CY – Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Although B City was quite far from C City, the journey was not boring. Organized by the school, the students boarded a train on Saturday night. They slept through the night, and by the next morning, they would play cards or chat together, finally arriving at their destination by nightfall.

In the hotel lobby, Li An distributed the room cards he had received, and everyone went to their rooms to rest as planned on the train. Zhang Xiaotian followed Lu Bai back to their room. As soon as the door opened, Lu Bai threw down his luggage, jumped onto the bed without even taking off his jacket, and exclaimed, “Oh, I’m exhausted.”

“Take off your jacket first,” Zhang Xiaotian opened his suitcase, took out his toiletries. “Do you want to rest for a bit? Should I use the bathroom first?”

“You go ahead,” Lu Bai buried his face in the pillow and waved his hand behind him. “I need to take a nap.”

Zhang Xiaotian took his things and went into the bathroom.

The water in the bathroom wasn’t very hot, but luckily it wasn’t cold outside. Zhang Xiaotian took a quick shower. He didn’t see a hairdryer in the bathroom, so he simply dried himself with a towel, planning to look for one in the room. As he came out of the bathroom, Lu Bai had also woken up. Zhang Xiaotian saw him leaning against the headboard, his eyes still drowsy and unfocused, staring at him as he emerged from the bathroom.

“Slept that soundly?” Zhang Xiaotian found his dazed expression a little amusing.

“I’m going to take a shower.” Lu Bai didn’t answer him, rubbed his eyes hard, and scrambled out of bed to enter the bathroom. Zhang Xiaotian couldn’t find a hairdryer in the room either, so after some thought, he directly opened the window to let the breeze dry his hair. The sky in B City was no different from C City, with the same dry evening breeze and the same deep blue night sky, dotted with almost invisible clouds whose flowing trails could be discerned with careful observation. Below the window, traffic buzzed, and behind him, the sound of water came from the bathroom. Zhang Xiaotian watched the traffic lights downstairs change several times and took out his phone to take a few pictures.

Lu Bai took quite a long time showering. By the time he came out, Zhang Xiaotian’s hair was almost dry, and he was sitting by the window scrolling through videos. Lu Bai, with a towel draped over his shoulder, walked over and closed the window. “Drying your hair like that, aren’t you afraid of getting a stroke?”

“Will I?” Zhang Xiaotian looked at him. Lu Bai was wearing pajamas he had brought from home, a dark blue with simple cartoon dog patterns, quite cute. Zhang Xiaotian couldn’t help but look him up and down, and Lu Bai reached out and covered his eyes.

“Of course, you will. You have no common sense.” Zhang Xiaotian blinked in the darkness. The darkness flinched slightly, and some light filtered through his fingers. He heard Lu Bai add, “Stop looking, my mom bought them.”

“They’re quite cute,” Zhang Xiaotian said.

“That’s an inappropriate use of words, and I can’t accept it,” Lu Bai replied.

Seeing that Lu Bai still hadn’t moved his hand, Zhang Xiaotian didn’t struggle. He shifted his position, leaning against the windowsill, and couldn’t help but smile. “I was talking about the pajamas.”

“I was talking about the pajamas too,” Lu Bai said. Before he finished speaking, there was a knock on the room door. Zhang Xiaotian tried to get around Lu Bai’s hand to open the door, but his eyes suddenly lit up, and he only saw Lu Bai’s back as he walked towards the door. When the door opened, it was Li An.

“Nothing much,” Li An stood at the doorway and looked inside. “Just letting you know, we have a lecture at B University tomorrow at seven. Be there early.” He then noticed Lu Bai’s dog pajamas and let out a laugh with a curse.

“What are you laughing at?” Lu Bai pretended to kick him. “They’re so handsome, you have no taste!”

“Handsome, handsome, handsome,” Li An dodged with a laugh and moved on to the next room. “Don’t be late tomorrow, okay!” Lu Bai gestured with his fist at him again before turning back to the room. As he closed the door, he could still hear Li An’s voice: “Damn, Lu Bai’s wearing a…” He didn’t hear the full sentence before the door closed.

