My girlfriend was reborn.

Chapter 93 Winter Days, Lu Bai's Home
January 20th.

Great Cold.

Since the past two days, Jiangcheng City has been shrouded in smog, with temperatures dropping below zero. Today is an even colder day, with breaths turning white and ears turning red from the cold if you're not careful.

The library will be closed from today until the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

Zhou Heming lost his place where he could enjoy the warmth of the heating and could only stay at home to study.

At this time two years ago, he usually helped out at the funeral home.

I don't know if it's due to seasonality, but there are a lot of people dying in winter, especially the elderly. Perhaps this is also a factor behind many people's saying about "getting through the Spring Festival".

He didn't set an alarm clock and woke up around 8 a.m. As soon as he opened his eyes, he felt a shiver.

"Why is it so cold?"

After sniffling, which was caused by the cold, Zhou Heming climbed out of bed and put on his coat.

The air conditioner was still blowing air, but when he reached out and touched it, it was cold.

"No way"

Zhou Heming's heart skipped a beat.

He turned the air conditioner off and on again, confirming that the heating function was malfunctioning.

"You've held up for three years, how could something happen to you now? You need to stand firm until the very end!"

Zhou Heming tried to reason with the air conditioner for a while, appealing to its logic and emotions, but unfortunately, it seemed determined to retire early, refusing to heat anything, and when he tried it, the cooling function was also broken.

Considering that Cheng Shuangjiang's air conditioner had also broken down before, Zhou Heming strongly suspected that the appliances installed in this batch of houses were scheduled to be scrapped at this time.

Zhou Heming checked his phone and found that all the nearby repair shops were closed for the holidays. The only repairman he could call was extremely expensive, which was painful to pay.

Gritting his teeth, he made a phone call to inquire about the situation.

Then, under the direction of the other party, who spoke Mandarin with a slight regional accent, Zhou Heming checked the air conditioner.

Good news, the repairman doesn't need to come. Zhou Heming won't have to spend a huge amount of money to repair this broken air conditioner that has been in service for more than ten years.

Bad news: Zhou Heming needs to buy a new air conditioner.

Scratching his head, Zhou Heming sent a message to his uncle, Zhou Jianjun.

At this time, even if Zhou Jianjun wanted to buy it, the installer would have to be willing to come and install it, and he would also have to coordinate with the property management.

[Zhou Heming]: I'll figure it out myself first. I'll just go to the supermarket and buy an electric blanket to make do.

Unexpectedly, the joke I made with Cheng Shuangjiang about buying an electric blanket turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy and became a foreshadowing of what's to come.

Patting his face, Zhou Heming shivered as he changed into his outdoor clothes.

The air conditioner probably broke down in the middle of the night last night. The temperature in the room is already very low. It's so cold that your hands will freeze if you write for a while. If Zhou Heming stays here all day, he'll probably have to spend the Spring Festival with a cold.

"Go to a funeral home or, well, find a shopping mall or something."

KFC and McDonald's won't kick you out. All you need is the strong focus and thick skin to ignore the staff who keep wiping the tables, and the willpower to fight off unruly kids. It's definitely a good place to study.

Zhou Heming had seen many elementary and middle school students gathering in these places to finish their homework when summer vacation was almost over.

After packing his things and leaving the house, Zhou Heming glanced at the house next door.

The air conditioner's outdoor unit was running normally, indicating that Cheng Shuangjiang was peacefully studying in her rented apartment.

"What am I thinking?"

With a self-deprecating chuckle, Zhou Heming banished the strange thoughts from his mind and went downstairs.

Because it was still early and because he had no clear goal, Zhou Heming wandered aimlessly down the street with his schoolbag on his back.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, the streets have become bustling with activity.

Many elderly people were out on the street with their grandchildren wrapped up like dumplings, as were students on holiday and couples. Most of the working people still had to stay at their posts today. Zhou Heming couldn't help but observe a minute of silence for them.

As he walked, Zhou Heming found himself near the city park where he had previously visited with Cheng Shuangjiang.

A gentle accordion melody drifted over.

