I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 126. Departure
Over the next few days, Xu Qingfan and his friends visited the Palace Museum, the Badaling Great Wall, and the Shichahai Temple, leaving their footprints at every famous historical site in Yanjing.

On January 14th, after lunch, the five of them drove to the last stop of their trip, Tiananmen Square.

"Ten seconds, ten seconds, strike a pose!" Xu Qingfan quickly ran back to the team after pressing the time-lapse button.

The five stood in front of the magnificent city gate with a plaque that read "Long live the motherland, long live the people of the world". Zhong Wenqing and Guan Bianyue stood behind the three little ones, while Xu Qingfan squeezed between Wu Lingyu and Xia Xiaoxiao.

"Why aren't you taking the picture yet?" Xia Xiaoxiao had just opened her mouth when the camera flash went off.

"Isn't it done?" Xu Qingfan jogged over to retrieve the camera.

After returning, the group huddled together looking at the group photo they had just taken. "Not bad, not bad, Xiao Xiao, you look so cute with your mouth open," Guan Bianyue said with a smile, tucking her head into her scarf.

"Alright, let's go after we take the photos. I'll drive you to the airport." Zhong Wenqing reached out and ruffled the heads of the three of them, speaking with a reluctant tone.

"Ah."

The group glanced back at the magnificent Tiananmen Gate Tower before reluctantly returning to their car.

Parting always carries a touch of sadness, and the atmosphere on the bus was somewhat subdued.

As the car passed the gates of Yenching University again, Zhong Wenqing said in a joking tone, "Do you remember? I was the one who drove you to the airport on the day you graduated from university."

"I remember, you asked me back then if we would meet again, and I said yes. I never imagined that we wouldn't meet again for three years." Guan Bianyue squinted as she recalled that scene.

"Alright, alright, reminiscing about the past is like trying to find a sword by marking the boat on the river of time. We need to be realistic and look to the future," Xu Qingfan interrupted the two of them, breaking the monologue.

"Pfft~ You're such a little devil." Guan Bianyue broke down in an instant and turned around to slap Xu Qingfan on the head in an annoyed tone.

After laughing for a while, Zhong Wenqing said, "Have you brought everything? Don't call me to pick up my things from the hotel after we get back to Licheng, especially you, you careless person, I had to mail your graduation certificate back to you."

"I don't think so, I've checked everything." Guan Bianyue panicked at these words and opened the zipper of her bag to check the contents.

"That was an accident!" she said stubbornly after confirming that nothing had been left behind.

"Yes Yes Yes!"

The car quickly arrived at Nanyuan Airport. After getting off the car, Zhong Wenqing reluctantly hugged each of them.

Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu both had red eyes and looked reluctant to part, but Xu Qingfan didn't feel anything because he knew they would meet again after the New Year.

Zhong Wenqing escorted them all the way to the security checkpoint. As they parted, Xu Qingfan turned back and called out, "Sister Qingqing, remember to come to Licheng after the New Year! Let's work hard and make our business bigger and stronger!"

"Got it, see you after the New Year!"

Goodbye, Sister Qingqing!

Zhong Wenqing stood there, watching until the group completely disappeared from sight, then she turned and left, twirling her car keys.

After checking in their luggage, the group quickly boarded the plane following the signs.

The return ticket is still economy class, but during the Spring Festival travel rush, it's already good enough to have a ticket home, especially since it's free, so we can't expect too much.

Having experienced flying once before, Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu didn't feel the same excitement this time, except for the endless sea of ​​white clouds outside the window, which was still very attractive.

"Why can't we see clouds when we're on the ground, but we can see them from the plane?" Today, it was a very cloudy day in Yanjing, but after the plane passed through the stratosphere, the sky suddenly became clear and bright. The contrast in the view before and after made Xia Xiaoxiao wonder.

Xu Qingfan recalled the physics he learned in high school and explained, "It's a matter of light reflection. Thick clouds absorb all the light, so it looks gray. Actually, there are always clouds in the sky, but you just can't see them from the ground."

"Xiao Fan isn't entirely right. Our sky is like a house, divided into many layers. What we can usually see is the troposphere, but when an airplane flies, it passes through the troposphere and enters the stratosphere. It's like finding something you can't find on the second floor when you're on the third floor!" Guan Bianyue, a liberal arts student, vividly explained geographical knowledge to the group.

"Oh." Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu nodded, seemingly understanding.

The plane took off at 2 p.m. and arrived at Baiyun Airport in Hong Kong on time, just before 5 p.m.

None of the 108 ways Xu Qingfan had imagined during the flight actually happened. The plane didn't encounter even a small turbulence the entire time. He could only continue his fantasy of being stranded on a deserted island and awakening an invincible system while he was sleeping at night.

