Back to 1988 21

Chapter 21: Tian Zi Ge ( T/N: “Field character grid” (田字格, tiánzìgé) is a specialized practice sheet used in China to learn Chinese character writing.)

Mi Yang took his pillow and went upstairs to the small room with him to rest.

Bai Luochuan had his own suite. The floor was covered with a carpet, and some toys were piled up around the room. Although it was messy, every toy was very new, just looking as if it had been tossed aside by its little owner after a short while. The bedroom had a wooden floor, which was very comfortable for walking barefoot in the summer. Mi Yang went over and put down his small pillow first, then went to wash his face and brush his teeth. The young master Bai had everything here, and there were plenty of spares. When he opened the packaging, he even found a pink children’s toothbrush.

When Bai Luochuan was young, he was as beautiful as a jade carving. Mrs. Bai had secretly dressed him in a little skirt and occasionally bought him some brightly colored little things. However, it all depended on the young master Bai’s mood. When he was in a good mood, he would even like a pink toothbrush. When he was in a bad mood, he could throw away the blue and white striped towel he usually used.

Mi Yang opened and used the small pink toothbrush. After he was done, the young master Bai thoughtfully placed it in his own toothbrush cup.

One red, one blue, two children’s toothbrushes stood side by side.

Mi Yang glanced at it, then couldn’t be bothered to take it out and put it separately. He yawned and went to sleep.

Mi Yang had always been a quiet sleeper. He would lie on his back with his small hands on his stomach and fall asleep quickly with his eyes closed. Bai Luochuan was not so well-behaved. He tossed and turned, and after a while, he rolled over and poked his arm. Mi Yang, half-asleep, murmured, “What’s wrong?”

Bai Luochuan rolled over to look at him. “You haven’t stayed over to keep me company for a long time.”

Mi Yang: “Huh?”

The young master Bai pouted, his voice a little softer. “Ever since your grandma came, you haven’t been playing with me.”

Mi Yang chuckled with his eyes closed, reached out, and fumbled until he touched his little head, patting it as a form of comfort. “My grandma only comes once a year. I’ve missed her…”

Bai Luochuan said anxiously, “But I miss you too.”

Mi Yang said, “We see each other every day.”

Bai Luochuan said with dissatisfaction, “I miss you even if we see each other every day.”

Mi Yang was still lying there, smiling. The young master Bai’s expression was turning from sunny to cloudy, his little eyebrows shooting up. But before he could get angry, Mi Yang smoothed his temper down.

Mi Yang patted him, coaxing him like an adult would a child. “How about I tell you a story, and you listen and go to sleep? My grandma told me a story about a little horse crossing a river. It was very nice. Once upon a time, there was a big horse and a little horse…”

Bai Luochuan just wanted to hear him talk. A few words were enough to satisfy him. He snuggled up to Mi Yang and slowly closed his eyes. The person who had said he would only eat one bowl of congee that night had eaten two small bowls. When he slept, he took up more than half of the small bed. Listening to the story, he was soon fast asleep.

When Mi Yang left the next morning, Bai Luochuan was still asleep, his little belly exposed. His cartoon pajamas were all askew, and he was lying sideways on the small bed, a standard little tyrant’s sleeping posture.

Mi Yang covered him with a thin blanket, washed up, and went downstairs.

The family’s nanny auntie had already made breakfast. The old Mr. Bai was reading the newspaper while talking to his son. When Mi Yang came down, he passed by the dining room and greeted them. “Grandpa, Uncle Bai, I’m well-rested. I’m going back to my house now.” He thought for a moment and added, “When Bai Luochuan wakes up, tell him I’m going out with my grandma this morning. I’ll come find him to play in the afternoon.”

The old Mr. Bai put down the newspaper in his hand and said with a smile, “Alright, alright, you go ahead.”

Bai Jingrong was also pleasant to him and asked, “Do you want to stay for breakfast?”

Mi Yang shook his head. His grandma had definitely made his portion at home.

After Mi Yang left, Mrs. Bai happened to come out with a freshly mixed side dish. She saw him and asked, “Yangyang left? Oh dear, I specially made his favorite vegetable and mushroom congee.”

Bai Jingrong glanced at her and shook his head with a smile. “You treat Yangyang almost as well as your own son.”

Mrs. Bai chuckled. “Of course. After all, I’ve watched him grow up since he was a baby. I was just thinking the other day, why don’t I just adopt him as my godson? The more I look at this child, the more I like him!”

Bai Jingrong shook his head. “Forget it. Mi Zehai already avoids me whenever he can. You’re still trying to get his son. If this god-relationship is established, I reckon Mi Zehai will apply for a transfer this year.”

Mrs. Bai said, “Why?”

