Translator: System Yaoi
Chapter 3: Drizzling Morning
Kindly read all the translations at https://chrysanthemumgarden.com/novel-tl/ees/
The brush dipped into the paint, bringing life to the simple lines, as the light and dark halos formed on the canvas, as if melting in with the rain outside the window, looking hazy and surreal.
The bright white artificial lighting pierced through the gauze curtains, illuminating a subtle glow in the eyes of the painted figure, clear and luminous.
Gu Yuqing: Why have you never mentioned him before?
Gu Yuqing: Are we talking about the same Lin Ting?
Thunder rumbled as the painting reached halfway, staining Gu Yuqing’s fingertips with paint, which was then smudged onto the pen’s body. It was already late at night, but he was in the mood for painting, lacking even a hint of sleepiness.
Dr. Shang: It’s late at night, and I need to sleep, bro. [Angry]
Dr. Shang: Bro, I have an early class at 8 am tomorrow. [Helpless]
Dr. Shang: In D University, there’s only one Lin Ting who studies qin, but there are too many people with the same name in the world. Maybe it is a coincidence, but if it is, it’s quite a remarkable one. Even the student studying probability next door can start their research with this topic.
Dr. Shang: If you really want to inquire about Lin Ting, why don’t you go directly to the Music College and find Professor Sun?
The phone chimed repeatedly, cutting through the sound of rain, and in the quiet house, it seemed somewhat abrupt. Gu Yuqing held the phone in one hand while unconsciously poking the painting canvas with the other, leaving a blurry spot of light on the black coat of the figure, like a fallen streetlamp.
Gu Yuqing: Why did he drop out?
Gu Yuqing swiped the screen, repeatedly reading the information from his colleague two or three times. The information revealed by his colleague was completely different from what he had imagined, just like the Lin Ting he had encountered tonight—two souls within the same body, torn apart yet connected.
Similar to how the spring rain always try to pry into the flower’s pistil, Gu Yuqing developed an intense interest in Lin TIng.
The phone screen illuminated his face, a smile playing on his lips, which Gu Yuqing himself hadn’t even noticed. He lifted his gaze to the unfinished painting in front of him, and suddenly, inspiration struck.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Gu Yuqing put his phone in the pocket, its screen emitting a faint white light through the fabric, echoing with the lightning outside the window. He added some brilliance to the painting, using bold colours to make the hazy light and shadows more vibrant, yet locked within that indelible melancholy. Amidst it, Lin Ting’s eyes remained dim and lifeless, but a faint smile emerged.
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After sitting all night, Gu Yuqing’s waist and back ached. He tossed the paintbrush into the bucket, cleaned it thoroughly, and closed the lid of the palette. Then he stretched his legs and yawned lazily.
The spine crackled as Gu Yuqing adjusted his neck, and his shoulders followed suit with two clicks. He pulled back the gauze curtain and looked outside. The flowerbed downstairs was immersed in a morning mist, with the vibrant green shoots signalling the arrival of spring, while the sparsely covered branches held onto the grip of winter.
Gu Yuqing rubbed his sore and gritty eyes. He planned to go out and buy breakfast. Living alone, his stove hadn’t been used for who knows how long, and the refrigerator was empty except for the ice-cold beers on the door.
It was still somewhat cold in the morning. Gu Yuqing grabbed a thin jacket and casually tossed the keys into his pocket. Out of habit, he pressed his phone and the digital clock jumped to 6:15.
Forgetting to charge it last night, the battery icon in the top right corner showed only 5%. The last bit of battery often doesn’t withstand much usage, so Gu Yuqing decided to make a quick trip.
The building was still in slumber. The elevator stopped at the middle floor with no passengers. The window in the hallway was slightly ajar, allowing a gust of cold wind to blow in. Gu Yuqing opened his umbrella and stepped into the morning mist.
The ground was damp, and the air carried a chilly and humid sensation. The security booth still had its lights on, and the streetlights were lit. The security guard was soundly asleep, leaning on the table, covered with his uniform coat and a cap on his head.
