Chapter 143 143 Should she give him a gift?

This was the first time that Jiang Lili cared so much about her image in front of the opposite sex. She kept a distance from the person in front of her. She guessed that she had a fever and was sick because she sat at the bus stop for too long and was exposed to the cold wind yesterday. Thinking of this, she couldn't help rubbing her cheeks. She was really asking for trouble.

Noticing the person behind him falling behind, Lu Hongzhe looked back at her and asked with concern, "Can't you walk anymore?"

Jiang Lili didn't know if it was her imagination, but he sounded incredibly gentle, like he was coaxing a child. She almost nodded in agreement, but then she thought of the reason she'd stayed away from him and quickly shook her head, "No, I can walk on my own."

"Okay, then call me if you feel uncomfortable." Lu Hongzhe slowed down his pace after saying that. After noticing this, Jiang Lili curled the corners of her lips. She likes attentive people.

"Okay." After Jiang Lili finished speaking, she looked up at the person in front of her and felt that Beijing City didn't seem so cold today.

The two of them arrived at the IV infusion area, one in front of the other. While Lu Hongzhe was looking for a nurse, Jiang Lili lowered her head and sniffed the smell of sweat on her body again. It seemed that the hospital disinfectant had covered the smell, but she still had to let him stay a little further away from her. Fortunately, the seats on her left and right were occupied by other people. When Lu Hongzhe came back, he glanced at the seats on both sides of her. He frowned and wanted to change seats with someone else. Jiang Lili spoke first, "Brother Hongzhe, could you please call my roommates?"

This time Jiang Lili didn't have an excuse. She just remembered that she and other people in the dormitory had made an appointment to continue playing together today, and they were probably looking for her like crazy.

"Okay, tell me the number." Lu Hongzhe guessed her intention.

Just as Jiang Lili guessed, Dong Qiuyun and the others were staring at the landline in the dormitory worriedly. They had just called Jiang Lili's home, but no one answered.

"What's wrong with Lili?" After a semester of getting along with each other, everyone knows her personality. Even if she couldn't come today, she would definitely tell them in advance.

"So what should we do now?" someone asked.

"Let's wait a little longer. If it doesn't work, we can go to Tongqu Players. Didn't Lili say her mother works there?" Dong Qiuyun was also at her wit's end.

The phone rang at this time. Dong Qiuyun happened to be sitting next to the phone. She quickly picked it up and heard a gentle male voice: "Excuse me, is this Jiang Lili's roommate?"

"I am, who are you?" Dong Qiuyun asked.

"I'm her friend. She has a fever today and is in the hospital now, so I can't be with you today." After Lu Hongzhe finished speaking, he glanced at the girl who was receiving an IV drip. Her face was a little pale, and she was leaning against a stool with her eyes closed to rest. He thought that being sick was indeed very exhausting for the body.

"Does she have a fever? Which hospital is she in?" Dong Qiuyun asked hurriedly.

Lu Hongzhe said the name of the hospital and then ended the call. He strode over to Jiang Lili. She had her eyes closed and felt a shadow shrouding her. When she opened them, she saw the person standing in front of her. Surprise flashed in her eyes, and then she asked, "Is the injection finished?"

"Well, they should be coming over." Lu Hongzhe said and sat down opposite her, keeping an eye on the liquid for her.

"Brother Hongzhe, I'm sorry to bother you today. I hope I didn't waste your time?" Jiang Lili felt a little embarrassed.

"It's okay, I've been resting at home these days." Lu Hongzhe shook his head.

"You didn't go to the company?" Jiang Lili was a little surprised. Isn't this the workaholic they call him?

"I have a cold and I'm afraid of infecting them." Lu Hongzhe said simply.

"Are you feeling better?" Jiang Lili obviously didn't expect that he had a cold.

"Well, it's okay. How about you? Are you still feeling uncomfortable?" Lu Hongzhe asked.

"Fortunately, I'm not so drowsy anymore after the fever goes away." Jiang Lili said, then looked up at the liquid hanging there, not knowing how long it would last.

