Princess carry. Fun? Want to play more?
Because the newly improved little man skewers was selling well, Jiang Bingren had tasted the sweetness of success. It wasn’t that he had any grand ambition to expand his family’s restaurant, but he simply fell in love with the joy of counting silver. After all, entertaining ladies offered no new excitement, but silver was something that kept flowing in. So, he stopped frequenting the flower streets and began visiting the Noodle Shop every few days.
Naturally, the elders of the Jiang family were not happy with him mingling with the common folk. But Jiang Bingren didn’t care. He only cared about his own happiness. In the past, he frequented the flower streets and brothels the same way, with no one other than his hot-tempered father able to control him.
Today, he ran to the West City Gate again, but only after his ears were full of nagging.
Those in the know understood that he was going to the Noodle Shop to seek advice. Those who didn’t might have thought he had taken a fancy to the handsome lad at the shop.
Although the lad was indeed handsome, Jiang Bingren wasn’t there to admire the beauty of Ji Meiren. He ordered a bowl of goose soup noodles at the front of the shop, pretending to be interested in the food. When he saw Yu Jinnian come out, he immediately put down his chopsticks and followed him from the front to the back yard, asking Yu Jinnian to give more guidance to the chefs at Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant and teach them some new pastries.
As the Lesser Snow festival approached, although Xinan County was in the south and it rarely snowed during this time, Jiang Bingren wanted to use the occasion to hold a tea tasting party at the restaurant. Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant was somewhat connected to a former imperial scholar, and every year they held pretentious wine and tea parties to appear cultured.
Jiang Bingren had just taken over the restaurant business and was eager to make an impression. Other restaurants would keep their good ideas hidden, fearing competitors might learn from them. But young master Jiang couldn’t wait to spill all his thoughts and ask Yu Jinnian for his opinion. His ideas were far better than those of the old-fashioned scholars outside.
Yu Jinnian came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of wheat bran to feed the geese. A few of the older geese had already been slaughtered, leaving some space in the pen for the little goslings to run around, happily squawking.
Jiang Bingren walked beside him, discussing what tea to use, which water to source, and listing the delicacies they had recently acquired. He also planned which gentlemen and poets to invite for the tea party to make the event more lively…
Yu Jinnian squatted outside the pen, resting his face in his hands, watching the goslings. Jiang Bingren talked until his mouth was dry and became anxious that Yu Jinnian wasn’t responding. He gave him a push, a little annoyed, and said, “I’m talking to you. Did you hear me?”
Yu Jinnian finally spoke, “Why not ask your father about this? Why ask me? If I could handle such a grand event, would I still be working in this small noodle shop in the West City?”
Jiang Bingren was stunned, and Yu Jinnian continued, “If you want new pastries, no problem. Just bring a contract like last time.”
Jiang Bingren felt thoroughly stifled. He was young, and there was no one in the household who could negotiate properly. The relatives and cousins from distant families were of no use, and his friends in the county only talked about pretty courtesans, which bored him. But Yu Jinnian was interesting. Although the Jiang family was just a small-time merchant family, they could still connect with the county magistrate. Interacting with someone like Yu Jinnian should have been easy, but Yu always managed to throw sharp words his way.
Jiang Bingren was so angry that he knocked over the bowl Yu Jinnian was using to feed the geese, causing a clattering noise like a battle had broken out. Outside, Ji Hong heard the commotion, lifted the curtain, and walked in, only to see young master Jiang glaring with fury, declaring, “Why did I even come to chat with you! Boring! I’m leaving!”
Ji Hong still had his hand on the curtain when Jiang Bingren stormed past in a gust of wind. Ji turned back, somewhat puzzled, and asked Yu Jinnian, “What happened? Why the sudden tantrum?”
