December 27th, Thursday.
As he was leaving work in the evening, Li Yifei said to Qian Fei, “I’m going out tonight, so I won’t be home for dinner.”
Qian Fei acknowledged this without showing any sign of “it’s lonely to eat alone.” Instead, her face betrayed a joy that seemed to say, “Great! I can finally do whatever I want freely!”
Li Yifei was quite displeased that his status remained so insignificant after such a long time, especially after he had lowered himself to treat her as a brother. Her indifference to his dinner absence was particularly galling. He decided he needed to find time to educate this insensitive fellow about the depth of brotherly affection.
That evening, he had dinner plans with Jin Tian.
As luck would have it, just as they finished eating, Dajun called, inviting him to go bar-hopping.
He usually preferred not to bring girlfriends when hanging out with his buddies, feeling it inconvenient for casual chatter and banter. However, since Jin Tian was introduced to him by Dajun and they all knew each other, he decided to bring her along.
At the bar, he became so engrossed in discussing business opportunities with Dajun that he completely forgot about Jin Tian.
When he finally remembered, his other friends informed him that Jin Tian had already taken a taxi home.
“She told you several times that she wanted to leave, but you kept saying ‘wait a bit,’ so she left on her own,” they explained.
Li Yifei asked Dajun, “Did she ask me?”
Dajun nodded, “I think she did.”
Li Yifei responded with an “Oh” and said, “Well, it’s fine if she left. Saves me the trouble of sending her home.”
Dajun remarked, “I think she might be upset. I’d feel wronged too if I were in her shoes.”
Li Yifei grunted, “Let her be upset then. She can come find me when she’s in a better mood. I’m not in the habit of indulging women’s tempers.”
Dajun exclaimed, “Damn! Would it kill you to comfort her a bit?”
Li Yifei snorted, “Am I the type to coddle women?”
Dajun waved his hand, “Fine! I’ve given you another chance to act tough! Alright, let her go her own way. We can have a good drink together!”
Li Yifei glanced at his watch, thought for a moment, and said, “Well, we’ve finished our business talk. I think I’ll head back. We can drink another day.”
Dajun’s jaw dropped in mock surprise. “Li Yifei, are you turning over a new leaf? It’s only ten o’clock and you’re going home? The night’s just beginning!”
Li Yifei stood up and said, “I’ve got work tomorrow, got a problem with that? How about I call you when I wake up tomorrow morning?”
Dajun affectionately called him a “jerk.”
On his way home, Li Yifei found himself pondering Qian Fei’s gleeful expression just before leaving work, wondering what secret it might be hiding.
When he got home and opened the door, he saw Qian Fei crouching in the middle of the living room, eyes glued to the TV channel with a logo that looked suspiciously like a toilet bowl.
She was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice him enter.
He changed his shoes, walked up to her, and kicked her lightly, asking, “What are you doing? Using the living room as a toilet?”
Qian Fei turned and looked up at him.
“Don’t disturb me, Da Peng is about to sing! I’ve been waiting all evening!”
Li Yifei glanced at the TV. So this was what her earlier excitement was all about?
“What show is this?” he asked.
Qian Fei impatiently replied, “The Chameleon Show! You uncultured swine, how could I expect you to know anything? Don’t disturb me, Da Peng is about to sing!”
Li Yifei stood beside her, not moving.
He decided to see what this Da Peng, who had her so captivated, looked like.
The music started, and to his surprise, it was “Glorious Years,” a song he liked.
He found it interesting.
BEYOND’s songs were beloved by every boy who had gone through adolescence. At seventeen or eighteen, everyone loved to belt out a few lines in the hallway between classes.
It wasn’t easy to sing such a widely known and often imitated song in a way that people would accept and appreciate.
As he was thinking this, when the first lyrics came out of the mouth of the man who appeared in BEYOND’s style holding a guitar, he was slightly stunned.
It was so similar! Not just the timbre, but the emotion in it.
The man on TV sang passionately, while he stood outside the TV, listening quietly along with the woman crouching on the floor. The voice moved them both simultaneously.
He remembered when he and his wastrel friends used to shout this song outside the classroom. He felt like he could touch his past youth in this man’s singing.
When the song ended, he stood still for a long time.
He began to understand a little why the fool crouching on the floor liked this man called Da Peng so much.
There was something about him that could truly inspire people, perhaps that thing called “motivation.”
When Da Peng was announced as the season’s champion, Qian Fei cried her eyes out.
Li Yifei handed her tissues while complaining, “Come on, sis, this is too much! I haven’t seen you cry like this even when you broke up!”
Qian Fei sobbed, “You don’t understand! This… this is crying from happiness!”
Li Yifei snorted, “You’re right, I don’t understand! All I see is a fangirl!”
Qian Fei sighed, “Ah!”
Li Yifei, even more exasperated, asked, “What now?”
