(Part 1)
Fu Yangxi's sudden use of such greasy English instantly pulled Mingxi back from the illusion.
He Yang couldn't help but roll her eyes. She said to Ke Chengwen, "Do all of you from the International Class act like him?"
Ke Chengwen took advantage of Fu Yangxi's lack of time to berate him and covered his mouth to whisper to He Yang, "To be honest, I am the most normal one, and I am also the handsomest guy in class."
He Yang: "..."
Forget it, she shouldn't have had any expectations.
None of them are normal.
Mingxi returned from the state of falling into a dream. She got out of the car and couldn't help but to hold her breath.
She looked at all the familiar but also slightly unfamiliar things in front of her. Her adrenal hormones secreted very quickly, and her heart thumped loudly.
She looked at everyone and couldn't help but to ask, "How did we get here?"
Ke Chengwen said, "There's no runway in your town, so the plane drove to the city center first, and then Xi ge booked two cars. We drove on the mud road for four hours before we got here."
Mingxi looked at Fu Yangxi.
It was difficult for her to describe how she felt at this moment. It was as if someone brought charcoal and lit up a pit of fire during the coldest time and gathered clothes for her, telling her that everything went well.
There was something stirring in her throat. Mingxi wanted to say something, but she felt that saying thank you at this time was too strange.
Fu Yangxi, with a sharp and sloppy breath of vitality, was so pompous and enthusiastic that he could be picked out from the crowd at one glance.
Mingxi used to approach him purely for luck, but now he was a very important person for Mingxi, even if he didn't have any luck.
Very important. Mingxi quietly made this decision in her heart.
Due to Zhao Mingxi's stare, Fu Yangxi's face became hot all of a sudden.
"Well, there is nothing difficult in the world so long as you are rich." Fu Yangxi tried his best to calm down. He stroked his hair backwards with one hand. Then, triumphantly, he put on a cool expression saying 'this was just a piece of cake. I'm just doing it out of convenience so you don't have to be too touched'.
He took Zhao Mingxi's school bag out of the car with one hand.
As soon as he was done being proud, Ke Chengwen suddenly complained, "By the way, Xi ge, you are really good at making last minute decisions. Any day would have been fine, but you just had to come over here in the middle of the night last night! It was just after a downpour, so there is mud everywhere. I almost fell apart. And Zhao Mingxi, how heavy are you? Xi ge said that you were too heavy and we couldn't even move you. We had to—"
Fu Yangxi's ears became red all of a sudden. He interrupted him roughly, "You sure do talk a lot, don't you? Would you like to sign up for the one-million-words per hour contest?"
Ke Chengwen: "..."
He Yang asked in surprise, "Is there really such a contest?"
Mingxi couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, alright, everyone get in. The wind is so strong here." Fu Yangxi urged as he glanced at Zhao Mingxi's earlobe which had gone white due to the cold.
Mingxi nodded and took a deep breath. She mentally prepared herself to walk towards the dilapidated courtyard deep in the alley.
As for Fu Yangxi, he went around and said a few words to the two drivers.
There was the sound of the engine starting, and the two drivers quickly drove their old cars away from the bumpy road.
Jiang Xiuqiu fell behind. He rubbed his palms together. He wanted nothing but to pull his sweater collar over his head right now as he trembled with the cold. He walked to Fu Yangxi and asked with a cold breath, "So when will they come over and pick us up?"
"Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock."
Jiang Xiuqiu said in a low voice, "Then doesn't it mean that we have to spend the night here?"
Fu Yangxi glanced at Zhao Mingxi who was walking in front and said casually, "It's rare for my Little Mask to come here, and besides—" Fu Yangxi glanced left and right before saying in a low voice, "I checked, the green leather train that can bring us back only operates once every day at seven o'clock in the morning."
"Wait." Jiang Xiuqiu's sleepy eyelids suddenly twitched, "Don't tell me we have to take a train when we go back. Where's the private plane which we used when we came?!"
"My grandfather was notified as soon as we got off the plane." Fu Yangxi took out his phone and glanced at it. "30— Now 52 missed calls. I didn't answer them, so he cancelled my permission— What are you doing? Jiang Xiuqiu, what's with that look? Have you been poisoned?"
"You're playing with death," Jiang Xiuqiu said. "He'll teach you a lesson the moment you get home."
"That's my business." Fu Yangxi didn't take it seriously. In fact, he continued in a justified manner. "Look at the beautiful scenery here. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had the chance to come out and see the great rivers and mountains of our motherland!"
Jiang Xiuqiu glanced at the poor countryside around him: "..."
Then I really have to thank you, Young Master.
Mingxi walked into the yard.
The familiar small tea table made out of bamboo in the yard was gone. It was left in the corner under the eaves. No one had moved it for a long time, leaving a layer of dust.
