Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Wife… Wife Cake?
Joshua, Jessica, and Rachel looked at Wang Yang with their mouths agape. Then, as he nodded unashamedly, they let out a chorus of “oh’s”. There was a quizzical look on Jessica’s face as she twirled her hair anxiously. Rachel smiled, seemingly intrigued. Whereas Joshua, who brought up the topic, screwed his eyebrows into a cynical expression before bursting out in laughter. “Dude, are you kidding me? Wife Cake? I bet you made that up!”
“You jerk! You’re the one who asked me!” Wang Yang muttered in his heart. Nevertheless, he didn’t feel there was anything wrong with the name when he said it. After all, it was just the name of a cake, wasn’t it? He smiled and explained patiently, “No, it’s not a joke. The name of the cake is literally Wife Cake. Interesting, isn’t it?”
At that moment, Zachary Levi, who was still cleaning up the kitchen, peered into the living room. “There’s a cake called Wife Cake? Interesting. Does the name have any significance? Why is it called that?” he asked loudly and curiously.
Wang Yang shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe there’s a story behind it, but I’m not sure.” Then, he told them what little he knew about Wife Cake. “It’s a type of wedding confectionery, like wedding sweets or chocolates. When people get married, they’d give them to their friends and family.” When he saw Jessica fidgeting uncomfortably, he thought he’d said something wrong…
“A wedding confectionery? Given to the wife?” Zachary said inquisitively from the kitchen. In a sudden moment of realization, he asked with a grin, “Hey, is there such a thing as Husband Cake?”
A cake for a wife? Joshua’s heart skipped a beat. The tides have turned. Now he was the one with the sinking feeling. His gaze then turned toward his sister, Jessica, only to see her staring at the ceiling, acting nonchalant. But, having grown up with her and knowing her his whole life, Joshua saw through her pretense—that subtle yet unmistakable quirk in the corners of the mouth. She was faking it. Deep down, she was probably very pleased!
In fact, Jessica wasn’t just very happy. Her heart was pumping heavily like pistons on a locomotive, fuelling her imagination with strange, exciting, and surprising thoughts. Wife Cake? Why did Yang choose such a gift for her birthday? Was there a special meaning behind it? In that instant, all her memories that had been repressed, but never fully erased, came gushing out like a mighty river.
It happened during the same time of year, April, on her birthday. And, just like today, she’d pulled out all the stops on her appearance before coming to school: a new, pearly white dress, and even a makeover from her mother. She couldn’t wait to get to school, for she’d hinted to Wang Yang that her birthday was coming, and she’d been looking forward to a present.
Wang Yang was the only student in her class who knew about her birthday. Although she was wearing a new dress, no one took notice of her. She sat in her chair and waited for Wang Yang to come, feeling slightly anxious and slightly hopeful. Then, Wang Yang showed up.
Suddenly, it all became crystal clear. Every detail of Wang Yang’s expression and movement surfaced vividly in her mind. He was smiling and holding a bag, which made a clanging sound as he waved it at her. Then, he took out a paper box and opened it up, revealing rows and rows of cakes. He said, “Jessica, here’s your birthday present. I made these cakes especially for you! What do you think? Aren’t you thrilled?”
She was very thrilled, indeed. That was the first birthday gift she’d ever received from a classmate. And it was handmade! Filled with joy and gratitude, she nodded and said, “Thanks.” Then, Wang Yang said, “Try one.” So she grabbed one from the box and took a bite. It had a sweet taste and a smooth texture. “It’s very tasty,” she said with a smile.
Wang Yang sat at his desk with his head leaning on his hand. He looked at her gleefully and boasted, “Of course they’re tasty. I made them myself! Don’t be shy. This is the first time I’ve ever made a present for someone else.” As he said that, he picked up a piece himself and began to eat it. “These were originally called Wife Cakes. But, since I’m the one who made them, I get to name them. I’m going to call them Jessica Cakes,” he said cheerily.
“Wife Cakes?” Jessica muttered under the breath. And before she knew it, she could feel hotness spreading from her cheeks to her ears as shyness overtook her. It was a familiar feeling. Except back then, she was much less confident and way more bashful.
At that point, Wang Yang put on a serious face and said, “That’s right. They’re called Wife Cakes because they’re meant to be given to a wife. Will you be my wife?” Lost for words, Jessica stared at him with her eyes wide open. Then, he burst out in laughter. “Look at you, Jessica. You’re like a statue! I’m not proposing, okay? I’m just joking.”
“Oh.” Jessica breathed a sigh of relief, at the same time feeling somewhat disappointed.
