Extra Chapter 28
Stellar Calendar 278, October 29th, Snowy
Baldy, Bobo, and I went to the nursing home to buy vegetables. Bobo told me that several grandpas from the nursing home would drive out to sell vegetables elsewhere. Before they set off, they specially set aside a portion of fresh vegetables for us.
There were cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, baby bok choy, baby greens…
These lush green vegetables were grown in the greenhouse, thriving well. The ground was covered with vegetables, almost no place to step on. Inside the greenhouse, there was a wooden table with several pots of cauliflower and a pot of strong liquor. Old Blind Bear held a wine glass, sitting in front of the table, drinking with relish.
In the warm indoors, the fragrance of wine intertwined with the scent of grass and wood, emitting a sleepy fragrance. The smell of alcohol rushed into my nose, making me involuntarily rub my nose.
I’ve never drunk alcohol before. At the Starry Sea Orphanage, I never saw any alcohol. During the Star Wars, it was strictly forbidden to drink. Later, at the victory banquet, the hawks approached me to toast.
I didn’t want anything to do with the military. It made me feel disgusted.
I still remember the first victory in the Star Wars. The media said I had a bright future ahead of me, and both the hawks and the doves were extending olive branches to me. At that time, I was supposed to be a rising star. But back then, I wasn’t happy.
It seemed like nothing could make me happy. I didn’t smoke, drink alcohol, or use comforters. I didn’t even touch the toys people sent me. Those things only dulled my senses, nothing else.
I preferred to feel loneliness calmly and soberly by myself, rather than immerse myself in false happiness.
Later on, I fell ill.
It was not only psychological pain but also physical pain. Mao Zixie offered me medical comforters. He said they could temporarily alleviate my pain, but excessive use could lead to addiction.
I refused.
I thought it was a sign of weakness.
“Grandpa Bear, what are you drinking?”
Baldy ran over cheerfully, sniffing around the Old Blind Bear, “Wow, it smells so good! Can I have a sip?”
“Children shouldn’t drink alcohol. It’ll make you stupid.”
The Old Blind Bear put away the bottle of wine and called out to me, “General Xi.”
He always called me General Xi, and the others in the nursing home did too.
They seemed out of touch with the times, or maybe they just didn’t want to move forward and stubbornly stayed where they were.
“I’m already a little fool. Being a bit more foolish doesn’t matter~”
Baldy even used self-deprecation in his eagerness to drink. He circled around Old Blind Bear, drawn by the scent of alcohol. Sometimes I felt like Baldy could be easily fooled with just a piece of candy. Maybe it wasn’t just my imagination.
Old Blind Bear laughed, his eyes squinting into slits. He glanced at Baldy, then at me.
He stood up, his good eye clear, “I have a few bottles of homemade fruit wine in my room. I wanted to give some to General Xi. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a wine that General Xi might appreciate. I couldn’t afford it even if I sold myself.”
He said, “This bayberry tree was planted by me before I went to battle, right in front of my house. Later, the house was gone, the people were gone, but this tree remained. When I returned from the first Star War, the bayberries were ripe, so I picked them to make wine, and I drank a few cups alone. I don’t expect to share a cup with General Xi, but I feel that this wine and you are destined. If it weren’t for General Xi back then, maybe the tree wouldn’t be here… Maybe I wouldn’t be back.”
There was a mist in his murky eyes.
Baldy dared not make any more noise, obediently watching us. Bobo took out a small handkerchief from his pocket and gently placed it in Old Blind Bear’s hand.
I agreed.
Old Blind Bear took us to his room. The nursing home was really quiet, with only us walking down the corridor.
Perhaps it was winter, and the fitness equipment was covered with snow, so no one was exercising; everyone stayed in their rooms.
Old Blind Bear’s room was neat, with two old but exquisite dolls on the bedside. Baldy liked them very much and reached out to touch them. I warned Baldy not to touch them randomly.
Old Blind Bear saw this and laughed, “Little Baldy likes them. Shall I give one to Baldy?”
Baldy’s blue eyes sparkled as he looked up and asked, “Really?”
I lifted Baldy up, “You already have your salted fish plush.”
“But I don’t have this little bear plush!” Baldy said with a hint of grievance.
“Then I’ll buy one for you when I go back. I’ll buy as many as you want.”
Before I could finish, Old Blind Bear handed one doll each to Baldy and Bobo. He said since Baldy had one, Bobo should have one too. Then he handed the fruit wine to me and quickly sent us out.
Baldy held the doll, smiling foolishly. Bobo whispered to Baldy, “Grandpa Bear must really like these two dolls, just like how you like your salted fish plush. We took them away, so there are no dolls to keep Grandpa Bear company.”
Baldy realized the seriousness of the problem and nervously asked, “Then, can I return the dolls? Is that okay?”
