Chapter 5: Need to go to work, need to eat

Are you hungry? How about we go for a late-night snack

Chiba suddenly turned her head, just as the passenger was crouching over from another seat towards her. As soon as their buttocks barely touched the seat next to her, before they could settle down, the vehicle jolted violently, and their lips nearly came into contact with each other

It is always shut down

At that station, two people got off, and four got on. Qianye felt a strong drowsiness, yet her muddled mind kept replaying the words spoken by Li Ying: "You have to work, you have to earn money, you have to eat..." This seemed to be the helpless voice of every office worker struggling to make ends meet in this city

Chiba wanted to laugh, her lips twitched slightly, but she forced herself to hold it in. So many curious eyes in the office were staring at her; if she lost her composure here, she might very well face the cold stares of all the female colleagues in the company tomorrow

Chiba ended up with a face full of dust, so he had no choice but to continue using his phone for light, bending down to search for quite a while, and finally found the key in the corner

No matter how dull Ling Xiangtao was, he could still discern the disdain in her eyes. He wanted very much to explain to her that he was actually quite measured when playing cards, and that his blunder yesterday was purely accidental. However, this sentence rolled on his tongue three times yet he could not bring himself to utter it.

After getting off the bus, she was met with a biting cold wind. Just as she was about to pull the hood of her down jacket over her head, Ling Xiangtao called out to her in a hurry from behind: "Su Qianye, wait for me!" Usually, he was accustomed to driving when going out, so he wasn't wearing much clothing. Coupled with the sudden heavy snowfall last night, the temperature had dropped below zero, and unprepared for the cold, he was now standing at the bus stop, shivering uncontrollably, his face turning pale, and he was unconsciously trembling as he spoke.

In the narrow alley, few people pass by, and the snow from the night has completely covered the ground. A winter plum tree, nestled against the wall, shakes off flurries of snow in the wind, blooming with vibrant flowers, and its fragrance wafts through the air

The phone in the early morning still could not be connected, and Qianye felt extremely dejected, to the point that she was listless throughout the entire day at work. After finally enduring until the end of the workday, she was lazily tidying up her desk when Ling Xiangtao entered the finance room, disregarding the astonished gazes of those around him, and rushed directly to her desk

I... I am fine, I am at home... " From the other end of the phone came the sound of hurried footsteps, similar to the sound of someone running down the stairs. She shouted loudly, "Qingchen!"

Aren't you the one with a car? she deliberately mocked

Su Qianye, I invite you to dinner

Without saying a word, he took out his wallet from his pants pocket and placed two pink hundred-yuan bills in her hand. Chiba frowned slightly, withdrew one bill gently, and tossed the other onto the table

The snow continued to fall heavily, and the number of pedestrians on the street gradually decreased. In the early morning, holding Qianye's hand, the two of them huddled closely together, taking shelter under the eaves of a shop.

Ivan released her, resting his chin on her forehead, breathing softly and evenly

She inhaled, wiped away the tear stains on her face with the back of her hand, and gently uttered a soft "mm".

The car broke down. I went to a friend's house to play cards last night, and this morning I found the car was broken... He shrugged and sighed, "I originally planned to go home, take a shower, and change clothes before going to work, but it seems that won't be possible now. It would be a miracle if this broken car makes it to the company on time."

Women are troublesome creatures, regardless of their age! He spat a curse, threw away the cigarette, yanked her up from the ground, directly took the keys from her hand to unlock the door, and pushed and shoved her into the house.

Both the phone and the bag were left in the living room. She carefully got out of bed and opened the bedroom door to go outside

Chiba herself was unaware that her gaze towards Ling Xiangtao had changed: "Rented?"

Chiba did not expect this response, and was momentarily taken aback: "Then he... doesn't he live here?"

Because he was close, he could faintly smell the subtle fragrance of the shampoo she used in her hair. At that moment, he realized the differences between men and women, and suddenly became aware that some of the words he had spoken were too blunt. He quickly leaned back, fortunately, Chiba's attention was still focused elsewhere and did not notice his unusual behavior

Chiba stood in front of the glass window, exhaling warm breath, slightly rubbing his fingers to warm them up, repeatedly dialing his phone in the early morning

Chiba took a sharp breath in

Ling Xiangtao is indeed as described by the female colleagues in the administration department, with well-defined features and a handsome appearance. Particularly when he speaks, the corners of his mouth often curl upwards, giving him a friendly demeanor. This is likely one of his key advantages in business development and client acquisition—good-looking individuals naturally have this edge.

