Translator: Lynn
Thank you to Ananas for the ko-fi! Here’s your bonus chapter <3
Sponsored chapter (1/2)
Self-brewing sorghum wine technique.
Cheng Ke sat on a chair in the corner of the second-floor terrace of the restaurant, engrossed in his mobile phone. Nearby, a group of guests was engaged in sand art.
“Brother Cheng,” a girl turned to him, “Could you help me with the details of this sand painting? I want to take a photo.”
“Sure,” Cheng Ke put down his phone and got up. He walked over to examine the sand painting.
The artwork depicted a cat, or at least Cheng Ke assumed it was a cat. Having a cat at home, he was accustomed to observing its various lounging poses and preferences.
“The eyes,” Cheng Ke manipulated the sand, carefully shaping the cat’s eyes, adding two small dots for brightness. “And the edge of the ear, it’s better like this…”
A hushed chorus of admiration swept through the group. “A true master can capture a likeness with just a few strokes; it’s incredible.”
One of them grinned, “It’s pretty clever to take photos like this.”
After they snapped some photos with their phones, Cheng Ke returned to his chair and continued to peruse the instructions for brewing sorghum wine at home.
Jiang Yuduo’s birthday was still over six months away, but time was ticking, and Cheng Ke needed to choose the simplest and most likely-to-succeed method among several plans.
Soak the sorghum for 24 hours, changing the water every six or seven hours?
Place it in a pot and steam it until it blooms… What kind of pot was meant? How to steam it? What do they mean by “blooms”? What kind of flowers are they referring to?
Let it cool and mix in the koji.
That part seemed straightforward, much like adding yeast when making strawberry wine.
Fermentation. Transfer it into a bucket—what type of bucket, though? Cover it with cling film, then top it with a plastic sheet… Let it sit for two or three months? That long?
Cheng Ke quickly recalculated the time frame. It seemed about right.
Then there was…distillation.
A distiller? What the hell was that? Did they really intend to use such a device?
Cheng Ke quickly revisited the distillation apparatus, observing several massive stainless steel barrels connected by numerous pipes. This equipment alone could probably occupy Jiang Yuduo’s small backyard.
He decided to abandon this brewing plan altogether.
Instead, he shifted his focus to crafting a cat fur scarf.
The new store opening was just around the corner, and there was a multitude of tasks to attend to. It wasn’t until he left the restaurant, close to the end of dinner service, that Cheng Ke realized he might be hungry.
The distance from his current location to Jiang Yuduo’s place wasn’t too far, just four subway stops away. Cheng Ke sent Jiang Yuduo a message inquiring if he had eaten, but there was no response.
Jiang Yuduo had been exceedingly busy ever since Meow’s business had taken off. When Xiao Sun and Chen Qing were on break, he had to step in and manage the shop.
Cheng Ke had witnessed him shed pounds over the course of a few months, but it hadn’t registered as anything unusual. Jiang Yuduo continued to visit the store every day with boundless enthusiasm, as though it were a delightful outing.
As Cheng Ke neared Meow, he spotted Jiang Yuduo standing beside a trash bin on the street, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He appeared lost in thought, gazing across the street at a T-junction.
Cheng Ke glanced in that direction but couldn’t discern anything out of the ordinary.
Nevertheless, Jiang Yuduo was clearly not lost in thought. When Cheng Ke approached within four or five meters, Jiang Yuduo turned his head, broke into a smile, and called out, “Why are you here?”
“Remarkable, how did you sense me coming?” Cheng Ke strolled over, grinning.
“I could smell it,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“What smell?” Cheng Ke tugged at his clothing and sniffed it. “It’s chilly out, so there shouldn’t be any smell.”
“Perfume,” Jiang Yuduo clarified. “Didn’t you change your perfume recently?”
Cheng Ke chuckled, then cast a glance at Chen Qing, who was busy alone in the store. “Why aren’t you helping him?”
“Have you eaten yet?” Jiang Yuduo asked.
“…No, I planned to invite you to join me, but you didn’t respond to my message,” Cheng Ke sighed.
Jiang Yuduo swiftly pulled out his phone to check. “I missed it; I was eating at that time… Let me grab you something to eat. The braised pork noodles next door are exceptionally delicious, but their portions are enormous, almost as big as your fist.”
“Sounds good,” Cheng Ke agreed.
