After Being Scummed – Chapter 28
by Little PandaIn the new year, things will get better.
The old professor sitting to the side was quickly discovered by the children. Tongtong, holding a puzzle piece, looked at Professor Sun with sparkling eyes and happily called out, “Grandma, do you want to play too?”
A faint smile appeared on Professor Sun’s face, which usually looked overly serious and stern. “I won’t play, you guys play.”
“Okay!” Tongtong didn’t insist and happily went back to doing the puzzle with the two big sisters.
Although Professor Sun said she wouldn’t play, when she saw Tongtong and Wenwen busy flipping through puzzle pieces, she started looking too. The old professor had sharp eyes and, in no time, found the next piece, handing it to Wenwen, who was closest: “This one.”
Wenwen took the puzzle piece and looked at it, her eyes instantly lighting up. “Hey! It really looks like this one, quick, try it!” She quickly fitted the piece in. Seeing another section of the large puzzle completed, Wenwen clapped her hands happily.
She looked up, smiling so wide that a row of big white teeth showed, and said to Professor Sun, “Thank you, Grandma!”
Professor Sun hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently patted Wenwen’s head. “Good girl.”
Yin Bai, squatting between the two children, witnessed the whole thing. She silently looked away and turned her attention back to the puzzle. While arranging the pieces, Yin Bai thought, Zuo Jingyou’s big family is really interesting.
Next, Yin Bai and the two children completed a little less than half of the puzzle. Professor Sun, who was sitting to the side and said she wouldn’t participate, would hand over a puzzle piece from time to time. She didn’t say much, and the two adults and two children played together quite harmoniously.
When Zuo Jingyou received a call from Sun Mingrui and came out of the kitchen to go to the underground garage to help carry things, she subconsciously glanced at the first-floor living room.
She saw Yin Bai and the two children chattering away as they compared puzzle pieces, while Ms. Sun Yulan sat to the side, slowly chiming in with a few words. The atmosphere was very lively.
Seeing this scene, Zuo Jingyou was a little surprised.
You see, usually when Zuo Jingyou brought people over, Professor Sun disliked disturbances so much that she would hide in her study and not come out all day.
But now… she probably wanted to play with the two children. It seemed Professor Sun was finally able to experience a bit of family joy.
Zuo Jingyou smiled faintly and headed towards the underground garage.
Just as she reached the garage entrance, she happened to see Sun Mingrui parking her car. Seeing Sun Mingrui get out of the car, Zuo Jingyou quickly went up to her. “Sis.”
When she saw her sister’s neat and short haircut, Zuo Jingyou paused for a moment. “You cut your hair?”
Sun Mingrui hummed in agreement, went around to the back of the car, opened the trunk, and while taking out the children’s new clothes, said to Zuo Jingyou, “Short hair is more convenient. Does it look good?”
Zuo Jingyou took the bag from her hand, her eyes curving into a smile. “It looks good, suits you well.”
“Really? I think so too. If I’d known, I would have cut it short sooner.” Sun Mingrui continued to take out the children’s toys, tea and gifts for her mother. Carrying large and small bags, she walked upstairs with Zuo Jingyou, asking as they went, “Where are Wenwen and Tongtong? What are they doing?”
Zuo Jingyou followed beside Sun Mingrui and said softly, “They’re playing.”
Sun Mingrui wasn’t surprised at all. She then asked, “What about Mom? Is she in the study?”
Zuo Jingyou shook her head. “No, she’s playing too.”
Sun Mingrui was a bit surprised. “Mom is actually so free today? She’s even playing with those two little rascals?”
Zuo Jingyou smiled. “You’ll know when you see them in a bit.”
Sun Mingrui followed Zuo Jingyou up the stairs. When she reached the first floor, she quickly spotted the group of children gathered around the sofa, playing with the puzzle.
Sun Mingrui watched for a good while before raising her voice and calling out, “Sun Jingwen1!”
Wenwen heard someone call her full name and quickly looked up, immediately spotting Sun Mingrui standing not far away. Her eyes widened instantly, and she exclaimed, “Mommy!”
Wenwen quickly dropped the puzzle piece in her hand and, with her little short legs, ran like a rabbit towards her mother.
Sun Mingrui put down the things in her hands, bent down, and opened her arms to catch Wenwen, who was rushing towards her like a cannonball, and hugged her tightly.
Sun Mingrui raised her hand, gently patted Wenwen’s little head, and asked with a smile, “Did you miss Mommy!”
“I did!” Wenwen wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, puckered her lips, and planted several slobbery kisses on Sun Mingrui’s face.
A child Wenwen’s age was quite heavy. Although Sun Mingrui was a researcher who exercised regularly, she couldn’t quite handle her weight. After a short while, Sun Mingrui put her down and walked towards Sun Yulan on the sofa.
Wenwen, like an eager little helper2, carried a gift for her in one hand and held her other hand, pitter-pattering back to her little friends.
Sun Mingrui greeted Sun Yulan, then hugged Tongtong and playfully ruffled her hair before turning her gaze to Yin Bai. “Hello, I’m Sun Mingrui, Xiao You’s older sister and Wenwen’s mother. You must be the one from next door, right?”
