Chapter 117: Journey

Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

Zhang Fan and Shao Hua left for their road trip to Zhang Fan’s hometown early in the morning. Shao Hua’s parents kept giving them lots of advice before they left, such as...

“Don’t drive too late at night just for the sake of getting there a little faster. Make sure to drive slowly. Also, pick the bigger hotels, and don’t worry about the cost.”

After leaving, Shao Hua’s eyes were a bit red as she watched her parents’ figures gradually shrink as they waved to her.

“It’s fine, we’ll be back here in a month,” Zhang Fan told her.

“Other than when I was in college, I’ve never been apart from my parents for so long before. I’m not really accustomed to this feeling.”

“The baby bird that grows up needs to leave the parents’ nest~!”

“You’re the baby bird!”

Zhang Fan still needed to visit Chasu City Hospital before he left. When Chen Qifa learned that Zhang Fan was returning home, he especially sent some dried snow lotus and safflowers on the fastest delivery service available so that his gift to Zhang Fan could arrive from Kuake City on time. Zhang Fan was really moved. While the dried flowers weren’t expensive, the thought behind the gift truly moved Zhang Fan.

Li Liang and Li Hui were waiting at Chasu City Hospital’s entrance. Li Liang secretly stuffed 1000 yuan in cash into Zhang Fan’s hand. “Bro, I’ve been too busy recently, without even a chance to leave the hospital. I didn’t have a chance to prepare a gift for you because of this. Just take the money. Otherwise, you’re not seeing me as a friend!”

Zhang Fan couldn’t help but take the money from Li Liang! Meanwhile, Li Hui was completely heartbroken. He also wanted to return home, and have a girlfriend to show off. However, time could never turn back. His ex-girlfriend Wang Sha had already married someone else, and she was living a peaceful and happy life! Maybe it was only human nature to know what was truly precious after losing it.

Li Hui had a bitter expression as he watched Zhang Fan and Shao Hua depart.

The drive from Chasu City to Zhang Fan’s hometown city was approximately 1,700 kilometers. Zhang Fan was incredibly happy as he drove on a major highway. This counted as him returning to his hometown a very successful man.

There were snowy mountains in the distance, grassy plains with no end in sight, flocks of sheep, and young shepherd girls!

There was also a clear blue sky, an arrow-straight highway, clear blue lake water, and a verdant forest.

For the first stop, Zhang Fan chose Raptor City. Since Zhang Fan’s younger sister was taking the college entrance examination soon, Zhang Fan and Shao Hua didn’t plan on touring the city. They would instead take more time visiting the scenic locations on their return road trip.

Raptor City had more people and cars than Chasu City. There were many flea markets here, and lots of border province specialties such as pit meat that couldn’t be found in Chasu City could be purchased here.

Shao Hua helped Zhang Fan to pick several Uighur style scarves, capes, and so on for his relatives. Although these gifts weren’t worth much money, they would be representing that he hadn’t forgotten about his family.

His relatives had helped to raise Zhang Fan’s tuition money for the first year of college. Although he had slowly returned the money during college, he couldn’t just forget about their willingness to help him out.

The people of Raptor City truly loved to eat dried fruits. There were so many varieties of dried fruits here that Zhang Fan felt that Raptor City ranked #1 in all of China for dried fruits.

Without mentioning anything else, just something as simple as raisins would have more than 20 different varieties. Not only that, these raisin varieties weren’t cheap! Zhang Fan had thought that local specialties would be cheaper, but the dried fruit sellers were especially forceful! “Buy it if you like it, but if you don’t want anything, get out! Don’t get in the way of my doing business!”

Zhang Fan could only think to himself, ‘Are people in Raptor City all so rich?’

Zhang Fan wasn’t very tired despite driving all day because of his excitement at soon being able to visit home. Since Shao Hua had attended college in Raptor City, the two of them walked around her college in the evening. They stood under a large Paulownia tree while watching the current college students walking around. “I haven’t returned to my college in so long! I feel like I’m getting old!” Shao Hua commented.

Zhang Fan reached out and squeezed Shao Hua’s nose. “You’re not old at all! Your face is still filled with collagen!” Zhang Fan even began to drool as he said this.

“You fool!”

Later that night, the two of them stayed in separate hotel rooms. Zhang Fan said that they should stay in the same hotel room together for the sake of Shao Hua’s safety, but Shao Hua ignored his “concern”! So, Zhang Fan could only go to sleep while hugging his pillow.

On the next day, the two of them set out on the road trip again after eating breakfast. Zhang Fan put on the sunglasses that Shao Hua specially purchased for him, played Daolang’s songs, and drove at a really fast pace down the highway!

White windmills, the sounds of scriptures being chanted, and the Lazikou that the Red Army passed by before!

The wind was really strong! It truly was so strong! The cross wind was really noticeable as Zhang Fan drove so fast down the highway.

For lunch, they stopped at a service area and stretched their legs. Zhang Fan suggested that they have some instant noodles, but Shao Hua didn’t want to, as she didn’t like eating instant noodles. Zhang Fan then suggested that they find a restaurant along the highway, but Shao Hua disagreed, as she had already prepared pancakes, cucumbers, preserved vegetables, and preserved duck eggs!

Shao Hua really did pay far more attention to detail than Zhang Fan did. Back at Raptor City, Shao Hua had purchased some fruits and washed them. She had also brought along a small fruit knife, so she sliced an apple and an orange into small pieces and kept feeding Zhang Fan as he drove.

At nighttime, they had already reached S Province, Zhang Fan’s hometown province. This province was an important defensive location in ancient northwestern China, with majestic castle walls that went across the Gobi Desert, and an important defensive location for the X River 1 . The cities along the X River had well developed tourism industries. Many people from all around China would come here every year for tourism.

Zhang Fan wasn’t that tired after the two days of driving so far, but Shao Hua was getting fatigued. Being on the road for more than 10 hours for the past two days consecutively made her face rather pale. Although Zhang Fan was in a hurry to reach home, he also felt bad for Shao Hua, so he decided that they should rest here for an entire day.

However, Shao Hua knew what it was like to feel homesick, so she disagreed. She wanted Zhang Fan to get home one day earlier so that he could have one extra day to spend with his family.

The scenery in S Province was more earthen brown and yellow compared to the green of the border province. The eating habits were also quite similar. Although carbohydrates were the primary food type prefered here, pilafs were also popular in the border province. The border province also had a bigger selection of local products.

Zhang Fan swore to the heavens that he wouldn’t do anything improper, and finally got Shao Hua to agree to let him give her a massage before she went to sleep.

Although she was beautiful and alluring, Zhang Fan wasn’t the type to take advantage of others, especially when Shao Hua had been willing to follow him for thousands of kilometers out here. Shao Hua had already fallen asleep by the end of the massage. Zhang Fan quietly covered her with a blanket, closed the door to her hotel room, and went back to his own hotel room to sleep.