EIP Extra 2

Ah Yun’s family was of average means, and after they all moved to Hong Kong, things got even worse. She used to be able to attend school, but now her family was struggling to buy food, so there was no question of her continuing her studies. Her mother, through an acquaintance, arranged a job for her. It was not very respectable, since it involved serving others. Having studied before, Ah Yun felt discouraged at the thought of becoming a servant.

Hearing that she would be serving someone who was missing a leg only made her mood gloomier. It was not that she looked down on anyone, but she worried that a disabled person might be temperamental and take it out on the servants. Following the address she had been given, she arrived at a place nothing like the luxurious mansion she had imagined. She knocked a few times, and someone came to open the door.

The soundproofing was poor, so she could hear footsteps, one heavier and one lighter. When the door opened, Ah Yun looked up and felt that the man’s appearance made the entire room seem brighter. She had met a few handsome upperclassmen while studying, but none as striking as this. His hair was somewhat unrestrained, his eyes deep, and a faint hint of oppression lingered in his gaze. He was tall and broad-shouldered.

Standing in that cramped space seemed to diminish his imposing presence. Ah Yun’s mouth opened and closed without a word. Everything she had planned to say on the way vanished completely. Noticing her embarrassment, the man spoke first. “Yes?” Ah Yun shook her head and then nodded, finally finding her voice. She explained her purpose and handed over the papers showing her work referral.

After looking them over, the man stepped aside to let Ah Yun in. Only when he moved did Ah Yun see that he struggled to walk. She guessed this must be the person she was supposed to serve. The thought made her heart pound. She had never seen anyone quite so handsome and impressive, and although she had felt down about this job before, her spirits lifted.

He asked her a few questions and then nodded, telling her to simply call him Mr. Yong. Ah Yun twisted the hem of her shirt and quietly mumbled, “Mr. Yong.” Perhaps she was too shy, for Mr. Yong frowned, as if he was not entirely pleased.

Ah Yun grew nervous, afraid of being rejected on the spot. Trying to redeem herself, she offered to start cleaning right away if it was convenient for Mr. Yong. Although Ah Yun had studied before, she had many younger siblings and was skilled at housework. Before long, she had tidied the slightly messy surroundings until the place was neat and clean. When it came to the bedroom, she hesitated a bit, then asked Mr. Yong for permission.

After he nodded, she pushed the door open. She had assumed he lived alone, but she had noticed two sets of toiletries in the bathroom earlier, so it was clear there was more than one person in the household. Realizing there was another occupant cooled the slight excitement in her heart, and she concentrated earnestly on her work.

She sensed that Mr. Yong was not the kind of person who looked for reasons to make life hard for others, nor did he seem the type to take advantage of a young girl like her. This was already better than she had imagined. Entering the bedroom, she picked up a faint scent mixed with something else she could not quite identify. Though the room was messy, it was not filthy.

The bed was in quite a mess—wrinkled sheets, and the fitted sheet hooked to the corners had come loose. There were dark marks on the wall next to the headboard. Ah Yun touched the wall and then the bed frame. The black-painted frame was worn, leaving a faint smudge on her fingertip.

Those black marks on the wall probably came from the bed frame colliding with it many times. Ah Yun felt as though she had figured something out and immediately blushed. Then she pulled out a torn white robe from under the bed. She could not help letting her thoughts wander. The robe was yanked open at the collar, with the fastenings torn loose and dangling from the fabric.

It was a man’s garment. Maybe it just got damaged by accident, Ah Yun thought, deciding she could sew it back up later. Hastily, she rolled up the sheets, replaced them with fresh ones, and stepped out of the bedroom with the sheets and robe in her arms, cheeks still burning. Only then did she realize there was another man in the house.

He was no less handsome than Mr. Yong, maybe even more striking, likely because of his foreign-looking eyes. Hugging the linens, Ah Yun did not dare say a word. The man looked at her in surprise, then raised an eyebrow and remarked, “Too young.” Ah Yun’s heart skipped a beat, but she heard Mr. Yong’s low voice say, “I think she’s fine.”

Hearing that, the other man seemed even more displeased, though not with Ah Yun. He glared at Mr. Yong for a while before giving Ah Yun a breezy smile, vibrant and bold, like a fish nibbling at one’s heart. “Let her stay, then.” Before long, the same look of dissatisfaction appeared on Mr. Yong’s face instead.

That was how Ah Yun ended up working for that household. Mr. Yong and Mr. Zhou told her they would not be staying there long, at most half a year. They were offering good pay, and she was willing to work short-term. Mr. Zhou did not seem to have a regular job. Even if he went out occasionally, he would come back quickly.

