CH 4.2

Chapter 4.2 - About The Weekend Part 2

Han Shi Yu was sitting cross-legged on the balcony, holding a fan and looking at the barbecue stove filled with red, burning charcoal inside. He skewered the meats that were marinated with his special sauce and lined them up on the grill. The lamb skewers were sizzling and dripping with oil as he skilfully sprinkled cumin powder and minced chilli pepper on them before turning them over.

Yang Mo came over and leaned against the wall. He looked at Han Shi Yu, “…You made the sauce yourself?”

“During our school days, there was a barbecue store in the south entrance of the east campus, do you still remember it? The one with a tall lady boss.” Han Shi Yu smiled at him, “I pestered her non-stop for the recipe. Wanna try?”

Yang Mo blinked a little, as though he had been craving for this taste for a long time now. There was still a little aftertaste left in the corner of his memories that time couldn’t take away.

He took one of the grilled skewers from Han Shi Yu and bit down on the meat. After chewing a little, he raised his eyebrow, “You got the taste right.”

Han Shi Yu smiled again before continuing his work of skewering the meats. “I still remember how you much you liked eating spicy food then. Yet, your tonsils would get inflamed the second you ate them…After recovering, you ate them again and triggered the same thing to happen.”

Yang Mo bit into another piece of meat and gently ripped it off the bamboo skewer.

Han Shi Yu continued, “In the end, the lady boss took pity on you and searched for ways to marinate the meat in a way that it could numb your tongue with a different ‘spicy’ taste…Who knew this recipe ended up getting so popular, haha.”

Yang Mo handed him the bamboo skewer he was done with, which Han Shi Yu placed it on a different empty plate. Yang Mo then dusted his hands, stood up and patted Han Shi Yu’s hair that got messy from the fanning wind.

In this very moment, Han Shi Yu looked like that youthful boy from many years ago. He grinned cheekily at him, “I said I would grill them for you for the rest of your life. I didn’t lie, right, senior?”

Yang Mo glanced at the meat on the grill, “They’re going to be burnt if you don’t turn them over.”

Yang Han and her classmates eventually stopped studying and started playing instead. She took out Han Shi Yu’s full set of Switch console and played with the others. Laughter filled the room. When they came out, their faces were flushed red with excitement.

It was rare for Yang Mo to see Yang Han getting along so well with her friends, so he couldn’t help but smile when he called them out for dinner.

Lu Yue Ming said his goodbye with them, nervously and anxiously thanked his idol’s offer of sending him home and bowed politely. Before he left, Yang Han stuffed the signed mouse pad in his bag, saying it was a gift to make up for the last time.

Lu Yue Ming was flattered with shock and thanked her several times.

The five of them sat in a row and were quite reserved at first. But once they tasted the meat skewers that Han Shi Yu personally made, they completely let go of their restrain.

Fang Jia focused only on eating.

Xu Jia’s gaze was still lingering on Yang Mo while she ate.

Shang Xue never would have dreamed that he could one day be talking about everything under the sun with Ji Xun’s president over a meal. The two of them instantly clicked with their same talkative trait and started complimented each other. Their life experience and age didn’t match up and their conversation was making the class president and Xu Jia who sat beside them nervous in his stead.

But Han Shi Yu didn’t mind that and even found it to be fun.

“Ge, let’s have a toast,” Tired from talking, Shang Xue clinked his glass with Han Shi Yu’s. The ice cubes in his coke shook a little.

Han Shi Yu smiled, “Sure.”

Shang Xue was able to familiarize himself easily with just anyone. He raised his glass towards Yang Mo who sat far from him, “Uncle, let’s have a toast too.”

Yang Mo: “……”

""

Hearing the difference in how they were addressed, Han Shi Yu smiled and asked, “Do I look younger than him?”

The corner of Yang Mo’s lips also curled up a little. He took his glass and raised it at Shang Xue, “It’s my first time hearing someone of your age call me Uncle.”

“Sigh, I do think you look as young as us,” Shang Xue said with a smile, “But you’re Yang Han’s dad while he’s her cousin. The seniority in the family can’t be ignored, right? Hahaha.”

