After Being Scummed – Chapter 29

by Little Panda

So cute!

After watching Zuo Jingyou head home, Yin Bai also quickly returned to her own house. She rarely received gifts from friends, so after getting home, she couldn’t wait to unwrap the present.

Before long, she took out a small nightingale-shaped brooch from the little gift box. Right in the middle of this colorful nightingale’s heart, a ruby was set. Yin Bai carefully held up the brooch, examining it closely under the light, and the more she looked at it, the more beautiful she found it.

Whether it was the exquisite craftsmanship or the brilliant, sparkling ruby, she found it all very satisfying.

All along, she had always felt that the color of her own eyes was the most beautiful color. Looking at this now, red wasn’t bad at all!

Thinking this, Yin Bai carefully put the brooch away, placing it back in the drawer for accessories in her walk-in closet, alongside her collection of other expensive brooches.

After doing all this, Yin Bai sent Zuo Jingyou a message: “The gift, I like it a lot. The color is especially beautiful!”

Zuo Jingyou wasn’t asleep yet and replied quite quickly: “I’m glad you like it. I think this color is brilliant enough to complement your eyes beautifully.”

Yin Bai subconsciously raised her hand and touched her eyes, thinking to herself, blue and red are a classic color combination… So, Zuo Jingyou is complimenting her on her beautiful eyes!

Yin Bai immediately cheered up: “I think so too! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. Good night.”

“Good night.”

Nothing more was said that night. The next day, after noon, the two little kids came over again with insulated containers to bring Yin Bai breakfast. While eating breakfast, Yin Bai heard the two children say that many people had come to their house today, it was very lively, and they wanted to invite Yin Bai over to play.

When Yin Bai heard there were many people, she felt quite intimidated and regretfully declined.

For two days in a row during the Spring Festival, many people visited Zuo Jingyou’s home, and Yin Bai didn’t go over to play again. It wasn’t until the third day of the Lunar New Year that she reunited with her little companions.

The third day was when she and the family next door had arranged to go out together. Because Yin Bai had difficulty walking, her assistants couldn’t possibly let her go out alone. So, that morning, both Zhang Yu and Xiang Qiu returned to their posts, packed Yin Bai’s luggage, and went out with her.

After packing all the necessary items for the trip, Zhang Yu drove, bringing Xiang Qiu along, and took Yin Bai and Zuo Jingyou’s family to the airport.

After boarding Yin Bai’s private jet, the captain flew towards the destination according to the previously arranged itinerary.

The journey from Haicheng Airport to Vienna, Austria, was very long. Fortunately, Yin Bai’s plane was spacious, and she had prepared lots of tasty food and fun things. So, she traveled with the children, eating, playing, and sleeping all the way to Austria.

When the plane landed in Vienna, it was early morning. Vienna in winter was bitterly cold. It had just snowed, and the world was a vast expanse of white.

Yin Bai was wearing a long white down jacket and a matching Tumak hat¹. As she came out of the exit, leaning on her cane, she looked at the stark, snow-covered scene and couldn’t help but shiver.

Goodness, it looks so cold!

But her two little companions didn’t feel that way at all. The two children, dressed in red down jackets and similar fluffy hats, exclaimed joyfully after coming out of the exit, looking at the snow covering the branches in the distance: “Wow! It’s snow! It’s Vienna’s snow!”

Yin Bai, wearing a light-colored scarf with her face buried in it, revealing only her large, gray-blue eyes and a reddened nose tip, responded half-heartedly, “Yes, yes, yes, it’s snow!”

She had just finished dealing with the children when she saw Tongtong on the side, tugging at Zuo Jingyou and saying cheerfully, “Mommy, Mommy, let’s take a picture!”

Not to be outdone, Wenwen on the other side tugged at Yin Bai’s clothes and shouted happily, “Jiejie, Jiejie, let’s take a picture too!”

Yin Bai turned her head, exchanged a helpless glance with Zuo Jingyou beside her, and, as if resigning to her fate, joined Zuo Jingyou as the two children brought them together to start taking pictures.

Wenwen and Tongtong stood close together, had Yin Bai and Zuo Jingyou stand on either side, and made a heart shape with their hands to frame them in the middle, smiling at Zhang Yu’s camera: “It’s Vienna’s snow!”

Zhang Yu raised her camera and took a group photo of them in front of the snowy scene.

The children pulled the two adults to change positions, made them hold hands, and flashed brilliant smiles at the camera: “It’s Vienna’s airport!”

With a click, Zhang Yu took another group photo of them in front of the airport exit.

