Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

Chapter 136 - 126. Leave_2

After waiting by the roadside for a while, Xu Aiguo soon arrived in the taxi.

"Teacher, thank you for your hard work." Xu Aiguo got out of the car, nodded to Teacher Guan, and opened the trunk to help them load their luggage.

"Not at all, not at all," Guan Biyue responded politely, her gestures extremely stiff.

"We’re going to eat at Li City Restaurant in a bit, Teacher, would you like to join us?" once seated in the car, Xu Aiguo spoke while looking in the rearview mirror to turn the car around.

"No need, no need, my mom’s cooked soup, she’s waiting for me to go back for dinner." Guan Biyue, who was not good at social interactions, waved her hands repeatedly to decline.

"That’s okay then, Teacher, I’ll take you home first."

"Right across from the Power Bureau."

"Dad, who are we having dinner with?" Xu Qingfan asked curiously, as there was no mention of a dinner gathering on the phone earlier.

"We’re having dinner with that little female classmate of yours, who else? Your Aunt Wen organized it, said she wanted to welcome you back and dust off the journey." Xu Aiguo raised his hand to knock on his son’s head, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

"That’s great." Xu Qingfan remembered the two big red envelopes Wen Wanqing had given him during last Spring Festival, and in a few days, it would be another new year.

This trip to Yanjing involved buying gifts not only for the several kids but Xu Qingfan also brought presents for his mom, Wen Wanqing, Lin Jing, and Zhang Chunxue, given the latter’s high rate of return on investment.

You gift the aunts a silk scarf today, and they can buy you the latest PSP tomorrow.

After dropping off Guan Biyue at her home, it was nearly half-past six, and the three of them were starving, but the thrill of coming home after being away for several days wasn’t dampened in the slightest.

Wu Lingyu’s luggage wasn’t much, and after gathering her things, she got off at the convenience store.

"Don’t sneak off to eat without us later!" Xu Qingfan leaned out of the window and called out to the little girl.

Wu Lingyu turned back to look at him and nodded happily, "Got it!"

Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao needed to go home first to change clothes. Xu Aiguo drove into Lianhua Courtyard, and the two got out of the car with their things.

"Hurry up and come down, got your keys?"

"Got them!" Xu Qingfan didn’t look back as he pulled Xia Xiaoxiao along upstairs.

"Xu Qingfan, I don’t have the keys!" Once on the third floor, seeing her home’s door locked, Xia Xiaoxiao frowned and said.

"No worries, just leave your stuff at my place, Aunt Lin has probably gone to the restaurant already." Xu Qingfan took out his keys to unlock the door with one hand.

"Oh."

"You go to my room to change your pants, I’ll change in the bathroom."

"You’re the one who should change your pants!" Xia Xiaoxiao glared at him before locking herself in Xu Qingfan’s room.

Finally free from the cumbersome long johns, Xu Qingfan felt much lighter.

Xia Xiaoxiao also came out of the room quickly, "What are you looking for?"

"The gifts I brought for my mom and the others." Xu Qingfan packed the jade hairpins and silk scarves he bought into a bag.

"Where’s Aunt Yao’s gift?" Xia Xiaoxiao reached out to ask for it.

Knowing that Xu Qingfan was going to give a gift to her mom, the present for Yao Jiping was something Xia Xiaoxiao bought with her own savings.

"I’ll carry it, and I’ll give it to you later, let’s go!" He gathered all the things and took Xia Xiaoxiao’s hand to leave, kicking the door shut behind them.

"Oh, I want to give it personally later!" Xia Xiaoxiao followed Xu Qingfan, running downstairs.

When they reached the first floor, several local dogs, thinking the bag in Xu Qingfan’s hands was for feeding, gathered around, "Go away, I’ll get you some bones to eat later."

He stomped the ground forcefully with his right foot, and the dogs scattered, driven by muscle memory.

"Son." After getting into the car, Xu Aiguo suddenly called his name in a gentle tone.

Xu Qingfan felt uneasy, "What is it?"

"How about we go to your grandmother’s place for the New Year?" Xu Aiguo asked with a grin.

Xu Qingfan really wanted to say "not much," considering he had no fondness for his father’s side of the family. "Dad, why are you asking me? You should be asking Mom."

