Chapter 86 - 85: Destination Xudu City

Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Destination Xudu City

The next day, six in the morning.

Mornings in the north were much colder than in the south.

Gao Yuan got up and put on a down jacket that had been left at home. He had just pushed open his door when he saw his mom already busy in the kitchen.

"Mom, what are you doing up so early?"

"Making you some sweet potato congee for breakfast."

As she spoke, Huang Xiuxia turned to look at the fully dressed Gao Yuan, finding it a bit strange.

Whenever Gao Yuan came home before, he was the type you couldn’t even wake up for meals. He’d never get out of bed before ten. Had the sun risen in the west today?

"What are you doing up so unprecedentedly early?"

Faced with his mom’s suspicious look and extremely surprised tone, Gao Yuan felt a flicker of pride.

He did a little spin in the kitchen doorway and said to his mom, "Mom, have you noticed anything different about me?"

"Different?"

Huang Xiuxia looked at her son as she washed the sweet potatoes.

As for what was different, she couldn’t really see any major changes. But she did have a feeling that her son seemed more confident, and his spirits were much higher than before.

"That you’re about to get a year older?"

His mom’s single sentence completely extinguished the pride in Gao Yuan’s heart and the excitement on his face.

’What does she mean, about to get a year older?’

He immediately took off the down jacket, pointed to his stomach and legs, then pinched his own cheeks, saying to his mom, "Mom, take another good look!"

This time, Huang Xiuxia saw it. Her son seemed to have lost weight and looked younger.

"Alright, stop showing off!"

"So you lost a little weight and look a bit better. Hurry up and put your jacket back on."

Heh!

In his mother’s eyes, whether he looked better would never be as important as whether he was well-fed and warmly dressed.

This round of showing off was aimed at the wrong person.

"I work out every day now. I’m not the man I used to be."

"I’m going downstairs for a run."

With that, Gao Yuan opened the door and went out.

Just as he left, a smile appeared on Huang Xiuxia’s face in the kitchen. "This little rascal seems so much more mature this time home."

Just as Huang Xiuxia finished her thought, the door opened again.

"Mom, don’t make breakfast today. I’m taking you to the hospital for a check-up later."

Gao Yuan had already walked out the door when he remembered his mom was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, so he quickly turned back to let her know.

"Why get a check-up when I’m not sick? That’s just a waste of money."

Gao Yuan pursed his lips. ’Mom’s mindset is still the same.’

’By the time you actually feel sick, what’s the use of a check-up then?’

"I’ve already paid. The hospital won’t give a refund if you don’t go."

"Don’t worry about it. Just think of it as going to the hospital to help me scout for a potential wife."

After saying that, Gao Yuan left again.

He couldn’t keep arguing about it. By directly telling his mom the money was already spent and non-refundable, he knew she would definitely go.

His mom would never let the hospital get away with such a good deal.

...

In the end, Gao Yuan didn’t run. He forced himself to walk five kilometers outside instead.

The reason was simple: it was too cold!

The moment he stepped out of the building, his face felt stiff.

The morning air was fresh but exceptionally cold. With every breath, he felt the air steal some of his body heat as it entered his lungs.

After walking a large loop, his body gradually warmed up, and the sky began to brighten.

Since Gao Yuan had told his mom not to cook breakfast, he went straight to a breakfast stall at the community entrance for a bowl of hot pepper soup and a few pan-fried buns.

It had been too long since he’d had his hometown’s hot pepper soup, so Gao Yuan drank two bowls straight.

After eating, he felt comfortable all over. He contentedly lit a cigarette and strolled leisurely back home.

When he got home, just as expected, Huang Xiuxia started nagging him again about his unilateral decision to book a check-up.

Gao Yuan just kept repeating one sentence to his mom.

"I already paid!"

His attitude was simple: let Mom nag all she wanted.

The money was spent. If she didn’t go, it was her loss.

At seven-thirty, amidst his mom’s reluctant nagging, Gao Yuan drove off in the family’s Sonata.

