Bai Luo Yin slept for more than ten hours, and by the time he woke up, it was already the early morning of the next day.
He slowly opened his eyes and glanced around only to see the rooftop from his memories materializing before him. Bai Luo Yin froze and blinked a few times.
His line of sight shifted down to the familiar wall design and to the painting he had personally hung; then his gaze went to the right, to the familiar door that still had his class timetable plastered on it. After going through years of deterioration, that piece of paper still looked surprisingly new.
Gripping his hands on something soft, Bai Luo Yin glanced down and saw the same blanket from before covering him. He picked it up lightly and smelled it; the faint fragrance of his body still lingered on it. How come this blanket is still so clean and soft after all these years?
With his brows slightly pulled together, he turned his head around and actually saw the school uniform from back then, neatly folded on the bedside cabinet.
What's going on?
Am I still dreaming?
Bai Luo Yin pinched himself extra hard and felt an intense stab of pain racing up his spine. All of this is real.
Don't tell me, Gu Hai reconstructed everything in the house to make it look the same way it did in the past in order to create a sentimental moment?
Just as he was thinking, the outside door sounded with a creak causing Bai Luo Yin to quickly cast his eyes over there.
A youthful Gu Hai simply pushed the door open and walked in, wearing that white with blue stripes school uniform and the familiar wristband. He even fixed his hair in front of the mirror in the exact same manner.
Seeing that, Bai Luo Yin felt weary and froze. Do you really have to act that real?
Gu Hai turned and made his way to Bai Luo Yin before placing his two ice-cold hands into the blanket—it felt so cold that Bai Luo Yin quivered. Then those two mischievous hands moved upward until they came into contact with Bai Luo Yin's cheeks, giving them a hard pinch.
"Why aren't you out of bed yet? We're going to be late if you stay in there."
Bai Luo Yin shoved Gu Hai's hands away, "You're really stupid."
With that said, he turned over and continued to sleep.
Not a moment later, Gu Hai unexpectedly slapped his back and utilized the same tone of voice from back then to talk to him. "Who's being stupid, hmm? I got up extra early in the morning to go buy breakfast for you, came back to wake you up, yet you have the nerve to call me stupid? Quickly, get up now!"
Preserving his patience, Bai Luo Yin merely replied, "Stop giving me this crap. I definitely won't be fooled by you."
"I'm fucking giving you face, can't you be more sensible? If you don’t get up, the steamed buns are going to get cold. Don’t blame me if you end up getting diarrhea after eating them! Let me tell you, Auntie put a lot of effort into preparing this breakfast for us, even though she hasn't been feeling well for the last two days. If you still refuse to get up, you'll really shatter her good intentions."
Bai Luo Yin shot Gu Hai a deadly glare, "Keep acting, just keep on acting!"
"What am I acting for?" Gu Hai had a serious expression on. "Auntie hasn't been feeling well for the past few days. Today we have to go home to see her during the afternoon break from classes."
Closing his eyes, Bai Luo Yin wore an expression that proclaimed, 'act crazy all you want, I refuse to respond.'
Gu Hai went on to state, "Which little bastard said to not work on the chemistry homework right away and to make it up at school tomorrow morning, hmmm? Hmmm?"
Bai Luo Yin continued playing dead.
Pulling him up, Gu Hai pointed at the digital clock hanging on the opposite side of the wall and angrily said, "Are you still not getting up? Look, what time is it already?"
Bai Luo Yin did not take note of the time, but he did catch a glimpse of the date. To his surprise, it actually displayed the year 2002. Initially he was stunned, but immediately after that, he cracked up and started teasing Gu Hai instead, "Gu Zong, isn't the work you put into preparing all of this too excessive?"
"Gu Zong?" Gu Hai had a confused expression on.
After that, he touched Bai Luo Yin's forehead, "Did you become stupid after sleeping so long?"
Yeah, right… you think this little trick can deceive me? Bai Luo Yin exerted all his strength to push Gu Hai away and then shoved his head back into the blanket. But as he did so, something hard pressed painfully against his skull. He picked it up for a look and unexpectedly, it was a mobile phone.
