"Is something wrong, dear?" Yuhan Yang asked, her voice laced with concern as she approached her husband, Liang Yang. He stood by a large window in their apartment, gazing at the morning sun. A steaming cup of coffee rested in his hand, the aroma mixing with the crisp air.
"No…not exactly. I just feel uneasy," Liang Yang replied, his voice betraying his apprehension.
"What's troubling you?" Yuhan asked, placing a comforting hand on his arm as she joined him by the window.
"It's all this going on with Jingliu. Yasushi is a remarkable young man, but he seems to draw trouble wherever he goes. I can't help but be anxious," Liang Yang said, his brow furrowing with worry.
Yuhan chuckled softly and gave his arm a light, affectionate pat. "Oh come on, you weren't much different from Yasushi when you were younger. Remember how you'd seek out trouble yourself, especially when your grandparents weren't watching?"
Liang Yang felt a flush of embarrassment as his past came up. He couldn't argue with the truth of it. With the strictness of his own parents — Jingliu's grandparents — he'd often needed to find ways to release his frustration, and that meant being quite clever about it. The secret fights he'd fought, the countless altercations hidden from his parents, had toughened him both physically and mentally. Yet, the person who had guided him out of that was…
"But you were the one who pulled me out of that mess and set me on the right path. I owe you a lot for that," Liang Yang said, a smile touching his lips as he glanced at his wife. He let out a resigned sigh and continued, "I guess you're right. With the way he's dealing with his problems, it's clear that Yuji was right. His son's like a miracle worker in his own way."
"Oh? Now you're actually complimenting him? You're so conflicted," Yuhan teased, giving his arm a playful squeeze that made him chuckle nervously.
Liang exhaled deeply before discussing their ongoing projects. They were approaching a significant breakthrough, and if everything proceeded as planned, they anticipated sharing their new technology with the world in approximately six to ten years. His words carried a mix of anticipation and optimism as he outlined the promising developments.
The older couple left their room, the early morning light illuminating their faces. Their smiles reflected a mix of optimism and relief, lifting some of the burdens from Liang Yang's heart.
+-+
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Yasushi heeeeeeeeelp!!" Furuya's voice rang out as he clung desperately to a cow that was running around in a panic. His grip was slipping, and the cow's erratic movements only seemed to increase its anxiety.
Yasushi stood, dumbfounded, observing his friend's absurd predicament. Just hours earlier, Furuya had jokingly suggested sneaking up on a cow to milk it. To everyone's surprise, or perhaps not, he had decided to go through with the idea, resulting in the current mess.
"Have you thought about letting go?" Yunxue asked, her gaze fixed on the scene. Although she had to admit, the sight was somewhat entertaining.
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" Furuya's voice was filled with desperation, even as he hesitated in his determination to keep holding on. His initial enthusiasm was clearly fading as he struggled to control the out-of-control cow.
Eventually, one of the adults arrived on the scene. Yasushi's group quickly explained the situation. The man, likely in his forties, watched for a moment, chuckling heartily before stepping in to handle the unruly cow and alleviate the situation Furuya had inadvertently created.
"Haaa… I thought I was going to die," Furuya gasped as he collapsed onto the ground, his body completely drained from the ordeal.
"We did warn you not to do it," Yasushi said, shaking his head with a mix of exasperation and amusement. His eyes remained fixed on his friend, who was now lying in the dust.
"I thought it would be fun," Furuya replied, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I didn't expect the cow to go completely berserk. I mean, maybe a horse, sure, but a cow? They barely move at all when you're around them."
He struggled to his feet, still visibly rattled by the experience. His legs wobbled slightly as he tried to regain his composure.
Xinyi, who had been watching the entire scene with a smirk, finally spoke up. "Well, now that won't happen again, will it? Learned your lesson, Fufu?"
The nickname "Fufu" was one that Xinyi had come up with, much to Furuya's annoyance. He shot her a glare, but it only made Xinyi laugh more, clearly amused by his reaction. Despite the earlier commotion, the atmosphere eventually settled down, and the group began their chores around the farm. The day was winding to a close, marking the end of their eventful time at the farm.
+-+
At eleven o'clock, a new disturbance caught Yasushi's attention. He turned to see that his friends were already gathered, clearly engrossed in the latest spectacle. Curious, he made his way over and joined Yunxue and Jingliu, only to find himself staring at a scene of mud wrestling.
Two teenagers, covered in mud, were engaged in a lively contest. They brandished oversized foam bats, their bodies slipping and sliding as they struggled to knock each other down. The objective was simple: land a hit, force the opponent to the ground, and pin them for a few seconds to win.
Neither had succeeded yet, but the struggle itself was a source of amusement. The scene seemed oddly fitting with the colorful decorations — brightly colored banners and the various rankings and names scribbled on whiteboards. It had a spontaneous feel, but the setup and atmosphere suggested an underlying organization.
"Is this a regular part of the event?" Yasushi finally asked, breaking the silence that had settled over them.
"It doesn't happen every year," Jingliu replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "But when it does, it's incredibly entertaining to watch. And it's even more fun if you're actually participating."
Yasushi gave a nod of acknowledgment but soon realized that Furuya was not among their group. Glancing over at Catherine, his girlfriend, he saw a flicker of concern on her face, which gave him a hint of where his best friend might be. As he continued to watch, the event progressed and the judges began awarding scores for the mud wrestling match.
Then, the announcement came over the loudspeaker.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer's voice boomed through the microphone. "On the left side of the arena is our local favorite, Baishu! He's the top contender for this year's mud wrestling championship! And on the right side, we have a newcomer brought by Lady Xinyi! Let's hear it for Furuya Itsuki!!"
