Shan Yu sat in front of the reptile enclosure, crocheting Chen Jian’s scarf. Through the glass, he could see Er Ge hiding behind a piece of bark, with half its head sticking out, watching him from the edge of the water bowl.
After a while, its head drooped onto the water bowl. Shan Yu leaned in for a closer look and saw that it was asleep.
Its sleep quality was quite good.
Shan Yu stretched, put on a jacket, and left the office.
The inn had fewer staff these past two days, but still plenty of guests. The manager was also away. At times like these, the boss couldn’t just hide in his office.
He had to go down and offer some “help.”
The elevator stopped on the third floor. The doors opened, and two guests came in.
Normally, they would proactively greet the guests.
But Shan Yu didn’t say anything. He rarely showed his face, so to guests staying for only a day or two, he probably just looked like another tourist. A sudden greeting would be awkward.
But the guests kept looking at him.
Shan Yu didn’t avoid their gaze and maintained eye contact.
When they reached the first floor, the female guest finally asked, “You’re the boss, right?”
How did you figure that out?
Oh, there’s a wall of photos.
“Yes,” Shan Yu replied. “Good morning.”
“That market in your town, is it still open today? We’d like to take a look,” the female guest said.
I don’t know.
I’ve never been. You’ll have to ask the manager.
Or anyone in this inn besides me.
Shan Yu didn’t answer. It wasn’t until the elevator doors opened on the first floor that he called out to the front desk, “Panpan?”
“Yes!” Hu Pan responded.
“Is the market over there still open? The guests would like to take a look,” Shan Yu said.
“It is,” Panpan immediately walked over and explained to the guests. “It will be open tomorrow too, but there definitely won’t be as many stalls as usual. You can still buy some local specialties and things like that.”
“Thank you,” the guest said, then glanced at Shan Yu again. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Shan Yu smiled.
After the guests left, Hu Pan commented, “Wow, those guests are so polite.”
Shan Yu clicked his tongue.
The cafe was still operating as usual. Most of the guests at the inn were young, and coffee was a necessity.
“New beans?” Shan Yu walked over and asked.
“Yeah, rum-flavored. Want to try?” Sun Nana was leaning against the counter, slowly sipping a cup of coffee, a sandwich in her other hand.
“Sure,” Shan Yu looked at the sandwich in her hand. Their breakfast was usually soy milk, milk, and millet porridge with various buns, noodles, and pancakes. When Auntie Zhao wasn’t busy, she would switch things up, but this was the first time he had seen a sandwich.
“Want some of this?” Sun Nana offered him the sandwich in her hand. “I haven’t taken a bite yet, you can have it.”
“No, no,” Shan Yu quickly shook his head. “I can get my own.”
“Then you’ll have to go to the end of First Street to get it,” Sun Nana took a bite, then waved the half-eaten sandwich. “I bought this on my morning run.”
“…I’ll have a bun then,” Shan Yu said.
“No need to be disappointed,” Sun Nana frowned at the sandwich in her hand. “This thing isn’t very good anyway.”
Shan Yu laughed.
“I’ll make your coffee first,” Sun Nana put down the sandwich.
“Have your breakfast first,” Shan Yu walked towards the kitchen. “I’m not a guest, I’m not in a hurry.”
After breakfast, he returned to the cafe and sat in a corner with his coffee.
Sitting here, he could more directly feel how the inn gradually became busier each day than he could in his office.
Sanbing and Lao Wu were cleaning up the courtyard, sweeping the floor, wiping the tables and chairs, and had also taken out a pile of paper-cuts and couplets to put up later.
Guests started arriving at the front desk one after another, all with reservations to spend the New Year.
Hu Pan and Sun Nana worked together seamlessly to check in guests, while also recommending routes and suitable activities for guests who had gone out early in the morning.
Sister Huang pushed a cleaning cart into the elevator.
The only idle person was the boss, sitting in the cafe.
Shan Yu took out his phone, leaned back in his chair, and prepared to see if he could find any posts about tourism in the small town.
