DSMIS CH62

Chapter 62: Coming Out in Tianjin

Joyous vacations are always fleeting. By Sunday afternoon, the two had already returned to Fulan County. In bed that night, Shen Xing was exceptionally clingy, his hands roving restlessly over Jiang Lin’s body, acting even more wheedling than Qianjin:

“I finally understand why people get post-vacation blues. Taking time off is wonderful—I don’t want to go to work. I can’t even remember what I did at the hospital on Friday; my head is entirely filled with snow-capped mountains.”

Though holding back tested his willpower to the limit, Jiang Lin didn’t dare indulge too frequently. He simply gathered him into his arms, kissed him, and said softly:

“You haven’t taken your annual leave this year, right? When your Yunnan aid mission ends, why not take some time off? Wherever you want to go, I’ll go with you.”

Hearing “annual leave,” Shen Xing laughed:

“Captain Jiang, has there ever been a time in your life when you actually finished your annual leave?”

Jiang Lin fell silent for a moment. Truthfully, he had never once used up his annual leave.

“Haven’t you heard the saying? ‘Once you enter a hospital, it’s as deep as the sea; from then on, annual leave is a stranger.'”

The days grew progressively warmer. As expected, Jiang Lin’s application to extend his posting in Yunnan was rejected. Shen Xing wasn’t particularly disappointed; after all, for a decorated core officer like Jiang Lin, the superiors back home were bound to be eager to pull him back. Shen Xing hadn’t held out much hope that Jiang Lin could stay with him until October anyway.

Yet once June passed, Shen Xing felt the days turning as fast as flipping pages in a book. In what felt like the blink of an eye, the day of Jiang Lin’s departure was upon them.

Coming home one evening, Shen Xing caught Qianjin “stealing” Heibao’s canned food again. He walked over and tugged at his dog’s ears, but didn’t take the food away:

“Eat up. In a few days, there won’t be anyone—or rather, any dog—to give up their canned food for you.”

The silly Samoyed could only comprehend the keyword “canned food.” Completely oblivious to the impending parting, it remained snout-deep in the bowl, eating contentedly.

July arrived right on schedule, and Jiang Lin began packing his belongings. He had brought very little with him initially; his life back home had always been a simple back-and-forth between his apartment and the precinct. Aside from a few necessities in the master bedroom, the rest of the flat had looked almost as bare and empty as the day he moved in. But the moment he started packing now, he realized this little apartment, where he had lived for barely a year, held far more things than his place back in Tianjin.

The kitchen was fully stocked with spices and seasonings; the refrigerator held two entire shelves of fresh fruit and drinks. Director Shen was a man who pursued quality of life, constantly adding little touches to the home. There were over a dozen drinking cups alone—every single one in a matching pair—along with soft furnishings and knick-knacks scattered throughout the rooms. The cozy, lived-in warmth made it look nothing like a temporary dwelling meant for just a single year.

Shen Xing sat on the sofa, hugging a throw pillow:

“Once you leave, this apartment has to be handed back to the bureau anyway. I’ll take the things I want to use back next door to my place. You just pack your personal essentials; I’ll get a courier to ship the rest back for you.”

Since Jiang Lin wore his police uniform to work every day, his personal wardrobe was minimal. Packed to the brim, it took barely two large suitcases to fit it all, with the remaining household goods sealed into courier boxes for direct shipment. He walked over and pulled the man on the sofa into his arms. Shen Xing rested his head on Jiang Lin’s shoulder:

“I’ll drive you to Baoshan the day after tomorrow. I’ve already taken leave.”

Shen Xing had been single since the womb and was a surgeon by trade, which usually made him fairly immune to the melancholy of goodbyes. With classmates, friends, and colleagues constantly coming and going, he had never felt anything dramatic about parting—a farewell meal or a few drinks was usually enough to see someone off. He had never considered it a big deal.