Bai Jingrong was concise. “His promotions have been too fast. He’s avoiding suspicion.”

At his words, the old Mr. Bai beside them snorted in disdain, the rustling of his newspaper growing louder. Bai Jingrong explained in a low voice, “Dad, you know Mi Zehai has a one-track mind. That’s just his personality. Wasn’t it his integrity that you took a liking to in the first place?”

The old Mr. Bai sneered, “Him? I took a liking to his foolishness.”

Bai Jingrong carefully watched the old man’s expression. Although he said that, he didn’t seem truly angry, so he also breathed a sigh of relief.

On the other side, Mi Yang had entered his house and was also eating a hot breakfast.

The old Mrs. Cheng had also made congee, but it was plain white congee. The old lady had woken up early and cooked it for over an hour. The rice grains had dissolved, making it especially thick and fragrant to drink. Paired with homemade side dishes, it was both refreshing and appetizing. A bowl of this in the morning with a couple of fried dough sticks was the most comfortable thing.

Since the old Mrs. Cheng had arrived, she had made many small pickles. This morning, she brought out a small dish of braised peanuts mixed with diced mountain celery, and a dish of pickled cucumbers, specially made sweet and sour for Mi Yang. The cucumber strips, drained and air-dried, were crunchy to chew, and their slight saltiness was a perfect match for the congee.

Mi Yang also had a small red bean paste bun, another special treat made by the old Mrs. Cheng. Mi Yang wasn’t very fond of sweets and preferred meat. He broke off half and placed it on Mi Zehai’s side, saying with a grin, “Daddy has worked hard in training. Daddy, you eat!”

Mi Zehai was deeply moved and didn’t mind at all that it was his son’s leftover. Cheng Qing, who was beside them, knew exactly what was going on. She smiled and didn’t expose her son, just winking at him, signaling that he didn’t have to eat the bun, but he had to finish the bowl of congee.

Mi Yang completed this task very smoothly.

After his parents left for work, the old Mrs. Cheng also took Mi Yang out. The grandmother and grandson walked slowly, unhurriedly, talking and laughing as they went, all the way to the local store.

An unused sign that hadn’t been taken down still hung at the entrance of the store, with the name XX Supply and Marketing Cooperative written on it, but it had now been changed to “Friendship Store.”

The old Mrs. Cheng held Mi Yang’s small hand and walked in, first taking him for a look around. It was a two-story layout. The second floor sold clothes and such, while the first floor was mostly small general merchandise. Probably because there were loose candies and tea leaves, there was a sweet scent with a hint of jasmine upon entering.

Two salesclerks were chatting behind the counter. The grandmother and grandson looked around slowly. Mi Yang was sensible and didn’t ask for anything. The more he was like this, the more the old Mrs. Cheng’s heart ached for him, constantly asking him in a low voice, “Yangyang, do you want this? You’ll need it for school, right?”

Mi Yang shook his head and said with a smile, “Grandma, can you buy me some Tian Zi Ge notebooks? I heard Mom say that children use these for homework after they start school.”

The old Mrs. Cheng took him to the stationery counter and bought him 50 Tian Zi Ge workbooks in one go, as well as a small bundle of Zhonghua pencils, probably about 20 of them. After holding these, Mi Yang refused to let the old lady spend any more money on him. “Grandma, this is enough. Look, I can write for a whole semester. When I come home to see you during the winter break, you can buy me new ones then.”

The old Mrs. Cheng stroked his small head and said with a smile, “Alright, alright, we’ll listen to our Yangyang.”

Although she said that, she still bought Mi Yang a Hero fountain pen, murmuring, “You can use this for practicing calligraphy in the future. This is a good one. Your mom used this when she was in school. It’s an old brand that’s been around for many years. After Grandma leaves, Yangyang has to study hard too, and learn all the characters Grandma taught you, okay?”

Mi Yang nodded in agreement. Just hearing the old lady talk about leaving made him feel reluctant to part.

The old and young pair wandered outside for a while before heading home together.

There was someone selling cold drinks on the roadside, and the old lady even bought Mi Yang a glass of iced orange soda. Mi Yang drank half, and when he offered the other half to the old lady, she shook her head, saying her teeth hurt, and watched him finish the small glass with a smile.

The old Mrs. Cheng stayed for a little less than a month on her family visit. After taking care of her daughter and grandson, she still couldn’t stop worrying about her family back home and bought a ticket to leave.

Cheng Qing personally saw her off at the train station. This time, Mi Yang didn’t need to be carried. He stood on the small platform and waved goodbye to his grandma, watching as the old lady slowly moved away through the glass window, only lowering his small hand when she was out of sight.

