CY – Chapter 2

Chapter Two

They hugged for a long time. Seeing that Lu Bai had no intention of letting go, Zhang Xiaotian pushed him.

“That’s enough. If others come back and see us hugging here, what will they think?”

Lu Bai let go and pulled him to sit on a stool. The bag of fried mushrooms was still on the table.

“When did you develop the habit of eating other people’s things randomly?” Zhang Xiaotian threw the bag into the trash can and took a tissue to wipe his hands.

“This is obviously yours. You’re not just anyone,” Lu Bai picked up the Chubby Dog Figurine from the corner of the table. “Only our Tian’er would keep such an ugly thing for so long and protect it so well. Even the pattern on its belly is still there.”

That pattern couldn’t be wiped off anyway. Zhang Xiaotian reached out and snatched the dog back, placing it back in the corner.

“What’s wrong? Are you angry because I called your dog ugly?” Lu Bai provocatively leaned closer to look at Zhang Xiaotian’s face, only to be pushed away.

“I don’t remember you saying you wanted to study laboratory science,” Zhang Xiaotian asked him.

“Ah, this…” Lu Bai chuckled. “I didn’t say it, but I didn’t know what else to study, and I thought this might be good for finding a job, so I chose it.”

So it was for future employment. Zhang Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief. He almost thought Lu Bai chose it because he had mentioned wanting to study medicine. Of course, with so many universities, Lu Bai wouldn’t have known in advance which one he would attend.

The world is truly small.

“I didn’t expect our destinies to be so intertwined. Deskmates in high school, roommates in college. Tian’er, I’ll be sticking with you for these four years!” Lu Bai leaned on Zhang Xiaotian as if he had no bones. “We can go to school and eat together again. It’s great. Tomorrow, we’ll go to the cafeteria first to see how the food is. I still remember what you eat and don’t eat. Do you remember mine? Oh, counting them all, you don’t eat quite a lot. You’re really hard to please…”

Once Lu Bai started talking, he couldn’t stop. Zhang Xiaotian just listened, occasionally chiming in. It was as if they weren’t in a new school dormitory, but back in their second year of high school. Going to school, coming home, eating, walking – Lu Bai had been a part of everything they experienced that year.

But it was different now. He wasn’t sure if he could still interact with Lu Bai as a “good friend.”

Looking back, Lu Bai must have forgotten that subtle and awkward probing. It was better that he forgot. Lu Bai would have many more friends in the future, and he would just be one of the most ordinary.

We will eventually drift apart, we definitely will…

What a load of rubbish!

On the nth time Zhang Xiaotian saw Lu Bai eating alone at the place where he worked part-time, he roared silently in his heart.

Why doesn’t this kid join some clubs or play basketball on the court? Maybe he’d even find a girlfriend. Why does he come here to eat every day?

He walked over and tapped on the table.

“Tian’er, you’re here! I’ve chosen. Today I’ll have this…”

“Eating out every day, are you afraid you won’t get fat?” Zhang Xiaotian didn’t respond.

“Oh, it’s so boring being alone in the dorm. Zhou Bin is always with his girlfriend, and Xu Yan is busy playing games. I don’t even have anyone to talk to,” Lu Bai said pitifully. “Besides, aren’t you happy that I’m here to accompany you?”

“Not happy,” Zhang Xiaotian couldn’t help but pinch his brow. Seeing a certain person made him feel a mix of emotions, making it impossible to be happy.

“You could also play games with Xu Yan.”

“No, I just want to wait here for you to finish work,” Lu Bai winked at him.

“…Whatever you want.”

Zhang Xiaotian was so angry that he didn’t even take his order and turned to attend to other customers.

The restaurant wasn’t crowded that day. Every time he went to deliver food, Zhang Xiaotian would see Lu Bai sitting there, occasionally glancing at his phone, but their eyes would always meet. Then Lu Bai would smile at him, as if he had been watching him the whole time.

After work, he changed out of his uniform and walked out. Zhang Xiaotian saw Lu Bai still sitting there and walked over to call him, “Let’s go.”

“Oh.” Lu Bai jumped up and walked out with Zhang Xiaotian.

They walked side by side on the road, neither speaking first.

“Don’t come here tomorrow,” Zhang Xiaotian said first.

“Why? Are you tired of me?” Lu Bai asked. “I’m not bothering you here.”

“You should go play basketball with people on the court, or join a couple of clubs. It’s better than coming here to eat every day,” Zhang Xiaotian kicked a stone by the roadside. “You come here every day, even my boss knows you.”

“Clubs, we’ll talk about that later,” Lu Bai stretched. “I’m not interested in those things right now.”

Is he interested in checking in at the restaurant every day? Zhang Xiaotian really wanted to knock open his head and see what he was thinking.

Like this, going to class together, eating together, and returning to the dorm together after his part-time job felt no different from high school.

Except for Zhang Xiaotian’s own state of mind.

He couldn’t understand why Lu Bai was like this, but he was even more reluctant to give up this current life.

Zhang Xiaotian looked at Lu Bai, his heart filled with complex emotions. Lu Bai was that kind of person, always energetic, and seemed to get along well with everyone.

“…I think your boss seems like a good person. Why don’t I also work at your place? I wonder if your boss needs me…” Lu Bai was still talking to himself when he looked up and saw Zhang Xiaotian staring blankly at him. He paused.

“Wh-what? You don’t want me to work with you?”

“What are you talking about working? Go back to your studies!” What crazy thoughts were going through Lu Bai’s head?

