Chapter 4: Request

It was twelve minutes later that Zhu Yu arrived at the café, just in time.

By then, the café had started to fill with customers.

He pushed the door open and walked inside, feeling a little guilty.

Before coming to the UK, Zhu Yu had known that the British were very punctual. He silently congratulated himself for not being late.

“Hello.” Zhu Yu greeted the receptionist in English, “I’m here for an interview.”

His spoken English was very good, with no noticeable accent.

The receptionist, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed British woman, looked at Zhu Yu and smiled, asking, “May I have your name…?”

Zhu Yu told her his name.

“Alright, please follow me.” She led him to the staff break room in the back. As they walked, Zhu Yu glanced around.

The woman opened a door, and Zhu Yu saw many uniforms hanging inside, along with corresponding employee lockers.

She looked at Zhu Yu and said, “My name is Chloe. Please change into a suitable uniform, and I’ll explain your job to you afterward.”

Zhu Yu, curious, asked, “Don’t I need to have an interview?”

“The boss said you can start working as soon as you arrive. I’ll give you the contract in a moment,” Chloe explained with a smile.

Zhu Yu nodded, realizing that Zhu Ting must have taken care of everything.

He picked out a suitable uniform: a white shirt and a brown apron with the café’s name printed on the chest. Zhu Yu was tall and had the build of a natural model.

After changing, Chloe gave him a key to one of the employee lockers, so he could lock up his clothes and belongings.

She then briefed him on some of the details of the job.

Zhu Yu’s job was to deliver drinks and desserts to customers’ tables.

Since he was working part-time, the café decided to pay him by the hour, settling the payment at the end of each day. When Zhu Yu heard this, his eyes lit up.

The job wasn’t difficult.

Even though he had never worked this kind of job before, Zhu Yu adapted quickly.

Fortunately, the café wasn’t too busy during the workday, and possibly because it was his first part-time job, Zhu Yu didn’t feel tired.

In the corner by the window, there was a table with three Chinese people, two women and one man.

Zhu Yu overheard them talking, and it seemed they were students from the architecture department at the school.

Their school’s architecture department had the most Chinese students, so it was normal to see Chinese students from the architecture department hanging out together.

Zhu Yu overheard them discussing someone.

“It seems like Professor Vera’s student took a leave of absence and is back now,” said the short-haired girl.

The curly-haired girl asked, “Is it the one she’s particularly proud of?”

“Yes, him. I saw him yesterday, and he’s even better looking in person than in photos!!” The short-haired girl said excitedly, her eyes shining. “His body’s great too!”

The buzz-cut guy asked curiously, “Why did he take a leave of absence?”

“Something about family matters? Or maybe he was sick? I’m not sure,” the short-haired girl speculated.

“Have you interacted with him? What’s he like?” The curly-haired girl was curious.

“He’s super gentle!! We worked on a project with him before he took his leave, and he’s really thoughtful. He handled a lot of the project’s details.”

“How should I put it… he gives off this vibe where, even though he’s the same age as us, he’s just way more mature and composed. He’s the type that feels like someone you’d keep chasing until you caught up.”

“Don’t even talk about chasing him. Just the other day, a blonde curly-haired guy tried to hit on you, and who was the one who ran off immediately?”

“Oh, don’t bring that up!!”

—

Zhu Yu was wiping the table nearby, listening to their conversation without missing a word.

When he heard they were discussing someone from the architecture department, he felt it was a bit of a coincidence, because Bai Chen was also from the architecture department.

But he didn’t think much of it.

Zhu Yu had class in the afternoon, so his work ended by noon. His boss, August, arrived at the café just before Zhu Yu was about to leave for school.

August was a tall man in his early thirties, with a thick beard and deep-set eyes, the irises a dark brown. His personality was outgoing and easygoing.

It was clear that he and Zhu Ting had a good relationship. He mentioned some of the things Zhu Ting had done here and joked with Zhu Yu, saying he looked just as pretty as a girl and nothing like his brother.

He also asked about Zhu Ting’s current situation.

Zhu Yu had no idea, thinking to himself that at least everyone was doing better than him right now.

But he acted very obediently in front of August.

