Chapter 41 Part 2

"No, I already had dinner." Miao Jiayan plucked two withered leaves from a flowerpot and said, "You don't need to bring me anything."

Jiang Xun said, "Got it."

A little while later, Jiang Xun knocked on the door. Miao Jiayan went to open it, and Jiang Xun was holding two paper bags.

Miao Jiayan glanced at them, and Jiang Xun said, "Da Zhong brought these for you."

Miao Jiayan quickly shook his head and said, "I can't accept them."

"Well, I couldn't just refuse them. Could I really make him take them back?" Jiang Xun sat on a chair and started unpacking the boxes. One was a box of skincare products, and the other, when opened, was a backpack.

"Not bad. Together they're probably worth twenty or thirty thousand yuan," Jiang Xun said.

Miao Jiayan was so scared he took a step back and repeated, "I can't accept them."

"Even if you don't want them, we can't just throw them away," Jiang Xun said as he took the skincare products out and threw away the box. "It's a waste not to take them. Since they were given to you, just take them."

"I won't take them. I don't know him." Miao Jiayan shook his head repeatedly and said firmly, "Why would he give me such expensive things?"

"It's just a courtesy. He couldn't come empty-handed. It's always like this," Jiang Xun told him, not thinking much of it.

"He's being courteous, but if I take them, then I'll be the one who's discourteous." Miao Jiayan had his own set of logic and pushed the things forward.

Jiang Xun was exasperated. Finally, he said with a laugh, "Then how about we buy something and mail it to him later? You can just pretend you bought these."

Hearing this, Miao Jiayan frowned and thought to himself, "Oh god, why would I spend twenty or thirty thousand to buy these things?"

Although he had a bit of money now, he had never spent it like this. But it was still better than accepting them for free. So, buy them it is.

Chen Chao had been out all day. When he returned at night, Zou Yu was already lying down. Hearing the door open, Zou Yu poked his head out and greeted, "You're back, Brother Chao?"

"Yeah, go to sleep," Chen Chao said.

"I can't sleep. It's too hot." Zou Yu lay back on his pillow, spread-eagled. "The fish is dehydrated."

The first thing Chen Chao always did when he returned to the dorm was shower. In the summer, he had to shower four or five times a day on average. He found it very difficult to adapt to both the summers and winters in the south.

After a quick shower, he had two new messages on his phone.

One was from Xiao Kai, asking if he had booked his ticket yet and if he needed help booking it.

The other was from Jiang Xun, asking: When are you coming back, Chao?

After Chen Chao replied to both, Zou Yu said from his bunk, "I've never suffered like this before."

"You've already gone through it for two years," Chen Chao exposed his lie.

"I meant before I came here for school," Zou Yu added.

Chen Chao was about to say, "Who hasn't?" but stopped himself. He remembered the heat rash that covered his entire back during the summer of his first year of middle school, and that tin of prickly heat powder with a baby's bottom printed on it.

Another WeChat message came in.

Jiang Xun: Chao, have you booked your ticket? It's hard to book during the summer vacation.

Chen Chao: Already booked.

Jiang Xun: Booked for the 5th? Then if I'm not out of town, I'll come pick you up at the airport. Haven't decided if I'm traveling yet.

Chen Chao: No need to pick me up. There's a bunch of us, we'll just grab a cab.

Jiang Xun: I have to pick you up. How long has it been since we last saw each other! Miss you, baby!

Chen Chao replied with a laugh: Be a little more normal.

Jiang Xun: Hahahaha, but it's true!

Jiang Xun: Alright, I'm done talking. I'm going to sleep.

Chen Chao: Go to sleep.

Jiang Xun: Mua!

Chen Chao laughed again and sent him a voice message directly: "Can you please be a little more normal? I can't take you anymore."

"I'm going to sleep. You should sleep early too," Jiang Xun said to Miao Jiayan.

"Okay, Brother Xun," Miao Jiayan replied.

His phone rang in his pocket. Seeing it was a voice message, Jiang Xun opened it directly.

Chen Chao's voice, tinged with a smile, came out. Miao Jiayan turned his head and asked, "Is that Brother Chao?"

"Ah, I was asking him when he's coming back," Jiang Xun answered.

"So when is that?" Miao Jiayan asked.

"The 5th." Jiang Xun locked his screen, pocketed his phone, and said, "If I'm not out of town then, I'll go pick him up, and we can grab a meal."

After saying that, he asked Miao Jiayan, "Are you coming?"

Miao Jiayan thought for a moment and said, "I have an exam on the 5th."

"Ah, okay, then I'll go by myself," Jiang Xun said. "I forgot you had an exam. Have you confirmed which subject is on the 5th?"

"Not yet, just guessing," Miao Jiayan replied.

"Then we'll see when the time comes." Jiang Xun raised his arm and waved. "Go to sleep."