Chapter 2
Liang Xusheng was 27. Fu Shu’s campaign to get him married had started when he graduated from college at 22, making it a solid five or six years of relentless pressure.
Fu Shu had one, not-so-traditional, traditional belief: Whether he liked men or women, whether or not he wanted children, and how many he wanted were entirely up to him. But he had to get married. Everyone needed a partner.
This belief had solidified when Liang Jing fell ill and was hospitalized. Running back and forth between home and the hospital, Fu Shu developed a deep-seated fear of being alone. She decided that everyone needed a partner, someone close, to help and care for them, especially during times of sickness.
Her exact words were: “Children aren’t always reliable. Young people have their own lives and pressures. But at least with marriage, you have a partner. An old companion. Young love blossoms into old companionship. You’ll understand when you’re older. A good life in old age doesn’t depend on your children; it depends entirely on the person beside you. A reliable partner means a good life. An unreliable one? Better to die early. But having no partner at all? That’s a truly miserable existence, both in life and in death.”
With only one son and this firm belief, Fu Shu naturally wanted Liang Xusheng to find a partner and get married, regardless of gender.
Unfortunately, Liang Xusheng was an otaku, a homebody. Not only did he lack a stable, respectable job, but his entire social circle revolved around anime and manga.
Fu Shu had met Lulu, Liang Xusheng’s friend. Seeing the pretty, 5’7″ girl with long legs, dressed in cute Lolita fashion, sweetly calling her “Auntie,” Fu Shu had even entertained the idea of Liang Xusheng marrying her. She’d even suggested it to him, saying, “You like 2D, right? Lulu’s also into 2D. Two 2Ds getting married makes 4D! Then you can have a 2D baby, making it 6D, three times the 2D! How great is that?”
“…” Liang Xusheng marveled at his mother’s unique logic.
He was annoyed by the constant pressure. Year after year, this was the sixth year of her matchmaking crusade, with no end in sight. But he didn’t resent his mother. He understood her. Fu Shu was a good mom. She had always respected him. She accepted his love for anime, even driving him to conventions when he was a teenager. Other parents in their circle were busy pushing their kids to study abroad, forbidding them from wasting time and money on “useless” merchandise. But Fu Shu let him buy whatever he wanted. His room was filled with Gundam, Ultraman, anime posters, art books, and merchandise. In college, she gave him extra money to buy more, never criticizing his hobby. Even after graduation, when he refused a traditional 9-to-5 job to pursue his passion – cosplaying, creating merchandise, writing fan fiction, blogging – she supported him financially, giving him money and a space to set up his studio.
With a mother like that, how could he complain too much? It was just nagging about marriage. He endured it, adding girls on WeChat, meeting them, even though he wasn’t interested in any of them, and they weren’t interested in him. Being handsome wasn’t enough in the blind date market.
He was also frustrated by the constant failures, even though he wasn’t putting in much effort, even sabotaging some dates. He just wasn’t interested. He was straight, but he preferred being friends with girls. He had never been in love, never even had a crush. He lacked nothing, having grown up surrounded by love. He didn’t care about romance, marriage, or partners. Being alone was fine. Great, even.
That day, Fu Shu’s composure crumbled. Her son was 27! If he didn’t get married soon, would he really stay single forever? She didn’t have high standards for a daughter-in-law. Age, job, it didn’t matter. As long as she was kind and got along with Xusheng, Fu Shu was willing to pay for everything – the house, the car, the betrothal gifts, the wedding banquet. Why couldn’t she become a mother-in-law?
This university lecturer was another failure, adding to the list of sixty or seventy rejected girls. Fu Shu was beyond frustrated; she was bordering on depressed.
She had friends whose children weren’t married, like her best friend Yang Yue’s son, Lu Xun. But it was different. Fu Shu believed Lu Xun was simply too busy with work. If he actually wanted to get married, with his family background and accomplishments, he could find someone, fall in love, and get married within a year, making Yang Yue a grandmother within two.
Thinking of Lu Xun, Fu Shu couldn’t help but nag Liang Xusheng again. “If you had half of Lu Xun’s talent and ambition, I wouldn’t care if you didn’t date or marry. At least you’d have a career and money. But you…”
Fu Shu was lying on the sofa with a cold towel on her forehead, preparing for a long rant, when the door opened. A tall figure walked in. Fu Shu turned, her annoyance vanishing, replaced by a smile. “Speaking of the devil…”
It was Lu Xun. He was as comfortable in Liang Xusheng’s home as his own, grabbing his slippers from the cabinet and changing at the entrance. He exchanged a glance with Liang Xusheng, receiving the silent plea for help.
