They were making a lot of noise and arguing, which soon attracted other people.
Mr. Bai got up early in the morning, but he didn't expect to help settle a case so early. After asking someone to call both the father and son in, he hit his son with his walking stick after hearing a few words, and glared at him, saying, "Nonsense, how can you be someone's father? Don't you ask clearly?"
Bai Jingrong: “…”
He was hit twice and stood there without saying anything.
Luo Jiangjing also got up, wearing a thin shirt and standing there with a bit of heartache, he whispered: "Dad, Jingrong just quarreled with him for a few words, but didn't do anything."
Bai Lao looked at her and said, "Are you saying that it was wrong for me to do that?"
Luo Jiangjing whispered: "No, I just thought, why don't we all sit down and have a good talk."
Old Bai tapped Bai Jingrong with his walking stick and said, "I've been a soldier for so many years, and I've never yelled at you at home. Don't bring the army's 'obey orders' into your home. If you do something right, I'll reward you. If you do something wrong, I'll punish you. I don't think I've treated you unfairly. If you're unhappy, don't take it out on my grandson! Luochuan didn't do anything wrong, but I'm still there. How dare you do that to me? You're really rebellious."
Bai Jingrong said: "Dad, that's not what I meant, I'm just anxious..."
Old Bai hit him again and glared at him, "You can't be anxious about this young man. If you get angry at him, I'll be fine. You decide if that's ridiculous or not!"
Bai Jingrong pursed his lips, stood there without saying anything, and just nodded.
The old man was in poor health, and he didn’t want to make him angry again.
Old Master Bai had a headache. His son was good in every way except that he was too rigid and old-fashioned. He favored his grandson because he liked the cleverness and cunningness in his grandson. As the saying goes, people are different and you can't force it.
Luo Jiangjing was also watching helplessly from the side. Both the father and son of the Bai family were soft-hearted and would not stand being tough. Bai Jingrong could be submissive to Old Bai, but he would naturally not bow down to his son. Bai Luochuan's temper was actually very similar to his father and grandfather, except that he was more unbridled and aggressive, and would not give in at all when they collided.
Mr. Bai waved for Bai Luochuan to come over, straightened his collar himself, and asked him in a gentle tone, "What's going on? Where did you go so early in the morning?"
Bai Luochuan said: "I didn't go anywhere, I went to find Mi Yang."
Bai Jingrong next to him frowned and looked at him.
Bai Luochuan stood there and looked at him, with a stern face and refused to say anything further.
Luo Jiangjing rubbed his eyebrows twice. This young master of her family has been obedient in front of his elders since he was a child, but there are always some frictions when it comes to his father Bai Jingrong. Perhaps it is due to blood relationship and nature. Both of them want to be close, but the older one wants to teach the younger one, and it is normal for the younger one to disobey discipline and not get along.
After a while, Mi Yang also came.
When he knocked on the door and came in, he didn't expect that so many people were on Mr. Bai's side. Except for the old man, all the elders and juniors were standing there. The doctor behind Mr. Bai winked at him, then looked at the father and son of the Bai family opposite and blinked.
Mi Yang realized that this was another conflict.
Mr. Bai was very concerned about his reputation. He didn't want to continue to argue in front of the children. He waved his hand and drove Bai Jingrong out. "Let's just forget about today's matter. Both of you are wrong. One didn't speak properly, and the other didn't listen carefully. If you do this again next time, both of you will go back. I'm old, and I just want to live a peaceful life for a few days. Go out."
Bai Jingrong and his wife went out, but Bai Luochuan stayed there because he was favored.
Mi Yang took out the two boxes he brought, took out a large one and put it on the table, and took the remaining small one in his hand and said, "I fried it, you and grandpa can eat it together, there are some extra, I will give it to Aunt Luo."
Bai Lao became interested and asked, "What is that? It smells so good."
Bai Luochuan said: "Hickory, please try it."
He and Bai Lao sat there talking in low voices, while Mi Yang took another box and went to find Luo Jiangjing.
Luo Jiangjing was sitting in the living room on the first floor drinking coffee. When he saw Mi Yang coming over, he said gently, "I'm sorry to make you laugh. They are really like that. They fight for a long time when they meet. Both of them have stubborn tempers."
Mi Yang smiled and shook his head. He was close to Luo Jiangjing and gave her the small box. "Aunt Luo, try this."
