"Asshole, I really shouldn't have played with you!"
Ma Guojun swore as he got up, ready to go to the bathroom, where he ran into the arriving Jiang Nian at the door.
"So slow?"
"Ran into Lin Dong and Liu Yang on the way, brought them along. Perfect for five players, straight into a five-man team."
"Where are they?"
"They went to buy drinks, they'll be here shortly." Jiang Nian said, renewing the fee for the five-person room.
Once everyone was there, it turned into four people cursing Li Hua.
"You bastard!"
"Get out of the jungle! You're so bad yet you're jungling."
"Join the team byd!"
"Lousy bastard!"
"Chi Shi!" Li Hua was sowhat dissatisfied, insisting on jungling himself, "Cover for now."
In the blink of an eye, evening fell.
They were getting hungry after playing for so long and discussed leaving to eat soplace else.
As they exited, the five of them walked and talked loudly, almost blocking the road, forming a two-three formation.
"Damn, didn't win a single match all day."
Lin Dong ignored the big guy's complaints and casually asked, "When did you guys go to the internet cafe?"
"Last night."
"Whoa, that's amazing?"
"Piece of cake."
"No, I ant don't die next to ."
"Like hell, I'm full of energy." Li Hua hands in pockets, "But it does feel a bit chilly."
"He lied to you, we went ho at midnight," Ma Guojun said, "But ca back at noon."
Liu Yang gave a thumbs up, "Aweso."
"Hey, why isn't Jiang Nian saying anything?"
"Don't!" Lin Dong and Li Hua simultaneously stopped him, "Don't let him speak, or you'll regret it."
This reminded Jiang Nian, so he said, "I really envy you guys, no need to worry about being interrupted online."
"Chi Shi!"
"Shut up, you bastard!"
"So damn vicious, next ti I'll bury you."
"The Yellow River has been elbowing humans for thousands of years; I have a project to elbow the Yellow River, want to join?"
Low-rise buildings on both sides reflected the dusk; few pedestrians on the road, with electric scooters passing under the telephone poles.
Actually, Jiang Nian wasn't really addicted, but when there's a group, he couldn't help but join in at the internet cafe.
After all, each ga in a five-man queue is precious.
Jiang Nian found a BBQ skewer shop and ordered everything he could, almost habitually paying the bill directly.
Everyone was stunned, exclaiming how rich he was.
Li Hua swore on the way, eating skewers with greasy lips, "Damn, why are you so rich?"
"Am I?" Jiang Nian was a bit indifferent, "This doesn't count as being rich, just a BBQ skewer al."
"Yeah, this bastard has tons of scholarships," Ma Guojun was annoyed, but had no choice.
When it cos to prizes, it was really hardcore.
"Damn, that's money easily spent and returned," Lin Dong was sowhat envious, thinking Jiang Nian spent money more lavishly than he did.
In fact, it was all a misunderstanding.
Just because this BBQ skewer al ant almost nothing to Jiang Nian, he naturally didn't feel bad about it.
"Co on, drink, drink, drink!"
Went through three rounds of drinks, didn't drink alcohol. They were afraid Li Hua and the big guy might drink too much and die without notice.
After all the noise, Jiang Nian headed ho alone.
At the crossroads, red lights flashed. Cars stopped on the zebra crossing, tail lights a bright red.
Jiang Nian suddenly rembered that back in middle school, he would co out of the dark internet cafe after an all-nighter.
It was freezing on the road.
Xu Qianqian would stand at the door, tossing him a packed breakfast. Jiang Nian usually ate it and slept until the afternoon.
He thought for a mont and called Xu Qianqian.
"Hello?"
"What!" Xu Qianqian's tone was feisty, "Talk fast, we need to finish our howork."
"Oh~~ which part are you working on?"
"None of your business!" Xu Qianqian was a bit speechless, "You're sneaking off to use the internet."
"Hungry."
"What?"
"Nothing," Jiang Nian changed the subject, "What would you like to drink? I'm at the snack shop."
"Didn't we buy drinks yesterday?" Xu Qianqian retorted.
"Oh, oh." Jiang Nian wasn't actually in a snack shop, just said a few words randomly, then prepared to hang up.