Seeing her frail face, Lu Hongzhe said nothing more and asked her to lean on a chair to rest for a while. When the infusion was halfway through, Dong Qiuyun and the others in the dormitory came. Seeing Jiang Lili's pale face, they asked with concern: "Lili, what's wrong with you?"

"It's okay, I probably caught a cold." Jiang Lili was embarrassed to tell them that she was sitting at the bus stop in the cold wind.

"So how do you feel now?" Everyone's chattering and concern gave Jiang Lili a bit of energy. A smile flashed in the eyes of Lu Hongzhe opposite her. She seemed to have been very popular since she was a child. When she was a child in the cotton mill, everyone, whether adults or children, liked her very much.

Perhaps because his presence was too strong, Dong Qiuyun asked quietly, "Is he the one who called just now?"

"Yes, he is also from Tsinghua University." Jiang Lili said and looked at Lu Hongzhe: "Brother Hongzhe, my roommate is here, you should go back and rest first."

"Okay, then I'll go back first." This time, Lu Hongzhe quickly got up and left.

After he left, Dong Qiuyun was the first to "force a confession": "Tell me, what is your relationship with him?"

The others also looked at Jiang Lili with shining faces. They were all freshmen and no one in the dormitory was in a relationship yet, so everyone was very curious.

"We were neighbors before, and we happen to be neighbors now." Jiang Lili explained casually.

"It's fate, this is simply a fate sent by God. We are not only neighbors but also schoolmates. The key is that he is very handsome." Dong Qiuyun said as she gently nudged her with her elbow and gave her a look that said you understand.

The boys' dormitory would discuss the girls, and similarly the girls' dormitory would discuss the boys. They had discussed this issue before, so Jiang Lili naturally understood what she meant. She chuckled and said, "There's no rush for this. I can't take the initiative, can I?"

"It seems that you have a plan. Then we'll wait for you two to treat us to dinner." Dong Qiuyun looked expectant.

Jiang Lili smiled and said nothing until her roommate reminded her that the liquid was gone and someone went to call the nurse. After the nurse pulled out the needle, Jiang Lili used a cotton swab to help her get up. She had to go to the bathroom.

"Shall we take you home first?" Jiang Lili heard them ask when she came out of the bathroom.

"No, I'm fine now. I'll invite you to my house in a couple of days." The main reason was that she didn't have the energy to greet guests today. Although she no longer felt drowsy as she had a fever, she just wanted to lie down now.

"Is it okay for you to go back by yourself?" Dong Qiuyun confirmed with her again.

"It's okay, don't worry." This place is very close to Huajianlouji.

There were many taxis at the hospital entrance. After Jiang Lili got into the taxi smoothly, the others returned to the dormitory.

Jiang Lili hadn't expected to run into Lu Hongzhe again. As she reached his floor, she caught a glimpse of him coming out. He glanced at her and asked, "Did you come back by yourself?"

"Well, I told them not to send me off. I took a taxi back directly." Jiang Lili explained.

"Are you hungry?" the person standing at the door suddenly asked.

Jiang Lili wanted to say no, but her stomach growled twice honestly. It was almost noon now, and she had only drunk half a bowl of porridge before the infusion, so it was normal to be hungry now.

Lu Hongzhe curled his lips and said, "I made some vegetable and lean meat porridge. Come in and have some."

"Thank you very much." Jiang Lili thought about it and didn't refuse. If she didn't eat now, she would have to cook for herself when she got back, but she obviously didn't want to cook today.

As soon as she sat down, the person in front of her went to the kitchen to bring porridge. The porridge in the white porcelain bowl made her appetite very hungry. She was a little surprised at his cooking skills. The person opposite handed her a spoon and said, "Try it?"

"Delicious." Jiang Lili gave him a thumbs-up after tasting it, earning him a chuckle. He quickly came out of the kitchen with a small plate: "This is a side dish my mother made when she was here. Try it."

"Aunt Li's side dishes are the best." Jiang Lili was a little surprised.

