WDYS Chapter 4

Fu Mingchuan returned to Linjiang Garden today without informing anyone in advance, appearing so suddenly that it took him a few seconds to react upon seeing You Wen dressed in his clothes in the living room.

This outfit was something You Wen only wore in bed before.

You Wen was originally working on a craft project with Chen Jiyu for tomorrow, and only realized Fu Mingchuan had been standing not far behind them watching when Chen Jiyu asked how Fu Mingchuan was back.

You Wen blinked, and because of his movement, his clothes slipped a bit. Fu Mingchuan instinctively wanted to tell You Wen to go back to his room, but before he could speak, he heard You Wen call him “Mr. Fu,” and say, “I have some matters at home, so I’m here to bother you for a few days.”

Chen Jiyu quickly said, “Not a bother at all, Mingchuan doesn’t live at home anyway, so you can stay comfortably.” The implication was very clear; she was looking at her son while saying this, worried that You Wen might leave before even settling in, as he had nowhere else to go.

Fu Mingchuan seemed not to hear her words: “What matters at home?”

You Wen didn’t expect Fu Mingchuan to engage in conversation so naturally. After a moment of thought, he replied, “The neighbor’s house caught fire, it’s not convenient to stay at home.”

You Wen’s eyes were very big, and when he looked at people, he appeared innocent and naive, especially in his current weak state, making him seem even more pitiful.

In the past, You Wen would only look at him like that in bed.

Fu Mingchuan’s expression turned serious: “Are you okay?”

You Wen shook his head, responding briefly, as if it were just ordinary small talk: “I’m fine.”

After thinking for a moment, feeling it was inappropriate, he added, “Thank you for your concern.”

However, his politeness did not elicit a response from Fu Mingchuan: “Call a doctor over to check on him.” Fu Mingchuan looked as if he was about to shout for someone to call a doctor.

You Wen had never taken care of himself, and Fu Mingchuan said this completely instinctively.

You Wen didn’t want to trouble Chen Jiyu any further and said anxiously, “The fire was already out when I went back, there’s no need to call a doctor.”

Fu Mingchuan carefully looked You Wen over, and after confirming he was fine, replied to You Wen’s earlier statement: “I don’t live here, you just stay.”

Chen Jiyu sighed inwardly; the implication of his words was that he wouldn’t entangle himself with You Wen anymore. She stood up and called Hou Cong to ask Fu Mingchuan to tidy up the bedroom, to avoid making You Wen uncomfortable.

Fu Mingchuan noticed You Wen lowering his eyelids and turning his face away, and he withdrew his gaze to go upstairs.

Hou Cong followed behind him, and as they passed the first room, Fu Mingchuan suddenly asked, “Which room does You Wen stay in?”

Hou Cong paused for a moment before answering, “The one at the end on the east side; Madam said that room gets good sunlight.”

Fu Mingchuan said nothing. Hou Cong was about to arrange for someone to help him change the bedding, but before he could call anyone, Fu Mingchuan asked again, “Did you give him my clothes?”

Hou Cong didn’t answer immediately, weighing his words, unsure if Fu Mingchuan was showing concern or reproach: “Madam said there were no suitable clothes at home, so she took yours.”

Hou Cong had watched Fu Mingchuan grow up, but still couldn’t quite understand what his young master was thinking.

When he was a child, Fu Mingchuan often stayed silent and alone. There was a time when Chen Jiyu thought he was abnormal and took him to see a psychologist. For many years after that, Fu Mingchuan would regularly meet with the psychologist. His actions and their outcomes were never connected, so over time, even those closest to him couldn’t understand him.

Fu Mingchuan took off his coat and handed it to Hou Cong, instructing, “Don’t let him wear my clothes again.” He had originally come back to get something, but after Hou Cong tidied up his room, he no longer thought about leaving.

Hou Cong was unsure of his intentions; he initially thought he was concerned about You Wen, but now it seemed otherwise.
Perhaps it was just a preemptive inquiry to avoid You Wen’s entanglements and disturbances.

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In the following week, Fu Mingchuan indeed did not return home as he said, until Chen Jiyu called him to arrange for someone to find out where You Wen was.

It was already 9:30 PM, and You Wen had neither returned home nor was he at the kindergarten, and his phone was continuously unanswered.

You Wen’s phone had simply run out of battery because he was helping a little boy whose father couldn’t make it.

The kindergarten was not far from the little boy’s residential area. You Wen dropped the little boy off at the entrance of the community, but since his father still hadn’t arrived, You Wen waited there.

The little boy loved to run around, and You Wen followed him around the community for a while, until he saw Fu Mingchuan standing at a fork in the road.

