Raising You This Small Stuff

Chapter 83.1 Fanwai (2)

2009, Christmas.

Snowflakes falling on the shoulders, Santa stickers on street shop windows, coloured lights twinkling, Christmas trees big and small….

Chen Jiao finished his part-time job at a restaurant near the school and ran back to his dormitory with two hot buns in his arms.

The dormitory was empty. Two of his roommates were out with their girlfriends and the other had met a friend to go out to party.

Chen Jiao’s parents died early hence he spent many holidays alone after becoming a teenager.

He thought he would be alone this Christmas too.

However the little game that suddenly popped up on his phone two months ago changed everything.

Chen Jiao took the carefully protected midnight snack buns out of his coat and put them in front of his nose, smelling them. The aroma of the last two beef Xiao long buns left in the shop assailed the nose with its fragrance.

He took his cell phone out, flipped open the cover and said to the screen, “Tuan Tuan, it’s time for a midnight snack.”

At this moment, it was the ‘Elf Rebirth Program’ game that was displayed on the phone screen.

Inside a modest room, in front of a small desk, sat a well proportioned, Q version figure.

The little man, dressed in black loungewear, with a meticulous haircut and a straight back, was tapping away at a miniature laptop.

The elf who was called Tuan Tuan’s hands paused, then he turned his head, giving Chen Jiao a serious look.

“Er… sorry.” Chen Jiao grinned, “It was a slip of tongue, Tuan1Tuan means — dumpling….. Mr. Tuan. I’ve brought back a midnight snack. It’s your favorite beef-filled bun. Want one?”

Mo Yi Yan stared at Chen Jiao for a while then sighed uncharacteristically.

The name ‘Tuan Tuan’ was obtained by Chen Jiao, but he could only blame himself for not being able to stop it at that time, moreover he had already clicked the confirmation button, and according to the rules of the system, it couldn’t be changed at will.

Later, Chen Jiao explained that the reason why he first thought of Tuan Tuan was because the first time he saw him, he looked like a serious little rice ball.

A serious, walking little rice ball…..

“It’s Christmas.” Little rice ball….. Mr. Tuan jumped out of his chair.

Chen Jiao nodded, “Yes, so there were a bit too many guests, so I came back late, you were waiting up, right?”

Mo Yi Yan couldn’t help but frown as he watched Chen Jiao take his jacket off hurriedly, because it was so cold outside, but he was sweating.

When Chen Jiao saw this he asked, “Hungry?” Saying that, he transmitted one of the buns in.

Mo Yi Yan had been working on a paper this evening, preparing to take the next semester’s credits early, so he had indeed not eaten anything until now.

Just as the two people started eating.

A message came.

Mo Yi Yan hadn’t actively turn off the ‘read messages’ function, so he could also see the contents of Chen Jiao’s messages.

The person who sent the message was a student that Chen Jiao had helped at the beginning of the school year. His name was Wu Hang with a harmless face, his family was well off and he was quite popular in the school.

Chen Jiao clicked on the message to check it.

[Senior, tomorrow is party night and the club is going out together, why don’t you come too! I’ll pick you up tomorrow!]

“The literary club is going to hang out together tomorrow.” Chen Jiao said to Mo Yi Yan out of habit after reading the message.

Christmas was followed by three consecutive days of party nights, and many KTV entertainment venues around the university were already booked full of private rooms in advance.

Mo Yi Yan didn’t even raise his head, “Tomorrow is my birthday.”

“Huh?” Chen Jiao froze for a moment, “Don’t you share the same birthday with Wu Hang?” He was invited to celebrate Wu Hang’s birthday a month or so ago, but he ended up having to cancel the date because it clashed with Mo Yi Yan’s birthday.

Mo Yi Yan took a bite of the bun, one side of his cheek was round and bulging, “That’s my solar birthday, I have to spend my lunar birthday too.”

“So…. it’s like this.” Chen Jiao felt a little guilty because the Chinese did have to pay a little more attention to their lunar birthdays.

Putting the bun down, Mo Yi Yan jumped down from the chair and although he had short hands and legs, he had a serious deadpan expression on his face, “Cough…. As for the gifts, there’s no need to prepare them, just do your basic player duty and accompany me after dinner and then just wait for twelve o’clock to arrive together.”

In order to make Mr. Tuan happy, Chen Jiao had to refuse Wu Hang’s invitation and stay inside the dormitory; accompanying Mo Yi Yan to ‘celebrate his birthday’.

