“Big brother?” Major General Lin asked softly and rhetorically, “A big brother you met on the way, huh?”
Yan Bubu stared at him in terror and nodded.
Feng Chen suddenly spoke up, “I was sick some time ago and met him on the street. He gave me some food and medicine. After I was well, I simply took him with me.”
“Is that so?” Major General Lin still clamped Yan Bubu’s chin in an iron grip. He didn’t even glance at Feng Chen.
Yan Bubu was stiffly forced to look up. “Y-yes.”
“Then tell me the details.”
“I found medicine for my big brother, a-and I stepped on a dead person. And I looked for bread. Someone, someone wanted to grab it but I didn’t l-let him. I, I just saw him he lives here and he made faces at me.”
Although Yan Bubu was stammering, the gist was clear. After a moment of silence, Major General Lin let go of his chin and slowly straightened. His eyes were still cold as he reached one hand into his coat pocket.
Feng Chen’s pupils shrank violently as all the blood drained from his face. His right hand subtly reached for the back of his waist.
Yet a second later, Major General Lin pulled out a lollipop from his pocket and handed it to Yan Bubu. “Here.”
Yan Bubu mechanically took the lollipop. He just stood there like a statue and didn’t even thank the man.
Major General Lin then turned to Feng Chen. “The rules state everyone must return to their rooms at 11:00pm, but we can make an exception tonight since you just arrived. Go and take a thorough shower so you don’t bring down any contaminants from the surface.”
Feng Chen’s hand was already back where it used to be. He nodded. Only then did Major General Lin turn around and lead his soldiers away.
“Ahem…then let’s continue to your room.” Wu You stayed silently pressed against the wall from beginning to end. “That was Major General Lin, the highest ranking officer in the underground settlement right now. He manages the entire settlement.”
Yan Bubu was still frozen there with the lollipop. Feng Chen took it and removed the colourful wrapper before stuffing it back into his hand. “Let’s go.”
Beep–
There was another long chime. All the chaotic sounds of closing doors and footsteps disappeared. Everyone had returned to their rooms.
The trio walked to where the straight corridor began to curve. Wu Yu stopped and took out a handful of room cards. He opened the door of the room labelled C68.
“This is your room.” Wu You did not go inside. He just reached over and turned on the light.
Feng Chen was about to go inside when Wu You stopped him. “Be careful, the bed is at the door.”
Yan Bubu also squeezed in and surveyed the room with Feng Chen.
The room was extremely small and cramped, reminding Yan Bubu of the utility room under the stairs at home. The furnishings were also very simple, only a single bed and a low cabinet. The room was triangular in shape, with a toilet peeking out behind a plastic curtain hanging from the ceiling. The single bed could only be placed horizontally in the doorway where there was a little more space.
“The room’s not large, but it should be enough for two kids like you. Besides, we aren’t rats. We won’t be in the underground city for long. When summer passes so it’s not as hot and the Western Union Army clears out the surface, we have to go back there.”
Wu You pointed to the bed at the door. “Although it blocks the door, it’s easy for you two to climb over. This room can’t be lived in by older people, so only you two are suitable.”
“Okay.”
Feng Chen didn’t mind how small the room was, or the door being blocked. Just having a place to stay was already great in times like these.
Wu You patted his shoulder. “How precocious!”
Seeing that no one else was around, he whispered: “I did you kids a favour with this room. Usually, you would have to live in a room for eight. Not only do you have to live with other people, the rent’s 10 credits per person a month. Only large families would go for those big single rooms because the rent’s a whopping 50 credits a month. Although this room’s small, you only need to pay 20 credits a month. Works out to the same amount you’d pay staying in a room for eight.”
“Thank you, Uncle.” Feng Chen said.
Yan Bubu followed suit with a crisp, “Thank you, Uncle.”
“This month’s free, but after that you have to pay every month.” Wu You handed the room card to Feng Chen. “You two don’t have anything? There are some living supplies in the warehouse over there. All the stuff was dug out after the earthquake. The Western Union Army threw whatever they didn’t need over there. Let’s go get you some essentials.”
So the duo then followed him to the warehouse to get things.
The so-called warehouse was just a large room stacked with miscellaneous items the Western Union Army probably salvaged from those collapsed supermarkets.
Feng Chen took a plastic basin, a kettle, two stainless steel lunchboxes, two toothbrushes, two mouthwash cups, soap and toothpaste. Before leaving the warehouse, Wu You tossed a bottle of shower gel, laundry detergent, and two brand new bath towels in his basin.
