The hair-washing process was brief, but for Xie An’yu, it felt excruciatingly long—those few minutes stretched like half a century.
Yu Feng turned off the shower, grabbed a clean, dry towel from the rack, and draped it over Xie An’yu’s head. He wrapped the towel around his hair to soak up the water, then removed it. Just as he straightened up, before he could steady himself, Xie An’yu stood abruptly, his damp hair still dripping, and nearly collided with him as he turned around.
Yu Feng took half a step back. Xie An’yu picked up the small stool on the floor, muttered a low ‘Thanks, Brother’, before turning to leave.
“Your hair isn’t dry yet,” Yu Feng said from behind him.
Yu Feng had only given his hair a quick rub with the towel earlier, and Xie An’yu’s strands were still dripping, the back of his collar soaked.
Yu Feng walked over, draped the towel over Xie An’yu’s head from behind, and started rubbing gently. Xie An’yu stood with his back to him, still holding the stool in his hand. The towel was blocking his vision, so he stared at the floor, standing motionless.
After holding back for so long, if he bolted now, it would all be for nothing.
“Turn around,” Yu Feng said. “It’s hard to dry your hair like this.”
Xie An’yu slowly turned to face him.
Yu Feng glanced at the stool in his hand. “Put it down. It doesn’t have legs—it won’t run away.”
Xie An’yu bent down and placed the stool back on the floor.
Yu Feng gently rubbed Xie An’yu’s damp hair. Xie An’yu’s head felt like a hot fireball, radiating heat through the towel. His ears and cheeks were flushed.
Of course, Yu Feng felt it too, but he didn’t overthink it. He already knew Xie An’yu wasn’t used to physical contact with outsiders—anyone crossing that social boundary would make him tense.
At least when Yu Feng got this close, Xie An’yu didn’t instinctively pull away.
Xie An’yu kept his head down, half his face obscured by the towel. Yu Feng lowered his gaze, his eyes inadvertently landing on Xie An’yu’s tightly pressed lips.
If he were a few years younger, or if Xie An’yu were a few years older, he would’ve confessed his feelings long ago—and he’d have already grabbed his chin and kissed him hard.
Suffering the pangs of love at this age was truly torturous.
The two remained silent for a while. The steam in the bathroom seemed thicker than when Xie An’yu had just finished showering, beads of sweat forming on the bridge of Xie An’yu’s nose.
“The towel’s almost dry from your head,” Yu Feng murmured.
Xie An’yu’s body stiffened slightly, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he took a breath. Yu Feng’s gaze caught the movement.
When Xie An’yu finally spoke, his voice was raspy. “It’s a little hot in the bathroom.”
Yu Feng stopped what he was doing and reached around Xie An’yu to open the door. Xie An’yu’s hair was already half-dry. He lifted his hand to pull the towel off his head. “Brother, you can take your shower now. I’m going out.”
Yu Feng gave a quiet hum, and Xie An’yu picked up the stool and left the bathroom.
Xie An’yu stayed in his room for a while, his hair drying quickly. After that, he lay in bed and didn’t leave again—until his bladder forced him to make a desperate trip to the bathroom.
Yu Feng’s words came true; that cup of milk tea Xie An’yu drank kept him up all night. Not only could he not sleep, but he kept needing to pee, making nearly a dozen trips to the bathroom before finally dozing off around three or four in the morning.
***
The trip to Shuangye Isle was scheduled for five days later.
Guo Tianyang’s family was urging him to return home, so he couldn’t wait for Xie An’yu. He and Ding Ying left for Shuangye Isle together three days after she finished her exams.
Zhou Yi created a group chat, adding Xie An’yu, Yu Feng, and his colleagues. In the group, he announced that the travel expenses would be split equally among everyone. Xie An’yu was considered a kid, and Yu Feng was half his guardian, so Yu Feng would cover Xie An’yu’s share.
When Xie An’yu saw the group announcement, he immediately replied: 【I’ll cover my own expenses】
Zhou Yi responded: 【Don’t worry, your brother’s loaded. The one thing he’s never short on is money. Save your money for taking care of him in his old age】
Xie An’yu: 【……】
Yu Feng and Xie An’yu were currently on their way to the supermarket to buy supplies for the trip, with Xie An’yu sitting in Yu Feng’s car.
Great. Now the whole world knew he was determined to support Yu Feng in his old age.
“Brother, I’ll pay for my own travel expenses,” Xie An’yu said, putting down his phone.
Yu Feng glanced at him and replied, “Sure.”
“How many days are we going for?”
“Five days for now.”
“Can you take that much time off work?”
“I can use my annual leave.”
Even without annual leave, Yu Feng could easily take time off—his work schedule was flexible, and the company gave him considerable freedom.
