Date: March 12, X-year
Weather: Cloudy
So, this morning when I stepped out, Wu Yunfei didn’t greet me with his usual banter. Instead, he just coolly said, “Goodbye.”
Is he still holding a grudge or something?
Although I can’t quite comprehend it, I suppose it’s kind of embarrassing to have your secrets exposed to someone you’re close to. Back when he suddenly flew to Japan to find me, I, in an attempt to conceal my otaku tendencies, earnestly told him he had the wrong person. Looking back, it was quite ridiculous.
After all, we’ve been childhood friends; even if I pretend to be a total stranger, that familiar feeling doesn’t just vanish.
How could he not recognize me?
Later, we had a bit of a cold war over this. Despite him insisting that being an otaku is charming, I thought he was finding creative ways to mock me.
Now, I realize his feelings might have been somewhat like mine back then. Eager for understanding, but when it’s denied, a stubborn unwillingness to believe follows.
How did we patch things up?
If I remember correctly, he, in an attempt to prove our “otaku bond,” intentionally dressed up like a fashionable weirdo and asked me to take him to Akihabara.
I found his attire embarrassingly attention-grabbing, but he argued that it would make my painful otaku T-shirt less conspicuous. Well, at least it wouldn’t be as outrageous as his getup.
It was undeniably funny, and I, surprisingly touched, agreed. From that day on, we decided to dress normally, explore the area like regular tourists, take pictures, and enjoy the sights.
Our relationship, which had grown a bit distant, warmed up again. We started exchanging messages during our free time.
Later, after I returned to my home country, I purchased an apartment with my savings. Wu Yunfei frequently crashed at my place, and we officially became roommates.
One could say that it was my little secret that brought us closer again. Now, do I have to go through a similar process for his little secret to bring us closer?
I’m not as determined as him; I won’t disguise myself as his otaku counterpart.
But perhaps doing things that make him happy could have a similar effect.
I made a list of things he likes and went through it from top to bottom.
Overall, this guy’s favorite thing is… doing reckless stuff.
He’s super afraid of spicy food but insists on eating the spiciest hot pot;
He’s sensitive to the cold but strikes poses in the chilly wind to look cool;
His stomach can’t handle it, yet he munches on popsicles in the dead of winter…
He’s relentlessly committed to embodying the “ridiculous” character!
Do I have to join him in his foolishness?
Just then, I remembered the graffiti on his wall. Since I accidentally messed it up, I figured I could buy some paint, and let him freely doodle on the wall. Modern art or realistic, as long as it makes him happy.
Thinking about this, I called my assistant over and asked him to check which department had spare acrylic paint.
“Shouldn’t you ask the art department for this kind of thing?” the assistant suggested. “But why do you need it? Do you want the art department to help with the design?”
“No need to bother them. I accidentally dirtied the wall a few days ago, and I want to DIY a mural myself,” I explained.
To be safe, I paused and added, “In case I accidentally ruin it, you can go ask them to help salvage the situation.”
“At that point, it might be easier to find the renovation team. Young people are lucky,” the assistant chuckled.
Actually, my assistant is not that old, just in his thirties, but he always speaks with an air of elderly wisdom, as if he’s in his seventies.
Thinking about Wu Yunfei, living carefree every day, these two are roughly the same age but in different stages of life. What do kids in their youth like?
On my way home, I passed by the Golden Arches and, on a whim, bought two meals.
I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that this might make him a bit happier.
Sure enough, when I got home, he saw the takeout in my hands and smiled.
“You said you don’t like McDonald’s. I haven’t taken you there for a while, and now you’re buying it yourself,” he teased. “Some people are just hypocrites; they claim not to like it on the surface but deep down, they enjoy it.”
I subconsciously wanted to retort but refrained, realizing my motive behind buying McDonald’s. Regardless, it should make him happy.
“You didn’t get the Happy Meal this time?” he sounded surprisingly surprised.
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.
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“Glvc’a sbe rjs sbe vbc’a mbiifma ZmGbcjiv’r absr?”
“Ktja’r yfmjerf P vbc’a. Vb, atfgf’r cb cffv ab yes j Ljqqs Zfji!”
“Dea sbe wfcalbcfv ‘mbiifmalcu’ pera cbk.”
Okay, maybe I did lack the habit of collecting such boring things before. But he used to take me to eat Happy Meals, and sometimes, a set of eight toys meant I could collect seven. To maintain neatness, I’d pay extra attention to the missing one. It was just my compulsive behavior, not a deliberate effort to collect!
“Ignore, ignore. Blah, blah, blah,” he covered his ears and playfully avoided the conversation.
This joker is really ungrateful!
And here I was, brainstorming ways to cheer him up…
“Are you in a better mood today?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be when there’s a thigh in front of me for a hug? I have every reason to be happy,” he said. “Yesterday, I was just drunk and had a hangover. Don’t tell me you actually thought I was upset about that?”
