WBAI Chapter 39

Someone came up the stairs and was startled to see two men hugging in the hallway, freezing in place for a few seconds while gripping the railing.

Xie An’yu let go of Yu Feng and glanced down the stairs. He and the stranger made eye contact, and both of their expressions were a little awkward.

Yu Feng descended two steps to make way for the person. The person practically sprinted past them, taking the stairs two at a time, and couldn’t help but shoot several sideways glances as they passed.

“Let’s go,” Yu Feng said.

The two walked downstairs together. The residential compound was filled with private parking spaces and an overwhelming number of electric bikes haphazardly parked in every available spot. Yu Feng’s car was large, and he worried about getting stuck if he drove in, so he had parked outside.

The streetlights near the building were dim as they walked out, chatting idly.

“Is your cousin’s birthday on the same day as yours?” Yu Feng asked Xie An’yu.

“Hers is a few days after mine. We’re just celebrating it early today.”

Xie An’yu tucked his old-fashioned phone into his sweatpants pocket, keeping one hand firmly in his pocket to protect his precious device from falling out.

“Are you so nervous about the phone because of the photos inside?”

Xie An’yu hummed in affirmation and asked Yu Feng, “Brother, how much did it cost to fix the phone?”

“It’s a birthday gift—no need to reimburse me. That’d be insulting. Later, we’ll transfer the photos from the phone,” Yu Feng said. “All phones have a lifespan. They’ll break eventually.”

“Can this phone transfer photos?”

“If it has a memory card, we can. Just need a multi-card reader. I’ll help you with it when we get back.”

“Thank you, Brother.” Xie An’yu was silent for a moment before saying in a low voice, “The person in the photo is my grandmother. She’s been gone almost a year now.”

“She went to find your parents,” Yu Feng said. “They must have been reunited for a while now.”

Xie An’yu smiled faintly. “Probably.”

After getting in the car, Yu Feng said to Xie An’yu, “I need to stop by my mom’s place first to drop something off.”

Xie An’yu nodded.

***

The neighborhood where Yu Feng’s mother lived wasn’t much different from Xie An’yu’s aunt’s place—old, low-rise buildings without elevators.

Yu Feng parked and unloaded a box of kiwis, cherries, and some health supplements from the trunk. He closed the trunk and said to Xie An’yu, “Wait in the car. I’ll just go up, drop this off, and come right back.”

“That’s a lot of stuff…” Xie An’yu looked at the pile of fruits and supplements on the ground. “I’ll help you carry them up.”

Yu Feng thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright, that will save me from having to make two trips.”

The fruit was heavier, so Yu Feng handed the supplements to Xie An’yu and bent to lift the boxes of kiwis and cherries.

Xie An’yu chuckled. “Brother, you treating me like a girl? I’m pretty strong—don’t underestimate me.”

“I’m not underestimating you,” Yu Feng said, glancing at his arms. “II know you’ve got some muscle. This is me, as your elder, showing respect to the young—it’s my good upbringing.”

“You’re not even a full generation older than me. How are you my elder?”

“If I’m not your elder, why are you planning to take care of me in my old age?”

This topic seemed inescapable because Yu Feng was genuinely serious about it—increasingly so—which was why he kept circling back to it, bringing it up every now and then.

If at first he had found it amusing and didn’t care much, now he truly understood the situation like drinking water—only he knew whether it was cold or warm.

He didn’t need Xie An’yu to support him in his old age. His life could go on without Xie An’yu, but it absolutely couldn’t develop into this elder and junior relationship between them.

“Can’t people who are peers take care of each other when they’re old?” Xie An’yu countered.

“Who ever heard of peers supporting each other in old age? That’s called charity.”

“Then I’ll give you charity in the future,” Xie An’yu immediately corrected himself.

Yu Feng chuckled. “I don’t need your charity. I’ve got plenty of money.”

“Can one ever have too much money? When I’m rich someday, I’ll give it all to you and I’ll take care of you, too.”

Student Xiao Dao’s sweet talk was becoming more and more polished these days. Yu Feng felt it was better not to listen to too much of this sugar-coated rhetoric—it could easily go to one’s head.

Yu Feng first went to deliver the supplements to Aunt Chen. Aunt Chen wasn’t home; she had gone for a walk after dinner. It was her daughter who opened the door.

“Yu Feng?” Liu Xinyun looked surprised.