It's the melody of "Goodbye My Friend".

Accompanied by the sounds of trumpets, violins, and saxophones, a rather smooth melody echoed in the wind.

When Zhou Heming arrived at the entrance of the Citizens' Park, he saw several elderly people with gray hair sitting in the pavilion. They were playing musical instruments and singing in a chorus with great enjoyment. Despite the cold weather, they were as enthusiastic as young men.

He remembered that Cheng Shuangjiang had mentioned that her grandfather used to play this kind of music with the other elderly people in the courtyard.

So the boy picked up his phone and recorded a short clip while they were playing.

But he didn't send it; it just stayed in his phone, like a letter that could never be sent.

"The vows remain, but the letter cannot be sent. So that's what it means."

He gave a bitter smile and opened the notes app on his phone.

In addition to the jokes that Zhou Heming used to jot down as material, his phone's notes have recently been filled with many poems and passages that he had heard or learned before, along with his own insights.

In Zhou Heming's words, these are all rare emotional experiences, and it would be a waste not to write them down.

Many words and phrases can only be fully understood and truly used or incorporated into one's own understanding through personal experience.

"Come to think of it, there does seem to be a shopping mall around here."

He put down his phone and looked up to see the large shopping mall that was supposedly pet-friendly, where you could walk your dog.

And residential buildings and apartment buildings near the shopping mall.

“Lu Bai lives here, and it seems she won’t be going home for New Year’s Eve.”

During this time, Lu Bai would occasionally go to the library with him. Sometimes she would read scripts, sometimes she would study for a while, and sometimes she would simply wear headphones and watch dramas or videos.

To Zhou Heming's surprise, Lu Bai cried while watching "Farewell My Concubine".

Like a fragile little girl, her shoulders trembled, she kept sniffling, and her eyes were filled with tears.

In response, Zhou Heming simply handed over a tissue.

"Lu Bai".

Thinking of this, Zhou Heming repeated the name.

Cheng Shuangjiang, who has been reborn, said that if the original timeline had been followed, he and Lu Bai would have gotten together and become a loving couple.

But Zhou Heming felt that the future had changed.

He didn't think he could fall in love with another girl again.

Even if the other party is Cheng Shuangjiang, who is eighteen years old.

Therefore, to him, Lu Bai was just a friend.

He knew that the reason Lu Bai was contacting him so frequently was because Lu Bai was still nostalgic for the old days. It wasn't love or affection, but just a habit.

The three great illusions of life do not exist in front of Zhou Heming, who doesn't play PvP games, keeps his phone on silent mode, and has a deep understanding of himself.

Upon entering the mall, Zhou Heming indeed saw many customers walking their dogs. The mall seemed to have specially prepared pet strollers, and many people could be seen putting their dogs in the strollers as if they were pushing their own children.

"Downstairs is KFC, and the first floor is McDonald's."

Zhou Heming hesitated for a moment before deciding which house to go to.

Just then, my phone suddenly vibrated.

[Lu Bai]: This restaurant has good food. Do you want to go eat there together tonight?

There's also a link to a steamed dish restaurant, but it's not one of those roadside stalls on the back street of a school; it's a proper large restaurant in the bustling city center.

Zhou Heming thought for a moment, replied with "Okay", and then typed again.

[Zhou Heming]: I am currently at the shopping mall downstairs from your house.

[Lu Bai]: How did you know where I live?
[Zhou Heming]: Cheng Shuangjiang told me this before.

[Lu Bai]: Why are you shopping alone at the mall so early in the morning?

[Zhou Heming]: Although I am indeed alone, you're making that assumption way too quickly.

[Zhou Heming]: My air conditioner is broken and can't be fixed anytime soon, so I came out to find a place to study.

[Lu Bai]: What kind of places can you find to study in the mall?

[Zhou Heming]: KFC or McDonald's, etc.

[Lu Bai]: That's perfect. Go to McDonald's and buy me a breakfast. I want the pork and egg McMuffin combo, the one with hash browns and hot milk tea, to go.

Lu Bai transferred the money directly.