Although these things were normally worth very little, the earthquake destroyed the entire city. Who knew how long it would take for things to go back to normal? Now, even an ordinary bar of soap would only become more and more valuable.
Feng Chen knew very clearly that Wu You was indeed taking care of them, so he thanked the man again.
“No problem.” Wu You ruffled Yan Bubu’s hair a few times and suddenly chuckled. “My son had naturally curly hair just like him. How nice.”
Walking out of the warehouse, Wu You continued to show them around. “Straight ahead is the bathhouse. Like Major General Lin ordered, you have to take a shower first. Did you bring clean clothes?”
“Yes.”
“Wash your dirty clothes by hand and hang them out by the vents beside the bathhouse. They’ll dry quickly. After that, go back to your room and don’t wander around, lest you be caught by one of the patrols. By the way, the water room is next door to the bathhouse. Remember to fetch some water.”
“Got it. Thank you, Uncle.”
When the two returned to C68, Feng Chen rolled over the bed first. When he went to pick Yan Bubu up, he found that the child had already squirmed in from under the bed.
This room was small but clean. It obviously has not been lived in before. Feng Chen touched the off-white walls and found that they were made of a special material that was waterproof, earthquake resistant as well as temperature isolating. It seemed the Eastern and Western Union Armies really put a lot of effort into constructing this underground city together before.
There was a small cabinet at the corner of the triangular room. Feng Chen took off his backpack and was putting some items inside when Yan Bubu came over and squatted beside him, holding something up to his mouth. “Here, Young Master.”
Feng Chen looked down and saw that it was the lollipop.
“You haven’t finished it yet?”
Yan Bubu: “I didn’t even lick it. I’ve been holding it the whole time.”
Feng Chen continued to organize his things. “Have it yourself. I don’t like sugar.”
Only then did Yan Bubu put the lolly in his mouth. After sucking it a few times, he happily laughed. “Haha, it’s strawberry flavoured.”
Feng Chen glanced over him and suddenly paused.
“Where’s your tooth? When did you lose another one?”
Yan Bubu originally only had one gap on his gums, but now both front teeth were missing. The gap had expanded into a hole.
He reached out to touch when Feng Chen grabbed his wrist. “Don’t touch. Your hands are dirty.”
“When did it fall out?” Feng Chen asked.
Yan Bubu licked the area thoughtfully. “When we were still up on the surface, I bit the guy who grabbed me. Maybe then?”
“Where is the tooth then?” Feng Chen asked.
Yan Bubu looked at him with a bewildered expression. He said after a moment, “When you ran away with me, I felt something in my mouth and swallowed it.”
Feng Chen stopped asking about the tooth and got up to search the room for a place where he could hide the cipher box.
He couldn’t always keep it on him, and the cabinet wasn’t safe either. Still, the only place left in this narrow room would be the metal bed.
Finally, he thought of an idea. Grabbing some tape from the tool bag, he affixed the cipher box to the center of the bed frame’s underside. As long as no one entered the room like Yan Bubu, they wouldn’t find the cipher box taped there.
Putting away the tape roll, Feng Chen grabbed the plastic basin containing their change of clothes and said, “Come on, let’s go take a shower.”
He walked to the bed and was about to go over it when he noticed Yan Bubu still squatting on the floor motionlessly. He had a lost expression, the lolly still in his mouth.
“Come on.”
Yan Bubu looked at him with trepidation. “Young Master, will I…”
“No, it’s just a swallowed tooth.” Feng Chen knew what he was worried about.
“But…”
“I’ve swallowed one before and I’m still fine.” Feng Chen lied without blinking.
Yan Bubu finally seemed relieved. He let out a deep breath. “Come on, come on. Shower time!”
He walked to the bed and was about to crawl under when Feng Chen reached out and stopped him.
Feng Chen looked meaningfully at him. “Fan Renjing, what should you call me?”
Yan Bubu was just about to speak when he remembered something. He swallowed the words ‘young master’, his eyes darting from side to side. “Um, um…what should I call you, ah?”
“What do you think?”
Yan Bubu asked in a small voice, “Is, is it big brother?”
Feng Chen watched his big eyes look around and let go. “Remember, call me big brother from now on. Don’t call me young master again, not even when we’re alone, lest it slip out later.”
“Big Brother, Big Brother…” Yan Bubu mumbled, looking up to Feng Chen with a smile that curved his eyes into crescents. “Okay, Big Brother.”
