The flight was a little delayed and they only landed about an hour and a half later.
Zhao Linlin had booked a ride to the airport to pick them up at the bus stop.
Among the four of them, one car was just right. Fortunately, everyone’s luggage was not big. Otherwise, a car would really not be able to accommodate so much luggage.
“This is the city. It’s quite bustling,” Zhao Linlin said as she introduced some of the features of this place to them.
“Linlin, are we going to the bus stop now and take a taxi to your house? Aren’t we going to rest or find a place to eat first?” Chu Xiaohuan looked out of the car window with glowing eyes.
She actually rarely went far. This was her first time visiting such a remote small city.
Qin Xuan was similar to her.
She felt that everything was new.
In comparison, Yan Jinyu was much calmer.
Yan Jinyu had been to too many places. Be it a bustling city or a deserted primitive forest, she had been to all of them.
Although she had not seen much of such a small city, she had seen it before.
Putting everything else aside, Yin Jiujin had picked her up in a remote place like this back then.
“It’s not impossible to rest. It’s just that I’ll probably have to go home tomorrow. My house is very far. It takes more than four hours to get there by bus from the city. After getting out of the bus, I still have to get my family to drive a trishaw to pick me up. The trishaw is about half an hour away.” Zhao Linlin could tell that Qin Xuan and Chu Xiaohuan were interested, so she didn’t insist and explained patiently.
If they really wanted to stay in the city to play, Zhao Linlin naturally had no objections.
It was a habit. After she knew that she was coming over to play, Yan Jinyu found a map and figured out the terrain here. Coupled with Zhao Linlin’s location, she roughly estimated the bus’s journey.
Chu Xiaohuan and Qin Xuan were different from her. They didn’t know how far Zhao Linlin’s home was.
“I see…” Chu Xiaohuan was a little disappointed.
“We’ll stay here for a day or two when we go back. Linlin called home before this. Her family is preparing dinner. Let’s go to her house first.”
Yan Jinyu had hit the nail on the head.
Chu Xiaohuan then thought of this and hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, Linlin. I forgot about this. Let’s go to your house first.”
“Actually, it’s fine. My parents haven’t started to cook yet. If you want to play here, I’ll call home and let them know.”
“It’s better not to. This isn’t good.”
“Then, shall we go straight to the bus stop? Because the journey is a little far, we’ll find a restaurant nearby to eat when we reach the bus stop later.”
Chu Xiaohuan nodded repeatedly, and Qin Xuan took out her phone. “Then, I’ll see if there’s anything delicious near the bus station. I’ll make a reservation first. We’ll be able to eat it immediately when we go over.”
At that moment, the driver said, “You young ladies are students, right? From the looks of it, you are coming to this classmate’s house to play during your break?”
Zhao Linlin sat in the front passenger seat.
In order to make it convenient for them to travel, the few of them were wearing lightweight clothes. They were not old to begin with, so they looked even younger dressed like this.
“Yes, they’re all my classmates. It’s the holidays. I’ll invite them to my house to play for a few days.”
“Where are you studying? From the looks of it, you’re university students, right?” The driver was a talkative person, and he was born in a more down-to-earth place. Usually, he would chat with the guests.
He didn’t dare to speak up because the customers he had today were all too good-looking and their temperament was different from the young ladies in a small place like theirs.
He didn’t dare to speak for a moment.
Until he heard them chatting.
“I’m in my first year of university. I go to school in the capital.” Perhaps it was because she had returned to her hometown and was familiar with her environment, Zhao Linlin was in a very good mood. She would basically answer whatever the other party asked.
She was not guarded at all.
Qin Xuan and Chu Xiaohuan disagreed with her honest attitude, but they couldn’t say it in front of the driver.
However, Yan Jinyu didn’t care at all.
Even if anyone really had any ideas, they could not do anything to her.
“The capital? That’s a big city. You are good, young lady. You go to university in a big city. You’re not like my brat at home who only knows how to play all day.”
Zhao Linlin smiled and said nothing.
“By the way, I heard that you guys wanted to go to the bus station to eat just now. Don’t book it on your phone. In a small place like ours, there are many delicious restaurants that can’t be found on your phone. I know a good restaurant near the bus station. I’ll send you there later.”
Zhao Linlin didn’t respond immediately. She turned back and asked them with her gaze.
Chu Xiaohuan and Qin Xuan looked at Yan Jinyu at the same time.
No matter where she went, Yan Jinyu had such charm that made people believe her unconditionally.
“Since Master has said so, it should be good. Let’s go there.”
After Yan Jinyu finished speaking, Zhao Linlin said to the driver, “Alright, I’ll have to trouble you then, Master.”
“You’re welcome,” the driver said. He looked up at the rearview mirror and thought to himself, This young lady is so magnanimous. Although she’s like the other young ladies and has a faint smile on her face, it’s obvious that she gives people a more stable feeling.
No wonder these three young ladies wanted her to make the decision.
When they arrived at the bus station, the driver drove them to that restaurant. It was a hotpot restaurant.
“A hotpot restaurant?”
“Yes, this hotpot is very delicious and the price is affordable.” The driver was very enthusiastic.