“Let’s head inside. There’s space indoors, and it’s chilly out here,” Jiang Yuduo suggested.
“I don’t want to occupy a customer’s seat any longer,” Cheng Ke replied with a smile, taking a seat beside him. “Here will do.”
Jiang Yuduo dashed to the neighboring shop and procured three hefty servings of braised pork noodles, serving them in bowls on the table. Cheng Ke sampled a spoonful, finding the taste quite enjoyable and aromatic.
“Still want more?” He inquired, holding up a chopstick laden with noodles.
“I’m stuffed,” Jiang Yuduo patted his belly, “Watching you eat makes me anxious.”
“Then don’t watch,” Cheng Ke quipped, focusing on his meal.
“I still need to watch, I can’t just see you for a few hours a day,” Jiang Yuduo remarked, fixing his gaze on Cheng Ke. “If you don’t come to keep me company, I’ll be alone for several hours every evening.”
“Just hire someone else,” Cheng Ke suggested. “That way, you won’t have to work so hard.”
“No,” Jiang Yuduo replied, grinning. “Chen Qing refuses.”
“Why’s that?” Cheng Ke was perplexed.
“The cost is too high,” Jiang Yuduo explained. “Three people are manageable, but there’s a higher workload during meal times, and the rest of the time involves preparing milk tea and such.”
“Figure it out later,” Cheng Ke said. “You’ve lost quite a bit of weight.”
“Why worry about being thin?” Jiang Yuduo reclined in his chair, lifted his shirt, and slapped his stomach twice, producing crisp sounds. “See? No fat.”
The loud slaps attracted the attention of passersby.
“Hey,” Cheng Ke hastily adjusted his clothing, “What are you showing off? I see it every day, not only do I see it, but I also touch it.”
“You even bit and licked it,” Jiang Yuduo teased.
“Shush!” Cheng Ke whispered loudly.
Jiang Yuduo chuckled, and after a good laugh, he lay his head on the table next to Cheng Ke. “I enjoy these kinds of moments.”
“…What kinds?” Cheng Ke asked, taking another hearty bite of noodles.
“When you bite my stomach,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
Cheng Ke nearly choked on his noodles and tapped the table with his chopsticks. “Jiang Lao San, did Dr. Li put any aphrodisiacs in the medicine she prescribed for you last time?”
Jiang Yuduo burst into fits of laughter.
After Cheng Ke finished his meal, he took advantage of Jiang Yuduo’s relaxed demeanor to inquire, “What were you doing standing there just now?”
“When did you arrive?” Jiang Yuduo asked.
“Just now,” Cheng Ke answered with a nod.
Jiang Yuduo glanced in the direction he had been staring at earlier. “I might be too busy lately, and I’m feeling a lot of pressure…”
“Did you see something?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo replied, furrowing his brow, “But it’s not like before. It was… more like I saw Small Ant.”
Cheng Ke was taken aback. “Did you tell Dr. Li?”
“I did,” Jiang Yuduo confirmed. “Dr. Li mentioned that Small Ant hasn’t left and is still confined to the hospital he was transferred to… Of course, I’m aware it hasn’t left, and it can’t. That appearance at the time, it’s impossible not to be somewhat unsettling,” Cheng Ke touched his face. “And you know, sometimes even I get startled when I hear the window rattling.”
“Idiot,” Jiang Yuduo remarked. “When I hear the window rattling, I know it’s either Meow or just the wind.”
“Oh,” Cheng Ke clicked his tongue.
“When I saw Small Ant,” Jiang Yuduo took hold of Cheng Ke’s hand, lowered his head, and nibbled on his fingertips. “I immediately reminded myself it wasn’t real, it was just an illusion, and it posed no threat to me. Cheng Ke wouldn’t be in danger… but I would still feel afraid.”
“I understand,” Cheng Ke responded softly. “Do you want to have a thorough conversation with Dr. Li?”
“Let’s wait until after your birthday, a year from now. For now, I’m fine. Small Ant disappeared when I sensed your presence,” Jiang Yuduo explained. “When I’m with you, I rarely see it.”
“In that case, I’ll ask for some time off and be with you every day,” Cheng Ke proposed.
“No need,” Jiang Yuduo chuckled. “I didn’t mean that… I might be like this for the rest of my life—taking medication, seeing a doctor, occasionally glimpsing Small Ant or something else, and then feeling anxious and scared. But it’s just a part of my life, like eating, sleeping, or goofing around. It’s much better to accept this.”
