Chapter 331: Chapter 331

It wasn’t easy to come here, and it didn’t seem right to leave immediately. Shi Yang stayed at the hospital until past three in the afternoon, only to find it was snowing heavily when he stepped out.

Concerned that the highway would be closed, Shi Yang hurriedly got in his car to leave, but before he could drive out of the parking lot, he received a call from the local police station, saying there was news about Third Brother.

Third Brother had called home this morning, and based on that call, the police found out he had sought refuge with relatives in Shandong. They have now contacted the local police station for assistance in capturing him.

Learning this news, Shi Yang thanked them profusely before making a special trip to the mall to offer the officers working on the case each a reasonably priced New Year’s gift.

When he left the police station, the young officer who had been attending to him looked at the weather and said, "With snow , the highway is probably closed. You’d better leave tomorrow."

Shi Yang looked at the sky. It was indeed late, so he nodded, bade farewell to the officer, and drove directly to a local chain hotel to check in.

In the hotel parking lot, Shi Yang unbuckled his seatbelt and habitually checked his phone. There was a message from Zhao Meimei: "Brother, since you’re in town, do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Warmth filled Shi Yang’s heart as he replied, "I’m staying at the hotel, the chain we have back home—it’s pretty nice."

After sending the message, there was no reply.

Shi Yang thought for a moment and sent another message: "I’ll give you a call later, but first I’m going to get a room at the hotel."

After booking a room, Shi Yang took the elevator up, entered the room, and first called his parents to let them know the snow was too heavy and he’d wait for it to stop before returning the next day. No one answered the home phone, so he dialed his dad’s mobile. This time it connected; his parents were out having dinner with friends. Relieved, Shi Yang exchanged a few words then hung up.

After the call, Shi Yang took a shower. As soon as he turned off the shower, he faintly heard his phone ringing.

He opened the frosted glass door of the bathroom and walked out, dripping wet, to pick up his phone from the bed. The call was from Zhao Meimei.

Holding the phone, Shi Yang talked while heading back to the bathroom, wiping himself with a towel: "Hey, sweetheart!"

Zhao Meimei’s voice quickly came through: "Brother! What are you doing? Why didn’t you answer my calls?"

Shi Yang paused, then explained, "I was in the shower and just heard it."

Zhao Meimei murmured softly, "Oh, I thought you’d drive back to the city today."

Shi Yang, toweling his hair, replied, "No, I initially planned to drive back this afternoon, but it started snowing here. I was worried about the highways being closed, and it got a bit late, so I stayed."

Shi Yang asked, "So, did you miss me?"

Zhao Meimei grumbled, "Kinda, not too much."

Shi Yang laughed, "Really?"

Zhao Meimei fell silent, breathing quietly into the phone.

Shi Yang softened, asking tenderly, "Are you upset? I’ve been so busy lately, I couldn’t find time for you. I’ll make it up to you once I’m back."

Zhao Meimei spoke in a muffled voice, "I do miss you, but you probably didn’t think of me." Updates are released by novel✶fire.net

Shi Yang replied quickly, "Of course I did, I miss you very much too, but missing you doesn’t help — I just have to endure it."

Zhao Meimei asked, "Why can’t it help?"

Shi Yang teased her, half-joking, "Well, what’s thinking about you going to do? It’s not like you can come find me, right? I can only use my imagination to comfort my longing."

Zhao Meimei asked again, "Do you want me to come to find you?"

Shi Yang chuckled, "Just teasing. As far as it is, even if you wanted to, you’d have to find the right place first. Besides, I think in just a few days, I’ll have everything sorted out here, and I can come back."

Shi Yang tossed the towel into the sink, planning to wash it later.

He paused and asked, "Are you outside? It sounds noisy."

The background noise on Zhao Meimei’s line was loud, as if she were on the street.

Instead of answering, Zhao Meimei asked back, "You said it’s snowing over there? Is it heavy?"

Shi Yang responded, "Quite heavy, why?"

Zhao Meimei said, "It’s snowing here too, a thick layer. Alright, brother, I won’t keep you."

Shi Yang was about to suggest talking a bit more, but Zhao Meimei hung up.

He hesitated but didn’t call back. Instead, he turned back into the bathroom, cleaned the towel, and took the chance to shave. While washing his face, the doorbell rang.

Assuming it was hotel staff, Shi Yang casually grabbed a towel from the rack, wrapped it around his waist, and opened the door.

As the door swung open, Shi Yang was stunned.

Zhao Meimei stood at the door, looking at him.

After learning that Shi Yang had gone to the town at noon, Zhao Meimei quickly left a note for her parents, took some money, headed to the bus station, and took a bus straight to the city. From there, she transferred to another bus heading directly to the town.

The snow began as soon as the bus got on the highway, and by the time they arrived, twilight had descended completely.

Before getting off, Zhao Meimei had sent a message to Shi Yang, asking where he planned to stay for the night, but he hadn’t responded.

As she got off the bus, other drivers were grumbling about the heavy snow, saying the highway would likely close soon and they needed to head back quickly.

Hearing this left Zhao Meimei in a daze; she hadn’t considered the possibility that Shi Yang might drive back to the city that day. If so, her trip would be in vain.

While she anxiously stood outside the bus station, debating whether to call Shi Yang, his message arrived, saying he was checking into a local chain hotel.

Upon receiving this, Zhao Meimei rushed to hail a taxi, and because the distance from the bus station to the hotel was further than from the police station, when Zhao Meimei was calling at the hotel door, Shi Yang had just finished his shower.

Shi Yang, watching Zhao Meimei standing outside the door, laden with snow, was utterly shocked.

He couldn’t believe his eyes.

Shi Yang stood there dumbfounded, unable to react until Zhao Meimei rushed in and wrapped her arms around his waist, stepping into the room.

Shi Yang hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly reached to lock the door. He looked down at Zhao Meimei cuddled against him, murmuring, "Why did you come back?"

Zhao Meimei, her face flushed red and numb from the cold, was almost heated by Shi Yang’s breath. She only had time to murmur, "Brother,"

Before being roughly pulled into his arms, pressed firmly against the wall.