Back to 1988 128

Chapter 128: Twin Osmanthus in Fragrance

The Bai family’s driver came to pick them up. Zhou Tong also knew him. He helped Mi Yang get the person over and said with a smile, “Uncle Ping, drive slowly. He’s drunk.”

The driver nodded and asked him, “Do you want to come along? I remember your house is also on the way.”

Zhou Tong waved his hand and smiled. “No need. You can take them home. I still have a lot of classmates here. I have to take the girls home first. They all live in the city, so it’s fine.” He then bent down to look at Mi Yang and said to him with a smile, “I really didn’t expect Brother Bai’s alcohol tolerance to be like this. He even said your alcohol tolerance was poor before. Then you’ll have to take good care of him. When we graduate next year, you two must come. You still owe us all a group photo. We can’t have a graduation photo without you!”

Mi Yang smiled and nodded. “Okay, I’ll definitely be back.”

Only then did Zhou Tong close the car door and see them off.

After he came back, he started to hail a taxi to take the girls away. He and the boys stayed behind, taking very good care of them.

While they were waiting for the car, someone whispered from behind, “Hey, Zhou Tong, is that class monitor Bai’s family’s car? That’s great. His family even comes to pick him up.”

Zhou Tong smiled. “That’s his family’s driver. I don’t know about other times, but when I knew them in middle school, it was always a driver who picked them up and dropped them off.”

Everyone was a little surprised, and someone also said with a click of their tongue, “Is class monitor Bai really a rich second generation? I never noticed before.”

Actually, there were many rich students in the class. For example, Zhou Tong and Mao Yue had also secretly driven their family’s cars. Zhou Tong’s older brother was in the car business, and the luxury cars he had handled were worth over a hundred million. Zhou Tong had secretly driven them a few times, but he didn’t dare to drive them on the road and show off. He would just find an empty space to have some fun, and that was only when his older brother was in a good mood. It was really rare for someone like Bai Luochuan to have a driver to pick them up and drop them off all the time.

The few girls, on the other hand, had calm expressions. Most of them still preferred a gentle young man like Mi Yang. Mi Yang’s family background had never been hidden from the very beginning. There was even a classmate who lived in the same district who had fallen and had been changing his medicine at Mi Yang’s family’s pharmacy for half a month. Mi Yang had been patiently taking care of him and would even specially take him home when it rained. The classmate had been bragging about it at school for several days, repeatedly praising their class’s Youth League branch secretary for his kind heart and saying that he would be a top doctor in the future.

But what was different from everyone’s expectations was that their Youth League branch secretary had not chosen the medical field but had chosen a field related to cultural relics and ancient book restoration, the kind that you could tell at a glance would require decades of hard work before you could achieve something. It was a little regrettable, but it also felt right.

The biggest impression Mi Yang gave people was that he was gentle and down-to-earth. It was only natural for him to do such a job that was far from the hustle and bustle.

Ningning and a girl were still watching the departing car, arm in arm. After a while, she asked, “Zhou Tong, were you and our Youth League branch secretary also middle school classmates?”

Zhou Tong said, “Of course! You can go and ask around at this school. Who doesn’t know Mi Yang?”

Ningning was curious. “Is our Youth League branch secretary that famous?”

Zhou Tong touched the tip of his nose and smiled. “Actually, it’s alright. It’s mainly because Brother Bai is too amazing. He won a lot of awards in middle school, big and small. He won them all as if it were a game. Mi Yang also participated in competitions with him in his first year of middle school. At that time, it was either him or Brother Bai who got first place. Later, for some reason, Mi Yang stopped coming. It seems he took a liking to model aircraft and went to participate in the interest group there. He even went to Beijing for a competition and won an award.”

Ningning was very interested and asked him many questions.

Zhou Tong smiled. “This is a long story. If you mention one, you can’t miss the other. The two of them have been inseparable since middle school. For a while, there were even rumors in the school that they were brothers by blood.”

Ningning said, “Is that true?”

Zhou Tong said, “How is that possible? But I heard that their two families have a very good relationship. Brother Bai and Mi Yang have eaten and lived together since they were young. I’ve never seen them separated. Even real brothers are not like that.”