Yu Jinnian bent down to pick up the bowl that Jiang Bingren had overturned, equally confused. He didn’t think he’d said anything particularly harsh, so he had no idea why the young master had suddenly thrown a fit. As he squatted there, his legs had gone a bit numb, and he was holding onto the fence to stand up when Ji Hong offered him a hand.
The man’s hand was pale and broad, with thin, translucent skin on his wrist, beneath which faint blue-purple veins could be seen. His fingers were long, and his fingertips narrowed delicately, like the hands of a musician.
Yu Jinnian placed his hand in Ji Hong’s, who gripped it with one hand while the other moved behind the boy, either firmly or gently supporting him. Yu Jinnian’s back was slender, but when he stood, it tensed powerfully, giving off a sense of strength. Ji Hong felt the butterfly-like bones in his back tighten as if they were about to sprout wings. He rubbed them thoughtfully and said softly, “Since you’ve made a business deal with him, just try to get along.”
The boy nodded, though it was unclear if he fully understood. Ji Hong bent low in front of him, gently brushing off the wheat bran that had spilled onto Yu Jinnian’s clothes. “I’ll sweep this up. Go inside and change your clothes.”
Yu Jinnian pulled a face and grumbled, “I don’t have any clothes left.”
Ji Hong was surprised, “How could you not have clothes?”
Yu Jinnian pointed to the bamboo poles in the corner of the yard, where a few gray, worn-out garments were hanging. “Qing Huan said now that winter is here, it’ll stay gloomy, and it might rain later. She insisted that the clothes in my wardrobe smelled musty, so she took everything out to wash and hang.”
He looked up at Ji Hong, his face troubled, “I’m really out of clothes. All I have left are a couple of undergarments.”
“Just these few?” Ji Hong walked over and touched the clothes on the line. The fabric was poor quality, but they had been worn soft.
Yu Jinnian lowered his head, “I only had three or four sets to begin with. When I came here, I had nothing. These clothes were given to me by Aunt Xu, who had them altered from her former husband’s old garments. They’re quite good… The one I’m wearing now has just been washed; it’s clean and will last a while. But who knew that Jiang Bingren would suddenly knock over my bowl.”
The boy’s clothes were all the same dull gray, and the styles were just as old and plain. For someone like Ji Hong, who was used to seeing fine silks and vivid colors, there was no way to tell the difference between them. But now, seeing them all laid out to dry, there really were only a few.
He turned and headed to his room, calling the boy to follow, “Come, wear mine.”
Yu Jinnian was stunned for a moment, then hesitated before following. He peeked into the room and indeed saw Ji Hong rummaging through his own bundle of clothes. Standing by the table, he watched as Ji Hong sifted through the cloud-like fine fabrics and couldn’t help but say, “It’s alright, I’ll just wear two layers of undergarments for now. I won’t need to go out to the front of the shop.”
Ji Hong frowned, “Wearing only undergarments is unacceptable.”
He pulled out a light blue garment, then another one in a pale jade color. It was the same outfit Ji Hong had worn when they first met, the soft hues resembling the faint glow of jade. He asked Yu Jinnian which one he liked.
Yu Jinnian glanced quickly at them, remembering how Ji Hong had looked that day, standing out in the laurel alley like a lone bloom. Without thinking, he pointed at the jade-colored one with a finger, but quickly came to his senses, shaking his head, “Better not. If I ruin it, that wouldn’t be good.”
“What’s there to ruin? If you like it, wear it.” Ji Hong pulled him close, untying the boy’s waist sash and beginning to remove the rough linen clothing. Unlike silk, it didn’t slide off the shoulders on its own and had to be pulled off by hand.
In broad daylight, the two of them were in the room, undressing.
The shadows cast by the window lattice shifted, with sunlight flickering in and out, making the room alternately bright and dim. One moment, it was the boy’s handsome but unpretentious face; the next, it was his waist beneath the creamy undergarments, pressed close against the fabric. Ji Hong’s gaze became a little unfocused. After struggling with the clothing for a bit, Yu Jinnian took matters into his own hands, grabbing his sleeve and roughly pulling it off with a tearing sound. The garment was tossed onto the floor at their feet.
