Shan Yu turned his head to look at him too, without answering immediately.
But he didn’t refuse to answer either.
Chen Jian originally thought he should feel awkward in this silence, or regret asking such a question, but magically, he didn’t.
Because he could see that Shan Yu’s expression was very serious.
“My friend… told me,” Shan Yu was thinking about how to put it, “my business partner got out.”
“Did that scammer screw over your business partner?” Chen Jian asked.
“Yeah.” Shan Yu looked down at the empty sauce-flavored pancake paper bag in his hand.
“Did he do anything? Cause you trouble?” Chen Jian asked again, then hesitated for a moment and opened the car door. “Wait for me.”
Shan Yu didn’t say anything, just glanced at him.
Chen Jian jumped out of the car, ran into a bakery by the road, bought a pineapple bun, and ran back to the car, handing the bag to Shan Yu. “You weren’t full, were you?”
Shan Yu took the bag. “I thought you were going to buy sunflower seeds.”
“…What nonsense,” Chen Jian said.
The snack supermarket was half a street away.
Shan Yu, holding the pineapple bun, thoughtfully answered Chen Jian’s question before taking a bite. “He’s my childhood friend, very familiar with my parents. After he got out, he went to my house.”
“To your house?” Chen Jian was stunned. “Where did he get the nerve?”
Shan Yu really hadn’t been full; he finished the pineapple bun in just a few bites.
“Who knows,” Shan Yu said. “Probably picked it up off the street, something nobody wanted.”
“What?” Chen Jian didn’t understand.
“His nerve,” Shan Yu said.
“…Didn’t your parents beat him?” Chen Jian said.
“They’re very well-read and reasonable people,” Shan Yu said, slowly wiping his fingers one by one with a tissue. “He’s my friend. Before they know what attitude I’m going to take towards him, my parents won’t…”
“But he screwed you over so badly!” Chen Jian said. “If I were your dad…”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Shan Yu looked at him. “We’re just chatting. Why are you trying to take advantage of me?”
“If you were…” Chen Jian started and then stopped.
“If I’m not your dad, then I’m your son? Does it have to be a father-son relationship?” Shan Yu asked.
“If you were my older brother,” Chen Jian finally broke out of the father-son loop, “I would have beaten him up long ago.”
Shan Yu smiled, gathered the used tissue and paper bag, and put them in a small bag. “You and Liu Wu have something in common in this regard, a real sense of your age group.”
Chen Jian took the bag from his hand and threw it out the open car window into a nearby trash can.
“They did try to persuade me back then, saying Fang Xu was unreliable,” Shan Yu adjusted his seat back, resting his head on his arm and looking ahead. “But my attitude was that it was none of their business, so they… wouldn’t impose their own attitude on my decisions.”
“They’re that… trusting?” Chen Jian didn’t spend much time with his parents, and he didn’t have many major decisions to make in his life. He couldn’t quite understand such a relaxed way of getting along.
“What if they weren’t trusting? I wouldn’t have listened anyway,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian leaned against the car door, looking at him sideways. He felt that when Shan Yu said this, it was as if he were talking about someone else.
“I grew up with Fang Xu, we messed around together… How should I put it, it’s impossible to say I didn’t know what kind of person he was,” Shan Yu said. “I just thought he wouldn’t screw me over.”
“And in the end, he screwed you over big time,” Chen Jian said.
Shan Yu turned his head and looked at him for a moment. “Yeah.”
“Then what was he doing at your house? Apologizing for screwing you over?” Chen Jian frowned. Although an apology was in order, it still felt infuriating. Was this something an apology could fix?
“Maybe he was apologizing for my leg,” Shan Yu said lightly, even swinging his leg a little.
“Your leg,” Chen Jian looked at his leg. “How did you hurt it, exactly?”
“I was beaten, didn’t I tell you?” Shan Yu said.
“By whom?” Chen Jian asked. “His accomplices?”
Shan Yu didn’t speak, just turned to look at him.
Chen Jian looked back at him.
What, did I cross a line?
I’ve been crossing lines for half the day, what’s one more sentence?
Besides, you started it.
“Yeah,” Shan Yu nodded. “But I have no proof.”
