Chapter 104: Paper Cranes
Mi Yang sat in a chair by his hospital bed, folding many paper cranes and placing them in a bottle on the side.
Bai Luochuan said unhappily, “Are you helping Mi Xue with her school’s little handicrafts again?”
Mi Yang smiled. “No, Xiaoxue is already in elementary school. She doesn’t do these handicrafts anymore. These are for you.”
The young master Bai looked at the paper cranes and thought they were much prettier. He said cheerfully, “I want a pink one, the one by your hand, with the cherry blossom pattern… not that white one, the one with the gold trim, it’s pretty.”
Mi Yang took the paper he had chosen and folded many for him, placing them in the glass bottle.
The young master Bai was no longer annoyed and was happily counting them. Perhaps private belongings brought more satisfaction. He counted every single paper crane clearly. He also noticed that Mi Yang would quickly write a few words with a pen before folding, and he was curious. “What are you writing there?”
Mi Yang said, “Words of blessing, hoping you’ll get well soon.”
Bai Luochuan was very happy and said to him, “It’s just an external injury. It’ll be fine soon.”
Mi Yang: “Mm, I’ll take care of you until you’re better.”
Bai Luochuan corrected him, “You have to take care of me after I’m better too.”
Mi Yang was amused by him and laughed. He lowered his head, finished writing, and then folded the paper into a paper crane. His fingers were nimble, which made Bai Luochuan watch him. After he was done, Bai Luochuan took the paper crane, held it in his hand, and played with it. He also tried to fold one himself but didn’t do a good job. These little things were too delicate and required patience, which he couldn’t do. He simply held Mi Yang’s hand and played with his fingers, then tickled his palm. “How can you do it so well? Have you been practicing for a long time?”
Mi Yang said, “No, I just learned it from Xiaoxue today.”
Bai Luochuan flicked the little paper crane. “Are these popular among elementary school students again? Their extracurricular activities are really rich and colorful.”
Mi Yang looked at him with a smile, his eyes curving, and didn’t answer him.
Bai Luochuan was still holding his hand and playing, pinching his fingers. “It’s a pity I couldn’t take you for the New Year’s countdown.”
Mi Yang said, “Let’s wait for next time. There’s still a lot of time in the future.”
Bai Luochuan sat on the hospital bed and thought for a while, frowning. “I’ll think of a way.” He suddenly pulled Mi Yang closer to him. “You have something here…”
Mi Yang was pulled over, and the tip of his nose almost hit his shoulder. He said in a muffled voice, “What?”
Bai Luochuan’s breath blew over the top of his head, very lightly. “A ball of thread, I think. I’ll just blow it away for you.”
Mi Yang was like he was being held in his arms, his forehead against his shoulder. He only felt a rustling sound above his head, which didn’t sound like it was being blown away, but more like being held down and sniffed by a large dog. After a long while, the young master Bai lazily let go of him. “Alright.”
Mi Yang’s face was already red, and the paper crane in his hand was crumpled. He lowered his head and unfolded it for a long while before he folded it again.
He felt that the young master Bai had been more clingy lately, or perhaps it was because he himself had developed a little crush on the young master. Whatever the other did, his heart would beat faster.
Mi Yang didn’t look up and also didn’t see the young master Bai opposite him with red ear tips. The other’s gaze was bold and bright, but his clenched fingers still looked a little nervous.
Bai Luochuan looked for a long while, and a sense of pride suddenly welled up in his heart. He felt that there was no one in the world better than his own Little Good Boy.
So good that he wanted to hold him in the palm of his hand and then tightly close his hand to hide him.
***
Ningning’s birthday was near the New Year. Her family was in Shanghai, and she was also very popular at school. She had invited many classmates to a party to celebrate her 17th birthday lively.
A girl in her blossoming years was like a flower bud waiting to bloom, delicate and lovely. The occasional willful and coquettish behavior only made her seem more charming and cute.
