Chapter 282

Chapter 282 – Thank You for Understanding Me (Combined)

Liu Xiaoyu never imagined she would one day sit in the backseat of Mei Fang’s electric bike, especially without Xia Yuan and Lin You Xi being around.

She felt quite embarrassed at the moment.

But Mei Fang didn’t seem to think much about it.

Now he no longer avoided her as he used to when he saw Liu Xiaoyu, since his entire focus was on Xia Yuan and Lin You Xi, who were now in a romantic relationship.

To Mei Fang, Liu Xiaoyu was just a close female friend and subordinate.

The only thing special was that Liu Xiaoyu was currently the only girl who knew about Mei Fang’s current situation with three people.

She tried to avoid physical contact with Mei Fang and kept her hands on the edge of the seat even when sitting in the back.

Fortunately, Mei Fang bought a large electric bike, so there was enough space for them not to touch each other.

He must have bought such a big electric bike to make it easier to carry both Yuan Yuan and You Xi…

Liu Xiaoyu suddenly pictured Mei Fang, Xia Yuan, and Lin You Xi riding together, enjoying the breeze. Just then, Mei Fang turned around and asked her a question, nearly startling her:

“Are you sure your foot doesn’t need to be checked at the hospital?”

“No, no, I’m very grateful for you taking me home.”

Liu Xiaoyu hummed and didn’t dare look at Mei Fang, then looked down at her phone.

Mei Fang hadn’t seen her in a while after the new year, so he had many questions.

“By the way, how did you consider my suggestion about further developing in music?”

“Hmm… About that—”

Liu Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, “I still need some time to think about it.”

“Did you encounter any troubles? Family pressure?”

“There are some family issues, and I’m worried they might oppose it, so I’m thinking about how to bring this up.”

“But I think the prize money could be a strong argument.”

“…”

“Why? Is there a problem with the prize money? Did the finance department not transfer it?”

Liu Xiaoyu quickly waved her hand, “It’s been transferred. It’s not about the money… I mainly haven’t figured out how to tell my family.”

“Why haven’t you said anything until now?” Mei Fang was surprised, “It’s almost half a month, I thought you’d already given the money.”

Liu Xiaoyu lowered her voice and nodded, “I’m still thinking about how to explain to my dad. My dad is very macho, and if he finds out I’ve been hiding things from him, I’m afraid he’ll get angry.”

“Also… My dad is also very stubborn, and I’m worried he won’t accept my help or let me continue working with you guys.”

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier? We could have helped you solve the problem.”

Liu Xiaoyu shook her head, “You guys have already helped me a lot.”

“What are your plans? You can’t keep hesitating forever.”

“These days are approaching the end of the year, and someone will come to collect debts. I’m thinking if I give the money to Dad at that time, he might accept it more easily…”

“That feels a bit passive, though. Your dad may not have the money to pay those people off himself, right?”

Liu Xiaoyu lowered her head and remained silent. Mei Fang waited for a while and glanced back at Liu Xiaoyu.

“I want to ask… Do you know clearly about your family’s debt situation?”

Liu Xiaoyu nodded, “It should be several million…”

Mei Fang was shocked, “Since you took over Yuan Yuan’s family hotel, did the debt remain this high?”

“Not exactly… Don’t misunderstand.”

Liu Xiaoyu softly said, “My family lost a lot of money after taking over that hotel, but we still had some savings at that time.”

“Afterwards, my dad partnered with others in business, but they failed several times. As a result, he has fewer friends and more debts. Now he can only earn money by doing odd jobs.”

“I see…”

Mei Fang sighed internally over Liu Xiaoyu’s family’s misfortune. In his previous life, Liu Xiaoyu’s family was quite wealthy during high school.

“It’s hard work… Being asked for debts at the end of the year can’t be pleasant, right?”

“Hehe… It’s not pleasant, but I’m used to it.”

Ever since she broke up with her middle school best friend, Liu Xiaoyu had never talked about these family matters with anyone her age, not even with the close Xia Yuan. Today, talking to Mei Fang for a while, she felt a sense of relief and a hint of委屈 (resentment).

“But if possible, I really don’t want to endure it anymore…”

“I understand that feeling.”

“Do you understand?”

Liu Xiaoyu initially expressed doubt, but it sounded like sarcasm. She quickly denied it, “I’m not questioning your intentions… I just think your family background is pretty good, so—”

Mei Fang didn’t directly respond but continued, “While other families are happily celebrating the New Year, you can’t buy nice clothes, you can’t afford snacks, and you can only watch beautiful fireworks from afar, hoping neighbors’ kids might share their sparklers with you.”

“The worst part is that at the end of the year, you have to turn off the lights and shut down the TV, especially when strange uncles appear at your door when your parents aren’t home. They keep knocking, and you have to turn off all the lights, shut down the TV, and hide in a corner trembling, waiting for their knocks to stop before you can feel a little safer.”

“But the most painful part is that you can’t talk about the suffering caused by your family’s debt because you know they are already struggling to repay it. You’re afraid they will bear greater psychological pressure. You also can’t talk to others because you fear they might look down on you or pity you too much, leading to unequal treatment.”

“After getting used to it, you swallow it all inside, and it affects everything you do. You become cautious and reserved, enduring various injustices and委屈 (resentments) silently, even fearing to get angry for fear of causing trouble for your family…”

Mei Fang realized he had arrived at Taohua Road and turned to Liu Xiaoyu, “By the way, which way is your house—”

He saw Liu Xiaoyu’s expression after hearing these words and fell silent. Liu Xiaoyu, who hadn’t spoken much before, was now tearful.

“Why… How do you know so clearly? It’s like you’ve experienced it yourself…”

Her eyes red, she sobbed softly. Mei Fang quickly pulled out a tissue to wipe her tears.

