Chapter 325: Chapter 325

"Right! It’s him. Now he’s chasing Shasha, and the two are planning to see how things go!" Li Si smirked mischievously and winked.

Jiang Fan pretended to be angry and put down the small spoon in her hand, "Bai Shasha is going too far! Such big news, and she didn’t even share it with me! When I head to Beijing before my trip abroad, I must treat her to a proper feast!"

"Haha! Sounds good. Let’s go together then, and make sure her wallet is emptier than her face!"

"You’ve got the upper hand!" Jiang Fan laughed and gave her a thumbs-up.

The two chatted endlessly about how they might tease Bai Shasha when the time came, creating a joyful and lively atmosphere.

Just as they were about to leave and opened the door, they bumped into Glasses Guy and Kong Dan.

Li Si ignored the situation, pushed the door directly, and Glasses Guy and Kong Dan instinctively stepped back.

"Li Si?!" Kong Dan exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock. She never expected to meet Li Si here, especially with her now exuding such an aura of elegance!

Li Si hadn’t returned with the start of the semester, and Kong Dan had found it odd. She wondered if she had dropped out and had even secretly gloated, thinking maybe Li Si ended up like Yao Meiling, pregnant.

But later, rumors circulated that Li Si had transferred schools and studied at an institution in Beijing.

The news stirred mixed feelings within Kong Dan. Back when they were in the same dormitory, their relationship was reasonable, and Kong Dan considered them as similar people.

Yet, after Li Si’s father passed away, Li Si’s demeanor completely changed.

It wasn’t just minor gestures and actions; even her aura seemed to have undergone a remarkable transformation.

"Why her?" Kong Dan thought bitterly. "Simply because she’s a local? Even if she’s local, so what? Her relatives are all troublemakers who only try to take advantage of her."

Thinking of the slap Li Si had once given her, an incident she still deeply resented, Kong Dan had chosen to avoid thinking about her due to not seeing her for a long time.

But now, she couldn’t avoid the encounter.

To her surprise, her boyfriend had cheerfully greeted Li Si, leaving her puzzled. "What is going on? Do they know each other?"

"How is that possible?" she thought.

Li Si responded a few words to Glasses Guy, then pulled Jiang Fan along to leave, preventing the recently consoled Jiang Fan from feeling any more sorrow.

Glasses Guy didn’t matter; it had nothing to do with them. As for the relationship between Glasses Guy and Kong Dan, whether it would work out was entirely their own concern.

"Hey! Li Si! Why don’t you even greet an old classmate when you see them? Jiang Fan, such a coincidence! How come you’re acquainted with my boyfriend?" Follow current novels on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Kong Dan called out loudly, linking arms with Glasses Guy in a display of closeness, feeling infuriated at being ignored.

Li Si turned her head, arrogantly scanning the jealousy-filled expression on Kong Dan’s face. "Not saying hello is completely normal! Our relationship isn’t all that great!"

"As for him? We met by chance! Got it?"

With that, she decisively pulled the silent Jiang Fan away. "What an unlucky day! Should’ve checked the calendar before stepping out!"

Watching them leave, Kong Dan awkwardly glanced at Glasses Guy. "What’s going on? How do you know Li Si and Jiang Fan? You never mentioned it!"

Glasses Guy habitually pushed up his glasses, replying, "I once helped that girl out with something. Just bumped into them now, and they wanted to treat me to a meal. I told them I already had a date with my girlfriend, so I declined."

Kong Dan’s mood instantly brightened. "At least he’s honest. He turned down an invitation from two beauties right to their faces. Doesn’t this prove I’m better than them?"

"Alright then! Let’s head in! After dinner, we’ll go to the movies!" Kong Dan smiled, recalling how they had browsed the mall earlier but hadn’t bought much. Since it was a date, it had to be romantic!

Glasses Guy smiled gently and agreed. He thought Kong Dan was a good girl—not wasteful, not materialistic.

His mother also approved of her, commenting that Kong Dan seemed grounded and sensible, especially since her family was small and lived far away, ensuring few future complications.

