#A'Shan and Da Yu were so funny in this chapter

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Hot Soup and Soft Bread 9

Table of Contents and Synopsis <- Chapter 8 Read on WordPress here

Chapter 9: Instant Noodles with an Egg III

On the hot days, the inside of the bus smelled of mingling odors, especially during the morning and nighttime rush. The 188 bus passed by Moonlake Park and a few parents with their kids got on. There was already no more space. Zhong Qiuyan pressed the broadcast button and asked everyone to stand closer to the side to allow more passengers to get on.

Every morning around 7 or 8 o’clock, the bus would be filled to the brim with people. That day was the first time Qiuyan overheard a passenger talk about Zhou Cunqu. Perhaps this wasn’t actually the first time, but he just didn’t pay any attention before. There was a lot of gossip to listen to on buses, especially for folks in a small city like theirs. Whenever someone bumped into anyone they knew, even if one sat near the front of the bus and the other near the rear, they would for sure still chat a few rounds. 

Anyway, on that day, two of the parents started talking about how apparently there was someone who had stayed in his room for over two years. He didn't take a step outside, didn’t really do anything for that matter. The mom held her kid’s hand and said, “Then wasn’t raising him a waste? This kind of kid.”

Qiuyan honked his horn a few times. He turned to look at them and said: “Move to the side a bit, more people are getting on.”

After midnight, Qiuyan went to see “this kid.” Cunqu was already capable of heading down earlier and waiting for him outside the building. Qiuyan lowered his car window and whistled towards him. Cunqu came back to his senses. When he got in the car, he handed Qiuyan a little card. He had copied a few verses with a pen to give to Qiuyan. They were from Elizabeth Bishop’s ‘Insomnia.’

Qiuyan started up his car and chatted with Cunqu as he slowly drove in circles around the late-night streets. Cunqu appeared normal and healthy. As if he was one of the many who would show up at some coffee shop in the daytime to buy an Americano before work.

But the following day after midnight, the young couple living on the fourth floor were loudly moving out. Cunqu stood at the fifth-floor landing of the staircase and didn’t dare to go down. When ‘Smart Assistant’ called him, Cunqu said: “I won’t go down today.”

Qiuyan headed up to find him. Cunqu was already hidden back in his room, reading a children’s book by the nightlight. He was still afraid of the thought of seeing or interacting with someone other than his grandma or Qiuyan. But for his grandma’s 80th birthday, she wouldn’t be the only one there. All of their relatives would be there, including Zhou Ming and Qi Lanxiang. Cunqu almost wanted to give up just from thinking about it. (T/N: Zhou Ming and Qi Lanxiang are Cunqu's dad and mom)

Qiuyan asked him over the phone: “Why don’t we start slowly by meeting some people you trust? Good friends and the like?”

Cunqu leaned against the bed and thought about it. He was the type of person that had friends specific to the stages of his life. He’d lost contact with his middle school friends right after graduation. His high school friends he also no longer spoke to. He had always been busy with his own affairs and didn’t have the free time to socialize. These past two years, he read in a book that time flew when one was in their teens. Yet in one’s 20s, every year was a struggle to cross. This was indeed the case for him.

Cunqu didn’t reply; Qiuyan thought the signal was interrupted and repeated “hey” a few times. Cunqu lightly hummed in reply.

Qiuyan suddenly asked: “Ge, do you want to meet my friends? Those two come with an all-natural and environmentally friendly guarantee. No preservatives.

That night, Qiuyan vividly described Da Yu and A’Shan to Cunqu over the phone. He said that Da Yu had always been small, even after puberty he was still small. A’Shan on the other hand was especially bulky, truly built like a mountain. The three of them became sworn brothers when they were seven years old right in the mulberry garden owned by Qiuyan’s family. They took the “Oath of the Mulberry Garden."[1] The day after they took this oath, Qiuyan and Da Yu brawled over a bag of gummies.

The story made Cunqu laugh. Qiuyan continued speaking: “Da Yu is currently an apprentice at a hair salon. His hobby is doing cross-stitch embroidery. The peony piece that I gifted to Liu Xiaoying was embroidered by Da Yu. A’Shan is a car mechanic. But when he has free time he likes to write. He doesn’t show us his writings, probably because he knows we won’t be able to get it.”

After Qiuyan brought up this topic, Cunqu didn’t immediately agree. Nowadays he gets tired whenever there are a couple more things he needs to do. Sometimes he felt like it was just right only when it was just him and Zhong Qiuyan, 

When July reached its midpoint, Qiuyan mentioned that the three of them were planning on gathering to celebrate Da Yu’s birthday and asked if Cunqu would like to join them. Then, the setting of the celebration was decided to be Liu Xiaoying’s place. 

That night, Xiaoying belatedly realized it had been a long time since her place had been this lively. Da Yu was indeed quite small in stature, but he was especially quick-witted. He carried his own birthday cake and complimented Xiaoying’s calligraphy on the walls as soon as he entered the condo. A’Shan was a bit shy and helped Qiuyan busy around setting the dining table. 

Qiuyan held Cunqu’s hand beneath the table and introduced the others: “This is Zhong Da Yu, this is Zhong A’Shan. Of course, not their real names. These are nicknames.”

Da Yu joined in and gestured at Qiuyan and introduced: “This is Zhong Dudu. Dudu[3] is his nickname.” 

Qiuyan went ‘Ah?’ and immediately stood up and yelled: “Ahhh, don’t mention that. Don’t mention that!!”

