It was easy to guess that Fu Yuhan was short on money.
He didn’t like crowding with people to queue up, so he would recharge his campus card once every Tuesday morning when there were fewer people, almost without fail. But this week he hadn’t gone.
Combined with his recent abnormal behavior and the meager balance on his meal card, it was easy to reach this conclusion.
Coincidentally, Wen Yu actually had a part-time job he could introduce to him, but the content of this job was too…
If it were still summer vacation, he wouldn’t have any psychological burden, but this period of close observation had made Wen Yu realize that Fu Yuhan wasn’t the kind of person he had once thought he was, making it somewhat hard to speak up.
“What?” Fu Yuhan pressed. “I say, Brother Yu, don’t you know that speaking half-sentences is very annoying?”
Wen Yu raised one corner of his mouth, looking helpless: “I have a part-time job… but it’s not very proper.”
Fu Yuhan was stunned.
This was like timely help in the snow for him. He perked up: “Tell me about it?”
“A friend I know… runs a bar… is hiring shills…” Wen Yu suddenly frowned, his gaze falling on the green grass leaves in the nearby flower bed, lowering his voice: “Forget it, don’t go.”
The moment he spoke, an instinctive voice in his heart said, “This really isn’t a good idea.”
“What’s a shill?”
“…It’s the kind that pretends to be a customer in the store, finding other customers to drink with, making others buy more alcohol.” Wen Yu said. “It’s not suitable for you, really. I’ll help you ask around later to see if there are other jobs.”
“Doesn’t this job just require being able to drink?” Fu Yuhan thought for a moment. “Why can’t I do it?”
Wen Yu was helpless: “Do you know there are customers in nightclubs who get handsy when they drink too much?”
“I seem to be male?”
That was true, but it was a somewhat “special” bar.
Besides, although statistically girls had a higher probability of being groped, it didn’t mean boys wouldn’t encounter such trouble.
Wen Yu didn’t want him to go to that environment.
Even though he didn’t know if Fu Yuhan could handle these situations peacefully—he might end up fighting with people when encountering problems, or endure humiliation for the sake of work—but in any case, he felt it wasn’t suitable.
He had never brought any of his classmates to that group of people. Clean people should live where sunlight could reach.
“I’ll ask around for other opportunities for you.” Wen Yu reiterated.
“…Alright.” Fu Yuhan nodded. “Thanks in advance.”
Wen Yu’s words sounded like some kind of excuse, but Fu Yuhan really had no other options.
The two returned to the classroom.
During study hall, everyone was busy doing homework. Many seats were empty, presumably their owners had gone to the office to ask questions. These two not being at their seats wasn’t conspicuous at all; rather, their entering the classroom one after the other drew quite a bit of attention.
Fortunately, no one dared to bother Fu Yuhan during class time.
Fu Yuhan returned to his seat and tried to take out his math paper to identify gaps and fill them, but after looking at it for five seconds, he decisively abandoned this brain-dead decision and pulled out a vocabulary book instead.
Slightly better domestic art schools all set separate score limits for Chinese and English when applying, meaning that even if the total score passed the line, if either of these two subjects didn’t reach the individual subject line, one would still be eliminated.
Fu Yuhan’s English grades weren’t bad in middle school. This was one of the few subjects he had some idea how to “pick up” again.
—Memorizing vocabulary.
Vocabulary was the foundation of all languages.
Wen Yu silently glanced at him and pushed the math paper that had just shown a corner back into the drawer, then pulled out another one.
The movement was natural, as if he had just grabbed the wrong paper the second before.
Time passed quickly when seriously devoted to studying. Fu Yuhan felt like he had only looked up twice before it was dismissal time.
Classmates packed their bags and walked out calling to friends. Fu Yuhan was afraid his mother would go crazy upon seeing him, so he deliberately waited a bit longer before standing up.
Dismissal was a magical time period. If you were willing to wait just five more minutes, a campus that had been packed just moments ago could instantly become empty.
Silence spread everywhere.
Fu Yuhan turned off the classroom lights, locked the door, and finally walked downstairs with no more delays possible.
He Yan rarely came to school. From far away, Fu Yuhan could recognize that the petite woman standing by the school’s side gate was her.
His palms had somehow become sticky. Fu Yuhan rubbed them in his pockets and slowly walked outside.
“Mom.” He called out.
He Yan lifted her eyelids and looked at him quietly.
Fu Yuhan couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d seen his mother not shouting and yelling.
Oh, so she had once been dignified too.
“I originally didn’t want to come today, Fu Yuhan. I always thought you could handle your own affairs.” He Yan said very calmly. “I’ve told you many times to control your temper, but you don’t listen.” She took a deep breath. “You shouldn’t have stayed away from home.”
Fu Yuhan stopped.
During dismissal time, many students would linger around the school, eating here and playing there, not leaving quickly anyway. In his peripheral vision, he saw a group of people in Third High uniforms walking across the street, and several people saying goodbye to them preparing to cross the road.
