Bai Yan
The light in the early morning of the weekend is lazier than usual. It creeps into the room through the gap in the old curtains, cutting out a hazy spot of light on the floor.
Lin Xiyan woke up later than usual. The anesthetic had worn off completely, and the wounds on his arms and ankles began to throb with a distinct, persistent, dull pain. He opened his eyes and stared at the blurry patterns on the ceiling for a few seconds before slowly adjusting to the light.
There is nothing around me.
There was still a slight dent on the other side of the bed, and the lingering warmth of his body. The air seemed to still linger with the clean scent of Jiang Yibai. But he was gone.
A familiar feeling of emptiness, like a cold tide, silently crept over me, instantly drowning out the fleeting, dizzying warmth of last night. He was gone, after all. Like all the light that briefly lingered, it never truly lingered for him.
Lin Xiyan slowly sat up, the movement causing him to gasp in pain as he pulled at his wound. The room was eerily quiet, the only sound being his own faint breathing. Dust particles danced silently in the sunlight, further accentuating the desolate and cold atmosphere of this small space.
He was stunned for a moment, watching the beam of light slowly move across the floor. There was nothing to do. Normally at this time, he would be on his way to work or buried in homework. But now, his arms ached and his feet were inconvenient, as if the whole world had paused, leaving him alone in this corner, forgotten.
An indescribable irritation and confusion gripped him. He threw back the covers, endured the pain, and, using his uninjured left foot as support, inched his way to the bed. He put on his slippers, hopped on one foot, and clumsily moved to the door.
Maybe... I should get some fresh air? Even if it's just to stand by the door for a while.
He took a deep breath and turned the rusty doorknob.
The door creaked open.
The cool morning air rushed in, carrying with it the unique, mixed smell of the old city. The sunlight was a little dazzling.
However, the expected deserted corridor did not appear.
A figure was crouching in the shadows of the stairs, his back to the door. He had broad shoulders and was wearing a simple white T-shirt and sweatpants. His hair looked a little messy, as if he had just hastily styled it.
It’s Jiang Yibai.
Lin Xiyan was stunned, and his fingers holding the door frame subconsciously tightened.
The squatting man seemed to hear the door opening and turned around.
Their eyes met.
Jiang Yibai's face was expressionless, his purple eyes bright and penetrating in the morning light. He saw Lin Xiyan and frowned ever so slightly, as if worried. "Why are you up? Your feet don't hurt anymore?"
His eyes fell on Lin Xiyan's sockless feet and the injured foot that was lightly touching the ground, not daring to use any force.
Lin Xiyan opened her mouth, but before she could make a sound, her attention was drawn to what Jiang Yibai was holding in his arms.
It was a cat. A tiny one, perhaps two or three months old, with orange and white fur, looking soft and fluffy. It nestled lovingly in Jiang Yibai's arms, its round, amber eyes curiously gazing at Lin Xiyan at the doorway, and it meowed softly.
It was the smallest and weakest of the stray cats he often fed, the orange kitten by the school's back wall. He remembered it because it always lost out to the other cats, hiding timidly behind them, waiting until the others had finished eating before cautiously licking the leftovers. It was very much like him.
Yesterday... he seemed to be worried that they would be hungry because he didn't feed them.
Jiang Yibai... brought it here?
Jiang Yibai followed his gaze, lowered his head, looked at the kitten in his arms, then raised his head to look at Lin Xiyan, who was standing at the door in a daze. He stood up and walked over with the cat in his arms, his movements so natural that it seemed like something that happened every day.
He stood in front of Lin Xiyan, and without saying a word, he gently put the soft and warm little life in his arms into Lin Xiyan's stiff, uninjured left arm.
"Here," he said, as casually as if he were handing over an insignificant book, "this is for you."
A furry, warm little ball suddenly fell into his arms, bringing with it the soft touch and subtle purring of a small animal. Lin Xiyan froze, his arms instinctively clenching, yet he dared not use force, fearing to hurt the fragile creature. The kitten, seemingly unfazed, adjusted itself in his arms, finding a comfortable nestling position. It tilted its head back and gazed at him with clear amber eyes, a color strikingly similar to Lin Xiyan's.
"It..." Lin Xiyan's throat was dry and his voice was a little hoarse, "How did you..."
"I passed by this morning and saw it crying out in hunger. It was so pitiful." Jiang Yibai said calmly, as if he had just picked up a leaf. "Since you can't go out these two days, I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to keep it company."