Beneath the thin undergarment, Yu Jinnian’s chest was faintly covered. Ji Hong glanced at his collar, where his skin was as white and smooth as milk, untouched by the sun, and thus more delicate than his face. After a moment, Ji Hong withdrew his gaze and draped the jade-colored robe over the boy’s body.
When Ji Hong wore it, the robe didn’t seem too large, but on Yu Jinnian, it hung loosely and floated about. The sleeves were too long, and the hem dragged on the floor. When Yu took a step, he tripped on the hem and stumbled straight into Ji Hong’s arms.
On the small cabinet by the bed sat a copper mirror used for grooming. As Yu Jinnian turned his head, his eyes met his reflection, seeing his disheveled appearance. Compared to Ji Hong, he looked like a mischievous child in oversized clothes. Embarrassed, he buried his head in Ji Hong’s chest, grumbling in frustration, “I look awful. Take it off, quickly.”
“How is that awful?” Ji Hong didn’t think it was awful at all. With a bit of refinement, Yu Jinnian could look like a clean and elegant young master. He caught Yu’s hands as he tried to take off the robe and called out, “Qing Huan, come in!”
Yu Jinnian lifted his head, “Why call her?”
Ji Hong replied, “She’ll alter the robe for you.”
Qing Huan responded and came in, asking what was needed. Ji Hong pinched the overly long sleeve, “Alter this for Brother Nian, shorten it here, and take up the hem a bit.” The young girl nodded quickly and ran off to fetch her sewing kit.
Yu Jinnian clutched the sleeve and backed away, retreating to the bed in a hurry, protesting, “It’s such a nice robe, it’d be a waste to alter it! Qing Huan, don’t listen to him. Don’t alter it!”
Qing Huan stood between them, sensing the tension. Brother Nian was likely worried about wasting the fine fabric, while Ji Hong seemed concerned that Yu Jinnian wouldn’t wear anything nice. On the surface, it looked like they were bickering, but really, they were both thinking of each other. After a moment, Qing Huan interrupted, “Actually, you don’t need to cut it. You can just take it in a little, and it won’t be noticeable from the outside. It’ll just look a bit off on the inside…”
Ji Hong grabbed the “little mouse” hiding behind the bed curtain and tossed him in front of Qing Huan. “Do whatever you need to, just make sure it fits.”
Yu Jinnian was tempted. He really did want to wear Ji Hong’s clothes. Hearing that no cutting was needed, he hesitated for a moment before breaking into a smile. Happily, he extended his arms for Qing Huan to work on the robe, his sudden shift from anger to joy leaving Qing Huan both amused and exasperated. She set to work, adjusting the garment while Yu Jinnian sat nearby, kicking his legs and eagerly instructing, “Leave the sleeves a bit long, just enough to show half my hand. It looks very classy that way, like the young masters I’ve seen.”
Ji Hong, sipping his tea, remarked, “Aren’t you being a bit over the top?”
“But it looks nice!” Yu Jinnian suddenly jumped off the stool and rummaged through the cupboard. When Ji Hong asked what he was looking for, Yu didn’t answer. After a while, he finally found a plain fan from some hidden corner. It was the fan Ji Hong had used for tossing arrows during a festival. Yu opened the fan and spread it on the table, handing Ji Hong a brush, asking him to “just write something.” He then added, “Make it look good.”
Ji Hong thought for a moment, dipped the brush in ink, and wrote on the fan: *A half-curtain of rain and wine, and a fragrant bowl in the long street.*
Using the cheapest brush and the humblest ink stick.
Yu Jinnian was usually quite frugal with ink, always mindful of how much he used. This time, the ink was a bit thin. When Ji Hong finished the last stroke, he habitually paused for a moment, and a small drop of ink accidentally splattered onto the blank part of the fan. After a brief thought, Ji Hong turned the ink spot into a plum blossom branch, managing to save the fan from being completely ruined.
