By 8 o’clock in the evening, there was still no movement in the neighboring room.
Su Yi’an pulled his head back, closed the door and returned to the living room.
He rubbed Nuomi’s ears gently, then picked up his phone to message the man.
【Teacher Bai, what time do you get off work today?】
Five minutes passed before he received a reply.
Bai Yunchi: Almost done. I should be home around nine thirty.
Bai Yunchi: What’s going on? Has Nuomi been causing trouble?
Su Yi’an flopped onto the sofa, legs stretched out and replied calmly: Not really. Nuomi’s been quiet. You focus on work; I’ll take him downstairs for a walk.
In truth, he had only just finished bathing Nuomi. After setting the phone down, he picked up his laptop and worked on some digital sketches for a while. Noticing the time, he got up, went to the kitchen and reheated the two dishes he had prepared for dinner earlier.
Once he was done, he heard Nuomi, who had been pretending to nap in the living room, let out a soft bark toward the hallway, an unmistakable signal that Teacher Bai had returned.
Forgetting about removing his apron, Su Yi’an hurried out of the living room and asked the man standing in the doorway, “Teacher Bai, have you eaten dinner yet?”
Bai Yunchi had already eaten but when his eyes landed on the small bear apron the boy was wearing, a smile spread across his face.
“I haven’t,” he replied softly.
Su Yi’an’s own features brightened with a smile.
“I haven’t eaten either. I just cooked dinner. Do you want to have some together?”
“Sure. I’ll change first.”
“I’ll go serve the rice.”
By the time Bai Yunchi changed into fresh clothes and returned, Su Yi’an had already arranged the dishes on the table. It was a simple meal, two dishes and a soup but it looked appealing and tasted decent.
Carrying his bowl, Su Yi’an observed Bai Yunchi’s expression closely. After the man had tasted a bit of everything, he nervously asked, “How is it? Does it taste okay?”
Bai Yunchi smiled and nodded. “It’s excellent. You could work as a chef in a five-star hotel.”
“That’s great!” Su Yi’an’s spirits lifted. He pressed his lips into a small smile, chewing the slightly hardened rice with care. “But which five-star chef can’t even steam rice properly…”
He mentally added that the sour and spicy shredded potatoes were a little over-salted and the meat in the stir-fried peppers was slightly tough.
“It’s already very good,” Bai Yunchi said gently. “When I was your age, I didn’t even know how to operate a gas stove.”
Su Yi’an blinked in surprise. “Really?”
Nuomi sat upright in front of Bai Yunchi, clutching a toy in his mouth. Bai Yunchi reached out and patted the little one’s head. “It’s late. We’ll play again tomorrow.”
After soothing Nuomi, he looked up at the boy. “Really, the first time I fried an egg, I almost ruined the pan.”
Su Yi’an pressed his lips together to stifle a smile. “My first fried egg was just a little burnt but it was still edible.”
Bai Yunchi didn’t hesitate to praise him. “Better than me.”
The compliment made Su Yi’an’s tail (metaphorically speaking) lift in excitement. He couldn’t hide his grin and curved his lips. “I saw your kitchen was well-stocked. I thought you were especially skilled at cooking.”
Bai Yunchi’s eyes softened. “I just use it to impress.”
He watched the boy’s smiling expression, feeling his own gaze grow even gentler.
After dinner, Su Yi’an brought over the medical kit and carefully helped Bai Yunchi apply his ointment. They then exchanged goodnights before heading to bed.
At one in the morning, the door to the neighboring room opened. Bai Yunchi, dressed in a tracksuit, came downstairs holding Nuomi’s leash.
As soon as they stepped out of the complex, a message from a mischievous friend popped up, flooding them with playful teasing.
【[picture]】
【My wife came to find me, so happy!】
Bai Yunchi: Be careful, or the old man might break your leg.
Yan Yi: Don’t worry, I’ve already distracted all of the old man’s eyes and ears.
Yan Yi: Wait a second… it’s this late. Shouldn’t you have gone to bed already?
Bai Yunchi sent a photo of Nuomi standing on the grass with his ears perked up like little airplane wings, taking care of his business.
【[picture]】
【Ate too much, came out for a walk.】
Yan Yi was shocked: You actually ate too much? That doesn’t sound like you.
Bai Yunchi: Anyone can overeat. Haven’t you ever eaten too much when you were a kid?
Yan Yi: Can’t argue with that… My wife’s urging me to sleep now, bye~
‘Woof~’
Nuomi barked softly and ran off the lawn.
Bai Yunchi put his phone away, cleaned up the mess and then walked Nuomi around the park twice before returning to the complex.
The next morning, at seven o’clock, Su Yi’an shut off his alarm, rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed.
For breakfast, he planned to make fresh soy milk and fry an egg pancake. Following the recipe step by step, a few minor mishaps occurred along the way but in the end, it turned out well. He strained out the soy pulp, poured the sweet, fragrant soy milk into a cup and set it on the dining table.