He spoke lightly, not mentioning how he ran to the back wall of the school early in the morning, how he patiently lured the cat with cat food, and how he carefully coaxed this most timid kitten into a cat bag he had bought on the spur of the moment and brought it back.
Lin Xiyan lowered his head, gazing at the warm little creature in his arms. The kitten extended its tender pink tongue and tentatively licked the tip of his finger. The moist, slightly rough touch, like a subtle electric current, spread along his fingertips, reaching the most aching part of his heart.
He carefully and gently stroked the kitten's head with his left hand. His fingertips sank into the soft and fluffy fur. The kitten squinted its eyes in comfort, and the purring in its throat became louder.
A strange, warm current, along with the trusting embrace of this little life, slowly poured into his empty and cold chest.
"...Thank you." His voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the kitten's purring.
Jiang Yibai looked at his lowered, focused profile, watched the careful yet loving movements of his fingertips, watched the loneliness around him seem to be slightly dispelled by the small ball of warmth in his arms. A subtle hint of satisfaction and tenderness flashed across his purple eyes.
"Have you chosen a name?" Jiang Yibai leaned against the door frame and asked casually.
Lin Xiyan was stunned for a moment and shook his head. He had never thought about owning anything, let alone naming a life.
Jiang Yibai looked at him, his eyes sweeping across the orange and white kitten in his arms, then back to his face, the corners of his mouth slightly raised in a gentle arc.
"Call Bai Yan," he said. His voice was not loud, but it was clear enough to be heard in the quiet morning air.
Bai Yan.
Two words. His cypress. His words.
Lin Xiyan's petting of the kitten suddenly stopped. Her fingertips were still lingering on the soft fur, but her heart felt like it had been hit hard and unexpectedly. It suddenly contracted, then began to beat wildly again, making her eardrums buzz.
Blood rushed to his head, and his cheeks, ears, and even his neck quickly burned. He raised his head abruptly and met Jiang Yibai's smiling gaze. That gaze was straightforward and frank, yet it carried a burning, unmistakable tenderness.
The kitten seemed to sense his suddenly disordered heartbeat and stiffness, moved uneasily, and meowed softly.
Lin Xiyan hurriedly lowered his head, trying to hide his momentary panic. His fingers unconsciously tightened, burying deeper into the kitten's warm, soft fur. Bai Yan... This name was like a huge rock dropped into the lake of his heart, stirring up a thousand waves and shaking his soul.
Jiang Yibai looked at his instantly reddened ears and face almost buried in the cat's fur. The smile on his lips deepened, but he didn't pursue it any further. He naturally reached out his hand, not to touch Lin Xiyan, but to gently scratch the kitten's chin.
"Bai Yan," he called out this name, his voice low and gentle, as if he was calling out to some treasure, "Do you like your new home?"
The kitten felt comfortable with his tickling, and tilted its head back, rubbing against his fingers.
Lin Xiyan watched the two fingers, one large and one small, interacting, and listened to Jiang Yibai's beautiful voice naturally calling out that name. She felt her face burning up. Her heartbeat was so rapid that she could barely breathe.
The kitten in his arms, that name, and the person standing in front of him with a gentle smile... everything was like a dream that was too beautiful and too turbulent, wrapping him tightly.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that his throat was choked and he couldn't utter a single word. In the end, he just hugged the warm little life in his arms tighter, and very gently, he rubbed his cheek against the top of the kitten's furry head.
The movements were filled with complete dependence and cherishment.
Jiang Yibai watched this scene, and the soft spot in his heart completely collapsed, softening into a pool of spring water. He withdrew his hand and put it in his trouser pocket.
"Okay, it's cold outside, let's take it inside." His tone returned to its usual casual tone, as if he wasn't the one who dropped the bombshell just now. "I'm going to buy breakfast. What do you want?"
Lin Xiyan was still immersed in the huge impact brought by the name and the warm touch of the little life in her arms. Her head was dizzy and she didn't hear what he said at all. She just nodded randomly based on instinct.
Jiang Yibai chuckled softly, and finally couldn't help it. He reached out and rubbed his hair very quickly and lightly.
"Wait."
After saying that, he turned around and walked downstairs briskly.
Lin Xiyan stood stiffly at the door holding the kitten named "Bai Yan". It was not until the footsteps disappeared at the end of the corridor that she seemed to slowly come to her senses.
He lowered his head, looking into the pair of clear amber eyes in his arms that were very similar to his own. His heart was still beating wildly, and every beat was pounding on that burning name -
Bai Yan.
His cat.
A gift from Jiang Yibai.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
