CY – Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

“I haven’t seen you bring your lunchbox recently,” Lu Bai said, already tidying his desk before the teacher had even left, ready to bolt out for lunch the moment the dismissal bell rang. “What’s up, isn’t your mom bringing you food anymore?”

“She’s busy lately,” Zhang Xiaotian replied, his pen still moving.

“Then come eat with us,” Lu Bai nudged Zhang Xiaotian’s shoulder lightly with his fist.

“I don’t know them,” Zhang Xiaotian hesitated. Eating with people whose names he hadn’t even fully memorized felt rather awkward. “It’s not like I can’t find a place to eat myself.”

“You’ll get to know them sooner or later, you’re all in the same class from now on.” The dismissal bell rang. Lu Bai jumped up and stood beside Zhang Xiaotian. “Let’s go, Tian’er, you and me.”

Two guys and a girl were waiting for Lu Bai at the front door. They didn’t say anything when Lu Bai brought Zhang Xiaotian over. Walking beside Lu Bai, Zhang Xiaotian secretly observed the other three. One of the boys was Jiang Lei, the girl seemed to be his girlfriend, and there was another unfamiliar-looking boy. As soon as Lu Bai approached, the others surrounded them, inadvertently pulling Zhang Xiaotian into the middle as well. Zhang Xiaotian wasn’t accustomed to this, so he deliberately lagged a few steps behind, wanting to maintain a comfortable distance, but Lu Bai noticed.

“Why are you running so far away?” Lu Bai pulled him back. “Stay closer to me.”

“What for?”

Zhang Xiaotian strained slightly, and Lu Bai let go. “If you’re too far away, I won’t be able to hear you when you talk to me.”

Who wants to talk to you, Zhang Xiaotian thought inexplicably, but he still walked beside Lu Bai.

Lu Bai chatted with them as they walked, and Zhang Xiaotian listened quietly. As he listened, his mind began to wander, thinking about how he hadn’t seen his mother for several days.

Since that night, his mother had become even busier, so busy that she didn’t even come home. When she did return occasionally, it was late at night. After hearing her say those things, Zhang Xiaotian hadn’t known how to face her. Now, since he couldn’t see her, Zhang Xiaotian felt a lot more at ease. He hadn’t seen her in years and didn’t have much affection for her. Now, being forced to accept her financial support, he felt a bit ashamed in front of her. But she was his mother, after all. Even if they couldn’t be close, Zhang Xiaotian wished they didn’t have to be so awkward, but he didn’t know how to achieve that.

He knew he was never the type of person to be likable.

“…Jiang Lei said there’s a new Mala Tang place that opened at the intersection across the street. Do you want to go?” Lu Bai had been talking to Zhang Xiaotian, but seeing him distracted, he nudged him with his shoulder. “Tian’er, are you listening to me?”

Zhang Xiaotian was startled. “What are you doing?”

“What’s wrong with you?” Lu Bai asked him. “Not enthusiastic about eating, you’ve got problems in your thinking!”

“Go away,” Zhang Xiaotian chuckled. “What were you going to say to me?”

“I asked if you want to eat Mala Tang.”

“I’m fine with anything.”

“Then come with me!” Lu Bai said and ran ahead, not waiting to see if Zhang Xiaotian followed. “Tian’er and I will go grab seats first!”

The other few people all looked at Zhang Xiaotian.

Zhang Xiaotian felt a bit embarrassed under their gazes, so he chased after Lu Bai.

Lu Bai stopped running after a few steps, and Zhang Xiaotian quickly caught up.

“You’re here,” Lu Bai said, seeing Zhang Xiaotian catch up. He put his arm around his shoulder. “You run pretty fast.”

“Why did you suddenly run?” Zhang Xiaotian was still a little out of breath.

Lu Bai smiled. “I saw you weren’t comfortable in the crowd. Plus, that place just opened a few days ago; if we don’t get seats early, there won’t be any.”

He’s quite good at reading people’s expressions at times like these.

Zhang Xiaotian looked at Lu Bai, feeling a bit strange. He found that Lu Bai could be very casual and boundaryless at times, but at other times, he was overly perceptive. If he didn’t know Lu Bai had no ill intentions, he might think he was deliberately messing with him.

They arrived at the restaurant only a few minutes before the other three. Five people at one table was too crowded, so the three “third wheels” voluntarily sat at another table.

“Our class teacher is out, so my class has had self-study and watched movies every day for the past two days,” the unfamiliar boy winked at Lu Bai. “I heard from Jiang Lei that Old Zhang has been keeping a close eye on him these past few days?”

“Why don’t you ask where Jiang Lei is sitting now?” Lu Bai opened a pair of disposable chopsticks and took another for Zhang Xiaotian. “He’s sitting right under Old Zhang’s nose right now. If Old Zhang isn’t watching him, who is he watching?”

“Hahahaha, he’s so unlucky.”

“Unlucky? They’re in love,” Lu Bai gestured with his eyes. “Maybe next time we eat, we shouldn’t bring them along. Let them eat by themselves.”

“I’m not deaf, Lu Bai!” Jiang Lei shouted from the other table, shaking his fist at Lu Bai. “Wait until after dinner, and I’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Oh, I’m so scared!”

Zhang Xiaotian listened to their banter while shoveling rice. The meal went by quickly and wasn’t as awkward as he’d imagined. He picked at the last few vegetables in his bowl, already full. Seeing that everyone else hadn’t finished, he put his chopsticks down and waited.

“Tian’er, you’re done?” Lu Bai, who had been eating and chatting, asked when he saw Zhang Xiaotian put down his chopsticks.

