Chapter 2: Who is Huo Boyi?
Who exactly is Huo Boyu?
Officially, he’s supposed to be Jiang Xiaoyuan’s current boyfriend, but when observing their relationship, she seemed to regard him as nothing serious.
Huo Boyu claimed to be an artist, but in reality, it seemed like art was playing tricks on him instead.
He loved creating caricature-like figures with round faces, big bellies, and small buttocks. However, his works were so bizarre that even Jiang Xiaoyuan, who was an art major, struggled to find her appreciation for his works, let alone the general public. In short, despite his high productivity in creating outputs, nobody acknowledges his art.
This man had clear eyebrows and bright eyes[mfn]眉清目秀 (méi qīng mù xiù): This phrase describes someone with clear eyebrows and bright eyes, often used to describe a handsome man or woman.[/mfn], reminiscent of the suave and dashing male protagonists in old movies. He was also quite versatile with his style, as he could shift from a sharp brother[mfn]犀利哥 (xī lì gē): “Brother Sharp” was an internet meme in China in 2010, referring to a man with a sharp gaze and a scruffy beard who was photographed collecting recyclables. It is the nickname given to Chen Guorong, a homeless man from the streets of Ningbo in China’s Zhejiang province. [/mfn] who could go collect junk at any time to an artistic youth with a melancholic look in his eyes. Sometimes, just by shaving his beard, he could pretend to be young; and conversely, when he let his beard grow, his appearance was quick to turn disheveled.
And yet Jiang Xiaoyuan had a suspicion that behind all these myriad personas, there lies a “sissy heart”[mfn]娘炮之心 (niáng pào zhī xīn): “Sissy heart” is a derogatory term used to describe a man who is perceived as being feminine or lacking in traditional masculinity.[/mfn] within his chest—since he liked to treat himself like a dressed-up Barbie doll.
After a period of fooling around with him, Jiang Xiaoyuan had a deep realization that maybe this male vase[mfn]男花瓶 (nánhuā píng): Male vase refers to a man who is considered to be more concerned with his appearance than with substance. It implies that he might be attractive but lacks qualities like intelligence, talent, or depth.[/mfn] was simply a sincere fool[mfn]In the original text, the author used “二百五” to describe Huo Boyu as a fool. “二百五” originally directly translates to 250. It is a slang term in Chinese that originated from the monetary unit “两百五十文” (liǎngbǎiwǔshíwén), which was equivalent to 250 wén during the Qing Dynasty. This denomination was not particularly valuable or significant, and it may have been associated with small or trivial amounts of money. Over time, it evolved into a slang term to describe someone who is foolish, ignorant, or not very smart.[/mfn]. Not only did he take playing around as art, but he also didn’t realize in the slightest that he was playing around. Huo Boyu genuinely believed that he was an underrated artist, sometimes regarding himself as Van Gogh in the realm of sculpture or a modern-day Du Fu wallowing in the muddy pit[mfn] Du Fu, a great poet who lived in poverty. He lived during the Tang Dynasty, a golden age of Chinese culture, but also a period of political instability and warfare. His poems often reflect the social and political turmoil of the time, as well as his own personal struggles with poverty and displacement. The specific phrase “muddy pit” (泥潭) might be a reference to Du Fu’s poem “Spring Prospect” (春望 – Chūn Wàng), where he laments the state of the nation using the imagery of being stuck in mud. More context: While Van Gogh is a celebrated artist who struggled with recognition during his lifetime, Du Fu is a revered figure in Chinese literature. The comparison highlights the disconnect between Huo Boyu’s inflated self-perception and the reality of Du Fu’s established artistic merit.[/mfn].
Despite his irrational and self-indulgent behavior, Jiang Xiaoyuan simply found it amusing. In addition, she found Huo Boyu’s appearance pleasing to the eyes, so she didn’t really mind spending time and money on him.
If a person is essentially a worthless vase that can’t provide any benefit to others materially or spiritually, then they really have no grounds to demand others take them seriously.
