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Chapter 39: Little Temper

When Bai Luochuan came over today, he also brought a set of clothes for Mi Yang. It was a white uniform from the school’s drum and bugle corps. He gave the little commander’s uniform with the gold tassels on the shoulders to Mi Yang and also gave him a baton. “The school was selecting people today. Eight people from our class were chosen, and everyone… picked this for you. When you’re better, we’ll practice together.”

Mi Yang heard him quickly skip over a syllable in the middle. It didn’t sound like “picked,” but more like “snatched.”

Seeing him not saying anything, Bai Luochuan consoled him, “It’s fine, it’s not hard. I’ve already practiced it for you. I’ll teach you when you go.”

Mi Yang touched the little uniform. He remembered that during the June 1st Children’s Day in his previous life, they all had to wear such a uniform to go on stage for commendation. The boys wore a handsome and smart little uniform, with a matching hat and gloves, and small leather shoes. They looked very spirited, holding their polished instruments. The girls wore a blue and white little dress with a gold trim on the hem, carrying a small drum and beating it as they walked, which was also very beautiful.

He had never worn the commander’s uniform in his previous life. He had played the trumpet with a few good friends. It had been a long time, but he still remembered how badly they had all played.

Mi Yang chuckled and looked up. “The commander is nice. You’ve all memorized the music, right? If I conduct it wrong, don’t follow me and make a mistake.”

Bai Luochuan’s chin lifted a little. “You won’t be wrong.”

While they were chatting, Mrs. Bai was also chatting with Cheng Qing outside, but the adults’ topic was much more serious.

Mrs. Bai whispered a few words to Cheng Qing, and Cheng Qing’s face immediately changed. Mrs. Bai held her shoulder. “…The situation has stabilized now. I’ve asked Old Bai. He said the injury is under control, but he hasn’t woken up yet. He’s being treated at the military region hospital with all their efforts.”

Cheng Qing’s lips moved, and her eyes reddened.

Mrs. Bai glanced at the small bedroom and then lowered her voice again. “I just got the news too. They said they were going to call you. I stopped them. I felt more at ease coming to tell you in person. You should pack your things now and go to the military region hospital to be with him. The injury is to his abdomen, so it will probably be inconvenient for him to move after he wakes up. It’s better to have family there to take care of him.”

Cheng Qing put down her teacup and was about to frantically pack her things, but her hand was not steady, and the teacup overturned on the table with a loud clatter.

The sound of the children talking in the bedroom also stopped. Mi Yang called out in a low voice, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

Hearing her child’s voice, Cheng Qing calmed down. She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “It’s nothing. Mom is just looking for something.”

With Mrs. Bai’s help, Cheng Qing packed her bag. She looked at the bedroom and, for the first time, asked for a favor. “Sister Luo, the military region hospital is far from here. I have to take care of Zehai and can’t go back and forth. Could I trouble you to help me take care of Yangyang for a few days? His cold is almost better, he just has a little cough…”

Mrs. Bai waved her hand. “What kind of friendship do we have that you’re still being so polite with me? Even if you didn’t say anything, I would have taken Yangyang over to take care of him.” She looked at Cheng Qing’s anxious face and sighed. “Don’t worry about things at home. I’ll take care of everything. Call us to let us know you’re safe when you get to the hospital. We’re all worried.”

Cheng Qing nodded, so grateful that she didn’t know what to say.

She went into the small bedroom and packed a small bag of clothes and daily necessities for Mi Yang. She said to him, “Yangyang, Mom has to go on a business trip for a bit. Your dad is out on a training exercise and won’t be back for a few days. I’m not at ease leaving you at home alone. How about you stay with Luochuan at his house for a while?”

Mi Yang said, “Just for a few days? Then I can stay at home by myself.”

Bai Luochuan, beside him, was already overjoyed. Hearing Mi Yang say that, he immediately retorted, “You’re sick. How can you take care of yourself when you’re sick?”

Mi Yang was about to say something more, but this time Cheng Qing didn’t discuss it with him. She brought over a set of clean clothes, dressed Mi Yang, and said, “Be good. Go with Luochuan first. When Mom comes back, I’ll come and get you, okay?”

Mi Yang nodded and held up his arms to cooperate as he was dressed.

Bai Luochuan, beside him, had already started to pick out his shoes. Besides the pair Mi Yang was wearing, he even packed his usual small slippers.

