Chapter 58: Arriving Safely

On the highway, cars sped past one after another like invisible arrows, instantly slicing through the wind ahead; the shimmering lakes, mist-shrouded mountains, and lush flowers and trees presented a series of beautiful landscapes to the passing travelers.

Inside the car, Yu Youwei asked in a daze, "What's going on? Yue'er, what are you laughing at? Shen Yan, did you get into an argument with someone?"

It took Wu Yueer a long while to catch her breath, and she recounted the sequence of events while laughing.

With her vivid and animated narration, it was no surprise that Yu Youwei also laughed until she was trembling, clutching her stomach and crying out, "Ouch! I can't take it anymore!"

"Hahaha! Shen Yan, this is the first time I've realized you were so mischievous."

Honestly, if they hadn't grown up together, Yu Youwei would have suspected that Shen Yan had been swapped; how could such a silent and introverted person have such a sudden change in style?

In truth, Shen Yan was also somewhat surprised by his own reaction speed; almost the second the other person's words left their mouth, he had already thought of a way to respond.

It seemed that the communication techniques he had been reading about lately had been completely mastered.

His learning ability was truly, exaggeratedly strong.

Amidst the laughter, Wu Yueer leaned behind Shen Yan's ear and whispered like an orchid, "Old Shen, since you won't become my sworn brother, let's date. I feel like being with you would be quite fun."

Yu Youwei was struck as if by lightning, looking at Wu Yueer in disbelief; Wu Yueer was usually always carefree and spoke without restraint, so now she couldn't quite tell the authenticity of this statement.

Could she have actually fallen for Shen Yan?

But based on her understanding of Shen Yan, Shen Yan didn't like this type of girl at all.

Sure enough, Shen Yan said without turning his head, "Forget it, I know exactly how much I weigh; I'm not a match for someone like you."

The corners of Wu Yueer's mouth lifted slightly, and she said in a rare, soft voice, "Oh! Don't belittle yourself like that. Your personality is so interesting, and you're rich and handsome. I really like you, you know. Want to consider it?"

"Go on, go on, not a word of truth in your mouth."

Shen Yan didn't take it to heart at all; this Huniu was always boisterous and unpredictable—only a fool would believe her.

Wu Yueer pouted, annoyed that Shen Yan was too cunning and that she hadn't managed to trick him, but only she knew her most genuine thoughts.

Was she too tomboyish, which was why Shen Yan always treated her as just a girl?

So she asked Shen Yan to change how he addressed her, telling him not to call her Old Wu anymore and to just call her Yue'er; Shen Yan didn't refuse this point.

Seeing this, Yu Youwei secretly breathed a sigh of relief and chided, "Yue'er, don't tease Shen Yan. What if he takes it seriously?"

"Taking it seriously would be great; a handsome man and a beautiful woman are a natural pair," Wu Yueer said with a grin.

Yu Youwei shook her head helplessly, having no way to deal with this Huniu.

Just then, Yu Youwei's phone rang.

"Hello! Mom, yes, we're already on the highway. Whose car are we in? Shen Yan is driving. Hello? Hello! Mom, are you listening..."

Shen Yan couldn't help but smile; he could roughly guess Sun Bixia's expression right now. It was a good thing he had tipped off Grandma Shen in advance; if she had been overly shocked and something had gone wrong, he really wouldn't have known where to cry.

The mother and daughter talked for a good while; Yu Youwei turned on the speakerphone, and Sun Bixia's voice drifted through the car, "Xiaoyan, drive safely. Sun Yi will buy some groceries after class; come over to the house for dinner tonight, okay?"

"Alright, Sun Yi!"

After hanging up, Shen Yan glanced through the rearview mirror at Wu Yueer's outfit: a white crop top on her upper body and light blue ripped denim shorts on her lower body, covering only half of her thighs, with a large expanse of skin as fair as frost and snow exposed to the air.

His brows furrowed slightly.

Perfectly avoiding the peak holiday traffic, after nearly four hours of driving, that familiar and intimate little county town appeared before their eyes again. It couldn't compare to the hustle and bustle of Hangzhou, but every blade of grass and every tree, even the air itself, was filled with peace and tranquility.

Early autumn swept away the last trace of the late summer heat, leaving only coolness and comfort. By the roadside, a few middle-aged men in thin clothes were playing cards, speaking in the Minnan dialect; a gentle breeze brushed past, occasionally lifting up a flurry of fallen leaves.

Yu Youwei stretched lazily in the passenger seat, smiling as she said, "Finally back," while not forgetting to introduce her beautiful hometown to Wu Yueer.

"Look over there, that's the high school alma mater for me and Shen Yan, and also..."

Crossing the bridge and turning into the familiar path by the river, Shen Yan pulled over and parked, saying to Wu Yueer, "Yue'er, Youwei's mother is a middle school teacher and her father is the deputy director of the police station. They are quite strict in their thinking, so I suggest you change out of that crop top to leave them with a good impression."

Wu Yueer looked down and asked in confusion, "Is this inappropriate?"

"It's not about being inappropriate; the older generation just has these views. You could change into a T-shirt, a blouse, or even a skirt."

Hearing this, Yu Youwei woke up as if from a dream and urged Wu Yueer to quickly change her clothes, otherwise, if Sun Bixia saw her, she might mistake her for some kind of delinquent girl.

Having been away from home for nearly a month, she had almost completely forgotten about her mother's terrifying authority.

Then Shen Yan got out of the car to give them space, and after Wu Yueer changed into a pink T-shirt, the three of them set off again.

The sunset is infinitely beautiful, though it is near dusk.

The crimson sunset hung on the horizon, as if about to shatter against the earth, splashing up streaks of red clouds and shrouding Zhongxinyuan in warmth. Looking out, there were few people in the open space in front of Zhongxinyuan; it was dinner time, and smoke curled from the chimneys of every household, with the rich aroma of food wafting out through the windows.

At the entrance of the convenience store, Shen Nainai sat on a small stool, chatting listlessly with Sun Bixia, looking up and glancing around from time to time.

When she spotted the black car slowly driving over, she immediately revealed a kind smile and stood up to welcome them.

There was a large open space at the entrance of Zhongxinyuan. Initially, the developer planned to build a large supermarket there, but the founder died halfway through the venture, so the abandoned land was utilized by the residents; it could serve as a place for children to play and also as a parking lot.

Shen Yan parked the car directly in the open space opposite the unit entrance. As soon as he got out, he was met by Shen Nainai's face, which was etched with the marks of time; it seemed a bit rounder, so it looked like she had been doing quite well during this time.

"Xiaoyan, why do you look so much darker?" Shen Nainai touched Shen Yan's sturdy wrist, her face showing signs of heartache.

Shen Yan grinned: "Can't help it, the school organized military training, and I was out in the sun every day; it's impossible not to get dark."

"But Grandma, look and see if I've gotten sturdier."

As he spoke, Shen Yan rolled up his sleeve to show off his strong biceps.

Shen Nainai nodded with satisfaction; indeed, it had only been a month, but her dear grandson's physique had become increasingly sturdy and he was glowing with health, clearly having lived quite well at school.