“San-ge,” Cheng Ke observed him for a while. “I’ve noticed that you’ve matured quite a bit all of a sudden.”
“I was already quite mature,” Jiang Yuduo raised an eyebrow, “especially compared to you.”
“Oh,” Cheng Ke glanced at the finger Jiang Yuduo had been nibbling on. “Mature compared to me?”
“You didn’t wash your hands before coming out today, did you?” Jiang Yuduo released his fingers, turned his head, and playfully spat.
“…No, I didn’t,” Cheng Ke admitted. “Why, is it salty?”
“No, I got a bit of sand,” Jiang Yuduo explained. “Have you ever played with sand?”
“Yes,” Cheng Ke withdrew his hand, stood up, and headed towards the store. “I’ll wash my hands, then you can continue eating.”
“Let’s have dinner together tonight,” Jiang Yuduo whispered after him. “Keep me company.”
“That’s the plan, isn’t it?” Cheng Ke turned his head.
“Is it confirmed?” Jiang Yuduo asked.
“…Yes,” Cheng Ke replied, somewhat resigned.
Ever since Jiang Yuduo discovered the effectiveness of suppressing surprises, it had become a frequent practice. Even during the few days of rest during the Chinese New Year, Cheng Ke felt like he hadn’t rested at all, as he was essentially assisting Jiang Yuduo in suppressing his reactions.
They helped each other suppress the startles, with the background music being the sound of exploding firecrackers and fireworks.
“I’ll be busy again starting tomorrow,” Cheng Ke reclined against the headboard and glanced at a toothmark on his belly. “Tonight’s sleep is just for sleeping. I have no other plans. There’s a meeting in the morning.”
“I have a meeting too,” Jiang Yuduo crouched beside him. “Chen Qing mentioned having a meeting to discuss next year’s business plan.”
Cheng Ke couldn’t help but laugh for a while. “He’s quite motivated.”
“He has to be motivated,” Jiang Yuduo commented. “I calculated the shares for him, and he’ll also be receiving a year-end dividend.”
“What are your plans for next year?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“We’re thinking of acquiring the fish ball shop upstairs,” Jiang Yuduo explained. “It’s located on the second floor, at the corner of the shopping mall. Most shoppers don’t notice it, and their business isn’t doing very well. They might be interested in selling it. If we take it over, we can expand our area and offer something different.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Cheng Ke agreed.
“The transfer fee might be quite high,” Jiang Yuduo sighed.
“I’ll cover it,” Cheng Ke offered.
“No,” Jiang Yuduo firmly declined. “Do you think I’m short of the transfer fee?”
Cheng Ke chuckled and rubbed his face.
Cheng Ke’s birthday would soon pass after the new year, and Jiang Yuduo was busy discussing the grand plan of acquiring the fish ball shop. In the evenings, he spent his time at the table in the adjacent room disassembling watches.
Cheng Ke found it somewhat challenging. The room was quite small, and Jiang Yuduo had intended to surprise him for his birthday, but it was almost impossible for Cheng Ke not to see what was happening. Additionally, Jiang Yuduo had no sense of secrecy and didn’t bother cleaning up the mess halfway through, making it clear to Cheng Ke what he was up to.
The watch had been completely taken apart, and its components were neatly arranged on the table. In the middle, there was a glossy black square tea tray, along with adhesive tweezers and other tools.
A quick glance revealed that it was likely going to be an artwork.
“Don’t peek!” Jiang Yuduo called out from the door. “If you peek, the surprise will be ruined!”
Cheng Ke was quite exasperated. “I have to walk through here to hang up my laundry!”
Jiang Yuduo grabbed a newspaper and approached, using it to cover the pile of items. “Will this work?”
“…Alright,” Cheng Ke sighed.
“Where’s my birthday gift?” Jiang Yuduo inquired.
“It’s a secret,” Cheng Ke replied.
“I ordered you not to keep secrets,” Jiang Yuduo grumbled. “Can’t you make it?”
“Is your birthday already here?” Cheng Ke stared at him. “Has it arrived?”
“No,” Jiang Yuduo admitted.
“Then how do you know I can’t do it?” Cheng Ke questioned.
Jiang Yuduo clicked his tongue and walked away.
It seemed increasingly likely that his initial idea wouldn’t work out. After giving up on sorghum wine, Cheng Ke turned his attention to a different project: crafting a keychain or something similar for Jiang Yuduo using Meow’s fur.