Ivan took two steps back, pulled out a cigarette case from his suit pocket, and just as he was about to take one out, he suddenly squeezed it with his fingers, crumpling the entire pack into a ball and holding it in the palm of his hand

Chiba's body was completely stiff until the sound of the closing door exploded in her heart like a thunderclap, at which point she came to her senses and the tears that had been held back in her eyes rolled down her cheeks.

He pushed her against the door and said fiercely: "What are you plotting, huh? Don't think I don't know what tricks you're up to; you should put away this clumsy scheme as soon as possible!"

My parents bought it for me, a duplex small apartment, with a total area of just over 90 square meters, which is not very spacious. It is manageable for one person to live in, but it becomes too cramped when I bring friends over to play cards or do other activities.

Chiba was startled and jumped up, hardly believing that Ivan had really left just like that! She rushed over to confirm that the door was indeed locked, and then hurried to the bedroom, locking the bedroom door as well. She jumped onto the bed, threw the blanket over herself, and wrapped herself up completely. After about a minute, muffled sobs could be heard from beneath the blanket.

Ivan, with his eyes closed, said gloomily: "Think it over yourself, don't play with fire, otherwise you will bear the consequences." After saying this, he turned around, opened the door, and walked away with large strides.

Currently, the name of the owner of this number is continuously flashing on the screen

When the phone rang, she was buried under the covers, crying so hard that she could hardly catch her breath, too preoccupied to pay attention. Yet, the caller was truly persistent, dialing in again and again without losing patience. The phone's ringtone blared loudly, repetitively playing the same monotonous tune. The air under the covers was running out, and Qianye finally lifted the corner of the blanket, at last hearing the ringtone

He is not here

He let out a huge sigh: "Qianye, I just don't want to be apart from you! I want to be with you, together every moment! That feeling... it's so intense that I can't even control myself from thinking about you. I wish I could transform, shrink myself, hide in your pocket, and never leave you for even a second!"

He let out a cold smile, feeling quite wicked, and said mockingly: "Can't you handle this little bit?" He did not approach, merely placing his hands in his pockets and leaning against the door.

She kicked his knee with her foot, but did not dare to kick with full force. He naturally ignored this level of pain and continued to hold her firmly against the door. He had a strong smell of tobacco on him, which made her feel nauseous in her stomach.

Runxiangxie

Perhaps it was jealousy, perhaps it was resentment, but that intense feeling of loss was so strong that it could no longer be concealed and was clearly displayed on her face. Chiba turned her head coldly and looked out the window: "You can take a taxi, there is no need to squeeze into this broken car."

In the early morning, silence suddenly fell. She quietly waited for more than ten seconds, thinking the other party had hung up. However, when she looked at the screen, she found that the call was still connected. Just as she was feeling puzzled, a voice suddenly came from the phone: "Qianye, why are you crying?"

The ground was muddy, and the alley was quiet, with only the sound of falling snow. She carried a shopping bag, wrapped a scarf around her neck against the morning chill, and hummed a tune as she slowly strolled home along the muddy path. The hallway was not equipped with motion-sensor lights, and as she climbed the stairs in the dark, she reached into her bag to feel for her keys

The car restarted, and Qianye looked through the window at the couple on the platform who were embroiled in a heated argument. The man was imposing, while the woman was petite and delicate; indeed, she was the charming neighbor who often left early and returned late.

The couple sat in front of Qianye, and shortly after the woman got on the bus, she began to doze off, her head swaying unsteadily. The man held milk and bread in his hand, and just as he opened the packaging, he realized that his girlfriend beside him was on the verge of snoring loudly. He raised his elbow, intending to nudge her awake, but his hand paused in mid-air and then withdrew.

