Back to 1988 47

Chapter 47: Silkworms

Mi Yang also had a small change in his ordinary life because of this incident.

Bai Luochuan was addicted to playing the patient. He didn’t show it in front of the adults, but when he went back to the small room on the second floor, he would close his eyes and refuse to do anything. He even had to be fed water while lying in bed. In the past two days, he had become even more outrageous. He had probably been watching Qiong Yao dramas with Mrs. Bai downstairs, and when he got to the bedroom, he was so “weak” that he couldn’t even take off his own clothes. He would stand there with his hands raised, waiting for Mi Yang to undress him.

Mi Yang had served him twice. Seeing his proud little face with his chin tilted up, he was no longer willing to serve him.

Mi Yang felt that Bai Luochuan’s young master temper was a result of being spoiled and had to be corrected from a young age. The young master Bai felt that he had not received enough attention and deliberately put on a stern face to make Mi Yang pay more attention to him.

The two of them were at odds for a whole night. They didn’t talk much at breakfast the next morning. Except for when Bai Luochuan broke a fried dough stick in half and gave half to Mi Yang, they basically didn’t communicate.

The little Ji Bai’an, sitting opposite them, observed for a while and figured it out. His eyes darted around, full of cunning ideas. He found an opportunity and grabbed Mi Yang’s arm. “My cousin isn’t playing with you anymore. You can play with me now, right?”

Mi Yang stood there and looked at him in silence. “Do you want to think about it again…”

Since the group fight that day, Ji Bai’an had become interested in Mi Yang, not in a bullying way, but in a way that he would always want to be around Mi Yang, trying his best to please him. Ji Bai’an leaned close to Mi Yang, his eyes darting around. “My cousin’s temper is not that good. It’s better to be with me, right?”

Mi Yang looked up at him, and Ji Bai’an looked at him with an expectant expression, not letting go of his hand and asking repeatedly, “Hey Mi Yang, who do you think is better, me or my cousin?”

Mi Yang said slowly, “Your cousin is right behind you. Why don’t you ask him?”

Ji Bai’an: “…”

Bai Luochuan walked over with his schoolbag on his back, put his arm around Ji Bai’an’s neck, and took him outside, cornering him between the hallway and a tree to give him an “elder’s education.” Before Ji Bai’an was even hit, he started to beg for mercy, “Cousin, that’s not what I meant, really. I was just envious that Mi Yang fought for you…”

The young master Bai loved to hear people say this these days and didn’t hit him. He stood there and continued to listen with a sense of vanity.

Ji Bai’an’s envy was very sincere. He said with emotion, “I thought Mi Yang was always so well-behaved. He doesn’t usually talk much. I didn’t expect him to be so amazing.”

Bai Luochuan sneered. “He’s just too lazy to bother with you. You haven’t seen him at school. He’s fierce. When a teacher bullied his classmates, he led the whole class to demand an explanation. Even the principal was alarmed.”

Ji Bai’an’s face was full of surprise.

But soon, the surprise on his face turned to anticipation. His eyes were sparkling. “Cousin, do you think if I’m good to Mi Yang from now on, he’ll fight for me too?”

Bai Luochuan snorted and said unceremoniously, “In your dreams.”

Ji Bai’an refused to give up on this dream. He didn’t have such a good friend, and the more he didn’t have one, the more he couldn’t help but be envious. He figured that Mi Yang and his cousin were close, probably because of his cousin’s previous care. Now, as long as he was twice as good to Mi Yang, surpassing his cousin, Mi Yang would definitely have that kind of friendship where he would “fight for him.”

Ji Bai’an made up his mind and would try to please Mi Yang whenever he had the chance.

When Mi Yang and Bai Luochuan went to school together, he couldn’t follow. But after they came back, they could still get together in the study on the second floor for tutoring. Ji Bai’an would hover around Mi Yang like a little bee. One time, he was flipping through Mi Yang’s book, which startled Mi Yang. He quickly went over to check and was relieved to see that he hadn’t damaged it at all.

Ji Bai’an didn’t notice at all and was still circling Mi Yang, asking enthusiastically, “What book is this? Nature? Is it the one with the observation class… What do you all observe?”

Mi Yang showed him the book. “Spring silkworms. It’s just in time for Chinese class. The teacher said we have to observe insects these few days.”

