WBAI Chapter 28

Xie An’yu didn’t accept the job Zhou Yi had introduced to him. It wasn’t because he had too much pride to easily accept others’ kindness. On the contrary, he was deeply grateful for Yu Feng and Zhou Yi’s help and particularly valued the opportunity Professor Zhou had provided.

He just had a different request instead.

Yu Feng noticed that although Xie An’yu was somewhat introverted, he always maintained his composure regardless of circumstances—a person with strong self-esteem.

High self-esteem and being prideful are entirely different concepts. Xie An’yu possessed a strong internal self-regulation mechanism; his actions were always guided by his own will, handling everything with calm detachment.

Interacting with such people was actually quite pleasant—they were inherently free-spirited at their core. For instance, after declining Zhou Yi’s offer, Xie An’yu straightforwardly asked if he could recommend one of his friends instead.

“He’s deaf and mute, and has an elderly family member to care for,” Xie An’yu explained. “You mentioned the job only requires no criminal record, basic literacy, and normal cognitive ability—he meets all those criteria…”

Xie An’yu paused, looking at Zhou Yi: “Could he at least get an interview opportunity?”

Xie An’yu had visited Yue Lai recently. Yue Lai still hadn’t found work. His grandfather usually sold vegetables at a small market near their home, and after Yue Lai lost his job, he had been helping his grandfather.

During this time, he had looked for new jobs, but it wasn’t easy for someone who couldn’t hear or speak to be accepted.

Zhou Yi’s smile vanished completely upon hearing this, his expression uncharacteristically serious: “Deaf and mute? How old is he?”

“A few years older than me, though I don’t know the exact age.”

Zhou Yi glanced at Yu Feng, then suddenly heard Yu Feng ask Xie An’yu, “Is he the one your former boss bullied?”

Xie An’yu nodded.

“So that’s how he lost his job?” Yu Feng asked again.

Xie An’yu confirmed with a quiet ‘Mm’.

Zhou Yi looked utterly confused, sensing something unpleasant, and frowned at Yu Feng: “What happened before?”

“Personal matters—no need to pry,” Yu Feng deflected. “So can your friend’s bookstore hire someone deaf and mute?”

“I’ll have to ask first. I’ll see him tomorrow and ask—if he says no, I can try persuading him in person.”

“Thank you, Professor Zhou,” Xie An’yu said gratefully.

“Don’t thank me so quickly. If this doesn’t work out, and you thanked me so early, where would I put my face?”

Xie An’yu smiled. “Thank you regardless of the outcome.”

***

Zhou Yi resolved the matter the very next day. His bookstore-owning friend proved remarkably open-minded—when Zhou Yi raised the possibility of hiring someone deaf and mute, the owner immediately agreed without needing any persuasion.

Providing suitable employment for people with disabilities was an act of kindness, so why not?

Zhou Yi immediately gave his friend a thumbs-up, praising his magnanimity.

Zhou Yi then asked Yu Feng for Xie An’yu’s contact information and called him, informing Xie An’yu that the job was practically secured. However, his friend wanted to meet the person first, and all necessary procedures would still be followed.

When Xie An’yu shared the good news with Yue Lai, he stood stunned for half a minute before tearing up with joy.

Xie An’yu had arranged a time with Zhou Yi to accompany Yue Lai to the bookstore. Zhou Yi had agreed to meet Xie An’yu at the north gate of his university. After Xie An’yu brought Yue Lai, Zhou Yi drove the two of them to the bookstore.

Yue Lai was a rather delicate-looking young man, which Zhou Yi hadn’t expected. He appeared to be around the same age as Xie An’yu, and Zhou Yi felt like he was looking at his own students when he saw the two of them.

Zhou Yi shook hands with Yue Lai and instinctively wanted to greet him before remembering that Yue Lai couldn’t hear.

“I should have asked Yu Feng to come along as an interpreter,” Zhou Yi said with a laugh.

