Chapter 52: Ming Ying’s Avengers Plan 3 Part 1

Ming Ying spent two hours writing that completely illogical, nonsensical letter.

He initially wanted to just write “Let’s break up!”

But that was way too direct. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

So he went around in circles, editing and revising, and ended up writing that bizarre letter.

He couldn’t predict Silas’s reaction when he read it, but he had definitely felt a sense of satisfaction writing it himself.

Next, without much hesitation, Student Ming Ying requested leave from school, bought a plane ticket, and headed to the airport.

After cooling off for over ten hours on the plane, once he disembarked, Ming Ying didn’t dare go straight home. He turned on his phone, and the first thing he saw was a reply email from Thomas.

Ming Ying still didn’t dare open and read it.

Now, anything school-related immediately reminded him of that N-Cube Competition email. He instinctively avoided it.

So much so that, deep down in Student Ming Ying’s heart, the reason he fled back home was more about the competition than it was about Silas.

Standing at the familiar, bustling exit of Pudong Airport, Ming Ying suddenly had no idea where he should go.

So he bypassed the drivers soliciting customers, plopped down on his suitcase, and started sending messages.

Little Ming: Mom, I need to tell you something…

Blossoms on the Path: Wait, I’m busy.

Little Ming: ? Isn’t today Saturday?

Blossoms on the Path: I’m going dancing.

Ming Ying: “…”

Ming Ying: Fine.

Ming Ying switched targets to Comrade Jianguo.

Little Ming: Dad, I need to tell you something…

Comrade Jianguo: Wait a bit, I’m busy.

Little Ming: ? Isn’t today Saturday?

Comrade Jianguo: I’m going to play chess.

Ming Ying: “…”

So Student Ming Ying dragged his suitcase to his doorstep, but no one answered when he pressed the doorbell.

Occasionally, a couple of neighbors passed by. Ming Ying felt a bit embarrassed under their gazes.

So he called Ms. Chen Qinqin. However, when the call connected, he could hear boisterous laughter and cheerful chatter on the other end. Ming Ying was stunned.

Ms. Chen Qinqin asked, laughing, “Son, what’s up? Did you win an award? Take a picture of the trophy for me?”

Ming Ying: “…”

A little annoyed, Ming Ying said directly, “Mom, I didn’t win an award, and I came home.”

Silence on the other end of the line for a second.

Immediately after, he heard the person on the phone suddenly raise her voice: “You came home? Why are you coming home now?!”

This tone, as Ming Ying interpreted it, meant she didn’t want him back.

He was already feeling a bit upset: “Yeah, I’m home. I’m squatting right outside the door right now.”

“You child—” Chen Qinqin said, “What about school? How many days are you back for? This is too sudden, why are you always so willful—”

Ming Ying: “I can’t even come back to my own home anymore? How can you guys be like this…”

“Your dad and I are both on business trips, and you don’t have a key. Go find a hotel yourself.”

“…”

Ming Ying felt something was off. Both his parents’ jobs were local to Shanghai; it was rare for them to be on business trips at the same time.

Soon, Ming Ying received a message from Comrade Ming Jianguo, also saying he was on a business trip out of town and would rush back that evening.

Ming Ying sighed and replied, “Okay, Dad.”

After hesitating, he hailed a cab to go to a hotel.

Ming Ying felt terrible inside. The first person he saw after returning was actually his childhood friend—Son No. 1, Lin Yue.

As soon as Lin Yue heard he was back in the country, he rushed from school to the hotel. The two of them ordered a huge spread of takeout and talked for half the night. Ming Ying poured his heart out.

“In short, I’m now heartbroken plus abandoned by my family. That’s it.”

After hearing this, Lin Yue tsked, thinking it was classic drama club material. “So now, is the only thing missing ‘betrayed by a brother’?”

“Piss off.”

Lin Yue didn’t judge his buddy’s predicament, just said, “Perfect timing. I’ve been referencing your path, working weekends as a tour guide to scrape together tuition. Join me, help me fill a spot.”

Ming Ying was wallowing in misery: “Huh? Are you even human? I help you fill a spot?”

Lin Yue: “If you’re my bro, don’t talk nonsense.”

Thus, Ming Ying barely had time for sentimentality before his bro dragged him out to swipe his card.

The next day, he, a native-born Shanghainese, was hustled into participating in a Shanghai tour group project.

Ming Ying arrived very late, continuing his usual style. Departing from the hotel, he practically arrived just in time at the tour bus.

But there was someone even later than him.

Ming Ying listened as Lin Yue did a headcount, saying, “Still missing one.”

Ming Ying leaned to the side, thinking dammit, how could there be someone even less punctual than him.

“Hey— here he comes!”

