WBAI Chapter 30

Why was it important?

Yu Feng didn’t ask.

Why else? Xie An’yu was practically ready to support him in his old age. To put it normally, Xie An’yu was deeply grateful to him. To put it more dramatically, Xie An’yu saw him as a respected elder—so saying something like this wasn’t strange at all.

Yu Feng just found it amusing. He hadn’t even reached thirty yet, and here he was, already someone’s future elderly care recipient.

Was it really just amusing, though?

Yu Feng didn’t know.

He forced himself to think so, and so it naturally became the case.

Xie An’yu planned to cook dinner at home that day. Both of them had stuffed themselves at the buffet for lunch, so Yu Feng told Xie An’yu to keep it simple. Xie An’yu ended up making two bowls of tomato and egg noodles with thick sauce[mfn]西紅柿雞蛋打鹵面 (xī hóng shì jī dàn dǎ lǔ miàn): Tomato and egg noodles with thick sauce.
[/mfn].

As they were eating, Yu Feng’s phone vibrated on the table. He picked it up and glanced at the screen, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the caller ID.

It was his mom. She rarely called him.

“Hello, Xiao Feng?”

The voice on the other end wasn’t his mother’s. Yu Feng paused for a moment, then heard the person on the other end continue, “It’s Auntie Chen. Your mom fractured her arm and is at the hospital now.”

Aunt Chen was an old neighbor of Yu Feng’s. His mother still lived in their old neighborhood, and Aunt Chen was still there too.

“Auntie Chen,” Yu Feng called out, his brow furrowing slightly. “What happened?”

“Come over first, and we’ll talk. We’re at Third Hospital. Don’t rush on the way—your mom’s injury isn’t serious. She’s getting a cast now.”

“Got it, I’ll be right there.” Yu Feng set down his chopsticks and stood up, turning to Xie An’yu. “I need to head out for something.”

Xie An’yu nodded.

Half the bowl of noodles was still left—Xie An’yu had put effort into making them, and Yu Feng didn’t want to waste them. He had planned to finish them when he got back, but after a moment’s thought, he realized he might not make it home today. So he walked back to the dining table, picked up the bowl, and quickly finished the noodles.

Xie An’yu watched him, a little surprised.

Yu Feng grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth and said, “I’m leaving.”

***

Yu Feng rushed to the hospital. His mother was still in the casting room getting her arm set. As soon as he arrived, his mother glanced at Aunt Chen, her tone full of complaint: “What did I just tell you?”

“Oh, come on. You’re hurt like this—how could I not tell your son?”

Yu Feng asked his mother, “How did this happen?”

Wang Minying didn’t speak. Yu Feng caught a faint scent of alcohol on her.

Seeing this, Aunt Chen pulled Yu Feng aside and whispered once they were outside, “She got into an argument with someone.”

Yu Feng frowned. “Auntie Chen, who did she argue with?”

“Your mom was playing mahjong with me and a few other sisters from the neighborhood. One of them kept losing and got all worked up, muttering under her breath. You know how your mom is—she snapped back at her. But it’s not entirely your mom’s fault. That woman was really annoying—even I was getting fed up with her constant nagging. And your mom had had a bit to drink…”

Aunt Chen continued, “When your mom snapped at her, of course she got mad. She pointed at your mom and said she had a terrible temper, that no one could stand her, which was why her husband ran off and her son never visits.”

Yu Feng frowned. Aunt Chen looked at him and said, “Your mom’s fine, really. It’s just that her mouth is sharper than ten others combined—either she stays silent, or every word out of her lips infuriates people to death. Then things got heated, and in the scuffle, she pushed your mom against a cabinet. Stuff from the top fell and hit her. Luckily, she blocked with her hand, or it would’ve been her head!”

“Did anyone call the police?” Yu Feng asked.

“Yes, the police have just been here and have already left.”

“They left that quickly?”

“Your mom didn’t press charges. Signed a mediation agreement, got the medical fees covered, and that was it! Once it was settled, the police left, of course!” Aunt Chen sighed. “They’re all from the same neighborhood—your mom definitely didn’t want to make things too ugly. I told her to call you, but she refused. Even warned me not to contact you. I had to sneak her phone to call you. I just thought, how could we hide something like this from you?”