Qian Fei said with immense sorrow, “Da Peng has a stand-up comedy show at the National Theatre at the end of this month. I want to go, but I couldn’t get tickets!”
Li Yifei scoffed, “Is that all? It’s just a ticket. I’ll sort it out for you!”
Qian Fei gave him a sideways glance, “How are you going to manage that? The tickets are sold out! You think the theatre is run by your family or something?”
Li Yifei, full of indignation, said, “Are you underestimating me? Don’t you believe I can do it?”
Qian Fei didn’t even think about it, “You’re just bluffing!”
Li Yifei said, “You don’t believe me? I’ll tell you what, not only will I get you a ticket, I’ll get you the most expensive seat in the front row!”
Qian Fei stood firm, “I don’t believe it!”
Li Yifei, like a cocky rooster, said, “What if I really can do it?”
Qian Fei slapped the table, “If you really can do it, I’ll change my surname!”
December 28th, Friday.
During the lunch break, Li Yifei called Dajun.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen those old dogs we’ve known since childhood, right? Why don’t you organize a party tonight! Tell everyone not to be late or absent, or Non-ge might accidentally let their childhood nude photos warm the internet!” he commanded simply.
“What’s going on?” Dajun asked, confused.
“Simply put, I miss the brothers!” Li Yifei said earnestly.
“Pah! With your character, who knows what you’re up to!” Dajun paused, then said, “How about Sunday? We can celebrate New Year’s together. Tonight is too rushed!”
Li Yifei said, “No, it has to be tonight. I miss everyone too much to wait until the day after tomorrow!”
Dajun cursed and asked, “So whose party is it?”
Li Yifei said, “Mine.”
Dajun asked, “Who’s paying?”
Li Yifei said, “You.”
Dajun couldn’t help but curse again, saying, “Damn, if I organize this party for you, I’ll be the biggest jerk in the capital!”
So by that evening, Dajun had earned a new title: the Capital’s Biggest Jerk.
A group of friends who had grown up together gathered, all looking like respectable social elites, but when they started joking around, each one’s mouth was as dirty as a gutter rat.
They all asked, “What’s the theme of today’s party? Why such an urgent gathering? And Da Fei, are you planning to threaten us with our childhood photos for the rest of our lives?”
Li Yifei nodded with a smile. Dajun pointed at him and said, “This troublemaker organized the party, ask him if you have any questions!”
Everyone turned their attention to Li Yifei.
Li Yifei rolled his eyes and said sanctimoniously, “It’s been a long time since we’ve gathered. Don’t you all miss each other?”
Someone scoffed, “Get lost, Da Fei. Every time you organize a party, you’re definitely up to something!”
Li Yifei patted his shoulder, “We’re brothers who grew up in the same kindergarten, with a lifelong deep friendship. Don’t sweat the small stuff!”
He gathered everyone around and said, “It’s like this. A friend of mine likes a celebrity and wants to see his stand-up comedy show on December 30th, that’s the day after tomorrow, at the National Theatre. But they couldn’t get tickets. So I was wondering if any of you could find a way to get me two VIP tickets?”
Everyone was stunned.
Dajun was particularly confused, “Damn, you gathered all of us Beijing’s handsome rich boys just for this trivial matter? Don’t you think it’s a bit of overkill for each of us?”
Li Yifei smiled humbly, “More people, more reliable!”
Someone asked from the side, “Which celebrity?”
Li Yifei said, “Called Dong Chengpeng, the guy who acts in ‘Diaosi Men’.”
The handsome rich boys were silent for two seconds, then collectively shook their heads.
“Damn, who’s that? Never really heard of him. Is he even a celebrity?” Dajun voiced everyone’s thoughts.
Li Yifei kicked him, “Don’t casually insult other people’s idols!”
Dajun was shocked, “Whose idol? Yours? No way! Isn’t your idol Aoi Sora?”
Li Yifei kicked him again, making Dajun yelp.
Dajun’s eyes rolled, and he asked, “Hey, you’re going to such lengths for someone, doing this little favor… it’s not for Jin Tian, is it? But her taste doesn’t seem so lowbrow!”
Li Yifei kicked him once more, “Haven’t you had enough kicks? Does liking Da Peng mean lowbrow taste? He’s now an inspirational idol, okay?” Somehow, he now really disliked others speaking ill of Da Peng.
Dajun rubbed his bottom while looking at him with surging emotions, shaking his head and sighing, “Kid, you’ve changed! You’re becoming more and more of a saint!”
Li Yifei gave him a look without responding, then turned to everyone and said, “Anyway, that’s the situation. Keep it in mind! Whether you buy it at a high price from someone else, snatch it from strangers, or get it from the organizers, if no one can get this done by tomorrow night, I’ll package up your childhood nude photos and post them on Weibo!”
Dajun, representing everyone, expressed their frustration, “Da Fei, can’t you not insult us? Threatening us with our nude photos for such a trivial matter is an insult to our bodies, you know!”
