Chapter 1328: NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED
Chapter 1328: NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED
LUO YAN looked at his reflection in the mirror. His hair had been styled with a soft wave, swept back from his forehead with a light product that gave it a natural shine. He wore a white suit, the jacket tailored perfectly to his shoulders and waist. The fabric was a high-quality wool blend, smooth and crisp under the lights. A pale silver tie sat at his collar, held in place by a simple, dark grey tie pin. His trousers fell cleanly over a pair of polished black leather shoes.
The overall effect was one of clean, sharp, understated elegance—the kind a professional stylist would curate for an event where every guest would be dressed to impress. He turned his head, examining his profile, then smoothed a hand over the front of his jacket.
If he were in his usual mood, he would have already given himself a compliment or two. But after what happened last night, he couldn't even muster up any excitement for the party today.
Luo Yan found himself thinking back to what happened after Shen Ji Yun left.
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"I'm sorry," he said, shame heavy in his voice. "We didn't mean to hurt you, Dad. I swear we didn't."
He heard his father sigh heavily. "I know you didn't mean to. But that doesn't make it hurt any less, Xiao Yan."
Luo Yan bit his lower lip. He did not know what to do to make his father feel better.
"Does anyone else know about... the two of you?" his father asked. "Your relationship, I mean."
Hearing that, Luo Yan started fidgeting with his hands. His stomach twisted. He didn't know how to answer. If he told the truth, it would probably hurt his father even more. But if he lied again, his father might never trust him again. His chest felt tight. His throat closed up. He hated this. Hated being the reason his father looked hurt. After a long moment, he took a breath and decided. He would tell the truth. No more hiding. No more lies. Even if it made things worse, at least it would be the truth.
"Brother, Brother Ze, Ah Jin, Sister Yuqi, and Jiao Jiao," he paused. "And Uncle Yi Mu. They all know."
He thought about mentioning Uncle Yue and Grandma Wu, but his father didn't really know them, so there was no point. Besides, if he brought up Uncle Yue, he would have to explain his relationship with Uncle Yi Mu. And he didn't think it was his place to talk about other people's relationships, especially when he had just come out of the closet himself. He wasn't about to out anyone else.
A moment of silence passed. Luo Yan lifted his head and caught the flash of hurt on his father's face before the older man tried to hide it. His father squeezed his eyes shut, clearly working to keep his emotions in check. When he opened them again, there was sadness there. The kind that made Luo Yan's chest ache.
"So I'm the only one who didn't know," his father said, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Everyone else knew except me. I guess I wasn't paying enough attention."
"No, Dad. It's not like that," Luo Yan said quickly. "Ah Jin, Brother Ze, and Sister Yuqi are all on the same team as us. We spend so much time together, so it just came out naturally. Jiao Jiao is my best friend, so telling her was easy. Brother is just too observant, so he figured it out on his own. And Uncle Yi Mu... Brother Ji Yun told him." He stopped, realizing the more he talked, the worse he was making things. "I'm sorry, Dad. Please don't think I kept this from you because I didn't trust you. It's just..." He trailed off, not knowing how to finish.
What could he possibly say to make things better? Nothing came to mind. There was only one thing he could think of doing now.
To just be honest about how he felt.
"Hiding this from you for so long... I think it wasn't just because I was scared. I was also afraid of disappointing you. I know there's nothing wrong with loving someone of the same gender. I've accepted that about myself. But I also know how society still looks at relationships like this. The whispers, the judgment, the way people talk behind your back. I didn't want that for you. I didn't want people looking at our family differently because of me. And even though I knew you wouldn't judge me, a part of me couldn't help worrying that maybe, deep down, you'd still be disappointed. That you'd wish I was different. That you'd wish I had chosen an easier path. So I kept putting off telling you. I kept telling myself there would be a better time. But that time never came, and, well, here we are."
Luo Yan felt tears prick at his eyes after saying all of that. His throat felt tight, and he had to blink several times to keep the tears from falling. But strangely, he also felt lighter. Like he had been carrying something heavy for a long time without even realizing it, and now that weight was finally gone. Before he could say anything else, he felt a pair of warm, calloused hands cup his face.
His father raised his face, a sad smile on his own. "I would never be disappointed in you, Xiao Yan. No matter who you love. No matter what path you choose. You're my son. That will never change." He paused, his thumb brushing gently over Luo Yan's cheek. "I just wish you had told me sooner. I wish I could have been there from the very beginning. So you'd know that I believed in you. In the love you chose. In the person you chose to give it to."
Luo Yan sobbed, his tears finally falling. "I'm sorry."
His father pulled him into a hug. "Shh... don't cry. Tell Ji Yun to bring his uncle on Sunday. We'll have a proper talk then."
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Luo Yan still wasn't sure where his father stood when it came to Shen Ji Yun. But at least he wasn't as angry as he had been last night.