Full charm points, inherit game assets

Chapter 587 Oranges! Oranges!
Lanxinyuan Residential Community, Liwan District.

In the small living room of the rented apartment, the light from the incandescent bulb illuminated a slender figure at the desk.

"Squeak-"

Looking at the green bubble on her phone screen that indicated "sent successfully," Zhang Yan felt as if all her strength had been drained, and she slumped back into her chair.

"Huchi - Huchi -"

She gasped for breath, and only then did her suppressed heart begin to pound wildly like a drum.

Sent...

I really sent it.

The impulse that had lingered in her heart since college, rehearsed countless times, finally became a reality at this moment.

In the past, even if she dreamed of this scene, she would wake up in shock from the overwhelming shame.

But now, she has actually done it.

Did he see it? Does he find it strange? Does it bother him?
A belated sense of panic washed over them like a tidal wave.

Zhang Yan buried her burning cheeks deep in her hands, unconsciously murmuring to herself:
"Tang Song, my classmate..."

"I'm sorry! I was wrong!"

In fact, she always knew that to Tang Song, she was just an insignificant junior high school classmate.

Her vague image had long since faded completely from his memory with the passage of time.

This realization had been crystal clear to her for six years.

After she gave it her all and repeated a year of high school, she finally got into Yancheng Agricultural University.

She mustered up the courage to walk into Yenching University of Science and Technology, and after waiting for an hour at the entrance of the Computer Science Department building, she finally saw him again.

They bumped into each other, and he calmly walked past her without stopping or recognizing her.

Later, in the corners of the library, cafeteria, and study rooms…

She began to get used to watching him from a distance.

She finally realized that the sunny, cheerful boy she remembered, who was always working hard, had become silent, quiet, and unusually diligent.

Through inter-school activities, she proactively added a classmate of Tang Song from the Computer Science Department as a friend.

According to the girl, Tang Song was the "top student" in their class. Besides studying, he would go out to work and often asked for leave.

I rarely go home during summer and winter vacations.

He stopped reading comics and rarely played basketball anymore; it was as if he had become a completely different person.

She thought it was probably because he was missing a girl named Liu Qingning by his side.

Liu Qingning, what a dazzling and unattainable name!
Since the first joint exam in the first year of high school, this name has almost never fallen out of the top three in the county for science subjects.

Moreover, she was so beautiful, like a delicate and fragile porcelain doll. Even in that inconspicuous corner of the Second Middle School, the radiance emanating from her would be dazzling.

Moreover, she knew that Tang Song really liked Liu Qingning.

Unfortunately, Liu Qingning was too outstanding and was admitted to the Imperial University as the top science student in the county.

She completely understood Tang Song's feeling—that sense of powerlessness from desperately chasing after something that was just out of reach, much like her own.

Finally, one afternoon in 2018, she bought a stack of letterheads with "Yancheng Agricultural University" printed on them, intending to write him a letter of encouragement and secretly slip it to him.

But that letter, written and deleted repeatedly, was never sent.

I just send him messages he can't see on my usual QQ account.

University life unfolds quietly amidst such anticipation, anxieties, longing, and self-growth.

She joined the literary society and made some new friends.

Because of "his name," she began to study the poetry and customs of the Tang and Song dynasties. She learned to write calligraphy and memorized many Tang and Song poems...

Then came 2019.

Not long after she entered her junior year, she received news that Tang Song had already started his internship in the capital.

I heard he joined a rapidly growing unicorn tech company, which is really impressive.

She was genuinely happy for him, because he could finally meet his moon in the same city.

But within that pure joy, a hint of loss was also quietly mixed in.

Then, during her senior year internship, she also came to Beijing.

Because she had prepared diligently for a long time, she was fortunate enough to find a decent company.

She saw him again.

He had almost completely forgotten her.

On the crowded subway line 5, most recently, she sat directly in front of him, their eyes meeting.

At this time, he became more silent, unkempt, and busy with complicated work.

Only in front of Liu Qingning does it come alive again.

The once passionate young man seems to be slowly being devoured by the beast called "life".

Before being laid off from Gaosi Education and deciding to leave the capital, she considered writing something as a final farewell.

But I still didn't have that courage.

Finally, I left him a long, heartfelt message on his QQ account.

After coming to work in Guangzhou, the physical distance became even greater.

But that spiritual sustenance only grew stronger because of the loneliness and distress of reality.

Her comments became more frequent, gradually turning into a weekly "confessional sharing session."

