HSS Chapter 71
Translated by Novice Translations
Proofread by Yserieh
Chapter 71: You Promised
"After your cousin’s incident, your father and I did worry about it for a while, but then we thought about it, we can’t eat for fear of choking.*" Shen Qingyi said, "I can’t live in fear because I may get this disease in the future, it’s not worth it."
(TN: To avoid something essential because of a slight risk)
"That’s right." Mu Ruozhou nodded his head.
"You participated in the whole process for Lin Han’s illness until she left." Shen Qingyi looked at her daughter, "Although you haven't mentioned it, but I know, you must be very worried."
Mu Xiaoya nodded, she was indeed worried, but what she worries about is not her mother’s sudden illness, but her family’s reaction after her illness. Now, they seem to have figured it out for themselves.
"Professor Rong also said that there is currently no way to detect this disease, and there is no way to treat it after onset. Thus, before there is an improvement in medicine, regardless of if I have this illness, we all can’t do anything about it.” Shen Qingyi suddenly smiled, “Therefore our family shouldn’t take it seriously. If it doesn’t come, we will live a good life, if it does come, we have to live a good life now.”
"Okay." Mu Xiaoya nodded heavily; this is what she wanted to hear the most. I wish I could clap my hands in agreement.
Mu Ruozhou also chimed in: "Ah, I recently called your mother’s relatives and found out that many elders are still alive. What does this mean? It means we can be more optimistic."
"If we are optimistic, then let’s not talk about this illness anymore in the future." Shen Qingyi announced.
"Okay, from this moment on, we will not mention it to anyone as if we never found out." Mu Ruozhou agreed.
"Dad, do you have any wine at home?" Mu Xiaoya suddenly wanted a drink.
"Yes, Dad has a collection. We will all drink together." Mu Ruozhou stood up with a smile and went to the wine cabinet to take out the Maotai that he had treasured for a long time. Shen Qingyi also rarely drink and even took the initiative to go to the kitchen to get glasses and put them in front of him.
Mu Ruozhou took the remaining Maotais left and poured the wine one by one. When pouring for Bai Chuan, the wine glass was suddenly blocked by Mu Xiaoya’s hand.
"What are you doing?" Mu Ruozhou glanced at his daughter.
"Xiao Chuan can’t drink alcohol." Mu Xiaoya shook her head frantically towards her father, obviously recalling the pain of being dominated by math problems.
"Oh~~" Father Mu understood in seconds as he was also dragged into that night to solve math problems together until midnight, “Can’t drink, Xiao Chuan, you can’t drink.”
Shen Qingyi was teased by her husband and daughter, then glanced at Bai Chuan, who already had a face full of grievances: "Isn't the family drinking together? Why can't he drink?"
"..." The kind of question made it impossible to refute. If he doesn’t drink, wouldn’t that be the same as admitting that Bai Chuan is an outsider?
Shen Qingyi looked at her husband: How about we give some to Bai Chuan?
Mu Ruozhou looked at his daughter: Pour or not pour?
Mu Xiaoya gritted her teeth and let go of her hand: let’s do the problems, can ask for Dad’s help anyways.
Therefore, the wine glass in front of Bai Chuan was also filled with white wine. Mu Ruozhou also reminded him intimately: "This wine has a high degree of alcohol. You should drink it slowly."
Bai Chuan was indifferent and sounded an ‘en’, was this a high degree problem? This is proof that he shouldn’t be excluded, not to mention a little high degree of alcohol, he also had to drink.
"Then... do one." Mu Ruozhou took the lead in raising his wine glass, then four white porcelain wine cups collided in the air, making a crisp sound, like the New Year’s bell, opening a new chapter.
After drinking, she wasn’t able to drive so Mu Xiaoya decided to stay overnight. The father and daughter of the Mu family, who had already prepared for the problems, began to carefully observe Bai Chuan after the meal. As a result, Bai Chuan didn’t seem to have any abnormalities even until they all return to their rooms to sleep, he didn’t ask them to solve any problems.
"Daughter, he still hasn’t asked us, but my scratch paper and calculator are ready." Mu Ruozhou stood in front of the door and asked his daughter quietly.
"I don’t know either." Mu Xiaoya’s voice was quieter, and she didn’t dare to even mention the word ‘problem’ for fear that she would remind Bai Chuan, “It seems that he forgot.”
