I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 124. Xia Guofu's infidelity?
"Teacher Guan!"

When Xu Qingfan returned to the teachers' rest area, Guan Bianyue was chatting with Zhong Wenqing.

"You haven't finished your exams yet, why are you out here?" Seeing everyone staring at them, Guan Bianyue suppressed her urge to beat up Xu Qingfan on the spot and asked curiously.

The other teachers leading the group also turned to look at them with questioning eyes, wanting to hear if something unexpected had happened.

"It was too easy, I handed in my paper early," Xu Qingfan said with a shrug after finding a seat.

"Clap!" The teachers who had been watching the show couldn't help but laugh out loud, and they all withdrew their inquiring gazes.

"So confident, be careful not to make careless mistakes!" Guan Bianyue flicked his forehead lightly.

"Who do you think you are?" Xu Qingfan pulled out his probability theory book from his bag and showed off. "Sister Qingqing, what are we having for lunch?"

“What do you want to eat? You don’t eat fried liver or braised pork offal, and you don’t eat noodles with soybean paste either, so it’s just roast meat, roast duck, and hot pot.” Zhong Wenqing listed out the picky eating habits of these southerners one by one with his fingers.

"Who eats noodles for lunch?" Xu Qingfan, a staunch rice lover, shook his head.

"Hmm?" As soon as Xu Qingfan said this, many northerners present looked at him.

Xu Qingfan:
"Actually, eating noodles occasionally is quite nice," he added awkwardly.

"Pfft~ That's all the food in Yanjing. If you don't want to eat any of it, you'll just have to eat the northwest wind." Zhong Wenqing patted his head with a grin.

"Let's eat roast duck then. Shall we go to Quan Que De?" Xu Qingfan had never had the chance to visit Yanjing in his previous life, and he had only heard of Quan Que De Roast Duck in his junior high school English essay.

"That restaurant is a scam for out-of-towners. I'll take you to my usual place!"

"Huh? How come it's so famous?" Xu Qingfan felt that there shouldn't have been any internet-famous shops in 04.

"If you could just say hello and we could eat at the Emperor's Hall in the Heping store, it would definitely be delicious. The chef would be watching you grill the food one-on-one the whole time, how could it not be delicious? Let's go." Zhong Wenqing shrugged, his face showing a complicated expression.

"Okay." Xu Qingfan understood immediately. It could be delicious, but there was no need to.

The three of them idly waited in the lounge until the bell was about to ring. "Alright, let's pick up Xiaoxiao and Lingyu and go have a big meal!" Guan Bianyue patted her bottom, which had been sitting for a long time, and stood up to say.

When Xu Qingfan and the others arrived at the entrance of Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu's examination room, the bell rang to signal the end of the exam. Xia Xiaoxiao was the first to see Xu Qingfan standing at the window. After a slight pause, she quickly gave him a knowing smile.

Xu Qingfan waved and smiled at her. After the proctor collected all the exam papers, the two of them couldn't wait to run out.

"Teacher Guan, Sister Qingqing." The two said in unison, and Wu Lingyu looked at Xu Qingfan and added, "Brother Fan."

"Let's get in the car first, it's too cold outside." Zhong Wenqing, who is from the north, is actually the most afraid of the cold.

"Xu Qingfan, is the answer 2.5?" After getting into the car, Xia Xiaoxiao rubbed her hands together and asked impatiently.

This time, the exam included the cuboid path problem that the little girl dreaded most. Unable to solve it using conventional methods, she had no choice but to measure the answer with a ruler.

"It's not your fault. The answer is eight-thirds. No normal person could guess it right!" Xu Qingfan rubbed her head to comfort her.

"Ah~" Xia Xiaoxiao looked dejected.

"Alright, the exam is over, no need to compare answers. Let's have a blast exploring Yanjing these next few days!" Guan Bianyue said to the three of them as she turned around from the passenger seat.

