Xie An’yu wandered the nearby streets, but found nothing. Lu Yang’s restaurant was in this area, so looking for work nearby again was a bit risky; who knew when he might run into him.
Xie An’yu felt like a headless fly, directionless and without a place to land.
Beicheng was nothing like Shuangye Isle after all. The city was vast and bustling; he couldn’t expect to be so lucky every time.
After aimlessly wandering for a while, Xie An’yu realized that the survival strategies he’d used on Shuangye Isle wouldn’t work in Beicheng. Finding a job this way was unrealistic.
He was already out of money for food, but thankfully Yue Lai’s grandfather had given him some sachima and egg cakes, which he could use to fill his stomach.
Xie An’yu had a big appetite. Even after finishing the small bag of egg cake, he didn’t feel particularly full, but he didn’t eat any more. He wanted to save the sachima for later that night.
Xie An’yu went back home. Since he had some free time, he wanted to repay the ‘debt’ he owed Xiao Zhou—he still owed him one movie.
Xie An’yu texted Xiao Zhou, asking if he was busy and if he’d like to watch a movie together if he wasn’t.
Xiao Zhou replied after a long while, saying he was still working and would contact him when he wanted to watch.
With nothing else to do, Xie An’yu thoroughly cleaned his rented apartment, inside and out. After finishing, he pulled out his phone and surfed the internet, browsing forums and posts specifically for freelancers and gig workers.
For Xie An’yu, the only use for his phone was WeChat chat. He was a ‘disconnected youth’, unfamiliar with social media platforms. His impression of surfing the internet was still stuck in his school’s IT classes, where they still used desktop computers in the lab.
Xie An’yu searched for keywords and explored numerous websites and forums. The forums had everything; they were platforms for resource sharing, and by scrolling through countless posts, he eventually found useful information.
He gained a lot. Xie An’yu stumbled upon a local job recruitment website by accident and even joined several WeChat groups that recruited temporary and part-time workers. People with hiring needs would post job information in these groups.
These community-run groups were created by locals to facilitate information sharing, and most of the part-time jobs were located nearby.
***
That evening, Yu Feng ate dinner in the company cafeteria, which stayed open until midnight primarily to provide late-night meals for employees working overtime. By the time Yu Feng arrived at nine o’clock, the number of people in the cafeteria had already significantly decreased. He settled into a window seat, and halfway through his meal, someone sat down across from him with a tray.
Yu Feng glanced up at the newcomer and said, “It’s rare to see you eating the company meal.”
“It’s too late; I’m too lazy to order takeout.”
The person sitting across from Yu Feng was Irene, the editor-in-chief of 《Charm》.
“Didn’t you go on location this afternoon? Why come back to the company for dinner?” Irene picked up her glass of warm water and took a sip.
“It’s close by and convenient.”
“Luo Xiaoyu already told me about Xia Xu’s matters. Their manager called to apologize, and we’ve rescheduled the shoot. They’they’ll fully cooperate. What do you think, should we ask Xia Xu to apologize to you personally?”
“Do I have that much clout?” Yu Feng chuckled. “Why not just have him buy everyone a cup of milk tea[mfn]奶茶 (nǎi chá): Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, tapioca milk tea, boba tea, or boba; Chinese: 珍珠奶茶; pinyin: zhēnzhū nǎichá, 波霸奶茶; bōbà nǎichá) is a tea-based drink most often containing chewy tapioca balls, milk, and flavouring. It originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Bubble tea is most commonly made with tapioca pearls (also known as “boba” or “balls”), but it can be made with other toppings as well, such as grass jelly, aloe vera, red bean, and popping boba.
[/mfn] during the next shoot instead?”
Irene nodded. “Hmm, that sounds reasonable.”
They were mostly joking, except for Irene’s earlier suggestion about Xia Xu apologizing personally to Yu Feng. Irene asked, “Seriously, you don’t want him to apologize in person?”
“No need. If word got out, the public might say 《Charm》 acts overbearingly.”
“Hasn’t 《Charm》 always been like that? Haven’t you always been like that too?”
Yu Feng smiled at that. “I’m getting old. Now I prefer making money through harmony.”
Irene scoffed. “Someone who’s not even thirty has the nerve to call himself old in front of me.”
“Even if he apologizes, it should be to everyone who was there that day. If he really wants to apologize, can he even reach them all?,” Yu Feng said. “Once this gets out, everyone in the industry will have their own judgment. He’s already narrowed his own path right from the start.”
