NOVEL NEXT vol. 1 chapter 19 - “something more precious than family”
Chapter 19 – “something more precious than family”
Qin Mu closed the door. He faced the mirror and gave himself a few hard slaps.
He said to himself, “Can’t you have a little shame? He saved you, protected you, did so much for you. How can you have such filthy thoughts? You’re a fucking homosexual. What right do you have to interfere with his normal life? Do you deserve to?”
After a sleepless night, he was resolved to deeply bury his feelings and focus all his attention on studying. He wanted to go to K Uni. In the past, it was so he could get away from the agony of his family. Now, there was a more important reason – he wanted to go somewhere that was closer to Shen Liu.
The university entrance exam and unrequited love are two of life’s hardest trials, not to mention, there was also the unshakeable PTSD that plagued him. For over a year, he groped and crawled through the mire of these trials, battling with himself, being knocked down countless times, then getting back up countless times. Shen Liu was the inexhaustible impetus of his perseverance. Like the morning star that hung high in the sky, so long as he could see it, he knew dawn was near, and had the strength to stand tall once more. The more he forged ahead, the stronger his heart grew, gradually unveiling a deeply self-possessed and resilient emotional character.
At last, his academics reached its ultimate fruition in the entrance exams. Since he already had a good estimation of his scores, he appeared quite calm. In contrast, Shen Liu was more excited than the person who was admitted. He ran straight to K Uni’s admission office and collected the acceptance letter to bring it home. As soon as he walked in, he wrapped Qin Mu in a hug and planted a big kiss on his forehead, showering him with praise, “Not bad at all. Amazing. You’ve really proved yourself.” He looked exactly like an old father who had just had the dream of his son’s success fulfilled.
Being hugged by him like this, Qin Mu’s heart raced. He discreetly shifted away, “What do you want to eat? I’ll buy some groceries later.”
“What groceries?” Shen Liu squeezed his cheeks, “Ge is taking you out! We’ll have a proper, proper celebration today.”
Qin Mu thought “going out” meant going to the small eatery downstairs, but before he understood what was going on, he was dragged into Guang Yue Restaurant in the city centre. With great swagger, he requested the largest private room and started ordering as soon as he plopped himself on the chair. Qin Mu took a glance at the menu and felt his hairs stand on end. He whispered, “This is way too expensive. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“We’re rarely this happy. We’ll treat ourselves.” Shen Liu smiled. He was usually a pretty down-to-earth person. When it came to the daily needs of life, he was only a little picky about where he lived; the rest, he wasn’t fussed. He ate street food without complaint, could go out with just a tank top, and without a car, he simply walked everywhere. As a result, no one around him, not even Qin Mu, who spent every day with him, knew anything about his family background. It wasn’t that he was intentionally hiding it, he just felt there wasn’t any need to especially mention it. But this time around, the extravagant, excessive manner of a young master was on full display and he ordered a table full of dishes.
Qin Mu stared with exasperation at the large lobster that sat smoking in a cloud of dry ice. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Are we not planning on surviving next month?”
“Don’t worry. When the bill comes, we’ll run.” Shen “the thug” Liu suggested.
Qin Mu rolled with it, “Then I better tie my shoelaces.”
The guests started arriving one by one. They were all people Qin Mu knew. As soon as Chubby saw the lobster and the roast duck, his eyes lit up, “Oh fuck! This whole table of... Lil’ Liu, did you spend all your money?!”
Feiyan guessed, “Did you win the lottery?”
Glasses shook his head, “The chances of him winning the lottery are very low. It’s more likely he robbed a bank. Chubby, look out the window and check for police cars.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“When joy comes, the heart feels light and free; even a fortune spent will find its way back to thee.” Shen Liu had his arm lazily rested on the back of Qin Mu’s chair, flaunting his extraordinary literary talents, “Little Woodsy has made it into K Uni. So, as his big brother, it’s only right that I give him a proper celebration. “He patted Qin Mu on his back, “Go, pour some alcohol for your seniors*.”
Qin Mu got up and one by one poured alcohol for each of them. Feiyan shoved a large paper box tied with a ribbon into his hands, “Here, take it. We wouldn’t want anyone saying that we seniors are only here to shamelessly sponge a free meal.” Seeing that Qin Mu didn’t want to take it, she smiled and said, “This is a token of our best wishes. Congratulations on making it into the Law Faculty of K Uni, as you have always wished. From now on you will be my junior. You can come to me for whatever you need. Your big sister has got your back.”
Just as Qin Mu was about to thank her, he heard her mysteriously lower her voice, “This includes dating, too. Got it? I know several pretty decent guys.”
His ears instantly burned, utterly mortified.