Feng Chen asked again, “Why did you suddenly call me big brother when Major General Lin asked you just now?”
“Um…I just thought that if we aren’t allowed to say our names in front of them, then surely everything else can’t be said either.” Yan Bubu asked with some apprehension, “Did I make a mistake?”
“No.” Feng Chen affirmed.
Yan Bubu sighed in relief. “En, I knew it.”
“Let’s go.” Feng Chen rolled over the bed. Yan Bubu followed and burrowed underneath. He saw the cipher box attached underneath and smiled cheekily. “Hehe, a little hive in a big hive.”
Turning off the lights and closing the door, the two walked down the empty corridor. All was silent, no wind or any other sounds of nature. Only the occasional cries of babies came from some of the rooms.
Searchlight beams fell from the dome, sweeping across the ground outside the Hives from time to time. Their cold metal brackets glinted.
The Hives were large oval structures, and the bathhouse was at the curved end blocked from view. Following the gradual inward curve of the corridor, they could already see the sign saying ‘Bathhouse’ on top of the door. Feng Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks.
On the metal fence just in front stood a pure black bird. A vulture? It blended perfectly in with the night. If it were not for the passing searchlights, it would be invisible.
But how could a live bird appear in the underground city? Was it a sculpture?
Feng Chen was thinking this when the vulture suddenly turned its head. Its gaze fell on him and Yan Bubu.
It’s alive!
Even though it was just a bird, its gaze was cold and piercing. A strange feeling rose within Feng Chen as he was stared down. It was like someone was looking at him and Yan Bubu through its eyes.
Yan Bubu saw him suddenly stop and looked ahead as well. He turned back. “Big Brother, what are you looking at?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Feng Chen felt the vulture’s gaze shift. It was even colder now with a hint of scrutiny.
It could understand Yan Bubu’s words.
“It’s nothing. My shoelace came undone.” Feng Chen said calmly.
“Do you want me to tie it for you, Big Brother?”
“I’ll do it myself.”
Feng Chen put the basin on the floor and squatted down to tie his shoe. The vulture fluttered its wings and landed next to him.
He could glimpse the vulture’s jagged claws out of the corner of his eyes. It was obviously so close, but Yan Bubu remained oblivious. He continued rambling with the two mouthwash cups in his hand. “I’m helping Big Brother hold the mouthwash cups, I’m helping Big Brother hold the toothbrushes, I’m helping Big Brother hold the toothpaste…”
Ever since Feng Chen told him to call him big brother, he incorporated the term into every sentence.
Feng Chen tied his shoelace and picked up the basin as if nothing was wrong. He took Yan Bubu’s hand. “Let’s go. After we shower we can go to bed.”
He walked forward without sparing a glance at the vulture, turning left into the bathhouse. When he entered the bathhouse, there was the sound of wings fluttering outside. That vulture should have flown away.
The men’s bathhouse was very large, but the lights weren’t very bright. There were rows of cubicles sectioned off with plastic curtains in front.
Feng Chen let Yan Bubu into one cubicle and turned on the hot water for him before heading next door. The basin with the shower gel was placed between the two cubicles so that both of them could reach.
It’s been so long since he’s had a hot shower like this. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, letting the hot water wash over his body. Yet the scene just now replayed in his mind.
There was no doubt that Yan Bubu couldn’t see A-Dai’s snake, the black lion, or that vulture.
The key was whether other people couldn’t either. Was this a problem with Yan Bubu or himself?
Although he couldn’t exactly ask others, Feng Chen believed the problem rested with him. A-Dai wouldn’t have said those things otherwise.
“You and I are the same…”
The same…
“Big Brother.” Yan Bubu suddenly called out, interrupting Feng Chen’s thoughts.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. I’m just calling you.”
Feng Chen squeezed some body wash onto himself and continued to be lost in thought. How did all these strange animals appear? That black lion vanished after saving him and never reappeared. Would he ever see it again?
“Big Brother.” Yan Bubu called him again from the neighbouring cubicle.
Feng Chen didn’t want to entertain him this time, so he didn’t respond.
“Big Brother, Big Brother…” Yan Bubu began to call him repeatedly, his voice gradually becoming nervous.
Feng Chen was getting annoyed. He was about to say something back when he heard the sound of wet footsteps. Yan Bubu had run out of his cubicle.
The plastic curtain before him was lifted by a small, foam covered hand. Feng Chen hurriedly held it closed. “What are you doing?”
“Oh, so you were still here.”
