Chapter 219 : Full of Vitality
“So… this is the place?”
Xiao Xiao glanced at the address on her phone, then back up at the dilapidated building in front of her. If the contract details were accurate, this was where Teacher “Zero” lived.
Looking at the run-down building, Xiao Xiao was doubtful. With Teacher “Zero’s” current earnings, she could easily afford a high-end apartment.
But doubts aside, Xiao Xiao had come all the way from the headquarters of Wuke Comics just to find her. She’d been trying to contact Teacher “Zero” recently, but her phone had been disconnected, and she hadn’t responded to messages on QQ or email.
With no other option, Xiao Xiao had flown over late at night and rushed straight from the airport. She only hoped Teacher “Zero” hadn’t moved—otherwise, she had no idea what to do.
“Hey, young lady, are you looking to rent a room?”
Just as Xiao Xiao was about to enter, a voice called out from behind. She turned and saw a bald, middle-aged man with a lecherous look eyeing her.
“Ah, right. I’m the landlord here. Just call me Mr. Landlord. I assume you saw the rental ad, right? Don’t worry—the rooms here are very nice and reasonably priced,” he said with a sly smile. From her silhouette alone, he’d guessed she was a beauty. Seeing her up close confirmed it—though she didn’t quite match the lively young woman who’d moved out recently, she was as pretty as the girl living on the 14th floor. Not a bad find on his morning walk.
“I’m sorry, I’m not here to rent. I’m looking for someone. Mr. Landlord, do you know a girl named Ling Ning?” Xiao Xiao asked, suppressing her irritation at his gaze.
Hearing that she was looking for Ling Ning, Mr. Landlord’s face darkened instantly. He still remembered being sprayed in the face with pepper spray by that little spitfire. Even now, the sting of it lingered in his memory.
“She moved,” he said curtly, then walked away, disappointed. So much for scoring a new tenant.
“Could you tell me where she moved to?” Xiao Xiao asked anxiously.
The news that Ling Ning had moved worried her; she hadn’t really thought it would be true. Just her luck that the one person she came to find had vanished.
“No idea where that crazy girl went,” he muttered, disappearing up the stairs.
Xiao Xiao sighed, realizing there was no point pressing further. Her lead had just gone cold, so she’d have to hope that Teacher “Zero” would notice her messages on QQ or email soon.
“Are you looking for ‘Teacher’?”
A crisp, sweet voice came from behind, and Xiao Xiao turned to see a young, beautiful girl approaching her.
“Teacher…?” Xiao Xiao echoed, confused.
“That’s who you’re looking for, right? Ling Ning?” Jiang Xue explained. She’d had the day off and originally planned to stay home, but when she’d gone out for breakfast, she’d run into Mr. Landlord. To avoid his sleazy advances, she’d hidden around the corner and overheard Xiao Xiao’s conversation with him.
Once the landlord left, she’d stepped out to help.
“Really?” Xiao Xiao’s face lit up with excitement. She hadn’t expected such a lucky break. While she couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that this girl was a scammer, her appearance didn’t give off that vibe. Besides, even if it was a trick, she was willing to take the risk.
After all, with her black belt in Taekwondo, she was confident she could handle most situations.
Jiang Xue rolled her eyes. “Of course, it’s true. But who are you, anyway? You seem unfamiliar, and what business do you have with Teacher? You’re not here to collect debts, are you?”
At this, Jiang Xue took a cautious step back, her expression wary. Could it be that Teacher was hiding from debt collectors? It wasn’t out of the question, she supposed.
“Debt collector?!” Xiao Xiao sputtered. Did she look like a debt collector? Why would she be here for debts?
Sighing, she calmly explained her reason for looking for Ling Ning.
Once she finished, Jiang Xue nodded in understanding. As long as she wasn’t here to collect money, that was fine.
“Alright, I can take you to her, but…” Jiang Xue trailed off, her expression turning suggestive.
“But… what?” Xiao Xiao felt a surge of anxiety. Just as she’d felt relieved, Jiang Xue’s pause made her tense up again.
“Well, I haven’t had breakfast, so I don’t have the energy to guide you~”
Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, that’s all? Breakfast is no big deal. You take me to her, and I’ll treat you to breakfast. Eat as much as you want—I haven’t eaten yet, either.”
Jiang Xue’s face lit up with a pure, innocent smile. This was exactly what she’d been hoping for! A free breakfast she could eat to her heart’s content. It had been a while since she’d had a good, filling breakfast.
Seeing Jiang Xue’s cheerful expression, Xiao Xiao felt a faint sense of dread. But it was just breakfast; how much could one girl eat?
As it turned out, a lot—far more than Xiao Xiao could have anticipated.
Watching the growing stack of empty bowls on the table, Xiao Xiao, who hadn’t even managed to finish her own noodles, was speechless. Jiang Xue had already finished multiple bowls and showed no signs of stopping. Glancing at her flat stomach, Xiao Xiao wondered if the girl had a black hole for a stomach—how could she put away so much food without any sign of fullness?
After polishing off her tenth bowl of ramen, Jiang Xue let out a contented sigh. “Ahh, it’s been a while since I’ve eaten to 80% full.”
“…”