"Then McDonald's will do."

Zhou Heming didn't care. He took the money, strolled to McDonald's, and bought a breakfast that Lu Bai had specified to go.

Holding the packing bag, he suddenly realized something.

What is she packing up for?

At that moment, Zhou Heming saw Lu Bai, wearing a baseball cap, push open the door and enter.

"You've already bought it? Just one serving? Aren't you going to eat it yourself?"

Lu Bai had obviously just gotten up not long ago; his hair was a bit messy, and he was wearing a thick down jacket and jeans that he had just grabbed at random.

"I will not eat."

Zhou Heming handed the paper bag to Lu Bai and prepared to find a seat.

"What are you looking at? Come on."

Lu Bai took the paper bag and looked at him suspiciously.

"Walk for what?"

The young man was stunned.

"Just follow me." Lu Bai gently tugged at his sleeve.

Zhou Heming silently followed.

Lu Bai skillfully navigated the mall, leading Zhou Heming to a gate where there were few passersby, property management staff were on duty, and a card was required to enter.

The property manager nodded to Lu Bai, then glanced at Zhou Heming with a smile.

"Where is this?"

Zhou Heming followed him inside, and while waiting for the elevator, he had some vague guesses.

"my home."

Lu Bai casually pressed the button for his floor in the elevator.

That was a floor where you could feel a slight blockage in your eardrums while riding an elevator that was going up at high speed.

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Zhou Heming rubbed his ears and stepped out of the elevator behind Lu Bai.

"Oh, oh, oh, you're not happy with it, are you?"

Lu Bai chuckled lightly, feigning nonchalance, pressed the code on the electronic lock, and pushed open the door to his rented apartment.

That's not what I meant. Um, sorry to bother you.

This was the first time in Zhou Heming's life that he had stepped into Lu Bai's home.

As soon as he stepped inside, he smelled a faint scent of lavender.

He had never been to an apartment before, so he found the room layout quite novel.

Upon entering, there is a corridor. To the left is a kitchen counter that can only be used with an induction cooker, a sink, and then a bathroom with a frosted glass sliding door. Passing through the corridor, there is a not-so-spacious living room. One corner of the living room is occupied by clothes racks full of clothes and a simple wardrobe bought online. Several clothes that Lu Bai had worn before can be seen.

The wall next to the sofa was covered with all kinds of hats; roughly speaking, there were at least twenty.

There were many snacks on the coffee table, as well as a tablet that was charging.

There's a large TV opposite the sofa, which looks like it was brought by the landlord.

Further inside the living room is a bedroom separated by sliding doors, furnished with several throw pillows, and featuring classic shark furniture from the furniture store, as well as a balcony.

The room was warm, and the floor-standing air conditioner was faithfully fulfilling its function, unlike Zhou Heming's family member who had said goodbye to him long ago.

"Wait a minute."

As Lu Bai spoke, she went back to her bedroom and moved the cosmetics that were placed on the desk near the door aside.

"This will do for now."

She gestured to Zhou Heming that he could study here.

This is your bedroom.

Zhou Heming asked tentatively.

"What, do you think my bedroom is too messy?"

Lu Bai sat on the sofa and took out the breakfast from the paper bag.

"No."

Zhou Heming put down his schoolbag, took out the test papers, exercise books, draft paper, and stationery, and placed them on the table, which still smelled faintly of cosmetics.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that there wasn't a single book to be found in Lu Bai's house.

Don't you usually study at home?

"If you've already learned enough during school, why do you have to learn more after school?"

Lu Bai took a sip of coffee and said matter-of-factly.

"What you say makes sense."

Zhou Heming felt that his stereotypes about art students had increased.

"By the way, what score did you need on the college entrance exam to get into Ningbo University?"

"A little over 300 points."

Lu Bai answered without hesitation.

"That's okay."

Zhou Heming looked at the exam paper.

Well, since I'm already here, I might as well study hard.

Having made this decision, he focused on his studies.