She poured out her heart, her work troubles, and her life's frustrations to the past.

Occasionally, I would wish him a better life, just like an old friend.

Later, by chance, she saw a post on a former colleague's WeChat Moments about "Century Wisdom Learning" releasing a new generation of personalized learning system.

The news report mentioned the extremely familiar name "Liu Qingning".

Only then did she realize that Liu Qingning was in Shenzhen, not far from her.

And they already have such a dazzling career.

Then, she began to inquire about Tang Song's movements.

Only then did I learn that he had already resigned from Meigou Technology and returned to Yancheng.

South and North, pursuit and abandonment…

She immediately empathized with Tang and Song's feelings.

She mustered her courage once again, wanting to contact him, encourage him, and comfort him.

In the end, however, she backed down.

She was an introverted, insecure person who was used to observing silently; she was an inconspicuous person.

She didn't know in what capacity to contact him, or even how to address him.

After all these years, in his mind they were probably like strangers.

Until that day, in a corner of a secondhand bookstore in Guangzhou, a fleeting glimpse of "Dragon Ball" instantly stirred all her thoughts.

She picked it up, and it turned out to be the 16th volume that she had lost in 2012, which was the 2009 edition and published by Qiongdao Photography and Fine Arts Publishing House.

It all seemed like a revelation from fate.

She bought that volume and from that day on, she was determined to collect all of Dragon Ball little by little.

She wants to complete her own "summoning the dragon" ritual to give herself the courage to act, and then "make that wish".

I want to express what I've wanted to say all these years in the most subtle and gentle way.

Ultimately, I just wanted to tell him.

Over the years, some people have quietly admired him, while others still vividly remember his youthful appearance.

Hopefully, he can draw some warmth and strength from this letter and continue to be passionate, courageous, and have light in his eyes.

Of course, at the same time, this is also a farewell to the past for her.

She is 26 years old this year, and she is afraid that if she doesn't say these things now, she may never have the chance again.

In the future, she may leave Guangzhou, go to unknown places, get married, or become a completely different person.

She must complete the accounting of her "past self" while she is still "herself".

"Meow~"

A soft meow interrupted her thoughts.

Orange had jumped onto the desk at some point and was rubbing its fluffy head against her cold arm.

Zhang Yan slowly came to her senses, reached out and hugged it, burying her face deeply in its warm and soft fur.

"Orange, I miss you so much..."

Sobbing began, and hot tears soaked the orange fur.

In fact, for her, the distant Tang and Song dynasties were always her best friends in this life.

Just like that afternoon in junior high, sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his animated face as he shared comics.

However, her friendships were not pure; they were mixed with heart-fluttering girlish feelings, and she was afraid to get close to them because of her inferiority complex.

at this time.

Suddenly, a series of knocks sounded on the door.

Zhang Yan shuddered and jumped up from her chair.

She frantically wiped away the tears on her face with the back of her hand, trying to make her voice sound less strange: "Who, who is it?"

"It's me!" Lulu's familiar voice came from outside the door.

Zhang Yan quickly pulled out a tissue to wipe her face, took a few deep breaths, and then hurried over to open the door.

Immediately afterwards, a man and a woman appeared at the door.

Standing next to Lulu was their former colleague, Li Chao, who was also the friend who had helped her change the light bulb in the hallway.

Li Chao was carrying a slightly worn electric baking pan, while Lulu was carrying several heavy shopping bags.

"Surprise! Hehe." Lulu squeezed in without saying a word, put the bag she was carrying on the table, and said with great pride, "It's Friday! And my fund made money! We have to have a good meal and drink some wine to celebrate!"

Li Chao smiled and shook the electric grill in his hand: "I brought all the equipment. Today's barbecue will be paid for by rich lady Lulu."

Seeing this scene and Lulu's feigned relaxed smile, Zhang Yan pursed her lips and said nothing.

"Hurry up, don't just stand there," Lulu pushed her and opened the bag. "Go wash the vegetables, Li Chao and I will clean up!"

The shopping bag was full of ingredients.

Marinated chicken wings, beef slices, large prawns, green peppers, enoki mushrooms, and even a few bottles of RIO cocktails.

Zhang Yan nodded hesitantly.

Lulu deftly pushed open the window, and the evening breeze, carrying the chill of late autumn, blew in.

The three of them busied themselves in the small space, the sounds of washing vegetables, chopping meat, and Lulu directing Li Chao's laughter all mingling together.

This instantly filled the once quiet rental apartment with a warm and genuine sense of life.

