Translator: Lynn
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Jiang Yuduo scanned the surroundings but couldn’t spot Cheng Yi and the others anywhere in sight. Perhaps, as Cheng Ke had suggested, his mother didn’t enjoy such crowded events and decided to leave after witnessing her eldest son’s landlord becoming her son’s boyfriend and getting into fight with her youngest son.
However, Jiang Yuduo wasn’t accustomed to the square at first, as it was bustling with people. Even though they usually avoided busy festival days, he still felt uneasy in such a crowded environment. When he used to visit with Chen Qing, they would stick to the outskirts, buying a lantern and enjoying some skewers.
Today, they had to navigate through countless people and various lights to avoid Cheng Yi, which made Jiang Yuduo and Cheng Ke uncomfortable. They typically didn’t attend such crowded gatherings, and it still made it hard for him to breathe. Thankfully, most of his attention was on Cheng Ke’s hand with the plaster. After purchasing lanterns, especially cat-shaped ones, he began to feel more at ease.
Some things may go unnoticed if one doesn’t pay close attention. Unfortunately, it was a challenge for Jiang Yuduo as he had limited time to observe. After exploring almost all the lantern displays, they headed toward the cotton candy stall.
The stall was surrounded by many people, mostly girls with their boyfriends and families with children. Jiang Yuduo hesitated for a moment, then turned to Cheng Ke. “Wait for me here, I’ll go over and buy some.”
“I’ll come with you,” Cheng Ke said.
“…Alright,” Jiang Yuduo agreed. “What color do you want?”
“Rainbow,” Cheng Ke replied. “And what about you?”
“I want a pink and blue one,” Jiang Yuduo said. “I like solid colors.”
“Okay,” Cheng Ke smiled. “I thought you would choose pink.”
“The pink and blue combination looks nice,” Jiang Yuduo squeezed into the crowd with Cheng Ke at the cotton candy machine. “Pink can be a bit too girly.”
A little girl standing beside them, holding a freshly made pink cotton candy, glanced at Jiang Yuduo. Jiang Yuduo realized his comment might have been inappropriate, but since the girl was a stranger and he wasn’t good at interacting with others, especially young girls, he ignored it.
“Let’s see which one suits you,” Cheng Ke said, smiling at the little girl. “Some girls look really cute with pink.” The little girl blushed slightly and walked away with her cotton candy, freeing up some space.
Cheng Ke took that spot, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiang Yuduo, and whispered, “You’re terrible at small talk.”
“I don’t know her,” Jiang Yuduo whispered back. “Besides, I’m not good at talking and charming little girls like you flamboyants.”
“Rubbish,” Cheng Ke replied.
“Boss, make a rainbow one and a blue one for me!” Jiang Yuduo called out to the cotton candy vendor. “Hurry up! I’m catching a train!” The vendor chuckled, “You still have time, no need to rush like a rocket.”
Jiang Yuduo stared at the vendor’s hands as he spun the cotton candy, while Cheng Ke continued to observe him. Jiang Yuduo was naturally curious about many things, and whenever he had the opportunity, he would fixate on things he didn’t usually encounter.
However, while he stared, he often maintained a serious expression, which gave the impression that he could throw a punch if provoked.
Fortunately, the boss remained focused on his task and didn’t look up throughout the whole process. He handed over the cotton candy once it was done, and Jiang Yuduo took it himself.
The rainbow and blue cotton candies were quickly prepared, each larger than their heads, forming big balls. Jiang Yuduo squeezed through the crowd with two fluffy treats, handing the rainbow one to Cheng Ke. He then bit into the blue one, tearing off a large chunk and nodding in approval. “Mine is sweet.”
This feedback suddenly made Cheng Ke doubt his long-held perception of cotton candy. After all, he rarely indulged in such treats, similar to the street glutinous rice dumplings. If he recalled correctly, he had never actually eaten cotton candy…
He quickly took a bite of his own rainbow cotton candy to taste it.
