You Hid It

Wait … What?!

Su Yan stared up at Nie Chang, the tears and the worry about how his mother might react completely forgotten. Had his boyfriend of one day just asked to marry him?

Nie Chang smiled wryly. That had probably been too fast? "Uh … I mean your mother would be alright with it as long as she gets to organize a wedding. So as long as we marry sometime in the future she won't mind that we're a couple."

Su Yan frowned. Why was Nie Chang backpedaling now? "So you wouldn't marry me right now?"

Nie Chang sighed. Why was it so difficult to talk with Su Yan since yesterday? He gently cupped Su Yan's cheeks and kissed his brow. "I would marry you right this instance if you said you wanted. I'm just afraid I'm asking too much. So, let's go over to your parent's first and tell your mother. We can do so right after we've eaten. After that … we'll just do as you say."

Su Yan couldn't find any fault with that. There was only one thing … "Do we really have to go right after breakfast?"

"Believe me it's better that way."

Su Yan wasn't very convinced. He would have much rather waited for a long, long time before he went to confess. But then his mother might find out before he said anything and that wouldn't be good either. No, Nie Chang was right. He should better go and tell her today when there was still the slight chance that she had no idea what the newest conflict between his father and him was about.

Nie Chang could see that he had convinced Su Yan even though his boyfriend obviously wasn't fond of the idea. Well, it was to be expected. If his mother really didn't know this might have been a problem. Not that madam Su was that backward that she wouldn't be able to accept that her son was gay.

"Alright, then come on and eat. It wasn't easy making all this." He picked up a bowl and handed it to Su Yan, not at all intending to let him go back to his own seat. Ah, he would be dumb if he didn't take advantage of this situation.

Su Yan didn't think much of it. He just picked up the chopsticks and started to eat. Surprisingly, it tasted very good. He pursed his lips and looked up at Nie Chang. "How is this so good?"

Nie Chang lifted his brows. "Oh? Is it?"

"Yeah. Did you really cook?"

Nie Chang picked up another bowl and started eating himself. "Mn, you're right. It's really good."

Su Yan narrowed his eyes. "You ordered takeout, didn't you?"

"No. Why would you think so? You even saw me cook." He motioned at the dishes in the sink.

"You … probably warmed it up?"

Nie Chang coughed. "Honestly, why would you doubt my capability this much?"

"Because you don't know how to cook. It's impossible you made all of this yourself." He looked at the bowls on the table. There were three different dishes.

"I also made that egg-fried rice for you last week and yesterday evening I cooked, too."

Su Yan froze. Right. "But … then what about Saturday? We wanted to learn how to cook."

"We didn't, right?"

"No, but …" How come I didn't know about that? He suddenly discovered new things about Nie Chang which he never would have believed to be possible. Even though they had spent less time with each other when they both started to work it had still been a lot. It rankled him that there were things he didn't know about Nie Chang. It wasn't supposed to be like that!

He pursed his lips and stared up at Nie Chang's face before hitting his chest. "He hid it! You hid it deliberately from me!" That was right. This was the only plausible explanation! He should have known Nie Chang knew how to cook. If he didn't, it could only be because this despicable guy hadn't wanted him to know.

Nie Chang sighed and just patted Su Yan's back again, trying to smooth down his ruffled feathers. "I didn't. At least not deliberately. I just … didn't tell you because I wasn't sure I'd manage. And I'm in no way able to cook much. I just learned a few dishes that you liked. So … don't be angry, alright? I did it just for you." He bent down and kissed Su Yan's cheek.

Faced with such a confession Su Yan couldn't keep being angry. He pouted a bit and finally just turned away and ate. Even though he was angry Nie Chang had kept it from him he certainly wouldn't waste the food. It was tasty, after all.

Nie Chang didn't say anything either. Su Yan had always been willful. It was expected for him to throw a little tantrum every now and then. As long as he ate the food it meant he already wasn't miffed anymore.

Mn, it actually felt good. This was probably how a lover's tiff was supposed to be? He definitely didn't want to argue with Su Yan but in a sense, this was also proof of the new relationship between them. Before yesterday Su Yan probably wouldn't have gotten angry at something like this, right?

Nie Chang gently kissed his hair and the two of them silently ate breakfast. The closer they came to finishing, the slower Su Yan's chopsticks moved, though.

Oh god, he couldn't help but imagine his mother's reaction. What Nie Chang had said was nice and he would love it if it turned out that way but what if not? What if she really flipped out? What if she didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore like his father? He didn't care for his old man but he didn't want to lose his mother!

Su Yan frowned more and more and his chopsticks finally stopped moving altogether.

Nie Chang watched it for a while before patting his head. "Let's go and get it over with. You'll feel better afterward."

"Are you sure she'll accept it?"

"Mn." Nie Chang kissed his brow again and pulled him to his feet. "She'll be happy for us." He led Su Yan out of the apartment and they drove to the Su's residence together.

Su Yan looked at the familiar door and couldn't help but hesitate. "Maybe we should do it tomorrow instead."

Nie Chang leaned over and hugged him from the back. "Or how about next week or next month? If you don't do it now, you'll probably never do it. Come on." He took Su Yan's hand and pulled him to the door. Before Su Yan could protest again, he rang the bell.

Soon enough Madam Su's steps sounded on the other side. Su Yan paled. Oh god. He really wouldn't be able to get around this.