The Stars In Your Eyes
Chapter 149 - One Week Before
Mu Xiaoya stuttered, she racked her brains on how to avoid this uncomfortable situation. She knows very well that it won't bring her any good if people know that you once ate dinner with someone like Zhen Guo, moreover it was a close dinner like between friends and not only a coincidence.
Some people might like to brag if they knew someone famous, but it won't bring you any good. For example, if you're a friend or family of a country's famous idol, will you reveal it to your not so close friends?
No, you won't. Because then they will ask you never ending questions about that famous person, or shamelessly ask you to introduce them. When you reject their unreasonable request, they will brand you as a stingy and petty person.
Wait, that's not really true. For these girls, if you said that you're friends with this country's famous idol it might not mean much to them. But this one is Zhen Guo. Which architect in this country doesn't know him? And which architectural students who don't want to work under him?
What could she say now to avoid these uncomfortable questions? How could she save herself? She knew Bai Yutang didn't like to reveal that Jian Ge was best friends with Zhen Guo.
Mu Xiaoya hurriedly zoomed in on the part which showed Bai Yutang and Jian Kang Lu. She pointed at Jian Kang Lu's hand which held Bai Yutang's shoulder, clearly wanting to separate his boyfriend from Feng Mian.
"Look look! Open your eyes and watch it clearly. This is senior Bai's boyfriend. Now which scroundel dares to spread rumours that senior Bai's boyfriend is an old man, bald and fat???"
Mu Xiaoya heaved a sigh of relief when these girls distracted and bawled their eyes to see Jian Kang Lu's charming smile in that picture.
"Oh My God!"
"What the fuck! Why did senior Bai's boyfriend look much better than a bunch of radishes here?"
"If i was a man, i might turn into gay also if this kind of male God want to be my boyfriend."
"Is he an architect too, Xiaoya? He looked even better than senior Tang."
"Oh yes, I think like that oo. Maybe because he looked more mature? Mature man is always sexy."
"But this one didn't look 40 years old, Xiaoya. Is he really 40 years old?"
Mu Xiaoya snorted, "Jian Ge was not 40 yet. Don't add someone else's age, ah. Handsome right? He is even better in reality."
The one who once met Jian Kang Lu in the mini market nodded, "Uhm.. I remember he was tall and well built also. Ah, so handsome.."
"Woah, how come senior Bai could secure this kind of man to be his boyfriend?" This girl secretly thought that it was too bad this kind of man was a cutsleeve. He'll be perfect husband material. But she was afraid of saying that in front of Mu Xiaoya. This fierce girl looked like she wanted to yank her hair and scratch her cheek if she dared to sound her opinion out loud.
Mu Xiaoya closes her phone. "That's senior Bai's charm. Remember the macaroons and the chocolate cookies you all ate yesterday? It was given to me by senior Bai. His Jian Ge always bought him a lot of food since he was skinny. He can't finish it alone, so he shares it with me."
They prepare to switch classes, so this group of girls continue chattering while walking to the next building for their next classes. Along the way Mu Xiaoya reminds them to cut off this bullshit spreading in the campus, talking about how Jian Ge turned into an old, bald, and fat.
Some of the girls want to ask Mu Xiaoya again about Zhen Guo, but they could see Mu Xiaoya didn't want to talk about that again. They secretly sworn to get to the good side of Mu Xiaoya and prying her to reveal her secret one day.
No matter what Mu Xiaoya did to clear this reputation of Jian Kang Lu, but in reality people like to talk about bad things rather than good things. That was human nature. Just look at the news around you. Gossips and scandals always sell better compared to a news where a 9 year old prodigy won an international violin contest. A story where a girl pregnant before marriage is always spread faster than a girl helping her neighbour who lost their house from fire.
In journalism, there's a paradigm that says that bad news is a good news.
Thus even with Xiaoya's effort, there's still a lot of people who believe that Bai Yutang was a shameless man who preferred to sleep with a 40 year old bald man to scrap some money just for the sake of maintaining his high class lifestyle after his father passed away.
