SG 11

Chu Baiyan smiled a little and didn’t reply. He picked up the strawberry cup on the table and went to the break room to get some water. He knew his coworker was just greeting him and didn’t expect an actual answer.

This kind of work wasn’t like an office job where you had to clock in. As long as it didn’t interfere with show prep, the supervisor wouldn’t say anything. Coming early just meant spending more time in the break room scrolling through his phone and chatting with others. Before, since he had nothing to do at home, he arrived earlier.

“When the afternoon show ends, I’m going back to that handsome guy’s pottery shop. Anyone want to come with me? I posted photos on my Moments, and a bunch of my girl friends asked us to buy stuff for them.”

As soon as she came back with her cup of flower tea, one of the women asked if anyone wanted to visit “Starfish Pottery” after work.

“Tell your girl friends to go themselves. Then they can see the handsome guy in person.” Another woman laughed.

“They wanted to, but when I told them the handsome guy doesn’t talk to customers, they said they’re not wasting a trip. Too realistic!”

“What do you need to buy? I’ll get it for you. I’ll pass by after work anyway.” Chu Baiyan rarely joined in, but this time he spoke up.

“Oh, I totally forgot about you!” the first coworker said, suddenly remembering he lived nearby. Since he hardly joined conversations, they always overlooked him.

“That’s perfect. I’ll treat you to milk tea.” Relieved that her problem was solved, she quickly sent him the list of what her friends wanted. She lived far away and spent an hour commuting. Carrying ceramics was exhausting, but Chu Baiyan drove, so he could just drop them off.

He didn’t even know why he offered to help. To his coworkers, it was just convenient. But only he knew that maybe he just wanted a proper excuse to stop by Yan Anqing’s shop that evening.

The aquarium had more visitors on weekends. The first show was a full twenty-minute performance. The “mermaid” industry now kept up with trends. Besides Poseidon and Sirens, today’s theme was Ao Bing and Nezha.

Chu Baiyan put on the silver wig, pulled on the pale blue mermaid tail, and entered the water. The long tail looked more graceful underwater, but it required stronger waist and core movement to control. The tail had to ripple like waves to look beautiful.

Another man wore a red-and-gold tail. The two chased each other underwater, creating the illusion of combat, then joined head to tail and spun in a circle, forming a ring that drifted through the water. When the show ended, the audience loudly clapped. The sequence demanded high technical skill and drained a lot of strength.

Yan Anqing stood in his usual spot and kept his eyes fixed on Chu Baiyan. He had never cared much for the content of the daily shows. His eyes only followed Chu Baiyan moving through the schools of fish. The tail today was beautiful, but he didn’t like it.

Weekends were always his least favorite time. Normally, customers started increasing around six in the evening, but on weekends, they began coming in nonstop from four. People kept sticking their heads in, calling “Boss.” He couldn’t keep working on ceramics.

He could handle practical problems, but what he feared most was when customers asked, Which cup should I choose? The practical one or the pretty one? Or when they tried to bargain. The prices were clearly marked, yet they still haggled.

At those moments, surrounded by endless voices, his mind stopped working. He couldn’t process anything. His only solution was silence, waiting for the other person to decide or give up.

When Chu Baiyan opened the door, Yan Anqing was mechanically explaining the difference between the embossed decorative plates and the flat painted ones. When he finished, the customer asked if the painted plates were safe for eating, if the pigment was toxic.

“It’s underglaze. After glazing and firing at high temperature, it’s safe. The shop only uses guaranteed safe underglaze and glaze materials.”

He repeated the standard answer, but the customer kept asking if they were safe in the sterilizer or microwave, if they could go in the dishwasher, if the glaze would crack after long use.

The string of questions made his head buzz. “I use the same plates myself,” he muttered.

He didn’t want the sale anymore. He just wanted them to stop asking and leave. He could never understand how people could have so many questions when buying something.

Just as the customer was about to ask again, another voice broke in.

“If you’re unsure, just buy one and try it. The owner uses the same kind himself, which proves it’s fine.” Chu Baiyan came forward.

Yan Anqing looked at him like he was a rescuer, though he didn’t know why Chu Baiyan was here at this hour.

With someone backing the point, and since they really did like the design, the customer ended up buying a four-piece set.

“Your purchase qualifies for one free gift.” Though tired of talking, Yan Anqing still followed procedure. “There are a few minor-flaw pieces here. You can pick one.”

“I bought a bowl set and a plate set. Can I take two?”

He shook his head. “One gift for orders over 200 yuan.”

The customer looked displeased, thinking the shop owner was stiff and bad at business, then picked a mug and left.

As soon as the door closed, Yan Anqing let out a quiet breath. “Why did you come?”

“I came ashore to see you.” Chu Baiyan remembered the words from before and said them naturally.

Then he explained, “My coworkers asked me to buy some ceramics. They liked the ones I showed them.”

“Which ones?” Yan Anqing stood to guide him.

Seeing how worn out he looked made Chu Baiyan feel uneasy.

“Rest a bit. I’ll find them myself.”

Yan Anqing didn’t refuse. He sat behind the counter and stared at the starfish swimming in the tank.

Chu Baiyan looked through the shelves according to the list but kept looking through the gaps at him. Now he understood how different Yan Anqing looked around others compared to when he was alone with him. He could see the light in his eyes only when they were together.

More customers entered, but Yan Anqing didn’t get up to greet them. If they didn’t speak first, he could stay silent the entire time. Whether they bought something or not didn’t matter.

When Chu Baiyan finished picking everything, he carried it to the counter. “How much?”

Yan Anqing took the calculator and tapped it a few times.

“Clear. Clear. 199 plus 68 plus…” The dull electronic beeps sounded.

“657.” He turned the calculator around and placed it in front of him.

Chu Baiyan laughed. He really was sparing with words. He scanned the code and paid. “Was business especially good today?”

“Yes.”

It was the first time he had ever seen a shop owner look miserable because business was good. The sight made him want to laugh and ache at the same time.

“I’ll help you watch the shop tonight. I don’t have anything else to do anyway.”