"@LYM I know you're definitely online, don't hide and stay silent, hurry up and say something."
"I'm only missing Chinese, can someone lend me their essay to copy?!"
"Idiot, do you think you can plagiarize an essay? If you did, wouldn't it be discovered immediately?"
"......"
The group chat was buzzing with chatter. Pei Xi scrolled through the messages out of boredom, quickly glancing at the chat history. Just as she was scrolling, several new messages popped up at the bottom of her phone.
It was a series of photos of homework assignments from various subjects sent by Li Yiming, one after another, probably dozens of them, and the message kept popping up for several minutes.
Sure enough, after the photos were posted, the group chat erupted in jubilation, with everyone shouting "Long live the class representative!"
Pei Xi turned off his phone, and suddenly a ringtone came from the table.
It was Pei Zhi's call. She quickly picked it up, and the screen displayed an unfamiliar number.
She pressed the call button, "Hello?"
A young voice came from the other end of the phone, mixed with static and some crackling noise: "Hello, the delivery has arrived. Please come out and pick it up. Security won't let us deliver it in."
"Okay, I'll be right there." Pei Xi replied, and then the phone rang crisply with a "beep," indicating that it had ended.
Without wasting any time, she went downstairs, put on her shoes, and went out.
Before I even reached the entrance, I heard a commotion. In the distance, I could see a security guard pointing at someone and arguing incessantly under the light of the guard booth.
"Do you even know who lives here? They're not like people like you! If I let you in, how am I supposed to explain it to the owners? Even a single floor tile here is worth more than people like you. If you get it dirty or damaged, who's going to take responsibility?"
"This place is absolutely not for poor people like you!"
Pei Xi frowned subconsciously.
She remembered that there was a bald security guard in the community who always flattered the powerful and looked down on the weak. She had seen him harassing others at the gate several times.
It's probably his turn to be on duty again tonight.
She glanced at the guard post, where a not-so-new motorcycle was parked, and a tall man stood beside it. He couldn't see his face clearly and just stood there quietly, without saying a word of rebuttal.
Pei Xi quickened his pace and jogged towards the main gate.
"Let me tell you, I've seen plenty of people like you. There are tons of people with dirty hands. I advise you to hurry up and..."
"Hello, I'm here to pick up my takeout." Before Pei Xi could even catch her breath, she frowned and interrupted the security guard.
She glanced at the entrance of the guard post, and sure enough, it was that bald man.
When the bald security guard saw Pei Xi and realized she was a resident, he immediately changed his demeanor, pointed at the person next to the motorcycle, and hissed, "Did you hear that? Someone wants to get takeout. Hurry up and give it to them!"
Pei Xi rolled his eyes inwardly, turned to look at the person next to the motorcycle, but suddenly froze on the spot.
Whether it was because the night was too dark or the lights were too dim, she almost doubted that she was hallucinating.
“...Jiang Cheng?” Pei Xi asked in surprise.
Jiang Cheng was still dressed in all black, carrying an insulated bag in one hand and hooking his black helmet with the other, as they met eyes.
His hair was a little messy, and there were traces of sweat on his temples. He leaned weakly against the motorcycle with an indifferent expression.
Pei Xi was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.
How many jobs does he work a day? Why is he still working so late at night?
She glanced at Jiang Cheng, whose face remained expressionless. He simply stepped closer to her and handed her the insulated bag in his hand.
"Here you are, your takeout." The voice was calm and devoid of any emotion.
The bald security guard realized that the two seemed to know each other, so he quietly retreated back into his booth and closed the door.
Pei Xi reached out and took the insulated bag. For some reason, he felt a little awkward in the current situation and subconsciously said, "I'm sorry."
Jiang Cheng withdrew his hand, his cool brows furrowing slightly. "What are you apologizing for?"
“Just now…” Pei Xi pursed his lips.
She didn't know what to say. For a teenager, self-esteem is of paramount importance. Having witnessed what had just happened, she was somewhat at a loss.
Apologizing is a subconscious act, but only after it's uttered do you realize you shouldn't have said it, whether out of inexplicable guilt or pity.
It's best to let it go and pretend nothing happened.
“I’ve seen plenty of people like this,” Jiang Cheng suddenly said.
There wasn't a trace of anger on his face; instead, it carried a sense of indifference born of habit.
He's seen all sorts of awful people. In this society, it's the norm to fawn over the powerful and bully the weak, so arguing about it is pointless.
Making a living is never easy, and he knew how difficult it was to survive from a very young age. Finishing the work and getting the money was the most important thing to him; he didn't care about anything else.
Jiang Cheng twirled the motorcycle key on his slender fingers twice, then strode onto the motorcycle and said to Pei Xi, "The food has arrived. Enjoy your meal."
Then, he put on his helmet, started the car, and sped away.
Pei Xi gripped the insulated bag tightly, her gaze unconsciously following Jiang Cheng's retreating figure. The bike sped along, and Jiang Cheng's silhouette gradually receded into the distance, soon disappearing into the boundless night.
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