When Xiao Yao asked this, the faces of the four members of the Smith family changed. Pen Fun Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 Mrs. Smith paused, then smiled slightly embarrassedly at Xiao Yao and said, "Young, let's go home." ”

Seeing that Mrs. Smith avoided answering her questions, Xiao Yao, who originally thought that Mr. Smith did not appear because of work or other reasons, also discovered that there seemed to be something hidden in it, and he wisely did not ask, but nodded with a smile and said hello.

"Dean, shouldn't you help with the luggage? Mrs. Smith looked at the huge suitcase beside Xiao Yao and said to her second son beside her.

"No," without waiting for Dean to answer, Xiao Yao spoke, "I can do it myself." I don't want you to treat me like a guest. ”

"Mom, you saw it, he said he didn't need me to take it. Dean shrugged as he picked up the big card.

Mrs. Smith shook her head helplessly, and walked towards the parking lot of the airport with the children.

Mrs. Smith's car is a very popular Ford sedan family sedan in the United States. After Mrs. Smith walked to the front of the car and took the keys and pressed the door and trunk, Dean walked quickly to the back of the car and threw the large card in his hand into the trunk, and then sat in the back seat of the car with Sarmyon.

Xiao Yao then put the suitcase in his hand into the trunk of the car and closed the door of the back trunk. Seeing that Sarmien and Dean were already in the back seat, they sat in the passenger seat of the car. Three seventeen or eighteen-year-old children were crammed into the back seat, and it was obviously inappropriate for a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl to sit alone in the passenger seat, so it was better to let the three of them sit in the back together.

It's about an hour's drive from Los Angeles Airport to Calabasas. Along the way, the older Sarmien and Dean didn't talk much, but the youngest Elena pestered Xiao Yao and asked a lot of questions about Huaxia, and Xiao Yao leaned sideways and patiently answered them one by one.

"Jan, there's something I think I should tell you. Halfway through the car, Mrs. Smith, who was driving, finally couldn't help but speak.

"Is it about Mr. Smith?" Xiao Yao asked, as if he had expected it.

"Yes. Mrs. Smith nodded, and continued, "I'm divorced from Paul. However, neither I nor Westbridge High School deliberately lied to you and your school in Huaxia. The information of the host family was sent to Huaxia two months ago, and my divorce from Paul was last month. In fact, it was my idea to apply for an exchange host family in the first place, and Westbridge Middle School also thought that even if Paul left, I could take care of your life alone, so I did not change the host family for the time being. Of course, if you don't want to live in a single-parent family, Westbridge School can also arrange a homestay for you. ”

"There's no need," Xiao Yao shook his head, "Single-parent families are no problem for me, in fact, I myself have had the experience of being a child in a single-parent family for a few years. ”

"How so?" said Mrs. Smith, with some surprise.

"When I was just over three years old, my birth mother passed away in a car accident. Xiao Yao said.

"I'm sorry. Mrs. Smith interjected in comfort.

"Thank you," Xiao Yao continued, "My father didn't remarry until I was eight years old, so I was a child of a single-parent family for almost five years. None of this is written in my profile. ”

The three children in the back seat did not interject when their mother was talking to Xiao Yao, but Xiao Yao's words were heard word for word, and their expressions also showed some surprise.

"In that case, I don't think I have anything to worry about. Mrs. Smith smiled with relief, "I think you're going to have a very pleasant year at my house." ”

Xiao Yao smiled and did not answer. Looking at the two older children in the back seat through the rearview mirror, Xiao Yao expressed some doubts about Mrs. Smith's words in his heart.

The Smith family was a typical middle-class American family living in a single-family wooden house. A two-and-a-half-story house with a sloping roof and an attic of not too low height. Xiao Yao's room is in this attic.

Although the room is in the attic on the top floor, it is very clean and tidy, with a large single bed, wardrobes, bookshelves, desks and other furniture furnishings, a pot of green plants by the upright wall window, and a skylight on the sloping roof, which is above the bed. Because the area is not too large, the whole room has a more warm feeling.

"Is this room ok? If you're not satisfied, I can find a way to rearrange your room. Mrs. Smith asked Xiao Yaodao.

"No, no, I loved the room. I love this sloping roof, and it must be romantic to be able to see the stars through the window when you lie in bed at night. Xiao Yao waved his hand.

"He's still thinking about looking at the stars, and he's going to talk about romance, and he's not exactly a nerd, either. The three children of the Smith family were also in Xiao Yao's room at this time, and through their performance on the road just now and in the room now, Sarmien and Dean began to feel that Xiao Yao did not seem to be as "nerdy" as they originally thought.

"If you like," said Mrs. Smith, "then you can pack your bags, and rest, and we'll go down first, and I'll call you when dinner is ready." ”

"Okay, thank you, Mrs. Smith. Xiao Yao nodded in thanks.

Seeing off the Smith family, Xiao Yao fell on his bed. The setting sun sprinkled a touch of gold on the room through the window, and Xiao Yao began to look forward to his life in the United States in the coming year.