Zhang Xiaotian nodded.

“Then wait for me,” Lu Bai quickly swept the rest of the food in his bowl into his mouth after seeing him nod. “Shall we go then?”

“Aren’t you going to play basketball with me, Old Lu?” the boy sitting opposite asked.

“Brother, there’s an exam tomorrow,” Lu Bai said as he pulled Zhang Xiaotian towards the exit. “Don’t I have to do a little bit of reviewing?”

But as they left the restaurant, Lu Bai pulled Zhang Xiaotian into a supermarket.

“Didn’t you say you were going back to review? Why are we in the supermarket?” Zhang Xiaotian watched Lu Bai’s indecisiveness. “Is reviewing which flavor of potato chips is tastier?”

“Mmm, I like the barbecue flavor,” Lu Bai said, but he picked up a bag of original flavor to pay for.

Is that the barbecue flavor? Zhang Xiaotian found it strange but didn’t ask. He just urged Lu Bai to hurry back to class; they really did need to review.

Perhaps it was because of the upcoming exams, but more and more people were returning to class during dinner time, especially on the eve of an exam. When they returned, more than half the class was already seated. Zhang Xiaotian marveled at the caliber of the advanced class and quickly sat down and opened his book. The classroom was so quiet that only the sound of turning pages could be heard. This silence only ended when the evening self-study bell rang, and the usual clamor resumed.

“I’m going to get some water,” Lu Bai took out his water cup. “Are you coming with me?”

Zhang Xiaotian shook his head at him, his gaze still on his book. He wanted to finish the last bit of this page.

“Then I’m going,” Lu Bai got up and went out. Zhang Xiaotian remained with his head down.

After a while, someone walked over. The footsteps didn’t sound like Lu Bai’s. Zhang Xiaotian didn’t pay much attention at first until the person sat on Lu Bai’s chair. Zhang Xiaotian finally looked up and saw it was Li An.

Li An chatted with some other students nearby for a moment, then, as if just noticing Zhang Xiaotian, he spoke to him.

“I see you’re studying quite diligently,” Li An said. “You might even be able to stay in my class.”

Zhang Xiaotian looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Perhaps feeling Zhang Xiaotian’s stare, Li An brought up the day they reported for the project. “I didn’t mean it that way that day; don’t misunderstand.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Zhang Xiaotian nodded.

“I was also considering the class,” Li An explained. “If we report the project and no one goes…”

“Li An, why are you sitting in my seat?” Lu Bai walked in with two cups of water. Zhang Xiaotian turned to look at him and realized his own water cup had also been taken to get water at some point. “Move, move, it’s hot.”

Li An was also tired of Zhang Xiaotian’s attitude. He stood up and left, muttering something under his breath.

Lu Bai quickly sat down and placed Zhang Xiaotian’s water cup on the corner of his desk. “Why did he come over? What did he say to you?”

“He didn’t say anything.” Zhang Xiaotian touched his water cup. “Thank you.”

“It was nothing.” Lu Bai took out the potato chips he bought earlier and opened them. He took one for himself and pushed the bag towards Zhang Xiaotian. “Eat, take some yourself.”

Zhang Xiaotian hummed but didn’t move the chips. He just opened his water cup, blew on it, and took a sip.

“After the exam, I’ll call the others to rehearse,” Lu Bai said, crunching on the chips. “It’ll definitely be better than last year’s performance.” Then, he exclaimed, “Oh no!” and slapped his thigh dramatically.

“I forgot I signed up for events for the sports meet. I haven’t practiced at all.”

Zhang Xiaotian took another sip of water, listening to Lu Bai’s self-talk. It was almost exam time, and he was still thinking about this.

Lu Bai continued to crunch on chips for a while, then picked up his water cup and took a big gulp. He burned his mouth and hissed. He fanned his mouth and said, “After the exam, shouldn’t we practice the events we signed up for a bit?”

“We’ll practice,” Zhang Xiaotian put down his water cup. “We’ll talk about it after the exam.”

“Are you nervous?” Lu Bai seemed to have been waiting for him to bring up the exam. He asked eagerly, “The exam is tomorrow.”

“Not nervous.”

What does he really want to say? Is he just going to ask me this? Zhang Xiaotian looked at him with amusement. “Didn’t you ask me last time?”

“You’re really something. If it were me, I’d be terrified of not being able to stay,” Lu Bai wiped his hands with a tissue and pushed the potato chips towards Zhang Xiaotian again. “Quick, take one. They’ll confiscate them when class starts.”

Zhang Xiaotian reached for a chip and said before eating it, “If I can stay, I’ll stay. If not, then so be it.”

“You’ll definitely be able to stay,” Lu Bai said with certainty.

I don’t even have that much confidence in myself, Zhang Xiaotian thought inwardly as he put the chip in his mouth.

“You…” Zhang Xiaotian suddenly wanted to ask about buying potato chips at the supermarket, but seeing Lu Bai, he felt it was his own wishful thinking.

“Huh? What were you going to say?” Lu Bai didn’t wait for him to finish and handed the chip bag over again. “Have some more. I saw you only ate two bites of this flavor last time, even though I bought so many.”

Zhang Xiaotian didn’t reply after hearing this. He just obediently took the chip bag.

Lu Bai didn’t expect him to accept so readily this time and seemed very pleased. “Why so enthusiastic? Hungry? It’s no wonder, you ate so little for dinner. Have some more, self-study will start soon.”

Zhang Xiaotian sighed and put a chip in his mouth.