Chapter 5: Support

Bai Chen was a bit confused because he had just moved into this apartment and didn’t know the neighbors around him…

Oh no.

He had met someone named Zhu Yu last night.

It seemed that he had a feeling of who might be at the door. Bai Chen quickly got up and opened the door.

What he saw was a messy Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu was almost a whole head shorter than Bai Chen.

After the door opened, he tilted his head back to look up at Bai Chen.

Bai Chen also lowered his head to look at Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu looked like he had suffered some great injustice, with tearful eyes and messy pink hair. A sunflower-shaped hairpin hung at the end of his hair, dangling in the middle of his nose.

He looked utterly miserable.

“Zhu Yu?” Bai Chen’s brows furrowed, and after calling out to him in a hushed voice, he asked, “What happened?”

Zhu Yu raised his hand and wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. He looked at Bai Chen with a hoarse voice and said, “Bai Chen, can you help me?”

“What’s wrong?” Bai Chen stepped aside to let Zhu Yu into the room.

Zhu Yu shook his head to indicate he didn’t want to go in and explained, “I… I bought potatoes and meat to make braised pork, but I failed again…”

Bai Chen quickly caught the word “again” in Zhu Yu’s sentence.

However, he didn’t press him about it, and he understood the unspoken meaning behind Zhu Yu’s words. “I understand.”

Zhu Yu hurriedly stepped aside to make way for Bai Chen, gesturing for him to enter. Bai Chen smiled, closed the door behind him, and followed Zhu Yu into his apartment.

Even though Zhu Yu had opened the windows for ventilation, the whole place still smelled like burnt ingredients, which was unpleasant. As Bai Chen walked into the kitchen, he even found the smell greasy and overwhelming.

He clenched his fist and coughed lightly under his nose. Then, a mask was handed to him. Bai Chen looked over and saw Zhu Yu, already wearing a mask.

Zhu Yu’s concerned gaze was so sincere, as if there were some biochemical virus in the kitchen.

Bai Chen couldn’t help but laugh again and then said, “I don’t need it.”

He stepped forward and lifted the lid of the pot. A cloud of black smoke rose from it, and the sizzling sound filled the air. The strong smell of burnt fatty meat made Bai Chen cough several times.

After seeing the condition inside the pot, Bai Chen fell silent for a rare moment.

Zhu Yu, standing behind him, covered his face and weakly explained, “I really wasn’t doing a biochemical experiment.”

He was just a poor kid who wanted to eat braised pork.

Fortunately, the apartment rules allowed international students to briefly disable the smoke detector while cooking, otherwise, Zhu Yu wouldn’t just miss out on dinner, he’d also have to pay for the firemen’s emergency response.

Bai Chen was amused by Zhu Yu’s words. He smiled, coughed a couple of times, and then gently said, “It’s fine, I’ll take care of it.”

He took the apron hanging on the wall, tied it around his waist, and the apron accentuated his well-built figure.

He picked up the spatula and began scraping the burnt remnants from the pan.

Bai Chen could vaguely make out what these used to be—chunks of potatoes and pork belly—but now they were just a charred mess, stuck to the bottom of the pan so badly that he almost couldn’t scrape them off.

“Is there anything I can do?” Zhu Yu leaned forward to ask.

Bai Chen thought for a moment and said, “Go to my place and bring the peanut oil from the windowsill. I see you’re using olive oil, but olive oil isn’t typically used for stir-frying.”

“Oh, okay! I’ll go right now!” Zhu Yu quickly agreed and dashed off to Bai Chen’s apartment.

He found the peanut oil on the spice rack as Bai Chen had said.

He hadn’t planned to stay long in Bai Chen’s place, after all, the owner wasn’t home.

But he couldn’t help but glance around. The apartment still had the same dark tones and minimalist style, everything neatly arranged. Zhu Yu had the odd feeling that Bai Chen could leave at any moment.

His peripheral vision caught sight of a blueprint on the coffee table.

It looked like some kind of landscape design plan.

Zhu Yu couldn’t understand it, but the design seemed a little strange to him. However, he didn’t think too much about it and left after turning off the lights.

When he returned to the kitchen, the strong burnt smell had subsided, and Bai Chen was now cutting the potatoes into strips.

Zhu Yu placed the oil beside him and curiously asked, “Bai Chen, what are you planning to make?”

Bai Chen replied calmly, “I’m making potato pancakes. The meat you bought is almost gone, it’s not enough to make braised pork anymore.”

Zhu Yu felt a lump in his chest, and he clutched it in distress, saying, “Sigh, I spent so much money on this meat, and I haven’t even had a bite yet.”

