ryethenovel Chapter 342 How did I end up sleeping in the car?
Chapter 342 How did I end up sleeping in the car?
The call connected quickly. She lowered her voice, a hint of apology in it, "Mom, you should go to sleep first. Don't wait for me. I won't be back until a little later. Just leave the door open for me..."
She knew that her mother's heart was always in suspense.
After hanging up the phone, the night breeze seemed a bit cooler, carrying the refreshing scent unique to early autumn. It brushed against my skin and took away the last trace of the slightly warm feeling from the barbecue.
On the way back, the car drove smoothly on the empty country road, and outside the window were the silhouettes of the fields, outlined by the moonlight, rushing past.
Perhaps it was the intoxicating tranquility of the night, or perhaps it was the release of her pent-up fatigue from the past few days, but Xian Zuling's head gradually tilted toward the car window, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier... Before they had gone far, her long, even breathing could be heard from the back seat, and she drifted off to sleep.
Ye Fan glanced at the mirror and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
He signaled the driver to slow down and carefully closed the rear windows, leaving only a crack for ventilation.
The car drove into the county town and finally stopped quietly at the familiar alleyway of Xianzu Lingjia.
"Offering sacrifices to the ancestral spirits? We're home." Ye Fan called out softly.
The only response he received was the girl's soft, steady breathing and a few indistinct murmurs in her sleep.
She slept soundly, like a small animal that had finally found a safe haven.
Ye Fan did not insist on waking her up.
He gestured to the driver for help, and with very gentle movements, he folded down the back seats to create a more comfortable resting space.
Then, he carefully opened the skylight a crack, allowing the cool night breeze to slowly flow in.
Finally, he pulled a soft, thin blanket from the storage compartment, carefully covered the ancestral spirit with it, and tucked the corners of the blanket in.
After doing all this, he said to the driver, "You've worked hard. You should go back to the hotel and rest. I'll stay here with you for a while."
The driver nodded, silently opened the door and got out of the car, his figure disappearing into the hazy morning mist.
Only the two people remained inside the car, along with the occasional sounds outside the window announcing the start of a new day.
Xian Zuling rolled over in the reclined chair, wrapped herself tightly in the thin blanket, and slept peacefully.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the skylight, gently caressing my eyelids.
Xian Zuling suddenly woke up, her heart pounding. She blinked blankly and found herself still in the car, covered with a warm blanket.
Outside the car window, the sky was already beginning to lighten, with the edges of the gray-blue sky showing a hint of pale white.
The car was parked in the familiar spot at the entrance of my alley.
Where is Ye Fan?
She hurriedly sat up and was about to open the car door.
With a soft "click," the car door was pulled open from the outside.
The cool morning air and a tall, slender figure rushed in together.
"Awake?" Ye Fan's voice was slightly hoarse from the morning, but still gentle. He handed over a warm paper bag and a cup of soy milk. "Perfect timing, just bought it, eat it while it's hot."
Xian Zuling blankly accepted the fragrant steamed buns and warm soy milk. Memories flooded back, and her cheeks flushed red: "How could I have slept in the car? And all night?"
She was utterly ashamed.
Seeing her embarrassed expression, Ye Fan smiled and said, "I called you several times last night, but you didn't wake up. You were probably tired from playing. I thought it would be good for you to rest in the car, so I didn't force you to wake up. I also rested in the car for a while. It's fine."
He explained it casually, as if spending the night in the car was just a normal thing.
"I'm so sorry, Ye Fan! You've gone to so much trouble!" Xian Zuling felt both guilty and grateful.
"Don't worry about it." Ye Fan waved his hand, looking towards the alley entrance. "Go back quickly. Your family must be worried if you haven't been home all night. Eat the soy milk and steamed buns while they're hot."
"Yes!" Xian Zuling nodded vigorously and was about to get off the car.
Just then!
Her gaze suddenly fixed on the alley entrance—a familiar, slightly thin figure was walking briskly out of the dimly lit alley!
It's my mother, Li Xiulan!
The spirit of the ancestor opened its eyes wide in surprise.
It's not even six o'clock yet!
The chill of the early morning had not yet dissipated, but Mother was already dressed neatly, her hair combed meticulously, and carrying an old cloth bag whose contents were unclear. She walked hurriedly, clearly heading to work somewhere.
Ye Fan immediately noticed the unusual behavior of the ancestral spirit, and following her gaze, he instantly understood: "Is that your mother?"
"Hmm..." Xian Zuling's voice was filled with deep confusion, and a hint of barely perceptible worry, "But why did she go out so early?"
"What kind of work does Auntie usually do?" Ye Fan asked.
Xian Zuling shook her head blankly, her eyes filled with unease: "I only know that she said she could earn more than a hundred a day, but she never told me the specifics of what she did..."
A strong sense of unease gripped her—her mother's health wasn't very good, and she feared that her mother was doing physically demanding work to earn more money.
Should she ask directly? She knew her mother would definitely brush it off with "I'm fine" or "I'm not tired."
Seeing the girl's furrowed brows and deep worry in her eyes, Ye Fan didn't hesitate and decisively said, "Fasten your seatbelt."
"Huh?" Xian Zuling was taken aback.
"Let's go take a look." Ye Fan's tone was calm and unwavering. He started the car. "Let's see where Auntie went so early."
A strong sense of warmth and gratitude instantly welled up in the heart of the ancestral spirit.
She hadn't expected Ye Fan to be so perceptive of her worries and willing to take action to help her resolve her inner conflict.
She nodded vigorously, quickly fastened her seatbelt, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Thank you, Ye Fan! Thank you so much!"
The MPV, like a silent fish, glided slowly along the quiet streets in the early morning, trailing behind Li Xiulan at a distance.
Li Xiulan walked to the bus stop, and within a few minutes, an early morning bus pulled up.
She got into the car with a deft step.
Ye Fan's car started up as well, maintaining a proper distance, following behind the bus carrying his mother's figure, heading towards an unknown destination.
The atmosphere inside the car became somewhat heavy. Xian Zuling gripped the warm soy milk cup tightly in both hands, her eyes fixed on the bus in front of her, her heart rising and falling with the turning of the wheels.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated when the MPV, carrying a bellyful of questions and concerns, blended into the gradually awakening pulse of this small town.
......
The bus bumped along the edge of the county town for a long time before finally stopping at a dusty terminus in a rural-urban fringe area.
Li Xiulan got off the bus with several other early risers and hurried toward an area enclosed by a low wall.
The air was filled with the smell of soil and dust.
Ye Fan's car quietly stopped not far away.
Through the car window, Xian Zuling could see the blurry sign hanging at the entrance of that area—XX Building Materials Factory (Red Brick Branch).