Chapter 48 Dream

Qing Bai and the other two stayed in the hospital until night. Just as they were discussing who should stay on guard, the problem was solved - Gao Tai in the next ward woke up.

Looking at the tall and straight man with clear eyes at the door, if he hadn't introduced himself, Qi Xiaopang wouldn't have dared to believe that this was the same person as the gloomy and thin junior high school student in the crack.

Gao Tai: "You guys go back and rest. I'll take care of him in the hospital."

After what happened at the end of the crack, Qi Xiaopang did not doubt his intentions towards Ban Bieyi, but... looking at the hospital gown on Gao Tai, he always felt that they were suspected of abusing the patient.

Qi Xiaopang's thoughts were always exposed, and even Gao Tai, who had only known him for a short time, could see through them at a glance. He was about to say a few words to comfort the fat boy, but Ban Bieyi, who had woken up in the bed at some point, spoke first. "You guys can go back. I'm feeling much better now, so I don't need anyone to stay with me... Gao Tai also needs to stay in the hospital for observation, so I'd like to talk to him."

No need to leave anyone behind to look after him, but Gao Tai to chat... Qi Xiaopang's eyes suddenly lit up, feeling as if he'd realized something profound... Although he wasn't involved, he'd heard a lot about their past love, hate, and grudges. Laoban and Gao Tai had been together for years due to some strange coincidence, so wasn't this the perfect opportunity to reconcile?!

"Okay, okay, then you guys have a good chat. We'll go back first and come see you tomorrow!" Qi Xiaopang retreated actively, contrary to his usual behavior, and took Qing Bai and Ai Chan with him.

After leaving the house, he saw Qing Bai still looking inside the door, looking worried. Fatty Qi closed the door and said to him, "Brother Qing, don't worry. This Gaotai is very considerate of our old classmate!"

After all, a person's true character is revealed in times of adversity. Even in such a dangerous place like the crevice, the high platform is still being maintained. Wouldn't it be upgraded and doubled after they emerge? Who knows, when they come back tomorrow, these two might become inseparable brothers!

Qing Bai, who had been debating whether to take the umbrella with him, glanced at Qi Xiaopang and said calmly, "I'm not afraid that he's not attentive, I'm just afraid that he's too attentive."

After saying that, Qing Bai turned and went to the elevator. The umbrella was of average quality, so it was better not to have it.

Qi Xiaopang: “???”

Looking at Qing Bai's back, Qi Xiaopang always felt that there was something else behind his brother Qing's words.

It was not until he returned to Weiming New Village and pushed open the gate of the courtyard that Qi Xiaopang suddenly remembered that his brother Qing seemed to have done something...incidental today?

But on second thought, that might not be the case. Considering the situation at that time, what if his brother Qing was just trying to please Chang Qiuqiu?

Qi Xiaopang pondered over it, but still couldn't come to a conclusion. He felt that he couldn't figure it out on his own, so he decided to gather everyone's wisdom. He pulled Ai Chan next to him and whispered, "You and Brother Qing have known each other for several years. Do you think my brother... likes humans?"

After saying it, Qi Xiaopang felt it would be better to be more tactful, so he changed the subject immediately.

Ai Chan failed to grasp Qi Xiaopang's subtlety, and thought he was trying to discuss racial issues. She immediately said sternly, "Even though he's not human, he must like people."

There's a way! Qi Xiaopang's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked, "So do you think it's a man or a woman?"

"?" Ai Chan had an expression on his face that said, "How can a monk like me discuss this kind of issue?"

Fat Qi couldn't be polite anymore when he saw his expression, but he still glanced at Qing Bai's position. Seeing that he was already walking upstairs, he spoke with confidence, "I have a suspicion, just a suspicion, that my brother Qing's luxury cruise ship seems to be docked at Wan Chai Pier... You know what Wan Chai Pier means, right?"

Feeling underestimated, Ai Chan chuckled and pointed at the large ink-splashed "Zhai" character on his clothes. What didn't he understand? He knew everything. Not only did he understand, he was proficient in it.

