Chapter 82 – Dumplings

The alarm clock’s hour hand pointed at seven, golden sunlight piercing through the glass window, warming up the bed.

After the mobile phone rang for the sixth time with relentless persistence, a slender arm finally emerged from under the covers, fumbling on the bedside table.

“Mm?” The languid tone escaped the young man’s voice, hoarse with morning drowsiness, even his complaining undertone was pleasing to the ear, “Sister Li, there’s still a long time till the concert… I’m preparing, haven’t been slacking off, rest assured.”

“What? Tickets go on pre-sale tonight?… Then let them go on pre-sale, didn’t I cooperate and promote it on Weibo last night?”

“Alright, I won’t say more, I’m sleepy, I’m going back to sleep.” Shen Fubai hung up the call, stuffed the phone under his pillow, pulled the blanket over himself, and returned to his blissful dreamland.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again.

Shen Fubai opened his eyes irritably, his gaze burning with anger. Those who disturbed his sleep deserved death!

He fished out the phone, not bothering to check the caller ID before answering with a roar, “Disturbing someone’s peaceful morning is against the law!” Against the law of his, Shen Fubai.

The other end fell silent for a moment.

Jiang Heng’s voice came through, “Fubai, it’s me.”

Shen Fubai: “…”

Shen Fubai’s temper instantly cooled, his voice softening, “What’s up, little darling Heng? What’s the matter?”

Jiang Heng spoke slowly, “Nothing much. I thought it was seven, wanted to ask if you were up yet. Seems you’re not….”

When Shen Fubai stayed at Jiang Heng’s house, he had maintained a good sleep schedule. Lights out at ten every night, up at seven in the morning to go for morning exercises.

And now, on his first day back home, Shen Fubai had reverted to his old ways.

Shen Fubai immediately got up to put on some clothes, putting the phone on speaker, “No no no, I’m up! I’ve been listening carefully to everything you’ve said.” Just that he forgot it all right after.

Shen Fubai dressed at breakneck speed, pulled on his pants, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and straightened his collar in front of the bathroom mirror. He was stunningly handsome today as well.

Jiang Heng remained quiet while he finished washing up, not hanging up the call. After Shen Fubai was done, he said, “Send me your location on WeChat, I’ll come over to your place.”

“Huh?” Shen Fubai went out to the sofa with his phone, sending Jiang Heng the location on WeChat while uncertainly asking, “You’re coming to my place?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been to your place before.” Jiang Heng’s tone slightly rose, “So, not welcoming me?”

“Welcome, welcome, if you come to my place, I’ll certainly make you feel at home.” Shen Fubai instantly sat up straight.

“Good.” Jiang Heng chuckled on the other end of the line, “Wait for me, ten minutes.”

The call ended.

Shen Fubai froze on the sofa for half a minute.

Then he hurriedly got up to tidy the room.

He picked up scattered cushions and arranged them neatly on the sofa, retracted underwear drying on the balcony and stuffed them into the wardrobe, balled-up socks that hadn’t been washed were kicked under the bed, and when the doorbell rang, Shen Fubai was sweeping the floor with a mop.

Then the door opened.

Shen Fubai threw away the mop, the handle hitting the clean tile floor with a loud “smack”.

He came so quickly…

Jiang Heng stood at the doorway, looking at the spotless living room, then at Shen Fubai and the mop on the ground, “Is this… a major cleaning spree?”

“Yeah yeah. I said I’d prepare your bed, and I wasn’t just saying it.” Shen Fubai secretly picked up the mop and tossed it into the kitchen.

Shen Fubai wasn’t slovenly, it was just that his house was too big, usually cleaned by the cleaning auntie. Since he hadn’t been staying at home recently, he’d given the cleaning auntie a break, and dust had accumulated in the house.

Jiang Heng nodded, “Have you eaten breakfast?”

Shen Fubai shook his head. When Jiang Heng called, he hadn’t even gotten out of bed, and afterward, he’d been busy tidying up, how could he have had time for breakfast?

“I brought some.” Jiang Heng lifted the breakfast bag, placing the steaming hot dumplings and soy milk on the table.

Shen Fubai turned into the kitchen, “I’ll wash my hands.”

While Shen Fubai washed his hands, Jiang Heng took a look around Shen Fubai’s living environment. The simple yet elegant interior design, decorated in Mediterranean style, the living room alone was huge, needless to say about the many floors above.

From outside, the house looked tall and luxurious, splendid, the wallpaper adding a warm touch, like a family lived here.

But in reality, only Shen Fubai lived here.

This entire row of houses belonged to him. No neighbors.

It sounded carefree for one person to occupy such a large house. But… wouldn’t it be scary?

Being alone in an empty house, what if there was a power outage? Fubai was so afraid of the dark.

Jiang Heng noticed a portrait hanging on the wall, a lofty cross, an angel and deity bathed in holy light.

Was Fubai a Christian?

It made sense, Fubai grew up in America. In Western churches, there were more people who believed in Christ due to family factors, influenced by their surroundings.

Shen Fubai washed his hands and came out, carrying a dish of vinegar. He opened the breakfast bag, picked up his chopsticks and dipped them in the vinegar, “Feels like it’s been ages since I’ve had dumplings.” Although sandwiches, hot dogs, and burgers were delicious abroad, they weren’t as flavorful as Chinese dumplings. During that half-month overseas, although there was Chinatown in America, the food served there didn’t taste authentic enough.

Chinese cuisine was indeed best enjoyed in China.