Bai Yutang just turned deaf every time his senior bullied him. Some of the other seniors also start to laugh at him every time he receives the food sent by his lover. They also didn't hide their nasty look and comments when they saw him.
But Bai Yutang tries not to pay attention to them. He also never rejects his lover's offer and good intention of sending him food. He could always share it with Fei Hong and Mu Xiaoya. When he finished his studio's works faster than his target, he almost wanted to thank these bullies. Without their bullying, Bai Yutang won't burn with desire to finish his work as soon as possible just for the sake of getting away from them.
Is he angry? Yes he is. His hands are still trembling with anger every time they say those nasty things to him. His ears ringing from the blood rushed, and he used all his will to stand strong and walk straight. Not letting them see he withered from rage.
Is he sad? Yes of course. Sometimes when the day is bad, he wants to crawl back to the apartment and lock himself there, the safe and comfort place for him, in his lover's scent. Forget about all the cruel things said to him.
Is he depressed? It would be a lie if he said he doesn't. His appetite was getting low and lower each day in the studio. He tries to make it up by eating breakfast and dinner in a bigger portion compared to his usual. His lover rejoiced to see him stuffed his mouth. Bai Yutang doesn't want his lover to notice something was wrong with him if his weight decreased.
Bai Yutang just came to the studio every day and tried to finish his work as fast as he could. He spent no time talking with his comrades unless it related to their final project. He doesn't want to chat with his comrades since he felt they look at him with mixed feelings portrayed in their eyes.
The truth is not everyone cares about the story about him. But Bai Yutang was bullied again and again so it was understandable if he looked at those people who won't stand with him as people who opposed him. He can't get rid of his suspicion of everyone talking behind his back.
Bai Yutang only missed his close friends who graduated already as people who stand with him, and also their girlfriends who accompany him eating lunch sometimes. When he's tired, he will open their group chat and smile to see all of them rant about the hard life of a new architect in a new working place.
His counselor praised him for his final project finished sooner than expected. It leaves them room to improve the thesis's foundation and theory, as well as the 3D model and presentation. Bai Yutang knew his final project was not an exceptional project compared to some of his peers. But he knew from his counselor's praises that it was at least passable, and he was proud of it.
Soon winter came, encasing the city with the windy and chill temperature. Darken the sky, hiding the sun. Leaves in trees are gone, and winter starts to show the crystal ball hanging on their thin branches. Bai Yutang wrapped himself even more and more with layered clothes. He doesn't want to get sick this year in these crucial moments.
His lover often bought nutritional food and supplements to support his immune system. The Sunday lunch he attends with his lover always consists of rare nutritional delicacies also.
"So, when will you defend your thesis, TangTang?" Jian Kang Se asked him when they enjoyed the ginger tea on Sunday afternoon. The living room was bright and warm, Jian Ming was playing piano with his lover and his lover's mother on the other side of this big living room.
"Next week, Jian Ge. Just before Christmas."
Fan Mingle sat beside him. She elegantly smoothen her wool skirt while she sat. "Then why don't you practice your presentation in front of us tomorrow? I could give you pointers on how to present your material. I remember I practiced with my parents and it helped me to ease my nerves when I defended my thesis. And now I saw a lot of people do presentations in front of me, so i definitely could give you input."
Bai Yutang felt he would be more nervous to present his thesis in front of his lover's family compared to his professors.
"Yes, I remember Ah Lu and Ah Se also practiced with me back then. I remember telling Ah Lu to smile more, his face was so stoic and cold. If i was his professor, I would deduct points for his unlikeable face." Jian Shen suddenly gave his opinion while staring at Bai Yutang with sharp eyes behind those glasses.
Jian Kang Se scoffed, "Lucky that you're not a teacher, dad. I could only light a candle for your students."
When Jian Shen, the big boss in this house speaks, what Bai Yutang could say? He could only meekly agree to bring his material and present his thesis on their Sunday lunch next week, two days before his actual thesis was defended.
