Chapter 91: Chapter 91

In the afternoon, when Song Mei arrived at school and saw her seat cushion was wet, she immediately glared at the spot where Ye Ling usually sat behind her. However, there was no sign of Ye Ling. It turned out that Ye Ling hadn’t waited for Song Mei to arrive in the afternoon; she’d gone to the office to ask for leave as soon as the teachers arrived. With both hands unable to write and it being review time, she could study at home just the same, so the teacher granted her leave directly.

Ye Ling returned to the compound with her backpack but didn’t head home. She looked around to ensure no one was watching and headed toward a small warehouse by the woods. However, she didn’t go through the front door of the warehouse but went around to the back. She finally stopped under the rear window of the warehouse. After looking around, she put her backpack down and then slowly moved a stone with her foot to the window. Climbing up, she was finally able to see inside through the glass window.

The warehouse was divided between the administrators and the logistics team. It stored things that were either obsolete or worn out from the compound, like tables and chairs. Zhao Guodong was lying on one of the tables, his legs dangling and swinging. Although his face couldn’t be seen, it was easy to guess he was lying flat looking at the warehouse ceiling.

Wang Ping was napping on a chair below, while Zhang Linong was sitting properly in a chair, looking down at a book in his hand.

On the other side, Liu Zhiyuan was also holding a book, as were Dong Haoyu and Xiang Weilai, with only Sun Mingjie lying down. Despite this seemingly harmonious scene, there was a discordant voice.

"Some people just drag others down. Now everyone’s trapped here, and he’s happy." Sun Mingjie’s voice was laced with mockery.

Wang Ping was desperate to shout back at him, "Some people line themselves up to get beaten and then turn around and bite. Hmph, really shameless."

"Enough, both of you, just say one less thing." Liu Zhiyuan interrupted their squabble unhappily, "You’re stuck in confinement and still have the energy to argue? Keep it up and you’ll cause more trouble. If it escalates and you get locked in again after getting out, that’s a hassle."

Zhao Guodong, hearing his tone, was displeased. He sat up with a jerk, "Watch your tone. We’ll do as we please. No need for your sermon here. Use that stuff you learned from your old man on someone else."

"Zhao Guodong, don’t be ungrateful." Liu Zhiyuan threw down the book in his hand and stood up, glaring over.

Zhao Guodong chuckled, jumped off the table, "Oh, want to fight? Come on, I’m ready anytime."

Ye Ling, watching from the back window, shook her head. They were arguing back and forth; it would be strange if a fight didn’t break out. If they got into a fight in the warehouse, they wouldn’t expect to be let out even after three days. Ye Ling initially didn’t plan to meddle, but she remembered Zhao Guodong had delivered buns to her late at night and felt her heart soften.

’Tap, tap, tap’, she knocked on the glass window with the back of her hand.

The people inside, who were on the verge of fighting again, looked over at the sound, only to see a face pressed up against the back window. Zhao Guodong was the first to recognize her, grinned, dragged a chair to the back wall, climbed up, and lifted the sill of the window to open it.

"Nice move. Got any food?" Zhao Guodong’s grin widened. Seeing this face, it was hard to believe he was just about to fight a moment ago.

The others in the warehouse, seeing Zhao Guodong’s ’temporary’ escape, stopped bickering as well. Liu Zhiyuan glanced at the back window, then sat back down in his chair and picked up his book again. Sun Mingjie exchanged an eye signal with Dong Mingyu and Xiang Weilai, mockingly looking toward the back window.

Unfortunately, Dong Mingyu and Xiang Weilai glanced back but didn’t go along with him. They both sat back down in their chairs and picked up books like Liu Zhiyuan, leaving Sun Mingjie feeling it was pointless, so he withdrew his gaze too.

Over there, Wang Ping went over too, "Ye Ling, school let out early this afternoon?"

Zhang Linong half-lounged in a chair, lazily watching Zhao Guodong and Wang Ping chat with Ye Ling.

Ye Ling glared at Zhao Guodong, comparing him to Wang Ping. Even Wang Ping was better, at least he could think of this, while Zhao Guodong only knew about eating.

Only then did Zhao Guodong remember to ask, "It’s Monday today, why didn’t you go to school?"

"Didn’t feel like it, so I came back." Ye Ling teased, "I was quite worried about you guys, but looking at your energy just now, I think you’re all fine. It was needless worry on my part. Since everything’s fine, I’ll head home."

"Hey, you! Just now I thought you were thoughtful, but how could you leave after just a few words? Okay, fine, but do you have any food?" Zhao Guodong asked, trying to act nonchalant, but he’d been hungry long before midday since leaving home.

Ye Ling shrugged, "Nope."

Zhao Guodong’s face fell, and his earlier energy vanished, "Then go ahead."

Seeing how silly he looked, Ye Ling couldn’t help but laugh and decided not to tease him further, "Wait a moment, I did bring a little, but it’s not much. You guys will have to share it. Also, the four on that side, you seven share it. Just a little each, and I’ll try to bring more over tonight if I get a chance."

"Why should we care about them?" Zhao Guodong perked up at the mention of food, "We’re with logistics after all."

"If you don’t agree, then I’m going home." Ye Ling didn’t bother to explain further.

Unable to resist wanting to knock some sense into him, she knew they were confined in the same warehouse. If they ate secretly while the others watched, they would definitely tell on them. They might as well involve them all so everyone eats, and no one can say anything. Even if they disliked each other, they wouldn’t bring it up to avoid incriminating themselves.

Wang Ping, though reluctant as well, had interacted with Ye Ling enough recently to know that she was better at thinking things through than they were, so he tended to follow her suggestions without much thought.

"Alright, bring out the food." Zhao Guodong rubbed his face and extended his hand, "Hurry up; it’s late enough as it is."

Ye Ling refrained from stooping to his level, pulling a lunchbox from her backpack along with a pair of chopsticks. As she handed it over to Zhao Guodong, she added, "I used the lunchbox you guys brought me to pack this up in the morning. If I have the time, I’ll bring some more for you guys tonight."

Ye Ling didn’t explain that she made the meal for herself in the morning and snuck a portion into the lunchbox Zhao Guodong and the others had given her. Otherwise, her mom wouldn’t have allowed her to take so much food out. In the lunchbox was the usual carrot rice she often cooked. There was no need for side dishes as the rice and vegetables were cooked together.

As for tonight, Ye Ling would have to find a way to bring it out without alerting her family, so she didn’t want to make any promises.

After giving her instructions, Ye Ling turned and left.

Zhao Guodong didn’t understand, but Zhang Linong glanced over at Liu Zhiyuan and explained in a voice everyone could hear, "Ye Ling went to class, definitely to bring us lunch at noon. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had a chance to bring us food." (To be continued. If you work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)