Before Qi Xiaopang could complain about how a monk like you could understand so much, Ai Chan said, "Don't doubt it, your brother Qing does have a VIP luxury berth at Wan Chai Pier."

His suspicions were confirmed, but Fat Qi was a little bit unconvinced: "How can you be so sure?"

He's the one who's been with Brother Qing day and night these past few years, and he doesn't even know...

An inexplicable desire to compare suddenly arose!

Ai Chan's expression was calm, as if she was saying something that was absolutely normal, ordinary, and certain: "Because he has a boyfriend. Oh no, an ex-boyfriend."

"You have a boyfriend?!!" And he's an ex-boyfriend?! Fatty Qi was completely stunned.

Ai Chan nodded: "How else do you think we met?"

Qi Xiaopang asked blankly, "How...how did you know each other?"

Is there some necessary connection between his brother Qing's ex-boyfriend and his acquaintance with Ai Chan? Could it be that Ai Chan is his brother Qing's ex-boyfriend, and after their breakup, he was so heartbroken and unable to comprehend the truth that he became a monk... Ugh! Stop thinking! This is horrible!

"I met him at a Dharma assembly held in our temple," Ai Chan said.

Qi Xiaopang still didn't understand and could only dryly admire: "As expected of Brother Qing, your dates are so unique and different. Others just eat, drink, have fun and watch movies on dates, but my Brother Qing goes straight to the temple to bask in the Buddha's light..."

Ai Chan had a strange expression on his face: "It's not a date, nor is it a bath in the Buddha's light."

"He came to the temple to find someone to perform a ritual for his ex-boyfriend."

Qi Xiaopang: “???”

He is worthy of being called Brother Qing, he is unique and different.

Qi Xiaopang: "Tell me in detail?"

…

Although everyone had gone upstairs, Qing Bai could still vaguely hear the conversation between Qi Xiaopang and Ai Chan downstairs. Not only because the two of them were getting more excited and louder as they talked, but also because his hearing and eyesight had become much clearer recently.

But at the moment, he was in no mood or energy to join or stop the discussion between the two.

...The cat didn't come back.

Qing Bai looked around the empty and simple room, which could be seen at a glance. After confirming again that there was no cat inside, Qing Bai simply turned off the light that had just been turned on. He hesitated for a moment when he closed the door with his backhand, and finally did not close it tightly, leaving a gap.

Qing Bai didn't expect that he could be so calm. Not only did he not become anxious and collapse, but he even fell asleep immediately. He even fell asleep and had a dream that was not a nightmare. He dreamed of Tong Jiunian, who was once eighteen years old.

In fact, it is difficult to accurately determine a person's age to the single digit with the naked eye, but Qing Bai knew that this was the eighteen-year-old Tong Jiunian, just as he knew that he was dreaming... He still indulged in pleasure for a while, staring at Tong Jiunian's smooth, thin and handsome profile almost greedily.

"...The last big question in today's physics exam was a bit beyond the syllabus. It took me half an hour to figure it out. I don't know if it's correct. Let's compare it later. I'm sure our Qingqing has figured it out." Eighteen-year-old Tong Jiunian suddenly turned around while speaking. His smiling eyes were soft, bright and warm, reflecting a little Qing Bai in a high school uniform.

For some reason, Qing Bai suddenly felt a little panicked, subconsciously wanting to look away, not daring to continue looking at him. Perhaps it was because Tong Jiunian in his dream was still the eighteen-year-old boy whose frown was like a mountain and whose smile was like water, but he was no longer the Qing Bai of the past.

In the midst of panic and confusion, Qing Bai heard his own voice muffled, complaining with a youthful tone: "Don't call me Qingqing."

"Okay, okay, then... Xiaobai? Xiaoqingbai? Qingxiaobai?" Although the eighteen-year-old Tong Jiunian looks mature and steady, he is actually very naughty in private, especially when it is just the two of them. He always finds ways to tease Qingbai and will not stop until he makes the usually expressionless person change his face.

"Whatever you want." The conversation was too familiar. They had exchanged this and that countless times in the old days. Qing Bai blurted it out without even thinking. After saying that, Qing Bai began to feel annoyed again. It was so hard to dream of him once, so she should have given way. What if... what if he didn't come again?

