Chapter 8 Little Confused
On a summer morning, the first rays of the setting sun pierced through the thin mist and fell on the balcony. Birds chased and frolicked in the trees outside the window, disturbing my peaceful dreams.
The girl stretched lightly on the bed, her body gently shifting under the covers, her slender fingers rubbing her slightly swollen eyes.
I slept so well. Today is the first day after military training ended. The school gave us two days off, and my roommates all went home. I'm all alone in the dorm now.
Finally, I don't have to get up early in the morning for military training anymore, but I have to go out to look for a job today.
Gu Zhaodi got out of bed, washed up and tidied herself up in the bathroom, then slung her bag over her shoulder and went out.
She came to Nan'an City last week, but hasn't had a chance to properly see the city's features yet.
It was almost identical to what you see on TV: bustling streets, crowded people, and towering buildings, all showcasing the city's cultural heritage and exuding a strong sense of vitality.
The girl looked for several shops but couldn't find any part-time jobs available. Either they were already full, or they only wanted full-time employees and not part-time workers.
Nan'an Middle School only has four and a half days of classes a week, and students are dismissed on Friday noon. She has two and a half days a week to work.
There was no other way; the shops near the school weren't hiring, so she had to take the bus to a place further away. But it couldn't be too far, because it would be troublesome to get back at night if it was too far, since the school gates closed at nine o'clock.
After getting off the bus, you'll find yourself in a large commercial district. Most of the listed companies are located in this area, and the tallest building in Nan'an City is also situated here.
After wandering around for a while, she finally found a part-time job at a dessert shop.
The shop owner is a young woman with a decent salary. If she saves a little, she might be able to save some money. Most importantly, this dessert shop is open to her spare time.
"Zhao Zhao, when can you start working?" The shop owner asked with a smile, looking at the sweet-looking girl in front of her.
Gu Zhaodi pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and said, "Shopkeeper, I can start working tomorrow."
She wanted to earn more money so that she could feel a little more at ease.
"Okay, then come and familiarize yourself with the environment tomorrow." The shop owner nodded. "My name is Su Wenjing, you can call me Sister Jing."
"Okay, Sister Jing."
After leaving the dessert shop, Gu Zhaodi planned to familiarize herself with the surrounding area to avoid getting lost later.
I walked around the entire business district and was still a little confused. Not only were the roads all pretty much the same, but the buildings were so tall that I couldn't see the top floor.
She has a poor sense of direction; the farthest place she had ever been was the county seat of Lin'an City, which is not even as big as the commercial district here.
The sunlight overhead grew increasingly dazzling, and Gu Zhaodi's back was covered in a layer of sweat. Having finished shopping, she decided to go back to school.
But... wasn't this the road we just took?
Following her hazy memories, the girl turned into a road and looked at the identical walls all around her, completely bewildered.
Standing there feeling lost, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and keep walking, hoping to get back to the bus stop she had come from.
It seems I need to buy a phone. I'll buy it as soon as I get paid, the girl thought to herself.
Just as she was thinking to herself, suddenly, someone walked towards her. With her head down, she saw him out of the corner of her eye and, without time to dodge, bumped straight into his chest.
The man let out a muffled groan and took a small step back, while the girl also leaned back slightly.
She was about to fall backward when a muscular arm caught her around her slender waist.
The minty scent emanating from the man wafted into the girl's nostrils, cool and refreshing, like a gentle breeze.
The man only let go after he had helped the girl to her feet.
Gu Zhaodi looked up at the man in front of her. How could it be such a coincidence? Every time she went out, she would run into this man.
Unlike last time, the man wasn't dressed in a sharp suit today; instead, he was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his wrists and a black suit jacket draped over his arm.
"What a coincidence, it's you again, sir. Thank you for helping me." The girl smiled and thanked him.
Dan Anwen looked at the little girl on his chest and was also a little surprised. How could he have met her here?
She hadn't changed much since the last time I met her, except that her skin was a little darker.
"It's alright, just be more careful next time you walk," Dan Anwen replied casually.
