Back to 1988 101

Chapter 101: Nostalgic

High school life was simple and busy. Sometimes, it felt like every class was very long, but after getting used to the three-point-one-line lifestyle, it felt like running forward, and time would pass in the blink of an eye.

Bai Luochuan had not been idle since he started high school. He had been working at his family’s company until his second year of high school, and he would even make a special trip to Beijing sometimes.

Mi Yang had gone with him twice. Mi Hong’s health had been slowly declining these past two years, and he was not as strong as before. He had mailed him a letter with a Beijing address, asking Mi Yang to find his former junior apprentice brothers and learn some skills from them. He had already taught him almost everything he could in these few years.

Mi Hong’s skills were miscellaneous, mostly to make a living. He had learned a little of every trade. But the junior apprentice brother he mentioned in his letter was different. When Mi Hong had finally left Beijing, the other had already had two or three bookstores in his hands and had established a firm foothold in Beijing.

Mi Yang had gone to Beijing with Bai Luochuan and had searched twice but couldn’t find him.

Mi Yang had searched for a few places according to the old address written in the letter. They were all old courtyard houses in the hutongs. Some had already been converted for other uses, and another one had its main door tightly shut. He had knocked several times, but no one had come out. It seemed that no one was living there anymore.

He had no choice but to ask around. But there were not many old people living there, so he couldn’t find out much.

Bai Luochuan had also helped to ask around but hadn’t found out anything either. The flow of people in Beijing was too great, and it was normal for a craftsman like this to move to another place. The ones who remembered him were also some old book friends, and they were not easy to find.

Although Mi Yang had not found anyone on his two trips, he had also bought some of the books he had liked before and had returned with a little regret.

The winter vacation of the second year of high school was short, only a little over two weeks, but there was still a lot of homework.

The teachers of each subject were desperately trying to get their students to improve their scores in their own subjects and were giving out questions as if it were a competition. After the arts and science classes were divided, the first and second classes were still next to each other. Old Dai’s side was the first science class, and the class monitor was still Bai Luochuan. The second class was also a coincidence. It was Teacher Wen’s side, and most of them were also the original members. Their class had more girls, and more of them had chosen the arts. Mi Yang was still the Youth League branch secretary of the second class.

The two brother classes were still on very good terms. Old Dai had deeply reflected on himself for the past year. He felt that he had been too selfish, only wanting the trophy from the long-distance race, the divided green dill, the prize from the New Year’s Eve party, and the first place in the joint competition… He was really too greedy!

Teacher Wen was always sincerely grateful, but he, he just wanted these material rewards!

Old Dai watched as his own students were always enthusiastic and helpful to the second class without asking for anything in return. In the dead of night, he would reflect on the selfishness of the human heart and decided to turn over a new leaf and work hard to be a good person with his students. Sometimes, when Teacher Wen had something to do, he would also go and help to supervise a couple of self-study classes, as seriously as if he were leading his own class. It was unclear whether it was an illusion, but when he did this, not only the students of the second class, but the little rascals of their class were also obviously more excited!

Class monitor Bai led by example and was extremely caring towards the second class. The students of the two classes were also very loving to each other and had even been on the school’s honor roll several times, being repeatedly praised by the school’s broadcast station as a model.

Bai Luochuan did not have much of a reaction to this. He had only heard about it from Mi Yang. When he first heard it, he was a little shocked, but he quickly calmed down. “Old Dai has a crush on your class’s Teacher Wen? I knew it. He’s always staring at me like that. It’s definitely not right. It’s not that he’s afraid I’ll have a crush on a little girl in your class. He’s the one who has a crush on your teacher.”

Mi Yang said, “I heard he also wrote a lot of poems, starting from the beginning of the first year of high school.”

Bai Luochuan clicked his tongue. “Sure enough. I said that time that his poems were like love letters. He started so early. Old Dai is really something.”

The two of them sighed with emotion in the dormitory. Neither of them had expected that they were the culprits.

Bai Luochuan was still very strict about Mi Yang’s love life. He asked, “Are there still little girls giving you discount vouchers?”

Mi Yang was drinking water and almost choked. “No, just that one time.”

Bai Luochuan was dissatisfied. “You should also pay attention. How many school belles have there been? Wang Yiyi, Yang Liuqing, Ningning…”

He counted more clearly than Mi Yang. Mi Yang, listening from the side, couldn’t help but laugh and lightly kicked his leg. “Hey, how do you remember so clearly? You don’t have a crush on any of them, do you?”

The weather was a little cold. Mi Yang was barefoot and had no socks on. Bai Luochuan didn’t mind and directly touched the back of his foot. Feeling that his foot was cold, he stuffed it into the quilt and sneered, “I have a crush on them? What do I have a crush on them for? They’re not even as good-looking as me.”

Mi Yang was still laughing. He thought the narcissistic young master was also very cute.

Bai Luochuan was still holding his foot in the quilt. After it had warmed up a little, he put his socks on for him and reminded him, “Be careful not to catch a cold. You catch a cold every winter. Be a little more obedient this year. If you don’t catch a cold, I’ll give you a reward.”

Mi Yang was a little ticklish from his touch and shrunk back a little, smiling. “What reward?”

Bai Luochuan thought for a moment. “I’ll reward you with a thousand yuan.”

Mi Yang let out a “wow” in cooperation and nodded. “Okay.”

The young master Bai was then satisfied. He gently hooked his sole with his finger and watched as the person on the bed laughed and dodged, begging for mercy, and he also started to laugh.