“What’s the matter? Do you want to be my wife?” Wang Yang could see that she was disappointed. He threw his hands up and said, “Please, we’re too young for a relationship. They wouldn’t even let Toto and Elena be together in Cinema Paradiso, and they’re so old. You and I should take it easy. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Then, he laughed merrily and said, “If you want to be my girlfriend, you’ll have to wait until we’ve grown up. Once I’ve become a director and you’ve become an actress, no one can come between us.”
Jessica shook her head shyly. “No, I don’t.”
“Good.” Suddenly, Wang Yang made a “shh” sound and whispered, “By the way, did you finish the weather observation assignment for our science class this week? I might need to copy it.” She frowned and looked hesitant. Seeing her reaction, he quickly hushed her and said, “Shh! Don’t let anyone know, or I’ll get into trouble. Jessica, I know what I’m doing is wrong, but it’s just weather observation. Oh, it is sunny or raining? How many degrees is it? Come on, I’ve been so busy all week making cakes for you that I didn’t have the time to record the weather. Hurry, hurry!”
So, out of fear and gratitude, Jessica had given Wang Yang her science class assignment.
Ever since that day, the picture that Wang Yang had painted of them as grownups became stuck in her mind. When the day came for her to move to Los Angeles, she left him a farewell letter. In it, she confessed her feelings and promised she’d work as hard as him to achieve her dream, so that one day they may meet again in Los Angeles as actress and director.
She wasn’t sure if Wang Yang still remembered the things he said to her when they were little. Perhaps he was just teasing her, but cake never tasted sweeter!
Although those memories had only flashed through her mind, they evoked a strong emotion in Jessica. Trying her best to keep a calm voice, she said, “Wow, Wife Cakes. What a cool name. Well, I’m going to try my best to learn how to make it…”
Joshua realized then he’d made a big mistake. He quickly cleared his throat in an effort to break the awkward atmosphere. “Oh, so that’s what they’re called. Okay, great. Now, let’s watch some television!” He walked to the edge of the sofa to grab the remote control and pressed the volume-increase button frantically. Suddenly, the television was booming, and the entire apartment was filled with noise.
Suddenly, there was a noticeable shift in the television’s vibe; the news anchor at ABC Channel now wore a solemn expression and a somber tone. “Now, for an update on the tragic news. A school shooting took place today in the city of Springfield, Oregon. Kip Kinkel, a 17-year-old student from Springfield High School, unleashed a round of bullets from a semi-automatic rifle in his class. So far, the deaths of two students have been confirmed, with 22 severely wounded. Although Kip Kinkel had been arrested, his parents were sadly shot to death by him when they barged into the classroom during a police negotiation.”
“Oh, Lord! My God, how could this…” Wang Yang, Jessica, Joshua, Rachel, and Zachary were stunned when they heard the news. They quickly gathered around the television and watched the news with looks of grief and concern.
Footage of Springfield High School was being shown on the television. The news anchor continued. “According to sources, Kip Kinkel was suspended from Springfield High School yesterday for the illegal act of bringing a firearm to school. This marked the third incidence of school shootings this year. A similar shooting took place last month, on March 24. Two students in an Arkansas grade school opened fire on their classmates and teacher with a rifle following their expulsion. One teacher and four female students were fatally wounded, while 10 people sustained heavy injuries. The second incident happened this month, on the 19th, when Jack Davis, a top high school senior in Tennessee shot a classmate to death at his school’s parking lot.”
“In light of these tragic events, let us ask ourselves: have we shown enough love and care toward our students? A school is a place of joy and learning. It should not be an arena of violence and conflict. Furthermore, school psychologists have stressed the importance of curbing herd behaviour among students. As such, parents and teachers are advised to pay close and continued attention to their children and show them more care…”
A tense, cold feeling swept across the apartment, washing away all the smiles and laughter. Everyone was frowning tightly, especially the girls, Jessica and Rachel, who kept muttering, “Oh God, oh God…” in a sympathetic manner.
Suddenly, Joshua turned around and looked at Wang Yang suspiciously. “Dude, are you going to grab a gun and shoot up USC? You seem like the dangerous type.”
His comment left Wang Yang speechless. Meanwhile, Jessica, fed up with her brother’s nonsense, went ballistic. “Joshua! Shut! Up!” She picked up a pillow from the sofa and swung it at Joshua, who was sitting beside her. Wang Yang stopped her by seizing her hand and said, “It’s fine, Jessica. I’m okay.” He looked at Joshua with his eyebrows furrowed, and said, “But Joshua, your joke wasn’t funny at all. I just want you to know that you shouldn’t joke about something as serious as this.”
