I'm in Love Apartment, and the system is making me cultivate immortality.

Chapter 389 Farewell Letter! New Year's Eve Party, Miss Qin's Thoughts

Gu Yifan slowly parked the car at the entrance.

The sky was grayish-white with a thin mist, the streets were empty, and a few fallen leaves lay on the road, which were swept up and flew in the air when the wind blew.

The biting wind, combined with the damp magic of the south, sent chills straight into people's bodies, making even the bones feel frozen.

The black SUV turned the corner and slowly pulled up to a stop on the side of the road next to the hospital entrance.

Gu Yifan pulled the handbrake, jumped out of the car, and walked around.

At a glance, you can spot a slender figure sitting on the roadside, wrapped in a shawl.

That beautiful face, which resembled a fairy, looked extremely haggard at that moment.

Her chin rested on her arm, with a few strands of hair falling on either side of her fair cheeks.

His eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying, and more than once. He was staring blankly at the ground.

Gu Yifan paused for a moment, took off his trench coat, walked over and covered her with it, and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Condolences"

I felt a sudden warmth on my shoulder.

Xu Hongdou then raised her head, and her empty eyes showed a slight change in emotion.

She stared blankly at Gu Yifan, who was looking at her with concern, and could no longer suppress her emotions that were on the verge of collapse.

"Nanxing. Nanxing is gone."

As soon as Xu Hongdou uttered her best friend's name, her voice choked with emotion.

A tear slid down her haggard face, finally dripping from her chin onto her sleeve.

Gu Yifan was at a loss for how to comfort the girl in front of him.

"Why, why did this happen? Why? She's so young."

Gu Yifan remained silent.

On the eve of Chinese New Year, a time for family reunions, a young woman with an infinite future closed her eyes forever.

Last year, Gu Yifan had subtly reminded Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing to go to the hospital for a check-up.

Xu Hongdou did as she was told, taking her best friend to the hospital for a check-up and discovering the illness early on.

I thought that if I started treatment early, there would be a great chance of a cure, or even if it would extend my life by a few years.

But fate seemed determined not to let that cheerful girl off the hook, and death came knocking again.

Inside a coffee shop on the street.

Gu Yifan searched for a long time before finding a coffee shop that was still open.

The warmth of the indoor space dispels the chill from my body.

"Your caramel ginger latte, this is your butter latte."

The waitress placed steaming hot coffee in front of the two of them.

"Thank you."

Looking haggard, Xu Hongdou picked up the still-warm coffee and held it in her hands, her emotions that had just erupted subsiding slightly.

After the waiter left, Xu Hongdou looked up at Gu Yifan with an embarrassed expression, "I'm sorry, I was a little out of line just now."

"Thank you for coming out to keep me company. I really can't find anyone else to talk to."

"Of course, Nanxing and I are friends too," Gu Yifan said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Why did she leave so suddenly?"

Gu Yifan was also somewhat moved.

He had previously heard from Xu Hongdou that Chen Nanxing had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and he was planning to go see her.

After being persuaded by Xu Hongdou, he decided to go later.

Later, I read on Chen Nanxing's blog that her parents came and stayed with her.

She also kept a record of her daily struggle against terminal illness on blogs and forums, so I didn't bother her anymore.

Unexpectedly, she passed away just a few months later.

“Nanxing was recovering quite well after her surgery, but her condition suddenly relapsed last month and deteriorated rapidly, so this morning…” Xu Hongdou said softly, her expression forlorn.

Gu Yifan nodded, then hesitated, "What about hers?"

Xu Hongdou said softly, "She has already been cremated, and her uncle and aunt plan to take her home."

It's hard to imagine how much pain and grief Chen Nanxing's parents must have felt after losing their only daughter in middle age.

Gu Yifan opened his mouth and then closed it again.

Xu Hongdou turned her head to look out the window. The warm air inside the room came into contact with the cold outside, causing a layer of water mist to form on the glass of the French windows, or perhaps it was water mist in her eyes.

"Nanxing and I have known each other since high school. We even got into the same university; I studied hotel management, while Nanxing studied business, but we're still very close."

Xu Hongdou said softly.

"After graduation, we both stayed in Shanghai, but even though we were in the same city, we only saw each other twice a year."

