Genshin Impact: Please don’t bully me, fellow stragglers

Two years later.

A City Airport.

"SCARAMZY! SCARAMZY!!!"

At the airport pick-up gate, a group of young men and women held up purple pick-up signs, excitedly blocking the flow of people.

Warm cheers exploded the early winter air, and even the victims who had squeezed out with great difficulty couldn't help but look back to see what was going on.

What star is coming?

Nan Ke looked at the group of people, frowned slightly, and without looking for a few seconds, turned back and returned his gaze to the plants in front of him.

She was squatting under the floor-to-ceiling window in the corner of the airport, in front of a pot of green plants, with her back to the grand occasion.

"Be good, don't move."

Nan Ke spoke softly, bent his index finger and reached out to the little guy behind the flowerpot.

It was a gray kitten.

His body was pressed tightly against the wall, as if he was eager to find a crack to crawl into.

The kitten stared at Nan Ke's slowly approaching fingers, growling and baring its teeth, its hair standing on end, like a dandelion about to go berserk.

Nan Ke moved slowly and firmly, successfully touching its moist nose tip.

The kitten was just frightened and bluffing, and did not fight back.

"Good boy."

Nan Ke praised, rubbed its head, opened his palms, and held the kitten in his arms.

A small, soft ball of warmth kept shivering in his arms. Nan Ke hugged it tighter and was about to free his hand to reach for the phone in his pocket when he was suddenly patted on the shoulder.

"Nan Ke, I found its owner."

"That's great." Nan Ke breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and stood up, "Thank you for your hard work, Mu Baijing."

The young man standing behind her was tall and straight, wearing a khaki long windbreaker. Seeing Nan Ke carefully standing up with the little thing in her arms, he couldn't help but smile, with helplessness in his eyes.

"Let's go," Mu Baijing led Nan Ke to turn around, "Let's go to its owner."

The cat's owner was a young girl who was blocked on the other side of the hall by a crowd shouting "Scaramsey". She had just retrieved her checked luggage and was surrounded by large and small bags. Her eyes were red when she took the cat.

"Thank you, I thought I couldn't find it back..." said the girl, wiping her eyes.

"You're welcome," Mu Baijing glanced at Nan Ke, and seeing that she had no intention of speaking, he replied gently, "Since it is so precious to you, don't lose it again in the future."

"Um..." The girl put the cat into the cat bag and looked at them timidly before leaving, "Can you add my contact information?"

Mu Baijing waved his hands in silence, and after watching the girl dragging her luggage away, he said to Nan Ke, "Nan Ke, you are like this again, doing good things all the time, but throwing the thank you on others."

"Mobaiji,"

Nan Ke turned his head to look at the crowd of people waiting to pick him up at the airport and nonchalantly changed the subject, "It seems to be more lively over there. Is it because the people they are waiting to pick up have arrived?"

"Are you interested?" Mu Baijing followed her gaze and looked forward.

He was two heads taller than her and indeed saw someone coming out of the gate. The person with cold purple hair was particularly eye-catching surrounded by the crowd.

Nan Ke shook his head and glanced at his phone: "It's been an hour and the airport didn't notify us of the delay. Should we continue to wait?"

They also came to pick up the other party today, but it seems that they did not pick up the other party.

"Let's not wait any longer," Mu Baijing protected her away from the boiling crowd, "Let's go find a place to eat first, and ask the minister about the situation."

There is a 24-hour fast food restaurant just outside the airport.

In the dead of night, the warm light shines through the glass door, illuminating the sparse crowds of people outside, making people feel drowsy.

"I called the minister, and I don't know what happened to the exchange student named Ajax. It seems he didn't even get on the plane." Mu Baijing came back with a tray and sat down opposite Nan Ke and said.

Nan Ke put down the hand that was supporting his chin and took the milk he handed over: "The group of people who came to pick us up at the airport just left. The people in it were wearing masks and hats all the way. Judging from their posture, it shouldn't be him."

Mu Baijing sighed: "It's too tiring, in the middle of the night."

"Should we come again next time?" Nan Ke thought for a while and asked.

Mu Baijing curled his lips and gave her a helpless look: "Let's talk about it next time. Let's eat first. As a senior, I can't let people say that I took the juniors out on field work and made them hungry."

"I'm not hungry." Nan Ke explained.

"I think you're hungry."

Nan Ke picked up the burger and thanked him seriously: "Well, thank you for the treat, senior."

Mu Baijing watched her holding the burger and starting to eat, curled his lips, and picked up his own portion: "Speaking of which, Nan Ke, I haven't asked you yet."

"Ok?"

"How did you become my schoolmate?"

"Hmm..." Nan Ke's tone was vague.

"We were in the same class and grade until you transferred to a high school," Mu Baijing was curious, "With your grades, you won't have to repeat a grade if you want to get into A University, right?"

"What if I fail a grade?" Nan Ke asked ambiguously.

Mu Baijing looked at her deeply and said, "Nan Ke, actually, I went to see you the year you graduated."

Nan Ke's heart sank, but he remained calm: "Really?"

"My mom said she wanted to celebrate your and Nan Yi's 18th birthday, so I contacted Nan Yi and planned to meet you."

Mu Baijing stared closely at every change in Nan Ke's expression, trying to find clues from it.

"But when I found your home address, no one was at home, and Nan Yi couldn't be contacted."

There was a brief silence in the air, and the slow chewing sound was highlighted.

I've long known that being treated to a meal is not necessarily a good thing, so why do I always find myself in such embarrassing situations?

Nan Ke lowered his eyes and frowned.

What happened that year...she could never and would not tell anyone about it.

The air was quiet for a long time, and Nan Ke had to look up at Mu Baijing.

His expression was serious and frank, revealing a hint of worry.

"The year I graduated from high school," Nan Ke lied expertly, "I applied for delayed admission and accompanied Nan Yi to a foreign country for treatment. You know Nan Yi's physical condition, and it would take a while for him to recover, so a year later, I came back alone."

"Recovered?! But she is not free of illness..." Mu Baijing widened his eyes and stammered, "Is this the reason why you are one year younger than me?"

"Ah."

Mu Baijing opened his mouth slightly in disbelief.

"You said Aunt Mu wanted to celebrate our birthday?" Nan Ke spoke up in time, cutting off his chance to get to the bottom of the matter. "How has she been doing these years? Has she found a suitable partner?"

Mu Baijing blinked, lowered his head and took a bite of his burger, and smiled bitterly: "I just found a few for her, but she was not satisfied with any of them... Alas, she clearly promised me that she would consider remarrying when I went to college."

"It's because I cherish you." Nan Ke clenched his fingers unconsciously, and heard the plastic paper in his hand make a sudden thin sound. "Next time there is a chance, can I meet Aunt Mu? The longevity noodles I had when I was a child were really delicious."

"Of course," Mu Baijing said with a smile, "as long as you are willing."