Chapter 287

Chapter 287: Return to Jiangcheng

This chapter 287: Return to Jiangcheng

This time, Xiao Yu’s father invited Mei Fang and Xia Yuan. One reason was to thank them for taking care of Liu Xiao Yu in Jiangcheng. When Liu Xiao Yu went to Jiangcheng, she truly did so alone because even Xiang Bingbing often had her parents visit, whereas Xia Yuan and Mei Fang almost never saw Liu Xiao Yu’s parents visiting her. Her father knew how important these friends were to Liu Xiao Yu.

The second reason was that he also wanted to understand better what Liu Xiao Yu was currently doing. Because Mei Fang had prepared beforehand, he answered all of Xiao Yu’s father’s questions fluently, ensuring that Xiao Yu’s father could support her dreams with peace of mind.

Unlike Xiao Yu’s father who talked a lot, Xiao Yu’s mother wasn’t very talkative. She didn’t look well, only urging her son to eat his meal. Occasionally, she would glance at Xia Yuan and Mei Fang, then lock eyes with Xia Yuan, making Xia Yuan feel somewhat uncomfortable as she smiled back.

Xiao Yu’s father was fond of the dining table culture. At the end of dinner, he toasted Xia Yuan and Mei Fang—though they drank juice, it was meant as a formal expression of gratitude.

“Xiao Yu has told us many things about you… I’ve heard that you’re still thinking about that incident at the hotel. But Uncle here doesn’t blame your family; your father actually reached out to me asking if he could help. I said there was no need, we’re not trying to scheme against each other, and we should bear our own business failures ourselves. It’s all in the past, nothing to discuss, and you shouldn’t feel any pressure.”

“Uncle Liu, I understand… My father and I have discussed this matter thoroughly. Actually, my attitude has become much calmer now. Regardless, Xiao Yu is a great friend and classmate to me, and she has helped me a lot with music. Just like Fang said, Xiao Yu is a talented girl, and I hope we can pursue our musical dreams together in the future.”

After Xia Yuan and Mei Fang finished eating at Liu Xiao Yu’s house, they bid farewell to her family. Xiao Yu walked them to the door. As they were about to part ways, she suddenly called Xia Yuan, hugging her tightly.

“Thank you for coming to my house today… really, thank you.”

“Haha… don’t say that, isn’t it you who invited me? Why should I be thanking you?”

Xia Yuan gently patted Xiao Yu on the shoulder, “I haven’t experienced as much hardship as you, so I may not fully understand your situation. But if you ever feel down or need someone to talk to, just let me know… I might not have any useful advice, but I’ll listen just like Fang does. We are good friends after all.”

After Xiao Yu released her embrace, she smiled and nodded, then turned to look at Mei Fang:

“You guys are leaving tomorrow, right? I wish you a safe journey.”

Mei Fang nodded towards Xiao Yu, “We’ll see you in Jiangcheng.”

After leaving Xiao Yu’s house, Mei Fang rode home with Xia Yuan. On the way, Xia Yuan sighed deeply. Mei Fang turned to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“I was thinking… if we hadn’t run away from home, if Dad hadn’t sold the White Plum Hotel, maybe our family would be like Xiao Yu’s… perhaps then Fang wouldn’t be with me.”

“It sounds like you think I like you for your family’s money.”

“That’s not what I meant! I mean… if my family was poor, I couldn’t learn as much music, and I’m not smart enough to get into Jiangcheng Normal University. Wouldn’t that mean we’d always be apart?”

“If that were the case, I’d find another solution. No matter what, I’m going to find a way to be with you.”

“Really?”

Xia Yuan hugged Mei Fang, resting her head on his shoulder, “Really or not?”

“Of course it’s real, more real than pearls — but don’t do that, it’s a bit dangerous.”

Mei Fang pulled over to the side of the road, allowing Xia Yuan to snuggle up to him.

“Speaking of which, Xiao Yu’s dad seems fine… but Xiao Yu’s mom I’m a bit scared of. The way she looks at me… it’s strange, makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

“That’s understandable. Regardless of what Xiao Yu and her dad say, Xiao Yu’s family became impoverished after taking over the White Plum Hotel. That’s an undeniable fact.”

Mei Fang gently touched Xia Yuan’s forehead, “But that’s not something you should worry about. Just focus on your relationship with Xiao Yu. You went to her house today as a guest, and she looked so happy.”

