CY – Chapter 2

Chapter Two

After hugging for a long time and seeing that Lu Bai had no intention of letting go, Zhang Xiaotian pushed him.

“That’s enough. When others come back, what will they think of us hugging here?”

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 and took a tissue to wipe his hands.

“This obviously belongs to you. You’re not an outsider.” Lu Bai picked up the chubby dog figurine from the corner of the table and fiddled with it. “Only our Tian’er would keep such an ugly thing 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 of the table.

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

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

“Ah, this…” Lu Bai chuckled. “I didn’t say it, but I don’t know what else to study anyway. I figured this should be easy to find a job, so I studied it.”

So it was for future employment. Zhang Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief. He almost thought Lu Bai had chosen it because he had mentioned wanting to study medicine. It was true, 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 fate to be so deep. We were deskmates in high school and roommates in college. Tian’er, I’ll be with you for these four years!” Lu Bai leaned against Zhang Xiaotian as if he had no bones. “We can go to school and eat together again, it’s so good. Tomorrow, let’s go to the cafeteria first to experience it and see how the food is. I still remember what you eat and what you don’t eat. Do you still remember mine? Oh, counting down all the things you don’t eat, 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 dorm but had returned to their second year of high school. Going to school, coming home, eating, walking, everything they experienced that year had Lu Bai involved.

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

Now, it seemed Lu Bai had forgotten that vague and awkward probing. It was better that he had forgotten. Lu Bai would have more friends in the future, and he would only be the most ordinary one.

The two of them would eventually drift apart, they definitely would…

What a load of crap!

On the unknown number of times Zhang Xiaotian saw Lu Bai eating alone at the restaurant where he worked part-time, he roared silently in his heart.

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

He walked over and knocked on the table.

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

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

“Oh, it’s so boring for me to be 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?”

“I’m not happy.” Zhang Xiaotian couldn’t help but pinch his brow. Seeing a certain person made him feel a mix of emotions, and he couldn’t be happy.

“You could also play games with Xu Yan.”

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

“…Whatever you want.”

Zhang Xiaotian was so angry that he didn’t even take his order and turned to get busy.

The restaurant wasn’t crowded today. Every time he went to deliver food, Zhang Xiaotian would see Lu Bai sitting there, occasionally looking at his phone, but they would always make eye contact, and then Lu Bai would smile at him. It was as if he had been watching him the whole time.

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

“Oh.” Lu Bai “whooshed” and stood up, walking out with Zhang Xiaotian.

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

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

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

“If you have nothing to do, go play basketball with the people on the court, or join a couple of clubs. It’s better than coming here to eat every day,” Zhang Xiaotian kicked a pebble on the roadside. “You come every day, and my boss already knows you.”

“Clubs, we’ll talk about it later.” Lu Bai stretched. “I’m not interested in any of that for now.”

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

Like this, going to class together, eating together, and returning to the dorm together after work felt no different from high school.

Except for Zhang Xiaotian’s own state of mind.

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

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

“…I think your boss is quite nice. Why don’t I also work at your place? I wonder if your boss needs me…” Lu Bai was still talking when he looked up and saw Zhang Xiaotian staring at him blankly, and paused.

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

“What work are you going to do? Just study properly!” What messy things was Lu Bai thinking about?

“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 is this all coming from?

“Yes, travel, during National Day.” Lu Bai slung an arm around Zhang Xiaotian’s shoulder. “I’ve already thought it out. We won’t go too far, just stay in the next city for three days and two nights. It’s convenient to come back. What do you think?”

Seeing Zhang Xiaotian silent, Lu Bai continued:

“Just follow me, don’t worry about anything else, just relax and have fun. I’ve already finished the guide and everything. We’ll do it according to what we discussed before…”

Zhang Xiaotian could no longer hear what Lu Bai was saying. His nostrils were filled with Lu Bai’s scent. It seemed like they had changed to a new laundry detergent, and the smell was slightly different from what he remembered. The unfamiliar scent made Zhang Xiaotian’s heart ache for no reason, but he still couldn’t help but smell it more.

“Why are you asking me to travel?”

“Of course, it’s you!” Lu Bai said.

“But you have other friends.”

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

Before going to sleep, Lu Bai rubbed his butt, which Zhang Xiaotian had kicked, and couldn’t understand why Zhang Xiaotian was angry.

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

At this close distance, they were almost in each other’s arms, why pass a note? Zhang Xiaotian was speechless and opened the note. It was written in a flamboyant script: What’s for lunch? He lowered his voice and said, “What are you doing? You can just tell me directly, right?”

“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 ready to go as if he were going to battle, not 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 being the first to leave the teaching building.

“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.”

“Going early means eating early, saving us the trouble of 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.” As Lu Bai spoke, he suddenly jumped up and plucked a leaf from a tree to play with.

It is good, there is no better time 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 quiet corner, burying their heads in eating for a while.

“I’ll go buy a drink, you eat first,” Lu Bai pointed to the shop around 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 a girl.

“Hello, classmate. May I ask if the boy eating with you has a girlfriend?” The girl was too embarrassed to continue, and with a nudge from her classmate who had encouraged her, she added, “Can I have his contact information?”

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

“But…” 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 is not looking for a relationship. 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. Zhang Xiaotian, seeing the awkwardness of the two, had to apologize for Lu Bai: “Sorry, he’s not in a good mood.”

After the two left, Zhang Xiaotian ate while watching Lu Bai.

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

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

Lu Bai was stunned when he heard this. “They want mine?” After a pause, he mumbled, “I’m not looking for a relationship.”

He was so angry just because he didn’t want a relationship? Zhang Xiaotian was even more bewildered.

“In the future, if anyone asks for my WeChat, don’t give it to them.” Lu Bai dug at the rice in his meal tray, chewed, and then asked vaguely, “What if someone asks for your WeChat, will you give it to them?”

“Who would want my WeChat?” Zhang Xiaotian was even more confused. What was all this about?

“I, I mean, your future partner must be approved by me, otherwise I won’t be at ease!” Lu Bai hesitated, then finally managed to say this.

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

Leaving the cafeteria, as soon as they entered the dorm, Xu Yan and Zhou Bin looked at them in unison.

“Are we going out for dinner this weekend?” Xu Yan asked.

“We all have our own things to do since the semester started. It’s rare for all of us to be free on the weekend, so let’s have a meal together,” Zhou Bin explained. “Do you two have plans for the weekend?”

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

“Okay,” Zhang Xiaotian said.