“Auntie, are you feeling unwell?” Lu Xun asked, noticing the towel on her head.
Fu Shu sighed, lying back down. “Just angry.”
Lu Xun walked over to the sofa. “Do you need to go to the hospital? I drove here today.”
Fu Shu declined, sighing again. “Seeing you makes me feel much better.”
Liang Jing, reading the newspaper, shook his head in amusement. Liang Xusheng also sighed internally. His mom adored Lu Xun. It was understandable. Lu Xun had always been outstanding, excelling in school, starting his own successful business after graduation. He was the darling of their entire social circle.
Liang Xusheng stood up, winked at Lu Xun, tilted his chin, and announced loudly, “Oh, I almost forgot! Lu Xun and I are meeting some old classmates for dinner tonight.”
Lu Xun looked away from Liang Xusheng and addressed Fu Shu calmly. “Auntie, you should rest. We’ll be going now.”
“Is there really a dinner?” Fu Shu asked.
“Yes,” Lu Xun confirmed.
Fu Shu didn’t question them. Liang Xusheng changed his shoes and slipped out the door, escaping successfully.
In the elevator, Liang Xusheng playfully punched Lu Xun’s arm, grinning. “You’re the best at handling my mom.”
“Same to you,” Lu Xun replied. Yang Yue adored Liang Xusheng. He always knew how to charm her.
“Where are we going?” Lu Xun asked.
There was no dinner with classmates. They had both lied to Fu Shu.
“I haven’t had dinner,” Liang Xusheng said casually. “Have you eaten? If not, let’s grab something together.”
They went to their usual barbecue place, ordered skewers, and talked about the afternoon’s blind date.
“Don’t even ask,” Liang Xusheng said. “The girl’s face practically turned green when she heard I didn’t have a job. She’s probably never met anyone as ‘unsuccessful’ as me on a blind date.”
Lu Xun, pouring Sprite into a disposable cup, looked up. “You did that on purpose. You don’t have a job, but you’re not broke.”
Liang Xusheng took the Sprite and grinned. “You know me so well. You’re like the roundworm in my stomach.”
“I just don’t want to date. I’m not interested. My mom keeps pushing, but I can’t just tell her I won’t do it. She’d have a heart attack.”
Lu Xun, much more composed and with a vastly different personality, took a sip of Sprite and looked at Liang Xusheng. “Do you plan to keep this up? She sets you up, you go, you sabotage it, she gets mad, and the cycle repeats?”
Liang Xusheng leaned on the table, holding his Sprite, slouching casually. “What else can I do? My mom would even accept me finding a guy. But she won’t accept me staying single.” He sighed again. “You’re lucky. You dedicate your time to work, and your parents don’t pressure you with these things.”
“They do,” Lu Xun said.
“Huh?” Liang Xusheng looked surprised. “When? Did you meet anyone?”
“We added each other on WeChat. Haven’t talked yet. The matchmaker arranged a dinner for this weekend,” Lu Xun said calmly.
Liang Xusheng grinned, a teasing “finally, your turn” expression on his face. “Good luck! Maybe next weekend will be your first anniversary.”
Lu Xun glanced at him. “You think too much.”
Liang Xusheng winked. “What if she’s a supermodel? What if you hit it off?”
“Have some faith,” he encouraged.
After dinner, as they left the restaurant, Liang Xusheng slung his arm around Lu Xun’s neck, cheerful. “This is the life. Doing what I love, hanging out with friends at ita-buildings during the day, having barbecue with you at night. Perfect.”
Lu Xun, who usually disliked physical contact, didn’t push Liang Xusheng away. Noticing some sauce on Liang Xusheng’s mouth, he reached out with a napkin and wiped it off. “Are you a kindergartener? Can’t even wipe your own mouth.”
Liang Xusheng instinctively touched his mouth, then laughed, patting Lu Xun’s arm. “That’s what you’re for, buddy. With a bro like you, I don’t even need to wipe my own—” He paused, then joked, “—anything. You can even wipe my butt if you want.”
This time, Lu Xun pushed Liang Xusheng’s arm off, exasperated. “Get lost.”