He could only blame his luck for his lover not sitting here next to him. If his lover here, he might give Bai Yutang a way and excuses to run away from his family's horrific idea. Bai Yutang thought he should fix his presentation and study more to prevent him from humiliating himself next week.
So this poor Jian Kang Lu who didn't have a slightest idea about what happened, could only sighed and sang the national anthem over and over again to calm his restless little brother every time his kitten rejected his hands who unconsciously groped his kitten's butt. He felt he already repeated the national anthem for a thousand times this week alone.
It really a torture week for him, since his kitten's slender hands still cruelly bathing him sometimes. He could only see, but he can't touch. What kind of punishment is this? But Jian Kang Lu dare not to reject his kitten's good intention of bathing him. Who knows if he rejects his kitten once then his kitten will get hurt then decide not to bathe him again in the future?
Or even worse, in this PES of his kitten, how if he explodes and decides to send Jian Kang Lu back to their original apartment which just finished its bathtub installation? Jian Kang Lu shuddered to imagine this. This is the dangerous period for Jian Kang Lu, he can't afford to say wrong things or else his stressed kitten will lash out on him.
He also apologised to his friends that he can't attend their annual winter dinner. Jian Kang Lu doesn't want to leave his kitten alone at home working hard on his thesis while studying for the final exam too. Although his kitten often left him alone in the bedroom, studying and working in the living room, Jian Kang Lu felt it was not right if he went back home with alcohol topping up his original scent while his kitten worked hard. He knows his kitten won't mind, but he decides to accompany his kitten. Luckily his friends understand.
[Ah.. Thesis defending.. I remember how it was. Though it was so mortifying back then, not knowing real life was much worse than that.] Sun Hongjia lamented on the group chat.
[I remember I can't eat and throw up one day before defending my thesis. Send my regards to TangTang, and make sure he eats well.] Song Lixia truly worried. She already thought of Bai Yutang as her younger brother. A cute and gentle brother who needs to be protected from all the bad things in this world.
Jian Kang Lu often plays games alone or reads his books in the bedroom when his kitten is studying. It was familiar for him, he often did this when he was single two years ago. But even though now he is reading his book alone in his bed, he still knows that his other half working hard in the living room, just a few meters away from him, reassured his heart.
He was not alone, and he won't leave his kitten alone.
Some people might like to brag if they knew someone famous, but it won't bring you any good. For example, if you're a friend or family of a country's famous idol, will you reveal it to your not so close friends?
No, you won't. Because then they will ask you never ending questions about that famous person, or shamelessly ask you to introduce them. When you reject their unreasonable request, they will brand you as a stingy and petty person.
Wait, that's not really true. For these girls, if you said that you're friends with this country's famous idol it might not mean much to them. But this one is Zhen Guo. Which architect in this country doesn't know him? And which architectural students who don't want to work under him?
What could she say now to avoid these uncomfortable questions? How could she save herself? She knew Bai Yutang didn't like to reveal that Jian Ge was best friends with Zhen Guo.
Mu Xiaoya hurriedly zoomed in on the part which showed Bai Yutang and Jian Kang Lu. She pointed at Jian Kang Lu's hand which held Bai Yutang's shoulder, clearly wanting to separate his boyfriend from Feng Mian.
"Look look! Open your eyes and watch it clearly. This is senior Bai's boyfriend. Now which scroundel dares to spread rumours that senior Bai's boyfriend is an old man, bald and fat???"
Mu Xiaoya heaved a sigh of relief when these girls distracted and bawled their eyes to see Jian Kang Lu's charming smile in that picture.
"Oh My God!"
"What the fuck! Why did senior Bai's boyfriend look much better than a bunch of radishes here?"
"If i was a man, i might turn into gay also if this kind of male God want to be my boyfriend."
"Is he an architect too, Xiaoya? He looked even better than senior Tang."
"Oh yes, I think like that oo. Maybe because he looked more mature? Mature man is always sexy."
"But this one didn't look 40 years old, Xiaoya. Is he really 40 years old?"
Mu Xiaoya snorted, "Jian Ge was not 40 yet. Don't add someone else's age, ah. Handsome right? He is even better in reality."
