The Sun from Afar

Excerpts:

1. Lu Yuanming tried to explain to him, "We're just friends. You've mistaken our feelings for love..."

He Yang looked at him expressionlessly. "Would you want to kiss your friend? Want to sleep with him? Want to marry him? I do."

Lu Yuanming was stumped by his blunt words. He lowered his head to avoid He Yang's gaze. "He Yang, stop messing around."

"If you want, I can be your friend. But I can also play any other role in your life. If you're willing, we can have any kind of relationship." He Yang gazed intently at him, like a criminal awaiting sentencing.

2. The two of them should have met long ago. This meeting came later than Lu Yuanming had expected.

Mrs. Xu said, "My son likes you, but who knows if it's just novelty or a bit of fun? Without you, he could have a brighter, smoother future. If you choose this path, you should know how difficult it is. I don't want my son to have to endure other people's judgment. If you truly care about him, I beg you: can you let him go?"

"Auntie," Lu Yuanming replied with a polite smile, "I think you've got the wrong person. I'm no one to him. His future isn't in my hands. Besides, your son is exceptional. I don't think I'm so awful that I could stand in anyone's way."

Lu Yuanming finished his tea and continued, "Auntie, the person you should be talking to is him. Ask him to give me up."

He stood and left. The sun was dazzling, and he walked in the shadow of the buildings.

3. Mrs. Xu cried, as vulnerable and helpless as any mother worried about her child.

Zhou Tingyu handed her a tissue to wipe her tears.

After a moment, Mrs. Xu asked her, "What about you? Could you accept it if your son were gay? Even though I know it's not an illness, and I know it can't be changed, I would respect anyone else's choice. But he's my son. He's been exceptional since he was little and has never experienced any setbacks. I only want his life to go smoothly. This path is much harder than they think. How could I bear to see him suffer?"

Zhou Tingyu said gently, "I can accept it precisely because I know how hard this path is. As you said, they'll face so many difficulties. I'm their mother. I don't want to be one of the obstacles in their way. On the contrary, I want to be their unwavering support.

"If I have a child, I'll tell them that as long as they grow up well and don't become bad people, I'll always be their mother, never an obstacle."