“I should’ve just bought instant food,” Zhu Yu said, his voice full of frustration.

Bai Chen could hear the disappointment in his voice and comforted him, “Don’t be sad. I saw you also bought some eggplant. I’ll make minced meat eggplant with the remaining meat.”

“Hey! Actually, I was planning to make minced meat eggplant too, but the first dish failed…” Zhu Yu’s eyes lit up, not expecting that Bai Chen was thinking the same thing.

“Bai Chen, you’re so kind!” Zhu Yu felt an impulse to attach himself to Bai Chen’s waist like a charm.

Bai Chen said, “We’re neighbors, just helping out.”

Zhu Yu murmured beside him, “I got a part-time job that pays by the hour, and once I get paid, I wanted to cook for myself as a reward.”

“I followed the steps, but no matter what, it didn’t work out. I messed it up again.” Usually, Zhu Yu was like a cheerful, sunny ^[1]Samoyed is a breed of large, fluffy, white dog known for its friendly and cheerful personality. They have a characteristic “Samoyed smile” because of their upturned mouths, which makes … Continue readingSamoyed, but now, his tail and ears drooped as he turned into a dejected little dog.

“I really don’t have a talent for cooking.” The little dog sighed deeply, and a thick cloud seemed to hover above his head.

But when Zhu Yu saw Bai Chen take the freshly made potato pancakes out of the pan, the dark clouds above his head instantly dissipated.

His eyes lit up, and he stared intently at the two potato pancakes on the plate.

Bai Chen placed the pancakes on the table behind him.

“No one is perfect. Not being able to cook isn’t something to be upset about. Don’t be too sad,” Bai Chen said, his voice calm and full of experience, even though he didn’t look much older than Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu pressed his lips together and took small steps toward the table.

Then he spoke up, “But I think you’re perfect.”

After saying this, he quietly reached out and broke off a small piece of the potato pancake.

The freshly fried potato pancakes were golden and crispy on both sides, with a layer of oil glistening on the surface. The shredded potatoes were evenly cut, topped with pepper and chili powder, and sprinkled with chopped green onions. The pancakes looked very appetizing.

The whole dish emitted a tempting aroma.

He popped the small piece of potato pancake into his mouth, and the crispy flavor quickly spread throughout his mouth. The green onions didn’t affect the taste, instead, they helped mask the starchy flavor.

It was just a little too hot right out of the pan, causing Zhu Yu to tear up.

He quickly stuck out his tongue and waved his hand near his lips to cool them, just as he heard Bai Chen respond, “How could that be? I have a lot of things I’m not good at too.”

Then Bai Chen sighed softly.

Zhu Yu looked at the broad back of Bai Chen, who was cooking, feeling confused about why Bai Chen would say that.

“Bai Chen…” Zhu Yu called out softly.

Bai Chen turned around and looked at him, his eyes gentle as he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Aren’t you upset?” Zhu Yu’s pure eyes stared intently at Bai Chen’s face.

Bai Chen looked puzzled. “Why would you think that? I’m not upset at all.”

He seemed to have returned to his usual self, radiating a gentle and calm aura, and his previous words seemed like a mere misunderstanding on Zhu Yu’s part.

“I heard you sigh.” In Zhu Yu’s understanding, people don’t sigh without a reason, it usually means they’ve experienced or thought of something upsetting.

“Sighing doesn’t necessarily mean being upset,” Bai Chen patiently and seriously explained.

“Alright, but you’re right, no one is perfect,” Zhu Yu said, breaking off another piece of the potato pancake and popping it into his mouth. “It’s not my fault I can’t cook.”

Chew, chew, swallow.

Zhu Yu broke off another piece.

Then another piece.

And stuffed it into his mouth.

—

He swore that it would be the last piece.

—

A few minutes later, Bai Chen took the last two potato pancakes out of the pan, but when he turned around, all he saw was an empty plate on the table and Zhu Yu sitting neatly at the table.

Zhu Yu sat at the dining table with his back straight, looking obedient, like a student listening carefully in class.

Their eyes met, and Bai Chen was confused.

“Just now…” Bai Chen furrowed his brows slightly and asked, “I should have made two potato pancakes, right?”

Zhu Yu awkwardly nodded.

—

About fifteen minutes later, Bai Chen finished the last dish, and Zhu Yu took two colorful ceramic bowls out of the cupboard.

“Bai Chen, you should eat some too,” Zhu Yu placed one of the bowls in front of Bai Chen.

