Chapter 15
Fang Jing Yao decided to move on Saturday, so the next few days were busy. Mrs. Fang helped him pack and felt a bittersweet attachment, secretly stuffing extra items into his luggage.
Zhuo Yifan helped too, no trace of pampered attitude, working efficiently—truly a packing expert.
Fang Jing Yao tried to condense his luggage into five boxes, checking and trying to reduce further.
Zhuo Yifan, following his master’s instructions, asked, “This is too little. That fruit plate looked good—why not bring it? You’ll have to buy another one at the store later, so troublesome.”
Fang Jing Yao brushed it off. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Zhuo Yifan obediently said, “Oh,” and didn’t press. But when Fang Jing Yao turned to organize his reference books, he secretly ordered a delicate ceramic fruit plate online, having it delivered to Fang Jing Yao’s moving address.
Fang Jing Yao’s phone rang twice. Seeing it was Long Yu, he picked up and held it to his ear while continuing to stuff reference books into boxes. “Hello, Long Yu? I’m busy packing… Yeah, almost done. I’ll be over Saturday.”
Zhuo Yifan browsed the online store, noticing a promotion—spend 1,000, get 300 off. He grinned. “Can’t resist! Gotta hit 1,000!”
Fang Jing Yao continued chatting with Long Yu, then suddenly raised his voice. “What? No… Wait, you don’t understand these brands, huh? Already bought it?”
“I asked some friends. They said it’s pretty good,” Long Yu said calmly, with occasional faint clinking of metal and glass in the background.
Fang Jing Yao scratched his head, frustrated. “But I already have one at home! I wanted to take it to your place!”
Long Yu laughed softly. “Leave that one at home. On holidays, you can use it. No need to move it back and forth—it’s too much trouble.”
Fang Jing Yao grinned. “Holidays at home? So I’ll need your approval to go home?”
Long Yu seriously replied, “Sick leave won’t be approved. You have to stay for me to take care of you.”
Fang Jing Yao joked for a few minutes, then Long Yu, busy, ended the call. Fang Jing Yao stared at the phone, feeling a bit odd, then called his little apprentice, “Yifan.”
Zhuo Yifan nearly dropped his phone, immediately closing the page. “Master! I didn’t spend money recklessly!”
Fang Jing Yao, slightly dazed, didn’t see what he’d done. He took a deep breath. “Unpack the box I put by the computer. Put the items back.”
“Eh?”
“Dr. Long bought me a new set for home use.”
Zhuo Yifan hesitated but obeyed, a little worried. “What if he got the wrong brand? Drawing tools aren’t like normal ones.” Midway, he realized, “Wait, how does Dr. Long have your keys? Are you moving in with him?”
Fang Jing Yao blushed. “Mind your own business!”
Zhuo Yifan’s eyes lit up. Grinning mischievously, he nudged him. “Master, it’s my first time seeing you embarrassed. You really care for Dr. Long, huh?”
Fang Jing Yao scolded seriously. “It’s not about caring. When you date properly, it’s not superficial—that’s called being moved.”
“Hehehe~”
Fang Jing Yao laughed, smacking the back of his head. “Get back to work. Go trace lines and stick dot grids in the study.”
“Okay~!” Zhuo Yifan was energetic. Compared to Luo Yi, Dr. Long seemed far more reliable. He liked everyone else as long as it wasn’t Luo Yi. Especially since Long Yu treated his master well, never took advantage—what a good person!
Fang Jing Yao sifted through unnecessary items. Even stacked boxes looked massive. Thinking of Long Yu’s ultra-clean, almost OCD-like house made him anxious. Moving in together felt like intruding on someone else’s territory. If it were him, he wouldn’t be so generous. Back in university, he had taken time to gradually get to know Luo Yi.
He thought of that person briefly, felt a little bitter, but quickly shook it off, thinking only of Long Yu. Long Yu wanted him to live together, to share his space. Maybe… he really liked him more.
Zhuo Yifan’s first impression of Long Yu was good, but when it came to drawing computers and similar equipment, he still felt a little uneasy. That unease lasted until Saturday noon—up until the very moment they stepped into Dr. Long’s home.
Zhuo Yifan was carrying a box to the next apartment when Long Yu called out to him, pointing to his own room: “Put it here.”
Zhuo Yifan glanced at him, then at his master, and immediately understood! Grinning, he carried the box into Long Yu’s apartment. Long Yu followed behind, helping Fang Jing Yao while explaining: “I bought some exercise equipment for the apartment next door. It’s a bit far from the gym here, so when you’re free, you can come over and work out.”
