LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 338
Chapter 338: True Friendship is Hard to Find, Bingbing Sighs
Bingbing’s house was actually in town rather than at the village entrance, but the overall planning of the town in Shennongjia still had a somewhat rural feel.
However, compared to other houses, Bingbing’s home could be considered quite spacious and bright; the ceilings between the second and first floors were very high, but there wasn’t much furniture inside, making the place feel a bit empty.
Bingbing’s younger sister, Taotao, was clearly a reliable and sensible little cutie. As soon as her older sister ran off, she started helping their mother entertain guests, serving tea, pouring water, and slicing fruits with great diligence;
the twin brothers were lured outside by the remote-controlled car that Mei Fang bought, and kids of their age were often annoying to others, so people weren’t particularly interested in them;
while the cute little kindergarten-going sister, Guoguo, acted as a mascot, surrounded by the girls to play with.
“Guoguo, how old are you this year?”
“I’m… six!”
“Who’s your favorite family member?”
“My favorite is… Taotao Jiejie!”
“Oh wow, why not Bingbing Jiejie?”
“Because Bingbing Jiejie doesn’t play with me, she only comes back once in a long while.”
“Bingbing Jiejie is working hard to make money by studying, look, she even bought you a doll!”
“Yeah… I guess.”
Guoguo’s innocent voice delighted Xia Yuan, who played happily with her. Mei Fang watched with a smile, and Lin You Xi leaned on his shoulder, smiling.
“You don’t see Yuan Yuan enough, do you? Even when you’re out, you can only stare at her?”
“It’s not just about Yuan Yuan. Don’t you think she looks a lot like Yuan Yuan did when she was little? With those chubby cheeks, she’s so adorable.”
“Do you remember Yuan Yuan’s appearance when she was little so vividly?”
“Of course… after all, she was the cutest back then.”
Lin You Xi whispered to Mei Fang, “Since you like how Yuan Yuan looked when she was little, why not have her give you more daughters?”
Mei Fang laughed and shook his head, whispering back, “Don’t just focus on Yuan Yuan. Xiao You Xi is also adorable.”
Lin You Xi smiled, “With a runny nose and all dirty, is that called adorable?”
“I like it anyway! Besides, Xiao You Xi will have two beautiful and fashionable mothers to love her, she’ll definitely become an incredibly cute little girl.”
“That’s wishful thinking.”
Just as Lin You Xi and Mei Fang were bantering, Bingbing’s voice came from outside.
“I’m back.”
“Bingbing, how was it?”
The usually cheerful Bingbing lacked her usual enthusiasm, but under Xia Yuan’s concerned inquiry, she managed to force a bright smile. “Let’s eat first! Try our hometown dishes from Shennongjia!”
“Come on, kids, let’s eat! Try the braised pig’s feet and smoked bacon, they’re delicious!”
“Oh wow, how fragrant!”
Bingbing’s mom bustled around, preparing a big table full of food without getting tired. Everyone sat down to eat, and Bingbing took the opportunity to introduce her friends to her mom, especially focusing on Mei Fang.
“This is Fang, whom I’ve mentioned to you. He was my desk mate for three years in high school, helping me a lot. Especially during the time when I was isolated after being injured, he and his friends helped me.”
“You must be Mei Fang… a lively young man, good! I heard you helped with the athlete stuff at school?”
“Well, I didn’t do much, just gathered some information and contacted the teachers…”
Mei Fang scratched his head, “Bingbing is good at sports, her talent should be showcased, otherwise it would be wasted.”
Hearing this, Bingbing looked thoughtful. Lin You Xi noticed her sadness and exchanged a glance with Xia Yuan.
After everyone finished eating, they helped Bingbing’s mom clear the dishes. Seeing Taotao packing meals, Mei Fang asked, “Are you going to give this to your dad?”
At dinner, Bingbing and Mei Fang hadn’t revealed their special status, but Taotao, who watched C-Station, knew from her sister that they were important figures.
Taotao was naturally gentle and introverted, so she didn’t show excessive fan behavior, just nodded slightly.
“You should rest, we’ll take it to your dad.”
“You guys won’t leave… I’ll go with you.”
“No need, your sister can take it.”
Mei Fang gently patted Taotao’s head, appreciating her obedient and sensible nature.
“You’ve been busy helping your mom all day, must be tiring?”
“Not too bad… we’re used to it.”
Taotao saw her sister’s sadness and whispered to Mei Fang, “Sister and Rou Rou are childhood friends. Rou Rou has to get married instead of going to college, she must be heartbroken.”
“I know, we’ve seen it.”
Mei Fang nodded, “We want to talk with Bingbing about this and see if we can help.”
“Thank you! Brother Zhan is really kind… ah, you watch C-Station too?”
“Yes, I love watching videos there, the users are so friendly!”
“If you like it, I’ll send you some C-Station merchandise next time, what kind of plush toy do you want?”
“A small TV, it’s so cute!”
Mei Fang chatted with Taotao and took the lunch box from her. Xia Yuan and Lin You Xi looked at him with complicated expressions.
“What’s up?”
“I feel Fang is extra enthusiastic towards little girls.”
“After all, Fang is fond of girls. Just now, he was thinking about Yuan Yuan giving him daughters.”
Xia Yuan teased Mei Fang, but Lin You Xi suddenly dropped a bombshell, “Really?”
“I didn’t say it had to be daughters!”
Lin You Xi quickly added, “That means he likes anything Yuan Yuan gives birth to.”
“Are you that eager?”
Bingbing finished packing and walked over, “My sister said you want to bring food to my dad. Why don’t I take you to the forest area? It’s about a 20-minute drive. Is You Xi okay with it?”
Lin You Xi smiled and shook her head, “I’m fine, but what about you? What did Xiao Ran say?”