Liu Xinyun and Yu Feng had known each other since they were children—they’d attended the same elementary and middle schools. She now worked quite far from home and only returned once a week. Since Yu Feng rarely visited this area, they seldom ran into each other. It had been over half a year since they last met.

Liu Xinyun studied Yu Feng for a few seconds before saying softly, “…Long time no see.”

“Long time no see.” Yu Feng carried the supplements and a box of cherries to Liu Xinyun’s doorstep. “I bought these cherries for Auntie Chen, along with some bird’s nest and other things. Take them inside.”

“Why did you buy these for her? No, no, it’s not any special occasion—there’s no need for gifts.”

“My mother fractured her bone recently, and Auntie Chen has been a great help during this time.”

“That’s what neighbors should do, not to mention my mom and yours have been close friends for years.”

“Just take them. I’ve already bought them, and my mother doesn’t eat these things. It would be a waste if I took them back.”

“…Alright.” Liu Xinyun smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

Liu Xinyun glanced at Xie An’yu, who was standing behind Yu Feng. “And this is…?”

“My helper—here to carry things for me.”

Whenever the topic involved Xie An’yu, Yu Feng couldn’t help but joke around.

Xie An’yu couldn’t help but look at Yu Feng.

Liu Xinyun paused, then laughed somewhat awkwardly. “Don’t joke with me…”

Yu Feng smiled and said, “A friend.”

Liu Xinyun nodded and exchanged a brief glance with Xie An’yu.

Yu Feng wasn’t usually this flippant—at least, in the past twenty years, from childhood until now, Liu Xinyun had rarely seen him raise his eyebrows and joke like this.

“I’m leaving,” Yu Feng said.

Liu Xinyun nodded, but when Yu Feng turned to leave, she couldn’t help but call out again. “Yu Feng.”

Yu Feng turned his head. “Hmm?”

“You…” Liu Xinyun pressed her lips together. “Are you still single?”

Yu Feng nodded.

Liu Xinyun’s gaze flickered briefly over Xie An’yu’s face, and after a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Are you… still the same as before?”

Yu Feng laughed. “Can that even change?”

The corners of Liu Xinyun’s mouth twitched slightly as she lowered her head with an embarrassed smile. “Sorry.”

“Goodbye.”

“Mm, goodbye.” Liu Xinyun stood at the door for a moment, watching Yu Feng’s retreating figure, then gently closed the door.

Xie An’yu only half-understood the conversation between Yu Feng and Liu Xinyun—some parts made sense, others didn’t. Though it was all rather vague, one thing was certain: this girl probably had feelings for Yu Feng, whether in the past or from then until now.

“Brother, does she like you?”

Yu Feng was holding his keys and answered without turning his head, “Are you that nosy?”

“Just a little curious.” Xie An’yu rubbed his ear with the back of his hand.

After all, this was Yu Feng’s business.

Xie An’yu realized he was becoming more and more shameless lately—just as Yu Feng had said, he’d turned into such a nosy person. He felt like he’d reverted to childhood, pestering his parents without restraint to tell him all kinds of interesting stories from their time at sea.

“She liked me once, I guess,” Yu Feng said. “She mentioned it once when we were kids.”

Xie An’yu was a little shocked. “When you were kids? You started dating that early?”

“My ‘when we were kids’ isn’t the same as yours, young master,” Yu Feng turned to look at Xie An’yu. “By ‘when we were kids’, I meant around your age now. Did you think I meant back when I was still in open-crotch pants[mfn]開裆褲 (kāi dāng kù): Open-crotch pants, also known as open-crotch trousers or split pants, are worn by toddlers throughout mainland China. Often made of thick fabric, they are designed with either an unsewn seam over the buttocks and crotch or a hole over the central buttocks. Both allow children to urinate and defecate without the pants being lowered.[/mfn]?”

Xie An’yu couldn’t help but laugh. “Aren’t I your little helper? How did I suddenly become a young master again?”

“If you prefer, I can call you a prince.”

“And,” Yu Feng inserted the key into the lock, abruptly changing the subject, “who said I ever dated her?”

“That just slipped out,” Xie An’yu explained before asking, “Did you two know each other for a long time?”

“Elementary school. My family had just moved here, and hers lived right across the hall.”

Xie An’yu found it odd—Yu Feng had bought a bunch of things but ended up giving almost all of them to the auntie across the hall, keeping only a box of kiwis for himself.

