The Stars In Your Eyes - Chapter 175

Jian Kang Lu looked at his kitten’s back who was surrounded by those women. Wu Yajun also joined them. For once Jian Kang Lu felt magnanimous and let Wu Yajun tidying his kitten’s hair. He smiled to see his kitten’s face flustered from these ladies teasing, and happy to see his kitten’s laugh at Song Lixia’s comment, though he doesn’t know what they talk about.

“Yes, I introduced TangTang to my whole family today.” Jian Kang Lu responded to Sun Hongjia’s comment. His hand leisurely held the wine while the other slipped in his pocket. His eyes still glued to Bai Yutang, before his smile changed into that friendly smile, facing his friends.

At this moment, those three men felt this friend of them is really extreme if it involved Bai Yutang. Jian Kang Lu drunk’s style was different when he drank because of Bai Yutang. Jian Kang Lu who used to be the object of jealousy now can’t even hold his dignity and keep checking on Bai Yutang. And now, instead of introducing Bai Yutang slowly to his family like every normal person does, he chose today to introduce Bai Yutang to his whole big family.

Luo Yan’s mouth twitch, looking at the living proof that someone really could turn into an idiot when they fall in love. “You’re lucky your partner is Bai Yutang. If it was someone else, they would run away, scared of you.” Even Luo Yan and Song Lixia as heterosexual couple take the steps slowly.

Jian Kang Lu toast the wine in Luo Yan’s hand. “Because he’s Bai Yutang, thus i dare to introduce him to my whole family.”

Sun Hongjia waved his hand to the waiter, asking for more wine.”Yeah, i think he is too kind for you. I almost never saw he’s angry or upset. Let’s have karaoke together next week, it’s been two months since we last gathered together.”

Bai Yutang managed to run away from those women’s pestering. His face is red from Wu Yajun and Xie Lihua’s pinching. He slipped under the pretence of signalling the party planner to start the event.

The band who play soft jazz change the tune, then the MC gets into the stage. After a few minutes of introduction and jokes, the dancer comes in. Lin Caihong likes art, thus on her birthday there will be performances from traditional dance, martial art dance, modern dance, and mini opera. The birthday girl herself sits at the main family table.

The food starts to flow seamlessly, delivered by the waiter using a light green apron as their uniform. The apron had Lin Caihong’s name in the corner, differentiate them with the hotel’s waiter. The main dishes will be served after the toast, but the appetiser won’t fail the guest’s expectation.

The spring rolls, the seaweed salad, the abalone soup, the endless variety of mini dimsum filled the tables. Bai Yutang focused on the waiter’s movement and he was satisfied. They had planned for the waiter movement to also synchronise with the songs played on stage. In result, the whole dinner itself will also be the future.

After the martial art dance, the MC invites the family to be on stage, giving some speeches from each member to celebrate the most important woman in the family, while the white screen behind them shows the glimpse of Lin Caihong’s life for 60 years.

First person to speak is Jian Kang Lu as the eldest. “Mom, happy birthday. It will be cliche if i say that you’re the best mother a man could have, but it’s the fact. Even though you often starve us when Auntie Ming goes on vacation, you never neglect our feelings, our choices, let us live our own life. You believe in us, never push us in one direction, but pull us back when we are led astray. You’re the general in this family, our queen, our goddess. You turn 60 year old this year. Lots of your wisdom that I still learn to cultivate, and I still regard you as my idol. I know you’re the best mother in this world, and I’m sorry I still can’t be the best son. I even feel sorry for you, on your birthday you give me the best gift in my life instead of me giving you. Thank you mom for loving us, and hope you are still satisfied with having me as your son.”

Jian Kang Lu hugged and kissed his mother. The audience’s clapping hands even though Lin Caihong’s big family face showing mixed emotion. They could guess what Jian Kang Lu talking about is connected with the fact that this eldest son of Lin Caihong is a cutsleeve.

Next is Jian Kang Se’s turn. He just raises his glass, invite the audience to toast for his mother. “For my mother’s health and wealth. May she always get the happiness she deserved, and the prosperity from the hard work of the men in the family.”

Lin Caihong laughed and toasted to the audience after kissing his son. The MC then gave the microphone to Fan Mingle, who said her memorised line of auspicious words. She also raised another glass to Lin Caihong.

The MC then gave the microphone to Jian Shen. Jian Shen didn’t talk, he gave the microphone to Bai Yutang instead. Bai Yutang is in the middle of thinking how to get his lover’s hand to leave his waist. They’re standing on the stage, lots of people looking at them.

