Let’s Put a Stamp on It
“Dating a boy?” Xiang Yizhi couldn’t help but repeat, still in disbelief. “Maybe it’s a misunderstanding?”
“Shh, not so loud!” He Xi pressed a finger to her lips and glanced toward Lu Xingjia’s room before continuing anxiously, “Definitely not! I saw it with my own eyes—they, they…”
She paused, then forced out the rest,
“I saw Jia Jia kiss that boy!”
At that, Xiang Yizhi’s brows furrowed deeply. He led her to the nearby sofa. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
He Xi nodded, steadied herself, and recounted what she had just seen. When she finished, she let out a heavy sigh.
“That kid Qin Mudong is actually really good. When they were little, he was the only one willing to play with Jia Jia and wouldn’t let other kids bully him. In high school too, it’s thanks to him Jia Jia made it to the second round of the physics competition, and he even tutors him. If it weren’t for this situation, I’d be thrilled they were so close. But why did it have to turn out like this…”
The more He Xi thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Guilt crept in.
“Come to think of it, Jia Jia’s always liked clinging to Qin Mudong since he was little—always praised him, always said he liked ‘Mudong Ge’ the most. Could it be… because I was too busy with work and didn’t give him enough attention? That he’s now turned to his childhood friend for love…”
“Don’t think like that! This isn’t your fault,” Xiang Yizhi quickly interrupted, putting an arm around her shoulder.
“Everyone sees how much you care for Jia Jia. And besides, you work hard for him. He definitely understands that.”
“But why him, of all people…” He Xi grabbed a tissue and pressed it to her eyes. The paper quickly soaked through.
“What will his classmates think if they find out? What about the teachers? What about society in the future?”
“Don’t panic, Xiao Xi, don’t panic,” Xiang Yizhi said, fumbling to help her wipe her tears. Once she had calmed down a bit, he said gently,
“Maybe it’s not as serious as you think. They’re still in high school, still going through puberty. This might just be a phase. After some time, things might naturally fade.”
He Xi said uneasily, “But what if… it’s not just a phase?”
“How about this,” Xiang Yizhi thought for a moment and said,
“In another six months, Jia Jia will be taking the college entrance exam. If you confront him now, and he reacts negatively or becomes emotionally unstable, it could affect his whole future. Let’s observe for a while longer—don’t bring it up directly yet. Maybe just drop some hints or gentle reminders.”
He Xi had originally refrained from saying anything for this very reason, and now, hearing Xiang Yizhi’s advice, she pressed her fingers to her temples and finally nodded.
“Alright.”
“Don’t worry,” Xiang Yizhi said, gently brushing aside the sweat-dampened hair stuck to her temple.
“Jia Jia is such a good, obedient boy. Everything will be fine.”
Leaning on his shoulder, He Xi finally let her tightly-wound nerves relax. Exhausted, she murmured,
“Thank you, Yizhi. If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t know what to do.”
“It’s alright. Everything will be fine.” Xiang Yizhi gently comforted her.
……
Meanwhile, neither Qin Mudong nor Lu Xingjia showed any unusual expression, so Lu Xingjia didn’t notice anything amiss. He even teased his mom a little, asking why she had called Uncle Xiang over so late.
He Xi and Xiang Yizhi just laughed dryly. He Xi made up a random excuse, then quickly changed the topic and urged Lu Xingjia to go to bed—gently hinting that it was time for Qin Mudong to leave.
Lu Xingjia chuckled and shook his head, assuming He Xi was just being shy, and didn’t think much of it. He walked Qin Mudong home, the two of them getting in a few more kisses and snuggles along the way before officially entering their long-distance relationship phase.
Fortunately, thanks to his exceptional performance, Qin Mudong earned the trust of his training coach and was granted rare permission to use his phone, which made their time apart a bit more bearable.
The training camp schedule was tight, and Lu Xingjia also had classes to attend. The two of them agreed to talk on the phone every night between 10:30 and 11:00 PM for half an hour. The rest of the time, they each focused on their own tasks.
Qin Mudong didn’t talk much—most of the conversation was carried by Lu Xingjia. But senior year review life was dull and repetitive. Sometimes, when Lu Xingjia ran out of topics, the line would fall silent, and all that remained was the sound of their breathing.
At times like that, Lu Xingjia would usually ask, “Are you still listening?”
Qin Mudong would quietly respond with an “Mm.” Even through the receiver, the warmth in his voice could still be felt.
But still, they often didn’t know what to talk about.
So Lu Xingjia would say, “Maybe… we should hang up for today?”
“No.”
Qin Mudong’s replies were always fast and firm.
“Then what should we talk about?” Lu Xingjia would say, helpless but amused.
“Anything,” Qin Mudong’s voice would become low, almost pleading, “I just want to hear you talk. Anything is fine.”
At that, Lu Xingjia’s heart would melt completely.
Later, Lu Xingjia came up with an idea: he would read his physics homework out loud, and the two of them would work on it together.