"What should we eat now?" Xia Xiaoxiao obediently put aside her unpleasant thoughts and asked, looking at the endless stream of cars outside the window.

"I'll take you guys to eat roast duck. The freshly sliced ​​duck skin and meat, along with cucumber and scallions, are rolled up in freshly made lotus leaf pancakes. You'll eat them one after another without making a sound!" Zhong Wenqing enthusiastically explained to the group the different ways old Beijingers eat roast duck.

Having focused intensely on their work without feeling hungry, the three of them suddenly felt a distinct hunger pang after Zhong Wenqing's comment.

"So what are we going to do after we eat?"

"After dinner, let's go back to the hotel and get a good night's sleep. When we wake up, let's go shopping at the mall!" The malls in Licheng don't have a wide variety of goods. Since we've come all the way to Yanjing, Guanbianyue must return with a full load and use up the 20KG free baggage allowance.

The car soon arrived at its destination. Zhong Wenqing led them to a simple bungalow without a sign. Before they even entered the shop, the aroma of roast duck wafted into their nostrils.

The shop was run by a middle-aged couple. The man was in charge of serving male prostitutes, while the woman was in charge of attracting customers. Their child was squatting in front of the TV watching it. It was a very typical Chinese husband-and-wife team.

"Master, give me a six-pound duck!"

"Okay."

The benches in the shop were long wooden benches used for banquets in the countryside. Xu Qingfan sat in the middle, with Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu sitting on either side of him.

Since it wasn't lunchtime yet, they were the only customers in the restaurant. The sliced ​​roast duck and lotus-shaped pancakes with bits of charred dough on the surface were quickly served.

"Take the photos first, take the photos first!" Xu Qingfan slapped away Xia Xiaoxiao's hand that was reaching for the lotus flower cake, and took out his camera from his bag to take pictures of the food on the table.

"Done yet!"

"Alright, alright, let's eat!"

After putting the camera back down, Xu Qingfan ignored the heat, picked up a lotus flower pancake with his bare hands, spread it out in his hand, filled it with duck skin, duck meat and cucumber strips, rolled it up, dipped it in sweet bean sauce and ate a big mouthful.

"Is it good?" Xia Xiaoxiao couldn't eat hot food, so she blew on the rolled-up roast duck to cool it down while asking Xu Qingfan.

"Not bad." Xu Qingfan nodded, speaking unclearly.

Anyway, he didn't feel that deliciousness that made him want to jump for joy. If he really had to compare, Xu Qingfan still thought that the lychee wood roasted chicken tasted better.

After spending two days together, Wu Lingyu lost her initial shyness and started eating roast duck by herself without Xu Qingfan's help.

"Where shall we go for fun in the next few days?" After spending two days in Yanjing, Xu Qingfan unconsciously started using the retroflex ending when he spoke.

"Just those places, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Summer Palace. There are fewer tourists in winter, which is convenient for taking photos." Zhong Wenqing held up her index finger and listed the famous historical sites in Beijing for the group. If she had to choose, the best thing to do in the dead of winter would be to stay in bed and sleep.

"Sister Qingqing, do you have any intangible cultural heritage handicrafts around here? I'd like to buy some as gifts." Xu Qingfan asked, thinking of Lin Wanning, who was still nursing at home.

"There are so many! There are mannequins, dough figurines, monkey figurines, palace carpets, Peking Opera dolls, and so on. There are too many to count."

Xu Qingfan thought to himself that it was a pity Lin Wanning wasn't there, otherwise the little girl would have jumped around excitedly, shouting, "Ningning wants it, Ningning wants it all!"

"Okay, Qingqing, can you take us to see it later? I love these little gadgets."

“You 90s kids still like these things? I see kids these days doing Gundam and Barbie dolls. I thought only people like us 70s and 80s kids would like these things,” Zhong Wenqing said with a smile.

Xia Xiaoxiao stopped eating the roast duck, tilted her head and thought for a moment before replying, "It's alright, I like anything that's interesting."

