The game scene was set in the early morning, but in reality it was nighttime, and it was already very late, time to go to sleep. The two of them ended their voice call and the game respectively.
The room fell silent.
Sheng Muxi looked at the message Chai Qianning had sent her on WeChat: [Goodnight. I'll continue saving you tomorrow after I've replenished my energy.]
She herself didn't realize that when she saw the message, her pursed lips curled up slightly.
Chapter 24 Free Accommodation
As the first rays of sunlight streamed into the room, Sheng Muxi was awakened by her cell phone ringing.
She opened her eyes and saw that the caller ID showed "Meng Xuelin". Feeling listless, she raised her hand to tidy her messy long hair, her face still a little dazed from sleep, before pressing the answer button.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"Xixi, today is your younger brother's birthday. Will you come to celebrate?"
Sheng Muxi paused for a few seconds, then parted her lips and said, "I'll have someone send the gift over."
"So you're not planning to come? You haven't been home in a long time. It would be good to come back and see your brother. He says he misses you."
...
Sheng Muxi's father passed away when she was in kindergarten. Later, Meng Xuelin married Uncle Deng.
Both Meng Xuelin and Uncle Deng were very busy, so to save them trouble, Meng Xuelin sent her, who was only in the first grade of elementary school at the time, to a full-time boarding school.
Sometimes, even on holidays, Meng Xuelin would forget to pick her up from school.
So much so that on several occasions, it was her homeroom teacher, Ms. Ni, who took pity on her and took her home to care for her.
Throughout junior high and high school, she lived at school, and even in college, she basically didn't go home for Chinese New Year.
It wasn't until her younger brother was born that Meng Xuelin was finally willing to put her work aside to spend time with her child.
Perhaps it's because Meng Xuelin has stayed home taking care of the children these past few years. So he feels he owes her too much and tries every means to persuade her to come home, wanting to make it up to her in some way.
...
The wind rustled a corner of the curtains.
After much persuasion from Meng Xuelin, Sheng Muxi finally agreed to go over that evening to attend her half-brother's birthday party.
Just consider it a formality, since I haven't been home for so long.
Sheng Muxi's wrist hung limply on the edge of the bed. After feeling the vibration, she picked up her phone to look at it again.
Opening WeChat, Chai Qianning's morning greeting popped up: 【Good morning, my heroine.】
mine?
These two words were like two pebbles thrown into the lake of her heart, creating ripples.
She replied with a "Good morning" message.
At the same time, Shi Manwen's message popped up: [How is it?]
Sheng Muxi: [What's wrong?]
Shi Manwen: [How's your relationship with that girl going?]
Sheng Muxi replied with a very fair answer: "It's alright."
Shi Manwen forwarded an article from a public WeChat account, which was an advertisement for a tourist attraction, mainly promoting "farmhouse tourism".
We're having a summer promotion: share this post on your WeChat Moments and get 500 likes, and you can win a free 7-day trip with free accommodation.
Shi Manwen: [Go and like my post on WeChat Moments!]
[Since I'm free during summer vacation, do you want to come with me?]
Sheng Muxi's eyelids twitched, and she typed on the screen: "Big sister, 500 likes? Do you even have that many contacts in your address book?"
Shi Manwen: [Yes, I've added a lot of parents, and they're quite happy to give me likes.]
Sheng Muxi: ...
Shi Manwen: [Why don't you post on WeChat Moments?]
Sheng Muxi: [Forget it, I can't collect 500 likes, that's too many.]
Shi Manwen: [I don't think I'll be able to collect them all, but I'll still participate actively. Posting on WeChat Moments won't cost me anything.]
Hey, you could ask the girl you like if she's interested in farm stays. That way, you can post it on your WeChat Moments, and if she uses Moments, she'll definitely see it.
At Shi Manwen's urging, Sheng Muxi finally posted it on her WeChat Moments.
After breakfast, Sheng Muxi watered the flowers. Shi Manwen called to discuss going to a farm stay with her.
"Farmhouse stays are great for developing relationships, really. My girlfriend and I had our relationship deepened while staying at a farmhouse," Shi Manwen said.
Looking at the golden sunlight hanging on the green plants, Sheng Muxi tilted the water sprayer and spoke to her phone, which was placed on the small table on the balcony: "Why didn't you spend your summer vacation with your girlfriend?"
"My girlfriend has something to do. She said she'll come to my city to be with me after she's done with this busy period. So did you ask her if she's coming or not?"