“Woodsy, if you’ve got it, get back here!” Shen Liu shouted, “Don’t let that dodgy matchmaker corrupt you.”
Qin Mu thanked everyone. At Shen Liu’s urging, he opened the gift in front of everyone - it was a laptop*.
Chubby said, “We talked it over and decided that it was best to give you something practical. The laptop’s a pretty good deal. Although you can’t play online video games on it, it’s more than enough for research and browsing. If there are any problems, just give it to me. Ever since my mother made fun of me for not knowing how to fix a computer as a computer science major, I’ve become the repair whizz of our department.”
“Don’t go with him. Gentlemen use words, not violence. The literature club welcomes you.” A pretty girl said with a sweet smile.
“Alright, alright. You two lovebirds can stop fighting over him.” Feiyan said, “Little Qin Mu Classmate is now officially under my care. I’m taking him to the debate team.”
“… Have I agreed?” Shen Liu raised his eyebrow.
“Agree or not, he still belongs to us, the Law Faculty.” Feiyan provocatively gave him a middle finger.
Qin Mu smiled as he watched them bicker; his heart was like a spring meadow basking in the sun, warm and soft. These strangers, who were not related by blood, treated him like their own little brother, giving him love and kindness, supporting him, guiding him, accompanying him through his difficult journey. They helped him shed his insecurity, lower his defences and maintain a positive, optimistic outlook on life. They also helped him gain something that had always been missing in his emotional life, something more precious than family, which filled him with gratitude.
He stood up with a glass in his hand. Because it was his first time making a toast on such an occasion, he was a little nervous, “This first toast goes to all of you. This journey I’ve been on… hasn’t been easy. I’ve received a lot of help and care from everyone. I will always remember all the good that you have given me, and whenever I get the chance, I will repay you all. This glass... I’ll drink first as respect.” With that, he downed it in one.
Chubby whistled, “Qin Mu’s already finished, then what are we waiting for?” Everyone downed their glass as well.
“This second toast is for you, Shen Liu ge.” Qin Mu refilled his glass and turned to the person beside him, “Thank you for pulling me out of hell. Thank you for taking me in and giving me a home I can return to. And thank you for always encouraging me, helping me get better.” All the events of the past flashed before his eyes, and as he spoke, his eyes began to redden.
Seeing this, Shen Liu curved the corners of his mouth and raised a hand, “Keep going. It’s about time my amazing achievements were given copious praise”, which successfully drew a pile of insults for his “shamelessness”, but also, without drawing attention, eased Qin Mu’s teetering emotions. Shen Liu gently clinked his glass with his, looked at him and said, “I’m proud of you.”
The light in those eyes was gentle and bright. The emotions that Qin Mu had just calmed began to bubble up again. He hastily tilted his head back and drank his glass. The cool alcohol warmed the moment it entered his throat, spreading a cozy heat throughout his body, exciting his entire person. It was his first time drinking freely. The beer was low in alcohol and didn’t seem to have any bad effects, so he refused no one and downed several rounds in one go.
“Young man, take it easy.” Shen Liu placed a piece of egg yolk pork rib in his bowl and tapped the rim with his chopsticks. “Eat something first.”
“Oh ok.” Qin Mu put down the glass and started eating.
Chubby waved around a lobster claw and rolled his eyes, “Lil’ Liu, that’s not right at all. What kind of night is this? Tonight, none of us is leaving until we’re all drunk. But you’re fussing over him like an old mother.”
Feiyan was tipsy and wagged her finger, “He’s not acting like an old mother, he’s a husband bossing his wife, what’s more, his own child bride*.”
Shen Liu smiled, “Keep drinking, you crazy woman.”
Qin Mu’s face flushed red. He pretended he didn’t hear anything and buried his head in eating. Someone came over for another toast. Just as he was about to lift his glass, Shen Liu pressed it down with a finger.
“Who told you to keep drinking with your face all red?” Shen Liu chided and took the glass instead. He then declared with maximum flair, “His drink, I’m taking it for him*.”
Chubby got angry, “Hey, fuck! Last time, I nearly got drowned by those bastards from the basketball team, and you still refused to take a single one for me!”
“You were born in the wild. He was raised as one of my own. How can that be the same?” Shen Liu slowly mused.
Qin Mu froze; the rib between his chopsticks nearly fell.
“Goddamn, Shen Liu, fuck you! You were born in the wild!” Chubby grabbed a bottle and stepped into battle, “You’re taking it for him, yes? This bottle I’m toasting to Qin Mu. You gonna drink?”
“I also toast Qin Mu.”
“Me too.”
Hearing that Shen Liu was taking the drinks for Qin Mu, the whole table pounced and descended on him. Even Glasses slowly wobbled his way over to join in the action.
