Companionship is the Simplest Happiness

Under the scorching sun, the cicadas' incessant chirping was irritating.

Jin Bao'er wiped her sweat with her sleeve as she picked pears from the tree and put them into her basket, one trip after another.

After loading more than half of the food, he slung the basket over his shoulder and headed home.

This basket is too big; if it's full, he might not be able to carry it.

The heavy basket weighed him down, causing his back to hunch slightly. Sweat dripped from his forehead into the soil, creating small dents.

"Are you not going to eat rice? You're all grown up, and you've only managed to carry this little bit?"

When her aunt saw that Jinbao'er's basket was not full, she put her hands on her hips and said sternly.

After saying that, she told Jin Bao'er to put down the basket, and then turned around and went to the pear tree next to her, picked a large handful of pears and threw them in.

"Hurry up and take it back to cook. You're useless at everything and you eat everything."

The aunt grumbled as she helped Jinbao lift the basket on his back, gave him a push, and then turned around to continue picking pears, still muttering to herself.

Now their village has improved, and a big internet celebrity has emerged who specializes in live-streaming and selling their products.

They even share the same surname, so they're somewhat related.

However, they don't usually keep in touch; they only interact when there are important events.

All they have to do now is pack the pears, deliver them to the collection station, weigh them, and register them.

This is quite an interesting story: This internet celebrity is named Gan Xiaoguo, and like him, he is also gay.

Including him, there are now three couples in the village, and the other couple is Long Zecheng, the village's boss.

It is said that he owns a fairly large company in the city, and his wife, whose surname is also Gan and whose name is Gan Feiyang, is the director of the county hospital.

These two relationships were famous throughout the county, and everyone envied their happy lives.

Jin Bao'er looked at the heavy pear tree branches in the distance, and her mind couldn't help but wander:

When will I be able to find someone to spend my life with, just like them?

You don't need to be rich, just like Long Zecheng and Zhou Yunxun, someone who cares for you and protects you.

He was engrossed in watching when his aunt's loud voice pulled him back to reality:

"What time is it? The food isn't ready yet?"

My aunt was in a bad mood after finishing her work, and she would yell at anyone she could find.

Jin Bao'er quickly sped up her work, hurriedly taking the food out to wait.

"Eat quickly, and then come with me to the collection station to take the pears."

The aunt said irritably, picking at the rice in her bowl without even glancing at him.

Jin Bao'er quickly finished two bowls of rice, handed the bowls and chopsticks to Liu Yu, and then followed her aunt to deliver the pears.

The collection station is quite large. Pears from every household in the village are piled up here, and then truckloads are transported out to the city for packaging and sale.

Jin Bao'er watched as the weigher recorded the weights, and no one tried to cheat or cheat; everyone just wanted to have a clear conscience.

Just as he was watching his aunt arrange the pears and wait for them to be weighed, he noticed a man in a white T-shirt looking around. That man was none other than Gan Xiaoguo, the big internet celebrity in their village.

Gan Xiaoguo is almost forty years old, but she is very well-maintained and looks like she is in her early thirties.

He was taking pictures everywhere with his phone, muttering something to himself, while the staff members stood by, bowing and scraping as they reported the situation.

Behind him was a burly man wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and gray-black sweatpants.

With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and muscle definition hidden under his clothes, he looks very powerful.

The man held a bottle of mineral water in one hand and put the other on his hip, following Gan Xiaoguo closely.

That must be his lover, Zhou Yunxun, who is said to have won an Olympic gold medal.

"Are you thirsty? Have some water."

Zhou Yunxun unscrewed the bottle cap, handed over the mineral water, and after Gan Xiaoguo finished drinking it, he naturally took it back.

She casually wiped the water stains from the corner of his mouth, acting like a dutiful bodyguard and lover the whole time.

Jin Bao'er clutched the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with longing, but her heart was filled with a sour feeling.

I wish he and Zhao Yuheng could be like that.

But then she thought of their current stalemate, and her lips slowly drooped, filled with disappointment.

