Unbridled 23

By the time Ding Ji finally stopped laughing, Lin Wuyu was about to explode with anger, having prepared himself to stand up and point at him cursing.

He even wiped his eyes, laughing so hard that tears rolled down.

Due to Ding Ji's generous words earlier, the room had grown unusually quiet; there was no movement in the living room either. It was uncertain if there would be any further developments when they went out later.

Ding Ji sat on the edge of the bed in a daze for a moment, reflecting on what he said just now, and suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

Once Lin Wuyu began continuing to pack the drone, he stood still for a moment before finally standing up. He opened the closet and took out the leather jackets from inside.

"Thanks," said Lin Wuyu.

"Thanks, my ass," replied Ding Ji.

Lin Wuyu wasn't afraid to say those words; he was just too tired to bother saying them again.

A few years ago, he’d said plenty. The repeated conflicts and the same old outcome had left him worn out. He only wished to share a mutual silence with his parents, with no speaking nor meeting.

But Ding Ji was particularly confrontational today, acting like a wild monkey.

Words that he long lost interest in and felt were unnecessary, even ones he believed would sound feeble and laughable if spoken, all came rushing out of Ding Ji's mouth in one breath. At that moment, he suddenly felt exhilarated.

Refreshed.

The kind of feeling where your body relaxes entirely after exhaustion and you no longer want to move.

He thanked Ding Ji not just for his forthright words, but more for the elation he brought, similar to when a seedling finally breaks through the soil.

Lin Wuyu wanted to take a lot of things. If his parents weren't home, he'd want to bring his favorite action figures and the interesting trinkets he’d collected from his travels.

But today's situation was rather unexpected, so he could only take his most cherished drone. After all, the rest were just expenses; this one could make money.

Although Ding Ji's parents were neglectful, it was evident that his grandparents adored him. Lin Wuyu struggled to fit just a few clothes into his suitcase; they were either rolled up or bundled together.

"Where are you going to stay?" Ding Ji asked as he ruthlessly squeezed the leather jacket into a corner of the box, "You can't stay in the school dorms anymore, right?"

"I can," Lin Wuyu said, "Our class teacher helped me arrange it with the school. If things come up, I can also stay at his place."

"Staying at the school is fine, but staying at your class teacher's place would be uncomfortable. It's better to stay at my grandmother's place," Ding Ji suggested. "There's even a spare room. My sister-in-law used to live there, but it's been empty since she got married."

"Well, if I can't stay at school, I'll look for you," Lin Wuyu said without much politeness. This person was awkward merely a moment ago and had only just started recovering. If he refused, the awkwardness probably would’ve continued.

As they dragged three suitcases out of the room, Ding Ji quickly glanced into the living room and noticed that Lin Wuyu's parents were both sitting on the sofa.

Seeing them come out, neither of them spoke. Lin Wuyu's mother even turned her face away.

But Ding Ji still caught sight of her reddened eyes with a single glance.

…This immediately made him feel a bit guilty.

Did he go too far with his words just now? Even if he didn’t go too far, they probably weren’t something a kid meeting someone’s parents for the first time should say. 

Lin Wuyu seemed to have noticed as well, causing a halt to his footsteps.

However, he didn't approach. He just stood there, seemingly wanting to say something but unable to find the words.

Ding Ji took a breath, wanting to say something to make amends, but it was like Lin Wuyu had eyes in the back of his head. He quickly raised his hand, signaling him to stop talking.

In just two seconds, he turned and walked to the door, opening it and leaving.

Ding Ji hurriedly followed, not forgetting to say ‘Goodbye, Uncle and Auntie’ as they left.

Lin Wuyu had already pressed the elevator button and was just standing there, absentmindedly staring at the elevator door.

Ding Ji cautiously stood next to him. He hesitated for a moment before softly asking, "Just now, did I…?"

"No," Lin Wuyu simply answered.

"Oh," Ding Ji replied.

Was it too much? What was that?

Only after entering the elevator did Lin Wuyu say, "They might have news about Lin Zhan."

"Huh?" Ding Ji turned surprised, "How do you know?"

