Chapter 11
The short vacation passed in a flash, and the new senior students of Lancheng No. 6 Middle School began their intensive studies.
He Xi went out early and came back late every day, returning to his previous state at school.
At six o'clock in the morning, she jumped up as soon as the alarm clock rang twice, and went downstairs to wash up out of inertia.
At this time, Yan Runqing had been busy in the kitchen for half a day. The small dining table was full of plates and small bowls, all of which were the breakfast that He Xi was used to eating.
"Mom, why are there so many today?"
He Xi doesn't have a big appetite. Usually, if she's in a hurry, she'll just grab an egg or a bun. Now, the food on the table is enough for her to eat for several meals.
"Don't you still have your brother?"
Seeing her daughter's puzzled frown, Yan Runqing took off her apron and explained, "Your cousin is coming back today. Your brother and I will go to the station to pick him up later."
"Really—cousin will be here in the morning?"
He Xi was so excited that he almost jumped up when he heard this. He immediately put down the buns in his hand and surrounded his mother to ask questions.
Her cousin Yan Weijin graduated from the military academy this year and would be leaving again after only a few days at home. Hearing this, her heart, which had just been throbbing, instantly waned a lot.
"So you are planning to go directly to your uncle's house after picking up your cousin?" He Xi lowered his head the moment he saw his mother nod.
"I want to go, too."
She had always loved playing with her cousin since she was little, climbing trees and swimming in rivers, and was proficient in everything under his guidance. So even now, even though they only saw each other a few times a year, their relationship was still very good.
"How about I ask for a few days off for you?"
"Then let's not do that." He Xi pouted and ate the remaining half of the bun sullenly. He glanced at the time and walked towards school.
This stage is different from the past and there is no time to waste. Yan Runqing knows her meticulous character very well and deliberately speaks sarcastically to appease her emotions.
Seeing that the person was about to leave the yard, he hurriedly called out, "I'll ask your cousin to come over to accompany you tonight. Do you have enough living expenses?"
He Xi waved his hand lazily without turning around, groaned weakly, and walked out the door. He angrily kicked a small stone lying in the corner of the alley as he walked, and only stopped when he was close to the school.
Breakfast carts can be seen everywhere on both sides of the three or four meter wide road, and groups of students are crowded in front of each stall waiting for the food they ordered.
Among them, there was a stall that was extremely popular. The moment she passed by it, she heard a mechanical but familiar voice of counting tickets - "Include ham and spicy strips, a total of seven yuan."
Among the bustling crowd, Jiang Yue is an extremely conspicuous presence.
He stood tall in a school uniform, his face filled with impatience rising as more and more customers came. He picked up the bag and put it in, packing the food without any hesitation.
At this moment, He Xi admired him from the bottom of his heart. Not only because he was always among the top three in his grade, but also because he was a real marketing expert.
His mother had only been in Lancheng for a few days, but the breakfast stall they set up was already quite well-maintained.
*
After class at noon, He Xi waited until most of the classmates had left before he calmly packed up his things and walked towards his cousin's noodle shop.
Only a few windows in the school cafeteria were open, and most students were heading outside. She followed the scattered crowd all the way to the west gate and spotted Yan Weijin, dressed in a dark green military uniform, from a distance.
"elder brother--"
The person she had been missing for so long suddenly appeared in front of her. She shouted excitedly and rushed to the door. When she reached Yan Weijin, she looked him up and down.
"Brother, why are you a few shades darker?"
"Little girl!"
He Xi's exaggerated expression successfully provoked Yan Weijin to give her a smack on the head. The brother and sister's unconcerned conversation attracted the attention of many classmates, and the narrow passageway of the west gate gradually became blocked.
"Let's go, brother will treat you to a nice meal." Seeing that Mr. He was about to get angry, Yan Weijin put his hand on He Xi's shoulder and took her out, "Jiang Yue is coming too?"
