The Stars In Your Eyes

Another weekend comes, and this time Jian Kang Lu stays at his kitten's house. Even though it had minus points where they can't sleep together nor touch each other but he felt this way he'll learn more about his kitten, and his family.

Jian Kang Lu wanted to see his kitten when he was around his family, and also the picture of his young kitten. He must have been very cute when he was a child. Jian Kang Lu already prepared the words he needed to say to his kitten's mother, so she was willing to share her treasure with him.

When Jian Kang Lu arrived, the three of them were already waiting for him in the gate. Jian Kang Lu touched, no wonder his kitten is so pure and kind. His family is the one that shaped his kitten to be this way.

After chatting for a while in the living room, Bai Yutang showed Jian Kang Lu his room and put his suitcase in the room. It was a 4 x 4 room with a big bed in the middle and wardrobe in the corner.

"This room is usually used by my uncle and my aunt when they visit here.. Where do you want to put your suitcase, Gege?" Bai Yutang explained and wanted to bring the suitcase to the wardrobe.

Jian Kang Lu closed the door, then hugged his kitten. He wanted to breathe that familiar scent that he missed so much. Another one week without his kitten is really cold for him. Cold and lonely.

"Gege.." Bai Yutang turned around, and planted a soft kiss on his lover's cheek. Then he hugged him back. This time he saw the gentle side of his lover. No lust, no desire. Only yearn for them to meet each other again.

"TangTang, I missed you so much." Jian Kang Lu kisses his kitten's forehead, then holds him tight.

They just hug each other, silently embracing their lover in their arms. They both know they can't do anything here. But this hug is more than enough for them to ease their suffering for a little bit.

Jian Kang Lu kisses his kitten's lips softly. Then he released his kitten from his embrace. "Can i see your room? I want to see the place where my baby spends the most of his time before me."

Bai Yutang nodded, luckily he was a person that always kept his room clean and tidy. He loved cleanliness. That's also reflected on his design. Clean, minimalist, neat, simple.

Jian Kang Lu can already guess what his kitten room looks like. He was imprint it in his mind when they had a video call one year ago. But he can't see all of it in detail. Thus he spent more than 30 minutes in his kitten room. Look at the pictures there, the books, and the computer inside his kitten's room.

His kitten's room looks like his own room, they're similar in that part. The differences only in their colour choice. His kitten's like bright and warm colours, while Jian Kang Lu prefers the dark and cold tone.

He wanted to hug his kitten again, but he knew it was not wise. No one could guarantee that his kitten's mother or sister won't suddenly come into the room. Jian Kang Lu doesn't want his kitten to suffer because of his recklessness. Thus he held himself, and just asked questions to his kitten.

When they're going downstairs, Lu Hua already waits for them in the living room, and tells Jian Kang Lu that the dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. They chat about the weather and the crowded airport. Chinese New Year coming soon, the time of family members back to their hometown. The time for them going back to the place they called home.

Jian Kang Lu also prepared the excuse why he came to W city two week in a row and visited Bai Yutang here. But until they finished their dinner, Lu Hua didn't ask him a single thing about that.

Lu Hua insists for them to eat at home, even though the three of them are mediocre cooks. At least, their cooking skill is still acceptable. Lu Hua cooked her best dish, instant pot braised beef. That was her mother's recipe, and Bai Haoran used to praise her so high every time she cooked this.

After Bai Haoran left, she never cooked this dish again. Until today.

The braised beef uses the shin bones part, the fat still attached when cooked so it will protect the lean meat during cooking, producing an extra tender result. The dark brown sauce is made from soybeans, ginger, garlic, sugar, and sesame seeds. The final result creates melt-in-your-mouth beef with a rich, well-rounded sauce that is very fragrant.

Braised beef is well served with steamed jasmine rice and steamed vegetables. The steamed napa cabbage, daikon radish, cauliflower, baby bok choy, and broccoli, could be dipped into the beef sauce too. It gives balance taste.

These last few weeks, Lu Hua already surprised to see her son turn into the best cook of them all. In the last six month she didn't meet him, his cooking ability raised from a standard simple dish into a passable homemade dish. Today, her son also cooks chicken soup and fruit jelly as their dessert.

Jian Kang Lu praised both mother and son for their hard work today. As someone who can only make toast and sandwiches, Jian Kang Lu really admires people who spent their time and effort to create dishes for their loved one.

Just like his kitten did to him in these past few months. Jian Kang Lu could taste that this chicken soup and the jelly was made by his kitten. He missed these familiar tastes that he could not have for these last twenty one days. He really craves to eat his kitten's homemade dishes once again.

Chen Rong even asked him last week, why he looked so dejected every lunch and never ate at the cafeteria again. That question stung Jian Kang Lu's heart. He already missed his kitten so much, and to be reminded by his friend like that really turned his mood bitter.

It also brings his fear into the surface. If one day his kitten leaves him, this is the life he will have. No more having his kitten's cook, no more good night sleep when they hold each other, no more soft and gentle peck from his kitten every time he went to work and every time he arrived at home.

No more warmth, no more happiness, no more a place he could call home.

Jian Kang Lu shook his head, and turned his focus back, answering Bai Yuren's question. She was asking about the life she will have later on. Months ago, Jian Kang Lu already gave her studying tips and the important books that need to be read by the first semester medical student.

As a first year medical student, they will learn the basics. And didn't touch the disease nor the treatment yet. They will learn about human's body and normal function, how it works, and the connection between each organ.