"My mom definitely didn't cry because of you. She's not that fragile. She cries for Lin Zhan, probably thinking about him or… because there's news about him," Lin Wuyu explained, his tone unchanged. "Both of them are serious workers. If it's not something important, they wouldn't both be at home…"

"Then why didn't you ask them just now?" Ding Ji asked anxiously.

"I was afraid," Lin Wuyu answered, honest and frank.

Ding Ji didn't say anything. He merely looked at him until they reached the first floor and the elevator doors opened.

"It's okay," Ding Ji patted his back. "Let's go."

Lin Wuyu didn't take his luggage to the dormitory due to the drone. Ding Ji suggested leaving it at his grandmother's for safekeeping.

"I looked it up," Ding Ji said.

"What did you look up?" Lin Wuyu asked, looking at him.

"I checked your drone," Ding Ji said, "But I couldn't figure out the model. Anyway, it's one of those professional-grade drones. With all the batteries and equipment, it's easily worth tens of thousands. It's too risky to keep it in the dorm, and you have two of them."

"There's a cheaper one," Lin Wuyu said, "That one has shorter battery life and is just for fun."

"Is that the one you mentioned playing with during the break?" Ding Ji inquired.

"Yeah, that one doesn't require a pilot's license. But you need to practice and get the hang of the basic controls first," Lin Wuyu explained, "So I brought a smaller one as well."

“How small is it?” Ding Ji asked.

“Probably around half the size of my palm," Lin Wuyu said.

"…Can this thing take photos?" Ding Ji looked at his own hand for a measure.

"Who told you it could take photos?" Lin Wuyu said. "Besides flying, it can't do anything else. It can't even fly steadily… Just take it and get a feel for it."

"Can I ask how much it costs?" Ding Ji asked.

"A bit over a hundred¹," Lin Wuyu answered seriously.

"Damn," Ding Ji paused for a moment, then waved his hand. "I'm not going. Take someone else to play!"

Lin Wuyu burst into laughter.

"Laugh all you want," Ding Ji grumbled, "Trying to trick me with a flying toy that can't even fly straight."

"I said to just to get a feel for it," Lin Wuyu chuckled, "It's not like-"

"Okay, then let's set this straight. I'll familiarize myself with it for 15 minutes," Ding Ji declared, "More than that is an insult to me."

"No need," Lin Wuyu said, "Its battery only lasts for 10 minutes."

"Then 10 minutes it is," Ding Ji said.

"Alright," Lin Wuyu nodded.

Ding Ji's grandmother's place was in an old, maze-like neighborhood. The driver they called upon was a young one; the entire time they were in the area, he’d repeat how they shouldn’t have entered, fearing that they wouldn’t be able to leave later.

"Don't worry," Ding Ji said, "I promise you'll get out."

Both the driver and Lin Wuyu were skeptical.

Under Ding Ji's guidance, the car pulled up in front of an old building. Ding Ji got out, looked around, and then pointed to the side of the car, "Come here!"

A middle school-aged kid with a nervous expression looked at him, "What's up?"

"Are you going to the supermarket over there to buy things for your mom?" Ding Ji asked.

"Yeah," the kid nodded, "How did you… know?"

"Get in the car," Ding Ji gestured towards the car, "Direct the driver to the street. You can get off there."

"I don't have money," the kid said.

"Who said you need money?" Ding Ji gently pushed the back of his head, "You're getting a free ride."

After the kid got in the car to direct the driver, Lin Wuyu looked at Ding Ji. "Are you feared by everyone around here?"

"You're joking. With my kind looks?" Ding Ji dragged his suitcase towards the building. "Everybody knows Ding Ji, the big-hearted grandson of the Ding family…"

"Maybe it's because I’ve spent too much time with you, but I can see through your appearance and straight to your soul," Lin Wuyu remarked.

"What's wrong with my appearance?" Ding Ji turned around and pointed to his face, "Don't I look the part?"

Lin Wuyu looked at him, "Do you know why I never believed you were a student? And much less believe you'd be a top student?"

Ding Ji thought for a moment and continued walking upstairs. "That's true. Look, I grew up here. Most people around here have the same disposition as me."

"That can't be," Lin Wuyu said.

"Huh?" Ding Ji turned back.

"You're quite unique," Lin Wuyu said.

"Can you tell?!" Ding Ji was quite proud.

