CHAPTER 744: CHAPTER 577: THE DISH IS BITTER

Xu Shuang went up to the second floor and found a small private room to sit in.

"Sit."

"Hmm." Jiang Nian nodded.

Before sitting down, he looked around. The privacy here was quite good. After entering, you couldn’t hear the noise from the hallway.

Opening the window, you could hear the bustling sound of the street again.

"Where is this?"

"Nowhere special, just a place to rest." Xu Shuang said casually, "What tea do you want? They have everything here."

"Anything is fine, white tea maybe." He wasn’t knowledgeable about tea but had heard Old Jiang mention the local white tea a few times.

This field was deep; when in doubt, go with the local white tea.

"Okay." Xu Shuang nodded.

Jiang Nian originally thought Xu Shuang would make the tea, but seeing the scene, he realized. This was done by a specialist, so just wait.

Sure enough, after a short while, there was a knock on the door.

"Hello~"

A tea artist in a cheongsam appeared, and after sitting down, started making tea.

Jiang Nian watched her hands brew the tea for a while, then got bored and turned to look at the clouds outside the window.

After a day of fuss, it was already 5 PM.

Xu Shuang glanced at the daydreaming Jiang Nian with her peripheral vision and couldn’t help but look outside as well. No one spoke as they quietly enjoyed the sunset glow.

Before long, the tea artist withdrew.

Jiang Nian took a sip of tea and handed the limited edition teddy bear to Xu Shuang.

"Take a look, is this the one?"

"Okay." Xu Shuang took it, glanced at the label a few times, and then put it down, "This is it, name a price."

Jiang Nian, lacking interest, waved his hand.

"Just give whatever."

This thing wasn’t valuable, just rare. He didn’t expect to make money from this; it was just a way to introduce himself.

Xu Shuang transferred a sum of money to him, still more than he expected.

"Help me find something."

"What?" Jiang Nian looked up at her.

To be honest, when Xu Shuang asked him to get stamps last time, he had a hunch and had been waiting for this moment.

The mission house is about to start!

"Tissues, right there in the hidden drawer on your side." Xu Shuang pointed out, "Under the table, just pull it open and you’ll see it."

"Oh, oh." Jiang Nian was expressionless.

Mad, mission failed to start.

After handing over the tissues, he looked at Xu Shuang for a few more seconds. Looking forlorn, if this road doesn’t work, he’ll have to think of another way.

The other way refers to Xu Yuanshan.

Now it seems he failed to recognize Taishan. The gold content of SpongeBob’s jail bottom is higher than his sister’s.

"Are you free lately?"

"Hmm?"

"Help me get a limited edition pair of sneakers." Xu Shuang said, "My brother’s birthday is coming up, and he’s always wanted it."

Jiang Nian had earned well today, so he gladly agreed.

"Okay."

According to his plan, he initially thought Xu Shuang was going to help her family get household supplies, but he didn’t expect it to be sneakers.

Stamps, bears, sneakers, the profit isn’t high. But you can’t become significantly richer overnight, just start with this.

Not much money, but also less trouble.

Jiang Nian’s plan was to go steady and prosper in a small way. Although there wasn’t a lot of money at home, as long as he didn’t get married, it was enough.

As for marriage, he could only say there’s no rush.

Half an hour later, they parted ways.

"Should I take you home?" Jiang Nian got on the electric scooter and raised his chin, "Or are you going back by yourself?"

"No need." Xu Shuang politely declined.

"Hmm." Jiang Nian sped off on his scooter.

But to be honest, he was a little confused too. Getting a limited edition pair of sneakers, does it need to be discussed in such a place?

Rich people, hmm..... strange.

After sending off Jiang Nian, Xu Shuang turned back to Gulan Residence. The tea artist came again, silently changing to another type of tea for her.

Click.

She gently tapped the table, absentmindedly looking out the window. She hesitated twice during the conversation just now.

In the end, she didn’t bring it up.

Looking for someone to divide the apartment and draw lots was still too abstract. But there’s no rush, the time wasn’t set yet.

Moreover, she was in faraway Nanzhou, hundreds of kilometers away.

Let’s wait until we are more familiar, then decide.

.....

On the other side.

Jiang Nian got home just in time for dinner.

His phone was piled with messages; he glanced briefly. Li Hua was in full Chi Shi, bombing him with emojis.

The class monitor was silent, probably unaware of it.

Zhang Ningzhi sent three messages, the last one was an emoji. Didn’t know about the first two because he hadn’t opened them.

Scrolling down the message list, the situation was similar.

As usual, some acquaintances were teasing him. Then even some he wasn’t that familiar with sent messages to gossip.

Like Dong Que and the likes, as for Nie Qiqi, she simply mocked him.

Given the situation, let’s eat first.

"Mom, why are there two extra sets of bowls and chopsticks?" Jiang Nian hesitated, "Aren’t Xu Qianqian and the others out playing?"

"They’ll be back shortly." Li Hongmei said.

"Oh." Jiang Nian sat down as usual, picked up chopsticks first, and ate a couple of bites, "This duck tastes really good."

"Hey, you little rascal." Li Hongmei facepalmed, "I told you there were guests, can’t you wait to eat?"

"Since when is Xu Qianqian considered a guest?"

"There’s also a little girl, you..." Li Hongmei took away his chopsticks, "Go wash your hands first."

Jiang Nian got up to wash his hands, thinking the other little girl wasn’t a guest either.

Surprise or not?

However, he only dared to grumble this far in his mind. He feared if he uttered such rebellious words, Empress Li would tear him apart.

What do you mean by surprise?

Surprise is, your son has a few future ex-girlfriends. And a future ex-wife who is guaranteed to divorce.