When they arrived at the supermarket, Xie An’yu wasn’t entirely sure what to buy. He thought bringing a change of clothes and toiletries would be enough, but it was Yu Feng who suggested going to the supermarket.
To Xie An’yu’s surprise, the first place Yu Feng went was the snack section. Pushing the cart, Yu Feng turned to him and asked, “What snacks do you want?”
“…Brother, do you like snacks?”
“No,” Yu Feng said, scanning the shelves. “I was asking what you want to eat. We can get some snacks for the road.”
Xie An’yu chuckled. “Brother, this isn’t a grade-school field trip.”
Yu Feng did feel a bit like he was preparing for an elementary school outing—mainly because Xie An’yu was coming along, and he was enjoying every step of the process.
Yu Feng picked up a bag of potato chips and examined it. “Chip flavors have gotten this outrageous now? There’s even coriander-flavored[mfn]香菜味薯片 (xiāng cài wèi shǔ piàn): Coriander-flavored Chips.
[/mfn] ones.”
“Want a few bags?” Yu Feng asked Xie An’yu.
Xie An’yu shook his head. “I don’t really like potato chips.”
Yu Feng put the chips back. “What do you like to eat?” he asked, picking up a vacuum-sealed bag of braised pork trotters[mfn]真空包裝的醬豬蹄 (zhēn kōng bāo zhuāng de jiàng zhū tí): Vacuum-sealed bag of braised pork trotters.
[/mfn]. “This?”
Xie An’yu nodded honestly.
Likes meat, Yu Feng noted mentally, tossing the pork trotters into the cart.
Xie An’yu’s tastes leaned toward kid-friendly snacks—dried pork slices[mfn]豬肉脯 (zhū ròu pú): Bakkwa is a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky. Bakkwa is made with a meat preservation and preparation technique originating from China. The general method of production has remained virtually unchanged throughout the centuries, but the techniques have been gradually improved. It is traditionally made of pork, beef, or mutton, which is prepared with spices, sugar, salt and soy sauce, then dried on racks at around 50 to 60 °C (122 to 140 °F) to a final water activity between 0.60 and 0.69.
[/mfn], mini sausages[mfn]小香腸 (xiǎo xiāng cháng): Mini sausages.
[/mfn], chicken drumsticks[mfn]小雞腿 (xiǎo jī tuǐ): Chicken drumsticks.
[/mfn]. He preferred meat over carb-heavy snacks like crackers. Getting into the spirit, Xie An’yu even grabbed several packs of Q.Q candies[mfn]Q.Q糖 (kiū kiū táng): QQ Candy, one of the most consumed soft candies, originated in Taiwan in the late 20th century when it used to draw its inspiration from conventional Chinese Mak Sweet & Sour Snaps. QQ bears this title to express the chewy and elastic texture, which is a favorite among most Asian snacks. Its popularity has grown over the years, owing to the wide variety of flavors and textures, which is not like most other gummy sweets. More information: Link.
[/mfn], each a different flavor.
Was this regression to childhood or just embracing his true nature?
Yu Feng looked at the colorful Q.Q candy packs in the cart and asked, “You like these?”
“…Mm.”
Xie An’yu did enjoy them. After his nightly runs, he’d often stop by a convenience store to buy a pack. His favorite kind was the ones with a jam filling, with a very strong fruit flavor.
Yu Feng smiled.
Doesn’t like milk tea but loves Q.Q candy.
The two of them walked around but only ended up buying snacks. By the end of their trip, Yu Feng had already figured out Xie An’yu’s taste preferences—he liked both sweet and savory snacks, wasn’t fond of dry snacks like chips or crackers, and preferred vacuum-packed meats and had a particular love for Q.Q candies, which he picked up the most.
When they were about to check out, Xie An’yu asked Yu Feng, “Don’t you have anything to buy?”
“I’ll just mooch off yours,” Yu Feng replied.
Xie An’yu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Yu Feng glanced at him. “Think again if there’s anything else you need.”
Xie An’yu thought for a moment and then asked Yu Feng, “Brother, do you have any sunscreen at home?”
“Yes, but it’s probably expired by now.”
“Then let’s get another bottle.”
Xie An’yu found the sunscreen in the household goods aisle. Yu Feng stood behind him, thinking to himself that the kid was quite particular.
“Which brand should we get?” Xie An’yu turned to look at Yu Feng. “Is there one you usually buy here?”
“Me?” Yu Feng was momentarily taken aback. “For me?”
“It’s cool on the island, but the sun is still strong. I’m afraid you’ll get a tan,” Xie An’yu said, meeting Yu Feng’s gaze for a second before looking back at the sunscreen on the shelf. “The sea breeze can also make you tan easily.”
“Even though the island is cool, the sunlight is still strong. I don’t want you to get tanned.” Xie An’yu met Yu Feng’s gaze briefly before quickly looking away, turning back to the shelf. “Sea breezes can darken your skin too.”
