BTFB chapter 9

Perhaps it was due to Bian Liming’s live performance, or maybe because the competition itself was relatively new, or it could be the congratulatory words from Zhao Yuan—Bian Liming unexpectedly won an award in the competition, a first prize at that.

As a lower-level undergraduate majoring in the arts, winning a first prize in a competition for professional players was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for Bian Liming. However, since this competition was only in its first edition and lacked a systematic and formal structure, there was still a higher award category called “Special Prize” above the first prize.

Nevertheless, the first prize still sounded quite impressive.

Bian Liming’s father didn’t show up at all, and Bian Liming’s attempts to call him were declined. After a while, he sent a text message, mentioning that he couldn’t take calls at the moment but would be home in the evening.

Bian Liming shared a photo of his trophy and certificate. After about fifteen minutes, his father replied with an applauding emoji.

Initially, Bian Liming didn’t plan to tell Bian Liqin about this, but Zhao Yuan persuaded him several times, stating that if he didn’t share the news himself, he would do it for him.

Not wanting to make things awkward, Bian Liming decided to share the news himself.

So, during the weekend, Bian Liqin flew back from the independent state on the main island to congratulate Bian Liming on winning the award. The round trip took over ten hours of travel time just for this occasion.

Bian Liming didn’t expect his brother to come back so suddenly. When Bian Liqin mentioned having a meal together to celebrate, Bian Liming felt awkward and unprepared. Despite that, as Bian Liqin came specifically for this, he couldn’t refuse and insisted on bringing Zhao Yuan along.

At the dining table, Bian Liqin, unable to find any other topics to discuss with his brother, persistently and somewhat awkwardly repeated, “Congratulations on winning the award.”

Bian Liming felt a bit overwhelmed, and eventually, ignoring formalities and modesty, he straightforwardly said, “No need to congratulate so many times. Don’t worry; I’ll win many more first prizes in the future.”

And indeed, he did exactly that.

In the days that followed, while Zhao Yuan diligently pursued his studies in the demanding field of medicine, never failing a single subject in the five years, and maintaining a grade point average surpassing even some Alpha students, Bian Liming, amidst the concerns and worries of graduating students about their future, had already accumulated several prestigious awards from professional competitions.

The coffee shop near the school closed down. In the first half of their graduation year, Bian Liming and Zhao Yuan, for the last time, ordered coffee at the shop.

The coffee shop staff had become very familiar with the two. One always ordered cappuccino, and the other always ordered Americano.

On their last visit, the barista gently suggested they try something else. So, Zhao Yuan recommended cappuccino to Bian Liming, and Bian Liming recommended Americano to him.

They exaggeratedly praised each other’s choices, even making the barista behind the counter struggle to hold back laughter. Eventually, both, on the premise of convincing each other, were convinced.

However, after trying each other’s coffee, they took only one sip and immediately, with great understanding, swapped back.

Oh, and Zhao Yuan never mentioned the idea of reminding Bian Liming that “there’s my saliva on it” again. Bian Liming treated Zhao Yuan the same way.

In the busy and varied life of university students heading towards different paths, they maintained a relationship as simple and transparent as possible.

The future was vast, rich, and full of uncertainties; neither Zhao Yuan nor Bian Liming dared to think too much about it. Yet, intuition and happiness were so straightforward and intense, indicating a clear direction.

Thus, between questions and answers, they developed a relationship more intimate than friends, a highly “customized” connection.

“Can I link arms with you?”

“Sure.”

“Can I hug you?”

“Of course.”

“The guest room isn’t prepared. Can we sleep together?”

“Sure! No need to be so polite.”

“Let’s take a shower together. I mean… together, is that okay?”

“Why not? We’ve done it before. If we’re doing it together, we’ll do it quickly.”

“Can I… can I kiss you? Oh, never mind, I’m just talking nonsense. My mind is not very clear right now, don’t take it seriously.”

“……uuumh”

That summer, as an undergraduate student at Yancang University’s School of Arts, Bian Liming participated in the final competition. He not only won the first prize but also broke the consecutive victories of a previously somewhat famous player.

The “Huazhang Cup” Young Pianist Performance Competition was well-known for its popularity and professional significance. Bian Liming was genuinely pleased with winning the first prize, even telling Zhao Yuan that it was the graduation gift he most wanted and liked.

A few days ago, he received a call from the organizers, informing him that his post-competition interview might be broadcasted on the comprehensive news program in a few days.

