CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 47: WHO ARE YOU CLOSEST TO

Zhao Meimei led Xu Xu for a tour around the house. The two of them were cozily sitting on the couch, enjoying shrimp chips and watching TV, when they heard someone shouting her name from outside the balcony.

"Zhao Meimei! Meimei! Zhao! Mei! Mei!"

Liu Xiue took two steps from the kitchen to the balcony, sticking her head out and shouting below, "It’s Da Bao!"

Da Bao quickly called out, "Auntie, is Meimei at home?"

Zhao Meimei jumped up from the couch and ran to the balcony, leaning over to look down. "What do you want?"

A few kids, including Da Bao, craned their necks up, and upon seeing Zhao Meimei’s little head sticking out above the balcony, they excitedly shouted, "Meimei, come out and play!"

Zhao Meimei retracted her head and asked Xu Xu, "Wanna go out and play?"

Xu Xu asked, "Who are they?"

Zhao Meimei flicked her head, "My pals. The one who shouted is the one I mentioned last time. Like you, he doesn’t have a dad, and his name is Da Bao."

Upon hearing Zhao Meimei’s explanation, Liu Xiue and Xu Xu simultaneously responded.

Xu Xu: "Oh, so it’s him."

While washing pig’s feet, Liu Xiue turned her eyes to Zhao Meimei and scolded loudly, "Zhao Meimei! Watch your mouth, be polite!"

Zhao Meimei, long used to her mother’s loud voice, didn’t mind at all. She turned and waved at Da Bao and the others from the balcony, but Xu Xu was startled, trembling and paling.

Noticing, Liu Xiue apologized and comforted, "Oh dear, did I scare you? I usually shout for Meimei like that, it’s okay, no problem."

Zhao Meimei withdrew her head from the balcony and signaled Xu Xu, "Come on, I’ll take you out to play!"

Xu Xu hurried to follow, while Liu Xiue called from behind, "Meimei, take care of Xu Xu, and have fun!"

Their response was the sound of footsteps dashing down the stairs.

Liu Xiue shook her head helplessly, "This child."

As Zhao Meimei rushed out the hallway door, Da Bao grabbed her arm, "Why did it take you so long to come down?"

Da Bao tugged at Zhao Meimei and turned to see a boy following behind her.

Da Bao was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Who’s this?"

Zhao Meimei introduced, "He’s my classmate, Xu Xu. These guys are my pals, Da Bao, Wang..."

Da Bao acknowledged with an "Oh," not paying much attention to Xu Xu, and proudly took out a brand new pouch from his hand, "Meimei, let’s play tossing bags?"

Zhao Meimei took it, weighed it, and laughed, "Oh, isn’t this filled with soybeans?"

Da Bao laughed, "Exactly, my mom sewed it for me."

The called boy had a flattering expression, "Meimei, I provided the pouch, so can I join your team later when we play?"

Zhao Meimei agreed cheerfully, "Sure."

The group split into two teams. Zhao Meimei and Da Bao each picked their players, and the first one Zhao Meimei picked was the boy who brought the pouch. Just as she was about to continue playing rock-paper-scissors with Da Bao, someone gently tugged her arm.

Zhao Meimei turned around, "What’s up?"

Xu Xu looked at her eagerly, "I want to be on your team too."

Zhao Meimei agreed, "We’ll pick you if we win this round."

Xu Xu’s large eyes sparkled, and with Zhao Meimei’s "I’ll pick you," he beamed with pride.

When Zhao Meimei called Xu Xu’s name, he hurried to squeeze next to her, checking to see if anyone else was closer to her. If there was, he would move beside them until he pushed them away.

Zhao Meimei was good at bag tossing and dodging, having played from a young age. The others knew she was formidable, so they aimed at everyone else but her when throwing the bags.

Xu Xu had never played bag tossing before. As soon as he joined, he got hit and had to stand aside, waiting for Zhao Meimei to win and revive their fallen teammates.

