CHAPTER 751: CHAPTER 583: A FRIEND_2

"This door doesn’t open."

Jiang Nian looked at the slightly ajar door, curiously said.

"But it’s not locked."

"It’s for leadership access. Are you leadership?" The old guard impatiently waved him away.

"Go, go, go, use the main entrance over there."

"Oh, oh." Jiang Nian nodded, heading to the other side, "I parked my bike there. I’ll just go grab it."

Two minutes later, a thud was heard.

He effortlessly climbed over the wall and landed, dusting his hands. It couldn’t be called effortless, more like walking on level ground, only slightly dusty at the hem.

No point in arguing with the old guard, a waste of words.

He walked along the street, found a small supermarket that was still open, bought a carton of milk, and climbed back over.

The guard saw him, and he saw the guard.

He didn’t run, acting as if nothing was wrong.

The old guard didn’t get up, showing no emotional response. He glanced at the milk in his hand, unimpressed.

Didn’t see it, means nothing happened.

....

Jiang Nian returned to the bottom of that dormitory building and only then made a call.

"Hello?"

Zhou Haifei’s voice rang out, "What’s up?"

"Come downstairs."

"Ah?" There was a hint of panic on the other end, followed by footsteps and the sound of a spring lock opening.

Squeak, the sound of the iron gate being pulled was very clear.

A few seconds later, at the position of the fourth-floor corridor, a head peeked out and looked down.

A few minutes later, Zhou Haifei rushed downstairs in a hurry.

"Whew, why are you here?"

"Just passing by, thought I’d take a look." Jiang Nian handed her the milk, "Take it, can’t return it once bought."

"I..... I’ll pay you."

"Give a..." Jiang Nian instinctively wanted to curse but held back, thinking about the festive season.

"Are there many people upstairs?"

"Not really, just a few people." Zhou Haifei was a bit reserved, wearing a school uniform with a sweater, looking rather plain.

"Can I go up?" Jiang Nian asked.

"Mm-hmm."

They entered the building, the dorm manager’s room was locked. The first floor was more like rental apartments than dormitories.

"This is a mixed dormitory, you have to pay to stay here." Zhou Haifei carried the milk upstairs, turning and explaining with some effort.

"Most people have gone home, we were placed on the fourth floor."

Jiang Nian nodded and asked again.

"How many people in your dorm?"

"Just me."

The two indeed didn’t encounter anyone as they went up; it was cold and quiet even in the afternoon, their footsteps echoing in the corridor.

Squeak, the door was pushed open.

Walking into the dorm, two beds placed against the wall came into view. One on the left, one on the right, one was bare.

Jiang Nian sat on the empty bed, curiously asked.

"The space is quite big, the psychological counseling room isn’t open. So you’re here alone, what do you usually do at school?"

"Practice test papers." Zhou Haifei answered truthfully, "There’s water and electricity here, much more convenient than at home."

This answer didn’t surprise Jiang Nian at all.

Today, he had just come by on the way to take a look, helping someone to the end. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve; taking a stroll does no harm.

"The cafeteria is closed, how do you get your meals?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Haifei didn’t answer.

".....Just eat whatever."

"Hmm?" Jiang Nian found it strange, so he got up and looked around, finding a box of large bowl noodles from a noodle shop.

One of those boxes with thirty or forty noodle cakes for only twenty bucks, hotpot noodles.

On the washing counter, there was an old electric kettle.

"No way....." Jiang Nian was dumbfounded, turned and looked at Zhou Haifei, "Really, are you just soaking them hard?"

Zhou Haifei lowered her head, "I occasionally eat something else."

"With a side dish, huh?" Jiang Nian stood up, couldn’t hold it any longer, "Didn’t you receive a prize?"

"For next semester’s tuition." She said.

High school tuition isn’t expensive, roughly around two thousand. There are subsidies for registered poor households, plus the scholarship.

With the two prizes Zhou Haifei won, saving up could indeed cover it.

Even so, Jiang Nian still found it hard to bear.

"These noodles don’t cook well, they taste bad. I have a spare induction cooker at home; I’ll bring it to you tonight."

"No..... there’s no need." Zhou Haifei stood up, instinctively refused, "The holiday will end soon."