"I thought we had a long future ahead of us, that we would get married, and that we would remain good friends after marriage, even if we ended up in a nursing home together, so we wouldn't be bullied by the caregivers."

Xu Hongdou reminisced about her time with Chen Nanxing, and couldn't help but smile when she talked about the nursing home.

But soon tears blurred her vision again.

She couldn't understand how a perfectly healthy person could just disappear like that.

After a moment of silence, Xu Hongdou glanced at Gu Yifan and spoke again.

"Nanxing and her parents are very grateful to you. She really wants to thank you in person and said she'll go to the show to support you when you're on it."

"It's a pity I haven't bothered you because I was worried you were too busy. So I'm asking you to say thank you."

"I should have gone to see her sooner," Gu Yifan said with deep emotion.

If he could take a look.

If we use our spiritual energy to help Chen Nanxing, perhaps her condition won't have deteriorated so quickly.

But then again, he can't help everyone by himself.

Xu Hongdou smiled slightly, as if she had thought of something.

"The night before Nanxing left, I went out for a walk with her. She said that her biggest regret was that she had never found a boyfriend and asked me to wait until she left and burn one for her."

Gu Yifan: "???"

"Should we burn a real person or a mannequin?"

Xu Hongdou was taken aback, then burst out laughing, "Of course it's a dummy."

Gu Yifan breathed a sigh of relief; he had thought Xu Hongdou was planning to burn him alive.

"You don't think I'm going to burn you for her, do you?" Xu Hongdou asked Gu Yifan with a laugh.

Gu Yifan gave an awkward laugh, "I am a little scared."

Xu Hongdou stared at Gu Yifan for a few seconds before quickly looking away, using drinking coffee as a cover.

She said that although you are handsome, you are not her type, and that you look like a jerk.

"Me?" Gu Yifan was stunned.

Good grief, do I have the look of a scumbag? I...it seems I really do.

Seeing Gu Yifan's expression change from green to purple, Xu Hongdou laughed.

"Just kidding, she said that since you know, there's no way you can chase her to the underworld to beat her up."

"That's not necessarily true. Reincarnation slots are so limited. She might not have gotten a number by the time I go down. Let her wait," Gu Yifan joked.

Xu Hongdou shook her head.

On the night Nanxing experienced her final burst of energy, they talked a lot, as if they wanted to make up for all the days they hadn't had enough time to chat about before.

Chen Nanxing said she has three regrets.

One concern was that they wouldn't be able to get oden at the restaurant, another was that their parents would be left without anyone to take care of them, and finally, they were worried about their best friend, Xu Hongdou.

Xu Hongdou said she had nothing to worry about.

Chen Nanxing laughed and said she was worried that Xu Hongdou was working so hard that, like her, she had never even held a boy's hand before hanging up with him.

"Red Bean, tell me the truth, do you like that handsome guy? There must be something going on, right?"

"If you like him, just go for it. Who cares if he has a girlfriend or not? I've thought it through. Life is too short to enjoy it while you can! Even if it's just sleeping with him, you won't lose out."

"You're so beautiful, I don't believe any man wouldn't be attracted to you!"

"Don't be so reserved all the time. In the end, you'll end up like me, always thinking you're still young and will solve your single problem once your career is stable. Now look what's happened. Your health has deteriorated, and you haven't even held a guy's hand. What a waste."

"...By then you'll be an old maid, who will want you?"

"So, don't leave with regrets like I did, Red Bean."

"Red Bean, you must be happy."

As expected of Nanxing, the gossip queen, even now she's still worrying about her best friend's lifelong happiness. She's really 'hard-working'!
When Xu Hongdou heard this, her nose felt sore, and she wanted to cry but also laugh.

Time flies.

"Oh, it's almost five o'clock. Thank you for keeping me company for so long."

Xu Hongdou told Gu Yifan a lot of things, mostly talking while Gu Yifan listened.

When the waiter came over and said they were closing at six o'clock, Xu Hongdou realized that she had talked for so long.

"It's alright, it's quite interesting to hear your funny stories," Gu Yifan said, waving his hand.

Xu Hongdou nodded and picked up her handbag. "Originally, I should have treated you to a meal."

However, Xu Hongdou felt it was wrong that her best friend went out to eat with a handsome guy right after she left.

"How about next time? I'll treat you to dinner next time."

