I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 328. A Family
Wu Lingyu went to bed very late last night, but she got up very early today.

We've known each other for nine years now, but apart from Fan Ge, this is the first time my four best friends have visited my home.

Back when she lived in a cramped rented room in an urban village, she didn't have the courage to invite everyone over.

Life got better day by day, and we bought a house in a beautiful neighborhood, but because of the distance, my friends still never came to visit.

So, to prepare for this momentous first time, she, her mother, and her father made many preparations.

She swept the already clean and tidy house until it was spotless, decorated the walls with ribbons and balloons, and filled the refrigerator with food for a big meal.

Fearing her daughter's classmates would get bored at home, Li Meijuan, who knew nothing about digital technology, made a special trip to the computer mall and brought back a brand-new Sony PS3.

Zhang Chunxue was partly responsible for all of this, but more importantly, the couple genuinely liked and respected the five friends their daughter had made.

On the balcony, Wu Lingyu rested her chin on her hands, leaning against the railing, sometimes looking down at her phone, sometimes gazing into the distance.

"Where are Yu'er and the others?"

Li Meijuan's shout came from the kitchen. Wu Lingyu glanced down at her phone. Five minutes ago, Fan Ge said they had arrived in Shipai. She estimated everyone's current location in her mind, grabbed her phone, and ran back: "We'll be there in twenty minutes!"

"Then Mom, fry the crispy pork and glutinous rice cakes first, so you can eat them right away!"

"Mmm!" Wu Lingyu's face was filled with a happy smile.

The highways were exceptionally congested during the National Day holiday, and the few people who didn't get on the highway arrived in the port city close to 10 o'clock.

As the company's big boss, Zhang Chunxue naturally didn't have any statutory holidays. After dropping them off at Wu Lingyu's apartment complex, she waved goodbye and said, "Have fun. Mom will come to visit you again at noon."

"Okay, goodbye Mom!" Zhang Yiyi squinted her eyes, enjoying her mother's head pat.

"Goodbye, aunt!"

As they watched Zhang Chunxue's car drive away, before they could even turn around, they heard Wu Lingyu's overjoyed shout from afar: "Brother Fan, everyone!"

"Xiaoyu!"

A look of surprise crossed the faces of the four girls, and they turned around at the same time and ran towards each other in both directions.

Xu Qingfan smiled. He felt this could be used as a math problem: Xiaoyu's running speed is x, and Wanning, Yiyi, Xiaoxiao, and Ruanwen's speeds are all y. Running in both directions, how many seconds will it take for them to meet on the 20-meter track?

The answer is five seconds.

After he silently counted to the fifth number, the five girls ran together, held hands, and started spinning in circles.

It seems that whenever good friends gather together, the group's behavior unconsciously becomes childish.

The five girls stopped when Xu Qingfan walked up to them. Wu Lingyu stuck out her tongue and greeted him energetically, "Brother Fan!"

"Let's go visit Xiaoyu's family." He raised his hand and ruffled the girl's hair, then slid down and naturally put his arm around her shoulder to lead the way.

Wu Lingyu was already used to being hugged by Xu Qingfan like this. Unlike when she was a child, she no longer shyly shrank her neck. She confidently and generously said, "Mom just fried crispy pork, brown sugar glutinous rice cakes, and pork chops!"

"Wow~"

"It's been so long since I've had Auntie's fried pork chop. And Fan-ge just ate my bread, so I'm still hungry!"

"It's not like you can get full just because I don't eat your bread!" Xu Qingfan poked Xiao Ruanwen's stomach disdainfully.

"Hmph~ I won't listen, I won't listen. Anyway, it's all your fault, Brother Fan. I'm going to eat your pork chop later!" The girl pretended to hate him and slapped his hand away.

"Ah, right, right, right." "Hahaha"

The group arrived at the elevator amidst laughter and chatter. Seeing Xu Qingfan casually press the button for the eighth floor, Xia Xiaoxiao asked in confusion, "How did you know it was the eighth floor?"

"Oh right, Brother Qingfan, you've already been to Xiaoyu's house, haven't you?"

Before Xu Qingfan could speak, Wu Lingyu explained, "It was when I came back from my trip to Hong Kong. Aunt Zhang and Brother Fan dropped me off at home and then came to visit."

"Oh~" The group suddenly realized.

When the elevator reached the eighth floor, before they even got out, Wu Suowei and Li Meijuan were already waiting outside.

"Welcome everyone, come in and have a seat. We have freshly fried crispy pork and glutinous rice cakes." As soon as the elevator doors opened, Li Meijuan greeted them warmly.

"Hello, Auntie! Hello, Uncle!" The group was taken aback at first, but after recognizing the two people standing outside as Xiaoyu's parents, they all greeted them politely.

"Hey~"

"Welcome to my home." Wu Suowei nodded earnestly.

Everyone knows that Xiaoyu's father has uremia, but when they met again this time, his complexion was obviously much better.

However, fearing they might say the wrong thing, they tacitly avoided mentioning it.

"Wow~ I can smell it already, it smells so good!" Xiao Ruanwen sniffed and stood on tiptoe to look at the open door in front of her.

"It must be delicious!" Lin Wanning chimed in with a grin.

"Come inside first, Auntie will get you bowls and chopsticks." Li Meijuan wore a peaceful smile. Her busy morning had been appreciated by her daughter's classmates, and she felt proud that she hadn't let her daughter lose face in front of them.

Wu Lingyu felt the same way. Although she knew that no matter what she used to entertain Fan Ge and the others, no one would mind, seeing everyone's anticipation filled her with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

As the group entered the house, they were once again amazed by the interior decorations. The walls were covered with colorful ribbons and balloons, the entryway was carpeted with flower petals, and there were individual gifts prepared for each of them.

The reception was so grand that the five of them hesitated to enter the house for a moment. Xu Qingfan spoke first with a smile: "Why are you being so grand? Next time Auntie comes to Licheng as a guest, we'll probably have to prepare a Manchu Han Imperial Feast."

"Don't mention it. Xiaoyu has been in your care all along, and I'm very grateful to you," Li Meijuan said sincerely, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"It's Xiaoyu who has always taken care of us. Xiaoyu is a very good person!"

"Yes, Xiaoyu should be taking care of us!"

"Xiaoyu is so nice!"

Several girls chimed in, praising Xiaoyu. Wu Lingyu felt a lump in her throat for a moment, and a feeling of being moved welled up in her heart.

"Everyone is doing well, thank you all for your understanding and care all this time." She looked at everyone with tears in her eyes and said sincerely.

Infected by the emotions, the four girls also became somewhat envious.

Wu Suowei and Li Meijuan walked away silently, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction as they watched their daughter and her classmate share a genuine friendship.

Xu Qingfan shook his head and patted the girl's head: "We're all so familiar with each other, why say such things?"

"Hehe~ Because we're family!"

"Ok!"

(End of this chapter)