The window paper she had pasted on the glass window was peeled off as well, leaving only a mark.
The gardenias were gone too, and the earth was covered with rough and crude marble bricks.
The earth-red courtyard wall has also been rebuilt.
To be precise, this area was not owned by Mingxi and her grandmother, but by Aunt Li's family who lived next door. It used to be rented out. After her grandmother passed away, Aunt Li renovated the small yard.
Everything remained the same, but the people have changed.
Nonetheless, Mingxi's mood was completely different from that of her previous life.
After her grandmother passed away in her previous life, she always came back alone. Not to mention how desperate she was when she came back after knowing she had terminal illness.
As she walked through the crowd, she felt that she did not belong anywhere.
But this time, perhaps it was because of the sound of a group of friends mucking around, the courtyard became lively.
Mingxi's mood also became bright and cheerful, full of hope for the future.
Fu Yangxi walked over with her schoolbag. He had one hand in his pocket, and the other handing her Yunnan Baiyao's steam eye mask. He looked around, trying his best not to look at her and pretended to be nonchalant about it. "Put it on, your eyes are swollen."
Mingxi unpacked the disposable eye mask and found that it was a steam eye mask with a hollow-out design, and the eyes could be exposed.
After she put it on, Fu Yangxi glanced at her.
Zhao Mingxi had fair skin, jet-black eyes, long black eyelashes, and the whites of her eyes were red like a rabbit's.
After putting it on, the two pointed tips on the corners of the blindfold were lifted up, making her look even more like a dazed rabbit.
Fu Yangxi almost could not maintain his cold expression.
"Is it funny?" Mingxi pressed the hot part around her eyes with her hand in order to warm her hands as well. She asked, "Where did you get it from?"
Fu Yangxi took out a similar pack. "I just got it on the way."
Jiang Xiuqiu who was standing at a corner in the cold: ...
Who was the one who asked the driver to park the car for almost half a day at the passenger terminal?
As Fu Yangxi was carrying her school bag in one hand, he spent a long time struggling to open the packaging with one hand.
Mingxi reached out her hand and opened it for him. Then, she went on her tiptoes and put it on him. "Don't move."
Fu Yangxi held his breath suddenly.
The air was chilly, and Zhao Mingxi's pale face became even whiter due to the cold.
In just the span of one night, her face seemed to have gotten a little smaller. Most of her face was covered by the eye mask, with only light pink lips and a white chin exposed.
She leaned in.
Fu Yangxi swallowed, feeling his blood rush to his scalp.
(Part 2)
Ke Chengwen jumped to them like a monkey and yelled, "It's not fair. I didn't sleep well either. Jiang Xiuqiu took the back seat for himself, causing my legs to go numb and my dark circles to come out. Why do I have no part in this?!"
The atmosphere was instantly destroyed.
"Aren't your f*cking eye circles usually dark?!" Fu Yangxi pushed his head away angrily. "There's none left. I only bought two."
Ke Chengwen: "..."
Mingxi received so much help from them last night. She felt that she had developed a revolutionary friendship with them.
She shyly took off the eye mask from her face and said, "Why don't I give mine to you? I've slept enough, and my eyes don't feel uncomfortable."
Ke Chengwen was just about to happily accept it.
Fu Yangxi slapped his hand away.
With a long face, Fu Yangxi took out another three from the bag. "Here."
Ke Chengwen: "???"
Mingxi asked, "Didn't you say that there's only two?"
Fu Yangxi's face didn't flush, his heart didn't skip a beat nor did he blink. "I forgot that there was another box."
All five of them put on the eye mask, causing them to look like Jiang Yang thieves who broke in and robbed people. It shocked Aunt Li who was on her way to wash the vegetables with a porcelain basin.
Mingxi quickly took off her eye mask and walked over. "Aunt Li, it's me. I've come back for a quick visit."
"It's Mingxi?!" Aunt Li recognized Mingxi and immediately put down the porcelain basin. She came over and pulled her closer to look at her carefully. Then, she said with a heavy emotion, "Mingxi has become prettier."
Aunt Li was very enthusiastic. She coaxed the five of them to stay for dinner. She set the brazier on fire, allowing them to surround it and warm their hands. After she was done with her work, she dragged Mingxi aside to talk for a long time.
Mingxi stayed in her old room for a long time, picking up the things that she did not have the time to take with her previously one by one.
For lunch, they ate a big pot of rice from Aunt Li's house. Although it was steaming hot, the rice was hard and the taste of the dishes was average.
But Fu Yangxi and Jiang Xiuqiu did not say anything. Ke Chengwen and He Yang also actively helped Aunt Li wash the dishes.
In the blink of an eye, evening had arrived.
Mingxi planned to pay respects to her grandmother. Except for Jiang Xiuqiu, who was extremely cold and inseparable from the brazier, the other three went with her.