Ningning was a well-known little beauty in the school. Before, some boys had even secretly ranked her as the school belle. There were quite a few boys who were pursuing her. At this birthday party, there was a particularly eye-catching boy. He was an art student who studied music, could play the piano himself, and was also very well-dressed. Especially at private parties, he was obviously different from the other boys, and his family was very well-off.
Ningning had treated everyone to a Japanese meal. This boy had gone to pay in advance, over a thousand yuan without blinking an eye. And that wasn’t all. He had then booked the after-dinner entertainment and said with a smile, “I’ve booked a large private room at Holiday KTV. Let’s all go and play together, shall we? It’s rare to come out. Let’s give Ningning a good birthday.”
The entertainment in this era was just those few things, either the ice rink or singing together. Ningning also sang well and was very tempted, but she still looked at the others with a flushed little face. “I’ll listen to everyone. If everyone is not busy, let’s go together?”
The people who had come to the party had just eaten an expensive Japanese meal from the other person, so naturally they were all supportive and agreed to go.
Mi Yang looked down at his watch and was still hesitating. Ningning had already looked over, with a hint of anticipation. “Mi Yang, do you want to go?”
The boy’s gaze also fell on Mi Yang, and he smiled. “Let’s go. We have to give our little birthday girl some face, right?”
Since he had said so, Mi Yang had no choice but to go with them.
The KTV was noisy. After a group of young people came in, they were even more lively. Some went to order songs, and some had already taken the microphone and were fooling around. Mi Yang refused the few classmates who had asked him to order songs and sat in a corner by himself, texting Bai Luochuan.
Luo Jiangjing’s company was having its annual party and had booked a hotel. Because she knew that Mi Yang’s family was not in a hurry to go back, she had arranged for them to stay at the hotel for a few more days to reward the old employees and let them also celebrate the festival together. Mi Yang had originally planned to go over after a simple dinner, but now it seemed that he would be a little late.
Just as he had sent the text, Bai Luochuan’s call came. The private room was too noisy, so Mi Yang went out to answer the phone.
Bai Luochuan was dissatisfied. “What’s taking so long? Are you still eating?”
Mi Yang stood outside in the corridor. “No, they’re singing now. I really can’t get away.”
The other side was silent for a moment, then said impatiently, “Give me the address.”
Mi Yang: “It’ll be over soon. I’m also planning to leave early in a bit. Don’t come. Your leg injury hasn’t even healed yet…”
Bai Luochuan insisted on the address. Mi Yang told it to him. The other side said “I know” and quickly hung up.
When he returned to the private room, it was just in time for a boy in the class to be fooling around and singing on stage. He jeered, “The Youth League branch secretary snuck away just now. As a punishment, you should also sing a song!”
Mi Yang smiled and waved his hand. “I don’t sing well. You guys can play.”
Ningning also spoke up for him, “I’ll do it, I’ll do it. I’ll sing for the Youth League branch secretary!”
Many of the classmates followed suit and jeered, and some even whistled. Ningning’s face was red, but she still stubbornly held the microphone. “I sing well. You can just listen to me sing!”
The girl’s voice was clear and sweet, and she did sing very well. As she sat there and sang, her gaze was also secretly on Mi Yang. But seeing Mi Yang always looking down and texting, she was a little disappointed.
Mi Yang had a headache from the young master Bai in the text. There was a hot spring in the hotel they were staying at. He had promised Bai Luochuan before that he would go back early to soak in the hot spring together. Now that he hadn’t done what he had said, he was being held to it by the young master Bai and was constantly begging for mercy by giving in to his demands. But even so, the young master was not very happy.
Mi Yang was always texting. A classmate beside him saw this and smiled. “Youth League branch secretary, are you dating someone? Why are you always texting? Oh, I know. You have to report to your partner, right?”
The people around them also said, “How can you be so afraid of your girlfriend? Come on, Youth League branch secretary, play with us. Do you dare to play dice and drink?”
Although it was called wine, it was just a few bottles of beer. Some people even thought it was astringent and hard to drink and would mix it with a drink.