When Bai Yunchi arrived, the egg pancake was still steaming.
He took a bite and with Su Yi’an’s expectant gaze on him, commented, “Tastes great. The seasoning is just right.”
Su Yi’an breathed a sigh of relief and lifted his own cup to start enjoying his portion.
Over the next few days, Bai Yunchi’s swollen right hand, puffed up like a steamed bun, gradually began to recover under Su Yi’an’s careful care.
On Saturday, the two of them went to Yan Yi’s place. Yan Yi had his hand wrapped up like a sticky rice dumpling but couldn’t help laughing.
“Little Su wrapped this for you?” he asked, noticing the bow tied on top, stifling a chuckle.
Bai Yunchi glanced at him but remained silent.
Su Yi’an, noticing their exchange while taking his laptop out of his bag, said, “I’ve finished designing the product packaging. Teacher Bai, Brother Yan, could you take a look and see if anything needs changing?”
Yang Jiayang also pulled a file from his bag and set it on the table.
“This is the online store operation plan. Teacher Bai, Brother Yan, let’s review it together.”
The four of them huddled in the yard, discussing the details. They were so focused that they didn’t even notice how many cups of tea had been consumed during their meeting.
“Need to make changes here, right? Got it, I’ll note that,” Su Yi’an said.
Yan Yi stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Add a contact number and list the address as Tianyi Farm. I’ve already asked a friend to handle the business license and all the necessary certifications. They should be ready in a few days.”
Bai Yunchi offered a few operational suggestions. When his eyes fell on the section of the plan involving cross-dressing, he couldn’t help but glance at Su Yi’an.
Noticing Bai Yunchi looking at him without speaking, Su Yi’an proactively asked, “Teacher Bai, is there anything else that needs changing?”
“No, you’ve already done an excellent job,” Bai Yunchi replied, averting his gaze yet, in his mind, he couldn’t stop thinking: Su Yi’an’s frame is slightly smaller than most boys and his Adam’s apple isn’t very prominent. Wearing women’s clothing shouldn’t look out of place.
Su Yi’an brightened his smile. “Then I’ll make the changes and send it to the group. Once we confirm everything’s okay, we can contact the printing house to produce the sample.”
Feeling a bit thirsty, he lifted his tea cup and drained it in one gulp, only then realizing something was off.
“Wait… where did this water come from? I didn’t… Did I drink the wrong thing?” he asked, bewildered.
Yang Jiayang turned his head. “I have a cup here too.” He glanced up and added, “Teacher Bai and Brother Yan also have theirs.”
“Yes… it was me who poured it.”
Still wondering about it, a soft, delicate male voice came from the doorway of the living room.
Su Yi’an and Yang Jiayang turned their heads and saw a boy with a doll-like face standing there, looking slightly nervous as he gazed at Yan Yi.
“Don’t be afraid, they’re all my friends,” Yan Yi waved toward them. As the boy stepped closer, he pulled him into a gentle hug and introduced him: “Let me introduce, this is my little friend, Song Xiangzhan. He’s a freshman at Liao’an University.”
The two of them stood close, with the boy slightly shy, lowering his head and letting his cheeks flush a delicate shade of red.
Although their relationship wasn’t explicitly stated, everyone present could clearly sense the intimacy between them.
Su Yi’an smiled warmly and greeted him. “Hello, I’m Su Yi’an. You can call me An’an. Thank you for helping me pour the water just now.”
“You’re welcome,” the boy replied softly, still looking at him, his voice tiny and gentle.
“I’m Yang Jiayang. The Ji from ‘award,’ the Yang from ‘sun.’ You can call me Xiyang or Dayang, either is fine.”
Seeing him staring quietly, Song Xiangzhan whispered in a soft voice, “Jiayang.”
Yan Yi continued the introductions. “This is my brother. You can just call him ‘Brother Pai.’”
Song Xiangzhan, a little intimidated by tall men, leaned slightly against Yan Yi, even though Bai Yunchi’s appearance was gentle and approachable.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here,” Yan Yi reassured him with a warm, soothing voice. “Remember I told you I have a friend who teaches at your university?”
Xiangzhan nodded gently.
“That’s him,” Yan Yi said.
Seeing the boy look over, Bai Yunchi leaned down slightly and smiled at him. “I don’t teach freshmen yet but if you’re in the math department, my class will start in September.”
Yan Yi added, “My Chenchen studies design.”
“I’ve seen Teacher Bai on campus before,” Song Xiangzhan said softly.
He tugged on Yan Yi’s sleeve, his fear from before seeming to fade.
“I’ve only seen him surrounded by a bunch of girls,” he continued quietly, “I’ve never seen his full face, only side profiles. That’s why I didn’t recognize him right away.”
Hearing this, Yan Yi teased, “Let’s ask the teacher… since you’re so popular at school, how come you’re still single?”
Su Yi’an, about to revise his design draft, looked up curiously at Bai Yunchi when he heard the question.