……

Four Seasons Hotel.

Outside the window is the dazzling night view of Guangzhou, with the lights of Zhujiang New Town resembling a flowing galaxy.

The private office was so quiet that only the faint sound of the central air conditioning could be heard.

Tang Song stared blankly at his phone screen, his thoughts surging like the river outside the window.

It turns out that the person who proactively added her on WeChat a few months ago, known as "Smiling Breathing," was Zhang Yan.

May you always remain as passionate, courageous, and with light in your eyes as you were in your youth.

He lowered his head, looking at the neat handwriting on the letter, his heart feeling as if it were being tightly gripped.

Swipe your finger to the fourth image.

It was a row of Dragon Ball books neatly arranged on a simple bookshelf, totaling 34 volumes.

“2009 version…” Tang Song murmured to himself, his gaze becoming unfocused.

He was particularly obsessed with shonen manga in junior high school, and his biggest wish at that time was to open a manga book cafe someday.

Dragon Ball is his favorite series. He was once incredibly obsessed with Super Saiyan Goku, initially reading it by borrowing a comic book from his classmate Zhang Lei.

Later, I wanted to buy a set for my permanent collection.

In his memory, Zhang Yan once lost his favorite copy of the 2009 edition of "Dragon Ball," which he had finally managed to buy.

At the time, all she could do was apologize and cry silently, unable to offer any explanation.

He was very angry at the time and ignored his clumsy deskmate for several days.

However, a young person's anger comes and goes quickly.

Before long, he forgot about the matter.

Unexpectedly, this classmate still remembers it to this day and bought a whole new set.

Tang Song slowly closed his eyes.

Those fragments that were pieced together bit by bit, awakened by the "light feathers of memory," and ignored by himself.

At this moment, I was completely connected and activated by this letter.

Zhang Yan's image gradually emerged in his mind with unprecedented clarity.

Junior high, high school, university, Beijing...

His dream state is an extremely special case. To avoid being dominated by emotions and information overload, he subconsciously ignores many things.

Among them, Zhang Yan is a detail that was overlooked.

Yet, throughout her youth, she had watched over him in this way. An indescribable emotion surged within him.

When he opened his eyes again, they were moist.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The sound of my heartbeat lingered in my ears, so clear.

The passion and impulsiveness of youth seemed to be rekindled by this letter at this moment.

"Teng!"

He stood up abruptly, his gaze passing through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows and landing in the deep night.

Guangzhou…Zhang Yan…

A thought began to frantically grow and clamor in his mind.

He wanted to see her immediately.

He wanted to receive the letter and the comic book set himself.

I want to talk to her and tell her that I haven't forgotten her.

"Tap tap tap—" Footsteps sounded.

Wen Ruan, who was chatting with her best friend, looked up in surprise, "What's wrong?"

"I have some urgent business to attend to and need to go out."

Seeing his expression, Wenruan didn't say much, but gently said, "Go ahead, be careful."

Tang Song nodded, put on his leather shoes, and strode outside.

……

On the electric grill, the beef slices sizzled under the high temperature, their edges quickly curling and turning golden brown, emitting an enticing aroma mixed with the sweetness of green peppers.

The small rented room was filled with a lively atmosphere and the aroma of food.

The three people sat around the coffee table.

Orange nestled lazily at Zhang Yan's feet, occasionally being fed a small piece of cooked meat without any sauce.

"Come on, cheers!" Lulu raised her RIO cocktail high, her face flushed with excitement. "To our invincible friendship, and to our damn, fucked-up work life!"

"Cheers!" Li Chao responded cheerfully, and the glass bottles clinked together loudly.

Zhang Yan also raised her bottle, and the icy liquid slid down her throat.

She couldn't help but look down at her phone screen again, but there were still no messages.

I feel a little uneasy.

I wonder if Tang and Song actually saw it, or if they just took it as a regular "prank"?
Has she been deleted from my friend list yet?
As Lulu deftly flipped the shrimp on the baking tray, she secretly winked at Li Chao.

Li Chao immediately understood, put down his chopsticks, cleared his throat and said, "Zhang Yan, I heard from Lulu that you confronted that fat guy in front of the whole office today. You were so cool!"

Lulu chimed in, "Exactly! That fat guy's face turned green!"

"I..." Zhang Yan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end she just lowered her head shyly.

She was indeed a bit impulsive at the time.

I also know that if I openly offend the leadership in the current state of the company, I will definitely be the first one to be "kicked out".