On the day of Mo Yi Yan’s ‘birthday’.

Chen Jiao packed a few dishes from outside and bought a cupcake for two.

Mo Yi Yan was in a good mood all day, because although both birthdays weren’t proper days, they were happier than any of the previous twenty years’.

Chen Jiao put a candle on top of the cake, “I’ll transmit the cake in.”

Mo Yi Yan stopped him, “Wait, just cut half of it then transmit it in.”

“Huh? That’s not so good, right? How can you blow out candles on half a cake on your birthday?”

“What’s wrong with that? Do I have to do this kind of menial work?” Mo Yi Yan’s tone was hard, but the good thing was that he had a cute and cool little face, making it so that Chen Jiao was unable to help but smile.

Chen Jiao shook his head helplessly, “Okay then, I’ll cut it.”

“Hmph~” Mo Yi Yan inclined his face in a seemingly disdainful manner. Actually, what he was worried about was only that if Chen Jiao transmitted the cake in, he wouldn’t spare any more money to take it out, and then would most likely find an excuse to leave it all to him, saying that he had a toothache or an upset stomach.

Chen Jiao cut the cake then transmitted half of it inside.

The two men each had half a cake on and off the screen, both with candles lit on top of it.

 

“Wait!” Chen Jiao jogged over to turn off the dormitory lights, and the small candle inside became the only source of light except for the light shining in from the window.

The dormitory was well heated and he was Wear only a white shirt, two of the buttons undone at the collar, his white neck and profoundly slender collarbone hidden beneath.

Mo Yi Yan’s gaze changed, then quickly closed his eyes.

“Have you made your wish yet?” Chen Jiao had had very few birthdays celebrated for him since he was a child, so his heart always looked forward to this wonderful sense of ritual.
 
It wasn’t really a birthday anyway, so just pick one, right? Then Mo Yi Yan wished that in the near future after he left the game Chen Jiao will still be by his stay for life….. As for why, through these two months of observation, with his keen judgment, he saw that Chen Jiao was particularly suitable to be an assistant, hmm, that was the reason.

Mo Yi Yan nodded, indicating that he had already made his wish.

“Then let’s blow out the candles together!” Chen Jiao was looking forward to this part the most. His mouth was already puffed up, and the next moment as he was ready to blow out the candles, the door to the dormitory was suddenly pushed open.

“…. Senior, I’m sorry, I looked outside and saw the lights were off I thought no one was there, so I subconsciously pushed.” The one who came in was none other than Wu Hang.

“Ah… It’s okay!” Chen Jiao was startled by Wu Hang who suddenly crashed in, and grabbed the phone leaning on the book and snapped it on the desktop.

From Mo Yi Yan’s point of view, the screen on the wall was dark…. All that could be heard was the conversation between the two men outside.

“Senior, it’s your birthday today?” Wu Hang saw the half of the cake on the table with the candle still lit on it.
 
Chen Jiao froze for a moment then could only laugh, “Ah, yes, it’s a birthday.”

A hint of surprise and shame flashed across Wu Hang’s face, “I thought it was your birthday in June, senior, I’m so sorry.” He had learned some information about Chen Jiao a long time ago, but that was only official information, hence certain mistakes were possible.

“It’s okay, no need to apologise, it’s… it’s my a lunar birthday.”

Wu Hang: …

Wu Hang was speechless. He knew that Chen Jiao might be hiding something from him, but now wasn’t the time to probe. His gaze fell on the cake with the candle inserted on it once again, only to discover that it was only half full. The candle on it hadn’t been blown out yet, so it was obvious that Chen Jiao hadn’t eaten it yet.

“Senior!” Wu Hang’s voice was suddenly depressed, his eyes red with a grief-stricken and repressed look.

“Uh…” Chen Jiao was a little confused.

“Are you…. you ….. did you buy someone else’s leftover cake?” Wu Hang put on a big show inside this moment. He had known for a long time that the Senior Chen he admired was from a poor family with two dead parents, but he hadn’t expected his situation to be so miserable…..

Chen Jiao was so intent on keeping the elf’s secret that he responded to him without much thought, “Haha, it’s….. it’s cheap.”

“Senior!” Wu Hang called out in distress, then vowed to take Chen Jiao to have the most romantic birthday ever.

Chen Jiao refused for a long time but was finally dragged out for dinner.