“I just didn’t want to go back.” Fu Yuhan lowered his voice, his eyelids drooping as he looked at his shoe tips.
“The day before yesterday, your third aunt told me you went to their house and smashed an expensive Lego set.” He Yan said. “Things are already like this, and I don’t want to scold you. Can you explain to me why you did that?”
Fu Yuhan looked up slightly: “Do you know that model of mine, the one you let my cousin take away, could buy him several Lego sets?”
He Yan looked at him for a while.
Fu Yuhan redirected his gaze back to his shoe tips.
“I’m sorry, I really didn’t know.” He Yan suddenly said.
Fu Yuhan was slightly surprised and suddenly lifted his eyelids.
“You and your father used to discuss buying these things together. I never understood the prices, so I really didn’t know.” He Yan asked, “Have you gotten that model back now?”
“I got it back.” Fu Yuhan paused. “But it was broken, couldn’t be fixed, so I threw it away.”
Something expensive had been ruined. Based on Fu Yuhan’s understanding of He Yan, she shouldn’t pursue the matter of him going to third aunt’s house to smash toys anymore.
Sure enough, after He Yan was silent for a moment, when she spoke again, she had changed the topic: “But you still shouldn’t have stayed away from home.”
Fu Yuhan licked his somewhat dry lips and asked softly: “Would you actually worry?”
“Of course I would,” He Yan said in surprise. “Do you think your mom is some cold stepmother from a story? Your sister’s health condition—I remember communicating with you about this before. Your Uncle Qin is busy with work, so I can only take care of her more. Sometimes I might neglect you, and I told you not to mind. Do you remember?”
“I remember.” Fu Yuhan said.
But rational memory and emotional resentment were two different things.
Besides—
“Mom,” Fu Yuhan hesitated, then spoke up, “there’s something I want to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
“I want to learn painting.” Afraid she might misunderstand, Fu Yuhan added, “Take the art college entrance exam.”
He Yan frowned.
“I need to attend training classes for intensive study before the exam.” Fu Yuhan pressed his lips together. “I asked Dad, and he said—”
“You went to see your father too?” He Yan’s voice immediately rose. “Fu Yuhan, do you know who’s been providing for your food and clothing all these years? Why don’t you go live with your dad then?”
Fu Yuhan didn’t speak.
“What did your dad say?”
“He said he sends you child support on time every month.” Fu Yuhan’s voice was very low. “You can’t possibly not have the money for training classes.”
“Ha, he really has some nerve saying that. Just three thousand yuan a month—does he think he’s giving me thirty thousand? People who don’t raise children really don’t know how expensive it is to raise kids—”
“Didn’t you spend it all on Xiaolu’s medical treatment?” Fu Yuhan finally couldn’t hold back.
He discovered he was actually a despicable and mean person, usually just barely restraining himself with a cold facade wrapped in rationality. Once that shell was peeled away, it revealed his ugly interior.
Too unsightly—how could he say such things?
What had Qin Xiaolu done wrong?
He Yan seemed incredulous, staring at him with slightly trembling pupils for a while before saying: “Fu Yuhan, you’re about to turn eighteen. Let me explain some things to you properly. Do you know the house mortgage isn’t paid off yet? Xiaolu needs medical treatment, you need to go to school. I give you pocket money based on average standards. You’ve never lacked food, clothing, or anything else. Do you think Fu Xuecheng’s three thousand yuan can cover much? Your Uncle Qin works two jobs at his age just to earn more money. I thought the four of us were now a family. Does a family need to account to you for where every penny goes?”
Fu Yuhan kept his head down, clenching his fists in his pockets.
“I never told you before, but I’ve saved fifty thousand yuan for your college expenses.” He Yan said. “Your grades used to be good. Although they’re worse now, I always felt you could come back. The better the university, the cheaper the tuition. I calculated that fifty thousand should be enough for a second-tier university.”
She paused. “I won’t agree to studying art. If your grades are a bit poor, then work hard and make up the lost points. If you don’t understand knowledge points, ask teachers, instead of giving up on yourself and saying you want to study art.”
“This isn’t giving up on myself—” Fu Yuhan frowned, wanting to argue.
“In my view, it is.” He Yan said seriously. “Do you know what kind of people run off to study art in their senior year? They’re all people with poor grades who don’t work hard and really can’t catch up. Mom doesn’t think you’re that kind of child.”
Fu Yuhan bit down hard on the soft flesh in his mouth.
“If you really want to study it, you can ask your dad to sponsor you.” He Yan added. “Go live with your dad, and Mom won’t be able to control you anymore.”
She turned around. “I need to go to the hospital to get medicine for Xiaolu. Come home early. No matter what happens, don’t stay out all night. Society isn’t safe now—don’t think that being a boy means nothing will happen to you.”
After saying this, she left.
Fu Yuhan stood there without moving.
His face was recognized by almost everyone at Third High. Standing at the school gate, he had an extremely high rate of people turning to look. Fu Yuhan spaced out for a while, then came to his senses and realized he was about to be surrounded by onlookers. He quickly tried to retreat into the school to find a secluded place to think.