In middle school, Bai Luochuan had already shown a bit of a tyrant’s tendency. His personality was very flamboyant. If it weren’t for the fact that Mi Yang, beside him, liked to read quietly, Zhou Tong would not have been surprised if this one had caused a lot of trouble. At that time, there were many rumors that the two of them were “brothers.” Bai Luochuan was too lazy to explain, and someone still asked Mi Yang. Mi Yang had a good temper and explained a couple of sentences. When someone else came to ask, they were all stopped by Bai Luochuan. The young master Bai was always on guard, for fear that this group of people would bully Mi Yang—how could Zhou Tong and the others dare? To say that their biggest power in middle school at that time was probably Bai Luochuan himself. The young master Bai himself had not noticed, but this group of people were all revolving around him. They were too busy trying to please him. How could they dare to provoke his “little brother”?

Zhou Tong said with emotion, “Actually, I never would have guessed that Brother Bai and Mi Yang were not in the same class. You don’t know. In middle school, he would even get angry if they weren’t deskmates. His temper is much better now, hehe!”

Ningning muttered, “If the Youth League branch secretary were also so good to me, I would be willing to be ten times better than I am now.”

Zhou Tong didn’t hear clearly and asked her, “What ten times?”

Ningning smiled and shook her head. Just then, a car came. She and the girl beside her went up arm in arm and left.

On the other side, in the Bai family’s car.

Bai Luochuan reached out and rummaged through the pile of gifts, and soon he found Ningning’s box. He held it in his hand and asked, “Can I have a look?”

He was now speaking clearly, and his expression as he looked at Mi Yang was also very serious. Mi Yang couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re not pretending anymore?”

Bai Luochuan saw him take the box and start to open the packaging and knew that he was still willing to let him see. He leaned against Mi Yang’s shoulder and started to pretend to be drunk again, murmuring, “I still feel a little uncomfortable. Why don’t you stay with me for a while longer?”

Mi Yang unwrapped the box, took out the notebook, and gave it to him, whispering, “I haven’t left all day. How much longer?”

Bai Luochuan took it and flipped through the notebook. After confirming that all the pages were blank and that nothing was written on them, he returned it to Mi Yang, yawned, and leaned against him. “I’m sleepy.”

He buried his head in Mi Yang’s arms and rubbed it a couple of times. Mi Yang rubbed his temples for him but still did not stay as he had wished.

“I still have to go back and pack my luggage. I’m going back to Shanhai Town in a couple of days. My mom wants to bring a lot of things for the family. I’m the only one going back this time, so I have a lot to prepare.” Mi Yang whispered to him.

Bai Luochuan was half-lying on his lap with his eyes closed. He said, “Then just take it all. It’s not like you can’t fit it. Don’t go back and pack.”

Mi Yang chuckled but still did not agree.

Bai Luochuan snorted coldly. “I know even if you don’t say it. It’s Mi Xue again, right? She asked you to tell her a story before you leave, right? How old is she that she still needs someone to tell her a story at night? I’ll call her teacher later and ask about her grades at school.”

Mi Yang said, “She’s just like you.”

Bai Luochuan frowned. “What?”

Mi Yang covered his eyes, bent down, and whispered in his ear, “She’s acting cute with me.”

His voice was very light, almost inaudible, like a breath. But every word seemed to seep through his pores like a small electric current, all the way to the itchiest part of his heart. Bai Luochuan could hear the hint of a smile in his tone, and he could imagine this person’s usual gentle and innocent appearance in his mind without even opening his eyes, his curved smiling eyes and the upturned corners of his lips… His Adam’s apple rolled a couple of times, and he pulled him a little lower. The two of them fumbled for a kiss in the dark and narrow back seat.

It was like a dragonfly touching the water, and they quickly separated.

Bai Luochuan restrained himself. He sat up and moved a little away from Mi Yang to calm himself down, then he looked at the other out of the corner of his eye, trying to see every single one of his movements. Mi Yang turned his head to look out the window, pretending to be nonchalant. Even so, his face was red to his neck, and his originally jade-like earlobes were also red.

Bai Luochuan reached out a hand and held his, then chuckled. Mi Yang was still looking out the window, but the hand that was secretly holding his moved a little, and their fingers intertwined.

Mi Yang’s house was soon reached. By the time he got out of the car, Bai Luochuan was completely sober, his eyes clear, without a trace of drunkenness.

After Bai Luochuan opened the door, the lights in the house were on, and Luo Jiangjing was already home. She looked like she had been back for a while. She had changed her clothes and was on the phone with her semi-wet hair loose, her expression rarely gentle, a smile on her lips. When she saw her son come in, she beckoned to him. “Luochuan, come here. Your dad is on the phone to congratulate you!”