Wu Hang also wanted to go to the movies and go to the square for a party afterwards.

Chen Jiao refused repeatedly.

The little guy in the game must be angry, so how could he not go back sooner to smooth out his anger?

Chen Jiao went back to the dormitory and clicked on the game.

Mr. Tuan was really sitting with his back to the screen, the cake on the small table hadn’t been touched at all, the candles on it already burned out and spread miserably on top of the cake like tears.

“Mr. Tuan, Mr. Tuan.” Chen Jiao didn’t even take his jacket off. He clicked on the game and called out to the small back twice.

Mo Yi Yan didn’t turn his head, as if he hadn’t heard him.

“Tuan Tuan?”

“……”

“Tuanzi?”

“……”

Chen Jiao tapped the small back on top of the phone screen, “Alright, I apologize. But I was really afraid that you would be discovered just now, I did that in a moment of haste.”

The stubborn little back still refused to respond.

He had apologized, but still? Chen Jiao took his jacket off and sat down, ready to fight a long battle with his little Tuan Tuan.

Who knows, he didn’t say anything for two minutes and in the middle of folding his clothes, Mo Yi Yan turned around, his face fierce and accusatory.

Chen Jiao suddenly felt even more guilty.

“Let’s eat the cake together, okay? It’s going to go bad if we leave it for too long.” Chen Jiao coaxed patiently.

Mo Yi Yan glanced at the cake on the table. Actually, he didn’t like sweets at all, moreover whenever Mother Mo caught him on his birthday before he became an elf, he would only barely eat a bite or two of the custom-made, top-quality birthday cake.

But a month ago, he ate every bite of the bowl-sized panda cake that Chen Jiao bought, because he could feel that Chen Jiao was doing his best to give him the best.

Usually when Chen Jiao went to work, he didn’t take the subway, but took two trips on the bus and walked for more than ten minutes, just to save two yuan, his shoes and clothes were from a few years ago, and his inner vest had long become transparent from being washed over and over again. This was the same person who was willing to put out his years of savings to help pay for his 10,000 yuan tuition and buy him a small custom-made suit as a gift for his birthday.

He worked very hard to save every penny, and for this little piece of cake, he had done the same thing.

Chen Jiao laughed when he saw the expression on his elf’s face ease: “Here, I just forgot to transmit the small fork in, look at this little fork with a picture of a little panda on it, round and rolled just like you….. cough…. I’ve sent it in ha…..”

The fork was transmitted into the game.

Mo Yi Yan clutched it in his hand and suddenly raised his head, “Chen Jiao.”

Chapter 83.3 Fanwai (2)

Mo Yi Yan clutched it in his hand and suddenly raised his head, “Chen Jiao.”

“Hmm?” Chen Jiao scooped up a piece of cream and was about to stuff it inside his mouth.

“I’ll raise you in the future.” Mo Yi Yan stood in front of the table, his large eyes revealing a seriousness and depth that didn’t match his appearance.

Chen Jiao was stunned.

Mo Yi Yan continued, “I’ll raise you in the future and I’ll never ask you to eat cake that you can’t afford and be bullied by others. “

“Ah, okay!” Chen Jiao froze. His eyes were a little hot and a warm current flowed through his chest slowly. Although the one who was talking was only an interdimensional being inside his cell phone, and a Q version of a doughnut at that, it still gave him an unprecedented sense of solace and security.

June 2010.

Mo Yi Yan had already reached level 52 but couldn’t meet his family nor could he reveal his identity because of the system’s restrictions, but he could already enter and leave the game freely. With his strong business acumen, he used the game’s ability to transfer items to ring up his first bucket of money in the logistics industry, and then started financial investments. He was truly a player who could provide for himself and raise his player as well.

Of course, there were worries that came with leveling up grew with each level, but one of the biggest problems that had been plaguing Eldest Young Master Mo recently was that, after he could enter and exit the game freely, the system automatically arranged an identity for him in the third dimension, and the name on his household register, ID card and other valid documents was – Chen Tuan Tuan.

Chen Tuan Tuan!

For this reason Chen Jiao expressed his sincere apologies several times, but Mo Yi Yan could clearly see his shoulders shaking after he turned around.

Helpless, he had no choice but to put on his dead eyes expression and stare coldly at the other person every time they checked his ID and saw his name, until they swallowed the smile that crept to the corners of their mouth.