Walking out of the residential area from his doorstep only took about ten minutes. It was 6:25, not too early. The people rushing to catch the early subway had already hurriedly left, and the breakfast shops at the street corner had almost no customers dining in. Anxious passersby held simple breakfasts, already filling their stomachs before boarding the subway.
Gu Yuqing had a relatively free day ahead. He leisurely entered the breakfast shop, folded his umbrella, and stood in front of the counter, looking up at the menu. The umbrella dripped water, falling onto the tiled floor and overturning the menu.
There was a person behind him in a hurry to buy breakfast. Gu Yuqing gave way, and once the person finished ordering, he calmly placed an order for a basket of soup dumplings.
He chose a window seat and sat down, avoiding the warmth radiating from the floor-standing air conditioner. The warmth from the air conditioner always made him feel short of breath. It lacked the refreshing coolness.
The soup dumplings arrived quickly. Gu Yuqing picked up one with his chopsticks and placed it in the spoon. He gently touched it with his lips, the aroma wafting, but it was hot. He decided to let the spoon rest in the steamer to cool down.
His phone ran out of battery and vibrated in his pocket. Gu Yuqing turned around and looked out the window, watching the wind rustle the leaves, passing the time.
This city didn’t have such a fast-paced rhythm. The most chaotic times were during the morning and evening rush hours. Now that most of the subway commuters had left, the streets were empty. The hazy grey mist clung to the glass, condensing the warmth inside the shop.
The glass also turned greyish-white. Gu Yuqing took out two tissues and wiped away a small patch, creating a peculiarly-shaped frame that coincidentally framed the tree by the roadside and the person squatting under it.
Wearing the same black coat and not carrying an umbrella, Gu Yuqing greeted the waiter, telling them he would be back in a moment. Immediately after, he briskly walked outside, lifting the curtain at the door, and the umbrella made a “bang” sound, blocking the spring rain.
This tree had been there for quite some time. Its interwoven roots formed a not-so-large cavity, which was home to a white stray cat. The cat was quite thin, with its spine clearly visible. Due to the rain, the cat’s fur was covered in mud, and the snow-white fur clumped together, hanging beneath its belly.
Lin Ting was squatting in front of this cavity, his hair hanging behind his neck. He pinched a piece of dough in one hand and held the crumbled meat filling in the other. The white cat cautiously sniffed, casting a wary glance at Lin Ting, then tentatively took away half of the meat filling.
The overcoat was soaked with rainwater. The sky overhead suddenly turned dark, making the already dim daylight even darker. Lin Ting looked up and saw Gu Yuqing’s under the black umbrella.
And there was that distinctively bony hand, gripping the umbrella handle, somewhat pale, and somewhat attractive.
Lin Ting smiled and greeted first, “What a coincidence.”
The small frown looked somewhat peculiar, and the slightly curved eyes exuded an indescribable laziness. Gu Yuqing noticed Lin Ting’s small tiger teeth, on the right side, not very prominent, adding a touch of playfulness to his laziness.
“What a coincidence,” Gu Yuqing replied with a smile. “Why didn’t you bring an umbrella when you went out?”
The little cat seemed hungry for a long time. The remaining half of the meat filling quickly disappeared into its stomach. Lin Ting threw all the leftover filling into the cavity, holding the dough in his mouth and using a tissue to wipe his hands.
“I did bring it, but I forgot to take it when I came back. I thought since it wasn’t raining heavily anymore and it’s only a few steps, I didn’t mind getting a little wet. But then I saw this little guy and felt sorry for it, so I bought a bun. I’m going home now, and I want to ask my mom if we can keep it.”
Lin Ting put away the tissue and cautiously reached out to touch the little cat. However, the cat was too vigilant and dodged before his fingertips could touch its fur. The cat stared at Lin Ting warily, its back slightly arched.