"…I've noticed it for a while now," Lin Wuyu sighed, "You're just extremely childish."

"My grandpa said that kids should act like kids…" Ding Ji cheerfully carried his suitcase and ran upstairs. "Can't you walk a bit faster?"

"Want to carry my suitcase for a bit?" Lin Wuyu said.

"No thanks," Ding Ji said, "I just remembered that there are several big lumps of batteries in there."

The ventilation in such old-style houses didn't seem to be great. Plus, along the way, many homes had their doors open, filling the hallway with the aroma of cooked food.

Lin Wuyu hadn't realized he was hungry, but upon smelling the scents, by the time they reached Ding Ji's grandmother's door, he felt famished.

His grandma stood at the doorway waiting. When she saw Ding Ji, she opened her arms. "My precious grandson's back! Come, let Grandma hug you!"

Ding Ji rushed over and hugged his grandma. "I did well on my exams."

"I knew it!" His grandma smiled and gently rubbed his face.

"This is my friend," Ding Ji pointed to Lin Wuyu, "Lin Wuyu."

"Hello, Grandma." Lin Wuyu smiled at her, then turned to the kindly-smiling grandpa inside the house and waved. "Hello, Grandpa."

"Oh, how nice, how nice." The grandma waved at him. "You're that genius Ding Ji was talking about, right?"

"Huh?" Lin Wuyu blinked and walked over to Grandma.

"A learning god," Ding Ji said, "Not far off from a fairy, either."

His grandma laughed, reaching out to cup Lin Wuyu's face. "What a handsome child."

"…Thank you, Grandma," Lin Wuyu was startled but kept still, allowing the grandma to gently pinch his face a few times.

When his grandma happily entered the house, Ding Ji whispered in Lin Wuyu's ear, "Palm reading – it’s an old habit."

"What did she see?" Lin Wuyu touched his face, still warm from Grandma's touch, "Can you tell me?"

"I usually can’t," Ding Ji said, "My grandma just likes this stuff. Even if you ask her, she might not tell you. She’d say it's superstitious nonsense and tell you not to believe it."

Lin Wuyu entered the house with a smile.

After bringing the suitcases into Ding Ji's bedroom, Ding Ji looked around. "Welcome. This is where I grew up."

"It's quite spacious," Lin Wuyu observed.

The furniture in the room was old, with a design that clearly didn't match Ding Ji's style. But what surprised him was that Ding Ji's bed, desk, and the nearby cabinet all seemed to be made of rosewood.

No wonder he hadn't replaced them.

He approached the desk, bent over, and stared at it for a while, "Is this black rosewood?"

"It is," Ding Ji came over, propping himself on the desk with his arms and running his fingers over the surface, "You can even tell these apart?"

"I can't really," Lin Wuyu said, "In our dorm, Chen Mang has a black rosewood paperweight, so I can recognize this type of rosewood…"

"My grandpa made it," Ding Ji was quite proud, "The old man used to be a carpenter, a really skilled one. When I was in primary school, people would come specially to ask him to make furniture. He stopped doing it these past few years because he's not as agile anymore."

"Do you know how to? You didn’t learn any?" Lin Wuyu carefully touched the desk.

It was likely that Ding Ji had been using this desk since he was very young, yet there was no damage on it whatsoever, not even a single scratch.

Putting all else aside, Ding Ji must really treasure his grandparents.

"Of course I do," Ding Ji said. "That chair behind you? I made it. All manual work, no power tools used, and I started from raw wood."

Lin Wuyu immediately turned to look.

Beside him, against the wall, was a small stool.

Circular, with three legs – it was about the height of his lower leg.

"This one?" Lin Wuyu said.

"Yeah," Ding Ji nodded.

Lin Wuyu went over and touched it. Though simple, the craftsmanship was surprisingly good and the finish was well done. For a kid, it could be considered…

Wait a moment.

"When did you make this?" Lin Wuyu asked.

"In my first year of high school," Ding Ji said.

"…So what are you showing off for?" Lin Wuyu couldn't help but laugh, "I thought you made it in elementary school."

"Damn," Ding Ji protested as he picked up the stool, "Look at the craftsmanship! It's perfectly even and smooth…"

"Why did you make this stool?" Lin Wuyu took the stool from him, placed it on the ground, and sat on it before looking up at him.

