Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Graduation

【Teacher, you’re so kind】

【Hardworking in nurturing good sprouts】

【Teaching us to paint and play games】

【Teaching us to sing and dance】

【Today we graduate】

【Tomorrow we go to school】

【When I wear my red scarf】

【I’ll report back to the teacher】

【Teacher, goodbye】

【Teacher, goodbye】

Mei Fang, dressed in his kindergarten uniform, held Xia Yuan’s hand as they all swayed and hummed the song “Goodbye Teacher” with the other kids from Class 2.

As a customary song for graduation ceremonies, its lively tune and simple lyrics, which expressed heartfelt emotions, made the teachers sitting on the side of the stage shed tears.

The atmosphere at the scene affected some of the children. When the ceremony ended, the girls took out their carefully prepared gifts and bid farewell to each other. Xia Yuan had filled her backpack with gifts she planned to share with her friends, including one for Mei Fang.

The gift for Mei Fang was an orange little tiger, handmade from fabric strips, stuffed with something that felt like fine sand. The pattern on the bag was clearly hand-drawn, showing that it was made with care.

“Mei Fang, congratulations on your graduation!”

“Yeah, congrats to you too.”

Mei Fang patted Xia Yuan’s head, who pouted, looking annoyed. “We’re all graduating from kindergarten, why do you always act like a grown-up and pat my head?”

“There’s no such thing. You’re overthinking it.”

Mei Fang smiled while patting Xia Yuan’s head, and Xia Yuan dodged around, looking aggrieved.

Suddenly, someone hit Mei Fang hard on the back of the head from behind.

This hit was painful, and Mei Fang clutched the back of his head, wincing. It was undoubtedly something only Lin You Xi would do.

Since Mei Fang brought Lin You Xi home last time, her father and Mei Fang’s parents had become familiar.

After her mother passed away, Lin You Xi was mostly taken care of by her father, but he often had work on the construction site, leaving her alone at home.

Xiang Xiaoxia, feeling sorry for her, asked Mei Lijun to help pick up and drop off Lin You Xi.

It turned out that her house was not far from Mei Fang’s, just a few blocks away, less than five hundred meters. As she visited Mei Fang’s house more often, the gap between them gradually disappeared, and they became more relaxed around each other.

Lin You Xi stood with her hands on her hips, looking angry, scolding Mei Fang.

“Don’t bully Xia Yuan, or I’ll bully you.”

“You’re still the best to me, Lin You Xi!”

Xia Yuan grabbed Lin You Xi’s hand, leaned in to hug her, “Lin You Xi, can you come to my house this afternoon? Like I told you before…”

Lin You Xi immediately looked enlightened, glanced at her father, who was chatting warmly with Mei Lijun in the distance, “Let me ask my dad.”

“Great! That’s perfect!”

Mei Fang thought she would surely be pestering him again today.

When she stayed at Mei Fang’s house, she loved watching him fiddle with the computer and then cause trouble.

For example, when Mei Fang was studying coding materials, she would secretly press keys and move the mouse, making him frustrated, and she would laugh uncontrollably.

“Can Mei Fang come too?”

“I won’t go. Why would you call me to a girls’ gathering?” Mei Fang thought it would probably be another dress-up game, which he had grown tired of.

“It’s not just for girls. It’s a friends’ gathering.”

Xia Yuan twisted her fingers, embarrassed, “Today is my birthday. I hope you can come to celebrate with me.”

“Ah, your birthday? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Mei Fang complained, “I thought you would announce it loudly days in advance, inviting everyone to your birthday party.”

“I’m not that dramatic! Because it’s on the same day as the graduation ceremony… the ceremony is more important, and everyone is busy preparing performances, so I didn’t mention it.”

Xia Yuan paused, then pouted, “Actually, I only intended to invite Lin You Xi.”

“Am I not included? That’s not very thoughtful.”

“That’s because… because…”

Xia Yuan mumbled her thoughts:

“You said you didn’t want to grow up with me, and you never apologized for that. I thought I wouldn’t be friends with you anymore, hmph.”

“Ah, you hold grudges so easily!”

“Mm-hmm!” Xia Yuan nodded, then continued, “But later, I realized that friends don’t have to grow up together to be friends. After all, Xia Yuan and Lin You Xi can’t grow up together, but we can be lifelong friends.”

“Um… good that you’ve figured it out. Don’t be so fixated on growing up together.”

Xia Yuan seemed not to hear Mei Fang, lifting her head to ask, “Will you come this afternoon? Next week, I’ll be going back to my grandmother’s place for summer vacation, so we won’t see each other for a long time.”

“Since it’s your birthday, I should come. But I haven’t prepared a gift, going empty-handed would be embarrassing.”

“It’s okay. Your presence is the best gift.”

Lin You Xi ran back from her father, her face beaming with happiness.

“Dad agreed for me to go to your house, but I have to be back by eight o’clock.”

“Great! Let’s all go back in Dad’s car now!”

Xia Yuan’s father was busy with work, so Mei Fang didn’t see him often. He knew he worked in the catering business and was considered a small to medium-sized boss in the county.

He generally fit the image of a successful person, always dressed formally, but was approachable and didn’t act superior. He never refused Xia Yuan’s requests.

“Yuan Yuan, why don’t you invite more friends to your birthday party? You have many friends in kindergarten, right?”

“Um… that would be too many.”

Xia Yuan looked troubled, “Almost all the girls in class are my friends, but inviting only girls isn’t ideal. I worry about missing someone. Inviting more would be too much work for Mom to prepare food, so I invited the closest ones.”

Even a child like Xia Yuan could feel stressed about relationships, especially since she had so many friends, unlike Lin You Xi.

It was Lin You Xi’s first visit to Xia Yuan’s house and her first time riding in Xia Yuan’s father’s car. She sat uncomfortably in the middle.

“This little friend, you’re Lin You Xi, right? Yuan Yuan often talks about you.”

“Mm…”

“You’re Yuan Yuan’s best friend. Even after kindergarten, you can still play together. Come visit me more often.”

“Mm.”

Lin You Xi nodded slightly, her nervous hands touching Mei Fang’s waist, squeezing it involuntarily.

Mei Fang winced in pain and turned to aim his frustration at Xia Yuan’s father, who was driving.

“Uncle Xia, watch the road! A traffic police officer once told me, there are countless roads, but safety comes first. If you drive recklessly, it will bring tears to your family.”

“Well… my driving skills are good. You can trust me.”

“Dad! Mei Fang is right. Our teacher often says to concentrate while driving, otherwise you’ll break traffic rules and get caught by the police. I don’t want you to get caught; there are many bad people there.”

“…Okay, okay.”

Xia Yuan’s father seemed to want to complain but held back, maintaining an awkward yet polite smile.

Finally, Friday! I’m off for the weekend and can write even more!