The Stars In Your Eyes

Bai Yutang opened his eyes, awoke from the sound of the fireworks outside. The movies on the television screen seem to be different with what he saw before he fell asleep. He startled to find himself leaning on Jian Kang Lu's shoulder.

The first thing in his mind is, 'How could I fall asleep on Jian Ge's shoulder, it must be heavy!' And the second thing he thought was, 'Oh my God, I hope I didn't drooled on his shirt.'

Ashamed of himself, Bai Yutang tried to get himself in the proper position. He saw Jian Ge turn his head over to look at him, "Awake?" His voice is so soft.

"Yes, Jian Ge. I'm sorry, I got drowsy from my medication. Oh I hope I didn't drooled over your shirt.." Bai Yutang can only meekly apologise.

"Mmm.. It's okay. You didn't, don't worry. This is a new year already. Happy New Year!" Jian Ge smiled warmly at him. "You should sleep in your room if you're sleepy. I'm afraid you'll hurt your neck if you sleep here."

Bai Yutang nodded his head, and walked to his bed room. When he closed the door, he leaned on the door and still felt so ashamed. His whole face turns red. 'How could you, how could you, how could you fall asleep there!!!'

He flopped himself in the bed, and still can't get over it. 'Jian Ge smells so good, no wonder i sleep so well..' He can still sense Jian Ge's scent. A mix of sandalwood and lavender, with a hint of orange. It was calming, but fresh. Maybe he can ask what kind of shower gel that Jian Ge used, he seems to like it.

Bai Yutang fell asleep again, and woke up at 6 o'clock in the morning. He's walking out from his bedroom, and drinking some water. He made chamomile tea, and then sat in the dining room, looking at the sky outside from the glass door. He can imagine how nice this apartment is in spring or summer. To sit on the terrace outside and enjoy the morning breeze, with the small park below.

Not long after, Jian Ge walked out from his room and was surprised to see Bai Yutang already wake up. "Did you sleep well last night?" Jian Ge asked him while taking some water from the dispenser.

Bai Yutang felt his face a bit warm, blushed from his inappropriate act last night. "Yes, I sleep well. How about you, Jian Ge? I made you some hot tea too. I don't know what else you like to drink in the morning."

"Mm.. I sleep well. Thank you, i like chamomile tea." Jian Ge sat in front of him.

"I saw your tea and coffee collection in the drawer. Did you like to drink coffee also?" Bai Yutang poured him some tea into the cup he prepared.

"On working days, i like to drink coffee in the morning before going to the hospital. It's like some habit from my university and residency life. We need to wake up very early, so our life sometimes depends on how good your coffee is."

Jian Ge sipped his tea. "This is good, much better than the one I brewed. You really brew the tea well. Thank you. What do you want for breakfast?"

Bai Yutang blushed, it was just a simple task. How could his tea taste differently with the one Jian Ge brew?

Bai Yutang answered with a soft voice, "Rice congee? Any kind of congee is good. And Hainanese rice for lunch? Or just any kind of rice. I think I could eat rice already for lunch. I haven't felt nauseous at all since being discharged." 

Bai Yutang really feels that he recovered well. His fever is gone, his throat still a bit sore, and the cough is almost gone.

Jian Ge stood up, "Okay, let me order that." He then goes inside his room and comes out again holding his mobile phone.

Bai Yutang examines Jian Kang Lu's appearance in the morning and feels sour. 'How could this man still look good in the morning? While my own hair is messy, and my eyes look even smaller. Life is not fair!'

Bai Yutang then excused himself to take a bath. If someone can't change his looks, then at least someone can be clean and smells good. Ah, that reminds him to ask Jian Ge for his shower gel product. But how can he ask that???

Should he say, 'Jian Ge, your smell is so good last night, what is the product you used?' If he asks that, better he just shot himself. How can he ask that inappropriate question after what he did last night. He doesn't want Jian Ge to think that he was a cut sleeve that took advantage of his kindness.

When he finished taking a bath and dressed warmly in a light blue sweater and sweatpants, he walked out and sat in the dining room. Jian Kang Lu can't be seen. Seems he also takes a bath. Bai Yutang sipped his tea and opened his tablet. Some of the exam material is saved on his tablet, all his e-book also there. He studied quietly.

When Jian Ge walked outside from his room, he already dressed casually like Bai Yutang but looked so different. With a beige turtleneck and dark brown wool pants, he didn't look like wearing a home outfit. Bai Yutang decided to copy his casual home style. It looks so chic.

Jian Ge also opened his tablet. "You should study, I won't disturb you. I guess the exam will start next week?"