During their meal that day, he casually mentioned this to Zhao Yuan as if it were an ordinary occurrence.

However, Zhao Yuan was almost jumping with excitement. He restrained himself, lowered his voice, and told Bian Liming:

“Hey! Do you know how high the viewership and influence of ‘Comprehensive News’ are? It airs every day at 7:30 PM for half an hour! All public channels must broadcast it during that time. Only ‘Morning News’ can compete with it!”

Bian Liming’s mind went blank for a moment, and he gradually realized, “Ah… it’s that ‘Comprehensive News.'”

Zhao Yuan’s excitement hadn’t subsided. He exerted some force and patted Bian Liming on the shoulder.

“Hey! You should throw a party to celebrate. Let’s all celebrate together! Whom do you want to invite?”

Bian Liming blinked slowly, and the joy and excitement on his face were not even one-tenth of Zhao Yuan’s. After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head with a low chuckle.

“Why not?” Zhao Yuan was puzzled.

“I want to invite my dad, but he definitely won’t go out of his way to accompany me just to watch a news program. My brother… I don’t want to bother him too much; it’s quite a hassle for him to fly over from the independent state on the main island.”

“What about your classmates? It may not be suitable to invite teachers, but classmates should be okay, right?” Zhao Yuan persisted. “Don’t you have any classmates you’re close to or familiar with?”

Bian Liming pursed his lips. Despite it being a significant achievement, he seemed somewhat melancholic.

“But we’re about to graduate. We’re no longer just classmates; we’re competitors. There are too many people studying classical piano, but very few make it to the top. From their perspective, I don’t think they would be happy about someone else’s achievements. Instead of forcing them to congratulate me insincerely, it’s better not to make things difficult for them.”

Zhao Yuan was stunned, and the joyful expression on his face disappeared. Standing next to Bian Liming, he felt a bit at a loss. After struggling for a while, he couldn’t think of any comforting words and could only mechanically pat his back.

Bian Liming raised the corner of his mouth, smiled, and turned his head to look at Zhao Yuan’s face, filled with concern:

“But you’ll still come to celebrate with me that day, right?”

Of course, Zhao Yuan would. The broadcast time for the news was on Friday, and he specifically had his parents, who worked at the TV station, confirm that there shouldn’t be any changes.

On Friday afternoon, they went to the supermarket together to buy snacks. This way, they could eat while waiting for the news at night, which felt very comfortable.

The supermarket wasn’t overly crowded on Friday afternoon, but it wasn’t empty either. Shelves filled with goods lined up one after another, and the loudspeakers at the promotion booths repeated discount information and “welcome to taste” messages.

Zhao Yuan and Bian Liming grabbed a small shopping cart and leisurely strolled toward the food and beverage section. Bian Liming pushed the cart, and Zhao Yuan walked beside him. Occasionally, their shoulders bumped into each other, prompting Zhao Yuan to simply loop his arm through Bian Liming’s.

It seemed like the first time they went grocery shopping together, or perhaps it had become the last time. However, at that time, no one thought about what would happen later. Both of them comfortably stayed in the present, in the limited future.

“So fast… we’re actually about to graduate,” Bian Liming sighed with a long breath.

Zhao Yuan was well aware. It seemed like every promotion, every experience, every choice was like the wings of a butterfly fluttering; lurking during the passage of time, pulling life toward some unpredictable direction.

Zhao Yuan was very clear that the choice of Lin Cang High School, the responsible senior, and Yancang University was a coincidental convergence for him and LBian Liming, perhaps even a fluke. It wasn’t because of each other that they ended up this way. But could such a “coincidence” continue indefinitely?

Could a relationship or emotion that began due to luck come to an end when that luck runs out? Zhao Yuan didn’t know.

As they passed a pile of chocolate snacks, Zhao Yuan casually picked up two boxes of milk chocolate from the shelf and threw them into the shopping cart.

“So, Bian Liming, what are your plans after graduation?” he asked.

Bian Liming tilted his head slightly and turned his eyes:

“My dad discussed this with me. He said I could consider joining the Cultural Bureau or a non-governmental organization in a sector association with significant influence. In that case, I might continue my studies for a few more years, then take a position in a university. I won’t be pursuing the path of a performer anymore.”

With his performance at the undergraduate level, there was no need to worry about further education and career choices. If he wanted to stay convenient, he could continue at Yancang University, and if he wanted to aim higher, he could apply to foreign music schools without any issues. Zhao Yuan was well aware of this.