Yet this time, a dull, persistent ache weighed on his chest. He knew modern transport was convenient; flying from Baoshan to Tianjin took barely three hours, and if they squeezed their schedules, meeting up once a week wasn’t impossible. He also knew three months would pass in the blink of an eye, and he would be back in Tianjin soon enough. Even so, his heart felt heavy.

Jiang Lin hated seeing him downcast, but couldn’t bear the thought of him exhausting himself:

“How will you get back?”

“I rented a car. Everything’s arranged. I can return it directly at the county branch—it just costs a bit extra for the relocation fee.”

The day of Jiang Lin’s departure was clear and bright. Shen Xing led Qianjin into the passenger seat. Jiang Lin looked at the white furball:

“Qianjin gets carsick. Maybe we should leave him at home.”

“Let’s bring him. He’s mooched so many cans of food off Heibao; the least he can do is see his Bao-ge off.”

They set off down National Highway 219—the very same road Shen Xing had traveled when he first arrived. Gripping the steering wheel, Shen Xing glanced sideways:

“Did you take this road the first time you came to Fulan County too?”

Jiang Lin nodded:

“Yeah. Back then, Liu Xiaohu was transferred through Baoshan Hospital, where we observed him for two days. I remember it rained the whole time. The weather couldn’t compare to today.”

In truth, it wasn’t just the weather; looking back, his mindset upon first arriving in Yunnan was worlds apart from how he felt today. Back then, he had just been forced to accept the reality that his body would never fully recover, all while shouldering the weight of a colleague who might never wake up. Coming to Yunnan had felt more like an unavoidable duty, or perhaps an opportunity to temporarily flee his old environment.

He had expected the year to slip by in dull, numb monotony. Never could he have imagined that a somewhat dramatic encounter at a highway service station would completely upend the trajectory of his life. From that point on, it was as if even the weather in Yunnan had cleared. What he had anticipated to be a dry, tedious assignment turned into the most vibrant, colorful period of his life. At this moment, he wished more than anything that the road from the county town to Baoshan could stretch on forever.

The black Land Cruiser pulled into a highway service area they both knew intimately. Spotting the station, Jiang Lin laughed:

“Need to use the bathroom? I brought tissues—plenty to go around.”

Shen Xing laughed in exasperation:

“Get lost. I’m just getting out for a cup of coffee to wake myself up.”

July was the peak tourist season in Yunnan. Even the parking lot of this usually quiet service area was half-full of cars.

Jiang Lin stepped out of the vehicle and noticed Shen Xing eyeing him while fishing around in his jacket pocket. After fumbling for a few seconds, Shen Xing actually pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

Shen Xing raised an eyebrow at him:

“Smoke one for me to see, Captain Jiang. I remember now—I did see you smoke once. The very first time, right here.”

Both amused and helpless, Jiang Lin took the cigarette pack from his hands, tapped out a cigarette, deftly held it between his fingers, and placed it between his lips. Director Shen cooperatively leaned in to flick a lighter for him, then squinted up at him through the smoke:

“Mm. The man I set my sights on is truly a feast for the eyes.”

Director Shen’s gaze was as alluring as a mischievous cat’s. If there hadn’t been so many bystanders around, Jiang Lin would have pinned him against the car and kissed him senseless.

Past this rest stop, Baoshan was close at hand. At the service station nearest to the city limits, the rental car Shen Xing had booked was already waiting. Beyond this point, Jiang Lin would merge onto the expressway and head straight north.

The moment of separation had truly arrived.

Jiang Lin stepped out and conducted a thorough bumper-to-bumper check of Shen Xing’s rental car. Satisfied that everything was in working order, he turned around and pulled Shen Xing into a fierce embrace, dipping his head to share a brief, tender kiss:

“Head back. Drive carefully on the road.”

Shen Xing tightened his arms around Jiang Lin’s waist:

“You too. Don’t drive non-stop. Pull over and rest if your leg starts aching.”

“Alright. I’ll watch you leave first.”