“If you don’t let me work, then come travel with me!” Lu Bai said.

“As long as you don’t… Huh?”

What travel? Where did this come from?

“Yes, travel, during the National Day holiday,” Lu Bai put his arm around Zhang Xiaotian’s shoulder. ” I’ve already planned it. We won’t go too far, just to the neighboring city for three days and two nights. It’ll be convenient to come back. What do you think?”

Seeing that Zhang Xiaotian didn’t respond, Lu Bai continued:

“Just follow me, don’t worry about anything else, just relax and have fun. I’ve already finished the guides and stuff. We’ll follow what we discussed before…”

Zhang Xiaotian could no longer hear what Lu Bai was saying. The scent of Lu Bai filled his nostrils. It seemed to be due to a new laundry detergent, and the smell was slightly different from what he remembered. The unfamiliar scent inexplicably caused a sharp pain in Zhang Xiaotian’s heart, but he couldn’t help but want to smell it more.

“Why are you asking me to travel with you?”

“Of course, it’s you!” Lu Bai said.

“But you have other friends.”

“But you’re different,” Lu Bai said decisively. “When you go on a trip, you have to find your closest friend. You’re my best buddy!”

Before falling asleep, Lu Bai rubbed his butt, which had been kicked by Zhang Xiaotian, and couldn’t understand why Zhang Xiaotian was angry.

During class, Lu Bai, sitting beside him, passed him a note.

The distance was so close that he was almost in his arms; why pass a note? Zhang Xiaotian was speechless. He opened the note. It was written in a flamboyant hand: What’s for lunch. He lowered his voice and said, “What are you doing? You can just tell me directly.”

“I’m just reminiscing about our high school days. So, what’s for lunch?”

“Third-floor cafeteria,” Zhang Xiaotian said without looking back.

“Okay, let’s run quickly later,” Lu Bai put his schoolbag on his lap, looking like he was ready for battle rather than going to the cafeteria.

What a fool, Zhang Xiaotian thought.

The moment the class bell rang, Lu Bai grabbed Zhang Xiaotian and ran towards the back door, the two of them leaving the teaching building first.

“Can you not run like you’re starving to death next time?” Zhang Xiaotian pulled Lu Bai, asking him to slow down. “The cafeteria won’t close if we go a little later.”

“If we go earlier, we can eat earlier and avoid fighting for a spot,” Lu Bai slowed down and put his arm around Zhang Xiaotian’s shoulder. “It’s so good, Tian’er.”

“Hmm? What nonsense are you talking about?” Zhang Xiaotian asked.

“Like this, the two of us together, whether it’s going to eat, go to class, or anything else, it’s all good, the two of us together,” Lu Bai said, then suddenly jumped up and plucked a leaf from a tree to play with.

It is good. There’s no time better than now. Not thinking about anything, just walking on the road with him. Zhang Xiaotian thought the same thing in his heart.

The two of them got their food and found a secluded corner, burying their heads in eating for a while.

“I’m going to buy a bottle of drink. You eat first,” Lu Bai pointed to the store at the corner.

“Okay,” Zhang Xiaotian picked at the onions on his plate, not looking up. After a short while, he caught sight of an unfamiliar person standing beside him out of the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw it was a girl.

“Hello classmate, can I ask if the boy eating with you has a girlfriend?” The girl was too embarrassed to continue. Her classmate, who had instigated her, nudged her. She continued, “Can I have his contact information?”

What should I do? Should I refuse on behalf of Lu Bai? Or should I take this opportunity to let Lu Bai…?

“Sure…” Zhang Xiaotian had just taken out his phone when a bottle of Coke was placed on the table with a “bang,” startling both girls.

“Sorry, my roommate doesn’t date. You should find someone else, classmate.” Lu Bai’s expression was unfriendly. He sat down and started eating. The girl who wanted his contact information was startled and took a step back. The girl with her also looked displeased. Seeing the awkwardness of the two girls, Zhang Xiaotian had to apologize for Lu Bai, “Sorry, he’s not in a good mood.”

After the two girls left, Zhang Xiaotian ate and watched Lu Bai.

“What are you looking at? You’re going to stare through my face,” Lu Bai said impatiently.

“Why are you angry?” Zhang Xiaotian asked him. “They came to ask for your contact information.”

Lu Bai was stunned when he heard this. “Mine?” he asked. After a pause, he mumbled softly, “I don’t date.”

He was so angry just because he didn’t want to date? Zhang Xiaotian was even more confused.

“From now on, if anyone asks for my WeChat, don’t give it to them,” Lu Bai said, digging into his meal. He chewed and then asked vaguely, “If someone asks for your WeChat, will you give it to them?”

“Who would ask for my WeChat?” Zhang Xiaotian was even more baffled. What was all this about?

“I, what I mean is, your future partner must be approved by me, otherwise I won’t be at ease!” Lu Bai hesitated, then finally blurted out.

“Can you stop being so neurotic all day?” Zhang Xiaotian gave up trying to guess his thoughts. “Hurry up and eat.”

After leaving the cafeteria, as soon as they entered the dormitory, Xu Yan and Zhou Bin looked at them in unison.

“Are we eating out this weekend?” Xu Yan asked.

“We’ve all been busy with our own things since the start of the semester. It’s rare for all of us to have free time on the weekend. Let’s have a meal together,” Zhou Bin explained. “Unless you two have plans?”

“I don’t have anything, but you…” Lu Bai looked at Zhang Xiaotian. “Why don’t we eat at your part-time job?”

“Okay,” Zhang Xiaotian said.