Furthermore, it was the very same one he used back then.
Bai Luo Yin clearly remembered that his mobile phone was destroyed in the accident that year, and soon after that model was discontinued in the market. Where did Gu Hai get it from? Plus, it didn't look like a newly bought phone either. The more he looked, the more it looked like the one he had used in the past; even the scratches on the back of the phone case seemed familiar…
With that in mind, Bai Luo Yin skillfully unlocked it and looked at the contact list.
Suddenly, a numbing sensation attacked him.
How come the people in the contact list were exactly the same? He browsed through their numbers and unexpectedly, they were all the same as back then.
Looking at it questioningly, Bai Luo Yin dialed Bai Han Qi's number for a try.
"Hello…" a weary voice sounded.
To his surprise, the call went through and his father really answered.
Bai Luo Yin's voice quivered with shock, "Dad… is it really you?"
"If it's not me, then who else could it be?" Bai Han Qi yawned. "Are you at school already?"
Without answering, Bai Luo Yin hesitantly put the phone down—even his palms felt cold and rigid.
Gu Hai coughed lightly from the side, "I'm not waiting for you any longer. I'm going to eat breakfast first."
With his train of thoughts running amok, Bai Luo Yin incessantly told himself, it's impossible, he must be colluding with my dad... Thinking that, Bai Luo Yin gave Yang Meng a call.
"I'm going to be late!" Yang Meng was gasping for breath from the other side. "If you have something to say, tell me when we're in class!!"
Toot, toot, toot… the call was cut off again.
Bai Luo Yin could not believe such demonic phenomenon. He quickly dialed Liu Chong's number, but the person that answered was a woman… who spoke in a completely different dialect.
"(Who) are you looking for, ah?"
"Liu Chong…"
"Liu Cong (Chong)?" The woman paused. "Hey, (you) dialed the wrong number, right?"
Bai Luo Yin, "…"
Putting down the phone, Bai Luo Yin was scared witless as he looked around in horror. Everything was exactly the same as before. The bed sheets, blankets, clothes hangers, schoolbag, slippers…
Don't tell me I'm still dreaming?
Bai Luo Yin clenched his fists tightly, the sensations coursing through his body were so vivid—he was certain that he was awake.
Then, why…
Gu Hai was slowly eating the steamed buns while waiting quietly for Bai Luo Yin to burst out. Just when there was only one bite left of the bun in his hand, Bai Luo Yin finally rushed out with an unkempt appearance. Then under Gu Hai's act of surprise, he gripped his hands.
"You're intentionally scaring me, right?"
Gu Hai tried his best to resist a smile, "What would I scare you for?"
"You dare say that you didn't prepare everything in advance?" Bai Luo Yin watched Gu Hai intently.
Taken aback, Gu Hai gently held Bai Luo Yin's cheeks with both his hands and looked at him with a nervous expression.
"What exactly is wrong with you?"
"That's right, teeth mark, teeth mark…" Bai Luo Yin frantically said while pulling open Gu Hai's collar. He stared at his shoulder for a while, but he didn't see anything. Gu Hai's skin was impeccably smooth.
"What teeth mark?" Gu Hai still feigned ignorance.
By then, Bai Luo Yin was extremely anxious—so much so that his hands firmly clutched Gu Hai's neck and he started snarling hysterically. "How is it possible? I clearly bit you last night! Where did that teeth mark go? Where did the mark go??"
Gu Hai hugged Bai Luo Yin tightly and patiently pacified his raging emotions, "Baobei, are you still not awake yet? Are you still sleepwalking, hmm? Don't scare me!" After saying that, he caressed the back of Bai Luo Yin's head softly.
Bai Luo Yin could not believe this absurdity no matter what. He would not believe that he had traveled through time from a mere dream!
When Gu Hai wanted to pull him to a place to sit down, Bai Luo Yin adamantly refused to do so as if his life depended on it. Instead, he incessantly moved around the room in the search of something, some evidence—he had to find a tear in this fabricated world, he must find the tear!!
However, everything that he could think of… those details that derived from the memories etched in his bones, Gu Hai had completely copied them with much attentiveness and had placed them before him.