“We have a club event tomorrow so we’re rehearsing in the auditorium today, will you come and watch?” Chen Jiao was leaning against Mo Yi Yan as he held his guitar in his arms.

The two men had just finished dinner and were blowing off steam on the balcony of their rented house.

After Mo Yi Yan regained his original appearance, he was more than half a head taller than Chen Jiao, and his shoulders were also wide, a full circle larger than the skinny Chen Jiao. He changed his position and enveloped him in his arms, strumming the strings of the guitar in Chen Jiao’s hand.

“Is that Wu Hang guy going too?” Mo Yi Yan asked.

“Hmm.” Chen Jiao had never known why Mo Yi Yan was particularly hostile to Wu Hang, but he was still on Mo Yi Yan’s side from the bottom of his heart, so he added, “We’re not going to be on the same stage. I’m a guitar player and he’s in a stage play.”

Speaking of this stage show, Mo Yi Yan couldn’t help but frown. If he hadn’t faked being sick 15 times a month, maybe Chen Jiao would have been pulled into the stage play.

“I happen to be fine today.” Mo Yi Yan decided he couldn’t give that kid a single chance, “So it’s okay for you guys to go on on the day of the show. “

As a result, on the day of the official performance, one of the actors in Wu Hang’s stage play suddenly came down with dysentery and was carried to the hospital on a drip, so he was unable to continue with the performance.

“Senior, you’ve read this script before, besides this character has only three lines and spends the rest of the time in a coma, so would you help out with a cameo?” Wu Hang had a sincere expression on his face.

Chen Jiao hesitated, “But I haven’t even rehearsed it.”

Wu Hang said hurriedly, ”It’s fine, it’s fine, just memorize the lines and follow my lead.”

Chen Jiao could only agree to it. He took the script and flipped through it; sure enough he, the unconscious protagonist childhood best friend, finally woke up smoothly at the end of the story, and then hugged the protagonist deeply…..

Mo Yi Yan went backstage with a box of fruit to look for him; the result was that he saw Chen Jiao holding a script with a very serious expression, his hands moving as he made gestures and practiced something. A bad feeling rose in his heart.

The lights went down…..

In a period of confusion in his life, the protagonist finally found his way forward. He had to step out of his safe circle bravely and follow where his heart truly longed to follow. He loved music, hence he went down this sacred path!

The twists and turns of the storyline were very shocking and emotional for many people on stage.

At the last moment, the piano prodigy who fell into a coma at the beginning of the chapter, the best friend the protagonist grew up with, opened his eyes slowly as if by a miracle…..

“Luo Feng!” With trembling hands, Wu Hang took a step towards the prop hospital bed that had just been pushed on stage where a man lay. The man who had promised to chase his musical dreams with him since childhood was about to wake up!

His heart pounded violently, but he wasn’t sure if it was because he was truly immersed in the story or because he could finally hold Chen Jiao in a fair and square manner. Wu Hang was convinced that this one hug would surely be a turning point in their emotions!

The man on the hospital bed moved, and probably to create a more tension filled and shocking atmosphere, Luo Feng’s back was to the audience as he got up slowly.

“Luo Feng, you’re awake.” Wu Hang said his lines, but as his eyes fell on the back in the hospital gown, he felt vaguely that something was wrong.

Luo Feng who had his back turned to the audience spoke, his voice low and husky after a long slumber, “Yes, your dreams are awake too.”

“No, it’s our dream that’s awake.” Strange, his voice too…. Wu Hang felt more and more that something was wrong, but could only barely manage to convince himself that his senior was able to act so well that he was able to change his voice.

Wu Hang walked towards Luo Feng.

Suddenly, Luo Feng turned around!

The audience below the stage who had been holding their breaths from being moved emotionally become restless.

“Oh my god, so handsome!!! Is he from our school? How come I haven’t seen him before?”

“Who knows which department he’s from?”

“He looks a bit older than us, maybe he’s a senior from another department?”

“Ahhhhhhh!!!”

Wu Hang on the stage was no less shocked than those below the stage. The senior he was ready to embrace had actually turned into a love rival that had warned him several times not to approach Chen Jiao. His emotions dropped to the bottom instantly.

According to the plot, it was time for the two men to embrace each other and say the line ‘long time no see’ together, which was a double entendre, symbolizing both goodbye brother and goodbye to the dream.

But Wu Hang, who should have taken the initiative was frozen in place.