Chiba was pinned against her own front door, unable to move. Her shoulders ached, and tears welled up in her eyes from a sense of grievance. Embarrassed and angry, her words trembled like snowflakes in a cold wind, fragmented: "You... what do you want to do... what have I done to provoke you... on what grounds... on what grounds do you bully others, you... bastard..."

"How much did we lose?" she asked unconsciously, her eyes wide open, as the car passed through the tunnel, the reflective glass casting her vacant expression.

At the corner of the three-and-a-half flight of stairs, a dark shadow suddenly appeared in the corridor on the fourth floor, startling her and causing her to drop the key she had just obtained onto the ground

I have to go find...

Ah? Qianye thought she must have misheard. In the H city area, there are hundreds of residential communities, and it is impossible for her to have heard of them all. However, the well-known high-end community, Runxiangxie, is certainly not easily forgotten by those who have heard of it. When it opened three years ago, it made a high-profile announcement about a membership system for purchasing homes, which meant that even those buyers who could afford several million in purchase funds had to first obtain membership qualifications. Last year, when Runxiangxie delivered its completed units, it was said that the environment and supporting facilities were well-equipped, surpassing the initial promotional claims, and it was not at all like the exaggerated and false promotions of other developments. As a result, the housing prices in Runxiangxie were once driven to the highest in the city, becoming a dream place that ordinary citizens could only aspire to but not reach.

There seemed to be a wicked fire rising in his throat, making him feel as restless as if being clawed by a cat. He attributed all of this to his uncontrollable craving for cigarettes. In his helplessness, he could only lick his dry lips, unexpectedly tasting a hint of mint from the lip balm. His gaze fell upon her lips

Ke Ling seemed completely unconcerned about how others viewed him. He continued to persuade with his eloquent tongue, "You see, I am most afraid of owing others a favor. You know that in this day and age, repaying debts is easy, but what I fear most is owing a debt of gratitude. If you do not allow me to repay it, I will always keep it in my heart, unable to let it go day and night. Wouldn't that hinder my work?"

Chiba sobbed quietly, the sound of his crying was not loud, yet it reached his ears in a way that was utterly annoying.

She was taken aback, thinking he was joking, but the seriousness of his demeanor was evident. She couldn't help but furrow her brows: "My home is to the east, and the bakery is to the west..."

Aunt Zhang across the street timely came to the rescue, smiling and saying: "Little Yezi, why don’t you go eat when someone is treating? If you don’t eat, it’s a missed opportunity. If I were twenty years younger, I certainly wouldn’t let this treat go to waste."

In her surprise, she blurted out: "I do not ... ... " As soon as she spoke, the heavy nasal tone startled even herself

With a twinge in her nose, she hurriedly turned her face towards the car window. Outside, the light of day was faint, and the vehicles on the street were sparse. However, at intervals along the road, one could see sanitation workers diligently sweeping the streets. Qianye's eyes felt dry, and her forehead rested against the cold glass. If she could, she too would prefer not to go to work, wishing instead to hide under the covers like last night, quietly alone whether in laughter or tears.

She shot him a glance and said, "One hundred yuan is enough for a meal at the street food stall. Don't worry, I am not greedy"

Chiba rolled her eyes: "I am not a loan shark."

Chiba listened to him as he spoke increasingly absurdly, unable to help but widen his eyes, revealing a look of helplessness as if encountering a rogue

At that moment, the security door of room 403 next door suddenly opened, and a faint light seeped through the crack. A disheveled head leaned in, eyes half-closed, yet still wearing heavy makeup. Qianye recognized it was Li Ying and was about to call out loudly when Ivan suddenly reached out to adjust her head and leaned down to kiss her parted lips

But when the door opened, it was not the morning that stood at the threshold, but a middle-aged woman whom I had seen once before. She did not seem surprised to see Chiba; rather, her expression was somewhat tense. With the door half open, she held onto the doorknob and asked in a lowered voice, "What brings you here?"