Ming Ying instinctively looked over at the sound, and across a crosswalk, he saw a person.

The man was tall with long legs, wearing a trench coat. His pace wasn’t fast, but his steps were steady. Standing in a crowd, you couldn’t look away from him.

…WTF.

Ming Ying instinctively stepped back. He hadn’t expected to see him here.

Silas was even pulling a small suitcase, as if he’d just come from the airport.

Ming Ying couldn’t react for a long moment.

He felt his chest heat up, his hands trembling a little.

In the city where he grew up, that old man was actually standing across the crosswalk.

Incredibly surreal.

Like that false dream had chased him here.

Silas walked over.

—Wait, why is he appearing here?

Silas spotted Ming Ying at a glance. He hadn’t miscalculated; the person was indeed right there.

The two locked eyes across the distance. Lin Yue’s voice suddenly popped up, speaking in English: “Sir? Could I see some ID, please? Thank you.”

Damn. Ming Ying suddenly remembered the breakup letter he wrote. At least he hadn’t written any insults cursing out this old bastard.

Then he heard Silas say in fluent Chinese, “I speak Chinese.”

Lin Yue was extremely pleased: “Wow, wow, Sir, your Chinese is excellent. Are you mixed-race? You look like you have some Chinese genes, and your Chinese is so good.”

Why are they even chatting…

Ming Ying coughed, nudging his son: “What are you doing? Hurry up and go, so annoying.”

Lin Yue tsked: “What are you doing? I finally meet a foreigner with such good Chinese, what’s wrong with wanting to learn more?”

Silas’ lips quirked up: “Mm, because I’ve been practicing with the little one at home.”

“…”

Son of a—

Lin Yue looked behind him: “Little one? Didn’t come along?”

Silas chuckled: “Next time.”

Ming Ying: “…”

So sick.

Getting on the bus, since the group wasn’t large, the bus wasn’t full.

Silas found a double seat near the back and stood to the side, looking at Ming Ying coming up behind.

Ming Ying didn’t even look at him, directly bypassing him to sit in a double row further back.

Funny. What was their relationship now, anyway?

However, Silas didn’t accept this. He also moved, sitting down right next to Ming Ying.

Ming Ying’s eyes widened. Damn.

Their thighs were touching.

Silas looked at him: “Ming, I want to talk with you.”

Ming Ying instinctively: “I don’t want to.”

“Then when do you want to?”

“I don’t know.”

Silas didn’t say anything more.

However, as the bus started moving, Ming Ying couldn’t stand it anymore. What exactly was this old bastard made of? How could he be so unflappable in this situation?

He took a couple of breaths, and amidst the noise of the bus departing, asked, “Why did you come here?”

Are you here to get back together?

Silas looked at him: “Ming, I bought a plane ticket and came over. Arrived early this morning.”

Ming Ying: “Then how did you know I’d be here? You tracking me?”

Silas was succinct: “Bank card.”

Fck…

It dawned on Ming Ying like the sky falling. He quickly pulled out his phone, despairingly discovering that Alipay was actually linked to this old bastard’s card. Didn’t that mean from buying the plane ticket, to booking the hotel, to ordering that huge spread of takeout last night, it was all him paying…

…If he’d known that, he should have booked an eight-star hotel!!!

Silas asked: “Ming, why did you blacklist me?”

His questions were always direct and unadorned.

The bus moved slowly through the crowd. Ming Ying paused for a long moment: “Because we have no relationship anymore. I don’t keep contact info for strangers.”

Silas listened, then laughed in exasperation: “No relationship. Since when?”

TMD ask yourself that.

Ming Ying’s expression was ugly. In front, Lin Yue, holding a loudspeaker, started bombarding him with messages.

Son No. 1: Little Ming, what’s with that look on your face?

Son No. 1: Serve my VIP client well. This foreigner, like you, signed up last minute. Looks rich. Might be a big sponsor.

Mingo: Piss off.

After sending the message, Ming Ying’s face was ashen: “We’ll talk about our stuff later. Weren’t you here to tour Shanghai? Go tour.”

Silas looked at him but didn’t speak.

Ming Ying started coughing and playing on his phone.

As he looked at his phone, he glanced sideways and saw Silas holding some outdated promotional brochure from the bus, actually starting to read it.

“…”

Ming Ying closed his eyes. He really wished this was a dream.

First stop, they went to Yuyuan Garden.

Since he was here for his buddy, Ming Ying dutifully acted as a deputy tour guide.

When he was explaining things to a beautiful Polish woman, Silas was right beside him.

Ming Ying frowned at him: “Sir, why do you keep following me around?”

Silas was helpless: “Ming, I’m just listening to the explanation.”

Ming Ying: “Lin is also explaining, go over to his side.”

Silas: “I came here to find you.”

“…”