He had just started scrolling when he heard a child crying from the direction of the main entrance.
Shan Yu felt a headache coming on. He stuffed his phone into his pocket and prepared to get up and flee.
“What’s going on?” Hu Pan asked from the front desk.
“I don’t know!” Sanbing’s voice came over. “This little girl was just standing at the entrance. The moment I asked her, she started crying and wouldn’t say anything.”
“Is she lost?” Hu Pan immediately walked over.
It wasn’t a guest’s child. Shan Yu stopped and glanced towards the entrance.
Sanbing was holding a little girl’s hand, and the girl was crying her heart out.
“Little sister, what’s your name?” Hu Pan went over and led her towards the cafe.
Although it wasn’t a guest’s child, Shan Yu still subconsciously backed away quickly, preparing to escape towards the restaurant.
“Xiao Juan,” the little girl answered between sobs.
“Who did you come out with?” Hu Pan asked methodically, clearly someone who had experience with children.
“Grandma,” Xiao Juan said.
“Okay,” Hu Pan replied, taking a small cookie from her pocket. “Here, have a cookie… Where’s your grandma?”
“At the market,” Xiao Juan immediately took the cookie and, too busy to cry, tore open the package with her teeth and stuffed the cookie into her mouth. “Thank you, Auntie.”
“Then how did you end up here?” Hu Pan was very patient. “Does your grandma know you’re here?”
Xiao Juan shook her head. “I’m looking for someone.”
“Who are you looking for?” Hu Pan asked.
Xiao Juan paused for a moment, then started crying again. “I forgot…”
Is this child a bit slow?
Shan Yu had wanted to hide, but he was also a little curious, so he turned and leaned against a nearby pillar, watching Hu Pan and the child with great interest.
As she cried, Xiao Juan looked over in his direction, then suddenly froze and pointed a finger at him. “Him…”
Shan Yu was holding his coffee, about to take a sip. Xiao Juan’s finger, pointing as if identifying a criminal suspect, froze him in place.
Hu Pan was also taken aback. “Him what?”
“Him…” Xiao Juan was still pointing at Shan Yu.
“Me what?” Shan Yu raised an eyebrow and looked at her.
To be honest, Shan Yu’s judgment of children was also very superficial, based on appearance. For a little girl like Xiao Dou’er, he would have some patience; she was cute and smart.
This child in front of him had a tear-streaked face, her hair was a mess, she looked dirty, and couldn’t even speak clearly for a long time. When Shan Yu asked that question, his expression was indeed not very gentle. He didn’t even manage a smile.
He probably looked a little scary.
Xiao Juan was so frightened that she took a step back and started crying again.
“It’s the New Year, no crying allowed,” Chen Jian leaned against a tree, watching his dad who was still squatting in front of the tombstone.
“I’m not crying,” his dad turned back and smiled. “Life is good now.”
Chen Jian walked over and squatted down with his dad, gently tracing his fingers over the tombstone.
“This tombstone is old too,” his dad said. “The words are hard to read. Let’s replace it with a new one after the New Year.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian nodded.
“Let’s go back,” his dad stood up, touched the tombstone, and said with a smile, “Lin, we’re leaving. Chen Jian still has to work. He’s a manager, busy with many things, a real busy man now…”
“It’s not that many…” Chen Jian was saying when his phone rang.
“See, the calls are already chasing after him,” his dad’s voice was filled with pride.
Chen Jian glanced at the caller ID. It was Lao Wu.
Isn’t this act a bit over the top?
“Hello?” he answered.
“Chen Jian, a kid came to the inn looking for Boss Shan,” Lao Wu said. “They’re still asking, the kid keeps crying…”
“What the hell?” Chen Jian was stunned. Besides Xiao Dou’er, what other child would come looking for Shan Yu in this place?
And Xiao Dou’er was in the city now. Xiao Dou’er also rarely cried.
If Xiao Dou’er came, it would be to look for Brother Chen Jian!
Getting off-topic.