Mi Yang also hugged his own small pillow. He was a little picky about his bed, and a familiar pillow would help him fall asleep faster.

Mi Yang followed them to the Bai’s house, but after taking a few steps, he couldn’t help but look back in the direction Cheng Qing had left.

Cheng Qing had left too suddenly, and the matter of the business trip had also come up suddenly, which made Mi Yang feel that something was not right. Mrs. Bai held his hand and bent down. “Yangyang, if you’re homesick, I’ll have Luochuan take you back to have a look every day after school, okay?”

Mi Yang nodded. “Thank you, Auntie.”

Bai Luochuan was completely unaware of the adults’ affairs and was just happy that Mi Yang would be staying at his house for a while, grinning from ear to ear. He went forward and took Mi Yang’s other hand. “Whenever you want to go, I’ll go with you.”

The two houses were not far apart, and it usually only took a few minutes to get there at a trot. If he were two years older, perhaps Cheng Qing would have felt at ease leaving him at home alone. Mi Yang unconsciously clenched his fingers, which made the big and small person beside him turn to look at him. Mrs. Bai’s heart almost melted at his sensible little expression. She looked up at her son, and Bai Luochuan, beside her, also tilted his chin at her, his meaning couldn’t be more obvious—what do you think, isn’t Mi Yang very well-behaved?

Mrs. Bai chuckled, and most of the emotions in her eyes dissipated. She also gave her son a slight nod in response: very well-behaved.

When they arrived at the Bai’s house, Bai Luochuan wanted to take Mi Yang to see Wei Xian. Mi Yang looked up at Mrs. Bai, waiting for her to speak.

Mrs. Bai smiled. “Go on. I’ll go prepare your things for bed. You’ll only have one lesson today, so come back to sleep early.”

Mi Yang nodded and followed Bai Luochuan upstairs to the study.

Wei Xian was in the study, flipping through a book. Hearing the patter of footsteps, he looked up. Two little kids poked their heads in through the open door. He adjusted the glasses on his nose and said with a chuckle, “Oh, Little Good Boy is here too!”

Mi Yang stood there and greeted him, “Hello, Grandpa Wei!”

Wei Xian hadn’t seen him for a while and beckoned for him to come over. “You’ve come at the right time. I was just thinking that if you didn’t come, I’d have Luochuan take it to you in a couple of days.” He took out two thick books from the drawer and handed them to Mi Yang. “A gift from Grandpa Wei. Congratulations on getting first place.”

Mi Yang looked down. Both were large volumes. One was a color-paged “Restoration and Binding of Ancient Books,” a red velvet hardcover book that looked very solid. The other was more familiar, a “Primary School Chinese Dictionary.”

Wei Xian smiled. “Last time I wrote to my old friend, he was so busy he had forgotten. He only remembered to reply after I went to see him in person. Here, this is what Grandpa Wei got for you. You can read it yourself first. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can look it up in the dictionary or ask me. Although I don’t know much about these things, I can still help you read and explain the meaning of the words, hehe.”

Wei Xian said it politely, but Mi Yang could guess that the other person probably hadn’t taken a child’s matter to heart. This book was probably something Wei Xian had gotten by brazenly going to ask for it. Mi Yang stroked the cover of the book, cherishing it as if it were a treasure. The book was very heavy and had a lot of weight in his arms. He almost had to carry it to the small desk where he usually sat. Bai Luochuan saw this and quickly went over to help.

After putting the book down, Mi Yang opened it and looked. It was divided into seven or eight categories of restoration lessons for ancient books, with illustrated case studies, very detailed. He had liked this major before, but he had never formally studied it. He had only learned some knowledge by dabbling or taking on odd jobs to help people. He was self-taught. Although he had bought some reference books in bookstores, this was the first time he had seen such a detailed professional book. Mi Yang flipped through it intently for a while, then looked up and asked, “Grandpa Wei, is this the university textbook you were talking about?”

Wei Xian stroked the beard on his chin. “I suppose so. My old friend is quite busy. I had originally wanted to invite him to guide you, but he gave me this book. I can go through it with you slowly. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just tell me. I’ll call and ask him on the weekend. That old fellow is probably busy with something big at the provincial library. It’s really hard to find him.”

Mi Yang smiled and nodded. “Okay! Thank you, Grandpa Wei!”

He looked down and cherished the book on the desk. Suddenly, his desire to skip a grade was not so strong. If he could learn more of the basic knowledge of book restoration, and with a teacher to guide him, that would make him happier than anything else, even if it was remote guidance.