It simply tasted like plain sugar, nothing but sweetness… It was overly greasy, and he didn’t feel like taking another bite…
“How is it?” Jiang Yuduo asked him.
“It’s delicious,” Cheng Ke nodded. “Mine has a sweet and sour flavor.”
“What?” Jiang Yuduo was puzzled. Before he could respond, he quickly took a bite of his rainbow cotton candy, ripping off about half of it.
Cheng Ke sighed, observing Jiang Yuduo struggle to catch the cotton candy fluttering in the wind and roll it into his mouth, eventually stuffing it all in with his hands.
“Have you lost your sense of taste? Isn’t it sweet?” Jiang Yuduo asked after taking a bite. “Where did you get the idea that cotton candy tastes like cumin?”
“They are all sweet, so why did you specifically mention that yours is sweet?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“I just said it casually,” Jiang Yuduo replied. “And what I said was true. I didn’t say it tasted like cumin.”
Cheng Ke remained silent, having lost his appetite after the cumin comparison. The sweet cotton candy seemed even less appealing now.
“I’m hungry,” Cheng Ke rubbed his belly. “I want to eat barbecue.”
“Should we head back then?” Jiang Yuduo finished his cotton candy in two bites, took out his phone, and tapped a few times. “I’ll message the group and tell them to meet us at the restaurant for some delicious food.”
“A group?” Cheng Ke was taken aback. “You have a group chat?”
“What’s so surprising?” Jiang Yuduo said, sweeping him with a glance. “Why would I bother individually messaging everyone? Besides, I haven’t added them as friends.”
“Oh,” Cheng Ke leaned over and glanced at his phone.
Jiang Yuduo had posted something that he couldn’t see, as it was already buried under a string of messages.
— Okay, San-ge
— Received! San-ge
— Happy New Year, San-ge! Coming soon
— Yes!
…
Cheng Ke couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw the group’s name, finding it quite amusing. “A group? Who came up with this name?”
“I did. Isn’t it a group?” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“It is indeed a group,” Cheng Ke suppressed a smile and nodded.
“Didn’t you say it’s impolite to peek at someone’s phone?” Jiang Yuduo remarked. “You’ve been looking at it for a while and now you’re laughing?”
“Sorry,” Cheng Ke waved his hand, still smiling.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Yuduo put his phone back in his pocket and gestured for them to move.
This barbecue restaurant seemed to be a regular gathering place for Jiang Yuduo and his younger brothers. As they arrived in Chen Qing’s two-door car with a trunk, several individuals who appeared to greet “San-ge” was standing at the door, smoking cigarettes.
Jiang Yuduo parked the car in front of the restaurant, and Cheng Ke stepped out with him.
“San-ge,” several people approached immediately, “Brother Ke.”
Cheng Ke felt touched by their considerate gesture of reverting back to calling him Brother Ke from Brother Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“What happened to Brother Ke’s hand?” Da Bin noticed the plaster cast on Cheng Ke’s hand.
“I didn’t notice it when I came downstairs,” Cheng Ke smiled.
“Why didn’t you go inside?” Jiang Yuduo asked. “Why are you waiting out here?”
“We just arrived, and Er Tu will be here soon. He… got injured. Let’s wait for him,” one of the younger brothers explained.
“Why did he get injured?” Jiang Yuduo turned his face away. “Last time I was robbed, did he get beaten up again this time?” “I can’t really blame him this time…” Da Bin said next to him. “You don’t have to worry about San-ge, and I didn’t intend to tell you.”
“Is it my fault?” Jiang Yuduo asked angrily.
The group fell into silence, and after a while, Da Bin finally spoke up. “After the fight with Zhang Daqi last time, it just… hasn’t stopped. Their group basically wants to harm us whenever they see us. We’re all laying low, San-ge. If you can avoid trouble, please do.”