"If it tastes good, eat more." He sat down opposite her and ate the porridge with her.

After finishing a bowl of porridge, Jiang Lili felt her whole body warm up. She wanted to put the bowl into the kitchen, but was stopped by the person opposite her: "Just leave it here."

Jiang Lili ignored him and put the dishes on the kitchen sink. Today's events had made her realize that maybe she should buy a phone. It was already the millennium, and many mobile phones had entered the domestic market. Cheng Yuntian and the others had one, and Dong Qiuyun in the dormitory had one too. Perhaps she and Jiang Yulan should get one too. It would be much more convenient.

She hadn't planned to use a cell phone before because she felt that she was used to smartphones and wouldn't be used to the simple functions of today's cell phones. But just now in the hospital, she thought it would be good to have a communication tool in her hand.

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing her standing there in a daze, Lu Hongzhe couldn't help but ask.

"I'm thinking about whether I should get a mobile phone?" Jiang Lili's tone was still a little hesitant.

"Indeed, not only you, but Aunt Jiang also needs it." Lu Hongzhe nodded seriously.

"You're right. I'll discuss it with my mother when she comes back. Then I'll go back first." After saying that, Jiang Lili felt something was wrong. Why did she feel like she was just going to take advantage of the situation and run away?

"Well, Aunt Jiang should be eating in the cafeteria tonight, right? What kind of porridge do you want to eat?" Lu Hongzhe asked.

Jiang Lili looked at him in surprise: "Can I only eat porridge?"

"Of course not, what do you want to eat?" Lu Hongzhe shook his head. It was just that he had a cold a few days ago and had no appetite, so he just ate porridge every day. He was judging others by his own standards.

"Just don't have porridge." Jiang Lili actually wanted to eat something with a stronger flavor, but she guessed he wouldn't agree.

"Okay, then you go back and rest first, I'll call you when the time comes."

Jiang Lili finally realized after returning home that sick people do have longer reflexes. She actually agreed to a dinner invitation like that. She was truly a cunning person. Even though she said that, the smile on her lips couldn't be faked.

Lying on the bed again, Jiang Lili was no longer sleepy. Her mind was in a mess. She stared at the ceiling to clear her mind. She told herself that her brain was not clear enough due to illness and was not suitable for making decisions or thinking about anything. It was only suitable for daydreaming. In this way, she didn't even know when she fell asleep.

Lu Hongzhe downstairs cleaned up the dishes and began to arrange the evening menu. He thought that sick people would not have a good appetite, but she seemed to be an exception. He knew her preferences, but it was better to eat light food when sick.

During the three days of intravenous drip, Jiang Lili had lunch and dinner at Lu Hongzhe's place. The three days of intravenous drip made her previous symptoms disappear. She thanked him and said, "Brother Hongzhe, I don't need to go for the IV drip tomorrow, so I won't bother you anymore."

"What did the doctor say?" Lu Hongzhe glanced at her and saw that she was indeed much more energetic than before.

"Just take the medicine for three more days and you'll be fine." Thinking about her experiences over the past few days, Jiang Lili thought that she should wear more clothes in the future.

"It's good that everything is fine. I have to report to school in two days." Lu Hongzhe thought that he should go over there and take a look tomorrow, otherwise Jiang Liangbo would make trouble again.

"Brother Hongzhe, I plan to invite my roommates to dinner at home tomorrow. Are you free to come?" Jiang Lili asked.

"You girls are having dinner together, so I won't join in the fun." He shook his head and refused.

His refusal was within her expectations. Jiang Lili curled her lips and said, "Then I'll treat you to dinner next time."

"Okay." Lu Hongzhe said and took a look, as if to take note of the invitation.

Jiang Lili had been keeping the hospital infusion a secret from Jiang Yulan, but fortunately, she didn't have to hide it anymore today. She mentioned inviting her roommates to her house tomorrow, and Jiang Yulan asked her, "Do you need me to stay and help?"

"No, I can handle it myself." Jiang Lili shook her head, not wanting to delay her work.