They might even be forced to resign voluntarily through various means, without even receiving compensation.

Li Chaoyi slammed his hand on the table. "That kind of idiot leader deserves to be roasted! All they do is manipulate their employees... Let me tell you, the leader of my current crappy company is a complete jerk too..."

Li Chao began to vividly recount his "tragic experience," sometimes imitating the boss's greasy tone, and sometimes denouncing the unreasonable overtime system, making the two of them laugh.

The atmosphere became more relaxed and harmonious amidst the venting and complaining.

After talking for a while, Li Chao changed the subject and his tone became serious: "But then again, Zhang Yan, don't worry too much. That's just how work is. Besides, Shucheng Technology is just a small company with no development potential. Leaving there might just give you a chance to get into a big company. Look at Lulu, she even went for an interview at Nebula International Group, she's so awesome."

Lulu paused for a moment, then a hint of excitement flashed in her eyes as she said mysteriously, "There's something I haven't had a chance to tell you yet."

"What's wrong?" Li Chao asked curiously.

"I received a call from the HR department of Nebula International Group this afternoon," Lulu's voice rose a few decibels, "I passed the first round of interviews! I'll start preparing for the second round next Monday!"

"Wow! That's amazing!" Li Chao exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Zhang Yan's face instantly lit up with pure joy, and she proactively raised the wine bottle, "Congratulations, Lulu!"

Lulu bumped hands with her and stuck out her tongue. "Actually, there's still not much hope, but I'm already very satisfied to have made it to the second round. It's purely because of good luck..."

Then, Lulu excitedly began to talk about it.

Given her education and qualifications, she did not originally meet Nebula's recruitment standards.

However, coincidentally, Nebula International's Guangzhou branch is setting up a new "AI Marketing" department, and she has recently been cramming on a lot of knowledge about AI copywriting.

During the interview, by sheer luck, my performance unexpectedly won the interviewer's approval.

"Zhang Yan, you really don't need to worry too much."

"Although the current economic climate isn't great, there are still many new opportunities. You could try applying to Nebula International. If I get incredibly lucky and get in, I'll refer you both!"

Lulu's words were full of enthusiasm and hope, as if she wanted to encourage her friends in this way.

Li Chao chimed in, "Then Zhang Yan and I are just waiting to latch onto your coattails!"

He now works for a media company that operates a public WeChat account, and naturally admires Nebula International Group, a leading company in China's media industry.

A warm feeling welled up in Zhang Yan's heart, and her eyes began to throb slightly.

As the conversation progressed, the atmosphere became even more lively.

Li Chao coughed twice from the smoke and stood up, saying, "I'll open the door to let some air in, otherwise Zhang Yan won't be able to sleep tonight after we finish eating."

As he spoke, he walked to the door and opened the old security door halfway.

A cool night breeze swept in instantly, dispelling the stuffiness in the room, and all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

They continued eating and drinking, dreaming about Lulu's bright future after entering the big factory, and also planning a new career path for Zhang Yan.

……

A black Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly came to a stop in front of a charming old neighborhood.

The car door opened, and Tang Song stepped out of the car.

I looked up and gazed at the residential complex called "Lanxinyuan" in front of me.

Yellowed walls, slightly mottled stairwells, and a huge banyan tree so lush it almost completely obscures the building…

According to the information sent by Zheng Qiudong, Zhang Yan's mailing address is Unit 3, Building 4, Room 602.

Tang Song took a deep breath of the moist and slightly cool air and stepped into the gate of the community.

The neighborhood was quiet, with the dim streetlights shining quietly.

Dressed in a haute couture outfit, he seemed somewhat out of place among his surroundings.

Residents passing by at night all turned their attention to it.

Tang Song walked slowly along the dilapidated cement road in the residential area, his gaze sweeping over the numbers on the buildings.

As we got closer, Unit 3 of Building 4 came into view.

Tang Song stopped in her tracks, her gaze slowly moving upwards until it finally landed on the windows on the 6th floor, wondering which one belonged to her.

At this very moment, this friend who only exists in QQ messages and lives in Guangzhou is only a dozen meters away from him.

He picked up his phone, unlocked the screen, opened WeChat, and tapped on the chat box with "Breathing in a Smile".

An unprecedented sense of tension suddenly enveloped him.

On the way here, driven by adrenaline, he didn't think much; he just wanted to see her immediately.

But when the moment actually came, he didn't know how to face this overly pure and innocent feeling.

