Chapter 97: Puppy Love
The second class won the debate competition and took the championship.
After the students of the first class returned, they held a small class meeting to express their determination to do better in the future. When the class monitor went on stage to speak, he said comforting words, “Everyone’s performance today was already very good. Relax. Winning or losing is secondary; friendship is first.” He thought for a moment and added, “The second class performed well, and they are also worth learning from.”
All the classmates: “…”
Their class monitor had been staring at the second class from the very beginning of the debate competition, both praising and applauding. So, it was with a learning attitude!
In any case, the small competition had still improved the relationship between the two classes. The students of the second class were overjoyed to have won the championship and were very happy when they posted the award certificate on the class’s honor wall at the back. However, the Youth League branch secretary said that this was an exceptional performance and that everyone should just be happy for a while. Besides extracurricular activities, they should still put their studies first. Class monitor Bai of the first class also said the same thing, but it had no effect at all. The students of the first class said that they wouldn’t listen, and that they would only win if they worked hard!
The class monitor had no ambition, and it was all up to the students to work hard themselves!
Overall, the two classes began a healthy competition.
As long as no one from the class next door went to the canteen for lunch, the other class would not leave the classroom first. Every time, it was class monitor Bai who would go out first and call the Youth League branch secretary of the class next door to go to lunch. Only then would everyone quickly pack their books and follow. The two classes would also be frantically doing problems during the breaks, for fear of doing one less set than the class next door.
This made the subject teachers very happy. It had been many years since they had seen such well-behaved students!
They had taken a math placement test during the day. Mi Yang felt that he had done alright. In the evening, after he had washed up in the dormitory and was about to go to sleep, he was brushing his teeth when he heard the students in the dormitory checking their answers for today’s math test. Everyone was a little nervous. After all, they had all come from different schools, and the teaching quality was also different. The ranking of the results put a lot of pressure on many people.
Someone also asked Mi Yang for the answers to the last few big questions. Mi Yang thought for a moment and told them. A few in the dormitory immediately breathed a sigh of relief, while some, after a moment of confusion, wailed, “I’m doomed. I’m different from all of you. I must have gotten it wrong. What should I do? It’s a 15-point question! I’m going to drag down our whole class. If we score lower than the first class this time…”
Two knocks sounded. The boy standing outside the door was as natural as if he were returning to his own dormitory, his gaze quickly falling on Mi Yang.
Mi Yang glanced at him and quickly rinsed his mouth. “Wait a minute. I’ll be right there.”
The classmate on the upper bunk was still repenting, “I was wrong. I was really wrong. If I had known, I shouldn’t have solved the problem like this. If I lose these 15 points, I’ll be the eternal sinner of the class. If we lose to the first class, it’s also because… what’s wrong? Why do you keep tapping my leg?”
The classmate beside him cleared his throat.
The boy on the upper bunk sat up and looked, and he saw Bai Luochuan from the first class standing on the balcony of their dormitory, waiting for Mi Yang to finish washing up. It was unclear how much he had heard, but from his expression, he didn’t seem to care at all.
The boy waved his hand. “It’s fine. Bai Luochuan is one of us, right, class monitor Bai?”
Bai Luochuan smiled. “Yes.”
Mi Yang also heard this and smiled but didn’t say anything. He quickly washed up, put his toothbrush and water cup back, and was about to go out with Bai Luochuan.
Bai Luochuan was waiting on the side and was not in a hurry. Instead, he used his thumb to wipe the corner of his mouth and said with a smile, “How did you do that? You’re as clumsy as a child.”
Mi Yang wiped it himself a couple of times. Bai Luochuan nodded and said it was fine, and only then did he go out with him.
A classmate in the dormitory asked him, “Mi Yang, where are you going? The tuck shop?”
Mi Yang said, “To the playground. We should pass by it.”
The classmate thought for a moment. “Can you get me a bag of instant noodles?”
Before Mi Yang could speak, Bai Luochuan said, “You can go to the dormitory next door. This is the key to my cabinet. There are a dozen or so bags of instant noodles inside. You can go and pick one yourself.” He threw the small key over. The classmate opposite him took it with a thousand thanks, shook his sleeves, and bowed to him, saying with a grin, “Farewell, Your Majesty!”
Bai Luochuan took Mi Yang to the playground. It was after ten, and there were not many people running on the school’s playground at this time. There were only one or two people who passed by, reciting words. They were probably afraid of disturbing their other classmates in the dormitory and had come here to work hard.
The playground was covered with an orange-red rubber track, which was very soft to step on. The streetlights were ten or so meters apart, and the areas with heavy tree shadows were dark, and you couldn’t see anything. You could only hear the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves at night.
Bai Luochuan took him for a short walk and asked some trivial questions. When they reached a streetlight, he stopped and said, “Little Good Boy, I have something for you.” He handed a small box to Mi Yang and waited for him to open it, a little nervous. “I didn’t have much time to prepare, but after thinking about it, this is the best I could do. I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
The small box was heavy in his hand. After Mi Yang opened it, he saw a carnelian butterfly. It was a very small butterfly, exquisitely and beautifully made, with black and gold patterns inlaid on it. Its spread wings were also lifelike, red as fire, and as rich as blood. The light that flashed under the light was like a stream of red.