Sometimes he took his sketchbook to the nearby park, and Mr. Yong would go with him. Ah Yun recognized their return from the sound of a cane tapping on the floorboards in the hallway. One day, when Ah Yun arrived for work, both men were out. After she finished tidying up, she sat down to mend Mr. Zhou’s clothes with needle and thread. His clothes were torn again. This time, it was his bathrobe.

When she learned that only men lived in the apartment, she assumed they were just good friends. But one time, she stumbled upon them kissing on the rooftop. It was dusk, and the sky was tinted purple and red. The wind stirred the bedsheets hung out to dry, layer upon layer of thin cloth, behind which two people were hidden. Someone kept pigeons on the rooftop, so the cooing and the sound of wings fluttering filled the air.

She saw Mr. Yong lying on an old sofa the landlord had abandoned, his cane set aside. Although the sofa was old and worn, he made it look elegant. Carrying a bucket of laundry upstairs, she discovered what was happening behind the sheets. Behind that reddish-brown sofa grew climbing ivy, a leaf had fallen onto Mr. Yong’s shoulder, and resting on that same shoulder was Mr. Zhou’s hand.

Mr. Zhou’s long fingers gripped that sturdy shoulder. When the wind lifted the sheet again, Ah Yun caught a glimpse of him leaning down, pressing his face close to Mr. Yong’s. Mr. Yong was smiling, his eyes fixed on the man before him, brimming with deep affection and tenderness. Nothing could disturb that moment. Ah Yun quietly stood there, her heart pounding for reasons she could not explain, mesmerized by the scene. She dared not make a sound, yet she did not want to miss a thing.

Mr. Yong’s hand rested on Zhou Jun’s waist, and the two kissed gently while leaning against each other. Ah Yun did not even blink. Unfortunately, the sheet fell back down and hid them again, leaving only their silhouettes cast on the cloth by the setting sun. Ah Yun quietly carried her bucket downstairs. After descending two flights, she paused on the landing and looked back up along the banister. She smiled to herself, though she was not sure why.

She had discovered a secret, like a small bird carrying a breeze into her heart. Once she knew their true relationship, she realized the two of them did nothing to hide it. Mr. Zhou loved to secretly sketch Mr. Yong. Whenever he picked up a pencil, the outlines he drew always turned into the man in front of him.

On one occasion, he also drew a portrait of Ah Yun, because that day she had cooked fish so delicious that Mr. Zhou was quite pleased. He asked her to sit in a chair, holding a book. Ah Yun, being quick-witted, first glanced at Mr. Yong, carefully checking his reaction. Naturally, she saw no displeasure on Yong Jin’s face.

Ah Yun obediently held the book, quietly lowering her head for a long time. She received a drawing in the end. Me. Zhou’s skills were excellent. He even made her look much prettier than she was. Blushing, A Yun studied the portrait, then looked up to see Mr. Zhou giving her a playful wink. Even though she had been prepared, she still felt her heart race at the charm he occasionally revealed.

She carefully put away the drawing, served them hot tea and their evening snacks, then went to collect the bedding that had been hanging out to dry, folding it neatly into the cabinet. Lastly, she handed Mr. Zhou the mended bathrobe and reminded him, “Sir, don’t tear it again. This is already the second time I’ve had to fix it. If it happens once more, you’ll have to buy a new one.”

Mr. Zhou’s face warmed a little. He accepted the robe and thanked her, then saw her out. The next day, Ah Yun arrived around noon, carrying groceries to cook for them, but found that Mr. Zhou was nowhere in sight. She asked a little too curiously, and Mr. Yong, who was sitting at the table drinking tea, gave her a smiling reply, “He’s still sleeping, so be quiet.”

Ah Yun nodded. Then Mr. Yong glanced at her basket of ingredients and asked softly, “Are we having fish again today?” Ah Yun shook her head, thinking there was no reason to serve fish every single day. Mr. Yong stood up and said, “I’ll go buy one. He’s upset and needs a bit of coaxing.” His gentle tone surprised Ah Yun, but what shocked her more was that Mr. Zhou could actually be angry at Mr. Yong. Had the sun risen in the west?

As soon as Mr. Yong left to buy fish, Mr. Zhou got up. He looked unhappy and was fidgeting, rubbing his waist now and then, seeming uncomfortable. Ah Yun soon noticed the prominent marks on his fair neck, and she scurried into the kitchen, inwardly fuming at the two of them. After all, she was still just a young girl.