Chapter 232

This feeling of security wasn't the first time it had appeared in the girl's heart. Having always been independent, she rarely experienced this feeling, making it all the more memorable for Hua Xin. That... incredibly reassuring sense of dependence. 174. Who on earth is so miserable? A rare hint of excitement appeared on the girl's face as she rummaged through the few simple clothes she could count on one hand in her shabby wardrobe, murmuring softly, "Travel, travel, travel..." "Clothes, clothes, this is all I have, right? I don't think I have anything else I haven't worn in front of Xia Yan." "Uh, I need to wear this." Hua Xin rummaged through the wardrobe, finally pulling out a small personal item with a gray wolf print. If you spread it out in front of you with both hands, it would resemble a scene from an anime she'd seen years ago. She remembered being quite excited back then. The girl silently complained to herself, then put the underwear aside, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she looked at the four-cornered item that had been with her for eighteen years, three months, twenty-four days, and sixteen hours. You know, she's never forgotten her dignity as a man. The girl calmly closed the wardrobe door. Okay, dignity is just something to keep in mind; for now, she should just wear her two-piece outfit. After all, this is a long trip, and who knows what unexpected situations might arise? It's best to keep things as normal and discreet as possible. The girl folded her last piece of clothing and a shirt; there wasn't much else worth preparing. She only had one pair of pants, and shoes too... As for toiletries, Hua Xin twitched her lips. She'd just take a toothbrush and toothpaste. She couldn't possibly bring her Thirteen-in-One toothpaste; if Xia Yan saw it, while it wouldn't be a death sentence, he'd definitely laugh at her or find it suspicious. What girl would use something like that? "And then..." "Just some socks and a towel..." "That's it??" The girl stared silently at the few items neatly arranged on the bed, a strange sense of desolation washing over her. Who could possibly be so miserable? She didn't even have a decent set of clothes to wear on her trip, let alone strategic supplies like a windbreaker, sunglasses, or sunscreen. It seemed like simply getting to the destination was a remarkable achievement. After a two-second moment of silence, Hua Xin sadly wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes. Uh... maybe a power bank and a phone charging cable. She remembered having a power bank she'd bought to reach the minimum spending requirement for a discount; although it wasn't very powerful, it should be able to help. After all, her current phone was lucky to last even two hours... "Sigh..." Hua Xin shook her head helplessly, her hand fidgeting with the end of Chun Qiu hair. Although Chun Qiu disliked this situation, it was too lazy to even resist, only twitching its erect ears as a form of protest. "By the way... what are you going to do?" The girl suddenly remembered something, looking seriously at Chun Qiu lying by the bed and saying with a startled expression. This time, her trip wasn't like the one during the New Year when she only went out for a day; it was at least three days and three nights... With Chun Qiu's current huge appetite, if she left it alone, it would probably have learned to open the cat food bag and eat it by the time she returned. Or it would become a cat pancake. Hua Xin imagined Chun Qiu struggling to stay in the house without food, finally collapsing and dying, and immediately grabbed Chun Qiu, struggling to pick it up. She absolutely couldn't let Chun Qiu become like she had before! So, she had to find a place to entrust it with care in the next couple of days. First, Xia Yan and Sister Li Xue are ruled out, since they're going on the trip with the group and wouldn't be able to help take care of Chun Qiu. So, the only suitable person left is... The girl seemed to remember something, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she looked at the bewildered Chun Qiu, slowly realizing the turning point in her mind. The couple at the delivery station downstairs!! Ever since she could go out on her own, she'd always seen that hardworking couple working there when she picked up her packages, along with the stray cat Chacha they'd kidnapped and adopted for sale. Hua Xin remembered that Chun Qiu and Chacha didn't seem to get along very well. The girl let go of Chunqiu and glanced at her phone; it was only five o'clock, the delivery station hadn't closed yet, and she could still take Chun Qiu there in time. Chun Qiu, adhering to its principle of paws on top, despite being quite chubby, could still land easily on the floor. It seemed to have heard a familiar syllable from someone's mouth. Hua Xin pondered for a moment, deciding to entrust Chun Qiu to them now to avoid any unforeseen complications. Quickly and nimbly donning her "large-sized" clothes, the girl, carrying cat food and its bowl, struggled somewhat... well, never mind, after mustering her strength, Hua Xin reluctantly placed Chun Qiu on the ground, intending for it to follow her. With her current small frame, she definitely couldn't carry it; Chun Qiu was now as chubby as a half-insured car. Fortunately, Chun Qiu was used to following Hua Xin downstairs to pick up packages, lazily and skillfully hopping and skipping behind the girl down the steps. The evening air was cool, but not cold, a comfortable temperature. The girl and the cat walked slowly, one after the other, through the quiet neighborhood. Because Hua Xin lived in the suburbs of Shanghai, and her neighborhood was in the very suburbs, there were hardly any young or middle-aged people living there; the majority of residents were tenants and elderly people. The delivery station wasn't far, but it was located between two neighborhoods. Logically, one should exit through the main gate, but for convenience, previous residents had secretly carved a small gap in the railing, just big enough for one person to squeeze through sideways. Looking at the unchanging environment, the girl felt a pang of nostalgia and a sense of disorientation, seeing a reflection of her former self. This time last year, she was at home worrying about finding more gigs to earn more money, otherwise she'd go hungry. Now, she had a job that earned six or seven thousand a month, plus occasional earnings from livestreaming; she could easily afford to eat her fill and even have an egg with every meal. The difference was like night and day. Not to mention, beyond the financial aspect, she had gained something far more valuable. She smiled softly, as if both happy and puzzled. The worries and doubts remained with Hua Xin, and the sadness and sorrow wouldn't easily fade from the depths of her mind and heart after just a few days and nights. Let's put it off a little longer, suppress it in our hearts a little longer. The delivery station was right in front of them, Chun Qiu easily caught the scent of a certain cat. His originally lazy expression instantly turned majestic as he followed behind the girl. The initial confrontation had gradually transformed into ambiguity after several encounters. Hua Xin softly hummed a few times, adjusting her voice to a familiar tone, before approaching the aunt at the delivery station and asking if Chun Qiu could temporarily stay with her. Because she wanted to properly enjoy her first trip.