Bai Luochuan was still whispering, “I was originally going to the shopping mall that day to see if there was anything you liked. But seeing that you weren’t very interested in those things, I didn’t buy anything and prepared this instead. I told them to make it into a bookmark, but those people were so stupid. They only understood after I repeated it several times. They almost made it into a piece of jewelry.”
Just by looking at it, a piece of deep red carnelian with such high purity was more suitable for making into a piece of jewelry.
Mi Yang held it in his hand and played with it for a while. The cool touch in his palm was very comfortable. “It’s a bit like the little butterfly from the military training.”
Bai Luochuan became happy again. “That’s right. It’s that one. You still remember, right? You can keep it this time. You don’t have to just remember it.”
Mi Yang was a little hesitant. “Is this… a reward for winning the debate competition?”
Bai Luochuan chuckled and got a little closer to him, saying affectionately, “Of course not. It’s a birthday gift. Have you forgotten your own birthday? Little Good Boy, happy birthday.”
Mi Yang looked up at him. “It’s tomorrow, right?”
Bai Luochuan snorted. “I want to be the first to tell you at 12 o’clock.”
Mi Yang chuckled and looked down at the gift. “It’s a pity I can’t treat you to a cake.”
Bai Luochuan said, “Tomorrow, at noon tomorrow…”
Mi Yang interrupted him. “You’re not having someone send a cake over at noon, are you? Let me guess, it’s the kind with several layers, very big.”
Bai Luochuan: “…”
Bai Luochuan said, “Well, we can share it with everyone. There are so many classmates anyway.”
Mi Yang thought for a moment and scratched his chin. “No need. We’ll have to light candles then, and it’s quite embarrassing to make a wish in public.”
Bai Luochuan was stubborn. “But you have to make a wish, right? Is there nothing you want?”
Mi Yang thought for a moment. “There is one. Don’t have someone send a cake. I’ll make a wish in advance today.”
Bai Luochuan was dissatisfied. “There are no candles. If I had known, I would have had someone send the cake today, just in time for 12 o’clock.”
Mi Yang smiled. “No need. I have this.” He shook the small box in his hand, took out the carnelian butterfly, and held it in his palm. He put his hands together and rested them on his chin, starting to make a wish. He closed his eyes for a long while before he opened them again, a smile still on his lips.
Bai Luochuan was curious. “What did you wish for?”
Mi Yang said, “That everyone is healthy, and that we make progress in our studies!”
Bai Luochuan said, “And? Is there anything about yourself?”
Mi Yang’s gaze fell on his stubborn eyes, then moved away, and he lowered his head and smiled. “There is one, but it will take a long time to come true. Even if this time… it’s not so smooth, I want to take the initiative and do my best to get it.”
Bai Luochuan didn’t understand and pressed on, “Get what? Can I help? Why don’t you tell me?”
Mi Yang shook his head, put the small box in his pocket, and accepted this beautiful little gift, his eyes curving. “Let’s wait two years. If I can’t do it, I’ll ask you for help then.”
The birthday boy was the biggest. Hearing him say that, Bai Luochuan nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
The person who had received the gift was satisfied, and the person who had given the gift was also satisfied. Bai Luochuan walked the remaining half a lap with him, and the two of them went back to the dormitory together.
Bai Luochuan saw him off and then went back to his own dormitory next door.
The first year of high school was all six-person rooms. After Bai Luochuan had switched with the other students, he could only live in the dormitory next to Mi Yang. The two of them were separated by a wall, and they were both lying on the lower bunk in the same position.
After the lights were turned off in the dormitory at night, Mi Yang couldn’t sleep. He turned to face the wall and reached out to touch the cold wall.
Bai Luochuan was sleeping opposite him. Strictly speaking, this was the first time they had slept separately.
During the military training, he had been so tired that he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He had been so busy that he hadn’t had much time to think about these things. But he still had dark circles under his eyes. He had originally thought that he had already quit the little pillow, but it was only at that time that he realized that the reason he had been able to fall asleep without the little pillow before was because of Bai Luochuan. Because this person had always been by his side, he was so familiar that he could replace the little pillow. As long as he was there, Mi Yang could always fall asleep quickly and soundly.
When Bai Luochuan had asked him during the military training if he had slept well, he could answer now. Not at all.
A habit of more than ten years had become a matter of course. Without the other person by his side, it was as if something important was missing, and he always felt a little uncomfortable. Mi Yang unconsciously pinched the corner of his pillow with his fingers, then felt that the touch was not right, and let go, turning over.
He wanted to know what the young master Bai opposite him was doing now. Was he also facing the wall, lying on his side and feeling uncomfortable? At this time in the past, the young master Bai would deliberately hold his wrist and lazily insist that he tell him a story before he would go to sleep.
Just thinking of this, Mi Yang’s gaze softened, and the corners of his lips also lifted slightly.