Jian Kang Lu already told her that the most important thing to remember is the anatomy and the physiology of the human body. Without the basics, it will be hard for doctors to learn the next part well.

Some of them had good memories, so they will just memorise. But if a medical student learns well about the basics, it will refine their understanding of the disease and treat their patient even better.

Jian Kang Lu understands how those two are the basics and a must for a doctor. Lots of his residents didn't master it well, and led them into difficulty when they treated the complicated patient. Thus he likes to point those two things to every medical student he knows. Also he likes to tell his residents to learn their physiology and anatomy book again, and watch the video about it.

Jian Kang Lu told Bai Yuren, later in her third year he will send Bai Yuren the educational video link that will help her study even better.

Bai Yutang was feeling envious towards his sister. She could connect and talk about Jian Kang Lu's world. He listened to Jian Kang Lu all the time, but he could not get inside his world. That foreign land, and those alien words never could never be attached in his brain.

But it was nice to see this dining table filled with four people like when his father was still around them. And to hear this lively conversation once again heard in this room. Lately when they eat, they rarely have a lively discussion like this. Usually it was only Bai Yutang and Bai Yuren who forced themselves to laugh and joke in front of their mother.

After dinner, they all sat in the living room. Bai Yutang asks Jian Kang Lu whether he wants to see their garden outside, walking around to help them digest the food they ate. But Jian Kang Lu refused, and then smiled politely to his mother.

"Auntie, usually when I stay at my friend's house I am always curious and ask if the mother could share their treasure with me."

Lu Hua confused, "Which treasure?"

Jian Kang Lu grinned, "The photo album of the children that every mother will keep."

Lu Hua laughed, "Oh, TangTang's collection is not as many as Xiao Ren, but it had good quality. Wait here, i'll go get it."

Bai Yutang and Bai Yuren shouting at the same time, "Nooo!!!"

How could Bai Yutang want to show his embarrassing moment and pose to his lover? While Bai Yuren doesn't want to show her shameful picture to this man she admired so much.

Bai Yuren could understand why his brother praised this man so much. This man is like every girl wants to have as their family, or as their lover. Bai Yuren didn't think about Jian Kang Lu in a romantic way, but she felt like having two older brothers now.

It was fine for her real brother to see her shameful pose, her brother had seen it all. But not this man! Bai Yuren already built her image as a calm and preserving girl, just like this man. So how could she be willing to let this man see her as a brat?

But their mother didn't listen to them, and came back with a few huge photo albums. Bai Yutang tried to save himself, but Jian Kang Lu and his mother tactfully guard the album and shove him away.

Bai Yutang could feel his face heated, it must be as red as a tomato now, especially when his mother showed his lover the picture of him crying on the first day of his elementary school. For God's sake, why does his mother show that taboo picture? He thought he already threw that picture away, but why was it still there???

Jian Kang Lu chuckled to see his cute kitten, with short hair crying so hard, sitting in the chair, with a running nose and griping the chair tightly, as if he doesn't want to part with the chair. His kitten bag was already thrown and the books scattered around the chair.

"It.. It was because they said that new students are not allowed to see their parents again! I thought they said we could not see our parents again forever, that's why when.. When I was back home I refused to go back to the school again!"

Bai Yutang tried to explain it, but it was no use. His lover just chuckled and looked at that picture with his eyes laughing at him.

Bai Yutang regretted why he never came to Jian Kang Lu's family Sunday lunch. "Just you wait, Gege. I'll take my revenge when we're back to B city."

Jian Kang Lu laughed, "Oh, you don't need my mom to show them to you, i'll show it to you by myself. Unfortunately they don't have these kinds of masterpieces."

At that moment, Jian Kang Lu also referred to his kitten's pictures in the garden with his sister, they were doing a pose from the famous children show at that time. He was right, his kitten is so damn cute.

From the naked baby pictures, the almost naked toddler playing in the pool, the crying picture, until the proud picture taken when Bai Yutang ranked first in the school. From elementary, junior high, and high school, his kitten consistently ranked in the top 10 for the entire school.

Bai Yuren already screamed when her mother showed Jian Kang Lu the pictures when she and her brother were doing that pose. There's a lot of pictures like that. She looked so silly there, and in that picture everyone could see that she looked like bullying her brother. There's one picture when she strangled her brother!

It's over.. She had to say goodbye to her calm and preserving image.

Looking at these happy memories constrict Lu Hua's throat. All of this is her happy memory with her children, and her husband. She was happy. Bao Haoran always tries to make her happy.

She felt the corner of her eyes stung, thus she hurriedly excused herself. She hurriedly went into the bathroom, and held her tears. She know, all the people around her already told her that this pain will go away. One day she could remember all those happy memory with smile, and grateful for the blissful days she once had.

The happy memory created by that man, the love of his life. But now the pain is still there, stabbing her heart. Plant the sorrow, and the grieve inside. She was grateful she was surrounded by the people that loved her. If not, she has already followed Bai Haoran since the day he left her.

The days without Bai Haoran are cold and empty days. Just like her hollow heart right now. Barren, empty, dark. Because her sun is gone, forever no more.

Lu Hua washed her face with cold water, and then walked back to the living room. Tried to plaster the fake smile back to her face once again.

There, she saw the warmth that went with Bai Haoran, once again filling back their house. She saw her son try to cover the photo album with her body, and Bai Yuren already ran with her own photo album, tried to hide it. 

That man, who laughed and tried to pull the photo album under her son's body, turning this empty room filled with the familiar feeling once more.

A warm feeling filled this place. A place that she called home.