23

Jiang Yan froze for a moment, staring at her, then suddenly lowered his head and chuckled softly without saying anything. He put his phone away.

The spicy hotpot shop was crowded. After paying, Lin Tiao saw the owner placing four plastic baskets of different colors, each with a number tag, on a table in the back.

There were still seven or eight similar plastic baskets in front of them.

At the entrance, people were coming and going. Jiang Yan led Lin Tiao to a shaded spot by a tree, where a few bicycles were parked haphazardly and the night sky was thick and dark.

The atmosphere was a bit heavy.

Lin Tiao kicked a stone at her feet, feeling awkward but hesitant to speak, afraid of saying something wrong.

The stone rolled away with a clatter after hitting a tin can and came to a stop.

Jiang Yan glanced at her, his view catching the slender, white line of her neck and the curve of her ear, ending at her soft earlobe.

He averted his gaze and casually asked, "Aren't you going home tonight? Don't your family care?"

"No, my parents are on a business trip tonight," Lin Tiao said, looking at the steam rising from the hotpot not far away. She suddenly blurted out, "They've been on business trips frequently since I was little, so I'm used to it."

The loneliness in her voice was evident. Jiang Yan spoke softly to comfort her, "The carefree life you have now is thanks to the time your parents sacrificed being with you."

"They did it for you to have a better life."

Just like how Fang Hai chose not to stay behind to give him a better life.

Lin Tiao looked up at his eyes and suddenly laughed, her eyes curving with light. "The way you speak is exactly like the old lady downstairs in my building."

Jiang Yan looked at her smiling like a silly girl and couldn't help but pat her on the head, "Silly."

Lin Tiao rarely retorted.

After more than ten minutes, they returned to the internet café with the packed spicy hotpot. Guan Che was at the bar counter watching TV with a headset around his neck.

Lin Tiao greeted him and went straight up to the private room on the second floor.

After finishing the hotpot, Lin Tiao checked the time—it was nearly two o'clock. She yawned, stood up, and went to look for the restroom.

The second floor was simply designed, with a straight corridor that led to the end, where signs for the emergency exit and restroom were hung above.

Lin Tiao was extremely tired and yawned again while walking. With her eyes barely open, she bumped into Jiang Yan coming up from downstairs.

"Are you tired?" Jiang Yan quickly grabbed her arm to steady her, noticing her drooping eyelids and weary expression.

"Ah, a bit. I'll just rest a bit when we go back," Lin Tiao replied. She used to stay out all night with Meng Xin, so staying up all night and napping was normal for her.

"I thought you could handle it better," Jiang Yan said, releasing her arm and heading up the stairs to the third floor. "Come up with me."

Lin Tiao found his words at this time and place a bit suggestive. She hesitated but eventually gave in to her tiredness and followed him up.

The third floor had a different layout from the second. As soon as you reached the top of the stairs, there was a spacious living room with several long sofas and a wooden coffee table.

There was also a pool table with an unfinished game.

The whole space seemed much larger than the second floor, but there were fewer rooms. Lin Tiao scanned the area and saw only four door numbers.

She followed Jiang Yan to the end of the hall, to room 301.

The small door had a code lock. Jiang Yan entered a few numbers, pressed the confirm button, and the door opened with a "ding."

The room's decor was simple, consisting of only three colors: gray, black, and white.

It had a bed with a wardrobe beside it, and on the other side, by the window, there was a desk piled with books. Next to it stood a wooden bookshelf filled with books, awards, and trophies.

Jiang Yan entered the room first, quickly gathered the dirty clothes scattered on the sofa, and threw them into a nearby laundry basket. He turned back to the person still standing at the door and said, "Come in and sit anywhere."

"Okay." Lin Tiao walked in and sat on a nearby single sofa, watching Jiang Yan tidy up the cables and power banks scattered on the bed.

She couldn't help but ask, "Is this your room?"

"Yes."

After tidying up, Jiang Yan went into the bathroom to ensure there was nothing embarrassing left out. He came out and said, "I've got a set of clean toiletries for you. Freshen up and you can sleep here."

"Ah."

Jiang Yan leaned against the door. The warm, soft lighting made his smile seem softer. He asked, "What? Are you scared?"

"Not really," Lin Tiao said, fidgeting with her hands. "But if this isn't your room, where will you sleep?"

"I'll sleep here too."

Lin Tiao was shocked. "How can you be so shameless?"

Jiang Yan, seeing her astonished expression, smiled and said, "You can sleep here. I'm on the night shift, so I won't be sleeping."

"Seriously, why do I always step on these landmines?"

Jiang Yan smirked, ready to head downstairs. He paused at the door and turned back. "I'll be downstairs. If you need anything, just call."

He pointed to the telephone on the bedside table. "Press 1 to connect directly to the bar downstairs."

