Chapter 18

That evening, Qilian did indeed sneak into a low-level hotpot party with Jiang Xiaoyuan. He looked around like he was shining brightly, as if he could talk to anyone for a few words.

Jiang Xiaoyuan followed step by step and asked anxiously, "Are you really mine... hers... what do you understand - fellow townspeople

Qilian didn't turn his head and said, "It's only a matter of a few dozen kilometers apart. If you have to make up your mind, it's fine, but I mean it's just a casual way to get close

Jiang Xiaoyuan choked for a moment and said, "Why do you know everyone here

No, I don't know anyone, "Qilian's attitude was very natural." They're not as difficult to fool as you are

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "..."

Which sentence in his mouth is true? Do you have any more reliable friends left?

The people who came were diverse and varied, and they were not as familiar with each other as Jiang Xiaoyuan had imagined. They didn't even include relatives and friends who couldn't be related. It felt more like an online forum or Tieba gathering with her hometown as the theme, and no one knew that she wasn't the original one

Jiang Xiaoyuan grabbed Qilian and said, 'You said someone is looking for me, is that...'

I contacted the person, "Qilian said." They haven't arrived yet. Don't worry, go eat something first

Jiang Xiaoyuan was extremely anxious and thought to herself, "How can I eat this? Am I so heartless

When she finished a plate of beef alone fifteen minutes later, Jiang Xiaoyuan deeply realized that she was just heartless.

Eating hotpot with strangers, in the eyes of Jiang Xiaoyuan in the past, was like being pretentious and making a big fuss - such a big pot, with fish and meat inside, and purine like a sea, gutter oil and saliva flying together, a bunch of chopsticks coming and going, fighting each other like bullets

However, at this point, Jiang Xiaoyuan had no choice but to be picky about this hotpot with dishes, meat, and shrimp, because her recipes for the past few days were as follows:

The meal fee of the black Internet cafes should not exceed five yuan per meal, and they should not leave their posts for too long. They can only be settled around the Internet cafes. Jiang Xiaoyuan gave full play to her intelligence and prepared two kinds of packages with five yuan. Package A is soybean milk plus pancakes, and package B is steamed stuffed buns plus mineral water. Three AB packages a day work in shifts. She ate for a week, turning herself yellow and black, like a pancake.

After arriving at Mr. Chen's shop, I ate the boxed meals ordered by the shop every day. The boxed meals were sponsored by a nearby small black workshop, and the hygiene conditions were worrying. Every day, there was a comprehensive insect museum in the lunch box, and broomsticks were an indispensable health companion in daily life. Sometimes there were even extra meals - a young man in the shop once ate a gecko steamed with rice, which moved him to tears and caused him to fast for three days.

In this way, eating hotpot for Jiang Xiaoyuan was like having a tooth sacrifice - even if she had to pay for it herself, she might not be able to afford it.

Halfway through the gathering that day, a few middle-aged people hurriedly arrived.

Qilian whispered to her who those few people were, and Jiang Xiaoyuan quickly wiped her mouth clean, lowered her eyebrows and called out to them obediently.

She felt guilty and dared not say a word, fearing to expose something.

In the other party's incessant complaints, she gradually outlined what kind of person Jiang Xiaoyuan was before.

Jiang Xiaoyuan's parents in this world have already divorced, her mother has not been in touch for many years, and her father fell ill from work in his early years and passed away. The only thing left in the family is an old grandmother who relies on her for survival.

Grandma is getting older and her health is not good, so she has to take medicine all the time. Her family's situation is also deteriorating. So Jiang Xiaoyuan dropped out of high school and took care of a small field at home. She also worked for some small factories in the township to earn a meager salary. Unfortunately, with Grandma's medical expenses increasing, it was gradually difficult to sustain her. That's why she thought of working away from home, finding something to do, and trying her luck.

I didn't expect luck to be like an eggshell, you can't touch it, just touch it and it's gone.