Raindrops fell on the little cat, causing it to shiver from the cold. Lin Ting had to withdraw his hand reluctantly, stood up with a disgruntled expression, and the coat stirred up a gust of wind, carrying a heavy smell of alcohol and a choking scent of smoke.
The alcohol smelled as if the stench had stayed overnight, and the smoke was a mix of good and bad. Gu Yuqing couldn’t help but frown. “Did you forget the umbrella at the bar?”
Seeing the slight change in Gu Yuqing’s expression, Lin Ting didn’t pay much attention and lowered his gaze for a moment before answering, “Yes.”
Gu Yuqing continued, “Were you there with a friend?”
Lin Ting shook his head and said, “By myself.”
“By yourself?” Gu Yuqing was somewhat surprised. “You went to a bar alone? Drinking alone?”
He didn’t smoke or drink. The only time he tried was when he was young, just to light the stick for a single puff, and that puff of smoke burned his throat, making him cough and his tears flow. Since then, he had stayed away from cigarettes, not touching them no matter who offered them.
As for alcohol, it was purely because Gu Yuqing was allergic to alcohol. The first time he drank during the Chinese New Year in high school, just two cans of beer landed him in the hospital. Since then, he had another thing to stay away from.
Gu Yuqing could be described as a completely “good student.” Besides college gatherings, he had never been to a bar. And even if he did go, he would drink non-alcoholic beverages. He couldn’t fit into those flashy places, always staying sober while watching others go wild with alcohol.
Upon hearing this, Lin Ting shook his head again, smiling somewhat helplessly. “Not drinking alone, I couldn’t sleep at night, so I went out for a walk. Then I saw a newly opened bar, half underground style. It seemed to be doing well, so I gave it a try. My friend is in another city, and he doesn’t have much vacation time, so he usually doesn’t come over. That’s why I had to go alone. But friends, you can meet new ones anywhere.”
The rain diminished a little, but the leaves were too small to hold water.
“Right?” Lin Ting suddenly approached. “The new friend on the subway, an outstanding liberal arts student.”
He got too close, and his coat brushed against Gu Yuqing’s coat, allowing the scent of alcohol to assail him again, mixed with the aroma of tobacco, enveloping Lin Ting with a touch of vulgar laziness.
“Yes, a beautiful qin player,” Gu Yuqing gazed into those bright eyes, shining and different from the painting. “I remember you seemed tired yesterday. You didn’t have much energy on the subway. How did you end up sleepless in the middle of the night? Couldn’t sleep well?”
Lin Ting didn’t sleep all night, and Gu Yuqing also didn’t sleep all night, but he didn’t have as much energy as Lin Ting. His eyes were filled with fatigue, with faint bloodshot veins, and even his voice sounded tired.
A certain word in that sentence struck a chord with Lin Ting. The silent chord trembled, and Lin Ting’s pupils trembled along with it. The light within them dispersed for an instant. His smile faltered for a moment but quickly returned. He looked back at Gu Yuqing and whispered, “Yeah, I couldn’t sleep well.”
The rain didn’t stop, falling diagonally with the wind, silently. The white cat finished eating the meat filling and retreated back into the little hole, wiping its face on its own, completely indifferent to the outside world.
Lin Ting’s unease was too subtle for Gu Yuqing to notice. He turned his gaze toward the glass window of the breakfast shop. The wiped frame was no longer visible, and the steaming soup dumplings remained on the table, their hot steam blending with the warm air. The dumplings had already cooled down.
“Drinking all night is bad for the stomach, and exposing yourself to the cold wind can easily make you sick,” Gu Yuqing tilted his head and smiled invitingly. “How about I treat you to breakfast? After eating, you can go back and catch up on sleep.”
Lin Ting followed his gaze toward the glass window. At that opportune moment, his stomach growled loudly. Gu Yuqing’s laughter came in slight volume, causing him to laugh along.
“Sure,” Lin Ting accepted the invitation and patted his stomach. “It just so happens that it says it’s hungry too.”
**
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