Chapter 287: Chapter 287

Qu Chaozong shouted at the top of his lungs: "Whoa! Whoa whoa whoa!! Shi Yang! You, you’re really something! Our Meimei just became an adult! Whoa!! No way, no way, I have to say something, like, congratulations on officially entering manhood?!"

Shi Yang playfully cursed: "Get lost! If you’re bored and have nothing better to do, go play in the bathroom! I’m hanging up!"

Qu Chaozong quickly stopped him, finally remembering the purpose of the call, and said with a smile: "Don’t hang up! I have serious business with you! News came from headquarters, Mu Guangping plans to stay over here for a couple of days since it’s the off-season, and help organize recruiting franchisees. Can you shorten your travel itinerary?"

Shi Yang frowned and asked: "When is he coming?"

Qu Chaozong replied: "Saturday afternoon to the provincial capital."

Shi Yang calculated the time and worried: "Isn’t there only five days left then?"

Qu Chaozong: "Yes, exactly, why don’t you skip Beijing, just go directly to Gulangyu, since you have to come back on Saturday night anyway. Mu Guangping is coming a long way, and not meeting you would be quite rude."

Shi Yang asked: "He’s coming, why didn’t he notify me in advance with a call?"

Qu Chaozong explained: "Wenda just happened to call headquarters, and he wanted to add another set to the autumn new product order, so they directly notified us during the call."

There was no other choice, Shi Yang agreed, chatted with Qu Chaozong a few more times, asked him to book the tickets online, and then hung up the phone.

Shi Yang cuddled with Zhao Meimei for a while, then heard Zhao Meimei’s stomach growling.

Having exerted too much energy last night and skipped both breakfast and lunch today, Shi Yang was a bit hungry too. He dug Zhao Meimei out of bed and asked: "Hungry? What do you want to eat?"

Zhao Meimei hung herself around Shi Yang’s neck, letting him carry her to the bed to put on slippers: "Hot pot with mutton!"

Shi Yang laughed: "It’s so hot, what hot pot with mutton are you eating? Have you forgotten your previous cold and fever? Pick something else!"

Zhao Meimei shuffled on the floor in her slippers: "Then let’s have barbecue! How about a pot of scalded tripe?"

Shi Yang patted her butt: "Okay, whatever you say, but first take a shower, you’re all sticky!"

Upon hearing she had to shower, Zhao Meimei immediately acted spoiled: "Brother, will you wash me? I’m too lazy to scrub myself!" ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ NoveI★Fire.net

Shi Yang briskly pushed Zhao Meimei into the bathroom, flatly refusing: "Zhao Meimei, is your butt itching again?"

As Zhao Meimei walked, she felt uncomfortable, recalling the pain and discomfort from last night, she calmed down, giggled, found some changeable clothes, took a quick shower, and waited for Shi Yang to finish tidying up. Both changed into clean clothes and held hands to go out for dinner.

In the summer, barbecue joints usually set up large stalls outside the shop. Shi Yang ordered a bunch of skewers, a pot of scalded tripe, and finally a cup of iced beer.

Zhao Meimei quickly chimed in: "Brother, I want to drink beer too!"

Shi Yang chuckled, recalling her bold gulp last night, and asked the waiter to bring another cup.

Zhao Meimei sat on a plastic stool, then immediately jumped up in pain: "Ouch... Oh no!"

Shi Yang looked worried: "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Zhao Meimei’s face went pale.

Shi Yang quickly called the waiter to bring over a thick cushion.

Zhao Meimei sat down slowly, felt much better, and whispered: "Ouch, it’s killing me, Brother, did you break my butt?"

Shi Yang spat out a mouthful of beer, strangely from Zhao Meimei’s complaint, he sensed a man’s pride in that compliment!

After finishing the barbecue, Shi Yang didn’t hurry to take Zhao Meimei back to the hotel. They held hands and strolled along the sidewalk. Having been busy all year, they rarely had the chance to enjoy such a leisurely walk hand in hand.

Zhao Meimei delightfully gazed at their cuddling shadows cast by the street lights, happily sighed: "Brother, this is wonderful. If we could live forever, it would be great."

Shi Yang twisted his mouth into a soft smile, hugged Zhao Meimei, and affectionately said: "We’ll definitely be able to live forever."

That night, they returned to the hotel, initially thinking they’d be sleepless after sleeping all day, but unexpectedly, as soon as they hit the bed, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The next morning, Shi Yang took Zhao Meimei to the famous food street in Tianjin.

It was their first time, and they ordered several dishes just following others’ tables—Goubuli buns, ear-hole fried cake, Guoba vegetable dish, noodle tea.

Zhao Meimei took a sip of noodle tea, tasting its fantastic flavor, and spoon-fed Shi Yang to taste, Shi Yang opened his mouth to accept the spoon, just smacking his lips when his phone vibrated with the ticket information sent by Qu Chaozong: a flight at 1:30 p.m., arriving in Beijing at 4, and a reservation at a Beijing hotel. He also booked a ticket for the following day to Xiamen.

After reading carefully, Shi Yang told Zhao Meimei about the itinerary.

Upon hearing they wouldn’t go to Beijing, Zhao Meimei felt a bit disappointed, but then thought at least they were still going to Xiamen, and became excited again.

After breakfast, Shi Yang took Zhao Meimei by taxi to buy some famous Tianjin Edo pastry and then mailed part back home, the rest to the provincial capital, before returning to the hotel to pack for the airport.

Shi Yang, holding the suitcase in one hand and Zhao Meimei in the other hand, took the elevator downstairs, and as they arrived at the lobby, they saw a young man carrying shopping bags coming through the hotel’s front door.

Both parties were momentarily stunned when they met.

Shi Yang smiled and greeted: "Brother Liu!"

Liu Cheng was surprised to see Shi Yang, smiled and shook his hand: "Wow, are you here traveling too?"

Shi Yang nodded with a smile: "Spent two days here, just checked out."

Liu Cheng said: "Really! We arrived yesterday, planning to stay for a few days, and who’s this?"

Shi Yang slightly smiled: "My sister, Meimei, this is Brother Liu."

Zhao Meimei cooperatively greeted him then fell silent. She never felt anything odd when Shi Yang called her sister before, but suddenly it sounded very jarring, as if the distance between their relationship was suddenly widened.

Introducing Zhao Meimei as his sister in front of Liu Cheng was about the possibility of Liu Cheng eventually exchanging Naughty Castle. Worried he’d leak information when interacting with Liu Xiue, Shi Yang hadn’t formally confessed his relationship with Zhao Meimei to his family yet.

After the mutual greetings, Liu Cheng politely asked: "Where are you heading?"

Shi Yang replied: "I plan to take her to Xiamen for a couple of days, afternoon flight."