Chapter 81

Chapter 81: The Whereabouts of You Xi (First Subscription Request, Votes!)

Actually, with the assets in Mei Fang’s account, buying a mobile phone would be more than enough now. However, mobile phones were not easy to hide. If his mother found out and asked about it, it would be quite troublesome. Moreover, he didn’t have any necessary contacts to reach out to.

As for communicating with Xia Yuan and Lin You Xi, they usually either called using the landline or visited directly since their homes were so close. It was always convenient to meet in person. Mei Fang thought that he might consider getting a mobile phone when everyone else decided to get one too.

Mei Fang dialed Lin You Xi’s home number, but all he heard was a continuous busy tone on the other end.

“Can’t get through?”

Xia Yuan tilted her head, “Could it be that You Xi has guests at home and doesn’t have time to answer the phone? It’s pretty busy during the New Year.”

“Not sure, I’ll try again later…”

Just as Mei Fang finished speaking, the landline he had just put down rang again.

“Hello… Is that You Xi? Oh… Teacher Yu?”

Mei Fang often confused the way to call Xia Yuan’s mother. He would switch between Aunt Xia, Aunt Yu, and Teacher Yu. In the end, Xia Yuan’s mother decided that Mei Fang should call her Teacher Yu, which seemed more natural.

“Mei Fang, is Yuan Yuan at your place now?”

“She is… Let me get her for you.”

“No need, just tell Yuan Yuan to come back quickly. Her grandmother came back today.”

Xia Yuan heard her mother’s voice from afar and quickly got up, taking the phone from Mei Fang’s hand.

“Grandmother? Did she come alone? Didn’t Dad say he would pick her up tomorrow…”

“It seems she came back in her classmate’s car, saying she wanted to surprise you…”

“Grandmother’s classmate…”

Xia Yuan looked dazed and briefly chatted with her mother before hanging up.

“My grandmother is back, I can’t play with you today.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

While Xia Yuan packed her hat, scarf, gloves, and bag at Mei Fang’s place, she said to him, “You can call You Xi later or go to her house directly. If there’s anything, call my house, I’ll be home then.”

“Big Brother!”

Mei Ya tugged on Mei Fang’s arm and said, “Can I go play at Sister Yuan Yuan’s house?”

“You Yuan Yuan’s house has guests, why would you go cause trouble…”

“Well, I don’t mind.”

Xia Yuan reached out to Mei Ya, “Since your homework is ‘done,’ if you’re bored at home, you can come to my place. We should have a lot of relatives coming over today, and there will be two younger siblings around your age.”

“I want to go! I love playing with little kids! I’ll show them the wonders of science!”

Mei Ya even shouted the slogan from her favorite children’s program, waving her hands: “Science bubbles, hands-on and brainy, careful observation, explore the mysteries!”

Mei Fang rapped his sister’s head, “If you want to go, go ahead, but don’t cause trouble for Sister Yuan Yuan. Don’t touch anything at Yuan Yuan’s house, don’t disgrace our family name, okay?”

Mei Ya, who had been taught by her family that Yuan Yuan’s house was very wealthy, hadn’t visited Xia Yuan’s home much. Hearing Mei Fang’s warning, she immediately became serious, “Little Ya understands! Dad also told me that Yuan Yuan’s family stuff is very expensive; selling Little Ya wouldn’t cover it.”

“Don’t exaggerate like that, Fang!”

Mei Fang was happy to let Xia Yuan take care of his sister, giving him time to tackle the difficulties of golang programming.

In his past life, he wasn’t a programming expert. He only knew roughly what language his company used.

Looking back now, the difference between 2009’s golang and 2022’s version might be huge. At least, learning it now was quite challenging.

Just as Mei Fang opened his computer, he suddenly thought about Lin You Xi again.

Usually, she would either come to my place quickly or give me a call if she couldn’t make it…

Maybe… I should just go to Lin You Xi’s house?

It’s not far away.

After making up his mind, Mei Fang quickly changed his shoes and went out to look for Lin You Xi.

Lin You Xi’s small courtyard had an old motorcycle, a brand new black electric scooter, and an additional pink bicycle.

Surely, there must be guests at home…

Mei Fang cleared his throat, looked around to see if anyone was nearby, and knocked on the door while calling out Lin You Xi’s name.

In 2008, finding someone usually meant shouting from the building, which was something elementary school students loved doing, and it felt rather awkward.

At this moment, the door of Lin You Xi’s house opened, and Lin Guochuan came out.

“Mei Fang… Are you here to play with You Xi?”

Mei Fang nodded, “We planned to play together today. I just called You Xi, but no one answered.”

“Oh? Is that so… I suppose the phone line had some issues, we didn’t hear any ringing.”

“Is You Xi not at home?”

“She just went out. Maybe she was looking for you. Did you guys miss each other on the way?”

“Hmm… No, I’ll go back and check.”

“If you see her, could you tell her… Yes, Dad will respect her wishes, but hopes she can talk to me properly.”

Respect… her wishes?

Mei Fang was about to ask what that meant when a woman in her mid-thirties appeared behind Lin Guochuan. She gave off a very gentle impression, like a common neighbor, with beautiful eyes. However, her nasolabial folds were deep, and she held her hands in front of her chest, exuding a sense of unease and sorrow.

Mei Fang didn’t think much about it or ask further, just nodding and saying, “Hello, Auntie.”

Auntie seemed surprised but nodded back.

“Is this child a friend of You Xi’s?”

“Yes… He’s You Xi’s best friend, Mei Fang. They often play together.”

“I see…”

“Then, Uncle Lin, I’ll go look for You Xi.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Sigh…

After leaving Lin You Xi’s house, Mei Fang breathed a sigh of relief.

He was after all an adult, and these situations and words made it clear why things were happening this way.

He didn’t expect Uncle Lin to remarry at this time.

He wondered if Lin You Xi in his previous life had experienced this and ultimately accepted such a stepmother.

But based on what Mei Fang knew about Lin You Xi in this lifetime, he knew she would never accept it.

Was this triggering a change in history?

In his previous life, Lin You Xi probably didn’t have the chance to earn money to buy her father a new electric scooter. Perhaps her father felt guilty for not being able to take care of her, feeling self-reproach and guilt, which led him to consider bringing in a new mother.

Mei Fang searched along the way but didn’t find Lin You Xi.

Our You Xi wouldn’t secretly run off somewhere to play.

Thinking from her perspective, if she didn’t seek help from him in times of trouble, the only place she might go would be…

Mei Fang sighed silently in his heart and immediately took action, stopping a taxi along the way.

“Hello, driver, could you please take me to Paradise Cemetery? Thank you.”

(End of Chapter)