through the strait gates(过门/Guomen)//work by priest(CN)//BL

Chapter 9: Parents Pt.2 (vol. scallions)

From the moment they sat down for the family dinner, Zhu Xiaocheng began the routine pouring of her hardships.

Grandma Xu used an opera tone to sigh long and short with her. Ms. Du was responsible for sobbing along with her, and Xu Xilin and Dou Xun, the two "enemies" that were trying to pretend that they did not know each other, both had an expression so sour they looked like they were in mourning.

Xu Jin was so annoyed by Zhu Xiaocheng's truckload of ranting that she was close to losing it. The two kids, along with Xu Jin, emitted a bad mood, the three of them each occupying one corner of the room with their "*low pressure". Dou-dou, who was locked in the basement, frequently let out wolf-like, sky-reaching howls.

*low pressure: the weather one, not the blood one

Dou Xun knew that Zhu Xiaocheng wanted to send him to another place to stay to give the two of them space to fight without having to consider anything else. To be honest, looking at the foul atmosphere their "home" had, there was really nothing to make him want to stay. After all, after all these years, he was already used to being sent away from home to live.

He had no skills, so he could only comply with all the decisions Do Junliang and Zhu Xiaocheng, the ones who paid for his living expenses, made for him. The ludicrous imaginations of his parents he had once dreamt of when he was young were long numbed to nothing after he was let down over, and over, and over again. Dou Xun originally planned to just stay unceremoniously at Sixth High School for a few months, have a place to stay, and get away to a university as soon as he could. Then he never had to give a fuck about those two anymore.

Who knew that Zhu Xiaocheng would send him to stay with Xu Xilin's family!

Dou Xun, just by glancing at Xu Xilin's expressionless face, knew that from the perspective of hate, they had actually came to a consensus.

But as he wasn't even going to stay a full semester at Sixth High School, there probably weren't anyone willing to let him rent an short-term apartment. And as he had just had a fight with Wu Tao and his lackeys, living in the dorms would be a problem, too. With Zhu Xiaocheng's ranting voice in the background, Dou Xun made up his mind, thinking, "I'll just get it over with and live in a hotel close to school."

He could stay there however long he wanted, there would be someone to clean the room, and it would fix all three meals for him––perfect.

When Grandma Xu cooed at Dou Xun for him to be at ease here, Dou Xun finally found the chance to speak. "I......"

But before he could say just one more word, Grandma Xu suddenly reached a hand out, stroking the top of his head and then the side of his face.

Her hand was a bit dry and twig-like. When a person reached old age, their skin weren't going to be as smooth and full anymore. But with good care, it was still pretty fair.

On her pale hand was a firm and brilliant bracelet. The smell of soap emitted from the opening of her sleeve, a hint of old-styled domestic skin care products––the kind women over a decade ago used––intertwined in it. Dou Xun's nose twitched slightly––it was the same smell his grandma had when she was still alive.

"Is it called *Baiqueling? *Yumeijing? Or that vanishing cream, *Yelaixiang?" Dou Xun's originally tight-woven thoughts were suddenly hacked open.

*Baiqueling, Yumeijing, Yelaixiang: Names of beauty products.

"Poor thing." Grandma Xu said. "How old are you? Your mother just said that you're pretty good at studying. "

Dou Xun's mind had floated to the past, and when a sudden question hit him, he moved his lips slightly. Before he could register what he was being asked, he blushed.