"You talk to your mom about it tonight, I’ll take you to KFC later," Xu Aiguo said with a smile.

[You look down on someone, then you test party cadres with KFC?]

"Ah haha... Dad, why haven’t you arrived yet? I’m so hungry."

"You little rascal~" Xu Aiguo sighed helplessly.

Last year, they hadn’t gone back to Cong City for the New Year because of the virus. In the years before that, during Spring Festival and the Double Ninth Festival, Xu Aiguo went back alone.

Xu Qingfan remembered that in his previous life, when he was either four or five, his family went to Cong City for the New Year once. Anyway, it ended unpleasantly, and Yao Jiping never went again afterward.

Sometimes it was just Xu Aiguo who went, other times he went with Xu Qingfan, but because of certain incidents, Xu Qingfan also started to dislike his grandmother.

This would happen three years later, when Xu Qingfan followed his dad back to Cong City for the New Year. Then, his grandmother bought a remote-controlled car for every grandchild except him.

Xu Qingfan remembered that for almost twenty years. Ever since then, he hadn’t genuinely called her "grandma" and always greeted her perfunctorily whenever possible.

[Old biddy, I’d rather not go back just to be looked down upon.] Xu Qingfan thought to himself.

As soon as Xu Qingfan got out of the car, Lin Wanning, who had been waiting at the door, immediately ran excitedly towards him, "Brother Qing Fan!"

The little girl excitedly threw herself into Xu Qingfan’s arms, embracing him. If Xu Qingfan had been any taller, Lin Wanning might have hung onto him like a koala.

"I’ve bought you lots of presents. I’ll bring them to you tomorrow." Xu Qingfan’s arms were trapped by her, so he could only rub his cheek against the little girl’s head in lieu of a pat.

"Heehee, okay~" Lin Wanning kissed his cheek, then happily released her hug around Xu Qingfan and called out, "Xiao Xiao, Yu!" She turned to greet the other two.

"Wanning," Wu Lingyu pulled her envious gaze away and nodded her head.

"Yeah," Xia Xiaoxiao also retracted her disdainful rolling of eyes and said emotionlessly.

"Let’s go, let’s go inside and talk." After Xu Aiguo parked the car, the group entered the restaurant together.

"Our little genius is back. Everyone, let’s give him a round of applause." As soon as they pushed open the door to the private room, Wen Wanqing said with a smile.

"Mom!" Xia Xiaoxiao joyfully sprinted into her mother’s arms.

Yao Jiping looked at Xia Xiaoxiao hugging Lin Jing and then at Xu Qingfan, her eyes seeming to say: You little rascal, why don’t you learn from her!

"Mom." Xu Qingfan scratched his head and found an empty seat to sit down.

Yao Jiping: ...

"Yu, come here to auntie. How did your exams go? Did you enjoy your time in Yanjing?" Yao Jiping gave her son a disdainful look and beckoned Wu Lingyu over.

"It was fun, Yanjing had snow, and the Forbidden City was especially beautiful!"

"Auntie, I have a present for you!" Xia Xiaoxiao left her mother’s embrace and took out the hairpin and silk she had specially bought for Yao Jiping from Xu Qingfan’s bag.

"Xiao Xiao even bought presents for auntie?" Yao Jiping’s face instantly lit up with joy.

"Auntie, this is for you." Xu Qingfan also handed one of the presents to Wen Wanqing. "Auntie, this is from Yu." After that, he passed the last present to Lin Jing.

For a moment, Wu Lingyu seemed frozen in place, staring at Xu Qingfan without blinking, a wave of emotion stirring in her heart.

[The presents were all bought by Brother Fan. He’s always considerate of my feelings. How nice...]

The three adults receiving presents all couldn’t stop smiling, lavishly praising that the three of them were so sensible.

Xu Aiguo and Lin Qiaoshan exchanged glances with each other, both instinctively making a motion as if to reach for a cigarette pack, then they uniformly glanced at their wives. Eventually, they shared a knowing smile, reading helplessness in each other’s eyes.

Once everyone arrived, course after course of delicious food was served, White-cut Chicken, steamed bass, Boiled shrimp...

After traveling far from home, Xu Qingfan felt that he still preferred the local flavors of his hometown.

After agreeing to meet up again after the New Year, the dinner party came to an end.

...