Back home, Xu Lai frowned as she looked at the cramped space. How did she manage to live in such a small house?
She put aside all her thoughts and started packing her things. She packed many things that she needed to take back but couldn't carry with her, preparing to send them back in boxes. She only carried some necessities.
After packing everything, she checked the tickets and found that the only tickets left for the day after tomorrow were for the 8 PM train to Heng County. Too lazy to wait any longer, Xu Lai bought the tickets directly.
The next day, she returned the apartment, mailed her belongings, and temporarily moved to Xia Ning's place.
Xia Ning helped her with her things, and asked with some doubt, "Why don't you just check out tomorrow? It's a bit more troublesome to move over today."
Xu Lai joked, "I don't dare stay there anymore. I'm afraid Liang Xuzhou will come looking for me to settle accounts, after all, I tricked him out of a lot."
Xia Ning looked disdainful when she heard the name: "Stop talking about him, it's annoying to even hear about him."
Having been together for three years, Xu Lai could say she knew him very well, but she was clear about his basic character. The reason she hadn't broken up with him was because she was willing to play dumb, but after discovering that he was cheating on her, she didn't want to pretend anymore.
Around 8 p.m., a neighbor called: "Xu Lai, just as you said, your boyfriend is loitering outside your house, probably waiting for you to come back."
Xu Lai smiled dismissively and pleaded, "Sister, can you do me a favor?"
The next morning, Liang Xuzhou woke up freezing at her doorstep, realizing he had been tricked. Yesterday, the neighbor had said that Xu Lai would definitely come back today, which was why he had been waiting until now.
"Xu Lai, you've got some nerve. Don't let me run into you again." Liang Xuzhou cursed as he walked away.
Xu Lai left everything behind. Xia Ning saw her off at the high-speed rail station, saying reluctantly, "Take good care of yourself. I'll come back when I have time, and we'll meet up again."
Xu Lai hugged her and said, "Okay, I'll send you some local specialties from home later. Bye!"
After a nearly four-hour journey, at 8:05 p.m., the high-speed train announced its arrival, and Xu Lai picked up her suitcase and got off the train.
As soon as she stepped out of the station, the familiar scenery came into view. She took a deep breath and felt her body relax.
It was too late, and the buses to town had long since stopped running, so she called a Didi (ride-hailing service) and went directly to her house in the city.
This house was bought in a good school district for her and Xu Yan's education. The family had exhausted their savings to buy it.
Because no one had lived there for so long, she sneezed as soon as she entered, choked by the dust. Xu Lai tidied up her room, then took the key and went out to find something to eat.
It's only a five-minute walk from here to Hengxian No. 1 Middle School. Xu Lai remembers a restaurant she loved to eat at back in high school; she wonders if it's still there.
As she strolled along the street, she saw students who had just finished school and, relying on her past memory, accurately located the shop.
Xu Lai walked in and had just said, "Boss, I'll have some egg noodles," when she looked at the soup selection, "and some free-range chicken soup too."
Then a male voice appeared on the screen alongside hers: "Boss, a free-range chicken soup to go."
The owner said apologetically, "I'm sorry, you two, we only have one serving of chicken soup left today. You can discuss who wants it."
Xu Lai decisively changed her mind: "Then give it to him, I'll have some black chicken soup."
Zhao Qingyun was about to suggest changing to another one when the person next to him spoke up, so he swallowed his words and said, "Thank you."
The boss made the noodles first. Egg noodles are easy to make: crack an egg into a bowl, stir it, and then coat the cooked noodles directly with the egg mixture. The egg mixture coats the noodles evenly, and then the broth is poured over them. A bowl of noodles is ready.
The owner greeted her, "Young lady, the noodles are ready."
Xu Lai chuckled upon hearing this address and said, "Uncle, I'm already in my mid-twenties, and you still call me 'little girl' like you did back in high school."
The owner smiled and said, "Please wait a little longer, the soup is heating up and will be ready soon."
Xu Lai took a bite of the noodles and praised, "Uncle, your cooking skills are still as good as ever, but did you change the soup base? It tastes even better now."
The shop owner exclaimed in surprise, "I added a ginseng ingredient, and you actually tasted it!"
Xu Lai nodded: "It's delicious. It would be even better if you could add some dried shrimp at the end to enhance the flavor."
Zhao Qingyun sat to the side waiting, and listening to her conversation with the boss, he actually felt a little hungry. He called out, "Boss, add an egg noodle soup to eat right away."
Xu Lai finished her meal quickly. She drank the last mouthful of chicken soup, picked up her umbrella, and prepared to go home. As she left the store, a Bentley was parked outside.
She walked a few meters and saw the man from the shop unlock the door, start his car, and drive away.
Xu Lai thought to herself, "This person is quite wealthy; he's a big shot in this small county."
The next day, Xu Lai woke up at around 6 a.m., packed her things, went to the station to take a bus home, and arrived in town in about 20 minutes.
"Driver, stop here at the market." Just as Xu Lai was about to speak, someone spoke up, and she got out of the car as well.
Only my grandparents live in the old house. Given their personality, it's common for them to go out to town once a week.
Xu Lai skillfully found the stall of a familiar person, "Uncle, give me two catties of spare ribs, two catties of pork belly, and two pork bones."
The boss was busy chatting with others when he heard this. He looked up and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this Old Xu's granddaughter? What brings you back!"
Xu Lai smiled and said, "I missed home, so I came back."
The boss cut her meat, weighed it, and said, "122, just give me 120."
Xu Lai didn't stand on ceremony and scanned the 120 card. "Uncle, please leave these with me for now. I'll go buy some other groceries."
Xu Lai bought some more vegetables and fruits, carrying a full hand, then picked up some meat from the butcher shop and trudged forward.
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