Feng Chen grumbled, “Where else would I be? Go back to your side quickly.”
Yan Bubu, however, just stood there. He didn’t let go of the curtain either.
“What are you doing standing there? It’s only been a few minutes. Are you done showering?” Feng Chen frowned.
Yan Bubu’s careful voice rang out, “Big Brother, um…can I shower with you?”
“No.”
“I’ll scrub your back.”
“No need!”
Yan Bubu blinked thoughtfully. “I won’t take up much space. Just let me stand in a corner.”
“Absolutely not!”
“But, but…”
“I said I wouldn’t leave already.”
“No, that’s not…sigh. I’m scared so let me in.” Yan Bubu started forcing his way inside.
Feng Chen has never bathed with anyone since he could remember, so he hurriedly tried to stop Yan Bubu. However, the child’s body was covered in foam and as slippery as a fish. He almost succeeded in squirming his way in.
“Fine, fine, fine. Go back to your shower and call me whenever you want. No matter how many times you call, I promise I’ll respond.” Feng Chen had to concede defeat in the end.
Only then did Yan Bubu go back to the neighbouring cubicle.
In the empty men’s public bathhouse, two voices echoed back and forth.
“Big Brother.”
“En.”
“Big Brother, do you think soap or body wash smells better?”
“En.”
“So many bubbles, ah. Hahaha.”
“En.”
“This lolly is so tasty.”
“En…wait, you’re not done with it yet? And you still have it in your mouth while showering?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t bear to bite it.”
Feng Chen was silent for a moment. He asked, “What about the soap being rinsed down your face?”
Yan Bubu: “A little bit got into my mouth. It’s bitter.”
Feng Chen immediately slapped the cubicle wall and said sternly, “Either throw the candy away or finish it immediately. Brush your teeth after you finish and then continue showering.”
“Got it.”
The sound of crunching candy rang out from the other cubicle.
After showering, Yan Bubu changed into the new clothes from the fashion outlet, a yellow T-shirt with overalls. Feng Chen also wore a new gray T-shirt on top and black pants underneath.
While Yan Bubu was gushing over the Binunu on his chest, Feng Chen threw the dirty clothes the two had changed out of into the basin and carried it to the laundry spot outside.
The water room was just as empty. There were four huge fans embedded in the wall behind the laundry table, emitting a humming sound as they spun.
There were a few steel wires hanging in front of the fans with a dozen or so clothes on them. They seemed dry and swayed from side to side in the breeze.
Deng Chen put washing powder in the basin and started washing clothes. His hair was a bit longer now, a few wet strand sticking to his face and softening the cold aura around him some.
“Big Brother, how can I let you wash the clothes? I’m the one who’s supposed to serve you! Let me do the washing.” Yan Bubu shouted with an exaggerated expression and started to roll up his sleeves.
Feng Chen scrubbed the clothes hard with pursed lips. He didn’t even look at him.
Yan Bubu observed his expression and shuffled closer. “I don’t know how to wash clothes yet, but surely later on. Let me serve you then, okay?”
Feng Chen put the scrubbed T-shirt under the faucet and picked up a pair of pants.
–It was a pair of inky blue boy’s overalls with mud smeared all over the legs.
“Big Brother, I like you so much. Why are you so nice?” Yan Bubu was sucking up like crazy, his voice laced with honey.
The originally expressionless Feng Chen suddenly frowned and used an elbow to push him away. “Be quiet. It’s tacky as hell… Say one more word and you’ll be the one washing these clothes.”
Yan Bubu wisely shut his mouth and began to survey the room. His eyes fell on the four fans on top of the wall. He couldn’t help but be curious.
“Big Brother, are those electric fans?”
“No. “
Yan Bubu pursued the question, “What are they then?”
“Air exchangers. The underground city would have no fresh air without them.”
Feng Chen also glanced at the row of air exchangers on the wall.
The scale of the underground city was huge. These four alone were certainly not enough. He was sure many more were installed in various places, connected via common pipes that brought a constant stream of fresh air into the underground city.
Feng Chen continued to wash clothes while Yan Bubu stared at the four fans.
The fan blades whirled very quickly. From the edge, you could see how it was pitch black inside, as if some unknown danger lay dormant in the far depths of the darkness.
Yan Bubu suddenly became fearful, a chill creeping down his spine. He hastily turned away and grabbed Feng Chen.
Feng Chen finished washing the clothes. He wrung them out and hung them on a wire in front of the fans where there was airflow. He would come tomorrow morning to collect them.
