Chapter 29 – The Artistic Crybaby Year

The shady Madam Wei’s envisioned plan of ambushing someone with a sneak attack didn’t come to fruition. The woman seemed to have only run into Ren Zha by chance, and after taking photos, she frantically hailed a taxi on the roadside in near panic.

A fully occupied taxi sped past the woman. She glanced back, didn’t see Ren Zha following her, and quietly sighed in relief.

“Wang Mengmeng.” Suddenly, a voice gritted out her name beside her.

Wang Mengmeng turned her head to see Ren Zha, who had somehow appeared behind her. He grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving and glared at her, demanding, “Delete the photos.”

Seeing people around, Wang Mengmeng suddenly grew bold and shouted, “No way! I’m going to report you to your superiors! You damn faggot!!!”

As soon as those words left her mouth, Wei Lai immediately felt Yan Yunshui’s grip on his arm stiffen.

“Report…”

Wei Lai understood the bitterness in Yan Yunshui’s heart. Sure, he was effeminate, bitchy, and could talk someone into depression with his endless chatter, but he genuinely cared about his students.

He had dreamed of becoming a teacher since childhood, studied education, and shed pounds of hair to pass the civil service exam. After becoming a homeroom teacher, it was like a wild chicken turning over a new leaf—no more mahjong games because he had to grade homework, no more dating, just staying home alone, practicing lessons in front of a mirror until midnight.

He had never had any inappropriate thoughts about his students, but the label of “homosexual” could effortlessly destroy all his efforts and tarnish his reputation beyond redemption.

“Delete the photos!” Yan Yunshui charged over furiously. “You bitch, why can’t you let others live in peace?! So what if someone likes men? How dare you ruin someone’s life like this!!!”

Wang Mengmeng grabbed her hair and shrieked, “What did you say??? Who ruined whose life? Do you even have a heart?! You rotten-ass faggots should all die—I hope you all get syphilis and AIDS!!!”

“You! You! And you!!!” Wang Mengmeng pointed at Ren Zha, then Yan Yunshui, and finally Wei Lai, wailing, “You all should die!!! Why are you the ones still alive???!!!”

“We’re all lawful citizens—who says we don’t deserve to live?!”

Yan Yunshui’s face turned red with rage. With a shriek, like an attacking goose, he raised his hand and slapped Wang Mengmeng across the face.

The slap was crisp and loud. Wang Mengmeng fell to the ground, dazed for a few seconds before letting out a piercing scream. She scrambled up, hair disheveled, and lunged at Yan Yunshui, biting his neck. The two of them tumbled into a messy brawl on the sidewalk. Ren Zha, never expecting Yan Yunshui to be such a warrior, snatched Wang Mengmeng’s phone and swiftly tossed it into a sewer before sprinting away.

Wei Lai, witnessing it all: “…”

Madam Wei had never resorted to brute force to solve problems, yet here he was, dragged into two unskilled fights within two weeks.

Yan Yunshui: “Ahhhh!!! Slutty Wei, help me!!! She’s grabbing my balls!!!”

Wei Lai: “…” He couldn’t bear to watch.

Wei Lai pulled his mask up and clumsily tried to pull Yan Yunshui away, only for Yan Yunshui to shriek again, “Don’t pull me! I told you she’s got my balls!!!”

Wei Lai had no choice but to grab Wang Mengmeng instead, but her sharp nails flailed wildly. “Help! Help!!! Why are you all just filming instead of helping me!!!”

At this, a few bystanders actually lowered their phones and hesitantly stepped forward, seemingly ready to pull Yan Yunshui away.

In desperation, Yan Yunshui even shouted Wei Lai’s name. “Wei Lai!!! You’re useless as hell!”

Wei Lai yanked at Yan Yunshui’s thigh and snapped, “Stop fighting already, don’t you see people filming?!”

Before Wei Lai could finish, Wang Mengmeng suddenly let go of Yan Yunshui’s balls, as if struck by a spell. She stared blankly at Wei Lai and murmured, “Wei Lai… You… You’re Chu Yin’s manager?”

Wei Lai quickly covered his face and lowered his voice. “No, you’ve got the wrong person.”

Wang Mengmeng insisted, “No, I’d never forget that purple hair. You’re Chu Yin’s manager!”

Wei Lai: Damn this Balala Fairy Purple hair!