"Okay, then have fun with your classmates." Jiang Yulan said, pulling out a few Mao Zedong notes from her wallet and handing them to her: "Buy some more cooked food."

Jiang Lili chuckled, took the money she gave her, and finally asked her what she thought about buying a mobile phone.

"Let's go buy it when I have a day off this week. I think I need this too." Jiang Yulan now occasionally goes to the market with him, and it is much more convenient to have a mobile phone.

"Okay, we'll go buy it this weekend." Nowadays, mobile phones are just a communication tool for Jiang Lili.

The next day arrived quickly, and Jiang Lili waited at the door for Dong Qiuyun and the others. Before they arrived, she'd gone to Baby Paradise to take a look. Besides Zhang Yue, the newly hired Wang Hong was also there. With one more person, Zhang Yue was indeed feeling a bit more relaxed. She'd been worried about hiring another person and her salary being cut, but unexpectedly, Lili hadn't discussed a pay cut with Wang Hong, which made her very happy.

Counting the days, school will start after this weekend. The reason why there are so many visitors at Baby Paradise now is because of the winter vacation. I don’t know how big the impact will be after school starts. Thinking that the data after school will be verified soon, Jiang Lili is unusually nervous.

"Lili." Dong Qiuyun's voice came from the other side.

Jiang Lili went to meet them. She originally wanted to take them upstairs, but they were all attracted by the decorations at the entrance of Baby Paradise. Dong Qiuyun, in particular, looked at Jiang Lili excitedly: "Lili, do you have this decoration here too?"

"That's the children's indoor playground placed outside to attract customers." Jiang Lili explained.

"Children's indoor playground?" Dong Qiuyun's tone was a little confused.

"Look, that's it." Jiang Lili pointed to the baby paradise over there.

"It looks interesting. Can we go and take a look?" Dong Qiuyun and others became interested.

"There are some children's play equipment inside. If you are curious, you can go in and take a look?" Jiang Lili was also at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Obviously, she didn't expect that they would be interested in this.

"Then let's go in and take a look." Everyone looked eager to try.

They pushed the door open and went in. Zhang Yue glanced at her, then glanced at the others with some curiosity: "Lili, what is this?"

"My classmates were curious and came to take a look." Jiang Lili explained to her.

"Lili, do you know him?" the roommates asked curiously.

"This is the store opened by my mother." Jiang Lili was not lying. In the eyes of others, this store was opened by Jiang Yulan.

"Wow, it turns out this is a shop opened by my aunt. It looks like it should be fun. I haven't seen this kind of thing where we are." There was an amusement park at that time, but many of the projects were not suitable for children.

It was a children's playground, so they didn't stay there for too long and went home with Jiang Lili.

Jiang Lili followed Jiang Yulan's advice and bought a lot of cooked food, so the meal became much simpler. It was also because of this that her relationship with other people in the dormitory took a step forward.

The factory was still busy on weekends, and orders for ornaments were increasing every day. With Zhao Dong's return from Yuncheng, Jiang Yulan was no longer working overtime. The mother and daughter went directly to buy a mobile phone and then to apply for a card. It was already noon when they finished all this.

Jiang Yulan was still curious about the new phone she had just bought. "Lili, shall we have something to eat for lunch?"

"I'm fine with anything." Jiang Lili glanced at the cell phone hanging on Jiang Yulan's chest, then she held the phone and put it in her pocket.

"Then let's eat beef noodles here." Jiang Yulan made a quick decision and then asked her again: "Do you really not need to buy a lanyard? I see everyone else does the same."

"No need, just put it in your pocket when you go to school." Jiang Lili shook her head and refused.

"Okay then." Seeing that she couldn't convince her, Jiang Yulan didn't continue.

The first thing the mother and daughter did upon returning home was call home to give them their new phone number and inquire about Zhou Qingfen's situation. She had already begun the resignation process and would come directly to Beijing once it was completed. She had also already rented the storefront next to Baby Paradise and had begun renovations.

