Chapter 3 I'll take you there
The train traveled at a steady speed on the tracks, with people from all over the world filling the carriages. The sweltering heat of summer was especially noticeable in the crowded carriages.
Gu Zhaodi sat by the window, her bright eyes watching the fleeting scenes outside. There was no direct train between Lin'an City and Nan'an City, so she was on a connecting train. This was her first time leaving Lin'an City.
The pungent smell and noisy sounds inside the carriage did not affect her mood in the slightest; on the contrary, they made her feel that she would be more energetic and motivated in the future.
Soon, the train entered Nan'an City and was about to arrive at the station. Gu Zhaodi touched the hem of her clothes, wondering if she was clean and tidy. This was the best outfit the girl had ever worn.
Upon exiting the station, the girl stood dumbfounded in the bright and spacious train station entrance. Passing taxi drivers approached her to ask where she was going, but she politely declined them all.
She didn't have enough money and knew that taking a taxi would be expensive, so she decided to save money by walking to school. However, without a mobile phone, she had no way to access a map.
Looking at the people coming and going around her, all hurrying along, the girl didn't want to stop them.
Unable to think of a solution at the moment, she could only walk around the area and ended up at the airport entrance next door.
Suddenly, a dirty tabby cat darted out from around the corner. It was chubby and looked like it was well-fed.
Is this a stray cat? Gu Zhaodi tilted her head and thought for a moment.
The next second, the fat tabby cat rubbed against the girl's trouser leg and meowed.
Looking up at the slender human in front of it, the cat seemed to be saying: I'm so hungry, give me some food.
The girl slowly squatted down and stroked the big cat's head. The cat obediently rubbed against her warm palm.
Gu Zhaodi took out the leftover bread from lunch from her backpack, broke it into pieces, placed them in her palm, and held them out to the big cat.
"Eat."
The big tabby cat stretched its neck, sniffed the not-so-appetizing bread in the girl's hand, and then turned its head away.
This is a silent rejection.
"You don't like it? But this is all I have left," Gu Zhaodi said with a light laugh, patting the big fat cat's head.
Then, as if remembering something, it took out a sausage from its backpack and waved it in front of the cat.
It seemed to know that this was a sausage, and it started meowing at the girl again, acting like a lackey.
The girl joked, "You look like a gluttonous beast."
The cat, head down, seemed to sense the meaning behind the girl's words. It glanced at her and continued to savor the delicious ham.
Just as I was feeding them, a "pfft" of laughter came from the side.
Gu Zhaodi looked up and saw that the man was wearing shiny leather shoes and a sharp, tailored suit. He had a tall and slender figure. She was squatting too low and couldn't see him clearly when she looked up. She couldn't look directly at the man's face.
Seeing someone standing next to her, Gu Zhaodi quickly stood up. Her legs were a little sore and numb from squatting for too long, and she staggered a bit when she stood up. The man's fair and slender hand grabbed her arm, and she was able to stand up.
"Thank you," Gu Zhaodi quickly said.
Only then did she get a clear look at the man's face. He was handsome with a well-defined jawline, thin, red lips pressed tightly together, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high nose. His dark, deep eyes held a gentle smile.
But for some reason, she always felt that the smile behind the glasses was distant.
However, this was the most handsome man she had ever seen, even more dazzling than male celebrities on TV, making it impossible to look away.
While the girl was observing the man's appearance, Dan Anwen was also quietly observing the girl who was talking and laughing with the cat.
The girl had her hair tied in a high ponytail, which swayed with her movements. She had delicate eyebrows and eyes, a straight nose, and dry, pale lips. Her features were pleasing to the eye, but she seemed a little malnourished, and her whole face looked somewhat sallow and thin.
The man paused for a moment, then his deep voice rang in her ear, "Little girl, your description is quite accurate. This cat is very greedy and picky about food."
Nan'an Railway Station is located right next to the airport, with its exits nearby.
Dan Anwen had just come out of the airport, and his assistant was still stuck in traffic. He stood here for a while and then noticed this little girl squatting down and saying that this fat cat was a glutton.
He himself didn't know why such a cold remark could make him laugh, and finally attributed it to his own idleness.