Yu Feng wasn’t fond of sunscreen—it felt sticky and uncomfortable when applied.
“Just pick one,” Yu Feng said.
At the checkout counter, all the items were Xie An’yu’s snacks. It had been a long time since he’d bought so many snacks. The cashier glanced at Xie An’yu when she scanned the Q.Q candies, lowering her eyes with a quiet smile.
Because he had grabbed almost every flavor available.
“Do you have a membership card?” the cashier asked with a smile.
Yu Feng was about to give his phone number when Xie An’yu said, “No.”
He then took out his phone and opened WeChat, clearly intending to pay himself. Yu Feng didn’t rush to pay and put his phone back in his pocket.
On their way back, Zhou Yi called Yu Feng.
“Why aren’t you replying to the group messages?”
“I was at the supermarket just now.”
“You’re in the mood for that?”
“Just picking up some travel supplies.”
“Haha, really? You’re actually putting a lot of thought into this trip.” Zhou Yi said. He didn’t know Yu Feng had the call on speaker, connected to the car’s Bluetooth, so his voice echoed through the car. Within a few sentences, he started joking around. “What kind of supplies require a special trip to the supermarket? Condoms?”
The air in the car instantly froze.
Xie An’yu turned to look at Yu Feng, whose expression remained completely blank, his tone unfazed. “The kid’s sitting right next to me.”
Zhou Yi was startled on the other end of the line. As a teacher, his ability to think on his feet was naturally sharp. After a brief pause, he calmly recovered. “This isn’t even close to a dirty joke. You think I’d corrupt the kid? Besides, Xiao Xie is already 18—an adult. It’s not like he can’t hear this stuff.”
Zhou Yi had only meant to tease Yu Feng, of course—and the joke was inevitably about Xie An’yu, otherwise he wouldn’t have casually mentioned ‘condoms’. But he hadn’t expected Xie An’yu to be right there.
Why does this guy always put calls on speaker??
If he had said just one more thing, the secret Yu Feng had been keeping would’ve been out in the open.
Fortunately, Yu Feng remained composed. Their back-and-forth didn’t reveal any flaws, though Yu Feng was probably itching to strangle him right now.
Xie An’yu spoke up as a reminder: “I’m already 19.”
“Then it’s even less of an issue. You’re all grown up now.” Zhou Yi laughed, adopting the tone of a sex education teacher. “Condoms are daily necessities—everyone uses them. We should learn to overcome sexual shame.”
Yu Feng seriously doubted Zhou Yi’s mental state—was he drunk? This explanation was only making things worse.
Yu Feng smiled and said to Zhou Yi, “Sorry, but good kids like us only buy Q.Q canndies at the supermarket.”
The author has something to say:
The comment section has now become the kingdom of King Tiki[mfn]吉吉國王 (jí jí guó wáng): Tiki(吉吉) is a Animal character in Boonie Bears. Boonie Bears is a Chinese animated television series shown on multiple Chinese platforms and television stations, including Central China Television (CCTV) and Beijing Television Network (BTV). The series features two Asian black bears, Briar and Bramble, who try to stop Logger Vick from destroying their forest home. Some other minor characters, mainly animals, are also shown, such as an owl, a gopher and two monkeys. Tiki is a some-what selfish monkey who declares himself as the king; always thinking he could be the most successful and the greatest person.
[/mfn] [spreads hands[mfn]雙手攤開 (shuāng shǒu tān kāi): Spreads hands.
[/mfn]]
Almost there, don’t rush, Your Majesties.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 49″]
驚世駭俗 (jīng shì hài sú): (literary) extremely shocking; universally shocking; to offend the whole of society; astound the world; shock the public; sensational; startling; scandalize; earthshattering; worldshaking; refers to a person who shocks others with his or her unusual thoughts, words, and deeds.返璞歸真 (fǎn pú guī zhēn): to return to the original simple, unadorned state; to return to one’s true self; to regain the natural state; return to simplicity; revert to original purity; return to nature; regain innocence; go back to basics. This idiom means to remove the external decoration and restore the original pristine state, describing the restoration of the original simple nature (e.g. uncarved jade). From the Zhanguo Ce (戰國策) Book XI, the fourth chapter on Qi (齊策四). 斶知足矣。歸真反璞，則終身不辱。, Yan Chu is content with his own. He returns to the true condition of a human being — like uncarved jade. By this, nothing can ever debase him as long as he lives.
一唱一和 (yī chàng yī hè): to echo one another (idiom); sing a duet with sb; sing the same tune; one sings first and the other follows; originally used to describe two people having a mutual emotional connection; now it is also used to describe two people cooperating with each other and echoing each other.
[/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.
