Chapter 33
After school, Lu Bai followed Zhang Xiaotian back home.
It was just getting dark when they entered the house. By the time they finished their study session, it was already so dark outside that even the stars couldn't be seen. Zhang Xiaotian stretched his arms while sitting on a stool. He turned around and was about to say something to Lu Bai when the phone screen beside him lit up.
It was a message from his mother, asking him to call her back when he was free.
"I'm going to call my mom. You go wash up first." Zhang Xiaotian pointed at him and watched him go into the bathroom before walking to the balcony with his phone. He reached out and opened the window a crack, and the fresh, cool air from outside flowed in against his wrist. After dialing, the call was quickly connected. Zhang Xiaotian picked at the tape on the window frame intermittently and asked:
"What's wrong, mom? Why aren't you resting so late?"
"Nothing." There was the sound of shuffling papers on the other end of the line. Mom briefly explained that she couldn't go back for the time being, then asked, "Have you been eating normally lately?"
"Hmm." There was a piece of glue stuck in the crack of his fingernail. Zhang Xiaotian shrugged and clamped the phone, freeing one hand to try to get it out, and then he heard his mother say:
"I've been busy these past two days and haven't had time to contact you. Today, I finally got some free time and saw a message on my phone about a malfunction in my refrigerator. Since you said you ate on time, did you eat takeout? Otherwise, how could you not have noticed the refrigerator malfunction?"
This refrigerator can also send messages?!
"...It's not all takeout." Zhang Xiaotian was incredulous. He looked up at the refrigerator that hadn't been opened for a long time and could only explain, "It's a bit troublesome to cook it myself."
"Not all? Then what else is there besides takeout?"
"Just, instant noodles, instant rice or something..." I felt that if I said I was going to Lu Bai's house for dinner, she would be angry, so saying instant noodles might be better.
"Living with me now is like living with me now, just like before. You can't just live so casually. Tomorrow I'll ask Xiao Wang to go check on you and ask her to find someone to cook for you." The sound of her fingertips tapping on the table carried an undeniable tone. "Eating this all the time isn't considered a normal meal."
Zhang Xiaotian quickly said, "Don't bother Aunt Wang... I won't eat takeout anymore."
"Why bother her by asking her to come? You're right. We really shouldn't waste our energy on cooking right now. Studying is the most important thing. Nothing else matters." Mom said, "Don't worry about it. I'll arrange it. I'll have Xiao Wang go over tomorrow."
Zhang Xiaotian knew his mother rarely changed her mind, so he stopped talking about rejection. His mother then talked about the upcoming monthly exam, reminding him to study hard and maintain a good sleep schedule. Zhang Xiaotian mumbled, unsure what else to say. He only offered a few casual inquiries about her health before hanging up the phone, excused by the need to rest.
After hanging up the phone, he breathed a sigh of relief, closed the window, turned around and saw Lu Bai standing at the door of his room looking at him.
"Why is talking to your mom on the phone like answering questions in class?"
Lu Bai saw him hang up the phone and turned back into the room. Zhang Xiaotian didn't say anything after hearing him say that and went straight to take a shower. When he came out after taking a shower, Lu Bai was lying on his bed playing with his phone.
Zhang Xiaotian was nervous for a while before entering the room, but when he saw Lu Bai lying on his bed as naturally as if he were at home, he couldn't help laughing at his own incompetence.
This was Lu Bai's second night staying at his house. Perhaps because he was grumpy, he had been so relaxed this morning. But when he finally did what he said, he didn't even dare sit on his own bed. Zhang Xiaotian swallowed and slowly got into bed. Just as he was lying down, Lu Bai jumped up.
"Don't sleep yet." Lu Bai said to Zhang Xiaotian, "Let me see your feet."
"Don't look." Zhang Xiaotian buried his head in the quilt and turned sideways with his back facing Lu Bai.
"Hurry up, don't waste time." Lu Bai patted Zhang Xiaotian through the quilt, intentionally or unintentionally hitting his sunken waist and abdomen. These pats almost made half of Zhang Xiaotian's body numb.
"...You've seen it so many times." Zhang Xiaotian wanted to hide but felt that it would make him seem overreacting, so he stood still. "What changes can there be in just one day?"
"I was worried, so I just took a look." Lu Bai said this outside the quilt. Zhang Xiaotian didn't reply. After waiting for a while, he could only hear the sound of clothes rubbing against the sheets, and didn't hear Lu Bai say anything else. Zhang Xiaotian thought he had given up and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly felt a chill and the quilt on his legs was directly lifted.