Bai Luochuan lay on the bed in the dormitory next door, his arm pillowed under his head, his eyes closed, and not saying a word.
The low voices in the dormitory were very lively. After a period of school, someone had already ranked the girls in each class and had chosen a school belle. Someone said with great interest, “I told you so. Ningning from the second class would definitely be chosen. I heard she can also play the piano and was admitted as a special student. She’s won a lot of awards and is very talented!”
Another was not convinced. “Not necessarily. I think the class belle of the tenth class is also very good!”
The person on the upper bunk snorted. “How is she better than Ningning?”
Someone whispered, “She has a good figure.”
The whole dormitory burst into a low laugh.
Although the boy on the upper bunk was a strong supporter of Ningning, he also sighed with emotion, “It’s a pity Ningning has someone she likes.”
The one who liked to gossip immediately asked, “Really? School has just started, right? Who has the school belle taken a liking to? Where did you hear that?”
The person snorted. “The Youth League branch secretary of the second class, Mi Yang! I seem to have heard that they’ve been together since the military training.”
Bai Luochuan’s face darkened. “Nonsense.”
The person said, “It’s true. A childhood friend of mine is in the second class. He told me. That time, Ningning even wrote a letter to Mi Yang. She was too shy to give it to him herself, but it was not appropriate to leave it in the class, so she had my childhood friend pass it on! Aiyo, you don’t know, my buddy’s face was red at that time. He even thought he had received a love letter for himself!”
Bai Luochuan’s face was even worse. “When did this happen?”
“Just a couple of days ago. Brother Bai, you’re not going to get involved, are you?”
Bai Luochuan said coldly, “I’m his older brother. Shouldn’t I get involved?”
The classmate said with a chuckle, “Brother Bai, you’re so protective. If Mi Yang were a big girl, I would have thought you two were dating! You’re too strict.”
Bai Luochuan said with an unhappy face, “How old is he? What kind of dating? Puppy love has no good end.”
The classmate said, “Yes, yes, the class monitor is right!”
The people in the dormitory felt that Bai Luochuan was worthy of being the class monitor. This person’s awareness was really high. When boys got together, they would always discuss which girl had a good figure and which had a pretty face. Bai Luochuan had no such awareness at all. Not only that, but he was also very strict with his little brother and also did not let his little brother have any contact with them. It could be said that he was a very responsible older brother.
Someone was still sighing with emotion, “I think Mi Yang is very polite to all the girls. The girls all say he’s good and has a gentlemanly demeanor…”
Bai Luochuan interrupted impatiently, “That’s because he has a little sister at home, so he’s used to taking care of people.”
“No wonder. Class monitor, are you and Mi Yang’s families also very close? Are you relatives?”
Bai Luochuan said in a muffled voice, “No, childhood friends.”
Everyone had heard a little gossip and were chatting more happily. But their interest in boys was not that great, and they soon shifted to the girls, talking about who had dated in middle school, what gifts they had given, and how much effort they had put in to win over their little girlfriends. Speaking of this, they naturally mentioned Bai Luochuan again. Someone was curious, “Hey Brother Bai, what about your little girlfriend, the one who gave you the beef jerky? How did you chase her back then?”
Bai Luochuan was silent for a moment, then said slowly, “He, he’s my childhood friend.”
Someone protested, “How can it be a childhood friend again? Is the class monitor fooling us!”
“That’s right, that’s right! We strongly demand the details!”
Bai Luochuan, however, refused to speak and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. But it was not so easy to fall asleep. Listening to the conversation in his ear, he was thinking of the person in his heart.
Bai Luochuan thought of Mi Yang’s birthdays in the past. He would give him his favorite basketballs, clothes, and game consoles. No matter if Mi Yang liked them or not, he would always give him a portion of his best. But now, he had started to pay attention to Mi Yang’s gaze, to see what he paid more attention to, and he couldn’t help but observe him and try to figure out what he wanted.
Bai Luochuan had never worked so hard to try to please someone, and he was doing it willingly.
This was no longer the kind of affection for a little brother.
Bai Luochuan had never given so much to anyone else. Since he was a child, this figure had always been by his side. From the time he was learning to walk with his short little legs, there had been no one else. He had always protected Mi Yang, seeing himself as his older brother, and was better to Mi Yang than anyone else. But he had never thought that one day, it would be as if he had suddenly opened his eyes, and in the bustling crowd, he could only see him.
That feeling of a fluttering heart was called love.
Bai Luochuan lay there for a long time before he figured something out.
He seemed to have had a puppy love.
The person he liked was different. It was not a girl, but a person like himself. His brow furrowed for a moment, then quickly relaxed. The conflict in his heart quickly turned into relief. He had checked books after the summer vacation and had also read some materials. His situation was not uncommon. The person he liked was too young, and he would have to wait for several years. And because of this, he had several years to completely figure it out, to figure out his own thoughts, and also to figure out Mi Yang’s thoughts, and then to prepare for the future.
It was like a giant dragon coiling its body to protect its treasure, and he could watch the other grow up.
To grow until his wings were full and his scales and teeth were sharp.
