Chapter 95: Chapter 93: Running Out of Money
"You’ve cried too hard..."
"You’ve been hurt too deeply..."
"You’ve loved too foolishly..."
"..."
It was clear that Brother Nan was in a great mood. She stood up, rushing downhill against the wind, her long hair fluttering endlessly beneath her helmet.
The singing continued to drift over.
The afternoon sun made Dian Lake glitter, and the reed plumes danced in the breeze. Brother Nan zoomed past, playfully brushing a reed that had cheekily leaned onto the road, sending a wisp of white fluff into the air.
Such leisurely moments were truly beautiful.
"Zhou Li, what time is it?"
"Don’t you have a watch?"
"...?"
"It’s past four o’clock."
"It’s past four already!"
"Yep."
"Ah, it’s that late already!"
Brother Nan twisted her head to look at the straggling line of riders far behind. They had all been full of energy when they set off in the morning, but most now wore expressions of utter despondency. Some of the girls had even grouped together to call for a car back.
She sighed inwardly.
That was always the problem with cycling in a group with varying speeds; it was detrimental to everyone. Slower riders had to push themselves relentlessly, facing immense psychological pressure. Faster riders had to wait, which was also taxing and frustrating. If they had kept Brother Nan’s pace, leaving at nine in the morning to circle Dian Lake for a hundred kilometers, they might have even made it back to school for lunch. But the group behind them could only maintain an average speed of over twenty kilometers per hour for the first half hour after starting. Now, they were barely managing fifteen. They had also taken a long lunch break and stopped frequently even while riding.
"Sigh..."
These unpleasant thoughts lingered in Brother Nan’s mind for about five seconds before she shook them off.
Turning to Zhou Li, she said with renewed cheerfulness, "We’re across from the school now! We’re about to reach the ’Cross-sea Bridge,’ and there’s this time-honored restaurant over there with great chicken soup rice noodles. Shall we go eat?"
"Alright, then..."
"I’ll let him know."
"Okay."
So, Brother Nan informed the president and then, with Zhou Li, once again broke away from the main group, speeding ahead.
Zhou Li turned his head to look to his left.
That was West Mountain, Hong Ran’s place. He had been there a few times.
The ’Cross-sea Bridge’ was a name Brother Nan had coined on the spot. It was actually just a small bridge on Lakeside West Road, but it did span Dian Lake. A small part of Dian Lake lay on the other side, which cyclists typically bypassed by taking this bridge.
On the right side, after crossing the bridge, was Haigeng Park, along with a cultural village.
Most tourists fed seagulls and took pictures by Dian Lake here, as it was close to several bustling urban districts.
"Let’s go! Let’s check it out!" Brother Nan said.
"Didn’t the president say it wasn’t fun?" Zhou Li asked.
"We’re here already!"
A classic line, indeed.
So, Brother Nan took Zhou Li for a stroll around Haigeng Dam. She bought feed for the seagulls, took pictures, and seemed to have boundless energy.
Then they bought a cup of milk tea, sat down to enjoy the breeze, and chatted.
Many people were jogging along the lakeside.
Many others came over to ask them for help taking pictures.
This area had many tourists and comprehensive commercial facilities, making it very convenient for recreation. But in terms of scenery, Zhou Li felt it couldn’t compare to the more desolate and pristine stretch of Huanhu Road they had passed that morning.
Next, they went to explore the cultural village.
The cultural village was neither small nor large, and its winding paths took some time to navigate. Worried Zhou Li might get tired, Brother Nan bought him a coconut to drink as they walked and also got him a kebab.
Since both Zhou Li and Brother Nan came from small cities and hadn’t encountered many ethnic minorities growing up, they found it quite interesting.
In any case, it wasn’t a rip-off; the fees were quite reasonable.
「Dusk gradually set in.」
Brother Nan led the way, following the navigation, as they rode up the scenic road under the setting sun. The evening breeze made her long hair flutter while she leisurely admired the sunset and the vibrant afterglow. Zhou Li followed behind, also taking in the scenery.
"CLICK. CLICK..."
Zhou Li couldn’t resist taking out his phone and snapping a few pictures.
After countless intersections, twists, turns, and waiting at numerous traffic lights, Brother Nan finally stopped.
"We’re here!"
Zhou Li looked up.
It was a one-way street lined with snack bars. Beside them was a shop with an antique-style facade.
They were over twenty kilometers from the school. Given the complex road conditions in the urban area, the ride back might take over an hour. Zhou Li wondered how Brother Nan had managed to find this place.
"Come on in! What are you spacing out for?"
"Oh."
"Sit, sit, sit!" Brother Nan glanced at the menu. "I’ll have a large bowl of chicken soup rice noodles!"
"Thick or thin noodles?" the server asked.
"Hmm... thin."
"And for you, handsome?"
"I’ll have the same as her," Zhou Li said.
"No, he’ll have the thick ones," Brother Nan interjected, then whispered to Zhou Li, "I want to taste the difference between the thick and thin noodles."
"Okay."
"Looks like we can add side dishes here." Brother Nan stood up to take a look. Shortly after, she returned with two grilled pig’s trotters, two marinated eggs, and a plate of cold pickled peppers with wood ear mushrooms, urging Zhou Li to start eating.
Soon, the rice noodles arrived.
Served in large, coarse porcelain bowls, the pristine white noodles were submerged in a generous chicken broth, topped with pieces of chicken and chicken blood.