Mi Yang was dragged to play a couple of rounds. After he lost, he drank two glasses. The first taste was a strong black tea flavor, and he had thought it was a drink. But after a short while, he felt a little dizzy. He carefully tasted it and only then realized that it was a mixed drink that had been ordered.
Mi Yang didn’t feel drunk when he drank one type of alcohol, but he was most afraid of this kind of mix. Feeling a little dizzy, he put down his glass and found a corner to sit in. He had drunk very little, but he couldn’t stand the taste of alcohol for the first time in over a decade. His body was a little weak, and he felt light-headed. It wasn’t very uncomfortable, but he also knew that he was a little drunk.
When Bai Luochuan pushed the door open and came in, the classmates around him were taken aback for a moment, then they cheered. Bai Luochuan was a celebrity in the school, and he was on good terms with their second class. Many people directly called him, “Class monitor, you’re here?” completely ignoring their own class monitor, who was singing with all his might, with a long face, trying to regain his status in the second class.
Mi Yang was also looking at Bai Luochuan. He felt very happy and couldn’t help but smile when he saw this person come in.
Bai Luochuan greeted everyone, casually gave a colorful paper box to Ningning, and after a simple blessing, he came to Mi Yang’s side and sat down. The lights in the room were very dim. Bai Luochuan looked down at him and was so angry he laughed. “What are you smiling foolishly for? Are you so happy to be out playing?”
Mi Yang sat there and touched his face. “Was I smiling?”
Bai Luochuan pinched his cheek and snorted. “So stupid. Don’t smile.”
Mi Yang followed his hand and also pinched his own cheek, seriously repeating, “Don’t smile.” But his eyes were still curved downwards, and when he looked up at people, he was like a little dog wagging its tail and seeing its master, his heart full of a joy that couldn’t be hidden, both well-behaved and endearing. Bai Luochuan looked down at him for a while, then suddenly leaned closer and sniffed him, whispering, “Little Good Boy, did you drink?”
Mi Yang nodded. He and Bai Luochuan were close, and in his slightly drunk state, he couldn’t control his movements. His lips lightly brushed against Bai Luochuan’s cheek as he leaned in. “I had a little.” He squinted his eyes and even held up his finger to gesture, “One glass, and a little more. I stopped drinking when I tasted the alcohol.”
Bai Luochuan was about to say something more when he suddenly heard someone clear their throat with a microphone. “Hello, hello! Can you hear me?”
The people in the private room all stopped and looked up at the front. It was the music special class boy who had treated them. He was wearing a thin sweater and long pants. His clothes were thin, but his forehead was already slightly sweaty. He was holding the microphone with both hands and looked a little nervous, but he still smiled. “Today is Ningning’s birthday. I’ve also prepared a special surprise for her.”
The door to the private room was opened from the outside. Two staff members in mascot costumes came in, pushing a cart with a three-tiered cake, which was also wrapped with pink ribbons and some prayers, looking very cute.
The boy also walked over, took out a small box, and opened it. It was a LV necklace. “Ningning, happy birthday.”
Ningning looked like she wanted to hide, but the private room was only so big, and there were many people, so there was no way to avoid it. She stood there with a red face. “Well, thank you. I’ll take the cake. You can keep the necklace!”
The boy was taken aback for a moment, his face even redder. A friend of his was still cheering him on, and the scene had clearly turned into a large-scale confession.
Bai Luochuan didn’t pay any attention to them. He looked at Mi Yang, who was just foolishly looking at him, completely oblivious to the sounds outside. The little fire in his heart was also fiercely stirred. He helped him up. “Shall we go home?”
Mi Yang glanced at the other side. “They’re confessing.”
Bai Luochuan was wary in his heart and said to him, “Puppy love is not good. You’re not allowed to have puppy love, you know?”
Mi Yang thought for a long while, then sighed. “Oh.”
Bai Luochuan was so angry he laughed. He ruffled his head. “You’re quite disappointed, aren’t you? Who have you fallen for?”
Mi Yang smiled at him and said in a low voice in the noisy room, “I have.”