Ji Bai’an nodded and said “oh,” his eyes still circling his book.

Mi Yang became vigilant, hugged the book, and moved closer to Bai Luochuan. When Ji Bai’an came closer again, he moved a few steps further away, and the book was placed side by side with Bai Luochuan’s.

Bai Luochuan patted his cousin on the head. “If you make any more trouble, you’re out. You’re not allowed to attend class.”

Only then did Ji Bai’an reluctantly stop. He played by himself for a while, watching his cousin and Mi Yang discussing their homework, their heads close together. He watched seriously for a long time.

Mi Yang thought Ji Bai’an had quieted down, but the next day, he received a lot of little things on his small desk in the study. From small chocolate candies to a large stuffed toy that filled the desk drawer, they were piled up into a small mountain. On top, there was even a freshly picked flower, which was a nice touch.

Mi Yang: “…”

Ji Bai’an stood to the side, still asking him with a surprised expression, “Hey, so many gifts. Who sent them? Mi Yang, look, this person is really too good to you!”

The young master Bai, who had just come in with his schoolbag on his back, his face darkened.

There were only three children in the house, and two of them had been out at school all day. Who else could have put them there?

Mi Yang was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. He returned the pile of things and shook his head. “I really don’t need them. I have no use for these.”

Ji Bai’an also became anxious. “Then what do you want? Just say it.”

Mi Yang said helplessly, “I don’t want anything. I’m fine now. I have everything.”

Ji Bai’an was still grumbling when his cousin, beside him, slammed the table with a dark face. “Take them away now!”

Ji Bai’an didn’t dare to grumble anymore and left with his things, unwilling.

Mi Yang felt that the events of the past two days were a bit surreal. He couldn’t figure out why Ji Bai’an had suddenly changed his personality. Now, it seemed that he wanted to be friends with him—he couldn’t help but ask during Mr. Wei’s short break.

Ji Bai’an was sitting next to them, practicing his writing. Hearing his question, he was also surprised. “We fought together, so we’re brothers. Of course I’m good to you!”

Mi Yang was still a little uneasy about this answer, but he no longer had the same avoidant attitude as before. They weren’t brothers, but he would be grateful if they were just ordinary friends and he didn’t cause him any trouble.

Ji Bai’an poked Mi Yang’s arm with his pencil, his eyes shining as he looked at him. Mi Yang was drinking water and, after being poked twice, said strangely, “What’s wrong?”

Ji Bai’an showed an expectant and shy expression and whispered to him, “Mi Yang, if I’m good to you in the future, will you fight for me too?”

Mi Yang spat out a mouthful of water with a “pfft.”

Bai Luochuan couldn’t dodge in time, and a patch of his workbook on the desk got wet. Mi Yang quickly took a tissue to wipe it for him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, my fault. I’ll clean it for you.”

Bai Luochuan gave the workbook to Mi Yang, not looking angry at all. Instead, he looked past Mi Yang at his cousin and raised his eyebrows. “I advise you to give up as soon as possible. Mi Yang only helps me. If you want to fight, you can learn it yourself.”

Ji Bai’an thought for a moment and asked enthusiastically, “What should I learn?”

Bai Luochuan thought for a moment and, through Mi Yang, began to impart his experience, “My grandpa said military boxing, close combat. There are many powerful ones in the army. But you’re not from our army. You can just sign up for karate or something outside to get by.”

Mi Yang: “…”

Mi Yang thought of the future combat power of these two brothers and had another headache. Let alone Bai Luochuan’s destructive power, Ji Bai’an’s methods were also quite ruthless. It would be better if the two of them didn’t learn anything.

As the two brothers talked, they started to argue. Neither of the two young masters was willing to back down first. They bickered back and forth through Mi Yang.

Ji Bai’an still wanted to reach out and touch Mi Yang but was slapped on the back of the hand by Bai Luochuan. He was also angry and reached out, determined to touch Mi Yang!

How could Bai Luochuan stand this? It was a clear provocation! Without a word, he grabbed his cousin, pinned him down in the study, and gave him a beating. The little young master of the Ji family was not willing to suffer a loss easily either. He secretly used his strength and managed to get in a couple of hits on his cousin, but he couldn’t turn the tables and was beaten even more fiercely. The commotion of the fight in the study was too loud, and soon Mr. Wei came in. He tried to stop them a couple of times, but neither of them was willing to stop first. It was only when Mr. Wei took out his ruler and slapped the desk a few times that they stopped.

