WBAI Chapter 67

Yu Feng picked up his mother to go to the hospital at two in the afternoon. Wang Minying usually kept to herself, and her only social activity was playing mahjong with her friends in the neighborhood. When she wasn’t playing mahjong, she stayed at home reading. No wonder Yu Feng had told Xie An’yu that his mother was dedicated—even with a broken arm, she still went out early in the morning to play mahjong.

Wang Minying was taken aback when she saw Yu Feng. She hadn’t expected him to change his glasses. He had worn the same pair since college and had never replaced them.

“You…” Wang Minying’s expression was one of confusion. “Why did you change your glasses?”

“The old pair broke,” Yu Feng replied flatly.

Wang Minying opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.

The caregiver had been very attentive, and Wang Minying’s arm had healed well.

During her recovery, Wang Minying had been eating meals prepared by the caregiver. Now that both her arms were functional again, she wanted to cook for herself today.

On the way, Wang Minying hesitated for a moment in the back seat before speaking to Yu Feng, “Drop me off at the vegetable market near home. I need to buy groceries.”

Yu Feng glanced in the rearview mirror: “Why buy groceries? To cook?”

Wang Minying hummed in affirmation.

“You just got the cast removed. Don’t overuse your hands.”

“It’s fine,” Wang Minying said, looking out the window.

“Alright.”

Yu Feng parked the car in the parking lot near the market and got out with Wang Minying. She gave him a puzzled look. “You…”

“I need to buy groceries too.”

Wang Minying let out an ‘Oh’.

Yu Feng hadn’t been to this vegetable market in many years. The place was completely different now—it had been expanded, with many more stalls, and the environment had also been upgraded. It was clean and spacious, with clearly marked sections for different types of food. Shoppers could easily find what they needed by following the signs hanging from the ceiling.

Wang Minying frequented this market and knew the layout well. She and Yu Feng walked at a distance, neither too close nor too far apart. Knowing his mother didn’t like being around him, Yu Feng turned to her and said, “I’ll look around elsewhere. Wait for me by the car when you’re done.”

As Yu Feng was about to head to another section, Wang Minying asked, “What are you buying?”

Yu Feng looked back at her. “Turtles¹王八 (wáng bā): tortoise; turtle; cuckold; (derogatory) bastard; son of a bitch; man who works in a brothel; (Jin, derogatory) suona player; (old) male owner of a brothel; pimp..”

Wang Minying was taken aback. “…Softshell turtles²甲魚 (jiǎ yú): soft-shell turtle; turtle; terrapin. Trionychidae is a family of turtles, commonly known as softshell turtles or simply softshells.?”

“The stalls here only sell fresh vegetables. The game section is at the far east end,” Wang Minying said.

Yu Feng nodded.

Wang Minying wondered why he was buying turtles. She frowned and watched him for a few seconds but ultimately didn’t ask.

At the game stall, Yu Feng sent Xie An’yu a WeChat message, attaching several photos of turtles and asking him to pick one he liked.

Xie An’yu had gone to the library in the afternoon after his morning audition. He was quietly reviewing his study materials when his phone vibrated repeatedly in his pocket. He took it out and opened WeChat, only to be greeted by a series of turtle photos of various shapes and sizes.

Someone was earnestly asking him: 【Which one do you want?】

Xie An’yu felt a mix of helplessness and amusement.

Yu Feng held his phone, waiting for a reply. Half a minute later, Xie An’yu replied: 【*.*】

Yu Feng: 【Don’t act cute. Answer quickly】

Xie An’yu: 【Can I not choose?】

Xie An’yu: 【I don’t like eating softshell turtles】

Yu Feng: 【Then how about a quail? They sell quails here too】

Xie An’yu: 【…】

A quail was almost certainly meant for the same ‘tonic’ purpose.

Xie An’yu: 【Go ahead and buy it】

Xie An’yu: 【Just don’t forget to take care of the aftermath】

Yu Feng smiled as he looked at his phone screen.

Yu Feng: 【What aftermath am I taking care of?】

Xie An’yu: 【The aftermath of an overabundance of energy in a young man】

In the end, Yu Feng didn’t buy turtle meat—he bought a quail instead, along with some medicinal soup ingredients. When Wang Minying got in the car, Yu Feng was still chatting with Xie An’yu on WeChat. She glanced at him and asked, “Did you get the softshell turtle?”