"You guys go ahead, I won't bother you anymore, Brother Jin."
He Xi turned her head quickly upon hearing the sound, and what she saw was a dark green patch on her cousin's chest. "He was there too?" Thinking of how noisy she had been just now, she felt a little embarrassed.
"We happened to meet while waiting for you and exchanged a few words."
After leaving the school gate, Yan Weijin took a long step and walked to the outside of the road, protecting He Xi on the inside side facing the corner.
"Why, that kid didn't bully you?"
"Bullying me? You think too much. We can barely exchange a few words right now."
At first, He Xi was quite depressed, but as time went on, the two of them really became strangers.
"That would be best."
She raised her eyes and glanced at Yan Weijin, not understanding why he said that.
"What? Brother, you were just chatting and laughing with others, why are you so hostile now?"
"Really? Don't pretend to know if you don't, little brat."
Yan Weijing didn't expect He Xi to be so sensitive. Her expression relaxed and she immediately put on a smile. When she muttered something and was about to end the topic, she remembered the vague look that Jiang Yue had just given her, and her heart couldn't help but feel itchy.
"Are you secretly in love with him? Why do you care so much about whether people talk to you or not?"
"Um...what did you say?"
He Xi was lost in thought as she recalled some rumors she had heard before. Her cousin's voice lingered in her ears, but she couldn't hear it clearly.
"He Xixi, this is the most critical year for you. No premature love allowed, okay?"
"...Huh?" She was stunned for a moment, not realizing that in just a moment of distraction, the topic had deviated to this point.
"Are you playing dumb for me, huh?"
Yan Weijin's eyes were sharp, and his hand hanging by his side unconsciously clenched as he spoke.
The atmosphere was frozen for a moment. When their eyes met, they looked at each other with a hint of disgust. He Xi rolled his eyes at his cousin in annoyance.
"No wonder you can't find a girlfriend, you're so fierce!"
After she finished complaining, she ran away without waiting for anyone to react. She was running so fast that before she could stop to catch her breath, she felt someone grabbing her neck.
"Brother...Brother, I was wrong...Brother!"
On the busy street, He Xi surrendered loudly without caring about her dignity. Her pretty face flushed red, and she felt like she was going to suffocate in the next second. After Yan Weijin let go, she bent over and coughed for a long time before stopping.
"Hahaha... Is this what they say - every evildoer will be punished by his own evildoer?!"
He Xu, who had been waiting at the entrance of the alley early, was gloating, his face almost wrinkled with laughter, holding up his mobile phone in both hands and pointing the camera at the miserable He Xi.
It was rare for her to be humiliated, so he took a lot of photos and then sent them all to several groups, saying it was a good thing - happiness is shared with others, rather than enjoyed alone.
"Brother, look at him—!"
He Xi was furious when he saw the photo and turned to look for his cousin. He Xu, who hadn't been showing off for long, was grabbed by Yan Weijin's wrist and grimaced. He wailed all the way until he finally broke free from his grip at the restaurant entrance.
In the private room, cousin Shi Xin had already ordered the dishes. When Yan Runqing saw the few people coming in, he hurriedly stood up to greet them, his heart and eyes full of his nephew.
"Xiao Jin, come and sit next to your aunt."
"good."
After taking his seat, seeing the adults chatting with each other, He Xi took out his mobile phone as usual. After unlocking the screen, he saw a pile of group chat messages.
When I clicked on it, I saw that the small group of a few people had quietly gained a new member.
“He Xu——!!!”
The person sitting opposite her seemed to have anticipated her reaction. He grinned and ran to the bathroom outside.
The meal was a chaotic one, and finally, only after Yan Runqing's scolding did they settle down. After the meal, he sent the others to the car, and He Xi returned to school alone.
She walked towards the classroom with a depressed look on her face. Suddenly, her cell phone rang and the vibration came from her pocket.
"How about I reluctantly come and stay with you for a few days?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