“But… isn’t playing the piano well enough? Why do you have to get involved with politics? Is this a requirement from Uncle Bian?” Zhao Yuan turned to ask him.

Bian Liming picked up two boxes of dark chocolate from the shelf and threw them into the shopping cart, saying casually, “Politics isn’t the focus; influence and power are. One considers ‘how am I,’ and the other considers ‘how will this industry be.’ Which one is more meaningful, isn’t it obvious?”

Zhao Yuan lightly furrowed his brows, “Did Uncle Bian tell you this? With so many years in politics, he must have this kind of mindset…”

“Not exactly,” Bian Liming picked up two cans of sparkling water from the shelf, “It’s also how I think.”

Zhao Yuan gave a long “Oh” and nodded slowly. When he looked down, he saw four boxes of chocolate in the shopping cart. He picked out the two boxes of milk chocolate he had added and prepared to put them back on the shelf.

“Why?” Bian Liming extended his arm, took the chocolate from Zhao Yuan’s hand, and put it back in the cart. “Take it if you want to eat it.”

“It’s too much; there are only two of us.” Zhao Yuan explained, “It’s a waste if we can’t finish it.”

“If we can’t finish it, we’ll eat it later. Chocolate doesn’t expire easily.” Bian Liming continued pushing the cart without any hesitation.

After a while, they reached the frozen food section with various desserts and beverages that needed refrigeration or freezing. The freezer displayed colorful ice creams, fruit juices, fruit teas, yogurts, and milk of various flavors.

While Zhao Yuan was choosing items, Bian Liming stood beside him, leaning on the shopping cart, looking at the side of his face illuminated by the light from the freezer.

“Ah Yuan,” Bian Liming gently pursed his lips and asked, “What are your plans for the future?”

Zhao Yuan’s hand movements slightly paused, but it wasn’t enough for Bian Liming to notice. Zhao Yuan picked two cans of honey lemon tea and put them in the cart.

“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, so after graduation, I will definitely continue to pursue a master’s degree. Very few graduate programs in domestic schools accept exam scores, so it may not be realistic for me to take the exam. I’ll probably go abroad.”

“Which country are you planning to go to? Which school?” Bian Liming arranged the two cans of lemon tea that Zhao Yuan added, “If you’re going abroad, I’ll go to the same country, the same city, and preferably the same school as you. Then we can rent an apartment off-campus together, just the two of us, cooking together, making coffee together.”

Zhao Yuan turned around, smiled at him, and inwardly sighed at why Bian Liming didn’t like sweets, yet everything he said was sweet from inside out.

“If you’re willing, sure! But I haven’t decided where to go yet. The tuition, teaching quality, and admission requirements for overseas schools vary a lot, and I haven’t looked into it carefully.”

The two then tried to restrain themselves and picked up a few packs of puffed snacks and proceeded to the checkout counter.

It happened to be mealtime, and two checkout counters were closed, leaving only one operational counter with a long line. They stood side by side, waiting.

Perhaps due to the noisy discussions about how many plastic bags people brought, how much money was left in their shopping cards, or whether they could spend it all, Bian Liming and Zhao Yuan lost their desire to start a conversation and just stood waiting.

The silence between them lasted for a long time. Zhao Yuan seemed to see the shape of the silence: a deep dark blue, like a spreading and boundless liquid, flowing to cover the entire floor.

Until Bian Liming spoke, and the vast liquid evaporated into nothingness within half a second.

“Ah Yuan, what if, what if we can’t go to the same country and city, or what if I study for one year and you study for three… In any case, what if we get separated, will you still remember me? Will you still remember me!”

Zhao Yuan’s heart trembled, and a surprised yet amused expression appeared on his face. He turned to look at Bian Liming and teased, “What are you thinking! When it comes to remembering or not, it’s probably easier for Big Pianist Bian to forget about this unknown ‘half-finished’ doctor when he is at the peak of his fame.”

“No,” Bian Liming suddenly became serious, shaking his head solemnly, “I promise you, if we ever get separated, and when we reconnect, as long as you can still call my name, I will immediately know that it’s you.”

Zhao Yuan felt like he was having an illusion. It seemed like all the noise around them instantly disappeared, and the surroundings became so quiet that he could hear his own heartbeat.

He had an inexplicable feeling that everyone in the entire supermarket was paying attention to their conversation. His cheeks faintly flushed, and he reached out to fist-bump Bian Liming’s shoulder, muttering softly, “Don’t be silly…”