After Being Scummed – Chapter 22
by Little PandaYou are the Great Fairy, always so beautiful!
At the end of December, Yin Bai took Zhang Yu to Shangjing City to attend an ice sculpture exhibition. After the exhibition ended, she took a flight to the city where Zuo Jingyou was.
It was already late winter. Jincheng, located on the dividing line between the north and south, was extremely cold, enveloped in cold air and moisture. Although Yin Bai liked to see snow, her favorite was still the southern weather with its bright sun shining high.
Therefore, just as she got off the plane and headed to the underground parking garage, she was caught off guard by a gust of cold wind.
In the chilly underground parking garage, Yin Bai hunched her shoulders, clutched the cane in her hand, shivered, and sneezed repeatedly: “Achoo!”
Beside her, Zhang Yu was opening a suitcase, pulling out Yin Bai’s black down jacket, and quickly draped it over her. “BOSS, I told you Jincheng’s weather is very cold. I asked you to hold your down jacket before boarding, but you didn’t listen. Now you’ve caught a chill after getting off the plane. What will you do if you catch a cold!”
Yin Bai, with trembling hands, put on the down jacket, still a bit unconvinced. “Isn’t Jincheng’s weather not as cold as Shangjing’s? Who knew that after getting off the plane, this cold wind would be even more piercing than in Shangjing!”
Zhang Yu sighed and said to Yin Bai, “How can this damp cold be the same as dry cold? Alright, alright, hurry up and wrap yourself well. The car will be here soon. Dress warmly, don’t catch a cold!”
Yin Bai deeply understood how much suffering it was to be sick. She quickly zipped up her down jacket and stood in a sheltered spot, waiting for their pick-up car to arrive.
The car arrived quickly. Along with the driver, Zuo Jingyou’s assistant, Yang Yi1, also came.
Yin Bai felt cold, so after getting into the car, she snuggled into the back seat, feeling too listless to speak. Yang Yi sat in the front passenger seat, turned her head to look at Yin Bai, and explained continuously.
She said something about how Teacher Zuo had also intended to come, but was too busy with filming, and so on.
Yin Bai didn’t care about these minor things. “It’s okay, I just came to see how the crew is operating.” After saying that, she paused, thought for a moment, and dismissed Yang Yi, “I’ll rest for a while. If there’s anything, please communicate with my assistant.”
As Yin Bai spoke, she asked Zhang Yu to give her an eye mask, leaned back in the seat, and closed her eyes.
Seeing that she wanted to rest, Yang Yi lowered her voice and talked with Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu had arranged everything, including the hotel Yin Bai would stay in, the consolation gifts for the crew members, and the prepared chef and food truck, etc…
But they needed to coordinate the timing with Yang Yi beforehand to ensure it wouldn’t disrupt the crew’s work.
The two talked in low voices all the way. After an hour and a half drive, they finally arrived at the Film City2.
Zhang Yu and Yang Yi escorted Yin Bai to the hotel and checked her into the previously booked presidential suite. Having been jolted on the road all the way, Yin Bai felt very dizzy. Since Zuo Jingyou was still filming, she took a shower and blissfully slept.
When she woke up, it was already evening. Yin Bai called for hotel service, ate something casually, changed her clothes, picked up her cane, and led Zhang Yu towards the Film City.
Zhang Yu had the driver take them to Zuo Jingyou’s film set. After getting out of the car, a production crew member quickly came up to greet them and led Yin Bai to find Zuo Jingyou.
When Yin Bai arrived, Zuo Jingyou was filming. She was wearing a black down jacket, standing in front of the camera, arms crossed, replaying the previously shot footage, and discussing the scene with the male actor beside her.
Being a director and an actor are two rather different roles, so Zuo Jingyou at this moment didn’t look that glamorous. This time, she wasn’t wearing exquisite makeup but had casually put her hair up in a bun, revealing a full, smooth forehead and a beautiful meiren jian3.
Almost without makeup, Zuo Jingyou wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, held a rolled-up script in her hand, listened to the male actor’s suggestions, and poked her chin from time to time, looking like she was listening attentively.
Yin Bai stood in the shadows, noticing a few strands of hair falling from Zuo Jingyou’s temples, swaying with her nods. She inexplicably felt a kind of messy yet exquisite beauty.
This person is quite good-looking.
Could it be that people who work seriously are the most beautiful?
Countless random thoughts popped into Yin Bai’s mind. She thought a saying was really true: The working people are the most beautiful!4
Over there, Zuo Jingyou had finished her discussion with the male actor. Zuo Jingyou lightly tapped the script and calmly said, “Let’s shoot one more take!”
