Chapter 26: Goodbye
Summer vacation ended with the last days of summer, the weather still scorching, the sun so bright it was blinding, creating the illusion that summer would never end.
The start of school was always melancholic. Sleeping in until noon during the holidays, staying up past one, skimming motivational quotes before bed each night, only to be left in the dust by others when school started.
“Did you finish your homework?”
“I didn’t go anywhere all summer, just did homework. If I still can’t finish it, I might as well die from exhaustion.”
He Mu Qing rolled her eyes, impatience evident on her face. “You’re about to leave, and you’re still nagging me.”
“Because I often hear about certain people pulling all-nighters to finish their homework before school starts and getting scolded.”
Su Yu held his newly purchased train ticket and dragged his heavy suitcase, He Mu Qing following behind, carrying a small bag for him.
“Who said that? I… I just forgot to do it.” He Mu Qing averted her gaze, her stubbornness unwavering.
The noisy waiting room drowned out their bickering. They chatted as usual, deliberately avoiding the topic of their impending separation.
“My train is coming. Be careful going home alone.”
“Okay~” He Mu Qing lowered her long eyelashes, responding obediently. “Call me when you get there, so my mom and dad won’t worry.”
“So worried about me? Will you cry?” Su Yu looked at He Mu Qing’s cute nose and couldn’t help but gently tap it, just like he used to.
He Mu Qing shook her head, her eyes wide. “Pfft, I’ll be happy when you’re gone. I won’t cry. Go away, go away.”
“Then… bye.”
“Bye.”
He Mu Qing handed Su Yu the bag and watched as he disappeared into the crowd, the hesitation in her heart slowly dissolving. She felt anxious, wanting to say something, but the words caught in her throat, the content forgotten.
“Hey, I really will go to Qingchuan.”
“I believe you. I’ll find the best dessert shop near the university and treat you every day.”
He Mu Qing watched as Su Yu turned around and smiled at her, and she couldn’t help but smile back.
Fortunately… fortunately, they were far enough apart that Su Yu couldn’t see the slight redness in the corners of her eyes.
…
The convenience store wasn’t very busy on weekdays. During her lunch break, Xia Qian Ge had to check the newly arrived inventory. It was meticulous work, and most people would make mistakes, but the manager was very satisfied with the new girl. She was pretty, diligent, and hadn’t made a single mistake all summer. It was a pity she was only a part-timer and would be leaving soon.
“Xiao Xia, you’re leaving tomorrow, right?”
“Hmm?”
Xia Qian Ge looked up from the inventory list, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, a bright smile on her face. “Yes, I have to go back to school tomorrow.”
“Sigh, then… will you still come work during your breaks?” the manager asked with a sigh.
“During breaks… the university is quite far from here. I probably won’t be able to.” Xia Qian Ge shook her head apologetically. “But I can come back during winter break, if you still need help.”
“Good, good. It’s a deal then. Come back during winter break, and I’ll give you a raise.”
The manager smiled cheerfully. “I’ll also nominate you for best employee this time. There’s a bonus.”
“Thank you, manager.”
“There’s a customer at the checkout. Go take care of them. I’ll finish checking the inventory.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Xia Qian Ge put down the inventory list, dusted off her uniform, and went to the front to ring up the customer.
For most people, the summer break after the gaokao was a time to relax. After three years of hard work, there was no need to be so strict with themselves during the break. Occasional part-time jobs were for gaining life experience, but Xia Qian Ge had no choice.
She smiled as she scanned the customer’s items, calculated the total, packed them into a plastic bag, and handed them to the customer with a smile.
Her clean, refreshing smile made the customer pause, probably wondering why such a pretty girl was working at an ordinary convenience store.
The customer stammered, then said “thank you” and hurriedly left the store, as if forgetting something. He never used to thank cashiers.
As the customer left, the smile on Xia Qian Ge’s face faded, her deep eyes like pools of ink, devoid of warmth, looking cold and distant.
She didn’t really like to smile, didn’t understand what was so funny. But the stiff, mechanical smile had somehow become her trademark.
She couldn’t stop smiling. Without the smile, she wouldn’t be so popular at school, wouldn’t be able to find a job so easily, and wouldn’t… be able to make the boy steal glances at her profile.
Today was her last day at the store. Strictly speaking, starting this afternoon, she would be completely free, free from that home.
…
The sky was ablaze with the colors of the setting sun. Xia Qian Ge walked out of the convenience store with a small black backpack. Even during holidays, she dressed simply—a plain white T-shirt and faded jeans that accentuated her long legs, but looked rather shabby.
The convenience store wasn’t far from home. The apartment was the only thing her father had left them before the divorce, an old apartment in an old complex, not worth much. He was clever, waiting until Xia Qian Ge turned eighteen before filing for divorce, so he wouldn’t have to pay child support, cutting ties completely.
Although their marriage had long been broken, it had dragged on until the day she became an adult. The man had never fulfilled his responsibilities as a father, his philandering a constant. The collapse of their dysfunctional family was, for her, a liberation.
“Hello, Mom.”
Xia Qian Ge answered the phone, her voice sweet and obedient, a genuine smile in her eyes, the perfect image of a good child.
The woman’s voice on the other end was filled with exhaustion, sounding weak and sickly. “Qian Ge, are you off work yet?”
“Yes, I’m off work.”
“Then… did you get paid?”
“Yes, the manager even gave me a few hundred yuan bonus today.”
“That’s good. It’s just… your father, he said he wants to start a business and wants to borrow some money from us. We have some savings. Do you think we can…”
“Mom, you’re already divorced, and…” Xia Qian Ge’s voice was still soft and gentle, incredibly obedient. “That’s the money for my tuition.”
“But… but you just got paid, and I’ll get paid in a few days. Just consider it a loan from me, okay?”
“Mom, he has nothing to do with us anymore. Do we really need to stay in contact with him?”
“Qian Ge, how can you say that? You still have his blood running through your veins. How is he not your father?”
“Okay, Mom, I’ll listen to you. Lend it to him.”
“Good, good. Qian Ge is the best.”
“Mm-hmm, what do you want to eat tonight, Mom? I’ll…”
“I’ll hang up now, or your father will get impatient.”
Xia Qian Ge listened to the static on the phone, the words she wanted to say cut short, along with the smile on her face.
“Poor thing…”
She murmured to the disconnected phone. Her mother was indeed pitiful, but Xia Qian Ge felt no sympathy. She deserved it.
Weak people never deserved happiness, never…
