Xie An’yu’s wood carving work had won an award.
Truthfully, before he started carving this piece, Xie An’yu never expected to win any prize. He wasn’t aiming for an award, after all, this was an online competition soliciting entries. He had no idea about the skill levels of the other participants, so he couldn’t gauge where his own work stood without knowing his competitors, and naturally couldn’t estimate his chances of winning.
The results of the competition were sent via email and had been announced a few days earlier, but Xie An’yu hadn’t checked. He only found out he had won when he received a courier package from the organizers.
The organizers sent a certificate of award and an invitation to the exhibition.
The competition website’s rules clearly stated that for non-winning entries, participants could either retrieve them in person or have them returned via collect-on-delivery mail. Winning works would be collectively displayed in an exhibition organized by the hosts, though ownership and control rights remained with the original creators.
A congratulatory letter was tucked inside the award certificate, which Xie An’yu opened and glanced at.
The beginning contained standard formal congratulations, while the final paragraph, in bold font, outlined the prize money claim procedure. Award winners needed to verify their information on the organizer’s designated website using their certificate number, and the prize money would be disbursed within a few business days after verification.
Yu Feng was out of town for a photoshoot these past few days and wasn’t home. Xie An’yu placed the award certificate on the coffee table, took a photo, and sent it to him.
Yu Feng replied after a while: 【Whose kid is so talented?】
He sent Xie An’yu several congratulatory red packets in a row to celebrate his win.
Yu Feng shared the same mindset as Xie An’yu. When he recommended Xie An’yu sign up for this competition, he hadn’t preset any expectations. His earlier joke about Xie An’yu treating him to a meal with the prize money was just that—a joke. He simply wanted Xie An’yu to do what he loved, and for Xie An’yu, the process was undoubtedly more important than the result.
Xie An’yu truly was talented—he had won the gold award.
***
Xie An’yu hadn’t expected to run into Liang Huaiyu at the exhibition. Since his work won the gold award, it was displayed in the center of the exhibition hall. When he spotted Liang Huaiyu, the latter was standing there admiring his piece.
Xie An’yu walked over and greeted him: “Teacher Liang.”
Liang Huaiyu turned at the sound, slightly surprised: “What a coincidence? You…” He paused briefly, quickly deducing why Xie An’yu was also there.
“Did you enter the competition too?” Liang Huaiyu asked Xie An’yu.
“Yes.”
Liang Huaiyu smiled: “And you won an award! That’s impressive. Which piece is yours? I’d like to take a look.”
Xie An’yu glanced at the work in front of Liang Huaiyu and said, “This one is mine.”
Liang Huaiyu was taken aback, turned to look at the piece in the display case, then laughed: “So this Xie An’yu is you.”
To be honest, Liang Huaiyu truly hadn’t expected Xie An’yu’s wood carving to be at this level—possessing both technical skill and genuine artistry.
He had underestimated him before.
“Who did you learn wood carving from?” Liang Huaiyu turned and asked Xie An’yu.
“A master from my hometown.”
“How long have you been learning?”
“Over two years.”
Liang Huaiyu nodded: “You have talent.”
Xie An’yu greatly admired Liang Huaiyu’s work. After visiting Liang Huaiyu’s wood carving exhibition that day, he felt deeply moved. When he returned home, he searched for ‘Liang Huaiyu’ online and found the website of Liang Huaiyu’s studio. The website only listed an email address, with no physical studio location.
At that time, Xie An’yu had an unrealistic idea—he desperately wished to learn wood carving from Liang Huaiyu someday. For this reason, he even sent a self-recommendation letter to the studio’s email.
A reply came, but it was a rejection.
Xie An’yu didn’t know if Liang Huaiyu himself had written that reply. Regardless, now that he had finally met the artist in person, he still wanted to seize the opportunity and plead his case face-to-face.
Xie An’yu fell silent for a moment, then asked sincerely, “Teacher Liang, do you take apprentices?”
Liang Huaiyu raised an eyebrow slightly. “You want to learn wood carving from me?”
Xie An’yu’s expression was serious as he nodded: “Mm.”
Liang Huaiyu turned to look at Xie An’yu’s work and asked, “Why do you enjoy carving wood?”
Xie An’yu answered almost without hesitation, “It brings me peace of mind.”
Liang Huaiyu turned back to look at him.
Xie An’yu said, “Doing this makes me feel very grounded.”
There were many reasons for his fondness, but this was the most important one.
“Your work gives off a very grounded feeling.” Liang Huaiyu studied him for a moment, then smiled faintly. “Come find me at the studio in a few days.”
Xie An’yu was taken aback. “Teacher Liang, you…”
“You can start calling me ‘Master’ now.”
Xie An’yu could hardly believe it. “You’ve agreed?”
Liang Huaiyu chuckled and nodded. “Ask Yu Feng for the studio address when you get back—he knows it. I won’t be around for the next few days, so come after Wednesday.”
***
Yu Feng was unaware of what had happened. The moment Xie An’yu got home, he rushed over and hugged him, overjoyed—if he had a tail, it would have been wagging wildly.
