Chapter 557: Hitching A Ride
Do do do…
“Hello? Hello?”
It was obvious that the other party had hung up. Mo Qian was so angry that she almost want to throw her phone to the ground. When she raised it, she realized that she had asked her parents to pay for it last month. It was a few thousand dollars. She could not bear to throw it because she needed so much money at once and was scolded by her parents.
She was cursing and swearing.
“What’s wrong?” Hearing Yang Jun’s voice, Mo Qian realized that she had lost her composure.
She was a little flustered. Had Yang Jun seen what she did just now?
Did Yang Jun hear her scolding?
Yang Jun saw that she was angry, but he didn’t hear what she scolded later. He only roughly guessed what happened.
However, someone heard it.
Jiang Xianyou, who was standing there, glanced over and frowned deeply.
“Yang Jun, I-I…”
“Why? The person that agreed to pick us up isn’t coming anymore?”
Mo Qian nodded and looked like she was about to cry.
“Why did the person say that he wouldn’t come now? It’s already past six. It’ll be dark in an hour. If he suddenly doesn’t come, where are we going to find a car now?”
Yang Jun was a little unhappy. Originally, he and Jiang Xianyou didn’t intend to come to such a far place to find inspiration. It was Mo Qian who volunteered when she found out that they were going out to find a place with good natural scenery for a few days.
At that time, Mo Qian promised that she would make them feel at ease the entire time. They did not have to think about anything and just to feel nature and find inspiration.
Moreover, he was pursuing Mo Qian, so…
After knowing that Mo Qian’s house was far away, he even suggested renting a car and driving over after getting off the plane. Mo Qian said that there was no need to. She said that she had already arranged it and it was not easy to drive over here, so she did not let them rent a car.
In fact, it was not impossible to drive over. It was just that the road conditions were bad. It would be tiring for the driver and the car would be more worn down.
However, in Yang Jun’s opinion, that was nothing.
Although he wasn’t as wealthy as Jiang Xianyou, he could still pay for the wear and tear of a car.
Mo Qian didn’t agree because she didn’t have a driver’s license, so Yang Jun and Jiang Xianyou had to drive by themselves.
It would take five to six hours.
She was afraid that they would be traumatized and hate her too, so she didn’t agree to rent a car and drive it themselves.
“Forget it. Are there any hotels nearby? We’ll stay here for the night first and talk tomorrow.”
Mo Qian’s face turned red and pale as she looked at the rundown “bus stop” with only one bus.
“Why are you in a daze? I’m asking you if there are any hotels nearby.” Yang Jun was really angry, especially since he had Jiang Xianyou with him. He had promised Jiang Xianyou everything previously, but now, such a situation has happened. He felt that he had let down his buddy Jiang Xianyou.
However, he was very cultured. Even if he was angry, he did not show a black face at Mo Qian. He was just a little harsh with his tone. Now, he had completely restrained his harsh tone and was discussing it with her properly.
“Yang Jun, w-why would there be a hotel here? The bus station here is already rundown. There aren’t many buildings that are more than three stories high.”
“I’ve said it before. My village is very poor.”
“There’s no hotel. I remember that there’s only a small hotel that costs 50 dollars a night at the market. The hygiene isn’t… isn’t very good.” It was already tactful to say that it wasn’t very good.
A small hotel like this was not like a hotel where the blanket was washed and disinfected every night. It was unknown how long a small hotel like this washed its blankets.
Mo Qian couldn’t even stay there herself.
She knew that Yang Jun and Jiang Xianyou couldn’t stay either.
If they really stayed in such a hotel on this journey, it would probably not be as simple as a trauma.
“Is there any place nearby where we can rent a car?”
Mo Qian shook her head, her eyes turning red. “No, we’re in a small place. The roads are bad, and there aren’t many cars to begin with. No one rents a car at all.”
“Alright, I didn’t say anything either. Don’t…” He was most afraid of girls crying. For a moment, he was a little annoyed. However, he thought that they were here to trouble her after all, so he suppressed his frustration. “Then, can you still find someone to pick you up? It’s fine to wait for an hour or two. As long as we don’t have to sleep on the streets tonight.”
He whispered, “Qianqian, I’ve promised Old Jiang all kinds of things previously. I can’t explain if he really has to stay on the streets. The small hotel’s hygiene isn’t good. It’s fine if I pinch my nose and stay for the night, but Old Jiang can’t. He’s very obsessed with cleanliness…”
“No, no more. We don’t have many families with tricycles, so I can only find my cousin.”