For example ... ... Ivan

The door was blown shut by the wind, and the lock cylinder made a "click" sound

He stood in place, reached for his cigarette case, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then lit his lighter. The flickering flame illuminated his face and also brightened a corner of the dark stairwell. After Qianye clearly saw his appearance, he relaxed and sighed, "You really scared me to death"

By the faint glow emitted from the phone's screen, she slowly crouched down to search for the keys on the ground, her eyes unwaveringly fixed on the upper floor. Half a minute later, she still had not found the keys, but the shadow above began to move, descending the stairs step by step.

He said nonchalantly, "Anyway, you have to go to work tomorrow, so it works out perfectly." He leaned closer to her, the faint scent of milk on him reminiscent of an enticing cream cake, "I don't want to be apart from you"

Chiba confirmed that he meant to "go back home with" her, rather than to "send" her home, and could not help but blush: "In the morning, I am not that kind of casual woman!"

Her fingers were numb from the cold, and she stomped her feet, wanting to go upstairs and return home. However, when she looked up, she found Ivan standing at the stairs like a guardian. It was then that she realized something was amiss and asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

He used to live here, but he is no longer present. The middle-aged woman, with a wary gaze concealed behind the door, emphasized, "He hasn't worked here for a long time!"

The morning grew more urgent: "What is wrong with you? Where are you now?"

Chiba was taken aback, and Ling Xiangtao was also momentarily stunned by this unexpected turn of events. Fortunately, he quickly regained his composure and greeted with a cheerful smile: "I never expected to see you here"

Chiba turned back, and Ling Xiangtao handed over the plastic shopping bag in his hand, saying: "You dropped something"

Ivan found the power switch at the door, and with a soft "click," the room was suddenly illuminated. Chiba squinted at the sudden brightness, and when he opened his eyes again, he discovered Ivan standing at the door with a pale face, while the large door behind him was slowly closing.

After parting ways in the morning, she took a taxi home, and it was already late at night. Throughout the journey, she sat in the car in a daze, occasionally recalling the words spoken in the morning, which would inevitably elicit silly laughter from her.

Shut down

Tears marked Chiba's face, her hat askew, her hair disheveled and cascading over her shoulders, the scarf loosely hanging, nearly touching the floor, as she cast a cold, sidelong glance. What qualities did this terrified girl possess, aside from her youth, that could drive him to such a state? He let out a snort, instinctively reaching for a cigarette, only to realize his pocket was empty, suddenly recalling that he had crushed that pack of cigarettes long ago.

Chiba looked up at the time displayed on the electronic screen in front of the car; today she had left home at least an hour earlier than usual: "Where do you live?"

Perhaps still shaken from the earlier fright, Chiba began to feel a throbbing in her head. The past month of her interactions with Ivan could only be described as inexplicable, and now her patience had worn thin: "Excuse me, please make way!"

Chiba was taken aback, realizing that he had chased her down for this. She reached out to take it and said, "Thank you." Seeing his sincere expression, she suddenly realized that her earlier sulkiness towards him was quite unreasonable, and she felt a wave of guilt. Therefore, she quickly took a pink bill from her bag and handed it to him, saying, "You should take a taxi home to change your clothes. I will transfer to another vehicle across the street." After glancing at the money, she suddenly felt a pang of regret. Before leaving, she added seriously, "Remember to pay me back when you get to the company!"

She, who had long ceased to cry, found herself overwhelmed with tears once again, solely because of this one sentence. She covered her mouth, trying her best to suppress any sound from escaping. On the other end of the phone, the cheerful laughter of the morning rang out, "Have you already gone to sleep? Did I wake you? I... just missed you a little, so I found an excuse to call. Actually, there’s nothing urgent, um, you should go back to sleep, I won’t disturb you anymore..."

... ...

Chiba politely said: "Hello, Auntie! May I ask if Yi Qingchen is here? I am his... friend, I am looking for him..."

After living for twenty-three years, she was frightened for the first time by a man's forceful action! ... She simply cried, feeling fear, grievance, and sadness ... . ... A multitude of inexplicable emotions surged forth with her tears.

Is it Li Ying? The resident next door in 403 is a young woman, reportedly working at a bar, so she often returns home late at night

Seeing his pitiful stammering appearance, Chiba couldn't help but chuckle softly, realizing that she had been too sensitive: "I believe you, it was my misunderstanding."