"Ah, ah, ah…" Bai Luo Yin roared in the bedroom. "My military uniform, where did my military uniform go?!"
Leaning against the door, Gu Hai looked at him filled with interest.
"Do you want to cut class, hmm? Is that why you're trying to deceive me with this crazy act…"
"The one deceiving anyone is you!" Bai Luo Yin charged over and gripped Gu Hai's collar roughly. "Didn't your company just become listed? Didn't I just complete the flight performance? Right? Right?"
Gu Hai calmly pulled Bai Luo Yin down, "That should be enough, hurry up and put your uniform on. If we rush to school now, we can make it in time for the first class."
In devastation, Bai Luo Yin dejectedly smashed his tightened fist into Gu Hai's stomach.
Being teased until he was driven mad was extremely adorable.
"You can make a lot of food, right? Dumplings with zucchini and egg stuffing? Diced chicken with bean sauce?[1] Baked bean curd?[2] You even told me to that you'll make me a delicious meal when I return just to restore my energy…"
Gu Hai grabbed a boiled egg from the table behind him and held it up in front of Bai Luo Yin.
"I can make this."
Why?!! Bai Luo Yin gripped Gu Hai's hair and tormented it as if his life was on the line. How can this be? It was extremely difficult to survive the last nine years! It was extremely difficult to obtain the position I have today! And it was certainly not easy to raise such a great chef, ah!! How come, in just seconds, we reverted back to the time when he was only able to boil a damn egg? How come, in just seconds, we are reliving the past again?
No matter what, Bai Luo Yin could not accept that reality. His heart felt worn out and had twisted into a fried dough twist. But, just when he was in so much pain that he no longer wanted to live, he suddenly realized something.
Everything in this house can be manipulated, but the outside world can't be left at his mercy as well, right? Even if he has the ability to, it is impossible to construct a whole street out of thin air and put up a building in such a short span of time… right?
How come I'm only realizing this now?… with that thought, Bai Luo Yin sped toward the window.
When he pulled the curtains apart and opened the window, a loud rumbling noise suddenly sounded—followed by a burst of explosives. Bai Luo Yin abruptly retreated two steps.
He was thoroughly sprinkled with huge plumes of rose petals.
"Hahahaha…"
Before Bai Luo Yin had a chance to stand firmly, he was stupefied by the scene before him. Liu Chong was piloting a helicopter with Yang Meng sitting next to him. Worse, those two mischievous accomplices had the balls to wave brightly at Bai Luo Yin.
"You fucking…" Bai Luo Yin didn't know whether he should be infuriated or laugh at this point.
The helicopter slowly rose into the sky, and a huge hanging panel of flowers unfolded in front of Bai Luo Yin. The border was made out of red roses[3] and the inside was adorned with baby's breaths[4] that spelt out four huge characters. One by one, those characters ascended to match up with Bai Luo Yin's line of sight.
[Shēng―Rì―Kuài―Lè! : Happy Birthday!]
The hanging panel was as long as a ten-story building and as wide as two doors that were woven with fresh flowers. The petals floated down and covered the ground, attracting countless of city residents who rushed over to watch the magnificent scene. Meanwhile, Bai Luo Yin was still standing at the window with a stunned disbelieved mien.
After a while, Liu Chong carefully descended from the helicopter to the floor, where Bai Luo Yin was at.
The cabin door opened, and Yang Meng shouted outside.
"Get on! Gewill take you on a journey through time."
Translator's Note:
[1]Diced chicken with bean sauce (Kung-pao chicken)
[2] Baked bean curd
[3] Red Roses – in the language of flowers, it means: expression of love, longing or desire/can also convey respect, adoration or devotion. A deep red rose can convey heartfelt regret and sorrow. The number of red roses has special romantic meanings associated with them. 12 red roses is the most popular of all which conveys, 'Be mine' and 'I love you'.
[4] Baby's breath – in the language of flowers, it means: everlasting and undying love, including family, platonic, and romantic bonds/pureness and freedom from outside influences or corruption/reconnecting with lost loves or disconnected family members/self discipline and the ability to stay focused on love.