Chapter 56: The Silly Boy

Chapter 56: The Silly Boy

Sure enough, she felt a bottle of medicine in his pocket. It was imported medicine, not something an ordinary family could afford. The fact that he carried it with him suggested his family was well-off.

So how did he end up alone in the middle of nowhere?

Although Ye Xiaoxiao was thinking about these things, her actions didn’t pause. She placed the medicine near his nose and mouth.

"Just relax and breathe!"

As the medicine took effect, his rapid breathing gradually calmed down.

The cart driver came over to help. "What do we do? We can't just leave him here."

Before fainting, Xu Jianli deeply regretted not being better prepared. Who knew this place would be such a dump?

Luckily, he ran into some good Samaritans.

Xu Jianli forced his eyes open and met a pair of shimmering, beautiful eyes.

His breathing grew heavier at once.

This was truly... like finding a needle in a haystack without even looking.

"Take it easy!"

Ye Xiaoxiao was really afraid he might have another episode, so she quickly reached out to soothe him.

Xu Jianli clutched Ye Xiaoxiao's wrist. "Sis Xiaoxiao, am I dreaming?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

Oh no, it's someone she knows.

The cart driver eyed them suspiciously. "You two know each other? Kid, you alright? Need a hospital?"

Xu Jianli glanced at him defensively. "No need."

"Sis Xiaoxiao, I know you're mad my brother didn’t show up, but you can't just stay away."

Xu Jianli explained anxiously.

Ye Xiaoxiao steadied him as he stood. "Stand up first."

Xu Jianli stood up with Ye Xiaoxiao's support.

Not wanting to hold up the old man, Ye Xiaoxiao had no choice but to let Xu Jianli hop on the cart too, and then she slowly tried to gather more information.

Xu Jianli was just a kid, after all. Seeing Ye Xiaoxiao brush him off, he felt hurt and misunderstood.

Plus, the cart ride was so bumpy, he felt like his butt was about to fall off.

Ye Xiaoxiao finally took a good look at the boy. He was about fifteen or sixteen, with a round face, big eyes, and fair skin—clearly someone who'd never had it rough.

She tentatively asked, "Your brother..."

Xu Jianli's face turned pale. He thought Ye Xiaoxiao was going to ask why his brother hadn’t come, and he nervously avoided her gaze.

"My brother is busy with his research project at school and doesn’t have time to come. He's definitely not tutoring Hao Yanyan!"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

The lady doth protest too much.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xu Jianli realized he had said something foolish and quickly tried to remedy it, "After all, Sister Xiaoxiao is my brother's fiancée…"

His voice trailed off, lacking conviction.

Ye Xiaoxiao relaxed.

From just these few words, she had already figured out who the boy was.

Fortunately, she had a good memory and remembered the character relationships after reading the novel.

If she wasn't mistaken, the boy was Xu Jianwen's younger brother, Xu Jianli.

"These days, we believe in the freedom to love whoever you want. Your brother is free to like whoever he wants. You don't have to feel so guilty about it."

Xu Jianli suddenly looked up, "Sister Xiaoxiao, you don't care who my brother is into? Then why don't you go back?"

Ye Xiaoxiao sighed helplessly, "This is my home. Where am I supposed to go?"

Xu Jianli: "But, but..."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Let's not get into my problems right now. How did you even get here? Do you realize how risky it was to come here like that?"

Xu Jianli looked dejected, "I had no idea it was this far from the capital, and it's so out of the way—no buses or anything.

When I got to the train station in the county town, someone told me it wasn't far, so I figured I could walk it.

It was way too hot, and I was exhausted. I ended up passing out on the way..."

Ye Xiaoxiao asked, "How did you even get my address?"

Xu Jianli pouted, "Duan Lei wouldn't tell me, so I snooped through his mailing records and found this address."

Ye Xiaoxiao facepalmed in exasperation.

What a silly kid, but pretty gutsy.

When they got to the county town, the cart driver went to make a delivery, and Ye Xiaoxiao helped Xu Jianli off the cart.

Xu Jianli had caught his breath and was now looking around the small town with curiosity.

Ye Xiaoxiao led him to the post office, where there was a phone, and handed him two yuan. "Call home and let them know you're okay," she said.

Xu Jianli took the money reluctantly, not daring to say no.

When he called home, someone picked up right away.

"Mom, it's me."

"Jianli, where have you been? You didn't even tell us. The school couldn't get hold of you either."

Zhao Hongxia's voice on the other end was anxious.

Xu Jianli glanced at Ye Xiaoxiao. He couldn't tell his mom he'd come to find Sister Xiaoxiao, so he dodged the question. "I'm fine," he said. "I just wanted to take a walk. I'll be back soon."

Zhao Hongxia's voice broke. "You have to let us know where you're going. Do you have money? Give me your address, and I'll wire you some."

Then the address would be revealed!

Xu Jianli quickly said, "I don't need it, Mom. I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow."

The call ended, and Xu Jianli turned to face Ye Xiaoxiao's scrutinizing look.

"You're leaving tomorrow. I'll get you a ticket."

Xu Jianli: "No way! I just got here!"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "You're ditching school."

Xu Jianli confidently replied, "I already know everything they teach. No point wasting time."

"Plus... I just had an episode today. You're not really gonna make me take the train back alone, are you?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

Crap... I'm being guilt-tripped!

Ye Xiaoxiao pinched the bridge of her nose, "You're not going to school, but I still have to go."

Xu Jianli immediately leaned in, "Sister Xiaoxiao, I can tutor you. I guarantee you'll be top of your class."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "I'm already top of my class."

Xu Jianli was shocked, "What kind of school is this, where even Sister Xiaoxiao can be top of the class!"

Ye Xiaoxiao glared at him, "Are you doubting my top spot?"

Xu Jianli obediently lowered his head, "No, I remember, Sister Xiaoxiao, you weren't always so into studying."

"Even to get closer to my brother, you never tried to get into studying."

Ye Xiaoxiao was speechless.

"The past is the past. It just shows your brother didn't attract me enough."

Ye Xiaoxiao pointed at him, "You're staying at my place tonight. Tomorrow, call your family to pick you up."

Xu Jianli's face fell, and he said pitifully, "Okay."

Ye Xiaoxiao took him home and asked Auntie Sun next door to fix him something to eat.

As it happened, Ye Changyuan and Ye Changsheng were about to get out of school, so Auntie Sun dished out the food and waited for them to eat together.

"Sister Xiaoxiao, you live here?"

Though it's all family housing, this old place has long shared corridors on each floor, with households packed close together. The corridors are cluttered, and it's nothing like the two-story houses in the Beijing compound.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Stop talking so much. If you're looking down on it, I'll take you to a guesthouse."

Xu Jianli quickly said, "I'm not looking down on it!"