Chapter 83: Chapter 83 New Year’s Eve
Meanwhile, Su Meixi sat in her room, blankly staring at Gu Wei’s thermos.
It was late at night, and it had started snowing outside. She hugged her knees to herself and then began mocking herself internally.
Su Meixi, you’re still so timid!
…
Two days before New Year’s Eve.
Fang Xin called Su Meixi as usual, “Are you in Feng City or somewhere else? I haven’t seen you in a long time. New Year’s Eve is almost here, do you want to come over for the New Year’s Eve dinner?”
...
Fang Xin made this call as a matter of routine.
After all, she was her daughter and had not yet married, so it seemed appropriate to ask. Moreover, she knew Su Meixi would not come, as was the case every year.
Usually, Su Meixi would tactfully decline. Given her current mood, she asked, “Do you really want me to come?”
Fang Xin replied indifferently, “If you want to come, then come. It’s just a matter of adding a pair of chopsticks, but Xiao Zhuang’s grandparents will also come for the dinner.”
The implication was clear: it would be better not to come.
Su Meixi sneered to herself and then hung up the phone.
The day before New Year’s Eve, Su Qiang also sent Su Meixi a WeChat message, asking where she would be spending New Year and whether she wanted to come to Guang City with him.
Of course, this was also a routine inquiry.
If he really wanted her to come, he would have invited her sooner; why wait until the day before New Year’s Eve?
Moreover, Su Qiang probably didn’t know she was at the border.
She replied to the message: Okay.
Soon after, Su Qiang called, hesitatingly asking, “Ah Xi, are you really coming to Guang City this year?”
Su Meixi retorted, “Am I not welcome?”
“Of course you’re welcome. We’re family, after all, and should have the New Year’s Eve dinner together. But on the morning of the first day of the New Year, Aunt Xu, Xiao Wan, and I are going to Li Jiang for a trip. The plane tickets are already booked. Do you want to come along?”
Su Meixi inwardly smiled at Su Qiang’s hypocrisy. At this point, how could it still be possible to book tickets unless one paid a hefty price?
But she decided to test him, “Yes, please book a ticket for me.”
“Well… I’ll see if I can get one,” he replied.
Half an hour later, Su Qiang sent a message: Ah Xi, I couldn’t get a plane ticket. Tickets to Da Li are hard to come by now.
Su Meixi did not reply to the message.
Because Dr. Ma excitedly came to inform her at that moment, “Dr. Su, our clinic’s car is back!”
Su Meixi, for the first time in days, showed a genuine smile. “Really? I’ll go have a look.”
It was a black SUV, a seven-seater with a high chassis and equipped with bumpers and a luggage rack; it looked very cool.
Dr. Ma had never driven such an expensive car. He excitedly touched here and looked there, then exclaimed, “Wow, even the seats are genuine leather, they smell so good!”
Su Meixi smiled and said, “Dr. Ma, why don’t you take it for a spin?”
Dr. Ma was eager to try, “May I give it a try first?”
“Go ahead, I’ll stay here at the clinic,” Su Meixi smiled.
With the New Year approaching, fewer patients visited the clinic save for emergencies, so it was rather quiet these days.
Dr. Ma went for a drive and returned after half an hour, having even filled up the fuel tank. He excitedly urged Su Meixi, “Dr. Su, you should drive it too, this car is so powerful!”
Su Meixi joked, “The model of this car is called ‘Domineering,’ PRADA.”
She drove it for just a few minutes, getting a feel for the vehicle.
Driving this car felt almost like the Land Rover she used to drive; it was a familiar sensation.
Nurse Sarah looked on enviously. She didn’t have a driver’s license and couldn’t drive, but having such a vehicle at the clinic felt prestigious.
…
New Year’s Eve.
Dr. Ma came to the clinic on duty but informed Su Meixi she could take a couple of days off.
This took Su Meixi by surprise, and she joked, “Why don’t I stand duty instead? I have no relatives here and nowhere else to go; I might as well be on duty.”
Dr. Ma, belonging to a minority ethnicity, wasn’t as fixated on the New Year since the most significant local festival wasn’t New Year.
He somehow acquired a small bundle of fireworks and offered them to Su Meixi with a smile, “Just drive around, find a spot to set off these fireworks, and consider it a ritual for yourself.”
Su Meixi did not insist any further.
She placed the fireworks in the car and then went to a small eatery to buy some naan to use as dry food.
There weren’t many people in the eatery today. As the owner sliced naan for Su Meixi, she helplessly said, “Xiao Su, you should have gone to see your major husband today. It’s understandable for married couples to have disputes, but don’t ignore each other completely. You really embarrassed him the other day.”
Su Meixi took the naan and replied, “It’s not that simple between him and me.”
The owner said, “But you loved him.”
“Not really. Maybe I just liked him,” Su Meixi said.
The owner sighed, “You’re still too young. It’s rare in a lifetime to meet someone who likes you as much as you like them.”
Su Meixi laughed involuntarily, “You make it sound like you’re much older, but you’re only a few years older than me.”
The owner shook her head.
…
Su Meixi drove out to a guard post that all tourists inevitably visit.
This ancient guard post, dating back from the Qing dynasty through the Republic era, remained peaceful amid continuous turmoil in the Central Plains. The guards at the border had no idea about the outside chaos until the liberation army took over, and only then did they learn of the regime change.
The post was rudimentary, retaining relics from the previous dynasty and lacked electricity.
Yet, it still held symbolic significance.
Being New Year’s Day and devoid of tourists, she sat alone in front of a stone, reflecting on the changing times.
Her phone buzzed once; Su Qiang was calling.
Su Qiang asked, “Xiao Xi, weren’t you coming over for the New Year’s Eve dinner? Where are you now? Aunt Xu and I have everything ready for dinner; we can start eating any moment now.”
Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.
Su Meixi said, “Something came up last minute, I can’t make it.”
Su Qiang initially breathed a sigh of relief but then began to scold her, “You should’ve let us know in advance if you couldn’t make it. Aunt Xu prepared a lot of food for you, even got three Boston lobsters.”
“Sorry, I got caught up in work and forgot to notify you. Enjoy your trip to Li Jiang tomorrow.”
Su Qiang replied, “Tickets this year were really hard to come by, you know, with the winter holidays and all, tickets are also costly. Maybe next year, next year during Spring Festival, dad will definitely take you on a trip, the four of us will go.”
“Okay,” Su Meixi hung up.
She opened the ticket booking APP and saw that tickets were indeed available, albeit a bit pricier, but Su Qiang was unlikely to spend such money.
Even if it was a discounted ticket, he wouldn’t be willing.
While distracted, she suddenly heard some rustling nearby.
It sounded like someone was walking toward her.
She couldn’t help but become alert.