“Damn it!” Lu Bai felt a bit ashamed. He hadn’t thought anything of it when he wore them at home, but here, he felt embarrassed. He stood at the door, saw Zhang Xiaotian still smiling at him, and felt his face heat up.

“You heard, right? We have to get up early tomorrow. Go to sleep, stop laughing!” He couldn’t help but raise his voice, walking towards his own bed as he spoke, not daring to look at Zhang Xiaotian.

“I’m not laughing,” Zhang Xiaotian obediently walked to his bed and lay down, his eyes still fixed on Lu Bai. Lu Bai turned over and covered himself completely with the blanket, then reached out and turned off the main light.

“Sleep!” In the darkness, only his general outline was visible. Zhang Xiaotian watched for a while, then turned his face towards the ceiling and closed his eyes.

Perhaps it was due to being in an unfamiliar bed, but Zhang Xiaotian didn’t sleep soundly until very late that night. He woke up early the next morning. Seeing that Lu Bai was still fast asleep, he went out to have breakfast by himself. The morning temperature was getting cooler each day. Zhang Xiaotian ate something downstairs, packed some soy milk, millet porridge, and a few steamed buns, and when he returned to the room, Lu Bai was no longer in bed. Just as Zhang Xiaotian was about to send a message to ask, the bathroom door “bang” opened, and Lu Bai walked out.

“You didn’t even call me, you went to eat breakfast by yourself. Tian’er, you’re not being a good friend.” Lu Bai was about to protest further, but when he saw the variety of breakfasts laid out on the bedside table, he changed his tune. “Tian’er, you’re the best!”

Zhang Xiaotian didn’t say anything and sat down to watch Lu Bai eat breakfast. Perhaps it was after a night’s sleep, but Lu Bai no longer cared about how childish his pajamas looked. His hair was messy, sticking out in tufts. He slurped his porridge noisily, finishing half a bowl with one spoonful. Zhang Xiaotian, dressed warmly, felt a sense of discomfort, as if this was a moment of unusual intimacy he hadn’t shared with anyone before. He didn’t know what to say, so he just watched him eat.

“Do you want some more?” Lu Bai asked him, seeing him gaze at him with longing.

Zhang Xiaotian shook his head and looked at his watch. It was 6:40.

“I’ll be done soon.” Lu Bai chewed and swallowed a few mouthfuls, then drank the soy milk to wash it down. He quickly gathered the trash into a plastic bag, tied it up, and turned to start changing clothes. “Wait for me a few minutes!”

Except for winter and summer breaks, there were rarely occasions in the demanding and fast-paced high school life when they didn’t have to wear school uniforms. Changing into their favorite clothes and walking with friends, even going to a lecture felt like going out to play. Zhang Xiaotian wore a simple T-shirt and jacket, and he would have been hard to find in a crowd. Lu Bai, on the other hand, had tidied himself up a bit and even wore a necklace.

Li An, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, was very noisy that morning. “Yo, Lu Bai, looking sharp in that outfit. Why aren’t you wearing those dog pajamas from yesterday?”

“If you want to see them, you can. Who do you think you are?” Lu Bai kicked out, and the two engaged in a mock fight. Zhang Xiaotian, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire, moved a few steps away.

“You don’t understand aesthetics, this is called childlike fun!” After exchanging a few playful blows with Li An, Lu Bai walked towards Zhang Xiaotian, saying as he went, “Besides, who discusses a male classmate’s pajamas in public first thing in the morning? Pervert!”

“Oh, damn it, Lu Bai!” Li An was about to charge again, but his eyes caught sight of the bus in the distance. He quickly adopted the demeanor of the Class Monitor and ran towards it. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to give Lu Bai a middle finger. Lu Bai bared his teeth and returned the gesture, then turned and walked alongside Zhang Xiaotian again. After a couple of steps, his hand became restless again, and he hooked his arm around Zhang Xiaotian’s neck.

“Hey, alright, alright,” Zhang Xiaotian couldn’t break free and could only lean sideways to accommodate him. “What’s wrong with you? Can’t you walk normally?”