Shen Liu turned to Qin Mu and smiled, “Look at these people, a bunch of animals in human skin.” Having finished playing the victim, he stomped his foot on the chair and said with incredible flourish, “Come at me! I’ll wreck you till you all call me ‘daddy’!”
The guys drank while the girls cheered. On the dining table, the smoke of war billowed about, and murderous intent lurked in every corner, ultimately turning into a united offensive against the Big Boss Shen Liu. It was carnage all around. In the first team: frontliner team captain Chubby puked on the spot; tank Feiyan clung to a coat rack and whispered life secrets; taekwondo captain slurred his way through tragic love songs. The second team staggered about even worse than the first. Even the logistics third team, Glasses, collapsed onto the table.
Big Boss Shen Liu, who was called “Thousand Cup Never Drunk”, still had a relatively clear head. He sat backwards on the chair, legs splayed, his head softly plopped against the back, and was giving orders, “Call three cars. Pack them all in. If you can’t budge them, then grab more people. These weaklings…”
With Shen Liu taking it all for him, Qin Mu hadn’t touched a drop more of alcohol. He was now helping two girls who were sober flag down three taxis so they could send all the drunkards home, group by group. By the time he got back, Shen Liu had already swiped his card and paid the bill. He was leaning against the counter and waving at Qin Mu, “Come give your ge a hand.”
Qin Mu hooked Shen Liu’s arm over his shoulder. Shen Liu was dizzy and soft in the legs, his whole body tilted over. Qin Mu caught him and held him at his waist. The two of them were about the same height, Shen Liu’s chin rested right on his shoulder, and so they were hugging each other face-to-face.
“Little Woodsy, was your Shen Liu gege awesome just then or what?”
“... yes” They were pressed tightly together. The only thing Qin Mu could feel was the pounding of his heart, so hard it was about to leap out. Hastily, he took two deep breaths.
“When did you grow so tall?” With his eyes half-closed, Shen Liu leaned against the side of his neck and then laughed, lowly, languidly, “Our Little Woodsy is all grown up.”
“...” Qin Mu felt that if they continued hugging like this any longer, he was about to lose composure. He adjusted their posture and held Shen Liu to his right, saying, “Let’s go home.”
Shen Liu leaned on him as they walked along the side of the road. He suddenly said, “Don’t listen to Lil’ Yan*.”
“What?” He didn’t understand.
“Stay away from those sketchy, nothing guys.”
Qin Mu didn’t know if he was meant to laugh or cry.
Not a minute later, Shen Liu seemed to come to terms with it, “Alright... You’ve grown up. If you want to know them, ok then. But you have to give me a heads-up. And, don’t sleep with anyone too easily. Even if you sleep with them, you must use protection. Men, women, they’re different. That place, it’s ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) easy to injure, easy to infect...”
The central avenue was bustling with people. Qin Mu blushed and gritted his teeth, “Do you really have to tell me this in the middle of the road?”
Shen Liu had a serene smile, his eyelashes sweeping downwards, veiling half his eyes. He looked especially gentle, “Little dummy... cause’ I’m afraid you’ll get hurt.”
Qin Mu seemed to miss a heartbeat, his steps faltered. He pressed his lips and said quietly, “I’m not little.”
Shen Liu seemed to have understood, or perhaps not. He looked at him in a daze and then blurted, “I wanna throw up.”
Qin Mu, “...”
He was genuinely drunk and barely managed it back home. The moment he reached, he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep. Qin Mu took off Shen Liu’s clothes that had been soiled, used a damp towel to clean his body, and then sat on the edge of the bed watching him.
The nightlight that was set on a thirty-minute timer automatically turned off. The room was all dark.
In that darkness, Qin Mu leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
************
Translator’s Note:
1. There exists something called the culture of drink and table in China. Perhaps equivalent to etiquette, but it is heavily about solidifying the hierarchies between people in society. Who should pour alcohol for whom to show respect, and who should be offered alcohol first are all essential parts.
2. Child bride or tongyangxi here translates the idea of a “bride adopted and raised from childhood”. It was a tradition of arranged marriage where the future bride of the family’s son is adopted and raised together with the son, the bride is a part of the family. Here, the implication is that Shen Liu has raised his own bride, or that their relationship is very close.
3. Another aspect of drink and table culture is to (sometimes forcefully) persuade another to drink, which then prompts the practice of taking a drink for another person, since some people can get bombarded with rounds of toasts.
4. Feiyan's nickname. Similar to Lil’ Liu for Shen Liu.
5. Remember that this is set in a time when laptops were not yet commonplace and therefore very expensive.