American Farmers: Facing a Cutoff at the Start

Chapter 96 Don't Forget Me (Seeking First Subscription!)

"Beep beep—beep—"

'

The iPhone's suffocating radar alarm blared sharply on the bedside table. Fett reached out and stopped it, then rolled out of bed.

He went into the bathroom, took out the washed clothes from the dryer, grabbed two slices of toast, and without spreading any sauce, chewed them dry before leaving the house.

Standing on the porch, before I could even swallow the last bite of bread, a Ford pickup truck turned out from next door.

Roy gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, while Rachel, sitting in the passenger seat, was turning sideways to hand a water bottle to the back seat.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Fatti opened the back door, and a pleasant scent of lavender laundry detergent wafted out.

Leila sat in the back row, having changed out of her usual work clothes and into a beige lamb wool short coat, over which was a fitted black turtleneck sweater, dark blue jeans, and shiny brown leather boots.

She tied her long hair into a high ponytail, revealing a section of her slender neck. She didn't wear much makeup, only a layer of lip balm, and looked clean and energetic.

"Just finished eating bread?" Leila moved aside to make room for Fett.

"Mmm." Fett swallowed the last bite of dry, hard whole-wheat toast, his throat feeling a little tight. He pressed his hand to his chest to help it down, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Go inside and close the door.

Leila handed over the pale yellow stainless steel kettle.

Fett glanced subconsciously at Roy in the driver's seat, saw that he was staring ahead, then took the water bottle and gulped down several large mouthfuls.

The cold water slid down my esophagus, and the choking sensation finally subsided.

To be honest, he was actually a little intimidated by Roy.

Roy wasn't as loud and boisterous as old Frank.

Although he was a man of few words and usually worked quietly, his spirit was ingrained in his very being.

He's a true old-school redneck, incredibly proactive, and intolerant of any wrongdoing.

It's best to behave properly in his presence and not be too casual.

Fett tightened the lid of the water bottle, handed it back to Leila respectfully, and placed his hands obediently on his knees.

Lai stretched out his hand to wipe the bread crumbs from the corner of Fett's mouth.

The pickup truck drove onto the highway leading to the Mid-Delta Regional Airport in Greenville.

It takes about four thousand minutes to get there from Eudora.

The heater in the carriage was on full blast, and Rachel's voice came from the front, carrying a mother's nagging tone: "Let us know you've arrived safely in Atlanta."

"The weather over there is a bit warmer than here, but don't be careless. Don't take off your coat too soon."

"If anyone on set bullies you, don't fight it out; call home."

"Although we live far apart, your dad isn't someone to be trifled with. He can just stop playing with them."

"Also, don't eat junk food just to save money."

"Your dad and I transferred money to your card; it's enough for you."

Leila leaned back in her chair and replied half-heartedly, "I know, Mom. I'm all grown up now. It's not like it's my first time traveling so far."

Although her gaze was fixed on the window, her fingers unconsciously twisted the tassels of her coat, her mind a jumble of thoughts, filled with images of Fett.

Fett turned his head to look at the withered yellow fields rushing past the window and couldn't help but say, "Be careful when you get there. Try not to go out alone at night. Take good care of yourself."

Leila snorted and patted a hard bulge at her waist. "Don't worry. I'll use my knife if necessary."

"I'm not one of those delicate girls in the city."

She turned her face, her hazel eyes fixed on Fett, her tone tentative and cautious: "But you, after I'm gone, don't let those bad women get their hands on you."

"Don't worry, it won't happen!" Fett smiled, then frowned slightly. "But, can you bring a knife on the plane? Don't let security confiscate it."

Leila was taken aback, clearly realizing this as well.

"I completely forgot if you hadn't mentioned it." She slapped her forehead in annoyance. "I'll put it in my suitcase before going into the airport; it should be fine for checked baggage."

The car sped along the highway.

Leila reached into her pocket, pulled out a hard candy, and quickly popped it into her mouth when no one was looking.

A refreshing sweetness melts on the tip of the tongue.

Several tens of minutes later, the gray-white terminal building of Greenville Airport came into view.

It's just a small regional airport, only one story high, with a few taxis and private cars picking up and dropping off relatives and friends parked at the entrance; it's not crowded.

Roy parked the car on the side of the road.

Fett jumped out of the truck first, walked to the side of the truck bed, and took out Leila's huge beige suitcase.

The box was heavy, and I had no idea how much stuff was inside.

Leila jumped out of the car from the other side, squatted down, and opened the suitcase.

The clothes in the suitcase were neatly folded. She took the folding knife from her waist, carefully stuffed it between a few sweaters, then closed the lid and zipped it up.

She stood up and clapped her hands.

Rachel came over, straightened the corner of her clothes that had been wrinkled by the seatbelt, and gave her a tight hug with tears in her eyes.

"Take care of yourself." Rachel released her grip, her voice slightly choked.

Lyra nodded, then turned and hugged Roy, who had been silent all along: "Daddy, I'm leaving."

Roy patted his daughter on the back without saying anything, though his eyes were a little red.

It was Fett's turn.

Fett opened his mouth, about to say something goodbye, but Lyra didn't give him the chance.

She rushed forward, opened her arms, and crashed into Fett's chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Fett instinctively tried to back away, but she held him tightly.

Lyra tiptoed, giving Fett no time to react, and pressed her soft, warm lips heavily against his.

The little tongue nimbly slipped between Fett's lips and teeth, making a ruckus inside!

It's a lime-flavored mint!

Upon tasting the flavor, Fett's mind went completely blank.

"Cough! Layla! You—"

Roy's voice barely escaped his lips before it was cut short, like a rooster being choked.

Rachel reacted quickly, covering her husband's mouth and pulling him aside.

A few seconds later, Leila released her grip.

She was slightly out of breath, her cheeks were as red as ripe apples, but her eyes were sparkling, as if they held stars.

She leaned close to Fett's ear, her warm breath brushing against his neck, her voice soft yet firm: "Don't forget me."

After saying that, she didn't dare look Fett in the eye again. She turned around, grabbed the handle of her suitcase, and hurried towards the check-in counter as if she were fleeing, her ponytail swinging behind her head.

Fett stood there, watching Lyra's figure disappear into the crowd, and subconsciously licked his lips, as if a faint lemony sweetness still lingered on them.

On the way back, Rachel sat silently in the passenger seat, occasionally looking out the window and wiping away tears.

Roy drove without saying a word.

Sitting in the back, Fett felt a suffocatingly low pressure emanating from the broad back of the person in the driver's seat.

Through the rearview mirror, he could occasionally meet Roy's scrutinizing, even somewhat murderous, eyes.

The road home feels even longer than the way here.

Fett shrank back, turned his gaze to the withered yellow fields outside the window, and put his hands in his jacket pockets.

My fingertips touched a hard, tubular object.

I took it out and looked at it.

A half-eaten lime-flavored Halls mint lies in my palm.

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