CH 47.2

When they’ve finished their morning routines, it’s also time to go. Mu Mu’er is sitting on the bed, watching Bai Yao pick his clothes for the day with curiosity. What will he be wearing today?

It might get hot during the day, so Bai Yao picks out two breathable sets of clothes for today.

Mu Mu’er looks at the T-shirt and casual pants Bai Yao has laid out on the bed, touches them, and then puts them down, “bibs! Mu’er wants clothes with bibs.”

Ever since auntie Zhang praised Mu Mu’er that one time, he has become obsessed with that particular overall and nothing else.

While it’s still fine for him to wear it around town, but it would be quite out of place in the city. Plus, Mu Mu’er is clean, white, short and cute. He’d look too much like a doll.

Bai Yao does not know how to explain in a way that Mu Mu’er understands. Mu Mu’er, though, can sense that Bai Yao is hesitant, and starts squirming on the bed, going ‘umph’ in slight frustration, “Mu’er wears! Mu’er wears.”

“Ok, ok,” Bai Yao, defeated, takes the overall out from the wardrobe and puts it over his white T-shirt. This will go well with his plain white shoes, at least.

Mu Mu’er happily changes, and admires himself in the mirror, from the front and back. He appears energetic.

Actually, Bai Yao thinks he doesn’t look too bad. He’s like one of those Korean idols, the sunshine types.

He crosses his arms and leans back on the wall to observe the result of his work. Hmm, a handsome and refreshing little boy he’s made.

When they’re walking on the road, Mu Mu’er has never looked as happy. He walks before Bai Yao with a spring in his step.

The town itself is completely traversable on foot, so Bai Yao doesn’t own a car. They’re walking towards the closest train station. Soon, Mu Mu’er becomes unfamiliar with the way they’re going, and slows down until he’s next to Bai Yao, and extends his hand.

Bai Yao holds his hand in return, while giving him a reassuring smile.

Qi Ya is already there, waiting for them at the entrance.

“Woah~” Qi Ya exclaims after a brief silence seeing Mu Mu’er’s outfit. His tone was going to raise even higher, but Bai Yao’s glare makes him droop back down in tone instead.

“Does this look good on me?” Mu Mu’er fails to understand Qi Ya’s complicated emotional rollercoaster, and assumes he also thinks he looks good like auntie Zhang said, “looks good?”

“Good…” Qi Ya’s word makes Mu Mu’er happy already, and he immediately heads into the train station out of curiosity.

“Good lord, he’s like a paper basket…” Qi Ya slowly finishes his sentence.

Mu Mu’er continues hopping forward, while Qi Ya goes to whisper into Bai Yao’s ears, “are you trying to get someone to kidnap your baby, decorating him like this?”

“Fuck off.”

The train station is quite empty this early in the morning. Qiaohai isn’t a big town, and it’s still some time until the school season. Most tourists aren’t leaving yet.

Mu Mu’er is behaving quite naturally as there are no crowds. He looks at the big map in the lobby area with lots of colours, pretending he can understand, before moving on to the colourful advertisement posted by the ticket booth.

The ticket staff inside, a middle-aged auntie, is resting on the chair. She straightens up immediately when she sees someone approaching, which to Mu Mu’er, looks like someone suddenly twitched and moved inside. Scared, he runs away.

Bai Yao waves for him to come back over, and Mu Mu’er does so obediently like a puppy. Still, on the benches, he’s still looking around with curiosity in his eyes. He’s restlessly shifting about.

On the train, Mu Mu’er’s seat isn’t even warm before he’s up and exploring. Everything is so curious to him. He touches this and that and everything in between, even finding fun playing with the Venetian blinds on the windows.

At eleven, the train departs on time.

Qi Ya bought them first-class tickets, and there are a scant few passengers here. They have several rows of empty seats ahead of where they are seated.

Mu Mu’er seems to want to take a sit in every seat, like he’s investigating how it feels to sit in different places. Since he isn’t disturbing anyone, Bai Yao lets him hop about as he wants.

Mu Mu’er seems to enjoy the seats opposite the direction of movement the most, where the scenery outside is going backwards. This is something he has never seen before.

Some half an hour later, the train has reached its next stop. The carriage slows, until it comes to a stop by the platform.

Mu Mu’er watches the scenery slow down and come to a stop, and finally, opens his mouth a little, “wow!”

Multiple passengers happen to be alighting at this station. Mu Mu’er sees them, and immediately stands up to follow, completely forgetting about Bai Yao and Qi Ya. He’s like a pup that manages to get lost just following after someone.

He stands straight behind the last person in line getting off, with his hands behind him. He follows as the queue shortens rapidly.

Bai Yao has been following the boy’s Mr Bean-worthy display with amusement, before calling out, “Mu’er, come back and sit here.”

Suddenly, Mu Mu’er snaps out of not remembering them. He immediately runs back to them, and sits down next to Bai Yao.

He asks Bai Yao with a whisper, “we’re not going?”

“No, not going yet. We haven’t arrived.”

Mu Mu’er is now staring fixedly at Bai Yao’s side profile, before calling out his name gently, “Yaoyao.”

“Yeah,” Bai Yao replies without the slightest impatience. He knows Mu Mu’er is just calling his name at random, but still turns to meet his gaze.

“Yaoyao,” Mu Mu’er calls out again.

“Yeah?”

“Yaoyaoyaoyao.”

“Mmhm.”

Mu Mu’er seems to be enjoying this ‘game’ of calling out Bai Yao’s name repeatedly, just to hear him make his magnetic ‘mm’ sounds.

After a few back-and-forths, Qi Ya has had enough. After Mu Mu’er calls out to Bai Yao once again, he squeals a forced ‘ey~~’ before Bai Yao could reply.

Mu Mu’er appears terrified; he turns to face Qi Ya, and becomes quiet.

Bai Yao “…”

“Keep your crow mouth shut.”