Chapter 562: The Little Girl Has Grown Up

Xiaobei drove the car toward Tanghezi, while Zhou Andong sat in the back with his eyes closed.

His grandmother's family was in Arong Banner, Longjiang Province, and he had four uncles and one aunt, but they rarely kept in touch. It wasn't because there was no affection, but because the distance was too far and traveling by car was inconvenient.

The main reason was that their economic conditions didn't allow it. Whether they went there or the uncles came here, the travel expenses and food for a whole family were not a small expense.

Therefore, in Zhou Andong's distant memory, it was only when he got into university and his father committed suicide that his uncles and aunt all came.

Then it was when his grandmother and grandfather passed away, and he went there twice. After that, because his own life was a mess and his mother's mental state wasn't very good, he didn't go again. But they didn't cut off contact, and they still called often.

Zhou Andong opened his eyes: "This girl seems to be half a year older than you, right?"

Xiaobei shook his head: "I don't remember."

Zhou Andong thought for a moment: "When I was in university, Third Uncle brought her here. I remember it seemed like he said she was half a year older than you, nineteen years old this year."

Xiaobei said: "I actually admire her quite a bit. It's so far, she's only been to our house once, and she was still small at that time, yet she was actually able to find her way here alone."

Zhou Andong didn't speak again. For this girl to run over here alone, there must be something wrong, but it shouldn't have anything to do with the family.

If something happened at home, they would definitely call or send a telegram; it was impossible for them to let her run over here alone.

The car drove into the furniture factory courtyard, and Zhou Andong and Xiaobei got out of the car.

Xiaobei walked toward the office: "She circled around the gate of the old house for a long time, and it was Seventh Uncle who saw her and brought her here."

"Creak!" Xiaobei pushed open the door.

Inside, an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl was sitting on a stool, wearing braids, a red cotton-padded jacket with yellow flowers on the upper body, black cotton trousers on the lower body, and cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles on her feet.

This girl was Yuan Lu. She was lowering her head, not knowing what she was thinking. Hearing the door open, she looked up and saw Zhou Andong and Xiaobei, and stood up instantly.

"Big... Big Brother!"

Zhou Andong looked at Yuan Lu. Before seeing her, he couldn't remember what this cousin looked like at all.

Now that they met, the figure of a little girl deep in his mind slowly emerged, gradually overlapping with the girl in front of him.

Zhou Andong smiled: "The little girl from back then has grown so tall all of a sudden, I almost didn't recognize you."

Yuan Lu, who was still a bit nervous, saw Zhou Andong smile and relaxed, then looked at Xiaobei.

"Xiaobei has grown up too. I remember when I came a few years ago, he still had a runny nose."

Zhou Andong laughed loudly, and Xiaobei rolled his eyes: "You're only half a year older than me, how much better can you be?"

Yuan Lu pursed her lips and smiled, and Zhou Andong asked: "Why did you run over here alone? Does your family know?"

Yuan Lu shook her head: "My family doesn't know."

Zhou Andong knew that was the case, took out a cigarette, and lit it: "Tell me, what's going on."

Yuan Lu said: "My dad wants me to marry someone, but I don't like that person."

Zhou Andong said: "If you don't like him, tell your dad. You ran over here alone, how worried your family must be."

Yuan Lu said: "I told them, but they wouldn't listen. They said the other party's family conditions were good and I could enjoy happiness if I married over, but I really don't like him."

"A few days ago, the news was all about you, and my family was very happy, saying you had made something of yourself. Then I thought, my dad would definitely listen to your words, so I secretly ran over to find you."

"You have quite a lot of tricks, but have you thought about how worried your family must be for you to run out secretly like this?" Zhou Andong was very helpless, "What's the phone number of your village department?"

"I don't know the village department's phone number, but there is a public phone in the village's small shop." Yuan Lu said a string of numbers.

Zhou Andong picked up the phone on the desk and dialed it. Soon, the other party answered.

"Hello, this is Jiangzhou. My name is Zhou Andong, I am Yuan Hongjun's nephew. Please trouble you to notify him that Yuan Lu is here with me."

"Oh my!" The other party was a woman. Hearing Zhou Andong's words, she shouted, "This child, she ran to your place? The family has been looking for her like crazy. Alright, alright, I'll go notify his family right now."

Zhou Andong said: "Sorry to trouble you."

"No trouble, no trouble." The other party asked: "Do you have anything else? So I can tell him all at once."

Zhou Andong checked the time: "How about this, please have my Third Uncle wait there, and I'll call back in half an hour."

"Can do, can do!" The other party said: "I'm going to his house now."

"Thank you!" Zhou Andong thanked her and hung up the phone.

"Have you eaten?" Zhou Andong asked Yuan Lu.

Yuan Lu shook her head: "I haven't eaten all day."

Zhou Andong said: "Xiaobei, go to the small shop and buy something to eat."

"Alright!" Xiaobei turned and went out, then drove away.

Zhou Andong looked at the clothes Yuan Lu was wearing again: "You came wearing this? You didn't bring anything?"

Yuan Lu shook her head: "It's still snowing over there, who knew it would be so warm here."

Zhou Andong was very helpless: "Xiaobei will buy some food, you eat a little first. After I finish talking to your dad, I'll take you to buy two sets of clothes, and then we'll go eat."

Yuan Lu nodded and said hesitantly: "Big Brother, I came to find you, are you angry?"

"What I'm angry about is that you ran over without telling your family. How worried your family must be. Even if you left a note, let your family know where you went."

Zhou Andong sighed, then rubbed the girl's head again, "But I'm also very happy that when you have something you can't solve, you know to run over and find me."

Yuan Lu smiled. This girl wasn't considered beautiful, but her smile was very healing and bright. The office, which was a bit dark, suddenly became much brighter.

Soon, Xiaobei came in with a cake and two bottles of champagne.

Zhou Andong said: "Eat first."

Yuan Lu was really hungry. She ate a piece of cake in one breath and finished a bottle of champagne. She wanted to eat more, but was stopped by Zhou Andong.

"You haven't eaten all day, eating too much all at once is bad for your stomach. Besides, I'm going to take you to eat something delicious tonight, so save some room."

Yuan Lu reluctantly put down the cake she had already taken in her hand.

Zhou Andong smiled: "Are Liu Laolao and Grandpa doing well?"

"Good!" Yuan Lu said: "It's just that they always miss my aunt, especially my grandma. Sometimes when we chat and mention my aunt, she cries, saying she's old and doesn't know if she can see my aunt again."

Zhou Andong didn't speak again. He smoked a cigarette, checked the time, and felt it was about time, so he picked up the phone and dialed.

After just two rings, the other party answered, and then he heard an old and excited voice.

"Dongzi, is that Dongzi?"

Zhou Andong was stunned, then reacted: "Liu Laolao?" ===== CHAPTER 563 =====