Rachel was equally irate. She stared at Joshua and said, “You’ve not only hurt Yang, but you’ve also hurt the unlucky victims.” Jessica shook her head and added, “That wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”
“Joshua, apologize to Yang, now!” Jessica’s eyes looked like they were smoldering. School shooting. Yang’s expulsion… Those were not laughing matters. How could he make fun of them? It didn’t just embarrass her; it made her downright furious!
“Okay, I admit it’s my fault. I’m sorry!” Joshua shrugged his shoulders and reluctantly apologized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was just worried you might go off the deep end. I’m just concerned…”
Jessica clenched her jaw. “What’s wrong with you? You call that being concerned?” Embarrassed, she apologized to Wang Yang personally. “Yang, I’m sorry. Joshua never grew out of his rebellious phase. He doesn’t even know what he’s talking about. Please don’t mind him.”
Wang Yang gave her a reassuring smile and said, “Of course not. I know Joshua didn’t mean any harm. Besides, he’s apologized.” He grabbed the remote control and turned off the television. Then, he got up, clapped his hands together and said in an upbeat tone, “Come, let’s forget about those depressing things. Let me show you guys something more cheerful.” As he said that, he walked toward the bedroom. Rachel and Zachary stood up and followed him.
Jessica gave Joshua a death stare and said in a tight, trembling voice, “I won’t forgive you. I’ll deal with you once we get home.” With that, she quickened her steps to catch up with the gang.
Once they were in the bedroom, Wang Yang turned on the computer and played all the footage of the movie he’d shot over the past few days. His face beamed with pride as he looked at them as if they were his babies. Then, he looked back at his friends and said, “These were shot two days ago. Today’s footage hasn’t been uploaded yet.”
“Oh gosh!” Jessica was visibly impressed. Although the footage was only in tiny fragments that had yet been edited and tied together, and she could hardly see a coherent story, she felt thrilled and inspired nonetheless just by looking at them. She stared at the computer screen unblinkingly and murmured, “What a great shot…”
At that moment, the movie’s female protagonist, Mae, appeared, followed by the male protagonist, Kevin. Zachary Levi squealed abruptly like a little girl. “That’s me, that’s me! Wow, it feels kind of nice seeing yourself on a computer screen!” Rachel nodded with a smile and said, “Yeah, I feel the same way, too.”
As Jessica gazed at Rachel, a hint of jealousy flickered over her eyes. Damn it. Why couldn’t she be the one who was on the computer screen, instead?
“It’s so blurry and shaky, it’s making my head spin…” Joshua whined contemptuously at the back after taking a few cursory glances. But nobody paid any attention to him. Even Jessica was fixated on the screen, too busy to be bothered with him. Joshua dug in his ears out of boredom and left. What’s the big deal? It was just a video made with a DV camcorder, wasn’t it? Even he knew how to do it!
As he came out of the bedroom, he suddenly noticed the DV camcorder on the coffee table in front of the sofa. His eyes lit up immediately, and he went over to pick it up. Then, he walked back to the bedroom doorway and shouted, “Hey guys, look at me!” He pointed the DV camcorder and sneered, “Look, I’m a director, too!”
No sooner had everyone turned around to look at him than they dismissed him, smiling and shaking their heads before reverting to the screen. “Joshua, don’t forget to save the footages. They might come in handy for our blooper reel,” said Wang Yang sportily as he moved the mouse and clicked on the videos.
Jessica turned her head around to look at Joshua, annoyed that she had to miss a few seconds of the videos for her pesky little brother. “You’d better be careful and stop messing around, or you might erase Yang’s work for the day!” she yelled at him.
“Oh, please. That’d never happen! It’s not like I’m some kind of idiot,” replied Joshua carelessly. Then, he walked around the room with the DV camcorder held to his eye, aiming its lens and posing as if he were shooting a video. He proclaimed loudly, “Look at me guys! Don’t I look cool?” However, as no one paid any attention to him, he got tired pretty soon and walked out of the bedroom with the DV camcorder in his hand.
Soon after that, just as Wang Yang was about to click on the next series of videos and play them, Joshua’s scream came from outside the room, followed by the sound of something breaking. It sounded as if Joshua had tripped and fallen to the floor.
“What on Earth happened?” Wang Yang, Jessica, and the rest of the gang frowned and went outside immediately to see what happened. As they’d expected, Joshua was spread on the floor with his hands over his bruised head, and the DV camcorder, that was supposed to be in his hands, was now laying on the floor over a meter away from him.