Hearing his name broadcasted, Yasushi facepalmed in exasperation. He let out a weary sigh before muttering to himself, "I knew it…he actually joined, didn't he? What in the world is he thinking…?"
Xinyi chuckled and announced, "Who cares? Let's see how Sir Fufu handles this. Go, go Fufu! Oh, and by the way, your new nickname is Yuyu."
Yasushi stared at her, astonished, but chose not to respond. Instead, he turned his attention back to the arena where the match was about to begin. He observed Furuya with a mix of disbelief and curiosity; his friend seemed unusually eager for what lay ahead. Yasushi had never seen Furuya engage in something like this before and anticipated that he would be overpowered quickly.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the match. Both competitors charged at each other, foam bats raised. They began swinging wildly, each trying to land a hit on the other. Yasushi couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at the comical spectacle.
The so-called "Champion" Baishu dodged one of Furuya's swings with practiced ease, then barreled towards him. He appeared to slam his head into Furuya's stomach, disorienting him, before seizing Furuya's foam bat and delivering a series of blows.
Baishu then leaped onto Furuya, pinning him into the thick mud beneath them. Furuya wriggled and squirmed, but his attempts to break free were in vain. As the referee began the countdown, it became increasingly clear that Furuya was on the verge of losing.
"You've got this, Furuya!" Catherine yelled, her voice ringing with encouragement for her boyfriend.
At her urging, Yasushi and the rest of their friends joined in, shouting support. It seemed too late for their cheers to make a difference now, but they were determined to back him up, even if they hadn't been more proactive earlier.
In an unexpected turn, Furuya unleashed a fierce yell and managed to toss Baishu off him. Baishu tumbled backward, landing hard on the ground, clearly taken aback by the sudden change in the match. Furuya, seizing the opportunity, grabbed his foam bat and began to rain blows down on Baishu.
Baishu, however, responded with a wide grin, and the two competitors engaged in a frenzied exchange of swings. The match turned into a wild contest of energy, each trying to outlast the other. Ultimately, exhaustion claimed them both, but Furuya succumbed first, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Baishu, taking advantage of the moment, pinned him down. This time, Furuya made no effort to escape from his opponent's hold.
"Damn it, man… I'm done," Furuya grumbled, mud splattering both of them.
Baishu laughed heartily, releasing Furuya as the announcement declared him the winner. He sat back with a grin, "I didn't expect to get tossed off like that. You've got some serious strength."
"Well, I've got a friend who could probably lift a truck if he really tried. I was just trying to keep up with him," Furuya said with a chuckle, as Baishu extended a hand. Furuya accepted the help and was pulled to his feet.
"No way," Baishu laughed. "That can't be true. Either he's some kind of machine, or you're having me on."
"I wish I were joking," Furuya replied, and they both laughed. The two of them left the muddy arena together, engaging in lively conversation as they walked away.
Furuya returned, freshly showered and dressed in his original outfit. He strolled over to his friends, only to have Catherine grab his face and pinch his cheeks.
"You were so reckless," she said, trying to maintain a stern expression, but it faltered under her affection.
"You agreed to it, so I went for it," he answered, letting her squeeze his cheeks with a good-natured grin.
Catherine's stern look gave way as she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him. Furuya chuckled and returned the embrace, the warmth of the moment enveloping them both.
"Well, you may have lost, but you gave us a show that lasted a good two minutes," Yasushi said, shaking his head with a smile. "And what was that about lifting a truck? I'm not some kind of superhero, you know…"
Furuya's grin widened. "Did you even try?"
"Well…no, but—" Yasushi began, only to be cut off.
"Exactly!" Furuya exclaimed, waving off the argument. "Anyway, let's watch this for a bit and then get back to work. I think I'll ask to take pictures with the horses later; I want to get some memories from this event." He brushed off the conversation with a casual wave, and they all accepted the change in topic. Yasushi gave him a playful punch on the shoulder, prompting laughter from both of them.
+-+
As the event drew to a close, the setting sun cast a warm glow over the farm, signaling the end of a vibrant day. People began to make their way home, their faces lit up with contentment and joy, many carrying small tokens they had received from the elderly couple who ran the farm.
Yasushi's group, in contrast, had little to show for the day, except for Xinyi, who had picked up some seeds for her garden back home. Furuya, however, made sure to capture the memories of the day by posing for photos with the cows and horses, determined to leave with tangible reminders of their time at the farm before heading back to Xinyi's residence.
"Well, we'll catch up in about a week or so," Yasushi said as he watched Xinyi, Catherine, and Furuya at the train station, joined by Yunxue and Jingliu.
"Yeah, I've got your back," Furuya replied with a hint of humor, "so if things get a bit intense, I might be able to step in…or at least try." Yasushi chuckled, shaking his head at his friend's typical overconfidence.
"We already told you not to go overboard with it, got it?" Xinyi said, her gaze fixed on Furuya with a hint of irritation.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time. But if you want Yasushi to maintain the illusion that he's your fake boyfriend, then I'm more than willing to step in as his 'bodyguard,'" Furuya replied, dismissively waving a hand at her as if the matter was already settled.
Xinyi sighed and rolled her eyes just as the train came to a smooth stop at the station. "Anyway, we'll catch up in a week. Let's stay connected through the group chat until then. Any updates will be posted there. See you!" she said cheerfully before boarding the train with Furuya and Catherine.
After a brief wait, the train let out a long, resonant horn and began its journey away from the station. Both groups of friends stood on the platform, waving enthusiastically as the train departed.
Yasushi turned to Yunxue and Jingliu, a satisfied look on his face. "Let's head home now," he suggested. The two of them nodded in agreement. Together, they made their way back, feeling content and reflective about the peaceful, enjoyable day they had just spent.