Bai Yutang nodded, "Actually it starts in four days, extended to next week. I only have four days more to study. But some material was already learned due to the project presentation last time."

The bell sounds ringing from the door, it seems the food delivery is already here. Jian Ge stands and takes the delivery. When Jian Ge prepared the food, Bai Yutang thought about something silly, but he couldn't help to ask. "Did you always order food, Jian Ge? Never cook at home?"

Jian Kang Lu laughed, "Yes, i can't cook. Previously too busy to learn how to cook. Now too lazy." Then Jian Ge turned around and looked at him. "Can you?"

Bai Yutang blushed, he feels like he really asking a stupid question. "I can, just a little bit." He added hurriedly, "Only the easy one. Like fried rice, congee, egg, chicken soup, you know that kind of food that doesn't need extra skill."

"Oh.. Do you like to cook, or any other reason?"

"I have a younger sister. If my parents went out and didn't cook before, my sister will pester me to cook. She doesn't want to eat instant noodles or order food from outside. So i just cook simple dishes for her." Bai Yutang explained. "Woman in our family is on the highest hierarchy. My father always pampers my mom, and my sister. So I'm at the bottom of our family, before my father."

Jian Ge laughed, "Your sister sounds cute, and i can see that you pamper her so much. I have a younger brother, and he's not cute at all. I tease him so much, but he didn't show any response. I wish I had a cute sister instead of a cold brother."

"Oh, but your family is really close to each other too. I rarely heard of a family who still has a tradition to gather once in a week. And it looks like you volunteer to do that, not because your parents ask you to."

Jian Ge gave him a gentle smile, "Yes. We did. I also feel very lucky to have a family like mine."

They had their breakfast peacefully, and sometimes they asked each other questions about their family. This is the first time Bai Yutang gets a glimpse of the other side of Jian Ge's family. 

From the way Jian Ge speaks about his family, and the way he treats his parents, Bai Yutang is suddenly ashamed. He was determined to be a better son for his parents and better brother to his sister.

Previously he sometimes felt that his sister was kinda annoying. His sister follows him anywhere. The same elementary, same junior high school, same high school. Next year his sister will enter university. She already said that she will try to apply for architecture in T university too.

Bai Yutang knows that her sister might accepted, she's smart. Even smarter than him. He had to study really hard to maintain his grade. But his sister can still play games, read comics, or hang out with her friends and still get first position in her whole life.

No matter how he felt inferior with her sister, or sometimes annoyed when she pestered him to cook, or forced him to play games together, but he knows that deep inside his heart, he truly cares about his sister. After all, his father's influence is big.

When for the whole of your life, you were taught to serve the best to the woman in your family, it will be ingrained into your bone and soul. It will become a habit, then become something you have to live for.

Bai Yutang spent the whole day studying. He noticed Jian Ge also looking at his tablet and laptop, and working on something in his laptop. When they're having dinner together he asks, "What are you working on in your laptop all day, Jian Ge?"

"Mmh? Some presentation I have to do in the conference next month."

"What kind of conference? It's so cool, become a speaker at such a young age."

"It's not as fancy as you think. We doctors need to always update our knowledge. We are required to attend conferences or courses in specific numbers each year. That's why this conference and courses happened quite a lot in one year. I usually attend a minimum of four conferences each year, sometimes six or seven times. They just asked me to speak next month because my last research was published recently. Nothing special though."

"Still, none of the people I know have become a speaker in conferences before." Bai Yutang enjoying his steamed ginger and garlic chicken. He missed eating normal food after eating soft food for the whole week. Though this steamed chicken is also soft enough to chew.

Jian Ge laughed and teased him, "Now you know one. One day if I am invited to speak at an abroad conference, you can come to see me. And you will know how boring it is to attend a nephrology conference."

"Really? Why not the local conference? Abroad is difficult.." Bai Yutang pondered.

"This conference next month will be held on January 28th. I think you're still on holiday, and near Chinese new year. You must be going back to your hometown, right?"

"Hmm.. That's true. Then next time Jian Ge, please tell me. I wonder what it looks like to attend medical conferences."

They finished their dinner, and Bai Yutang took his medicine. He studied for a little while, then excused himself to sleep when he felt sleepy. In his room, he is grateful to know this amazing man.

To know him, and learn so much about amazing things and changing his way of seeing his own life. Sometimes, when you feel appreciation and protection from people around you, it will make you stronger. And strive to be a better version of yourself, for you and other people around you.

You don't need to do great things in life. Just do your best, and be grateful for every encounter. 

To be happy, you don't need big things. Small things are enough.