Chapter 40: Longevity Banquet

By all rights, he lived in A City too, and he had already retired. As the only son of the birthday elder, he ought to have been the first one back, bustling about with preparations.

It was only after Yu Lian’s round of complaints that Bai Yiyi learned the truth. The man had been volunteering at the welfare home, expending his remaining years in service. Over the past couple of days, he had been looking after a lonely elderly resident in their final moments and couldn’t get away to walk them through their last journey. He had helped handle the funeral arrangements the night before and had only managed to turn his attention to his own father’s longevity banquet that very morning.

Bai Yiyi inexplicably found the man familiar. Upon closer inspection, he realized the fellow bore four or five points of resemblance to Yan Tuo. As the saying went, nephews often took after their uncles—this was practically a middle-aged, shorter version of his master. Anyone who didn’t know better would have no trouble believing they were father and son.

Bai Yiyi took a liking to him right away. Mimicking Yan Tuo’s tone, he called out, “Old Uncle.” Yu Lixiang burst into hearty laughter at this first encounter with such an intelligent little bird pet.

The banquet was held in a hotel not far from home. By around eleven o’clock, the place was packed with guests.

The family occupied the main table, while relatives and fellow townsfolk filled five others. The remaining tables were taken by Yu Lixiang and Yu Jianguo’s old comrades and colleagues—some had come alone, others with their families in tow to join the fun.

Bai Yiyi was the biggest hit with the kids. A gaggle of them crowded around Yan Tuo, chattering noisily about the little bird on his shoulder. The bolder ones even reached out with their fingers to poke at it.

Yan Tuo, on the other hand, was the most harried. Not only did he have to shield Dumpling from the rowdy children’s mischief, but he also had to fend off questions about marriage from various aunts and great-aunts. Then there was Grandpa’s friend Old Zhang, a total bird fanatic who had been relentlessly trying to convince him from the moment they met to sell the little white dumpling.

Yan Tuo was at his wits’ end. The man was an elder, and it was impossible to refuse him too bluntly—but what could he do? For starters, this wasn’t even a bird; he had no say in the matter. And even if it were, after so many years of bond between master and pet, he could never bear to part with it.

It wasn’t until Yu Jianguo slammed the table with a vigorous thud and bellowed, “A gentleman does not take what another loves,” that Yan Tuo’s ears finally found some peace.

Precisely at noon, the banquet officially commenced.

The birthday elder himself disliked overly flashy affairs, so there was no emcee or performers. Yu Lixiang simply took the stage and said a few routine words—thanking his father for raising him and wishing him a life as long as the pines of South Mountain.

Once the enormous peach-shaped birthday cake had made its ceremonial entrance and the rituals were complete, everyone dug in.

A steady stream of guests came by to offer toasts, but none dared to ply the old man with drink. Instead, Yu Lixiang and Li Zhong took the brunt of it.

An elderly gentleman in a traditional Chinese vest patted Yu Lixiang on the shoulder with a tipsy grin. “Big Yu, your dad raised you single-handedly all these years—must’ve been no easy feat. How come you never convince him to find a companion to share the days? It’d spare you kids from always being away, leaving the old man to fend for himself. What if something happens and all he has is that little bird to save him?”

On the surface, the man was talking about a companion for the elder, but in truth, he was venting frustration on behalf of his old friend. He felt the children hadn’t done enough to show their care.

Those words instantly left Yu Lixiang red-faced and embarrassed. He knocked back three glasses in quick succession by way of apology to the world at large. Bai Yiyi, however, suddenly snapped to realization. Big Yu? Or Big Fish?

He whipped his head around for another close look at his master’s Old Uncle. Memories long sealed away began to sharpen into focus.

That sense of familiarity and warmth he’d felt upon first sight wasn’t just because of the resemblance to Yan Tuo. This kindly, handsome old fellow was none other than the neighborhood cop who had saved him all those years ago—Uncle Da Yu.

More than a decade later, seeing his childhood savior and idol again filled Bai Yiyi’s eyes with moisture. Two crystalline tears welled up and clung to the feathers at the corners of his eyes.

“Uncle Yan, your Tangyuan’s crying!” one of the rowdy kids spotted it and yelled to Yan Tuo.

Yan Tuo glanced down and sure enough saw the pitiful sight. His chopsticks tightened in his grip.

Why was it crying now? He had deliberately sat farther from Xu Qingru, and last night he had both explained and comforted, making all sorts of promises. Had none of it worked? Was it really so terrified of people?

Without a second thought, he stood and excused himself to the restroom, taking Dumpling outside with him.

In a secluded spot in the hotel’s central garden, Bai Yiyi couldn’t hold back any longer. “Yan Tuo, I remember now! The Big Fish Uncle who saved me back then—he’s your Old Uncle! Sixteen years ago, wasn’t he at the Chengguan Police Station in H City’s Sunshine District?”

Yan Tuo recalled his Old Uncle’s career history. Around the age of forty, he really had been stationed in H City’s Sunshine District. As for whether it was specifically the Chengguan Police Station, he couldn’t quite remember.

A few years before retirement, to better care for his increasingly elderly father, he had pulled strings to transfer back to A City.

Come to think of it, Yiyi had crossed paths with his family over a dozen years ago—and now they had reconnected in this utterly bizarre fashion?

The word “fate” truly worked in mysterious ways.

That being the case, these were clearly tears of joy. Yan Tuo’s heart eased. His respect for his Old Uncle soared to new heights.

