Since his boyfriend was the focus of attention again, Mo Fang naturally also had a vested interest in making sure that he was caring for him. He leaned over, intimately grabbing his arm. "You really like it? If you don’t, you can say so. In any case, it’s not like we’re strangers. Also, I feel like it really can’t compare to your food. It’s alright to be disappointed."
Li Ming still didn’t know how to deal with all of this. Even if the cooking was bad, he wouldn’t dare to tell that straight to Mister Mo’s face considering that he was both his boss and his boyfriend’s father, and … well, it also wouldn’t be polite. On the other hand, he also didn’t dare to disagree with Mo Fang too harshly. After all, his boyfriend was praising his cooking skills, and telling him that he was wrong would be like a slap in the face. He really didn’t know how to pull out of this.
He agonized over that question for quite a while but, in the end, he could still only give a wry smile and hope for the best. "You’re a bit harsh on your father, aren’t you? Anyway, I think it is really good. All the dishes are." As if to prove himself, he took a little more, and also gave Mo Fang next to him a little something, making him beam. He really hoped that this would stop the talk about whether the food was good or not. Although the alternative might not be any better.
Mo Fang was indeed not interested in continuing that conversation. He silently ate a few bites and then looked at his father with a gloating smile. "You see that? Bro Li’s really good to me."
Mister Mo didn’t mind his son’s gloating at all. In any case, he could see this as well and it was also what he was hoping for. "Well, I never had a doubt as soon as I heard that it was Li Ming. In all these years that I’ve known him, he has always been very hard-working, very kind even to strangers, somebody very dependable. As I said before, I really wouldn’t feel troubled if you had only dated guys like him. Anyway, I hope that the two of you will stay together for a long time. I wouldn’t even mind if it was forever. Although …" He looked at that son of his, his gaze becoming a little complicated.
Finally, he turned to Li Ming. "Li Ming, you see, Mo Fang is my child. Naturally, in my eyes, he will always be the best. But, looking at him objectively, I also realize that he is a bit troublesome. It’s not just that he’s a picky eater, he is demanding everywhere.
"To make him happy, you really need to give it your all. His mother’s like this as well. It can’t be helped. Her parents spoiled her and then she spoiled our son in return. His grandparents also didn’t help. On both sides, actually.
"Well, now he has turned out like this. He isn’t really hard-working, doesn’t have any talents, and still complains all day. If not for his good looks, I’m afraid he wouldn’t be able to get a boyfriend at all. So, in the future, you just have to think of this. Even if he isn’t always good, I still think that he cares about things with all his heart. That’s a good quality as well, isn’t it?" He looked at him nervously as if he wasn’t sure that this was really a good quality to have or at least enough to make a man stay.
Li Ming looked at him and glanced at Mo Fang before he looked back and then faintly cleared his throat. "Boss Mo doesn’t need to worry. I think that Mo Fang is very good." He couldn’t help but reach out to take Mo Fang’s hand, wishing that he could say a few words to him. It couldn’t be nice to hear your own father say something like this about you. Surely, he could use some cheering up. But even though Mo Fang and Boss Mo had been pretty direct with each other and with him, Li Ming didn’t think that it would be good to do so in front of Boss Mo. In any case, he felt like he suddenly understood why Mo Fang had turned out the way he did.
If his own father said that the only good things about him were his looks and the fact that he was passionate, then it was no wonder that he would jump headfirst into his relationships and not value himself more. After all, he had never been told that he had any value. It was quite sad.
Even though the relationship between him and his family was a little strained since his coming out, he still remembered that it had been much closer before. Sure, they also hadn’t been perfect and he had his faults as well but he had never been in a situation like this. His parents might have scolded him and his older sister might’ve laughed at him for being stupid if he didn’t do well enough, but they had also acknowledged if he did something well and they had been there for him to celebrate whatever achievements he made just like they had been for his sister.
It seemed that in Mo Fang’s life though, something like that hadn’t happened. Mo Fang had really been just reduced to being a good-looking child. And over time, he had probably assumed that this was the truth.
And then, when he got the attention of men because of his looks as well, it was probably validating for him and something that he started to seek out. So as long as any of these men were willing to show some appreciation for how he looked and were willing to take him in, he would jump at the opportunity.
His previous relationships suddenly didn’t seem that strange anymore.