“…..” Han Shi Yu’s movements froze in place, “Who am I to her?”

Yang Han closed his eyes and downed his coke, pretending not to hear anything.

After playing to her heart’s content over the weekend and dropping her classmates off, Yang Han spent the whole afternoon in the library. She only got home when the lights were going out. Taking her shoes off and entering the house, she saw Yang Mo sitting on the couch watching the TV.

Noticing Yang Han entering, Yang Mo pointed at the balcony with the remote control.

Yang Han stood in the same spot for some time.

Yang Mo helplessly said, “Go comfort him a little.”

Yang Han: “……”

Han Shi Yu stood on the balcony, shaking the glass of wine in his hands. His melancholy was as thick as the colour of the sunset.

Yang Mo walked in and broke the artistic image he intentionally crafted out and said, “Dad.”

Han Shi Yu said coldly, “I can’t hear you.”

Yang Han: “Oh, then I’m leaving.”

Han Shi Yu: “You, come back here.’

Yang Han obediently walked back and stayed beside him to watch the sunset.

She tried to get back on his good side, “Dad, what should we eat tonight?”

Han Shi Yu: “I’m your cousin. Go ask that dad of yours instead.”

Yang Han: “You’re my dad, my biological dad.”

Facing the gentle breeze, the girl stood on a higher platform by the balcony’s wall. Her height only reached Han Shi Yu’s ear.

She didn’t have a choice anymore. Biting her lips, she said, “I…I haven’t told them yet…I’m looking for an opportunity to, okay? I’ll tell them soon…really soon.”

Han Shi Yu took a sip of his wine, turning towards her. He stared at his daughter for a very long time.

She didn’t say that sentence of ‘I’m afraid they can’t accept it.’

A very long time ago, when she was still in middle school, she invited some classmates over.

At that time, she asked Han Shi Yu – who had prepared to show off his skills in front of her classmates – if he could hide outside for a bit on that day.

Han Shi Yu looked at her silently then.

Her face was red from holding it in, only managing to squeeze out a sentence, “I’m afraid they can’t accept it…”

It was then that Han Shi Yu realized the fact that his family was a little different from other ordinary people. A young girl’s mind was very delicate. Even though she didn’t say it out loud, but in her heart, she was very scared of the day she would become the centre of people’s discriminating discussions.

Han Shi Yu understood her and never blamed her for that. But all along, he was always introduced and showed up as the relative of little Yang Han. Only Yang Mo was there as her parent. No matter who experienced this, it was inevitable to feel a little sad.

He heard from his friend that the greatest joy of raising a child was the surprise and happiness felt from suddenly discovering their growth through the smallest details.

Watching Yang Han who was trying her hardest to stand on her tiptoes to catch up to Han Shi Yu’s height, a warm current rushed through him, completely melting the show that hadn’t been swept clean for many years in his heart.

He never thought of having some kind of fall out with her. It was just to mess with her a little, yet the surprise came in the same way as randomly finding a candy in your pocket, particularly a strawberry flavoured one.

Yang Han handed him the fruit lollipop and asked carefully, “Do you wanna eat it?”

Han Shi Yu turned his head away, “Nope.”

Yang Han called out, “Dad.”

Han Shi Yu rubbed her head with satisfaction and took the lollipop from her.

The lampposts outside came to life one after another as Yang Mo opened the door to the balcony and asked, “Are you done coaxing him?”

One from the father and daughter pair had his body bent over and leaning against the balcony while the other was standing on her tiptoes. Both had a lollipop in their mouths. They looked so identical, like they were crafted out from the same mould. They turned their heads towards Yang Mo at the same time.

“Seems like you’re done.” Yang Mo said, “Come in and eat then.”

Before she entered the house, Yang Han’s phone buzzed with a notification. It was a fanfiction that Xu Jia shared to her. She was about to bookmark it, but Xu Jia sent a few more texts right away.

“That…Yang Yang, can I ask you a few things?”

“Is Han Shi Yu really your cousin?”

Yang Han was stunned.

Xu Jia sent an emoji and changed her words a little, “Let’s put it this way…Are you the eldest princess…or are you the princess?1 “