Jiang Yuduo looked at him but said nothing.
“Last Tuesday, I had a few drinks and happened to pass by their bar, so… I couldn’t run away,” Da Bin explained.
“Is it serious?” Jiang Yuduo inquired.
“The thigh is broken, but it’s not too serious,” Da Bin replied.
Jiang Yuduo furrowed his brow.
“San-ge, go inside first. It’s too windy out here,” Da Bin suggested.
Cheng Ke followed Jiang Yuduo into the restaurant, but before he could see what was happening inside, he heard a chorus of voices.
“San-ge!”
“San-ge is here!”
“San-ge, Happy Chinese New Year!”
…
Cheng Ke hadn’t truly realized the feeling of Jiang Yuduo being addressed as San-ge for a long time. The current interactions with Jiang Yuduo made it difficult for him to associate with such titles.
Hearing the sudden commotion and seeing people standing up in front of him, Cheng Ke suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable and as if he had entered the wrong scene. The restaurant was almost full, and it was evident that at least three or four tables were occupied by Jiang Yuduo’s group. Considering those who hadn’t arrived yet, there were only five or six tables in the entire place, and almost all of them were occupied by them.
Experiencing such a scene, Cheng Ke realized that not only did people coming in to eat barbecue require courage, but even those who had finished eating needed courage to stay and not leave early.
Who knew if this group of people would start a fight at any moment when they were together?
Chen Qing sat at the farthest table and waved at them.
As Cheng Ke sat down, Chen Qing approached from across Jiang Yuduo. “You sent me a bunch of blurry photos!”
“Is it my fault?” Cheng Ke smiled.
“I couldn’t help it,” Chen Qing glanced around quickly. “I told you I was going to see the lights! I had no choice. Besides, why did you two take such great pictures? They look like magazine covers.”
“We both look like magazine covers,” Jiang Yuduo nudged him. “Sit down, or do you want to lie on my lap? Shall I hug you?”
“Let’s take a picture together too, San-ge,” Chen Qing leaned back in his chair. “We’ve never taken a photo together… I always thought you didn’t like selfies.”
“You’re right,” Jiang Yuduo said, taking out his phone. “Come on.”
“Sure,” Chen Qing moved closer to him.
Jiang Yuduo raised his phone. “Smile, I’ll count to three.”
“Okay,” Chen Qing grinned.
Cheng Ke looked at the two of them and had a feeling that the photo would turn out terrible.
“One, two, three,” Jiang Yuduo said and pressed the shutter.
Cheng Ke observed that Chen Qing was perhaps more accustomed to Jiang Yuduo’s rapid-fire speech pattern. His reaction was quick, and he had already smiled by the time Jiang Yuduo reached “two.”
“Okay,” Jiang Yuduo looked at the phone and then asked Chen Qing to assess it. “How is it?”
“Handsome!” Chen Qing gave a thumbs up.
“Let me see?” Cheng Ke was curious how they could deem it “handsome” based on their expressions just now.
Jiang Yuduo handed him the phone.
On the screen were two enlarged faces, so close that one ear was partially out of the frame. One person was showing his teeth while the other had a wide grin, both smiling forcefully.
There were three blurry words between the two faces. Although they were indistinct, Cheng Ke could still make them out.
“Toilet.”
He truly admired the strength of their friendship. Only with an incredibly strong bond could these two individuals look at such a photo and agree that it was “handsome.”
Cheng Ke suppressed a smile and returned the phone to Jiang Yuduo. “It’s good, but it would have been better to take the picture from a distance.”
“This is called a close-up,” Chen Qing remarked.
“Oh,” Cheng Ke took a sip of tea.
Chen Qing engaged in conversation with the little brother next to him, and Jiang Yuduo approached Cheng Ke, speaking in a low voice. “Can you save the photo we just took?”
Cheng Ke lowered his head and chuckled, then looked at him after a moment. “I thought you thought it was good.”