Yu Feng patted his backside. “Did you win the lottery? Why so happy?”
“I went to an exhibition today and ran into Teacher Liang Huaiyu. He agreed to let me learn wood carving from him.”
Yu Feng was surprised. “Really?”
Xie An’yu nodded emphatically. “Really. I never thought he would agree. I actually sent a self-recommendation letter to his email before, but it was rejected. I didn’t give up and asked him again in person today…”
Yu Feng smiled. “You sent a self-recommendation letter? He might not be the one checking that email—it could have been his assistant who replied.”
Yu Feng didn’t know why Liang Huaiyu had suddenly changed his mind—perhaps it was because of Xie An’yu’s persistence, or perhaps he had recognized Xie An’yu’s talent. Either way, the outcome was wonderful.
Yu Feng stroked Xie An’yu’s back and said, “That’s great.”
Xie An’yu pulled a bank card from his pocket and handed it to Yu Feng, who looked puzzled.
“What’s this for?”
“My savings. For you.”
“What do I need it for? Retirement?”
Xie An’yu laughed. “Can we stop bringing that up? I told you before—this is part of the betrothal gift. I’m handing over the first installment, and I’ll save up the rest gradually. I deposited all the money I earned from photoshoots and the prize money from this time—it’s quite a lot.”
Yu Feng tucked the card back into Xie An’yu’s pocket and said, “I appreciate the sentiment, but you should keep the money and use it as you see fit.”
***
Xie An’yu asked Yu Feng for Liang Huaiyu’s studio address and went there as soon as Wednesday passed.
That morning, Xie An’yu spent half the day drinking tea with Liang Huaiyu and discussing woodcraft. Liang Huaiyu made things very clear: coming to his place meant working while learning—it was both enrollment and employment. He would teach the craft and also provide a salary. Over time, once the skills were mastered, Xie An’yu could take on jobs independently.
Xie An’yu started working in the afternoon. The quiet little room, the faint fragrance of wood shavings, and the greenery outside the window all gave him a sense of déjà vu.
Yu Feng had arranged to pick Xie An’yu up from the studio at six in the evening. When he was about to head downstairs at five-thirty, Jiang Xiaotian said to him, “Brother, Xiao Lin at the front desk said there’s someone looking for you downstairs.”
“Who is it?”
“Her name is Xie Li. A woman.”
Yu Feng froze for a moment, then immediately grabbed his car keys from the table and walked out.
Xie Li was sitting in the lounge area of the company lobby. Yu Feng approached and greeted her, “Auntie.”
Xie Li looked up, quickly stood up with her bag, and nodded at him.
“Did you need something?”
“Do you… have time? I’d like to talk to you.”
“About An’yu?”
“…Yes.”
Yu Feng nodded. “Alright, there’s a café outside the company. It’s quiet there. Let’s talk there.”
“…Okay.”
“What would you like to drink?” Yu Feng asked Xie Li after they sat down.
“Nothing, thank you. I won’t have anything.”
Yu Feng sent a WeChat message to Xie An’yu: 【Might be a bit late. Latest by 6:15】
After sending the message, he placed his phone face down on the table. Xie Li glanced at his phone, then heard him ask: “How did you know I work here?”
Xie Li pursed her lips and said, “I saw the magazine you photographed for An’yu. It had your name and your company’s address.”
Yu Feng smiled faintly. “Do you usually read magazines?”
“My daughter’s.” Xie Li looked up at Yu Feng. “Mr. Yu, how old are you this year?”
“Twenty-nine.”
Xie Li took a deep breath. “Do you know how old An’yu is?”
“Nineteen.”
“A full ten years,” Xie Li stared unblinkingly at Yu Feng. “There’s a whole decade between you. When you were in college, he hadn’t even finished elementary school yet. I don’t know which of you fell for the other first, but let me tell you clearly: you and him are just not suitable.”
“Some things don’t need to be spelled out. You should know what I mean.” Xie Li’s tone was calm. “An’yu is still very young. The number of people he’s met might not even be a tenth of those you’ve encountered. At his age, it’s too easy to get carried away. A few sweet words, giving him what he wants, a little coaxing—and he might just come running—”
Yu Feng interrupted her, his tone cold. “In your eyes, is Xie An’yu really that thoughtless?”
Xie Li’s expression shifted.
“Or is it that, in your eyes, he’s that shallow? He is young, but his mind is independent. He’s not so easily fooled by an adult like me.” Yu Feng’s expression showed displeasure and a hint of confusion. “Auntie, do you truly not know him, or are you saying this on purpose?”
Xie Li remained silent for a long time. When she spoke again, her voice was choked with emotion. “You understand him? Do you know he didn’t even finish high school? Do you know his parents are gone? Do you know how much he’s suffered since he was a child?”
“I know.” Yu Feng met her gaze calmly. “That’s why I want to give him all the love he’s missed out on all these years.”
Xie Li’s eyes were slightly red: “You have so many people to choose from, why must it be him? Can’t you let him go?”