"Hey you!" Zhang Xiaotian was startled and jumped up from the bed like a carp. He wanted to cover his ankle, but he was a moment too late and his hand happened to press on the back of Lu Bai's hand.
"Why are you using so much force?" Lu Bai quickly pushed Zhang Xiaotian's hand away and looked at him carefully. "Don't you feel the pain?"
Zhang Xiaotian couldn't feel the pain anymore. He watched Lu Bai's fingertips trace the outline of his ankle, and he felt an itch in his chest. He endured the strange feeling and gently pushed Lu Bai's hand away: "Why does it hurt? It just looked scary. It's fine now."
"It looks much better." Lu Bai touched it twice again, feeling uneasy, and then said, "It healed so quickly..."
"What?"
"I say, it seems that he really only looks scary." Lu Bai covered him with the quilt again and fell back into the quilt. "I'll be relieved if he's almost healed."
"There's nothing to worry about. You made such a big fuss about coming to stay here that someone who didn't know me would think I couldn't take care of myself." Zhang Xiaotian also lay down. "If you had put your mind and energy into learning English, why would you have to come to me for tutoring?"
"Hey, can you please say something nice, Tian'er?" Lu Bai turned sideways to face Zhang Xiaotian and said with gritted teeth, "I've noticed that you've become really spoiled lately. You're so aggressive when you talk to me."
"I..." Zhang Xiaotian wanted to say that he didn't, but when the words came to his lips, he felt a little uneasy.
Why does this person use words so garbled?!
"That could only be you." Lu Bai let out a long sigh, resting his head on his arms and looking at the ceiling. "If it were Jiang Yan, he wouldn't even have the chance to open his mouth."
"You are so awesome." Zhang Xiaotian smiled.
"Don't underestimate me! I told you about a time..." Lu Bai also laughed, and then went on to talk about the time when he and Jiang Yan were deskmates. The lights in the room were turned off. Zhang Xiaotian took advantage of the gap when Lu Bai couldn't see him to turn his head to look at him. The blackout curtains didn't let in a single ray of light, so even if he tried to open his eyes wide, he could only see an outline. Although it was difficult to see people clearly in the darkness, it was also easy to blur the distance. Zhang Xiaotian only felt that Lu Bai's voice seemed to come from right next to his face, the tone high and low, the emotions fluctuating, like a sea breeze blowing in his face, enveloping him. His heartbeat was really unbearable, so he turned over with his back to Lu Bai and forced himself to close his eyes.
"...Just cherish the indulgence your master has shown you. I can't even hear you call me Master..." Lu Bai was still chattering, but when he heard the person next to him turn over, he stopped talking.
The room was completely silent. Zhang Xiaotian closed his eyes tightly, quietly counting his heartbeats until the only sound in the room was the even breathing. He then opened his eyes again. There were some things he didn't dare to ask directly. Firstly, he hadn't sorted himself out yet, and secondly... he didn't really know what kind of answer he wanted. When he was awake, he wouldn't say anything even if you forced him to. But now that Lu Bai was asleep, Zhang Xiaotian couldn't hold it back any longer. He opened his mouth and whispered again and again:
"Why do you say that you wouldn't do that to Jiang Yan?"
Why do I want to ask this? Zhang Xiaotian asked himself this question in his heart as he asked it. Even if he was a little different in Lu Bai's heart, what would it mean? In the final analysis, why did he care so much about his position in Lu Bai's heart?
Zhang Xiaotian had never had a friend as close as Lu Bai. He had always been aware of the difference between how Lu Bai treated others and how he treated him. He wasn't used to it at first, but even now he still secretly compares himself to others, wondering who holds a special place in Lu Bai's heart.
Whenever Zhang Xiaotian realized that he was comparing himself, he would feel very confused. He didn't know whether this behavior was right or normal. He didn't know whether all his friends would make such comparisons, or whether he was the only one who took it too seriously.
Maybe this is just how good friends are? And since you don't just have one best friend, you naturally treat different friends differently, so this kind of discrimination might not be meaningful in itself. Perhaps Lu Bai feels that Jiang Yan needs his care more than Jiang Yan does, which is why he's acting this way? Or perhaps Lu Bai simply feels more introverted and withdrawn?
After all, Lu Bai is such a kind person who likes to take care of others.
Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaotian decided that since he realized all this, he shouldn't continue to dwell on it. Regardless of whether it was discrimination or the reason why Lu Bai did this, since he had received Lu Bai's kindness, he should just follow the trend and be a qualified good friend.
As for the thoughts in my mind, they are mostly random fantasies.
...Since we're good friends, there's nothing wrong with sleeping face to face, right?
