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Wu Xie had not been expecting his nainai to just walk into his home that day.
Wushanju was a relatively large compound and seeing there were so few Wu left it was easy to avoid one another if desired. After he’d been born, the area within the walls had been divided up among the living family members. Later, when Wu Xie had returned from University, his Sanshu had given him the antique store connected to the compound. While the different areas were connected by a multitude of stone walks, hallways, and bridges. Ordinarily, others in the family respected the invisible boundaries.
So, he did not think he would see his nainai walking across his private courtyard as he came out of the kitchen. Even more shocking were the words that fell from her lips the moment she had him in her sights.
“Where is the child?”
He stood there with a book in one hand and his tea in the other, blinking a few times before processing what she’d said. “Nainai,” Wu Xie said, forcing a smile on his face. “What do you mean?”
She didn’t seem to like that comment, frowning as she continued to walk over to him. Her cane tapped loudly on the stones, and Wu Xie tried to swallow down his nerves. “Xiao Xie, don’t you dare look me in the eyes and lie to me.” When she reached the stairs, he was quick to set the items he was holding on the table. Then, made his way down the stairs to take her arm and help his nainai make her way up. “I know everything that happens in Wushanju. I have since the moment I married your grandfather.”
“I’m very aware of that, Nainai.” Once she was seated, Wu Xie let out a slow breath and wiped his hands off on his pants. He knew where this was going, but was hoping he was mistaken. Smiling sweetly, Wu Xie sat down beside her. “Nainai, would I lie to you?”
The Wu Matriarch gave him a long look as if she were scrutinizing him. Finally, she responded, “Yes.” At that one word, Wu Xie’s head fell and he truly knew he was fucked. “Do you know why? You’re exactly like your Sanshu! Trying to be sly, telling me half-truths and thinking I’m too old to keep up with you.”
“Nainai, I would never think that,” he muttered. Nonetheless, he was hoping that she wouldn’t have noticed the most recent edition that had been living in Wushanju for the last few weeks. But, she was the matriarch and had the right to know what was happening within the family. Wu Xie just wished it wasn’t about this. “You’ll never be too old, Nainai. We all know how sharp you are.”
Huffing lightly, as if offended that he might think otherwise, she patted his hand. “You might be as sly as your Sanshu, but you’re also as charming as your father.” Wu Xie smiled, watching as she tapped her finger against the table… showing he wasn’t safe just yet. “I want to understand what is happening, and why I have been hearing rumors of a child in Wushanju?”
He was used to being questioned, but not by his nainai. She had a way of making him feel like a small child who had been caught having stolen a cookie. As a result, he decided to be honest. How could he not be? Before long, he was explaining the day Xiaoge had left for a run and then had come home with breakfast and a baby. Wu Xie then went on to explain how Xiaoge had talked him into keeping the child temporarily; and how temporary had been going on for about a month. While Xiaoge had promised not to get attached to the child, it was evident he had.
A light fwap to his arm made him blink. “Naturally he would get attached,” she chided, clicking her tongue in annoyance. “You’re fortunate I found out first. Imagine if your Ershu was here in my place? You know what he would say.”
Wu Xie nodded. He didn’t have to pretend, because he’d already heard it a million times over the years. “Something along the lines of taking care of a kid that is not mine. How I should get married, provide an heir for the family. The conversation hasn’t changed much between us since I came home from University.”
It bothered Wu Xie that despite his feelings being known, his uncle kept coming after him. Yes, it had taken time for him to realize he was in love with Xiaoge. His family knew his feelings, but his uncle seemed to have a hard time taking no as an answer. No, he wouldn’t marry. Which meant no, there wouldn’t be a Wu heir in the future.
“You know your uncle is just watching out for you and the family in his own way.”
“Yeah, watching out for him. He only sends Tianzhen a folder of pictures once a week. Which is down from the multiple times a week he did before.” Pangzi was leaning against the doorway, looking out at the two. He tossed a few nuts into his mouth, chewing. “I enjoy looking through them and don't mind sacrificing myself for the Wu Family. You know, the whole getting married and producing an heir for you.”
“Si, Pangzi…” He hissed as his friend chuckled, looking back at his nainai. “You know how Pangzi is, he’s messing around.” Which didn’t help under the present circumstances.
She waved off Pangzi’s words, looking back at her grandson. Wu Xie couldn’t tell what she was thinking, then again the Wu Matriarch had always been tricky to read. Despite her age, she was a very crafty woman and was terribly hard to trick. “You know your Ershu, and I look at this differently. That said, I do have a question, and expect you to be honest.”
