"Why?" Da Han asked.
"Because I wanted it all out in the open. I've always had a thing for Chen. For years, and he never looked my way when I was younger. But now I'm grown—"
"Debatable," Da Han snapped.
Yìchén huffed. "Dad, I just didn't want to sneak around anymore. I didn't want him to feel like he needed to hide his attraction to me from you anymore. So, I ripped the band-aid off."
Da Han shook his head. "I don't really get involved with who you want to fuck. But Chen is different. He's my right hand. He goes where I go, and when I return to Beijing, he will return with me. Where does that leave you two as a couple?"
Yìchén bit his bottom lip and pouted. "Does he have to return with you?"
Da Han crossed his arms over his chest. "Did you not think about that scenario when you were seducing him?"
"You have other men who can accompany you back to China," Yìchén said.
"Chen spent the majority of his life working his way up the ladder in the triad, and because your ass tingles for his cock, you expect him to give all of that up for you?" Da Han asked him.
"I mean—"
"What are you willing to sacrifice for him, Yìchén?" Da Han interjected.
"If he has to travel back with you, fine. I'll find a great college for arts in Beijing. I don't want him to give up his life like that. I mean, we've just started; it might not even work out, but we'll never know if we can't give it a chance," Yìchén said.
Da Han's jaw was tight, but he wanted to smile because it was a rare occasion that he got to witness his son show some maturity. "Do you mean that?"
Yìchén nodded. "I've wanted that man since I was twelve."
Da Han frowned. "Twelve?" he asked, shocked that his son had those desires for Chen at that age.
Mèng Yáo shook her head but remained silent to hear Yìchén's explanation.
Yìchén nodded. "It started off as a crush. I mean, I also had the same crush on several actors and singers. I knew then that I had a thing for men, not boys. I've never been attracted to men my own age or even a few years older. No, I like that age gap to be wide—but not too wide—not trying to visit nursing homes for a date."
Da Han rolled his eyes at that. "I will get to the point then. I won't stand in the way of your relationship with Chen, but you two need to figure out who stays in New York and who moves back to Beijing. If Chen stays, he will become Li's right-hand man, serving him as he served me."
"But if he's not willing to do that, then you will need to come wiht us to Beijing," Mèng Yáo said.
"But if he stays, who will go with you?" Yìchén asked.
"Zhang Ying will be promoted to the position of my right hand," Da Han said.
"Ohhh, wise choice, Dad." Yìchén smiled.
Da Han nodded. "Chen and I have discussed this, so he knows his options, and now you do too. Get together with Chen and figure out what the fuck you two want to do, then get back with me."
Yìchén leaped off the bed and hugged his father. "Thank you so much, Dad. You're awesome."
Da Han sighed but hugged his son back. "You're lucky Chen is willing to stay for you if you want to live in New York."
"I just want to point out that the option for staying in New York rests entirely on whether or not we win this war. If we don't..." Mèng Yáo let her words fade because she didn't want tothink of a scenario where they'd lose, because at what cost? She couldn't think of a world without Da Han by her side.
Da Han released his son and hugged his wife and kissed her temple. "That will never happen."
She didn't argue, only nodded and took his hand into hers.
"And I'm willing to leave for him," Yìchén said as he stepped back to the bed and sat down.
Da Han nodded and pulled out his phone when it started ringing. He saw that it was his brother, Tian Yu, calling, and he hoped to hear good news. "Do you have him?" he asked about Zindel.