Just then, a black motorcycle suddenly sped in at the entrance of the collection station, and a pair of figures got off after it came to a stop:

One was a tall, burly, and rugged man, dressed in work clothes, exuding a tough-guy aura.

One was a gentle man with smiling eyes and glasses.

It was Long Zecheng and Gan Feiyang.

"Brother Long, Feiyang, what brings you here?"

Seeing this, Zhou Yunxun took out a cigarette case and handed it to him.

"I'm quitting, I'm quitting. They're strict with me, I have to quit."

Long Zecheng smiled and refused, then put his arm around Gan Feiyang's shoulder, his eyes full of doting affection.

"Haha, I don't really like smoking, I only smoke when I'm socializing."

Zhou Yunxun smiled, glanced at Gan Xiaoguo beside him, and couldn't hide the tenderness in his eyes.

"Feiyang's birthday is in a few days. I'm treating everyone to a meal. You guys can come too."

Long Zecheng patted Zhou Yunxun on the shoulder and greeted him with a smile.

"Okay, I'll definitely be there."

Zhou Yunxun readily agreed.

Gan Feiyang greeted the two with a smile, and finally got on the motorcycle with Long Zecheng.

Gan Feiyang held her husband tightly around the waist with one hand while waving to the crowd.

When his gaze fell on Jin Bao'er, he also gave her a polite smile.

Jin Bao'er was somewhat flattered and quickly lowered her head, her ears turning slightly red.

These two look to be almost forty, don't they?

I heard they've been together since they were young, almost twenty years now, and their relationship is still so good. It's truly enviable.

Finally, it was her aunt who pulled Jinbao'er back to reality. Grabbing her arm, she impatiently urged, "What are you daydreaming about? Let's go!"

After his aunt sold all the pears, she took him home.

……

On the other hand, although Zhao Yuheng's family is one of the wealthiest in the city, they do not live in high-rise buildings.

Instead, they live in a large suite of about 200 square meters, which is very comfortable.

During the few days he was home, Zhao Yuheng didn't go anywhere; he just stayed at home, either scrolling through his phone or spacing out.

His mother has nagged him several times to go out for a walk, but he still doesn't want to move.

One evening, Zhao Yuheng was a little thirsty and wanted to have a drink. As soon as he opened the door, he saw his father pressing his mother against the wall and kissing her passionately.

Zhao Yuheng: "..."

He was so frightened that he quickly retreated, gently closed the door, and his ears turned bright red instantly.

How shameless!

"Stop kissing, stop kissing, the baby thinks they saw it."

Zhao Yuheng's mother, Li Jiaxin, patted her husband's back while panting, but her voice was filled with laughter.

"It's okay, you saw it, so you saw it. You're old enough to understand."

The man was still a little unwilling, so he lowered his head and kissed his mother's cheeks a few more times, his tone full of doting affection.

……

Zhao Yuheng was wearing black shorts, his head resting on his clasped hands, half-lying on the bed.

It's been almost an hour, and he still doesn't know if those two have finished kissing. He's dying of thirst.

When he was a child, he didn't understand these matters of love and affection, and his parents would avoid talking about them with him.

As he got older, his parents stopped trying to hide it. Sometimes they would do it in the kitchen, sometimes in the living room, and sometimes on the balcony.

Zhao Yuheng felt like a giant third wheel and wanted to move out several times, but his mother disagreed.

They said he left early and returned late when he was in school, so he didn't spend many years with his family. Now that he's on vacation at home and has moved out, they see him even less.

Although Dad thought he was a bit of an eyesore, he couldn't resist Mom's persuasion and finally had to reluctantly agree to let him continue living at home.

"You can come out now."

Zhao Yuheng's father suddenly pushed the door open, startling him.

"Later, go for a walk with your mom and chat with her. Don't just play on your phone."

After the man finished speaking, he picked up his briefcase and left without even glancing at him.

Zhao Yuheng, lying on the bed: "..."

Couldn't you knock on the door first?

Doesn't he have any privacy?