Fang Jing Yao thought he was joking. But when Long Yu used the key to open the next apartment and revealed seven or eight machines inside—complete with a pull-up/dip tower—Fang Jing Yao felt his heart sink. “You actually bought all this? A treadmill would’ve been enough, why buy so much?!”
“I consulted some friends. These machines are good. For example, this one is for dip and assisted pull-ups. You sit at your desk too long, so your shoulders and back need some exercise. That smaller one is for abs—I’ve used it before, and it works well.”
Long Yu pointed out a few pieces. They all looked difficult; Fang Jing Yao only recognized a rowing machine. He frowned at Long Yu’s explanation and ripped up his T-shirt to show him. “Look, I already have abs, alright?!”
Dr. Long looked down seriously at his waist.
Fang Jing Yao angrily lowered his shirt. “…I’ll show you better in a few days!”
Long Yu chuckled. “Okay.”
As they were talking, Zhuo Yifan called from the room. Following the voice, Fang Jing Yao saw him standing at the study door, holding a stack of reference books, staring in awe like he’d just seen an absolute beauty, almost drooling.
“Master, look at this! Wow, it’s amazing!”
Fang Jing Yao stepped inside and froze. “Wow…” His expression mirrored Zhuo Yifan’s. Swallowing, he said, “Long Yu… you didn’t get these for me, did you?”
Leaning against the door, Long Yu glanced at him. “Yes, I got them for you. I didn’t know what you normally use, so I asked a friend. He recommended two models that were good, so I got both. Are they suitable?”
Suitable doesn’t even begin to describe it.
One Wacom Cintiq, one brand-new Microsoft Surface Studio—the ultimate drawing setup. Just touching their metal surfaces felt heavenly. Using them, you could feel your speed and mood boosted by twenty percent! And the price—these two pieces alone, including accessories, easily cost nearly 100,000 yuan.
Although Fang Jing Yao had saved some money, he never would have splurged on such luxurious equipment for himself. Normally he cherished a single graphics tablet, and now he couldn’t take his eyes off these.
Zhuo Yifan also froze, mesmerized by the machines. He touched and examined them. “I miss the Beijing studio… I miss my Fang Boli…”
“Stop giving your machines names! And stop giving them my surname!”
Zhuo Yifan pouted. “These are so much better than my old Apple stuff.”
Fang Jing Yao lectured him, “You have to take care of your equipment. You’ve been with me all these years—how could you forget how good it is so quickly?”
Zhuo Yifan asked, “If your old tablet was still around, would you still use it?”
“…No.”
Fang Jing Yao was thrilled with the new computers. In the study—converted from the guest room Fang Jing Yao had previously stayed in—the bed was replaced with a desk and bookshelf. The room was even bigger than the original apartment’s small study, well-lit, perfect for working.
Long Yu grabbed some drinks from the fridge for Zhuo Yifan. He was flustered. “No, no, Master, I’ll just drink water!”
“Bring it to Jing Yao,” Long Yu said. “He’ll be in the study for a while. Let him play a bit there.”
Zhuo Yifan, caught off guard, muttered, “…Okay.”
He delivered the drink to Fang Jing Yao, who was already testing the stylus. A few casual strokes created striking lines—the posture, the freedom—it was impossible to imitate.
Zhuo Yifan watched, then frowned, thinking of Luo Yi. Now that his master had parted ways with that guy, he probably didn’t get much back. He’d heard Luo Yi was planning a traveling exhibition and even adapting it for film. The thought annoyed him.
After accompanying Fang Jing Yao for a while, Zhuo Yifan left. There was no one in the living room, but the kitchen had activity.
Zhuo Yifan found Long Yu wearing a checkered apron, cooking with several small white porcelain bowls neatly arranged with marinated meat and sauces.
Rolling up his sleeves, Zhuo Yifan said, “Master, let me help! I’m great at cooking!”
Long Yu adjusted his glasses. “No, you’re a child. Go to the small study—the one right at the entrance, not Jing Yao’s. On the desk are the contracts I revised for you. Check if anything needs adjustment.”
Zhuo Yifan’s greatest virtue was obedience, especially to elders. He acknowledged and ran to the small study.
Author’s Note:
Zhuo Yifan: “Master, why can Grandmaster spend money but I can’t?”
Fang Jing Yao (serious): “Adults’ matters, children shouldn’t meddle!”
Baby Yifan pouted like a pufferfish.
