Qin Yan fired at them one by one, startling Xu Anbai so much that he swallowed back the yawn he was about to unleash. The five people were wearing bizarrely shaped pajamas—all sorts of things, mouse-themed, cat-themed, panda-themed. They were still sleepy-eyed, their hair looking like it had been blown off.
Jiang Miao, Guan Mingyue, and Xie Huaqin still appeared in public in such an unseemly manner. Qin Yan crossed his arms and watched as they all bowed their heads and apologized.
"You guys are really great." His voice was extremely calm, devoid of any warmth or inflection. The five of them secretly glanced at Yun Nuan, hoping she would try to persuade him; they didn't dare to speak at all given President Qin's aura.
Qin Yan thought about how none of the six people had informed him, despite his efforts in giving gifts and offering advice.
Yun Nuan received everyone's distress signal and, showing great loyalty, stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve. Qin Yan turned around and stared coldly at her, speaking...
"Didn't they say anything about you? You're doing a little better now, so go stand in the corner with me as punishment."
Yun Nuan looked at Qin Yan with her mouth slightly open, her eyes wide with astonishment. "No, I...I..."
Qin Yan snorted coldly; "What do you mean 'you'? You were so busy talking about them that you forgot to mention you. You're the mastermind behind this whole thing. Don't think you can escape being scolded just because you're not feeling well."
Several people tried to stop him, but he silenced them with a single glance. Now, all six of them hung their heads and endured the scolding. After drinking a cup of tea, the old man, unable to bear it any longer, cleared his throat and spoke.
"Alright, alright, they're still just kids. You'll worry if they get sick later. They haven't eaten yet. Go upstairs to wash up and come down to eat. The food is still warm in the pot."
"After you finish breakfast, pack your things and head back to S City. I can look after Yun Nuan here." Qin Yan took out his phone, intending to book tickets for the group.
Jiang Miao stepped forward and interrupted him, stammering as she spoke.
"Um, we're not going back. We came here because of Yun Nuan. We haven't seen her yet, we can't leave."
Guan Mingyue: "Yes, President Qin, we're not going back."
He looked up and asked, "Did you tell your families?" He was practically acting as the head of a kindergarten, looking at each of them one by one.
Jiang Miao: "I told you, my parents know I came to see Teacher Xia, so I have a reason not to go back." She replied happily.
Lin Yu: "Miaomiao and I are boyfriend and girlfriend. My parents know I came to see her. If Miaomiao doesn't go back, I won't go back either."
When it was Guan Mingyue's turn, she hadn't expected the previous two to come up with their reasons so quickly. She racked her brains for a long time before replying.
"It's perfectly normal for me to travel during my summer vacation. My parents know I can't stay idle, so they support me."
Xie Huaqin: "I'm an art student. Huaxi Village has beautiful scenery and friendly villagers, so my parents will definitely feel at ease." After saying that, she lowered her head guiltily. She had only brought a pencil and a sketchbook with her.
Xu Anbai's bristling blue hair stood on end when Qin Yan looked over. He inexplicably slid down to his knees in front of Teacher Xia, his speed and the naturalness of his movement were remarkable.
The old man's teacup trembled, spilling a lot of water. Xu Anbai raised his wet eyes and spoke mournfully.
“I’ve come to become Teacher Xia’s apprentice. My family is in the medical field, and I want to make a difference and contribute to my family. So I won’t leave if Teacher Xia doesn’t accept me as his apprentice.”
The group covered their eyes, unable to bear seeing his cowardly appearance. The old man awkwardly wiped his hands.
"Oh dear, you scared me to death. Since you're already here, it's not like I don't have room for you. Stay as long as you like. But I have a task for you, so don't think you can come here and do nothing. Eat first, I'll tell you later."
After breakfast, the old man led Qin Yan to his room. Luckily, there were many rooms available, otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough room for all seven of them.
He took the key and opened the master bedroom on the second floor. The red quilt and the "double happiness" character were still there. The old man explained with a smile.
"When my son got married, we originally planned to hold the wedding ceremony here, but after we finished setting up, the young couple felt that the transportation was inconvenient and changed the venue to a hotel in town."
I'm usually away during holidays and haven't had many meals with them. This time, your visit has filled all my empty rooms.
This master bedroom also has a private bathroom. The room is large, but it only has a bed, a bookcase, and a table, and that's it.
He pushed the suitcase inside, then took out a card from his wallet to give to the old man. The old man waved his hand.
“I know Jiang Yatou. Her grandfather used to come to Huaxi Village often in the past, but the transportation in Huaxi Village is inconvenient, and he is not in good health to travel all year round. Those people originally promised to build roads in the village, but no one could actually do it.”
I have my own reasons for keeping you here, Qin Yan. I know you're capable. I hope you can help Huaxi Village and the children there this time, so they can get out of poverty.
The old folks believe in returning to one's roots, so we chose to go back to Huaxi Village. But these children shouldn't be trapped here clinging to the old ways with us. It's enough that they've seen the world's splendor and can still come back to visit.
Qin Yan's expression was solemn as he looked at the old man and replied earnestly.
"I would have done it even if you hadn't said anything. I just hope you can help Yunnuan. After that, I'll do whatever you ask."
The old man smiled with relief. "It's nothing. I know you're most worried about her. If you can do it, I can do it too."
The old man went downstairs to assign tasks to a few people; with so many people, getting food was a problem.
Moreover, there are many elderly people in the village, and the medicine Yunnuan needs to drink when she is sick has to be dug up from the mountain, so the days ahead will not be easy for them.
Yun Nuan stood at the door watching Qin Yan pack his things—two large suitcases, almost entirely filled with her belongings. She felt guilty and stepped forward to stand in front of him.
"sorry"
She kept her voice very low; she didn't want to trouble Qin Yan, but in the end, she still did.
Qin Yan put down the clothes he had picked up, and neither of them spoke. This was the first time their positions had been reversed. He had his complaints, but no matter how much emotion he felt, he couldn't bear to vent it on her.
"Do you know where you went wrong?" He turned around and pulled her to sit on the bed. The bright red wedding quilt made her face look rosy, and her pale face had a rare burst of color.
She lightly touched the ground with the tips of her shoes, clutching the blanket as she answered.
"I didn't want to trouble you, and I kept it from you. You're ungrateful, heartless, and a liar. I'm sorry to Aunt Lan who has always taken care of me, I'm sorry to Acheng who has always protected me, and I'm sorry to my friends who came with me."
I'm even more sorry to you, and to everyone else, because my illness has always been a burden to you all. If only I weren't sick, if only I didn't have to go through so much trouble.
"I made you travel such a long way, so far, and go through all that trouble to find me, waaaaaah, I'm a bad person!"
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