Mr. Wei said, “What’s going on here? Why are you fighting again?!”

The two handsome little young masters stood there, each one more stubborn than the other. One said, “I accidentally fell,” and the other said, “I saw a pig fall, and I accidentally bumped into the pig…”

The little Ji Bai’an’s face flushed with anger. He turned his head and said angrily, “You’re the one who bumped into a pig!”

Bai Luochuan rolled his eyes. “That’s right, I bumped into you.”

The two of them were at odds again and were about to start fighting.

Mr. Wei held up his ruler and tapped the desk a few times, scolding, “What are you doing? What does this look like? The study is a classroom. How can you be so unruly in a classroom! Luochuan, Bai’an, go out and stand as punishment!”

Bai Luochuan glanced at Mi Yang. Mi Yang stood up and said carefully, “Teacher, they were actually just playing around. Bai Luochuan didn’t really hit him…”

Mr. Wei was so angry his beard was bristling. “You’re still taking his side! They’re both at fault, and you’re not right either. Go out and stand together for ten minutes.”

The three children were all taken out to stand in the hallway on the second floor as punishment. Mr. Wei was also furious. He probably felt that they were not united and friendly enough, so he had them stand hand in hand, and no one was allowed to let go.

Bai Luochuan and Ji Bai’an looked at each other with dislike, and neither was willing to hold the other’s hand. They each held one of Mi Yang’s hands, and during that time, they were still tentatively pulling Mi Yang towards their own side.

Bai Luochuan frowned. “Let go!”

Ji Bai’an rolled his eyes and snorted. “Why don’t you let go?”

Bai Luochuan said, “I told you to let go, you hear me? Or I’ll beat you again.”

Ji Bai’an was wary. “You dare? Auntie is just downstairs. If you hit me, I’ll shout for help, the really loud kind.”

Mi Yang: “…”

He was the one who wanted to shout for help.

The commotion upstairs soon attracted Luo Jiangyuan’s attention. She came upstairs and saw the few children holding hands and standing as punishment, and she couldn’t stop laughing. She knew her son’s mischievous nature and, afraid of delaying Bai Luochuan’s and Mi Yang’s schoolwork, she took her son back first, patiently educating him as they walked.

Ji Bai’an suddenly looked up at her. “Mom, have you ever seen a pig?”

Luo Jiangyuan: “…”

Luo Jiangyuan had seen one, but she couldn’t answer her son’s next question.

Ji Bai’an asked her with great expectation, “Mom, then do you know how fast a pig can run?”

Ms. Luo: “…”

Mi Yang and Bai Luochuan went to school every day, coming and going together, leaving very little room for the little Ji Bai’an to launch a surprise attack. No matter how hard he tried, he could at most become “ordinary good friends” with Mi Yang now.

On this day, Mi Yang and the others went to school again. Ji Bai’an lay by the window and watched with great envy. Luo Jiangyuan took the opportunity to educate him, “Bai’an, do you want to go to school too?”

Ji Bai’an nodded and said loudly, “Yes!”

Luo Jiangyuan said, “Then when we go home, you can also go to school with a little schoolbag in September. Aren’t you happy?”

Ji Bai’an, however, furrowed his brow. “Why do we have to go back? I’m not leaving. I want to go to the same school as Mi Yang.” He thought for a moment and reluctantly added, “And cousin. The three of us together.”

Luo Jiangyuan had never expected to hear this answer and was dumbfounded for a moment. She sat there and thought for a long time of what to say to coax her child to go back to Shanghai with her. Her sister was still trying to coax Luochuan to go to Shanghai to study, and now her own was about to defect to this side. What should she do!

Luo Jiangyuan asked her son in a soft and slow voice, “Baby, why do you want to stay here to study? It’s not as good as home here. Didn’t you say the shopping malls here were small when you first came?”

Ji Bai’an was still young and said whatever was on his mind. The envy in his words was almost overflowing. “I want Mi Yang to be good to me too and fight for me.”