He answered whatever he was asked.

Watching Zhu Yu leave, August looked puzzled, feeling that Zhu Yu’s personality seemed very different from what Zhu Ting had described.

He sent a message to Zhu Ting, saying that Zhu Yu’s work had been arranged well. He was a very obedient kid, listened well, and worked hard.

He added that Zhu Yu wasn’t as headstrong as Zhu Ting had mentioned.

After a while, Zhu Ting replied with a message: 【?】

—

The afternoon class was a major subject.

Zhu Yu walked around the cafeteria and ended up only eating a piece of boiled carrot before rushing off to class.

After class, Zhu Yu was so hungry that he could hardly move his feet.

He lazily packed up his drawing board and prepared to leave.

His professor, Mayra, called out to him from the podium, “Yu, wait a moment.”

Mayra was a well-known art teacher at the college. As the only Chinese student in the class, Zhu Yu had always received her extra attention.

Zhu Yu stopped packing and walked over to Professor Mayra.

The beautiful woman was in her fifties, with short, curly hair, elegant manners, and a natural, approachable demeanor. She was close to all her students.

She would occasionally call Zhu Yu after class, mostly to check in on him and ask if he was adjusting well to life abroad.

Zhu Yu thought this time would be the same.

“Professor,” Zhu Yu approached Mayra, “Is there something you need?”

Mayra nodded and smiled at him, “Yu, I have something I’d like to ask you for help with.”

Zhu Yu was a bit surprised, as this was the first time Professor Mayra had asked him for help with something. “What is it?”

“My husband has a student who has great design talent,” Mayra said. Her husband was a professor in the neighboring architecture department. Zhu Yu had seen them walking together on campus before, and Mayra had introduced him to her husband.

So, now that Mayra mentioned her husband, Zhu Yu didn’t feel strange about it.

“What’s wrong with him?” Zhu Yu sensed that there was more to this.

Professor Mayra’s expression became serious. “For some reason, he’s lost his talent.”

“Lost his talent?” Zhu Yu wondered if “lost” was meant literally.

Mayra nodded. “His designs are becoming more and more standardized, more rigid, and lacking boldness.”

“His works can’t even be called designs anymore. My husband and I only see stiffness and constraint,” Mayra said critically. “And it’s not just us—he himself can’t see the problem.”

Zhu Yu furrowed his brow for a moment, then asked, “So, didn’t you and Professor Vera have any ideas?”

Mayra shook her head with a troubled expression, then spoke.

“There is a solution, but it might require you to help.”

Mayra’s voice was kind and warm, her smile habitual, with slight crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes. Her blue eyes had a slightly cloudy look.

Zhu Yu had received a lot of care from Professor Mayra after coming abroad, so if it was just helping with something, he wouldn’t refuse.

“Please, Professor,” he said.

Professor Mayra then said, “I’ve told you before, art and architecture have similarities. Art can provide inspiration and creativity for architectural design, helping to break conventions and create more innovative, bold, and personalized architectural works.”

“Your paintings always have bold and novel ideas, with exaggerated and beautiful colors—this is a rare talent. Also, you’re an optimistic and influential student. I hope you can interact more with that student and help identify his issues.”

“Moreover, he is also Chinese, and I think you’ll have more common ground with him than we would, and you’ll be able to talk to him more easily.” Professor Mayra added as an explanation.

Zhu Yu understood, the professor wanted him to help take care of this problematic student.

After a moment of thought, Zhu Yu nodded and asked, “Okay, should I meet with him now?”

It wasn’t just because it was Professor Mayra’s request that he didn’t refuse—first, he didn’t think it would be much trouble.

Second, last night, Bai Chen had mentioned that he was from the architecture design department, and now Zhu Yu was quite curious about the people in that field.

Hearing Zhu Yu agree to her request, Professor Mayra immediately smiled in relief and genuinely praised him: “You’re a kind-hearted child.”

“However, my husband is on a business trip today. Can I contact you tomorrow to meet with us?” Professor Mayra gently asked for Zhu Yu’s opinion.

Zhu Yu replied that it was no problem.