The middle-aged woman who claimed to be her third aunt drank a few more glasses during the meal, feeling a bit dizzy. She hugged Jiang Xiaoyuan's shoulder and started muttering incessantly, "If you don't have money, you can borrow it first. Tell me, if you get into college and have a formal job in the future, are you afraid you won't be able to pay it back? Isn't it better than you're struggling and can't earn much money now? Think about it carefully and don't regret it later

Jiang Xiaoyuan casually responded, "Anyway, I can't study, and reading it is a waste

This statement has theoretical basis, after all, Jiang Xiaoyuan in parallel time and space is also Jiang Xiaoyuan, with the same appearance and genes. Jiang Xiaoyuan knows her own level very well.

Unexpectedly, before she could finish speaking, Aunt San slapped her on the back of the spine and said, "Nonsense! Who can do it if you can't? Back in the middle school entrance examination, I ranked first in the county and waived half of the tuition fees! Sigh, back then, who didn't praise me? Who didn't say you would go to Tsinghua University and Peking University in the future? Tell me about you... Sigh

Jiang Xiaoyuan was patted forward by her, and half of the Shaobing (Baked cake in griddle) in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter" and broke.

The first in the county, "she said with two clusters of indescribable shock in her eyes," me

Did you find someone to take the exam for you?

Auntie gave her a disdainful look and said, "Nonsense

Jiang Xiaoyuan gasped and lifted her hand to wipe the Shaobing (Baked cake in griddle) slag at the corner of her mouth. She was so shocked that she had to look up to the sky in order to have a good exchange with all the souls in the sky in all time and space.

It took a full five minutes for Jiang Xiaoyuan to digest the news with difficulty, and a lingering sadness filled her chest - there was a time when she was so successful, but despite her success, fate still refused to treat her kindly, making her difficult to move and causing her to die midway.

In exchange for this knockoff product, Li Daitao became stiff.

Jiang Xiaoyuan's mood suddenly dropped and lasted until she returned to the restaurant with a hot pot smell all over her.

She got off the car absentmindedly, her face covered in the scorching night breeze. Qilian pulled down the car window and said, "Ah

Jiang Xiaoyuan looked back at him with a gloomy expression.

Qilian handed over a wallet and said, "I see that you are missing two autumn and winter clothes. You can take how much money you need yourself. I only brought this little cash today, and you can ask me for it when you don't need it in the future

Jiang Xiaoyuan looked at him in shock, then at the unremarkable Volkswagen he was driving. "Are you very wealthy

Qilian knocked on the car door with her wallet and said, "I don't have as much money as your family, but I'll do my best. After all, I owed someone a favor back then, and now I have to repay it

Jiang Xiaoyuan didn't realize what he meant at first. She stood in the cold wind for a while before slowly regaining her senses.

Wait, "she looked at Qilian incredulously," do you think I can't survive without money and would escape back to the lighthouse and commit suicide like those people, and ruin your lives

It doesn't mean that, "Qilian said," don't overthink it

Jiang Xiaoyuan understood someone's face for the first time in her life - Qilian said it didn't mean that, in fact, he meant it.

What do you think of me as? Can't I survive without anyone to help me? "Jiang Xiaoyuan looked at Qilian's handsome face and suddenly became angry." I understand. In your eyes, I'm just a burden that's easier to deal with than those people before. As long as someone pays to support me, I can just keep living here and wait to die, right

Qilian: "..."

After figuring out why Xu Jingyang chose Jiang Xiaoyuan, Qilian did see her as a task with a significantly reduced difficulty level - compared to before, her situation was indeed the best to handle.

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "Let me tell you, I'm not short of money

She is a lazy princess disease, but before idleness, she was first and foremost a princess disease.

After shouting loudly, Jiang Xiaoyuan turned around silently and left, never wanting to see Qilian and his broken car again.

Hey, I heard that your grandmother from your hometown still needs to see a doctor, "Qilian hurriedly called out to her." Does it cost money to see a doctor, or do you not want to care about her at all because she is not your biological grandmother

Jiang Xiaoyuan shouted without looking back, "What's it to you? I have my own way

Jiang Xiaoyuan rushed into the store with a lawsuit in mind - the dormitory arranged for her by Chen Fangzhou was right behind her. When she forcefully pushed open the door, she still had unrealistic aspirations in her heart: "One day I will be developed and throw that broken wallet in your face

The two people who were originally joking in the store stopped at the same time and turned their heads to look at her.