“Because I can’t do without him.”
“You can’t do without him, but does that mean he can’t do without you? He’s so young, his future is still vast. He’ll meet many people and experience many new things. Some of those people might be more outstanding than you, more attractive. Can you guarantee he won’t be drawn to others?”
“That would be his own choice.” Yu Feng lowered his gaze to the water glass on the table. “As long as he needs me, I’ll stay by his side. If one day he doesn’t need me anymore… I won’t force him to stay.”
Yu Feng’s response made Xie Li’s heart ache, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at him silently for a long time.
She had spoken harshly enough, some words not even truly how she felt, all to make Yu Feng waver.
Didn’t she know Xie An’yu’s personality well? Once he set his mind on something, he became stubborn—so stubborn that ten oxen couldn’t pull him back.
Xie Li looked out the window and sighed deeply: “Actually, I really have no right to say anything to you.”
Yu Feng watched her quietly.
“But if I didn’t say it, I couldn’t get past this hurdle in my own heart…” Xie Li turned to look at Yu Feng. “Let him walk the path he chose, as far as he can go.”
Yu Feng glanced at his watch, and Xie Li said, “If you have things to do, you can go. I don’t have anything else to say.”
Yu Feng made an affirmative sound and stood up. Before leaving, he said to Xie Li, “No matter how far he goes, I’ll accompany him.”
***
Yu Feng had ordered a small hand-held flower basket from a florist. By the time he picked it up and arrived at the studio, it was exactly 6:15.
There was a small courtyard outside Liang Huaiyu’s studio. Yu Feng got out of the car and glanced inside from outside the courtyard gate. Xie An’yu hadn’t finished work yet and was sitting at his workbench by the window.
Summer had passed, and the weather had turned cooler. Xie An’yu wore a khaki linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had on a dark green apron and was bent over his desk working with a carving knife in hand.
The sun had set, and the evening glow reflected on the windowpane, making Xie An’yu appear as if he were hidden within a watercolor painting.
He suddenly looked up and met Yu Feng’s gaze across the courtyard full of green plants.
Yu Feng gave him a faint smile.
Xie An’yu put down his carving knife, tidied his workbench, and took off his apron. A moment later, he walked out of the studio.
“Is your master off work?” Yu Feng asked Xie An’yu. “Why are you here alone?”
Xie An’yu smiled and said, “He went out this afternoon.”
“Don’t you need to lock up?”
“No need, he’s coming back tonight. The assistant hasn’t left either.”
Xie An’yu opened the car door and saw a small hand-held flower basket on the passenger seat, exquisitely delicate.
“Why did you suddenly buy flowers?” Xie An’yu asked Yu Feng.
“To congratulate you on your first day of school.”
Xie An’yu picked up the flower basket, smiling as he got into the car. “Thank you, Baby.”
Yu Feng made a clicking sound with his tongue.
Xie An’yu held the flower basket, laughing heartily.
Yu Feng took something from the back seat and handed it to Xie An’yu. It looked like a book from its shape, wrapped in patterned paper.
“What’s this?”
“An enrollment gift.”
“Can I open it now?”
Yu Feng smiled. “What do you think?”
Xie An’yu tore open the wrapping paper. It wasn’t a book but a hardcover photo album. The cover featured two red maple leaves painted in watercolor, overlapping each other. At the overlapping part, the cursive English words [About Island] were printed.
Xie An’yu opened the album and was immediately stunned. He turned to look at Yu Feng.
The inner pages were filled with photos Yu Feng had taken at Shuangye Isle—people, objects, landscapes, and even the wood carvings Xie An’yu had left behind at Master Wen’s small cabin. Yu Feng had preserved them all through his lens.
Xie An’yu flipped through the pages one by one, and when he reached the last page, he spotted two lines of familiar handwriting in the corner.
-May you be safe and sound.
-May you be free.
[End of Book]
The author has something to say:
That’s all for now. I’ve been dragging this out for quite a while—thank you for staying with me until the end. I’ll take a few days’ break before writing the extras. Mwah.
The end of main story~~ Wow, I can’t believe it’s already my 6th completed novel!! 🥹🥹🥹 (There’s still 4 extras though)
Thank you to everyone who has supported me, and everyone who has read and loved this story. If you can, please leave some comments & ratings on NU so that more people will discover this lovely story. ^^
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[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 81″]
不切實際 (bù qiè shí jì): impractical; unrealistic; fanciful; impracticable; highbrow; unreasonable; something that is not in line with reality.衝昏頭腦 (chōng hūn tóu nǎo): lit. to be muddled in the brain (idiom); fig. excited and unable to act rationally; to go to one’s head; lose one’s head; be off one’s head; one’s head is heated due to victory and one cannot always think calmly and act cautiously.
拖拖拉拉 (tuō tuō lā lā): to procrastinate; drag one’s heels; be dilatory in doing one’s work; be sluggish; delay action; being inefficient and hesitant.
[/dropdown]Check out my completed & current project at my carrd. If you like my translation, you can buy me coffee at Ko-fi~ Thank you.