“Damn, how could that be good? We’re two silly brothers,” Jiang Yuduo said. “I’m worried that Chen Qing will post it on Moments when he gets excited, and there are too many people there…”
“Send it to me, I’ll give it a try,” Cheng Ke offered.
Jiang Yuduo sent him the photo.
Cheng Ke lowered his head and attempted to save the photo.
Dabin and his group, who had been standing outside earlier, likely entered the restaurant after finishing their second round of drinks. Cheng Ke’s ears were filled with excited and joyous shouts.
Everyone who entered would come to their table, standing behind Cheng Ke and calling out to Jiang Yuduo as “San-ge.” The voices were loud, and he felt a bit nervous, thinking that this might not be a simple greeting, but rather a challenge.
However, unlike the annoyance and irritation, he usually felt when encountering such “unrefined” noises, today he didn’t find the chaos bothersome. Instead, he gained a newfound appreciation for the feeling of “liveliness” that he had never experienced before.
Excitement, and confusion, everyone was overjoyed, shouting greetings, playfully teasing one another, and some colorful language mixed in.
Sitting amidst the cacophony, Cheng Ke lowered his head and took pictures of Jiang Yuduo and his comrades with his phone, feeling more at ease than ever before.
“I quite like being with these people,” Jiang Yuduo whispered next to him.
“Well,” Cheng Ke nodded. “It’s quite enjoyable, lively.”
“Mainly…” Jiang Yuduo hesitated. “I feel safe.”
Cheng Ke tilted his head slightly. “Really?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo affirmed. “They… are the people in my life, every single one of them… Do you understand what I mean? I know who they are, where they come from, and what they want to do. They are all controllable.”
Cheng Ke sent the photos he took to Jiang Yuduo. “Is that what you mean?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo nodded. “I’ve realized that you’re truly amazing. When you say something, you’re right, every time.”
“I sometimes feel the same way, but I just don’t feel safe and need a completely controllable environment,” Cheng Ke chuckled. “Unfortunately, there is too little space and environment around me.”
“I’m there,” Jiang Yuduo patted his chest. “I am controllable, do you understand?”
“…Um,” Cheng Ke looked at him.
“I provide safety,” Jiang Yuduo paused and added.
“Yes,” Cheng Ke replied.
He couldn’t comprehend why Jiang Yuduo specifically included that sentence. Perhaps Jiang Yuduo and he had different interpretations of safety and security.
Jiang Yuduo was always concerned about his safety, worried that someone might harm him.
And these “protective measures” that Cheng Ke couldn’t understand had been categorized by Jiang Yuduo himself as issues to be addressed by a psychiatrist. Cheng Ke felt that this was what Jiang Yuduo didn’t explicitly express, but it was likely what he meant. Over the past two days, Jiang Yuduo’s transformation had been evident, and he no longer displayed excessive nervousness and vigilance.
However, the sentence Jiang Yuduo specifically added now made Cheng Ke feel slightly uneasy once again.
“Pour all the wine!” Chen Qing stood up, grabbed an iron plate, and tapped it with chopsticks. “Quick! Pour all the wine!” The group of people echoed and created a clattering sound in the small shop.
“Today is the last day of the Chinese New Year. On behalf of San-ge, I wish everyone a prosperous new year.” Chen Qing poured himself a glass of wine. “Be healthy! That’s the most important thing!”
“Health!” A man tapped the table with his wine glass.
“And wealth! That’s also very important!” Chen Qing exclaimed.
“Wealth pouring in!” The group of people continued tapping their cups.
“Nothing else matters. As long as you have good health and wealth, everything will be fine!” Chen Qing raised his head and drank the wine.
The group of people shouted in unison, but Cheng Ke couldn’t make out their words. Nevertheless, when Jiang Yuduo raised his cup, Cheng Ke did the same.
