WBAI Chapter 60

Yu Feng heard a soft ‘Holy shit’ slip from the front desk girl.

It had to be said, Xie An’yu’s ability to act was truly astonishing. From last night until now, he’d already caught Yu Feng off guard twice. Xie An’yu didn’t like being the center of attention, but in reality, he couldn’t care less about others’ gazes.

Yu Feng took the flowers from his hands and said, “Come with me back to my room.”

Xie An’yu nodded.

Yu Feng swiped his card to enter, with Xie An’yu following behind. Once Xie An’yu was inside, Yu Feng reached back to close the door, then turned around with the flowers in one arm and kissed him.

Xie An’yu leaned against the door as Yu Feng looked into his eyes and said, “Thank you for the flowers.”

“But next time, don’t tease me in front of so many people. My self-control isn’t that great.” Yu Feng leaned in to kiss his earlobe. “I almost couldn’t stop myself from kissing you earlier, you know?”

“I wasn’t teasing—” Xie An’yu’s breath hitched as Yu Feng’s tongue traced his ear.

“To me, it was teasing,” Yu Feng murmured softly by his ear. “Teasing me so much I can barely think straight.”

Yu Feng’s tongue continued to explore the curve of his ear, and Xie An’yu tilted his head back slightly, the line of his neck tensing.

The kid was young and full of energy, unable to withstand this kind of torment. His lips parted as his breathing grew uneven, his hand settling on Yu Feng’s hip.

Xie An’yu had finally come to terms with reality—he was, after all, a man with normal desires. He could feel lust for someone he liked, could barely control his urge to be intimate with Yu Feng.

He used to think he was asexual.

Xie An’yu shut his eyes for a moment before suddenly wrapping his arms around Yu Feng’s waist, pressing his hips forward.

“Who’s teasing who here…?” Xie An’yu rested his forehead against Yu Feng’s shoulder, speaking with some exasperation. “Brother, are you a dog or something?”

So obsessed with licking people.

Yu Feng chuckled and stroked the back of his neck. “Mm, I’m your dog.”

Xie An’yu froze, lifting his head to look at him.

So you’d better not abandon me—I wouldn’t survive.

That was something Yu Feng only dared to say in his heart.

Yu Feng ran his hand over Xie An’yu’s flat stomach and asked, “Do you want me to keep licking you, or should we go downstairs for breakfast?”

Yu Feng’s phrasing was so explicit they were almost jarring. Xie An’yu lowered his head, feeling a little ashamed. “Lick first, then eat.”

Yu Feng pushed his luck. “Eat where?”

For a moment, Xie An’yu didn’t understand. He looked up at him blankly, then after a few seconds, his ears burned crimson.

Xie An’yu hadn’t even considered going that far. Now he wasn’t even sure which part Yu Feng meant by ‘licking’.

After tasting nothing but sweetness these past hours, Yu Feng had let himself go a little too far. He reined himself in a little, kissing Xie An’yu’s lips before whispering in his ear, “I’ll help you eat later.”

He might have restrained himself, but Xie An’yu nearly combusted.

Yu Feng set the flowers on the table by the window and kissed Xie An’yu for a while—though not for too long, or they’d end up stuck there until lunchtime.

“Go to the bathroom and wipe your ears,” Yu Feng told Xie An’yu.

There were face towels in the bathroom. Yu Feng used a damp one and helped Xie An’yu wipe his ears clean.

Xie An’yu finally remembered the soup dumplings. “We should hurry. If we’re late, won’t be able to get in line.”

“That popular?”

“They usually sell out by nine.”

“Alright,” Yu Feng nodded. “Let’s go now.”

Naturally, Zhou Yi, a foodie, couldn’t be left out when there was something delicious. Before leaving, Yu Feng went to the neighboring door and knocked on the door. Zhou Yi, who hadn’t slept well last night, was still curled up in bed, unwilling to get up. He rolled over, wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, and said to Yu Feng, “I’m not coming down. Just bring me two steamers back.”

Yu Feng glanced at Shi Wuyang. “What about you?”

“I’ve already had breakfast. Just get his portion.”

***

The soup dumpling shop was already packed, with a long line stretching out front. Xie An’yu said, “By the time it’s our turn, they’ll probably be sold out. Let’s find another place for breakfast. We’ll come earlier tomorrow.”

Yu Feng hummed in agreement.

They walked back to the guesthouse and found a breakfast shop nearby. As they entered, they spotted Ding Xiaonan inside, already eating. She looked up, saw them, and smiled.