Suddenly, Xu Qianqian exclaid.
"Wait."
"Hmm?"
"You haven't eaten yet?"
"Yep."
Xu Qianqian said, "Then... I'll make so porridge for you later, just co over. Eat before you head back."
"Alright." Jiang Nian hung up the phone, breathing a sigh of relief, glad he hadn't eaten too much earlier.
Most of the ti was spent chatting gossip with Liu Yang and the others. He drank a lot of soda but it didn't really matter.
He was still uneasy, so decided to take a brisk walk around the small park until he was flushed with sweat.
.....
Knock, knock, knock, the sound of door knocks echoed.
Song Xiyun opened the door, the fragrance of century egg and lean pork porridge imdiately filled the living room.
"Back?"
"Yeah."
Jiang Nian suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, feeling like a spoiled man, playing around then coming ho to eat.
"Who made the porridge?"
"The two of us together."
"Oh, oh, no wonder." Jiang Nian casually teased, "I'm surprised she has such courage."
"Go to hell!" Xu Qianqian was furious, throwing a pillow over, "Again with the insults!"
"No, complinting you." Jiang Nian caught the pillow, thinking they were already late for dinner, "Did you guys eat?"
"Not yet, waiting for you."
"Hmm."
Jiang Nian: "...."
Even worse, feeling a bit guilty.
Glad it wasn't going out to eat with girls; next ti, no surprise, no blurting out hunger randomly.
"Let's eat, let's eat."
The three sat at the table, surprisingly in sync. Having spent ti together, even silence didn't feel awkward.
"How many worksheets have you done?"
"Three."
"Huh?" Xu Qianqian stopped her spoon and looked at him, "You didn't go to the internet cafe?"
"Started writing in the morning."
The two girls paused briefly, sowhat speechless at him, "Such energy, you still went online in the afternoon?"
"Exactly, otherwise who would play with ?" Jiang Nian looked at them, feeling slightly amused.
Xu Qianqian glanced at him, "Who do you want to play with?"
Song Xiyun took a sip of porridge and added.
"We went out in the afternoon too, took a walk around tallurgical Avenue, got back only after four."
Oops, misspoke.
If it were before, Jiang Nian might have panicked. But having lived here long, his courage had grown a lot.
At this mont, the solid foundation Tingzi provided ca into play again, "It depends on one's gaming preferences."
"One likes cheating in gas, the other's a pure esports fanatic. Playing with either of you is the worst loss for ."
"Tch! Who cares to play with you!"
"Exactly." Song Xiyun was also slightly dissatisfied; she wasn't that into gas, just.....
Not gaming just ant it was the easiest past-ti. Keeping oneself occupied without bothering anyone.
The next day.
On what was supposed to be nice weather, it suddenly began to drizzle. Going out beca inconvenient, so the three stayed ho for self-study.
The study group was back on.
Around one in the afternoon, Xu Qianqian was feeling a bit dizzy from carbon. Unable to resist the sleepiness, she lay on the sofa and fell asleep.
Song Xiyun held out a bit longer but soon fell asleep too.
Jiang Nian was in good form, completed two worksheets in succession. Started on the third sheet before taking a short break.
Rain drifted outside the balcony, curtains fluttered in the wind.
Jiang Nian got up, went to the kitchen, took a can of ice-cold Sprite back. Popped it open and took a sip, then sat back down.
The fizz burned his throat briefly, cold sensation cascading down into his stomach.
He instinctively turned to look, seeing Xu Qianqian and Song Xiyun each asleep on opposite sides, breathing steadily.
One spirited, the other delicate. Approaching May, both girls dressed lightly, covered with jackets.
Jiang Nian stared for a mont, glancing here and there. His gaze moved from one set of lips to the next.
Feeling a tickle in his heart.
A gust of wind blew in; a plastic piece on the balcony was suddenly lifted by the breeze, seemingly about to fall on the two girls.
He got up, ready to intercept.
With a crash, the noise startled both girls awake. Groggily opening their eyes, they looked at the standing Jiang Nian.
In the afternoon, slightly dimd.
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