Just as he was about to clink glasses with Jiang Yuduo, Jiang Yuduo’s cup had already reached his and made contact. “May everything go well.”
“May everything go well,” Cheng Ke smiled.
May everything go well.
This kind of blessing is the most challenging to achieve and can even be seen as a somewhat abstract wish.
Yet, it is also what many people desire the most. It doesn’t require having everything in life; even if just one thing is fulfilled, it brings happiness.
It was the first time Cheng Ke had toasted in a barbecue restaurant, and then everyone toasted and drank. He found it quite fascinating.
The owner of the barbecue restaurant was also accommodating to their style. As everyone raised their glasses, they began piling up various grilled meats and vegetables on the largest tray and placed them on their table.
After a glass of wine, it felt like someone immediately got tipsy. Cheng Ke heard the sound of a glass falling and shattering on the floor, followed by laughter. Eventually, amidst eating and chatting, he couldn’t discern a single word.
Cheng Ke reached out and grabbed a bunch of meat that was definitely not pork penis and took a bite. “Mmm, it’s delicious.” “Just let me know if you need help,” Jiang Yuduo offered.
“One hand is enough for eating barbecue; I can just grab and chew.” Cheng Ke smiled.
“Are they a bit noisy?” Jiang Yuduo gnawed on a chicken wing.
“Well,” Cheng Ke nodded. “Yes, it’s noisy, but I’m really enjoying it.”
“I usually just eat without paying much attention to what they’re saying,” Jiang Yuduo said.
“I was just wondering,” Cheng Ke leaned closer to him and glanced at the people around. “Are all of your friends… unemployed?”
“Is it because I’ve seen too many movies? They all have jobs, but they’re different from the jobs you’re familiar with. They can work part-time, like chefs in small restaurants, drivers helping with deliveries…”
“Or employees at auto beauty shops,” Cheng Ke glanced at Chen Qing. “Am I right?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo chuckled and patted Chen Qing on the shoulder.
“Come on, San-ge, Jaeger-LeCoultre,” Chen Qing immediately turned around with his cup. “Let’s go! Cheers!”
Cheng Ke raised his cup, and the three of them bowed their heads in a toast. After finishing the drink, they raised their heads. Chen Qing immediately turned around and resumed his conversation with another guy: “Let me tell you, the size of breasts shouldn’t be the top priority. It’s all about character! If you keep staring at girls’ breasts, how can you expect them to like you? You rascal, that’s right!”
Cheng Ke chuckled.
“That’s how it always goes. Whenever we drink, we end up talking about girls,” Jiang Yuduo said.
“Did you used to talk about girls with them?” Cheng Ke asked.
“No,” Jiang Yuduo clicked his tongue. “Girls, what’s there to talk about? Even if you discuss a guide on picking up girls, no girl will be interested.”
“But I’m sure there are quite a few girls who like you,” Cheng Ke glanced around the store again. Many people came with their girlfriends, and there were a few attractive ones.
“Well,” Jiang Yuduo glanced at him. “What’s your point?”
“Don’t you have someone you like?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“No,” Jiang Yuduo replied simply.
Cheng Ke looked at him and remained silent.
Jiang Yuduo also stared at him, and after a while, he suddenly reacted and glared at Cheng Ke. “That doesn’t mean I like men!”
“Did I say that?” Cheng Ke laughed.
“The way you look at me,” Jiang Yuduo pointed at him, “implies it! Let me tell you, don’t assume I’m gay and always try to find excuses.”
“Oh.” Cheng Ke still wanted to laugh, unsure if it was due to downing two large glasses of white wine without eating anything, but he was feeling a bit giddy right now.
Jiang Yuduo stared at him silently, as if lost in thought, and even furrowed his brow after a while.
“What’s wrong?” Cheng Ke asked.
“You said… I…” Jiang Yuduo furrowed his brow, paused for a moment, then grabbed the glass and tapped it on the table. “Let’s drink!”
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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