Li Jia didn't say a word to Li Xiaotong the whole way. Only when they were almost at Tianxiang Garden did she take out her phone and call Jiang Ling, asking her to come down and pick up Li Xiaotong. Then the car drove into the community, to building number 19, in the middle of the community. Jiang Ling was already standing downstairs, looking around.
"Get out of the car!" Li Jia said decisively. After speaking, she pushed open the car door and walked to Jiang Ling. "I'm so sorry to bother you so late."
"It's alright. Where's Xiaotong? What happened to her?" Jiang Ling had obviously just gotten home as well, still wearing her police uniform from work. Seeing Li Xiaotong slowly getting out of the car, she quickly went over and hugged her. "How are you? Are you alright? What happened? Tell your sister, and your sister will stand up for you!"
"Sister Ling, I'm fine, I'll go upstairs first." After saying that, Li Xiaotong walked past the two people and into the stairwell.
The buildings in the community are all six stories high, and they are relatively old buildings with small apartments as the main layout. Li Xiaotong and her family live on the top floor. Looking at Li Xiaotong's somewhat lonely figure, Li Jia felt guilty. If she had always been by her side to take care of her, perhaps she wouldn't be in this situation now.
"Can I go up and see them?" Li Jia hesitated for a moment before finally expressing her thoughts, then looked at Jiang Ling and waited for her answer.
“Great! They’ve always wanted an older brother to help them out of the storm. Although you’re not their jerk older brother, you’re much better than him. At least you can still help them whenever you have the chance.” Jiang Ling finished speaking, turned around and walked into the stairwell. Li Jia followed Jiang Ling in.
The incandescent lights in the stairwell emitted a pale yellow glow, making the already somewhat old residential building appear even older. The two of them quickly climbed to the sixth floor, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Knock...knock knock!" Jiang Ling arrived at the east door on the sixth floor and knocked a few times. Soon the door opened, and Li Xiaoqing's head poked out from inside. "Sister Jiang, Brother Li, is that you? Come in quickly."
Jiang Ling smiled and then walked into the two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, which was about 60 square meters. Li Jia also nodded and smiled at Li Xiaoqing, and followed Jiang Ling inside.
After closing the door, Li Xiaoqing brought over two stools, then poured two cups of hot water and placed them in Li Jia and Jiang Ling's hands. "Brother Li, thank you for Xiaotong's matter!"
"It's nothing, we just happened to run into each other, don't worry about it. Where's Xiaoyan?" Li Jia said with a smile.
"He studies in his bedroom. It's not convenient in the living room, so he studies in his bedroom every day." Li Xiaoqing sat opposite Jiang Ling'er and Li Jia, looking at Li Jia somewhat shyly. After all, she was quite familiar with Jiang Ling'er, while Li Jia was visiting her home for the first time.
"Okay, you go ahead and get busy. I'll sit for a bit, have some water, and then I'll leave." After Li Jia finished speaking, she carefully looked around the layout of the house, while Jiang Ling'er got up and pulled Li Xiaoqing into the kitchen. Clearly, none of them had eaten dinner yet.
In the small living room, a black-and-white television was spotless. There was no sofa, only a few wooden chairs. The doors to both bedrooms were closed. The kitchen was on the balcony. The floors inside were covered with small white tiles, which were also spotless.
"Brother Li, would you like to have some food with us?" Li Xiaoqing's voice came from the kitchen as they were looking around.
"Oh? Okay!" Li Jia hesitated for a moment, then immediately agreed. Although she had already eaten dinner, she felt she had to eat a little more even if she couldn't finish her meal, just to be able to eat with her three younger siblings.
"Xiao Tong, Xiao Yan, come out for dinner!" Jiang Ling came out of the kitchen, carrying a folding table, which she placed in the middle of the living room, and then arranged the stools around the table.
"Coming!" Li Yan answered from inside his room and opened his door. Seeing Li Jia standing in the living room, he immediately smiled. "Brother Li, you're here! I was so busy reading that I didn't hear you. I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, let's get ready to eat. Brother Li is here for a free meal today, you don't mind, do you?" Li Jia said, looking at the smile on Li Yan's face.
"Hehe, what's there to mind?" After saying that, Li Yan sat down at the table, while Li Jia went into the kitchen to help.
When Li Jia walked into the kitchen, she felt a lump in her throat when she saw their dinner: rice porridge, pickled vegetables, and a few reheated steamed buns.
"I'm sorry, Brother Li, this is all we have. I hope you can still enjoy it." Li Xiaoqing saw Li Jia's expression and assumed that Li Jia wasn't used to the food, so she looked at Li Jia apologetically and said.
“It’s alright, Brother Li just likes rice porridge and pickled vegetables, let’s eat together!” After saying that, Li Jia moved her stool in front of Li Xiaoqing, while she stood there, watching Li Xiaotong who had just walked out of the room. “Let’s eat, don’t think about those things.”
"Mind your own business! Mind your own business!" Li Xiaotong said, then sat down on the stool, lowered her head, and stared blankly at the bowl of porridge without saying a word.
"Officer Jiang, let's eat together. I'm just here to freeload. Why are you all staring at me?" Li Jia asked, somewhat puzzled, noticing that everyone except Li Xiaotong, who was drinking her porridge, was looking at her.
"This is a rule set by Xiaoqing. If there are guests, they must be allowed to eat first." Jiang Ling said, giving Li Xiaoqing a thumbs up.
"Oh... okay! Let's eat together... let's eat together!" After saying that, Li Jia stood there, picked up the bowl of porridge, opened her mouth and took a big gulp, then put down the bowl and looked at everyone at the table. "Can we eat now?"
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