In fact, if it weren't for Zhang Yan's letter tonight...

He probably won't bother her in the end, but will secretly pave the way for her career development so that her life can become smooth and happy.

Tang Song stood downstairs, silent, hesitant, and uneasy.

Just when his mind was in complete turmoil.

A petite, chubby, orange-clad figure suddenly ran out from the entrance of the apartment building.

Tang Song was stunned for a moment, looking at the cat that suddenly appeared in front of him, and the image of the greedy orange in Zhang Yan's writing instantly came to mind.

"Oranges?" he called out instinctively, his voice not loud.

However, the orange cat suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at him curiously with its round, bright eyes.

"tangerine!"

"Meow~"

It barked once and trotted towards him on its short legs.

Tang and Song's hearts were struck by an indescribable emotion, carrying a sense of disorientation that transcended time and space.

He slowly squatted down and stretched out his hand.

Orange came up to him without any shyness, rubbed her fluffy head against his palm, and made a satisfied gurgling sound in her throat.

Tang Song then took the opportunity to hug the heavy orange cat.

……

Room 602.

The wine bottle was empty, and there was hardly any food left on the baking tray.

Zhang Yan picked up her phone again, but the chat window remained silent, and the light in her eyes dimmed as well.

She wanted to send a message to check if her message had been deleted, but she was afraid that the bright red exclamation mark would completely extinguish the last glimmer of hope in her heart.

She placed her phone face down on the table and subconsciously tried to nudge the orange with her toes, but only touched the cold legs of the coffee table.

"Oranges? Oranges~" she called softly, bending down to look under the coffee table, but it was empty.

The calls gradually grew louder.

However there was no response.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly stood up.

He frantically shouted in the room, "Orange! Orange!"

Lulu and Li Chao also stopped laughing and joking and began searching the room.

Under the sofa, under the bed, in the kitchen, in the bathroom...

The small rented room was quickly turned upside down, but not even a trace of oranges could be found.

"They might have run away!" Li Chao looked at the half-open door and said with some self-reproach, "Oh crap! It's all my fault! I forgot about that!"

Lulu quickly stepped forward to comfort her, "Don't worry, Zhang Yan. Ju Zi is so smart and obedient. At most, she'll just wander around the stairwell. She definitely won't go far."

"Yes, yes, let's go look for it quickly, it should be in the stairwell!" Li Chao hurriedly chimed in.

Zhang Yan trembled as she hummed in agreement, then, disregarding everything else, rushed towards the door.

Because of Tang and Song, she was somewhat distracted tonight and forgot to pay attention to the oranges.

Orange was originally a stray cat. Although she was adopted for a while, there was no guarantee that her wild nature wouldn't be awakened and she wouldn't run away again.

A wave of intense self-reproach instantly overwhelmed her.

"Oranges! Oranges!"

The shouts echoed in the empty corridor, tinged with a sob.

The dim, motion-activated lights illuminated as she walked downwards.

Zhang Yan's face grew increasingly tense, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"The old lady in the middle apartment on the first floor likes to keep the ventilation open, so the unit door is often left open. Orange might have run out!"

Lulu comforted him, "Don't worry, let's split up and search around. It just came out not long ago, it can't have gone far!"

While talking.

Zhang Yan had already rushed out of the building entrance.

A cool night breeze blew in her face, clearing her panicked mind somewhat.

She stood downstairs, looking around blankly.

Just as he was about to shout, the sound suddenly caught in his throat.

Directly opposite the building entrance, under the dim yellow streetlights.

A tall, slender figure stood there quietly, holding a chubby orange cat in his arms.

That cat was none other than the orange she had been longing for.

And that boy—

Zhang Yan's breathing stopped instantly, and her mind went blank.

All the noise and light around us faded away, as if the whole world had been muted.

Tang and Song Dynasties

He wore a mature and crisp white shirt and black trousers, with a clear and smooth jawline, a straight nose and thin lips, and his dark eyes shimmered in the night.

The man before her was as if he had stepped straight out of the most beautiful picture frame in her memory.

Then, under her gaze, all the naivety of his youth faded away.

They grow quietly, yet show no signs of the weariness that comes with life's trials; instead, they possess a composure and clarity sculpted by time.

Zhang Yan stood frozen in place, motionless, as if she had even forgotten to beat her heart.

Seeking the path in my dreams, amidst flying rain and falling flowers.

This scene was so dreamlike that she couldn't distinguish the boundary between reality and dreams.

(End of this chapter)