Chapter 86: Misunderstanding Resolved
Mi Yang subconsciously looked at his hands to see if he was holding a bowl.
Bai Luochuan said, “Do you want some soup? I’ll go and get it for you…”
Mi Yang immediately went over and held onto the corner of his shirt, begging him, “No, no, I don’t want any at all.”
Bai Luochuan pretended to be still walking and asked him, “Then you must want some pastries. We have lotus pastries today. You wait.”
Mi Yang reached out and held his arm, pulling him back. “No, don’t go. Just sit here and be with me.”
The young master Bai was happy in his heart but didn’t show it on his face. He pretended to be dragged back and, after seeing enough of Mi Yang’s reluctance to let him leave for a single step, he then said, “There’s no chicken soup. I secretly drank it for you downstairs just now.”
Mi Yang’s face relaxed, and Bai Luochuan leaned over, lifted the hem of his shirt, and touched his stomach. It was softer than usual, and he said with satisfaction, “You’ve gotten a little fatter. That’s good.” He saw Mi Yang holding his phone and smiled. “Is Third Aunt coming again?”
Mi Yang said, “I’ve persuaded her for today. She’s not coming.”
Bai Luochuan nodded. “We have everything at home. If there’s anything you want to eat, just tell me, and I’ll have the kitchen make it.”
The phone rang a couple of times again. Mi Yang was startled and looked down at his phone, but it wasn’t lit. Bai Luochuan, beside him, took out a phone that was identical to the one he was using, answered it, and said, “Hello, Mom, it’s me.”
This incident was not small. Besides Mi Yang’s family, Shanghai had also called. Luo Jiangjing had been alarmed and had taken the time to specially ask about their situation.
Knowing that Mi Yang was now well and completely safe, Luo Jiangjing said, “Luochuan, give him the phone.”
Bai Luochuan glanced at Mi Yang. “Okay.”
The phone was handed over, but the person also came over to listen in.
Luo Jiangjing sighed on the other end. “Little Good Boy, you’re too bold. It’s good that you’re fine. You can’t do this again next time. You’re still a child yourself. What if something had happened? I think Luochuan should be the one to watch over you. You’ve gotten so wild staying there. You should be disciplined and confined at home for a few days.”
Luo Jiangjing had watched these two children grow up together. She had put a lot of effort into Bai Luochuan, even sacrificing the best years of her life to raise her son. There had always been such a well-behaved little child by her son’s side, and she also had a soft spot for him.
She hadn’t dared to say much when Mi Yang was in the hospital, but now that he was better, Luo Jiangjing “lectured” him a little, still with more heartache than anything else.
After Luo Jiangjing hung up, Bai Luochuan said, “See, that’s what I thought too.”
Mi Yang sat there for a long while, in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking. Bai Luochuan waved his hand in front of his eyes. “Are you angry? I’ll go out to play with you in the future. Don’t worry.”
Mi Yang smiled. “It’s not that.”
Bai Luochuan said, “Then what is it?”
Mi Yang glanced at the phone and shook his head. “No, I think Auntie Luo is right. I’ll reflect at home for a few days.” Luo Jiangjing had been very good to him in his previous life, and even more so in this life. She had always thought that he could help to persuade Bai Luochuan not to be “mischievous,” but now, he was going to become a co-conspirator with Bai Luochuan.
Mi Yang felt a little guilty in his heart, but he only thought about it for a moment, then started to think about how to solve it in the future. They had missed too much. This time, he would not be the one to let go.
Bai Luochuan leaned over and pinched his cheek. “It’s fine. You just listen to me. Don’t be afraid of my mom.”
Mi Yang’s speech was muffled from being pinched, and he whispered, “Okay.”
Their two phones were placed side by side, two new phones of the same model, with even the same pendant strings.
Mi Yang’s phone had been soaked in water in the mountains and was no longer usable. After he came, Bai Luochuan had taken out the card and replaced it with a new one. This time, Mi Yang did not refuse. When Bai Luochuan gave it to him, he took it. The barrier in his heart had faded, leaving only intimacy.
Bai Luochuan fiddled with the phone on the table. Seeing that they were using the same thing, he was very happy in his heart. But he probably still remembered the way Mi Yang had resisted before and sat there, explaining to him, “I didn’t mean to look down on you. The phone you had before was an old one of Auntie Cheng’s. You have to use a new one when school starts. See, we have the same one.”
Mi Yang followed his finger and looked over, his eyes curving. “Okay.”
He was so well-behaved that the young master Bai himself was a little embarrassed. He touched the tip of his nose and said in a low, dissatisfied voice, “Auntie Cheng always gives you old things. I don’t believe that when Mi Xue gets a phone in the future, she’ll also be given an old one. What’s wrong with your family? Do you favor girls over boys?”
Mi Yang smiled. “Don’t say that. It’s not true. My family was going to buy me one too. I just didn’t want it. I just feel that I don’t use these things often, so any one will do.”