Chen Jian fell silent. It must have been retaliation for Shan Yu reporting him.
“Let’s go,” Shan Yu sat up straight, adjusted his seat, and patted the steering wheel. “Let’s go back.”
“Do you… want to get something to eat?” Chen Jian asked.
“Didn’t you just stuff a pineapple bun in my face to prevent me from eating?” Shan Yu said.
“That was just to tide you over,” Chen Jian said. “I was afraid you were hungry.”
“Who uses a sauce-flavored pancake and a pineapple bun to tide themselves over?” Shan Yu turned to look at him.
“…I do,” Chen Jian said.
“Were you not full from the boxed meal your dad bought you?” Shan Yu asked.
“I was full,” Chen Jian said, rubbing his stomach and pressing on it.
“But I could still eat,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian laughed.
“Are you pretty familiar with this area?” Shan Yu started the car.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian nodded.
“Where did you usually eat?” Shan Yu asked. “Like, when you were working part-time or skipping class.”
“I ate anywhere,” Chen Jian said. “Sometimes at those little roadside stalls.”
“I can’t stomach anything fancy right now either,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian was silent for a moment, then pointed ahead. “Drive that way. There’s a fried pancake shop, I used to eat there a lot.”
“Alright, fried pancake,” Shan Yu tapped the steering wheel.
“You two want one order of fried pancake?” the owner asked, looking at them.
“Yes,” Shan Yu nodded. “And an extra small bowl.”
“Don’t have that,” the owner said. “We only have large plates here.”
“Then give me an extra large plate,” Shan Yu said.
“The plates are for the fried pancake,” the owner looked at him.
“Right,” Shan Yu nodded. “I’m getting fried pancake.”
“One order of fried pancake,” the owner was starting to get annoyed.
“It’s okay, sir, just one regular order is fine,” Chen Jian came over, grabbed Shan Yu’s arm, and pulled him to a small table in the alley next to the shop. He kicked a small stool towards his legs. “Sit here.”
“This service attitude,” Shan Yu sat down. “If it were back in the day…”
“You would have flipped his stall over,” Chen Jian sat down next to him.
“I’d stand there and curse until he gave me a bowl,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian didn’t say anything, then lowered his head and laughed after a moment.
“Is that a milk tea shop across the street?” Shan Yu asked.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian looked back. “You want some? Didn’t you just have some?”
“I didn’t get to drink it,” Shan Yu said.
“They don’t take cash?” Chen Jian asked.
“Refusing cash is illegal, you know,” Shan Yu said. “Besides, I have Alipay.”
Chen Jian didn’t say anything, got up, crossed the street, and bought him a cup of milk tea, even getting it with sugar substitute as Shan Yu requested.
“You don’t use WeChat because of…” Chen Jian thought for a moment, “…that incident?”
“There are many reasons,” Shan Yu said, taking a sip of the milk tea.
“You should get a new number,” Chen Jian said. “Otherwise, it’s hard to get in touch with you. You don’t reply to texts.”
“I don’t reply because I don’t see them,” Shan Yu said. “Does WeChat have a feature where the phone slaps me to make me look at messages?”
That was true.
“I’ll get one when I get back,” Shan Yu said.
“Okay,” Chen Jian smiled.
“Fried pancake’s ready!” the owner shouted from over there.
Chen Jian got up and brought the fried pancake over.
It was a large portion. If Chen Jian hadn’t eaten the boxed meal, he could have eaten the whole plate. Since he had, he could share it with Shan Yu.
“I’ll go next door and buy a…” He wanted to say he was going to buy a disposable container.
But Shan Yu had already started eating with his chopsticks.
“We’re just eating like this?” Chen Jian sat down.
Shan Yu nodded.
Chen Jian had no choice but to pick up his chopsticks and start eating from his side.
“It’s pretty good,” Shan Yu said after a few bites, then stopped.
“You’re not eating?” Chen Jian looked at his side; he had only eaten a small portion.
“Do I lose my right to eat just for saying something?” Shan Yu took a sip of his milk tea. “You’re stricter than my dad.”
“Eat, eat, eat,” Chen Jian said.
The owner even peeked over, as if to confirm that they were really two people sharing one portion.
