Chapter 227: Yujia: White Flag

Under Xia Yu’s explanation, Youxue understood the reason for the three of them being together.

Seeing that things were not as she had imagined, Youxue felt relieved, yet slightly disappointed.

She felt relieved because her brother wasn’t a cad, but disappointed that her brother hadn’t managed to win over one of them.

As a child born into a poor family, Youxue always had her own considerations when doing things. Her intention behind getting close to An Siyao, Feng Yujia, and Feng Yumo was also to help her brother establish a connection.

Especially An Siyao, who was the type she admired. Unfortunately, An Siyao was resistant to such matters, and her family background was also too prominent.

There had also been Xu Youxiang. Although she didn’t have the background of the three girls, she had top-notch talent and was destined to become a major figure in the future. However, Xu Youxiang’s legs were paralyzed.

In daily interactions, Youxue didn’t mind at all and even felt some sympathy for her, but she was reluctant for her brother to marry such an incomplete woman.

Therefore, Feng Yujia and Feng Yumo were the most likely and promising candidates.

If her brother married one of them, he wouldn’t have to work so hard every day, right?

Thinking this, Youxue led the two into the living room.

Feng Yumo, naturally at ease, looked around curiously.

“Sister, you actually tricked me! Yuxue’s house isn’t as small as you said!” she exclaimed.

“I just moved; our previous house was really small,” Youxue explained to Feng Yujia.

“Since it’s not small, I can stay here, right?” Feng Yumo looked at her sister hopefully. Although the hotel was great, it lacked the feeling of home.

Feng Yujia hesitated for a moment.

She had previously thought Youxue’s family was a struggling household with an annual income of 100,000 to 200,000, but now it seemed Youxue’s family was at least a middle-class household with an annual income of 800,000 to 2 million. That meant they could comfortably stay and enjoy the hospitality.

“Then we’ll stay,” Feng Yujia said immediately.

Youxue agreed promptly, calculating in her mind that the room to the left of her brother’s was already occupied by her. The only remaining room nearby was on the right side. Should Feng Yujia or Feng Yumo take that room?

Feng Yujia was the same age as her brother, more mature, while Feng Yumo was a bit childish, petite, and cute.

After thinking for a while, she turned her thoughts to An Siyao and Xu Youxiang.

An Siyao was an evolved version of Feng Yujia—more mature, elegant, and with a perfect, harmonious figure. Xu Youxiang was an evolved version of Feng Yumo. Although older than Feng Yumo, she looked even younger than her.

Bringing her wandering thoughts back, Youxue ultimately decided to place Feng Yumo next to Xia Yu. She had heard that her brother seemed to have a good relationship with Xu Youxiang. Using Feng Yumo, who was somewhat similar, to divert his attention would be the best choice.

After finishing her worrying, she began preparing dinner.

“Youxue, you can cook too?” Feng Yujia and Feng Yumo were both surprised and hopeful.

Xia Yu wanted to tell them not to get their hopes up too high, but he didn’t get the chance.

When the food was served, the two sisters, accustomed to refined cuisine, wore expressions that were hard to describe.

The food was awkwardly balanced between delicious and terrible—making one feel like they had eaten but hadn’t truly eaten, completely failing to satisfy their taste buds, only their stomachs.

However, when Youxue looked at them, they both pretended to enjoy it.

“Let me cook from now on. Since we’re staying here, we should help out too, right?” Feng Yujia volunteered. She was quite particular about food, otherwise she wouldn’t have preferred instant noodles over eating at cheap restaurants.

“You, Yujia-jie, can cook too?” Youxue was surprised.

After receiving a positive reply, Youxue’s inner scale tilted again, deciding to switch Feng Yujia to the room next door instead.

Even An Siyao, the older sister, couldn’t cook!

Xia Yu also looked at Feng Yujia in surprise, not expecting this young lady to know how to cook.

However, it wasn’t particularly unusual.

During dinner, Feng Yujia seized the opportunity to bring up the matter she had wanted to discuss with Xia Yu the day before.