“I’m sorry… I was thinking about many things and accidentally brought up your sad memories.”

Mei Fang watched Liu Xiaoyu wipe away her tears, remembering the debt problems his own family faced in his previous life.

In his previous life, Mei Lijun did not have a daughter named Mei Ya and lacked the determination to work hard, so he never got promoted. He and his wife started running a small business, losing most of their savings within a few years. When Mei Fang was in fourth grade, they sold their current apartment and returned to live in their ancestral home.

Liu Xiaoyu’s current experiences were what Mei Fang had experienced in his past life. Even though he was now wealthy, the childhood trauma caused by his family’s debt had shaped his自卑 (insecure) personality, which was deeply rooted in him. Seeing Liu Xiaoyu now reminded him of his past self, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion.

Although Liu Xiaoyu’s current situation wasn’t his fault, he definitely bore some responsibility.

But he wouldn’t regret it because it also led to Xia Yuan’s survival.

As for Liu Xiaoyu’s present, he wanted to compensate her as much as possible, and he had the ability to do so.

He stood quietly aside, waiting for Liu Xiaoyu to cry for a while. By the time she finished using up the tissues he usually kept for Lin You Xi, she had calmed down slightly.

“I’m really sorry…”

“It’s me who should be sorry, I made you cry.”

Mei Fang smiled at Liu Xiaoyu, “You are Yuan Yuan’s good friend and an important partner in Ximilu games. I know these experiences are difficult, but if someone understands, I think you’ll feel less pressure.”

“You’re a good girl, but you should also think more about yourself.”

Mei Fang gently patted Liu Xiaoyu’s shoulder, the closest gesture he had ever made towards her.

“Communicate well with your family. If it doesn’t work out, I can talk to Yuan Yuan and go with you to speak to your father.”

“Even if he’s a macho man, he should understand how much you’ve suffered. He won’t stop you from pursuing your dreams.”

“If he ignores your requests and stubbornly insists on his face, I think such a father doesn’t deserve your efforts. You’re almost an adult, and the most important thing is to be happy and not leave any regrets in your youth.”

Under Mei Fang’s earnest guidance, Liu Xiaoyu tightly pursed her lips and nodded forcefully, answering Mei Fang with a choked voice:

“Today… today I think I can make a decision.”

“Thank you so much, thank you for understanding me.”

“Don’t keep thanking me. Don’t always say it.”

Mei Fang smiled at Liu Xiaoyu, “If you channel your gratitude into your work and help me make money, then I won’t have wasted my effort helping you.”

“You’re becoming more and more like a boss.”

Liu Xiaoyu rarely joked with Mei Fang, and seeing the current Boss Mei, she gained a new perspective.

“In fact, there was a time I found you quite scary.”

“I’m scary?”

“Yes… At first, I thought you were okay, but later I found out you could do so many things. You can develop games, sing, write songs, play guitar, and even start your own company… I never thought I would meet someone like you.”

Liu Xiaoyu softly said, “And then… and then there’s you, Yuan, and You Xi—”

“Oh… Not that I don’t recognize you guys! I think it’s your private matter, and if you three are happy like that, I wish you happiness.”

Mei Fang was very pleased with Liu Xiaoyu’s understanding, “Then thank you for understanding. The feelings between me and them are very tight and complex, and they can’t be separated…”

“Mm-hm, I understand.”

Liu Xiaoyu nodded, “In short, I will talk to my dad about this. I want to use some of the prize money to help repay the family debt. I also want to save some for myself to learn music theory. I want to form a band with Yuan and be the keyboardist. I also want to learn from Yuan and write some songs… Also, regarding games, I want to try many styles of game music, especially the match-three game we’re currently working on…”

Mei Fang listened quietly as Liu Xiaoyu vividly described her future plans, and for a moment, he seemed to see the once brilliant girl again.

He had once retreated because of her brilliance, and what could have been a great friendship became a distant memory. Now, in this life, their roles had reversed. Liu Xiaoyu had become the girl who admired him from the audience and made a choice similar to his.

Though they didn’t end up together, they could still be good friends, and he had the chance to help her make up for her regrets.

Realizing she had taken up too much of his time, Liu Xiaoyu stopped talking abruptly, feeling somewhat embarrassed:

“I’ve wasted so much of your time today. You were supposed to meet You Xi and Yuan, right? I’ll explain to Yuan properly.”

“I’ve already informed Yuan and You Xi, it’s fine.”

“So that’s how it is… That’s good. It seems you are truly devoted, truly not fickle…”

Liu Xiaoyu felt a bit embarrassed after saying that, “I… I didn’t mean to say that…”

“Alright, I understand.”

Mei Fang smiled, “Let me take you home. Where do you live?”

“Turn left at the next intersection.”

“Okay.”

Mei Fang rode the electric bike again, and Liu Xiaoyu sitting in the back had a different mood.

She shifted her position and instinctively wanted to reach out and hug Mei Fang’s waist—

But she didn’t, instead leaving her hand hovering near his waist for a moment before placing it back on the handlebar of the electric bike.

She remembered feeling a strange familiarity when she first met Mei Fang, as if she had seen him often since she was young.

But even if she had, there was no point in expecting anything now.

His heart was already occupied by two people.

Being just friends now…

Isn’t that okay?

They were all interesting and trustworthy companions.

He could understand the hardships she had endured since childhood.

She should also work hard to repay everyone’s, especially Mei Fang and Yuan’s, expectations…

She couldn’t let Yuan wait any longer.

Liu Xiaoyu was determined to have a heartfelt conversation with her father for the first time.

She was also determined to pursue something she loved for the first time, her dream.

This chapter couldn’t be split, and today I barely managed to write it. I was afraid you’d scold me for late updates, but you chose this.