The plan was to create small cat head shapes with cat fur and attach them to a keychain. However, this turned out to be quite challenging. Meow’s fur had a tendency to form into little balls. Cheng Ke aimed to replicate the image on the signboard of Jiang Yuduo’s milk tea shop – a cat’s head complete with two ears and a tail affixed to the back. He even sketched out an exploded diagram and purchased some wool to practice with during his free moments at the restaurant. He was cautious not to waste Meow’s precious fur, but despite practicing extensively, the best result he achieved was a somewhat round ball.
In contrast, it seemed that Jiang Yuduo’s gift was already prepared, and all the parts had disappeared. On the table, there was a black box adorned with a red bow.
Jiang Yuduo had executed the surprise with such thoroughness that Cheng Ke even saw the heartfelt message he had written on the box using a golden lacquer pen.
Hello Cheng Ke,
Happy birthday.
This is your second birthday gift.
It’s a painting.
I disassembled more than one watch, and I bought several to disassemble, as there weren’t enough parts.
Hope you find as much joy in life as these flowers do every day.
I love you.
It appeared that Jiang Yuduo had disassembled several watches and created a painting featuring numerous flowers.
Cheng Ke didn’t mind the absence of surprise. One of the reasons he was enamored with Jiang Yuduo was his genuine and straightforward nature, often rendering words unnecessary.
Moreover, the sincerity of these words was so heartfelt that it could melt anyone’s heart.
This birthday was celebrated only by the two of them, without any calls to friends or outings.
They hadn’t ordered food either; instead, they enjoyed a hot pot prepared by Jiang Yuduo himself.
As Cheng Ke ate, he reminisced about many past moments, feeling that his taste buds were connected to these cherished memories.
After their meal, Jiang Yuduo stood up and said, “I have a surprise for you.”
“Sure,” Cheng Ke smiled, anticipating that Jiang Yuduo would bring the black gift box from the other room.
However, Jiang Yuduo walked into the kitchen and emerged with a cake box.
“You bought a cake?” Cheng Ke was surprised. This was indeed a surprise, especially since he hadn’t expressed a desire for cake.
“I didn’t buy it,” Jiang Yuduo placed the cake on the table and opened the lid. “Ta-da! Take a look!”
Surprise.
This was undoubtedly a surprise.
“Wow,” Cheng Ke exclaimed, standing up. “Did you make this?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo nodded, somewhat surprised. “How did you know I made it?”
“Come on, who else would make such an ugly cake? No cake shop would sell something like this,” Cheng Ke stated.
“Fuck!” Jiang Yuduo chuckled. “Is it really that ugly?”
“Very ugly,” Cheng Ke replied, looking at the cake. He laughed for a moment but then seemed on the verge of tears. He took out his phone and snapped a few pictures of the cake. “It’s incredibly ugly.”
“Do you like it?” Jiang Yuduo inquired.
“I love it,” Cheng Ke responded, embracing him tightly and playfully biting Jiang Yuduo’s neck. “I absolutely adore it.”
“This wasn’t part of the surprise!” Jiang Yuduo gasped, rubbing his neck vigorously. “Did you have to bite me so hard?”
Cheng Ke grinned and kissed him again before turning his attention to the cake.
The cake was simple, square in shape, entirely white, with two red hearts side by side in the center.
The frosting appeared uneven, and the cream flowers on it varied in size from left to right. However, the two hearts in the middle were exceptionally well-drawn.
“I filled it with fruits, lots of fruits,” Jiang Yuduo informed him as he moved around behind Cheng Ke. He produced a single candle, taking only the numeral “3,” and lit it. Then, he inserted it into the center of the cake and whispered into Cheng Ke’s ear, “Young master, you’re three years old now.”
“Yeah,” Cheng Ke agreed.
“Make a wish and blow out the candles,” Jiang Yuduo instructed, his arms encircling Cheng Ke’s waist. He leaned in, resting his chin on Cheng Ke’s shoulder, and gazed at the cake.
Cheng Ke closed his eyes.
In truth, he wasn’t sure what kind of wish he wanted to make.
The life he desired, the person he cherished, stood right before him.
What more could he wish for?
Cheng Ke leaned back against Jiang Yuduo, closed his eyes, and made his wish, hoping it would last a lifetime.
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
