Chapter 157: Mid-August, Setting Out for Jinling

Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Mid-August, Setting Out for Jinling

Time always slips away before you know it.

Before they knew it, August was already half over.

"Son, you and Qinghe, when does school start for you two again?"

Chen Dongmei asked from the living room sofa.

"August 22nd," Gu Yifan replied casually.

"Oh, that’s only a few days away, then!"

Chen Dongmei nodded.

After a moment of thought, she turned to her husband. "How about this, Old Gu? You take the day off on the 22nd and drive them to school to register."

"Alright. I’ll arrange it with the driver, Xiaoli, for that day."

Gu Jiaguo had no objections and nodded in agreement.

When he heard his parents say they were going to drive him and Su Qinghe to register at school, Gu Yifan quickly refused. "Whoa, no, no, no! Dad, you don’t need to take us. Qinghe and I can just go by ourselves!"

’Are you kidding me!’

’He wanted to drive his car to Jinling. If his dad took them, his secret would be exposed!’

"Hm?"

Seeing Gu Yifan’s refusal, Chen Dongmei couldn’t help but frown. "Mountain City is so far from Jinling. It’s safer if your dad drives you!"

"Come on, what era are we living in? Transportation is so advanced now, we can just travel there ourselves!"

"Besides, it’s not that far. Mom, have you forgotten? Su Hanhan and I already traveled to Minnan by ourselves not too long ago!"

Gu Yifan said.

"Well... I suppose that’s true!"

Chen Dongmei had almost forgotten about that, but she still felt something was a little strange. ’Most kids can’t wait for their parents to take them to college, so why is it the exact opposite with my own little brat?’

"Oh, come on, Mom, don’t worry. It’ll be fine!"

Seeing that his mom was starting to cave, Gu Yifan decided to press his advantage.

Chen Dongmei instinctively glanced toward her husband. After they exchanged a look, she nodded. "Alright, then. Your dad doesn’t have to take you, but you two just be careful on the way!"

"Mhm!"

"We know. Don’t worry!"

Gu Yifan nodded.

After a moment’s thought, he added, "Oh, by the way, we’re planning to head over early, on the fifteenth."

"Huh?"

Chen Dongmei’s brows furrowed again at his words.

"Wait, didn’t you just say school doesn’t start until the 22nd? Why are you going so many days early?"

"Well, we just want to get there a little early to get used to the new environment!"

Gu Yifan smiled. "Besides, Mom, have you forgotten I have a company there? I have to go take care of some things, you know!"

Whenever her son’s so-called "tech company" came up, Chen Dongmei couldn’t help but want to roll her eyes.

’It all felt like child’s play to her; she had no faith in it whatsoever.’

She just didn’t want to pour cold water on his ambitions.

"Alright, alright, go if you want to go!"

"But I’m telling you, you can mess around with your entrepreneurship, but a student needs to act like a student. You’d better not fall behind in your college courses. If you fail even one class, you can forget about that blasted company of yours!"

Chen Dongmei shot him a glare, her tone sharp.

"Er..."

Gu Yifan was left speechless. He gave a helpless look and said, "I know, I know. Don’t worry!"

...

On the morning of August 15th, having refused his parents’ offer to see them off, Gu Yifan and Su Qinghe took their luggage and left early, while his parents were still asleep.

Gu Yifan did this on purpose. Firstly, he didn’t want to make his mom unnecessarily sad, and secondly, he wanted to avoid having to explain about the car.

August was the hottest time of the year in Mountain City. Even though it was only around six in the morning, Gu Yifan could feel himself starting to sweat just from the effort of carrying a suitcase downstairs.

"Are we really not going to say a word to Uncle and Auntie?"

Su Qinghe asked quietly from inside the car, her expression conflicted.

"It’s fine. I already left them a note,"

Gu Yifan said with a wave of his hand. "Besides, I still haven’t told them about this car! If we woke them up, my mom would just start nagging again."

"Still..."

Su Qinghe still felt that leaving without a sound didn’t sit right with her.

"Come on, it’s fine. We’ll just call them and let them know we’ve arrived safely once we get there."

Gu Yifan said, reaching out to rub her head.

"Alright."

Since Gu Yifan had put it that way, what else could she say?

"Alright, let’s get going. It’s still a dozen or so hours to Jinling!"

"Even if we leave now, we might not make it there today!"

Gu Yifan said.

With that, he started the car.

VROOOM—!!

The roar of the G-Wagen’s engine abruptly shattered the quiet.

SCREEECH—

Then, with the sound of tires squealing against the pavement, the car gradually disappeared from the underground garage.

...

「8:30 AM」

The moment Chen Dongmei got out of bed, she saw the note on the table. She picked it up to read it and was left completely speechless.

’That little brat Gu Yifan had actually run off without saying a word!’

After a moment’s thought, she walked over to the phone and dialed his number.

"*I head all the way north, leaving the season I had with you / Around the steering wheel, my regret swirls...*"

Gu Yifan, who was in the middle of driving, suddenly heard his ringtone.

"Hanhan, phone call. It’s probably my mom. Can you get it?"

Gu Yifan said, turning his head to Su Qinghe.

"Huh?"

Su Qinghe froze for a second, nervous. "I... What should I say?"

"Just say we’re on the train."

"For the rest of it, just play it by ear. Say whatever you think is best."

Gu Yifan said nonchalantly.

"Well... alright."

Su Qinghe pouted, resigned.

She picked up Gu Yifan’s phone and nervously answered the call.

"You little brat, think you’ve got wings now, do you? Just taking off with Qinghe without a single word!"

The call had barely connected when Chen Dongmei’s voice came through, already scolding.

Su Qinghe: "..." (-_-||)

"A... Auntie, it’s me."

She said nervously in a small voice.

"Oh?"

Chen Dongmei was clearly taken aback on the other end of the line.

"Oh... Qinghe, it’s you!"

"Oh, I’m so sorry, dear. Auntie thought it was that little brat Yifan. I wasn’t scolding you, I promise!"

Chen Dongmei’s tone became instantly gentle.

Listening to his mom’s 180-degree change in attitude, Gu Yifan, who was still driving, was completely speechless.

’The blatant favoritism is infuriating!’

"By the way, Qinghe, how come you’re the one answering? Where’s that little brat, Yifan?"

Chen Dongmei asked from the other end of the line.

"Umm..."

For a moment, Su Qinghe didn’t know how to answer. She instinctively glanced over at Gu Yifan.

"Say I went to the bathroom!"

Gu Yifan mouthed to her.

"Yifan... he went to the bathroom. He didn’t bring his phone, so I answered."

Su Qinghe stammered nervously.

...