The caller ID on her phone displayed "Yi Qingchen". She vaguely remembered that this was a number she had entered two hours ago, and she had even set it as her phone's shortcut key 1

She put on the off-white long down jacket that she bought two years ago. On the back of the chair in the living room lay a fluffy hat and scarf from the morning. She stood in front of the fitting mirror, silently staring at those two items in the mirror for a long time. Then she found a plastic shopping bag and stuffed the hat and scarf into it

A sound of "danglang" echoed from the phone, a sound she was very familiar with, the ringing of the brass wind chime in front of the cake shop. This left her even more shocked, as she called out "Qingchen!" several times, but all she heard from the other end of the phone was the howling wind, with no response. She was extremely anxious, holding the phone and waiting for about half a minute, when she suddenly heard a voice roaring: "Go back!"

Li Ying let out two strange laughs, "Hehe," and then with a "Bang," she closed the security door, restoring silence to the corridor once again

Going to work means that she has to confront many people or matters that she currently does not wish to face

However, this amount still made Qian Ye feel a surge of anger; she abruptly turned her head and glared at him with a near tragic fury. One or two thousand yuan, she, as a small cashier, worked hard for a month and earned only two thousand five hundred yuan including salary and bonuses, yet he could lose nearly a month's salary in just one night of playing cards

Due to the unexpected nature of the situation, Qianye was unable to react in time. By the time she regained her composure, only the busy tone remained on her phone. After hesitating for a moment, she dialed back again, only to find that the other party had already powered off their phone.

The woman mumbled, "I have to go to work, I have to earn money, I have to eat..." Her voice was soft and sweet, yet her words were delivered with such a sense of justification.

Ling Xiangtao's expression, which had just turned to joy, instantly froze, and then he shouted in frustration: "No way? Sister!"

Ivan extinguished the fire, exhaling a puff of smoke, and the acrid smell of smoke immediately wafted along the breeze, filling the entire corridor. Qianye rubbed her nose and said, "Excuse me, may I borrow your lighter?" She reached out her hand, but he merely fiddled with the lighter between his fingers, showing no intention of handing it over.

In fact, this sentence is exactly what Qianye wants to express; she has a relatively deep impression of Ling Xiangtao, but there is no friendship to speak of. She feels that the two of them are like two passengers in the same vehicle; even though they are currently in the same car, they are merely two strangers.

Not much... He intended to speak the truth, but the pair of eyes on the glass made him feel uneasy, so he omitted a zero and vaguely said, "It's about one or two thousand yuan."

In the stillness of the deep night, following the breeze, that voice, though somewhat hoarse, was still recognized by her keen ears, and she hesitantly replied, "Ivan"

He followed behind her pitifully, mumbling to himself: "Be a little greedier, be a little greedier, I beg you, be greedy..."

I truly did not expect him to sit beside her, and even to draw closer the relationship that was clearly not familiar, making it seem as if the two of them were quite intimate.

Ivan reached out and supported her waist, not giving her a chance to catch her breath, and directly carried her to the fourth floor with a combination of dragging and lifting. She was still in shock, her eyes darting around, completely startled by this sudden turn of events

The plush lining of the leather boots was not thick at all. She stomped her foot and realized that her toes had gone numb. Clearing her mind of the fleeting image of her mother, she climbed onto the bus and found an empty seat by the window towards the back. Since it was an early bus, there were only a couple of passengers, a man and a woman, along with Chiba and the driver, making a total of four people.

The spirit of Chiba surged, and that voice sounded somewhat familiar. Leaning over to catch a glimpse of the woman's profile, before she could see clearly, the man had already lost control, jumping up from his seat and dragging the woman beside him straight towards the car's rear door

Ling Xiangtao did not notice the change in Qianye; he merely scratched his head awkwardly and said in a lowered voice: "To be honest, I had a truly disastrous loss last night, I was almost stripped of my underwear by them"

Chiba instinctively stepped back, only to find himself sitting down on the ground, unable to suppress a scream: "What do you want to do—"

Chiba glanced at his phone; it was already past 11 o'clock, and he had to go to work tomorrow. Therefore, he said: "No, I should head back."