Zhang Xiaotian sorted himself out in his mind again, lifted the quilt and turned back. His movements were a little big, and Lu Bai opened his eyes and looked at him in a daze.
"Huh? I fell asleep..." Lu Bai rubbed his eyes.
"Well, go to sleep." Zhang Xiaotian watched Lu Bai close his eyes again, and was about to close his eyes to rest, but he heard him muttering something again.
"What..."
Zhang Xiaotian's mind moved, and he moved closer to Lu Bai, and only then did he hear clearly what he was saying.
"There's no reason why. Tian'er is different from others..."
Zhang Xiaotian felt that he would not be able to sleep well again tonight.
The result of not sleeping well is usually waking up late. When Lu Bai opened his eyes, morning self-study was about to begin.
"Damn! Tian'er!" Lu Bai threw back the quilt and was about to run out, but then he remembered he hadn't cleaned up yet, so he turned back and hurriedly dressed while calling Zhang Xiaotian to get up. Before Zhang Xiaotian's mind was clear, his body followed Lu Bai's movements. As soon as he had dressed like a normal person, Lu Bai quickly carried Zhang Xiaotian to the door. The two of them took one step forward and the other shallow, and they even fell in the entrance.
Lu Bai was pinned down, used as a cushion, grimacing in pain while keeping an eye on Zhang Xiaotian's feet. Zhang Xiaotian was anxious to get up from Lu Bai, but he didn't dare to put too much pressure on his feet, so he had to hold on to the wall for support. The two of them were in a mess and were encountered by Secretary Wang who had just walked in.
"This..." Secretary Wang was startled and hurried forward to help the two of them up. Noticing that Zhang Xiaotian was afraid to put one foot on the ground, he asked, "Hey, Xiaotian, what's wrong with you?"
"It's okay, Aunt Wang, I just twisted my ankle." Zhang Xiaotian quickly introduced her, "This is my classmate. He knew I sprained my ankle and came to our house to take care of me."
Lu Bai also nodded and greeted.
Secretary Wang asked Zhang Xiaotian, "Have you told your mother about your sprained ankle?"
Zhang Xiaotian straightened his clothes and said, "Not yet, it's not serious."
"Even if it's not serious, you have to be careful and don't let your family worry. Look how much your mother values you, she asked me to come check on you early this morning to see if you need anything." Secretary Wang said, "I thought you were gone before I walked in. Don't you have morning self-study today?"
Zhang Xiaotian then remembered about going to school and hurriedly said to Secretary Wang, "Auntie Wang, can you drive us to school?"
"So you got up late?" Secretary Wang turned and opened the door again. "Then we have to leave quickly."
Zhang Xiaotian and Lu Bai sat side by side in the back seat. Secretary Wang was driving in the front. He didn't speak to Zhang Xiaotian, but asked Lu Bai's name instead.
"He's Xiaotian's classmate. Thank you for taking care of him." Secretary Wang glanced back and asked, "Does your family know that you live with Xiaotian?"
"I know." Lu Bai replied.
"Student Lu Bai always takes good care of our Xiaotian at school, right?"
"I didn't do much. Tian'er...Xiaotian himself is very adaptable."
Secretary Wang continued, "I've also seen your class's report cards. Lu Bai seems to have done quite well. I'd appreciate it if you could discuss your studies with Xiaotian more often in the future..."
"Aunt Wang, are we almost there?" Zhang Xiaotian interrupted her. "Please drop us off here. It's not easy to turn around out front."
"It's okay, Aunt Wang will take you two to the school gate!" said Secretary Wang.
"No need, Aunt Wang, it's just a few steps away." Zhang Xiaotian had already put on his schoolbag and was looking at her through the rearview mirror.
When getting out of the car, Zhang Xiaotian refused to let Lu Bai support him. He forced himself to walk towards the school gate. After entering the campus, he looked back and saw that Secretary Wang's car was still parked.
"Why are you walking so fast? Don't your feet hurt?" Lu Bai followed him closely. Seeing him turn around, he also looked back. "Did your mother send someone to take care of you?"
Zhang Xiaotian didn't answer him, turned around and walked forward, thinking about the room he didn't have time to clean up.
She would definitely tell her mother about Lu Bai living here. Zhang Xiaotian felt a little annoyed that he hadn't thought of this earlier. He even pretended not to know Lu Bai in front of his mother.
Given his mother's style, she would definitely pay closer attention to his school life in the future, to see what kind of friends he made and whether it affected his grades. She would also need to "get to know" his close classmates, especially Lu Bai. He didn't want to cause trouble for Lu Bai.
"Lu Bai." Zhang Xiaotian looked at Lu Bai, who was still staring at his injured foot, and said, "You should go home tonight."
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