Contract Marriage

On the dining table, and still steaming hot, laid his dinner. The spread had egg-fried rice, and greens along with a saucer of cucumbers mixed in a soybean paste. Next to those were a bowl of hot chicken soup, as well as, egg-fried rice with peas and carrots mixed in. Judging by the color alone, it all looked quite good.

Those kinds of simple dishes arranged on the dinner table, appeared exceptionally warm an fragrant, allowing the originally cold mein worn on the man’s face to soften.

After drinking two mouthfuls of soup the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach calmed down. HeLian Qing then tasted a bite of the fried rice, the flavour was extraordinarily good.

Indeed, it was just as the information gathered about Han Yang said, he was truly a very good cook.

HeLian Qing used the spoon to scoop yet another bite of rice.

At that moment Han Yang, still focused on his work, began, “There were no more ingredients, so you’ll have to make do by eating this little right now. The soup was made this afternoon though.” After saying that he stopped at once, then raised his head to look at HeLian Qing, “Sorry, I... ...forgot you were coming back today.”

After that last sentence was spoken, HeLian Qing’s smoothened brows once again creased. He took the rice filled spoon to his mouth, leisurely chewing then swallowing, then somewhat mockingly spoke, “You simply didn’t remember?”

Han Yang was speechless, he really was, but this time all he could do was lower his head in silence. He didn’t know what he should say, after all, the two were still unfamiliar with each other. Even if he could say something he wouldn’t know how or what to. All he knew of HeLian Qing was just a brief introduction he found in a Finance magazine, and the impression he got when he signed the contract that day.

Seeing him once again lower his head, HeLian Qing felt a bit agitated. The delicious egg fried rice from just a moment ago, suddenly became tasteless. He looked towards Han Yang, “Have you forgotten who you are?”

You haven’t forgotten who you are.

The man’s words to Han Yang made his heart turn in circles, the corners of his mouth slipped slightly, pressing themselves together even tighter.

Who he is?

Yes of course, who he is, was HeLian Qing’s contracted wife.

At that time as payment of the debt, Han Yang believed he was sold to He LianQing to be a form of labour and such, but in the end the contract’s contents startled him. It was not that of a labourer, but one of a marital relationship.

Although same sex marriage was allowed by the law since two years ago, and if both parties were willing, they could use medical methods to extract sperm to have their own children, Han Yang had grown up in a small village. There, for such matters like marriage, the understanding of it was quite traditional. It was always about the balance between Yin and Yang, and he had never thought about the same sex in that way. In fact, strictly speaking, Han Yang cannot be said to be homosexual or heterosexual, he simply never liked anyone. Whether be it man or woman, in his lifetime, feelings of affection for another were totally nonexistent.

He spent almost twenty years just studying and making money. Although he thought that later he would marry a cute, clever, and kindhearted girl but that too was nothing but a short lived idea. What he wanted to do the most, was to keep that old man–who for many years took care of him–by his side, giving that Grandpa Sun a peaceful place to stay for the rest of his life.

Right then, HeLian Qing reminded him to not forget his identity, but what else was there to remember? Surely, it couldn’t be he wanted Han Yang to be the same as a wife who waits at home everyday for her husband to return home. Just thinking about something like that was ridiculous enough to him.

Both of Han Yang’s hands rested on the keyboard and he did not speak a word. Even by looking at the information on the screen before him, he couldn’t understand any of it.

HeLian Qing had returned and how exactly they would merge their lives had him at a loss. Why was he going to use a man’s body to act as his wife?

HeLian Qing was undoubtedly an outstanding person. A handsome appearance, a rich family background, in addition to a successful career. It was just that no matter how outstanding the other party was, Han Yang never thought about wanting to find a man.

“Are you spacing out?” He LianQing noticed Han Yang looked absentminded, so he asked in a loud voice.

“Huh?” The man’s voice interrupted his train of thought. He then lifted his head to see that the other had already eaten everything. Just by looking at the man, his words words faltered as he tried to speak.