This owner had a bad attitude and was stingy, but the fried pancake was really good, so Chen Jian used to eat here a lot. This small, shabby shop was mostly frequented by laborers who had big appetites. Even some young girls could finish a whole portion. It was rare to see two grown men sharing one.
Chen Jian ignored the owner when he peeked over, but Shan Yu had just put down his chopsticks, so he turned his head too. “Got a bowl?”
The owner pulled his head back.
“I’m really impressed by you,” Chen Jian said.
“I’m your boss, after all,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian looked at him, not knowing what to say, and just ate in silence.
Shan Yu ate about half of the fried pancake, and Chen Jian ate the rest. He was actually very full by the end, but it was a habit not to leave anything on the plate, so he finished it all.
As he ate the last piece of vegetable, Shan Yu commented, “Looks like the boss of Dayin isn’t doing so well.”
“Huh?” Chen Jian looked at him.
“The manager can’t even get enough to eat at the shop,” Shan Yu said.
“I don’t want to waste,” Chen Jian clutched his stomach. “You… wait for me a moment.”
“Do you have a straight intestine?” Shan Yu clicked his tongue with a frown.
“I’m not going to…” Chen Jian stood up. “I’m going to the pharmacy next door to buy a box of digestive tablets.”
“I’ll go with you,” Shan Yu stood up. “It’s been a while since I’ve felt my legs without anything on them. I’ll take a walk.”
It was only a twenty-meter walk.
The person at the pharmacy gave Chen Jian a box of digestive tablets. He looked at it, then asked for the children’s version instead.
Walking out of the pharmacy, Shan Yu looked at the children’s digestive tablets in his hand. “Why did you buy the children’s version?”
“The children’s tablets are crunchy,” Chen Jian popped a few into his mouth and crunched them. “And they taste good, sweeter.”
“Let me try,” Shan Yu held out his hand.
Chen Jian placed the tablets in his hand. “Have you never had them before?”
“Why would I eat digestive tablets for no reason?” Shan Yu said.
“Then why are you eating them now?” Chen Jian said.
“I’m full,” Shan Yu put the tablets in his mouth and crunched them a few times. “They really are crunchy. Shook my brain all up. Did Chen Erhu and the others eat these all the time when they were little?”
Chen Jian laughed. “Seriously, have you ever been beaten up for being too reckless with your words?”
“No,” Shan Yu stretched. “I’m only mouthy in front of people I can’t beat.”
That made a lot of sense.
Chen Jian looked at him.
When Shan Yu raised his arm, his sleeve slipped down, revealing the bracelet on his wrist.
The weather had turned cool, and everyone was wearing jackets. Chen Jian hadn’t seen Shan Yu’s wrist in a long time, and he hadn’t paid much attention to his own wrist either. Now, seeing the bracelet suddenly, he felt a strange, indescribable feeling.
He touched the one on his own wrist. For some reason, he had never taken it off.
It seemed to have become a habit, and he usually didn’t even notice its existence.
Only when he paid attention did he realize he had been wearing it for so long.
He could no longer find a reason to take it off.
Business trips usually involved purchasing supplies for the shop. This time, no one needed anything, so Shan Yu found a snack shop and bought a pile of snacks, including a lot of the small cookies they usually kept at the coffee shop.
“You can get these in the old town,” Chen Jian said. “You don’t need to buy so many. When we run out, Chen Erhu and the others can just take a motorcycle to the old town and buy them.”
“That’s exactly why,” Shan Yu clicked his tongue. “Chen Erhu won’t let me eat them.”
“What?” Chen Jian was stunned for a moment.
“He won’t let me eat these cookies!” Shan Yu said.
“He’s…” Chen Jian paused for a long while. “He has a strong sense of ownership.”
“Why is your name Chen Yuluoyan,” Shan Yu said. “You should be called Chen Mihe Xini (Chen the Peacemaker).”
Chen Jian laughed. “Then what should I do? Should I go beat up Chen Erhu to vent our boss’s anger?”
“Forget it,” Shan Yu paid and grabbed a handful of small cookies, putting them in his pocket. “The boss will buy them himself and eat them himself.”
When they got back to Dayin, it was still a while before dinner. Zhao Fangfang was busy cooking.