With her command, the entire crew sprang into action. Yin Bai, leaning on her cane, gazed at the seemingly reanimated crew and turned to the production crew member, “Don’t disturb Teacher Zuo yet. I’ll go over after they finish filming.”
The production crew member felt that Yin Bai, this investor big boss, was quite considerate and not some unreasonable bigwig, so he happily agreed.
Yin Bai and Zhang Yu found a small chair in a corner and sat down. By the time Zuo Jingyou finished filming her scenes for the night, it was already eight o’clock in the evening.
The weather was really too cold. Their crew’s progress was much faster than expected, so they weren’t in a rush for this short while. Zuo Jingyou, thinking of Yin Bai who was still at the hotel, announced that they were wrapping up for the day.
Seeing that the crew had finished filming, Yin Bai, who had been watching quietly from the corner all evening, finally came out with Zhang Yu.
At this moment, Zuo Jingyou was still reviewing the previously shot footage. When she heard the production crew member say that the investor had arrived, she looked up from the camera and towards the production crew member.
Under the dim lights, Yin Bai, wearing a grey-blue coat and a black knitted hat, walked towards her step by step, leaning on her cane. The production crew member and Zhang Yu followed on either side of her, making Yin Bai’s entrance at this moment seem like that of some formidable character from the paths5.
Coupled with the hazy lighting, it really looked the part.
A smile touched Zuo Jingyou’s lips. She put down the script, wrapped her down jacket tighter, and walked towards Yin Bai. “Director Yin, what brings you here?” The weather was so cold, she thought Yin Bai would stay in the hotel and only come to the set tomorrow.
Yin Bai walked up to her. “I arrived early. I saw you were filming and didn’t dare to disturb you.”
Yin Bai said, “You’re amazing at filming, the actors you picked are great too, and the on-site atmosphere is so strong. I think it’s excellent, very strong!”
After she finished speaking, she gave Zuo Jingyou a thumbs-up.
Zuo Jingyou lowered her eyes and chuckled lightly. “You really like to praise people. You only watched a few scenes and you’re already saying I’m amazing? Why didn’t you tell me you arrived early, making you stand in the cold wind for so long for no reason.”
Yin Bai leaned on her cane and smiled at her. “It’s okay, watching you work is also quite interesting. Besides, people need encouragement, you know.”
“As for criticism, let those great film critics handle it. As a friend, I should always give you praise and support ah!”
This was the wisdom of their young friends encouraging each other, but unfortunately, most adults didn’t understand these principles. They always preached to each other with “Good medicine is bitter to the taste but benefits the illness; honest advice is harsh to the ear but benefits one’s conduct6!”
Bullshit7! Adults need encouragement even more, okay!
Zuo Jingyou smiled and said to Yin Bai, “Then I’ll thank you for your encouragement.”
The two chatted for a while, and Zuo Jingyou introduced the other crew members to Yin Bai, such as the cinematographer, assistant director, lead actors, etc…
Although Yin Bai had invested in many of Xiao Nian’s films before, she rarely went to the set to avoid suspicion. Facing so many enthusiastic people for the first time, she might normally feel a bit uncomfortable.
But perhaps it was because the weather was too cold today, or perhaps Zuo Jingyou and her work partners shared the same patience and meticulousness, that the timid as a mouse Yin Bai calmed down quite a bit.
After greeting the people on set, Zuo Jingyou continued to ask Yin Bai, “Have you had dinner?”
Yin Bai honestly confessed, “I ate a little, but I’m hungry again now! Are you going to take me to eat?”
Yin Bai’s tone was so cheerful that Zhang Yu, standing nearby, couldn’t help but glance at her again.
BOSS, are you really lacking this one meal? Is it necessary to be this happy?
Zhang Yu felt that if her boss were some kind of canine, she might be wagging her tail at this moment!
Zuo Jingyou was also infected by her happiness and nodded with a smile. “En, I’m the host8, of course I should treat you to a meal.”
“What are we eating, what are we eating?”
Zuo Jingyou led her forward, thinking as she walked, “How about… hot pot9?”
Image here
Yin Bai was very happy. “Hot pot is great! It’s perfect for eating hot pot in the dead of winter.”
Dinner was thus simply decided. Yin Bai got into the car with Zuo Jingyou, heading towards the hot pot restaurant.
On the way, Yin Bai sat next to Zuo Jingyou, counting on her fingers as she told her about the ice sculptures she had seen in the past few days, the places she had visited, and also mentioned that someone had invited her to a hot spring, but she didn’t go because she wasn’t familiar with them.