“If you have something to say just say it. Why are you stammering, are you a girl?”

“... ...” In a few short conversations, Han Yang decisively discovered that HeLian Qing’s disposition was indeed very bad. Since the man himself said so, he no longer had any reason to hesitate. Thinking about starting to talk he said, “So you...”

HeLian Qing’s face turned cold, asking “Who do you think you’re calling?”

Han Yang, “Mr. HeLian.”

HeLian Qing, “Just call me by name, or would you rather call me ‘husband’.”

Han Yang, “... ...”

“HeLian Qing.” with regard to this HeLian Qing, Han Yang wanted to hold his forehead in his palms. He hesitated, then spoke, “I thought it over. Two weeks ago we didn’t know each other, in fact right now, we still don’t know one another... ...”

Before he finished speaking, HeLian Qing stood up from his stool walked towards him, then stood before him, “You think we don’t know each other?”

“We don’t truly know each other... ...”

“You think we don’t really know each other?”

“Other than your name, I don’t really know anything about you.”

“Oh.” HeLian Qing’s eyebrows rose, “So you meant you want to know more about me?”

“No, I meant we’re not familiar with each other, this isn’t an appropriate way for us to get to know each other.” Han Yang said.

[T/n: There are different words that express varying degrees of “to know” Han Yang changes his “know” from the more shallow (知道:zhī dào), then (认识:rèn shi) to the deeper meaning (了解:lIǎo jiě) but even these could have a shallow meaning if one misinterprets them like HeLian Qing does so Han Yang literally says “熟悉:shù xī: “familiar with” which has the most intimate meaning]

“Familiar with each other?” HeLian Qing scoffed, “I’ve already read your profile earlier, if you want, I can five you a copy of my profile too.”

Han Yang, “... ...”

“That’s not what I meant.” Han Yang tried to explain, “I’m saying, we don’t have the foundations of a relationship. Right now this kind of relationship, You...don’t you think this method is too rash? I think we have to talk about this.”

In the end, Han Yang was still dissatisfied with the relationship between the two.

After listening to him, HeLian Qing silently watched him for a few seconds, a smile–yet not a smile, rose on his lips, as he said, “Talk about what? About how your parents debt began in the first place? Or is it about you signing that contract? When you signed it back then you were unexpectedly quite happy, so is it that now you’re scared?”

His words cut like a knife, slicing through Han Yang’s calm demeanor, revealing the sorrow he choked down that day.

Even though on that day he feigned staunch indifference regarding his own parents using him as “repayment” in that deal. He still could not hide within the depths of his heart the lie of him being unbothered, that it wasn’t a big deal.

HeLian Qing spoke indifferently, “Don’t delude yourself into thinking this can change, you don’t have the power to change it. Also, tomorrow morning, you’re coming with me on a trip back home.”

“Tomorrow I...” Han Yang began.

“I’m telling you, not asking for your opinion.” HeLian Qing interrupted him to add, while quietly giving him a quick, dismal glance, “Besides, an ugly daughter-in-law, nevertheless, has to meet her parents-in-law.”

[T/n: 丑 媳妇总要见公婆的(The ugly wife will have to meet has to meet her in-laws) is an idiom meaning: things can’t be hidden and will always be revealed.]

Han Yang, “... ...”

In his twenty years of life, Han Yang suddenly became aware that he was ugly.

“Understand? If you do, say something.” HeLian Qing asked.

“Yeah.” Han Yang answered.

Having received his answer, HeLian Qing returned to his room. Those last two weeks of work actually made him a bit exhausted.

In the living room, only one person remained. Han Yang absentmindedly tapped away on his keyboard, when he returned from his daze he found that on his screen was a huge string of nonsensical code.

Sighing faintly, he deleted the lines before saving the file and shutting down his computer.

Putting the computer aside, Han Yang slipped on his slippers, then took HeLian Qing’s used dishes to the kitchen, washing them clean.