Aunt Chen was an old neighbor who’d known them for years. She was well aware of the strained relationship between Yu Feng and his mother. She also knew Yu Feng’s rare visits weren’t his fault—Wang Minying had never warmed up to her son. She’d watched Yu Feng grow up, and in her eyes, he’d done more than enough as a son.

Yu Feng walked into the room and asked the doctor, “Doctor, how is my mother’s injury?”

“Nothing serious. A bone or muscle injury takes about a hundred days to heal[mfn]傷筋動骨一百天 (shāng jīn dòng gǔ yī bǎi tiān): (Proverb) It takes a hundred days to heal tendon and bone injuries. A traditional Chinese medicine saying. In this saying, “broken tendons” refers to soft tissue injuries such as muscles and ligaments, while “broken bones” refers to bone injuries. Both typically take about three months to heal.[/mfn]. Just let her rest well at home. Come for a check-up once a week, avoid strenuous activity, and the cast can come off when it’s time.”

Yu Feng drove his mother and Aunt Chen home. Aunt Chen lived right across the hall and reminded them before closing the door, “Rest well, and no more drinking!”

“Have you eaten dinner?” Yu Feng asked his mother once inside.

“Yes.”

“Does your arm hurt?”

“You should go back,” Wang Minying said, heading to the bedroom and gently shutting the door behind her.

Yu Feng went to the kitchen and made a cup of honey water[mfn]蜂蜜水 (fēng mì shuǐ): Honey is an excellent source of instant energy and is gentle on the stomach, as it contains a mix of natural sugars (such as glucose and fructose) which is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. Fructose is also known to speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, acting as a ‘sobering’ agent. More information: Link.
[/mfn]. He knocked on the bedroom door. Wang Minying opened it, her brow slightly furrowed. “Didn’t I tell you to go back early?”

“Drink this honey water. It’ll help with the alcohol.”

“I didn’t even drink much.”

Yu Feng stepped inside and set the cup of honey water on the nightstand. “I already made it. Up to you whether you drink it or not. Be careful not to put pressure on your arm while sleeping.”

With her hand injured, daily tasks would definitely be difficult for Wang Minying. A grown man like Yu Feng staying to help with personal care wasn’t ideal—cooking was manageable, but bathing or changing clothes? Not so much.

“I’ll stay tonight and find you a caregiver tomorrow.”

Wang Minying said, “You don’t need to stay. You should go back early.”

These were words his mother often spoke.

“You should go.”

“Go back.”

“No need to come over.”

…

Usually, when his mother said these things, Yu Feng left without hesitation. This time was no different. Insisting on staying was pointless—for him and for her. If sharing the same space only made them both uncomfortable, it was better to keep their distance.

Yu Feng visited only a handful of times each year—birthdays, holidays, New Year’s… Each visit felt like going through the motions. Sometimes, he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to stay with his mother longer. But each time, before he could figure it out, he’d see his mother’s retreating back as she walked into her bedroom, hear that familiar dismissal: “Go home.”

Before leaving, Yu Feng went to the supermarket downstairs to buy some fruits and nutritional supplements. He bought them for Aunt Chen. His mother had injured her hand, and Aunt Chen had been running around the hospital helping out a lot. This favor had to be repaid.

When Aunt Chen saw him carrying a pile of things, she immediately waved her hands: “Take them away, take them away! You silly boy, why so polite with me? If your mom broke her hand, would I just leave her there?”

Yu Feng smiled: “I’m not being polite with you. Consider it my way of showing respect. It’s also been a while since I last visited you.”

Aunt Chen laughed: “Every time you come to see your mom, you bring me something. You’ve spoiled me so much I don’t know which way is up.”

“Just take them,” Yu Feng handed the items over. “I already bought them, and I won’t use them anyway. I’m young—I don’t need supplements.”

Aunt Chen slapped him on the shoulder: “You little rascal, are you calling Auntie Chen old?”

Yu Feng chuckled but didn’t respond.

Aunt Chen still didn’t want the items: “Take them to your mom. She could use the nourishment.”