When Jian Shen gave the microphone to him, it was too late for Bai Yutang to do anything. Despite his intention to stay low key, now all the eyes are staring at him, with Jian Kang Lu sticking to him like an octopus.

He didn’t prepare any speech. This is out of the plan. He was not supposed to be on stage. Bai Yutang was never a person who used to get attention. Even to do a presentation in a closed space in front of a few people, he was already nervous. Not to mention now in front of hundreds of people now up on the stage.

He could feel his hand trembling. Bai Yutang knows he can’t see the sea of people in front of him or he will lose his voice and humiliate himself here on the stage. But with his standing right now, how could he didn’t see all of them looking at him?

Bai Yutang was overwhelmed. On the other hand, he is also happy. In front of these people, his future in law acknowledged him as the part of this family. All of this contradiction’s emotion swirling inside him.

His lover suddenly released his waist. Contrary to Bai Yutang’s expectation before, once his lover’s hand leaves his body, he feels the cold lingering in his spine, leaving him anxious and empty. Then he felt the familiar arms circling his shoulder, the familiar hands grasp his shoulder.

Bai Yutang looked at his lover, and saw that warm smile. His lover’s eyes always look at him gently. The black orbs inside that peach blossom eyes sparkling with tiny little stars.

Jian Kang Lu then put his lips next to Bai Yutang’s ears. “It’s okay baby, just say happy birthday.”

Bai Yutang hates the fact he can’t be like other members of this family. Why does he always feel like a loser who didn’t have any courage? He then decided just to focus his eyes on the birthday girl. He clears his throat first before he starts speaking. He could hear some people laugh softly. He himself could guess what kind of face he was making right now.

“Uhm.. Happy birthday, mother. I only hope you find me good enough. I know very well I lack in everything, but you help me to see what kind of person I want to be. I want to be a person who makes you happy, makes you proud, and worthy of your trust. Wish you well in the future and please watch me grow up.”

Bai Yutang is never good with his words. He only hopes his words are clear enough. At least, he really means what he is talking about.

Lin Caihong took the initiative to hug and kiss Bai Yutang. Last is Jian Shen’s turn. He took the microphone given by the MC. He looked at his wife whom he knew and married for more than 40 years. They have passed the hard time together, and enjoy the fruit of their hard work together.

“As everyone knows, my wife is the leader of my family. Her words are finals, and can’t be refute.” The audience, especially Jian Shen’s colleagues, laughed when they heard that statement. It was true, since Jian Shen rarely goes out for late night occasions except the important one. His reason was always using Lin Caihong’s name even though Lin Caihong herself never forbade him from going out to drink with his colleagues.

“We were married as strangers, fulfilling our filial duty to our parents. And never in my life do I regret my choice to follow my parent’s words. They know the best for me, and give me the best woman to accompany my life day by day. Now she’s passed 6 decades of her life, and I wish her to spend many decades of her life with me.”

Jian Shen looked at his dear wife, his gentle eyes clearly showing how much he appreciated this woman in front of him. “For a woman named Lin Caihong. My wife, the mother of my sons, the best woman I ever knew in this world.”

The audience toast for her, and Lin Caihong laughed when she was kissed on her cheek. The audience can’t hear what they say to each other on the stage, but their faces show how much they rely on each other in these years. It was the face of a couple who stayed strong in their marriage life.

Jian Ming jumped to his grandparents and hugged his grandmother. His loud voice shouting how he wants to say happy birthday to his grandma too. The MC laughed and gave Jian Ming the microphone he was eyeing for.

“Grandma, happy birthday! I love grandma, so don’t forget to give me the robot set you promised me!” Jian Ming’s latest affection is the mecha and robot set, resulting from Bai Yutang’s art lesson. Fan Mingle dragged his son and the audience laughed to see the pair of mother and son quarrelling.

They are all going down to their table. Lin Caihong signalled Bai Yutang to sit next to her. “Yutang, i want to talk to you about your graduation.”

Bai Yutang forgot about his graduation day will be held next week and she promised Lin Caihong to accompany her to the fashion dinner invitation two weeks ago. He already called Lin Caihong last week and told her he can’t accompany her due to his graduation day.

“Your family will come within this week, right?” Lin Caihong asked.

Bai Yutang nodded, his mother and the whole family will come this Thursday for the graduation which will be held on Saturday morning.

“We want to come to your graduation day too, if you are comfortable with that.” Lin Caihong told Bai Yutang straight to the point. Her face is calm, without any expectation, and that makes Bai Yutang’s heart tighten from guilt.