“How old is the kid?” Chen Jian asked.
“Five or six, maybe seven or eight, I can’t really tell,” Lao Wu said, then suddenly lowered his voice. “Could it be Shan Yu’s child?”
Chen Jian sighed.
Some things, like brains, probably can’t be acquired later in life.
Back at the guesthouse, Chen Jian didn’t see the child, nor did he see Shan Yu.
“Where are they?” he asked.
“That little girl?” Hu Pan ran over from the front desk. “Guess who it was?”
“Lao Wu said it was Shan Yu’s child,” Chen Jian said.
Hu Pan burst into loud laughter.
“His head is full of dish soap!” Sanbing cursed.
“It’s Mushroom’s previous owner!” Hu Pan said. “Unexpected, right! When Boss Shan bought the dog, he told them they could come visit, and the little girl actually came!”
“Holy crap, he would agree to something like that?” Chen Jian was very shocked. “And the kid really came? Then where’s Mushroom?”
“Mushroom is sleeping. She played with Mushroom for a while, then Boss Shan took her to the market. Her grandma is still at the market, so he’s taking her back,” Sanbing said.
“I’ll go take a look,” Chen Jian was a little worried. Shan Yu alone with a child, no matter how you looked at it, seemed very unreliable.
“Go on, before they both get lost,” Sun Nana said, elegantly touching up her makeup in the cafe.
“Dad,” Chen Jian glanced back at his dad. “Then you…”
“I’ll see what to make for lunch,” his dad was still very dedicated to his part-time job.
“Uncle, I’ll help you,” Sanbing immediately followed him.
Chen Jian turned and went out, getting back on the motorcycle that he hadn’t even parked properly.
The market was still quite lively today. Usually, the things sold were daily vegetables, various dried goods, local specialties, and snacks. These few days, besides the snacks, it was all New Year’s goods.
Unlike the city, almost no one would be out and about tomorrow. This was the last wave of business.
Chen Jian called Shan Yu, but the phone rang for a long time with no answer.
He probably couldn’t hear it with the market being so crowded.
So he started walking around the market, dialing again.
This time, someone answered.
But it was Sun Nana’s voice that came through. “Stop calling. He doesn’t have his phone. He left it on the sofa in the cafe. I heard it ringing and looked for it for a long time.”
Maybe I should crochet a phone pouch to hang around his neck with the leftover yarn.
Chen Jian had no choice but to continue searching for him in the market.
But there was a certain pattern to finding Shan Yu. After dropping off the child, if he were to wander around, he wouldn’t look at the local products or vegetables. It had to be something rarer, more interesting…
Right, like that big canvas tent selling fireworks and firecrackers up ahead.
When Chen Jian walked over, he saw that it was crowded inside, with people gathered around.
He immediately squeezed in.
An older sister turned to see him and said, “Oh, here to help carry things?”
“Ah,” Chen Jian replied and pushed his way through the crowd. Sure enough, he saw Shan Yu sitting on a small stool.
Next to him sat a little girl with a crooked ponytail. In front of them was a pile of fireworks.
“Why are you here?” Shan Yu saw him and gave a slight smile.
“I’m here to pay,” Chen Jian said. “Are you planning to leave the child here as a deposit for this pile?”
“Huh?” Shan Yu patted his pockets but didn’t find his phone.
“Your phone is with Nana,” Chen Jian walked over and squatted down to look at the little girl. “Haven’t you taken the child back yet?”
“I found her grandma. I’m buying her some fireworks,” Shan Yu said. “Her grandma said she’s going to get me some dried goods.”
“…Are you buying this much?” Chen Jian looked at the fireworks on the ground.
“These are Xiao Juan’s,” Shan Yu gestured. “This pile is ours.”
“There’s more!” a middle-aged uncle watching the fun said with a laugh. “The boss sent someone to get more. They were out of what he wanted.”
“This one is fun too, boss,” someone else shouted. “This one has big flowers and lasts a long time. Someone set one off by the river last year…”
“Bring it over,” Shan Yu said to the owner.
