After Yan Junxi heard this, her throat trembled. She looked up slightly, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it, saying softly to him, "Thank you."
She had never thought fried rice could be so delicious, whether it was because she was too hungry or for some other reason.
Was it because of the extra egg, making it a luxurious version? She really thought so. With just one bite, her vision started to blur. She had endured a lot of hardship on her own, but she had never felt as wronged as she did now.
She raised an arm to wipe away her tears, her eyes red, and continued to eat heartily.
When she finished eating, Shu Wang handed her a tissue. Yan Junxi wiped her mouth and looked around, as if searching for a trash can.
Seeing this, Shu Wang quickly took it and said softly, "You sit here, I'll go throw it away."
When he returned, he also sat down on the other end of the bench.
Under the streetlights, the man and woman sat in unspoken understanding, neither saying a word. The sky was clear after the rain, and the ground was bathed in moonlight.
Yan Junxi turned to him and asked, puzzled, "Aren't you a student? Why aren't you back at school so late?"
Shu Wang sighed, looked up at the moon, and leaned back on his hands, smiling helplessly, "What time is it? The school dorms would have closed long ago."
"Then what will you do tonight?"
Shu Wang thought for a moment and said miserably, "I don't know. I didn't bring my ID, so I probably can't stay in a hotel. My phone is also almost out of battery. I'll just find an internet cafe to stay in for the night."
Yan Junxi's expression was hesitant after hearing this, but she finally nodded and said to him, "Alright, then I'll be going. You be careful."
She stood up and left. Shu Wang watched her retreating back, pouted, and sat there with his hands cupping his face, the ground still bathed in moonlight.
"Do you want to come to my place for the night?" A soft voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
Shu Wang was startled and looked up at her, "Wow, didn't you leave?"
Yan Junxi had returned at some point. She opened her mouth and stood in front of him with her arms crossed, not speaking, just watching him, waiting for his answer.
"Uh... your home?" Shu Wang asked.
Yan Junxi shook her head, "No, it's a rented apartment, not really a home. Don't worry, I live alone."
Shu Wang's expression was a little troubled. After all, it was their first meeting. Although he had saved her, could this be considered a hero saving a beauty?
Could it be that the next step was for her to offer herself in marriage? Such a clichéd novel plot wouldn't happen to him, would it? Yan Junxi saw his expression and explained, "I don't mean anything else. I just want to thank you for saving me tonight, and also... that luxurious fried rice. If you really don't want to go, I won't force you."
Shu Wang lowered his head, pondering his choice.
Liancheng Foreign Language School's curfew was not strict.
Plus, since the beginning of the semester, he had been very thoughtful, always buying a bag of fruit to bring back to the dorms every evening and cheerfully greeting the dorm supervisor, offering her a few apples or oranges. Staying out for a night occasionally wasn't a big problem.
Moreover, if he went back now, he would definitely get a scolding from the supervisor.
Besides, they were both innocent and had nothing to hide.
After making up his mind, Shu Wang nodded, "Alright."
Seeing him agree, Yan Junxi's eyes softened, and she said softly, "My rented apartment is a bit far from here, so we might need to take a taxi."
So the two of them went to the roadside and waited for a long time before finally hailing a taxi to Yan Junxi's place.
They arrived near the train station, where all the houses were old and rundown, but the prices were cheap, and the rent was not expensive. It was mostly students and migrant workers living there.
After getting out of the car, Shu Wang curiously looked around. Many old house exteriors were covered in creeping fig, blackened by cooking fumes.
The buildings were generally very low, with the tallest probably only five stories. He assumed there were no elevators, and higher floors would be inconvenient for going up and down.
Yan Junxi led Shu Wang quietly inside, occasionally glancing at him and saying,
"These houses are all very old, and the foundations are a bit loose. A few days ago, some very official-looking people came to inspect them, saying they were unsafe. They'll probably be torn down in about a year and an artificial lake will be built here."
Shu Wang listened silently, nodded thoughtfully, and then asked, "How long have you lived here?"
Yan Junxi thought for a moment and murmured, "A long time, I can't remember anymore."
Shu Wang was slightly startled. If she said a long time, it must have been three or four years.
He found it hard to imagine a girl so young coming to a city alone to make a living.
When he was a teenager, he seemed to cry and complain about his grades. Every time his mock exam results came out, he felt like the sky was falling if his scores dropped.
Now, thinking back, the hardships of studying in school were nothing compared to the harsh realities of society.
After walking for about a few minutes, they arrived at a house in the furthest corner. It was pitch black inside, without even a sound-activated light. Shu Wang had to use his phone for illumination.
The stairs were concrete, covered in oil stains and dried mud.
"My rented apartment is on the third floor, not too high. The rent here is cheap, and while the place is a bit small, it's more than enough for one person. Please don't mind it."
"It's fine. Many people sleep on the streets these days. Having a place to stay is always much better."
Shu Wang paused, then added, "But this really can't be called a home. Compared to a real home, it lacks a bit of warmth..."
The hallway was very quiet, and the creaking sound of the key turning in the lock was exceptionally clear.
After opening the door, the inside was also pitch black and hard to see. Yan Junxi walked in and pressed the switch on the left, and the entire room lit up.
However, it wasn't very bright. The light bulb probably had some issues, flickering faintly and not emitting very strong light.
The apartment was probably only about forty square meters. A lot of the wall paint had peeled off, but the floor was clean, and things were neatly arranged.
He took a quick look: a living room with only an old sofa and a coffee table, no dining room, one bedroom, one bathroom, and the kitchen connected to the living room.
A few clothes were hanging on the narrow balcony. Shu Wang accidentally caught a glimpse and quickly turned his head away.
Besides a few small, uniformly black and white clothes, he saw nothing else.
"The place is a bit small, please don't mind it. Make yourself at home, I'll go boil some water for you. You can take a shower later."
"No problem, I'll just stand and walk around."
Yan Junxi said nothing more and walked into the bathroom. Soon, the rumbling sound of the water heater started up.
Looking at the simple room, Shu Wang felt a slight daze.