The number was dialed, yet no one answered for a long time. Her heart raced to her throat, and she was on the verge of screaming. Sitting on the tiled floor of the living room, she stubbornly pressed the redial button over and over again. She did not know how long she had waited; the dialing tone had numbed her nerves. Suddenly, the call connected, and a woman's voice came from the phone: "Qingchen is asleep. If you have something to discuss, please call again tomorrow."

I cannot be here ? In the dim light, the burning tobacco shimmers and flickers with his breath

Chiba was taken aback and said hesitantly, "I am truly sorry for the disturbance." As the person retreated and took a few steps, she heard the door slam shut behind her with a loud "bang," which startled her and suddenly brought her back to her senses. Just yesterday, she had clearly heard the sound of the door hitting the wind chime over the phone; she must have been staying at the cake shop in the morning. Therefore, the woman just now was obviously lying. But why would she deceive her? Did she really look so much like a villain? Just yesterday, she had clearly heard the sound of the door hitting the wind chime over the phone; she must have been staying at the cake shop in the morning. Therefore, the woman just now was obviously lying. But why would she deceive her? Did she really look so much like a villain?

In the corridor lay a worn asbestos board, which emitted a faint clanging sound whenever the wind blew. Normally, it was not bothersome, but at this moment, it sent a chilling shiver down her spine. Qianye trembled as she pressed her finger on the number 1 key of her phone, ready to call for help and then flee if the situation turned dire. However, the man upstairs remained silent, not even moving, leaving her at a loss for what to do next. Qianye trembled as she pressed her finger on the number 1 key of her phone, ready to call for help and then flee if the situation turned dire. However, the man upstairs remained silent, not even moving, leaving her at a loss for what to do next.

Chiba sighed softly, silently reciting his name in her heart. After lingering in front of the door for more than ten minutes, she could no longer contain herself and walked up to knock. Initially, she tapped lightly, but as time went on, her knocks grew louder. Finally, someone inside was stirred, and when the door opened, she hoped to see the morning, her smile exceptionally bright and inviting.

That calculates interest

The bus came to a sudden stop, causing the woman to tilt her head, and with a loud "bang," she collided directly with the window. Chiba, who was already drowsy, was startled awake by the noise. The woman in the front seat covered the right side of her head, her long, wavy hair obscuring half of her face. The man opened his mouth as if to curse, but the words that came out were instead: "If you want to sleep so badly, why not rest at home and get enough sleep?"

From last night until now

Her lips still carried the scent of his tobacco, mingling with the tears that seeped into her mouth, leaving a bitter taste. She trembled violently, suddenly crouching down by the door, retching incessantly.

He did not argue either, holding the bill between his right index and middle fingers, he shook it and said, "Then I will treat you to a meal." Seeing that Chiba remained indifferent, he quickly slumped his shoulders and, with a mournful expression, said, "Sister, at least give me a little face, this is my first time actively inviting someone to a meal and being turned down."

She hunched her shoulders and squeezed past him sideways. After climbing three or four steps, she suddenly felt a tightness in her arm as someone yanked her hard from behind. She lost her footing and fell directly down from above.

At this moment, the car had already reached the city center, and Qianye suddenly stood up, squeezing past Ling Xiangtao while holding onto her handbag.

Ling Xiangtao hunched his shoulders, staring blankly as she walked onto the sidewalk, her white figure merging into the bustling crowd, not even turning her head back. He awkwardly touched his nose, his frozen fingers moved slightly, gripping the hundred-yuan bill in his palm, and the corners of his mouth twitched, smiling silently

Chiba tossed and turned in bed all night, and by 5:30 AM, he could no longer lie down. Upon opening his eyes, he indeed noticed that his eyelids were puffy, and even after applying a cold towel for half an hour, the blood vessels in his eyes did not diminish.

Qianye felt dizzy; perhaps Chen Yuying was right. The sweet nothings spoken in the early morning were indeed quite cheesy, yet she found them so delightful, her heart felt as if it were filled with honey, and she was gradually sinking deeper into this sweetness.

"I never regarded you as a casual woman!" He widened his eyes, beginning to understand, gripping her hand tightly, and hurriedly explained, "You... don't misunderstand, I didn't mean it that way. Was it because of this that you didn't come to find me again last time? I truly... did not mean what you think."

