Chapter 133: Chapter 132: Monthly Tickets 100+
Liu Xiue raised her voice slightly: "You think it’s that easy to transfer school registration? Meimei is attending No.1 High School at home, after transferring, can you manage to get her into the best high school?"
Zhao Dazhuang had thought about this issue more than once, he replied quietly, "Second brother-in-law’s family has relatives in the education bureau, he helped inquire about it. As long as she can pass the entrance exam, she can transfer schools with the middle school exam results."
Liu Xiue was silent for a moment, then retorted: "If we move back, where are we going to live? Buy a house? Just relying on our little savings?"
Zhao Dazhuang lowered his eyes: "We’ll stay at my mom’s place first. We’ll talk about the future later."
Zhao Meimei’s eyes turned, and she quickly figured out what was going on. She asked in shock: "Dad, are you planning to move back to live with grandma? Then, then I..."
She wanted to ask what would happen to Brother Yangyang, but the words got stuck in her mouth, unable to come out.
Zhao Dazhuang replied solemnly: "Meimei, I’m afraid your grandma’s health can’t hold up. I’m planning to go back this time, sell the house, transfer the grocery store, and move the family back to the south to properly accompany your grandma and fulfill our filial duties."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Meimei panicked; she couldn’t say she didn’t want to fulfill her filial duties to her grandma. But if they really moved back to the south, she wouldn’t be able to see Brother Yangyang, and what about her schooling? Would she really need to transfer? At the thought of Xu Xu and Wang Jiayue, she was instantly unwilling to leave. Besides schoolmates, there were Da Bao and a group of friends too, with whom she had grown up playing and shared deep bonds. She didn’t want to leave.
After being silent for a while, Zhao Meimei asked: "Are we really moving back then?"
Zhao Dazhuang said: "Once we move, what’s the point of moving back again? The two places are so far apart. Previously, it was because of my job transfer that I brought your mom to the north."
Zhao Meimei lowered her eyelids: "I can’t get used to staying in the south, the taste is too bland, and it’s too damp. At night, the quilt feels wet and cold..."
Zhao Dazhuang glanced at her, feeling troubled: "Initially, it might be a bit uncomfortable, but it’ll get better with time. When your mom and I first came to the north, we were also not used to it. But now, aren’t we living well?"
Zhao Meimei said: "That’s been so many years already!"
Zhao Dazhuang frowned, just about to speak, when the middle-aged man lying opposite Zhao Meimei returned, interrupting this unpleasant conversation.
Zhao Meimei picked out a package of chips from her luggage, climbed back to the middle bunk, sprawled on top, feeling as if there was a rabbit inside her heart, leaping back and forth, making her restless.
She picked up her phone, repeatedly looking at the messages previously sent to Brother Yangyang. As she looked, her heart grew sour, her eyes reddened, and just as she was about to view the next message, a new message came in.
Shi Yang: Tired? Just hold on for one more night, we’ll be home by noon tomorrow.
Upon seeing this message, Zhao Meimei felt even worse. She stared at the characters on the phone screen, feeling like someone suddenly smothered her mouth and nose, a surge of gas flooded her lungs, pushing against her organs with pain. This hysterical feeling made her want to scratch at the car wall.
She flipped over, lay on the bunk, and tapped furiously on the keyboard, like a child wronged and desperately seeking help from a parent. The sound of her typing matched the pounding of her heart, making her eyes gradually mist over.
After sending the message, Shi Yang casually placed the phone aside, lay flat, and closed his eyes to rest.
He pondered what to do if his father’s attempt to pull connections failed. If the entire playground was divided into two sections, it wasn’t impossible, but the area for the Naughty Castle would be reduced, many equipments couldn’t be added, and the most crucial part: one place turning into two poses issues both with management and safety.
Shi Yang furrowed his brows, his expression heavy.
His phone vibrated, he reached for it, and before he could check, it vibrated a few more times.
Shi Yang paused, swiped open the screen, and found there were seven new messages.
Looking at the consecutive sender notifications from Da Bao, his expression quickly relaxed, reading through them one by one. As he read, he suddenly sat up on the bed, looking at the phone screen in disbelief.
Zhao Dazhuang is planning to move the whole family back to the south?
He read through Zhao Meimei’s excited yet somewhat incoherent messages, feeling terribly unsettled.
Moving the whole family back just to accompany Zhao Meimei’s grandma in her final days, what about Zhao Meimei? Could she adapt to the climate and lifestyle changes in the south? What about her studies?
This was utterly absurd!
If Zhao Dazhuang really moved back, would he even get to see Zhao Meimei again? His career was just beginning here, and Zhao Meimei was heading south, how could there be a future?
The more Shi Yang thought, the worse he felt, his heart burning anxiously.
He struggled to maintain his composure and sent a few comforting words to Zhao Meimei. After sending the message, he turned to the master room to inform his parents about this.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yang’s mother paused, then sighed: "No wonder Meimei’s family is good people, Old Zhao is kind-hearted and filial, wanting to honor his own mother. It’s rare to find someone who can do this nowadays."
Listening to this, Shi Yang felt more blocked, refusing to speak, his gaze fixed on his father. Thankfully, his father was more rational, thinking along the same lines as Shi Yang.
The first question Shi Yang’s father asked was: "What about Meimei’s studies? And won’t Meimei’s mother’s grocery store continue?"
Upon hearing this, the agitation stirred by his mother’s unintentional remarks slightly subsided. Shi Yang thought for a moment before saying, "Maybe my Uncle Zhao’s factory was bought out, and less worry is involved, coupled with Meimei’s grandma’s severe illness, they decided to move back south."
Shi Yang’s father paused and asked: "Your Uncle Zhao’s family will return tomorrow. Have you arranged a dinner to welcome them?"
The previous plan was to go to a seafood buffet, but the environment there was too noisy, not suitable for discussing matters. After considering, Shi Yang replied: "Let’s invite them home to eat. I’ll order a few dishes from downstairs; they’re probably tired from the journey and might not eat much. It’s mainly to gather and chat."
Shi Yang’s father nodded: "Sure, let’s talk it over properly when we meet tomorrow."
Shi Yang agreed, turned, and left the room. As he shut the door, he heard his mother sigh: "I only have Xiue as a friend. If she leaves, I’ll really miss her."
Shi Yang’s father casually added: "It’s their business, after all, we’re outsiders. Can’t exactly forcefully intervene."
Shi Yang leaned against the door, his gaze fixed on the chandelier in the living room ceiling, the fluorescent lights casting a dizzy glow over everything.