Shen Fubai was born in New York, holding American nationality at birth, then changed to Chinese nationality when he returned to the country with his father. For an eleven-year-old child, he didn’t feel nostalgic for his homeland, he only knew that he had left his familiar hometown and arrived in a strange, distant place, facing an unknown future.

But later, Shen Fubai loved China more than America.

Because Chinese food was just too damn delicious!

When he first returned to the country, he struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar environment, often having transnational video calls with his mother. His mother was worried, feeling that her eldest son’s presence affected the current family negatively, but once the eldest son left home, she began to miss him.

She assumed Shen Fubai would suffer from water and soil incompatibility and rapidly lose weight, even preparing to say, “Oh, my poor child, how did you become so thin!” as the first sentence when the video call started. However, when the video connected, the boy’s skin was tender, fair, and lively, looking even more spirited than when he was at home.

Mother: “…Madeira, why have you gained weight?”

Boy, munching on Beijing snacks: “Mom, the food here is just too delicious. You really should come and try it. Now I think the food I ate before was just garbage.”

A female singer who grew up eating garbage: “…”

Then the mother called over her younger son, “Ethan, come and greet your brother.”

Soon, a brown-haired, green-eyed boy of seven or eight appeared on the video call, “Brother!”

Their relationship as brothers was actually quite good. The younger brother was very attached to him, the stepfather didn’t mistreat him, he hadn’t received the Cinderella script.

He had no reason to bear a grudge. He was just one of the many children in blended families, living an unhappy life, albeit not completely miserable.

Regarding Ethan, who could enjoy parental love from a young age and had a complete childhood, Shen Fubai couldn’t say he disliked him, but there was always an indescribable feeling.

Young Ethan liked him a lot, always clinging to him. At first, Shen Fubai didn’t want to bother with him, but later softened his heart and took him out to play. The two brothers had a great time outside, but when they returned, Shen Fubai was scolded by his mother.

“Madeira, how could you take your little brother out to play? Are you jealous of him and trying to harm him?” People were always biased, and his mother undoubtedly favored her younger son. Perhaps she didn’t intend to hurt Shen Fubai, but words spoken in anger could wound the most.

The wronged Shen Fubai felt aggrieved and furious, snarling, “Yes, I’m jealous of him, I took him to the street and wanted a car to hit him and kill him!”

He ran back to his room, slammed the door shut, and locked it. His mother pounded on the door from outside, “Madeira, come out, you should apologize to your brother!”

Shen Fubai viciously kicked the bed, ignoring her.

Outside came Ethan’s crying. The younger brother was scared by the commotion. Mother was soothing him in a low voice, “Ethan, don’t cry, your brother won’t bully you anymore.”

Shen Fubai hurled the pillow at the door.

Outside became quiet, Mother carried the younger brother away.

Nine-year-old Shen Fubai hugged his knees and curled up on the bed, even the sun outside cooperated by being obscured by clouds. The room darkened, and he disappeared into the shadows, tears dropping one by one, pitter-pattering.

Today was his birthday. Nobody remembered. The family only remembered his younger brother’s birthday.

He thought going out to play happily with Ethan for a whole day would be the best birthday present for him. But when he returned home, his mother’s unjust words made him feel a tremendous sense of injustice.

He felt the world was terrible.

Shen Fubai buried his red-rimmed eyes in his knees, the rain outside drizzling, he remembered the windows were still open.

He heard a faint noise coming from the window, looking up in fright—Ethan was trying to climb in from the balcony, and this was the third floor.

Shen Fubai immediately jumped out of bed to carry Ethan down, his tone harsh, “What do you want again? If you accidentally fall and die, Mom will think I pushed you down again!”

Ethan shook his head, his clear green eyes looking at Shen Fubai, “I told Mom, it’s not your fault.”

“No, she’s right.” Shen Fubai spoke nastily, “I’m jealous of you to death, I want you dead, do you understand? Get lost, don’t come near me!” He pointed to the door.

Ethan clumsily wiped away Shen Fubai’s tears, childishly saying, “Happy birthday, brother.”

Shen Fubai was taken aback. Tears welled up uncontrollably again.

Damn little brother… why did he have to be so likable?

In short, Shen Fubai’s relationship with his younger brother was neither good nor bad. Unable to fully rid himself of resentment, yet awkwardly doting on him. Later, his mother reconciled with Shen Fubai, always wanting to mend the relationship between the two brothers, so she handed over the video call to Ethan, telling him to have a good chat with Shen Fubai.

Shen Fubai’s long-standing grudge was finally avenged. He crazily ordered a ton of takeout, all sorts of Chinese snacks, and then gave Ethan a food show for hours in front of the screen.

“Do you know, Ethan?” Eleven-year-old Shen Fubai ate while bragging, “October 1st in China is National Day, the whole country celebrates my birthday.”

Little Ethan was stunned, “Wow, that’s so cool. Do you like China, Brother?”

Shen Fubai swallowed a mouthful of dumpling, speaking slowly, “Of course I do.”

“Why are you spacing out while eating?” Jiang Heng noticed Shen Fubai had been staring at the dumplings for a long time.

Shen Fubai snapped out of his reverie, swallowing down dumpling after dumpling, “They’re so delicious that I need time to savor them slowly.”

He hadn’t contacted his family in America for a long time. Perhaps… six years.

Now that he had found a boyfriend, when he was eager to share the news with someone, he realized that he only had net friends.

Did he want to receive blessings from his family?

Of course.

Dumplings in China symbolized unity and prosperity, a happy family life.

He felt a bit homesick.