“Mm?” Xie An’yu didn’t quite catch his meaning.

Zhou Yi shook his head and said, “Let’s get in the car.”

Xie An’yu and Yue Lai sat in the back seat. Zhou Yi glanced at them through the rearview mirror and asked Xie An’yu, “Xiao Xie, how do you usually communicate with your friend? Do you know sign language?”

“By typing on the phone.”

“What’s his name?”

“Yue Lai.”

“That’s a rare surname. Which ‘Yue’ is it?”

“The ‘Yue’ from ‘music’.”

Yue Lai turned to look at Xie An’yu, his expression seeming to ask what Xie An’yu was discussing with Zhou Yi.

Xie An’yu took out his phone and typed it out for him to see.

【He asked me about your name.】

After reading the text on Xie An’yu’s screen, Yue Lai immediately pulled out his own phone and typed a few words. When the car stopped at a traffic light, he tapped Zhou Yi’s shoulder.

Zhou Yi turned around, and Yue Lai held up his phone for him to see. His phone showing the words ‘My name is Yue Lai’ on the screen.

Zhou Yi paused, then smiled at Yue Lai. Although Yue Lai couldn’t hear, Zhou Yi still said with a smile, “That’s a nice name.”

“Xiao Xie, help me pass that along,” Zhou Yi said before turning back to continue driving with the flow of traffic.

Xie An’yu understood and typed out what Zhou Yi had just said on his phone for Yue Lai to read.

Zhou Yi then added, “Also, tell him my name is Zhou Yi—not the ‘Zhou Yi’ from Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday[mfn]周一周二周三 (zhōuyī zhōu’èr zhōusān): T/N: Zhou Yi’s name written as 周祎 (Zhōu Yī), which you could see that it’s the same sounds as 周一 (zhōuyī), Monday. He’s saying his name isn’t the name of the week. Chinese people often use other common word or poems containing their name when introducing themselves, because there’s a lot Chines characters with different meaning but the same sound. Here, ZY was using the days of the week as an example to clarify that it wasn’t how his name was written. It’s actually a rather humorous way of introduction.[/mfn], but the ‘Yi’ with the ‘shi’ radical and ‘wei’ component[mfn]‘示字旁’加個‘韋’ (‘shì zì páng’ jiā gè ‘wéi’): T/N: The Yi in Zhou Yi’s name consist of 示 (shì) radical and 韋 (wéi) component; making up the word 祎 (Yī). More information about radicals and character components: Link.[/mfn].”

Xie An’yu spent a while typing diligently. Yue Lai leaned over to look at his phone, and after reading it, his lips curled up, his eyes crinkling with laughter—

Xie An’yu had typed out Zhou Yi’s entire explanation word for word, without missing a single character.

“My name’s that funny, huh?” Zhou Yi chuckled, watching them in the rearview mirror. “Laughing like that.”

***

Yue Lai passed the interview smoothly.

In truth, Zhou Yi had just taken him through the formalities—meeting in person, verifying his ID, and that settled the matter. Moreover, Yue Lai’s appearance was quite good, which was an added bonus.

To thank Zhou Yi, Yue Lai wanted to treat him to a meal.

Like Xie An’yu, Zhou Yi used his phone to communicate with him.

【You’re ready to spend before even starting work? Treat me after you’ve earned some money—I’m not in a hurry】

【I want to invite you to my home for dinner, with An’yu】

Yue Lai held up his phone to Zhou Yi and made a ‘two’ gesture with his fingers.

【This is the first meal—not spending yet. There’ll be a second meal after I earn money—I’ll treat you then】

Zhou Yi was amused by him and nodded, laughing.

【Besides Xiao Xie, I’d like to invite one more friend. Is that okay?】

【Of course!】

“Xiao Xie, Yue Lai invited us to his place for dinner,” Zhou Yi said to Xie An’yu. “I’ll ask Yu Feng to come along too.”

Xie An’yu nodded and asked, “Will Brother Yu come?”