Jiang Lili borrowed the decoration drawings from the cram school she had attended before. Zhou Qingfen was very satisfied, so she asked Lili to find a decoration team to decorate according to the design drawings she gave.

"When your aunt comes, we will have another relative here." Jiang Yulan said and began to look forward to Jiang Jianyi bringing Jiang Qitong here during the summer vacation.

"It will be soon. If everything goes well for my aunt, my uncle will be able to come here soon." At that time, the education industry was still in its heyday, and she firmly believed that Zhou Qingfen would succeed.

The mother and daughter talked about their future as a family, their eyes full of longing. Now thinking back on the past, Jiang Lili actually felt like she was dreaming. Before Ji Mingyue appeared, she had always felt like an outsider. Although she was born with a broken back, the only people she could say she had any feelings for were the Jiang family. It was not until Ji Mingyue appeared that she felt more alive. At first, she just wanted to change their fate in the plot, but now she has more expectations. She hopes that their family can have a higher quality of life.

Back in the room, Jiang Lili took out her phone and sent a message to Cheng Yuntian telling her that this was her new number, and then sent a message to Lu Hongzhe as well. Five minutes later, a new message came in, and Jiang Lili couldn't help but curl her lips.

On the first day of school, Jiang Lili came downstairs carrying her packed things. Lu Hongzhe was already waiting downstairs. He saw her coming and took the things from her hands, then asked casually, "Is that all?"

"You can be back anytime, so you don't need to bring too much stuff to the dormitory." Jiang Lili explained to him.

Thinking of the few things in his dormitory, Lu Hongzhe felt that she was right. When he got in the car, the passenger seat had already fastened his seat belt. A smile unconsciously appeared in his eyes, and his voice was much gentler when he spoke again: "Did you go to buy the phone with Aunt Jiang?"

"Well, my mother sometimes goes to the market with Sister Cheng." Jiang Lili nodded.

The two of them kept chatting on the way to school. When Jiang Lili arrived at the dormitory, she realized that what they had been chatting about seemed to be nonsense.

"Lili, what are you laughing about so happily?" Her roommate looked at her curiously.

"I remembered watching TV yesterday." Jiang Lili made up an excuse, but she couldn't help but wonder, was she laughing just now? She didn't even notice it.

As soon as school started, everyone got busy. Jiang Lili was busy with her studies and Baby Park. After winter break, the number of visitors to Baby Park decreased better than she expected, which made Jiang Lili feel relieved. As for Lu Hongzhe and the others, they were busy with graduation. They had already made plans for post-graduation, so they spent more time in school than other seniors.

After school started, Jiang Lili spent less and less time at the factory. Now, apart from school, her focus is more on Baby Paradise. Perhaps because the experience is good, some people began to choose to sign up for monthly or even quarterly passes, which is undoubtedly good news for Jiang Lili.

Of course, Zhang Yue and Wang Hong also suspected that everyone came here just to get the toys for signing up for the membership card. You know, buying a set of toys alone would cost a lot of money. Jiang Lili smiled and said, "No matter what the reason is, as long as they are willing to sign up for the membership card, that's fine." Besides, these toys were meant to attract customers, so she began to look for the address of the next store.

With this thought in mind, Jiang Lili became even busier, practically unseen on weekends. This busyness lasted for two months until she finally found a new location. She opted to buy rather than rent, perhaps because she'd lost more than half of her recently received dividend. Previously, Jiang Yulan might have urged caution, but now she'd changed her mind. Lili was still young, so let her go. Even if she failed, she still had the shares in Tongqu Players to back her up.

At this time, Zhou Qingfen's cram school was in full swing. Hearing Jiang Yulan's words, she smiled and said, "Sister, Lili will definitely be very happy to have such an open-minded parent like you."

"It is because of my brave daughter that I am the open-minded person I am today." When talking about Jiang Lili, Jiang Yulan's eyes were full of pride.

After buying the new store, there was no need to worry about the design drawings. She could just follow the previous design. So Jiang Lili didn't have to worry about anything else. What she was worried about was that Lu Hongzhe was about to graduate, and whether she should give him a gift?