So Jiang Xiaoyuan decided to find Feng Ruixue instead of dealing with Huo Boyu—in her eyes, Huo Boyu was just a plaything while Feng Ruixue was a human being.
However, there could only mean one thing if ever a melodramatic love triangle relationship was instigated because of a best friend trying to snatch away a man: if love is deeper than friendship, then it’s a matter between the man and the woman; if friendship is deeper than love, then there’s a problem between her and Feng Ruixue.
As tensions escalated, Jiang Xiaoyuan maintained her composure. She considered herself a proper lady. Although she had already spoken harsh words and lost her inner sense of calmness, she still tried to maintain her superficial elegance.
Jiang Xiaoyuan: “If you want to deny it, then there’s no need. No one’s trying to create trouble here. That day—last Thursday—I left a new pair of shoes at his place. I only remembered at night and went to get them back. By chance, when I got there, I saw you hugging his arm as you ascended the stairs with him.”
Feng Ruixue’s nails dig into her palm, turning pale from the pressure.
Jiang Xiaoyuan cast a disdainful glance at her companion. Her lip curled in a sneer. “Just what kind of thing is Huo Boyu? Let me tell you straight. In my eyes, he’s not even worth as much as this bag. He’s like a discarded chicken bone—too insignificant to savor, yet too pitiful to toss away. What on earth drew you to him? His looks? His pretentious soul? Or…”
Her words were abruptly cut off by the shrill ring of her phone once more, the caller ID flashing Huo Boyu’s name in the screen.
Jiang Xiaoyuan frowned as she swiftly rejected the call and turned off her phone. Her gaze shifted to the coffee on the table before her. She suddenly had a momentary inclination to splash the remaining contents over Feng Ruixue’s face. However, she hesitated at the last minute, afraid of dirtying her sleeve.
So she turned the coffee into words instead, splashing it onto Feng Rui Xue in the face. “Or is it because of his status of being my so-called boyfriend?”
Feng Ruixue’s eye twitched uncontrollably.
A wry smile tugged at Jiang Xiaoyuan’s lips. “Oh, so that’s how it is.”
The thirst of revenge and burning anger intertwined into a web in her heart. She tightly pursed her lips, preventing herself from cursing out loud in public. After holding back for a while, she asked in a low voice, “Feng Ruixue, are you sick?”
Feng Ruixue lowered her head, blinking her eyes rapidly. Her complexion was drained of color as she stuttered, “I… I’m sorry, I…”
Jiang Xiaoyuan cut her off sharply, “No, don’t pull that act on me. No need to repent in a hurry.”
Feng Ruixue appeared flustered.
Jiang Xiaoyuan chuckled softly. “Ruirui, I just want to know. What’s going on in your minds?”
As she uttered those sentences, her scornful gaze deliberately lingered on Feng Ruixue’s bracelet. It was a rose gold bracelet from a certain notable brand that was later counterfeited and became a popular item on Taobao, ranging in value from twenty to two hundred. The one Feng Ruixue was wearing on her wrist was probably a mid-range product, only worth around a hundred yuan with a help of slight bargaining.
Feng Ruixue was very ambitious, and she lived her life quite frugally. The only two types of brand names that appeared on her were either off-season products with discounts of less than 20% off or outstanding knock-offs from Taobao. Sometimes Jiang Xiaoyuan couldn’t help but feel a bit disdainful; but because of their deep friendship, she would quickly suppress those sentiments. She even felt that Feng Ruixue had it tough, so she tried to feign ignorance or indifference to her situation for so long, never uttering a word of reproach.
Until now. It seemed their friendship had reached its breaking point.
Feng Ruixue slightly leaned forward as she whispered, “I’m sorry, but you need to calm down first…”
Jiang Xiaoyuan cut her off, “I’m perfectly calm.”
She had involuntarily raised her voice, startling the handsome man at the nearby table who had never lifted his head since earlier. His gaze flicked over towards them while tinged with curiosity.
Feng Ruixue’s lips pressed together into a firm line, and she remained speechless for a long time. Suddenly, she let out a sigh of relief, and her tense shoulders relaxed. It was as if she had relieved herself of a burden. She seemed as exhausted as the corners of her eyes, which had sagged due to her lack of self-care maintainance.