Luo Jiangyuan thought it was just a child’s whim, wanting to compete for a friend, and poked her son’s forehead, shaking her head with a smile. She said to her son, “In a few days, your father is going to have someone send some things over. Is there anything you want? There’s also a clothing catalog. Baby, do you want to pick a few outfits?”

Ji Bai’an was not very interested. After picking for a while, he started to play with a small black dot on the book. After picking at it a couple of times, he suddenly looked up excitedly. “Mom, I want something!”

He ran over, whispered in Luo Jiangyuan’s ear, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her. Luo Jiangyuan looked troubled but still nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll try. But it’s too hard to bring. I might not be able to get it.”

Ji Bai’an, however, was very confident. “Dad will definitely be able to do it!”

The people from the Ji family arrived in a couple of days. It was a manager under Mr. Ji, who had made a special trip to bring things to Luo Jiangyuan and her son. Mr. Ji was very good to his wife and child and was afraid that they hadn’t brought enough things. This time, he had sent a lot more. Ji Bai’an waited as they moved the things in one by one, standing on his tiptoes and waiting for his surprise. When he saw the manager take out a palm-sized box from the leather bag he was carrying, his eyes lit up.

The manager said with a chuckle, “Mr. Ji specially had this brought over. He picked the biggest and best ones. And I was careful with them on the way. They’re growing very well and are very good at eating.”

Luo Jiangyuan moved aside a little, her body a little stiff. “Don’t give it to me. Just, just put it on the table.”

The manager didn’t mind at all and placed it on the table with a smile.

Ji Bai’an didn’t care at all. He pounced on it and carefully opened the box. The cardboard box had a few air holes, and inside was a layer of mulberry leaves, on which were a few white and plump worms, wriggling and gnawing on the mulberry leaves, making a small rustling sound—they were silkworms.

Ji Bai’an was very happy but soon became conflicted. “Will this be enough to eat? I heard from Mi Yang that they eat a lot.”

The manager said, “It’s prepared. Mr. Ji knew you wanted to observe the silkworms and brought a lot of mulberry leaves. I guarantee they’ll eat until they spin their cocoons!”

Only then did Ji Bai’an nod in satisfaction. He hugged the cardboard box, didn’t look at any of the other gifts, and ran up to the study on the second floor in a flash.

Luo Jiangyuan called out to him a couple of times from downstairs but got no response. She could only shake her head helplessly and stay behind to sort the things. Besides their own, she had also brought a lot of useful things for her sister. The gifts were one category, and the market information the manager had specially sent was another. These were also things she could do for her sister within her ability.

Ji Bai’an didn’t care about the adults’ affairs. The only worry in his young mind was how to “poach” from his cousin. Now that he had a new gift, he eagerly placed the small box inside Mi Yang’s small desk.

He thought for a moment, then, afraid that Mi Yang wouldn’t see it at a glance when he came back, he simply opened the cardboard box. He admired it himself for a while, then, thinking of Mi Yang’s surprised face when he came back, he couldn’t help but rest his chin on his hand and laugh secretly.

Mi Yang and Bai Luochuan were also talking about today’s nature class on their way back.

In the third grade of elementary school, there was a subject where they had to write an observation diary. Silkworms were rarely seen in the north, so they were usually replaced with other things. The nature teacher was very responsible and had personally brought a can of mealworms to the classroom for everyone to observe. These worms were usually used for fishing, and they were also often used to feed fish in the north, so they were easy to find.

Mi Yang was rarely afraid of anything, but soft, squirming worms were one of his weaknesses. When he saw them, he got goosebumps all over. When Bai Luochuan brought their group’s worms a little closer in a small glass cup, his scalp tingled. Fortunately, the young master Bai had discovered it in time and had been blocking him, helping him to finish the observation, and then describing it orally for Mi Yang to finish his observation diary.

On the way back, Mi Yang still felt a sense of despair. He rubbed the goosebumps on his arm that had not yet completely subsided. “I still have to write for 21 days.”

Bai Luochuan touched his arm and consoled him, “It’s fine. I’ll write it for you.”

Mi Yang didn’t say anything, looking listless. He felt that elementary school was not easy to get through either. Maybe he should think about skipping a grade again. The biology observations in middle and high school were just cells and mammals, which was much better than observing worms now… But it was just a thought. Let alone leaving the children of the first class of the third grade now, he was even a little reluctant to leave the young master Bai.