“I bought quail,” Yu Feng said, putting down his phone.

Both dishes were highly nourishing. Wang Minying was full of suspicion, thinking Yu Feng might be weak and lacking nutrition. She couldn’t help asking, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Mm?”

“Are you feeling unwell?” Wang Minying frowned. “Low energy?”

“I’m buying it for someone else.”

Wang Minying was taken aback: “…Oh.”

They rode in silence for a while before Wang Minying suddenly asked, “Are you… seeing someone?”

Yu Feng paused for two seconds, then hummed in affirmation.

Changes in a person’s mental state are easy to spot. Yu Feng had changed his glasses, and the look in his eyes was different from before. Just now, when he was looking at his phone, the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide. Wang Minying had noticed all of this.

“Is it that boy who came to our house before?”

“Mm.”

Wang Minying couldn’t help but frown. “How old is he?”

“Nineteen.”

Yu Feng had found a boyfriend about ten years younger than him. Wang Minying couldn’t quite accept it, but she didn’t press further. She couldn’t interfere in Yu Feng’s life, nor did she have the right to.

Wang Minying looked up at the back of Yu Feng’s head.

Maybe this was a good thing—at least Yu Feng was starting to see himself now.

***

The photoshoot was scheduled for a week later. Jiang Ting repeatedly reminded Xie An’yu to maintain his figure and stay in good condition, warning him not to overeat, stay up late, or drink. In fact, the audition that day was partly to check on Xie An’yu’s condition. After all, Xie An’yu wasn’t a signed model yet, nor was he with an agency, so there was no one constantly reminding him to manage his physique.

Irene was quite bold—hiring a complete amateur for a magazine cover, seemingly unconcerned about the unpredictable risks.

Fortunately, Xie An’yu was no ordinary person. Seeing him again, he still seemed extraordinarily handsome, and his condition appeared even better than before.

On the day of the shoot, to avoid suspicion, Xie An’yu didn’t ride with Yu Feng to the location. Since he had to get his makeup done, and Jiang Ting had asked him to arrive early, he left earlier than Yu Feng and took the subway to the shooting location himself.

The venue was a studio converted from an old Western-style house. When Xie An’yu tried to enter, he was stopped by the security guard at the door. He had no choice but to call Jiang Ting.

Jiang Ting answered immediately and came out to get him.

Xie An’yu was wearing a fisherman’s hat and a face mask, covered up like a suspicious character—no wonder security had stopped him.

Jiang Ting walked over and laughed. “In this heat, aren’t you afraid of getting heat rash?” She knew Xie An’yu lived with Yu Feng and instinctively glanced behind him, thinking he might have come with Yu Feng.

“Did you come alone?” Jiang Ting asked Xie An’yu.

Xie An’yu hummed in affirmation.

“I thought… Never mind, let’s go in and get your makeup done first.” Jiang Ting turned and headed inside. “Tang Shu has her own makeup artist, so she’ll definitely arrive with her makeup already done. We need to be prepared in advance.”

The Western-style house had three floors, and they were shooting on the first. Xie An’yu walked in and glanced toward the area where the lights were concentrated—the center of the studio. That was today’s shooting backdrop.

There stood a massive arched window in European style with a cream-white frame. In front of the window was a khaki-colored retro French sofa, its fabric stiff and wrinkled, resembling crumpled and smoothed-out kraft paper from a distance.

The weather was beautiful today, yet not a single ray of sunlight streamed in through the window. Outside was a floral wall, and Xie An’yu took a closer look before realizing the colorful flowers seemed to be daisies.

The small daisies of various colors were densely interwoven, yet they didn’t give off a particularly vibrant impression. Perhaps it was because the area outside the window was dim, even darker than inside, which lowered the saturation of the flowers, creating a gentle yet cool atmosphere.

Jiang Ting turned around and noticed Xie An’yu standing still, staring at the floral wall outside. She walked over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Are those flowers daisies?” Xie An’yu asked Jiang Ting.

“You recognize them?” Jiang Ting chuckled. “Yes, they’re daisies. Quite pretty, aren’t they?”

Xie An’yu hummed in agreement. “Are they real flowers?”

“Of course, but they’re just arranged. There’s a mesh behind them—the flowers are real, but the wall itself is artificial,” Jiang Ting explained. “Originally, there wasn’t a floral wall. Teacher Yu had it set up last minute. It took them two days to finish it.”