“But you cried at the bar…”
“That was just emotional control after drinking too much. You can’t take a drunkard’s words seriously,” he laughed. “You, on the other hand, were insisting on transforming into a monster to fight.”
Was he really just rambling after drinking?
I still feel like his vulnerability at that time was genuine.
“Why that expression? Do you think I said something strange after drinking too much? Like confessing my feelings to you?” he asked.
Before I could reply, he shifted his gaze aside, saying, “Whatever I said, don’t take it seriously.”
“No confessions, but you cried, accusing me of being a heartless villain who, despite the hardships, raised you, only for you to realize I didn’t care about you at all,” I said.
“That’s it?” He seemed somewhat doubtful.
I nodded, innocently saying, “You spent the night scolding me like a villain, and when you were tired of that, you cried in my arms, then resumed scolding…”
“This proves I’ve harbored grievances against you for a long time. You should remember to treat me better. Otherwise, be careful I sabotage your meals,” he jokingly threatened.
“This is considered a threat; I can call the police anytime.”
“Do you have evidence? Be careful;
Date: March 13th, X year
Weather: Cloudy
Today, Wu Yunfei has basically finished making the clothes for me. However, he mentioned that it’s still a semi-finished product, and I need to try the size. There are many steps to be taken later.
“Making men’s clothes is troublesome. It’s more enjoyable to make clothes for girls,” he grumbled.
Is he dissing me?
But to be honest, men’s clothing is indeed less diverse than women’s clothing. Also, my request for the outfit to be versatile somewhat limits his creativity.
“The customer is God. Since you made a request, I’ll definitely meet it,” he said while tidying up the clothes.
Maybe I’ve lost weight recently; I feel the clothes are a bit loose. Seeing this, Wu Yunfei frowned and asked if I’d been eating properly.
“That depends on your definition of eating well. But I assure you, I eat every meal.”
Drinking soy milk counts as a meal, right?
“Then eat a little more from now on. It’s troublesome to keep adjusting the size of the clothes,” he advised.
This guy just boasted about being an excellent designer who satisfies all customer needs, and now he’s complaining about my changing body shape. QQ There’s no designer like him under the sky!
“By the way, I might have to go on a business trip for some time after coming back from Fashion Week,” he mentioned.
Business trip? Where is he going?
“For work,” he replied. “It’ll probably take about two months.”
I suddenly felt a bit reluctant, wanting to tell him not to go, but I couldn’t find the words to keep him. It’s perfectly normal for a man to go on a business trip, and as a childhood friend, I should support and encourage him, right?
Thinking this way, I forced a smile and wished him success.
“Aren’t you curious about what kind of work I’ll be doing?” he asked.
“Of course, but I’m afraid it involves some business secrets, and I don’t want to put you in a difficult position, so I didn’t dare ask. But, considering your expertise, is it related to design?”
“You guessed half of it,” he laughed. “Bro, I’m going to become a big fashion star.”
A big fashion star? Is he going to debut?
Although he looks good, he’s almost thirty years old. Isn’t it a bit late to debut now?
He explained that he’s participating in a reality show called “Super Designer.” Ten designers selected through auditions will compete by creating different styles of clothing every week, and the judges will eliminate the bottom performers each time. In the end, they’ll compete for first, second, and third place.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” he asked with a smile.
I didn’t find it interesting, but survival shows like this always come with a lot of pressure. I’m afraid he won’t be able to handle it.
“Pressure gives motivation. I feel like I’ve been too lazy before,” he said. “And didn’t you say you like people who work seriously and have a positive attitude?”
I thought about it; it seems like I’ve said something similar before.
“But you’ve never worked in such a high-pressure environment before, right?”
I still don’t want him to go.
This guy has always been arrogant, and if his works don’t get recognized, what if he argues with the judges? According to him, this is the era of traffic, and even spitting can drown people. If he doesn’t have a good guide, he’ll probably get criticized online…
Thinking about the various possibilities that might happen, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Do you have a little confidence in me?” he said unhappily. “How bad do you think I am in your eyes?”
“I don’t want you to go,” I said. “I finally got used to the lively atmosphere, and now you’re telling me that I’ll be alone again.”
He seemed to want to say something, but when he met my gaze, he suddenly smiled and looked down. “Don’t you still have a cat?”
He’s right; even if he’s not here, I still have the cat. I won’t be too lonely.
But for some reason, I still feel a bit empty inside.
“Where will you be recording the show? Can I come for a visit?” I asked.
He said he hasn’t received specific notice yet, only knowing that the recording will start around mid-April.
“They say they haven’t found a suitable ‘Golden Dad’ yet,” he added.
Hearing this, an idea suddenly came to my mind.