"It's alright," Gu Yifan said with a smile. "I'll take you home; it might be hard to get a taxi right now."

Xu Hongdou did not refuse.

Just as Gu Yifan got up, he inadvertently noticed that there was a piano placed on one side of the bar counter in the coffee shop.

Gu Yifan was taken aback; he hadn't seen it when he came in.

Xu Hongdou walked to the shop door and realized that Gu Yifan had not followed.

He turned his head and looked at it with a puzzled expression.

But then they saw Gu Yifan say something to the waiter, and then walk to the piano next to the bar.

This music café usually has a professional pianist, but the pianist left as the Lunar New Year approached.

Apart from one salesperson, there were only Gu Yifan and Xu Hongdou in the store.

"He wants to play the piano?"

Before Xu Hongdou could even express her surprise...

But then Gu Yifan stood up straight and reached out his slender, bony hand to open the piano lid.

Gu Yifan can play the piano because his parents enrolled him in extracurricular classes when he was young, saying it would give him extra points in the middle school and college entrance exams, but that was just a lie.

Unless he becomes an art student, it's useless.

However, Gu Yifan did not give up the piano; he would still show off his skills when he had free time.

While it's certainly not up to the standards of professionals, his self-accompanied singing is definitely very attractive to girls.

The last piece of music he learned before coming into this world was called—Farewell Letter.

A light and cheerful melody rang out.

Xu Hongdou's expression gradually fell silent.

The sound of a piano drifted past the shop door, across the empty street, and up into the gloomy sky.

Finally, the glistening snowflakes slowly drifted down from the sky.

At first, it was one snowflake after another, then it spread out in patches, and the sky was gradually filled with snow.

It's snowing.
late at night.

Xu Hongdou sat cross-legged on the bed, hugging a cartoon plush pillow given to her by her friend.

The faint light from the laptop screen in front of her barely illuminated her face.

There were still traces of tears on her face, and the screen showed a photo of her and Chen Nanxing. The phone next to her was playing a somewhat indistinct piano piece.

Perhaps Gu Yifan didn't expect that this piano piece would have such a powerful aftereffect.

"Nanxing, this piano piece was a gift from him to you. Can you hear it?"

"Don't worry, I will take good care of myself. I will carry on with your last wishes forever."

Gu Yifan also felt some regret about Chen Nanxing's departure.

If only he had paid more attention to this cheerful and enthusiastic girl.

But the deceased are gone, and those who are alive must carry on with the blessings and expectations of the departed.

Gu Yifan escorted Xu Hongdou home and extended an invitation to her along the way.

If Xu Hongdou is willing, she can come to his apartment tomorrow to spend New Year's Eve together. Of course, it won't just be the two of them; his friends will also be there. They're all young people, so it might be more lively.

Although such an invitation was somewhat abrupt.

However, considering that this girl doesn't seem to have any other friends in Shanghai, and tomorrow is Chinese New Year.

She was all alone in the rented room, and Gu Yifan was afraid that she might do something rash.

Xu Hongdou said she would consider it, and the two said their goodbyes in silence and parted ways.

On the way back to the apartment, Gu Yifan's lingering effects also began to take hold.

So instead of going straight back to his apartment, he parked his car and went to the bar.

Although it's close to the Lunar New Year, it seems like most of the people in Shanghai have left, and the streets are deserted.

But as it turns out, quite a few young people don't go home. Instead of staying alone in their rented rooms, they might as well go to a bar and have some fun.

The bar was exceptionally lively, with most of the booths occupied and only a few seats remaining at the bar.

However, Gu Yifan didn't see Ziqiao and Guangu, who weren't going home for the New Year.

Gu Yifan brushed the snowflakes off his shoulders, thinking that this was probably the last snowfall in Shanghai this year, and walked to the bar.

"Dude, a beer? Never mind, I'll have whiskey."

Seeing that Gu Yifan's expression was a bit off, the bartender asked considerately, "What's wrong? Something on your mind? Did you have a fight with your girlfriend?"

Gu Yifan shook his head.

Seeing this, the bartender poured more drinks while whispering, "It's okay, arguments are normal. There's no hurdle you can't overcome. Before the holiday, a grown man should just apologize to his girlfriend and it'll all be over."

Gu Yifan was both amused and exasperated. "Dude, you're talking too much. No, I'm just in a bad mood."