“I…” Feng Ruixue opened her mouth to speak. “I’ve been worried that you would find out. Last night, I was still foolishly hoping that if you could just get bored or break up with Huo Boyu before you found out… then everything could be overlooked, and no one would know.
“That’s self-deception,” Jiang Xiaoyuan said. “You still haven’t answered me yet. What do you see in him? Or—is it that you see something lacking in me?”
Feng Ruixue lowered her head, her bangs framing her face in a slightly touching curve.
Feng Ruixue: “If I say… sometimes I get really jealous of you. Won’t you find that reasonable? After all…”
“You’re not jealous of me.” Jiang Xiaoyuan interrupted her again as she emphasized her following words, slowly and deliberately. “Jealousy isn’t like this. Actually, you just don’t like me, and this is your way of mocking me—Feng Ruixue, now that our bond is severed, why bother with the charade? Why bother trying to please me? What? Are you afraid that I’ll take back the investment I made in your little shabby shop?
Feng Ruixue felt like she had been slapped in the face.
Not all arrogant people were necessarily sharp-tongued or likeable, but they often shared a common trait—an uncanny ability to always step on people’s sore spots accurately. And Jiang Xiaoyuan was undoubtedly a master at this.
Feng Ruixue felt as if she were being paraded through the streets right now with a completely bare body and stripped of all dignity and warmth. As Jiang Xiaoyuan continued to convey more harsh criticisms[mfn]江晓媛那刻薄的上嘴唇一碰下嘴唇: Originally described as “Jiang Xiaoyuan’s sharp upper lip touched her lower lip” but it could also metaphorically convey that she is about to say something harsh or cutting.[/mfn], the terms “friend” and “partner” had long vanished from her words. Since she was no longer recognized, her label had now been degraded into a pathetic sycophant who wagged their tail in order to please people[mfn]摇尾乞怜者: “a groveling sycophant” These idiomatic expressions capture the sense of someone who is abjectly seeking favor in a servile manner.[/mfn].
However, Jiang Xiaoyuan wasn’t done yet with her words. She delivered the final blow calmly: “I won’t go so far to completely destroy you. After all, it’s not much money anyways; so you don’t need to worry about me taking it back.”
If Jiang Xiaoyuan had flown into rage, poured coffee at her, made a scene, threatened to withdraw her investment, and forced her to repay everything back—then Feng Ruixue could have handled it. After all, these reactions were within her vague expectations. She also knew that within Jiang Xiaoyuan’s hysteria, she would have subtly felt at ease upon knowing they had at least a fragile equilibrium between the two of them in terms of sensibility.
It was a pity that Jiang Xiaoyuan failed to live up to her expectations, doing neither of those behaviors. As she was used to being a dominant figure, it only took one word for her to effortlessly delineate their relationship while also imposing her palpable sense of superiority, showcasing each and every detail to Feng Ruixue.
The more “magnanimous” Jiang Xiaoyuan was in her words, the more Feng Ruixue felt pain and resentment in her heart—this didn’t need any further explanation by others; women at war naturally understood it.
“You gave me money…” Feng Ruixue struggled to speak. “But you didn’t earn it by yourself. You’ve never earned anything on your own. Jiang Xiaoyuan. It sometimes makes me wonder… What sets us apart? What makes us different from each other? Why do you get to sit in a BMW and comfortably speed off while I have to ride a broken electric bike in the dead of winter[mfn]”寒冬腊月” translates to “cold winter twelfth month,” referring to the coldest part of winter, particularly the twelfth month of the lunar calendar.[/mfn] while constantly being honked at by others along the way?”
Jiang Xiaoyuan smiled meaningfully without answering. With these words spoken, Feng Ruixue had undoubtedly lost.
Seeing her expression, Feng Ruixue suddenly realized that Jiang Xiaoyuan was like a high and mighty princess who fundamentally had no need for friends, nor did she ever need He Boyu. What she wanted were maids and dolls that were responsible for ensuring her happiness by accepting her gifts, supporting her sense of superiority with both hands, and expressing utmost praise and respect to her.