Yan Yunshui suddenly realized that while Wei Lai wasn’t a celebrity, his association with Chu Yin had skyrocketed his public profile. A street fight was the last thing he needed—Wei Lai getting dragged was one thing, but he couldn’t let it affect his beloved Crybaby Yin.

Yan Yunshui adjusted his wedged crotch, straightened out his junk, and suddenly donned his teacher persona again, clearing his throat. “Young lady, your mindset is very dangerous. Heterosexual love is love, homosexual love is love too. White people are people, Black people are people too. Dividing people into hierarchies with extreme prejudice, wishing death upon others—how are you any different from the Nazis? Openness, inclusivity, and embracing diversity are the cornerstones of national progress. Think carefully—aren’t your actions holding back the Chinese people?”

Wei Lai: “…” Holy shit. I had no idea Yun Yun was like this!

Wang Mengmeng rolled her eyes and promptly fainted.

Wei Lai: “You talked her into passing out.”

Yan Yunshui: “!!!”

Wei Lai checked Wang Mengmeng’s pulse: “…She’s unconscious.”

Yan Yunshui: “…Where’s her phone? Find her emergency contact.”

Wei Lai: “…Ren Zha just threw it into the sewer.”

Yan Yunshui: “That bastard is this ruthless???”

As the crowd grew larger, Wei Lai decisively declared, “Take her to the hospital.”

After Wei Lai went out, Chu Yin’s inspiration flew away like a little bird. Like a child struggling to write an essay, he scratched his head and rolled around the room in frustration before finally tiring himself out. With a fluffy furball perched on his head, he absentmindedly scratched at the floor.

I should’ve gone out with Wei Lai.

Chu Yin thought this, then scolded himself for being weak-willed. He painted on a cool-guy rockstar makeup, drew the curtains, turned on psychedelic club lights, and passionately played the drums until he was drenched in sweat.

After showering and applying a face mask, he picked up his guitar and lounged on the balcony rug, stretching his long legs under the sun.

Dressed in a bold orange sweater, Chu Yin plucked the guitar strings. Big Orange gracefully padded over, placing his little head precisely on Chu Yin’s strumming hand, meowing along to the rhythm with half-lidded eyes.

The sky was high, the clouds thin, and his thoughts stretched endlessly.

Chu Yin remembered how his godmother loved listening to him play guitar but hated his drumming.

He remembered her last words before she passed: You and Chen Meixian are like brothers—not by blood, but closer than blood.

A month after Chen’s mother died, Chu Yin got blackout drunk. Chen Meixian walked into his room with a whip.

That was his first time—in a room littered with beer bottles.

The slender neck of a beer bottle.

Forced into a soft place that can’t be described without getting censored.

The cold liquid poured in, burning like fire.

The tighter he curled up, the harder Chen Meixian laughed.

Chen Meixian said he would always love him—this was the highest form of familial love.

Said he was a slut who seduced his own brother.

If Chen’s mother had a spirit in heaven, she must have regretted it all, wishing Chu Yin had never existed.

Fans always called him the world’s best brother, a treasure among men, a light in life.

But it was all fake. He was such a wretched person.

Chu Yin wanted to escape to a place with no people. The things he loved always grew old; the people he loved always slipped away. He liked Wei Lai so much, but he no longer had the strength to hold onto him.

Wei Lai wasn’t like him. Wei Lai had crushes, proper friends, Wei Lai had family. And Wei Lai was too free-spirited—he didn’t need oars, he was the wave itself. Chu Yin was just a lonely reef. He couldn’t hold onto the wave; it would only smash him to pieces.

Before he sank too deep and shattered, Chu Yin decided to pull away. He sent Wei Lai his thoughts, hoping he’d understand he didn’t need him as a temporary manager anymore.

—You’re the blue wave.

—I’m the black reef.

Wei Lai replied instantly: “New song? Darling, that’s so you! What do you want for dinner tonight?”

Chu Yin: “…You completely missed the point!”

Wei Lai sent a voice message: “Yeah, I didn’t get it, but you finally squeezed out two lines—gotta praise that. I’ll be home soon. Damn, brace yourself—I’ve got stories to tell! You won’t believe the shit I went through today.”

Chu Yin: “…”

Home. Wei Lai said he was coming home.

Chu Yin’s eyes reddened slightly. Madam Wei’s mouth is full of lies. Don’t keep liking him—you’ll die from anger.

But even as he thought this, his hands betrayed him: “I want fish. Spicy fish.”