“Actually, running away from home is hard to achieve your goals,” Xia Yu analyzed for Feng Yujia. “The relatives who have the authority to decide your fate—what are their attitudes toward your unwillingness to go to District Eleven?”

“It’s Dad’s decision, and Mom listens to Dad about everything,” Feng Yumo answered.

“What kind of person is your father? Does he get along with you two normally?” Xia Yu asked again.

“He’s very strict. Except for a fixed family activity every week, he hardly spends time with us,” Feng Yujia said.

“Then you two are likely to lose,” Xia Yu concluded bluntly. “He won’t listen to you. If you push too hard, you might even be forcibly taken back.”

From Feng Yujia’s words, Xia Yu deduced that their father was distant and liked to follow plans.

He was distant because he hardly interacted with his two daughters, and liked to follow plans because of the weekly family activity.

Being distant meant their father wouldn’t easily soften his heart, and liking to follow plans meant their father wouldn’t easily change his plans.

No matter how Xia Yu looked at it, the Feng sisters’ plan to run away would end in failure.

Feng Yujia and Feng Yumo were already mentally prepared for Xia Yu’s prediction.

“Anyway, District Eleven isn’t that far. A flight doesn’t take long,” Feng Yujia said, visibly relaxing afterward.

People don’t only feel relaxed after winning; they can also feel relaxed after losing.

Sometimes, losing can even bring more relief.

Winning means continuing to work hard, but losing means you can just lie down and relax.

Feng Yumo had no objections to Feng Yujia’s decision, though she felt somewhat disheartened.

The dinner table fell silent.

“There’s still a while before school starts. Let’s think about it later!” Youxue tried to break the silence.

“Yeah, since we’ve decided to go to District Eleven anyway, I’m not going to attend classes anymore. The rest of the time will be for fun!” Feng Yujia made her decision. She took out her phone and sent a white flag emoji to her mother.

Half an hour later, Feng Yujia received a text message about a bank transfer. The amount wasn’t important; what mattered was that their cards were usable again.

The two girls dragged Youxue along to go shopping to relieve the stress of recent days.

Because it was already late, Xia Yu, worried, followed them.

At 11 PM, Xia Yu returned to the villa, covered in shopping bags.

The three girls were exhausted from shopping and immediately went to their respective rooms and fell asleep.

The next morning, they went out again, this time bringing Yan Li along.

As for Xia Yu, he went to Yin Shulan’s place.

He used the nine experience cards he had accumulated during this time.

His level 2 pharmaceutical skill finally reached level 3.

Level 1 knowledge was basic recognition of medicinal materials. Level 2 knowledge was the foundation of pharmacology. By level 3, Xia Yu felt he was already capable of researching some simple herbs.

However, this was limited to basic herbal medicine.

He keenly realized that level 3 was already the pinnacle of herbal medicine. Levels 4 and 5 would require modern equipment.

Either setting up a lab in this small town or going to a big city to use another research institution’s lab.

Leaving for a big city was more suitable. For pharmaceutical research, an assistant was also necessary. Only in a big city could he find a suitable assistant.

However, there were several issues to consider before leaving:

Should he take Yin Ling and Yin Wan with him when he left?

Would Yin Shulan agree to leave?

It wasn’t urgent yet. He still had a way to go before reaching level 4.

As the eight hours were about to pass, Xia Yu tidied up the yard, sat down to rest, and heard Yin Shulan’s voice.

“Can I ask for your help?” Yin Shulan said.

“What is it?” Xia Yu asked curiously. Aside from money, Yin Shulan had never asked him for anything else before.

“Yin Changui is a disobedient fellow, but I can’t bring myself to be ruthless,” Yin Shulan’s words were somewhat hesitant.

In her heart, she knew Yin Changui was no good, but after all, she was a mother. Facing Yin Changui’s attempts to make amends, she couldn’t coldly refuse.

“I’ll help you deal with him recently,” Xia Yu promised.

Making an elderly person leave the place they had lived for most of their life was no easy task. Xia Yu needed to increase Yin Shulan’s favorability.