The Stars In Your Eyes

Bai Yutang still in daze, his hands moved unknowingly packed the laptop and notes laid in the tables. He knows some of his friends waiting outside, to congratulate him wrapping up his final project. It's a tradition where comrades show their support to the person who finishes their judgement day, or console them if the result was devastating.

He slowly walked outside, met those faces with hope and anxiety asking him about what happened inside the room. Bai Yutang smiled, and later he couldn't hold his grin and laugh.

They all still have their final exam coming next week, but Bai Yutang felt a heavy weight lifted from his shoulder. He wanted to scream, jump, and just announce to the world that he just needed one more step before he graduated.

He recalled what just happened inside, and he kept laughing. Seeing his silly radiant face, his friends know that it was a success. They shake his hands and congratulate him. Mu Xiaoya and Fei Hong already text him before, apologise they can't come to his thesis defence because they had class.

Bai Yutang reminds himself to text his lover, and needs to thank his lover's family too. Because yesterday he was undergoing such training with high tension, today his nerves were calm. He didn't feel too much pressure when he presented his project. His counselor asked him the things he already predicted, and he only needed minor revision for his imperfect answers.

What makes him even more delighted was when professor Shu spent 5 minutes to praise him, and praise his project. She said that if she had an unlimited amount in her bank account, she would contact Bai Yutang to build this project. It was not over designed, and could be implemented in reality. She also praises Bai Yutang's meticulous design.

It's a tradition to treat their friends after judgement day, but Bai Yutang didn't do it. He doesn't want to spend his lover's money to treat friends he only met casually. It was different with his close friends. His lover already told him to invite them after his final exam.

Bai Yutang opened his WeChat and replied to his lover's message. Previously his lover already texted him auspicious words to encourage him.

[Gege, I just finished. I made it! Thank you so much, gege. This all because of you.]

He still chats with his friends walking out from the building, discussing the questions inside and also giving some pointers to the people who still have not presented their project yet. His phone then vibrates and he looks at the caller. He smiled and answered the phone.

"Gege.."

"Congratulations, baby. I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you, gege. Without you, i can't make it."

"Can you talk now? If you're busy i'll call you later."

"Yeah, i'm still walking out. Later I'll call you, gege."

Bai Yutang put his phone back in his pocket, and continued the conversation. On this beautiful day, he decided not to think and looked at those eyes staring at him when he answered the phone. 

Bai Yutang still has 1 class today, thus he eats his lunch with his friends in the cafeteria in a hurry. While he attended his class, he texted his lover, inviting his lover to have dinner outside today. He wants to cook something special, but today he won't have enough time to do that. And he also wants to celebrate his own achievement.

It might be a small achievement, but for university students, this is one of their pinnacle in their academic life. An essence of years studying and working hard. Bai Yutang looked back, and sometimes regretted that he didn't study more in his early year. At least he made up when he poured everything in these last 2 years.

His lover texted him back, asking him to choose the place and later will pick Bai Yutang at home. But Bai Yutang replied quickly, he already decided where he wanted to eat tonight, and suggested his lover meet there after his lover finished from hospital.

Bai Yutang chose Huxiang. This winter is really cold, snow started pouring down from the grey sky last week. It enveloped the city with icy wind and it's cold white cotton slowly floating down. Eating hotpot in this season is truly a blessing for body and soul. Bai Yutang reminds himself to book Huxiang or else he is afraid they won't get a seat.

Actually they guaranteed to have a seat there. People rarely eat hotpot at 9 o'clock. But Bai Yutang doesn't want to gambling. Christmas will come in another two days, and people start to have their Christmas dinner with their friends and colleagues.

[Huxiang? Are you sure? You won't go somewhere fancy to celebrate?]

Bai Yutang only smiled to see his lover's reply.

He met Mu Xiaoya, Fei Hong and Ling Yue after class. It might be a little awkward to be the only guy among these girls. But they were the next best friend he had after Yu Dong, Tang Yuxuan, and Liu Xiang. They went to their favourite cafe and Bai Yutang ordered hot cappuccino to brighten his eyes.