That’s the surprise.

During the New Year’s celebration, let’s not stir up any trouble.

Not long after, Old Jiang returned. He had just put down the fishing box and turned to see Jiang Nian sitting upright at the dining table.

"What are you doing?"

"Dad, try this dish." Jiang Nian handed over the chopsticks, "Mom made it too salty, yet insists it has no flavor."

Upon hearing this, Old Jiang immediately became serious.

"Is there really such a thing?"

He stepped forward, took the chopsticks, and tasted a bite. Before he could savor it, he heard his unfortunate son yelling.

"Mom! Mom!!"

"My dad didn’t wash his hands after fishing, he just grabbed the food directly!"

Li Hongmei immediately seized the opportunity, "I’m really indebted to you Jiang family’s! Not a day goes by without you causing me concern!"

Old Jiang instantly put on a pained expression, sorrow filling his chest and bitterness invading his taste buds. It turned out it wasn’t too salty, it was under-seasoned.

Not letting the child suffer, now he must bear the consequences.

After a while, Xu Qianqian and the others arrived. Nothing particularly new was on the table, and they ate joyously.

Night fell.

With nothing else to do, Jiang Nian returned to his room to work on exercises. His phone was placed aside, and he hadn’t yet replied to any messages.

It wasn’t until he completed a set of problems and felt back in the groove did he pick up his phone to reply one by one, mostly joking.

It was all legitimate business, nothing to hide.

Chen Yunyun didn’t ask, almost as if she hadn’t seen the group chat. She shared with him an image, the sunset at Yunmu Town.

"Is it beautiful? [Image]"

"It’s alright, I saw it this afternoon too." Jiang Nian thought for a moment, "Currently working on exercises, [Image]."

Being so far apart, online chatting still has a sense of distance.

He was the last to reply to Zhang Ningzhi’s message, first sending a sticker of having no money, and she responded instantly.

"Hmph! (side-eye)"

"What are you doing?"

"Won’t tell you, I just finished showering!" After sending two messages, Zhang Ningzhi sent Jiang Nian a red packet.

"For you."

Jiang Nian: "???"

This is why he cautiously replies to messages, the Nanjiang Bay young lady sometimes sends money unexpectedly.

"Hmm? Are you trying to cut me off from doing part-time jobs?"

"Nope." Zhang Ningzhi sent a look of innocence sticker, "You yourself said you were out of money."

Jiang Nian accepted the red packet, and replied.

"I’ve taken the money, but I still need to do part-time jobs. It’s not proving how remarkable I am, but really lacking money."

"Hmph, then you go."

Actually, there’s no genuine part-time job, just snapping a pair of shoes. Others use sophisticated tech, while he uses hacks.

All are cheats, fair competition.

However, for Zhang Ningzhi, he still had a lot to explain. Leaving room for flexibility, no need to clarify later.

If asked, it’s because of a part-time gig.

Sure enough, besides ’hmpf-ing’ a few times, Zhang Ningzhi also only blasted a single gold coin and later asked when he would visit her.

A softhearted girl’s memory only spans seven seconds, emotions come quickly and leave just as fast.

He thought for a moment, then dialed the video call.

Dong, the video connected.

In the video, Zhang Ningzhi’s face was halfway obscured.

"Aren’t you going to Qiong Province?" Jiang Nian asked more, "It’s almost New Year’s Eve, are you really not going?"

"Don’t know yet." She lay on the bed, only half her face appeared on camera, "Haven’t talked to my parents yet."

"Go on then." Jiang Nian advised.

"Hmph, you really want me gone!" Zhang Ningzhi was a bit dissatisfied, her whole face showed, staring down at the camera.

Seeming foolishly cute.

However, she didn’t say the next sentence — was Jiang Nian wanting to spend New Year with other girls with long legs!

"No, it’s really for your own good." Jiang Nian looked at the girl on the screen and said, "Are you sure you want to spend New Year’s alone?"

"Not really...there are... friends?" Zhang Ningzhi was a bit unsure.

"Friends are all celebrating New Year, visiting relatives and such. A world illuminated, leaving just one solitary lamp for you alone."

"If that’s truly the case, you might as well come spend New Year’s at my place." Jiang Nian was adept at persuasion.

Though he wasn’t lying, if Ningzhi stayed for him, he definitely wouldn’t leave Ningzhi unattended.

"Huh?" Zhang Ningzhi hesitated, "I go to your place eh, ...can’t you come to mine, no one’s around then."

Jiang Nian sighed quietly: "I’m afraid your dad will chop me."

Zhang Ningzhi: "....."

In the end, the Nanjiang Bay young lady, under someone’s "kind persuasion," decided to spend New Year with her parents after all.

But set a condition to hang out tomorrow.

Jiang Nian gladly agreed.

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, and Old Jiang’s gonna need the car. Conveniently, there’s free time to visit Lin Dong for a while.

See how Lin Dong sells fireworks, set off some firecrackers then return.

Plans decided.

Jiang Nian thought for a moment and also invited Huang Beibei.

"Hey beauty, got any free time?"

Zhang Ningzhi would definitely contact her, but Jiang Nian was first to invite. Although seemingly insignificant, it’s actually not.

Yao Beibei: "???"

"What’s up?"

"Come hang out tomorrow, I’ll take you for a spin." Jiang Nian typed, "Prepare a little feast, hoping you’ll come."

Yao Beibei: "???"

Three minutes later, Yao Beibei responded with a series of ellipses.

"Got it."

Upon seeing this, Jiang Nian put down his phone. Taking a deep breath, he continued to work on the exam paper, slowly getting back into the zone.

Half an hour later, the sound of knocking came.

"Jiang Nian!"

It was Xu Qianqian’s voice.