What coat could be more splendid than “superiority”? Feng Ruixue was merely a decorative bow on Jiang Xiaoyuan’s coat.
Feng Ruixue suddenly said, “Yes, it’s true that you’re wealthier than me and wealthier than most. While others are busy working from nine to five, you don’t have to do work and can just casually max your credits out, knowing that someone else will pay them for you. You are lucky that you were able to be born into a privileged life, but does that make you great?”
Jiang Xiaoyuan, who hadn’t expected her to fight back so fiercely, was momentarily caught off guard.
Feng Ruixue’s raised voice almost drowned out the music playing inside the cafe, prompting cautious glances from the other staff.
She took a deep breath. “I do appreciate you. I’m really sorry that I made a mistake because I was jealous of you. I’m still willing to make amends, but today we must make things clear—Jiang Xiaoyuan, when you said that I’m not jealous, it’s because you consider me not even worthy of being jealous of you, right?”
“Jiang Xiaoyuan,” Feng Ruixue called out her name before taking a deep breath and speaking again in a soft voice. “I don’t understand. You clearly have everything, but why do you still have the need to cling to this sense of superiority in order to live?”
At that moment, the door to the coffee shop suddenly rang with a chime, and a handsome young man hastily walked in. Scanning the room, he immediately spotted Jiang Xiaoyuan and Feng Ruixue sitting in the sunlight. He paused for a moment, looking somewhat anxious and hesitant to approach.
It was Huo Boyu.
Huo Boyu was a slender-waisted and long-legged good-for-nothing. After hesitating for a while, he finally chose to settle beside Jiang Xiaoyuan. He glanced at Jiang Xiaoyuan first, his eyes seeking approval, as though he were awaiting her command to grant this determined double agent a seat.
Yet, at the sight of him, Jiang Xiaoyuan found herself overcome with a sudden wave of boredom. The entire interrogation suddenly seemed pointless.
“Why am I even here?” she asked herself. “Is any of this truly necessary?”
Without saying any more words, Jiang Xiaoyuan rose to her feet and pushed the handbag she had promised toward Feng Ruixue as if she were pushing a pile of bejewelled breakup fees[mfn]”breakup fees” (分手费 – fēnshǒu fèi) isn’t a universally accepted or legal concept. However, it has emerged as a recent phenomenon, particularly among younger people in China. It is often used by the wealthier partner to express perceived superiority or deflect blame by implying the other partner is motivated by money. In this context, offering expensive gifts during a breakup can be seen as a way to dismiss the emotional aspects of the situation.[/mfn]. She didn’t even spare a glance at the male vase as she made her exit with big strides, slipping into her car thereafter.
Jiang Xiaoyuan caught a glimpse of Huo Boyu chasing after her with a flushed face. Without even bothering to fasten her seatbelt and properly close the door, she stepped on the gas pedal, taking off amidst the car’s incessant alarm.
In her peripheral vision, Jiang Xiaoyuan was able to catch a glimpse of the handsome man from the café watching her leave. His eyes were clear as if they were inorganic, which she found quite annoying.
The incessant beeping of the car was also annoying.
And the poorly maintained road sections were even more annoying.
Jiang Xiaoyuan suddenly had the urge to drive this annoying car straight into a tree and head to the 4S dealership[mfn]A “4S dealership” refers to a type of automotive dealership that typically offers services related to “Sales, Service, Spare parts, and Survey” (hence the “4S”). These dealerships sell new cars, provide maintenance and repair services, offer genuine spare parts, and may also conduct customer satisfaction surveys. [/mfn] after to buy a new one—because when feeling down, only shopping could alleviate her mood a bit.
Just as she was thinking this, she turned a corner, only to find a medium-sized business van rushing towards her as if it were in a hurry to reincarnate.
Jiang Xiaoyuan’s foot was still stuck on the accelerator, her high heels preventing her feet from breaking contact. She could only desperately steer the steering wheel to the side, crashing straight into the roadside guardrail on the side of the road.
She really did hit a tree.
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