Cheng Qing smiled as she watched the train leave, but when she turned around, tears were falling. Even after wiping her face with a handkerchief, her red-rimmed eyes were still visible.

Mi Yang looked at her and said, “Mom, why are you crying? Do you miss Grandma?”

Cheng Qing said, “No, Mommy is just homesick.”

She looked up at the departing train. The platform was already empty, with only two or three scattered stalls selling cooked food and fruit. The hawking sounds were all in the local dialect. She had been listening to it for several years, and although she could understand it, she still didn’t feel a sense of belonging. The direction in which the train was speeding away with her loved one, that final destination, was her hometown.

Mi Yang shook her hand and looked up at her. “This is our home too. Dad and I are both here.”

“It’s different.” Cheng Qing sighed, holding her son’s small hand, then smiled. “Why am I telling you this? You wouldn’t understand… When your dad transfers to a civilian post in the future, we’ll be able to go home.”

Mi Yang recalled in his mind that his father hadn’t transferred so early back then. He had been a soldier in the army for over twenty years. But he hadn’t stayed in the field army district the whole time. He was later transferred back to their hometown city to do civilian work in the military. The reason his mom gave was that he was in school, and it was better for the family to be reunited with his father back.

If he calculated carefully, that would be around the first or second grade of elementary school.

He didn’t know if his dad would take the same path in this life.

Mi Yang followed Cheng Qing back, looking out the car window at the vast mountains. The conditions were a bit harsh, but there were also many happy times.

Thinking of this, the first face that came to mind was the young master Bai’s—not the arrogant and willful one from when he grew up, but the little kid he had watched grow up. Although he was a bit willful, the way he ran after him always made one want to poke him, tease him. When he was provoked, he would even roll his little white eyes and get angry on the spot!

Mi Yang looked out the window, thinking. He didn’t know when they would be separated in this life. If he really went back to Shanhai Town for school, would Bai Luochuan still come to be his classmate in middle school? Back then, the young master Bai had been voted the most handsome transfer student and had received quite a few love letters.

As he was lost in these random thoughts, they slowly arrived at the military compound.

A stack of Tian Zi Ge workbooks was still on Mi Yang’s small desk. He touched the notebooks, and a decision formed in his mind.

In the past few years when he was younger, Mi Yang couldn’t do anything too out of the ordinary, so he had been living a leisurely life. But with an adult’s mind in his shell, he really couldn’t bear to repeat the nine years of compulsory education with a bunch of little kids. So, he had the idea of skipping grades. Skipping grades in middle and high school would be too conspicuous. Mi Yang had always been a lazy person, so he decided to start from elementary school and try skipping two grades first.

Before elementary school started, he began to intentionally do some math problems in front of Cheng Qing and Mi Zehai, and he was very fast at it. This was a pleasant surprise for the couple, who thought they had a little genius in the family.

Mi Yang figured that when he got to elementary school, he would do a couple of advanced test papers for the teacher to see, and the problem would be more or less solved.

He had thought it through well, but reality was cruel.

At that time, elementary schools strictly adhered to the birthday cut-off. Especially for the children’s school near the military base, where teaching resources were already tight. When Cheng Qing took Mi Yang to register, the school took one look at Mi Yang’s birth date and refused to accept any students born in or after September.

Cheng Qing had no choice but to take Mi Yang back, planning to have him start elementary school the next year. She saw the disappointment on her son’s face and knew that Mi Yang had done many problems and was all prepared for elementary school. Fearing that the child would be discouraged, she even bought him a small cream cake on the way back, carefully coaxing him.

Mi Yang was disappointed for a while but quickly recovered. Staying at home for another year wasn’t so bad. Anyway, there were still many books at home, and he would be free to be by himself, which was much more relaxing than pretending to be a child at school. Thinking this, he quickly adjusted his mood and even looked up at Cheng Qing with a smile.

Cheng Qing saw this, and her heart ached for him even more.

When elementary school started, Bai Luochuan threw another tantrum. This time, the reason was also related to Mi Yang.

Bai Luochuan had gone to register early that day. He looked around the classroom and, seeing that Mi Yang hadn’t come to school, didn’t even say a word to his own mother. He slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and went home by himself.

When the orderly went to pick up the child at noon, he waited for a long time but didn’t see him. He went in and asked, only to find out that he had left long ago. He broke out in a cold sweat and went directly to find Mrs. Bai. Mrs. Bai was relatively calm. Her first reaction was to go to Mi Yang’s house. Sure enough, her son was at Mi Yang’s house, eating fruit while playing with a small, palm-sized game console.

Mi Yang was peeling a tangerine beside him. After peeling it, he placed the segments one by one by her son’s hand. When he saw her arrive, he stood up and said, “Hello, Auntie.”