After wiping her hands clean from the pig’s trotter, Brother Nan picked up her chopsticks and first took a bite from Zhou Li’s bowl.
"Delicious!"
"The thin ones are even tastier! Try mine!"
"Oh."
Zhou Li also tasted them and nodded. The rice noodles looked plain, and they were, but they were also extremely savory.
One bite made his whole body feel wonderfully comfortable. He decided he would share this with Huai Xu when he got back.
After they finished eating, it was already dark.
Zhou Li listened to Brother Nan talk about another old vinegar rice noodle shop where you could get free fruit vinegar, as he followed her out. He kicked up the kickstand of his bike, and they slowly pushed their bikes out of the alley under the streetlights.
The bicycle wheels whirred softly as they spun...
They returned to Haigeng Dam and walked back along the lake in the dark. The wind was strong, but there were fewer intersections.
Brother Nan went back to her dormitory, while Zhou Li headed home.
When he arrived at his residential complex, he glanced at the time—half-past nine. He locked his bike downstairs. As he started up the stairs, Zhou Li suddenly saw a small figure squatting by his door, facing it, waiting silently.
It was an unfamiliar, half-grown cat.
It sat primly, a small, fluffy ball.
Hearing his footsteps, the kitten turned its head, opened its eyes, and looked at him. "Zhou Li, you’re finally back."
"How long have you been waiting?" Zhou Li bent down and picked her up.
"A very, very long time..."
"You must be tired."
"Where did you guys go? Isn’t Huai Xu usually the one watching the house?" Tuanzi squirmed in Zhou Li’s arms, her little paws coming to rest naturally on his neck. She had been sitting on the cold ground for so long that her paw pads felt cool.
"He’s busy outside."
"Oh."
"If I hadn’t come back, who knows how long you would have waited," Zhou Li said sympathetically.
"What else could I do? Lord Dumpling doesn’t have a phone," she pouted.
"..."
After entering the house, Zhou Li first wiped her paws with a paper towel, then placed her on the sofa and gave her the doll Brother Nan had won.
DING DONG.
Zhou Li hurriedly took out his phone—
Huai Xu: Are you back?
Zhou Li: Yes, I’m back.
Huai Xu: Oh, I’ll be back soon too.
Tuanzi, restless on the couch, stared at him. "Are you talking to someone on your phone?"
"Yes, Huai Xu said he’s coming back soon."
"Really? When?"
"Let me ask... He said right away."
"MEOW!"
Instantly, Lord Dumpling leaped off the couch and darted behind the door, crouching down to hide. She then instructed Zhou Li, "When Huai Xu gets back, don’t you dare tip him off, meow! Lord Dumpling is going to give him a big surprise!"
Zhou Li paused, then shook his head and smiled.
"Hmm? You’re not going to help?" Tuanzi asked, tilting her head.
"No, that’s not it," Zhou Li replied.
"Then why did you shake your head?"
"It’s nothing... I said I would."
"MEOW!"
Lord Dumpling quivered with excitement. She lay perfectly still, eyes glued to the door, only her whiskers twitching occasionally as she adjusted her position.
A long, long time passed, and Huai Xu still hadn’t returned.
Until a voice came from behind, "What’s that stupid cat hiding there for?"
That wasn’t Zhou Li’s voice!
Tuanzi turned her head. Huai Xu was standing in the living room, looking at her. She was instantly bewildered, staring at Huai Xu, then back at the still-closed door.
After a moment, she relaxed her guard and trotted back to Huai Xu. "How come you didn’t use the door?"
"Why should I use the door?"
"Barbarian!"
"Who are you calling a barbarian?"
"You! Barbarian!" Tuanzi stared at Huai Xu. "That’s not good. From now on, you should use the door."
"..."
"It really isn’t good," Zhou Li said, picking Tuanzi up again in agreement. "Appearing and disappearing like that can easily scare people. Besides, Lord Dumpling didn’t find it amusing at all."
"That’s right, MEOW!"
"So what should I do?" Huai Xu asked, looking flustered.
"Use the door."
"Use the door."
Two voices spoke at once.
Huai Xu: ...
Such children!
He went straight to the fridge, took out a can of cola, then pulled numerous snacks from the coffee table drawer. Munching on them, he asked, "Did you and Li Daimao have fun cycling today?"
"It was fun."
"I made a big discovery today."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yep."
Huai Xu ate a piece of pork jerky and took a swig of cola, then leaned back on the couch, a true Abandoned Demon. "I carefully investigated the information provided by that Little Demon last time. Being as smart and capable as I am, I followed the clues and, sure enough, found a business opportunity: a wealthy person troubled by a Demon... This jerky is delicious."
"Can we start our business now?" Zhou Li asked.
"No, I haven’t fully assessed the situation yet. This place isn’t like Yan City; we need to be more cautious," Huai Xu said, holding out the piece of pork jerky to Zhou Li. "Want some?"
"I don’t want any."
"What about Tuanzi?"
"Feed Lord Dumpling!"
"Ooh! How much is this bag? We should buy more next time." Huai Xu opened the package and fed a piece to Tuanzi.
"Twenty-eight."
"..."
Sorry!
Huai Xu silently put the rest of the jerky back into the drawer, saving it for later.
"Sigh."
He gazed at the half-piece of pork jerky in his hand, took a tiny, careful bite, and chewed slowly. "This won’t do," he mused. "We really need to land this job soon... Especially since you won’t let me steal."