As she spoke, Jiang Ting glanced toward the window. “With this addition, the whole vibe has changed. It’s absolutely stunning.”

The makeup artist working on Xie An’yu was a young man with a somewhat androgynous appearance, sporting shoulder-length curly hair, glowing fair skin, and a strong scent of perfume.

Xie An’yu closed his eyes, his nose slightly irritated by the perfume. He heard the makeup artist chuckle softly and say, “It’s fine, you can open your eyes. We haven’t started on your eye makeup yet.”

Xie An’yu’s eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.

The makeup artist chuckled again: “Are you nervous or shy? Your face is so tense.”

Xie An’yu remained expressionless and didn’t respond.

“How old are you? You must be quite young. Your skin is amazing,” the makeup artist said, lightly brushing a brush against his cheek. “You barely need any makeup. Your complexion is so attractive—you’re naturally cut out to be a print model.”

This makeup artist had worked with many celebrities and, after gaining fame in the industry, rarely worked with models with little recognition like Xie An’yu. It was precisely because he knew Xie An’yu was a newcomer with no connections or reputation that he felt bold enough to flirt so openly.

Xie An’yu, however, didn’t sense anything amiss. He simply thought the person was very outgoing.

The makeup artist happened to be attracted to his type of looks. Seeing him silent and not showing any annoyance, with his handsome face remaining expressionless, the makeup artist thought he looked cool and grew increasingly captivated.

“How old are you?” the makeup artist asked again.

“Nineteen,” Xie An’yu replied truthfully.

“Oh my goodness, you’re so young! You’re more than a decade younger than me. I’m thirty-three already—ah, I’m getting old.”

Xie An’yu glanced in the mirror, his gaze falling on the makeup artist. This person really didn’t look like someone over thirty.

Casually, Xie An’yu remarked, “You look quite young.”

“Huh?” The makeup artist’s heart fluttered with excitement. “Really?”

Xie An’yu hummed in affirmation, then heard footsteps and voices coming from the doorway. He turned his head to look and saw Yu Feng and Jiang Xiaotian walking in.

Yu Feng’s gaze swept around before settling in Xie An’yu’s direction, locking eyes with him across a group of staff members.

Yu Feng’s eyes shifted slightly to the side, glancing at the makeup artist beside Xie An’yu, who was gently brushing Xie An’yu’s nose bridge with their ring finger.

When the makeup artist’s hand touched his nose, Xie An’yu instinctively flinched backward.

“The shading here is a bit too heavy,” the makeup artist explained, then chuckled. “How does a handsome guy like you also come with such contrasting charm?”

Yu Feng frowned and turned to Jiang Xiaotian. “Was the makeup artist for this shoot arranged by Jiang Ting?”

Jiang Xiaotian looked flustered. “Probably, since Xiao Xie is the model she’s managing. Why?”

Yu Feng said expressionlessly: “Doesn’t she know he’s gay?”

Though his face showed no emotion, his tone was questioning, carrying a subtle, barely noticeable displeasure.

Jiang Xiaotian glanced at Yu Feng, thinking to himself, Aren’t you one too? Why are you suddenly drawing a line of superiority?

Thank you so much for your support, Kikiji 🥰🥰

List of Idiom in Chapter 67

深居簡出 (shēn jū jiǎn chū): to live a secluded life and rarely come out of one’s home; live a secluded life; poke oneself in the room; live in seclusion; stay indoors and go out rarely; lead a quiet life; keep a low profile. Originally referred to wild animals hiding in the mountains and rarely appearing. Later, it was extended to mean the behavior of humans staying at home and rarely going out. It is now mostly used to describe a lifestyle that does not often interact with others.

超塵出俗 (chāo chén chū sú): to rise above the ordinary; stand out from the crowd; transcend the mundane; be above the common; be out of the ordinary; be unworldly; be ethereal. Originally refers to a Buddhist who transcends the mundane realm of spiritual practice. Later, it was extended to describe a person whose talent and virtue far surpass those of ordinary people.

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  王八 (wáng bā): tortoise; turtle; cuckold; (derogatory) bastard; son of a bitch; man who works in a brothel; (Jin, derogatory) suona player; (old) male owner of a brothel; pimp.
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  甲魚 (jiǎ yú): soft-shell turtle; turtle; terrapin. Trionychidae is a family of turtles, commonly known as softshell turtles or simply softshells.