“She’ll tell you on the way… ”
Bingbing boarded the town bus and told her friends about Qingmei Xiao Ran.
“She said she quit voluntarily because she couldn’t concentrate on studies… and that her boyfriend is nice or something… Although I tried to persuade her, she seemed uninterested. She used to want to leave home and see the world, but now she seems different… I can’t explain, but it’s hard.”
The usually optimistic Bingbing sighed repeatedly on the bus. Seeing her worried, everyone felt concerned.
Guo Yun comforted her, “You’ve only known each other for a short time, changes are normal… but maybe talking more would help, you haven’t talked much, right?”
Lin You Xi asked, “Does Xiao Ran’s family have a bias against girls? Her father doesn’t support her continuing education.”
“There might be such a trend here, but Xiao Ran said it was voluntary… I can’t—”
“So we need to clarify if it’s truly voluntary.”
Mei Fang chimed in, “While everyone has their own path, if a friend makes a hasty decision they regret later, those around them will always feel regret too.”
“Fang is right. We need to find out if Xiao Ran genuinely wants to marry instead of studying, but we should also learn more about your friend, what was she like before?”
“Rather quiet…”
Bingbing thought for a moment, “She’s similar to Xiaoyu, but braver.”
Liu Xiaoyu laughed, “So, in your eyes, I’m very timid…”
“She’s… unlike someone from Shennongjia, who screams at mice and spiders, and gets scared at wild boars running on the street. Once, a wolf ran into town, and she didn’t dare leave the house for a whole day. The wolf was found by me in the end.”
Liu Xiaoyu shivered, “Do you mean I’m too brave?”
“Exactly!” Xia Yuan nodded.
“But overall, she’s a gentle girl. When I was little, I liked running and wearing sneakers, but I couldn’t tie them, and Xiao Ran always helped me. She learned to cook when she was young, and her food was delicious…”
Bingbing shared stories about her friend, making Xia Yuan and Mei Fang exchange knowing smiles. Lin You Xi coughed softly and said,
“Since you’re such close friends, you should ask her clearly about her thoughts.”
Mei Fang pondered, “Just talking might not be meaningful. Though she’s engaged, she probably won’t marry so soon. Does she really want to marry before 20?”
“She started late in school, she’s turning 20 in two months. But we shouldn’t delay asking.”
Lin You Xi suggested, “Why not invite Xiao Ran to meet us? We can chat more, relax, and maybe understand her true feelings.”
Bingbing, who was unsure, immediately brightened up. She grabbed Lin You Xi’s hand excitedly, “Yes, that’s a great idea! We can play together, she’ll be more relaxed and might open up to me. I’ll bring her along.”
Bingbing tried to call the driver to stop midway, but Mei Fang stopped her, “Hey, you still need to deliver the food to your dad!”
The bus stopped at a station in the middle of the forest area. Mei Fang and the group followed Bingbing along the asphalt road to a simple wooden cabin.
Rangers have a tough job, staying in the forest for over seven months of the year. Bingbing’s father lived in such a place. When he appeared, towering at 1.9 meters, everyone understood where Bingbing got her genes.
“Uncle, hello!”
Mei Fang and the group greeted Uncle Bing, who was surprised to see Bingbing’s classmates but quickly welcomed them.
“Uh, hi, come in.”
They entered Uncle Bing’s cabin and sat on wooden stools. The interior was simple, with a desk, dining table, small TV, bed, and a simple stove. There were some clocks, mirrors, and portraits of leaders on the walls.
Uncle Bing poured everyone a cup of tea and said warmly, “There’s nothing much to offer, feel free to look around.”
“Sure, Uncle Bing, we’re just bringing food.”
Mei Fang responded, and Xia Yuan kept nudging him, pointing to a hunting rifle placed by the side.
Rangers are legally armed to protect themselves from poachers, but seeing the real thing made everyone uneasy.
Uncle Bing led a simple and tough life, except for his Chinese farm dog, Dahuang. His long loneliness made him speak rarely. Bingbing arrived, and he listened to her chatter while eating, sighing at the mention of Xiao Ran’s marriage.
“That child is too young, she doesn’t need to marry so early. She should explore more.”
Uncle Bing recalled, “When Xiao Ran and Taotao brought me food earlier this year, she asked about qualifications for being a ranger. I joked about her fear of animals, but she just smiled. Maybe she had other thoughts back then…”
Bingbing thought for a moment, “Dad, I plan to take my friends and Xiao Rou camping tomorrow. What do you think?”
“Sure, you’re always taking friends out to play,” Uncle Bing smiled, “Remember to take them to Jiaolong Lake to see the golden monkeys.”
“The golden monkeys are boring, I want to find the donkey-headed wolves and the big-footed beasts!”
Bingbing was interrupted by her dad, “Stop believing in those silly stories. I’ve never seen anything unusual in the mountains, and neither will you. Stick to the resort, no tricks.”
Uncle Bing reminded Bingbing, “There are many tourists at Jiulong Lake recently, remember to enter from the north.”
“Got it, can I take the family’s Jinbei up the mountain?”
“Don’t dream! Your license isn’t ready yet. Let your mom drive, she’s delivering goods tomorrow anyway.”
Bingbing and her dad planned their trip to Shennongjia, and in the coming days, they would spend time in the vast and endless central Hubei plateau, Shennongjia forest area.
It’s been a while since I last recommended a book, so I’ll recommend one of my own works to relieve fatigue. My monthly ticket ranking has fallen below 100. The author of “Daily Rebirth Immortal Cultivation,” Courtyard Giant, is right behind me and says he’s about to beat me. Can you just watch me get beaten? Please cast more monthly tickets. If you don’t, I’ll kneel and beg.