“Of course, Nainai. I’ll be honest, I promise.”
Wu Xie knew she was an extremely straightforward woman, so he should have been prepared. However, the words threw him. “Are you sure this child isn’t yours? Maybe from a one-night stand?”
Pangzi busted up laughing as Wu Xie sat there and sputtered. He didn’t know if he should feel more insulted by the question, or by Pangzi finding it this funny. “Nainai, no! I haven’t slept around with any women. I would never do that to the Wu family, put our reputation at risk like that.”
“To be honest, I’d believe him.” Wu Xie was happy to know that Pangzi had some faith in him. “It took him over ten years to realize he loved Xiaoge. I’m not going to say he’d dense, but I call him Tianzhen for a reason.”
Brushing off his words, Wu Xie grasped one of her hands in his own. “You know how devoted I am to Xiaoge, even before I realized it was love.” Here he was, in his forties and feeling like a child letting his family down… once again. “I’m sorry Nainai. I can’t give you a legitimate Wu heir.”
“Don’t apologize, sweetie.” She squeezed his hand, smiling. “I want you to be happy. That’s all I've wanted for you. Even I can see that your Xiaoge makes you very, very happy.”
“He does.” Wu Xie admitted, glad that she felt that way.
“Still, this child? What do we know?”
“There was a note with him, and it said his name was Li Cu. I had Pangzi and Xiaoge look into it, but we couldn’t find a family connected to us named Li.” They had honestly looked, and he felt terrible that they hadn’t found the baby’s real family.”
“I would like to see him.”
Wu Xie breathed out, knowing how this was going to go. Xiaoge was already invested, and he knew if his nainai wanted to, she would side with him and adopt the child into their family. “Yeah, of course.” Glancing back at Pangzi, he nodded towards their rooms. “Can you see if Xiaoge can bring him out here?”
“Yeah, no problem.” Tossing a few more nuts into his mouth, the larger man soon disappeared into the halls.
“Xiaoge thought they might come back,” he said, watching as his nainai relaxed against the chair she sat in. “It’s obvious that he was abandoned at the wrong house, and that’s why he wanted to keep him. I agreed, so I told Xiaoge we could keep him temporarily. Since then, we have had a buddy of Pangzi’s come over. He’s an officer here in Hangzhou and took a report but let us keep the child here with us.” Wu Xie looked towards the hall that Pangzi disappeared down and then back to his nainai. “The longer we keep him, the more Xiaoge doesn’t want to let him go.”
“You have told me numerous times that Xiaoge’s happiness is important to you. Why does it bother you that he wants to care for this child, Xiao Xie?”
That was the question.
Why was it that this child made him feel so uncomfortable? Wu Xie knew if he tried to say anything less than the truth, his nainai would be terribly upset with him. Instead, he decided to be honest with her. “I just look back at everything I’ve been through, and I don’t know if this is for me. I’ve spent years feeling like I was being forced onto every path I have walked. Maybe I wasn’t, but it’s how I felt.” He paused, looking out over the courtyard. “When Xiaoge came back, I realized how I felt for him. For once in my life, I felt like I was making my own decisions.”
“Xiao Xie, we never wanted you to feel forced into anything.”
“I understand, Nainai. I really do.” He glanced over at her, smiling. “When he first came back I told him that I felt everything I had been through I’d been pushed into doing. I had no choice but to follow the path I did… but later I realized I love this life. I loved traveling with Xiaoge and Pangzi.”
“That is only natural, Xiao Xie.” There was a gentleness to her voice, and she didn’t sound disappointed in any way. “Pangzi and your Xiaoge mean a lot to you. Of course, you would enjoy your time spent with them.”
Wu Xie nodded, glad that she seemed to understand. Xiaoge and Pangzi had been with him for a long time, and that built connections. “Nainai, I’ll be honest… over the years I realized that I would never get married. I knew I wouldn’t have the classic wife and kids life that Ershu wanted me to have. I was fine with it because I had Xiaoge and Pangzi.”
“Yet?” She asked, making Wu Xie breathe out.
“I never thought I’d be a good father. I wasn’t prepared to bring a kid into my life.” It wasn’t that he disliked the child, “I just don’t know what to do with a kid. I could fuck everything up for him.”