As the group picked up their luggage and walked out of the terminal, Xu Qingfan exclaimed upon seeing pedestrians in short sleeves and shorts all over the street, "This is insane!"

The onset of winter in the port city is always a mystery. One day it might be a sweltering summer day with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius and you still need to turn on the air conditioner to sleep. The next day, you might wake up freezing and think that the air conditioner is set too low, only to find out that the temperature has dropped significantly.

Then you rummage through your closet to find the clothes you wore last winter. The cotton-padded coat, wrinkled and smelling of mothballs, is worn for a few days, only to find it was a false alarm and the hot weather has returned.

"Just wear this for now, there will be air conditioning in the car later." Guan Bianyue said helplessly, hanging the sweater she had taken off on her wrist.

After waiting by the roadside for a while, Xu Aiguo arrived quickly in his taxi.

"Thank you for your hard work, teacher." Xu Aiguo nodded to Teacher Guan after getting out of the car, opened the trunk door and helped them carry their luggage up.

"Not at all," Guan Bianyue nodded politely, her movements extremely stiff.

"We're going to Licheng Restaurant for dinner later. Teacher, why don't you come along too?" Xu Aiguo said as he looked in the rearview mirror and turned the car around after getting into the car.

"No need, no need. My mom made soup and is waiting for me to come back for dinner." Guan Bianyue was least skilled at interpersonal communication and waved her hands repeatedly in refusal.

"That's fine. Teacher, where do you live? I'll take you home first."

"It's right across from the power bureau."

"Dad, who are you having dinner with?" Xu Qingfan asked curiously, as he hadn't mentioned any dinner party in the phone call earlier.

"You're just having dinner with your little female classmate, who else could it be? Your Aunt Wen organized this gathering, saying she wanted to welcome you back." Xu Aiguo raised his hand and tapped him on the head as he sat in the passenger seat.

"Okay." Xu Qingfan thought of the two big red envelopes Wen Wanqing gave him during last year's Spring Festival. There were only a few days left until the new year.

Besides buying gifts for the kids, Xu Qingfan also brought gifts for his mother, Wen Wanqing, Lin Jing, and Zhang Chunxue on this trip to Yanjing, since the return on investment for the latter was too high.

If you give your aunties a piece of silk today, they can buy you the latest PSP model tomorrow.

After taking Guan Bianyue home, it was almost 6:30. The three of them were already starving, but their excitement about returning home after being away for many days was not affected in the slightest.

Wu Lingyu didn't have much luggage. After she had everything she needed, she got off the bus at the convenience store.

"We'll eat together later, so don't sneak any food!" Xu Qingfan shouted to the little girl, sticking his head out of the window.

Wu Lingyu turned to look at him and nodded happily, "I understand!" Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao needed to go home to change clothes first. Xu Aiguo drove the car into the Lotus Courtyard, and the two of them got out of the car with their belongings.

"Hurry up and come down, did you bring your keys?"

"I brought it!" Xu Qingfan said without turning his head, pulling Xia Xiaoxiao upstairs.

"Xu Qingfan, I didn't bring my keys!" Xia Xiaoxiao frowned as she saw her own door locked when she got to the third floor.

"It's alright, leave your things at my place for now. Aunt Lin has probably already gone to the restaurant." Xu Qingfan took out his keys and opened the door with one hand.

"Oh."

"Go to my room and take off your pants, I'll go to the bathroom to take them off."

"You're the one who should take your pants off!" Xia Xiaoxiao glared at him, then went into Xu Qingfan's room and locked the door.

After finally taking off his cumbersome long johns, Xu Qingfan felt a great sense of relief.

Xia Xiaoxiao quickly opened the door and came out, "What are you looking for?"

"These are gifts for my mother and the others." Xu Qingfan packed the jade hairpins and silk scarves he had bought into a bag.

"Where's Aunt Yao's gift?" Xia Xiaoxiao reached out to ask.

After learning that Xu Qingfan was going to give his mother a gift, Yao Jinping's gift was bought by Xia Xiaoxiao with her own money.

"I'll take it all and give it to you later. Let's go!" He gathered his things, grabbed Xia Xiaoxiao's hand, and headed out the door. Xu Qingfan kicked the door shut behind him.

"Oh, I'll deliver it myself later!" Xia Xiaoxiao followed Xu Qingfan downstairs.

When he came down to the first floor, several stray dogs saw the bag in Xu Qingfan's hand and thought he was being fed. They all gathered around. "Go away, go away, I'll pack some bones for you to eat later."

He stomped his right foot hard on the ground, and the dogs, triggering muscle memory, scattered in all directions.

"Son." After the two got into the car, Xu Aiguo suddenly called his name in a gentle tone.

