Chapter 91: You’re Alumni, Aren’t You
The thing that tipped Yu Fan into making this decision was actually small.
It was just that on his first night back in Ningcheng, he lay awake on the big bed he had slept in for three or four years until four in the morning.
When he woke, the space beside him was empty. No Chen Jingshen warmth, no Chen Jingshen scent. He sat dazed on the bed for ten minutes, then turned on his phone, looked at his jam-packed work schedule for the next half month, searched flights to Nancheng, checked rent around Chen Jingshen’s place, and checked the balance on his card.
When he told Wang Yue, she was baffled. “You two did long distance for six years. Why move now all of a sudden?”
Yu Fan had slept badly and his hair was a mess. His reactions were slow.
He was silent a while before he said, clumsy and flat, “Because six years is already too long.”
Surprised as she was, Wang Yue did not really try to talk him out of it.
After all, in the last two years Yu Fan had shot plenty of sets that broke out of the circle. One of them even sent the client onto trending searches. Orders kept pouring in from all over, from influencers and celebrities. Any other photographer would have gone solo ages ago. Only Yu Fan had stayed, taking her meager salary plus a small cut.
And photographers are portable. You can work anywhere. Nancheng is a big city. He would only do better there.
Once they settled everything, Yu Fan worked himself ragged for half a month and conscientiously finished all his shoots. Then he spent two days emptying the apartment he had lived in for years, cleaning it out and packing everything into three big suitcases.
Wang Yue drove him to the airport and shoved a red envelope at him before security.
Yu Fan would not take it at first. When she looked about ready to pry open his waistband and stuff it in, he finally accepted it with very bad grace.
“Come on. We are family. This is from an older sister to her little brother, take it.” Wang Yue patted his arm. “Come back and see me when you can.”
“I will,” Yu Fan said.
Wang Yue suddenly choked up. She remembered the first time she met him. He was still practically a kid, covered in injuries, face like ice as he reported his own father to the police. Then he squatted outside the station to smoke.
She still did not know where she found the nerve to go up and ask if he wanted to model.
“I am going.”
Wang Yue snapped back, nodded. “Go. Send me a message once you settle in.”
“Okay.” Yu Fan hesitated, then said quietly, “Thank you, Jie.”
As he entered security he got a voice message from Wang Yue, crying loudly and yelling for him to come back out for a hug.
Yu Fan listened and walked even faster toward his gate.
He only told Chen Jingshen the short version.
Now two big suitcases lay open on the floor as they packed together. Yu Fan did not have much. He had sold the furniture that would not fit. The cases held work gear, clothes, and a few thick photo albums.
He thought of something, picked up an album, flipped it open, and thrust it under Chen Jingshen’s nose.
Chen Jingshen crashed face first into a photo of his own childhood self crying like a fool.
“Chen Jingshen, look at yourself. Your snot is about to drip into your—”
Before he finished, Chen Jingshen took the album, flipped it face down on the floor, leaned in and shut him up. Yu Fan pushed at him and turned his face away. “What are you doing… you cried and I cannot say so? So you do know… mm, know it is embarrassing. You cried till your eyes… could not even see…”
Pressed to the floor like that, he could not get a full sentence out. Just as Chen Jingshen tugged open his waistband, a phone rang.
Chen Jingshen had no intention of answering. The man on the floor came to and hooked a leg to shove him. “Go take the call. I have not finished packing.”
Chen Jingshen tugged Yu Fan’s shirt hem back down as he stood, answered with a cool voice. “What.”
“Emergency inspection! Why are you picking up this late? You have not really cheated on the sister-in-law, have you?” Luo Liyang asked, rowdy with bar noise behind him.
“…”
“Haha! Kidding! I am out drinking. Are you done over there? Want to come—”
Chen Jingshen hung up before he finished.
The two cases were nearly done. Chen Jingshen went to pull over the last case in the corner. As soon as he touched it, Yu Fan sprang up.
“I am packing this one!” Yu Fan dragged it over. “Go shower. I am next. Packing all day is killing me.”
“I can wait—” Chen Jingshen said.
“No need. Thanks.”
Chen Jingshen took clothes to the bathroom. Yu Fan craned his neck to listen for water. When he heard it, he slowly unzipped that case.
The mesh pocket on top was stuffed full of pink boxes.
They were the ones Chen Jingshen had gone nuts and had the supermarket deliver. Yu Fan thought tossing them was a waste, so he packed them all. There was still space anyway…
He remembered that one drawer of Chen Jingshen’s nightstand was empty. Perfect spot.
He loaded his arms and crept into the bedroom, opened the drawer he remembered—
And came face to face with a mountain already piled inside. The whole drawer was crammed with little boxes of all brands and packaging.
