I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 339. You've come at just the right time.

"Next up running is the 368th torchbearer. As you can see, they are a trio, each a 15-year-old junior high school student. Their team also has a well-known name: the 'Deeply Affectionate Duo,' the creators of the comic 'Hilarious Daily Life.' I'm sure they need no further introduction—'Hilarious Daily Life.'"

Behind them followed the Asian Games convoy, with guardrails neatly separating the left and right sides. On the wide cement road, apart from the accompanying staff, only the three of them could be seen running ahead, holding the Asian Games torch high.

The torch relay route passed through Xiaolou, a county town below Licheng. Even though it was a weekday, the guardrails along the road were still crowded with citizens watching the spectacle.

Such a momentous event, worthy of being recorded in the family genealogy, naturally drew the attention of adults and relatives from all sides. The three of them hadn't run far before they saw the large group waving and cheering them on, and their initially tense mood instantly relaxed considerably.

Just as they had agreed yesterday, Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi stayed close to Xu Qingfan.

The two of them have won all sorts of art awards since they were young, including many international awards, but they have never felt as excited and thrilled as they do today.

Because behind this glory stands Xu Qingfan.

The three of them looked ahead. This stretch of road was short, so short that the end was right in front of them; yet it was also very long, so long that they would need to spend the rest of their lives walking it.

After passing the torch to the next person in charge, their stage came to an end, and the three left the road under the guidance of the staff.

"amazing!"

"Xiao Fan is so handsome!"

"Well done, girl!"

They were greeted with enthusiastic cheers from family and friends. After receiving the flowers from Yao Jinping, he gave his mother a big hug.

"Isn't your son awesome?!"

Yao Jinping instantly suppressed her urge to cry and said with a smile, "I know you're the most successful one."

"Grandma!" After letting go of his own mother, the second person he hugged was his grandmother, whose eyes were already red from crying.

"Let Grandma take a good look at my grandson." Lai Manyao stroked his cheek with her rough hands, her eyes filled with indescribable joy and pride.

The older generation holds conservative views. Driving luxury cars and becoming a big boss would likely only earn them a reputation for being greedy, unscrupulous, and opportunistic. However, if their children and grandchildren can earn a government job or bring glory to the country, they can stand up straight and speak loudly when chatting in the village.

Xu Qingfan's selection as an Asian Games torchbearer is undoubtedly a glorious achievement for the country.

After letting go of her grandmother, it became a bit difficult to choose the third person to hug: Lin Jing, the three girls, or Zhang Chunxue, who was looking at her with admiration?
Xu Qingfan simply opened his arms wide, letting them take the bait if they wanted to.

Xia Xiaoxiao and Wu Lingyu were both startled and subconsciously turned around to check. Only after confirming that no one was behind them did they realize that the hug was directed at them.

[Is Fan Ge waiting for my hug?]
[You're smart to know your place!]
However, the next second, the left legs of both of them, which had been extended simultaneously, froze in place, their eyes wide open like saucers.

Hesitation would lead to defeat, and Xiao Ruanwen had already taken the initiative to hug him.

"Hehe~ Brother Fan, you're so handsome!" Xiao Ruanwen snuggled into Xu Qingfan's arms like a koala, but her gaze remained fixed on the torch he was holding.

"Alright, alright, mind your image." Xu Qingfan handed the extinguished torch to her for safekeeping, and Xiao Ruanwen happily accepted it.

"Hooray! Mom, look! I have a torch too!"

"Hold it carefully!"

Ruan Wen just wanted to be the first to receive the torch, what did she do wrong?
Xia Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes at Xiao Ruanwen, who looked like a complete idiot, then took two steps forward and hugged Xu Qingfan.

Happiness still depends on one's own efforts. Ruan Wen is a small party member, and she is small. Rounding up, it means she hugged the stinky dog ​​twice.

Xia Xiaoxiao wanted to say something like "Congratulations," but their relationship didn't seem to require such formalities. She hugged Xu Qingfan tightly and ultimately said nothing.

Finally, it was Wu Lingyu's turn.

"Brother Fan!"

When Xu Qingfan looked at her, Wu Lingyu's eyes were bright and clear, like two pools of clear spring water.

[The last one hugged Fan Ge; even last place is still first!]
"You must be hot, you're all sweaty." After releasing Wu Lingyu, he used his hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

"It's not hot." Wu Lingyu shook her head, her almond-shaped eyes filled with nothing but him.

"Drink water!" As if she had just remembered, she hurriedly took out her thermos from her backpack, which contained the ice water she had brought with her when she left home that morning.