After getting up and tidying up his luggage and taking a short rest, Xiao Yao heard the sound of jumping upstairs. Then came Elena's cry: "Jan, dinner is ready." ”

"Okay, I'll come down right away. Xiao Yao got up and opened the door and was about to go downstairs, but he saw that Elena still jumped up after shouting, and the person had already arrived at the door of his room.

"Aren't you already about to have dinner?, why are you still here?" Xiao Yao said as he looked at Elena at the door.

"Have you packed your luggage, I'd like to visit your room and see if you've brought any mysterious oriental items with you. Elena tilted her head and laughed.

"There's nothing mysterious," Xiao Yao said with a smile, "It's okay to visit, but you have to hurry, we shouldn't keep Mrs. Smith and your siblings waiting too long." With that, Xiao Yao stepped out of the way.

Elena entered Xiao Yao's room with cheerful steps, and after scanning around, she found that there was really nothing special in Xiao Yao's room, so she retreated with a little disappointment.

Dinner was a more American food, chicken, mashed potatoes with long beans, and Mrs. Smith specially prepared some pasta for Xiao Yao. Xiao Yao was not unaccustomed to these foods, and he ate very happily.

After dinner, Mrs. Smith took Xiao Yao to visit and introduce the whole house except for the adjacent garage, and then told Xiao Yao some rules at home. Although she was boarding as an international exchange student, Mrs. Smith asked Xiao Yao as if she were her two high school children. What things are not allowed to be done, which rules cannot be violated, and even the punishment of grounding is the same for Xiao Yao.

It can also be seen that although Mrs. Smith is very warm and kind, she is still a strict mother in essence. Xiao Yao originally came to experience the study and life in the United States, so naturally he accepted them one by one.

In the evening, after chatting with his parents on the phone for a while, and telling about his impressions and feelings of the host family, Xiao Yao fell on the bed relaxedly. Through the window on the sloping roof, Xiao Yao was happy to find that he could really see the stars directly. So, Xiao Yao fell asleep in the very childish and boring act of counting stars.

In the early morning of the next day, Xiao Yao, who was affected by a certain jet lag, got up later than usual, so he canceled the morning exercise that he had insisted on for a long time.

When Xiao Yao came downstairs dressed neatly, he heard the sound in the kitchen on the first floor, and walked directly to the kitchen. In most American homes, the dining table is placed in the kitchen with a large space, and the meal is in the kitchen. So when Xiao Yao entered the kitchen, he saw at a glance that there were five plates and a few empty cups on the dining table, while Mrs. Smith was busy in front of the kitchen utensils on one side.

"Morning," Mrs. Smith greeted when she saw Xiao Yao coming in, "Let's sit down first, breakfast will be ready soon." Then he walked to the kitchen door with the spatula in his hand and shouted upstairs, "Are you three guys alright? Today is the first day of the new semester, don't be late." ”

When Mrs. Smith returned to the kitchen, the toaster clanged, and two slices of toasted bread popped out. Mrs. Smith quickly picked up two plates from the table, put one slice of each of the toasted bread, then took two more slices from the side and stuffed them into the toaster, turned around and scooped the fried egg from the frying pan, and covered the toast. I took two slices of chopped tomatoes from the cutting board and put them on a plate.

Placing the dinner plate in front of Xiao Yao, Mrs. Smith asked Xiao Yao, "Drink coffee, milk or juice?" Milk and juice are in the refrigerator, and the coffee in the coffee pot is brewed, you pour it yourself. I wouldn't recommend early morning coffee for boys your age, though. ”

"I drink juice. Xiao Yao nodded, got up and went to the refrigerator to take out the juice and pour himself a glass, then sat down and began to eat his breakfast.

When Xiao Yao was halfway through eating, the three children of the Smith family walked into the kitchen one after another. Seeing that Xiao Yao was already sitting at the dining table to eat, Elena immediately said hello to Xiao Yao, and happily ran over and sat next to Xiao Yao. Sarmien and Dean also greeted Xiao Yao politely, sat down at the table, picked up the juice and poured it into their own cups. Looking at the expressions of the two, although they are not as enthusiastic as Elena, they are not as cold to Xiao Yao as they were yesterday.

As soon as the five of them finished breakfast, a car horn sounded outside the door.

"The school bus has arrived, Ellie, grab your bag, it's time to go. Mrs. Smith stood up and said to Elena.

"Mom, will you drive me to school today?" said Elena coquettishly to her mother.

"No, Mom is going to send Yang to school today, and with you, there must be one side that will be late. Mrs. Smith shook her head in refusal.

"Let's go, who told you that you're only in seventh grade and not in the same school as us. Dean said to Elena with a smile.

"Hmph!" In the face of her brother's complaint, Elena snorted, picked up her schoolbag and went out to take the school bus in a huff.

"Let's go too. Mrs. Smith, who had watched Elena board the bus at the door, turned to the three older children in the room.

Mrs. Smith looked at Xiao Yao and asked, "Are you nervous on the first day of school in the United States?"

"I'm not nervous, but I'm looking forward to it. Xiao Yao smiled. (To be continued.) )