Lin Tiao looked where he pointed and saw the black telephone by the bed. "Oh, if I can't sleep later, can I call you for a bedtime story?"

"Sure, give it a try," Jiang Yan said, casually shaking his phone. "I'm heading downstairs now. Rest well."

Lin Tiao nodded, a bit hesitant. "Good night."

Jiang Yan seemed unusually cheerful tonight, his smiles continuous. He gave a gentle nod, his voice deep and pleasant. "Good night."

He opened the door and left. Lin Tiao waited until she could no longer hear him before getting up and heading to the bathroom.

As Jiang Yan descended from the third floor to the second, he stopped and, after a moment of hesitation, walked to the end of the corridor where the private rooms were located.

When Lin Tiao came out, the door wasn't fully closed. Jiang Yan hadn't approached yet when he heard noises coming from inside.

"Dammit, what kind of idiot snatches up equipment so quickly? Why doesn't he show any enthusiasm in team fights?"

"Ah, damn it, Master, get him, and let's have a PvP match!"

Jiang Yan thought to himself that he should keep his classmate from spending so much time online with this girl in the future.

Meng Xin, who hadn't heard the knock on the door, only noticed Jiang Yan standing there when the lights in the private room came on. The words she had been shouting were stuck in her throat, and she awkwardly greeted him, "Uh, Jiang..."

Before she could finish, Jiang Yan said, "Lin Tiao is resting in room 301 upstairs. If you're tired, you can use room 302 next door; the code is the room number."

Meng Xin nodded, confused.

Jiang Yan, with a caring tone, said, "Girls should come to places like this less often at night."

Especially when they're with my classmate.

Meng Xin continued to nod, feeling stiff. "Okay. Goodbye."

The school bully turned away coldly, leaving Meng Xin stunned for a moment. It wasn't until she heard her mentor's frustrated shouts through the headset that she snapped back to reality.

She quickly joined the group, her fingers flying over the keyboard. During a brief pause waiting for the boss to drop loot, she opened QQ and sent Lin Tiao a few messages.

Then, she resumed leading the team.

Lin Tiao only saw the messages half an hour later.

Having just finished washing up, she pulled back the covers and sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed. Glancing around the room, she reached for her phone and saw Meng Xin's messages.

Meng Xin: "Lin Tiao, find a time to get the school bully for me. He's so nice, sob sob sob. He even cares about us mortals, telling me to rest early and not come to places like this at night."

Meng Xin: "Or maybe I'm wrong. It seems like he's hinting that I shouldn't bring you to these places in the future."

Meng Xin: "Bye."

Lin Tiao: "..."

Since it was getting late, Lin Tiao asked Meng Xin where she was resting and then set her phone to charge. She got up, turned off the lights, and when she returned to bed, she picked up her phone again. She noticed Jiang Yan had sent a message a few seconds ago.

Jiang Yan: "What would you like to eat for breakfast tomorrow?"

Lin Tiao thought for a moment and replied, "Small dumplings."

Jiang Yan: "Okay."

Lin Tiao turned off her phone, got into bed, and pulled the covers over her. The curtains didn't block out all the light, so the room was bathed in soft moonlight.

Not feeling very tired, Lin Tiao turned over and her gaze was drawn to a photo on the bedside table.

The photo showed an adult man holding a young boy.

They were standing in front of an old school gate. The man had a smile on his face, while the boy seemed a bit shy, hugging the man's neck and avoiding the camera.

Lin Tiao looked at it for a while, then turned over and closed her eyes.

Just as dawn broke, Lin Tiao woke up. She had trouble sleeping, having tossed and turned until after four in the morning.

Still groggy, she squinted with her eyes, her head resting on the pillow, and she could smell a faint hint of mint.

Soon, a sharp shout from downstairs pierced the silence, and the place quickly came alive with activity.

Lin Tiao rubbed her eyes, threw back the covers, and walked to the window, pulling back the curtains.

The misty morning light made the previously desolate alley come alive, with breakfast stalls set up everywhere. Children ran around with toys, while adults chased after them with bowls. The sound of bicycle bells rang out, and figures in school uniforms darted through the crowds.

Men carrying briefcases, stylish city women, and hurried footsteps created a lively contrast to the alley's usual grayness.

After a few minutes at the window, Lin Tiao released the curtains, went back to freshen up, and then headed downstairs.

The internet café was empty in the morning, with people asleep everywhere. Lin Tiao quietly walked down the stairs and found the bar area deserted.

She pulled out her phone, tapping the screen with one hand, when the café door opened, and Guan Che and Jiang Yan walked in, each carrying breakfast.

Guan Che, with chopsticks still in his mouth, saw Lin Tiao and greeted her with a smile, his words somewhat muffled, "Morning, little sister."

Lin Tiao, who had been hearing him call her "little sister" repeatedly since yesterday, instinctively responded, "Good morning, big brother."

Guan Che: "..."

Jiang Yan: "..."