Yan Bubu was kind of scared of those fans. He didn’t want to go near them, but he was also scared that Feng Chen would be swept inside so he came closer. Latching onto the corner of the teen’s shirt with both hands, he braced his feet on the floor like he was riding a horse.
“Let go. You’re going to stretch my clothes out.” Feng Chen put a pair of pants on the wire and ordered.
Yet Yan Bubu refused to let go. “Just a while longer. Just a bit.”
Feng Chen had no choice but to drag Yan Bubu behind him like this as he hung up all the clothes.
It was getting late. Feng Chen fetched some hot water from the nearby water boiler before they retried to Room C68.
Although there was only a single bed in the room, the two of them could fit. The single bed was covered with gray sheets but no blanket. Fortunately, Feng Chen brought the fleece blankets from the school bus. He pulled it out of the backpack and handed Yan Bubu one.
Although the bed was a bit hard, it’s been a long time since Yan Bubu got to sleep in one. He quickly stripped down to his underpants and wrapped himself in the fleece blanket. He started to roll around very excitedly.
Feng Chen poured the boiling water into the two lunchboxes. He waited for the water to cool before handing one to Yan Bubu. “Drink some water.”
“Ah. Water, huh… No thanks.” Yan Bubu shook his head.
So Feng Chen drank himself. Yet he handed the other lunchbox over again when he saw how Yan Bubu kept staring at him.
Yan Bubu looked a little hesitant. He licked his dry lips but sat up in the end, taking the lunchbox and gulping down water.
When he was finished, Feng Chen put the empty lunchboxes away and turned off the lights before lying down next to him.
There were no windows in this room. It was pitch black with the lights off and silent except for the small ventilation unit on the side wall quietly blowing air in.
Feng Chen closed his eyes and folded his arms on his chest. Yan Bubu stuck one foot out of the fleece blanket and rested it on his leg.
Feng Chen picked up that foot and threw it away before going back to sleep.
A few moments later, Yan Bubu’s hand came over and rested on the back of his hand, even scratching it very gently.
“Can’t you sleep properly?” Feng Chen couldn’t stand it anymore.
Yan Bubu whispered, “Big Brother, can you massage my earlobe?”
“Why?”
Yan Bubu: “Mommy always does it when I’m trying to sleep. I can’t sleep otherwise.”
Feng Chen was silent for a moment. “I’ve seem you sleep just fine these past few nights.”
Yan Bubu: “That’s because we weren’t sleeping together. If we sleep together, I can’t sleep if you don’t massage my earlobe.”
Feng Chen threw his hand off. “Go to sleep. If you move around again, you’ll get to sleep on the floor by yourself.”
His icy deterrence worked. Yan Bubu withdrew his hand and began to sleep in earnest. Soon, tiny snores could be heard.
Fatigue came like a tidal wave. Feng Chen stopped thinking chaotic thoughts and also fell asleep.
……
When Feng Chen opened his eyes in the dream, he wasn’t surprised to find himself in that snowfield again. He stood up calmly and walked straight to the big cocoon in the snow.
He could see even from a distance the dark shadow inside the frosted glass-like cocoon shell.
The black silhouette was even clearer than last time, the body and head clearly distinguishable, as well as…the curled up claws and tail behind it.
Feng Chen walked over and found that the cocoon shell was covered with fine lines, like those a chick would peck on an eggshell before coming out.
He put his hand over the slightly elastic shell and gazed at the dark shadow inside, his eyes tracing its outline.
A thought suddenly struck him like lightning.
–This black shadow was like the black lion that once caught him in the air.
The pounding coming from within the shell was stronger than ever, beating in unision with his heart. He closed his eyes. He could feel that the black lion had gone dormant, like it was recovering after exhausting itself.
Could it be that the black lion wasn’t fully mature yet? Perhaps the reason why it was able come out and catch him when he fell from the building was by forcing its way out prematurely. Now, back inside the cocoon, it needed some time to grow and recover?
Feng Chen looked at one of the thickest cracks. He kind of wanted to peel back the cocoon shell to see what’s inside. But as soon as the thought formed, something like a hammer struck him hard. The world spun…
Feng Chen’s eyes snapped open. It was pitch black and his ears still buzzed.
He reached around and felt a small, warm body before slowly coming back to his senses. He remembered that he was still in his room at the Hive. Yan Bubu was lying next to him.
And that large cocoon just now, as well as the black lion inside, were just a dream.
But Feng Chen knew that it wasn’t a dream. The black lion certainly existed in some form within him, quietly resting.