Bai Luochuan was not idle during the winter vacation and went to his family’s company.

Luo Jiangjing had intended for him to get involved in the company’s affairs early on and seemed to have no intention of sending him abroad to get a gilded education. She would call him to the company during all his breaks and have Mi Zehai and the others personally guide him. This family business was something she had built up herself, and it was only natural that she wanted to give it to her son. A few times, she had even joked with Bai Luochuan, “If you had gone to university earlier, you could have helped me share some of the burden after you graduated. I could also be a little lazy and travel the world.”

Bai Luochuan had only inherited Luo Jiangjing’s beauty in his appearance. When he spoke to people with his upturned eyes, it was not annoying. On the contrary, it had the arrogance and pride of a young man. He said with a smile, “Who are you going with? My dad can’t. You can’t count on him to go abroad in this lifetime, unless he applies for a special military mission.”

Luo Jiangjing was speechless. She quickly poked his forehead. “So annoying. Just like your dad. You only know how to discourage others all day.”

Bai Luochuan said, “That’s to help you see reality. You, you can just go to the grasslands with my dad. You can pick from Horqin or Nalati.”

Luo Jiangjing said, “Who wants to go there? But now that you mention it, there is a project over there. If you make me angry again, I’ll send you to Xinjiang for the winter vacation.”

Bai Luochuan: “…”

Luo Jiangjing had been well-maintained these past few years. She sat there, still looking like a beautiful woman in her thirties, mature and elegant. Time had been very kind to her and had left almost no traces. The years she had spent fighting in the business world had only tired her mind. The men of the Bai family had protected her very well. Even for some banquets she had to attend, she had never been forced to drink—it wasn’t that no one had had the idea. Anyone who had made such a move had been escorted out by the accompanying orderly with a cold face.

The men of the Bai family had always doted on their wives. Even Bai Luochuan did not dare to easily make his mom angry. If she said she would banish him, she would really banish him. It would not be easy for him to sneak back from half a country away.

Luo Jiangjing asked him again, “The winter vacation is coming up. Do you have any plans?”

Bai Luochuan said, “What plans can I have? I’m at your disposal.”

Luo Jiangjing then smiled. She looked at her son, who was a little taller, and nodded in approval. “You’re a big boy now. I can give you some physical work.”

Bai Luochuan added, “I’ll do anything, as long as I don’t leave Shanghai.”

Luo Jiangjing said, “You child, are you so nostalgic? When I wanted to take you away from the border town back then, it took so much effort. I even brought Bai’an over, but you wouldn’t budge. Now, after coming to Shanghai, you’re not willing to leave. I’ve heard from others that the children in their families all wish they could grow wings and fly away!”

Bai Luochuan said, “I’m just nostalgic.”

Luo Jiangjing teased, “You don’t have a little friend you like, do you? What do you think? Is she from your school?”

Bai Luochuan said, “You have time to ask me here. Why don’t you go and ask Ji Bai’an? My little aunt has thrown him abroad. It’s so far away. Be careful he doesn’t find you a bunch of little girlfriends.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Luo Jiangyuan walked in and, seeing them all, smiled. “What are you talking about? It’s so lively.”

Luo Jiangjing beckoned for her younger sister to come and sit. “I was just asking him if he knew any female classmates. He, on the other hand, brought up Bai’an. He really doesn’t lose out at all. Why do you have time to come today?”

Luo Jiangyuan also smiled. “Bai’an hasn’t found any. He’s been so busy with his exams lately. He even called me just now to act cute, saying that he wanted to come back a few days early to take a break and relax.” She turned to look at Bai Luochuan and said gently, “Luochuan, when your cousin comes back, can you bring Mi Yang to our house to play?”

Bai Luochuan said, “What for?”

Luo Jiangyuan was a little embarrassed but still said, “Bai’an said he hasn’t seen him in a long time and also misses his old little friends. You know, he doesn’t have any friends abroad by himself, so he can’t help but think of his old playmates. By the way, he also wanted you to help him ask why he can never get through to Mi Yang when he calls.”

Bai Luochuan had originally wanted to refuse, but when he heard her say this, he changed his mind and said, “Oh, Mi Yang doesn’t use his phone much. Our high school is very strict.”

Luo Jiangyuan said, “Then the things and letters he mailed have also not been answered…”

Bai Luochuan said, “International mail. It’s so far away, so there must be some mistakes.”

Luo Jiangyuan was about to ask again when Bai Luochuan stood up and stretched lazily. “Little Aunt, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now. You can talk to my mom about business. I won’t disturb you.”

Luo Jiangyuan quickly said, “Luochuan, wait. I saw a very nice cake shop on my way here just now. I bought two boxes for you to eat with Mi Yang. Bai’an has also been saying that Mi Yang used to like to eat small cakes the most, and the sweeter the better.”

Bai Luochuan couldn’t very well refuse a gift that had been personally delivered. He took it and said politely, “Thank you, Little Aunt.”

Luo Jiangyuan smiled. “We’re family. What’s there to be polite about? Bai’an is coming back for the New Year this year. You must come and play then. He’s mentioned you many times.” She then reminded him, “Bring Mi Yang. Remember.”

The corner of Bai Luochuan’s lips lifted a little. “I’ll help you ask him. But he’s very busy and also has to help his family with things. We’ll see then.”

Luo Jiangyuan was quite content with this reply. She nodded and let him go, staying behind to talk to her sister about the new department store building in the family. The Ji family had also been doing well these past few years. Their business was flourishing, and the scale had expanded a lot.