After dinner that night, when Ji Bai’an urged them to go upstairs for class, Mi Yang sat down at his desk and, as usual, reached into his desk drawer for his notebook. He suddenly touched something soft and long, which even moved a little against his finger.

Mi Yang’s reaction was not as fast as his action. By the time he pulled his hand out, the little thing had fallen on his lap, and only then did he realize that something was wrong—two white and plump worms were still wriggling on his leg.

The mental shock from the day had not yet passed, and now he had encountered worms again at night. Mi Yang completely exploded, so scared that he and his chair fell to the ground!

Bai Luochuan, who was putting away his schoolbag beside him, was also startled and quickly asked him, “What’s wrong?”

The more nervous Mi Yang was, the stiffer his body became. He was half-lying on the ground and couldn’t move at all. His eyes were fixed on the still-crawling worms. “Take it away. No… I can’t move when I see this…”

Bai Luochuan followed his gaze and also saw the two crawling white worms. He grabbed them and stuffed them into a pencil case, then threw the pencil case and the “worms” into the trash can outside the door. He bent down to help Mi Yang up. “It’s fine now. The worms have been thrown out.”

Mi Yang sat there, his gaze fixed on the desk drawer, his body tensed. “There, there are still a few more!”

Bai Luochuan went over and flipped through it, then threw the box and the worms out together. Just as he threw them out, he ran into the happy Ji Bai’an, who was coming in. Ji Bai’an saw what he was throwing into the trash can and immediately turned on him, pushing him. “What are you doing! Why are you throwing away my treasures!”

Bai Luochuan was also furious. “So it was you who put them there. You just wait. I’ll deal with you in a bit!”

He turned back. Mi Yang could already stand up by holding onto the desk. There was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, and he had also fallen on his leg just now, getting a small, crescent-shaped cut that was bleeding.

Bai Luochuan bent down to look, his brow furrowed with worry.

Mi Yang had already recovered and was now consoling him, “It’s fine, just a small cut. It’ll be fine if I lick it.”

Hearing him say that, Bai Luochuan, without a word, leaned over and licked it.

Mi Yang was startled and couldn’t dodge in time. He felt uncomfortable all over as his tongue licked the wound. He moved away a little. “No, no, I was just saying… I’ll go put some medicine on it in a bit.”

Ji Bai’an also walked into the study, furious. He had originally wanted to find trouble with his cousin, but he was startled to see Mi Yang in such a mess. “What happened? Mi Yang, you, your mouth is bleeding!”

Mi Yang licked his lips. There was a taste of blood, but what was more uncomfortable was the loose tooth. He frowned and covered his mouth.

Bai Luochuan stood up, pried his hand open, and looked. “Let me see?”

Mi Yang had a small tooth that was already showing signs of coming loose. It had been wobbly for the past few days. He would sometimes lick it, and Bai Luochuan would act like an expert and tell him not to. Just now, when he fell, he had happened to knock that tooth, and it was now half-off, with only a little bit attached. He reached out and touched the small tooth, then pulled it out with a little force, murmuring, “It’s fine. It was about to fall out anyway…”

Ji Bai’an cried out, “It’s bleeding!”

Bai Luochuan was startled. He had probably licked the wound on his leg just now, and seeing Mi Yang’s mouth bleeding, he subconsciously leaned over to lick it again. Mi Yang no longer covered his own mouth but reached out to push him while covering his mouth. “Don’t be difficult!”

Licking his leg was already too much. How could he even think of licking his mouth!

Bai Luochuan looked at him with worry, his brow furrowed and not relaxing. “Let’s go see a doctor?”

Mi Yang, with one missing tooth, spoke with a lisp and shook his head. “It’s fine. I, I’ll just rinse my mouth, and it’ll be fine.”

Bai Luochuan was in no mood to deal with his cousin now. He took Mi Yang to rinse his mouth. He was terrified and watched nervously from the side. It was only after Mi Yang had finished rinsing his mouth and was no longer bleeding that he relaxed a little.

Mi Yang looked at himself in the mirror. It was a little strange, but it was a side tooth, so it was fine overall.

Bai Luochuan also leaned over to look. His expression was serious, and he even reached out and touched Mi Yang’s little tooth, coaxing him, “It’ll be replaced soon.”