Sweetness Is Incessantly Late

BAND-AID

Once Chi Yu arrived at the familiar front door while supporting Fu Zhi’an, he was fiercely caught in the embrace of a chubbily-built man. From afar, it looked like a high school student getting ambushed on the street by a criminal.

“Hahahahaha, Xiao Chi, it’s been a while. Yo, you’ve grown taller again!” The man’s bright laughter nearly rattled Chi Yu crippled. With some degree of awkwardness, he greeted: “Uncle Fu.”

Fu Zhi’an watched his father indifferently, the man had directly glossed over his own injured son and went running to Chi Yu for a big hug.

Chen Yifang at least still cared for her son. Seeing Fu Zhi’an hobble over, she hurriedly moved to support him, asking: “What happened? Did you get into a fight at school?”

“No, I accidentally fell down while playing basketball.” Fu Zhi’an smiled at Chen Yifang. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Chi Yu being near suffocated within Fu Jianguo’s hold and couldn’t stop a faint grin from appearing on his lips.

Fu Jianguo sized Chi Yu up with a satisfied nod: “Xiao Chi, your physique has improved since the last time. Do you still practice boxing?”

“Not anymore, I live too far away from the boxing gym now.” Chi Yu’s tone was a little stiff, rushing to add on before Fu Jianguo could say anything else: “Then, uncle and auntie, I’ll go first.”

Chen Yifang had initially wanted to ask him to stay for dinner, but at the look on Chi Yu’s face, she wasn’t able to say so, instead smiling: “Take care on the way back, let An’an know when you get home.”

Since Chi Yu left, Fu Jianguo’s expression hadn’t been too good. He sat at the dining table with a downcast face while watching Chen Yifang bring out the dishes, his voice gloomy: “Why didn’t you ask Xiao Chi to stay for dinner? What sort of decent food can he be eating while living alone?”

Fu Zhi’an picked up a mouthful of rice with his chopsticks and lowered his head, remaining silent.

“Do you think I don’t want to?” Chen Yifang sat down with a sigh, shaking her head somewhat helplessly: “My heart aches when I look at Xiao Chi. He and Wen Hua are too similar, he’s becoming more and more like her.”

The hand Fu Zhi’an had been using to hold his chopsticks paused. His long lashes trembled as he looked down again, prodding at his rice. Chen Yifang recalled Chi Yu’s pair of bright eyes and sighed ruefully: “Xiao Chi grew up so well. Wen Hua would definitely be happy if she knew.”

“That bastard hasn’t brought Xiao Chi home yet?” Fu Jianguo had just finished speaking when Chen Yifang knocked him fiercely over his head with her chopstick-wielding hand.

She glanced at the silent Fu Zhi’an and said: “What sort of nonsense are you spouting in front of An’an!”

“Did I say anything wrong? Chi Yuedi that useless bastard isn’t even fit to be called a human!” The more Fu Jianguo thought about it, the angrier he felt. In the end, he tossed his chopsticks onto the table and fumed: “Not eating anymore.”

“Suit yourself!” Chen Yifang rolled her eyes at him, turning around to realize that Fu Zhi’an was still pushing his rice around his bowl. She reached out and picked up a slice of beef for him, “Don’t just eat rice, have some meat too.”

Fu Zhi’an didn’t have appetite anymore, so he randomly ate a little more before returning to his room. Wen Hua was a person that his family would never forget, even though it had been six years since she had left[1]. Whenever his parents started talking about Wen Hua, it wouldn’t be without an abundance of sighs.

Pulling out the desk lamp, Fu Zhi’an took out an old notebook from his drawer. The photograph that was pressed inside had already started yellowing, but the woman in it still smiled as beautifully. Shifting one’s focus to the lower half of the photo, two little boys displayed icy expressions; One of them looked terribly awkward, while the other’s face was stiff.

Recalling that day, Wen Hua had found a camera from who knows where and was full of energy when she ran over to their house wanting to take a photo together. That same day, Chi Yu had accidentally torn and damaged Fu Zhi’an’s comic book, so the both of them had been pouting and unwilling to acknowledge each other. Wen Hua then crouched down in front of little Fu Zhi’an and reached out to pat his head, saying softly: “An’an is so adorable even when he’s not happy.”

Chi Yu had flattened his lips and huffed at the side: “Tch, that scowl of his looks just like an octopus.”

