Chapter 188

Ultimately, Hua Xin was just a girl a year older than her. From what she understood and observed, all of this had been incredibly difficult. She also felt very sorry for Sister Xin Hua. Perhaps, Xia Yan's good brother, Hua Xin? If she hadn't concealed the fact that Hua Xin had previously helped Xia Yan pay his medical bills, they probably wouldn't have met and worked together in this cat café for so long. Thinking of this, Xia Fen felt a pang of guilt, and her grip on the girl's hand tightened involuntarily. The girl's slender arms and delicate body exuded a desire to protect her. She had her own selfish motives. She hoped that Sister Xin Hua and her older brother could be together. Because Xia Fen could see that they liked each other. But there were many complicated factors hindering them. And her only role was probably to sort out these factors and find out the reason, right? "Xiao Fen, Xiao Hua!" "If there's nothing else, you can go home now!" "I'll give you a heads-up~" Li Xue had quietly crept over, her eyes brimming with joy: "Your wages will arrive soon." "?" Wages???????? Triggering the keyword, Hua Xin instantly snapped back to reality, her eyes shining as she looked at Li Xue, her lifeline. "Yeah, and we can have a holiday starting tomorrow." "Our contracts have expired, Xiao Hua, do you want to consider working another month after the New Year?" "School starts a long way off, right?" Li Xue looked at the girl with a hint of reluctance and hope. It was all thanks to Hua Xin that she was able to break this curse. Otherwise, why would she still be running a shop? She could just pack up and go back to her hometown with Shan Qing to farm... Oh, due to some reasons, Shan Qing can't do heavy farm work yet, he can only be a stay-at-home cook, so it's probably just her and Landmine doing the farming. Hua Xin pulled away from Xia Fen's support and then thought about it seriously. She seemed to have no reason to refuse. Although the live stream hadn't gone wrong because of her boyfriend... people's tastes are very diverse, so this was clearly not a disadvantage, but rather an advantage. In short, nothing was as enjoyable and fulfilling as working at the cat cafe. It seemed there was still a month-long holiday after the New Year, until school wouldn't start until March. Six thousand yuan—why not make it?! Hua Xin had even started thinking about working there after school started. Anyway, she only had to attend school two days a week. "Go!?" The girl solemnly uttered the word. Li Xue seemed to have discussed something with Xia Fen beforehand, without asking her opinion. She just showed a happy expression after hearing Hua Xin's agreement, celebrating as she went into the kitchen to share with Shan Qing. The day's work didn't seem to leave her with any fatigue. Hua Xin didn't notice this abnormality. "Sister Xin Hua, I'm going out to buy a bottle of water. What do you want to drink?" Xia Fen glanced at her watch again without leaving a trace, then asked softly. "Hmm... the iced tea is ready!" The girl was already immersed in the wages that were about to arrive in her account, so indulging in a little luxury now and then was understandable. "Okay." Xia Fen nodded, took off her work clothes, and then put on her coat. Pushing open the door, a familiar figure was standing in the cold wind with a suitcase, looking at her helplessly. "Do you have to go back to Baijing so late?" "I'll take you first thing tomorrow morning." Xia Fen took the suitcase and said in a low voice, "Tomorrow morning?" "Where is there room for me?" "I'm afraid someone is already head over heels for the girl in the room." "I can't be bothered with you." Xia Yan just smiled lightly, without hiding or explaining anything. When he helped Li Xue and the others edit the video for the first time, he was already shocked and surprised beyond words. Because from the perspectives of both Xia Fen and Xia Yan, neither of them knew that the other knew that Xia Yan was dating Hua Xin. In other words, they were both keeping it a secret. Xia Yan hadn't told Xia Fen, and Xia Fen hadn't told Xia Yan. Without this video, Xia Yan would probably have kept it a secret from Xia Fen forever. So... when Xia Yan received the video from Xia Fen, the protagonist of which was indeed the same cheerful and cute girl she was online, his terrifying editing speed and thought process allowed him to complete it in just a few hours. Then, he only needed to spend a little more on the necessary promotions... not much, two hundred yuan would be enough. So, all the necessary conditions for the viral hit were met, and the victory of the Sacred Fire Meow Cult was inevitable. "Sister Xin Hua wants to drink iced tea, remember to buy it later." "Oh, right..." "Dad said he misses you." Xia Fen hesitated for a moment, but finally said it. Xia Yan's eyes paused, but he didn't answer. Instead, he said softly, "I'll take you to the airport and then come back." "He's coming to pick me up." "..." Looking at Xia Yan's lowered eyes, Xia Fen pouted, then lowered her head and murmured softly, "I'm sorry, brother." "It's not your fault. Have a good New Year. You have to take the college entrance exam next year." Xia Yan reached out and touched Xia Fen's head, his eyes shining with tenderness. "Hmm." A car slowly drove up from the street, but the window wasn't rolled down; it had a Beijing license plate (Jing A). Xia Yan stood still, watching Xia Fen walk towards the car step by step. The night only obscured the clarity of vision, but it couldn't hide a person's figure and appearance. He also had things he didn't want to face. Only after the driver's side door opened did he turn and walk towards the small shop not far away. He deliberately circled the shop before buying a bottle of iced tea and paying. Xia Yan tightened his clothes, his gaze avoiding the spot where the car had just stopped without any lingering affection or sadness. But just as he was about to walk around the corner to the cat cafe to wait for the girl, a familiar voice suddenly rang out. "Has Xiao Fen left?" Hua Xin had been waiting for him there at some point. She wasn't stupid... how could she not see that Xia Fen would take so long to buy a drink... so when she came out to check, she saw Xia Fen getting into the car with her suitcase. "She's gone." "After all, she's going home for the New Year." Xia Yan shrugged casually, then chuckled and walked up to the girl. "What about you?" Hua Xin turned her head away, not wanting to look at Xia Yan's face. "Probably spending it alone again." "What about your grandfather?" "They'll go back." "What about you for the New Year?" "Hehe, I have plans, no need for you to worry." Their conversation was concise, but it clarified many things in just a few words. For example, who was lying and who was being stubborn. "Tch, I'm going home... um!" Xia Yan hugged Hua Xin from behind as she tried to leave, resting his head on her shoulder. His warm breath felt particularly tangible in the cold air, brushing against her neck. Hua Xin's face flushed slightly, and she shifted uncomfortably, placing her hands on her waist.