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Chapter 55: Red Dates

Mi Yang was very surprised and walked over. “How did you get here?”

Bai Luochuan stood there and waited for him to take two steps. “I came with Grandpa to have a look.”

Mi Yang asked, “Grandpa Bai is here too?”

Bai Luochuan nodded, his gaze falling on the large bag Mi Yang was carrying, and he frowned. “What’s that? Is it heavy?” He said as he habitually reached out and took it in his own hand. They had grown up together, and Mrs. Bai had often said that he was the older brother. As the older brother, he naturally had to take care of his younger brother.

Mi Yang said, “It’s not heavy. It’s dried red dates. It just looks like a lot.”

Mi Yang wanted to go and greet the old Mr. Bai, but he didn’t see him, only Mrs. Bai. When Mrs. Bai saw him, she showed a relieved smile and also got out of the car. She first touched his little face and said with a heartache, “Yangyang has lost so much weight. Your family…” Her gaze shifted to Mi Yang’s sleeve, which had a black armband on it. She sighed and said comfortingly, “Good child, it’s been hard on you. Are your parents here? I’d like to go and see them.”

Mi Yang nodded and led Mrs. Bai and the others over.

Mrs. Bai had originally come to visit a seriously ill elder and had brought many nutritional gift boxes. The old Mrs. Mi was gone, and Mi Hong’s health was not very good, so the things could still be used. She left them all and also went to pay her respects, leaving some money for Mi Zehai and Cheng Qing.

Mi Zehai refused, but Mrs. Bai said, “Take it. This is the custom in our hometown. I’m a married-in wife, so I also know these things.”

Cheng Qing’s face was a little tired. She didn’t look fat, but her face was a little swollen, and her complexion was not very good. Mi Zehai had to take care of his father, so Cheng Qing took Mrs. Bai to the room where they were staying, poured her some tea, and talked with her for a while.

Mrs. Bai asked about the old lady’s affairs in a low voice. Although Cheng Qing also lowered her voice, her eyes reddened after just a few words. When Mi Yang saw this, he jumped off the stool and took Bai Luochuan’s hand. “Let’s go out, shall we? I’ll take you out to play.”

Bai Luochuan nodded in agreement. He hadn’t talked much to Mi Yang since he had arrived, with a “I’m still angry, I haven’t made up with you” look. But when Mi Yang took the initiative to talk to him, he still had to take a couple more glances. Now, he didn’t let go of his hand and let Mi Yang lead him to the small courtyard.

Mi Yang saw the bag of red dates on the stone table in the small courtyard and slapped his forehead. “Oh no, I forgot about this. You wait for me. I’ll go wash the dates.”

Bai Luochuan immediately said, “I’ll go too. You wait for me. I’ll go get my clothes.”

He was about to get up and leave when Mi Yang picked up the bag of red dates. They both looked at what the other was holding and felt that something was wrong.

Mi Yang was curious. “Why do you need to get your clothes to wash the dates?”

Bai Luochuan frowned. “What are you holding? Is it for the bathroom?”

Mi Yang chuckled. “Not that kind of bath. I’m talking about these red dates,” he held up the bag for him to see, “the kind you can eat.”

Bai Luochuan nodded and then said, “Where are we going to wash them?”

Mi Yang took the bag over. “Right here in the courtyard. Isn’t there a small pool here? It’s well water, very cold, and very comfortable.”

Bai Luochuan had been standing to the side, but after hearing Mi Yang call him a couple of times, he sat down on a small bamboo stool next to him with a “I’ll reluctantly give it a try” look. He also reached out and played with the well water a few times. It was ice-cold to the touch, and he said in surprise, “It’s like there’s ice in it. It could be a small refrigerator.”

Mi Yang said, “That’s right. In a few days, we can bring a watermelon to chill and eat. The water pump here… yes, you press it a couple more times and get the water in that wooden basin.” Mi Yang directed him to get water while shaking the bag and pouring all the red dates in to soak. “This wooden basin is big, right? We can soak two watermelons, the small kind. We can cut them in half and eat them with a spoon. I had a watermelon yesterday. It was so sweet. I can now pick a watermelon by listening to the sound. I guarantee it’s ripe!”

As he worked, he chattered away with the little young master, telling him everything, also with the intention of coaxing him. After all, he had been away for too long, and he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty towards the person who had been waiting for him.

The little Bai Luochuan was easy to coax. Knowing that Mi Yang still put him first, he was not so angry anymore. After a short while, the two of them were familiar again, their relationship as good as if they had never been separated.

Mi Yang picked out the biggest red date, wiped the water off it, and brought it to Bai Luochuan’s mouth. “Want to try?”

Bai Luochuan was pumping the second basin of well water, treating it as a toy and having a great time. When Mi Yang brought it to his mouth, he opened his mouth and ate it. After chewing a couple of times, he said, “So sweet.”

Mi Yang also took a red date and ate it himself, asking him, “Is your illness better? How did you get sick? Was it serious?”

Bai Luochuan said, “It was just a cold. I accidentally caught a chill. I’m fine now.”

Mi Yang didn’t understand. “How did you catch a chill? Doesn’t the driver always pick you up and drop you off at school?”

Bai Luochuan said, “I caught a chill at night.”

Mi Yang had stayed at his house so many times that he was almost more familiar with it than his own home. Hearing him say that, he frowned even more. “That’s not right. Auntie Wu checks the doors and windows every night, and the quilt is also enough. Did you sneak out…”

Bai Luochuan closed his mouth and refused to say any more.