Two people, Jiang Xiaoyuan, have memories of it. One of them was Helen, a senior technician who came forward to ask Chen Fangzhou if they could leave on the day of her assessment. Apart from Chen Fangzhou and another uncle, the technical supervisor, there were only three senior technicians in the store, all of whom had self paid to study abroad and had foreign names on their heads.

Helen is in her twenty-seven or eight years old, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. She is quite attractive, has extensive work experience, and can speak fluently. Every month, she holds the most membership cards in her hand, making her a prominent figure in the store. Mr. Chen always gives her some face.

The other girl is short and chubby, an intern technician, who was the one who ran on Jiang Xiaoyuan that day. She seems to be called "Little K", but her real name is ominous.

That day was the day when the store was closed for vacation, but the two of them didn't leave. Helen held a plastic model's head in proportion and explained some techniques to Little K.

Jiang Xiaoyuan paused in her footsteps and remembered that in twenty days, before the peak season at the end of the year, the store would undergo a major evaluation, and those who passed could be promoted to a professional title.

She has been immersed in her own embarrassing situation and completely indifferent to this matter.

Anyway, she can't get promoted in just over a month.

Intern technicians usually rarely have the opportunity to do hair cutting work, and the most common task is to perm and dye hair. If there were no specialized hair shampooers, they would earn an extra share of hair washing performance. After Jiang Xiaoyuan came, this income was divided, so Xiao K has a natural hostility towards her.

Seeing Jiang Xiaoyuan come in, Xiao K's round face forced a mysterious smile, her gaze involuntarily falling on Jiang Xiaoyuan's long hair and legs, while also breaking out a disapproving expression. In front of Jiang Xiaoyuan, she glanced at her, covered her mouth with her hand, and chatted with Helen next to her.

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "..."

This chubby guy must have watched too many idol dramas and learned a strange and peculiar habit - some movies and TV shows always make actors portray the noble and cold beauty that a character should have as uncivilized, such as lifting their chin, having their nose in the air, looking at people inappropriately, being sarcastic, having a smile but not a smile, and having small meetings in front of people... When it comes to reality, the effect is indescribable.

Helen reached out and slapped Xiao K on the back, loudly saying, "Are you comparing yourself to someone else? They might leave after working for a few days. You're someone who wants to be evaluated as a technician, and you're not working hard! If this continues, I won't teach you anymore

Xiao K: "I'm just a pitiful little guy who can't eat without working. I've been an intern technician for two years, and I really can't survive without upgrading. Look, I don't have the ability to directly find the store manager and use the back door, and no one drives me back at night

Jiang Xiaoyuan pushed a chair aside heavily. She didn't want to engage in any verbal conflict with these girls, but since they had already hit her doorstep, she had to fight back - there was still a difference between being magnanimous and not retaliating, and not retaliating.

Jiang Xiaoyuan said, "If you have something to say, don't criticize others

Xiao K originally planned to squeeze out a "dignified" smile, but to his surprise, facial fat hindered muscle function. He only made a "wealthy" smile and said, "I didn't say you, Xiaoyuan. Are you having fun coming back so late

Jiang Xiaoyuan tried her best to calm the nameless fire in her heart, feeling that she couldn't commit it. She had planned to just let it go, but just as she was about to leave, Helen added fuel to the fire and said, "Don't waste time chatting. You want to take the technician exam and make progress, but they don't want you

This sounded like being pointed to the nose and said 'not advancing', and Jiang Xiaoyuan's hand, which was pressed against the back of the chair, jumped with veins - she did not intend to make any achievements in washing, cutting, and blowing, but she took over the identity of the original owner, not only canceling their high school entrance exam results, but also mixing them up into this kind of behavior.

Qilian dog looks down on people with low eyes. Does she still have to endure the ridicule of a few haircuts.

Jiang Xiaoyuan impulsively blurted out, "Who said I didn't take the exam