Yu Fan: “…”
He did not rush to take jobs after returning to Nancheng. While Chen Jingshen was slammed at year end, Yu Fan scouted all the city’s famous locations.
He had a small name in the field now. Nancheng is called the capital of internet famous things, and shoots are in higher demand than in Ningcheng. Plenty of studios contacted him with very attractive terms.
Yu Fan turned them all down. He had gone to Wang Yue’s studio back then because he needed money, and stayed because she had helped him when he was at rock bottom. Without those reasons, he wanted to go solo now. More freedom, better pay.
When you are alone you do not care about money. You donate more than you spend. Now that he had a boyfriend… he should save some.
Wang Yue was fully supportive and even promoted him with the studio’s official account.
In under half a day his inbox exploded.
That night, while Chen Jingshen tapped at code, he found the man beside him more focused than he was.
When he had designed the study, Chen Jingshen had custom ordered a large desk. There was room for his multi-monitor setup and for one boyfriend.
He paused and glanced over. Yu Fan was slouched, cheek in hand, scrawling lazily, stopping to yank his hair when irritated, exactly like when he could not do a problem in high school.
After a moment, Chen Jingshen leaned closer. “Still not scheduled?”
Yu Fan had been slotting clients into a calendar for days, one by one, negotiating conflicts, juggling times. It had taken almost a week.
“Almost,” Yu Fan said lazily. “Booked through April.”
“Hire an assistant.”
“After the New Year. Year end is bad for hiring.”
Chen Jingshen hummed, glanced down at Yu Fan’s notebook. “…”
The last client replied OK. Yu Fan breathed out and lifted his pen to write the final name when a short sound of laughter brushed his ear.
Yu Fan: “?”
He turned sharply and peered through the crook of his arm. “Chen Jingshen.”
“Mhm.”
“What are you laughing at?”
“Why not put these in a computer?” Chen Jingshen nodded at the notebook.
“Writing feels better.” Yu Fan frowned. “What do you want to say?”
“Nothing.” Chen Jingshen tried, failed to hold it in. “Maybe switch to a computer.”
“?”
“Otherwise when the new assistant arrives, they will not be able to read your handwriting.”
“…”
“All these years and your writing has not im—”
He was cut off by a rough hand clapped over his mouth.
After the scuffle, Yu Fan still stalked over to enter everything on the laptop. He was halfway through a spreadsheet when both their phones started dinging. A group chat they were both in had come back to life.
Yu Fan felt more wrung out by a week of client messages than by a half month of shoots. He welcomed the break, leaned back and opened the chat.
[Zhang Xianjing: @All How are we spending New Year’s?]
Yu Fan blinked. It was already the 29th. A new year was almost here.
[Wang Lu’an: By staying alive.]
[Wang Lu’an: I have been swamped for two weeks straight and finally get a f***ing day off. Whoever wants this stupid family business can take it. I do not.]
[Zuo Kuan: I will take it. Bring your dad out sometime so I can meet him.]
[Wang Lu’an: Get lost.]
[Zhang Xianjing: Why so much nonsense. Go out on New Year’s.]
Year end had been too busy. After that trip back to Nancheng together, they had not met again.
When they heard Yu Fan had moved back, they cheered in the group call and said they would meet up. It got dragged out until now, when they finally had a shared holiday.
Next came the where.
Zuo Kuan proposed basketball, a pool, and indoor go-karts, and mentioned an exciting race. Zhang Xianjing countered with a ski slope, hot springs, and the amusement park they had once gone to, saying there were tons of new rides.
Neither liked the other’s list, so Zhang @’ed the silent one.
[Zhang Xianjing: @Wang Lu’an Why so quiet? Where do you want to go?]
[Wang Lu’an: Ah, I was on a client call.]
[Wang Lu’an: Honestly I am too tired to go anywhere. If I had to pick…]
[Wang Lu’an: I want Seventh High’s sweet-and-sour ribs.]
[Zhang Xianjing: ?]
[Zuo Kuan: You pig?]
[Zuo Kuan: … now that you say it, I want the cafeteria’s mung bean slush.]
[Zhang Xianjing: In this weather? They should be selling hot milk tea.]
[Zuo Kuan: But it is only a one-day holiday. The cafeteria will be open for the poor Grade 12 kids back in class on the 2nd!]
…
The three reached consensus and began spamming the two who had not spoken.
[Zhang Xianjing: Free the afternoon of Jan 2? Let’s go back to Seventh High! @- @s]
Yu Fan stared at the thread. He too suddenly missed the cold slide of mung bean slush down his throat.