[If it were a gift from someone, a gift specifically for me, a gift given to me personally, a gift only for me, that would be even better.] The little girl added in her mind.

“Those handicraft shops are hard to find. Luckily I’m here. If your teacher Guan were to lead the way, we wouldn’t be able to find these shops. I’ll take you there later!” Zhong Wenqing patted his chest, but unfortunately, all the fat was on his legs, so it didn’t make a ripple.

Guan Bianyue reached under the table and secretly pinched her best friend. "Let's go to the handicraft shop again tomorrow. We'll go shopping in Wangfujing after our afternoon nap!"

Everyone ate until their bellies were bulging, and finally finished the last wrap.

Since they were going out together in the afternoon, Zhong Wenqing got out of the car after dropping them off at their hotel.

"Go sleep on the floor, I'm not going to share a bed with you," Guan Bianyue joked with a smile after entering the elevator.

“If you don’t want to squeeze in with me, I’ll sleep with your students. Who wants to sleep with your sister?” Zhong Wenqing asked, patting the heads of the group.

Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu remained silent, and Xu Qingfan was even less likely to speak.

He was happy to get close to beautiful women, but his younger brother already had his own ideas. Xu Qingfan didn't want to be labeled a pervert at such a young age.

"Sister, you can sleep in my bed. I can sleep on the floor if I want," Wu Lingyu said softly when no one spoke for a long time, remembering her mother's teachings to repay kindness with kindness.

"Haha~ I was just kidding you, I'll just squeeze in with your teacher Guan."

"Xiaoyu and I will squeeze in together, Qingqing, you can sleep in my bed," Xia Xiaoxiao said.

Having graduated for many years, Zhong Wenqing finally had the chance to revisit the Guan Guan brand body pillow, and she didn't want to miss it. She nudged Guan Bianyue's arm, signaling for her to speak.

"Then the teacher thanks you on Qingqing's behalf!" Guan Bianyue gave her best friend a smug little look.

Zhong Wenqing stared at her with wide eyes and a resentful expression.

[You took advantage of me but then refused to put out the fire, I'm not sleeping with you!] Guan Bianyue mouthed.

[I'll just hold you while we sleep, I definitely won't touch you!] Zhong Wenqing whispered.

Guan Bianyue crossed his index fingers, making a "da mee" expression.

The three little ones were naturally unaware of the many little interactions between the two lewd girls. After the elevator arrived on the fifth floor, they excitedly rushed back to their room.

Back in his room, Xu Qingfan remembered his lesson this time and immediately called Lin Wanning after putting down his schoolbag.

The phone rang as usual and was answered immediately. "Brother Qingfan~ Ningning is eating." Lin Wanning's chewing sound came through the receiver.

"You're eating? Then listen to me while you eat. Eating cold food in winter is bad for your stomach."

"Hmm~ Ningning, listen up!"

"Then you can't interrupt."

"Fine!" "You still dare to talk."

"Hee hee~"

"I had fried dough sticks and soy milk for breakfast today. Surprisingly, some people in Yanjing even drink salty soy milk, adding pickled vegetables, cilantro, and vinegar. It makes me so uncomfortable."

"Brother Qingfan, please stop talking. Ningning can't eat because she's listening to you!" Lin Wanning interrupted.

"Let's skip this part, then after breakfast we'll take the exam. The test is as easy as ever. I'm sure I'll get first place again this time. For lunch I had Peking duck, and the wraps they make here are freshly made." Xu Qingfan shared his day's itinerary with the other person in great detail.

"Come over and get some more food, Ningning!" Wen Wanqing looked at her daughter, who was resting her head on the microphone with one arm and had been eating white rice for almost three minutes, with amusement.

Lin Wanning looked down at her bowl and realized that she had finished eating the food in it. "Hehe~" she smiled cutely at her mother.