Qin Mudong always responded quickly. Even though he couldn’t see the questions, he always seemed to know them in advance. Sometimes, Lu Xingjia would only just finish reading the question before Qin Mudong gave the answer.
Even though he already knew how capable Qin Mudong was, Lu Xingjia still felt a little defeated.
Later on, Lu Xingjia got smarter—he would work through the problems in advance and only ask about the ones he couldn’t solve, just like how they used to discuss problems when they were desk mates.
Their discussions were sometimes intense, sometimes sweet. Lu Xingjia always found himself smiling while on the phone, even his tone sounding lighter.
He Xi would sometimes listen at the door, feeling both happy and worried. In fleeting moments, she’d think: If only I’d seen wrong that day… If only they were just good friends…
Every mother hopes her child will be happy, but she was so afraid—afraid of how the world would treat Lu Xingjia, how others would look at him differently.
Two months passed like this, filled with nightly phone calls and He Xi’s conflicted emotions. Qin Mudong finished his first round of national team training and returned to Xingjiang.
He still didn’t choose to return to school full-time, but he tutored Lu Xingjia every lunchtime and weekend.
By senior year, more students stayed in the classroom on weekends to study. The classrooms were always packed, rarely any empty seats. Luckily, the two of them knew the lab teacher and could study in the lab, so lunchtime and weekends became the time Lu Xingjia most looked forward to.
Every day at noon, Qin Mudong would wait for Lu Xingjia outside the teaching building. They’d go to the cafeteria together for lunch, then borrow the lab key and go study.
Qin Mudong’s presence on campus became so frequent that former students in the competition class were surprised to see him. Every time they passed by him, they’d involuntarily turn back to look.
One noon, while they were eating, a bold boy couldn’t hold back anymore. Encouraged by his friends, he sat down across from them with his tray and said, “Qin-ge, didn’t you already get a guaranteed admission? Why are you still coming to school?”
Qin Mudong was always cold toward strangers. Seeing that the boy was unfamiliar, he gave a distant look and didn’t even acknowledge the question—acting as if he hadn’t heard it.
But being too cold could also make people dislike you. So Lu Xingjia smiled and explained for him, “Oh, it’s like this. Since he doesn’t have much to do at home, his family asked him to come help the lab teacher out, and also to get some physical exercise.”
Qin Mudong’s gaze flickered slightly but he didn’t refute it.
The boy’s expression changed instantly. His eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Qin Mudong: “Qin-ge really is different from us—excelling in morals, intellect, physical ability, aesthetics, and labor! Such noble character deserves to be learned by all of us!”
This boy was also a former student in the competition class, quite eloquent and well-connected. Their conversation quickly spread.
Later on, somehow, Lu Xingjia’s words got twisted. It became: “Even the top student who got guaranteed admission comes to school every day—what excuse do you have not to work hard?”
As a result, every time other students saw Qin Mudong, they’d look at him with a strange mix of awe and admiration. Even their gazes toward Lu Xingjia were tinged with a bit more respect.
Lu Xingjia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, once again sighing at how rumors always spread like this.
But deep down, he also felt incredibly thankful—that this version of Qin Mudong didn’t have to suffer from the hurtful gossip and rumors like in his past life.
Still, it was technically an inspiring rumor, so Lu Xingjia didn’t take it too seriously. But that day after they went to the lab, Qin Mudong closed the door, pulled him close, and kissed him.
Lu Xingjia was dizzy from the kiss. During a breathless pause, he mumbled, “What’s wrong?”
Qin Mudong’s voice was low and husky, his warm breath falling on him, expression unreadable. “My family asked me to come?”
Lu Xingjia hadn’t even thought about that—his face flushed instantly. He fumbled for a while before mumbling, “I-I didn’t say anything wrong…”
“No, you didn’t.” Qin Mudong rubbed his lips gently. “Seal it with a stamp—it’s official now.”
He must’ve learned that from somewhere—childish, yet somehow incredibly endearing.
After he let go, Lu Xingjia mimicked him and gave him a quick peck. “Now you can’t run away anymore.”
…..
On the other side, He Xi and Xiang Yizhi had been researching extensively, looking through information online and in the library. They found many related QQ groups and connected with other parents who had similar experiences.
Some people told them that this was a kind of illness and that the child needed to receive treatment early to turn things around. Others said that sexual orientation is innate, that the children had done nothing wrong — they just happened to fall in love with someone of the same gender.
Sitting at the desk, staring at the overwhelming amount of information, Xiang Yizhi sighed and asked He Xi what she planned to do.
He Xi lifted her eyes from the computer screen and shook her head in a daze. “I don’t know.”
There was too much information all at once — she no longer knew which side to believe.
“Trust your instincts,” Xiang Yizhi said, propping his forehead in his hand, brows slightly furrowed. “Maybe you could talk to them.”
“Talk to them?” He Xi was confused. “But didn’t you say we should avoid distracting Jia Jia so he can focus on the college entrance exam?”
“Not directly about this — just probe a little, test how they feel about each other. That way we can better judge how far they’ve gone,” Xiang Yizhi considered aloud. “Isn’t Lunar New Year in half a month? How about inviting them over to the house then?”