The bartender shrugged, looking somewhat disappointed.

The apartment is mostly occupied by young people who enjoy lively atmospheres, making the apartment forum a perennial favorite.

The most commented post was the "Top Ten Most Beautiful Women and Handsome Men in the Apartment" list.

It was also caused by a group of well-meaning people.

In fact, Gu Yifan had always suspected that the forum, along with those rankings like the Kill Ranking, Handsome Guy Ranking, and Beautiful Girl Ranking, were all related to Xiao Hei.

However, there is no proof.

Gu Yifan and Lin Wanyu consistently topped the list and were hailed as the perfect couple in the apartment, a fact known to everyone.

Bartender: If those two break up... tsk, the apartment building will be in an uproar.

Unfortunately, Gu Yifan explicitly denied this gossip.

"By the way, Mr. Gu, you come to this bar often, have you ever considered taking over the bar?" The bartender took a break from his busy schedule to ask Gu Yifan.

"I like drinking milk, but I wouldn't just bring a cow home," Gu Yifan said helplessly.

He just wanted some peace and quiet to reflect on and contemplate life.

His lab exploded; I wonder if anyone will miss him like Xu Hongdou did.

There probably will be.
It turns out the bartender was really clueless.

"Look at what you're saying. Buying a dairy cow and investing in a bar are nothing to a big boss like you, right?"

Gu Yifan raised his hand. "Stop. Get to the point. Let me have a quiet drink, okay?"

The bartender chuckled, "This bar is closing down after the New Year. Apparently, it's going to turn into a foot massage parlor. I quite like being a bartender, but I can't do foot massages."

"Oh!" Gu Yifan suddenly realized, "So you're about to lose your job and want to find a boss to take over the bar."

The bartender shrugged.

"Alright, I'll consider it. But even if I buy the bar, the first thing I'll do is fire those clueless and gossipy bartenders," Gu Yifan said expressionlessly.

The bartender scoffed, "Look at what you're saying. This drink is on me, so I won't lose my job later. Alright, you can enjoy life as you please."

The noise in my ears finally disappeared.

Gu Yifan picked up his wine glass and took a sip, wondering why a man from Beijing would go to Shanghai to work.

Unfortunately, before Gu Yifan could even have a moment to calm down, someone suddenly patted him on the shoulder.

Gu Yifan turned his head, and then his right shoulder was patted again.

"Here it is."

Gu Yifan: "Sister Yu Mo, stop fooling around."

"Hehe, what's wrong? Wanyu, it's just going home for the New Year, it can't be that bad, right?"

Miss Qin then stopped her childish antics, stood next to Gu Yifan, and leaned against the bar to ask.

"You're planning to buy the bar?"

Gu Yifan: "How did you know about this?"

"It's a secret! It makes women more attractive~" Qin Yumo stretched out her finger and touched her fiery red lips, pretending to be mysterious.

"...Vermouth?"

"Oh, you've actually watched Detective Conan? You miscalculated." Qin Yumo feigned surprise.

Gu Yifan: "It would be surprising if no one hadn't seen it."

"Just kidding, okay? It was the bar owner who approached Meijia first, maybe he thought she was easy to fool?"

"But he miscalculated. Meijia, Yifei, and I had just invested in a board game shop in the university town, and now we have no money left."

Miss Qin then revealed the answer to the mystery.

Somewhat excited, Miss Qin asked curiously, "What's wrong? You seem a little unhappy?"

No wonder Qin Yumo was excited. Wanyu was gone, Yifei was gone, and she was the only one left in the apartment!

And then there's Gu Yifan.

This is practically putting a weasel in a chicken coop; Miss Qin is already prepared to steal chickens.

As for why Ms. Qin didn't go home for the Chinese New Year, on the one hand, train tickets were hard to buy and she didn't want to squeeze onto the train, and on the other hand, her shop was still under renovation. So she planned to travel off-peak and go home to visit after the New Year.

Gu Yifan hesitated for a moment before giving a brief account of Chen Nanxing's situation, omitting his name and details and simply referring to him as a friend.

After listening, Qin Yumo finally understood why Gu Yifan's expression was somewhat heavy.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know about that."

"It's nothing." Gu Yifan shook his head. "I just feel that fate seems easy to change, but in reality, it's not easy to alter."

