Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

Chapter 978: 978 Friends

Zhao Xiaojing felt a bit embarrassed and awkward now.

Going to someone’s house with a person you just met, isn’t that completely inappropriate?

"Old Wu, why did you come here for a meal today? This is my friend, Zhao Xiaojing, she came over here to take a look."

"There’s no one at home. Too lazy to cook for myself. Decided to splurge today and eat here."

"I won’t chat with you longer, otherwise it’ll be gone soon.

Mr. Zhao, you sit and wait for me, will eating tofu brain be okay?"

"Thanks. I can eat anything."

Zhao Xiaojing sat at an empty table waiting for Tang Yiqing, but noticed that Old Wu kept sneaking glances at her. Was there something wrong with her? She felt a bit uneasy.

She thought she might as well buy a ticket and head back later. After all, if it were a woman, it might be a bit better.

While she was feeling apprehensive, Tang Yiqing returned with dumplings, the big steamed kind. But this was already pretty good.

"Xiao Jing, eat while it’s hot. The dumplings here have a really good taste." He said and then turned to leave again. Soon he came back with two bowls of sorghum porridge, and also brought some pickled vegetables, green onions, and paste. One could tell he was quite familiar with the place.

"Xiao Jing. Why aren’t you eating yet? It’ll taste bad once it’s cold."

Zhao Xiaojing smiled, "Waiting for you to eat together."

The steamed dumplings indeed tasted very good, much better than those on the train.

Tang Yiqing seemed a bit excited, speaking a bit more animatedly than he did on the train.

Zhao Xiaojing also slowly let go of her guard and uneasiness from earlier, and a smile returned to her face.

After they finished eating, "Xiao Jing, come on, let’s go to my house. We need to go start the fire now, otherwise there’ll be no way to sleep tonight.

That’s the downside of business trips, there’s no one to look after the house."

Zhao Xiaojing hesitated again. Tang Yiqing clearly noticed. "Xiao Jing, don’t worry, I’m a good person. If you want to leave, I’ll take you to buy a train ticket. But at the soonest, there won’t be a train until the day after tomorrow."

Zhao Xiaojing felt quite embarrassed by his words. "No, I just feel it’s too much trouble."

"What’s troublesome about it? Aren’t we friends? Come on, you should also get to know the place. In the future, if you come over, you can come home."

Zhao Xiaojing nodded, indeed, they were friends, and staying at a friend’s house wasn’t a big deal. Convincing herself, she happily followed behind Tang Yiqing.

His house wasn’t far, only about a ten-minute walk. "We’re here, this is my home."

The house looked quite nice, "Really not bad."

"Hehe, please come in. It’s a bit messy inside."

Zhao Xiaojing just smiled. The yard was still covered with thick snow, which hadn’t been cleared, but there was none on the roof. They had cleared a narrow path, leading straight to the house.

"Hehe, last time I left in a hurry and didn’t have time to shovel the snow."

The house was in decent shape, not too messy, but it was extremely cold, even colder than outside.

"Xiao Jing, find a place to sit, I’ll start the fire right away. But my house only has this one room that can be lived in, the stove is broken, haven’t had time to fix it yet."

"It’s okay, I can stay at a hotel later."

"How can that be? We’re friends, it’s just for sleeping, don’t worry, I’m not a bad person. Really, I can assure you. If you really don’t trust me, you stay here and I’ll go stay at my workplace."

Zhao Xiaojing, although a mother of two, hadn’t interacted much with other men. Hearing Tang Yiqing’s words, she felt very embarrassed, standing there with her face red and eyes down.

Tang Yiqing didn’t say anything more. He quickly started the fire and lit the stove as well. Even so, it wouldn’t warm up the room quickly.

Zhao Xiaojing wasn’t lazy, so she put down her luggage, took off her coat, and joined Tang Yiqing in tidying up the house.

"Xiao Jing, seems like I need to find a wife again. Truly different when there’s a woman at home."

Zhao Xiaojing thought of living alone in the future, feeling a bit down. But her hands didn’t stop working.

Tang Yiqing noticed something unusual about Zhao Xiaojing long ago; he guessed it was a matter concerning a man.

The water boiling outside was hot now. Zhao Xiaojing found a cloth, cleaned it, and started wiping the kang (heated bed).

Tang Yiqing watched her actions from below, his brows furrowed. A rare moment of compassion stirred in him, and he shook his head.

Zhao Xiaojing had cleaned up both inside and outside. Such efforts made it seem less cold, and the room temperature rose. Watching the big pot of water boiling outside felt very wasteful. She thought if she were at home, she’d definitely wash her hair and freshen up.

Who was Tang Yiqing? He immediately thought of it.

"Xiao Jing, this hot water is too much of a waste. Do you want to wash up a bit? By the way, I need to go to work for a while. I’ll be back around noon. Lock the door and rest a bit. I’ll bring lunch back from the canteen."

"Alright, you go ahead. Did I delay you?"

"Not at all? Don’t feel bad. I have to submit something at work and apply for a few days leave. Lock the door when you go out; it’s safer that way. I’ll knock when I return."

After saying that, he picked up his coat and a bag and left.

With the house left to herself, Zhao Xiaojing saw all the hot water and found a big basin. After cleaning it, she started bathing. Honestly, washing in the room next to the metal stove didn’t feel too cold, but she didn’t dare to take too long, one thing being in someone else’s house and secondly fearing getting sick.

Half an hour later, she washed her underwear and placed it next to the metal stove, so it would dry soon.

Once everything was tidy again, she touched the kang, feeling it was warm. Only then did she sit on the kang to comb her hair.

Alone now, she started thinking about Xu Hongbing, suddenly feeling that recalling him wasn’t as painful as before.

When her hair was dry, she stepped down from the kang and felt her underwear. It was almost dry. Checking the time, it was already past ten. Tang Yiqing should be returning soon. This watch was Xu Hongbing’s, given to her by the police station.

She went outside to see the fire, added two more logs, and returned to the room to see many of Tang Yiqing’s clothes were unwashed. Thinking she was idle anyway, she found a big basin again and began washing clothes.

Tang Yiqing finally returned from the canteen with food, almost noon. When he knocked and entered, he saw his clothes hung outside to dry.

In winter, clothes weren’t changed often, but there were about four or five sets now hanging on the line.

"Xiao Jing, thank you so much."

"Aren’t we friends? I saw so much hot water, it was just right to help you wash them clean."