Irene shook her head. “He got famous too quickly. Everything came too easily. He doesn’t know the limits of his own abilities.”
***
The side effects of the medication Xie An’yu had taken hadn’t fully worn off yet. As soon as he relaxed, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, and he fell asleep on the living room sofa. He only managed to pry his eyelids open with great effort when he heard muffled voices.
“When will you ever respect my wishes? Can you stop forcing your views on me? How many times have I told you I’m not going back? I’m staying in Beicheng. Why do you keep pressuring me to return? Before, you only interfered with my work, but now you’re even trying to decide who I date?”
Zhai Jing angrily turned on the light and was startled by Xie An’yu lying on the sofa. Xie An’yu cracked open his eyes slightly. Zhai Jing covered the phone and lowered his voice. “You scared me half to death.”
“Why are you sleeping here? Go back to your room and sleep; you’ll catch a cold.” Zhai Jing said, walking towards his own room with a surprisingly calm expression.
The room wasn’t well soundproofed. Xie An’yu could hear Zhai Jing’s phone call from outside. He sounded a bit agitated, and his voice got louder and louder as he spoke.
“I’m in Beicheng, and you’re arranging a blind date for me back home? What are you thinking? Do you have to make everyone unhappy? You truly never consider my feelings, and you never care what kind of life I want to live.”
“I’ll say it again: I’m not going back. You can explain it to the blind date however you want; it has nothing to do with me.”
“Fine, then! If it’s disowning, then disowning! You think I want to be your son?!”
Through the closed door, Xie An’yu heard the sound of something being thrown. He wasn’t sure if Zhai Jing had thrown his phone.
During their time living together, Xie An’yu had occasionally overheard Zhai Jing’s phone calls with his parents, and most of those calls ended in arguments. This time, however, seemed to be the fiercest one yet.
The next morning, Xie An’yu realized the situation might actually be quite serious.
Zhai Jing was on the phone, calling his supervisor to request leave early in the morning. He hastily packed some belongings into a bag, his entire demeanor frantic and disoriented.
“What happened?” Xie An’yu asked.
As Zhai Jing packed his things, he said, “My dad had a heart attack and is in the hospital. I need to go home.”
Zhai Jing’s father had fallen ill last night. After his call, Zhai Jing had turned off his phone and missed his mother’s calls. He only learned about it when he turned his phone back on this morning. Regret was useless now; it had already happened. Fortunately, his father’s condition wasn’t critical.
Zhai Jing paused his packing, sighing with a worried frown. “Xiao Xie, am I being selfish?”
Xie An’yu was silent for a moment before replying, “You’re just trying to live the life you want.”
Zhai Jing looked up at him, forced a bitter smile, and seemed slightly relieved.
Xie An’yu could understand Zhai Jing. What he said was sincere, but it wasn’t what he truly felt in his heart. For someone who had lacked familial affection since childhood, nothing was more important than family. If it weren’t to comfort Zhai Jing, he probably would have said; ‘Go back to your parents as soon as possible. At least you can still have their calls‘.
***
Xie An’yu found a part-time job through the WeChat groups he had joined earlier: dressing up as a mascot and handing out flyers. Wages were paid daily, and he was connected with a person specializing in flyer distribution who would take a 10% commission for each successful distribution. Although finding work through a distributor meant paying extra fees, it was indeed more convenient, and if he cooperated long-term, he’d get more assignments.
Afterward, Xie An’yu found another job monitoring computers at an internet cafe. Xie An’yu kept a close eye on group chats, contacting the employer immediately whenever a job posting appeared. Because the monitoring job required working all night, few people were willing to do it, so there wasn’t much competition, and he quickly secured the position.
Now, Xie An’yu worked as a mascot during the day and monitored computers at the internet cafe at night. Zhai Jing returned a week later. That day, Xie An’yu caught up on sleep in the morning and spent the afternoon handing out flyers at the mall. He came back early, planning to grab some quick dinner before heading to the internet cafe.
When he arrived home, Zhai Jing was already back. Several takeout containers sat on the dining table, and Zhai Jing was packing his luggage in his room.
Xie An’yu stood at the doorway and called out, “Brother Jing.”
Zhai Jing turned his head. “Oh, you’re back. I ordered takeout—it’s on the table.”