Gu Zhaodi didn't pay much attention to what the man said next; her mind was filled with the words "little kid."
Do I look very small?
She looked down at her chest and realized it was quite small. Long-term malnutrition had caused her to develop several years later than other children her age.
The girl was silent for a moment, looking at something, before her sweet voice spoke: "This stray cat is very cute. It's good that it's greedy, otherwise it won't survive."
Dan Anwen was clearly taken aback for a moment, then shook his head with a smile, "It's not a stray cat; its home is in the alley across the street."
The girl's eyes widened as she looked at the cat, who was happily eating, and then at the man in front of her, as if she couldn't quite believe what he was saying.
How can such a dirty kitten have an owner? And it's even out begging for food?
As if sensing the girl's surprise, the man slowly said, "It always freeloads around here."
So you got yourself all dirty just to scam food and drinks?
Sure enough, after finishing its meal, the cat set its sights on Dan Anwen, intending to repeat the same trick.
But he didn't indulge it. He looked at it with a scrutinizing gaze and said seriously, "Little Flower, you've already gotten a lot of free food and drinks today. Look, your belly is all bulging."
Xiaohua seemed to recognize the man. Upon hearing his words, she stopped in her tracks, called out to him a few times, and then disappeared from their sight.
After watching the cat walk away, Dan Anwen turned around and strode away.
"Wait a moment, sir." Gu Zhaodi took two steps forward with her suitcase and called out to Dan Anwen.
Hearing the girl's call, the man turned around, raised an eyebrow, and silently asked her what was wrong.
Gu Zhaodi rubbed her fingertips, pursed her lips, and said slowly, "Sir, I would like to ask how to get to Nan'an Middle School?"
The man frowned slightly, but didn't ask any further questions. He simply told her the specific route. Fortunately, Nan'an Middle School wasn't far from here; it would take about two hours to walk there.
"Thank you, sir." Gu Zhaodi nodded slightly, thanking the man in front of her.
The man nodded slightly.
The shadows of the trees are dappled, and the lush green plane trees stand on both sides of the avenue. It is the hottest time of the afternoon, with the glaring, high-temperature sunlight shining down, and pedestrians unconsciously squint their eyes.
On the seemingly endless sidewalk, only a slender, labored figure could be seen, a heavy suitcase rattling behind her as she slowly made her way forward.
The girl's vision was a little blurry, and beads of sweat kept seeping from her skin, like broken pearls rolling to the ground one by one. She squinted at the front of her eyes, trying to figure out how much longer she had to walk.
Summer comes early and goes late in Nan'an City, and the afternoon temperatures are particularly unbearable.
"Slow down." A deep voice came from inside the Maybach not far from the girl.
Dan Anwen stared at the girl walking on the sidewalk, his eyes darkening.
She asked herself if the route was to get to Nan'an Middle School?
Liu Lei, in the passenger seat, turned around and asked, "What's wrong, President?"
Dan Anwen did not answer his assistant's question, but told the driver to stop the car.
Gu Zhaodi was a little weak. She didn't eat breakfast when she left home this morning, and only ate half a bread roll on the train at noon.
She was experiencing some early signs of low blood sugar and decided to find a shady spot to sit down and recharge.
Before she could even stop, her arm felt like it was being grabbed, and it was a little cold. This made the girl a little greedy, and she looked at the hand with its clearly visible veins.
Was it him?
The man stood with his back to the light, the shadow cast by the sun obscuring the girl's petite figure, and for some reason, his expression was cold and stern.
Gu Zhaodi unconsciously licked her dry lips and swallowed to relieve her thirst.
The girl spoke in a hoarse voice, "Sir, is there anything I can help you with?"
"You plan to go all the way to Nan'an Middle School?" Dan Anwen frowned and said in a deep voice.
The girl in front of me was pale and had dry lips, as if she might collapse to the ground at any moment.
He heard her slowly say, "Yes."
The girl's tone made it seem as if there was nothing wrong with the method; she downplayed it.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'll take you to Nan'an Middle School."
"No need to trouble you, sir. I can go by myself," Gu Zhaodi declined.
Putting aside the fact that she didn't know this man she had only met once, the main reason was that she didn't want to trouble others, perhaps stemming from a sense of inferiority from her small mountain village.
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