Yin Bai’s identity was easy to guess. After all, Wenwen and Tongtong had mentioned her quite a lot during previous video calls.
Before Yin Bai could answer, Wenwen, chattering away, started introducing Yin Bai: “Yes, Mommy, this is the big sister from next door. She’s my good friend!”
Yin Bai looked down, smiled at Wenwen, then looked up at Sun Mingrui and extended her hand. “Hello, Yin Bai.”
Sun Mingrui shook Yin Bai’s hand, her eyes curving into a smile. “Welcome to our home!”
After some pleasantries, Sun Mingrui let them continue playing, while she took the gifts to put them away and then went to the kitchen to help Zuo Jingyou prepare dinner.
Not long after she left, a burst of cheerful murmuring and discussion came from the living room again.
Sun Mingrui shook her head, walked into the kitchen, put on an apron, and stood at the counter with Zuo Jingyou, preparing ingredients. The tap water ran with a gurgle, and they could faintly hear conversation from the living room. Sun Mingrui sighed and said while helping to wash vegetables, “I think I finally understand why Wenwen and Tongtong are always going next door.”
Zuo Jingyou asked with a smile, “Why is that?”
Sun Mingrui sighed. “The neighbor next door is really interesting and patient. You know Wenwen’s energy level; she’s like a little monkey, always up to something. Back then, I didn’t have much energy to play with her. Now that we’re at Mom’s, and there’s someone next door who can happily play with her, of course she’s going to run over there every day, right?”
Zuo Jingyou chuckled, then nodded seriously. “You’re right. But more importantly, she really is very interesting. She’s one of those rare, very genuine people.”
Sun Mingrui tilted her head, looked at Zuo Jingyou, and said, “You have a very high opinion of your new friend. But speaking of which, your friend is really beautiful.”
“Her skin is fair, her hair is thick and dark, her eyelashes are long, her eyes are big, and her eye color is very beautiful. She looks like an exquisite princess.”
Sun Mingrui paused, then asked curiously, “Is she of mixed heritage? Looking at her features, she seems to lean towards Eastern European.”
Zuo Jingyou nodded. “Yes, three-quarters foreign ancestry, leaning towards Eastern European.”
Sun Mingrui understood. “Oh~ so she really is a little Eastern European princess.” Sun Mingrui rarely joked, then remarked, “She’s so beautiful, no wonder the children like her so much. Don’t just see Tongtong as being so well-behaved; I discovered a while ago that she especially likes good-looking people.”
Zuo Jingyou was a bit exasperated. “That’s not true, don’t say that about her.”
Sun Mingrui put the washed vegetables in a basket to dry and, looking at Zuo Jingyou who was marinating a chicken for roasting, said, “How is it not true? Tongtong takes after you; she likes good-looking people. Haven’t you always been overjoyed to see good-looking things since you were little?”
Zuo Jingyou felt a bit helpless. “Sis, honestly, you were talking about Tongtong, why drag me into it?”
Sun Mingrui sighed. “Who asked you to be so superficial? Oh… right… I remember now!”
Zuo Jingyou was puzzled. “Remember what?”
Sun Mingrui leaned close to her ear and said mysteriously, “I was just wondering why Mom was so free today and willing to play with those two little monkeys. Now that we’re talking about your friend, I think I get it.”
Zuo Jingyou blinked, looking at her sister, not understanding. “Get what?”
Sun Mingrui sighed. “Don’t you think Mom also likes good-looking people? Do you remember when you brought a friend home in high school, and Mom praised them for being good-looking and cute? I think she finds Yin Bai good-looking, so she’s willing to stay with them.”
Zuo Jingyou looked down and chuckled softly, saying with a helpless tone, “Sis, you’re really something… even gossiping about Mom…” Zuo Jingyou paused, then glanced at Sun Mingrui. “But well… I actually thought the same thing.”
Sun Mingrui blinked. “See? Mom just likes good-looking people.”
Zuo Jingyou pressed her lips together and nodded. The two sisters looked at each other and both burst out laughing.
While they were talking in the kitchen, the four people in the living room had almost finished the puzzle.
At three in the afternoon, Zuo Jingyou had the children go take baths. With no one to keep her company, Yin Bai and Professor Sun each took an end of the sofa and picked up a book to read.
Professor Sun was a woman of few words, and Yin Bai was actually quite similar. Perhaps their vibes matched, as Yin Bai didn’t feel as awkward as usual. Once the children finished their baths, the New Year’s Eve dinner began.
Celebrating New Year’s in the city didn’t involve as many elaborate customs. After a lively family meal, Professor Sun took out red envelopes and distributed them to the younger members of the family.
Even Yin Bai, who was a guest, received one. Yin Bai was pleasantly surprised and very touched, and said excitedly, “Thank you!” Goodness knows, ever since her grandmother passed away, she hadn’t received a red envelope from an elder, nor had she eaten such a lively New Year’s Eve dinner.
Perhaps her happiness was too obvious, as Professor Sun smiled and gave her another one. Yin Bai wanted to decline, but Professor Sun paused and said gently, “That screen from this morning, I liked it very much. Thank you too.”