“If we’re both going, how could he not? If he doesn’t, we won’t include him in any future outings.”

Xie An’yu lowered his head and smiled.

***

Yu Feng came back a bit late today. He didn’t drive but took the subway instead. The subway station wasn’t far from the neighborhood, so he walked back leisurely and happened to see Xie An’yu who was out for his night run.

Xie An’yu spotted him from afar and quickened his pace, slowing down as he approached.

Yu Feng stood under the streetlight, hands tucked in his jacket pockets, his shadow stretching at his feet.

He was always dressed in such a casual and relaxed manner—dark-colored windbreakers paired with loose cargo pants were his usual attire. With black-framed glasses perched on his nose, he could easily pass for a college student from a distance. That is, unless you got close enough to see the indifference in his eyes behind those lenses or heard his slightly mature voice.

“You didn’t drive today?” Xie An’yu asked as he walked over.

Yu Feng hummed in response and fell into step beside Xie An’yu. “Had some drinks.”

It was Irene’s birthday today, and she had thrown a party at home. Yu Feng knew drinking was unavoidable, so he left his car at the company parking lot and took the subway directly to her place, taking the subway back as well.

Yu Feng always carried a faint scent with him, and today was no exception. The fragrance he wore often changed, and Xie An’yu had never managed to remember any of them. Today, aside from the usual cologne, there was also a faint trace of alcohol on him.

“Zhou Yi told me that matter’s been settled?” Yu Feng turned his head to glance at Xie An’yu.

Xie An’yu nodded. “If the probation period goes well, it’ll be a long-term position.”

“He’s inviting you two for dinner at their home. Why bring me along?”

“Come with us. Why turn down a free meal?”

Yu Feng chuckled but didn’t respond.

Xie An’yu’s breathing had been heavy earlier but had since steadied. He only rotated between a couple of workout shirts and ran so often that the heels of his shoes were worn flat. Yu Feng said to him, “I’m off tomorrow. I’ll take you to the mall to buy some clothes.”

Xie An’yu immediately replied, “I don’t need any.”

“It’s gradually getting warmer now. Do you have clothes for summer?”

Xie An’yu really didn’t.

“You’ll need them sooner or later. Buying now or later makes no difference.” Yu Feng added, “I also need to buy seasonal clothes soon, so we might as well check out the mall.”

Yu Feng usually shopped for clothes at the mall because he rarely bought things online. For him, buying clothes at a mall was more convenient—he could try things on and buy them right away. Online shopping for clothes meant dealing with returns or exchanges if the items didn’t match the description or the size was wrong, which was too much hassle.

Truthfully, Yu Feng didn’t go clothes shopping at the mall often either. Though he earned a decent income, his material desires were minimal. Aside from spending on camera lenses and maintenance, his Engel coefficient[mfn]恩格爾係數 (ēn gé ěr xì shù): (economics, statistics) Engel coefficient. Engel’s law is an economic relationship proposed by the statistician Ernst Engel in 1857. Engel’s law states that an increase in the income of a family decreases the proportion of the income which is spent on food, even though the total amount of food expenditure is increasing. In other words, the income elasticity of demand of food is between 0 and 1. To be clear, Engel’s law does not imply that food spending remains unchanged as income increases; instead, it suggests that consumers increase their expenditures for food products in percentage terms less than their increases in income. More information: Link. T/N: An Engel coefficient of practically 1 would mean that almost all of the household’s income is spent on food. This is a very extreme case and implies a very low standard of living and possibly even food insecurity.[/mfn] was practically 1. Xie An’yu’s material desires were even lower than his, making Yu Feng seem less frugal by comparison.

Xie An’yu had always viewed Yu Feng through rose-tinted glasses—so much so that his will was easily swayed. He’d agree to almost anything Yu Feng suggested.

“Then let’s go take a look,” Xie An’yu agreed.

***

This weekend was a beautiful day, clear skies without a single cloud.