As soon as Luo Jiangjing opened it, he smelled a strong aroma. The freshly roasted pecans were still hot. When he bit them, they had a delicate taste of butter and a nutty sweetness. They were particularly crispy and delicious when chewed.
Luo Jiangjing drank it with coffee and quickly ate a handful. His eyes lit up: "Did you make this? I knew your mom could make beef jerky, but I didn't expect you could make this. It's delicious."
Mi Yang smiled and said, "It wasn't me. Bai Luochuan and I did it together."
Luo Jiangjing couldn't help but eat another one, and waited for him to continue.
Mi Yang said, "He came to me last night and said that Grandpa Bai agreed to go to Beijing for treatment. We were all very happy. Both of us couldn't sleep, so we got up and secretly smashed hickory nuts in my small kitchen all night. Grandpa Bai ate some walnuts last time and said they were delicious. Bai Luochuan said that hickory nuts might be edible too." Mi Yang was still smiling, "I borrowed the stove from my grandma's house this morning, fried these hickory nuts and brought them over. It took me a long time to pick them. At first I couldn't control my strength and broke a lot of them. We ate them all. These are the bigger ones."
Luo Jiangjing heard this and laughed, "You guys are really something, aren't you afraid of waking up your grandma?"
Mi Yang said: "Don't be afraid, my grandma sleeps very deeply, and the small kitchen is in the yard outside, which is far away. We smashed it with newspapers, look, my fingers are still black..."
He played the victim to Luo Jiangjing, but in return he only got a pat on the head. Luo Jiangjing's eyes were smiling. Mi Yang also knew that she always favored him, so he smiled at her with his eyes bent: "Bai Luochuan's hands are darker than mine. I asked him to wear gloves, but he refused. You can laugh at him later."
As they were chatting, they saw Bai Jingrong coming down from upstairs.
Mi Yang sat up straight, looked at him and said politely, "Hello, Uncle Bai."
Bai Jingrong nodded. Mi Yang was still cautious and reserved towards him. He didn't stay to say anything more. He just delivered the things and left.
Bai Jingrong watched him walk out the door, then turned to his wife and asked, "What did Yangyang say to you? Why did you leave as soon as I arrived?"
Luo Jiangjing said: "What else can I say? This child is very attentive. Come and explain to me! Your precious son didn't go out to play. He went to crack walnuts for the old man. He cracked them all night long."
Bai Jingrong was stunned and asked, "Cracking walnuts?"
Luo Jiangjing tidied his clothes and buttoned up his shirt. "That's right. The old man hasn't been eating much recently. He ate a few more walnuts that day, and the two kids remembered it."
Bai Jingrong felt it was a bit tight and wanted to reach out to loosen it, but was stopped by Luo Jiangjing. Luo Jiangjing laughed and said, "You like rules, right? This is in line with the rules. What do you call them 'discipline buttons' in your army? Then keep them all on and don't undo any of them."
She patted his collar and turned away.
Bai Jingrong: “…”
Mi Yang returned to the small building where Bai Lao lived. He had only taken a few steps inside when he heard Bai Luochuan sitting in the small living room and complaining to Bai Lao in a low voice.
"Grandpa, you see, when you are still here, he always makes trouble for me. If you are gone, he will definitely steal my money." This is what Old Bai said when he asked him to sign, and now Bai Luochuan said it back to him exactly the same.
Bai Lao was so angry that he hit him with his walking stick and scolded him with a smile: "Nonsense! How can a father rob his son of his money?"
Bai Luochuan didn't even try to hide, he just stood there and said, "Of course not. If you turn on CCTV's legal news, you'll see lawsuits like this every now and then."
Mr. Bai was so angry that he didn't want to talk to him anymore. He waved Mi Yang over and said, "Come here, Yangyang. Let's play chess and ignore them."
The old man took Mi Yang into the small building and drove Bai Luochuan out.
At noon, he only allowed Luo Jiangjing and Mi Yang to eat with him, while the Bai father and son were left outside.
****
Mr. Bai agreed to go to Beijing for treatment. No matter what, it was a good thing. Bai Jingrong and Luo Jiangjing actively arranged it. In the face of the major event of illness, Bai Jingrong only frowned slightly when he heard about the property contract, but soon relaxed and sighed, "I know."
Luo Jiangjing said: "He is your own son, our father loves him, why are you not happy?"