His work would not start until after New Year’s. He looked up to check with the person beside him.
“I have the 2nd off,” Chen Jingshen said.
So Yu Fan typed: [We are in.]
[Zhang Xianjing: Done. See you on the 2nd.]
[Zuo Kuan: Wait, if classes are on, can we even get in?]
[Wang Lu’an: Easy. Wear uniforms and blend in!]
[Zuo Kuan: F***! That was years ago. Only an idiot keeps theirs!]
The afternoon of January 2, the snow had just stopped.
Only Grade 12 had class today, so students entered in twos and threes.
Under the leafless trees heavy with snow outside Nancheng Seventh High, five people stood in school uniforms.
No one had planned it, but they all wore the full kit. Blue T-shirt inside, a sweater under that, green winter jacket on top, matching green pants.
Wang Lu’an repeated, “Only an idiot keeps theirs?”
“… How was I supposed to know my mom kept mine,” Zuo Kuan tugged at his clothes, then smacked Wang Lu’an’s belly. “Look at you. Pregnant?”
“Get lost. This is from all the drinking. It is my badge of honor.”
“Enough. Quit yapping. Class is about to start. Move.” Zhang Xianjing shoved the two of them.
Hands in pockets, Yu Fan followed at the back without speaking and stole another look at the person beside him.
To be honest, he had lost count of how many times he had looked at Chen Jingshen today.
Chen Jingshen’s uniform was clean and sharp. He had none of the looseness he showed off work. His back was straight, his expression cool. In a crowd of students, he looked again like the super top student ruling the rankings.
Sensing the gaze, Chen Jingshen cut him a sidelong look and reached out to rest a hand… on who knows where. Before he touched anything, Yu Fan slapped him away.
“Chen Jingshen, no touching. This is school,” Yu Fan said.
Chen Jingshen paused, nodded. “Okay. But you can keep looking.”
“…”
They stood among the students and were about to pass through the gate when the elderly guard’s eyes slid toward them.
“Tsk, why is he looking at us? He cannot possibly recognize us,” Zuo Kuan muttered.
“No idea. Relax. We just need to block Yu Fan’s hair. Stay natural.” Wang Lu’an said, “It has been so many years. How could he still—”
“Hold it!” The guard walked over, frowning, and looked them up and down. “You are alumni, right?”
Everyone: “…”
“How could we be!” Wang Lu’an protested. “Look at these youthful faces. We are Class 7, Grade 12!”
“Nonsense.” The guard pointed at the display board beside the gate, then at Chen Jingshen. “Is that not the same person?”
They followed his finger. On the board was an article titled: “Words From Outstanding Alumni to This Year’s Seniors.”
The first piece was Chen Jingshen’s speech from the senior pep rally. A photo of him at the podium was posted beside it.
“Chen Jingshen! Right? That is you?” the guard said.
Chen Jingshen: “No.”
“How not? Wait, I remember. You were Class of 18! And…” The guard’s gaze slid to Yu Fan’s face, his expression moving from doubt to certainty to wary. “Oh, those two moles! You are that one… the one always fighting and making trouble! And those two beside you too—what are you doing here?! Looking for a fight? You are grown. Why are you still thinking about fighting? Out! Out!”
Wang Lu’an tried to protest. “We—”
“If you do not leave I am calling the dean!”
“…”
All five were lectured and shooed out the gate.
They stood in the cold wind and stared up at the four big characters of “Nancheng Seventh High” for a long time before anyone spoke.
Zhang Xianjing sighed. “See? You should study hard in school. Do not be campus thugs.”
Zuo Kuan: “Who knew the guard’s memory would be this good!”
Wang Lu’an: “So what now? Are my ribs just gone?—Yu Fan, where are you going?”
Yu Fan had grabbed Chen Jingshen’s wrist. “Into school.”
“Did you not hear? We cannot get in.”
“So we use another entrance.”
The back gate.
Wang Lu’an squinted at the familiar mottled wall and murmured, “F***, did they raise it? I do not remember it being this tall. Who can even—”
A gust of cold air skimmed past him. He turned, dumbfounded, just in time to see Yu Fan drop cleanly down the other side.
In two seconds, his brother was already across.
Yu Fan, in uniform with slightly mussed hair, stood in the winter sun and dusted his palms. He looked at them through the patterned holes in the wall with the same lazy nonchalance he had six years ago.
For a second, the ones outside felt like it was not a reunion at all, but that they were late and sneaking in.
“No remodel. It is the same. Hurry,” Yu Fan said, his gaze sliding to a particular someone. “Chen Jingshen, step on that stone on the right to climb. I will catch you on this side.”
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