“What do you mean ‘for her’? Isn’t it normal for friends to invite each other over for meals? Oh right… I’ve never invited Xiaoxue and Xiaoyu to my house for a meal…”

Xia Yuan mumbled, “Before, I was afraid my mom’s cooking wasn’t good and would ruin her image. Now, her cooking is actually pretty good, so we could invite them over.”

“Well, we did invite them to our house in Jiangcheng during the summer and National Day.”

“Oh! You mean during those times—”

Xia Yuan hugged Mei Fang excitedly, “But now, that place is completely ours!”

Mei Fang turned around, pinching Xia Yuan’s cheek gently, “Should we consider moving to a new place?”

“It’s fine like this… a cozy little nest for three people. Moving out would make Aunt Xiang suspicious.”

Xia Yuan thought for a moment, “Fine, Fang, you could just move into our room.”

Mei Fang pretended to be hurt in front of Xia Yuan, “That won’t do, I can’t handle it. You know about You Xi—”

“Don’t be scared, I’ll protect you!”

Xia Yuan guaranteed confidently, “Before Little Fang grows up, I’ll definitely keep its innocence intact.”

“Can you protect me? Hmph… I doubt it, you’ll just sleep soundly while ignoring how You Xi treats me.”

“Oh! Just trust me, sleeping alone is so lonely…”

Xia Yuan and Mei Fang chatted happily all the way, every street in Bai Mei County seemed to bear traces of their journey.

The next day, Xia Xun drove with Mei Youyuan and the three big ones to Jiangcheng. After a simple dinner with his father, Xia Xun suddenly proposed to visit the company. So, Mei Fang took Xia Xun to the office building where Lin You Xi’s technology company was located.

Today wasn’t an official workday, but some programmers were still on duty for maintenance. Cousin Mei Yue hadn’t returned home for the New Year this year, partly due to the overwhelming workload and partly because she hated being lectured about matchmaking when she went back. Cousin Mei Yue was about to scold the trio for just wandering around when she noticed a handsome man behind them.

!

Mei Yue almost stared blankly when she saw Xia Xun. After being reminded by Mei Fang, she regained her composure and asked with a smile,

“Who is this… a guest from which company?”

Lin You Xi, standing beside her, seemed to understand something and quickly chimed in,

“Sister Yueyue, this is Mr. Xia Xun, the president of the Xia Group.”

“You Xi, why use such a weird title!”

Xia Yuan complained about Lin You Xi, then introduced her to Mei Yue, “Sister Yueyue, this is my father.”

“This is your father?”

Mei Yue’s mood plummeted, “I couldn’t tell… I thought he was in his early thirties.”

Xia Yuan tilted her head in confusion, “Dad doesn’t look that young, does he…”

Mei Yue enthusiastically showed Xia Xun the company structure and future plans. Xia Xun nodded frequently, clearly impressed by Mei Yue’s arrangements. As they rested at the end, Mei Yue leaned toward her cousin Mei Fang.

“I remember You Xi’s and Youyuan’s mom passed away early… Speaking of which, is it You Xi or Youyuan?”

“…It’s You Xi, but her father remarried later.”

“Oh… that’s unfortunate.”

Mei Fang frowned, “Sister Yueyue, are you obsessed with men? Even interested in Youyuan’s father?”

“How could I! I just think he’s very masculine, and my friends might like that type, so I’m just curious.”

“You should tell your friends to give up then!”

Mei Fang waved his hand, “In every aspect, your friend can’t compare to Youyuan’s mom. They’re completely outclassed.”

“Little Fangzi, do you want to live dangerously?”

Mei Yue was scolding her cousin when Xia Xun approached. They immediately resumed their usual demeanor.

“Your company is doing well, but you still need to balance studies, so you can’t provide timely feedback on work issues, right?”

“There is this issue… so we’re looking for a trustworthy and capable professional manager to help us manage the company.”

“Speaking of which, I have a friend who runs an internet-related business, a startup CEO. He used to develop browsers, and I invested in his company.”

“But recently, he had a falling out with some partners, and now he’s been kicked out of the team. He’s looking for new opportunities. If you’re interested, do you want to talk to him?”

“Sure, does Uncle Xia have his contact information? I’d like to meet him.”

“I have his card in my wallet, hold on.”

A partner from a browser company?

I hope he’s not just technically savvy, otherwise, it’s like hiring You Xi…

Mei Fang glanced at the card Xia Xun handed him, and one look was enough to shock him:

“Seriously, Uncle?!”

This chapter update is delayed because I needed to resolve a misunderstanding with a friend. Despite the closeness, humans need to communicate effectively.