Bai Luochuan walked over and took the phone, and had a brief conversation with Bai Jingrong. The father and son were fine over the phone, and they were both relatively polite.

Luo Jiangjing was smiling as she watched him from the side. Bai Luochuan saw that her hair was still wet and went to get a towel for her. As he was wiping it, he continued, “Yes, I’ll take good care of Mom and also take good care of myself. Don’t you worry… Mm, I’m going to Shanhai Town in a day or two. The holiday is long, so I plan to stay a couple more days to be with Grandpa.”

Bai Jingrong’s side also had things to do. After he was done reminding him, he hung up.

Bai Luochuan casually put the phone aside, took the towel, and wiped a couple of times, frowning. “Why did you answer the phone without even drying your hair? Is a man that important?”

Luo Jiangjing patted his arm and smiled. “What man? That’s your dad!”

Bai Luochuan went to get a hairdryer himself and said with a cold face, “My dad is not as important as your own health.”

He dried Luo Jiangjing’s hair for her. His tone was impatient, but his actions were still gentle. It could be said that he had been raised by Luo Jiangjing since he was a child. To take care of him when he was young, Luo Jiangjing had first given up her own ideals and ambitions for a few years, and had waited until her son had had enough of his childhood before she had come out to work hard. With her wholehearted devotion, Bai Luochuan’s memories of the border town and his own childhood were all very pleasant. Sometimes, when the mother and son chatted, they would both be very nostalgic for that time.

It was just that he had been separated from his father for too long, and their father-son relationship was ultimately a little distant.

Luo Jiangjing sighed and smiled. “If you served your dad like this once, he would definitely be overjoyed in his heart.”

Bai Luochuan sneered. “Forget it. He wouldn’t let me wash his hair and dry it for him. He’d probably have a stern face and tell me to turn around and get out of the bathroom. I, I’ll just serve you.”

Luo Jiangjing did not mention her husband anymore and said gently, “Luochuan, Mom had originally planned to give you a car. It would also be convenient for you and Little Good Boy to use in Beijing. But you’re not old enough to get a driver’s license yet. When you go there, you’ll still have to have a driver pick you up and drop you off.” She took two keys from the coffee table beside her and gave them to Bai Luochuan. “This is for you. The house we bought a couple of years ago when you were in Beijing for the ‘SARS’ has been renovated and has not been lived in yet. I had someone tidy it up and put in some furniture and appliances. I’ve also looked at the location. It’s not far from your school. You and Little Good Boy can live there together. You’re in the same school, and I’ll be at ease with the two of you together.”

Bai Luochuan took the keys and sat on a small stool beside her. “Mom, when I’m in university, don’t have a driver pick me up and drop me off. It’s too conspicuous. Why don’t you just give me the money for the car instead?”

Luo Jiangjing asked him, “What do you need so much money for?”

Bai Luochuan didn’t tell her and stood up. “If you’re not giving it, then forget it.”

Luo Jiangjing was so angry she laughed. “You come back. Sit down. Mom is talking to you seriously!”

Bai Luochuan sat down again, his two long legs stretched out lazily. “I’m not doing anything reckless. I’m just learning things from Brother Bai Bin. I also want to save some money myself and do a little business or something.”

Luo Jiangjing said, “If you really want to, Mom can open a branch in Beijing and have someone go and help you.”

Bai Luochuan’s eyes darted around. “Let’s talk about that later. You can give me a few years of freedom. I want to try it myself.”

Luo Jiangjing shook her head. “I don’t have that much time for you. I’m still hoping that you’ll take over soon so that I can go and be with your father.”

Bai Luochuan said, “What are you doing? Is your son more important or your husband?”

Luo Jiangjing raised her eyebrows and said happily, “Of course it’s my husband.”

Bai Luochuan: “…”

He thought about it seriously. If his mom were to ask him this question, he would probably also choose Little Good Boy. Thinking of this, he was also relieved.

Luo Jiangjing asked, “How long do you plan to stay in Shanhai Town?”

Bai Luochuan said, “At least ten or fifteen days. It depends on Grandpa’s health.”

Luo Jiangjing nodded. “Okay. Anyway, the holiday is long. It’s fine to stay a few more days. How about this, when you come back, you can still stay in Shanghai first. I’ll have your Uncle Mi take you around and get you familiar with the project process. There’s a big contract recently.”