So where would that be?
He touched his chest, no. Then his abdomen, also not quite right.
Finally, his finger stopped when it rested on his forehead.
Would…it be here?
The sounds of a couple arguing came from somewhere, accompanied by the loud thumping of things being broken. Footsteps soon filled the corridor as a squad of Western Union Army soldier kicked open the door of that certain room, bringing those noises to an abrupt end.
Everything went quiet again, the black night thick like melting lava. Feng Chen’s hand came down. He blinked blankly, suddenly unable to tell if this or the snowfield just now was reality.
“…Wanna eat ‘nother one.” Yan Bubu suddenly rolled over and murmured while burying his head into Feng Chen’s arms.
Feng Chen felt his warm breath spray on the side of his neck, which grounded him. So instead of pushing him away, he hugged Yan Bubu and closed his eyes again.
The next day, Feng Chen woke up early as usual. Yan Bubu was still sleeping, latched onto him like a little koala.
He peeled Yan Bubu off and got up from bed to the sound of his disgruntled grunts. He went to the laundry spot to rinse his mouth and wash his face before taking off the clothes that had been dried.
When he came back, Yan Bubu had already adjusted his sleeping position. His arms were properly at his side with the fleece blanket covering his face, showing only a mop of messy curls.
Feng Chen reached over to pull the fleece blanket down, but the child unexpectedly latched on with a death grip.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you getting up if you’re awake?” Feng Chen asked.
Yan Bubu held the fleece blanket without saying a word.
Feng Chen looked at the time. It was 7:00 on the dot, almost the time Wu You said breakfast was. He nudged Yan Bubu. “Stop dallying and get up. It’s breakfast time.”
Yan Bubu’s head shook from side to side under the fleece blanket. A muffled voice came out, “I’m not hungry. I don’t want to eat.”
Neither of them had a proper meal yesterday, so how could he not be hungry? Feng Chen suspected that Yan Bubu might be sick. He reached over to touch his exposed forehead, but the skin there was a normal temperature.
The silence was interrupted by Yan Bubu’s stomach growling.
“Get up.” Feng Chen ordered.
“No, I’m not eating.”
Feng Chen looked at him in silence before suddenly ripping the fleece blanket away. Yan Bubu tried to grab it back but came up empty handed.
He abruptly looked up at Feng Chen, his eyes filled with panic.
Feng Chen asked coldly, “Why aren’t you getting up? Are you throwing another tantrum?”
Yan Bubu’s lips moved like he was saying something, but his voice was as quiet as a mosquito. Feng Chen didn’t hear a word.
“Things are different now. We aren’t at home, we’re refugees. No one is going to put up with your morning tantrums anymore.”
Feng Chen saw that Yan Bubu’s expression became aggrieved after his words. The child’s mouth wobbled.
“What are you doing?” Feng Chen asked in alarm.
Yan Bubu looked at him without blinking, those big eyes rapidly tearing up.
Not good!
Feng Chen’s heart sank. He swallowed the rest of his lecture.
Back at home, Yan Bubu cried at least once a day. Even if he closed all the doors and windows, those shrill sounds would come in like magic. Never-ending, despair-inducing and the stuff of nightmares.
Seeing that he was about to cry again, Feng Chen shouted like he was facing some great enemy, “No crying!”
If he hadn’t said this, Yan Bubu might have been able to hold it together. Tears immediately started rolling down from his eyes, which closed while his mouth opened.
It’s a good thing he didn’t howl loudly and only whimpered. Even so, Feng Chen’s scalp tightened and he hurriedly sat down on the side of the bed.
“Use your words, okay? Don’t cry. Hold all that sadness inside.”
Yan Bubu sniffled. “Big, Big Brother I, didn’t, didn’t mean, didn’t mean to.”
Feng Chen didn’t dare to provoke him right now. “Okay, okay, okay. You can lie back down if you want, just don’t cry.”
“I, I’m not trying to, trying to lie down. I’m not throwing a morning tantrum either. I, I…”
Sensing that something was off, Feng Chen asked softly, “What happened? Tell me.”
A few moments later, Yan Bubu said, “I wet, wet the bed again.”
Feng Chen was stunned. Lifting the fleece blanket, he saw that Yan Bubu’s underpants were already wet, as were the sheets underneath.
“I wanted, wanted to get up, but, but I couldn’t hold it in.” Yan Bubu sniffled. “I shouldn’t have, shouldn’t have drank water before bed. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have wet the bed at six years old.”
