Normally such an easy-going person, this time turned into a thoughtful caretaker while preparing travel items for his son and niece.
Today, little Youyou is wearing the sports outfit bought by her Uncle, matching differently colored with her brother Xia Dai.
Dressed in green and white, she looks just like young chives growing with morning dew in the garden, full of energy and vitality.
"Youyou, have you contacted your classmate and told him we’re coming to pick him up?" Xia Xiqing closed the trunk of the car and asked the little chive Youyou.
"Yes, I have. He’s already packed his luggage and waiting at home."
"Alright, then let’s head out now." Xia Xiqing got into the driver’s seat and called the two little ones to get in the car.
When he drove the two little ones to the Shi family villa, Shi Wangyue was already standing at the gate waiting.
Beside him was a big suitcase and several backpacks, but no one was there accompanying him.
It was clearly the height of summer in July, yet this scene, together with the shaking branches and the gloomy sky overhead, made You Guang feel like the young boy ahead was a snowman standing for a day and night in the freezing snow.
You Guang glanced at the quiet courtyard of the Shi family villa, frowned, quickly got out of the car, and ran to the child, asking:
"Little Wangyue, have you been waiting for long?"
After speaking, she picked up a slightly lighter bag next to him.
Behind her, Xia Xiqing and Xia Dai also got out of the car to help Shi Wangyue with his luggage.
The three carried with them a warm aura, dispersing the coldness around the youngster.
The child was dressed in solid white sportswear, standing straight like a tall, growing white poplar: "No, I just came out, too."
After saying this, he attempted to carry the suitcase but was quicker overtaken by Xia Xiqing.
He smiled awkwardly: "Thank you, Uncle."
So many years have passed.
Shi Wangyue had become very familiar with the Xia family; he addressed the Xias, both young and old, as You Guang did.
A few people helped to settle Wangyue’s luggage, and Xia Dai took the opportunity to ask Wangyue: "Wangyue, why didn’t your mom come to see you off?"
When he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence.
Xia Xiqing cast a sidelong glance at his son, a clear warning in his eyes: "You little rascal, you’ve grown in size but not in sense at all."
You Guang quickly glanced at the child too, intending to ease the awkwardness at that moment.
But Shi Wangyue answered Xia Dai as if nothing was amiss: "Mom went out for something this morning."
No matter how busy, the reasoning behind not finding time to see off a ten-year-old son before a long trip couldn’t be understood.
Ning Youguang and Uncle exchanged a look and harbored a bit of judgment against Liu Susu in their hearts.
Xia Dai didn’t grasp the underlying complexities, simply laughed and invited Wangyue to get in the car after hearing his response.
The brown Land Rover slowly drove away along the high villa walls of the Shi family, only then did a plump young man stagger out of the yard and catch up.
As Xia Xiqing drove, he suddenly noticed someone seeming to chase the car via the side mirror, promptly stepping on the brake to stop the car.
"Dad, why did you stop?" Xia Dai inquired curiously from the passenger seat.
Xia Xiqing turned to the Shi family child beside his niece: "Wangyue, someone is chasing after us, take a look if you know him."
Shi Wangyue and Ning Youguang almost simultaneously rolled down the windows to see behind the car, and they both caught sight of the plump young man running towards them.
Wangyue opened the car door and quickly ran towards the plump young man.
You Guang got out as well, but stood beside the car watching them without going over.
Just as Wangyue was about to reach the plump young man, the youth suddenly tripped and fell to the ground.
You Guang was about to help lift the youth when she noticed the child had already assisted his fallen father.
You Guang retracted her steps, standing back waiting.
Wangyue exerted all his strength to help his father up, noticing that his shoes were worn incorrectly and his hands were scraped, quickly panicked:
"Why did you rush out here, did it hurt when you fell, why did you chase the car, aren’t you aware it’s dangerous?"
While speaking, he gently wiped the wounds on his father’s hand with his sleeve, his voice hoarse.
"Baby, I have some buns for you here, look." The plump young man released the boy’s hand and happily took out two plump white buns wrapped in a white plastic bag from his pocket and handed them to his son.
The boy hesitated, lowering his head: "I don’t want to eat them, you eat them yourself."