“Brother, won’t your mom think you’re playing favorites?” Xie An’yu asked, looking at the kiwis on the ground.

“Mm?” Yu Feng turned around.

“Did you buy all that stuff just for the auntie across the hall?”

“Anything else would be a waste on my mom. She’ll actually eat these.”

“Oh…” Xie An’yu nodded.

Yu Feng used the key to open the door. Before entering, he gave Xie An’yu a heads-up. “My mom and I don’t have a great relationship, and she has a weird temper. If she gives you the cold shoulder, don’t take it personally.”

Xie An’yu hummed in acknowledgment.

Wang Minying wasn’t in the living room—probably reading in the study.

Yu Feng left the fruit by the entryway, changed into slippers, and said to Xie An’yu, “Wait here a sec.”

He walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge to check inside, then glanced at the trash cans in the living room and kitchen.

Not bad.

His mother hadn’t secretly been drinking while recovering.

Yu Feng had hired a caregiver who gave him daily updates on his mother’s condition.

“Xiao Yue, didn’t I tell you not to come over in the evenings—” Wang Minying emerged from the study, stopping mid-sentence when she saw Yu Feng.

“Why are you here so late?” Wang Minying averted her gaze and walked to the kitchen to pour herself some water.

“Brought you some fruit.”

It was only as Wang Minying was walking to the kitchen that she noticed Xie An’yu standing by the entryway. She paused, looking at the young man with a hint of confusion.

“Auntie,” Xie An’yu greeted politely, his tone stiff from nervousness.

Wang Minying suddenly glanced at Yu Feng, her brow slightly furrowed. She then looked back at Xie An’yu and gave him a slight nod.

Yu Feng’s eyes and brows resembled his mother’s. Despite her simple attire and bare face, one could still tell she was a beauty.

“I left the stuff by the entrance. The caregiver made calcium-rich meals for you—don’t keep skipping meat. A vegetarian diet will weaken your constitution.”

After giving a few instructions, Yu Feng prepared to leave. Wang Minying walked over with a cup of water. As Yu Feng passed her, she suddenly stopped and said in a low voice, “What age is this one you’ve found?”

Yu Feng paused mid-step and turned to look at her.

Wang Minying’s expression was displeased. “Even if you’re looking… at least find someone around your own age.”

Yu Feng said in a calm tone, “You’re still trying to control me, Mom.”

A faint twitch crossed Wang Minying’s face.

“You can meddle in anything else, but not this,” Yu Feng said. “And it’s not what you think.”

Yu Feng and his mother spoke so quietly that only the two of them could hear. Xie An’yu had no idea what they were discussing and just stood there, feeling a bit awkward.

After a brief exchange, Yu Feng walked toward the door. “Let’s go.”

As they walked down the stairs, Xie An’yu’s phone vibrated several times. He usually ignored his phone’s notifications, but this time, he pulled it out to check.

He had added Jiang Ting on WeChat earlier, and she had sent him several messages—along with a photo.

Xie An’yu tapped to enlarge the image. It was a picture of him, Yu Feng, and Jiang Xiaotian having lunch together at 《Charm》’s cafeteria that afternoon.

Jiang Ting: 【Xiao Xie, is that you in the photo?】

Jiang Ting: 【Do you know Yu Feng?】

Jiang Ting didn’t ask if Xie An’yu knew Jiang Xiaotian—since he was seated next to Yu Feng in the photo, it seemed like he was closer to Yu Feng.

Xie An’yu was baffled. How did someone manage to take a sneaky photo of them just eating in the staff cafeteria?

Xie An’yu: 【Where did this photo come from?】

Where else? It had obviously been circulating in the employees’ gossip group—the one without any higher-ups.

Jiang Ting: 【You were sitting with him—getting photographed is pretty normal】

Jiang Ting: 【Plus, you’re a new face】

Jiang Ting: 【So you really do know Yu Feng?】

Xie An’yu didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he looked up at Yu Feng and said, “Brother, someone took a photo of us eating in the cafeteria that day.”

Yu Feng turned to him, and Xie An’yu showed him the picture Jiang Ting had sent.

“Does it bother you?” Yu Feng asked.

Xie An’yu was stunned. “No, not at all.”

“If you don’t mind, then don’t worry about it,” Yu Feng said. “That’s just the company culture. Work’s already hard enough—people need some entertainment.”

“Won’t this affect you?”