“These are for you. Besides, you know she won’t accept anything from me.”

Aunt Chen sighed as she took the fruits and supplements from Yu Feng: “You… don’t overthink things, alright? Just be happy.”

Yu Feng hummed. “I’ll get going now.”

“You’re not staying tonight?”

“No, I won’t.” Yu Feng said, “I’ll find a caregiver later.”

Chen Shuqin guessed it was probably because Yu Feng’s mother wouldn’t let him stay.

“It’s so late—where are you going to find a caregiver? Don’t bother. I’ll go to your place tonight and stay with your mom. If anything happens, I’ll call you.” Chen Shuqin took out her phone. “Can you believe it? After all this time, I still don’t have your number! Hurry up, give it to Auntie Chen.”

Yu Feng smiled and recited his phone number. “Then I’ll trouble you. Next time, I’ll bring you some bird’s nest.”

“Oh, you little rascal, always so charming.”

Aunt Chen was warm-hearted and straightforward, easy to get along with. Yu Feng always felt at ease talking to her—it had been that way since he was a child.

It was a kind of comfort he never felt with his mother.

***

Within a couple of days, Xie An’yu told Yu Feng he had decided to take the online store modeling job. He had already discussed it with the boss lady over WeChat. Payment would be settled per session, and they could sign a long-term contract—doing so would also increase his pay accordingly.

Xie An’yu didn’t plan to sign a contract. The boss lady arranged a day for him to visit the shop first, try on some clothes, and take a few test shots. If the results were good, they could schedule a proper shoot for a later date.

On the morning of Xie An’yu’s appointment with the boss lady, Yu Feng had something to attend to. He wasn’t entirely comfortable letting Xie An’yu go alone—after all, the offer had come out of the blue, and it was better to be cautious.

The night before, Yu Feng said to Xie An’yu: “Tomorrow morning, I’ll find someone to take you there.”

“No need, I can go by myself. I’m not a kid anymore, Brother.”

“It’s not about whether you’re a kid or not. Haven’t I told you before to always be cautious when dealing with people? This job came to you out of the blue—can you guarantee she’s a good person? If something unexpected happens, having someone with you means there’s backup.”

“Besides,” Yu Feng stood by the window smoking and glanced back at Xie An’yu, “if you’re not a kid at 18, then what are you? A big kid?”

Xie An’yu turned his head and chuckled.

Yu Feng’s words made sense, but Xie An’yu felt he shouldn’t always trouble him like this.

“I’ll find someone else to go with,” Xie An’yu said.

“Who would you find?”

Xie An’yu choked up—besides Yu Feng, who else did he have by his side?

“You’re already planning to take care of me in my old age, so shouldn’t I take on the responsibility of a guardian?”

Xie An’yu finally couldn’t hold back and turned his head to laugh. After a moment, he said, “Saying it like that makes you sound so old.”

“You’re the one who brought it up,” Yu Feng retorted, a cigarette between his lips. He turned and flicked Xie An’yu’s forehead. “Who was the one who said they’d take care of me in my old age first?”

Yu Feng hadn’t used much force—it was the first time he’d expressed his emotions through physical contact, teasing Xie An’yu, playing around with him.

Xie An’yu had never been comfortable with physical touch from outsiders, but Yu Feng’s gesture didn’t trigger his usual reflexive recoil. He only blinked lightly, feeling a faint warmth at the center of his brow.

For the first time, Xie An’yu felt that the distance between him and Yu Feng had truly grown a little smaller.

[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 30″]
傷筋動骨 (shāng jīn dòng gǔ): (traditional Chinese medicine) to have a sprain or fracture; to suffer serious injury (idiom); (figurative) to suffer from serious injury; to have major mishap or changes; severe physical trauma; major damage; significant harm; deeply hurt. Its original meaning refers to the serious injury to the body, resulting in damage to the tendons and bones. Its extended meaning refers to something suffering fundamental damage or significant change, such as describing the drastic degree of social change or the depth of emotional trauma.

習以為常 (xí yǐ wéi cháng): to be accustomed to; used to; Refers to a certain thing frequently done, or a certain phenomenon often seen, it feels very common.
[/dropdown]

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