The 260th Chapter

... Hua Xin leaned back in her seat, gently tilting Xia Yan's body against her. Just like when she first set off and slept on Xia Yan's shoulder, only this time she was acting as a human pillow. She could even hear Xia Yan's breathing. So, back then, he had also listened to her breathing without moving. The girl took out her phone from her pocket. The broken screen didn't affect the content it should be recording. Hua Xin opened the photo album, gently flipping through the slightly uncomfortable screen with her fingers, the pictures scrolling by. These were all photos she had taken during the trip. But the phone's resolution wasn't very good; the scenery and composition were all terrible. But one thing was undeniable. The girl's gaze lingered on the enlarged photo, the background blurry, highlighting the person. That was... all these photos featured Xia Yan. 197. Chun Qiu and autumn have both arrived? "Be careful on the road." "Your clothes and luggage are in the trunk; I put them in two separate bags." Xia Yan's eyes seemed a little reluctant, but he still carefully and softly instructed her. The weariness between his brows and eyes hadn't yet dissipated. Xia Yan, who had just woken up from a dream, carried a unique languor, yet when facing the girl, he exuded countless tenderness. Because he had spent the entire night with the girl in a pleasant yet tiring all-night internet cafe activity, he hadn't slept for twenty hours and couldn't resist the drowsiness, falling asleep. Of course, a large part of the reason he slept so soundly was because he was resting his head on the girl's shoulder. The faint, familiar, and reassuring fragrance emanating from Hua Xin made Xia Yan fall asleep peacefully without realizing it. If Hua Xin hadn't told Li Xue that she was getting out of the car, Xia Yan, who had been sleeping with his head on her shoulder, probably would have continued to sleep indefinitely. Although he really wanted to ask the girl if they could have another meal or stay at his place, they would eventually have to part ways. Xia Yan knew that deep down he didn't want to be separated from her again, but after talking to her on the beach last night, facing the sea, some vague questions and doubts had been resolved. There was nothing to be afraid of anymore. There was nothing to worry about. Because... this short separation was for a better reunion in the future? "You're like a mother hen." "Sigh..." Hua Xin made a face with disgust, then closed the car door and went to the trunk to take out Xia Yan's belongings, which he had packed for the trip. A slight soreness in her shoulder made her subconsciously move her right arm, and her slender arm made a slight "crackling" sound, the sound of bones rubbing together. Being a human support for the whole trip wasn't easy. Xia Yan's somewhat heavy body was really taking a toll on her. "Bye-bye, Xiao Hua, come back to work after the holiday." "This period is considered paid leave." Li Xue closed the trunk, then blinked and said softly to the girl. Seemingly not wanting to hear Hua Xin make any more excuses, she simply ran back to the car, intending to drop Xia Yan off before spending some time alone with Shan Qing. She didn't feel tired at all after the trip. On the contrary, some things that adults should do could be done without restraint once they got home, and they could start some mysterious special activities. The girl's face still had a hint of helplessness, but Li Xue had already gotten back to the car and started it, so she couldn't say anything more even if she wanted to refuse. Li Xue and Shan Qing had already taken Xia Yan and her on a round trip, and even after returning, they had given her a long holiday, even paid leave... How could Hua Xin accept such preferential treatment with a clear conscience? So she still had to go to work to help out during the busiest time of the holiday. Not to repay a debt of gratitude, but also to earn money honestly for her own meals and cat food for Chun Qiu! Having made up her mind to work diligently and earn money, the girl, carrying two bags, looked around, surveying her surroundings. After all, she couldn't just run away and move to a different place. Stopping right in front of "Hua Xin's" house would be tantamount to telling Xia Yan that Gu Xin Hua was Hua Xin! On matters of life and death, the girl remained remarkably rational. She was currently on a street not far from her home. She had told Li Xue to drop her off here and hadn't gone any further. If she had gone any further, she probably would have ended up at her apartment complex. As for the two bags, one contained toiletries she had brought from home, and the other contained the clothes and shoes Xia Yan had bought for her. Today, Hua Xin wasn't wearing a dress; she was back to her usual three items. "This way..." "It seems closer to the courier station?" Hua Xin's eyes flickered slightly, remembering a certain large truck she hadn't seen in a long time because of her trip. She wondered how Chun Qiu was doing these days... Although the couple at the courier station were very kind, and it had Chacha as its playmate, the girl was still a little worried about how Chun Qiu spent its time at home eating and sleeping, was doing. After all, since becoming a house cat from a stray, she couldn't see any wildness in Chun Qiu anymore; it was completely assimilated by cat food and cat treats. Composing herself, Hua Xin quickened her pace... "Chun Qiu!" Hua Xin called out loudly as she reached the warehouse, but after waiting a while, she didn't hear the familiar response. "Strange..." "It said it was here." The girl muttered softly, pacing back and forth in the warehouse, somewhat puzzled. The shelves and cardboard boxes on the floor blocked her view, so she had to call Chun Qiu's name while searching. After asking Auntie and hearing Chun Qiu's positive reply, Hua Xin finally felt relieved. She hadn't even had time to go home and put her things down before coming to pick up Chun Qiu. But why wasn't Chun Qiu responding? Normally, even the laziest Chun Qiu would respond if she called his name. Could it be that this ungrateful cat had forgotten its owner, who had shared so many hardships, after only three or four days apart... Chun Qiu? As she rounded a corner, the girl's footsteps drew two pairs of eyes. Similarly, when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you. Hua Xin's face remained expressionless; the expectant look from before had vanished, leaving only silence. Reflected in her eyes were a Chinese Li Hua Cat and a long-haired grey and white ragdoll cat, one in front and one behind, one above and one below. Their actions and positions made it easy to imagine what they were doing. "Meow." Chun Qiu seemed a little bewildered, not expecting to run into an acquaintance here and witness its mischief. It then pretended nothing had happened and scurried away from Chacha, turning its head and wagging its tail. It seemed that this would make it appear as if nothing had occurred. "Meow?" Chacha turned around, somewhat puzzled, and licked Chun Qiu's fur, seemingly not understanding why it had suddenly stopped licking its tail.