Chapter 263: Matchmaking

Chapter 263: Arranging Things

Ye Xiaoxiao said a few comforting words to Ye Jianguo.

"Dad, are you still training the militia in the village?"

Although the local militia still existed, the government was gradually phasing them out, and Ye Jianguo couldn’t stay there indefinitely.

Speaking of this, Ye Changqing said, "Our village militia is being disbanded too. The village can only send one person to the county for training."

Ye Jianguo was middle-aged, past his youth but not yet old.

Patrolling the mountains and training the militia were work he loved.

If the militia were disbanded in the village, it would really bother him.

"Lu Hanchuan once said that with Dad’s experience and skills, he could become an instructor. Dad, why don’t you come to Beijing with Mom and me?"

Ye Jianguo shook his head. "That wouldn't work. Your grandparents are still at home, and I'll find something to do around here."

Though he could live comfortably on what his children sent him, he just couldn’t sit around doing nothing.

Doing what he could made him feel useful.

Ye Changqing was keeping an eye out for good opportunities in the city for his father. If anything came up, he would recommend him to try.

Later, they could bring Miao Cuifang to the city as well, saying she'd help with the kids—no one would refuse that.

Ye Xiaoxiao stayed at home for six days and caught the train back to Beijing on the seventh.

Before leaving, Miao Cuifang loaded her up with local specialties.

She also gave her several homemade clothes made from really nice fabric.

If Jiangnan hadn't helped carry them, Ye Xiaoxiao wouldn’t have been able to manage on her own.

"Xiao Xiao, come back again when you have time."

Ye Xiaoxiao bid farewell to her parents. "Alright, we'd better get going."

On the way back, the trip was uneventful.

They arrived safely in Beijing, where Ye Changning met them.

"Did you enjoy being home?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Of course! I almost didn't want to come back—it's so much cooler there."

Ye Changning: "You should've stayed. School hasn’t started yet anyway."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "What do you mean? It’s about to start soon, and I also need to see when the class monitor and others are getting back."

Ye Changning shook his head, just couldn't understand how these high-achieving students thought.

"You might bump into Fourth Brother in the northwest."

"My fourth brother? Is he in the northwest too?"

Ye Changning: "He’s been there for a long time working on some wind energy project with his advisor, but I don't know the exact location."

Sheng Ge'er is getting ready for grad school, not sure if he’ll make it home for New Year’s this year.

The northwest is huge, and Ye Xiaoxiao doubts she’ll bump into Ye Changsheng.

"I’ll check around when I get there."

Ye Changning: "Drop me a line as soon as you get there and give me your address so I can mail you stuff."

"Got it."

Ye Xiaoxiao grabbed a meal at Ye Changning’s place first, then took off in her own car.

The stuff she’d shipped from overseas should’ve arrived by now—she’d used the school’s address.

School didn’t start for a few more days, but a lot of students were already back.

Ye Xiaoxiao stopped by the post office near the gate and sure enough, found a package waiting for her.

Sure enough, it was her big haul.

Shipping something that big overseas cost a few hundred bucks alone.

The post office workers helped Ye Xiaoxiao load it into her car, but she couldn’t carry it upstairs by herself.

She had to unpack it and carry stuff up bit by bit. Inside were several gaming consoles and a few bags.

Ye Xiaoxiao meant to give them to the older women in her family.

She hadn’t been back in a while. As she hauled her stuff, she noticed someone familiar walking by.

It was Fang Kaixuan, Wang Jiao’s ex-boyfriend.

He obviously saw her too.

"Need a hand, Ye Xiaoxiao?"

"Thanks, but I’m good. Almost finished."

Even though Fang Kaixuan and Wang Jiao didn’t end well, he still had a decent impression of Wang Jiao’s roommate.

Meanwhile, Ye Xiaoxiao eyed the girl next to Fang Kaixuan, who was holding his arm intimately.

Fang Kaixuan introduced her. "This is my girlfriend, Liu He."

She was a small, cute girl who gave Ye Xiaoxiao a smile.

Fang Kaixuan asked, "Back from overseas? Haven’t heard from the others."

"The rest should be back any day now."

Since they weren’t close, after a brief chat, Ye Xiaoxiao headed home.

Fang Kaixuan took his girlfriend to a friend’s house for dinner.

"Who was that? She’s even hotter than our school’s ‘it’ girl."

Liu He excitedly tugged at Fang Kaixuan’s sleeve.

The "it" girl she mentioned was a freshman girl from last year who was indeed very beautiful.

Fang Kaixuan: "Classmate Ye studied abroad as an exchange student for two years. You wouldn't have seen her around. She’s in the same year as me, majoring in Traditional Chinese Medicine."

Liu He was still excited: "I just found out today that there’s someone so beautiful in this world. Her skin is so fair, but not the pale kind like Caucasians—it’s just perfect."

Fang Kaixuan shook his head helplessly. "Just born lucky, I suppose. You’re pretty too."

Laughing, Liu He said: "Of course I know I’m pretty, but I'm attractive, while she's otherworldly."

The two soon moved on, no longer discussing the matter.

For Fang Kaixuan, things were relaxed between them now. In the past, he would’ve had to have sweet talk ready just from the first sentence.

After returning home, Ye Xiaoxiao still had to straighten up the apartment.

By the afternoon, she had got all the presents organized and mailed them.

The mail clerks all recognized Ye Xiaoxiao. Seeing how freely she spent money, they even thought she was a college instructor.

...

At the end of August, the exchange students trickled back, and in September, orientation began as new students arrived.

Chu Yunxiao and the others returned one by one on different flights.

Chu Yunxiao called Ye Xiaoxiao first to let her know he'd moved out.

Following Xiao Xiao’s instructions, the remaining rent wasn’t refunded by the landlady.

Ye Xiaoxiao thanked him.

Chu Yunxiao laughed. "You’re the one who paid the rent—why thank me?"

Ye Xiaoxiao made plans to catch up with him when they had time and told Chu Yunxiao to rest well.

After hanging up, Ye Xiaoxiao immediately called Bai Mengan’s workplace and got transferred to her.

"Xiao Xiao, everything okay?"

"The Class Monitor is back."

Bai Mengan: "Really? Then I’ll take tomorrow off to meet up with you guys!"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "The Class Monitor is back at his place. If you want to see him, contact him directly—we’re not hanging out."

Bai Mengan suddenly became shy. "Wouldn't that be weird?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Why would it be weird? You guys deserve some privacy. Or do you want me to be a cockblock?"

Bai Mengan roughly understood what "cockblock" meant.

"Then I’ll give it a shot."

She hadn’t even made the call yet but was already nervous.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Go for it. I think the Class Monitor seems into you—no need to be scared."

Encouraged by Ye Xiaoxiao, Bai Mengan contacted Chu Yunxiao.

She expected him to brush her off or sound distant, but as soon as she asked if they could grab dinner tomorrow, he agreed.

"Actually perfect—I've got something for you."

Chu Yunxiao replied, his voice warm.

After hanging up, Bai Mengan felt like she’d struck gold, bouncing with excitement right there.