Seeing that the children wanted to continue taking pictures, Yin Bai raised her hand and patted Wenwen’s shoulder: “Let’s go, friend. If you want to take more pictures, let’s wait until we get to the palace, okay?”

Urged by her like this, Wenwen and Tongtong stopped clamoring for group photos. Only then did they obediently follow the adults and get into the car to head to the hotel.

Along the way, Wenwen and Tongtong leaned against the car window, watching the passing snowy scenery outside, chattering as they discussed how to build a snowman later, what to eat, what to play, where to go sightseeing, and what photos to take.

They were chatting happily, but Yin Bai noticed that Zuo Jingyou, beside them, seemed a bit off. Ever since getting off the plane, Zuo Jingyou’s spirits hadn’t been very high, and she seemed a little unwell. It became even more apparent after getting into the car. Even though the children were discussing things so excitedly, Zuo Jingyou seemed to have no energy to participate, merely giving a few half-hearted replies before leaning against Professor Sun and closing her eyes to feign sleep.

Yin Bai glanced at her several times. Compared to the energetic Professor Sun beside her, Zuo Jingyou, despite being younger, looked listless, like a frost-bitten eggplant², completely wilted.

Could she be sick?

Yin Bai wondered inwardly, but thinking that the children were still nearby and fearing they might worry too much, she didn’t ask immediately.

The car drove for over an hour before finally arriving at their hotel. The hotel staff helped deliver their luggage to the pre-booked suite, and the children followed behind Zhang Yu and Xiang Qiu, rushing into the room excitedly.

Yin Bai was a little lame³ and naturally walked a bit slowly. Zuo Jingyou wasn’t feeling well at the moment either, so her pace was about the same as Yin Bai’s. Seeing Professor Sun also enter the room, Yin Bai, who was a step behind, reached out with her cane, tapped Zuo Jingyou’s heel, and called out, “Hey… friend, are you okay?”

Startled by the call, Zuo Jingyou turned her head and looked at Yin Bai with a somewhat blank expression: “Hmm?”

Seeing her dazed look, Yin Bai became even more certain of her earlier thought. She looked at Zuo Jingyou carefully and asked in a low voice, “Are you not feeling well?”

Zuo Jingyou shook her head: “No.”

“Really?” Yin Bai was still a bit worried and asked again, “No fever?”

Zuo Jingyou heard the concern in her voice, shook her head with a slight smile, “No, don’t worry…”

“That’s what you say, but the way you look right now…” Yin Bai pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and reached her hand out towards Zuo Jingyou: “Never mind, let me check your forehead for a temperature.”

As Yin Bai spoke, she extended her slightly warm hand and placed it on Zuo Jingyou’s forehead.

When the cool palm touched her forehead, Zuo Jingyou, who had been somewhat muddled, instantly became clear-headed. Her pupils contracted slightly. Looking at Yin Bai, who was so close, her mind suddenly went blank.

Yin Bai felt her forehead for a temperature, quickly withdrew her hand, and muttered, “You really don’t have a fever.” After saying that, she looked down, then glanced at Zuo Jingyou with some confusion, “If it’s not a cold or fever, why are you so listless today? When the two kids were talking to you, you seemed so drained.”

Zuo Jingyou stared at her for a good while before finding her voice and replying hoarsely, “Don’t you… ever get jet lag⁴?”

She wasn’t sick; she just couldn’t get over the jet lag!

Yin Bai tapped her cane on the ground, a look of sudden realization dawning on her: Oh… so that’s what it is! No wonder she’s been so listless!

Yin Bai looked at Zuo Jingyou with some sympathy: “In that case, you should stay in the hotel and rest well later. I’ll take the children out so they won’t disturb you.”

Zuo Jingyou blinked, nodded after a moment, and said, “Mm.”

Once Yin Bai understood that Zuo Jingyou was just tired from jet lag and not sick, she leaned on her cane and urged her towards the room.

After entering the suite, Yin Bai let Professor Sun choose her room first, then arranged rooms for everyone else, and then got busy unpacking her luggage.

Because Zuo Jingyou was dealing with jet lag, Yin Bai thoughtfully asked Professor Sun if she was experiencing the same. Professor Sun was much tougher than her daughter and said she felt fine. So, Yin Bai happily invited her to go out together in the afternoon.

Professor Sun accepted Yin Bai’s invitation without hesitation.

So, after breakfast, Yin Bai set off for the Belvedere Palace⁵ with Professor Sun and the children, along with her two assistants. Although it was a pity, Zuo Jingyou, struggling with jet lag, really couldn’t get up. No matter how much Tongtong didn’t want to leave her mom, she still reluctantly went along with Yin Bai.