With four pairs of eyes on him, Bai Yunchi’s expression remained calm, a gentle smile on his face, though there was a trace of helplessness in his tone. “I’d like to know that myself,” he said.
Yan Yi added, “Maybe your standards are just too high.”
Bai Yunchi shook his head. “Not really that high.”
Yan Yi draped an arm over his shoulder. “Tell me what you like and I’ll keep an eye out for you.”
“I’m not sure,” Bai Yunchi replied.
Yan Yi couldn’t believe it. “You don’t even know what you like? Tall or short, long hair or short hair, dark skin or fair, innocent or fiery… there has to be some kind of standard.”
Bai Yunchi thought for a moment. “A little taller, short hair, skin neither too fair nor too dark, full of youthful energy.”
Su Yi’an’s heart skipped a beat at the words “youthful energy.”
He remembered how, in the elevator, Teacher Bai had said he had energy. His mind immediately tried to dismiss it, insisting it wasn’t the same.
But Su Yi’an himself had short hair, wasn’t particularly short and while his skin was fair, it wasn’t overly pale.
Thinking this, his heart suddenly began to race uncontrollably and his ears gradually flushed red, warmth creeping up to his temples.
“Why does the person you’re describing feel so familiar…” he murmured to himself.
Yan Yi’s gaze swept over Su Yi’an and the boy instinctively held his breath. Then Yan Yi snapped his fingers, eyes wide in mock shock: “So you like Ye Jingwan, that tomboy from college!”
Su Yi’an froze mid-motion, a flicker of disappointment flashing in his eyes before he even realized it himself. His mood turned oddly heavy and even the strength to curl his lips into a smile seemed to vanish.
So, Teacher Bai had someone he liked.
Bai Yunchi, however, asked casually, “Who’s Ye Jingwan?”
Su Yi’an had just turned to pour himself some water and missed the question.
Yan Yi continued, a touch of regret in his voice: “Back in college, she was the tomboy in our class. She actually had a crush on you and even wanted me to deliver a love letter but you were completely focused on studying and wouldn’t accept anyone’s confession.”
Yan Yi sighed, filled with remorse. “If I had known you liked her back then, I would’ve helped deliver it.”
Before Bai Yunchi could respond, Yan Yi shifted the topic again. “Speaking of which, our old classmates haven’t met up in ages. We should find a time to get together, I miss those senior guys from our dorm.”
Bai Yunchi nodded. “Zhang ge is in Linbei, not far from Liao’an.”
“Yuan-ge seems to be in Jiangyang and I haven’t seen Wu-ge or Jiezi around. No one’s been talking in the group chat lately either.”
They reminisced about their college days, chatting casually. Su Yi’an and the others found it a bit dull, so he squatted beneath a willow tree, stroking Nuomi.
“His name is Nuomi. He’s Teacher Bai’s dog,” Su Yi’an explained, gently rubbing the little dog’s ears.
Song Xiangzhan wanted to pet him too but hesitated slightly, remaining crouched nearby with bright, curious eyes.
Nuomi, however, seemed to take a liking to him immediately, rubbing against his legs on his own.
Yang Jiayang, watching the scene, felt a pang of jealousy; Nuomi’s affection was spreading for two miles in emotional radius alone.
With Nuomi acting as a little bundle of joy, Song Xiangzhan gradually relaxed, his smile slowly brightening.
After sharing lunch together, the time came to part ways with the two new friends. Song Xiangzhan looked reluctant, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
On the way back, Su Yi’an couldn’t help but ask Bai Yunchi, “Teacher Bai, does Xiangzhan… does he have depression?”
Bai Yunchi nodded. “He went through some rough experiences as a child. His family coddled him like a precious little treasure. So even though he’s grown up, his mind and temperament remain childlike and innocent.”
This was also why the old master Yan absolutely refused to approve of him being involved with the boy. If Song Xiangzhan had grown up in a normal environment, it would be one thing but he hadn’t.
He couldn’t even reliably tell good people from bad.
Yan Yi’s choice to be with him meant that in the future, he would face far more than just gossip or criticism. A child whose mind isn’t fully developed, what could his affection truly rely on for assurance?
Better a brief pain than a lifetime of suffering, the old master believed. He did not want his grandson to endure a lifetime of heartache.
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
One tiny coffee. One very happy translator. ✦
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · New neighborsChapter 2 · Let’s just wash it.Chapter 3 · Pretty little girlChapter 4 · It’s impossible for us.Chapter 5 · Not as handsome as Teacher BaiChapter 6 · Happy cooperationChapter 7 · Making breakfastChapter 8 · LostChapter 9 · He’s hopelessly in love.Chapter 10 · Three CloudChapter 11 · Am I Old?Chapter 12 · Victory celebration banquetChapter 13 · Power outrageChapter 14 · Online dating meetupChapter 15 · Am I really that bad?Chapter 16 · Boyfriend?Chapter 17 · ConcertChapter 18 · Use Privileges.Chapter 19 · A night AloneChapter 20 · Do You Like me?Chapter 21 · The End