Bai Luochuan’s arm was around his shoulder, holding him. He frowned. “I’m just not happy in my heart.”
Mi Yang said, “What’s wrong?”
Bai Luochuan said, “I don’t like your little sister.”
Mi Yang said, “Mm.”
Bai Luochuan said, “Auntie Cheng is not as good to you as before. Before, she would save all the good things for you. Now, not only does she divide them in half, but she also always wants you to give in to the younger one. Why…”
Mi Yang was amused and comforted him, “I’m older than her.”
Bai Luochuan ignored him and held him a little tighter. “I’ll be good to you.”
Mi Yang said “mm.” The young master who was holding him then whispered, “I’ll make up for Auntie Cheng’s share for you. I’ll be better to you than anyone else, and I’ll dote on you more than anyone else. You’ll have what others have, and you’ll also have what others don’t. I’ll give you everything.”
He said so many nice things, as if they were free. Mi Yang felt that he was about to be bewitched by him. The small things that he hadn’t thought much of before, even the last slight gap, were all filled by Bai Luochuan, as if he were wrapped in the center of an amber, layer by layer, wrapped in a sticky and thick honey-colored sweetness, willingly sinking into it.
Bai Luochuan touched his face. “Your dimple is showing.”
Mi Yang said, “Hey?”
Bai Luochuan gently tapped his face. “It only comes out a little when you’re smiling very happily.” He also seemed to be satisfied and lifted the corners of his lips into a smile.
Few people lived in the Bai family’s old residence, but there were too many rooms, dozens of them, big and small, that couldn’t be cleaned. Bai Luochuan was also not at ease with Mi Yang being alone now, so he had him sleep with him.
When he woke up in the morning, the young master Bai had often already gone out for a run and had even taken a shower a couple of times.
Mi Yang had known in his previous life that Bai Luochuan was a bit of a germaphobe, but he had always lived with the young master Bai and hadn’t noticed—when he had put the old books in the small studio, the young master Bai had also gone there often. It seemed that this habit was ineffective on him. At most, he would just frown.
The people from the city had come to the Bai’s house again. This time, it was not to discuss the old residence with Old Bai, but to specially present Mi Yang with a banner and a cash prize.
Mi Yang and Wang Bing had saved a person, and they were given a cash prize. In addition, Fu Qisheng also had a share.
Wang Bing didn’t want a single penny and wanted to give it all to Fu Qisheng. His family also supported him, feeling that the Fu family’s mother and son were pitiful and wanted to help. But the Zhao family came forward and refused, not wanting it. Both families were very open-minded, and their relationship was now close, and their feelings were good. They felt that as long as the person was still alive, money was secondary.
Mi Yang’s prize money was twenty thousand yuan. After he got the money, Bai Luochuan said, “It’s no use for you to save it. Just give it to me for now. I have a distant cousin who is studying in Beijing. He has a lot of connections. I’ll have him help invest it. We can earn a little back.”
Of course, Mi Yang trusted him. After he gave him the money, he asked again, “Did you also earn the money for our new phones like this before?”
Bai Luochuan nodded. “Yes.”
Mi Yang said, “Your cousin is quite amazing. What’s his name? Have I met him?”
Bai Luochuan said, “His name is Bai Bin. He came to see Grandpa last time, but he left in a hurry. You were learning to restore books and didn’t see him. Next time we go to Beijing, I’ll take you to see him. He’s a good person and also very capable.”
It was the first time Mi Yang had heard him praise someone like this. He hadn’t had much contact with the Bai family in his previous life. At most, he would go to see Luo Jiangjing. The most was when he was dragged by the young master Bai to attend a banquet. But there were many people at the banquet, and he couldn’t remember who was who. But from the young master Bai’s tone, he should be a powerful figure.
When Mi Yang was preparing to go back to the Cheng family, the two Zhao Haisheng brothers came to visit.
Fu Qisheng was a tough nut. He looked seriously injured, but he also recovered quickly, as if he were the most common weed in the field. Even if he was trampled and crushed on the ground, with a little rain, he could immediately come back to life.
He was pushed over by Zhao Haisheng. When he saw Bai Luochuan and Mi Yang, he wanted to stand up from his wheelchair.
Mi Yang quickly said, “Don’t. Just sit. Are you feeling better?”
Fu Qisheng nodded. “Much better.”
Mi Yang then smiled. “That’s good. Just recuperate. You shouldn’t have come.”
Fu Qisheng said, “I wanted to come and make it clear, and also to apologize.”
Bai Luochuan said, “There’s no hurry. It’s all a small matter.” Between life and death, the little misunderstanding in the past was no longer important.
Fu Qisheng shook his head. He still remembered the life-saving rope that Mi Yang had thrown in the water, and his eyes were filled with gratitude. “I should make it clear.” He cleared his throat. “I was the one who broke the glass, but I didn’t steal anything.”
Bai Luochuan looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.
Fu Qisheng said, “I broke it on purpose.”