When Yin Bai chatted with acquaintances, it was always about trivial matters10 without much substance. Zuo Jingyou listened quietly beside her, chiming in a few words from time to time.
Zhang Yu sat opposite them, suddenly finding the scene very familiar.
That’s right, isn’t this usually the state when the two kids from next door come to play with Yin Bai?
The two little kids would pester Yin Bai, talking about trivial school matters, like which classmate pulled their hair, who received praise from the teacher this time, that they got a little red flower11… and so on…
At those times, Yin Bai would always respond perfunctorily with “En, en, en, en… Oh, oh, oh, oh…”
It seemed like they could talk about anything, but in reality, it was an adult’s affectionate way of dealing with children.
But now, the roles were reversed, and Yin Bai had become like those children she usually treated with such casual dismissal.
Understanding this, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly: Her BOSS really likes Teacher Zuo a lot!
Well, who wouldn’t like such a gentle, considerate, meticulous, and patient person?
Of course, Zhang Yu could also see that Yin Bai’s liking was that of a friend, with no other meaning.
The two chatted all the way. As Yin Bai was talking, she suddenly noticed that Zuo Jingyou’s eyes were red-rimmed, and there were dark circles under them. She said with some concern, “Have you not been resting well recently? Your dark circles are so severe, oh!”
Zuo Jingyou was stunned for a moment, then suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. “Ah. Are they very severe? Do I look very haggard?”
Zuo Jingyou bit her lip lightly and said with some annoyance, “If I had known you were coming, I would have worn makeup today.”
Hearing this, Yin Bai quickly comforted her. “It’s okay, you are the Great Fairy, you always look beautiful, not haggard at all!”
Across from them, Zhang Yu looked up at her BOSS, who was calm and composed12 and spouting a mouthful of saohua13. She thought, if Yin Bai could speak so naturally when facing Xiao Nian, they might have had children by now, why would they have broken up!
Their BOSS is fundamentally an awkward, cute, little shekong14 pretending to be an adult, ah!
LP: Re-translated on May 19, 2025
Footnotes
- 杨艺 | Yáng Yì
- 影视城 | yǐngshìchéng | Film and Television City; a large studio complex or area dedicated to film and television production.
- 美人尖 | měirén jiān | Lit. “beauty’s point/tip.” Refers to a widow’s peak hairline, considered an attractive feature.
- 劳动的人民最美丽 | Láodòng de rénmín zuì měilì | A well-known slogan in China, literally meaning “The laboring people are the most beautiful,” used to praise the working class and the virtue of labor.
- 道上 | dàoshang | Lit. “on the path/road.” Often refers to the “Jianghu” (martial world), underworld, or people involved in illicit/unconventional circles. “任务” (rènwu) means task or mission, so “道上任务” (dàoshang rènwu) literally means “task/mission on the path,” but here it’s used to describe a person’s demeanor or role, implying a formidable figure from such circles.
- 良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行 | liángyào kǔkǒu lìyú bìng, zhōngyán nì’ěr lìyú xíng | Lit. “Good medicine is bitter in the mouth but effective for the illness, loyal words are jarring to the ear but beneficial for action.” | Fig. True words may be unpleasant, but they are helpful; effective remedies are often unpalatable.
- 屁咧 | pì liē | Lit. “Fart!” (屁 – pì: fart, nonsense; 咧 – liē: sentence particle). Fig. “Bullshit! / Nonsense!”.
- 东道主 | dōngdàozhǔ | Lit. “east road host.” Refers to the host, especially one who pays for a meal or entertainment for guests; the party responsible for arrangements.
- 火锅 | huǒguō | Hot pot; a Chinese dish where a simmering pot of soup stock is placed at the dining table, containing a variety of East Asian foodstuffs and ingredients.
- 鸡毛蒜皮 | jīmáosuànpí | Lit. “chicken feathers and garlic skins” | Fig. trivial matters; trifles.
- 小红花 | xiǎo hóng huā | Lit. “little red flower.” A small paper red flower often given to young children in Chinese schools as a reward for good behavior or achievement.
- 神色自若 | shénsè zìruò | Lit. “expression and color self-like” | Fig. to be calm and composed; to maintain one’s composure.
- 骚话 | sāohuà | Lit. “flirty/lewd talk.” Slang for smooth talk, flirty banter, or witty/provocative remarks.
- 社恐 | shèkǒng | Abbreviation for 社交恐惧症 (shèjiāo kǒngjùzhèng – social anxiety disorder). Internet slang for someone who is socially awkward or has social anxiety.
Her inner child is only reserved for someone who knows how to bond and indulge her inner child.