Chapter 55

Chapter 55: So Where Am I Good?

Lin You Xi spent some time playing with Mei Ya before heading to the kitchen to help Xiang Xiaxia. Of course, Xiang Xiaxia was not happy about this.

“You Xi, you’re our guest today. Go play with Mei Fang and Mei Ya. You can even play games if you want. I don’t need your help here.”

“It’s fine, Auntie. I don’t feel like an outsider.”

Lin You Xi grabbed a small round stool, sat beside her, and started peeling corn kernels. “You have to take the bus in the afternoon; it’ll be bumpy and tiring. Let me help with the harder tasks.”

“But Uncle Mei will pick us up at the Bai Zhou City station. It won’t be tiring at all…”

Xiang Xiaxia always seemed eager to send Lin You Xi away, but after so many years, Lin You Xi wasn’t the timid little girl she used to be. No matter how much Xiang Xiaxia urged her, she wouldn’t budge.

Xiang Xiaxia sighed helplessly.

The children had grown up and were no longer listening to her advice…

It seemed they had reached their rebellious phase.

But was Xiang Xiaxia happy about this?

She was definitely happy.

She got two obedient and sensible daughters for free.

Wrong, make that three.

After some preparation work, Xiang Xiaxia poked her head out of the kitchen and asked Mei Fang, who was playing the霸王游戏机 (King of Fighters game console) with his sister.

This was a birthday gift from Mei Fang to his sister, hoping she would stop demanding to use his computer once she had her own game console.

Although it was an outdated electronic device compared to arcade machines, it could still be bought in small town shops. The machine cost a few dozen yuan, and a four-in-one cartridge was eight yuan. To Mei Fang, it was a cheap item.

His sister treated it as a treasure, while Xiang Xiaxia saw it as a disaster. The house often turned chaotic over gaming time.

“Only half an hour until lunch! Mei Fang, if you have time, stop playing and go call Xia Yuan to come eat.”

“I’ll just call her, and she’ll come.”

Mei Fang put down the controller and was about to go to the landline when he was scolded by his mother.

“What kind of attitude is this? The girl is upset right now. What’s wrong with going to invite her? Girls care about their face. Take better care of her!”

“Alright, alright, I get it.”

Mei Fang secretly complained about his mom. She had told him to keep his distance from them, yet she kept creating opportunities for him to interact with them. He didn’t understand what she was thinking.

What his mother thought wasn’t too important, but Xia Yuan’s recent state truly worried him.

She should be enjoying her summer vacation, but instead, she has been torturing herself over failing the entrance exam, constantly doing practice problems.

Of course, Xia Yuan was always considered a good student, carrying a heavy burden of being a role model. Mei Fang understood this.

In both his lifetimes, he had seen many classmates shed tears over failing exams. After all, in small towns, people believed in studying until death. Everyone took education very seriously.

Maybe it was because he lacked such shame in the past that he ended up attending a second-tier university.

Mei Fang pressed the doorbell at Xia Yuan’s house. The automatic door slowly opened, and Mei Fang walked in without waiting for anyone to welcome him.

He opened the slightly ajar door, found his usual slippers on the shoe rack, and was changing when he heard someone calling his name.

“Teacher Yu.”

Mei Fang greeted his primary school homeroom teacher. Teacher Yu quickly invited him closer and asked, “Your mother and sister are going to Bai Zhou City today, right?”

“Yes,” Mei Fang nodded. “So I called Xia Yuan yesterday, asking her to come over for dinner.”

“Xia Yuan locked herself in her room studying last night. This morning, when I knocked, she wouldn’t let me in. Please talk to her and convince her not to do this.”

“Mm-hm, that’s why I came today.”

“By the way, Mei Fang, you don’t have to call me teacher anymore,” Teacher Yu emphasized. “I’m not your homeroom teacher anymore. Just call me Aunt Xia.”

“Got it, Teacher Yu.”

Damn, I said it again…

Teacher Yu couldn’t help but chuckle at Mei Fang’s slip-up. She patted his shoulder. “Go persuade Xia Yuan. Otherwise, she might miss lunch at your place.”

“Okay, Aunt Xia.”

Mei Fang now had free access to Xia Yuan’s house, but he rarely entered her room. The last time was before New Year’s Day last year when Xia Yuan invited him to see her beautiful wardrobe and help pick out clothes for a performance.

Xia Yuan’s door was tightly closed, just as Teacher Yu described.

Knock knock knock.

Mei Fang gently knocked on the door, but there was no response inside.

“Xia Yuan? It’s me, Fang.”

Mei Fang knocked a bit harder, and this time, he heard movement inside.

“Don’t knock anymore, wait a moment.”

Mei Fang stood outside obediently.

Soon, Xia Yuan’s door opened.

She had changed into casual wear for going out and looked at Mei Fang with her head held high.

“Let’s go.”

“… Didn’t we say we were going to your house for lunch?”

“You shouldn’t force yourself if you’re not feeling well.”

“There’s no forcing.”

Mei Fang gently pinched Xia Yuan’s cheek. “Your eyes are so swollen. How can you say you’re not forcing yourself? I told you, you don’t need to pretend around me.”

“That’s none of your business! Anyway, Auntie Mei must have made a lot of delicious food. If I don’t go, it would be a waste…”

Xia Yuan rubbed her eyes, then went back to her room to fetch a small mirror, continuously blinking and comparing her appearance.

“Is my eye really that swollen? I didn’t notice it when I was combing my hair…”

“Really? I was just saying.”

“Fang! You’re so mean!”

Annoyed, Xia Yuan punched Mei Fang repeatedly. Afterward, she placed her hands on his shoulders, her forehead against his chest, and stayed like that for a while.

This was something Xia Yuan did whenever she was sad or upset, especially frequently in recent days, almost daily. Mei Fang was getting exhausted.

“Feeling better?”

Xia Yuan nodded. “I feel better. Let’s go to your place quickly, or Auntie Mei might urge us.”

Mei Fang led Xia Yuan through the stone path in the residential area.

“Come to think of it, since Auntie Mei and Xiao Ya left, Fang has been living alone.”

Xia Yuan lowered her head in thought. “Fang, can you cook?”

“A little.”

“Just a little? You’ll have to cook for two months by yourself.”

“As long as I don’t starve, I can eat at your place. Besides, You Xi is pretty good at cooking now. Her family is often empty, so we can share meals.”

“Coming to my place for dinner is fine! But my mom’s cooking isn’t great…”

Xia Yuan suddenly became dejected.

“Speaking of which, You Xi and I learned cooking together, but she surpassed me.”

“She’s really impressive. She got first place in the entrance exam, excels at games and grabbing prizes, and is also good at cooking. I, on the other hand, am nothing compared to her.”

“No way, You Xi has her strengths, and you have yours.”

Xia Yuan grabbed Mei Fang’s arm.

“So where am I good?”

This pleading look…

“You dance well, you sing beautifully, and… well…”

Listing Xia Yuan’s strengths was easy for Mei Fang. As he listed them, Xia Yuan stood there with a self-satisfied expression.

How cute!

“Fang, I’ve been thinking. Since Auntie Mei and Xiao Ya left, you must be bored living alone. So—”

Xia Yuan raised her head excitedly and looked at Mei Fang,

“Should we… spend the night at your place tonight?”