"Then, do you still want Dad to stay?"
"You go to sleep first, if he remembers, I'll call you again."
"OK."
Mu Ruozhou withdrew carefully, then returned to his room and met his wife, who had a small smile on her face. Mu Ruozhou looked down at the scratch paper and calculator in his hand and couldn't help but smile.
=
On the other side, Mu Xiaoya sent her father away and looked back at Bai Chuan, who sat quietly beside the bed. This bedroom wasn’t big, it was only a dozen square meters in total, but there were many things, such as a sofa, closet and desk. Because there were many things, the bed was small. It was spacious to lay down alone, but with two people it was a little crowded. Bai Chuan’s tall body sat on the edge of the bed, as if he couldn’t even stretch out his feet.
(TN: I just realized, they didn’t have to sleep over in the Mu family’s home…they could have went next door to Grandma Bai’s home and stayed there for snusnu privacy instead…)
"Let's go to sleep." Mu Xiaoya didn't know if Bai Chuan was drunk or not. He said he was drunk but didn’t make her do problems. He was quiet and peaceful from usual.
"I haven't taken a bath yet." Bai Chuan's obsession with cleanliness wasn’t serious, but he never sleeps without taking a bath.
"That... there’s no pajamas here." Mu Xiaoya suddenly remembered.
"Wash, don't wear pajamas."
"Cough..." Mu Xiaoya suspected that Bai Chuan was hinting to her, no, he was clearly stating. But they were in a special environment now, staying at her family's house, this wasn’t good, so she euphemistically replied, "I'll go find my dad to get a set."
"No, I want to wear my own." Bai Chuan suddenly became stubborn.
"How can your pajamas be here ah?" Mu Xiaoya was helpless, it seems she has no choice but to drive back to get it.
"There is next door." Bai Chuan raised his finger and pointed to the window, Mu Xiaoya turned her head and looked. Suddenly she recalled next door is Grandma Bai’s yard and Bai Chuan's clothes must be inside.
"Then I'll get it for you." Fortunately, Mu Xiaoya had the key for the yard next door and kept a set at home.
Pulling out the key, Mu Xiaoya turned and went out of the room, but suddenly there was a crackling sound behind her, it seems that Bai Chuan followed her.
"You’re going too?" Mu Xiaoya asked.
"Go."
"Then quietly." The two went downstairs carefully, opened the gate, and slipped away to the yard next door.
Although Grandma Bai’s yard was taken care of all the time, it was uninhabited all year round, plus not it was winter, and the house was cold. Mu Xiaoya couldn’t help but shiver: “Where are the clothes? Let’s hurry back, it’s so cold.”
"Upstairs." Bai Chuan took the lead to go upstairs, skillfully walked into the bedroom, and opened a closet. After Bai Chuan pulled out a set of clothes, he directed turned around to leave. Mu Xiaoya thought that Bai Chuan was going home and hurried to keep up. Unexpectedly, she left the bedroom and saw Bai Chuan suddenly enter the bathroom next door.
"Hua la la(crashing sound sfx) ..." After a while, the sound of water came from the bathroom. Mu Xiaoya was startled. After a long time, she asked through the door, "Are you... taking a bath?"
"Ka cha..." At this time, the door suddenly opened again, and Bai Chuan, who was wet and naked, appeared in front of Mu Xiaoya stabbing her eyes, then passed her and went straight to the bedroom.
After a while, he came out again, with a towel in his hand. Bai Chuan passed Mu Xiaoya again, entered the bathroom, closed the door, and continued to take a bath.
"..." Okay, as expected, still drunk. It’s just that he changed to attack mode.
Why did it seem a little hot? Mu Xiaoya uncomfortably patted her hot face, heavily panted and turned back to the bedroom.
After changing into pajamas, they would definitely catch a cold if they went out again, so Mu Xiaoya thought about it and decided to spend the night here first. Taking advantage of Bai Chuan’s bath, she turned on the heater, pulled out the bedding from the closet and threw on a clean quilt cover. Only a moment later, the empty bed was instantly warm because of the extra bedding.
After tidying up, Mu Xiaoya reopened Bai Chuan's wardrobe, took out Bai Chuan’s T-shirt from inside, and went to the bathroom on the other side of the master bedroom to take a shower. She washed quickly, fearing that when Bai Chuan came out, he would become anxious when he didn’t see her. So, she quickly put on the T-shirt and skirted to the room. Pushing open the door, she saw Bai Chuan sitting on the bed in a daze.