Given all this, he was optimistic about the relationship and hoped it would lead to something promising.

Meanwhile, Li Si and Jiang Fan didn’t mention those two again and headed to a gold shop. At Li Si’s strong insistence, Jiang Fan reluctantly bought a pair of small gold bracelets for a child and promised that even if she couldn’t return someday abroad, she would send gifts by mail.

Since Li Si planned to stay in North City for a while longer, after parting ways with Jiang Fan, she drove straight back to the family housing next to the design institute.

Time flies—it felt like she’d been away for most of the past half-year. As she parked her car near her building entrance, she spotted many familiar faces—old neighbors from her previous community.

They were gathered in groups, enthusiastically chatting about something. Li Si couldn’t help but feel puzzled. "Aren’t they all supposed to have moved away? Some even rented out their houses."

"What’s going on today?"

Shaking her head, she parked her car and locked it near the entrance of her building.

At the doorway, she saw an elderly woman walking out, clutching a small folding stool—it turned out to be Grandma Wang from downstairs.

"Grandma Wang, hello!" Li Si greeted her with a smile. After all, it was Grandma Wang who had originally given her the cute little white dog nicknamed "Obedient."

The elderly lady, with her short curled hair, seemed in good spirits and relatively healthy. Li Si felt delighted.

She recalled hearing that Grandma Wang had gone to Shandong to help her second son take care of the grandchildren. Now, she wondered when exactly Grandma had returned.

The older woman squinted her eyes for a moment, seemingly struggling to recognize her. Finally, she exclaimed, "Ah! Li Si, is that you? Where’ve you been? Haven’t seen you at home in ages! I’ve been back from Shanhai Pass for quite a while and didn’t catch a glimpse of you. What’s this, school holidays?"

In Northeast dialect, the other side of Shanhai Pass was often referred to as "Guannei."

"Grandma Wang, you look in good shape! What brought you back here?" Li Si didn’t rush inside but instead stayed to chat with her.

Truth be told, it had been years since she last saw Grandma Wang.

As a child, Li Si often enjoyed meals at Grandma Wang’s, especially her pickled veggies—everything from small cucumbers and radishes to kimchi, even sweet garlic. She remembered gulping down five or six bulbs of garlic in one sitting.

Just thinking about it brought on nostalgia, even a craving. "Could it be that pregnancy makes people yearn for childhood flavors?" she wondered.

Grandma Wang grinned. "You sweet child, didn’t you hear the news? This block is about to be demolished and relocated! I came back to pack up and wait for the new house. Once that’s done, I’ll head back to Shanhai Pass for summer and return here during winter!"

"That’s wonderful! Grandma Wang, you’re about to live the good life!" Li Si mused on how events seemed to unfold differently in this lifetime compared to her previous one, where demolition happened later. But regardless, it was a good thing.

This neighborhood was overdue for redevelopment—pipes and wiring had aged considerably. If the new settlement included high-rise apartments, it would be a blessing for the elderly, with elevators making the daily climb so much easier.

Grandma Wang gently clasped Li Si’s hand, her eyes filled with warmth. "Child, my heart aches for you. You’ve had a tough life. Losing your father so young, and then your second aunt being such a heartless person! What wickedness!"

She had heard from neighbors upon returning that Li Si’s father drowned trying to rescue someone in the river, but Li Si’s second aunt took advantage during her absence, secretly selling the house to her brother.

If Li Si hadn’t been so capable, she wouldn’t have managed to reclaim the house.

What kind of people do such things? Trying to snatch away a home left for a child by a deceased father? Was there no justice left in the world?

"It’s alright, Grandma Wang. That’s all in the past now. I’ve grown up." Li Si reassured her and changed the topic cheerfully, "By the way, do you still make pickles? I miss your cooking so much!"

She asked playfully, as if she were still a child.

Grandma Wang chuckled and patted her hand in delight. "You’re in luck! Just recently, I made some kimchi after returning. Come, come to my place. I’ll pack some for you!"

Li Si followed the older lady to her apartment, feeling a surge of happiness. The room retained its old familiar look, although long periods of vacancy had left it slightly cold and worn.