Bai Luochuan walked over and touched the book, a little curious, but not as interested in it as Mi Yang.

Wei Xian saw this and asked, “Luochuan, you see, Little Good Boy has already found his goal to strive for. Do you have any goals?”

Bai Luochuan frowned and said seriously, “I need to think about it again.”

Wei Xian was quite satisfied with his answer. For such a young child to already have a sense of his own choices was very rare. At this age, children were most receptive to external information and were most likely to follow the crowd, with imitation as their instinct. For the young master Bai to say this, he must already be thinking about it.

Mi Yang had not yet fully recovered. Wei Xian only had them attend one class and then waved his hand for them to go and rest.

When Mi Yang was leaving, he wanted to take the new book he had gotten. Bai Luochuan didn’t let him and shook his head. “The bedroom is for sleeping. No more work.”

Mi Yang argued, “I’m not working. I just want to read for a little while. Reading helps me fall asleep faster.”

Bai Luochuan still didn’t agree and pulled him back to the bedroom. “You can look at me. Looking at me will also help you fall asleep faster.”

When Mi Yang was pulled back to the room, he stopped at the door and looked around. “I’ll sleep in the guest room.”

Bai Luochuan didn’t let go, his brow furrowed as he looked at him. “Don’t be difficult.”

Mi Yang said, “My cold isn’t better yet, and I still cough a lot at night. I’ll disturb your sleep…”

Bai Luochuan snorted and pushed him into his room. “I’m not afraid. I’m much healthier than you. Besides, my mom has already put your things in here.”

Mi Yang was pushed in and, sure enough, saw his small bag of things. His small pillow was also placed side by side on Bai Luochuan’s bed, with a new quilt spread next to it. The pattern was simple, a bit bluish, and it shimmered slightly under the light.

As he was looking, Bai Luochuan brought over some medicine. After watching him take it, he nodded in satisfaction. “Now go wash up. We’re going to sleep.”

Mi Yang glanced at him. The little young master looked very energetic, not sleepy at all, but he kept urging him to go to bed.

Mi Yang: “…How about you play your game console for a while?”

Bai Luochuan refused. He climbed onto the small bed first and patted it for him to come over, complaining, “You haven’t slept with me for a long time.”

Mi Yang walked over. “It’s only been a few days since I got sick.”

Bai Luochuan spread the new little quilt for him and covered Mi Yang with it, smiling. “How is it? Comfortable, right?”

The new quilt was very light and soft. It immediately warmed him up when he was wrapped in it. Mi Yang touched the material with his fingers and nodded. “Comfortable. Is this silk?”

Bai Luochuan said, “Yes. I heard Auntie Cheng and my mom talking last time. What kind of junk was that you were covered with when you went back to your hometown? You even got an allergy. Don’t go back next time, so you don’t get sick again…”

Mi Yang glanced at him. “I think it was fine.”

Bai Luochuan didn’t catch his meaning and snorted. “That kind of junk, what’s so good about it?”

Mi Yang said, “The things at my grandma’s house, I think they’re all very good.”

Bai Luochuan also realized, but he refused to back down, his brow furrowed. “Grandma is very good, but can’t I say that the things at her house are junk?”

Mi Yang: “…”

Mi Yang suddenly became a little angry. He kicked the quilt away with his little foot, refusing to be covered.

At first, Bai Luochuan thought he was hot and even wrapped him up twice. But when Mi Yang kicked it away for the third time, he suddenly sat up and stared at Mi Yang. Mi Yang lay there and also looked at him, his gaze not backing down. The young master Bai’s brow was furrowed tightly. He went up and rolled up the little quilt Mi Yang had kicked away, opened the window, and threw it outside!

Mi Yang was dumbfounded. How could this brat have such a big temper!

The young master Bai was panting, looking at Mi Yang without a word. Mi Yang also looked at him, not saying a word.

Suddenly, the sound of a car horn came from downstairs, followed by an adult’s voice, “Hey, who threw this? Why was a quilt thrown out in the middle of the night?!”

The two children looked at each other, then immediately ran downstairs in their pajamas. Mi Yang found his slippers and was about to push the door open to go out when Bai Luochuan, who was faster, grabbed a thick coat that was draped over the back of a nearby chair and put it directly on Mi Yang. But when Mi Yang looked up at him, the young master Bai still had his chin tensed and turned his head away, avoiding his gaze.