"Hmm." Xu Qingfan took the water glass in a very good mood, unscrewed the stopper, and took a big gulp. Xiaoyu was such a thoughtful person, so he was not surprised to drink the cold, sweet water.

"Okay, you can drink the other half." He knew this silly girl was worried that all the air conditioning would escape, so she hadn't opened the water bottle once all morning and hadn't drunk a drop of water.

"Okay!" Wu Lingyu obediently took the water glass, quietly moved to where Xu Qingfan had just drunk from, and gulped down the remaining sweet water.

Xia Xiaoxiao looked down at the room-temperature mineral water in her hand, pursed her lips, and finally had no choice but to put it back in her backpack.

[Bring ice water with you when you go out, remember that next time!]
"Brother Qingfan!"

"elder brother!"

Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi soon ran over to him for a hug, and Xu Qingfan opened his arms to wait for them.

This should be accompanied by an image of Li Xunhuan; you've come at the perfect time!
With adults present, the three of them only cuddled together for a short while before Xu Qingfan quickly released Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi.

Wen Wanqing and Lin Qiaoshan exchanged a glance. Although they really wanted to pull their daughter back to their side, Sister Zhang didn't make a move, so the two of them could only pretend that nothing had happened.

Lin Jing glanced at her daughter, thinking: [Still standing there in a daze? Xiao Fan will be kidnapped sooner or later.]
If Xia Xiaoxiao knew her mother's true thoughts, she would confidently say: What's the panic? Ruan Wen has already joined the great Xiaoxiao Party. Once we win over Xiaoyu too, that stinky dog ​​will warm my bed sooner or later!
The torch relay continued, and the villagers who had stopped to watch followed the procession forward. Only their family and friends remained standing there, but there were still about twenty people.

Zhang Chunxue stepped forward and took her daughter's hand, while casually ruffling Xu Qingfan's hair: "You've made something of yourself."

"So-so." Xu Qingfan raised his eyebrows smugly like a child.

Seeing this, Wen Wanqing and Lin Qiaoshan quickly pulled their daughter back to their side, which made Lin Wanning somewhat unhappy.

"Mom, why are you pulling me like that? I want to stand next to Qingfan and Yiyi!"

"I think Wan Ning just wants to stand next to that boy!"

"I think this boyfriend is great; he's handsome and capable."

"Hahaha"

Lin Wanning's relatives and elders joked.

Seeing that Lin Wanning didn't refute, everyone laughed even harder. "Oh, you guys are so annoying. Don't laugh!" She shyly covered her face with her hands, and only a blind person could probably tell what she really meant.

"Hahaha!"

Xiaolou Town boasts a wealth of scenic and cultural attractions, with Baishui Village, Hexiangu Temple, and Xiaolou Family Residence being among the most famous.

They had lunch at a farmhouse restaurant next to the He Xiangu Temple. After learning about Xu Qingfan, Lin Wanning, and Zhang Yiyi's identities, the owner generously offered to give them a free meal, with the only condition being that they take a group photo with them.

Zhang Chunxue asked him to make the decision, and Xu Qingfan agreed after thinking about it. Maybe in the future, when he brings his friends here to eat, they will see his photo on the wall and feel a little superior.

Two tables were set up for the meal. Many of Lin Wanning's relatives came, and Xu Qingfan was meeting many of them for the first time.

After pouring a glass of apple cider vinegar, he took Lin Wanning's hand and ran to identify people one by one.

Lin Wanning said this was his grandfather, and Xu Qingfan then toasted him, saying, "May Grandpa live a long life."
Lin Wanning said this was his second uncle, and Xu Qingfan then said, "Second Uncle, may you get rich."

"Grandpa, I'll drink it, you can do as you please. Second Uncle, may your business prosper! Little Cousin, your studies are progressing well! Aunt, you're still as charming as ever!"

After showering him with compliments, Lin's relatives all began to regard him as their future son-in-law.

Lin Wanning couldn't hide his smile, and two adorable dimples remained on his face.

When Xu Qingfan led her back to her seat, she still felt lightheaded.

"Cough cough!" Lin Qiaoshan pretended to accidentally knock over the Tiandi No. 1 on the table.

The sound of knocking on the glass instantly woke Lin Wanning from her daydream. Disturbed, she glared at her father with some displeasure: "Dad, how could you be so careless!"

"Haha. Dad was looking at his phone and didn't notice. I'm so sorry, daughter," Lin Qiaoshan explained with a touch of sadness.

"Hehe~ It's okay, I'll wipe it clean!" Little angel Lin Wanning pulled out a tissue and wiped the apple cider vinegar spilled on the table. Her healing smile instantly melted Old Deng's heart.