Ding Ji frowned, then sighed after a while. "I made it for my dad."

"Why is it here then?" Lin Wuyu was puzzled.

"He thought I wasn't focused on studying, that I was always fooling around with these useless things. Plus, the quality of my work wasn't that great either," Ding Ji explained.

Indeed, the craftsmanship was average, but it was a piece of Ding Ji's heart. His dad's words were hurtful.

"Back then, they had just returned to the country not long ago, and I had a rather… strained relationship with them," Ding Ji continued, "One day, my grandpa told me that my dad's birthday was in two days. He meant for me to show some effort to mend the relationship."

"I see," Lin Wuyu softly responded.

"I thought it was feasible. If Grandpa brought it up, I'd definitely do it. To be honest, buying something would have been enough, but I thought making something would be more sincere. So, I decided to make a woodworking project. I'm skilled at it, but time was tight. I still had classes, so I rushed to finish it," Ding Ji explained.

Lin Wuyu sighed, "So, you didn't end up giving it?"

"He declined it on the spot," Ding Ji said, "What a gift. It hasn't left this room ever since."

Lin Wuyu looked at Ding Ji, who quickly turned his head away.

It looked like he was going to cry.

Lin Wuyu was a bit anxious. If he knew the history behind the stool, he wouldn't have pried further.

To quickly shift Ding Ji's attention, he said, "How about making something for me?"

"Huh?" Ding Ji turned to look at him.

"Like… a small bookshelf," Lin Wuyu suggested, "To put some books on the desk?"

"Sure," Ding Ji agreed, "But you'll have to wait. I need to pick the wood first."

"Black rosewood, right? It has a nice color," Lin Wuyu said.

"You have no shame," Ding Ji retorted, "You’re even demanding a specific type of wood for a shabby bookshelf! Do you even know how much these things cost?"

Lin Wuyu chuckled, "Then you decide on it."

"Sure," Ding Ji nodded, "When's your birthday? I'll give it to you as a birthday gift."

"It's already passed," Lin Wuyu said, "Last month."

"Then next year…" Ding Ji thought.

"Forget it," Lin Wuyu quickly interrupted him.

"Then… how about a gift for acing the exams?" Ding Ji pondered.

"What if I end up being the top scorer?" Lin Wuyu smiled.

"Then it's a gift for being the top scorer," Ding Ji said.

"Alright," Lin Wuyu agreed.

"It's almost time for dinner!" His grandma called from the living room.

"Coming!" Ding Ji responded as he walked out, asking along the way, "Is there anything else you need me to prepare?"

"Slice some cucumbers!" His grandma said.

"Sure thing," Ding Ji nodded.

Lin Wuyu followed him into the kitchen, not knowing what to do. After rubbing his hands together, he spontaneously suggested, "How about I do it? Your grandma has been busy for a while, it's a bit awkward just sitting and waiting to eat."

"Okay," Ding Ji agreed immediately. He took out the washed cucumber from the sink and placed it on the countertop, saying, "I'll get you a plate. You'll also need some seasoning… Grandma!"

"Hey," Lin Wuyu was startled by his sudden shout.

"Don't take advantage. Even the old lady is willing to do it. You should know how to behave," Ding Ji glared at him, then shouted towards the living room, "Grandma—what seasonings should I put on the sliced cucumber—"

"Soy sauce! Vinegar! Sesame oil! Minced garlic! Season it to your taste!²" Grandma's voice sounded from outside.

"Got it." Ding Ji began preparing the seasoning.

Lin Wuyu washed his hands, walked to the countertop, and looked at the cucumber on the chopping board. After taking a deep breath, he picked up the knife.

He hadn't cooked before nor had he ever seen someone cook. After all, he had been living in the school dormitory since junior high; even at home, he never had the intimate experience of watching his mom cook in the kitchen.

Moreover, he’d never eaten sliced cucumbers before. Even if they were on the table, he wouldn't have noticed.

Who would choose cucumbers over meat?

However, these weren't issues. At the very least, he knew this was a cold dish.

"Use this cutting board," Ding Ji handed him a smaller one and placed it on top of the original large one, "This one is for cooked food."

"Okay," Lin Wuyu placed the cucumber on it.