Wen Hua grinned at Chi Yu, then used some force to pull the two of them closer, shortening the distance between them. Before she stood up, she leaned close to Chi Yu’s ear: “If you want to make friends, then be the one who reaches out first. But if you keep ruining others’ belongings, making friends will be difficult, okay?”

So, as the photographer counted down from three, at the last second, Chi Yu awkwardly reached out and grabbed Fu Zhi’an’s wrist. This was the first lesson that Wen Hua taught to Chi Yu. From then on, Chi Yu was also very obedient, reaching out to Fu Zhi’an every time. Although, more often than not, it was to smack his head or to tug at his hair while he was unaware.

But after that, Chi Yu never again took the initiative to reach out to anyone else to be their friend.

That one day, Fu Zhi’an pressed himself against the window, looking outside. A limousine was parked in front of Chi Yu’s door, and the man who alighted was dressed in formal Western attire. Chi Yu was expressionless as he looked at this man, and even smacked the man’s hand away when the other reached out to him.

“You’re not worthy.”

Fu Zhi’an watched Chi Yu kick up a ruckus, crying and shouting downstairs, then slowly calm back down. He followed the man into the car, eventually disappearing past the crossroads. Chen Yifang opened the door and saw Fu Zhi’an leaning, motionless, against the windowsill.

“Is Auntie Wen Hua never coming back?”

“Yeah.” Chen Yifang felt her nose start to burn. Fu Zhi’an slowly turned around and looked at his mother’s reddening eyes, deliberately parting his lips.

“Then Chi Yu isn’t coming back either.” It wasn’t a question. Ten-year old Fu Zhi’an was certain in his heart, that the good-looking boy who always tugged at his hair, and yet would roll up his sleeves to fight his bullies, was never coming back.

Despite Fu Zhi’an and Chi Yu attending the same high school, Chi Yu never spoke another word to him or gave him another look. The closest he got to Chi Yu was when the other got into fights and had to stand on the flag-raising platform during announcements — when Chi Yu would sometimes make eye contact with the audience.

The sudden vibration from his phone disrupted Fu Zhi’an’s train of thought. He looked at the screen, it was a text from an unknown number.

Come downstairs.

Fu Zhi’an froze, then walked over to the window and pulled open the curtains, looking down. Leaning against the tree was a youth wearing a black uniform, phone in hand as he swung a white plastic bag in his other. As if sensing the other’s eyes on him, the youth jerked his head up and met Fu Zhi’an’s somewhat bewildered gaze.

“What the hell are you looking at, not coming downstairs already!” Chi Yu’s face darkened as he mouthed at him. Seeing how Fu Zhi’an still appeared to be dazed and dumb, he raised the plastic back in his hand and shook it.

Fu Zhi’an got to the door, then rounded back to retrieve a small box from his drawer. He slipped on his gym shoes and hobbled down the stairs. Under the lamppost light, both their shadows seemed to lengthen. Chi Yu stuffed the plastic bag into Fu Zhi’an’s hands after taking the sandwich out of it, saying indifferently: “The medicine was in my bag, I forgot to give it to you.”

Once done, Chi Yu turned around and prepared to go. Then, a boy’s pleasant voice was heard: “Hey.”

Chi Yu frowned but stood there without moving. Fu Zhi’an took out the box from his pocket and retrieved a band-aid.

“Your hand.” Fu Zhi’an held onto the band-aid and looked towards the hand resting at Chi Yu’s side.

“I’m so not putting on this girly shit.” He said, then turned around again wanting to leave.

“Come here.” It was as if Fu Zhi’an’s words had enchanted him, the step that Chi Yu was intending to take could now no longer be taken. He returned to Fu Zhi’an’s side and coldly shifted his gaze away as he stretched his hand out.

Fu Zhi’an tore open the strip and lowered his head to help him put it on, but no matter how he tried, he was unable to raise his injured left shoulder. Chi Yu felt him dawdling for a long time without any movement and looked back to see Fu Zhi’an frowning, determined to raise his arm. He then snatched the band-aid from Fu Zhi’an and randomly stuck it onto his own hand.

“Look at the state you’re in, and you still want to help someone else put band-aids on?” Chi Yu scoffed and turned around to leave. When he was a few steps away, he suddenly said: “These few days, wait for me after school. That bastard Li Zhiyi definitely has something else up his sleeve.”