There was an empty table next to Ding Xiaonan. Xie An’yu and Yu Feng walked over and sat down.

Ding Xiaonan greeted them. “You guys are up pretty early.”

“Not early enough,” Yu Feng replied. “We went for soup dumplings but couldn’t even get in line.”

Ding Xiaonan laughed. “Third Brother Ding’s place? You’d have to queue there by six at the latest. Any later and you won’t get any.”

She turned to Xie An’yu. “An’yu, I heard you bought a bouquet of flowers early this morning?”

Xie An’yu nodded. “Mm…”

Ding Xiaonan glanced at Yu Feng but didn’t say anything more.

Xie An’yu asked Yu Feng, “What do you want to eat?”

“You order. You know this place better than I do.”

Xie An’yu ordered two steamers of soup dumplings, two steamers of pan-fried buns¹生煎 (shēng jiān): (colloquial) shengjian mantou; shengjian, a pan-fried bun filled with meat and juices, a Shanghai specialty. Shengjian mantou shengjian bao, or shengjian for short, is a type of small, pan-fried baozi (steamed buns) which is a specialty of Suzhou and Shanghai. It is typically filled with pork and gelatin that melts into soup/liquid when cooked.
, four large meat buns²肉包 (ròu bāo): Meat buns.
, two bowls of tofu pudding³豆腐腦 (dòu fu nǎo): douhua; tofu pudding; jellied tofu; soft bean curd. Douhua is a Chinese sweet or savoury snack made with silken tofu. It is also referred to as doufuhua, doufunao in northern China, tofu pudding, and soybean pudding.
, and two stuffed pancakes⁴餡餅 (xiàn bǐng): xianbing (traditional kind of Chinese stuffed pancake); (in general) any kind of pie or pasty. Xiang bing is a classic northern Chinese savory pastry. It has a juicy beef filling with onion, carrot and aromatics in a crispy crust.
.

“Do you want soymilk?” Xie An’yu asked Yu Feng. “Or congee?”

“The tofu pudding is enough for me,” Yu Feng said.

Ding Xiaonan eyed their nearly overflowing table and chuckled. “Can you two really finish all that?”

Xie An’yu said, “Yes.”

Yu Feng pulled two pairs of disposable chopsticks from the wooden holder on the table and reminded him, “I can only handle a quarter of that.”

Xie An’yu hummed in acknowledgment and muttered, “With such a small appetite, how did you grow so tall?”

“My appetite is normal,” Yu Feng said with a laugh, handing him a pair of chopsticks. “How many people can match yours?”

Ding Xiaonan paid her bill and stood up. “He’s at a growing age. It’s normal for him to eat a lot. I’ll head out first. Enjoy your meal.”

Yu Feng nodded. “Take care.”

“Should we get two steamers of soup dumplings to bring back for Professor Zhou later?” Xie An’yu asked.

“One will be enough.”

“Xie An’yu?”

A familiar voice came from behind them. Xie An’yu froze.

Xie Jianxing walked in and headed straight for their table. “I knew it was you!” he exclaimed excitedly, slapping a hand on Xie An’yu’s shoulder. “I didn’t believe it when they said you were back. Look at you now, all dressed up. Must be making big money in Beicheng, huh?”

Xie An’yu pushed his hand away, his expression cold and silent.

“Oho, who are you giving that attitude to? What, a trip to the big city and you forget your roots? You don’t even know how to call me ‘uncle’ anymore?” Seeing the spread on the table, Xie Jianxing became convinced Xie An’yu had made a fortune. His tone shifted, turning ingratiating. “You didn’t even stop by your second uncle’s place after coming back. Your parents may be gone, but your second uncle’s still here, you know—”

Yu Feng set his chopsticks down with a clatter. “But didn’t his second uncle die years ago?”

Xie Jianxing glared at him. “Who the hell are you? Spouting nonsense! I am his second uncle!”

“Who’s this?” Xie Jianxing’s hand landed on Xie An’yu’s shoulder again, shamelessly trying to act familiar.

Xie An’yu looked thoroughly annoyed, not wanting to waste a single word on him.

Yu Feng stared at Xie Jianxing. “Take your hand off.”

Xie Jianxing frowned. “Who the hell are you? This is my nephew—who do you think you’re talking to like that?”

“I said, take your hand off.” Yu Feng’s expression didn’t change, but his voice had turned icy.

Xie Jianxing gave him a suspicious look. After a moment of hesitation, he sullenly took his hand off Xie An’yu.