“Xiao Xie,” her hands rested on her cane, tapping it against the stones. “You would make an amazing father, and any child would be lucky to have you as a father! I refuse to sit here and allow you to think otherwise.”
He knew that she meant that, but it wasn’t like he’d had the best example of what a father was. His parents were wonderful, but had also been busy and were rarely around. Then there were his two uncles. One had constantly got on him to do his duty for the family’s sake. The other had been the one to pull him into everything that happened in the past. So, how could he know if he’d be a good father?
“I know you do, Nainai. Thank you.”
“Did you ever think that Xiaoge is just as nervous as you? From what you have told me he was always lonely, and his family didn’t treat him well.” Wu Xie nodded because it was true. He’d had a lengthy conversation with her when Xiaoge had returned. So, everything she'd mentioned was accurate. “It seems he never got the love and affection he needed growing up. He may regard this child as an extension of himself, unwanted and abandoned. Your Xiaoge may want to protect this child and give him a better life than he had.”
“I’ve already realized that,” he said with a sigh. It was exactly what Xiaoge was doing, and he thought his lover was doing an amazing job. But, Wu Xie still felt uncomfortable. Taking in a child, especially one that wasn’t your own, was a full-time commitment that would last the rest of their lives. “I’m not the best with kids, Nainai.”
That made her huff loudly. “Says who? You?" He sighed, looking over at his tea which was undoubtedly cold by now. "When was the last time you even interacted with a child, hm? Xiao Xie, you look at me!” Wu Xie just wanted the conversation to be over, he did as asked and met her eyes. “It seems to me that you’re fine with giving up because you haven't even tried! Did you ever consider this child might be here for a reason? You need an heir, and I know you’re not going to get one from your Xiaoge.”
“Thats obvious.” He muttered. “Maybe it’s just I don’t like kids.” The look she gave him could have killed. “You think I’m making up excuses? I don't know, maybe I am. It’s just that,” Wu Xie shifted in his chair, looking around for a moment. But, he still didn’t see Xiaoge or the child so maybe Li Cu had been asleep? “Nainai, I didn’t have the most typical examples of what a father should be when I was growing up. It’s not a role I imagined I’d take up.”
She smiled, patting his hand gently. “You don’t have to do this alone, Xiao Xie. You have Xiaoge and Pangzi. I don’t hear either of them complaining. Moreover, you have your family. I know some may not be as excited as others, but we all love you. You know that, don’t you?”
"I know.”
With those words, he finally heard movement behind him. Wu Xie was happy when Xiaoge walked out into the courtyard. The conversation was stressing him out, and merely seeing his lover relaxed him. He watched as Xiaoge came closer, a bundle of deep red in his arms, standing out from the black of his clothes. Pangzi followed him a moment later, plopping down in a chair across from the others.
When Xiaoge stopped beside him, Wu Xie reached up to rub the man’s lower back. He just wanted to touch him, to feel Xiaoge beside him. “Nainai found out about the baby, and wanted to meet him.”
Xiaoge took the news in stride, nodding as he moved to stand beside Wu Xie's nainai and then knelt. The baby in his arms yawned, blinking his eyes a bit before looking up at Xiaoge and the woman. After a moment of glancing back and forth, Li Cu must have decided he liked what he saw. The little boy smiled, giggling as his little hand reached out for something to hold.
“Isn’t he the sweetest?" As expected, his nainai instantly started to coo over the little boy. There hadn’t been a child this young in Wushanju since he’d been born - so he wasn’t surprised. Suddenly she paused, looking at him and then back to the baby. “Xiao Xie, are you sure he’s not yours?”
“Nainai!”
Before he could say more, she waved a hand at him and turned to Xiaoge. “Have I ever showed you pictures of my sweet Xiao Xie when he was younger?” His lover blinked slowly, which she must have taken as a negative. “I’ll pull some out, so we can look them over. My Xiao Xie was very cute when he was a baby.”
Was she implying he wasn’t still cute? Wu Xie wasn’t sure if he should be offended...
His nainai patted the little bundle gently. “I don’t think my grandson would deceive me, but look at his little nose.” As she spoke, the Wu Matriarch reached up to stroke the baby's cheek. “Yes, it’s the nose and the eyes; he does look a bit like my Xiao Xie.”
“He isn’t mine,” a slight whine joining the words as he spoke. “I swear, I’m not lying.”