Mi Yang thought for a moment and leaned a little closer to ask him, “Did you sneak to my house at night?”

Bai Luochuan also stopped pumping the well. He threw down the things in his hand and said with a stern face, “This is not fun. I’m not playing anymore.” He then turned and walked away.

Mi Yang sat there and thought for a moment. Little Bai Luochuan had run to his house in the middle of the night, standing on his tiptoes to see if he was back. How long would he have to wait to get sick? Just imagining the pitiful yet stubborn little child waiting for him to come back made Mi Yang’s heart soften.

He sighed, packed the red dates on a plate, and went to find Bai Luochuan himself.

The young master Bai hadn’t gone far. He was standing at the entrance of Mi Yang’s house, looking at a tree, as if he wanted to see a flower bloom from it.

Mi Yang walked over and also looked up at the tree. “This is a pomegranate tree. My grandpa planted it for me. Every time I come back, I can have a big pomegranate. The peel is dry, but the inside is very sweet. But one time, I choked on it, and it scared my grandparents so much that I said I didn’t like to eat it anymore.” Mi Yang smiled and sighed. “They don’t believe me. Every time, they would dig out the pomegranate seeds and then press out the juice with a small spoon and feed it to me mouthful by mouthful.”

Bai Luochuan said dryly, “Oh.”

Mi Yang went to take his hand and asked with a smile, “The pomegranates are not ready yet this year. We have to wait until the Mid-Autumn Festival. Should I save one for you?”

Bai Luochuan was about to nod when he immediately raised his eyebrows in anger. “You’re still thinking of staying until the Mid-Autumn Festival?!”

Mi Yang silently calculated the time. Before he could speak, he heard the young master beside him become even more furious. “You’re still thinking about this!”

Mi Yang rubbed the tip of his nose and chuckled softly.

Bai Luochuan was annoyed by him and was about to shake off his hand and leave when Mi Yang held on a little tighter and coaxed him, “I was just saying. I wanted to invite you to my house to play and eat pomegranates. Isn’t that nice? I don’t know when I’ll be going back. I have to ask my parents. It’s up to them.”

Bai Luochuan turned to look at him, his eyes like flickering little flames, his cheeks red with anger.

The two little ones had made up and were fighting again, and then made up again. In any case, Mi Yang had temporarily appeased the little young master. By the time Cheng Qing saw Mrs. Bai out, Bai Luochuan was holding Mi Yang’s hand and went over. “Mom, Little Good Boy is coming with us.”

Mrs. Bai bent down and said to him, “Mom can’t decide. You have to ask Little Good Boy first, and then Auntie Cheng.”

Bai Luochuan then held Mi Yang’s hand and walked over, asking carefully, “Auntie Cheng, I’ve already discussed it with Little Good Boy. He’s going to my house to play tonight, and we’ll come back together tomorrow. Is that okay?”

Cheng Qing had also been busy during this time. Mi Yang had always tried his best to help her and had never run around, let alone played with other children. He was so well-behaved that it made her heart ache. Hearing Bai Luochuan say that, she nodded in agreement. “Of course. How long are you staying here?”

Bai Luochuan was always a little reserved in front of elders. He stood there like a little adult and answered, “My mom said we can stay for the whole summer vacation.”

Cheng Qing said, “Then let Yangyang play with you for a couple more days.”

Bai Luochuan was pleasantly surprised. “Really! Thank you, Auntie Cheng!” He said his thanks quickly, as if afraid that Cheng Qing would regret it, and didn’t forget to flatter her, “Auntie Cheng is the best!”

Mrs. Bai, on the side, smiled. “Listen to that. I’ve been busy for so many days and haven’t heard a single ‘good.’ Now, the best is your Auntie Cheng, right?”

Bai Luochuan, having achieved his wish, did not hesitate to praise, “Mom is also the best!”

The best Mrs. Bai took the two children to the Bai family’s old residence together.

The Bai family’s old residence covered a large area. Stepping over the high threshold was like stepping into another world, separated from the hustle and bustle outside. You could only feel the tranquility of the courtyard. The old trees in the courtyard were lush, and you could hear the crisp chirping of birds.

Mi Yang looked around as he walked. He had been here a few times, but it was too big, and he had never walked through it like this. And most of the places he had gone to were on a new building on the right side, which was also where Bai Luochuan usually rested and played. Although its appearance was also in line with the old residence, it only had a wooden exterior. The inside was still reinforced concrete, and the interior was decorated in a very fashionable and modern style. Parties were usually held there, and most of the guests were young people.

But it was still early. The small building where Bai Luochuan lived had not yet been built, and the old residence did not have the renovated look of his previous life. It still maintained its original simplicity.

Mi Yang looked up with a hint of curiosity and comparison. Looking at it now, it slowly overlapped with his memories, and some places also felt a little familiar. He and Bai Luochuan walked into the inner courtyard. The mural on a stone screen at the corner had faded. Mi Yang was more sensitive to these old objects and took a longer look.

Bai Luochuan, however, frowned as he looked at the large and empty patio in the courtyard. The weeds and gravel here had been cleared, but it didn’t look good empty. Bai Luochuan snorted in a low voice, “There should be a pond here, and flowers planted on the side would look nice.”

Mi Yang looked at him in surprise and blinked his eyes.

In his previous life, Bai Luochuan had really done that. After he took over the old residence, he had indeed dug a pond here, raising fish and lotus flowers. He had also planted many varieties of precious flowers around it, which bloomed all year round. He had even taken him to see it a few times, his expression extremely proud.