Chapter 29

Chapter 29 The Runaway Girl

There was no planning in her runaway, which would only turn her into a headless fly and put herself and Xia Yuan into great danger, making it a clumsy move that was putting the cart before the horse.

Therefore, Mei Fang had set a clear direction for his own departure from home.

That direction was Xia Yuan’s grandmother’s house in Jiangcheng.

During this period, they would disappear for about ten hours, a duration long enough to worry their parents but with relatively controllable consequences.

Seeking help from the closest person, her grandmother, to solve her parents’ problems was also in line with Xia Yuan’s way of thinking. It could also clear up any suspicions of them running away together.

Afraid of any changes, this plan of leaving home did not take long. They planned to leave the next morning.

He asked Xia Yuan to find an unused small suitcase the night before and secretly pack everything she needed inside, hiding it away first.

The next day, during school time, the three met at a place to ensure the plan went smoothly.

“It seems you’re ready…” Mei Fang stared at the blue beret on Xia Yuan’s head for a while, “you don’t usually wear hats when you go out, why wear one today?”

“Is it too noticeable?” Xia Yuan said in surprise, “I just don’t want to be recognized.”

“No, I think this hat looks good,” he replied.

“Haha…”

Xia Yuan instinctively adjusted the hat.

“Did you write the letter of departure last night?”

Xia Yuan nodded, “Yes, I did.”

“I don’t have much to prepare…” Lin You Xi held Xia Yuan’s hand and looked seriously at Mei Fang, “Xia Yuan can easily be deceived, so you must protect her, Mei Fang.”

“Don’t think of me as naive!”

Xia Yuan complained, “It’s just going to Jiangcheng to see my grandmother, I often go there during summer vacation, it’s like a trip, right…”

“A trip…”

Xia Yuan and the others didn’t have Mei Fang’s perspective from the future, so they couldn’t imagine the serious consequences of this incident.

Only he worried about this child.

Mei Fang sighed, “Your mother should be out by now, let’s go get our luggage.”

“Mm-hm, okay!”

Mei Fang bid farewell to Xia Yuan and Lin You Xi, then returned home.

In 2005, train tickets were already real-name based, and minors without ID cards couldn’t board trains. However, buses hadn’t yet implemented ID checks. Mei Fang and Xia Yuan took a bus to the bus station, claiming they were siblings visiting relatives in Jiangcheng, and easily bought tickets.

Since it was a weekday, the buses to Jiangcheng weren’t full.

Mei Fang told Xia Yuan to get on the bus first and put their luggage in the lower compartment.

After getting on the bus, Xia Yuan found a seat by the window and kept looking for Mei Fang until she saw him appear in her view before she sat down.

Before getting on the bus, Mei Fang bought a box of small cookies from a convenience store and handed it to Xia Yuan.

“You haven’t had breakfast yet, eat these to fill your stomach.”

“Mm-hm…”

Xia Yuan carefully opened the package without making extra noise. She glanced around the passengers and began to gently chew the cookies once she confirmed no one was paying attention to them.

She gave a couple of cookies to Mei Fang and continued to gaze out the window.

As if waiting for someone to appear.

The sound of the bus engine started, and the vehicle slowly moved. Xia Yuan lowered her head, and finally whispered to Mei Fang:

“Are we overdoing this? Making our parents worry so much… I feel a bit guilty.”

“It’s not too late to ask the driver to stop.”

“That’s not what I mean!”

Xia Yuan grabbed Mei Fang’s hand, “When I wrote the letter last night, I thought a lot. I considered whether I could persuade Dad again, and he might agree to sell the hotel or talk to Mom to give up the idea of divorce…”

“And then?”

“Well… I know that’s impossible.”

Xia Yuan smiled and shook her head, “Just like what I told you before, after I started elementary school, Dad only knew how to work and socialize. He never took me to the amusement park even once. Later, when we went to Grandma’s for the summer, it was always just Mom and me.”

“Dad and Mom have been arguing for a long time, they just pretend to be affectionate in front of everyone.”

“Even in front of me.”

Xia Yuan lowered her head and pondered for a moment before looking out the window again.

“They always argued behind closed doors in the bedroom. Sometimes, the noise was loud enough for me to hear outside, but I pretended not to know.”

“Why pretend not to know?”

Xia Yuan whispered softly, “Because they hope I don’t know, and I don’t want to hurt them.”

“I see…”

Mei Fang thought deeply, changing his view of Xia Yuan slightly.

Xia Yuan was a well-behaved and sensible child.

But on the other hand, she was also a child who constantly tried to meet her parents’ expectations.

Her image wasn’t just about maintaining her own good appearance.

It was more about not disappointing her parents and living up to their expectations.

Listening to Xia Yuan pour out her heart, Mei Fang’s hand subconsciously stroked her head gently.

“What are you doing… you!”

Xia Yuan glared at Mei Fang angrily, “I told you not to touch my head like that. How many years has it been and you still can’t change this habit? I’ll hit you!”

Although she complained, Mei Fang had been doing this for many years, and Xia Yuan had long since stopped disliking it.

“I didn’t realize you were so hardworking…”

Mei Fang smiled slightly, “At least, you can relax in front of me. Be yourself, and I won’t say anything.”

Xia Yuan raised her head and looked at Mei Fang, blinking her eyes, her pupils shining brightly.

“This is the first time someone has spoken to me like this.”

“Do you mean you’re pretending in front of me?”

“I’m thinking… Even when alone, I do care about my image…”

While talking, Xia Yuan enjoyed Mei Fang’s caress.

Soon, she fell asleep leaning on Mei Fang’s arm.

The bus ran smoothly, quickly reaching Jiangcheng from Baimei County.

Xia Yuan’s grandmother lived in the countryside of Jiangcheng, so they had to transfer after arriving in Jiangcheng.

But having traveled for over four hours from Baimei County, they were both tired from the journey and didn’t rush to continue.

After breathing in the provincial capital’s air, Mei Fang turned to Xia Yuan:

“Let’s have lunch first, what do you want to eat?”

Xia Yuan turned around, taking light steps and jumping forward, approaching Mei Fang’s face with a smile.

She seemed excited, and the previous concern for family members no longer interfered with her feelings about leaving home.

“Mei Fang, I will always remember what you said, right?”

“Specifically, what do you mean?”

“When I’m in front of you, I can be myself without worrying or being judged, right?”

Mei Fang nodded, “Yes, be yourself.”

“So, since we’ve come all the way to Jiangcheng, we should definitely try some junk food that Mom and Dad would never bring me to eat!”

Xia Yuan pouted and then playfully stuck out her tongue.

(End of Chapter 29)