“No, it won’t affect me.”

Xie An’yu stared at the photo and murmured, “Maybe I’ve been getting too close to you…”

He had only been to 《Charm》 twice. The second time, just sharing a meal with Yu Feng had gotten him photographed—and the image had even made its way to the editor.

“It’s not you getting close to me—it’s me getting close to you,” Yu Feng said. “I did it on purpose. If I didn’t stick by you, all kinds of troublemakers would start popping up.”

Even if Xie An’yu was Jiang Ting’s newly signed model, he was still just a temporary one—no status, no position, and was still very young. Not everyone had high moral standards. The workplace was full of people who judged others by their rank and fawned over power.

Yu Feng had been 《Charm》’s photographer for years. He had personally witnessed how unknown models were treated during shoots.

Yu Feng felt the urge to smoke and pulled out a cigarette from his pack, lighting it before walking aside.

He took a drag and turned his head to look at Xie An’yu. “But if you get too close to me, you might become their gossip fodder for the next few days. I can’t avoid that, which is why I asked if you minded earlier. If you do, I’ll keep my distance from now on.”

Yu Feng rarely smoked in front of Xie An’yu. Even when the craving became unbearable, he would step away to a distance from Xie An’yu before smoking.

Xie An’yu walked over to stand beside Yu Feng’s side. “I’m not very good at lying, and my acting is probably terrible. Pretending not to know you might not work out.”

Yu Feng chuckled, the cigarette still between his lips. “Then let’s not bother with that.”

[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 39″]
橫七豎八 (héng qī shù bā): in disorder; at sixes and sevens; scattered in all directions; haphazardly arranged; in a mess; disorganized; jumbled; something is placed in a disorderly manner.

尊老愛幼 (zūn lǎo ài yòu): respect the old and cherish the young; show respect for the elderly and care for the young; respect the aged and take good care of children; respecting elders and caring for younger ones. It describes a person’s good moral character. Respecting the old and loving the young is a traditional virtue in China.

冷暖自知 (lěng nuǎn zì zhī): one knows whether it’s cold or warm without being told—one knows best by personal experience; the coldness or warmth of water is known only to the drinker. The cognition and feeling of things can be naturally realized through personal experience and practice.

糖衣炮彈 (táng yī pào dàn): “Sugar-coated bullets (of the bourgeoisie)”, an expression used by Mao Zedong to refer to the method of using a deceptive image to rope in and corrupt the enemy; sugar-coated bullet—ways and means to corrupt or win over sb or implicate sb in a crime.

沒皮沒臉 (méi pí méi liǎn): shameless; brazen; without shame; thickskinned; unashamed; cheeky; impudent; boldfaced; audacious; unembarrassed; describes a person who has no shame.

妖魔鬼怪 (yāo mó guǐ guài): all demons and ghosts; all forces of evil; ghouls and bogies; evil spirits of every description. Its original meaning refers to various kinds of demons and monsters in legends. It is also used metaphorically to refer to evil forces that commit crimes and harm the interests of the people.

看人下菜 (kàn rén xià cài): make up to some people and look down on others; treat people according to their status; adjust one’s behavior based on the person; cater to the person; act differently with different people; tailor one’s approach to the individual. The original meaning is to arrange dishes according to the status of the guests. Later, it was extended to mean to treat different people differently.

趨炎附勢 (qū yán fù shì): to ingratiate oneself with powerful or influential people; to curry favor (idiom); playing up to those in power; social climbing; curry favor with the powerful; seek personal gain by fawning on the rich and powerful; ingratiate oneself with those in power; toady to the influential; play up to the powerful; flatter the rich and powerful; cozy up to those in authority; to flatter or cling to powerful people.

趨炎附勢 (qū yán fù shì): to ingratiate oneself with powerful or influential people; to curry favor (idiom); playing up to those in power; social climbing; curry favor with the powerful; seek personal gain by fawning on the rich and powerful; ingratiate oneself with those in power; toady to the influential; play up to the powerful; flatter the rich and powerful; cozy up to those in authority; to flatter or cling to powerful people. Synonym to 攀龍附鳳 (pān lóng fù fèng), to ingratiate oneself with powerful or influential people so as to acquire benefits; indulging in favor of powerful people in order to gain wealth; climb up the social ladder; seek connections with the powerful; curry favor with the rich and powerful; ingratiate oneself with influential people; attach oneself to the powerful.
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