Neither of them had a naturally clingy disposition—but Qianjin certainly did. Just as Shen Xing moved to hustle the Samoyed into the rental car, the dog began circling Heibao, rubbing against the shepherd with desperate affection. Shen Xing tugged at the leash:

“Let’s go. This is as far as you can escort your Bao-ge. When Daddy gets back to Tianjin, you’ll see each other again.”

The Samoyed didn’t understand. Its round, fluffy body stubbornly crowded against Heibao, making Shen Xing, who was yanking on the leash, look entirely like the Queen Mother of the West tearing the lovers apart. In the end, the “Queen Mother” had no choice but to physically haul the massive white furball into the vehicle.

Even once inside, Qianjin pressed both front paws against the glass, whining loudly at Heibao below as if pleading for him to jump in. Heibao stepped forward a few paces, only to be held back by Jiang Lin. While the two men kept their emotions tightly reigned in, the dogs laid their heartbreak bare for the world to see.

Finally, Shen Xing climbed into the driver’s seat. Jiang Lin shut the car door for him, holding back Heibao from pawing at the side panel, and watched Shen Xing’s car pull out of the service station before returning to his own vehicle to embark on the long drive north.

Jiang Lin arrived in Tianjin at noon on the third day. Knowing Director Shen was likely in surgery, he simply sent a text message:

I’ve arrived home safely. Don’t worry, I’ll video call you later tonight.

He drove straight to his parents’ place—a spacious flat in an upscale residential development built a few years prior. Mother Jiang had personally rolled out handmade noodles and directed Father Jiang in stir-frying several dishes. The moment Jiang Lin walked through the door, the final dish had just left the wok. Father Jiang poked his head out from the kitchen:

“Aiyoyo, your timing is impeccable! The last dish just came off the stove.”

Mother Jiang hurried out of the kitchen, her eyes instantly brimming with unshed tears the moment she saw him. Her son had left for Yunnan carrying an entire body of injuries. During their video calls, he had naturally reported only the good news and swallowed the bad. Jiang Lin smiled, dipping his head to give her a warm hug:

“You little rascal, you actually remembered to come home.”

Carrying the platters to the table, Father Jiang looked his son up and down:

“Hey, did you get taller again?”

Mother Jiang shot him a teasing glare:

“Taller or not, he’s still taller than you.”

Father Jiang let out a proud huff:

“What did I eat growing up, and what did he eat? If he couldn’t outgrow me, all that good food would’ve gone to waste.”

After lunch, Father Jiang brought out a landscape-painted blue-and-white porcelain tea set he had won at an auction, settling in to show off his prized tea:

“I just got my hands on some top-grade Da Hong Pao. You’re in for a treat, boy.”

In the past, Jiang Lin had always been consumed by work. Whenever he visited, he usually ate a quick meal and rushed off; leisurely post-lunch tea sessions as a family of three were exceptionally rare. Mother Jiang set out a fruit platter, changed into a comfortable loungewear set, and joined them in the tea room.

A rich, roasted aroma soon filled the room as the vibrant, luminous tea liquor was decanted into the delicate porcelain cups. Jiang Lin took a sip, then looked up:

“Dad, Mom, there’s something I want to tell you.”

Both parents looked up simultaneously. Seeing her son’s formal posture, Mother Jiang straightened her back as well:

“Is it about your work assignment?”

“No. It’s personal.”

Hearing that it was personal, Mother Jiang visibly relaxed. Father Jiang chimed in:

“You actually have a personal life? I thought you sold your soul to the public security department.”

“I’m in a relationship.”

Both parents’ eyes widened in unison. Father Jiang’s hand trembled so violently on the teapot lid that a splash of precious tea spilled outside the pitcher. Before either could fire off a question, Jiang Lin delivered the second blow straight to the point:

“With a man.”

If the announcement of a relationship was a boulder dropped into a quiet pond, this second sentence was a thunderclap on a cloudless day. Mother Jiang blinked repeatedly, completely thrown:

“A… a man? A boyfriend? Son, you… when did you start liking…”

Mother Jiang considered herself an attentive mother. How on earth had she never noticed her son liked men? Had he remained single all these years simply because he couldn’t bring himself to break the news to them? Had his near-fatal injuries from last year caused him to reflect on his mortality and finally speak his truth?