Xu Qingfan also heard what Wen Wanqing said and chuckled: "Ningning, go eat first. I'll call you again at nine o'clock tonight. You don't need to keep watch in the living room anymore."

"Okay! Then remember not to call beforehand, Qingfan-gege."

"it is good."

Xu Qingfan hung up the phone with a smile, drew the open curtains, went into the bathroom to wash his face, rinse his feet and mouth, and quickly lay down for a nap.

2 p.m.

Xu Qingfan was still asleep when Guan Bianyue, full of enthusiasm, knocked on the door and called out to him.

"Xu Qingfan, get up. We're leaving in ten minutes. If you're late, you'll be stuck in the hotel by yourself!" Because she had become familiar with Xu Qingfan, Guan Bianyue had lost the demeanor of a normal teacher.

The woman's estimate of ten minutes was at least half an hour, which Xu Qingfan understood all too well. He turned over and continued sleeping.

Sure enough, after he lay down for another twenty minutes, got up, put on his shoes, and went out, Guan Bianyue and Zhong Wenqing were still putting on makeup in the bathroom.

"Teachers, are you done yet?"

"blow"

"What are you bragging about? It'll be ready soon!" Xu Qingfan had already anticipated Guan Bianyue's prediction as soon as she uttered the first word, and continued.

"You brat~ wait two more minutes."

Xu Qingfan shrugged and pulled Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu to sit down to look at the photos he had taken that morning.

"This one looks great!" Wu Lingyu said, pointing to the screen.

The photo shows Xia Xiaoxiao smiling at Xu Qingfan after finishing her exam, which he captured in a candid shot.

“You have one too,” Xu Qingfan said, turning to the next picture, which showed Wu Lingyu sitting upright with her hands on the desk, waiting for the teacher to collect the test papers. “I’m good at taking pictures, aren’t I?”

"Thank you, Brother Fan." Wu Lingyu glanced at him shyly and thanked him.

"Hey~ what's the big deal?"

"Why aren't there any photos of yourself?" Xia Xiaoxiao asked.

"Then take a picture of me now?" Xu Qingfan handed her the camera.

"Then sit down!" Xia Xiaoxiao took the camera and directed Xu Qingfan to pose in various ways.

"Done yet?"

"Last one. Done!" Xia Xiaoxiao practiced her photography skills with great flair.

"Let me see." Xu Qingfan took back the camera. "Not bad. From afar, it looks like Andy Lau; up close, it looks like Tony Leung."

"Shameless~"

After waiting for another twenty minutes, the group finally set off.

The first McDonald's in the country, a stylish Western-style building—another scene I'd only ever seen in my junior high school English textbooks. Xu Qingfan, holding Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu's hands, strolled along Wangfujing Pedestrian Street with great interest.

However, when Guan Bianyue and Zhong Wenqing were still trying on clothes in shop after shop without showing any signs of fatigue an hour later, the three little ones were completely defeated.

“Teacher, let’s go inside and sit down for a bit. Come find us when you’re done buying your things.” He patted Guan Bianyue’s arm and pointed to the Starbucks across the street.

"No! There will be too many people during the New Year. I won't feel at ease if you're not under my watchful eye," Guan Bianyue said after thinking for a moment.

Xu Qingfan thought to himself, "You know there are a lot of people, we're almost squeezed into meat patties." "We'll just sit there, we definitely won't run around. Teacher Guan, can you give us the phone? If any strangers approach us, I'll just call 110 to report them, okay?"

Guan Bianyue looked down at Xu Qingfan. This kid was quite reliable. "Alright, remember not to run around. The teacher will be here soon!" She took out a mobile phone from her pocket and handed it to Xu Qingfan. "Remember to stay in the shop. If any strangers talk to you, shout that they are human traffickers."

"Okay, okay." Xu Qingfan took the phone and excitedly pulled the two of them out of the crowd.