The key thing was, this group was also very “thoughtful.” Knowing Zuo Jingyou couldn’t go, they “thoughtfully” sent her the photos they took while they were out playing.

The tourist group, led by Yin Bai, even created a small WeChat group chat specifically for sending photos.

When Zuo Jingyou woke up, she found a ton of unread messages on her phone. She clicked into the WeChat group and—holy cow—it was full of group photos of them.

There were photos of Yin Bai and the two children, Yin Bai and Professor Sun, Professor Sun and the children…

It seemed that, influenced by the children, the two “dignified” adults had also become typical “tourists,” taking a photo at every spot. They didn’t even spare the trees by the roadside.

Zuo Jingyou silently scrolled through all the photos, then opened Yin Bai’s WeChat and sent her a message: “You guys are so mean…”

She thought Yin Bai was out playing and probably wouldn’t reply to her message so quickly. But it wasn’t long before she received a call from Yin Bai.

The group of them seemed to be walking on the street. Zuo Jingyou, sitting on her bed, could faintly hear the sound of a street band playing through the phone. Amidst the noisy environment, Yin Bai’s soft voice came through clearly to her ear: “Teacher Zuo, you’re awake?”

It was hard to describe the feeling. Zuo Jingyou, wrapped in her blanket, just felt as if Yin Bai’s palm was on her forehead again—soft, and a little warm.

Zuo Jingyou pulled the blanket tighter, a hint of a smile in her eyes: “Mm… where are you guys playing now?”

Yin Bai’s voice got a little louder: “On Graben Street⁶, still playing… It’s so cold, but there are so many people, it’s very lively…”

Zuo Jingyou hugged the blanket tightly, as if she could see Yin Bai, all bundled up, leaning on her cane and leading the group of old and young through the lively streets of a foreign land.

How should I put it… just picturing that scene, Yin Bai seemed so dependable.

Zuo Jingyou chuckled softly: “Is that so? Well, you all have fun. By the way, when are you planning to have dinner?”

Yin Bai, navigating through the crowd with her cane, replied with a laugh, “In another hour and a half. If you’re willing to get up, how about coming to have dinner with us? I’ll have the hotel staff send you over.”

“I booked a Chinese restaurant. It’s said to be quite good!”

Zuo Jingyou raised her hand to cover her face and couldn’t help but laugh: “Why, even when you’re abroad, do you still want to eat at a Chinese restaurant! Aren’t there any local specialties?”

Yin Bai also smiled, her eyes crinkling, and said in as lighthearted a tone as possible, “Based on my many years of experience tasting cuisines from various countries, I’ve discovered that, apart from Chinese food, most other cuisines are trash. Local specialties… I reckon they’re not tasty!”

“Besides, Professor Sun shares my opinion! So we’re going to a Chinese restaurant!”

She said it so confidently. Zuo Jingyou’s eyes curved into a smile as she sighed and said, “You really are…”

“Really are what?”

Zuo Jingyou thought to herself, Of course, you’re adorable. Naturally, she didn’t say it out loud, just cleared her throat softly and said gently, “Alright then. Send me the address, and I’ll head out to meet you guys, okay?”

“Okay!”

After hanging up the phone, Yin Bai sent the restaurant address to Zuo Jingyou.

LP: Re-translated on May 27, 2025

Footnotes

吐馬克帽 | tǔmǎkè mào | A type of fur hat, possibly similar to a papakha or ushanka, often associated with Central Asian or Russian winter wear. The term ‘吐馬克’ (tǔmǎkè) itself might be a transliteration for a specific style of hat.
霜打了的茄子 | shuāng dǎ de qiézi | Literally “a frost-bitten eggplant.” This is a common Chinese idiom used to describe someone who is listless, dispirited, wilted, or lacking energy.
小瘸子 | xiǎo quézi | A colloquial term meaning “little cripple” or “little lame person.” While it can be used descriptively, it can also be considered somewhat blunt or even derogatory depending on the context and tone.
倒時差 | dǎo shíchā | To experience or adjust to jet lag. Literally “to invert the time difference.”
美景宮 | Měijǐng Gōng | Belvedere Palace, a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria. The Chinese name literally means “Beautiful View Palace.”
媒市大街 | Méi Shì Dàjiē | Likely referring to Graben, a famous upscale shopping street in the heart of Vienna, Austria. The Chinese name ‘媒市大街’ (Méi Shì Dàjiē) might be a specific translation or transliteration used in this context; ‘大街’ (Dàjiē) means ‘main street’ or ‘avenue’, and ‘媒市’ (Méi Shì) could be an attempt to phonetically or semantically represent ‘Graben’, which historically was a market area (Markt -> 市).

Footnotes

2 Comments