The little boy bumped into Fu Mingchuan and fell on his bottom, looking up at Fu Mingchuan as if waiting for him to help him up, but Fu Mingchuan didn’t look at him or help him.

Fu Mingchuan was only watching You Wen rush over to pick up the little boy. The little boy immediately hugged You Wen’s neck and accused Fu Mingchuan: “Brother, Uncle’s leg bumped into me.”

You Wen didn’t have time to ask Fu Mingchuan why he was there; he just comforted the little boy: “Did it hurt?”

The little boy tilted his head against You Wen’s chest, sucking his thumb: “It’s hurt.” He was completely acting spoiled, showing no signs of actual pain.

You Wen coaxed the little boy: “Brother will blow on it for you.”

The little boy looked at Fu Mingchuan and, in a childlike innocent tone, said, “Uncle is looking at you.”

Only then did You Wen turn to Fu Mingchuan: “What a coincidence, Mr. Fu.” As he said this, he looked at Fu Mingchuan, the streetlight casting a glow on Fu Mingchuan’s face, half of his features hidden in shadow, making his features appear more three-dimensional and stern, and when he looked at you, his gaze felt cold and dark.

Fu Mingchuan also looked at You Wen. He knew You Wen had always been patient and liked children, but because he himself didn’t, You Wen never brought relatives’ children to Shanshui Residence.

“Coincidence? I’m here to find you; Mom said you weren’t answering your phone.”

You Wen was taken aback; Fu Mingchuan said “Mom,” as if Chen Jiyu was still both of their mother.

“My phone ran out of battery; I’ll head back as soon as I drop him off.”

“How long is ‘soon’? You’ve been in this community for an hour and twenty minutes.” Fu Mingchuan did not agree with You Wen’s statement.

You Wen almost immediately asked, “How do you know?” His tone was somewhat surprised.

Fu Mingchuan felt You Wen was doubting whether he had investigated him, and he calmly explained: “You enabled the location tracking feature on the app you used to open for me.”

You Wen responded with a couple of “oh”: “Sorry, I’ll turn it off right away.”

Fu Mingchuan pressed his thin lips together: “No need to apologize.”

The little boy’s parent hurriedly ran over, wiping sweat and apologizing: “Teacher You, I’m sorry, there was a small accident on the road, thank you for waiting so long.”

You Wen simply said it was fine, and after exchanging a few words with the other parent, they parted ways. Under the quiet, dim streetlight, only You Wen and Fu Mingchuan remained.

You Wen didn’t want to walk with Fu Mingchuan: “I need to go home for a bit; I have some things to get.”

He originally wanted to suggest that Fu Mingchuan leave first, but then he heard Fu Mingchuan say, “Let’s go.”

Once again sitting in Fu Mingchuan’s car, You Wen felt a sense of familiarity mixed with estrangement.

When they first got together, there was always a driver. But after one time when You Wen drank too much and insisted on sitting on Fu Mingchuan’s lap, almost causing things to get out of hand, Fu Mingchuan began driving personally whenever he picked up or dropped off You Wen.

Hanging from the rearview mirror was a prayer wheel that You Wen had bought for Fu Mingchuan during a trip, costing only forty yuan.

As You Wen leaned over to grab a wet wipe from the glove compartment, his head accidentally bumped the prayer wheel, causing it to spin and catch Fu Mingchuan’s eye. Without thinking, You Wen asked, “Why haven’t you thrown it away yet?”

Fu Mingchuan seemed puzzled by the question. “Why would I throw it away?”

You Wen couldn’t understand. Shouldn’t Fu Mingchuan have discarded his belongings just like he discarded him?

Seeing that You Wen didn’t respond and even turned his head away, Fu Mingchuan asked again, and this time You Wen replied, “It’s not very nice-looking.”

At least, it didn’t suit Fu Mingchuan’s aesthetic or taste.

Fu Mingchuan touched the bronze-colored prayer wheel and said, “It’s fine.”

The conversation ended there. You Wen no longer tried to find topics of conversation as he used to. When Fu Mingchuan didn’t speak, he also stayed silent, absent-mindedly wondering where the little wooden figurines he had once arranged on the car window had gone.

“The little wooden figurines are still in the glove compartment.” Fu Mingchuan seemed to know what he was thinking and answered for him.

“Little wooden figurines” was You Wen’s term for them. Fu Mingchuan wasn’t the type to add adjectives to objects, but every time You Wen rode in the car, he would always talk about the little wooden figurines.

The first thing You Wen did after getting in the car was to turn the heads of the numbered wooden figurines towards himself, one by one, saying how cute they were. Once all the heads were turned, the driver’s phone number would appear in reverse order. As a result, You Wen was better at reciting the driver’s number backward than forward.

