Jiang Xile was unaware of and had never participated in the affairs and controversies within the Xiao family's courtyard.
At this moment, her heart was moving lightly towards the commune, which would be the starting point of her journey to Sweet City.
Sweet City, a place full of unknowns and dreams, awaits Jiang Xile to explore.
Although the purpose of this trip was to deal with the wild boars in that space, it was also a completely new experience for Jiang Xile.
The morning light had already quietly faded away. When Jiang Xile and Guo Dongxu reported their departure from the educated youth settlement, the clock had already quietly slipped past the threshold of ten o'clock.
Her steps were unhurried, yet carried a hint of longing for the unknown, as she traversed every inch of the country lanes.
It wasn't until the midday sun gently shone on her shoulders that the outline of the commune gradually became clear.
To get to Sweet City, you need to take a bus from the commune's bus station; the journey takes about two to three hours.
The next bus wasn't until 1:30, and since the sun was shining brightly and it was still early, she decided to go to a nearby state-run restaurant to replenish her energy.
Unexpectedly, upon entering the state-run restaurant, they bumped into Li Haizhen and Zhang Xuesong, with Ye Haochen, whom they had met yesterday, sitting with them.
Joy!
"Haizhen!"
"Jiang Zhiqing!"
"Zhang, the educated youth!"
"Jiang Zhiqing!"
"Ye Zhiqing!"
The four greeted each other, and then Jiang Xile was pulled by Li Haizhen to sit with them.
"Xile, what brings you to town today? Are you here to pick up a package too?"
Li Haizhen was always very happy to see Jiang Xile, and she would look at her with a smile and ask.
"No, I'm planning to visit Sweet City. I've already bought my ticket; the train leaves at 1:30!"
Jiang Xile quite liked this new friend who wasn't very cunning.
"Let's go to Sweet City! I want to go too! Why didn't you say so yesterday?"
Li Haizhen's voice was tinged with excitement, yet also with disappointment.
"I made this decision on the spur of the moment. If you want to go, you can have Zhang Zhiqing accompany you next time. I'm sure Zhang Zhiqing won't refuse your request!"
Jiang Xile calmly received the explanation, which also diverted Li Haizhen's attention.
"Hmph, you rascal, you're teasing me again!"
Sure enough, the mere mention of Zhang Xuesong caused the love-struck Li Haizhen to forget everything else.
"No way, I'm just telling the truth!"
"Hmph, I can't argue with you!"
Li Haizhen is well protected by her family, and her innocent and naive appearance is truly enviable.
"Alright, please have a seat. I'll go order some food and then we can talk again!"
“We’ve already ordered quite a lot, so Jiang Zhiqing can eat with us. There’s no need to order anything else.”
"Yes, yes, Brother Xuesong ordered braised pork, sweet and sour fish, stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, green peppers and potatoes, and sweet and sour pork. It's enough for the four of us, so you don't need to order anything else."
Sure enough, as soon as Li Haizhen finished speaking, the waiter called out.
"Braised pork belly, stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers, sweet and sour fish, and sweet and sour pork are ready!"
"The food is ready. Haochen and I will go get it. You two ladies can just sit here!"
Unable to refuse Li Haizhen and Zhang Xuesong's warm invitation, Jiang Xile had no choice but to treat them to a meal.
"Then I'll shamelessly freeload here and bring you gifts when I come back from Sweet City!"
"Great! I'm looking forward to your joyful gift!"
"Don't worry, it will definitely be delivered to you!"
"whee..."
In the spacious and bright restaurant, four men and women, each with their own unique charm, sat around a simple and unpretentious dining table.
The air was filled with the aroma of food and a subtle, almost imperceptible atmosphere.
Zhang Xuesong and Li Haizhen, this universally acknowledged perfect couple, seem to be tightly connected by an invisible thread.
Their seats were close together, and the occasional exchange of glances or a gentle smile was like a carefully prepared sweet potion.
It silently sprinkled around, making the air filled with pink bubbles.
Jiang Xile sat to one side, chopsticks in her hand, but seemed to have lost her usual enthusiasm for the delicious food on the table.
Her gaze kept drifting from the delicacies on the plate, eventually settling on the unintentional warmth between Zhang Xuesong and Li Haizhen, a helpless yet slightly envious smile playing on her lips.
She thought to herself that she hadn't even had a proper meal yet, and this sudden "dog food" was making her feel like she was about to burst. The feeling in her heart was truly complicated and hard to describe.
In this warm and sweet scene, Ye Haochen's presence is like a breath of fresh air.
He occupied the other end of the table alone, as if he were in another peaceful world.
His face was thin and his eyes were deep; every time he raised his chopsticks, he appeared so calm and unhurried.
He savored every bite of food, as if he were enjoying a feast that only he could understand.
He seemed oblivious to the sweet atmosphere around him, or perhaps he had already grown accustomed to it.
His calm and composed demeanor makes one wonder if he harbors another unknown world within his heart.
Jiang Xile's gaze kept falling on Ye Haochen, her heart filled with an indescribable curiosity and a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.
She noticed that no matter how noisy the outside world was, Ye Haochen always managed to maintain that rare composure.
In her view, this composure and restraint possess an irresistible charm.
She couldn't help but wonder what kind of story and dreams this seemingly cold but actually rich-hearted man had.
Driven by this thought, she unconsciously slowed down the pace of her chopsticks, and the curiosity and desire to explore the unknown quietly took root in her heart.
"Why is Jiang Zhiqing looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Ye Haochen sat opposite Jiang Xile. Although the invisible gaze did not touch his skin, it had already stirred up ripples in his heart.
Although he maintained his usual composure on the outside, the blush that crept up to his ears quietly betrayed his inner shyness and panic.
"Ah... I'm sorry, I was a little distracted. It wasn't on purpose. Please don't take offense, Ye Zhiqing!"
"It's alright, hurry up and eat, or the food will get cold!"
"Okay, good!"
Jiang Xile felt incredibly embarrassed. Why had she been staring at someone so intently? But then again, Ye Zhiqing was indeed quite good-looking.
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