Bai Jingrong shook his head and said, "I'm not unhappy. Dad has said this before. You can do whatever you want with the old man's things. I respect his opinion. It's just that Luochuan is still young, and I'm afraid he will go astray. Maybe I've seen him too much in the past two years, so I'm always a little worried."
He did not insist on letting Bai Luochuan join the army, but there were always some young men from the same period or from higher-ups who joined the army. Some of them were good, but there were always a few who were not so good and caused a lot of trouble. Some of them even caused the entire family to fall into ruin.
Luo Jiangjing said angrily, "That's a kid from outside. I think you should go home more often to see your own children. When it comes to Luo Chuan's education, do you not trust me or our dad? Although Luo Chuan has been with me, he comes here every year during holidays. It's not me who sends him here, but the child wants to come. He is very filial. The old man knows it very well, and it's not in vain that he loves him."
Bai Jingrong looked a little guilty, holding her hand and said, "You've been tired."
Luo Jiangjing smiled at him. This was her family and also her lover. Even if there were small disputes, their feelings would not fade away.
Bai Jingrong took a leave and accompanied Bai Lao to Beijing for treatment. Luo Jiangjing also accompanied him to take care of him. However, Bai Lao felt uncomfortable. After settling in the ward, he urged them to leave: "I have nurses and doctors here. There are so many people taking care of me. I don't need you two. Go back to your own work. Why do you stay in the hospital to see me all day? You are not the attending doctors. Can my illness be cured by you?"
Bai Jingrong was about to say something when Luo Jiangjing pulled his sleeve. Luo Jiangjing smiled and said, "Dad, why don't we go out for a walk these two days while the doctor is still diagnosing? Luo Chuan is here too. He said their school is not far from here. Shall we go and take a look together?"
As expected, Mr. Bai became happy again after hearing this and nodded, "Okay, has Luo Chuan been there to see it himself? If not, let's go together."
Luo Jiangjing said: "No, he said he was waiting for you to come."
The doctors are still in consultation. Mr. Bai has been hospitalized and is just taking medicine. He is in good health. Luo Jiangjing asked for two days of leave for him and took him to school.
During the summer vacation, many people come to Beijing for tourism. The predecessor of Imperial University of Peking was part of the royal gardens, and it is rich in natural beauty. Many parents bring their children to take a look, also to set an example and encourage their children to get into the best universities.
Old Bai usually didn't care much about these places, but this time was different. This was where his grandson would go to school in the future, so he walked with a sense of pride. Bai Luochuan next to him was holding a hand-drawn map. As the grandfather and grandson walked, they were still arguing in a low voice about the direction of the intersection. Bai Luochuan let him go twice, but he didn't want to give up, so he whispered, "Look for yourself. Due south and due north are easy to recognize. You should go this way."
Mr. Bai refused to listen and insisted on leading the way.
As expected, I led the team in the wrong direction and arrived at a place where there was no school building. Although the scenery of the lake in front of us was nice, it was still some distance away from the seminary.
Bai Luochuan looked at him.
Mr. Bai took everyone back on the school bus. They took a longer detour. The adults around them didn't dare to speak. Only Bai Luochuan muttered to the old man, "I'm wrong, but you're not allowed to say it."
Bai Lao hit him with his walking stick and said with a red face: "Why can't I speak?"
Bai Luochuan asked: "Then will you apologize?"
Although Mr. Bai blushed and admitted his fault, he refused to apologize. The old man said vaguely: "Walk more, it's good for your health! The older you get, the lazier you get. When your dad was your age, he trained five kilometers every morning!"
Luo Jiangjing next to her couldn't stop laughing. She looked at Old Bai, then at her husband next to her and her son sitting in the back row. She felt that these three people were worthy of the surname Bai, and even their tempers were formed in the same lineage.
Mr. Bai was in poor health and didn't walk around much. He just took a quick look and went back.
Maybe it was because of the activities, he ate a little more at dinner. Bai Jingrong's eyes were full of warmth. He looked up at his son, waiting for him to finish taking care of the old man, and whispered to him: "Come with me."
The father and son went to talk outside the corridor. After waiting for a while, Mr. Bai became impatient and said to Luo Jiangjing, "Go and see if he is talking about Luochuan again. Luochuan plays with me during the day. Stop letting him teach the child a lesson. He has lost his energy to be lively all day long because of what he says."