While he and his nainai kept going back and forth, Xiaoge kept his eyes on the child in his arms. Wu Xie couldn’t deny the fondness he saw there and the love. Maybe she was right? It was possible this was what they needed. He would be giving a child a good life, one he might not have without him. It also meant Xiaoge would have someone to take care of him. Someone who could give Xiaoge another connection in the world.
Maybe he was being incredibly selfish, only thinking of himself and not of his lover who would undoubtedly outlive him.
“Xiaoge,” He glanced up at him and Wu Xie smiled. Wu Xie understood how Xiaoge could be, he would never argue with him unless his life was on the line. So, he knew Xiaoge would never speak out about this whole thing with the child being temporary… even if he wanted to keep the child. “They would have come by now,” he said and nodded towards the child. “I don’t think anyone will return to find him, and he does need a home.”
Xiaoge’s eyes widened briefly, looking down at the child and then back at him. “Wu Xie…”
“You’re already attached, and Pangzi has made a whole cabinet of homemade baby food.” Wu Xie watched the subtle play of emotions in his lover’s eyes. “We might as well keep him.” Black eyes dilated at those words, a slight smile pulling at Xiaoge’s lips. “As long as you want to, you know,” Wu Xie swallowed, “help me raise an heir?”
The smile grew, not that anyone else would have noticed. But, Wu Xie knew Xiaoge and knew what that smile meant. “Yes.”
“It’s about damn time!”
The Wu Matriarch looked over at Pangzi, pointing a finger at him. “You watch your mouth around this child!” He was quick to hold up his hands in surrender. “Now, let me hold my great-grandchild!”
Xiaoge nodded, placing the child in her arms as he straightened out the blankets. “This is your tainainai.” The words were soft, and if he hadn’t been so used to Xiaoge, he might not have overheard him. But he had, and the words made him smile.
“He’s so adorable and perfect!” She looked up at her grandson. “Oh yes, I have brought gifts.”
Wu Xie shook his head, laughing gently as he ran a hand over his face. “I know where this is going.” He muttered, looking at Xiaoge. “It’s tradition to present gifts when a child is… born into the family. Nainai, you know we don’t need anything.”
“Xiao Xie, it’s tradition!” She looked at Xiaoge, “and the child deserves to be recognized as the Wu heir!”
Xiaoge looked between his lover and the Wu Matriarch, then nodded. “Li Cu will enjoy gifts.” Wu Xie shook his head but had to smile. “Wu family tradition should be honored.”
“You’re correct, tradition should be honored.” Smiling, she glanced at her grandson. “This is why I like your partner, he’s a very intelligent man.” With a flourish her hand, a few men walked over carrying gifts and a puppy.”
“Nainai, I'm starting to think that the only reason you came here today was so I would agree to adopt the kid.”
Naturally, his nainai brushed him off, which only proved his point. Instead, she focused on the boxes that were being set on the table. “There are some toys in here, along with other items that will be useful.” She smiled at Xiaoge. “If you need any more help, you let me know?”
Xiaoge nodded, his eyes drawn to the puppy as it was being set in Wu Xie’s lap.
Wu Xie, on the other hand, just accepted his fate. He had known this was coming. “He’s cute, Nainai.”
“Of course he is!”
The puppy was bouncing up and down on his lap, trying to lick him as Wu Xie scratched behind his ears. He could see the question in his lover’s eyes and let out a long breath. “It’s a standing tradition. My grandfather has a Tibetan Spaniel, and he took it everywhere. They are very smart, loyal, and are very wary of strangers. They will alert you if they think something is wrong.”
“You had one?” Xiaoge asked.
“Like I said, tradition.” Wu Xie set the puppy down on the floor, watching as he started to sniff around the courtyard. “When my dad was born, he got a puppy. Ershu and Sanshu got puppies as well. When I was born, my grandfather gave me one as well. We are raised here, around the dogs, so they know a Wu by scent. Since we are keeping Li Cu, he’s now a Wu. The puppy will grow up with him and watch over him until he’s old enough to watch out for himself.”
Xiaoge nodded, looking back at Wu Xie’s nainai. “Thank you.”
“I am more than happy to help, Xiaoge.” She glanced at Wu Xie, arching a brow. “But this was the easy part.” He knew what was coming and simply accepted his fate. “When your Ershu finds out about little Li Cu, he is going to want to have a word with you.”
“He’s going to want more than just one, Nainai.” His eyes falling to Xiaoge, who was watching the baby in his nainai’s arms. “Probably a few million, knowing him.”
But, seeing how happy Xiaoge was... it would be worth every single word.