Yu Jinnian carefully blew on the ink to dry it and tucked the fan into his chest, a smile lighting up his face.
Seeing that Qing Huan would need a bit more time to finish altering the robe, Yu Jinnian offered to make them some snacks, and off he went.
Qing Huan, her hands skillfully working the needle, smiled as she watched Yu Jinnian’s retreating figure, “Brother Nian is really easy to please.”
Ji Hong paused in his writing and smiled softly, “Hmm.”
Not long after, Yu Jinnian returned with a plate of crispy carrot chips. The carrots had been sliced thin, salted to remove moisture, and then quickly fried in oil until crispy, drained, and plated—just like making potato chips. The white porcelain plate with a green pattern was piled high with red carrot chips, their edges curled and crispy, salty with a hint of sweetness. Paired with a cup of tea, they made the perfect afternoon snack.
After they happily finished the plate of crispy carrots, Qing Huan completed the robe alteration.
Yu Jinnian couldn’t wait to try it on. It fit perfectly, looking flawless unless inspected closely. He couldn’t stop praising Qing Huan’s handiwork and was so happy with the result that he refused to take it off. Luckily, it was already close to evening, and there weren’t many customers. Otherwise, he would have been too careful, afraid to dirty the robe while doing his usual chores in the kitchen or even feeding the geese.
That evening, he spent a long time admiring himself in the mirror, until Ji Hong eventually coaxed him into bed.
Turning over, Yu Jinnian playfully nudged Ji Hong’s calf with his foot, speaking softly, “Ah Hong, can I borrow this robe for a few more days?”
Seeing how much Yu Jinnian adored the robe, Ji Hong had no intention of asking for it back. He enjoyed the boy’s soft, pleading voice, so he pretended to hesitate for a while before agreeing. Yu Jinnian half-sat up, leaned over, and planted a kiss on Ji Hong’s cheek, smiling brightly.
The robe lay on the bedside, and the plain fan was placed next to the pillow.
After a while, Ji Hong, noticing Yu Jinnian still fidgeting behind him, turned over to see him gazing at the fan. Yu was quietly mumbling the words written on it. Ji Hong lifted a lock of the boy’s hair and said softly, “Are you really this happy over a robe? I’ll take you to buy a new one in a few days.”
“It’s not because of…” Yu Jinnian mumbled something under his breath, but his voice was too quiet for Ji Hong to hear clearly. Normally, Ji Hong wouldn’t push for an answer, thinking that if he couldn’t hear it, it was probably not meant to be. But tonight, he was curious. He wanted to know what Yu Jinnian had said, so he turned the boy around, cupping his face, and gently coaxed, “I didn’t hear you, be good, say it again.”
Yu Jinnian, usually so carefree, now blushed under Ji Hong’s gentle coaxing, his neck growing warm. The bed felt humid and warm, as if heated by their shared breaths. In the distance, a small candle flickered on—a trick Yu Jinnian had come up with. Since candles were expensive to burn all night, he calculated the time Ji Hong usually fell asleep and lit only a short wick, so that by the time Ji was asleep, the flame would have burned out.
Tonight, because of the fuss over the robe, it was later than usual. The candle was nearly spent, its weak flame flickering unsteadily. In the dancing light, Ji Hong kissed Yu Jinnian on the nose and cheek. Habits can be dangerous—Ji Hong often did this before bed, either asking for a kiss or offering a hug. Yu Jinnian, now used to it, smiled slightly and leaned in.
Ji Hong chuckled mischievously.
Annoyed, Yu Jinnian pulled the blanket over his head, exclaiming, “Not talking anymore. Time to sleep!”
But he couldn’t stay mad all night. The next day, after his own clothes had dried, he changed back into his old linen outfit, carefully placing Ji Hong’s robe on the bed and heading off to Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant to teach.
