Chapter 99

The girls mostly wore happy and joyful expressions, but occasionally some sighed with a worried look. Hua Xin guessed they must be like her, ruined by advanced mathematics. "Xiao Bao, it's a holiday today, let's go to Nanjing Road, okay? I heard a new store specializing in anime figurines opened there, and they're having a lucky draw right now, it seems... any purchase qualifies you for a prize." "How about we have hot pot for lunch first, and then go to Nanjing Road this afternoon, baby... I've liked Jujutsu Kaisen for a long time, do you sell his rice?" "Of course you do, Jujutsu Kaisen is so popular, how could you not have it? If you don't... I'll just tear off a couple more small packages tonight and hehehehe..." "Ugh! I don't want to~" A girl wearing long sleeves and pants with a red scarf hugged a man who looked to be about 180 pounds and said sweetly. Uh. Ki Moji Wali? The girl wasn't referring to anyone's appearance or attire, but rather because their conversation was as disgusting as mung bean soup Thirteen Spices rice porridge. "It's not envy!!" Hua Xin felt a little embarrassed and moved aside, leaving the road space for the couple showing affection not far away. She just glanced at the light red scarf. Is dating this open now? Why is it so different from the innocent and subtle love stories in anime like *My Teen My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU iPartment like iPartment? Sigh...young people these days are really..." The girl shook her head with an air of maturity. She suddenly thought of the opposite of the romantic scenario she imagined—those tattooed girls lying drunk outside nightclubs and bars that she'd seen on short videos...good girls. (Wishing them booming business?) The girl pulled her hat brim down a little, then quickened her pace and passed the two. "Honestly, dating should be with a cute and capable girl like my Violet! If it weren't for the fact that I'm a beautiful girl now, I really would have NTR'd Gilbert ..."Hua Xin muttered angrily to herself as she walked towards the place where the ridiculous map had taken her by a long detour. There were many people around, mostly friends or couples in twos and threes. After the final exams, most people will probably go out for a meal and some fun, or return to their distant hometowns for winter break and to wait for the New Year. Yes, the New Year is just around the corner. "Ha..." The girl exhaled softly, letting her breath warm her face, hidden behind her mask. It was mid-December, and the weather was no longer as hot as July and August. Those sticky, sweltering days with the windows open were gone forever, and she truly missed the summer when Niu Niu disappeared. In the past, she would spend the cold winters at home with Small Sun and thick blankets, but this year she could go out alone, so... wearing a single layer of clothing, a sweatshirt, and jeans was definitely not an option. Normally it would be fine... but now, even a gust of wind would make it very cold, and with that... thing happening recently... her body was getting weaker and weaker... Should she listen to Xia Yan and start exercising...? The girl sniffed, not wanting to get her mask dirty. "Clothes..."Hua Xin paused slightly, her gaze falling on a clothing store by the roadside. Through the doors and windows, she saw many beautiful clothes inside, and several girls in trench coats trying them on. They looked so warm... but also very expensive, she thought to herself. She'd already seriously overspent this month... an economic crisis was looming. Lately, the boosting services for games like Original, Trendy, and others were all in a slump... a second-generation gaming winter... nobody was hiring boosters anymore? She was too bad at League of Legends boosting; if she lost rank, she might become a top-tier booster. Fortunately, she could barely make ends meet by streaming every day. Thanks to Black Monkey's top-notch skills and the unique style of her streams, she'd gradually gained a group of loyal (shrimp-headed) fans, earning about a few dozen yuan a day, almost matching her boosting and other income. "Tch, I'll just never go out again (stubborn girl)." The girl tossed her head arrogantly, shifting her expectant gaze, and continued walking. A moment later, the street she always passed on her way home from school appeared before her eyes. She still remembered the Roujiamo Chinese hamburger) vendor who had always been kind to her. On this great day after final exams, naturally, she needed a fragrant Roujiamo for dinner! Hua Xin happily walked towards the Roujiamo shop she remembered, but why was the shop now tightly closed behind a curtain? She stopped in front of the shop; there was no explanation for its closure. It was empty. "Is something wrong today?" the girl muttered softly, gently touching the iron gate, her stomach rumbling regretfully because she wouldn't be able to eat Roujiamo. "Don't rumble, stomach, we'll eat Roujiamo another day. Today, let's have orange peel stir-fried tofu with spicy sauce..." "Gurgle... (I'd rather drink water)" "Let's go home." She touched her arm, her body trembling slightly as she turned and walked towards home. It was already four o'clock in the afternoon when she finished her advanced mathematics exam. The sky wasn't looking too bright, and Hua Xin felt the weather getting colder as evening approached, so she quickened her pace. She exhaled, a brief warmth spreading across her face. Thankfully, she didn't have bad breath... otherwise, she wouldn't be able to warm herself this way. Hua Xin suddenly laughed out loud, finding her sudden thought quite amusing, but quickly fell silent. Some people, when alone, think about things to reassure themselves they aren't so lonely—a subconscious act of self-amusement. The sky darkened, and on the rarely traveled road, only the girl walked slowly with her schoolbag. The wind grew stronger, and she squinted slightly. "Buzz." Her phone rang in her pocket. Hua Xin pursed her lips. Who else could be messaging her like this...? Uh, she looked at the phone screen and froze. It wasn't a message from Lao Shui or Xia Yan as she had imagined, but a message from a WeChat group called "Sharing the good times, leaving the group in times of trouble"... I love playing QQ Speed (Mu Feng): "How's your calculus today, guys? I'm already on the high-speed train home."Mu Feng then sent a selfie, looking quite flamboyant with sunglasses on. From No longer love after sealing the heart (Xiang Guan): "Sunglasses in winter, gauze."Mu Feng: "I saw a little girl selling things outside the station. It's so cold, and I'm letting a kid out alone. As a conscientious 2D fan, I naturally have to help the weak."Xiang Guan: "A twenty-year-old girl?"Mu Feng: "You're definitely going to fail calculus."Xiang Guan: "You're going to fail all your exams?"Hua Xin watched the two arguing and couldn't help but chuckle softly. After spending time with them, she realized that Mu Feng and Xiang Guan weren't difficult people to get along with; on the contrary, they were quite easy to get along with. Mu Feng's initial act of skipping out on the bill was naturally quite inexplicable, but after nearly four months of getting to know each other, the girl genuinely believed that his decision was simply out of curiosity. Although he had an earring, it couldn't change his nerdy, introverted nature, and besides, he later made amends by introducing her to many different businesses. After his drunken night, Xiang Guan also came to terms with his relationship with Xiao Ling.