Having no way to avoid the matter, since things were as they were, he could only take it one step at a time.

As soon as he finished with washing up, Han Yang returned to the bedroom to find HeLian Qing already fast asleep.

With only a thin quilt covering his waist, the man’s sturdy back was entirely exposed. Han Yang didn’t think that this kind of strong, stoic man would actually like laying on his stomach as he slept. The act made the face atop the pillow, not have the same cold look as before.

For a night at the beginning of autumn, it was somewhat cold so Han Yang went to the bedside, took hold of the quilt, pulling it up to cover the man’s back. Afterwards, he intended to go sleep in the guest room but surprisingly, just as he started to leave his hand was grabbed, turning him around to see that just sleeping person now wide awake.

“Where are you going?” HeLian Qing asked while still holding his hand.

“I’m heading to the guest room to sleep.” Han Yang responded.

After he finished speaking, HeLian Qing eyes once again appeared to be taunting him. Looking at him, the man spoke, “We are still not married so you intend to sleep in a second room, but sooner or later you will be mine, so there’s no need to.”

Han Yang, “... ...”

Actually, what HeLian Qing said was not wrong, sooner or later, there’d be no need to.

But deep inside Han Yang’s heart was the courage to believe that he could avoid that day.

However, at this moment, given the current situation there was not much possibility of that, as HeLian Qing’s strong hold on his arm bore an unquestionable meaning.

Several seconds passed as Han Yang convinced himself HeLian Qing regarded the matter the same as classmates in a dormitory, the only difference being, the classmates would sleep together on the same bed at night. This way of thinking allowed him to nod and say, he understood. Hearing him, HeLian Qing released his hold.

Han Yang turned around, headed for the other side of the bed and immediately laid down. The bed was huge, even with those two on it, the distance between them was large enough to fit two other persons.

HeLian Qing, through half opened eyes, looked at Han Yang as he laid down on the edge of the bed. Unsatisfied, he reached over to pull Han Yang towards him, embracing him, “What are you doing laying so far away? I wanted to do this, it’ll be pointless if you ended up sleeping on the floor.”

Do......

Do what?

Han Yang simply couldn’t dare think of what that meant.

HeLian Qing, “Now be quiet, I won’t touch you today so go to sleep, I’m very tired.”

Because the two were pressed together quite closely, the other man’s voice was practically in his ear. Han Yang was not accustomed to the man’s heated breath, his ears felt a bit hot, and HeLian Qing hadn’t worn a shirt!

HeLian Qing was truly very tired it seemed, after saying those words, he had fallen fast asleep once more. His arm was fixed across Han Yang’s waist, while his chest was stuck to Han Yang’s arm. His body heat made Han Yang feel as if his own arm was roasting, but he didn’t dare move so simply he remained still, all he could do was stare blankly at the ceiling.

Other than sleeping together with Grandpa during his childhood, Han Yang had never been so intimate to another person. Even though he got along with his classmates, his relationship with them hadn’t gone to the point of sharing a bed with each other. Now, he was unable to put into words the feeling in his heart, though he didn’t completely hate it, he didn’t like it either.

This strangeness, made Han Yang’s innermost being feel insecure.

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four sheep, five sheep......

In the past, he was able to sleep just fine, but with the other person beside him he couldn’t fall asleep as easily. Ultimately, he could only employ the common go-to method of hypnosis, counting sheep.

Even after counting to a thousand, Han Yang still showed no signs of sleepiness. The steady breathing of the one beside him told him HeLian Qing was indeed sleeping. Turning his head slightly, He looked at the handsome face resting on the pillow next to him, he really thought about going on the floor instead.

One HeLian Qing, two HeLian Qing’s, three HeLian Qing’s, four HeLian Qing’s, five HeLian Qing’s......

Still counting, Han Yang finally, after countless sheep which transformed into HeLian Qing’s, fell asleep.

...............................