The one who once met Jian Kang Lu in the mini market nodded, "Uhm.. I remember he was tall and well built also. Ah, so handsome.."
"Woah, how come senior Bai could secure this kind of man to be his boyfriend?" This girl secretly thought that it was too bad this kind of man was a cutsleeve. He'll be perfect husband material. But she was afraid of saying that in front of Mu Xiaoya. This fierce girl looked like she wanted to yank her hair and scratch her cheek if she dared to sound her opinion out loud.
Mu Xiaoya closes her phone. "That's senior Bai's charm. Remember the macaroons and the chocolate cookies you all ate yesterday? It was given to me by senior Bai. His Jian Ge always bought him a lot of food since he was skinny. He can't finish it alone, so he shares it with me."
They prepare to switch classes, so this group of girls continue chattering while walking to the next building for their next classes. Along the way Mu Xiaoya reminds them to cut off this bullshit spreading in the campus, talking about how Jian Ge turned into an old, bald, and fat.
Some of the girls want to ask Mu Xiaoya again about Zhen Guo, but they could see Mu Xiaoya didn't want to talk about that again. They secretly sworn to get to the good side of Mu Xiaoya and prying her to reveal her secret one day.
No matter what Mu Xiaoya did to clear this reputation of Jian Kang Lu, but in reality people like to talk about bad things rather than good things. That was human nature. Just look at the news around you. Gossips and scandals always sell better compared to a news where a 9 year old prodigy won an international violin contest. A story where a girl pregnant before marriage is always spread faster than a girl helping her neighbour who lost their house from fire.
In journalism, there's a paradigm that says that bad news is a good news.
Thus even with Xiaoya's effort, there's still a lot of people who believe that Bai Yutang was a shameless man who preferred to sleep with a 40 year old bald man to scrap some money just for the sake of maintaining his high class lifestyle after his father passed away.
Bai Yutang just turned deaf every time his senior bullied him. Some of the other seniors also start to laugh at him every time he receives the food sent by his lover. They also didn't hide their nasty look and comments when they saw him.
But Bai Yutang tries not to pay attention to them. He also never rejects his lover's offer and good intention of sending him food. He could always share it with Fei Hong and Mu Xiaoya. When he finished his studio's works faster than his target, he almost wanted to thank these bullies. Without their bullying, Bai Yutang won't burn with desire to finish his work as soon as possible just for the sake of getting away from them.
Is he angry? Yes he is. His hands are still trembling with anger every time they say those nasty things to him. His ears ringing from the blood rushed, and he used all his will to stand strong and walk straight. Not letting them see he withered from rage.
Is he sad? Yes of course. Sometimes when the day is bad, he wants to crawl back to the apartment and lock himself there, the safe and comfort place for him, in his lover's scent. Forget about all the cruel things said to him.
Is he depressed? It would be a lie if he said he doesn't. His appetite was getting low and lower each day in the studio. He tries to make it up by eating breakfast and dinner in a bigger portion compared to his usual. His lover rejoiced to see him stuffed his mouth. Bai Yutang doesn't want his lover to notice something was wrong with him if his weight decreased.
Bai Yutang just came to the studio every day and tried to finish his work as fast as he could. He spent no time talking with his comrades unless it related to their final project. He doesn't want to chat with his comrades since he felt they look at him with mixed feelings portrayed in their eyes.
The truth is not everyone cares about the story about him. But Bai Yutang was bullied again and again so it was understandable if he looked at those people who won't stand with him as people who opposed him. He can't get rid of his suspicion of everyone talking behind his back.
Bai Yutang only missed his close friends who graduated already as people who stand with him, and also their girlfriends who accompany him eating lunch sometimes. When he's tired, he will open their group chat and smile to see all of them rant about the hard life of a new architect in a new working place.
His counselor praised him for his final project finished sooner than expected. It leaves them room to improve the thesis's foundation and theory, as well as the 3D model and presentation. Bai Yutang knew his final project was not an exceptional project compared to some of his peers. But he knew from his counselor's praises that it was at least passable, and he was proud of it.