Zhao Meimei was agile and experienced, dodging Da Bao’s team’s tricky throws with ease, as graceful as a swallow, captivating the onlookers’ attention.

Xu Xu watched Zhao Meimei with admiration, his eyes following her movements, cheering and clapping along, his fair face flushed with excitement.

After a few rounds, Da Bao realized that the newcomer, Xu Xu, was the weakest link and easiest to hit.

When Zhao Meimei’s team was dodging, Da Bao held the pouch, aiming fiercely at the clumsy Xu Xu, and threw it hard.

Thud!

The pouch, poorly aimed, smacked directly into Xu Xu’s face.

As it fell from his face, Xu Xu twitched his mouth and felt a warm liquid trickle from his nose.

Instinctively, Xu Xu wiped his nose with the back of his hand and, upon lowering it, was met with an alarming splash of red, causing him to go pale instantly.

"Oh my! I’m bleeding!"

Xu Xu stared blankly as everyone rushed over, with Zhao Meimei arriving first by his side.

Gazing up blankly, Xu Xu visibly relaxed when he spotted Zhao Meimei, mumbling while staring at her, "Meimei, I’m... I’m bleeding."

Zhao Meimei quickly reached over to help him tilt his head back, "Just keep your head up, don’t lower it, or the bleeding will continue."

Unsteady on his feet, Xu Xu swung his hands through the air, reaching out to grab Zhao Meimei’s waist and holding tightly.

Zhao Meimei let him hold on while she rummaged through her pocket for tissues, habitually stuffed by her mom because of her sinusitis.

Taking out a tissue, Zhao Meimei tore it into small pieces, rolled them into a ball, and inserted them into Xu Xu’s nostril.

With his head tilted back, Xu Xu gazed sideways at the calm and composed Zhao Meimei. The panic he felt began to subside as long as Zhao Meimei was there, it seemed like there was nothing to fear or worry about, and that in this world, there was nothing Zhao Meimei couldn’t handle.

Using the remaining tissue, Zhao Meimei wiped away the blood on his face and hands before turning to Da Bao and the others, "You guys keep playing, we’re heading back."

Da Bao, reluctant for Zhao Meimei to leave, pleaded, "Can’t you play a bit longer?"

Zhao Meimei took Xu Xu’s hand, "No, Xu Xu’s injured. I’ll take him home to rest for a while since it’s almost time to eat."

Obediently, Xu Xu followed Zhao Meimei back.

While climbing the stairs, Xu Xu, full of admiration, marveled, "Meimei, you’re amazing. I totally panicked when I started bleeding."

Zhao Meimei: "What’s there to panic about! I’ve had nosebleeds before too. Brother Yangyang was giving me a ride, and Brother Chaozi mischievously kicked the bike. Not sitting well, I bumped my head on the handlebar, and a nosebleed started. Brother Yangyang also told me to tilt my head back and stuff my nose, and it stopped soon."

Listening to Zhao Meimei speak excitedly about Brother Yangyang, Xu Xu sensitively asked, "Meimei, who are you closest to?"

He actually wanted to ask, "Meimei, am I your closest friend?"

Without thinking, Zhao Meimei blurted out, "Of course, I’m closest to Brother Yangyang."

Xu Xu pursed his lips and asked, "You like him the most?"

Zhao Meimei nodded, "Yeah."

Xu Xu lowered his dense eyelashes and asked, "Why?"

Feeling proud and confident, Zhao Meimei declared, "Because Brother Yangyang is cool and handsome, capable of everything, and truly impressive."

In a low voice, Xu Xu asked, "So if I grow up to be like that, would you like me the most, and want to play with me the most?"

As Xu Xu spoke, Zhao Meimei reached out to knock on the door, "Mom, open up! We’re back!"

After knocking, Zhao Meimei turned to Xu Xu, "What did you say just now?"

Hesitating for a moment, Xu Xu shook his head, "It’s nothing, I didn’t say anything."

Zhao Meimei acknowledged with an "oh," not taking it to heart, and as the door opened, she hurriedly rushed inside.