Shen Yi contemplated what he should do with his family. When his grandmother gave him a ticket for a one week vacation on a cruise ship, she didn’t inform him that he will have to meet another woman to date!
No. He refused to date those women whose face were covered with thick layers of makeup, batting an eyelash on him seductively and ignoring the fact that he wasn’t interested. Damn those articles!
He wasn’t a gay! For fuck’s sake!
At the age of thirty, Shen Yi was still single and not seeing anyone. Was there something wrong with that? Yes, there is. He was the current president of Shen Group of companies and his family was expecting him to get married and produce an heir anytime soon.
Shen Yi remembered the night he was confronted by his family about his sexual orientation. Thinking about it, he pondered where the heck did the rumors and gossips started.
“What did you say?” Shen Yi glared at his father.
“I asked you if you are a gay,” He repeated his question and glared back to his son. “You don’t have to hide it, son. We will understand if you could just tell us the truth. You completely lack interest in any girls that you’ve gone out in the past. You are my firstborn son and it hurts me to see you being alone.”
“Where the hell did this come from?”
“Father, maybe he is in denial. We should have him see someone who could bring him out from his closet.” His younger brother Shen Xue said with a laugh.
Shen Yi rolled his eyes and scoffed at their words.
“Are you going to answer my question or not?” His father asked.
“No. Why did you even think I am a gay? I feel no reason to defend myself as I know as well as you that I am not. What I choose to do with my life and whom I spend my life with isn’t your business. I’m pleased with my life and have no plans to change anything on it just because of the false rumors spreading around me.”
“Yep, see, father. Told ya he wouldn’t give you a direct answer. A simple yes and no would suffice.” Shen Xue looked at their father with a smirk. He then took something from the side of the table. A couple of magazines appeared on his hand and tossed it to his elder brother.
“Take a look at what they’re saying about you, bro. I doubt you will like it.”
Shen Yi gave a quick scan of the articles written about him and frowned.
“You believe these nonsense and trash articles?” he hissed and threw the magazines at the other side of the room, hitting the wall with a loud thud.
“Well, you haven’t seen in public with a woman for a long time. What do you expect people will think of it? You haven’t dated at all. Do you really want to be alone for the rest of your life?” His father snapped. Some of their business partners were asking him subtly about his firstborn son.
“First of all, it doesn’t work that way. I can’t find a woman I want to be with just because I’m looking for one. Secondly, I won’t date anyone I’m not interested with. Lastly, I don’t really think I can be with anyone given that I don’t want to hang out with everyone. See? You even have to force me to attend this dinner with you.”
“Bro, you have issues. Oh, please we’re family, of course, you love us. We are only concerned about you. So… yes or no? You can confess to us. Are you gay or not?” Shen Xue insisted. His elder brother glared at him, wanting to slap the mocking grin out of his face.
“No, I am not.” Shen Yi said. “Although I’m not interested to date any woman, that doesn’t mean I like to sleep with men.”
“That’s reassuring.” His father sighed in relief. He thought that Shen Xue was his only hope to continue their bloodline.
“But you know, you should meet someone and try to know them. You can’t possibly have a woman in your life if you won’t even try to pick someone to go out with. Make some friends, go out and hang out with other people, get a life out of your office. I’m not forcing you to get a wife soon but you do know your grandmother already heard about the rumors and she would do something to rectify it.”
“And I’m pretty sure you agreed with her?” Shen Yi’s eyes narrowed. His father never says no to their grandmother’s wishes.
“Of course, I wanna see what she’s up to and we made a little bet about it.” His father confessed.
Shen Yi looked at them with disbelief. His grandmother and father had started this tradition of betting whenever they try to set him up with someone. So far, his father was losing the game. They had set him up in a date with different women and not of them was able to get his attention.