Xie Jianxing called out toward the kitchen, “Get me two baskets of pan-fried buns and a bowl of tofu pudding!”

The shop owner’s wife wiped her apron as she came out from the back. “You still haven’t paid your last tab. Settle that first, and hurry up!”

Xie Jianxing clicked his tongue. “What’s the rush? You’re getting worked up over such a small amount. My nephew’s right here—you think I’d skip out on you?”

The owner’s wife glanced at Xie An’yu. “You paying for him?”

Xie An’yu said, “I don’t know him.”

Xie Jianxing choked with anger, pointing at Xie An’yu. “Xie An’yu! You’ve got some nerve, not even recognizing your own second uncle.”

“Did you think of yourself as his second uncle when you took his demolition compensation money?” Yu Feng glared coldly at Xie Jianxing. “Are you mentally challenged or physically disabled? Do you need to steal from your nephew just to survive? Now you can’t even afford breakfast without begging? Take a walk outside—even beggars live with more dignity than you.”

The commotion drew the attention of everyone in the shop, their scornful gazes fixed on Xie Jianxing. His gaunt, sharp face flushed bright red under the scrutiny.

Humiliated and furious, Xie Jianxing glared at Yu Feng. He was as thin as a stick, a full head shorter than Xie An’yu. Even if he picked a fight with Yu Feng, the odds were hopelessly against him. Too afraid to provoke the tall and imposing Yu Feng, he turned his anger on his good-natured nephew instead, pointing at Xie An’yu. “What kind of lowlifes are you hanging around with now?”

Xie An’yu finally reacted, turning his head to stare coldly at him. “Do you really think I won’t do anything to you?”

It was the first time Xie An’yu had ever spoken to Xie Jianxing in that tone, with that expression. Xie Jianxing froze, his finger hanging stiffly in the air.

“I don’t want to bring up the past, and I don’t want to acknowledge you as my uncle anymore. If you don’t want to cause trouble for yourself, get lost now.”

Xie Jianxing stood rooted to the spot, speechless. Xie An’yu’s words had clearly drawn a line between them—and served as a warning to never disturb his life again.

The breakfast shop owner’s wife, worried the argument would disrupt her business, pushed Xie Jianxing toward the door. “Alright, alright, get out of here! Don’t you dare come back until you’ve paid your last tab—don’t even step inside!”

“Xie An’yu!” Xie Jianxing bellowed from outside. “You goddamned jinx! Your parents! That old hag in your family! They all died because of you!”

Xie An’yu’s hand holding the porcelain bowl stilled for a moment. Yu Feng was on his feet in an instant, striding straight out the door.

Xie Jianxing finally felt a little better after hurling those curses outside. He turned to leave but suddenly felt a hand clamp around his neck from behind. Before he could react, Yu Feng had him pinned against the wall by the throat.

Customers from the breakfast shop rushed out to watch the spectacle.

Xie Jianxing was pinned against the rough concrete wall by Yu Feng, his face scraped raw. He braced his hands against the wall, crying out in pain, “Ahhh…!”

“What’s wrong? Eager for a hospital visit first thing in the morning?” Yu Feng asked from behind him.

Xie An’yu hurried over. “Brother!”

Yu Feng glanced up at him, his expression cold. He pressed Xie Jianxing’s head against the wall and said calmly, “Apologize to him.”

Blood was already trickling down Xie Jianxing’s face. A spineless coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong, he dared not provoke someone who clearly wasn’t to be trifled with. After a feeble struggle, he went limp like a dead fish and muttered, “I’m sorry…”

“Who are you apologizing to?”

Xie Jianxing gritted his teeth. “…I’m sorry to Xie An’yu.”

Xie An’yu frowned, worried Xie Jianxing would try to extort money from Yu Feng later. He quickly said to Yu Feng, “Brother, let him go.”

Yu Feng released Xie Jianxing, who immediately scrambled away, his face burning from the rough scrape of the concrete wall.

Xie Jianxing pulled out his phone, hands trembling with anger. “Just wait. I’ll let the police handle this.”

Xie An’yu suddenly asked him, “Do the police know about that underground gambling den you frequent?”

Xie Jianxing’s hand froze.

“I could tell them,” Xie An’yu said, staring at him.

Xie Jianxing’s life had been ruined by gambling, and Xie An’yu knew exactly how to hit his weak spot.

Xie Jianxing sneered, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. “You know quite a lot…”

“Get lost.”