He didn’t see Jiang Bingren that day. The staff said the young master was in the back, supervising the construction of an artificial hill. They hesitated when speaking, as if trying to pry some gossip from Yu Jinnian. It seemed that Jiang Bingren’s supervising the construction was just an excuse—he was likely still upset and avoiding Yu.
Yu Jinnian was puzzled, unable to figure out which of his words had upset Jiang Bingren so much.
The news about Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant hosting a tea-tasting event for the Lesser Snow Festival had spread. As Yu Jinnian passed through the kitchen, he saw servants and workers carrying delicate, bean-green invitation cards, delivering them to various households in an orderly manner. Some of the more famous poets and scholars even received small token gifts along with their invitations. Although Jiang Bingren was furious and unwilling to see him, when Yu Jinnian left, a servant still chased after him to hand him an invitation.
It was the same bean-green color, but unlike the others, this one lacked the refinement. It looked hastily written, with words that felt stingy, roughly saying: *We’re hosting a tea-tasting at Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant for Lesser Snow, here’s an invitation for courtesy’s sake. You don’t have to come, but if you do, we’ll just treat you casually.*
Yu Jinnian: “…”
Did being a gingerbread man mean he had to be so prideful?
——
The day of Lesser Snow was a perfect sunny day. The morning mist had been burned away by the sun, and cool breezes blew through the streets and alleys. The sky was still a bit gray, not the bright blue of spring or summer, but the air was crisp, carrying the bitterness of fallen leaves. It truly felt like winter.
Yu Jinnian leaned his elbows on the window sill, looking up as a bird suddenly darted by. He waved his jade-green sleeve and marveled, “Ah, it’s that time of year again. We should brew some lamb wine for the New Year celebrations. Drinking that will restore energy and feel so refreshing!”
Ji Hong passed by the window, overhearing him, and stopped. He couldn’t figure out how a little gray sparrow had led to thoughts of lamb wine. After a moment, Ji Hong glanced at the jade-green robe Yu Jinnian had rushed back to change into, paired with the duck-egg blue headband he’d been gifted earlier. His hair had been carefully combed, and he lay there on the window ledge like a peach blossom, patiently waiting to be picked.
Earlier, Yu Jinnian had been in the kitchen making milk cakes—small, soft squares made from cornmeal and milk, so delicate they were almost too precious to eat. But when he heard the guests in the front talking about the tea-tasting event at Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant, he rushed back to change clothes, eager to look his best and join in the fun of watching the scholars and poets.
“New Year?” Ji Hong seemed slightly confused as he walked over and squeezed Yu’s hand. “…I didn’t realize the year was almost over.”
Yu Jinnian didn’t pull his hand away, letting Ji Hong hold his fingers. He asked tentatively, “Not going home?”
“What for?” Ji Hong replied lightly, like a feather carried by the wind, ready to land wherever fate would take him. That was how he usually felt, but now, as he glanced at the boy leaning on the window, he couldn’t help but settle on Yu’s shoulder. “Do I seem like a bead?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?” Yu Jinnian looked up at him with innocent curiosity, his eyes slightly red from the sun, making one want to reach out and rub them.
Up close, the sweet scent of milk wafted from Yu’s neck and hair like honey. Ji Hong bent down, brushing his hair against Yu’s, making him giggle softly. Hearing that sound, Ji Hong couldn’t help but relax, a smile tugging at his lips. “Only beads get pushed around. When they’re useful, someone gives them a push. When they’re not, they get shoved into a corner, left untouched.”
“I’ll tie a string to you,” Yu Jinnian said with a mischievous grin, “and wear you around my waist every day… Have you ever seen a palace tassel?”
Ji Hong lowered his gaze. Of course, he had. Yu Jinnian demonstrated, “Just like that, I’ll tie you up securely, with a knot for peace and good fortune. You’ll be a little pendant everyone loves.”