“You got it!” the owner immediately went over and brought the firework that the person had recommended. It looked like a cannon.
“And this one…” someone else said.
“Hey!” Chen Jian shouted. “Is there a commission?”
The whole group burst out laughing.
“Your boss used to be in the city, he probably didn’t have a chance to play with these,” an uncle said. “Let him have some fun.”
These people usually wouldn’t buy so many fireworks, especially not the expensive ones. A single one costing several hundred yuan was something usually bought by people from the city who came for the New Year, some specifically to set off fireworks.
Everyone enjoyed watching them buy, and joined in the excitement.
Chen Jian glanced at Shan Yu.
This wealthy, high-tech boss was providing some extra entertainment for everyone at the market today.
“Why don’t you go get the car?” Shan Yu glanced at the motorcycle keys in his hand. “This much won’t fit on a motorcycle.”
“Have the owner deliver it,” Chen Jian glanced back at the owner.
“No problem! Absolutely!” the owner immediately gave him a salute. “I’ll provide any service a big client wants.”
“You haven’t even offered a glass of water and you’re calling me a big client,” Chen Jian said.
“I really don’t have any. I came out early this morning without drinking any water myself,” the owner said. “What would Boss Shan like to drink? I’ll go buy it for you!”
“No need, I’m not thirsty,” Shan Yu smiled.
Before long, the person the owner had sent to get more stock returned, carrying two official-looking large cannon tubes. The onlookers cheered.
Chen Jian looked at Shan Yu. “What are you doing?”
“Celebrating the New Year,” Shan Yu leaned in and whispered in his ear. “I haven’t seriously celebrated the New Year in many years.”
Chen Jian didn’t speak.
It was true… he didn’t know how Shan Yu had spent his New Years before, but for at least the few years he was in prison, he hadn’t had a proper celebration.
The boss went to the market to return a child and came back with a van full of fireworks and two bags of wood ear mushrooms and hazelnuts.
Everyone at the inn ran out into the courtyard.
Chen Jian followed the car into the courtyard, parked his motorcycle, and Sanbing and the others were already excitedly unloading the fireworks from the car.
Sun Nana handed Shan Yu his phone. “You haven’t paid yet, have you?”
“No,” Shan Yu nodded.
The owner stood by the car with a notebook, counting everything. Finally, he handed the notebook to Shan Yu. “Is this correct, boss?”
“Correct,” Shan Yu glanced at it and paid with his phone.
“How much did you spend?” Chen Jian asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Shan Yu smiled and put his phone back in his pocket.
Chen Jian looked at the owner, who was beaming after receiving the payment.
“I have to keep it a secret for my big client,” the owner said.
“Fine,” Chen Jian laughed.
Chen Erhu, the fire safety supervisor who had just started his shift, was directing Sanbing and the others. “Don’t put the fireworks inside. Stack them against the wall in the backyard. Clear away the clutter around them…”
Shan Yu stretched and slowly walked towards the backyard, looking at the red decorations that already covered the courtyard and windows.
“The little girl’s grandma didn’t say anything to you, did she?” Chen Jian walked over.
“No, she even thanked me,” Shan Yu said. “We’ll try that wood ear mushroom later, she grew it at home.”
“Did she bring it here to sell?” Chen Jian asked. “Did she give it all to you?”
“Don’t underestimate the old lady. Her wood ear mushroom greenhouse is the biggest in their village,” Shan Yu said. “Maybe we can even collaborate in the future.”
“…Oh,” Chen Jian looked at him.
“Manager!” Hu Pan shouted from the main entrance. “You two, come and help—”
“Hmm?” Chen Jian turned around.
“Hang up these big lanterns!” Hu Pan said.
“Okay,” Shan Yu immediately responded and turned to walk back.
Chen Jian followed him. The boss was usually not this diligent. He should have already slipped away when everyone was moving things just now.
It was clear that Shan Yu was really looking forward to celebrating the New Year.