"Then don't drink alone, I'll keep you company." Qin Yumo snapped his fingers, casually ordered a bottle of whiskey, and poured himself a drink.

Life is short, the deceased are gone, don't be too sad, let's drink.

Gu Yifan smiled and clinked glasses with Miss Qin.

After downing a glass of fiery whiskey, Gu Yifan let out a long sigh. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Me?" Miss Qin poured more for herself and Gu Yifan.

"It depends. Maybe I'll just stay home. What else can I do?"

Gu Yifan thought for a moment and said, "I invited a few friends to come to the apartment to celebrate New Year's Eve. Why don't we make dumplings together and watch the Spring Festival Gala?"

"How many friends? Boys or girls?" Qin Yumo asked curiously.

Gu Yifan simply took out his phone, intending to ask Xie Xun and the others what their plans were.

If it were just him, Su Weiwei, Xinling, and Madam Zhuge, it would be rather awkward, to be honest.

Why not throw a small party? We don't need to invite Ziqiao and Guangu; they'll probably come anyway.

While sending messages, Gu Yifan also shared his thoughts with Qin Yumo.

Miss Qin was somewhat disappointed.

She didn't expect Gu Yifan to have invited other people. She originally thought the apartment would be deserted during the New Year, so she secretly went to 3601.

A man and a woman, dry wood and a raging fire, and Miss Qin's eyes were full of resentment.

Gu Yifan chose to ignore it.

Not long after sending the message, Xie Xun replied, saying that they hadn't made any arrangements yet.

Seeing that there seemed to be no way to salvage the situation, Miss Qin blinked and simply suggested, "That's perfect. We've made a murder mystery game based on your suggestion, Yifan, and we can also play the werewolf game you mentioned. We can all play together tomorrow."

That's how it was settled.

Instead of making dumplings and having a family reunion on New Year's Eve, it has turned into a more lively party.

After downing two glasses of strong liquor, Qin Yumo's gaze began to wander.

Her delicate body unconsciously leaned against Gu Yifan.

"So you should be free tonight, right?"

Miss Qin breathed warmly into Gu Yifan's ear.

"Hmm, nothing's wrong." Gu Yifan's heart skipped a beat.

Miss Qin, what do you mean by this? Could it be that something might happen tonight?
Having known Qin Yumo for so long, it's hard to say exactly what our relationship is, but it's definitely more than just ordinary friends.

Gu Yifan was well aware of this, and Qin Yumo understood it as well.

"Then I'll keep my sister company."

Sure enough, Miss Qin smiled charmingly, her beautiful eyes sweeping over Gu Yifan with a captivating gaze.

She's already twenty-seven this year!
If she doesn't find the right person soon, she'll really become an old maid.

How could Qin Yumo be willing to accept this?
Unfortunately, Gu Yifan always maintained a passive and silent attitude towards her.

Then Miss Qin will have to take the initiative herself.

"Of course I can keep you company, but how? By getting drunk together?" Gu Yifan asked with a smile.

Qin Yumo tilted her head, her alluring eyes glancing casually at Gu Yifan's lower body.

"Then it depends on your performance."

"Are you still waiting for your sister to pour you some wine?"

Watching the amber-colored liquor being poured into the glass, creating a dazzling display of colors with the ice and the neon lights overhead.

Miss Qin was slightly agitated.

But then, remembering something, she bit her lip and asked Gu Yifan in a low voice.

Do you think I'm a promiscuous woman?

Gu Yifan said seriously, "I'm not a casual man, really."

The implication was clear: he wasn't going to take just any woman who came to him.

Gu Yifan has known Xu Hongdou for so long, and he can tell that she's a girl whose looks and temperament are seven-tenths similar to the fairy sister.

Miss Qin was someone Gu Yifan gradually accepted after much consideration.

This is not to say that Gu Yifan is very devoted; he also knows that he cannot be considered devoted.

But I will never be promiscuous.

Qin Yumo breathed a sigh of relief, her deep black eyes, as black as agate, sparkling with dazzling brilliance.

She opened her red lips, wanting to test Gu Yifan to see if he knew when she had developed feelings for him.

bar toilet
A drunken figure staggered out and saw Gu Yifan's back behind the bar, his eyes lighting up.

"Oh, Brother Fan!"

(End of this chapter)