"Do you have any money?" Guan Bianyue originally wanted to ask Xu Qingfan if he had any money to buy coffee, but in the blink of an eye, the three little ones had disappeared.

"There's a seat over there!" Just then, a table of guests was about to leave, and Xu Qingfan pulled the two of them over to grab a seat.

"You two sit here, I'll go order." He patted their heads and got up to queue at the front desk.

The three matcha Frappuccinos cost him over eighty yuan. After paying, Xu Qingfan was speechless. [There are definitely more rich people in Yanjing. If this price were in Licheng, even a dog wouldn't buy it.] He took a menu and returned to his seat.

"You've ordered, it's cold, aren't you afraid?"

"Oh, is Xu Qingfan's drink really that good? Why are so many people queuing up?" Xia Xiaoxiao asked curiously, looking around.

"It's so-so. Pure coffee doesn't taste good; it's about the same as water boiled in a rusty iron pot."

"Huh?" Just hearing Xu Qingfan describe the little girl made him feel a metallic taste in his throat. "Then why are so many people still buying her?"

"Who knows?" Xu Qingfan shrugged.

Wu Lingyu listened attentively to the conversation between Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao. It was her first time visiting such an exquisitely decorated restaurant, and she was afraid that she would embarrass herself because of her lack of experience.

Especially when Xu Qingfan was not around, Wu Lingyu felt that passersby were mocking her when they stared at her. It wasn't until Xu Qingfan returned that the little girl's heart calmed down.

[Luckily, the clothes and shoes are new, so I won't embarrass Brother Fan.] Wu Lingyu thought to herself.

The waiter quickly brought over three beautifully crafted matcha Frappuccinos. "Please enjoy."

The two girls' eyes lit up, and Xia Xiao said, "It's so good!"

Xu Qingfan:
He now roughly understands why so many people bought it.

The three of them huddled together, each holding a Frappuccino, while Xu Qingfan took photos with a camera in his right hand.

"Okay, we're done filming. Let's drink."

"Ok!"

"It's so delicious! How much is this from Xu Qingfan?" Xia Xiaoxiao asked, squinting after taking a sip.

"This cup you have can buy 28 cups of pudding milk tea."

"So expensive? And the taste is just so-so~" The little girl suddenly felt that the Starbucks in her hand was no longer appealing.

After the three of them sat in the shop for more than ten minutes, Guan Bianyue and Zhong Wenqing finally arrived late.

"Teacher, over here!" Xu Qingfan had been holding his pee for a long time, but he didn't dare leave the two little girls alone. Seeing that his savior had finally arrived, he couldn't wait to run out. "I'm going to the toilet, I'll be right back!"

"Hey! Do you know where the toilet is?"

"Know!"

He finally reached the toilet, and in that moment of relief, he felt a sense of liberation, "I feel so good."

“Brother Fu, you should go back tomorrow. I’m already very touched that you came to see my son and me. I don’t want to ruin your family because of me.”

[White lotus!] Xu Qingfan had just finished using the toilet and was washing his hands when he heard the juicy gossip outside.

"What do you mean 'yours' and 'ours'? He's my son too, we're family."

Xu Qingfan's pupils contracted. [??? Why does this man's voice sound so much like Xia Xiaoxiao's father?]
"Rich guy~"

"Xia, don't say anymore. I feel so guilty that I can't be with you and your son for the New Year. I'll help you put up the couplets on the 28th of the lunar year before I leave."

Seeing that the voices were getting quieter and quieter, Xu Qingfan didn't even have time to turn off the tap before he ran out of the toilet.

But looking around, Xia Guofu was nowhere to be seen.

[Maybe it's just that the voice is similar, otherwise how could the person have disappeared so quickly?] He comforted himself.

He remembered what the man had said: go back after putting up the couplets on the 28th of the lunar year, if Uncle Xia really isn't home on the 28th.
Xu Qingfan sighed and returned to Starbucks with a complicated expression.

(End of this chapter)