Xie An’yu rarely crossed paths with Yu Feng in the mornings. Usually, by the time he woke up, Yu Feng was still asleep, and by the time he returned from his morning jog, Yu Feng had already left for the day. Evenings were much the same. Their work and life schedules were out of sync, and despite living under the same roof, the time they spent face-to-face probably didn’t even add up to twenty-four hours.

Xie An’yu returned from his morning jog to find Yu Feng drinking coffee on the balcony. There was a caterpillar-shaped lazy sofa[mfn]毛毛蟲似的懶人沙發 (máo mao chóng sì de lǎn rén shāfā): Caterpillar-shaped lazy sofa.
[/mfn] on the balcony, and Yu Feng was lounging in it with his legs crossed, sipping coffee while basking in the sunlight.

Xie An’yu made breakfast every morning. Since he woke up earlier than Yu Feng, he always prepared two portions, leaving one on the table for Yu Feng, who reliably finished it every day.

Yu Feng was wearing gray-blue loungewear, likely having just showered. His fluffy hair, backlit by the sun, took on a light brown hue as it rested softly against the lazy sofa.

Yu Feng turned his head slightly and said, “Morning.”

This seemed to be the first weekend Xie An’yu had spent with Yu Feng since moving in.

“Morning,” Xie An’yu replied.

After finishing his coffee, Yu Feng washed the cup in the kitchen and said to Xie An’yu, “I’m taking you out for lunch today. Think about what you’d like to eat.”

“You can decide.”

“I’m asking you. You make breakfast for me every day—it’s only fair I treat you to one meal.”

After some thought, Xie An’yu said, “Buffet, maybe?”

Yu Feng nodded. “Sure.”

Xie An’yu chose a buffet because he’d never been to one before.

Yu Feng picked a relatively expensive buffet restaurant. Xie An’yu was an easy-to-please kid, loading his plate with cheap but filling items like sushi[mfn]壽司 (shòu sī): Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made with vinegared rice, typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of ingredients, such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in numerous styles and presentation, the current defining component is the vinegared rice, also known as shari, or sumeshi.
[/mfn], egg tarts[mfn]蛋撻 (dàn tà): The egg tart is a kind of custard tart found in Cantonese cuisine, derived from the English custard tart and Portuguese pastel de nata. The dish consists of an outer pastry crust filled with egg custard. Egg tarts are often served at dim sum restaurants, Chinese bakeries and cha chaan tengs (Hong Kong–style cafes).
[/mfn], and grilled sausages[mfn]烤腸 (kǎo cháng): A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders.
[/mfn].

Yu Feng sat across from him, drinking tea. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched him. He joked, “Get some of the expensive stuff. If you only eat cheap things, it’s such a waste.”

Xie An’yu swallowed the rice ball[mfn]飯團 (fàn tuán): A rice ball may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a ball shape. Rice balls exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia.
[/mfn] in his mouth and said, “I’ll grab more after I finish these.”

Xie An’yu ate quietly and efficiently. Though he consumed food quickly, his table manners were refined—he didn’t speak or make noise.

Yu Feng glanced at the small mountain of food on his plate and chuckled. “If you finish all that, will there even be room left in your stomach?”

Xie An’yu nodded. “Yes. I won’t let you waste money—I’ll definitely eat my money’s worth.”

“Don’t force yourself though; it’s bad for digestion.”

Soon, Yu Feng realized Xie An’yu genuinely had a huge appetite. Taking him to a buffet would never be a loss. Despite eating so much, he never gained weight, maintaining a perfectly proportioned figure—a truly enviable metabolism. Then again, his daily exercise routine was intense enough to quickly burn off whatever he consumed.

