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"What? You want to transfer to another school?"
Gu Hai nodded, "The school that I am in now is too close to my house. Since I moved out already, it's too troublesome to attend that school."
Fang Fei was confused by Gu Hai's words, "What do you mean, 'moved out'?"
Gu Hai leaned half his butt against the cabinet and heedlessly lit a stick of cigarette. "The old man and I had an argument."
Seeing that, Fang Fei took the cigarette from Gu Hai's hand. "You're that addicted to smoking at such a young age! Let me tell you, smoking can affect your puberty!!"
"My puberty has ended already."
Fang Fei's eyes involuntarily shifted to Gu Hai's trousers. After that, she calmly withdrew her gaze and pretended as if nothing had happened before changing the topic.
"What kind of school are you looking for?"
"This will be up to you."
"I knew it. Whenever you come looking for me, it's never anything good."
Gu Hai laughed, "I only have you as a close relative now."
Hearing those words, Fang Fei was actually quite emotionally moved. Since Gu Hai was a child, he had always been close to this aunt and would follow behind her all day long. Even after they grew up, he was still like that. No matter if it was bad or good things, he would always run to her.
"My husband is actually acquainted with a few school principles."
"Then just hurry up."
"Wait a minute," Fang Fei grabbed Gu Hai's hand. "Let me clarify that if it's not a semi-good high school, you can't go there. The conditions aren't as good as your previous school either, but it can't be that bad either."
"As long as I can attend the school then it's all good. It's all up to you."
......
When Bai Luo Yin turned on his computer and login to his email, there were over twenty unread emails, all of which were from overseas and the signature was from the same person—Shi Hui.
He trashed everything and then completely deleted it.
Since they have broken up, then they must be done thoroughly.
"Xiao Yin ah, come here."
Grandma Bai's voice sounded from the room next door.
Bai Luo Yin quickly got up and went to Grandma Bai's room.
Grandma Bai was sitting on the sofa, her petite and heavy-set appearance resembled a respectable small Buddha. If she did not speak, anyone who came upon her would have thought that she was a healthy elderly lady, but once she spoke, it would definitely startle you.
"Xiao Yin ah, 'chop' an apple for grandma to eat."
Bai Luo Yin was accustomed to it. He immediately picked up an apple and started to peel it with a knife, but when he had only peeled it halfway, Grandma Bai could not look on anymore and pulled the apple skin and mumbled something incoherent words before stuffing the skin into her mouth.
Bai Luo Yin tried to stop her, "Don't eat that, grandma."
"Thick, thick."
Bai Luo Yin understood that his grandmother disliked that he had cut too deep into the apple, making the skin thick.
A year ago, Bai Luo Yin's grandmother was someone who was very entertaining in conversations. During family gatherings, you would only hear her voice. At that time, Grandma Bai was very stealthy, not even ten people could compete with her.
Just this year, Grandma Bai was admitted to the hospital due to pulmonary embolism and it scattered along the blood vessel that carried blood flow to the cerebellum which led her to speak in an incorrect and inexplicable speech.
For example, saying the word "chop" an apple instead of "cut" an apple was considered a small matter. Most of the time, she would call Grandpa Bai "Uncle", or call his aunt "big sister"; over time, she would even address the young and small youth as someone of the same generation as her.
"Grandma, I'm going to my room since the computer is still on."
"Wait a moment, chat with grandma."
One thing was not said from the aforementioned, don't think that just because Grandma Bai's speech was not the same as before, she could still talk enthusiastically—maybe even more than ever. Whenever she could get a hold of someone, she could go on endlessly; this caused everyone in the neighborhood to avoid her whenever they saw her. In truth, they were unable to comprehend the set of newly-created languages and pattern that she utilized.
"Shoes (school) has started, right?"1
"There's still a week left."
Grandma Bai held Bai Luo Yin's hand with an outrageously concern expression, remarkably similar to an energetic little elderly lady.
"Study well and don't cause trouble (be arrogant)."2
Bai Luo Yin's tone was that of when one wanted to coax a child. "Don't worry, I won't cause trouble (be arrogant)."
In less than five minutes, Grandma Bai started to snore; normally older people slept less but Grandma Bai was certainly an exception. She would wake up at eight in the morning for breakfast, go back to sleep until noon, eat lunch, go back to sleep again until four in the afternoon, then after moving about in the house, have dinner, and then when eight o'clock rolled in, she would head to bed as she routinely does.
Grandpa Bai and Grandma Bai were completely opposite. He would wake up at four in the morning and ride his tricycle out of the yard, come back for lunch around noon, leave again in the afternoon, return to eat dinner and then go out again for a stroll before arriving home very late at night.
The only common ground this couple had was that they were both muddleheaded.
This muddle-headedness can incarnate when the two watch television shows. At night, they would watch five shows and unexpectedly regard them all as one complete show and then enthusiastically discuss the content for others to hear.
Bai Luo Yin conveniently picked up a gown that was on the sofa and covered Grandma Bai with it before he walked out.
—
Translator's Note:
1 鞋(xié) - shoe and 学(xué) – school
2 闹(nào) - noisy; be troubled / 傲(ào) – arrogant