or care about his children's grades. The only thing he seems to have done in this regard is to transfer his two children to the school's advanced class. As for the rest, he leaves them to fend for themselves. Even Zhou Lan's poor grades led her to enroll in a tutoring class herself, saying that she didn't want to lose face.

That's why Zhou Nan had such a big conflict with him after the high school entrance exam. In fact, the two of them had never argued. It was just a glance that broke their hearts.

That kind of person seems indifferent to the state of their family. Has he ever truly cared or been happy?
"Okay, I'm not going to talk about him anymore."

There was no response from the other end of the phone, and Jianxi's mother knew it was time to change the subject.

“You don’t like hearing this either. If you don’t want to go back, then don’t. Stay at our house as long as you want. Anyway, the holiday isn’t going to last much longer. Jianxi is all alone at home, and it’s empty. It’s good to have someone to keep her company.”

“…Thank you, Auntie,” Zhou Nan said, his voice dry.

"Don't thank me. I'm not being nice to you without expecting anything in return. Let me just say it bluntly, when are you two planning to get together?"

(End of this chapter)