Chapter 23: Lake Estate

The lake estate had a long grey roof and a pier.

One wing had a door that locked from the inside.

Mrs. Su had given it to them with a look.

"The boys sleep with us tonight," she said at the top of the stairs.

She had Lu Feng on one shoulder and Su Lan's hand in her other.

"Your father-in-law has agreed. He says he will sit up with both of them and read them a quarterly report."

"They'll sleep before the second page," Su Yu said.

"That is the idea."

The Chairman stood behind her, holding a spare blanket and a bag of oranges.

"Go," said Mrs. Su. "Both of you. The bath is already run."

The door of the east wing closed, and clicked.

It was very quiet.

The lake lay outside the window, black and wide, with one light moving on the far shore.

Lu Chen stood in the middle of the room with his hands at his sides.

For the first time in two years he did not know what to do with them.

"There are no children in here," he said.

"None."

"No monitor."

"Your mother-in-law has the monitor."

"No notebook."

Su Yu smiled, slowly.

"I took it out of your jacket this morning," he said. "It's in the car, under the baby bag."

Lu Chen laughed, a breath through his nose.

Then he crossed the floor in three steps and took Su Yu's face in both hands.

He kissed him, long and deep.

The bathroom was a long white room with a deep tub under the window.

Steam rose off the water and fogged the glass.

They undressed each other in the doorway, clumsily.

Lu Chen's glasses came off on a sleeve, and Su Yu's belt caught on a button.

Su Yu stepped into the tub first and held out his hand.

Lu Chen stepped in after him and sat down between his knees, with his back against Su Yu's chest.