Only then did Feng Chen come back to his senses. “It’s, it’s okay.”
“It is?” Yan Bubu looked at him with teary eyes.
“Really, it’s okay.” Feng Chen affirmed.
Compared to Yan Bubu crying, bed-wetting really wasn’t a big deal.
Yan Bubu was a little taken aback, but he immediately stopped crying.
Feng Chen went to the cabinet to look for clean underpants while Yan Bubu stood up and stripped himself naked like de-shelling a peanut.
When Feng Chen handed over the underwear, Yan Bubu was about to sit down and put them on when Feng Chen pulled him to the side of the bed. “Sit here.”
The center of the bed was already wet with a large circle of urine.
Yan Bubu, despite the tears still on his face, was lovingly caressing the pattern on the underpants. “Hey, there are little yellow ducks on these undies! So cool.”
Several small rolls of fat piled up on his belly, almost hiding his navel from sight. Feng Chen urged, “Quickly put them on. Stop gawking.”
Yan Bubu put on his underwear and gleefully surveyed his T-shirt. “Binunu…”
“Get dressed already!”
Yan Bubu pulled the T-shirt over his head. Feng Chen said, “It’s backwards.”
He fixed the direction of the T-shirt, but his head got stuck in the collar. Feng Chen impatiently tugged the T-shirt down. His body swayed back and forth, but his head was still stuck.
“Big Brother, my ears hurt.” Yan Bubu’s muffled voice came from within.
Only then did Feng Chen realize there were two buttons on the right shoulder of his T-shirt. He hurriedly undid them and loosened the collar.
Yan Bubu’s head popped out, his messy curls even fluffier than before. With those round eyes of his, he looked like a poodle.
After he slowly put on his overalls, Feng Chen couldn’t stand it anymore and simply squatted down and put his socks on for him.
At this angle, Yan Bubu could only see his slightly scrunched eyebrows, so he called out in a small voice, “Big Brother.”
Feng Chen ignored him and patted the back of his chubby foot. “Lift it up a little.”
Yan Bubu lifted his foot and added, “When will I grow up? I’ll be able to serve you when I’m grown up.”
No matter how Feng Chen tried to hold it in, he couldn’t help but scoff.
When Yan Bubu got up, Feng Chen removed all the sheets and put them in the basin along with laundry detergent and went to the water room. They only had this one bedsheet so he had to wash it quickly so it would be dry tonight.
Yan Bubu followed behind with a mouthwash cup, looking curiously from side to side.
In the morning, the Hive was a bustle of activity. People came and went in the passageways, and there are several elderly people dancing with their fans to the music playing on their phones. Next to an open door, a young girl sat on the bed, doing her makeup in the small round mirror on the cabinet. A bare-chested man did push ups in his room.
Yan Bubu grew up living in a villa so he had never seen such a scene. He found it both new and interesting.
There were quite a few people in the water room, but they were all getting water or making themselves presentable. The laundry spot was empty.
Feng Chen put the basin on the table there and looked down at the bedsheets with a somewhat complicated expression.
He stood there for several minutes trying to psych himself up before slowly raising a hand.
However, that hand hovered over the basin before withdrawing.
Yan Bubu was brushing her teeth at a sink, too guilty to even look at him.
Feng Chen opened the faucet and rinsed the sheets in the basin for several minutes before pouring in laundry detergent. Then he turned to call Yan Bubu over, “Come here.”
Yan Bubu obediently walked over.
Feng Chen: “Stick your fingers in and stir.”
“How do you stir?” Yan Bubu asked, bewildered.
Feng Chen: “Have you ever seen what a washing machine does? You’re the washing machine now. Stir a few turns to the left, then a few turns to the right.”
Yan Bubu understood. He handed the mouthwash cup to Feng Chen and squatted down to stir the bedsheets.
“Wait.” Feng Chen said, folding his sleeves way back, before saying, “Go on.”
Yan Bubu the washing machine put his hands into the basin and carefully stirred the sheets while making the appropriate sound effects with his mouth.
Feng Chen glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw someone looking at them, so he quietly said, “Stop making those sounds.”
“Pausing.” Yan Bubu pressed his other hand against his head and looked up. “Not sounds means there’s a power outage. You can’t wash clothes when there’s a power outage.”
With that, he pressed his head again and continued making noises, fully engaged in the role of a washing machine.
The commotion he created caused those who were brushing their teeth and washing their faces to look over. His cheeks feeling a little hot, Feng Chen also pressed on Yan Bubu’s head and said in a voice that they could hear, “Noise: off.”