Xu Qingfan felt extremely uncomfortable. "What?"

"How about going back to your grandma's house for Chinese New Year this year?" Xu Aiguo asked with a grin.

Xu Qingfan really wanted to say it wasn't good, since he didn't have a good impression of his father's relatives. "Dad, why are you asking me? Ask my mom."

"Talk to your mom tonight, and I'll take you to KFC," Xu Aiguo said with a smile.

[Looking down on someone, you use KFC to test your managers?]
"Haha, why isn't Dad here yet? I'm so hungry."

"You brat~" Xu Aiguo sighed helplessly.

Last year, due to the virus, he did not return to Congshi for the Spring Festival. In previous years, Xu Aiguo also went back alone for the Spring Festival and the Double Ninth Festival to pay respects to his ancestors.

Xu Qingfan remembered that when he was four or five years old in his previous life, his family went back to the city for the New Year. Anyway, it ended very unpleasantly, and Yao Jinping never went back again after that.

Sometimes Xu Aiguo would go alone, and sometimes he would go with Xu Qingfan, but because of some things, Xu Qingfan also disliked his grandmother.

This should have happened three years later. Xu Qingfan went back to the city with his father for the Spring Festival. His grandmother bought a Leisuden remote-controlled car for each of her grandchildren, but not for him.

Xu Qingfan remembered this incident for almost twenty years. In any case, he never sincerely called her "Grandma" again after that. Every time he greeted her, he would just give a perfunctory reply.

[I'm not going back to be looked down upon by those old bastards.] Xu Qingfan thought to himself.

As soon as Xu Qingfan got out of the car, Lin Wanning, who had been waiting at the door, immediately ran over excitedly, "Brother Qingfan!"

The little girl excitedly rushed into Xu Qingfan's arms and hugged him. If Xu Qingfan were any taller, Lin Wanning would probably be hanging on him like a koala.

"I bought you a lot of gifts, I'll bring them to you tomorrow." Xu Qingfan's arm was held by the other person, so he could only rub his cheek against the little girl's head instead of patting her head.

"Hehe~" Lin Wanning kissed him on the cheek and then happily released her arms from Xu Qingfan's embrace. "Xiaoxiao, Xiaoyu!" She turned around and greeted the two of them.

“Wan Ning.” Wu Lingyu withdrew her envious gaze and nodded.

"Hmm." Xia Xiaoxiao also withdrew her disdainful eye roll and said expressionlessly.

"Let's go in first and talk." After Xu Aiguo parked the car, the group went into the restaurant together.

"Our little prodigy is back! Everyone, let's give him a round of applause!" Wen Wanqing said with a smile as soon as they pushed open the door to the private room.

"Mom!" Xia Xiaoxiao excitedly rushed into her mother's arms.

Yao Jinping looked at Xia Xiaoxiao, who was nestled in Lin Jing's arms, and then at Xu Qingfan, her eyes seeming to say: You brat, why don't you learn from her!
"Mom." Xu Qingfan scratched his head and found an empty seat to sit down.

Yao Jinping:
"Xiaoyu, come to Auntie's. Did your exam go well? Is Beijing fun?" Yao Jinping glanced at her son with disdain and beckoned Wu Lingyu over.

"It's fun! It's snowing in Yanjing, and the Forbidden City looks especially beautiful!"

"Auntie, I brought you a gift!" Xia Xiaoxiao left her mother's embrace and took out the hairpin and silk that she had specially bought for Yao Jinping from Xu Qingfan's bag.

"Xiaoxiao even bought a gift for Auntie?" Yao Jinping's face immediately lit up with joy.

"Auntie, this is a gift I bought for you." Xu Qingfan also handed one of the gifts to Wen Wanqing. "Auntie, this is a gift from Xiaoyu." After saying that, he gave the last gift to Lin Jing.

For a moment, Wu Lingyu seemed to freeze, her eyes fixed on Xu Qingfan, and a feeling of being moved welled up in the little girl's heart again.

[The gifts were all bought by Fan Ge. He always considers my feelings. It's so nice of him.]
The three adults were all smiles after receiving the gifts, praising Xu Qingfan and his two friends for being so sensible.

Xu Aiguo and Lin Qiaoshan exchanged a glance, both instinctively reaching for their cigarette packs before turning to their wives in unison. They finally smiled at each other, both reading helplessness in each other's eyes.

Once everyone had arrived, a variety of delicious dishes were served, including a combination of poached chicken and soy sauce chicken, steamed sea bass, and boiled prawns.
After traveling far from home, Xu Qingfan felt that the food from his hometown was still the most to his liking.

After agreeing to meet again after the New Year, the dinner party came to an end.

(End of this chapter)