There are not many fashion designer reality shows currently. If the production goes well, it should have a good viewership. The group recently acquired a small talent agency, and I could use this opportunity to arrange for some of those lesser-known artists to participate in the show, maybe as models. It would be a chance for them to gain recognition in front of the audience.
I drafted a plan in my mind, intending to discuss it at the next meeting.
Anyway, the group also has many holiday resorts. If it’s possible, maybe I can persuade the show’s team to choose a venue closer to Beijing.
Date: March 14th, X year
Weather: Clear
I suddenly remembered that I have a fashion week trip with Wu Yunfei next Monday. To avoid delaying the sponsorship relationship, I didn’t leave the office right after work, as usual. Instead, I went to my father’s office.
“A rare visitor,” he chuckled. “What brings you here?”
I collected my thoughts and handed him the plan I drafted last night, briefly explaining the business opportunity hidden in this collaboration.
He listened with a constant smile but didn’t open the document he held in his hands.
“All the details are in the plan. Please take a look and let me know if there’s anything inappropriate. I can make adjustments when I get back,” I gently reminded.
“Sounded good. I’ll take a closer look at the plan later,” my father said.
Since he took it to this point, I didn’t want to insist further, so I nodded.
Just as I was about to leave, he suddenly stopped me.
“Stay for a while. Let’s have a chat, just the two of us,” he said.
Chat? I felt a bit nervous when he said that.
Could it be that I’ve made some mistakes at work recently?
I sat on the sofa, anxiously waiting for whatever judgment was coming my way.
“Don’t be nervous; let’s just chat casually. When you were little, I was always busy with work. By the time I thought of you, you had already grown this big… Do you resent me?” he asked.
I didn’t know how to respond immediately.
In a way, I wasn’t very familiar with my father. People often asked if I held a grudge against him for being absent during my childhood. Every time, I would smile and shake my head, saying “no.”
Others praised me for being understanding since childhood, but only I knew that I couldn’t feel resentment towards someone I wasn’t familiar with. Moreover, from childhood to now, he hasn’t been lacking in material support. I should be grateful, right?
Although now, I’m the only one in the family living a frugal life, that was my choice. Who asked me to move out and live alone back then?
This can be considered as reaping what I sowed, so I have no reason to resent others.
Thinking about it carefully, my biggest dissatisfaction with my father was not getting overtime pay and having the lowest salary among employees with the same rank.
QQ At first, I could understand since I couldn’t generate any income for the group. But now, I’ve independently completed several major projects. Why don’t I get a salary raise?
Normally, I don’t feel it, but these past two days, discussing the fashion week schedule with my childhood friend, I’ve keenly felt my own poverty.
I’m probably the poorest second-generation rich person in all of China…
Seeing that I didn’t speak, my father paused for a moment and then brought up another question.
“Have you been interested in someone recently?”
Interested in someone? Does my silly childhood friend count?
He’s been causing trouble all the time lately, stirring up mischief at every turn. It’s hard not to be interested in him!
“Well, kind of,” I said.
Hearing me say that, my father’s expression seemed a bit tangled, and he asked again, “Is submitting this proposal also related to that person you’re interested in?”
Does my father also know about Wu Yunfei participating in this reality show and our relationship?
I feel like there’s no need to hide this matter. So I nodded.
My father sighed and said, “Forget about this proposal for now. Focus on your own projects, and remember not to lose focus by playing around… I’ll try to give you a satisfactory answer as much as possible.”
For the first time, I heard the words “playing around” connected to me, and I was a bit confused for a moment.
Did my father misunderstand something?
But this proposal did indeed go beyond my scope, and it was reasonable for him to reprimand me.
“Then, I’ll leave this proposal to you… I really feel that the feasibility is quite high,” I said.
For the first time, I was persistent about a proposal, but my father didn’t seem surprised at all. He waved his hand, saying he understood.
Does he really understand? I feel like I haven’t said much since entering the room.
I intentionally didn’t leave, hiding nearby and secretly observing.
Not long after, the assistant came from the other end of the corridor and entered the office.
I had an intuition that their conversation would be related to me, so I sneakily approached the door to eavesdrop.
“I asked just now, and he does seem to have some interest in that little artist. It turns out those rumors online about their relationship weren’t groundless, just casually spreading around,” my father said.
Little artist? What little artist?
I was completely puzzled.
“Do you want me to subtly advise him?” the assistant asked.
“Let’s see how it goes. After all, it’s his first love. Let’s try to leave him with more beautiful memories as much as possible,” my father said.
Although I only heard bits and pieces, I’m sure they misunderstood something.
First love? I haven’t even found the shadow of my first love yet!
In my house, besides my childhood friend, the only living beings are the cat. Which one of them can be my first love?
Give me MOREEEE 😩😫
I’ve caught up! This is so cute!