Xie An’yu wasn’t picky, but Yu Feng noticed he seemed to avoid sashimi[mfn]刺身 (cì shēn): Sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce.
[/mfn]-type foods. While he ate seafood, he steered clear of raw options like tuna[mfn]金槍魚 (jīn qiāng yú): A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. Tuna, opah, and mackerel sharks are the only species of fish that can maintain a body temperature higher than that of the surrounding water.
[/mfn] or Arctic surf clam[mfn]北極貝 (běi jí bèi): Spisula sachalinensis, the Sakhalin surf clam, is a species of edible saltwater clam in the family Mactridae, the surf clams or trough clams. It is commonly referred to as surf clam or Arctic surf clam, though the latter can also refer to the closely related Mactromeris polynyma (Stimpson’s surf clam). The species is commercially exploited and widely used for sushi in Japan.
[/mfn], and he never picked the kind of sushi that use salmon[mfn]三文魚 (sān wén yú): Salmon are any of several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera Salmo and Oncorhynchus of the family Salmonidae, native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (Salmo) and North Pacific (Oncorhynchus) basins. Salmon is a colloquial or common name used for fish in this group, but is not a scientific name.
[/mfn] either.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll go get it for you?” Xie An’yu stood up and asked Yu Feng.

“Just grab what you want. Don’t worry about me.”

Xie An’yu’s stomach was already slightly bulging from all the food. Throughout the meal, Yu Feng had barely left his seat, only getting up once for a plate of fried noodles, a few pieces of salt-and-pepper steak[mfn]牛排 (niú pái): beefsteak, often called just steak, is a flat cut of beef with parallel faces, usually cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers.
[/mfn], and a cup of oolong tea[mfn]烏龍茶 (wū lóng chá): Oolong is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) produced through a process that includes withering the leaves under strong sun and allowing some oxidation to occur before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties.
[/mfn].

He remained seated the entire time.

“Brother Yu, do you not like this place?” Xie An’yu finally asked.

“No, I’m just lazy.”

“I did offer to get food for you…” Xie An’yu muttered under his breath.

“I’m full already,” Yu Feng chuckled. “I don’t have a stomach as big as yours to hold that much.”

Xie An’yu rubbed his ear and stayed silent.

“Did you enjoy it?” Yu Feng asked him.

Xie An’yu looked up at him and nodded.

“I was worried you’d get indigestion,” Yu Feng teased. “Do you have a blender installed in your stomach or something?”

Xie An’yu pursed his lips, took a sip of the fruit tea[mfn]果茶 (guǒ chá): As a Chinese word, fruit tea has dual meanings: in traditional contexts, it refers to tea snacks and is often seen in literary works and folklore records. The modern meaning is extended to a drink made by combining fruit and tea, which presents a fruit flavor through brewing or mixing processes.
[/mfn] beside him, and let his gaze drift subtly elsewhere.

[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 28″]
不卑不亢 (bù bēi bù kàng): neither obsequious nor supercilious; neither servile nor overbearing (idiom); neither humble nor arrogant; with neither inferiority nor superiority; with dignity; with selfrespect; with poise; being polite and tactful in one’s attitude towards others. It describes a person who speaks and acts with appropriate tact.

磨嘴皮子 (mó zuǐ pí zi): to wear out one’s lips; to wear out the skin of one’s teeth (idiom); (figuratively) to repeat again and again; to talk until one is blue in the face; pointlessly blather; to talk incessant nonsense; blah blah; chatter; gossip; prattle; babble; jabber; talk idly; chew the fat; shoot the breeze; talking nonsense or engaging in a verbal argument without any practical effect.

何樂而不為 (hé lè ér bù wéi): What can you have against it? (idiom); We should do this; Go for it!; why not do it? why unwilling to do it?; what is there against it; only too glad to do it. An idiom originating from the Qing Dynasty Chinese language. It uses rhetorical questions to express a high degree of recognition and willingness to take the initiative to do something. The core meaning is “Since it is worth being happy about, why not do it?”.

塵埃落定 (chén āi luò dìng): lit. the dust has settled (idiom); (of a matter) to be finalised; to get sorted out; to be finalized; end up with; things come to their due course; all the dust has settled, metaphorically meaning that something is over.
[/dropdown]

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