The freshly slaughtered and cooked farm-style food was quickly served on the table. Although there were more than 20 people in their group, the owner still treated them with the highest standard of hospitality, with chicken, duck, goose, fish, shrimp and crab all available.

After basking in the sun all morning, everyone was exhausted and began to feast without a care for appearances.

It's a pity that the temperature in Licheng hadn't dropped significantly in October, otherwise the late-blooming cabbage after the first frost would have been even more delicious.

"By the way, you're about to go to high school. Have you decided where you'll be studying?" Lin Jing suddenly asked as they were almost finished eating.

After all, she was a primary school Chinese teacher, and there was still some time before the transition from primary to junior high school. Her students had already started looking for ways to get into junior high school, so she brought it up when she remembered it.

"Auntie, we want to take the entrance exam for the senior high school at Licheng Middle School!" Xiao Ruanwen said first after swallowing the food in her mouth.

"Yes, we've already discussed it, the high school section!"

"Uh-huh!"

Zhang Chunxue merely glanced at Xu Qingfan before continuing to eat slowly and deliberately.

Zhang Chunxue supported all the high school places the children wanted to attend. When they had no connections or background, a degree was a stepping stone, but with her current social status, a degree was almost dispensable.

Leaving aside Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi, with Xu Qingfan's current wealth, changing the lives of the other three girls would be a piece of cake.

Therefore, they go to school more because they need to be in school at this age, simply for the sake of learning, rather than to get high scores, get into a good university, or find a good job in the future.

"High school, huh? Your grades should be fine for Guangya and Zhizhong, right? Why are you still staying in Licheng?" Yao Jinping clearly hadn't reached that level yet. The high school she used to dream of attending when she was a student was now completely beneath her notice.

Lin Wanning and Xiao Ruanwen exchanged a glance, both feeling a little guilty and not daring to tell their aunt that they were the ones who had dragged the team down.

Zhao Yuemin and Wen Wanqing could both guess that it was their own daughter who was dragging them down, so they wisely kept quiet.

At the crucial moment, Xu Qingfan came to the rescue: "Mom, what's with that tone? The high school is just as good, okay? Why does it sound like the Open University to you?"

The Open University is the worst vocational school in the area; it's basically a haven for people who score only 100-200 points on the high school entrance exam.

Yao Jinping immediately felt embarrassed, because she hadn't even passed the entrance exam for the Open University back then. In those days when job placement was guaranteed, vocational school scores were also an unattainable goal for her.

“Studying in Licheng means you can come home to see your aunt more often. You can come back to eat whenever you want her cooking!” Xia Xiaoxiao comforted Yao Jinping, linking her arm with his.

"Our little one knows how to talk. Here, have some crab from Auntie." Yao Jinping's face lit up instantly, and she happily gave the crab that Xu Qingfan had peeled for her to Xia Xiaoxiao.

"Hehe, thank you, Auntie!"

Seeing that the adults had stopped talking about the topic, Lin Wanning and Xiao Ruanwen both breathed a sigh of relief.

Xia Xiaoxiao ate the crabs her aunt gave her, feeling very happy.

[As long as my aunt supports me, my uncle supports me, and Ruan Wen and Xiao Yu support me, that stinky dog ​​Xu Qingfan will definitely be mine in the end!]
After the dinner, everyone went to work or school in the afternoon, so the gathering quickly ended.

Xu Qingfan originally wanted to take the five beauties to climb Baishui Village, but they lied to their parents and only asked for half a day off, so after dinner they had no choice but to go back with the car.

The adults assumed they were going to school later, so they only dropped them off at the entrance of the residential area and left.

Once it was just the six of them, Lin Wanning hesitated before speaking, "Brother Qingfan, how about we take the entrance exam for a high school in Gangcheng? I should be able to do it if I try my best."

“I should be fine too!” Xiao Ruanwen immediately replied.

Xu Qingfan shook his head: "I know that if we put in the effort, we can all get into Guangya or even Huafu High School, but look there!"

He suddenly pointed to a tree trunk, where a little squirrel was eating potato chips!
"Wow!"

Lin Wanning thought he hadn't seen clearly, so he rubbed his eyes again: "It's eating potato chips!"

"Where did it get the potato chips?"

"This is the first time I've ever seen a squirrel in my neighborhood!"

Five girls chattered excitedly, their eyes glued to the little squirrel eating potato chips.

"So, if we only focus on studying, wouldn't we miss out on something as interesting as the little squirrel eating potato chips?" Xu Qingfan's voice slowly rang in the ears of the five people.

The five of them suddenly realized that if they only knew how to bury themselves in their studies, who would watch the little squirrel eat potato chips?

"Ok!"

(End of this chapter)