After leaving the detention center and exiting the signal-blocked area, Xiao Ning finally got a signal on her phone. She took out her phone, turned it on, and recharged her account. Then she made a call to the relatives of her roommates, fulfilling her promise.
Standing under a large tree by the roadside, Xiao Ning hung up the phone, sighed deeply, and looked around. A two-lane road stretched down the mountain, seemingly endless.
Tall maple trees line both sides of the road. In the depths of winter, their withered yellow leaves are blown down by a cold wind and fly into the distance.
The entire road was deserted; there wasn't a single pedestrian or shop in sight. An uninformed person might mistake it for a desolate wasteland.
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Ning opened her phone's contacts, her expression slightly excited, selected a number, and dialed it.
"Beep! Beep! Beep!"
Five seconds later, the call connected, and an old voice came from the other end: "Hello, is this Ning Yazi?"
"Grandpa, it's me!" Xiao Ning replied in a slightly red and hoarse voice, "Are you alright? Where's Grandma?"
"Ning Ya Zi, we're all doing well!"
The voice on the other end of the phone rang out again: "Where have you been? Why haven't you called back in over six months? Your grandma is very worried about you!"
Xiao Ning paused for a moment, then lied and said, "Grandpa, I'm sorry, I found a job delivering food in Yuhang. I'm busy every day, so I haven't been able to call home. But the New Year is almost here, so I'll be back in a few days!"
Xiao Ning's grandfather was very excited: "Oh? When are you coming back? I'll have your uncle pick you up on his motorcycle!"
He automatically ignored his grandson's evasive words.
Hearing the word "uncle," Xiao Ning felt a little uncomfortable and said, "No need, Grandpa. I don't want to trouble him. I'll take the bus back myself!"
Xiao Ning and this uncle had never gotten along, and neither of them ever gave each other a pleasant look when they met. It was a blessing to see him less often.
Xiao Ning's grandfather was silent for a while, then sighed and said, "Alright, then I won't call him!"
Clearly, he knew that the uncle and nephew had a conflict, but this conflict had accumulated over the years and was difficult to resolve.
Afterwards, the two chatted for a while, and Xiao Ning hung up the phone. Her brows furrowed slightly, and a certain thought in her mind became clearer.
Following the main road down the mountain, after walking for about ten minutes, Xiao Ning's eyes lit up as he finally saw signs of human habitation ahead.
This is an eight-lane road in both directions, lined with shops on both sides, bustling with pedestrians and vehicles, exuding the atmosphere of a modern metropolis.
Xiao Ning opened her eyes wide, like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time, feeling that the scene in front of her was both familiar and strange.
Wearing thick pajamas, with a shaved head and cotton shoes, but with a handsome face, Xiao Ning stood at the intersection looking like a country bumpkin from the 1980s, attracting the attention of passersby.
Completely ignoring the strange looks from passersby, Xiao Ning stared intently at a supermarket called Jixiang across the street.
To be precise, it's the large cigarette cabinet at the supermarket entrance.
Seeing the cigarettes in the cabinet, Xiao Ning felt a dryness and itchiness in his throat. He swallowed and strode across the zebra crossing.
"Boss, a pack of Soft Sunshine cigarettes, and a lighter, please!"
"Okay, that'll be 40 yuan!"
After exchanging money and receiving the cigarettes, Xiao Ning stood in the shop and eagerly opened the package. His hands trembled slightly as he pulled out a cigarette, popped it into his mouth, and "snap!" The flame ignited, and a cloud of smoke billowed around him.
"Phew! That feels so good!"
Xiao Ning took a deep drag of smoke into his lungs, and a look of enjoyment appeared on his face.
Seeing his attire and the blissful expression on his face, the shop owner behind the counter couldn't help but chuckle and say, "Young man, you just came down from the mountain, didn't you?"
Xiao Ning leaned against the counter, a cigarette between his fingers. Hearing the shopkeeper's words, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Not bad, I just came down from the mountain and came straight here to buy cigarettes!"
As they spoke, Xiao Ning finished his cigarette, tossed the butt aside, and walked out of the supermarket. He went to the roadside and hailed a taxi.
"Master, to Yunhe Chenyuan!"
Xiao Ning opened the passenger door and glanced at the driver.
The taxi driver thought he had misheard. He looked back and saw that Xiao Ning didn't seem to care, so he started the car and drove towards Yunhe Chenyuan.
In the driver's opinion, Xiao Ning, dressed strangely, probably wanted to see the super mansion, Canal Garden, and feast his eyes on it!
He didn't say much along the way.
Since it was around 10 a.m., the morning rush hour had long passed, so there weren't many cars on the road.
After getting on the overpass, it was already an hour later when we arrived at Canal Garden.
Xiao Ning stopped the car outside the gate of the residential area, paid the fare, and got out.
With a thought, he took out the access card from the void space and put it directly into his pocket. Then, he strode towards the gatekeeper.
As one of the top-tier high-end residential communities in Yuhang County, Greentown Canal Garden naturally boasts complete supporting facilities, with security guards and property management personnel on duty at the gate 24 hours a day.
When Xiao Ning reached the main entrance, the property management staff inside rushed forward, saying, "Hello! Sir! Please..."
The property management staff originally wanted to say, "Please stop here!"
Unexpectedly, Xiao Ning simply took out his access card from his pocket and placed it on the card reader at the door!
"bite!"
The green light on the card reader lit up, and then the tightly closed door opened directly!
The property manager was extremely surprised, but the company's strict management made him quickly change his mind and say, "Please come with me!"
Xiao Ning nodded with a smile on his lips.