In the end, Xie Jianxing didn’t dare push further. The crowd, having finished watching the show, scattered and returned to the breakfast shop to finish their meals.

The soup dumplings had gone cold, their skins dry and tough. Xie An’yu picked one up and placed it in Yu Feng’s bowl. “Probably doesn’t taste as good now.”

Xie An’yu’s expression was calm, as if the incident with his second uncle hadn’t affected him at all.
Yu Feng picked up the dumpling and took a bite.

“Aren’t you going to dip it in vinegar?”

“I don’t eat vinegar⁵吃醋 (chīcù): lit. to eat vinegar, to feel jealous (usually of a rival in love). It’s a metaphor for feeling jealous, often referring to relationships between men and women..”

Yu Feng chewed a few bites and swallowed the dumpling before adding, “Except for yours.”

Xie An’yu chuckled, lowering his head with a smile.

“Should I find you a lawyer?” Yu Feng asked.

Xie An’yu looked up. “Huh?”

“For the demolition compensation. We could find a lawyer and get your money back.”

“He’s probably already blown through it all. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be unable to even pay for breakfast. Even if you held a knife to his throat, he probably couldn’t cough up a single cent.” Xie An’yu popped another dumpling into his mouth. “No point wasting money on a lawyer.”

“You have a really good temper,” Yu Feng said.

Xie An’yu smiled. “Really? I think I have a pretty bad temper.”

“Not bad. Just a bit too fierce in a fight.”

“You’re not exactly gentle either. You scared me back there.”

“You call that a fight?” Yu Feng chuckled. He asked Xie An’yu, “Did you really know about that underground gambling den your second uncle goes to?”

Xie An’yu shook his head. “No. Just bluffing.”

Yu Feng nudged Xie An’yu’s leg lightly with his knee. “That’s pretty bad.”

List of Idiom in Chapter 60

找不著北 (zhǎo bu zháo běi): lit. can’t find north; (colloquial) to be lost and confused; to be unable to find one’s direction; to be confused and disoriented; be lost; be confused; be disoriented; lose one’s bearings; be at a loss; describe being completely lost or having no idea what is going on; to be unable to tell the direction clearly.

得寸進尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ): lit. win an inch, want a foot (idiom); fig. not satisfied with small gains; to be extremely greedy; give them an inch and they’ll take a mile; reach for a yard after getting an inch; be insatiable.

死皮賴臉 (sǐ pí lài liǎn): brazen faced (idiom); shameless; brazen and unreasonable; thick-skinned and hard to shake off; hang on without any sense of shame; shamelessly pester; describes someone who insists on being entangled regardless of shame.

不三不四 (bù sān bù sì): dubious; questionable; shady; neither one thing nor the other; neither fish nor fowl; nondescript; unbecoming; not decent; describes being dishonest or unseemly.

欺軟怕硬 (qī ruǎn pà yìng): to bully the weak but fear the strong; bully the weak and give in to the tough.

一哄而散 (yī hōng ér sàn): (of people) to disperse in a hubbub; to break up in an uproar; to abruptly part ways; to disperse in confusion (idiom); scatter in all directions; break up in disorder; disperse in a hurry. Its core meaning refers to the sudden dispersal of a crowd amidst a clamor, and it is often used to describe a disorderly dispersal scene.

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  生煎 (shēng jiān): (colloquial) shengjian mantou; shengjian, a pan-fried bun filled with meat and juices, a Shanghai specialty. Shengjian mantou shengjian bao, or shengjian for short, is a type of small, pan-fried baozi (steamed buns) which is a specialty of Suzhou and Shanghai. It is typically filled with pork and gelatin that melts into soup/liquid when cooked.
  
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  肉包 (ròu bāo): Meat buns.
  
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  豆腐腦 (dòu fu nǎo): douhua; tofu pudding; jellied tofu; soft bean curd. Douhua is a Chinese sweet or savoury snack made with silken tofu. It is also referred to as doufuhua, doufunao in northern China, tofu pudding, and soybean pudding.
  
• 4
  餡餅 (xiàn bǐng): xianbing (traditional kind of Chinese stuffed pancake); (in general) any kind of pie or pasty. Xiang bing is a classic northern Chinese savory pastry. It has a juicy beef filling with onion, carrot and aromatics in a crispy crust.
  
• 5
  吃醋 (chīcù): lit. to eat vinegar, to feel jealous (usually of a rival in love). It’s a metaphor for feeling jealous, often referring to relationships between men and women.