Zhao Linlin turned back and asked them, “The weather is a little hot. Do you guys want to eat hotpot?”
“Anything is fine,” Yan Jinyu said.
“It’s fine to me either.”
“Me too.”
“Young lady, it’s fine if the weather is hot. There’s a fan in the shop.”
Zhao Linlin said, “Then this one? The bus station is just in front. We’ll be there in about 10 minutes. It’s not far.”
The few of them nodded and got out of the car to take their luggage.
It was a small place and they were near the bus station. There were very few private rooms in the restaurant. It was lunchtime and the private rooms were full. The few of them could only sit in the hall.
Zhao Linlin didn’t care, and Yan Jinyu didn’t have any requests either. It was just that Qin Xuan and Chu Xiaohuan, who were coming to such a restaurant for the first time, were a little uncomfortable.
However, it did not mean that they could not accept it.
There were many people dragging their luggage beside the bus stop, but it was inevitable that people would take a second look at a group of four beautiful girls dragging their luggage.
However, this small place was simple, so no one went forward to hit on them.
Even when they were sizing her up, there was no curiosity or surprise in their eyes.
Of course, nothing was absolute. No matter how simple a place was, there would always be some bad people. It was just that they were lucky and did not meet them for the time being.
The few of them had just sat down and let Zhao Linlin, who was more familiar with the taste of this place, order.
Just as they finished ordering, a few more people walked into the restaurant.
There were three of them, two boys and one girl. They were about the same age as them.
They took a second look.
Of course, the three of them saw them too.
The two boys were stunned.
The girl was also a little stunned to see them, but she was surprised when she saw Zhao Linlin sitting there. “Zhao Linlin?”
Zhao Linlin had only glanced at her casually just now and didn’t pay much attention to her. Moreover, after a year in university, the girl had changed a lot and she didn’t recognize her at that moment.
“You’re… Mo Qian?”
“Yes, it’s me. I almost couldn’t recognize you after not seeing you for a year.” She glanced at the luggage beside her. “Are you on leave to go home?”
“Yes.”
Zhao Linlin didn’t say much, and the girl didn’t feel awkward either. She looked at the three people sitting at the table with Zhao Linlin and asked, “Linlin, who are they?”
“They’re my university classmates. We study Chinese medicine. We need to do research,so they followed me back to my hometown to pick some herbs.”
“University classmates? In other words, they’re also from the Imperial Capital University?”
Mo Qian looked surprised, and the two boys beside her were even more surprised.
Imperial Capital University?
Super straight-A students?
They thought that they were only good-looking, but it turned out that they were good-looking and talented!
Zhao Linlin didn’t like Mo Qian’s tone and frowned slightly. However, since they were old classmates, she didn’t embarrass her in front of her friend. “Yes.”
“Wow, that’s a super straight-A student. I always thought that female top students wore heavy glasses, had fringe that almost covered their eyes and were short and fat. I didn’t expect your classmates to be so good-looking…”
Zhao Linlin frowned.
Before she could say anything, a boy beside Mo Qian interrupted her, “Qianqian!”
Mo Qian stuck out her tongue playfully at the boy. “Aiya, I know. I’m always so direct. Linlin knows. She won’t be angry. Don’t worry.”
“I’m indeed not angry. It’s just that you’re talking about a female top student who wore heavy glasses, had a fringe that covered her eyes and was short and fat. Could it be that you’re talking about me?”
“We were in the same class for three years in high school. I’ve always been the top student in class. I can barely be considered a top student, right?”
Of course!
Not only was she the top student in class, but she was also the top student in the entire province for the college entrance examination!
If this wasn’t considered a top student, who could?
The two boys did not know Zhao Linlin, but when they heard that she was a local and had been admitted to the Imperial Capital University, they knew she was a straight-A student.
“Linlin, I’m not talking about you. Why are you making the connection? Didn’t I say that everyone has a stiff impression of a female top student? Besides, I was praising your classmates just now. I didn’t say anything bad…”
“Can we eat now?” Yan Jinyu asked calmly.
Her pleasant voice made Mo Qian and the two boys look at her.
With one look, they saw her face clearly.
They were even more stunned.
Mo Qian bit her lip.
“Yes, yes,” Zhao Linlin said quickly.
They didn’t know if it was an illusion, but Chu Xiaohuan and Qin Xuan both felt Yan Jinyu’s impatience. They didn’t dare to speak. They raised the dishes that the waiter brought over and placed them into the boiling hotpot bit by bit.
“Linlin, we haven’t seen each other for a year. It’s not easy for us to meet. Do you mind sharing a table? Speaking of which, I’m going home today too. We’re learning about designs. I can bring my two classmates back to our hometown to see the natural scenery and find inspiration.”
Mo Qian and Zhao Linlin didn’t have the same surname, but they were from the same village.
However, Mo Qian didn’t go home during the new year, so they didn’t meet.
“It’s good to find inspiration, but I’m sorry. My classmates don’t like to eat with strangers. Please forgive me.”
The two boys were a little embarrassed when they heard Zhao Linlin say that.
“Linlin, do you have to be so unreasonable? Not to mention that we were classmates for the past three years in high school, we’re even from the same village. It’s just sharing a table. Why don’t you give us some face?”
