Dark Light Chaser.

Chapter 598 Worry
Let's rewind to two days ago, at Autumn Water Manor in Nevada.

Yue Qihua and Yang Xingyue, who were on winter vacation, were each doing their own thing.

Yue Qihua was playing games at her computer desk, while Yang Xingyue was doing her winter vacation homework at another desk.

Although the two sisters each have their own rooms, Yang Xingyue doesn't like to be alone and usually stays in Yue Qihua's room.

So much so that her own bedroom almost became a storage room for the two of them.

After an unknown amount of time, Yang Xingyue, busy with her winter break homework, put down her pen, slumped onto the table, and sighed, "Why is there so much homework? I'm so tired..."

Yue Qihua peeled a piece of chocolate and put it in her mouth: "You should be glad we're in the honors class."

Compared to our homework, which we can finish in a few days by gritting our teeth, Ma Yu and Xiao Xiao have several times more homework than us. They have to do a test paper for all subjects every day, which is about ten papers a day.

They all started discussing how they could each take turns doing part of the test and then copy each other's homework.

Listening to Yue Qihua's description, Yang Xingyue couldn't help but shudder: "So much homework... if we finish it all, there probably won't be many days left of winter vacation."

"So they're now trying to recruit more people to increase this mutual aid group to five people... How much homework do you have left?"

Yue Qihua adjusted the game's time flow to one-to-one, turned her chair around, and asked Yang Xingyue.

Yang Xingyue held up the workbook in her hand: "If you remove the reading response, this is the final assignment."

"Isn't this pretty fast?" Yue Qihua praised.

Yang Xingyue pouted and said sullenly, "It's really hurtful to hear you say that. Hua Hua, didn't you finish all your homework yesterday?"

"That's why you need to speed things up, otherwise you'll just be watching me drag Ai Liang into playing games."

Yue Qihua encouraged him, "Keep it up, try to finish your homework today, so you can play with Ai Liang anytime when he comes back."

The thought of going out with Ai Liang instantly rekindled Yang Xingyue's enthusiasm.

Homework can be done anytime, but Ai Liang won't always be back.

If I don't finish my homework before Ai Liang comes back, what if Ai Liang plans to stay here for the whole winter break? Wouldn't that mean I'd have to reduce the time I spend with Ai Liang to catch up on my homework?
Yang Xingyue turned around and continued her struggle with the exercise book in her hands.

Seeing that her encouragement had worked, Yue Qihua smiled slightly.

She didn't know when it started, but she also began to look forward to the three of them going out together.

Buzz, buzz...

Yue Qihua, who had just gripped the mouse to change the game's time flow, temporarily released the mouse and picked up her phone.

"Grandpa, is there something you need?"

"...Your dad is back."

Yue Chongshan's tone was somber, as if he wasn't very welcoming of his son, whom he rarely saw throughout the year.

"Dad's back?"

Yue Qihua was somewhat surprised, because in previous years Yue Yangyan would only show up on New Year's Day, eat, and then leave, never returning so early as today.

My mother was similar.

Thanks to this, although Yue Qihua had a father, she felt no different from someone who had lost both parents in her life.

When they were little, Yang Xingguo would take the two kids out to play during his holidays, or it would be Aunt Wu.

Yue Qihua switched the phone to her left hand and put her right hand on the mouse to continue the game: "He came back so early this time, is there something he needs to do?"

“It’s nothing… Your dad’s research institute is on holiday. We haven’t seen each other for so long, so he’s planning to take you two sisters out for fun.”

Yue Chongshan spoke very slowly, completely lacking his usual vigorous tone.

Yue Qihua asked worriedly, "Grandpa, are you feeling unwell?"

"No, it's just... never mind, it's nothing."

Yue Chongshan stopped mid-sentence, clearly preoccupied with something on his mind.

Yue Qihua wanted to ask, but she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Yue Chongshan was not only an elder, but also a man of unwavering character. If he didn't want to talk about something, you couldn't get a single word out of him even if you carried him in a sedan chair.

At most, they'll reply with, "Kids shouldn't worry about so much; asking is pointless."

So Yue Qihua changed the subject: "When will my dad get home? Should we pick him up from the airport or train station?"

"No need, I've already arranged for someone to pick him up from the airport. They'll take him directly to Hua Man Lou. You can just bring Xing Yue over at noon. Same as always, number sixty-six."

"I see."

Yue Qihua glanced at Yang Xingyue behind her and nodded: "I will bring Xingyue over around eleven o'clock."

"Yeah, nothing else, you guys have fun."

"Goodbye Grandpa."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Xingyue put down her pen and leaned over: "Is Uncle Yue coming back?"

"Yes, it seems that the work at the research institute has come to a temporary end, so we can come back early for the New Year."

While operating the game screen, Yue Qihua said to Yang Xingyue, "I've hardly ever seen him since I was a child. If there are other strangers present, I might not even be able to recognize which one is my dad."

Yang Xingyue complained, "You're exaggerating. Didn't Uncle Yue have a video call with us?"

After saying that, she continued to comfort Yue Qihua: "Uncle Yue is only forced to stay away from home because of his work. He didn't do it on purpose. So don't be angry with him."

Besides, Uncle Yue often sends us gifts; didn't you really like those mechanical models?

Yue Qihua released the keyboard and mouse, and grabbed Yang Xingyue's cheeks with both hands: "Well, little Xingyue, you've been won over by a little gift, haven't you!"

"Mmm...no...stop pulling..."

Yang Xingyue waved her hands in resistance against Yue Qihua's brutality.

Unfortunately, her younger sister was still her younger sister, and in the end, Yue Qihua herself took the initiative to let go; her resistance had no effect whatsoever.

Yang Xingyue rubbed her cheeks, which had been pinched red, and picked up her phone to look at the pinned contact.

"Ai Liang is still not online. When I call him, he says he's busy... What exactly has he been busy with these past few days?"

Yang Xingyue lay on the table, propped up on her arm, tilting her head to look at her phone. She tapped Ai Liang's profile picture, exited, tapped it again, and exited again... repeating this cycle over and over.

"Who knows? Maybe they've gone to some campsite to enjoy the scenery again."

Yue Qihua recalled that Ai Liang had also disappeared for several days before graduation: "Last time he didn't even bring his communication devices. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. I don't know how worried the people around him were."

It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned it, because Yang Xingyue became even more worried: "Going camping shouldn't be this busy, right? Could Ai Liang have run into some trouble?"

"Or...is it because I chat with Ai Liang so often that he's getting annoyed?"

The more Yang Xingyue thought about it, the more pessimistic she became, and her originally high spirits quickly plummeted.

Yue Qihua, who was already troubled about how to greet her father, became anxious as well, influenced by her.

(End of this chapter)