Although the car was covered in a layer of dust in the underground garage, at least the battery wasn’t dead. That would have been a hassle.

They entered the First People’s Hospital.

When the nurse at the front desk heard they were there for a check-up—and the most expensive full-body one at that—her attitude became incredibly enthusiastic.

She personally led Gao Yuan’s mother to the department specifically responsible for physical examinations.

This must have been a service department specially set up by the hospital to generate revenue.

With dedicated staff to help, Gao Yuan was happy to have some free time.

He found an empty seat and sat down by himself.

Not long after he sat down, a nurse brought him a cup of hot water.

He had to admit, although Xudu City was a small city, its service quality was top-notch nationwide.

It was probably influenced by that local supermarket chain that had become a national sensation.

Gao Yuan sized up the nurse for a moment. Even with a mask on, she had delicate and pretty features.

Watching her retreating figure, Gao Yuan was certain that this young nurse was definitely very conscious of her appearance.

Otherwise, she would never have had her nurse’s uniform altered to be so form-fitting.

’If I were really going to listen to my parents and come back to my hometown to build a life, I’d definitely find some topic to strike up a conversation with this little nurse,’ he thought.

’Chat about the weather, about nail art, about her WeChat QR code.’

But right now, he didn’t have the slightest inclination to do so.

After all, there was still Lin Wanyu and Li Mengqing back in Hang City.

And he also had to occasionally look after Meiting and tend to Xiaoyan’s feelings.

Oh, right, and his landlady, Xiao Xiao. He was being so kind as to help her raise her dog; shouldn’t she thank him properly for that?

Thinking of Xiao Xiao, Gao Yuan’s mind immediately went to the Sheltie back at his place.

He wondered if the Sheltie was still behaving itself now that he was back in his hometown.

He asked a question in their little three-person group chat.

Before long, Li Mengqing was the first to reply: "The Sheltie is being very good. It eats and sleeps without making a fuss."

"Good to hear. Don’t work too hard, either!"

Li Mengqing saw Gao Yuan’s message and was about to reply, but Lin Wanyu, who was beside her, stopped her with a wave of her hand.

"Say less. Don’t blow our cover!"

「Hospital Waiting Area.」

Seeing no new messages in the group chat, Gao Yuan got bored and opened TikTok to scroll through videos.

"Ooh, not bad!"

"TikTok is truly something else. The girls on here really know how to shake it!"

Gao Yuan’s TikTok account was level 43, so when he entered the livestream, the host gave him an enthusiastic welcome.

However, Gao Yuan was only there for the company today. He wouldn’t be tipping a single cent.

"Whoa, that little halter top."

"That little miniskirt."

Gao Yuan was worried for the girl. He was afraid something might pop out by accident, afraid that if she lost control and did a wide-legged deep squat, her channel would get banned, and he’d have to go find another livestream just like it.

And wouldn’t that be a complete waste of time?

While Gao Yuan was leisurely appreciating beauty and encouraging young women to get more exercise, he had no idea that he was about to be plunged into deep trouble.

...

On a high-speed train heading south from the north, Gao Jianmin sat on a lower bunk. After replying to an old classmate on WeChat, he let out a sigh.

"Finally dragged that kid back. I’ll arrange a blind date for him tomorrow."

He had just been discussing this very matter with his old classmate. The classmate had offered to introduce Gao Yuan to someone who worked at a hospital.

Not only did she have a stable job, but the young woman was also pretty. At just 28 years old, she was a perfect match for Gao Yuan.

Once Gao Yuan was successfully married, they wouldn’t have to worry so much anymore.

A man with a family has something to care for, so he won’t act so willfully anymore.

And once Gao Yuan had a child, things would be even more settled.

「Meanwhile.」

On the Chuxin Expressway, a car, noticeably taller and larger than a standard Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, sped along.

A middle-aged man in a suit was driving, while two young women sat in the back seat.

Oh, and a dog.

Their destination was Xudu City.