Fu’s mother worked at the Bai family’s old residence. The place was large, and it took a lot of effort just to clean it every day. Fu Qisheng was a filial son. Although his mom told him to focus on his studies, he would secretly come over to help with some chores whenever he was free, wanting to make things easier for Fu’s mother.
The cause of the matter was also simple, just a matter of a single sentence.
Fu Qisheng had come to the Bai family’s old residence to work that day. He tried his best to work in secret, but on that day, Bai Luochuan, as he was passing by the flower bushes, had complained, “The room is not clean. How can anyone live in a place that looks like it hasn’t been cleaned?” For a moment, his heart had twisted.
Fu Qisheng was a little aggressive, especially with this sentence from the young master Bai. He had subconsciously looked up at the spirited little young master. To a half-grown teenager’s ears, it just sounded like the employer’s young master was disgusted that his mom hadn’t done a good job.
He was young and felt that his mother had been bullied and humiliated. In a fit of anger, he had thrown a rock and broken the Bai family’s glass.
When Bai Luochuan had chased after him and saw him, the window glass was broken, and Fu Qisheng was standing there in a panic, not even knowing to run. It was clearly the first time he had done such a thing. He had thought he was a thief. Fu Qisheng had run fast, and he hadn’t been able to catch him. The next time he saw him, Bai Luochuan had naturally gotten into a dispute with the people around Fu Qisheng and had even had a fight.
Fu Qisheng was afraid of affecting his mother’s work and refused to say the reason, gritting his teeth and enduring it.
Bai Luochuan had not found anything missing from the house. With the young master’s pride, he naturally would not call the other person a “little thief” again, but he still had a prejudice against him and also did not let Mi Yang have much contact with these people. He had always seen himself as a protector since he was a child, and Mi Yang had grown up under his wing. He knew these people had problems, so how could he let Mi Yang talk to them anymore?
Fu Qisheng had come to apologize with his injuries, and also to thank him. He had explained everything and gritted his teeth. “It’s my fault. I’ll pay for your family’s glass. If you want to fire my mom, I have nothing to say…”
Bai Luochuan said, “How could that be? Auntie Zhao is a very good person and also very serious about her work. I wasn’t talking about her that day. She’s usually in charge of the courtyard.” Bai Luochuan thought for a moment. “I should have been talking about the bedroom in the house. I remember that day Mi Yang was coming over. Don’t laugh at me, but the old residence has too few people, and many places haven’t been cleaned. Mi Yang can only sleep in my bedroom now, squeezing in with me.”
Zhao Haisheng was an honest person and immediately said, “It’s, it’s our fault. We even hit you. We’re sorry. How about I come and clean the house for you? I guarantee I’ll get the bedroom, all of it, clean!”
Bai Luochuan paused for a moment. “No need. I’m used to it now.”
Zhao Haisheng said with a chuckle, “Don’t be so polite. I’m fast at my work!”
Bai Luochuan said, “I know what you mean, but there’s no need to clean. Why don’t you go and help me take care of Wule for a few days… oh, that’s the black horse. When it was carrying Fu Qisheng down the mountain, its back was scraped. It’s been recuperating all this time, and I haven’t washed it. When you’re free, you can come and brush the horse for me.”
Zhao Haisheng said readily, “Alright!”
After clearing the air with the Zhao Haisheng brothers and seeing them off, Bai Luochuan went back to continue packing Mi Yang’s things. Mi Yang had come alone, but when he left, his things were packed in a suitcase, odds and ends.
Bai Luochuan didn’t let him do it and had him sit and see what he wanted to take—the things the young master Bai thought were necessary were already packed. What Mi Yang could choose were the little things he had found to amuse a child.
Mi Yang casually picked a couple, and Bai Luochuan neatly packed them.
Mi Yang sat on the edge of the bed and asked him, “Before, when I asked you about Fu Qisheng, why didn’t you tell me?”
Bai Luochuan said, “Were you worried?”
Mi Yang thought for a moment and nodded. “A little. I also thought it was very strange. Actually, if we had spent a little more time getting to know each other, there probably wouldn’t have been these misunderstandings.”
Bai Luochuan was curious. “There are so many people in the world. Do I have to get to know them one by one? I don’t have that much time, and I don’t want to get to know so many people.” He packed the suitcase and placed it on the side, then walked over and flicked Mi Yang on the forehead, saying resentfully, “It’s only you. You can stand there and listen to whatever anyone says. Are you used to being a good person?”
Mi Yang looked up at him and reached out to tug on the corner of his shirt.
The tips of Bai Luochuan’s ears turned red, and he put on a look of anger and embarrassment. “Let go. It’s tiring enough to raise one. You’re not obedient at all!”
Mi Yang didn’t let go and went to hook his finger, a small dimple appearing on one side of his smile. “I’ll be obedient in the future.”
Bai Luochuan could see himself in his pupils, but he still said in a hard voice, “Whose?”
“Yours.”
Mi Yang’s voice softened, and with a single smiling sentence, he completely silenced the young master.