Tong Jiunian likes to tease Qing Bai, but once Qing Bai's expression changes, he will immediately stop and start trying every possible way to make him happy.

Just like now, Qing Bai is still feeling frustrated, but the young boy Tong Jiunian has already started to coax him skillfully.

"There's a new stand selling roasted sweet potatoes at the back door of the school. Should we go buy some?"

Qing Bai turned his gaze back to Tong Jiunian. The young man was full of vigor and it was difficult to judge the temperature and season just from his clothes, especially when he was a student and wore school uniforms all year round. The four seasons were never clear. Summer vacation was always summer and winter vacation was always winter. But if there were roasted sweet potatoes, it must be winter... the last winter.

Qing Bai opened his mouth, wanting to say, "Okay, let's go together," but what came out was, "Haven't you eaten enough at home? You still need to come to school to buy food? You have so much money to burn?"

How could I have been so good at talking before? I might as well kill him, Qing Bai thought with a dull face.

Qing Bai was irritated by him, but Tong Jiunian didn't mind at all. Not only did he not mind, he even took the opportunity to rub Qing Bai's cheek: "Okay, okay, when we get home for the holidays, we'll grill some for ourselves! Grill a whole basket!"

It was not until Qing Bai subconsciously and skillfully raised his hand to slap away Tong Jiunian's hand that was messing with his face that he suddenly remembered that he was not as thin as he is now... When Qing Bai was in high school, his face still had a bit of baby fat. Tong Jiunian always looked for opportunities to attack, and he was very particular about it. This time he rubbed one side of his face, and next time he would definitely rub the other side, calling it symmetry. He must not let Qing Bai's beautiful and handsome face be ruined, and he would be responsible.

"Don't be so touchy..." Qing Bai seemed to sigh in the dream, his tone softened, but still with a youthful crispness. "The scholarship just came in, you should at least save some. Let's pool our money and buy Grandpa a nice winter down jacket, the kind that covers the knees. I heard this winter is very cold, the kind that only happens once every fifty years..."

Tong Jiunian suddenly grabbed Qing Bai's shoulders while she was speaking seriously, chuckled, lowered her head to the back of Qing Bai's shoulder, and sighed softly: "Our Qing Qing is so virtuous..."

Qing Bai blinked. Even though he knew it was a dream, his heart was still beating like a drum. His throat felt like there was a whole cumulonimbus cloud stuck in it, wet and heavy. However, his current feelings could no longer affect the conversation that had already happened.

He heard his own earnest correction: "It's not virtuous, it's filial piety."

"Okay, okay, it's filial piety, it's filial piety. Grandpa is our grandfather anyway." Tong Jiunian was still smiling, and his tone was raised as he started to tease again, "It's just that our little Qingbai is wronged. It's so cold that he can't eat fragrant, sweet, hot roasted sweet potatoes. It's too bad that the winter that comes once every fifty years is too bad. It's a rare opportunity for us to meet, and you don't even think of treating us."

For some reason, Qing Bai in the dream did not respond. It had been so long since they separated that the dreaming Qing Bai no longer knew how to respond at such a time.

So he could only stare blankly and listen quietly to the lively 18-year-old Tong Jiunian talking about the trivial campus events that the 23-year-old Qing Bai had long forgotten.

"...I heard from my senior that the chili oil at the cold noodle shop next to Kyoto University is really delicious. Let's go there together after the exams next summer."

"...Okay, let's go together."

…

The moment he opened his eyes, Qing Bai could no longer tell whether the last sentence was said by the eighteen-year-old Qing Bai or by his twenty-three-year-old self.

Half asleep and half awake, he met a pair of light golden eyes, which were as soft, bright and gentle as the smiling eyes of the eighteen-year-old Tong Jiunian in his dream.

Having just woken up, Qing Bai was still a little confused and tired. He wanted to say with a smile, "You're back," or "Want some roasted sweet potatoes?", but what he said was a milky sound: "Meow——"

Qing Bai woke up instantly and quickly realized that something was wrong - why did the cat's eyes suddenly become so big... No, it was he who became smaller!