Hu Pan, with a huge afro, was in the garden outside the coffee shop, putting curlers in Sanbing’s hair.
“You’re back!” she turned and shouted to Chen Jian and Shan Yu.
Shan Yu couldn’t help but laugh.
Hu Pan had a red headband tied on her head, her exaggerated flamboyance carrying a touch of cuteness.
“How is it?” Hu Pan shook her head.
“It’s good,” Chen Jian said with a smile.
“Looks like a makeup brush,” Shan Yu sat down in the coffee shop and took out a small cookie to eat.
Hu Pan, holding a lock of Sanbing’s hair, laughed loudly. “I think so too. It doesn’t look so much like one without the headband, but with it, it really looks like my big powder brush.”
“My hair, my hair, my hair…” Sanbing’s head quickly followed her hand.
“Don’t move!” Hu Pan slapped him on the head.
“Am I the one moving!” Sanbing shouted. “You’re about to pull my head out the door!”
Chen Jian put the snacks he bought in the cabinet at the bar and greeted Chen Erhu, who was sitting at the front desk.
“Fewer bookings this weekend,” Chen Erhu said.
“It’s normal, the leaves are about to fall,” Chen Jian said. “It’ll be at least another half a month before it snows in the mountains. There’s not much to see right now.”
“Yeah,” Chen Erhu nodded.
“If you have nothing to do, you can go rest. I can handle things here,” Chen Jian said.
“Being here is pretty much like resting,” Chen Erhu’s various injuries had healed a lot, and he no longer needed bandages, but he still seemed quite down.
“Alright,” Chen Jian didn’t say any more.
Chen Dahu’s verdict would probably be announced in the next couple of days. As the one who had personally caught his brother, Chen Erhu’s mood was bound to be affected.
Chen Jian went back to the coffee shop to see what Hu Pan was doing to Sanbing’s hair. She would definitely be perming that third head tonight, so Chen Jian had to be mentally prepared.
“Make me a cup of coffee,” Shan Yu said.
“Instant?” Chen Jian asked.
“Just use that machine to pull two shots of espresso and pour some milk in,” Shan Yu said. “I’m not asking you to froth the milk or do latte art.”
“Chen Erhu will scold you later,” Chen Jian went behind the coffee machine and started making coffee.
Shan Yu picked up his phone and scanned the QR code next to him. “Paid.”
“Five yuan is fine,” Chen Jian said. “I make really bad coffee, I don’t know why.”
Shan Yu scanned five yuan.
Chen Jian made him a latte and placed it in front of him.
Shan Yu picked it up and took a sip.
Chen Jian watched him, waiting for his reaction.
But he was looking down at his phone, without any comment.
“How does it taste?” Chen Jian asked.
“Tastes like coffee with milk,” Shan Yu said.
“Is it bad?” Chen Jian asked again.
“You said it yourself that it’s bad,” Shan Yu said. “It would be too fake for me to say it’s good.”
Chen Jian laughed.
“It’s worth five yuan, though,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian’s phone buzzed. He took it out and saw a friend request.
When he opened it, he was stunned for two seconds before looking up at Shan Yu. “It’s you?”
“Is that even a question?” Shan Yu said. “It’s so obvious.”
Fa Dan Ke Chen.1
The name made Chen Jian pause, as it was too similar to the one he had used before.
Chen Jian accepted the friend request, sent Shan Yu a sticker, and then clicked on his profile. “New account?”
“Yeah,” Shan Yu nodded. “You’re the only friend.”
“I’ll push Panpan and the others’ numbers to you,” Chen Jian said.
“No rush,” Shan Yu said.
TL Note:
- The original idiom is Fá Shàn Kě Chén (乏善可陈), meaning “having nothing good to speak of,” “nothing worth mentioning,” or “unremarkable”.
In this, Shan Yu has replaced the original shàn (善), which means “good.” Dan (单) means “single,” “alone,” or “solitary.”
It could be interpreted as “Lacking a single thing worth mentioning” or “So unremarkable and alone that there’s nothing to say.”
Since Chen Jian’s surname is Chén, instead of “nothing good (善) to talk about,” it becomes “nothing but Chen (陈) to talk about.” ↩︎
Thank you for the chapters