Sure enough, Yan Bubu went quiet and began to stir the sheets silently.
Feng Chen did make him stir for long. He shooed the child away after a while and poured out the basin. Adding more detergent, he washed the sheet a second time.
After washing the sheets, it was almost time for breakfast, so the two of them went back to their room, grabbed their lunchboxes and went to the dining hall.
The Hive has a dining hall on every tenth floor. Their dining hall was thus on the 60th floor. Together with others holding lunchboxes, they took the lift to the 60th floor.
The dining hall was very large, without any tables or chairs. The nearest window had an ID detector and a card machine. Not only did those coming for food have to swipe their credit cards, they had to verify their IDs.
The long line of people waiting food twisted and turned. There were pairs of Western Union Army soldiers standing at each bend to maintain order.
Feng Chen and Yan Bubu joined the end of the line and following the procession slowly forward. Because of the Western Union Army, although there were many people, no one dared to make too much noise. Everyone talked in whispers.
“I heard that the surface is getting even hotter. Apparently it’s over 60 degrees at noon and still rising.”
“Over 60 degrees? So humans can’t live there anymore?”
“For sure. Every time the Western Union Army goes out, they have to wear insulated suits.”
“And here I thought we’d be out of here in another two weeks. We’re stuck here for months at this rate, no?”
“Wait until summer is over. I’m sure everything will be fine then.”
……
When Feng Chen heard this, his mood also became a little heavy.
When the underground settlement was under construction, Hong City was one of several potential sites. However, not every city had finished general construction before the earthquake hit like Haiyun City. With the surface temperatures so high, who knew what the situation was like in Hong City. How were his parents doing…
Yan Bubu stood in front with his lunchbox. He turned and saw that Feng Chen didn’t look too good. He tugged on the corner of his shirt with some unease. “Big Brother.”
Feng Chen returned to his senses. “I’m fine. Line up properly.”
“Why didn’t she come herself? Meals must be collected in person, you can’t just bring their card.” A coarse, gravelly voice sounded. It should be the chef.
A man pleaded, “Please sir, my wife is sick and running a fever so I thought I’d bring a meal back for her.”
The chef reluctantly said, “Sorry, it’s the rules. Even if you are sick and can’t walk, you need to get someone to carry you over here.”
“Sir–“
“What’s going on here?” The Western Union Army troops at the wall walked over shouted a rebuke. “Don’t you understand the rule? Either go get her or she can starve.”
The man finally stopped protesting and walked out of the line towards the door, probably to carry his wife here.
Yan Bubu watched him disappear past the entrance of the dining hall before he turned and asked Feng Chen quietly, “So we can’t get food for other people, Big Brother?”
“En.”
“Why not?” Yan Bubu muttered in a small voice, “I do it for Wang Siyi all the time when she doesn’t want to line up.”
Wang Siyi was a classmate of Yan Bubu’s at kindergarten. The little girl was very pretty and spoke cutely. When the teacher brought food, several little boys volunteered to bring her her meal.
Gradually, fighting for the right to get Wang Siyi her meal seemed to become a kind of competition in their class. It didn’t matter who it was for or if there was a reward (there wasn’t), what mattered was who got to get the meal. It was a matter of honour.
Of course Yan Bubu was one of the kids competing at first. Because he was good-looking and little Wang Siyi was a facecon, she often bestowed this honourable task on him.
However, Yan Bubu lost interest after doing it a couple of times and dropped out of the competition. He felt that the only person who could make him always bring them meals was the young master.
Feng Chen heard Yan Bubu’s muttering. Although he didn’t say anything, he was also secretly wondering about this.
He grew up in contact with the military. From watching his father deal with matters large and small, he knew clearly that the military would usually stockpile enough supplies to cope with unexpected situations. They would have begun reconstruction work immediately after the earthquake, so there was no need to be so strict and force every person to come get food themselves.
Unless…the situation would only get worse and this kind of life would continue for a long time.
Feng Chen’s heart skipped a beat.
The two followed the line slowly forward. When they were almost at the front, a hair-raising screech came from outside. Everyone recoiled in horror.
They all turned to look. The Western Union Army soldiers became alert and raised a hand to the guns at their waists.
Stumbling footsteps came from the corridor. The man who had gone to get his wife appeared in the doorway again, blood dripping from his neck, his face pale as a sheet of paper.
He held onto the door frame and gasped, “Help… Someone…help…”
