Chapter 129: Chapter 128: Migration to the South (2)
Liu Xiue’s hand hanging at her side tightly gripped the table in front of her, her knuckles turning white, a faint pain in her heart.
She knew Zhao Dazhuang too well. If he couldn’t accompany the old lady through her final journey, he would carry guilt and remorse for the rest of his life, never able to free himself.
She turned to look at her husband. In just a few short days, Zhao Dazhuang was like an eggplant struck by frost, wilting and almost shriveling into a cluster. The deep lines carved by his frown only emphasized the sorrow and reluctance in his eyes all the more.
Liu Xiue looked at Zhao Dazhuang, feeling both heartache and sadness. Honestly, moving back south wouldn’t be bad either. It’s close to her parents’ home, and she hasn’t visited in so many years. She also misses them desperately. She’s been busy taking care of her mother-in-law lately, without a moment to spare for a visit.
But what made Liu Xiue unable to make a decisive choice was Zhao Meimei’s schooling issue. Not to mention the difficulty of transferring main school enrollment, but more importantly, after the semester starts, Zhao Meimei will be entering her second year of high school, a crucial time. Suddenly changing her study and living environment would definitely impact her studies. Thinking of this, Liu Xiue felt uneasy instantly.
Zhao Dazhuang usually had a mild and agreeable personality, but deep down, he was stubborn. Once he made up his mind, no force could pull him back.
Liu Xiue was almost worried to death.
Zhao Dazhuang didn’t mention his plans to Zhao Meimei. On the one hand, he feared she might blurt it out to the old lady, causing her unnecessary worry. On the other, since nothing was settled, whether or not to say anything didn’t matter much.
The old lady had been in good health earlier, but her blood sugar level had been slightly elevated in the past six months. The doctor suggested regulating it until it met the requirements for surgery; otherwise, the risk was too high.
Zhao Dazhuang made up his mind to go back during this time.
He made arrangements with his sisters and hurriedly brought Zhao Meimei and her mother back home just after the Chinese New Year holiday. He planned to sell the house and grocery store, then find a way to transfer Zhao Meimei’s school enrollment, hoping to move the whole family before the old lady’s surgery.
Liu Xiue spoke privately with Zhao Dazhuang several times. Her attitude was clear, she firmly opposed this plan, or at least didn’t agree with Zhao Meimei’s school transfer. High school is a turning point in life, and one wrong step could ruin Zhao Meimei’s entire life.
However, Zhao Dazhuang was considering giving his mother a proper send-off. In terms of reason and emotion, Liu Xiue, as his wife, couldn’t bring herself to oppose without feeling guilty, and once Zhao Dazhuang’s stubbornness kicked in, he wouldn’t listen to a word.
Liu Xiue was extremely anxious, having mouth sores in just a few days. In the presence of her mother-in-law’s family, she had to put on a strong front. Now that the three of them were on the train, Liu Xiue’s face instantly turned gloomy, resisting passively.
Zhao Meimei was oblivious to the unusual tension between her parents. From the moment they got on the train, she continuously sent messages to her Brother Yangyang.
Recently, Zhao Meimei practically lived in the hospital, having no time to fiddle with her phone. Now that she finally had the chance, she cheerfully reported her situation.
Unfortunately, the train’s signal was poor. The message took ages to send, and when one occasionally came back, it didn’t match the context at all.
Zhao Meimei struggled to send her arrival time home, and after a while, Shi Yang replied with a brief two-word message: "Got it."
Zhao Meimei stared at the two words, feeling uncomfortable. She had been eagerly waiting, and after all this time, she only got a two-word response.
Annoyed, Zhao Meimei decided not to send any more messages. She hadn’t rested well these past days, neither eating nor sleeping properly. Plus, staying in the hospital, watching adults force smiles every day, made her feel depressed. Lying on the hard sleeper for a short while, she fell asleep.
Her phone lay by her pillow, vibrating twice before quieting down.
Shi Yang held his phone, hesitated, but ultimately decided not to call.
Stuck at a red light, Qu Chaozong hit the brakes and turned to ask, "What’s wrong?"
Shi Yang frowned, "I don’t know. Maybe it’s the bad train signal. It’s fine. Anyway, they arrive home at 11 a.m. tomorrow, so I’ll pick them up at the station."
Just as Qu Chaozong was about to speak, his phone rang. Wearing earphones, he assumed it was someone he had planned to meet getting impatient, and quickly answered, "Hello, I’m really sorry. It’s traffic here. We’ll be there soon, please wait a bit longer."
"Hm? Where are you arriving soon?" A lazy female voice drawled from the other side of the line, with a hint of allure.
Qu Chaozong’s expression changed instantly, "Didn’t I tell you not to call me? I’m hanging up!"
"Hey, wait a minute! Where are you?"
Qu Chaozong’s attitude was harsh, "It’s none of your damn business!"
Bam!
Qu Chaozong hung up the call, slamming the steering wheel hard, "Damn it!"
Shi Yang raised an eyebrow, "Zhang Xin again?"
Qu Chaozong snorted coldly, "Never met anyone like this before! If I didn’t need this number for business, I would have changed it a long time ago!"
Qu Chaozong’s brows knitted tightly, an upset expression on his face.
Shi Yang glanced at him, remained silent, then thought for a while and sent a message to his dad with the arrival time of Zhao Meimei’s family.
After sending the message, he leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes; he’d been so busy lately, utterly exhausted.
The winter sun, soft and warm, was blocked by thick curtains, leaving only a small orange lamp lit in the spacious, dim room.
Zhang Xin lay naked, her long curly hair slipping down her shoulders, concealing the rounded curves of her chest. She leaned back against the headboard, cigarette smoke swirling around her fingertips, glaring at the phone that had been rudely hung up, brows knitted, expression dark.
"Whose call was that?" The bathroom door stood wide open as a tall, slender man emerged, water droplets still clinging to his fit and even body.
The man’s gaze fell on Zhang Xin, it traveled along her pretty face, the rise of her breasts, the slim waist, the trimmed triangle shade between her legs, finally sliding down her long, slender legs, he tilted his mouth with a smile. His eyes shifted back, lingering on the fine marks scattered across her chest and stomach, his eyes darkening.
Zhang Xin took a drag from her cigarette, skillfully blew out a smoke ring, and glanced sideways at the man, scrutinizing him up and down as if assessing merchandise, casually crushing the cigarette into the ashtray. Suddenly, she rose from the bed, bare feet on the plush carpet, reaching for the clothes she tossed on the floor to put them on one by one.
Noticing her movements, the man’s expression changed, quickly concealing it, asking nonchalantly, "Leaving so soon in the afternoon?"
Zhang Xin paused in her dressing, lifted her gaze to the man with her beautiful, deep eyes veiled in mist, coldly: "Stay out of my business."
The man closed his mouth, the marks of gritted teeth obvious. After a moment, he lightly responded, "Alright."