Xiaobai Is Also Troubled Today

The only thing they had in common was that neither knew what the future would hold.

 
When he got home from school, a familiar figure was already sitting at the dining table, not holding back in the slightest. "What took you so long?"
 

"Is the competition over?"
 
Bai Tingzhi irritably tossed his schoolbag aside. Seeing that Lin Yunian was already eating, he sat down next to him.

 
"It's done. It ended this morning, and I rushed back tonight. I just got here."
 

"Where are my parents?"
 
"They saw I was here and went out. Said they needed to buy something."

 
Bai Tingzhi nodded, then got up to get himself a bowl of rice from the kitchen.
 

"It's a little cold. Want me to heat it up?"
 
"If you don't mind it cold, then forget it. I'm too lazy."

 
Knowing Bai Tingzhi would say that, Lin Yunian stood up as soon as he asked the question and carried the two dishes to the kitchen.
 
"What am I supposed to eat while you're heating those up?" Bai Tingzhi complained, picking up two fried peanuts to eat.

 
"Can't you wait for me? It only takes a second to heat them up."
 

Soon, steaming-hot tomato and scrambled eggs and cola chicken wings were on the table. After setting them down, Lin Yunian took the three-delicacy soup back to the kitchen.
 
"You eat first. It'll be quick."

 
Bai Tingzhi didn't care about Lin Yunian's insistence and started eating on his own.
 

He had a small appetite and was full after just a little, so Lin Yunian had to finish the rest.
 
By the time Lin Yunian was done eating and had cleared the table, Bai Tingzhi had already changed his clothes and started a game at his desk.

 
"Did you bring my homework for me?"
 

"Homework? In your dreams. You can make it up at school tomorrow. You didn't even send me a message when you got back," Bai Tingzhi grumbled, taking off one side of his headphones.
 
Lin Yunian pulled over a stool and sat by Bai Tingzhi's small bookcase. Xiaobai's desk only had enough room for a computer and a few books, with no extra space for him. The bookshelf and low cabinet by the window, however, were perfect.

 
He browsed the bookshelf and picked out a book. Judging from the cover, it was a fairy tale; Bai Tingzhi mostly read these kinds of "childish" books.
 

After finishing his game, Bai Tingzhi put down his phone and gave a big stretch.
 
"Did you clean the kitchen?"

 
"Mmm." Lin Yunian leaned against the bookshelf, his head bowed over the book.
 

"Don't wash the dishes next time. It's embarrassing for you to do it when I'm here."
 
"You're so lazy. If I left them there, who knows when they'd get cleaned."

 
"Hmph!"
 

Bai Tingzhi frowned slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
 
"How was your competition?"

 
"It was fine, nothing to worry about." To be exact, he didn't really care for some reason, and it wasn't a very high-level competition anyway. Lin Yunian's gaze lifted from the book, happening to fall on the two pendants sitting on the desk.
 

"You had time to go buy these things?"
 
Bai Tingzhi followed his gaze. "Oh, you mean these. A classmate gave me one, and Gu Junzhu gave me the other."

 
"Not bad. Things are moving fast," Lin Yunian teased.
 

"Not at all! You know it's not like that... What do you think of Gu Junzhu?" Bai Tingzhi stopped mid-sentence to think for a moment.
 
"She's great. Excellent and beautiful. A good match for you."

 
Lin Yunian closed the book and placed it lightly on the desk.
 

"If you say that again, I'll send a truckload of angry bakers after you!"
 
"Go on, then." Lin Yunian threw up his hands, stood up, and walked over to Xiaobai. Because Bai Tingzhi was still sitting, he had to look up to see Lin Yunian's chest, and his face, no matter how much he tried to look fierce, just couldn't pull it off.

 
"You haven't been sleeping well these past two days, have you? You've got dark circles."
 

"Ah? I do?" Bai Tingzhi, who had been pretending to be angry, instantly dropped the act.
 
"Look in the mirror. It's so obvious, how could anyone not see it?"

 
"It's all because you weren't here! I couldn't even copy my homework properly. Yesterday, you made me go to school at noon!"
 

"What about the day before? Why didn't you do it earlier?"
 
Bai Tingzhi thought back. That day had seemed busy, but he hadn't actually done much. He went to find the general store, had dessert with Lu Tianshu, and returned books with Gu Junzhu...

 
At that thought, his lowered head shot up, his eyes shining as he looked at Lin Yunian.
 

"Did you know Gu Junzhu's family is really rich?"
 
"I know. So?"

 
"Do you know how rich her family is?"
 

"How rich?" Lin Yunian didn't seem very interested in the question.
 
"Her father gave her a huge bookstore as a birthday present! And she has a private car service! I can't take it! Why is the gap between people so huge!"

 
Lin Yunian flicked Bai Tingzhi's forehead and sat back down on the stool.
 

"It's not like your family is short on money. Isn't having enough, enough?"
 
"I know... but it just feels like such a huge gap..."

 
When Lao Lin was around, Xiaobai rarely hid his thoughts.
 

A jumble of sounds came from outside—two different sets of footsteps.
 
"My mom's back."

 
As soon as he said it, there was a light knock on the door, and his mother pushed it open.
 

"Oh, Yunian is still here. Would you like some fruit?"
 
"No, thank you, Auntie. Tingzhi and I just ate. We couldn't eat another bite."

 
"Alright, then. You two have fun."
 

"Actually, it's getting late"—in reality, it wasn't even seven—"I should be heading back," Lin Yunian said, standing up and straightening his clothes.
 
"Don't you want to stay a little longer? I can cut up the dragon fruit in a second!"

 
"No, thank you, Auntie. I have things to do at home."
 

"Alright then. Be careful. Tingzhi, walk him out."
 
"Got it——" He quickly changed his clothes and went out with Lin Yunian.

 
With Chen Qianqian seeing them off, the two walked down the street together.
 

The quiet wind was silent, gently brushing against their sleeves. If he didn't change his clothes, it would be a hassle to wear them to bed later.
 
The streetlights stretched all the way to the foot of the hill, a long dragon of light that descended from the mountain into the scattered fireworks of the town. The wind from the summit poured down from behind, wrapping them in old memories.

 
"Hey," Bai Tingzhi said suddenly.
 

"Will we be friends for life?"
 
Lin Yunian didn't answer, walking as if in a daze. After a long moment, he just hummed in agreement.

 
"Then we'll always be good brothers?"
 

Lin Yunian was silent, as if speechless at Bai Tingzhi's question. If not brothers, then what? Husband and wife?
 
"What do you think?"

 
"Hehe, just kidding." Bai Tingzhi felt he was being strange, too. They had grown up together, been by each ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) other's side for ten years. Why say things like that?
 

He decided to change the subject.
 
"Do you know why I have long hair?"

 
Lin Yunian's steps suddenly faltered before he staggered back to a normal pace.
 

The mountain wind pushed at them wantonly, and the bright moon hung high, casting a cool light.
 
Bai Tingzhi skillfully detected the trace of moisture in the air; beyond the mountains lay the sea. Whenever it rained, you could feel the dampness approach even without seeing clouds or fog.

 
Lin Yunian's thin white shirt seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.
 

Even with the constant streetlights, shadows still stretched down the road.
 
The thin "girl" clung to the side of the tall, straight boy.

 
Lin Yunian stopped. "This is far enough. Go on back."
 

Bai Tingzhi didn't really want to walk any further down either. "Then I'm heading back?"
 
Seeing Lao Lin nod, Xiaobai turned and quickly took a few steps up the hill.

 
"Have you forgotten?"