“We’re out to have fun!” Lu Bai relaxed his arm a bit, but didn’t let go. “You shouldn’t be so reserved, cheer up!”

“We have free time later,” Zhang Xiaotian held Lu Bai’s arm with both hands.

“What’s the difference?” Lu Bai asked him. “Can you really pay attention to that lecture? I bet a bunch of people will be playing games. Yin Li just messaged asking if we want to play Ludo on our phones later.”

Zhang Xiaotian remained noncommittal. But that wasn’t a reason for him to get inexplicably excited with Lu Bai.

After taking the bus to B University, the staff in charge distributed passes at the school gate. For the rest of their time in B City, these passes would allow them free access to most areas of the university during the day. On the way to the lecture hall, the staff member briefly introduced himself as a student at B University and occasionally answered questions from the students. Soon, he was surrounded by a circle of chattering high school students. Zhang Xiaotian listened attentively to the person speaking while his eyes scanned the campus.

Some colleges had early morning readings, but most students were still having breakfast. Their schedule perfectly avoided the morning rush hour for B University students, so it was relatively quiet wherever they walked. The campus was filled with tall trees, and occasionally they could hear unfamiliar bird songs. Looking in the direction of the sound, they couldn’t see any birds, only the layered shadows of trees swaying. Most of the teaching buildings had been renovated, but occasionally they would suddenly encounter an old building, standing quietly in the hazy tree shadows, making it difficult to discern if it was real.

This university was remarkably quiet.

Under the guidance of the university student, the group successfully reached the lecture hall and took their seats. The student then briefly explained the requirements.

“Please try to keep your heads up, don’t talk, and don’t use your phones.” At this point, the student covered the microphone and added, “This lecture will be recorded throughout. We don’t have many people, which means almost everyone will be on camera. We hope you’ll cooperate actively.”

It seemed Ludo wouldn’t be an option. Zhang Xiaotian listened and rested his head on his hand, looking out the window. By now, there were many students on the roads, walking through various paths and entering different buildings. Quite a few people also entered those old buildings, which now seemed more real.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway as the lecturer arrived late. Seeing the cameras set up, everyone cooperated well. Although the content was the usual platitudes about “ideals” and “goals,” thankfully the lecture wasn’t long and soon ended, giving everyone free time. The teacher leading the Fourth High School group once again emphasized the usage time and activity scope of the passes and asked everyone to return to the entrance gate by eleven o’clock, where they would take a bus back to the hotel. This ensured everyone, even if distracted, heard the instructions before being allowed to explore freely.

Yin Li looked at her phone, reviewing the itinerary that had just been sent to them. “Looking closely, there doesn’t seem to be much to visit.”

“I’m quite interested in the ‘Corridor of Life’ in this experimental building,” Han Chengcheng pointed to one spot. “And here too.”

“Then let’s go,” Yin Li said, then looked at Zhang Xiaotian and the other. “Are you two coming?”

“Let’s go,” Lu Bai said, and Zhang Xiaotian nodded. The four of them headed directly towards the “Corridor of Life.”

The road became much more crowded. Zhang Xiaotian walked closely behind Lu Bai, occasionally bumping his arm when dodging people on the road. After bumping him a few times, Zhang Xiaotian felt a bit embarrassed and mumbled, “Why are there so many people?”

“What?” Lu Bai heard him speak and looked down to ask.

“Nothing,” Zhang Xiaotian replied, then pulled him along a few steps. After passing the corner ahead, the road widened and was less crowded, so they slowed down.

“There are indeed many people,” Lu Bai looked at the hand Zhang Xiaotian was holding him with. “Maybe it’s just between classes.”

“Did you hear what I said?” Zhang Xiaotian looked at him. “Then why did you ask me?”

“Just asking,” Lu Bai gestured for Zhang Xiaotian to wait for the two girls behind them. They stood under the shade of a tree at the entrance of the experimental building, waiting for the other two.

The mornings and evenings were cool at this time of year, but it got hotter as noon approached. The jacket was becoming uncomfortable, and Zhang Xiaotian wanted to take it off and hold it. As he looked down, a light from somewhere flashed in his eyes. Lu Bai saw this and also looked down, discovering it was the pendant on his necklace reflecting light.

