I nodded. “You’ll never find a woman better than Sister Feng!” He continued, “Many say Ye Zhengchen is fickle, falling in love one after another. I’ve known him for over two years. I often see him helping beautiful women fix appliances, treating them to meals, and driving them around.”
I nodded again. Brother Feng shook his head. “There’s more you don’t know. When I first came to Osaka, it was winter, I couldn’t speak a word of Japanese, couldn’t tell east from west.”
A Japanese student brought me to this apartment. That day, I met Ye Zhengchen, who gave me an old phone and told me to call him if I had any difficulties. He helped me carry my luggage inside, saw me spreading sheets on the mattress, and returned with an old blanket. Ye Zhengchen assisted me in buying daily necessities and food. He drove me around, showing where to buy cheap electronics and food, as well as where Carrefour is. He helped me get an ID card and apply for a visa for my wife.
When my wife arrived, he treated us to dinner and would often eat at our place. When I injured my leg while cycling, he carried me to school every day and took me to the hospital for check-ups.
I held a beer can, feeling an inexplicable warmth spreading through me. Brother Feng mockingly glanced towards Qin Xue and asked if he liked me.
“Sometimes, don’t judge a man by his surface or believe what others say,” he said. “He might not care how others see him; he just hopes you know what kind of person he is.”
I got drunk, drowning myself in beer but managed to keep my behavior in check. I didn’t cry or make a scene, just smiled stupidly at Brother Feng and nodded repeatedly.