These past weeks he didn't sleep enough. After his tension lifted today, his relaxed nerves made him yawn several times in the class today. The smell of earthy brown beans mixed with mild milky scent sooth his nerves, lifted his mood.

"Congratulations senior! I heard you nailed it!"

Bai Yutang laughed, he didn't restrain himself in front of these girls. He really needed to pour his happy mood, and also felt safe to brag in front of them. They will understand and won't judge him for being arrogant. 

Once in a while, we need to feel proud and brag about our little achievement to someone else. It was good, and a way to appreciate our own hard work.

The sky darkens, and Bai Yutang remembers something before going back home.

"Luo Ge will open his new cafe around here next year. I'll ask him for a discount card for you, Xiaoya."

"Me too! Don't forget me! Senior Bai always favours Xiaoya rather than me." Ling Yue pouted her mouth and bawled her eyes, protesting Bai Yutang.

"Of course! I'm his number 1 fans! A cute fan!" Mu Xiaoya tosses her hair with a smug face.

Fei Hong chuckled, "Your confidence in par with MianMian. I don't know whether it was wise or not telling you this, Yutang. But a few months ago MianMian asked me about you and Jian Ge. I honestly didn't know what to answer. But since you didn't hide it anymore, last month when she asked about you again, I told her that you're in a relationship with Jian Ge. Guess what she told me?"

Bai Yutang didn't mind Fei Hong telling Feng Mian about him and his lover. He should have told her long ago. "What?"

"She said, no wonder you reject her. And she tossed her hair in the same way Xiaoya does right now, saying no single straight guy would resist her charm. That's why she failed to make you hers, because you're a married man already. if not, you'll fall completely in her grip right now."

Bai Yutang laughed, he could imagine Feng Mian's face. "Send my regard to her, and please invite her too next month. Jian Ge wants to treat you all."

They looked at each other and smiled. Bai Yutang paid for the coffee and cakes, and then he rode his bike home. He tightened his scarf around his neck before he rode it. He rides it slowly, enjoying the cold wind brushing his cheek. His day was good.

While waiting for his lover to finish, Bai Yutang starts working on his project revision at home. They will move from this apartment before the new year. The apartment rent lasted only until this month. Bai Yutang missed his lover's apartment. Somehow he didn't really feel at home here. 

He also replied to congratulatory messages from his friends in the group chat. They also apologised that they could not come today, since they were still in probation time. It was not polite for probation employees to take a day off just to attend their friend's thesis defence.

Bai Yutang also calls his mother and grandparents. His grandparents congratulate him and wish they could see him soon next month. They also asked whether Bai Yutang will come back to W city after graduation for good. When Bai Yutang told his grandparents he plans to look for a job in B city, they sounded surprised. His grandpas didn't say much, but his grandma advised him to go back to W city.

"W city is also good, the city's economy flourished in these past few years. A lot of new buildings and constructions around here. Why don't you come back here? Don't you feel sorry for your mother? She was alone in that big house."

Bai Yutang felt his happy and bright mood dimmed a little bit. He forced his smile while assuring his grandma that he will rethink his decision once again.

Previously when he called his mother, she didn't say anything about where he wanted to work after graduation. She only congratulated him, then sobbed in a soft voice. Her voice was hoarse and soft, almost unheard. 

"I wished Haoran could hear this and see you on your graduation day. He always says he wants to see you graduate. His beloved and proud son graduated, that was his dream. To send his children graduate from a good university. If only he was still here with us.." Bai Yutang was silent when he heard that. His throat was hot, he felt something from his stomach going up and choked him.

He too. Bai Yutang also wants to see his father looking at him, proud of him, then brag about his son's achievement to his colleague. His big mountain who then will ruffle his hair softly while murmuring that even though he didn't graduate from college, he still can send both of his kids to better education.

He hoped his big mountain could see him from above, and still be proud of him.

'I almost graduated, dad. I study hard, and work hard. The money you left for us is still enough for Bai Yuren later on, and I'll work to support your beloved wife. I'll try my best to pamper her in your place. And.. And I hope you could see how good gege treats me. Please give your blessing to us. I hope you always take care of me, RenRen, and your beloved wife from above. I hope.. I make you proud..'