Soon winter came, encasing the city with the windy and chill temperature. Darken the sky, hiding the sun. Leaves in trees are gone, and winter starts to show the crystal ball hanging on their thin branches. Bai Yutang wrapped himself even more and more with layered clothes. He doesn't want to get sick this year in these crucial moments.
His lover often bought nutritional food and supplements to support his immune system. The Sunday lunch he attends with his lover always consists of rare nutritional delicacies also.
"So, when will you defend your thesis, TangTang?" Jian Kang Se asked him when they enjoyed the ginger tea on Sunday afternoon. The living room was bright and warm, Jian Ming was playing piano with his lover and his lover's mother on the other side of this big living room.
"Next week, Jian Ge. Just before Christmas."
Fan Mingle sat beside him. She elegantly smoothen her wool skirt while she sat. "Then why don't you practice your presentation in front of us tomorrow? I could give you pointers on how to present your material. I remember I practiced with my parents and it helped me to ease my nerves when I defended my thesis. And now I saw a lot of people do presentations in front of me, so i definitely could give you input."
Bai Yutang felt he would be more nervous to present his thesis in front of his lover's family compared to his professors.
"Yes, I remember Ah Lu and Ah Se also practiced with me back then. I remember telling Ah Lu to smile more, his face was so stoic and cold. If i was his professor, I would deduct points for his unlikeable face." Jian Shen suddenly gave his opinion while staring at Bai Yutang with sharp eyes behind those glasses.
Jian Kang Se scoffed, "Lucky that you're not a teacher, dad. I could only light a candle for your students."
When Jian Shen, the big boss in this house speaks, what Bai Yutang could say? He could only meekly agree to bring his material and present his thesis on their Sunday lunch next week, two days before his actual thesis was defended.
He could only blame his luck for his lover not sitting here next to him. If his lover here, he might give Bai Yutang a way and excuses to run away from his family's horrific idea. Bai Yutang thought he should fix his presentation and study more to prevent him from humiliating himself next week.
So this poor Jian Kang Lu who didn't have a slightest idea about what happened, could only sighed and sang the national anthem over and over again to calm his restless little brother every time his kitten rejected his hands who unconsciously groped his kitten's butt. He felt he already repeated the national anthem for a thousand times this week alone.
It really a torture week for him, since his kitten's slender hands still cruelly bathing him sometimes. He could only see, but he can't touch. What kind of punishment is this? But Jian Kang Lu dare not to reject his kitten's good intention of bathing him. Who knows if he rejects his kitten once then his kitten will get hurt then decide not to bathe him again in the future?
Or even worse, in this PES of his kitten, how if he explodes and decides to send Jian Kang Lu back to their original apartment which just finished its bathtub installation? Jian Kang Lu shuddered to imagine this. This is the dangerous period for Jian Kang Lu, he can't afford to say wrong things or else his stressed kitten will lash out on him.
He also apologised to his friends that he can't attend their annual winter dinner. Jian Kang Lu doesn't want to leave his kitten alone at home working hard on his thesis while studying for the final exam too. Although his kitten often left him alone in the bedroom, studying and working in the living room, Jian Kang Lu felt it was not right if he went back home with alcohol topping up his original scent while his kitten worked hard. He knows his kitten won't mind, but he decides to accompany his kitten. Luckily his friends understand.
[Ah.. Thesis defending.. I remember how it was. Though it was so mortifying back then, not knowing real life was much worse than that.] Sun Hongjia lamented on the group chat.
[I remember I can't eat and throw up one day before defending my thesis. Send my regards to TangTang, and make sure he eats well.] Song Lixia truly worried. She already thought of Bai Yutang as her younger brother. A cute and gentle brother who needs to be protected from all the bad things in this world.
Jian Kang Lu often plays games alone or reads his books in the bedroom when his kitten is studying. It was familiar for him, he often did this when he was single two years ago. But even though now he is reading his book alone in his bed, he still knows that his other half working hard in the living room, just a few meters away from him, reassured his heart.
He was not alone, and he won't leave his kitten alone.
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