Compared to her initial terseness, Professor Sun had now found a comfortable way of talking, much like she did with her two daughters, and her words flowed much more smoothly.
So Yin Bai no longer declined and happily accepted another red envelope.
She just didn’t notice that Zuo Jingyou, who was nearby, saw this and exchanged a look with Sun Mingrui opposite her, their eyes filled with a knowing smile that only sisters would understand.
After distributing the red envelopes, Zuo Jingyou turned on the TV, and the family watched the Spring Festival Gala3 together. In previous years, Zuo Jingyou might have participated in the gala, but since she hadn’t produced much work recently, she had declined and was now content to stay home with her family.
Watching the Spring Festival Gala was a bit boring for the children, so Wenwen suggested playing Monopoly4, and everyone agreed. So, the whole family, including Yin Bai, gathered around the TV, listening to the gala while playing Monopoly.
Although Zuo Jingyou didn’t attend the gala this Spring Festival, Lin Xiao did. The scandal from the first half of the year didn’t seem to affect him; having secured He Zhiwen’s resources, he still appeared before the entire nation.
Not only Lin Xiao, but even Xiao Nian performed a song together with a group of ‘little fresh meats5.’ Hearing a familiar voice, Yin Bai subconsciously glanced at the TV. But it was just a glance; she then looked away and continued playing Monopoly.
It was New Year’s Eve, hey! How could she possibly lose the game? For a whole year’s luck, she had to win, okay!
The children played very late, and Yin Bai accompanied them to set off small fireworks on the lawn before tonight’s gathering finally ended.
It was past midnight. After coaxing the children to sleep, Yin Bai started walking home, leaning on her crutch. The night was dark and the road quiet, and since Yin Bai had difficulty walking, Zuo Jingyou escorted her to her doorstep.
As Yin Bai opened the door to go inside, Zuo Jingyou handed her a small gift box she was holding. “This is for you, a New Year’s gift.”
Yin Bai smiled, accepted the gift, and said happily, “Thank you.”
Zuo Jingyou urged her to go in. “Hurry inside. Watch your step.”
Yin Bai nodded, took out her phone, and said to Zuo Jingyou, “Don’t worry, my house is very bright.” After saying that, she took out her phone and turned on all the lights in her house.
In an instant, the villa, which had been shrouded in darkness, lit up. Brilliant light shone from every window, illuminating the surroundings.
Zuo Jingyou looked up at the lit-up villa, then at Yin Bai standing before her, and said with a smile, “Okay then, I won’t walk you further. I’ll head back now.”
Yin Bai nodded. “Mm, good night, Teacher Zuo!”
Zuo Jingyou replied with a smile, “Good night…” She paused, then added, “Happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year!”
Zuo Jingyou turned and walked towards her own house. When she reached her doorstep, she subconsciously turned her head to look in Yin Bai’s direction and immediately saw the person still standing under the streetlight.
Zuo Jingyou hadn’t expected Yin Bai to still be standing there watching her leave, and she froze for a moment.
Soon, Yin Bai, under the light, seemed to notice her looking over and waved at her. “Teacher Zuo, Happy New Year! Gongxi facai6!”
In the darkness of the night, Yin Bai, with her cool-toned pale skin, stood under the streetlight leaning on her crutch, her back to the brightly lit villa. For some reason, it made Zuo Jingyou feel that she was like a little prince who couldn’t leave his castle—the little prince from the fairy tale who was cursed to become a beast.
Zuo Jingyou’s heartstrings were tugged. She smiled, waved back at Yin Bai, and turned to enter her own home.
As she walked into her house, she kept thinking about the image of Yin Bai standing under the light, thinking to herself, Perhaps this past year wasn’t actually so bad for me.
At the beginning of the year, she discovered her husband was cheating, divorced him taking her daughter, and was even confronted by the ‘other woman’. She thought it would be the start of an unfortunate period in her life. But the reality was different. She quickly secured investment, finished directing her first movie, and even met a very interesting friend.
Life is like that… until you’ve lived through it completely, how can you know if it’s fortunate or unfortunate?
At least at this moment, Zuo Jingyou felt very lucky. Because she felt that in the new year, her life would be even better.
LP: Re-translated on May 26, 2025
Footnotes
- 孙静雯 | Sūn Jìngwén
- 狗腿子 | gǒutuǐzi | Literally “dog’s leg,” often used to mean a lackey or henchman.
- 春晚 | Chūnwǎn | The CCTV New Year’s Gala, a variety show broadcast annually on Chinese New Year’s Eve, watched by a massive domestic and international audience.
- 大富翁 | Dàfùwēng | Lit. “Big Rich Man,” the common Chinese name for the board game Monopoly.
- 小鲜肉 | xiǎo xiānròu | Lit. “little fresh meat,” a popular internet slang term in China referring to young, handsome male celebrities, typically in their teens or early twenties.
- 恭喜发财 | Gōngxǐ fācái | A common Chinese New Year greeting meaning “Wishing you happiness and prosperity.”
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