“What are you…”
Zhai Jing, holding a piece of clothing, hesitated for a moment. “Xiao Xie, there’s something I need to tell you. I… I’m planning to go home, back to my hometown, and I won’t be coming back after this. So, I won’t be renewing the lease on this place anymore. I’m sorry, you just moved in not long ago. But I have no choice; my parents…”
Zhai Jing sighed, unable to finish the sentence.
“It’s okay,” Xie An’yu said. “When are you leaving?”
Zhai Jing continued packing his belongings. “I’ve already resigned from my job. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
Zhai Jing had sent his resignation email to the company a few days prior and explained the situation to his direct supervisor. The supervisor, understanding and sympathetic, waived the usual month-long notice period and approved his request immediately.
“I’m really sorry about this,” Zhai Jing said, feeling guilty. “I’ll refund all the rent you paid earlier. The lease isn’t up yet, so you can still stay here.”
“It’s fine, you don’t need to return the money to me. How’s your dad doing now?”
“Nothing serious; he’s still recuperating in the hospital.” Zhai Jing paused for a moment. “Xiao Xie, I suddenly don’t know what all my persistence this past year was for. I feel like this year of persistence was just a joke…”
Xie An’yu watched him without saying a word.
“But I know I can let myself down, but I absolutely cannot let them down.”
On his last night in Beicheng, Zhai Jing didn’t sleep well. When Xie An’yu returned from the internet cafe in the morning, he noticed Zhai Jing’s dark circles and swollen eyes.
Zhai Jing pushed two large suitcases. Xie An’yu bid him farewell at the door. Zhai Jing said he thought he’d have many things to take with him, but in the end, it was just these two suitcases.
“These two suitcases hold my five years in Beicheng,” Zhai Jing said, patting the suitcases with a smile. “Xiao Xie, we’ll meet again if fate allows.”
Xie An’yu smiled faintly. “Goodbye, Brother Jing.”
The apartment lease still had a little over half a month left. If the rent wasn’t paid by the due date, it would automatically be considered a non-renewal. With Zhai Jing gone, there was no need for Xie An’yu to rent a two-bedroom apartment alone. He didn’t plan to renew, and he couldn’t afford the rent anyway.
Xie An’yu remembered the sleeping bag he had bought earlier, his feelings a mix of emotions. He hadn’t expected it to come in handy so soon.
On the last day before the lease expired, Xie An’yu spent the morning making a small four-inch cake[mfn]四寸的小蛋糕 (sì cùn de xiǎo dàngāo): Small four-inch cake.
[/mfn]. He used to work in a dessert shop, and it had been a while since he’d baked, so he was a bit rusty, but fortunately, the finished product looked good.
Xie An’yu had always wanted to thank the big brother who had saved him earlier. He had already earned enough to repay the medical expenses he owed and planned to give both the money and the cake to him.
The apartment owner was a friend of Zhai Jing’s. Though small, the apartment had everything needed, including a fully equipped kitchen. If Xie An’yu hadn’t seen the oven in the kitchen, he wouldn’t have thought of making a cake. To make it, he had even ordered baking tools online.
At noon the day before, Xie An’yu rummaged through his backpack and pulled out the note the big brother had left him earlier and dialed the phone number on it.
At that moment, Yu Feng was having lunch with Jiang Xiaotian. His phone, lying on the table, vibrated, displaying an unfamiliar number.
“Hello, who is this?” Yu Feng answered the phone.
Xie An’yu paused, the voice coming through the speaker sounding strangely familiar. He hesitated for a couple of seconds, not speaking.
“Who is this?” Yu Feng asked again.
Xie An’yu rarely called strangers. He cleared his throat and, feeling somewhat awkward, began, “Big Brother, this is Xie An’yu. Do you remember me?”
Yu Feng’s hand, holding his chopsticks, froze. Jiang Xiaotian, sitting across from him, glanced at him.
Yu Feng hummed in acknowledgment. “I remember. Why are you calling me so suddenly?”
“I haven’t repaid the money I owe you yet,” Xie An’yu said. “I have the money now. Would you be free to meet tomorrow? I’ll give you the money back.”
“Just transfer it directly,” Yu Feng said.
“I only have cash.”
Xie An’yu was actually lying; he had money in his bank account too, but he needed to deliver the cake to Yu Feng in person.
Yu Feng wouldn’t be free until after work tomorrow, but his exact finishing time was uncertain. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I’ll call you after work tomorrow. Just tell me where to meet you, and I’ll come find you.”
Xie An’yu was taken aback. “…Ah?”
“I can’t be sure when I’ll be free tomorrow.”
