Chapter 3: Tomato
Little Bai Luochuan was stubbornly gnawing on the spoon, and Mi Yang was just as determined not to eat the banana purée from it.
He turned his head to look at the styrofoam box placed nearby, let out an “aiya,” and clapped his hands, pointing at the box. He wanted a different one, to eat separately from Bai Luochuan.
Cheng Qing held him and moved a little closer. Mi Yang reached out his hand, grabbed the first thing he could reach, and immediately hugged it. Whatever, as long as I don’t have to share a spoon with him!
What Mi Yang had grabbed was a round tomato. It was fully ripe, its deep red color looking particularly tempting. It had probably just been brought in from the car outside, as it was still covered in a light mist, looking very fresh and juicy.
Cheng Qing hesitated. “Isn’t this a bit cold?”
Mrs. Bai reached out and touched it, then nodded. “It is a little chilly. Let’s let it sit for a while.”
From the moment the tomato was taken out, Mi Yang stared at it without blinking, with an expression that screamed, “Oh my, how can this look so delicious?” and “I’m only going to eat this one.” He refused to open his mouth for anything else, single-mindedly waiting for the tomato.
Cheng Qing was exasperated. No amount of coaxing could make Mi Yang turn his head away.
Mrs. Bai was amused by him and gently tapped his little head with her finger. “You, you’re a little glutton too!”
The other glutton nearby, who was already gobbling down fruit purée, showed no sign of shame. He ate more than half a banana before stopping with a burp. Now, probably well-rested and full, little Bai Luochuan began to open his eyes wide and survey the unfamiliar surroundings. He had many toys and snacks at home, so he wasn’t very interested in these things after eating his fill. Mi Yang only had a handmade cloth tiger, which the little young master glanced at and promptly lost interest in. Soon, his gaze fell upon Mi Yang, who was also a baby. He let out a “ya” and kicked his legs.
But he had misjudged his own strength. With his little belly sticking out in the middle, his limbs flailed, but he didn’t move an inch.
Little Bai Luochuan frowned. Even at this young age, one could see the beginnings of his future young-master temper. He tensed his little face and struggled for a long time as if wrestling with himself. Cheng Qing, who was beside them, wanted to help, but Mrs. Bai stopped her. Mrs. Bai smiled and said, “Don’t mind him. Let him struggle on his own.”
After mustering all his strength, little Bai Luochuan finally managed to sit up. His face, which had been red with effort just a moment ago, was now full of life and spirit. He sat there with his little head held high, looking incredibly proud. He even patted his own belly, let out a ” ya,” and looked at the adults as if showing off.
Mi Yang felt a little envious. He had been practicing in secret, but physical development had nothing to do with mental prowess. No matter how much he knew, the only thing he could do right now was lift his head.
Cheng Qing said in pleasant surprise, “Sister Luo, can he sit up by himself already? That’s amazing!”
Mrs. Bai smiled. “He just learned to sit up these past few days.”
Cheng Qing said with envy, “Yangyang can’t do that yet.”
Mrs. Bai said, “The old saying goes, ‘roll over at three months, sit up at six, crawl at eight.’ Luochuan’s birthday is at the end of July, so he’s older than Yangyang. It’s normal for him to be able to sit up earlier. The real headache will be when they’re a year old and can run. You won’t be able to take your eyes off them for a second.”
After a moment of envy, Cheng Qing started chatting with her about parenting tips. The two of them exchanged experiences in hushed, cheerful tones. Mi Yang was also watching the spirited little Bai Luochuan, who was sitting propped up against a pillow. He rather wanted to communicate with this little young master, but seeing how delighted he was with a spoonful of fruit purée and how proud he was of being able to sit up, he felt that this person was probably not reborn like him.
If he were reborn, he’d deserve a little Oscar statuette. His acting is too convincing.
Little Bai Luochuan didn’t last long. He toppled over sideways, belly up.
The bed had been prepared for Mi Yang’s convenience and was thickly padded, so the fall didn’t hurt him at all. The little young master’s face turned red again as he tried to flip himself back over, but this time it was more difficult. Mi Yang reached out a hand and let out a “ya.” The little young master, holding his breath, swatted his hand away and continued to practice rolling over. Mi Yang was amused. Just as he was about to get up, Mi Yang mischievously tugged on his fluffy little clothes, adding a bit of weight and making him flip back over like a little turtle, whimpering and unable to get up.
Little Bai Luochuan pouted, his temper flaring, and he began to gather his strength to cry. Seeing that things were about to go south, Mi Yang immediately let go, allowing him to move a little. The little young master sensed that the resistance had lessened and continued to try to roll over, so engrossed in his task that he forgot to cry.
To the adults, however, it looked like the two little ones were playing and getting close to each other. Mrs. Bai was already predisposed to like Mi Yang because Mi Zehai had rescued them, so she looked at him with extra affection. She smiled and said, “Luochuan has never played with a friend his own age before. His older cousins are all in school, so they don’t play together.”
Cheng Qing, being simple-minded, didn’t think too much of it and smiled. “This is also the first time Yangyang has seen another child. It looks like he really likes Luochuan.”
Mrs. Bai smiled. “Yes, our two families are destined to be connected. In a few days, once Old Bai’s matters are all settled, I’ll bring Luochuan over often. I hope you won’t find me annoying.”
Cheng Qing said, “How could I? I’m usually here all by myself. I couldn’t ask for more!”
The two women started talking about their children again and, after a while, discovered that their birthdays were close. “Oh, Luochuan’s birthday is July 23rd, and Yangyang’s is September 23rd? What a coincidence, he’s exactly two months older!” Mrs. Bai held her son and brought him closer to Mi Yang, saying with a smile, “You’re a little big brother now. You have to take care of your little brother, you know?”
Cheng Qing laughed at that.
Lying on the bed, Mi Yang tried his best to use the only move he knew—tilting his head back—to dodge Bai Luochuan. But this little demon was being held, making his movements much more agile. He immediately grabbed Mi Yang’s little collar, followed by a slobbery kiss that covered half of Mi Yang’s face.
“Oh, you like your little brother that much?”
Mi Yang struggled desperately and managed to save the other half of his face. By the time the little young master was lifted away, he was exhausted.
Mrs. Bai looked at her son and asked with a smile, “So, shall we come see your little brother again tomorrow?”
Little Bai Luochuan let out a “ya”. It was unclear what he meant, but Mrs. Bai clearly interpreted it through her own subjective lens and nodded. “Alright, we’ll come again tomorrow.”
Mi Yang thought, Please don’t come again. It’s too tiring trying to dodge him. He doesn’t even have teeth yet, but his sucking already makes my face hurt!
Mrs. Bai put her son’s hat on and wrapped him in his little blanket. Just then, the men outside seemed to have finished their conversation. Cheng Qing saw her out, and by then, they were already like good sisters, walking arm in arm.
Mi Yang lay on the bed, resting. The thought of Mrs. Bai bringing the little young master for continuous surprise visits in the coming days made him feel weary to his very core.