Bai Chen shook his head and refused. “I already had dinner before you came to find me.”

“Not even a little?” Zhu Yu still felt a bit regretful because Bai Chen’s cooking was really delicious.

“No, you eat first,” Bai Chen said. Just as he finished speaking, he felt something soft brush against his foot.

He turned his head to look at his feet and saw Liu Bo circling around them. Bai Chen bent down to pet it, and Liu Bo rubbed his palm before kicking off with its hind legs and jumping onto his lap.

Zhu Yu looked at Liu Bo and scolded, “Liu Bo, are you clean? Why are you jumping onto others?”

Bai Chen scratched Liu Bo’s chin with his finger, and the plump cat purred comfortably in Bai Chen’s arms.

“Meow—”

Bai Chen stroked Liu Bo’s head, his lips curling up as he said to Zhu Yu, “It’s fine, I’ll hold it. You eat, or it will get cold.”

Seeing that Liu Bo was calmly staying in Bai Chen’s arms without causing any trouble, Zhu Yu finally relaxed and began to eat.

Bai Chen hadn’t even put Liu Bo down yet, he had noticed earlier that Zhu Yu’s home was very beautiful.

There were many colorful things scattered around the house.

Colorful flowers, bright paintings, many completed Lego sets, large puzzles, and all sorts of quirky little trinkets.

It was clear that Zhu Yu’s world was colorful.

Bai Chen looked back at Zhu Yu. By this time, Zhu Yu had already finished one of the potato pancakes.

He ate elegantly, not messy or wolfing it down, but it was clear that he was enjoying it very much.

Bai Chen never really thought his cooking was particularly delicious.

And yet, the other person hadn’t even said a word of praise, but there was a strange sense of satisfaction that rippled through Bai Chen’s heart.

He instinctively turned his gaze away.

“By the way, Bai Chen, how old are you?” Zhu Yu, who had been focused on eating, suddenly looked up and asked.

Bai Chen turned back to look at him and replied, “Twenty-five.”

“Three years older than me. I thought you were much older,” Zhu Yu said, taking a bite of the potato pancake.

Bai Chen smiled, the dimples on his cheeks making him seem even gentler. “So, are you saying I look old?”

He was joking with Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu panicked and stopped eating his pancake. He quickly put down what he was holding, waved his hands, and shook his head, flustered as he explained, “No, no! I just think you give off a sense of security, you’re impressive, more reliable than my brother. I thought you looked younger!”

Bai Chen was curious, “You have an older brother?”

“Yeah, he’s a total old-fashioned guy. He’s really strict with me…”

“Actually, it’s not just him. My family is all pretty strict with me. I just… I just made one small mistake.” Zhu Yu showed the small gap between his thumb and index finger, trying to show how tiny his mistake was.

Then he broke down and added, “They sent me to this Godforsaken place, gave me such little pocket money every month, and I end up waking up hungry every day…”

The more Zhu Yu spoke, the angrier he got, and he couldn’t help but shove a big bite of potato pancake into his mouth, his cheeks puffing up.

Bai Chen smiled, pressing his lips together, and poured him a glass of water. “They’re that harsh?”

“Yes, yes, yes!! They’re so harsh!” Zhu Yu nodded vigorously but still didn’t forget to shove food into his mouth.

—

Ten minutes later.

“Bai Chen, thank you! I didn’t expect to disturb you again tonight,” Zhu Yu swallowed the last bite of food, then put down his bowl and said to Bai Chen.

On the table in front of him, only a few empty bowls remained.

Bai Chen shook his head. “It’s fine, after all, you’re the first friend I’ve made since I came here.”

Zhu Yu was really happy to hear Bai Chen say that. He picked up his phone from the table. “Since we’re friends now, should we add each other on WeChat?!”

He didn’t even notice that, because he was so happy, the tone of his voice had risen.

Bai Chen, after hearing that, casually touched his pocket, but realized he had left his phone on the coffee table. “I didn’t bring my phone. I’ll go get it now.”

“No need, no need, that’s too troublesome. Anyway, we’re neighbors. We can add each other tomorrow when we see each other!” Zhu Yu stopped him.

Bai Chen didn’t insist. He nodded. “Alright.”

“Then I’ll head back now. It’s getting late.” Bai Chen picked up Liu Bo from his lap and put him down on the floor.

“Okay!” Zhu Yu responded, then turned his head to look at Liu Bo by Bai Chen’s feet, who seemed to be reluctant to leave, his expression puzzled.

“Liu Bo is usually quite scared of strangers, but how come he’s so clingy with you?”