“What about your father? I think that Schoolmate Zhao just now was picked up by her father. Since your family is a little far from the town, you can’t all walk when you attend the town fair, right? Your father should know how to ride a tricycle. If it’s inconvenient for your family, you can ask your father to borrow one from someone…” Yang Jun said this carefully, afraid that if he said anything wrong, it would hurt Mo Qian’s pride.
Even if he had realized who Mo Qian was and understood that he had misjudged her previously and would no longer pursue her, but… he would not be so ungentlemanly as to hurt a girl’s pride.
“M-My parents are out working.”
Yang Jun was surprised, “Huh?”
“You said that your parents are out working? Then, who else is at home?” Her parents were out working. Why was she bringing two boys home alone?
He thought that she had already made things clear to her parents at home. They were here to find inspiration and wanted to stay for a few days. Now, she was telling him that her parents were not home…
Although his family was in the downtown of Water City, his maternal family was in the countryside. They were not as rural as Mo Qian’s family. He also knew that the elders in the countryside were more conservative. Wouldn’t the surrounding neighbors gossip when she brought two boys home alone and her parents went out?
He was really Mo Qian’s boyfriend. It was fine for others to gossip, but at least he was legitimate. Jiang Xianyou was his brother. It was also legitimate for him to follow him to his girlfriend’s house as a guest.
Most importantly, he had nothing to do with Mo Qian now.
Mo Qian agreed to his pursuit first…
Uh, it was better not to.
Now, he only hoped that there was someone else in Mo Qian’s family. Even her siblings and uncles would do.
“I-I’m alone at home with my grandmother.”
Yang Jun was deflated. He only hoped that her grandmother would be younger. “How old is your grandmother?”
“O-over 80.”
“…” Yang Jun. Alright, the girl would bring two boys home when there was an old lady at home. If he were her neighbor or relative, he would nag at her.
It was all his fault. Why didn’t he ask clearly before they set off?
Actually, how could Yang Jun be blamed for this? It was Mo Qian who took the initiative to invite them and promised them everything. He also had a filter for Mo Qian and didn’t think that she would invite them as guests when her parents weren’t at home.
He looked at Mo Qian intensely and braced himself as he walked towards Jiang Xianyou.
“Brother, there’s something I have to tell you now.”
Jiang Xianyou glanced at him calmly. “I heard everything.”
He dragged his luggage and walked out.
“Hey, Brother, where are you going?”
Jiang Xianyou ignored him and dragged his luggage out.
Yang Jun had no choice but to call Mo Qian along to follow him.
Walking out of the bus station that didn’t look like a bus station, there was a red but slightly old tricycle with a cover parked outside.
It was a little late, but they could still see clearly that the tricycle did not switch on its light.
The four girls in the same bus with them had already carried their luggage onto the tricycle and sat in it.
The person riding the tricycle was a middle-aged man in his forties.
He looked honest when he smiled.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, he greeted them with a smile. He looked very friendly.
Jiang Xianyou paused for a moment before dragging his luggage towards the trishaw. To be precise, he was walking towards the middle-aged man driving the trishaw.
“Hello, Uncle.”
Father Zhao was still turning back to talk to the girls happily when he suddenly heard someone call him. He retracted his gaze, “Young man, are you calling me?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s like this, Uncle. My classmates and I both studied jewelry design. There’s a competition next semester, and we’re planning to find a place to find design inspiration. My classmate knows Mo Qian, and Mo Qian introduced us. She said that the environment in her hometown is very good and wants us to come here to play for a few days. We really need a place to find inspiration, so we came over together.”
“It’s just that I didn’t know that Mo Qian’s parents weren’t home previously. We are two boys, so it’s not appropriate to go to her house. I want to ask you if there’s any place in your village where we can stay? We can pay for accommodation and living expenses for a week.”
“I wanted to return the way we came, but we came from Water City. It’s not easy to come here, so I didn’t want to make this trip for nothing.”
“Are you looking for a place to stay?”
Jiang Xianyou nodded.
“Sigh, there don’t seem to be any families in our village who are suitable for staying, especially people who don’t know you at all. No one will suddenly agree to let two strangers stay in their home for a week, regardless of whether you pay for the room or not.”
“However, it’s indeed not appropriate for you two boys to stay at Mo Qian’s house. There’s only one old lady at Mo Qian’s house. It’s inevitable that others will gossip about you. It’s rare that you can consider this.”
“How about this? My daughter has a few classmates who came over together. Our family has also tidied up a few rooms. If you and your classmate don’t mind, you can stay at my house for a few days. When the time comes, others won’t say anything if I say that you’re also my daughter’s classmates and came over to play together.”
“It’s just that our rooms are limited. I wonder if you mind sharing a room with your classmate. Also, our family’s living conditions aren’t very good. I wonder if you can get used to staying here…”
“Dad!” Zhao Linlin, who was sitting behind, disagreed.