"I'll ask later."
Sheng Muxi hung up the phone and opened WeChat to see that many people had liked her post on Moments.
She scrolled down and paused for a moment when she saw Chai Qianning's WeChat profile picture.
Switching to Chai Qianning's chat window, Sheng Muxi sent a message without hesitation: "Are you interested in agritourism?"
When she received the message, Chai Qianning had just arrived at the cornfield. Looking at the golden and green field in front of her, she thought to herself, "I'm at a farmhouse every day, I can't be more interested."
However, when she saw the post Sheng Muxi made on WeChat Moments, Yuding Mountain happened to be a tourist attraction near her.
It seems the other person wants to come to her place for a trip.
She typed on the screen with one hand, replying: 【Interested!】
Sheng Muxi: [Would you like to come with me?]
Chai Qianning smiled: 【Okay.】
——
In the late afternoon, as the sun was about to set, Sheng Muxi set off for Meng Xuelin's place.
It takes half an hour to drive there, but if there's traffic, it could take more than half an hour.
While stuck in traffic, Chai Qianning sent her a message asking if she was still coming to play games that night.
Sheng Muxi was too lazy to type, so she sent a voice message: "Come on, but it will be a little late. It's my brother's birthday, and I have to go back to my parents' house now. I shouldn't be staying for long. I can be back before nine o'clock."
Chai Qianning also sent a voice message: "Why do you sound like you're not in a good mood?"
Sheng Muxi paused for a moment.
Dian listened to the voice message she sent to Chai Qianning several times and was quite sure that her voice was calm and indifferent. Why could the other person tell that she was in a bad mood?
Sheng Muxi: "How did you know I was in a bad mood?"
Chai Qianning: "From what you're saying, it seems like you're quite unwilling to stay at your parents' house."
Sheng Muxi admitted, "Yes."
Chai Qianning: "If you need anything, just send me a funny face on WeChat, and I'll call you to help you get out of this mess."
Sheng Muxi smiled and replied with an "okay".
When they arrived at Meng Xuelin's place, it was already completely dark.
Meng Xuelin warmly pulled her inside and sat her down. After politely greeting Uncle Deng and the others, she caught a glimpse of her little brother curled up in a corner of the sofa, hugging a toy.
The younger brother was very surprised to see her. He wanted to come over but didn't dare, but his eyes never left her.
Other relatives attended her younger brother's birthday party. Among all the children, Sheng Muxi didn't recognize any of them, including some relatives she had never met before.
Meng Xuelin tried to build rapport with her, saying that this uncle had held her when she was little and that aunt had doted on her when she was young.
She had absolutely no recollection of it, but still gave the other person a generous smile in a dignified manner.
When we started eating, the atmosphere was lively and harmonious. Everyone chatted and laughed.
Because she hadn't been back for a long time, her return this time made her the focus of many relatives' conversations, almost giving her the illusion of it being Chinese New Year.
"Xixi is getting prettier and prettier, even prettier than Xuelin was when she was young."
"Yes, how has Xixi been doing all these years?"
What does Xixi do for a living?
"Teacher, being a teacher is a good job, but the students are probably not easy to manage, right?"
"Is Xixi married? Does she have a boyfriend?"
Sheng Muxi: "..."
After dinner, it was time to cut the cake. Sheng Muxi planned to go home after blowing out the candles.
My younger brother is the birthday boy tonight, and he's surrounded by everyone.
The moment the incandescent bulb went out, the fairy lights on the ceiling and walls lit up, and everyone sang a birthday song for the little brother.
Someone said, "Xuelin, you really care about your son."
Meng Xuelin glanced awkwardly at Sheng Muxi, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Sheng Muxi didn't react.
Sheng Muxi listened to everyone's conversation with a calm and indifferent expression, but didn't take it to heart.
However, if she doesn't leave soon, her relatives will definitely start asking about her marriage after celebrating her brother's birthday, and will try to introduce her to potential partners.
She opened Chai Qianning's WeChat chat, found a funny face emoji among a bunch of colorful emojis, and sent it to Chai Qianning.
Sure enough, the next second, Chai Qianning called. Sheng Muxi answered, and a loud voice came from the other end: "Mom, when are you coming back?"
Sigh, Sheng Muxi almost choked on those words.
She quickly covered the phone and went to the door.
Fortunately, the environment was noisy, so no one heard her voice on the phone.
A few fireflies were flying under the starry sky.