"It's so cold ah, quickly cover yourself with the quilt." Mu Xiaoya kicked off her slippers, climbed on the bed, and wrapped the quilt around herself and Bai Chuan two or three times.
"Xiaoya~" Bai Chuan glanced down at the quilt on his body, and the voice fell in Mu Xiaoya's ear, which made Mu Xiaoya unable to restrain her emotions and let out an ‘en’. “You once slept here.”
“What do you mean? This seems to be the first time I slept here.” Mu Xiaoya thought about it, this seems to be the first time she slept here ah. Did she forget?
"Is the quilt soft?" Bai Chuan asked again.
"It's soft ah." Mu Xiaoya found that the quilt was soft when she pulled it on. She doesn’t know what the inner material of the quilt was made from as it was unexpectedly fluffy and soft.
"Fragrant, soft, want to hold to sleep." Bai Chuan looked down and stroked Mu Xiaoya's neck.
"You... you... can't do it." Mu Xiaoya's will was weakened from his teasing several times during the night, "I didn't bring that."
"What?" Bai Chuan was puzzled.
"TT ah."
Bai Chuan blinked, why does Xiaoya want that? But since Xiaoya wants it, he will give it to her. Letting go of Xiaoya, Bai Chuan walked out of the room, then soon return with a small blue box in his hand, then handed the things to Mu Xiaoya and sincerely said: “Here.”
"You...... Why do you have this? "Mu Xiaoya was shocked. She was going back to her mother's house for dinner ah. Why did Bai Chuan bring this with him?
"When I bought it, the clerk said it was suitable to carry around." Bai Chuan lowered his head, and his mind was suddenly inspired by the blue box. His eyes suddenly turned bright and mischievous. “Can I use it?”
"What did you say?" Mu Xiaoya choked, after drinking wine, this guy learned how to pretend to be innocent. After teasing me for a long time, he still asked if he could use it.
"Use." Bai Chuan laughed with a hehe, skillfully tearing it apart and his whole body fell on the bed at the same time.
"Turn off the lights first." Mu Xiaoya blushed.
"No."
"You..." Drunk and unreasonable. Mu Xiaoya was anxious. "The curtains haven't been pulled down yet."
"No pull."
Mu Xiaoya's final consciousness was at a state of exhaustion. Fortunately, she was glad that opposite of Bai Chuan’s bedroom was her own bedroom, so even if he doesn’t pull it down, no one should be able to see them.
After enjoying the aftertaste, Bai Chuan sobered up after a bit, but didn’t let go of the person in his arms. Instead, he tightly held on for a few more minutes and pressed his sweaty forehead against Mu Xiaoya. The early morning was especially quiet and even their breathing seemed extremely noisy. Bai Chuan gazed at Mu Xiaoya closely, listening to her breathing and heartbeat.
"Xiaoya ..." It wasn’t known how long after that, but Bai Chuan suddenly uttered, "Don't get dizzy, don't get sick, don't be the same as your cousin."
After saying the three phrases in succession, at every phrase, Bai Chuan's eyes sank further.
"En~~" Mu Xiaoya turned around unconsciously, but because she was tightly held by someone, she couldn’t turn over. After frowning, she laid down well-behaved.
"You promised." Bai Chuan confirmed with Mu Xiaoya: it’s a promise.
—
Author’s Notes:
Six-year-old Xiaoya went to Grandma Bai’s house to find eight-year-old Bai Chuan to play.
"Brother Bai Chuan?" Little Xiaoya asked.
"Taking a nap, you can call him." Grandma Bai said.
Little Xiaoya walked upstairs, lifted the quilt and called out. After lifting the quilt, little Xiaoya found that the quilt was very soft and more comfortable than the one in her own home. So, she touched it, pat it, then laid in it.
"Fragrant, soft, want to hold to sleep."
Bai Chuan, who hasn’t woken up yet, froze for a while. He re-covered them with the quilt and held the fragrant and soft girl to fall asleep again.
Crab has been getting stuck recently, wuwu ... I really want to write a small theater every day.
(TN: small theater is basically this, a short story at the end of the chapter)