Thinking like this, he actually fell asleep while hazily dozing off. When he woke up again, it was already half an hour later.
Jiang Nian jolted awake, springing up directly.
"Gonna be late!"
After pausing for two or three seconds, he found that he wasn’t in bed. Beside the sofa, Li Qingrong was propping her head up, watching him.
"It’s a holiday."
"Oh, oh, how long did I sleep?" Jiang Nian instinctively looked towards the balcony, relieved that it was still dark outside.
"Half an hour, not quite forty minutes," Li Qingrong said, "I cooked so porridge in the kitchen, do you want to eat sothing?"
"Alright, there’s no rush," Jiang Nian nodded, looking around to see no one else, "Qingqing, are your hands cold?"
Li Qingrong gave him a glance, got up, and went to the kitchen.
"Nope."
The trick failed, and Jiang Nian felt a bit awkward. But soon, he returned to his normal expression, drinking the porridge slowly.
He needed to head back later and take Yu Zhiyi ho tomorrow morning. Afterwards, there would be a half-day trip with Li Hua and Ma Guojun.
Ultimately, it’s just an excuse to have so fun with friends before the New Year.
Friendships are sothing that need maintenance.
Tomorrow night, depending on the situation, he might take Zhizhi out. He had already arranged with Lin Dong to visit his place.
If sothing cos up with Xu Qianqian, he’ll have to reconsider. The car wouldn’t be needed for many days, so timing needs careful planning.
Jiang Nian finished the porridge silently, getting ready to leave. At the doorway.
Li Qingrong glanced at him and saw his clothes were a bit wrinkled. She paused for a mont and reached out to help Jiang Nian fix it.
"I’ll see you down."
"No need, it’s too late," Jiang Nian shook his head, refusing, "I wouldn’t feel comfortable if you ca down."
Li Qingrong nodded, "Okay."
She waved him off, closed the door, and stood still for a mont with her eyes down, then took out her phone to send him a ssage.
Be careful on the road.
...
Jiang Nian felt good, with his stomach ward after the porridge. He really couldn’t handle solid food, only soft ones.
Picking up his car at the roadside, he drove back to the city.
He stopped at a iyi store to buy a few cans of Red Bull and so chicken feet snacks, then leisurely returned to the internet café’s private room.
Yu Zhiyi was asleep on the corner table, while Li Hua and Ma Guojun were still gaming.
"Where did you go?" Ma Guojun turned around to ask, "It’s been so long since you ca back."
"Went to Chi Shi, leaving us here." Li Hua cursed while gaming, "You’re such a bastard!"
Jiang Nian didn’t mind, distributing the Red Bull and snacks. Sitting down on the chair, he complained lightly.
"The class president made take a nap, said no driving fatigue."
"You bastard!"
"Chi Shi."
The two of them cursed for a bit and then started another ga with Jiang Nian. Midway through, Yu Zhiyi woke up groggily.
"When did you co back?"
"Just now." Jiang Nian glanced at her, and during the ga pauses, he opened a can of Red Bull with one hand and took a sip.
"If you’re tired, just sleep. We’ll call you in the morning."
Yu Zhiyi nodded instinctively when she heard this. She was indeed a bit tired; she had been battling against sleep since two o’clock.
But then she recalled Jiang Nian was driving her ho tomorrow and couldn’t help but ask in horror.
"Aren’t you going to sleep?"
"I slept, don’t worry." Jiang Nian said calmly, "I’m not tired now, I’ll take a nap when driving."
"What!!" Yu Zhiyi was dumbfounded.
"He’s pulling your leg, he’ll probably sleep soon," Ma Guojun explained, "This BYD is the most fearful."
"Indeed," Li Hua nodded in agreent.
Hearing this, Yu Zhiyi finally patted her chest, relieved.
"That’s good then."
With all this back and forth teasing, she wasn’t sleepy anymore. So she got up, sat next to Jiang Nian, and turned on her ga.
"Invite for the next round."
"Sure," Li Hua chuckled.
"Don’t you dare join; you’re terrible," Jiang Nian trashed-talked him, "Fine, just pick a tank."
The four of them gathered to play two matches, their lively interaction gradually subsided into silence, until even Li Hua couldn’t hold it in anymore.
"I’ll watch the news broadcast for a bit; you guys play," Li Hua said.
Ma Guojun added, "I’ll play so Dou Di Zhu."
Jiang Nian simply tossed his headphones and lay on the table, sleeping. It was a ga that silenced them, a ga that broke their defenses.
"I thought I played decently," Yu Zhiyi said, oblivious, "Forget it, I’ll just play on my phone."