The man had spent a lifetime as a beat cop, cracking no major cases—just petty thefts and neighborhood squabbles. Yet in those trivial duties, who knew how many victims like Bai Yiyi had found salvation?

Back in the hall, the boisterous toasts were still going strong. Yu Lixiang was already flushed and swaying, clearly having had one too many.

Seeing the little bird’s eyes sparkle with worry, Yan Tuo knew a formal reunion wasn’t possible just yet. To show his gratitude, he bravely charged forward and blocked a few rounds of drinks in the man’s stead.

Fortunately, though he rarely drank, he had a decent tolerance. After five or six glasses, his expression remained unchanged, successfully holding the line.

The banquet wound down, and back at the house, everyone followed tradition. Led by the half-drunken Yu Lixiang, they took turns kowtowing to the elder and presenting their carefully prepared gifts. Those working or studying in J City began planning their return trips.

Before leaving, Yu Jianguo—breaking from his usual demeanor—showed uncharacteristic reluctance toward Tangyuan. He muttered private words to it and even turned to instruct the bird’s owner to take good care of the little white dumpling and not neglect it.

Yu Lian gave Yan Tuo a sly wink, suggesting that since Grandpa rarely took to any small animal—and Tangyuan was as clever as a guide dog—they should leave it behind to keep the old man company. That way, everyone could rest easier.

Yan Tuo was caught in a bind he couldn’t voice. This was different from Old Zhang’s envious coveting. If it were truly just a golden songbird, he might grit his teeth and agree for Grandpa’s sake out of filial piety. But this was a person inside—how could he explain?

Bai Yiyi knew he had put his master in a tough spot. Sigh—overdoing the charm could make it hard to back out.

No helping it; of course he couldn’t stay.

He fluttered onto Yu Jianguo’s shoulder, wrapping his wings around the man’s neck and rubbing his pot-lid head against his cheek in a flirtatious display. With a couple of crisp calls of “Grandpa,” he conveyed his reluctant farewell, then returned to Yan Tuo’s side. He tucked himself straight into the man’s shirt pocket, striking a pose that said he was digging in his heels with his master and no one else.

Even though the family had already gained a deep appreciation for the little white dumpling’s intelligence, this human-like behavior still startled them. Laughter bubbled up one after another—what a heartbreaking parting scene this was!

Yu Lian in particular felt like the villain, as if she were forcibly separating a young couple—only to earn a resentful glare from the little white dumpling.

Yan Tuo had been drinking, so Xu Qingru drove them back. Master and pet huddled together in the passenger seat the whole way, not uttering a peep.

Bai Yiyi naturally wanted to avoid provoking Uncle Xu. Even with his master having prepped him mentally, the long-standing trauma wouldn’t vanish overnight. He burrowed into the shirt pocket, not even peeking out his head or face.

As for Yan Tuo, the alcohol had gone to his head. He dozed in a hazy stupor the entire ride.

Back at the apartment, the buzz lingered. With no energy for anything else, he collapsed onto the sofa, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes to rest.

Seeing him in such discomfort—and having gone days without shifting back to human form—Bai Yiyi quickly changed shape. Using the meager leftovers in the fridge, he whipped up a quick bowl of hangover soup.

It was a yellow bean and kelp soup seasoned with fresh ginger, a splash of fragrant vinegar, and chili oil—sour, spicy, and appetite-whetting. One bowl warmed him through and through, finally rousing both his stomach and his brain.

The lively longevity banquet had passed, and master and pet slipped back into their familiar daily rhythm.

Mornings meant getting up on time for work; noon was a shared cafeteria lunch. In the afternoons, no matter how late the shift ran, Bai Yiyi would return to the apartment half an hour early. By the time Yan Tuo got home, a hot home-cooked meal was usually ready and waiting on the table.

That day, the bureau caught a major child-trafficking case. Working with Ding Ning’s Team 3, they wrapped most of it up, but it was nearly two in the morning by the time he made it home.

The door swung open to cool, comforting air conditioning and warm lighting. A tall young man with a little topknot on his head beamed at him, his almond eyes crinkling. “Back? I made pickled fish and saucy eggplant. Rice is freshly cooked too—eat it while it’s hot.”

Yan Tuo felt a touch dazed. Since when had the cold, empty feeling of coming home turned into this welcoming smile?

A warmth he had never dared dream of, a long-lost sense of home, quietly spread through his heart.

He replied lightly, “Sounds good. Let’s eat together.”

Getting waited on and fed in the dead of night—there was no greater happiness.

Yan Tuo, ever mindful of the spring that fed his well, always wanted to give something back in return. He gave Bai Yiyi a thorough once-over from both sides before asking, unhurriedly, “Doesn’t that bowl-cut hair of yours get too hot under the pot lid when you’re cooking? You said last time you’d find time to get it trimmed, but you’re still putting it off? Or do you still… fear people’s stares?”

Bai Yiyi denied it at once. “No, no! I do want to get it cut, but I just haven’t found the time. The most I can squeeze out each day is an hour, which really isn’t enough to run out for a haircut.”

He was always so focused on helping with the cooking that he overlooked his own needs.

A strange sensation welled up in Yan Tuo’s heart. He mulled it over and decided it felt much like the first time he’d tried sparkling wine—sour and sweet all at once, with a fullness that left no room for anything else. It was profoundly subtle. The words slipped out before he could stop them:

“Then how about I cut it for you?”

~~~