Bai Luochuan said, “Mom, I want to go to Xinjiang for the holiday. How much longer will that project take?”

“Over there, at least another three years.” Luo Jiangjing chided, “You really, one moment you want to stay in Shanghai, and the next you want to go to Xinjiang. What on earth do you want to do? It was the same last time. You ran to Xinjiang without even saying a word. If it weren’t for the people over there telling me, I would have been scared to death by you.”

Bai Luochuan chuckled, tilted his head, and lay on Luo Jiangjing’s lap without a word.

Luo Jiangjing poked his forehead. “Don’t think you can fool me. This won’t work on me. Oh, I know. Are you anxious because you saw that Little Good Boy has something to do, and you don’t have a ‘job’ yourself?”

Bai Luochuan said, “Yes.”

Luo Jiangjing then smiled, comforted him a few times, and finally relented and promised to let him go to Xinjiang. “Let’s get this straight first. You’re not allowed to run around after you get there. You have to call Mom often to report your safety, you know?”

Bai Luochuan stood up and gave her a kiss on the cheek, smiling. “I know, Ms. Luo.”

Two days later, Bai Luochuan and Mi Yang went back to Shanhai Town together.

Shanhai Town had already changed. The last time they had come, some sections of the road were still under construction. This time, everything was done, and the main gate of the scenic area had already been erected, which was very grand and beautiful. The locals could get in for free with their ID cards and could still go for a walk every day. There were more people climbing the mountain on weekends than before. During the peak season, there were many small businesses around, and during the off-season, there were also a few stalls open. It looked much more lively than before.

After Mi Yang put down his things, he first went to visit Old Bai with Bai Luochuan.

The old Mr. Bai’s cough had gotten worse these past two days, and he had been on an IV drip. He also looked a little more haggard than before, but his eyes still had their usual spirit. When he saw Bai Luochuan and the others come over, he smiled. “I was just wondering when you would come today, and you’ve already arrived. Luochuan, come, come. Grandpa has a gift for you!”

Bai Luochuan quickly went forward to support his arm. Mi Yang was about to support the other side but was refused by Old Bai. He held his own cane. “I’m not in my seventies or eighties. What are you serving me for? No need!”

Bai Luochuan said, “You’re seventy-three this year. Have you forgotten yourself?”

Old Bai: “…”

Old Bai thought this kid was too annoying. He waved him away and only let Mi Yang support him. He held the cane in his other hand and took them to the study. In just a few steps, he couldn’t help but proudly praise his grandson again, “You did very well on the test this time. Your mom has already called and told me. Two top scorers. Both families have educated you well!”

The old man finished speaking and waited for their reply.

Mi Yang winked at Bai Luochuan.

Bai Luochuan had no choice but to say, “Not at all. We usually learn a lot from Grandpa here. You’ve also educated us well.”

Old Bai became happy again and pushed open the door to the study. “Here, we’ve arrived. I specially asked an old friend to write this.”

A piece of calligraphy was hanging on the wall of the study. It had been written by a calligrapher friend of Old Bai’s. The characters were vigorous and powerful, and the strokes were magnificent. The four characters “双桂联芳 (shuāng guì lián fāng – A Pair of Osmanthus Trees, United in Fragrance)” were mounted and hung in the most conspicuous place.

Old Bai smiled. “This is Mr. Daishan’s writing. I told him about you, and he was also very happy. He wrote this for me and also specially told me the story behind it. It’s said that in ancient times, there were two brothers who went to the capital to take the imperial exam, and both of them passed with flying colors. This is a great thing.” He patted Mi Yang’s hand, then looked up at his grandson and said lovingly, “Grandpa hopes that you will be able to take care of each other like today in the future. Can you do that?”

Bai Luochuan nodded.

Mi Yang, on the side, also smiled. “We can. Don’t you worry, Grandpa Bai.”

***

Translator’s note:

“双桂联芳” (shuāng guì lián fāng)

• 双 (shuāng): Double, pair, two.

• 桂 (guì): Osmanthus tree, specifically the Cassia or laurel, which is famous for its fragrant blossoms.

• 联 (lián): To unite, to join together.

• 芳 (fāng): Fragrance, aromatic, virtuous reputation.

A literal translation would be “A Pair of Osmanthus Trees, United in Fragrance.”