"Soon, there are eighteen whole days." Jiang Nian didn’t stay long, took a casual look around, then got up and left.

......

Jingfu District.

When he arrived at the community entrance, it was already getting dark. While parking, he was wondering what to bring over that night.

Even a small rascal can’t stand seeing others suffer.

Especially since tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, thinking of Zhou Haifei eating those half-soft, half-hard noodles didn’t sit well with him.

Being kind to the end.

For him, it was indeed an easy task.

"Qingqing." Jiang Nian called the monitor, giving a heads-up, "I’m downstairs at your community."

"Mm." Li Qingrong hung up the phone.

Soon, a tall figure walked out from the east gate of the community. After looking around, she walked towards him.

"Going up?"

Hearing this, Jiang Nian was still a bit hesitant.

"Isn’t there a chance I could wait downstairs, and you’d bring the sword down, then I’d just go home to play?"

Li Qingrong gave him a sidelong glance and asked coolly.

"What sword?"

Jiang Nian: "..."

The monitor was black-bellied to the end, picking up ways from who knows where, even more wicked than himself?

"Alright, alright, I’ll go up." He compromised.

It wasn’t that Jiang Nian didn’t want to hang out with the monitor, but there wasn’t just Li Qingrong upstairs, there was also an old woman.

Ding dong, the doorbell rang.

The door opened from the inside, revealing a plain face.

"Why did you go downstairs?"

Li Lanying curiously and chattered on.

"Watching TV nicely, suddenly just got up and left. Didn’t even say a word, really too much."

She looked up and met Jiang Nian’s eyes.

"Hmm?"

"Hi." Jiang Nian awkwardly waved.

"I thought so." Li Lanying was speechless, rolled her eyes, and turned back, "No wonder you can’t even walk straight."

Li Qingrong ignored her, after changing shoes, she turned to Jiang Nian, watching him change into gray slippers.

"In my room, I’ll get it for you."

Went upstairs, so the sword was there.

The sound of the TV echoed in the living room, the heater was on, Li Lanying was lying on the sofa, busy with her own thing.

"Sit down."

Jiang Nian politely nodded, "Okay."

Li Lanying saw someone still stupidly standing in the living room, couldn’t be bothered to pay attention, casually picked up an apple and started munching.

"Here to pay New Year’s greetings or to eat?"

"Getting the sword."

Li Lanying: "What sword?"

Until the monitor came out of the bedroom, holding an ornamental sword. It was exquisitely crafted, exuding artistic beauty.

"Sword?"

Jiang Nian was also a bit puzzled, remembering distinctly. The monitor had said the sword was a gift from Li Lanying’s friend.

Looking at it now, it didn’t seem quite right.

"Qingqing, this sword..."

"A gift from my sister’s friend, she has a bad memory." Li Qingrong said, turning to the old woman on the sofa.

"Really?" Li Lanying was stunned.

Crunch.

She took another bite of the apple, "Oh oh oh.... I remember, I did have such a friend."

Jiang Nian: "...."

He couldn’t be bothered to argue; it was considered a gift from the monitor anyway.

"Thank you, Qingqing."

"Mm." Li Qingrong thought for a moment, turned, and said to Jiang Nian, "Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, will you come?"

Jiang Nian didn’t nod immediately, instead he asked.

"Who’s cooking the New Year’s Eve dinner?"

Li Lanying looked up, "Why are you looking at me? I can’t cook."

"I will." Li Qingrong lowered her eyes.

"Forget it, don’t force yourself." Jiang Nian glanced at the sword in his hand, "I’ll cook tomorrow, you guys prepare the ingredients."

"You can cook?" Li Lanying glanced at him again.

"Not bad."

Li Qingrong nodded and suddenly said.

"It’s delicious."

"Really?" Li Lanying was puzzled.

Because Li Lanying was there, it wasn’t good to stay too long. Jiang Nian accompanied the monitor, watching TV for half an hour.

Then, on the dot, he found an excuse to slip away.

In the descending elevator, he stared at the sword in his hand for a while. At the moment, he didn’t know what to say.

How to spend New Year’s Eve on both sides tomorrow?