What are you doing here?
This road is rarely used; he was just tired from work at noon and came out for a walk.
"Um..." The girl blinked, looking at the man innocently, "I'm lost."
As he spoke, he scratched his hair.
Dan An smiled, looking at her tenderly, "Are you a little scatterbrain? Come on, I'll take you out."
"Okay, thank you." She followed the man out of the alley.
Looking at the girl following him closely, he was still quite curious as to why she came here. This place was full of companies, and a student usually wouldn't come here.
"Are you here in the business district on business?" Dan Anwen guessed.
The girl shook her head and said in a soft, sweet voice, "No, I'm here to look for a job."
"Looking for a job?" Dan Anwen turned his gaze to the girl. "Are you sixteen years old?"
"My birthday was just a month ago," the girl replied earnestly, pursing her lips.
Without asking any further questions, Dan Anwen quickly arrived at the bus stop.
"Have you found a job yet?" Dan Anwen asked, though he didn't know why, and then he felt a little annoyed.
"Found it, it's at that dessert shop over there." The girl pointed in a direction that led directly to the ground floor of the Dan Group building.
The bus had arrived, and Gu Zhaodi waved to the man, "Goodbye."
"Next time you come here, you can take the subway; it's faster," Dan Anwen suggested to the girl.
"good."
The bus then drove away from the station and gradually disappeared from the man's sight.
The weekend flew by, and after familiarizing herself with the dessert shop's procedures on Sunday, Gu Zhaodi officially started her job, mainly handling cashier and service duties, which was quite relaxing and free.
On Monday morning, students returned to school one after another, carrying bags and packages to share with their friends.
"Zhao Zhao, try this. This chocolate is especially delicious."
Guan Xiang took a large bag of snacks out of her schoolbag and slammed it onto Gu Zhaodi's desk.
"And this too, these potato chips are absolutely amazing." Guan Xiang pulled them out, opened the packaging, and handed them to the girl.
Seeing that she was about to continue opening the snack bags, the girl stopped her, saying, "That's enough, that's enough, you can't finish them all."
"Okay." Guan Xiang withdrew her restless hand. She wanted to let Zhao Zhao try everything, and then bring her the foods she liked later.
During the military training, she never saw Zhao Zhao eat snacks, so she bought some of her favorite snacks and brought them to school to share with Zhao Zhao.
"It's so bitter." The girl frowned slightly as she put the chocolate in her mouth.
Guan Xiang smiled and said, "This chocolate is bitter, but you'll discover its secret as you eat it."
In Gu Zhaodi's memory, she had eaten chocolate when she was a child. It was given to her by her younger brother, Gu Bao. It was sweet, and it was the first time she had ever tasted bitter chocolate.
This chocolate has an extremely smooth and delicate texture; it melts in your mouth with just a slight touch.
After eating for a while, Gu Zhaodi picked up a gift box from the ground next to her. "This is a gift for you, even though it's a bit late."
Guan Xiang stared in surprise at the object in her hand, her mouth slightly agape. "What is this?"
The girl opened the gift box in her hand, "This is a preserved rose bear that I made."
The preserved rose bear is a lovely pink color, with flowers that look so real and vibrant. It's the most beautiful sight in the entire classroom.
"Is this a real flower?" Guan Xiang stared intently at the rose on the bear's body.
"No, I folded it myself."
The girl spent an afternoon and an evening trying her best to make this preserved rose bear perfect.
"Thank you, Zhao Zhao. No one has ever given me a handmade gift before."
Guan Xiang was very touched. In their circle, people usually buy luxury goods when giving gifts, and it's rare to find something handmade.
Gu Zhaodi was somewhat surprised by Guan Xiang's words, after all, this was the best gift she could give within her limited means, and she was afraid that Guan Xiang would not like it.
"I'm glad you like it," the girl said softly.
Guan Xiang grasped the girl's hand and said domineeringly, "From now on, you'll be my good friend."
The girl's eyes flickered slightly, and she replied with an "okay".
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