Fu Zhi’an stared blankly at the ground for a moment before replying: “I’m clearly only in danger because you’re sticking to me.” Chi Yu’s footsteps paused, but he didn’t refute. Tearing open his pack of sandwiches, he ate it while walking.

When Fu Zhi’an limped into the classroom the next day, he immediately caught sight of Chi Yu in his seat, staring hard at the phone screen in his hand. Seeing Fu Zhi’an enter, Chi Yu’s lips twitched.

Fu Zhi’an took a seat and glanced at the phone in Chi Yu’s hand. The huge title of the forum post read: Was the school beau successful in his courtship?!!

“I’ve already cleared things up.” Fu Zhi’an met Chi Yu’s murderous air with a face full of innocence. He had seen this post earlier that morning when he woke up, but hadn’t expected it to become a hot topic this quickly.

“How the fuck did you clear things up? By saying you have a one-sided crush on me? A crush, my ass!” Chi Yu’s mouth spat words as if it were a machine gun.

Calmly lifting his head, Fu Zhi’an looked at the class schedule on the blackboard and said, unhurried: “Why don’t you go clear things up instead.”

With a smack, Chi Yu threw the phone onto the desk and scrunched up his pretty brows: “Why the fuck should I clean up your mess!”

“What’s wrong? Worried the rumours will spread to the school beauties?” Fu Zhi’an plastered on a smile, wholly insincere, the look in his eyes frightfully cold.

“Oh, please. Don’t you dare slander me like this.” Chi Yu gave a sarcastic huff and turned around to sprawl onto his desk, ignoring him until classes ended in the afternoon.

The class representative walked up to Chi Yu’s desk and gave it a couple of knocks, “Hey, you and Fu Zhi’an are on clean-up duty today.”

“Does Fu Zhi’an look like he can clean with all those broken limbs?” Chi Yu raised his head from the table and rolled his eyes at the class representative. Before the class representative could respond, Wang Xiao, who was two rows of desks away, suddenly ran over.

Full of righteousness, he said: “I’ll stay behind and help Chi Yu with the cleaning up!”

Despite being in the same class as Wang Xiao, Chi Yu hadn’t spoken to him much. Wang Xiao was usually rather stuck-up and tended to look down on many things, but he seemed to be very enthusiastic at the moment.

“Suit yourselves, anyway it’s Chi Yu and Fu Zhi’an who are on duty today. I’ll go first.” The people in the classroom had mostly dispersed, leaving Chi Yu, Fu Zhi’an and Wang Xiao to stare at one another.

Fu Zhi’an then sat himself down on a chair and assumed the manner of a noble young master: “My arm hurts.”

At the sight of Fu Zhi’an’s annoying face, Chi Yu’s temper boiled, and the smoke rushed straight up to his head. He spoke viciously: “Have some shame.” Wang Xiao was standing at the side laughing at them, and Chi Yu immediately turned around to shoot: “What’re you fucking laughing at! Why did you stay behind, waiting for a beating?”

Wang Xiao hurriedly backed up a few steps, his eyes crinkling into a smile: “Chi-ge[2], it’s all thanks to you that day. Else, we would have had to suffer under that bastard Li Zhiyi’s hand.”

“Who’s your ge? Do you see any resemblance between us at all?” Chi Yu shook his fist at him, impatient, but Wang Xiao merely stood there, stupidly smiling.

“That’s no problem, Chi-ge. We can be fraternal twins!”         

“Just scram!”

Author’s note: Ah, I really write so slowly… when will I be able to drive my car[3]….

T/N: I’ve decided to switch up the way I translate, a little. That’s to say, I’ll be taking some liberties with the prose and using my own interpretations of idioms, imagery, etc. I realize it may get too mechanical if I were to just translate as is, since some things just don’t come across in English the way they’re meant to in Chinese. Hope that’s all right with everyone!

Also a short note (this is also in the TOC page): hey all, i’ll be putting tbzc on semi-hiatus for now, since i’ve been getting a little busier with work. in the meantime, i also plan to continue with the translations at a slower pace so that when i start updating again i can have a more consistent schedule. thanks, everyone!

[1] 走: even though it says Wen Hua had left, it really is a euphemism for her having passed on.

[2] 哥 (gē) is “brother”, but it doesn’t necessarily mean blood brothers. It is also commonly used as a closer / more intimate address for an older male.

[3] 开车 (driving a car) is slang for smut.