After glancing at it, he made a cut from the middle, slicing the cucumber into two halves. It was easier to handle when it was a bit shorter.

Then he took half of it, aimed for a long while, and then sliced off a portion.

Not bad – it was uniformly thin.

Full of confidence, he divided the remaining half of the cucumber into five portions. Ding Ji stood beside him and said, "Big Brother Wuyu."

"Hmm?" Lin Wuyu responded.

"Have you ever been in the kitchen before?" Ding Ji asked.

"What's the matter?" Lin Wuyu gave him a glance, "I have to help carry dishes."

"Have you eaten sliced cucumbers before?" Ding Ji inquired.

"I haven't," Lin Wuyu replied truthfully.

"You eat and drink outside all day long, from morning till night," Ding Ji was somewhat astonished, "Yet you've never eaten sliced cucumbers?"

"…No," Lin Wuyu admitted.

"Slicing! Cucumbers!" Ding Ji sighed, "Not cutting! Cucumbers! Got it? You need to slice! SLICE SLICE SLICE! If you don't slice, why call it sliced cucumbers? If you cut like that, it'll become pickled cucumber pieces, do you know that?"

"Ah!" Lin Wuyu felt he had been mentally stuck earlier. Suddenly, a picture of sliced cucumbers flashed before his eyes, "I get it, I need to slice them finely…"

"Go ahead and slice," Ding Ji nodded.

Much simpler than cutting.

Lin Wuyu picked up the knife quite happily, and with a clear motion, he chopped down on the cucumber.

Swift and decisive.

Several cucumber slices flew up into the air and fell onto the countertop.

"…They slipped." Lin Wuyu felt a bit embarrassed.

Ding Ji didn't say anything. He picked up the fallen cucumber slices, rinsed them with water again, and placed them back on the cutting board.

Lin Wuyu focused his mind and gathered his strength. Once again, he raised the knife with clear intent.

Clang!

This time, he managed to slice two pieces, but the largest piece flew out and hit Ding Ji smack in the face.

Ding Ji swiftly caught the cucumber and looked at Lin Wuyu for a good while, unable to contain the amusement in his eyes. Eventually, he burst into laughter. "Study God Lin! Turns out you’ve got these moments of weakness too!"

"It keeps slipping!" Lin Wuyu felt helpless.

Ding Ji didn't say anything more. After washing the cucumber again and placing it back on the cutting board, he burst into hearty laughter.

Lin Wuyu stared at the cucumber pieces.

Finally, he made a brave decision.

He put down the knife.

He raised his hand directly and slapped down with a forceful smack.

"Hey, damn it!" Ding Ji jumped in surprise.

Lin Wuyu quickly raised his hand, somewhat excited, "It's smashed!"

"Oh my goodness," Grandma's astonished voice came from behind, "Are you practicing? How did you even hit the cutting board?!"

"Awesome!" Ding Ji gave Lin Wuyu a thumbs-up, then burst into laughter again, "With one slap of your knife, ten pieces flew…"

"Do you have no shame?" Grandma slapped him, "I told you to smack the cucumbers! Yet, you made him smack them! And you're laughing! The first time you smacked cucumbers, they went flying out of the window and you're laughing at someone else?!"

"Hey hey hey," Ding Ji dodged Grandma and stood beside Lin Wuyu, squeezing against him, "I'll do it. Can you help me get a plate?"

"Sure," Lin Wuyu nodded and moved aside.

Ding Ji took the knife and made three swift smacks. The remaining cucumber pieces on the cutting board were all crushed. "You can't smack the same spot repeatedly, otherwise, they won't be crisp. Right, Grandma?"

"All you know to do is smack cucumbers," Grandma said, "Now, you’re even imparting your experience."

Lin Wuyu smiled as he handed over the plate and watched Ding Ji arrange the cucumbers before clumsily pouring the seasoning on top, not knowing how much to use.

It was a peculiar experience.

Lin Wuyu had been smiling this whole time.

He had never spent this much time in a kitchen before, nor did he realize that cooking was so complicated. He never expected… the kitchen to be this interesting.

All his anxiety and confusion about the possible updates on Lin Zhan seemed to gradually fade away amidst the kitchen’s chaos.