Luo Jiangjing smiled and said, "Okay, don't worry, I'll go and see it right away."
She went out and looked for them without much difficulty. The father and son of the Bai family were standing at the corner of the corridor, whispering something. She could only vaguely hear words like "doctor" and "chemotherapy". Their faces were solemn and serious when they were talking. Looking from the side, the sharpness between their eyebrows and eyes was similar.
After listening to a few words, Luo Jiangjing came back to report, saying only that he was discussing academic matters.
Mr. Bai was relieved to hear that the father and son did not quarrel. He was a little tired and fell asleep quickly while lying on the hospital bed.
Luo Jiangjing looked at the medical staff taking care of him, and his eyes fell on the old man's aged and thin face. Although he was wearing a hospital gown and only his face and hands were exposed, his weakness could still be seen.
She sighed, her eyes a little red, and quickly took her bag and carefully retreated, not staying to disturb him.
****
Mi Yang was a little worried about such a big thing happening in the Bai family. After discussing with Cheng Qing, he decided to go to school early as well.
Cheng Qing understood and supported him, "Go ahead. Luochuan must be having a hard time being alone. When your grandfather was seriously ill, your aunts were still young. Your third aunt cried so much that her eyes were swollen for half a month. She was about the same age as you at the time, only ten years older than you. She was going through life, old age, sickness and death. How could she bear it?"
She packed Mi Yang's luggage and told him, "Take some with you first, and call home if you need anything. I'll send it to you when school starts soon."
Mi Yang was a little surprised and asked: "Mom, are you coming to the capital too?"
Cheng Qing smiled and said, "Why not? My son is going to college, and our whole family will go to see you off, okay?"
Mi Yang recalled that in his last life, he performed exceptionally well and was admitted to a key university. His whole family was very happy at that time. Cheng Qing and Mi Zehai specially asked for leave from their work unit to send him to school. When he was undergoing military training, his parents did not leave and even came to bring him some food and daily necessities. Thinking of this, Mi Yang also laughed. After all, it was different from his last life. Now he had a younger sister. This time, the whole family was out, so there were four of them.
Mi Yang traveled light and called Bai Luochuan before leaving to ask for the address of the hospital, but he still saw Bai Luochuan waiting there as soon as he got off the plane.
Bai Luochuan looked to be in good spirits, except for the slight fatigue in his eyes from staying up late, he looked much better than he had expected.
"Let's go. I'll take you to where you're staying first." Bai Luochuan stepped forward, took his bag, and habitually put it on his shoulder.
Mi Yang followed him and asked, "How is Grandpa's health? What did the doctor here say?"
Bai Luochuan said: "It's similar to the previous diagnosis. It's in the late stage. We should actively treat it."
Mi Yang looked at him. Bai Luochuan had also become thinner, wearing casual clothes. He half-closed his eyes when he spoke, and his emotions could not be seen. He stretched out his hand, and was almost immediately held tightly by Bai Luochuan. Bai Luochuan whispered to him: "When it was discovered last year, it was in the late stage, and grandpa never told me."
Mi Yang also fell silent.
Late-stage gastric cancer is often accompanied by severe pain and difficulty eating, but when they went back during the summer vacation, Mr. Bai was always smiling and trying hard not to let them notice anything.
The driver was waiting outside. After Bai Luochuan took Mi Yang into the car, he told him where he lived and then fell silent again.
Mi Yang looked at him, thinking for a long time and didn't know what to say to comfort him. Before he opened his mouth, Bai Luochuan looked at the houses flashing outside the window and suddenly smiled. He whispered, "I originally planned to buy a house for grandpa here so that he could stay here for treatment. I have almost chosen one, but grandpa refused to agree. He gets angry when anyone mentions it. I know he still wants to go home. He is afraid that he will not be allowed to leave if he stays here for treatment. He told me yesterday that he missed Shanhai Town. I don't know if the lotus flowers in the pond have bloomed yet, and whether Wu Le has been disobedient..."
Mi Yang reached out and pressed him on his shoulder, covering his eyes with his hands. The smile on the corner of Bai Luochuan's mouth gradually shrank, his lips were pressed into a straight line, and he stopped talking.
Mi Yang's palms felt a little wet. He sighed, patted Bai Luochuan's shoulders gently, and gave him a hug.