“Linlin, it’s fine. You don’t have to worry about your mother saying that you brought your male classmates home. I’ll explain it to her then. She’ll understand.”
Zhao Linlin pouted. Who was worried about that!
She was entertaining her sisters. What was going on with two more boys and strangers all of a sudden?
“Alright, when we’re out, we should try to help others. Who doesn’t encounter some difficulties when they’re out? If we can help, we’ll help. Perhaps you’ll need someone else’s help one day.”
Zhao Linlin instantly calmed down when she heard Father Zhao say that.
“Young man, you…”
“I’m fine. I can stay in the same room with my classmate. I don’t have any requirements for staying either. There’s nothing I’m not used to. Thank you, Uncle.”
“By the way, Uncle, the person who was supposed to come to pick Schoolmate Mo Qian up said that he has something on and can’t make it. Can we take your ride? It’s late, and it’s not easy to find a ride now.”
He asked politely and he didn’t say that he could pay for the car, which was off putting.
“Since you’re staying at my house, of course we’ll go back together since you don’t have a ride. Get in. It’s just that it might be a little cramped.”
He turned back and said to Yan Jinyu and the rest, “Three little classmates, I think we have to squeeze a little.”
“It’s fine, Uncle,” Chu Xiaohuan and Qin Xuan said at the same time.
Yan Jinyu smiled faintly, indicating that she was fine.
Since Father Zhao had agreed, they naturally had no objections since they were guests.
Moreover, Father Zhao was such a warm, friendly, and kind person. There was no reason for them not to allow him to be kind and helpful.
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“There’s no need to thank me. You’re about the same age as my daughter. You’re both children. Your parents will be worried when something happens to you outside. Putting myself in their shoes, I don’t want my daughter to be in trouble without anyone to help her.”
“Don’t worry about the accommodation fees and living expenses. We’re a rural family. We don’t have anything else. We have enough food and lodging. Although we live sloppily, we can at least shelter from the wind and rain.”
“Alright, I won’t stand on ceremony with Uncle then. Thank you.”
“I like your temper. I hate coy people the most. Get in the car. Otherwise, it’ll be dark later.”
“Okay.”
Yang Jun, who had followed over, was stunned.
When did his cold brother become so talkative?
He was even smiling like a well-behaved child.
He was shocked.
“Brother, this…”
“Are you getting in?”
“Yes, yes, yes…”
Jiang Xianyou placed the luggage first and Zhao Linlin helped him take it.
“Sorry to disturb you,” he said seriously to Zhao Linlin.
“Nothing. My father is very friendly. Come up first.”
Jiang Xianyou supported himself with one hand and jumped up. Mo Qian, who was behind him, was infatuated when she saw that.
Mo Qian naturally heard Jiang Xianyou and Father Zhao’s conversation. She was very unhappy, but she didn’t dare to say anything.
She was the one who didn’t tell them the truth and even failed to get someone to pick them up. She didn’t have the face to do that.
Or rather, she was afraid that Jiang Xianyou would fall out with her in public.
She couldn’t afford to offend Jiang Xianyou.
“Schoolmate Zhao, Schoolmates, sorry to disturb you.” Jiang Xianyou had picked up Yang Jun’s luggage. He had to be pulled by Jiang Xianyou before he could climb onto the tricycle.
“Qianqian, aren’t you coming up?” Yang Jun looked at Mo Qian, who was standing motionless below, and frowned.
What was going on? Jiang Xianyou had already settled the matter of transport and accommodation. It was fine if she didn’t thank him or apologize, but she still wanted them to invite her onto the tricycle?
Sensing Yang Jun’s unhappiness, Mo Qian quickly suppressed the unhappiness in her heart and went forward. “I-I’m coming…”
She thought that Jiang Xianyou would pull her onto the tricycle too.
However, that was not the case.
Jiang Xianyou had already sat down beside Zhao Linlin.
Yang Jun had no choice but to bite the bullet and pull her up.
After getting into the car, Mo Qian sat down with a sullen expression, as if someone owed her something.She didn’t say a word of thanks to Zhao Linlin.
The tricycles were occupied on both sides.
Yan Jinyu, Qin Xuan, and Chu Xiaohuan sat on the left while Zhao Linlin sat on the right, which was opposite Yan Jinyu. Beside Zhao Linlin was Jiang Xianyou, followed by Yang Jun and Mo Qian.
“Have you all settled down?” Father Zhao asked.
“We have.”
“Then let’s go. The road is a little bumpy. You guys hold tight.”
The tricycle started and the engine roared as they drove forward.