“What if it’s too far? Wouldn’t it be a hassle for you to come all the way here?”
Yu Feng chuckled. “Who would complain about trouble when getting paid?”
“…Mm, then, remember to call me.”
***
The next day, Yu Feng got off work quite early; the sun hadn’t even set yet. The address Xie An’yu had given him led to a square. There seemed to be some kind of event happening at the square. When Yu Feng drove nearby, the area was packed with people, and deafening music blared from loudspeakers. Yu Feng instinctively frowned, unable to understand why Xie An’yu would choose such a place.
Yu Feng called Xie An’yu, but a girl answered. “Hello? Is this ‘Big Brother’?”
Yu Feng paused, took two seconds to react, then replied, “Yes, it is.”
“I’m Xiao Xie’s friend. He can’t answer the phone right now. Where are you?”
“By the square fountain.”
“Oh, oh, got it. Just wait a moment, I’ll have him come find you. Which side of the fountain are you on?”
“Directly across from the fountain, by the sculpture.”
“Ok, ok, I got it.”
Yu Feng waited by the fountain for a while, glancing up at the crowd gathered in the center of the square. It looked like there was a brand promotion event happening.
Before long, Yu Feng saw a mascot walking towards him from a distance—a light brown cartoon little bear.
The little bear waddled clumsily with its protruding belly, looking rather goofy.
Yu Feng’s gaze dropped, noticing the little bear was carrying a paper bag. He watched as the little bear walked straight toward him, glanced around, and confirmed he was indeed the only person there.
Just as he was wondering what was going on, the little bear stopped right in front of him.
Strictly speaking, the ‘little bear[mfn]小熊 (xiǎo xióng): little bear; (literal) a small bear.[/mfn]’ wasn’t small at all. With its headpiece on, it was even taller than Yu Feng. Yu Feng stared into the little bear’s two round, black eyes, holding its gaze for a few seconds without speaking, unsure of the other’s intentions.
The little bear carefully bent down to place the paper bag on the ground, then raised both hands and removed its headpiece.
Yu Feng was suddenly stunned, staring in surprise at the young man in front of him.
Xie An’yu, slightly out of breath, cradled the headpiece in his arms. His cheeks were flushed, and the wisps of hair on his forehead were soaked with sweat.
Suddenly, the vibrating sound of water erupted around them. The fountain behind Yu Feng erupted in a spectacular display, its jets of water blooming like flowers.
Poor ZJ. It’s suck that parents force their ideals on their children. What they thought best might not be what’s actually best for the child. Parents are human too, after all. They could be wrong, and they could be trying to live their lives through their children, hoping their children accomplish what they couldn’t, not caring that the child might have different dreams.
Filial piety is treated extremely seriously in Asia in general, especially in China, they even have a law about filial piety. The parents could be as bad as anything, but the children couldn’t treat their parents badly. Have you heard of the Twenty-four Filial Exemplars or The Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety? It is a set of stories that exemplify the Confucian virtue of filial piety, emphasizing the importance of respecting and caring for one’s parents and family.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 21″]
一無所獲 (yī wú suǒ huò): have no gain; to gain nothing; to end up empty-handed; end up with nothing; fail to gain anything; draw a blank; describes the state of not getting the expected results at all.和氣生財 (hé qì shēng cái): amiability makes you rich; amiability begets riches; friendliness is conducive to business success; good-naturedness is a source of wealth; do business with a smile, and you will make a pile (of money); an idiom advising people that only by being friendly and not offending customers can you get rich; being kind to others can bring wealth and treasure.
不知天高地厚 (bù zhī tiān gāo dì hòu): lit. not know the height of the skies or the depth of the earth—not know one’s own limitations; not to know the immensity of heaven and earth; an exaggerated opinion of one’s own abilities; to think one knows everything; to be ignorant.
六神無主 (liù shén wú zhǔ): out of one’s wits (idiom); distracted; stunned; all six vital organs fail to function―be perplexed/stupefied; be at a loss; describe someone who is extremely frightened and don’t know what to do.
愁眉不展 (chóu méi bù zhǎn): to wear a sad or distressed expression; with a worried frown; with knitted brows; be morose; one’s eyebrows are tightly knitted together and cannot be relaxed due to worry. It is often used to describe a person who is worried and has a heavy heart.
一應俱全 (yī yīng jù quán): with everything needed available; be complete in every line; everything needed is there; goods are available in all varieties; all in one place; all necessary items or conditions are complete.
[/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.
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