Looking at the suitcase and cardboard box in front of her, Mei Yinan immediately felt pity for Mei Mengchen. "Chenchen has lived with us for so long, how come he has so few things?"
"It’s not that little."
In fact, it wasn’t little at all. Having two boxes after living there for a whole year was already pretty good. If you look closer, the things Fan Tianyu had at home couldn’t even fill one suitcase.
But Mei Yinan didn’t care, especially since her son didn’t live at home anyway.
As she looked at Mei Mengchen, who was about to leave, she didn’t feel particularly reluctant to see him go. After all, Fan Hongwei was retiring this year. His birthday is at the end of September, meaning he’d retire in three months.
Fan Tianyu had already discussed with both his parents long ago that once retired, they’d settle down in Jiangcheng. If they ever wanted to come back here, they could keep the house; if not, selling it was fine too. In short, they would do whatever the couple decided.
The couple had naturally discussed it beforehand, so essentially, as soon as Fan Hongwei retired, they too would move to Jiangcheng.
In three months, she would see Mei Mengchen again, so she really didn’t feel too much reluctance.
It was precisely because of this that Mei Yinan, finally having a three-month vacation, had long ago made plans to travel with her girlfriends.
Mei Mengchen was to be picked up this afternoon, and she would set out on her travels first thing tomorrow morning.
This arrangement was really tight. Just as she finished organizing Mei Mengchen’s things, she had to start getting ready for her own trip.
So, all that talk about not wanting to part with someone was just lip service. After all, Mei Yinan’s travel plans were set, and she didn’t have time to take along Mei Mengchen.
But Mei Mengchen didn’t mind these things. His heart and eyes were set on Mei Mengzhen. At this moment, even the cartoons couldn’t capture his attention. He just watched Mei Yinan pack while chatting with her sporadically.
"Aunt, where are you going for fun?"
"You’re not going, so why ask?"
"Just asking."
"To Sanya."
It must be hot in Sanya at this time, but exactly because it’s hot, it would also be cheap. It made sense for the aunties to choose to go to Sanya now to save money.
"Your aunt is going to Sanya for a month, then directly to Dali for another month. It’ll be September by the time I get back. I’ll see if you need me to take you to and from school. If not, I’ll go traveling again. This time I definitely won’t go too far, just somewhere nearby, or I’ll just go home and wait for your uncle to retire."
Such a leisurely life, spending one month after another traveling, was not something someone who wasn’t retired could afford.
Just as Mei Yinan finished packing her luggage, there came a knock on the Mei Family’s door. It was Mei Mengcheng and his parents.
"Big sister, Chenchen," the Mei couple called out.
"Aunt."
After entering, Mei Yongan quickly said, "I heard from Mengcheng that Chenchen was leaving, so we came to see him. Are Chenchen’s things all packed? If not, let Chunyu help."
Hu Chunyu quickly nodded, "Yes, I specially came over to lend a hand in case it’s too busy."
"Everything is already packed. The kid is just waiting for Mengcheng." Mei Yinan glanced at the clock; it was already past five. There was no rush to leave, "Let’s have dinner before leaving. It’s getting late, and it’d be past seven by the time you return. That’s too late."
Although Mei Mengchen was eager to leave, he understood that he couldn’t make people send him off on an empty stomach, so he nodded, "Okay, dinner."
Mei Yinan had thought Mei Mengchen would make a fuss since he was truly eager to reach Jiangcheng, but to her surprise, the boy didn’t complain at all. Thus, they quickly started preparing dinner.
After the Mei couple sat down, Hu Chunyu noticed the two boxes in the living room and asked, "Are these Chenchen’s belongings?"
"Yes, and a small bag. All Chenchen’s things."
If you really think about it, it wasn’t a small amount. Kids throw away clothes after wearing them, so there can’t be too many items to pack.
Mei Yinan brought out vegetables from the kitchen and, while picking them out, said, "This time, while packing clothes, I also cleared out some old ones. I’m off travelling tomorrow and won’t have time. Could you drop them off at Yongfu’s place for me?"
She was asking the Mei couple; either one of them could handle the task.
But Hu Chunyu was somewhat reluctant. Dropping off clothes was no issue, and Mei Yongfu wouldn’t say anything about it. But that Jiang Xiumei, with her sharp tongue—it’s just so piercing. Having clothes to donate and still not wanting to give them to her.
Without responding, Mei Yongan glanced at her and then agreed himself, "Okay, I’ll take them."
"What’s the matter?"
Mei Yinan was always sensitive to matters regarding Mei Yongfu’s family. Although Hu Chunyu isn’t close to them now, she would never refuse to lend a hand.
Since Mei Yinan asked, Hu Chunyu didn’t hide anything. She was direct, "Ah, if it isn’t that Jiang Xiumei, always talking in that sarcastic tone. She used to restrain herself a bit when old man Jiang was around. Now that he’s hospitalized, she doesn’t hold back at all. It’s truly unbearable."
To describe it as unbearable was actually putting it mildly. Jiang Xiumei’s tone was something that didn’t need to be described by others for Mei Yinan to imagine, but Hu Chunyu then added with some curiosity, "Just last time when I went to the hospital, I noticed that Xiumei’s face seemed swollen. It looked like she had a bruise near her eye, just on the left side, and that half of her face also seemed puffy."
Hearing this, Mei Yinan naturally assumed it was because of the beating she gave during May Day, so she said, "It must be from when I hit her during the May Day holiday."
The Mei family knew about the incident, but that wasn’t it, Hu Chunyu clarified, "Older sister, that beating was during the May Day holiday, and I went just last week. That bruise was fresh, really big. If it had been from May Day, it should have faded by now."
Bruises like that typically fade over time. If it was still very clear after three weeks, the person must have hit very hard. But Mei Yinan couldn’t have struck that hard. She said, "It seems like it’s a new bruise. Because of the way her sickbed is positioned, the injured side of her face was turned inward. She tried to hide it when I went, but it was such a large mark that it couldn’t be covered," she finished, clearly seeing the whole extent of it.
The key issue was that, despite being hit like that, Jiang Xiumei’s mouth remained as sharp as ever, even more so than before. Combined with the fact that after seeing the injury on Jiang Xiumei’s face, Mei Yongfu also seemed inclined to push her away, Hu Chunyu naturally didn’t want to stay longer either.
Having been pushed away once, who would want to go back a second time?
After returning, she told Mei Yongan, but he didn’t want to meddle either and didn’t mention it. Since Mei Yinan hadn’t been to the hospital for a while, she was unaware.
Even if she had known, Mei Yinan wouldn’t care much, "With a mouth as sharp as hers, it’s no surprise she got hit."