He Xi thought about it and agreed it might be a workable approach. After all, this concerned the future of both kids — she couldn’t afford to act recklessly.
The next day, when He Xi invited Qin Mudong to come over for New Year’s Eve dinner, Lu Xingjia sensed something unusual in her tone. But he genuinely wanted to spend the holiday with Qin Mudong, so he pushed down his unease and invited him.
On New Year’s Eve morning, Lu Xingjia and Qin Mudong were sent out to buy groceries, while He Xi and Xiang Yizhi stayed home kneading dough, waiting for the boys to return so they could make dumplings together.
At the supermarket, Lu Xingjia followed the long list He Xi had given: ground meat, pork ribs, a whole chicken, various seasonings, and some snacks — quickly filling up the cart.
When it came to choosing the dumpling filling, Lu Xingjia hesitated.
To his left were bundles of corn wrapped in green leaves, and to his right, fresh green chives. He turned to Qin Mudong and asked, “Chive and meat, or corn and meat — which one do you want?”
“Either is fine,” Qin Mudong replied.
After a moment of thought, Lu Xingjia said, “You’ve probably had the corn and meat ones plenty of times. But I don’t think you’ve tried my mom’s chive and meat dumplings yet. They’re really good — let’s go with those today.”
As he spoke, he walked toward the chives.
Qin Mudong nodded and followed, helping him pick some out.
From not far off, a voice rang out from the frozen foods section: “Come take a look, dumpling promotion going on now! Original price…”
The promoter was the same person as last year when Qin Mudong had visited — even the phrases being shouted were nearly identical.
But hearing it this time felt completely different.
Qin Mudong glanced at the person beside him.
Lu Xingjia was focused, carefully choosing between bundles of chives in each hand, brows slightly furrowed in concentration — an expression so serious it was adorable.
Unable to resist, Qin Mudong reached out under the pretense of helping and brushed his fingers against Lu Xingjia’s. “Let’s go with this bunch.”
He still looked as cool and composed as ever on the outside.
Lu Xingjia had been undecided anyway. Seeing Qin Mudong make a choice, he nodded and tossed the chives into the cart.
He hadn’t noticed Qin Mudong’s subtle little gesture — not until, after weighing the chives, Qin Mudong took them from his hand and his fingers brushed a slow circle across Lu Xingjia’s palm.
Lu Xingjia’s palm tingled and burned like it had been zapped. He cast a warning glance at Qin Mudong, but then couldn’t help himself — in a spot no one could see, he hooked his pinky finger around his.
The supermarket was noisy and crowded, but between the two of them, there was a world of their own.
…..
By the time they got home, it was already noon. After a simple lunch, He Xi suggested the four of them make dumplings together.
The kneaded dough was rolled into logs and cut into small portions. After the filling was prepared, He Xi took charge of rolling out the wrappers, while the other three worked on wrapping.
The three men weren’t very experienced in the kitchen, so their dumplings came out lopsided and uneven. Some even had broken wrappers.
He Xi couldn’t bear to watch. She set down her rolling pin, took the half-wrapped dumpling skin from Xiang Yizhi’s hand, and said, “Watch closely. This is how it’s done.”
“First scoop a bit of filling into the center, then pinch both sides together. After that, crimp a little pleat.”
Her hands were nimble. In just a few moves, a plump, round dumpling lay quietly in her palm.
The other three stared in awe. After several seconds, Lu Xingjia blinked and said, “Mom, you’re amazing!”
Xiang Yizhi chimed in, “As expected of my wife!”
“What wife?” He Xi shot him a look and continued rolling dough. “You haven’t even proposed yet. How am I your wife?”
Hearing this, Lu Xingjia grinned and excitedly asked, “Mom, when are you two getting married?”
“I’ve never agreed to it,” He Xi said with a playful pout.
Xiang Yizhi laughed heartily. After he finished laughing, his expression turned sincere as he looked at Lu Xingjia. “Jia Jia, Uncle Xiang wants to marry your mom. Do you approve?”
“Me?” Lu Xingjia was momentarily stunned, then smiled again. “As long as you treat her well, I’ve got no objections.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Xiang Yizhi quickly assured, “If we get married in the future, if Xiao Xi tells me to go east, I’d never go west. If she tells me to bark once, I’d never bark twice.”
“So cheeky!” He Xi’s face turned a little red. She deliberately tapped the rolling pin, pretending to be angry. “Hurry up and wrap the dumplings. If you don’t wrap them well, just wait and see!”
The two of them bickered playfully on the side, while Lu Xingjia watched with amusement. But after only a few sentences, He Xi suddenly changed the subject and threw the question toward him.
“By the way, Jia Jia, and Mudong too,” He Xi glanced at the two of them, seemingly casually, “We’ve talked about ourselves, but you two aren’t kids anymore. Is there any girl you like at school?”
Her tone was relaxed and smiling, but the pronunciation of the word “girl” was unconsciously emphasized.
Lu Xingjia’s heart gave a heavy thud.
Could it be that He Xi really found something out?