Jiang Lin took another sip of tea, the tips of his ears flushing a rare, subtle red:

“Never before. I just love him.”

The couple exchanged a stunned glance. Father Jiang looked as if he wanted to speak, but Mother Jiang reached down under the table and firmly gripped his pant leg. She took a deep breath. Shocking as the news was, shock was always relative. Compared to the phone call informing them that their son was critically injured on an operating table, having a boyfriend paled in comparison to the line between life and death. Ultimately, whether it was a boyfriend or a girlfriend, having a companion by his side was infinitely better than remaining a solitary bachelor until age eighty.

Mother Jiang asked instinctively:

“What… what does the boy do? How did you meet?”

“He was also sent on an aid mission to Yunnan. He’s an orthopedic surgeon supporting Fulan County Hospital, and he was my attending physician while I was there.”

Mother Jiang and Father Jiang exchanged another look. The sentence was concise, but the information packed within was substantial. A doctor, and on an aid mission to the border—to enter medicine, he was almost certainly a top-tier academic with impeccable intelligence. To volunteer for an aid mission spoke to his character and integrity. Furthermore, he was Jiang Lin’s attending doctor; sparks flying between a doctor and patient was practically a classic romantic trope straight out of television dramas.

By the time Jiang Lin returned to his own apartment, it was already past dinner. When Director Shen’s video call rang through, Jiang Lin had just stepped out of the shower.

On the screen, Shen Xing had just swapped his surgical scrubs for casual clothes. Sitting in his office, he was chugging a bottle of mineral water, exhaustion evident on his face:

“Surgery ran this late? Did you order food?”

“Yeah. The patient was elderly, so the anatomy was a bit tricky. Ordered KFC, it should be here shortly. Are you at your own place?”

Shen Xing leaned closer to the camera, unsure whether Jiang Lin was still at his parents’ house or if there were any “watchdogs” hovering nearby. Jiang Lin chuckled:

“Yeah. Just got back from dinner at my mom’s. I’m home alone—Director Shen is free to let his hair down.”

Shen Xing let out two playful huffs:

“We’re three thousand kilometers apart! What am I supposed to let down? Lift your shirt and let me see your waist.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

Before long, the KFC delivery arrived to rescue Director Shen’s starving stomach. Shen Xing had just taken a bite of a spicy chicken wing and washed it down with a swig of Cola when Jiang Lin’s voice drifted through the speaker:

“I told my parents this afternoon.”

The figure on the screen froze as if paused by a remote control:

“Told them? Told them what?”

“About us.”

The mouthful of Cola nearly shot straight up Shen Xing’s windpipe. Coughing, his eyes widened and his heart raced:

“You told your family?! What… what did your parents say?!”

“They said to come over for dinner as soon as you get back.”

“For real?”

“For real. My mom watches a lot of dramas, so she was fairly receptive to a romance between a patient and his attending doctor.”

“Big brother, are we just an ordinary doctor-patient romance?! You… coming out to your parents just like that, are you sure there won’t be issues?”

“There is one small concern. My mom is worried you were just caught up in the heat of the moment, and that once you realize how often I’m away for work, you’ll dump me.”

Shen Xing: “…”

“So… that means we passed the test?” he asked, still feeling slightly uncertain.

“Mm. My mom has always been terrified I’d stay single until eighty and drop dead at home without anyone noticing. Now that someone finally wants me, she’s actually quite relieved.”

Shen Xing was speechless:

“Look at the time and you’re still being cheeky.”

Jiang Lin blinked innocently:

“Fine, no more cheekiness. Let’s do something practical.”

With that, he casually loosened his loungewear top, shamelessly treating Director Shen to some prime visual fan service.

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Author’s Note:

Captain Jiang is delightfully direct.

Settled his parents the very second he got home.