After saying goodbye to Professor Mayra, Zhu Yu still went to the cafeteria as usual. It was the same cold, unappetizing Western food.

He had only eaten a piece of bread for breakfast, and since he hadn’t had time to eat during his part-time job at the café, he had nibbled on half a boiled carrot and had been hungry ever since.

It was no surprise, what could there possibly be to eat in this school cafeteria?

He closed his eyes in despair for a moment, then turned and left the cafeteria.

As soon as he stepped out of the cafeteria, his phone vibrated slightly, and a text message popped up on the screen.

Zhu Yu took out his phone and glanced at the message.

Then his gaze froze on the screen.

His bank account balance had suddenly increased by forty pounds!!

At this moment, August sent a message: 【Yu, your part-time pay has been transferred. Did you receive it?】

Zhu Yu had only worked for two hours at the café this morning, yet August had sent him forty pounds…

Converting that… nearly two hundred per hour!

Zhu Yu closed his eyes happily.

Had the good days finally come?

Liu Bo, did you see this? Tonight, you can have your cat food.

Tears of excitement welled up in Zhu Yu’s eyes.

After politely replying to his boss’s message, Zhu Yu slung his backpack over his shoulder and ran to the supermarket downstairs in his apartment building.

First, he picked up a bag of cat food and some cans for Liu Bo.

Usually, Zhu Yu would buy some instant food for himself, and he had planned to do so this time as well. However, he wasn’t sure if it was the influence of the authentic Braised Chicken he had eaten last night, but now, the thought of eating canned food and instant meals made him a little nauseous.

After a moment, a bold idea came to mind.

He quickened his pace and headed to the fresh produce section of the supermarket.

—

Classes at school weren’t late, but in the UK, the nights fall quickly. It was only half past six now, but it felt like eight or nine o’clock in the evening in China during winter.

A cold breeze blew, and pigeons circled around the fountain in front of the apartment building.

Zhu Yu, carrying his backpack and holding the items he bought at the supermarket with one hand, walked into the elevator.

“Zhu Yu, good evening!”

Upon hearing the voice, Zhu Yu immediately knew who it was.

It was a mixed-race student, half-Korean, from his floor. He had grown up in Korea, and his Chinese pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but he always insisted on speaking to Zhu Yu in his broken Chinese.

He regarded Zhu Yu as his practice partner for Chinese.

“Jin Zhu, good evening.” Zhu Yu walked over to him.

Han Geonju was delicate-looking with beautiful, sparkling eyes, naturally curly hair, and a nice personality. He was also Korean, and in Zhu Yu’s mind, Han Geonju resembled the protagonist of a classic debt-ridden comic.

Han Geonju looked down at the things in Zhu Yu’s hand, curious. “Are you going to cook again?”

“Yeah, I’ll try again.” Zhu Yu had bought some vegetables and planned to follow Bai Chen’s cooking tutorial video to make dinner for himself.

Although the previous attempts had all ended in failure.

But Zhu Yu had one good quality: confidence. He was very willing to try, and failure didn’t discourage him at all, in fact, it made him more determined.

Of course, this quality, which Zhu Yu called resilience, was considered stubbornness by Zhu Ting and others.

“Alright, just remember to cook the potatoes thoroughly, or you’ll get a stomachache.” Han Geonju kindly reminded him.

Zhu Yu was momentarily silenced, and as the elevator reached the fifth floor, he walked out and corrected himself, “It’s stir-fry them thoroughly…”

“Ah, right! I’m so stupid!” Han Geonju patted his head, quickly catching up with Zhu Yu.

After bidding farewell to Han Geonju, Zhu Yu walked back to the dorm alone. When he opened the door, he glanced back at dorm 514. It was quiet, but the light spilling out from inside indicated that Bai Chen was home.

Once inside, Zhu Yu first took care of Liu Bo’s dinner, then began preparing his own.

He put on an apron, rolled up his sleeves, half-tied his hair, pinned back the lighter strands at his forehead with a hair clip, and then pulled out his tablet to open Bai Chen’s tutorial on making braised pork.

It really looked like it might work.

Half an hour later, as Bai Chen was working on his project, he suddenly smelled a strong, burnt odor, and then heard a knock on his door.