And so the ranking team disbanded unhappily.
After dawn, Jiang Nian woke Yu Zhiyi up. Together with Li Hua and Old Ma, they went to freshen up, using the internet café’s disposable toiletries.
Afterwards, the group got into the car.
They stopped when passing by the North Gate.
"Why are we stopping?" Yu Zhiyi on the passenger seat turned her head, puzzled, looking at Jiang Nian, "Are you buying breakfast?"
The person claid to be car-sick, Jiang Nian originally planned to throw her into the trunk, but she stubbornly clung to the front seat.
Jiang Nian turned off the engine, "Waiting for Fangfang."
Bringing one was bringing, bringing two was also bringing. With Fangfang here, it could be easier to have her as a shield next ti.
Let’s just say, it’s a win-win situation.
"Is Huang Fang also in that town...?" Ma Guojun asked curiously.
"Yes, it’s right on the way," Jiang Nian said while unbuckling his seatbelt, "Don’t get out of the car, wait for a bit."
With that, Jiang Nian walked alone towards the alley by the North Gate.
Feeling a bit hungry in the backseat, Ma Guojun asked.
"Where are we having breakfast?"
In the backseat, Li Hua was already dog-tired. He had basically stayed up all night, and from his pocket, he took out a half-bag of chicken feet.
"Wanna eat?"
"Hmm, why do you still have chicken feet?" Ma Guojun was just about to take it, but when he looked closely, "Damn it, they’re all leftover bones."
Li Hua, drowsy and confused, stuffed it into the chubby guy’s arms.
"Isn’t chicken feet all about eating the bones?"
Ma Guojun instantly reacted as if he had received a hot potato, "Li Hua, you dog! Don’t give it to !"
"Throw them here." Yu Zhiyi in the passenger seat handed him a bag, also saying, "Let’s go eat at my hotown."
"It’s quick; it won’t take half an hour."
Not long after, Jiang Nian ca back carrying luggage. Behind him was Huang Fang, with an indescribable expression on her face.
Yu Zhiyi couldn’t help but be a bit envious, Jiang Nian never carried her luggage.
With a bang, the trunk closed.
Jiang Nian swiftly got into the car, buckled his seatbelt, and started the engine. He glanced at Huang Fang with a cheeky grin.
"Fangfang, let’s head ho."
Huang Fang: "...."
Just a while ago, Jiang Nian had taken a photo with her at the dorm entrance, "accidentally" sending it to Zhang Ningzhi.
At that mont, she finally understood.
Why Jiang Nian insisted she didn’t wait by the roadside ahead of ti and repeatedly stressed she’d wait at the dorm entrance for him to pick her up.
Huang Fang felt slightly panicked, as though she had been dragged into the ss.
Hopefully, only Jiang Nian will suffer in the end.
She’s innocent.
The car drove out of Zhenan County, racing down Nanjiang Road, with a crimson sun slowly rising, reflecting off the murky river.
In the backseat, Ma Guojun was feeling a bit drowsy.
"Where are we going for breakfast?"
In the back, Li Hua was already as tired as a dog. He had played almost all night and pulled out half a bag of chicken feet from his pocket.
"Wanna eat?"
"Hmm? How do you still have chicken feet?" Ma Guojun was about to take it when he realized, "Damn it, it’s all just leftover bones."
Li Hua, all drowsy, dropped it into the fat guy’s arms.
"Aren’t chicken feet just for eating bones?"
Ma Guojun imdiately reacted as if he’d caught a hot potato, "Li Hua, damn you! Don’t give them to !"
"Throw them here." Yu Zhiyi handed him a bag from the passenger seat, saying, "Let’s go eat at my village."
"It’s quick, less than half an hour."
Shortly after, Jiang Nian arrived with so luggage, followed by Huang Fang, who had a difficult-to-describe expression on her face.
With a click, the trunk was closed.
Jiang Nian hopped into the car, fastened his seatbelt, and started the ignition. He glanced over to Huang Fang.
"Fangfang, you coming along too?"
Huang Fang: "...."
On the other side.
When Zhang Ningzhi woke up, it was already eight in the morning. From her bed, she heard soone calling her na from outside the door.
"Zhizhi, breakfast is ready!"
"Got it!" Zhang Ningzhi rolled around on her bed and opened the photos sent by Jiang Nian—one posing with Fangfang, another of the morning fields, and a sunrise by the river.
Zhang Ningzhi sent a ssage right after, "Where are you now?"
As soon as she sent the ssage, a video call ca in. It startled her, making her glance nervously out the door.
She connected the video call, her cheeks blushing.
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