Then a cacophony of noise came from the phone, as if people were pulling at each other, occasionally interspersed with indistinct conversations

Chiba, wearing her boots, stepped crunchingly on the snow, leaving a trail of footprints behind her, hesitating as she lingered at the entrance of the cake shop. Perhaps it was still early, as the shop door had not yet opened, and the display window was empty. She moved closer to see the situation inside the shop, only to find that one layer of the display case was missing, and the bottom layer was filled with shattered glass shards.

Chiba let out a low moan of pain, and with the jolting of the bus, she appeared like a lovesick girl repeatedly banging her forehead against the glass. The ultimate result of this odd behavior was that it successfully drew a snicker from one of the passengers on board.

In the early morning, with a reluctant expression, he held her hand and said, "How about I go home with you?"

With tearful eyes, she answered the phone. Before she could speak, a cheerful greeting came from the other end: "Qianye, it's me. Have you made it home yet?"

Chiba glanced at him. Compared to the disheveled appearance in the morning, he was now wearing a red casual cotton jacket, with the front open and a circle of gray-brown fleece lining. He smiled refreshingly, and Chiba spread his palm: "First, pay me back"

Chiba, feeling a bit embarrassed from her teasing, stood up generously and said, "Alright, let's go eat at the food stall."

For someone who can afford to live in Runxiangxie, owning a car for transportation should not be a difficult matter

Chiba's heart skipped a beat, and she didn't even dare to bend down to pick up the keys that had fallen on the ground. She reached into her bag and took out her phone, mustering the courage to ask, "Are you here to see Li Ying?" Although she had only spoken to Li Ying a few times and had no further contact or understanding, she had lived here for nearly six months and had never seen Li Ying bring a man home.

Compared to the harsh weather outside, the interior was much warmer. Chiba stood unsteadily in the center of the living room and turned around to see that Ivan had actually come in as well, and she shouted sharply, "What do you want to do?"

After snowing continuously for seven or eight hours, a thick layer of snow has accumulated on the ground. The soles of the shoes make a soft crunching sound as they step on the snow, reminiscent of the painful groans of someone who is sleep-deprived. For some reason, Chiba's thoughts suddenly drifted back to her hometown, where she would bounce around in knee-deep snow wearing a cotton-padded jacket, her little face turning bright red from the cold, while her mother stood at the door shouting loudly: "Be careful on the road, don't play too much..."

But now, when Qianye hears him speak in that nonchalant tone, no matter how warm and friendly his smile is, it cannot redeem the impulse she feels to strangle him. Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth; Qianye knows that people cannot be compared to one another. She does not envy others' fortunate lives, as she has no choice over her innate conditions. She cannot blame her mother for not providing her with superior circumstances at birth. However, she ultimately possesses the normal emotions and desires of a human being. Therefore, after listening to Ling Xiangtao's remarks, her fondness for him has plummeted to a negative value.

You... you go out

She turned her head to take a glance; the door was already tightly shut, and the wind chime hung straight down from the eaves.

With a thud, the phone slipped from her hand and fell to the ground. A few seconds later, Chiba, her face pale, came to her senses, quickly picked up the phone from the floor, and with trembling fingers pressed the redial button

Once again, there was a cacophony of sounds, a mixture of running, pulling, and gasping. Qianye felt her heart race with fear, never expecting a sudden sharp screech of brakes to come from her phone. She let out a low gasp, her heart nearly stopping, but just then the call was disconnected, leaving only the sound of beeping in the receiver.

The man paused on the last two steps, his voice hoarse as he said: "Su Qianye, this question should be asked by me!"

She stepped back a few paces and looked up at the balcony on the second floor, where the windows were tightly shut and white curtains were drawn inside

You have just returned

The figures in the corridor do not speak, and Qianye squints her eyes, vaguely able to see a rough outline, which does not resemble that of a woman.

She stood helplessly in the living room, her slender shoulders tensed, her body trembling slightly. Her eyes, like those of a startled deer, were wide, her cheeks flushed, and her lips were slightly swollen.