Back to 1984: Earning Money, Raising Kids, and Keeping the Household Busy

Chapter 223 Reunion with Xue Lingxue

These three houses have been left unattended since they were bought, and now, four years later, they have become somewhat dilapidated.

That's all money! They couldn't bear to just leave it there.

The couple discussed it and decided to contact a renovation company to conduct an on-site inspection. They planned to do some simple renovations on the house and rent it out for a period of two years.

Two years later, the children will return to China, and then we will make further arrangements based on their plans.

Chen Xinyue was unaware of her parents' plans.

After flying for several hours, the plane finally landed.

Upon arriving at the airport, surrounded by English, she felt incredibly grateful to her parents for encouraging her to learn English. In a place filled with foreigners, her Asian face stood out.

As soon as she stepped out of the airport, Xue Lingxue rushed up and hugged her tightly. "Xinyue! I've waited for you for four years, a full four years! You're finally here!"

When Chen Xinyue met Xue Lingxue's teary eyes, her own eyes reddened.

"You didn't even say goodbye before you left, but now you remember me!"

Xue Lingxue immediately shrank back, sticking out her tongue shyly, "It's all my fault, I'll treat you to dinner."

"That's pretty much it!"

The two chatted and laughed as they got into the car.

In the car, Chen Xinyue asked Xue Lingxue about her life over the past four years.

Xue Lingxue wasn't as happy as Chen Xinyue had imagined; her reaction was quite indifferent. "Actually, it's just so-so. When I first came, I was looking forward to Western romance and beauty. I went to Cambridge, and the golden willows along the riverbank, the vibrant reflections in the water, the green duckweed on the soft mud—it wasn't what I imagined. I did witness quite a few romantic confessions and kisses, though. Sigh! We're still too conservative; we can't learn that, hahaha."
I think outdoor activities are more exciting, like the Snowdon Mountains in Wales. Skiing there is so thrilling! I'll take you there sometime so you can experience what it's like to fly freely.

Xue Lingxue smiled strangely.

Zhang Jingxuan, who was driving, said with dissatisfaction, "Lingxue, I've told you that skiing is dangerous. Your aunt and uncle have warned you, and I've reminded you repeatedly. Not only do you not know how to restrain yourself, but you also want to take your friend on an adventure. What if her family finds out? How are you going to explain this to her parents?"

The laughter and chatter abruptly stopped.

Chen Xinyue looked at Zhang Jingxuan with curiosity.

Just as she was about to get on the bus, Zhang Jingxuan helped her load her luggage. Seeing Xue Lingxue's casual attitude towards him, she instinctively assumed that the two knew each other, but since Xue Lingxue didn't seem inclined to introduce them, she didn't press the matter.

Seeing Zhang Jingxuan scolding Xue Lingxue like an elder, Chen Xinyue was a little curious. Could he be Xue Lingxue's cousin?
Zhang Jingxuan realized he was too emotional, turned to look at Chen Xinyue, and explained, "Sorry, I scared you. Lingxue broke her leg while skiing and was hospitalized. Her aunt and uncle were so worried that they came all the way to England and repeatedly told her not to do anything risky again."

I already promised my aunt and uncle, and she agreed readily at the time. I never expected that she would forget the pain once the wound healed and relapse into her old ways.

With a loud "bang!", Xue Lingxue angrily punched the back of the passenger seat. "Zhang Jingxuan, my affairs are none of your business! Don't act like you have a right to interfere!"

Zhang Jingxuan snorted coldly, "You think I want to care about you? If I hadn't promised your parents, I wouldn't care if you died! It's your own body, and if you don't know how to cherish it, there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Xue Lingxue grew angrier the more she listened, her eyes turning bloodshot.

Seeing that she was about to have another outburst, Chen Xinyue quickly stopped her, "Okay, okay, where are we going now? I've been on the plane for so long, my back is about to break." Xue Lingxue then calmed down, hugged Chen Xinyue, and buried her head in her armpit.

We remained silent the whole way until the car came to a stop.

Xue Lingxue quickly pulled Chen Xinyue out of the car and, in a fit of pique, took all the luggage from the back of the car, not letting Zhang Jingxuan interfere at all.

Zhang Jingxuan also showed no intention of interfering.

He drove away after watching the two women enter the apartment.

Chen Xinyue followed Xue Lingxue home and discovered that Xue Lingxue's apartment was a double room, with one room serving as the bedroom and the other as a study and dressing room.

There's plenty of space if you live alone.

"You don't live on campus?" Chen Xinyue asked leisurely, sitting on the sofa.

Xue Lingxue shook her head. "The school dormitories are quite chaotic. There are people of all nationalities and races, and everyone has different living habits, personalities, and values. It's easy to have friction if we live together. I didn't come here to study abroad as my original intention, so there's no need to put pressure on myself to deal with interpersonal relationships. What about you? Are you going to live on campus?"

Chen Xinyue tapped her leg, looking deep in thought, before finally laughing and saying, "Since you're living here, I'll rent the same place here with you!"

Xue Lingxue's eyes lit up, but then she became worried again, "But the rent here isn't cheap."

Chen Xinyue shrugged. "It's okay, I have money!"

"Wow! My darling has struck it rich? I'd like to be your sugar daddy!" Xue Lingxue was in a great mood and started being silly again.

After the laughter subsided, Chen Xinyue asked seriously, "Was that man your relative?"

Mentioning him immediately made Xue Lingxue's face fall. "He's not a relative, he's my fiancé."

"Pfft!" Chen Xinyue spat out the mineral water in her mouth in disbelief. "What the hell? What era are we living in?! I wouldn't get this excited if you said boyfriend, but fiancé?"

Xue Lingxue pouted, then suddenly burst into tears, “Doesn’t it seem absurd? Even I find it ridiculous! But it’s true, he doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him either, but our families are well-matched. He can’t make his own decisions, and I have to follow the path my family has planned for me. Sometimes I think life is really boring.”

I can't like the people I like or do the things I like. The only time I rebelled was when I went skiing in the Snowdon Mountains of Wales. As you know, my parents gave me a serious warning, and my uncle and aunt from the Zhang family kept calling me from overseas.

"If I do anything even slightly out of line, everyone will criticize me relentlessly. Why? Why can't I live for myself? Waaah!"

She became more and more upset as she spoke, and then threw herself into Chen Xinyue's arms and wept bitterly.

Chen Xinyue never expected that her good friend was carrying such a heavy burden. She wanted to do something, but she didn't know what to do.

That night, the two got completely drunk in the apartment.

Xue Lingxue's eyes were misty as she tightly gripped Chen Xinyue's hand. "You know what? I'm really, really envious of you! No matter what your family background is like, you have such a wonderful brother, while I'm all alone, I have to do everything myself. Xinyue, I really, really like Chen Ruiyu, I like him so much."

Chen Xinyue, who was half-drunk, was startled awake by these words and sobered up a bit. She pressed her face against Xue Lingxue's to confirm, "Who did you say you like?"