“Everyone loves”—such a greedy phrase.
Ji Hong didn’t get upset, nor did he wallow in self-pity. Instead, he tilted Yu Jinnian’s chin and kissed him. The breeze was gentle, and the sunlight on their bodies was neither too warm nor too cold. Behind them, just a curtain away, the front hall bustled with noisy chatter, laughter, and the voices of gamblers arranging games of dominoes. Qing Huan lifted the curtain and walked in on the two of them in an intimate embrace. She blushed furiously, quickly dropping the curtain and scolding, “Can’t you pick a better time for this? It’s broad daylight!”
The window ledge wasn’t high, and Yu Jinnian leaned out, nudging Ji Hong’s forehead with his own, calling him, “Little pendant.”
Ji Hong felt as if his heart were being squeezed, blood pooling inside with nowhere to go. He supported Yu’s upper body, afraid he might tip over, and was suddenly struck by the desire to pull him through the window entirely, to make Yu his pendant for real, dangling at his waist. Ji Hong, feeling unusually emotional, muttered, “I could never be someone everyone loves…”
Yu Jinnian’s eyes, usually crescent-shaped when he smiled, now opened wide in simple confusion.
Ji Hong grabbed Yu’s collar—the same robe he’d given him. It felt almost too precious to touch, and after a moment, he let go, smoothing it out instead. He murmured, “…as long as I can have you alone.”
The words barely left his mouth before he regretted them. They felt too direct, too revealing, making all his previous teasing seem pale in comparison. But it was his truest feeling. The moment called for it, and he couldn’t hold it in. He wanted to speak it aloud, to give a proper name to the affection that had been building between them. But now that it was said, he feared Yu Jinnian wouldn’t hear, wouldn’t understand, or worse, might gently sidestep the issue.
He wasn’t supposed to be this impulsive at his age, yet he constantly found himself losing control around Yu Jinnian.
“Never mind,” Ji Hong stepped back slightly. “Get ready, let’s head to Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant.”
Before he could turn away, Yu Jinnian gently tugged at his sleeve. When Ji Hong looked back, Yu pointed at his jade-green robe and asked, “Does this look good?”
Ji Hong was momentarily puzzled. Of course, the robe—after some alterations—looked very good on Yu. “It does.”
Yu Jinnian lifted his sleeve. The cuff had been adjusted just as he wanted, covering half his hand, leaving only his slender fingers visible. He stood on a small box, almost tipping over, making Ji Hong lunge to catch him. But Yu, smiling smugly, seemed to have done it on purpose just to startle him.
“Because it’s yours, it looks good. I don’t want to wear it, but I don’t want to take it off either,” Yu Jinnian murmured, resting his chin on Ji Hong’s shoulder. Ji Hong’s heart raced. He wanted to pull Yu off him and take a good look, but Yu wouldn’t let him, wrapping himself around Ji like an eel. Then, quickly changing the subject, he asked, “Ah Hong, carry me outside.”
“You know I don’t have the strength…” Ji Hong hesitated. “I might drop you. Go out properly through the door.”
“Just try.”
Ji Hong hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around Yu’s waist, lifting him from the window. Yu kicked off from the box, using his knee to steady himself against the ledge, and with a smooth motion, flipped himself over. Ji Hong caught him under the knees and arms, actually managing to carry him through the window.
Face to face, their necks entwined, they were so close they seemed to melt into one another. After a moment, Yu Jinnian let go, hopping down and straightening his clothes. With a grin, he asked, “Princess carry. Fun? Want to play more?”
Ji Hong: “…”
Yu Jinnian shook his sleeves, “If you want to carry me again, you’d better start practicing planks and sit-ups tomorrow. I’ll come back to teach you.”
Ji Hong: “…” So, a sweet reward followed by a firm whip.
Yu Jinnian gave him a sly smile, pulling him along as they left, “Alright, let’s go to Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant for some tea!”