A’Shan shrugged and said: “He already said it.”

Qiuyan acted like he was hurt. He sat back down and covered Cunqu’s ears with his hands and said: “Ge, don’t listen to them anymore. Don’t listen.”

Cunqu forced out a smile. He wasn't actually able to comprehend much of what was going on. Before they sang Happy Birthday, Qiuyan lowered his voice and asked him: “Are you tired? If you’re tired, you can go back to your room.”

Cunqu nodded and returned to his bedroom. The others at the dining table quieted down. Cunqu flopped down on his bed and started breathing heavily like a fish that just returned to its tank. His mind flashed white with static. Even when Qiuyan later entered the room and lay down next to him, Cunqu still hadn’t recovered.

After that day, Da Yu and A’Shan would come over to Xiaoying’s place alongside Qiuyan from time to time. The three of them sat with Xiaoying on her couch and ate watermelon. When Cunqu came out to get a glass of water, he saw four heads, each lower than the other, lined up in a row, rising and falling in succession as they ate their watermelon. Qiuyan turned to ask him: “You want some watermelon? It’s really sweet.”

Cunqu shook his head.

After Da Yu and A’Shan left, Qiuyan cut up some watermelon and brought them into Cunqu’s room and ate some more with him. Cunqu said he didn’t want any; the book pages would get dirty. So Qiuyan picked up a piece with a fork and brought it to Cunqu’s mouth. “Open up, ah.” He said. 

Cunqu had no choice but to eat it. Qiuyan reached out and ruffled his hair, saying: “Good job.”

Cunqu looked at him and smiled as he said: “Thanks, Dudu.”

Qiuyan held the bowl of watermelon and abruptly stood up. He wanted to curse but didn’t know who he could curse at. He angrily ate a piece of watermelon and grumbled: “Tomorrow I’ll make Da Yu into chopped chili fish head [4]”

--

Cunqu eventually grew accustomed to Da Yu and A’Shan’s presence. Gradually, he was able to come out of his room and converse a bit with them. One night, the three Mulberry Garden sworn brothers accompanied Xiaoying to play a few rounds of mahjong. They got hungry and ordered a bunch of late-night takeout. Cunqu walked by them as he headed to the fridge to grab some juice. Qiuyan hooked his finger with his and asked: “Are you hungry? Do you want to eat some?”

He thought that Cunqu would refuse. But unprecedentedly, he sat down.

 They were talking about how A’Shan and his girlfriend were going to marry soon. Da Yu bit his skewer and said: “Me, on the other hand, just broke up. Zhong Qiuyan has been forever single.”

Qiuyan stood up with a swish, grasped Da Yu’s neck, and threatened: “Today is the day I chop you up.”

A’Shan stopped them from fighting and Cunqu lowered his head and laughed. After Da Yu was released, he turned to ask Cunqu. “Ge, what about you? You’ve been in a relationship right?”

Cunqu drank a sip of the juice he was holding and nodded.

Qiuyan put down his can of beer. He stared blankly at Cunqu. After the latter returned to his room, he still stared at his closed door. Da Yu waved his hand in front of his eyes and asked: “What’s wrong with you, Zhong Dudu?”

Qiuyan tilted his head back and gulped down the rest of the beer. He didn’t know why, but when Cunqu nodded his head, he felt his heart sink. It sank all the way to the ground level of Building No.3 and was pushed around on the ‘Double Yolk Egg’ Grandpas’ Go board. He dragged his heavy heart, weighed down by the beer he gulped down, entered Cunqu’s room, and flopped onto him. Cunqu sighed and said: “My shower went to waste.” Qiuyan hugged him and refused to let go. With red-rimmed eyes, he said: “Ge…I’ve been thinking about this for some days now. I get happy whenever I see you. Very happy just from seeing you. Every day from waking up to falling asleep there’s a little person in my head yelling ‘Zhou Cunqu,’ ‘Zhou Cunqu.’ What’s wrong with me?”

Cunqu tried to push him off. He didn’t budge. As if he’s been wronged, Qiuyan aggrievedly asked Cunqu with lowered eyes: “Who were you in a relationship with?”

Cunqu thought for a moment and replied: “During college…”

But Qiuyan didn’t let him finish. He suddenly leaned in and shut his mouth with a kiss. Cunqu felt the scent of alcohol spread in his mouth. Qiuyan’s kisses were rash and clumsy. He didn’t know what he was doing, and it felt like he was trying to fight him. Cunqu almost couldn’t catch his breath from his antics. Finally, he successfully shoved Qiuyan away. 

Qiuyan sat on the bed and looked at him with his eyes at a loss. “I’m sorry…” he said.

-> Chapter 10

Footnotes

[1] This is a parody of the Oath of the Peach Garden (wikipedia) which was an event in the Chinese literary classic Romance of the There Kingdoms where three of the main characters (Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei)  took an oath of brotherhood. [2] Specifically, the Wangzai brand QQ candy (旺仔QQ糖). Google it for images. Should be familiar sight to those who’s shopped at a Chinese supermarket [3] The characters are 嘟嘟. (dū d��)  This is an extremely cutesy nickname commonly used for little kids or pets [4] 剁椒鱼头 (chopped chili fish head), a famous spicy dish from the Hunan cuisine.  It’s a steamed fish head topped with a lot of chopped chlii peppers and various aromatics and then activated with some hot oil. And in case you forgot, Da Yu literally means big fish lol. Baidu page with images: link