SG 16

There were many things he wanted to say, but in the end, he only said that one sentence. Chu Baiyan wasn’t someone who had many friends and wouldn’t care about losing one. He wasn’t someone who approached others out of curiosity and then pushed them away after learning the truth. He wasn’t someone who would trample on another person’s kindness and sincerity.

While he spoke, Grandma quietly observed the young man beside her. She had been a teacher for decades, and after so many years of tutoring Yan Anqing, she had met all kinds of students and parents. She could sense a person’s attitude through their expressions and body language.

Although Chu Baiyan barely spoke during their talk, the fact that he listened seriously to everything without showing shock or rejection already gave her the answer she needed.

Compared to empty politeness, his reaction was genuine. There was no need to explain everything in detail. As long as he understood what she wanted to say, it was enough. Yan Anqing still had to live in society and face life on his own. She couldn’t always protect him or stop him from forming connections with others, especially when this one was someone he had chosen himself.

“Let’s go downstairs. If we stay too long, Anqing will start to worry.” Grandma stood up and placed her hand on the doorknob. Before leaving, she turned back to look at Chu Baiyan. “He’s very simple. Whatever he says comes straight from his heart. He doesn’t twist his words. At the same time, he only understands things literally. If you have something to tell him, say it directly. There’s no need to go in circles.”

When they went downstairs, Yan Anqing was already making another cup. He didn’t even raise his head when he heard their footsteps. He wasn’t curious at all about what his grandma and Chu Baiyan had talked about.

“Baby, Grandma’s heading back now. I made some scallion rolls too, since there was some extra dough.”

Yan Anqing nodded to show he heard. He was already used to Grandma occasionally dropping by to see him and then leaving. When she couldn’t come, she would send Aunt Zhou instead. All he needed to know was that Grandma was close by. Knowing he could see her whenever he wanted made him feel safe, even if they didn’t live together.

“I’ll walk you out, Nai Nai (father’s mother).” Seeing that Yan Anqing didn’t intend to get up, Chu Baiyan spoke.

“Lao Lao (mother’s mother), not Nai Nai.” Yan Anqing lifted his head and corrected him.

Grandma chuckled. “You two keep working. No need to send me. I’ll call a car from my phone. It’ll pick me up at the door.” She was a modern old lady. Over the years, in order to keep up with research and updates about autism, she had become very familiar with using all kinds of apps.

When Chu Baiyan sat back down, he noticed that the rose he had made earlier now had two leaves. They looked like tiny supports that lifted the rose upward.

“You fixed it up, and it looks completely different now.” He held it up. The rose with the added leaves lay in his palm. The clumsy petals looked livelier between the two leaves.

“You color it. We’ll fire it together this afternoon.” Yan Anqing’s eyes curved as he picked a brush from the holder and handed it to him. He squeezed the colors he would need onto the palette, added some water, and mixed the paint for him.

When Grandma turned back as she stepped outside, she happened to see this scene. Chu Baiyan probably didn’t know that Yan Anqing never allowed anyone to touch his pottery tools. After his mother remarried, she had a son nine years younger than him. One summer, his mother brought his little brother to visit. The seven-year-old had sneaked into Yan Anqing’s studio to play with the clay, and when he found out, he pushed the boy to the floor.

Because of that, her son-in-law had a lot of resentment toward both her and Yan Anqing, so to avoid more conflict, his mother rarely visited afterward. But now her grandson actually let Chu Baiyan use his tools and even discussed the work with him. It was something she had never imagined.

“Apply the color in one direction. When the surface dries, add another coat. You’ll need three coats in total.” Yan Anqing picked up a small strawberry figurine to demonstrate.

By the time he had finished coloring several pieces, Chu Baiyan’s rose was just done. They placed it together on the drying rack.

The alarm on Yan Anqing’s phone went off. It was time for lunch. He hung a sign on the shop door that said, “Owner having lunch, please come back later,” locked the door from inside, and naturally called out for Chu Baiyan to join him.

When he opened the room door, he saw several footprints between the entrance and the sofa. His brows furrowed immediately. He went straight to the bathroom, took out a mop, and began wiping every spot where the footprints had appeared.

Chu Baiyan followed him, holding the bag Grandma had brought. When he saw Yan Anqing mopping the floor, he suddenly remembered and didn’t know whether to go in or stay at the door.

“Bring the bag inside. I’ll go buy slippers.” After putting the mop away, Yan Anqing took the bag from him, and Chu Baiyan quickly went downstairs.

There was a supermarket by the gate of the complex. He grabbed a pair in his size and paid by scan. When he returned and saw the wooden sign hanging on the shop door, he smiled, opened the door, locked it again from inside, and went upstairs. When he changed into the slippers and went in, Yan Anqing was already cooking porridge and slicing vegetables.

On the counter sat a small kitchen scale. Yan Anqing weighed the sliced green pepper and carrot strips. When it showed slightly under, he added half a pepper. He put the remaining half of the pepper and most of the carrot into a container and stored them in the fridge, then began slicing the wood ear mushrooms that had soaked overnight. He worked with precision, as if he were running an experiment.

Chu Baiyan didn’t interrupt. He leaned against the doorway and watched him cook.

When everything was ready, Yan Anqing turned on the induction stove and began pouring oil into the pan. He checked the scale first, looked again after pouring, and seeing it still a bit under what he had in mind, he added a little more. When the oil began smoking, he added sliced scallion, ginger, and garlic, stirred until fragrant, scooped them out, and put in the marinated shredded pork. After frying it for a bit, he added the mushrooms, and when they were half cooked, he put in the sliced peppers and carrots.

It was the same with the seasoning. Every liquid condiment had a measuring scale, and he checked before pouring. For salt and MSG, he used a small plastic container to measure the exact amount.

“It should be done now. You can take it off the heat.” Chu Baiyan looked at the softened peppers and carrots. From his experience, they were cooked enough.

“One more minute.” Yan Anqing replied while still stirring. Finally, he plated the slightly overcooked stir-fry of peppers, mushrooms, and pork, with bits of carrot scattered inside for color.

Chu Baiyan washed his hands at the sink and helped carry the dishes out.

The buns and scallion rolls in the bag were still warm. Yan Anqing took one and handed it to him.

The dough was springy, and the filling juicy. Freshly steamed, it tasted even better than before. Chu Baiyan had only casually praised them once, but Yan Anqing had remembered.

“Eat the vegetables.” Yan Anqing put a serving into the empty bowl in front of him. The porridge wasn’t ready yet.

Chu Baiyan tasted it. It wasn’t bad, though not great either. Yan Anqing had probably followed a recipe precisely, exact portions, exact timing. But he still finished what was in his bowl and picked up another chopstickful.

The rice cooker beeped. Yan Anqing moved to get the porridge, but Chu Baiyan stopped him.

“I’ll get it.” He didn’t want Yan Anqing to burn his hand again.