“This way is better,” he said, reaching out to cup the pendant. Seeing Zhang Xiaotian looking at his hand again, he waited for him to take off his jacket before opening his palm. Zhang Xiaotian leaned closer to his palm and couldn’t help but reach out and fiddle with it. It was a simple and minimalist style: two rectangular metal pieces, one large and one small, without any patterns or designs. The edges were rounded, and the surface was smooth. It was impossible to discern any symbolic meaning.

Zhang Xiaotian didn’t ask, but Lu Bai answered anyway. “It doesn’t mean anything, I just thought it looked good and wore it.” He lowered his gaze, and Zhang Xiaotian’s neatly parted hair fell into his line of sight. Lu Bai couldn’t help but tilt his head back, as if feeling the heat of the autumn day for the first time.

“What are you doing?” Yin Li’s loud voice came at just the right moment. Zhang Xiaotian quickly stood up straight, instinctively shoving both hands under his jacket.

“Nothing, just… showing Tian’er my necklace,” Lu Bai coughed a couple of times and said. “This building is it, let’s go.”

Without waiting for anyone, he turned and walked into the building. Yin Li let out an “Oh” and couldn’t resist teasing Lu Bai about being a show-off. Only Han Chengcheng paused at the remark and looked at the two of them suspiciously, but said nothing.

The so-called “Corridor of Life” was a floor in the School of Medicine displaying various human anatomical specimens, from tissue slides to organ specimens. When things normally unnoticed were presented so directly, the scene was undeniably spectacular. The four walked and stopped, and even Lu Bai, who wasn’t particularly interested, took a few photos, making the trip worthwhile. Zhang Xiaotian was lost in thought in front of a blood smear slide. Just as he was about to take a picture with his phone, he heard the sound of a phone shutter behind him. Zhang Xiaotian turned around to see Lu Bai holding up his phone.

“What are you looking at?” Lu Bai covered his face with his phone. “Move aside after you’re done, other people need to take pictures too.”

Zhang Xiaotian raised an eyebrow and put his phone away, then stepped aside to get out of the frame. Lu Bai took another photo, and seeing Zhang Xiaotian waiting for him, he put away his phone and walked over to him.

“What else do you want to see?” Zhang Xiaotian asked him.

“Nothing else,” Lu Bai said expressionlessly. “We’ll go back to the bus directly.”

Zhang Xiaotian looked at him, feeling that he seemed to particularly like this place. After coming to this floor, he hadn’t walked with Zhang Xiaotian. Every time he looked back, he saw him standing not far away, looking at the exhibits, as if he were deeply interested in every specimen. Zhang Xiaotian thought he liked these things and wanted to chat with him about them. But seeing that he seemed unwilling to say much, Zhang Xiaotian was about to give up. Then he remembered the photos he hadn’t managed to take earlier and said, “Can you send me the photos you just took later?”

“Didn’t you take some?” Lu Bai asked him.

“No.” After all, you seemed eager to take them.

Lu Bai didn’t say anything.

Zhang Xiaotian tilted his head to look at him and realized that Lu Bai wasn’t making eye contact with him as usual.

“Hmm?” Zhang Xiaotian asked again. “Did you hear me?”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Lu Bai suddenly covered his face with both hands. “Wait!” He then took out his phone and tapped the screen a few times. Zhang Xiaotian’s phone vibrated.

Zhang Xiaotian frowned as he looked at the not-so-clear photos on his phone. He clicked his tongue and finally said, “Thank you.”

“Hmph.” Lu Bai seemed inexplicably happier.

Han Chengcheng, walking behind the two, frowned thoughtfully and nudged Yin Li with her elbow.

“Hmm? What’s up?” Yin Li was still organizing the photos she had just taken.

“Don’t you think…” Han Chengcheng hesitated and opened her mouth, but didn’t finish. Yin Li waited for a moment, but when she didn’t get an answer, she asked again, “What is it?”

Han Chengcheng shook her head. “Nothing.”