As You Wen unwrapped the wet wipe, he found the little wooden figurines indeed inside. He couldn’t help but pick one up and turn its head. Then Fu Mingchuan asked, “Which way at the intersection?”

You Wen glanced at the road ahead. “Left.”
The car soon arrived at Zhenri Garden, and You Wen once again intended to suggest that Fu Mingchuan leave, but this time, Fu Mingchuan got out of the car as well. “Which building?” he asked.

You Wen, unable to refuse, could only answer, “Building 4.”

Just as they reached the downstairs entrance, Fu Mingchuan’s questioning voice came again, “Why are you living here?”

You Wen looked at the aged entrance door and the dilapidated lobby. “People live everywhere. It doesn’t matter where.”

He didn’t understand why Fu Mingchuan, like Chen Jiyu, seemed so concerned about his living conditions. However, when they reached the upper floors, Fu Mingchuan’s expression became even colder than it had been downstairs because he even saw a shirtless man in the corridor.

Seeing that Fu Mingchuan was genuinely puzzled, You Wen had to explain once more, “This kind of thing happens in old neighborhoods.”

Fu Mingchuan responded with a dissatisfied “Hmm.”

“Where do you live?”

You Wen had already stopped. “We’re here.”
Fu Mingchuan’s gaze fell on the locked door. It appeared to have been replaced after the fire, with the surrounding area freshly painted white, creating a noticeable contrast with the rest of the wall. He gestured for You Wen to open the door.

After You Wen opened the door, he didn’t invite Fu Mingchuan inside. “Wait here. I’ll be quick.”

Fu Mingchuan didn’t force his way in, but since You Wen didn’t lock the door, he stood at the entrance and looked around the apartment. Half the items had been destroyed by the fire, and although the place had been tidied up, it was far beyond just being considered rundown.

You Wen rummaged around for a while, seemingly searching for something specific. It wasn’t until the landlord came in and demanded that You Wen cover half of the renovation costs, insisting that the fire was directly related to him, that things escalated.

You Wen tried to reason with him. “The police have already closed the case. The fire started in the neighboring unit, and the landlord over there is willing to take responsibility. You’re already aware of this…”

The landlord interrupted, “He’s only willing to pay half. Should I be the one to cover the rest? That would be unfair, considering I wasn’t even living here.”

“If you refuse to pay anything, then I won’t rent to you anymore. The deposit…”

Fu Mingchuan didn’t let him finish. “He’s not renting anymore.” Then he added, “If you don’t return the deposit, you can discuss it with my lawyer.”

The landlord, a burly man who seemed difficult to deal with, backed down upon seeing that Fu Mingchuan was even more intimidating. “Fine, if he’s not renting, then he needs to move out today. I’m starting renovations tomorrow.”

Fu Mingchuan’s dark gaze stayed on him, and the landlord didn’t dare say anything more. He muttered a curse under his breath as he turned and left.

Stepping into the apartment, Fu Mingchuan asked with a displeased expression, “Why do you even let someone like him push you around?”

You Wen didn’t seem to care much. “It’s his place, and it’s cheap.” After speaking, he wanted to ask whether Fu Mingchuan thought the landlord would return the deposit, but he stopped himself.

In the past, if something like this had happened, he would have immediately complained to Fu Mingchuan and checked with him eight times a day to see if he had helped him get even.

But now, he just let it go.

Fu Mingchuan didn’t say anything more, but he closely observed the small space where You Wen had been living for the past few months. The room, living area, and even the kitchen were connected, leaving very little space, with only one window.

In the past, You Wen’s room had been very bright, with many windows. He liked to open them and let the breeze in, sometimes sitting on the windowsill and swinging his feet.

Fu Mingchuan had scolded him several times, but You Wen never changed.

Eventually, Fu Mingchuan had forbidden him from always leaving the windows open.

You Wen quickly found what he was looking for—some items left behind by his parents.

He didn’t take anything else. Once he had what he needed, he told Fu Mingchuan that they could leave.

Fu Mingchuan pressed his lips together, his expression showing a rare hint of emotion, as if he wanted to ask whether there was anything else he needed, perhaps something of sentimental value.

But in the end, he didn’t ask. Most of the things here had been destroyed; there was no point in keeping them.

When You Wen left Shanshui Residence, he hadn’t taken much either—just the clothes on his back and a backpack.

The You Wen that Fu Mingchuan remembered didn’t seem like someone who would be so decisive.

On the way back, Fu Mingchuan couldn’t help but repeat what Chen Jiyu had said, “Don’t live in a place like this anymore.”

You Wen responded indifferently, without following up or going along with his suggestion.

Fu Mingchuan then said, “Put the little wooden figurine back in the glove compartment.”