The group set off early in the morning and didn't arrive at the Mei family's house until almost noon.
During this time, Mei's parents would come out to check whenever they heard a noise, which made Mei's grandmother nervous as well, and she would also want to come out to check whenever she heard a commotion.
"Grandma, don't go out. If Dad and Grandma want to go back and forth, let them go. You're so old, you should just wait inside." Mei Liang couldn't help but persuade Grandma Mei when he saw her about to go outside with her parents.
"What? You think I'm too old? Then I won't cook anymore, let your mom do it." Grandma Mei's lips drooped, clearly unhappy.
"No, no! I was just thinking that since my dad is willing to be the vanguard, let him be the vanguard. You can just wait for news in the house. If Sisi really comes back, they will definitely call us, and we can go out then." Seeing that Grandma Mei was unhappy, Mei Liang quickly stepped forward to help her sit down, massaging her shoulders and back, trying his best to make her happy.
"Then sit here and wait!" Grandma Mei was quite pleased with the coaxing, but she still tried her best to keep a straight face and not let herself laugh.
"What did you say, you brat? A pawn? I think you should be one!" Mei's father had good hearing. Hearing his son's words, he went straight into the house and slapped him on the back. "You go outside and keep watch. When your sister comes back, call us."
Mei's father pulled Mei's mother to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed), and instructed Mei Liang to go outside and wait.
"I...I, I'll go!" Mei Liang didn't want to wait outside in the sweltering heat. He looked at Grandma Mei, hoping she could put in a good word for him, but Grandma Mei turned her head away, pretending not to see his plea for help.
Mei Liang went out with his head down. Mei's father drank half a tub of cold boiled water, wiped the sweat from his brow, and waited patiently for news inside.
"Look at you, how old are you? Why are you still so stingy?" Mom Mei glared at Dad Mei and said.
“I’m petty? If I were petty, I would have slapped him long ago.” Mei’s father lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), feeling that he had been very lenient with his son.
"You're so stingy! In this sweltering heat, you make your son stand outside, why don't you go stand outside yourself?"
“I am his father. How can the father stand outside while the son sits inside? This is the right way.”
"But you weren't standing outside the whole time. You only went out when you heard the noise. Why didn't you let your son go out when he made a sound? In the end, you're just being petty."
"Yeah, I am petty, so what?" Dad Mei sat up abruptly and glared at Mom Mei.
"Alright, alright! You two are older than me combined, why are you arguing like children?" Grandma Mei smacked Grandpa Mei, then turned and shouted outside, "Mei Liang, come on in, come inside first, and we'll go out when we hear you. Don't listen to your dad."
"No need, I'm just going to the convenience store anyway." Mei Liang had overheard his parents bickering inside, and he didn't want to go back inside now and get glared at by his father.
Mei Liang decided to go out and buy a pack of cigarettes and come back later.
Mei Liang left the convenience store, stood at the door, took out a cigarette and lit it, occasionally looking up to see if Mei Si and the other person had returned.
This is the only way home; if Mays comes back, he'll definitely see her.
Mei Liang had only smoked half a cigarette when a military green jeep drove by. As it sped past, Mei Liang thought he caught a glimpse of his sister's big, dark eyes.
Mei Liang: That can't be right. How could she possibly get back by car?
Seeing that the car wasn't turning and was heading towards his house, Mei Liang decided to go back and take a look.
The car stopped in front of the house. When Mei Liang saw Mei Si get out of the car, he quickly walked a few steps to help Fan Gong'an with his things.
"How did you get back by car? Didn't you take the train?" Mei Liang couldn't lift his luggage with one hand, so he quickly put the cigarette in his mouth and took the luggage down with both hands.
"Hello, hello, you are..." Officer Fan took down another bag of luggage and extended his hand to Mei Liang.
"I'm Mei Si's brother. You... police? Did Mei Si get into trouble?" Mei Liang only realized then that the people who brought Mei Si back were actually police officers. He quickly reached out and grabbed Officer Fan's hand.
Mei Liang noticed something was off with his parents early this morning, but seeing that they were just a little anxious and nothing else seemed wrong, he didn't ask them anything.
Mei Liang: I was wondering why they got up so early today and didn't go to the train station to pick up Mei Si. They even said that Mei Si and her boyfriend could take the train back by themselves. My parents cherish Mei Si so much, how could they bear to let her carry her luggage back by herself? Sure enough, there's something fishy going on here!
"..." Fan Gong'an's face stiffened, unsure how to respond. Was this his own brother? Why was he talking like that?
"Hello, hello, I'm Wei Jingmin, and this is my colleague Fan Liang. Your sister didn't do anything wrong; she helped us a lot!" Officer Wei got out of the driver's seat and shook Mei Liang's hand.
"Oh, it's good that you didn't do anything wrong." Mei Liang smiled awkwardly, realizing that he had just said the wrong thing.
"Come inside quickly, let's talk inside. My grandma and the others are waiting." Mei Liang scratched his head, finally remembering that he should invite them inside.
After Wei and his colleague sat inside for a while and explained what had happened, they drove back.
Ever since Grandma Mei learned that her granddaughter had been kidnapped yesterday, her expression had been somewhat stiff. As soon as the two police officers left, Grandma Mei's face fell, and she sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) sulking.
"Mom, it's such a happy thing that Mei Si is back, why are you still unhappy?" When Mei's father came back into the room and saw that Mei's grandmother had a long face, he knew that Mei's grandmother was angry.
"Meisi, go and comfort Grandma." Mei's mother winked at her daughter, signaling her to hurry up and comfort her.
"Grandma, what's wrong?" Mei Si obediently sat down next to Grandma Mei, wanting to ask her why she was angry.
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