Chapter Fifty-Seven: Returning Home

Seated in the waiting area of the high-speed rail station, Xia Shu’s heart was still riddled with confusion.

How did Su Rouxue find out that he was writing novels?

He had seized a moment on the way to ask her, but her answer was vague and evasive. After pondering, he realized he had never exposed his writing to Su Rouxue—could it be someone else who told her? One of her friends?

As Su Rouxue chatted freely with Xia Qingqing, she naturally noticed the shift in Xia Shu’s expression. Her face maintained its composed, alluring smile; after dating Xia Shu for over a month, she had already uncovered most of his secrets, inside and out.

The moon hung beautifully in the sky, and as the hour arrived, Xia Shu and his companions began their journey. Given the holiday rush, the station was crowded to the brim. Su Rouxue had made a last-minute decision to join, so they scrambled for tickets and only managed to secure three, none of which were together.

But Xia Qingqing, with her sweet tongue, managed to charm every passenger nearby, and in the end, she found two people willing to swap seats, letting Xia Shu and Su Rouxue sit together.

“Cousin, aren’t you going to sit with us?” Xia Shu asked, surprised, looking at Xia Qingqing in front of him.

“No need, being the third wheel all the time is unbearable!” Xia Qingqing giggled, though her eyes betrayed a deep envy. She slipped on her headphones, played a few favorite songs, and leaned her head against the window, gazing up at the star-filled sky.

Her hands clasped tightly on her lap, her calves shaking occasionally with nervous energy. Her brows lifted slightly; the thought of soon meeting her father stirred a complex mix of emotions within her.

Meanwhile, Su Rouxue rested her head on Xia Shu’s shoulder. The day had been rushed, and after their earlier adventures, everyone was exhausted once on board. Xia Shu, barely able to hold on, replied to a few messages from home on his phone, and before he realized it, he drifted into sleep.

...

Time passed swiftly. Crossing ten station stops, they finally arrived at their destination—An County.

There was none of the clamor of a big city here; instead, the unique charm of a small town prevailed. The night remained brightly lit, and unlike other small counties, An County preserved its lively spirit after dark. The night market thrived, roadside stalls dotted the streets, and even past midnight, one could find delicious food and gather with friends.

After all, nowadays, many young people venture to big cities, making such lively small towns increasingly rare.

Upon arrival, Su Rouxue pulled out her phone to check the hotel she had booked. Smiling at Xia Shu, she said, “I’ll head to the hotel first. It’s a bit too soon for me to meet your family.”

“It’s fine, really. Everything is precious, though,” Xia Shu nodded, respecting her wishes.

Just after disembarking, Xia Shu received a message from his second uncle: a photo of the station entrance, and Xia Shu instantly recognized the spot where they were waiting.

“Cousin, it’s been years since you’ve returned to An County, hasn’t it?” Xia Shu asked Xia Qingqing.

“Yes, ten years, I think!” Xia Qingqing nodded, her heart heavy as she spoke. Stepping off the train, she could already sense how drastically the small town had changed. It was vastly different from her memories a decade ago.

“We’ll see Second Uncle soon. Relax a bit!” Xia Shu encouraged.

“Alright, cousin.” Xia Qingqing replied.

Xia Shu turned to Su Rouxue, embracing her gently and brushing her forehead with a smile. “I’ll come find you later!”

“No need; since you’re home, you should spend the first night there. We can meet tomorrow. I need a good night’s sleep anyway!” Su Rouxue shook her head, smiling as she looked at Xia Qingqing. “Qingqing, I’ll say goodbye for now. Once you’re free, let’s hang out again!”

“Definitely!” Xia Qingqing agreed.

Su Rouxue quickened her pace and left ahead of them.

Xia Shu then led Xia Qingqing out of the station. Soon, a portly, kindly-looking middle-aged man hurried toward them, locking eyes with Xia Shu and his cousin.

“Second Uncle!” Xia Shu called.

“Ah, Shu, you’re finally back!” Xia Zhigang’s eyes shone with warmth, and his gaze quickly settled on Xia Qingqing. Seeing how she had grown into such a graceful young woman, his heart surged with emotion, tears welling uncontrollably in his eyes. Raising his hand, he patted Xia Qingqing’s shoulder with trembling affection. “My precious daughter, you’ve really grown up, and grown more beautiful, too!”

“Dad…” Xia Qingqing’s head felt hot, her heart stirred. Nervous to begin with, she now found herself at a loss.

“Hey, Dad’s here! Welcome home!” Xia Zhigang said warmly, not quite knowing what else to say. “Let’s get some supper first!”

“Alright.”

...

Later, Xia Zhigang sent Xia Shu home and took Xia Qingqing back to his own house.

By the time all this was done, it was already around one in the morning.

But when Xia Shu unlocked the door, he found his parents still awake.

Xia Zhiyou was munching on sunflower seeds; hearing the door open, he spun around, his eyes widening, “Oh, you’re back!”

“My son, and you didn’t get any darker! I see other kids come back from university military training all tanned, but you haven’t changed a bit!” Xia Shu’s mother, Liu Denghong, hurried over, grasping his arm and looking him up and down with amazement.

“I put on some sunscreen, heh. Dad, Mom, you really could have gone to bed earlier!”

“It’s just a bit of time—besides, there’s no work tomorrow. Your cousin met your second uncle, right? How did it go?” Liu Denghong pulled Xia Shu aside, curious.

“It was fine, just a bit awkward since it’s been so long, but I think we’ll all warm up after spending some more time together.”

“Good. Tomorrow, have your second uncle bring your cousin over for dinner. I haven’t seen her in ages, I’ve missed that child. By the way, didn’t you start dating someone in college? Come on, introduce her to me properly.”

This sudden shift in topic caught Xia Shu off guard.

He settled on the sofa, opened his photo album on his phone, “Here, this is my girlfriend.”

“Well, well, our son has good taste. She’s even prettier than a movie star! How old is she?”

“She’s a few years older than me…”

“So you’re in a relationship with an older woman! That’s normal, though—lots of young men these days prefer someone older.”