They bought lighters and colorful paper money from a store in town, stuffed them in a red plastic bag, and walked up the mountain through the muddy terrain.
There were many graves on the mountain. This kind of small town was not as particular as how people would be in a big city, as seen from how the graves were scattered everywhere.
Mingxi's grandmother's grave was in a remote corner on a relatively sloping hill. As it was currently raining and the ground was slippery, one could easily fall with a slip of the foot.
After they paid their respects which lasted only 10 minutes, Ke Chengwen and He Yang had each slipped at least once.
Thus, Mingxi said to He Yang, "The three of you should head back first."
He Yang looked at the muddy water on her body. They had no choice but to go back, else the muddy water would soak into their clothes and it would be immensely uncomfortable.
Besides, they were done paying their respects, and outsiders like them ought not prolong their stay, so they said, "Then we'll head back first. You should be careful not to fall as well."
"Alright." Mingxi nodded.
Fu Yangxi pretended not to hear her. He said, "I didn't fall. I'll wait for you."
The mountain was remote and secluded. It simply wasn't a place suited for a girl on her own. Thus, Ke Chengwen said, "Then, Xi ge, stay with Zhao Mingxi for a while. He Yang and I will go down first."
The moment the two of them left, the mountain instantly fell quiet.
Mingxi burned the paper money silently.
Fu Yangxi stood aside and looked down at her. He scratched the back of his head, distraught as he did not know how to comfort her. In fact, he almost wanted to call Ke Chengwen back.
Mingxi was the first to look up at him. She smiled. "There's no need for you to comfort me. I'm not sad. Are we going back to school tomorrow?"
"Yeah—" Fu Yangxi let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to talk about going back with the train, both of them heard the continuous sound of a dog barking.
It's barks were too intimidating, as if it was going to rush over at any time.
Mingxi was taken aback. She quickly put down the paper money and stood up. "Since when was there a dog on this mountain?!"
She grabbed Fu Yangxi's wrist and was about to drag him away.
Mingxi didn't know if it was her misperception, but Fu Yangxi was staring at the Tibetan mastiff. His body was extremely stiff, and the palm of his hand which was held by Mingxi was full of sweat.
It was the first time Mingxi saw him like this. There was no expression on his face. In fact, it was mixed with a little coldness.
He stubbornly bit his lower lip.
"Fu Yangxi!" Mingxi yelled. She was shocked by his behaviour.
Fu Yangxi reluctantly withdrew from that state and his Adam's apple bobbed. After he realized what was going on, he said, "Oh no" before he quickly pulled Mingxi around and ran.
Due to their one moment of hesitation, a tall Tibetan mastiff rushed towards them with a toothy grin.
The dog had a strong spine and its eyes were black.
In an instant, the sharp fangs in its mouth got closer to them, and the pungent heat overwhelmed their senses.
Fu Yangxi stood in front of Zhao Mingxi.
The two slipped on their feet and suddenly lost their footing. They stepped on the slippery soil and fell to the bottom of the hillside.
As the soil was soft, they were not injured.
However, they could see that the dog was about to rush down again.
"Blackie!"
The dog barked and bared its teeth fiercely at them. Soon a local farmer came over and stretched out a hand at them apologetically. "I'm sorry. The two of you, quick, I'll pull you up."
Fu Yangxi helped Mingxi up. "Are you hurt?"
Mingxi shook her head. "No."
Fu Yangxi pulled a long face. He was furious at the middle-aged man who was holding the dog. "Don't bother about us. Just tie your dog up and pull it away!"
When Fu Yangxi and Mingxi returned, there was more muddy water on their bodies than He Yang and Ke Chengwen that they practically became clay figures.
Aunt Li was taken aback. She quickly asked them to take a bath.
As Mingxi was more familiar with the facilities here, she washed up quickly. After she was done, she changed into the clothes Aunt Li gave her and came out.
Fu Yangxi was comparatively slower.
"You guys met a giant dog?" Jiang Xiuqiu walked over and asked.
"Yes." Mingxi thought of Fu Yangxi's reaction in the afternoon and felt that something was wrong. She asked out of worry, "Does Fu Yangxi have some kind of phobia against dogs?"
His reaction today was very abnormal. Even when he came back to take a bath, he remained silent. There was a huge difference as compared to his usual arrogant self.
"It's not a big deal, it's just—"
Just as Jiang Xiuqiu was about to speak, he was interrupted by Fu Yangxi who came out of the shower. "F*ck, you got caught. Don't speak ill of me behind my back!"
Fu Yangxi's short red hair was dripping wet and his hair was not quite dry. He hurriedly pulled Zhao Mingxi behind him, away from Jiang Xiuqiu.
He returned to his usual cocky personality and looked at Zhao Mingxi in a displeased manner. "Little Mask, enough. You said that you only recognize me as the boss, yet you still talk bad about me with other people!"