Lu Bai took off his down jacket and hat, and dressed in a hoodie and jeans, casually lay on the sofa, watching dramas on his tablet, and occasionally picking up his phone to reply to WeChat messages.

Around midnight, Zhou Heming suddenly felt as if someone was standing next to him.

"what happened?"

Turning around, he saw Lu Bai standing at the bedroom door watching him write his homework, and he didn't know how long he had been standing there.

"What to eat for lunch?"

Lu Bai, holding his phone, was caught in a dilemma.

"I also can."

Zhou Heming figured that Lu Bai was probably not the kind of person who was good at cooking. When he came in, there were no signs of the kitchen being used. He judged that Lu Bai's cooking skills were at most good enough to cook instant noodles.

"When a girl asks you this kind of question, you should at least give one or two answers, instead of just saying 'anything is fine'!"

Lu Bai scoffed and glanced at his phone.

"Let's order takeout. The mala tang downstairs is pretty good."

Why order takeout from downstairs?

Zhou Heming put away his pen.

"Why not just go downstairs to eat? You won't have to clean up the trash then."

"Right."

Lu Bai put away his phone and muttered something.

"I used to order takeout by myself."

".That's true."

Zhou Heming imagined it for a moment: it would indeed be a bit lonely for someone to go downstairs and eat in these places alone.

After tidying up, the two went downstairs.

"Actually, there are quite a lot of food options here. This is Hunan-style rice with toppings, and I particularly like the combination of pork liver and cured meat. That place has boiled rice noodles. The Sichuan-style noodles here are just average, not as good as the ones from my hometown. And there's this beef hot pot, which has a discount every night after 8 pm."

As they walked through the mall, Lu Bai pointed out which restaurants were good and which were bad to Zhou Heming. Clearly, she knew the mall inside and out when it came to food.

"This local Jiangcheng restaurant is absolutely awful, it ruined my impression of Jiangcheng. And this Yunnan restaurant is okay, but ridiculously expensive. Oh, and the grilled fish here is good, but their signature lychee flavor is sweet and spicy, I still prefer the numbing and spicy flavor."

As they talked, they arrived at the basement level, where there is a food court that almost every shopping mall has.

It was lunchtime, and the office workers upstairs, who were working their last day, had gathered here. Their minds were already back home, and they were having a lively discussion about either work gossip or how they planned to have a blast when they got home.

"Authentic Chongqing Mala Tang".

Zhou Heming glanced at the shop that Lu Bai had brought him to.

"Let's just order one large portion for the two of us. Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

Lu Bai took a basin and some tongs.

This restaurant is a self-service type where you pick up your food, it's weighed, and then cooked together.

"No."

Zhou Heming glanced at the seated guests; the pots in front of them were bright red and looked like they were extremely spicy.

"The pig liver here is delicious. Since there are two of us, I can just take two portions."

Lu Bai skillfully picked out her food, balancing meat and vegetables, without any hesitation. She seemed to know exactly what she liked.

Zhou Heming symbolically took a portion of oyster mushrooms and winter melon slices, and then he saw Lu Bai take a bunch of cilantro.

"Cilantro, you can actually eat it raw?"

He had never heard of this before; he only knew that it was put in condiment dishes and sprinkled on the dishes to add aroma.

"Of course, I also add cilantro to my hot pot, along with garland chrysanthemum and spinach. It's a pity there are no pea shoots here. Let me tell you, when you go to Sichuan, you must try pea shoots. They are simply the king of green vegetables and are super delicious in hot pot."

Lu Bai introduced it in a serious manner.

Are you going to Sichuan?

Zhou Heming remembered the promise the three of them made.

He and Lu Bai took number plates. Because there were many customers, they could only find a seat against the wall where the two of them could sit side by side.

"The rice, drinks, and ice jelly here are self-service, they're over there, you can go ahead."

Lu Bai pointed familiarly to the tea station on one side.

"it is good."

Zhou Heming got up and walked halfway when he remembered that he should get one for Lu Bai. He turned back to ask her what she wanted to drink.

He saw it by accident.

Lu Bai quietly pulled his chair a little closer to himself.

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(End of this chapter)