Dancing Leaves

Question: What's the weirdest boss you've ever had?

An employee at an investment firm has something to say.

Employee 1: "This person I've been set up with keeps clinging to me lately. Have I gotten even more irresistible?"

Boss: "My boyfriend really likes me, too."

Employee 2: "He's so good-looking! Vote for him and help my darling debut!"

The boss glanced over with his aloof, disdainful eyes, then said coolly, "He's not as good-looking as my boyfriend."

Employee 3: "...Let's get noodles for lunch. A new noodle shop just opened downstairs, and the food is amazing!"

Boss: "My boyfriend is really good at making noodles, too."

Employees 1, 2, and 3: "That's right. No matter what topic you bring up, our boss has to show off his boyfriend. And we suspect he doesn't even have a boyfriend!"

So one day, all the employees asked, "Boss, can we see a picture of your boyfriend?"

The usually arrogant and self-assured boss suddenly looked aggrieved, and even a little annoyed with himself. "I don't have any pictures of him. I forgot to take one."

The employees: "See? We told you."

Is that all?

Not even close.

Employee 1 suddenly grabbed Employee 2's hand and said mysteriously, "You know what? My mother-in-law actually poured expired milk into the fish tank where I keep my koi!"

The next second, the boss appeared behind them, listening intently and even pulling out the notebook he always carried.

That's right, he was also very interested in how to handle conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.

Employee 1: "Can you imagine? He's a genius trader. He doesn't need to take notes when he's looking at the entire market, but when he listens to people's everyday family stories, he reminds me of a child in a remote mountain village thirty years ago who couldn't go to school, with eyes full of longing for knowledge."

The employees couldn't take it anymore, so they all advised him, "Boss, um, delusions can be treated. We consulted a psychologist. If you need..."

Xie Xun turned to leave. "I don't have delusions. I don't need a doctor." He took two steps, then stopped and turned back to stress, "I have a boyfriend. He's wonderful. I'm just not good enough for him."

Chu Yao, with his princely demeanor, was always gentle and refined.

Except when he brought up his ex, when he became crude and volatile: "What the hell? We should just go our separate ways? If I see him again, I'll twist his head right off. Then I'll slam it in a bathroom door and see if there's shit inside that walnut-sized brain of his!"

Later, at a company gathering, Employee 3 came sprinting back from the restroom. "Holy crap! It's true!"

"The boss really does have an incredibly, incredibly, incredibly good-looking ex-boyfriend!" They pointed behind them. "It's the honest truth. They're in the restroom right now! They're even going to crack walnuts together!"

Campus version

In the dorm room.

Chu Yao sat on the desk with his long legs crossed, telling a child who had never known a childhood the story of Rapunzel.

"A beautiful girl was imprisoned by a witch in a tall tower. The tower had no ladder or door, only a tiny window far, far above the ground."

"...The witch wanted to keep her isolated from the world, so she could stay by her side forever. But in the end, she still met her prince."

Xie Xun sat upright on a chair with his legs together, listening intently. He asked, "Then what happened?"

"Then the prince and princess lived happily ever after."

Xie Xun asked again, "Then what happened?"

Chu Yao looked at Xie Xun and suddenly understood. For most people, a fairy tale ends with "and the prince and princess lived happily ever after." But not for Xie Xun. He cared more about what that so-called happy life was actually like.

"Then what happened?" Xie Xun kept asking. "Then what happened?"

Looking into Xie Xun's bright eyes, untouched by worldly concerns, Chu Yao thought the boy was a lot like Rapunzel, living in isolation high above the world. He still hadn't left his tower.

But what did that matter? If he was a star, why drag him down to earth? Love can brave every hardship and cross every mountain and sea.

"Well, then..." Chu Yao leaned close to his ear, pretending to be mysterious. "...I'm not telling you!"

Chu Yao jumped down from the desk, pulled the person on the chair to his feet, and led him outside. "We'll talk about what happens next when it happens. I'm hungry. Let's go eat at the cafeteria."

Of course, Chu Yao wouldn't really keep the meaning of "happily ever after" from Xie Xun. It was just that putting the answer into words would make it seem too shallow. Besides, no matter how specifically Chu Yao described happiness, it still wouldn't encompass everything for Xie Xun.

Xie Xun's happiness was something he had to experience for himself.

"Then will they go to the cafeteria together?"

"Then will they plant a sunflower in the yard together?"

"Then will they..."

Many years later.

Xie Xun finally stopped asking that question over and over, because he already knew the answer.

Then they would eat breakfast together and dinner together, and tend their little garden together. They would run together, look at the stars together, and do so many other things together. They would hold hands and embrace, fall asleep together every night and wake up together every morning. Then they would eat breakfast together and dinner together...

Xie Xun was content to have finally lived the witch's life.

A clingy, possessive shou who looks down on everyone in public but is an awkward, loyal puppy in private, gong x a beautiful shou both inside and out

Theme: Those who never forget will surely be answered.