Li Yifei looked at him seriously, “But I think this is quite important!”
This involved whether he would lose face in front of a silly girl, and besides, they had a bet about changing surnames.
December 29th, Saturday.
Li Yifei went out after receiving a phone call during the day.
Qian Fei vaguely heard it was from a girl. She guessed Li Yifei had a new girlfriend.
In the evening, while Qian Fei was watching Happy Camp, Li Yifei returned.
He was changing his shoes at the door while mocking Qian Fei, “Can this TV only receive one channel? You’re almost growing into that toilet logo every day! Can’t you have some ambition and watch the news or something?”
Qian Fei, eyes fixed on the TV, didn’t even glance at him, “As if you watch the news!”
Li Yifei changed into slippers and walked up to her, pulling two flat objects from his pocket and slapping them on the coffee table in front of her, as coolly as if he had just thrown down a stack of dollars.
Qian Fei moved her eyes which were almost glued to the TV, “What’s this?” she asked while picking up the flat objects.
When she lowered her head and saw clearly what she was holding, Qian Fei screamed.
“Ah! Ah! Ah! How did you get the tickets? They’re really in the front row!”
Seeing her jump up with joy, Li Yifei’s lips curled into a smile.
“Not planning to organize some words to praise the person in front of you?” he asked cockily, ruffling his hair.
Qian Fei was so happy she forgot herself and hugged him on tiptoe.
But she let go quickly.
She kissed the tickets hard, mumbling, “Big brother! You’re awesome! Sis didn’t care for you in vain! Wait till I go to the market tomorrow and buy a sack of eggplants, I’ll make you stir-fried eggplant with meat every day!”
Li Yifei’s eyes wandered to Qian Fei’s chest.
That hug from this silly girl just now made him realize something.
She wasn’t wearing a bra.
And this tomboy had some chest!
Li Yifei cleared his throat and took back one ticket from Qian Fei’s hand.
Qian Fei was stunned, “Why are you taking one back?”
Li Yifei raised an eyebrow, “You thought both tickets were for you? You’re too greedy! Don’t you know how hard it was to get these tickets?”
Qian Fei frowned, “So I’m going alone? Why don’t you give me that one too, I could find someone to go with me!”
Li Yifei sneered, “Give them all to you, and I don’t get to watch?”
Qian Fei asked in surprise, “You want to go too? Didn’t you say you didn’t like Da Peng and didn’t even know who he was?”
Li Yifei snorted, “For the sake of the tickets, I’ve decided to like him. Is that not allowed?”
Qian Fei was in a good mood and didn’t argue with him. She smiled at him and said, “Then we’ll go watch together! By the way, how much were the tickets?”
Li Yifei pretended to be cool and said, “Don’t mention money to the young master, it’s so vulgar! Consider it my New Year’s gift to you!”
Qian Fei frowned, “That doesn’t seem right.” She insisted on paying.
Li Yifei got impatient and blurted out, “These tickets were given to my buddy for topping up his phone bill, okay?”
Qian Fei looked at him and sincerely exclaimed, “At this rate of topping up phone bills, I think your buddy isn’t far from being radiated into an idiot!”
When Dajun gave the tickets to Li Yifei, he said, “These were obtained by Zhang Zi with some effort. He paid twice the market price to get them from his sister-in-law’s colleague’s sister’s classmate! That girl and her boyfriend were crying when they sold the tickets!”
Li Yifei asked, “They were reluctant?”
Dajun said, “No, they were excited. They said they never thought their idol would be worth this price on the black market now. They were happy for him!”
Li Yifei almost rolled his eyes.
He took out his wallet and pulled out some yuan for Dajun, “Help me pass this to Zhang Zi, tell him I’ll thank him properly later.”
“Come on, you’re so poor now that you’re renting a place to live. Let me cover this for you,” Dajun refused.
Li Yifei insisted, “One thing at a time! When it’s time to rip you off, I definitely will, but this money I have to pay myself.”
Dajun scoffed, “Look at the state you’re in, yet still trying to act generous! You’re secretly spending money and effort on expensive tickets. Does your landlord know about this?”
Li Yifei reflexively answered, “Why should she know?”
A moment of silence fell between them. Then two voices spoke simultaneously.
“How did you know it’s a she?”
“Damn, it is a she!”
Dajun shook his head, “Unbelievable. You’re so attentive to this tomboy! I think you put more effort into her than into Jin Tian!”
Li Yifei raised an eyebrow and said, “You know I’ve always treated my bros better than women.”
Dajun scratched his face and asked, “I think you care about her. You haven’t fallen for her, have you?”
Li Yifei gave him a look, “Stop scratching your face all the time. You look like some clown hired by monkeys!” He then thought for a moment and said, “Now that you mention it, I realize I do think about her quite often. But I think about her the same way I think about you – like a brother!”