“No, Grandpa definitely wouldn’t want something he gave away to be returned.”
Bobo shook his head like a little adult, patting Baldy’s head, “We should come and accompany Grandpa Bear more often, otherwise, there will be no one to keep him company.”
Baldy nodded vigorously in agreement.
I had intended to educate Baldy, but after seeing Bobo and Baldy interact, I found myself speechless. I felt that I couldn’t compare to Bobo in terms of understanding.
Evening Meal
During dinner, Baldy kept insisting on drinking alcohol. Ruge dipped his chopsticks into a drop of fruit wine and let Baldy have a small taste.
Baldy smacked his lips and earnestly commented, “Sweet~”
He then breathed on his own hand and quickly sniffed his palm, “Fragrant~”
I was afraid Baldy would turn into a little alcoholic, but it seemed he just found fruit wine refreshing and happily ate his meal after taking a sip.
I dipped my chopsticks into the fruit wine and let Bobo taste it. Both youngsters found it novel, but Ruge and I refrained from drinking.
Ruge said he didn’t drink now because his tolerance was poor. If he did, he would wait until the youngsters were asleep. I decided to wait until evening to drink together with Ruge.
After coaxing the youngsters to sleep, Ruge found a red candle from the cupboard, leftover from my birthday earlier this year.
We didn’t turn on the lights; the candlelight on the table was our only illumination. I don’t know why, but suddenly, I felt the atmosphere was pleasant, as if the bayberry wine was evaporating in the air, making me slightly dizzy.
Each of us poured a glass. Ruge lightly sipped from his glass, leaving a trace on his lips. He pursed them slightly, and the red liquid spread out, like pigments spreading on watercolor paper.
Ruge leaned his chin on his hand, his posture calm yet lazy. He looked at me and softly said, “Guican… Let’s share this cup together.”
We held our glasses, wrists touching. At that proximity, his breath gently touched my face, like feathers, leaving a faint tickle. I could see flickering candlelight in his misty black eyes.
The fruit wine flowed down my throat, its warm sweetness pouring in. I put down my glass, cupped Ruge’s chin, the wine lingering on his lips, looking sweet. I leaned in slowly, our lips met, entwined in a lingering kiss.
If Ruge were a wine jug, I’d wish to stay intoxicated forever.
Stellar Calendar 278, November 10th, Snowy
Winter has arrived. Old Blind Bear isn’t using the water truck anymore; he’s using a snowplow. Baldy and Bobo spent the morning with him on the snowplow, holding their dolls.
They’re not attending school now. Baldy wants to go outside every day, while Bobo prefers staying home. But he’s afraid Baldy will get lost, so whenever they go out, Bobo accompanies him.
When I picked them up at noon, Baldy kept talking about how fun it was to ride the snowplow. He was so excited that he almost slapped me in the face with his hand gestures.
When I told Baldy we’d have hot pot for lunch, he kept repeating “hot pot” in his mouth. Baldy loves hot pot; even the first time he ate it and ended up in the hospital didn’t stop his love for it.
The whole family sat together to eat. Baldy talked the most at the table, and it was difficult for him to eat while talking.
“When you eat at someone else’s house, you shouldn’t talk this much,” Ruge tapped Baldy’s forehead, “nor should you be picky or keep eating from the same dish. And don’t make smacking sounds while eating.”
With each word from Ruge, Baldy’s tiger ears drooped a bit more. By the end, Baldy didn’t know whether to open or close his mouth, so he looked to me and Bobo for help.
I told Ruge that we were at home now, so we didn’t need to be so strict.
“Oh, I just suddenly remembered. Before…,”
Ruge put down his chopsticks and said softly, “Before, no one taught me these things. Once, during school lunch, I stuck my chopsticks into the rice, and my classmates told me it wasn’t allowed; only offerings to the deceased and ancestors were done that way.”
“They saw I didn’t know anything and told me not to tap bowls with chopsticks, as it looked like begging. Also, when toasting, your cup should be lower than others’…”
“These… are all things parents teach their children. Seeing Baldy and Bobo, I couldn’t help but want to tell them some things.”
Bobo nodded seriously, “Dad, I’ll remember.”
Baldy looked at Bobo and nodded too, “Dad, I’ll remember everything.”
“In space, they don’t care about these things. It’s okay if you can’t remember.”
Ruge rubbed Baldy and Bobo’s heads, “Let’s eat.”
I felt Ruge was momentarily melancholic.
So when the youngsters weren’t paying attention, under the table, I held Ruge’s hand and lightly scratched his palm with my fingers.
Ruge looked up at me, a smile spreading from the corners of his eyes and lips.
If the youngsters weren’t here, I’d surely kiss his brows and eyes, hug him tightly, and tell him how much I love him.