“Finally willing to move?”
A familiar voice suddenly came from not far away diagonally in front. Fu Yuhan looked up and saw Wen Yu, not knowing how long he had been standing there.
Fu Yuhan glanced at him, his voice a bit hoarse when he spoke: “When did you start standing there?”
“Pretty much from when you first came out of school.” Wen Yu thought about it.
“So you heard everything?”
“Mm.”
Wen Yu had his hands in his pockets, swaying as he walked over. He leaned close to look at Fu Yuhan’s face. “Why do I feel like you’re about to cry?”
“I’m not.”
“Your nose is all stuffy, and you’re still saying you’re not.” Wen Yu smiled.
Fu Yuhan pursed his lips with some displeasure: “But the tears won’t fall, so don’t worry.”
Wen Yu laughed for a while, then pulled him outward: “Let’s find another place to talk.”
Fu Yuhan didn’t know where Wen Yu was taking him, but he really did need a resting space right now. Anywhere would be fine, so he didn’t question it and followed Wen Yu.
Wen Yu didn’t go far. He brought Fu Yuhan to his residential complex.
The complex wasn’t large, but the landscaping was very good and security facilities were complete. During the day, there were almost no pedestrians on the roads inside the complex—it was very quiet. Wen Yu found a bench to sit on and patted the empty space beside him.
“Sit.”
Fu Yuhan sat down with his head lowered.
In the late summer and early autumn of the south, the air should be hot and dry, but today’s wind was somewhat cool.
Fu Yuhan looked at the dried plane tree leaves rolled over on the ground and suddenly asked: “Is a typhoon coming?”
“Seems like it.”
Wen Yu stretched his legs straight, hands in his pockets, sprawled carelessly on the bench, his head tilted back looking at the leaves overhead that caught fragments of the setting sun’s afterglow, answering his question seemingly casually.
“Then I need to bring an umbrella to school these few days.”
“I’ll pay attention, thanks.” Wen Yu said, slightly turning his head to glance at him before quickly looking away. “If you’re really sad, just cry. I can be magnanimous and pretend I didn’t see.”
Fu Yuhan was somewhat helpless: “I already said I don’t want to cry. Besides, who would cry in front of you?”
“You’re really no fun.” Wen Yu said. “Before either of us gets Yang Fan, we can still be friends.”
“Thanks, I just hate los…” Fu Yuhan paused and changed his word, “don’t want to lose to you.”
“Being too competitive is a disease.” Wen Yu seemed unconcerned.
Fu Yuhan lowered his eyes.
Once plane tree leaves fell to the ground, they would curl up from losing moisture. A light step would make them crackle. Fu Yuhan had once seen several girls from his class, stressed out with no extracurricular activities, run to the main road to step on plane tree leaves for fun.
He used to think this activity was boring, but today he inexplicably stepped on one too.
Crack—
Perhaps the sound gave him inspiration, as a certain emotion came very suddenly.
“Hey, Wen Yu.” He called out.
“Mm?” Wen Yu tilted his head slightly.
“Do you ever have this feeling, like…” Fu Yuhan organized his thoughts and words. “They separated and each got new families, new children—although Zhou Xiangyan isn’t my dad’s biological son, but…” He bit his lip, his eyes looking somewhere uncertain. “I still feel… they don’t need me anymore.”
Wen Yu looked at him for a while.
Fu Yuhan had his head down, while Wen Yu was slightly leaning back. From this angle, he could see the other’s distinct bone structure at his slender nape.
Very beautiful.
Wen Yu had never told anyone that he liked all beautiful things.
Like Yang Fan, and also… this section of neck.
He decided to give this moment of eye candy a little reward.
So Wen Yu spoke to comfort him: “I’m the complete opposite of you. Usually it’s me who doesn’t need them.”
“…”
When the atmosphere is sorrowful or joyful and someone suddenly pours cold water on it, the person involved finds it hard to immerse themselves in that emotion. Fu Yuhan looked back speechlessly: “You’re really amazing. Want me to let you put your hands on your hips?”
The neck twisted into another beautiful curve. Wen Yu glanced at it and smiled: “I’m just telling the truth.”
He was a person of action—when he thought of something, he acted quickly. Wen Yu reached out to touch Fu Yuhan’s nape, hooking around his neck like buddies: “Didn’t I say this morning I’d ask around for other opportunities? I found something.”
Fu Yuhan felt uncomfortable all over, grabbing his hand to pull it down: “Wh-what?”
“Selling your body—”
“What???”
Fu Yuhan’s voice nearly cracked, whether from Wen Yu pressing on his Adam’s apple or from being shocked by that statement.
“Don’t be nervous, I mean it literally.”
Wen Yu said. “I know a photographer who does part-time work taking product photos for Taobao stores. I asked this afternoon, and he needs a male underwear model recently. Just go take photos on weekends, no need to show your face, and payment is quick. Are you interested?”
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
